"I'd like to apply for this, this and this.", Haruto said calmly while pointing at the three jobs he'd chosen for himself.
Hirakawa Tatsuhiro, the manager of the department that Haruto had visited the other day, was currently sitting opposite him, trying to figure out if the kid was being forced to do what he was doing by someone in the academy, since there were always bullies who picked on weaker students, especially weak orphans.
If he caught them, he could apply for a raise and send that extra money back to his roots.
But the boy was happy. Too happy. In fact, there was not a shred of sorrow or fear in the boy.
As if he'd just discovered a new treasure.
The manager quietly pulled out the form on his pad that he had to fill out before assigning job posts, and looked at one check box in particular.
'How much of the Hokage's Will of Fire has the person inherited?'
While it seemed like a normal question at first, whose most common answer was 'Average.', it was actually a trick question.
As long as he chose to put down, 'As much as the Hokage-sama himself. It would trigger an alert in the system to immediately inspect the boy's life in its entirety.
Looking at Haruto smiling but pointing to the three jobs, Hirakawa had immediately raised flags of opportunity in his mind.
After all, he had been a chunin at one point too, had it not been for a debilitating internal injury that occurred on a mission during the recent Third Shinobi War, he wouldn't have retired so early.
Of course, Hirakawa wasn't a weakling who didn't do any damage in return to the enemy that he encountered. He trapped the enemy officer in a genjutsu, disabled him, and dragged him back to the nearest Konoha Checkpoint while under fire from enemy Iwa shinobi.
The enemy he'd captured seemed to have had some very important intelligence and hence he'd earned a lot of credits which he used to secure this position after the war ended.
After the war ended, a village elder even approached him personally and gave him a mission!
To secretly build a web of administrative shinobi at high positions who could be responsible for keeping their respective departments in check and make sure that nothing was misused in their resources.
And so, Haruto's job choices made him light up with joy.
After all, he knew just how good these positions were for the purposes of infiltrating into the system.
So after rechecking Haruto's file to verify that he was a clean Konoha shinobi, he started to ponder on the other questions.
Even if he was turned into a spy for the village's benefit, could he be further used for counter intelligence purposes against these departments?
Someone from the corrupt faction had been snooping around recently because there had been a purge at the department during which several misappropriated funds had been seized. If Haruto could be involved in that and be used to provide or leak the right counter intelligence he might earn even more merits and benefit the village further.
And so when he saw Haruto keep his innocent smile as he went into elaborate depths to explain why he wanted those positions in particular, Hirakawa wrote down, 'Average.' and moved on to filling the rest of the list based on Haruto's tendencies throughout the conversation waiting for Haruto to show more of his 'personality'.
And when he saw Haruto's finger on 'Konoha I.T. Databook Keeper' he paid full attention, since most new kids who'd been raised during the era of peace frowned upon torture for they did not know the horror of war.
But-
'He wants to join the Interrogation and Torture department…and yet he's smiling while talking about it like he's talking about taking care of those summoned creatures!'
'Interesting…He's got guts.'
He continued his evaluation and paid more attention to Haruto's words.
Meanwhile in Haruto's Inventory Template-
'Haruto!!! I've seen the look in his eyes before!!! He's paying more attention to you right now! This is a job that has more openings and he's considering you for it!!!' Megumin shouted from inside his mind, she had been his partner throughout this interview.
They'd planned in the Template Inventory how they would present themselves and Haruto was simply narrating everything that Megumin was telling him without fear.
So when she told him that Hirakawa was paying extra attention to him and that he had a chance for the position that was his topmost preference, he quickly straightened up and began speaking everything he'd prepared with eloquence.
"Hirakawa-sama! I'd be honoured to work in the I.T. department even if it is a simple data logging job. I've already failed as a genin and cannot contribute to the village in any meaningful way through my body. But I can still use my mind!!!
After a pause to take a short sip of water laced with benzodiazepine, Haruto started speaking again.
But given the odorless and tasteless characteristics of the drug, Haruto missed it completely and consumed the drug that made whoever drank it 'free'er' without them realising it.
"And although I was not intelligent or even that good with numbers in the academy, I promise to take care of every number on those pages!" Haruto explained passionately.
'...?' Hirakawa was confused, marking the pause in Haruto's words by taking a sip from his own glass of water.
"Like I told you, I'm good with pets, I treat them with care and give them the treatment they deserve. Just like that, I promise that each number will get its deserved special attention from me!"
'Huh!? Pets!? Numbers!?' Hirakawa became stunned, his mind conjuring up a different meaning given his context.
'He's promising that each prisoner in the log book will get special treatment from him!?!'
'What kind of special treatment!?' Hirakawa instantly became curious since if the kid was willing to go a little further, he could work on the inside to collect evidence of corrupt crimes directly from the sources and then find ways to help capture them for evidence!
"I promise that no one other than those meant to handle them will touch them! And I'll make sure to go over them everyday!! I'll make sure they're always straight so that no accidents happen!!!"
'You promise that you'll keep them locked up and handled well!? Protected under all costs!!!'
'Hmm…big words for a kid…but-'
'-I bet Hirutsuko(team partner, status deceased during war in last mission.) would be proud if he heard that there's still a little fellow in the village that knows of the horrors of war and isn't queasy about doing what it takes to snuff out escalation of violence!!'
"No matter what happens, I will always account for all those numbers so that they never go missing or worse, get twisted by other factors!"
'Good. One must always keep an eye out for potential corruption schemes and small bands forming and trying to rebel against the village and its system! This child has truly embodied the true spirit of the Hokage's words that is only revealed during time of war!!! Truly magnificent!!!!'
"When I was a child I used to help my parents keep track of their expendable weapons like kunai and shuriken, so I know well how to handle such things and the harm they can cause! As such, I'm very responsible with them and know how to treat them with care too!!!"
'Oh! He's promising to even step in to help with the interrogations if asked!!'
'He has a very promising and bright future!'
Hirakawa was practically foaming from his mouth due to happiness right now. It was as if he'd drunk the laced water and not Haruto.
"I promise Hirakawa-sama that I shall make sure those numbers learn the Will of Fire of the Hokage-sama that flows through the veins of each and every member of this village!!! That they learn the effort and hard work we put in to make them go higher!!!"
'Oh!!! Such a grand child blessed by the heavens!!!!! He even wants to send them upstairs if asked!! If it weren't for his slightly poor scores at the academy, he would've been the perfect ninja!! Such a tragedy!!! But now that he is willing to contribute in another way, I shouldn't let him down!!!'
Eventually, Haruto stopped and Hirakawa was done filling the form with a rather giddy expression.
Finally it was time for the results of their short interview.
Hirakawa looked into Haruto's eyes with a serious gaze, but a silly smile hung on his lips as he spoke warmly.
"Haruto." Hirakawa stated causing Haruto to nearly flinch because of the casual name calling when he barely knew the man, "I must tell you that you're the best candidate that I've ever met in my time here as a manager."
Haruto nodded softly, lifting his head with some pride.
Hirakawa nodded.
'Yes! This is what a shinobi of the Hidden Leaf must be like!'
"As such, while I cannot give you the position of the 'Konoha Medical Department Medicine Staffer' since it demands at least genin level chakra control. I can recommend you for the two other jobs, 'Konoha I.T. Databook Keeper' and 'Konoha Summoned Creature Caretaker'."
Haruto's eyes widened.
This was way better than what he'd expected.
'Recommendation for two jobs!? In this economy!?'
"But…I'd personally prefer it if you go to the I.T. department since people like you are the best suited for it!" Hirakawa declared professionally with pride in his eyes, patting Haruto on the shoulder as if he were his own son.
"Sir. Yes. Sir!" Haruto saluted.
'Yaaataaa!!!' Megumin shouted in joy at the completion of the first mission they'd gotten.
'How did you even know he'd do that!? Why'd they poison water at a random job interview!?' Haruto asked, slightly bewildered.
'...I! The Crimson Goddess, have seen the darkest depths of humanity!! I have seen the souls of the torture-'
And Haruto shut his connection up.
***
The enigmatic room was filled with an enigmatic silence.
***
Sitting in his living room, Haruto's eyes stared at a page about chakra but his mind lay somewhere else.
'That person spiked my drink for a simple job interview..'
'Why?'
The infamous 'Keep calm and blame Danzo meme' popped up in Haruto's head almost instantly but he put it aside for now.
'No way would Danzo want or even need to have someone stationed at such a low level position in the village to spy on random genin dropping out of school.'
'Wouldn't he rather have someone at school who would watch such kids and offer them some suspicious jobs? Like Mizuki did for Naruto?'
'...maybe he can't place teachers at the school since they might not be able to teach the kids well because of their lack of emotions or muted emotions but he could still stuff them into the other staff members such as the cleaning workers or the lunch room cooks and distributors.'
Haruto remembered a particularly nasty janitor who claimed that he had the strongest taijutsu style in Konoha and kept suspiciously calling them to his shack but everyone simply ignored him.
'No. I'm getting lost in thoughts.'
'Why would he spike my drink?'
While Megumin had simply told him that clients often did that to ensure that they weren't being sabotaged or being taken advantage of by the adventurers, Haruto digressed.
Who'd want to spike such a cute kid's drink!?
'The effect of the drink was simple…' Haruto reasoned. 'It made the person a little loopy and pushed them to be a little emotional.'
'Hmm…is there something wrong with the positions I asked for?'
'Did they want to verify something about me?'
'I remember him asking questions about my parents, about the Third Hokage and also about how I viewed the civilian population in the village.'
'But they all just seemed like regular words to make up for the awkward silence.'
Haruto quickly picked up his notebook and flipped pages until he looked at the three positions he'd picked once again.
'The I.T. department…?'
'No this can't be anything complicated…it's a simple data logging job. The interviewer even seemed rather inclined to push me into this department. So this department likely doesn't require any special clearances.'
'Then the problem is in the Summoned Animals Caretaker position and the Hospital Medicine Staffer position.'
'Did he see through my idea of getting into contact with other shinobi to learn ninjutsu?'
'...well maybe but at least he didn't stop me from joining the I.T. department.'
As for reporting the situation to any other shinobi in the village?
Without knowing who to trust and who not to, Haruto had no interest in being the social pariah of the village that would lead a revolution against the most protected, village Elder.
Haruto quickly closed his books and stood up.
"Let's go to the academy. I still need to submit my withdrawal form."
Locking the door behind himself, Haruto pocketed the keys but paused for a second as he looked at his house.
'What's even the point of keys in this world?'
'Tsk.'
Haruto quietly turned around with a little disappointment before continuing towards the school which was a good fifteen minute walk away from his house.
Not far, but enough to let him see more of Konoha that he'd previously only seen through memories.
'What do you think about this place Megumin?' Haruto asked casually as he went on his walk, looking at the various kids laughing while playing on the roads, adults chatting under trees or on chairs and benches outside shops, merchants rushing holding various papers, and grandparents simply relaxing while doing something silly like tai chi or laughing exercises.
'It's a big city…' Megumin said softly but Haruto caught the undertone of her words.
'...Yeah, it is.' Haruto replied.
He knew just how dark a big city like this could get.
The very fact that his mind thought to blame a village Elder for simply spiking his drink left Haruto a little conscious about his actions.
It made him insecure. As if a one eyed demon could walk out of any shadow and simply drag him into an abyss from which he could never return.
Not wanting to spend time discussing such silly things though, Haruto diverted the topic.
'How old are you right now?'
'Hmph! How dare you ask a lady her age! Especially the eternal crimson demon like me! I've been here forever! And I'm going to be here forever! I'm immortal.' Megumin scoffed.
'Are you even old enough to drink? And I bet you came here because Aqua messed up something somewhere.'
Megumin froze in the Template Inventory. Her hands trembled slightly before she regained her composure and asked with a slight tremble in her voice, 'You know Aqua.'
'No.' Haruto answered plainly, 'But I know of her.'
'Did you trap me here!? Can you send me back!?' Megumin immediately asked.
'Trap you here? No, I'm trapped here myself. And I don't know if I can send you back. I'm sorry if you've gotten stuck here, but there isn't much I can do at this point.'
Megumin fell silent.
'Don't you have your adventurer card? Can't you invest some of your skill points in spatial magic or something? I remember Wiz or someone had a skill to teleport around. Was it Wolbach? Even Yunyun had it by the end if I'm not wrong…I don't remem-'
'You know Wolbach!? You know Yunyun!? Who are you!?' Megumin nearly exploded in her tone by the end.
Not knowing how to explain all this properly, Haruto did the next best thing he could.
'I come from a world that's far more peaceful than yours…but it's a world that is filled with *authors*…' Haruto explained mysteriously, using the english word author instead of the japanese one.
Knowing Haruto was trying to make her question him Megumin played along, after all as a certified crimson demon that had been in the party that defeated the demon king and his generals, whose explosion magic had defeated and destroyed the demon king and his dungeon, how could she not know when she was supposed to help the mysterious atmosphere!
So Megumin did it-
'What is an author!?' Megumin asked with starry eyes.
'Authors are those that have the power to see through space, to see through time, and to see through the very essence of fate itself!'
'Authors can look into the world beyond ours and then choose to inscribe the story of legends that their gazes fall upon!'
'Then!' Megumin immediately asked with flashing eyes as her body tensed.
'Yes! Your thoughts are correct. An Author in my world inscribed your story for all to witness. And it was quite popular too. Your badges of battles and your uses of magic have all been inscribed in the magical *tablets* that millions have gazed upon and shared with other.'
Megumin's eyes were practically sparkling much like her explosion magic at this moment.
And although Haruto wasn't in the Template Inventory, he could still feel the infectious and rebellious but joyous aura radiating off of Megumin.
The rest of the walk to the academy was much quieter with Megumin only speaking once, 'What's the name of the Author-san who gazed upon my world?'
'Natsume Akatsuki.' Haruto said softly before explaining further, 'While he penned down the original happenings of your world, Kurone Mishima, was the one who gave us a glimpse of what you looked like.'
That got Megumin quiet for the rest of the walk again as she was working on setting up a small shrine for the two people in Haruto's Template Inventory for herself.
After the rather light hearted talk, Haruto felt a little joyous too as he practically pranced his way to the academy like a pony but quickly stopped when a little girl pointed at him from across the street and said.
"Look mommy, a weird boy!!"
Haruto almost stumbled at that comment but quickly composed himself once he remembered that the shadow near the little girl could very well contain a one-eyed demon just waiting for him to fall so he could drag him into the abyss.
Haruto knocked on the door, softly, and waited patiently.
"Come in." came an almost cartoonishly rough voice from inside the room.
Haruto opened the door and walked inside only to see his homeroom teacher still working diligently on what looked to be test papers for students from the academy.
"Good afternoon Daikoku-sensei."
"Hmm?" The slightly chubby man lifted his head from his papers and looked at Haruto in surprise.
"Haruto!?"
Haruto clearly understood the surprise in Daikoku's eyes. After all who wouldn't.
A dead last student suddenly popping up in the teacher's office unannounced, without having any detention, there was no way whatever he was going to say next was going to be normal.
So Daikoku immediately put down the pen he was using to grade his student's papers and focused completely on Haruto.
It made Haruto a little nervous. Especially since Daikoku had been nothing but kind to Haruto. Well kind by shionbi standards.
As in, other than 'kindly' explaining to students that Kunai can stab and pierce sixteen different vitals in the human body and kill a shinobi immediately without letting them fight back or retaliate in any way once they're down.
He was pretty kind, even going so far as to have Haruto sit out on Taijutsu matches because he was 'too weak to contribute' etc.
Haruto had seen other teachers be harsher on their students, forcing them to compete with the toughest, most ruthless kiddy ninjas who could easily break fingers or elbows 'accidentally', all in the hopes of motivating them to either do better or simply quit the academy and make place for someone else.
So all in all Daikoku received a passing grade in Haruto's judging eyes.
"I'm here to drop out of the academy sensei." Haruto said softly. But in the silence, and with Daikoku's focus completely on him, Haruto's words were clearly heard.
As such, Daikoku immediately fired a question towards him at mach speed.
"Why?" it wasn't a request, it was an order.
As a military organisation, quitting wasn't a person's own decision to make. But even above that it wasn't a 'loose' decision to make.
No matter how desperately a person wanted to become a shinobi once they quit, they wouldn't be allowed back into service unless they displayed an exceptional talent greatly surpassing their previous reputation.
So you couldn't just quit one day when things got hard and then come back when things were easier to collect your monthly stipend.
As such, every person in this organization who wanted to quit would have to give out a firm 'order like' reason. For the 'organisation' and also for themselves, so they knew that this reason of theirs was not something that could change lightly at the fart of a bee.
Haruto looked right into Daikoku's eyes and spoke sharply, "Because I'm weak and I don't deserve to be a shinobi."
Seeing Haruto's firm resolve, Daikoku nodded after sighing in relief.
"To be honest, I wished for you to give up much earlier." Daikoku said while picking up his pen and grabbing a new paper to write something on.
Haruto only stayed silent and listened calmly.
"I was close friends with Kurumi and Sasaki having worked with them in the war after our teammates died."
A soft silence filled the gap in their conversation as Daikoku scribbled something onto the paper before he looked back at Haruto while handing it to him.
"Your mother, Kurumi, always wanted you to stay within the protected walls of the village. She never liked the violence of the wars very much. She wanted you to know more love and care in your work."
Haruto grabbed the paper Daikoku handed over to him and realised it was a withdrawal letter signed by him.
He then looked back at Daikoku and nodded softly, "Thank you teacher."
"No worries." Daikoku shook his head, "Go hand that paper over to the Administrative office. They'll stamp it and hand over a copy back to you."
"Alright." Haruto nodded and quickly turned around to leave after a few more pleasant words.
Just as Haruto was about to leave, Daikoku quickly asked him one last question, "Haruto, have you figured out what you're going to do after?"
Haruto who'd already opened the door looked back and responded happily, with a soft summer smile, "I'm going to be working at the I.T. department. I promise I will be very loving and caring in my duties."
Turning around and leaving with his withdrawal form, Haruto failed to see the stunned and surprised expression of Daikoku whose mind felt like it had just received the heaviest of blows.
'Bu-'
The door closed with a satisfying *click*.
Having left the administrative office with a xerox copy of his withdrawal letter Haruto started leaving the academy with a happier smile.
"How nice.." Haruto mumbled out loud, stretching with a big yawn as he looked at the colourful fiery sky caused by the setting sun as he stepped out of the academy.
Haruto's gaze fell on the Hokage Rock and the steps that led to the top of it, "The view from up there must be wonderful huh…"
While Haruto's gaze seemed to be on the Hokage faces, his eyes seemed to look beyond at something else.
His daydreams however, were cruelly snapped when someone placed their hand on his shoulder.
"Ohh? Is it Haru-kun?"
The grip on his shoulder was harsh enough to make Haruto kneel but with the person keeping their grip on his tshirt it only made him dangle awkwardly in between.
'What's this?'
'What's going on?' Haruto asked with confusion and panic.
'Who did I offend!?'
'Is this the big faceslapping moment where my talent suddenly shines and the Sage of Six paths himself comes to me and makes me his Jinchuriki!?'
'No..wait! I already have a golden finger!'
Seeing Haruto's still dazed look the bully boy felt rather annoyed as he quickly lifted his leg to stomp on Haruto's knee to break him out of his daze.
'Haruto!!! He's going to break your leg!!!' Megumin shouted.
'Huh!?' A surge of panic welled up in Haruto's mind as he looked at the leg rushing towards his knee.
Before he knew it, Haruto's mind spun a million arguments all in the span of a few seconds, and by the time it ended, a rather comical sight graced everyone's senses.
"THE HELL!!!!!" The boy who was holding Haruto screamed like a little girl as he rushed to cover everything exposed.
"Wha-" the boy to his right froze in embarrassment, his face turning redder than a pink radish.
While the girl to his left screamed even louder and covered her eyes.
"You fools!!! He's getting away!!! Catch him!!!" the boy who'd just caught Haruto and was now hopping towards him with his pants down shouted at his lackeys.
The embarrassed boy turned to look at Haruto, but he'd already turned the corner, vanishing from sight before they could even start to chase him.
At the same time, the hopping boy slipped because of his floored pants and fell backwards on the girl who was already screaming while looking away.
Unfortunately, closing your eyes in battle was unacceptable and she paid the price when his fresh bottom pressed flush against her fairly exposed legs covered up only by a half pant.
The girl's eyes widened and before anyone could say anything in defence she raised her leg and slammed her knee right into the boy's family jewels.
But feeling the disgusting feeling of letting her skin touch a boy's 'wrinkly' privates gave her a strong impulse of feeling impure, so she passed out in panic.
The boy who was kneed in the nuts passed out as well. His brain failing to comprehend the situation and the pain.
While the third boy looked like he had his soul taken.
"Misaki…I- I thought- I thought you liked me…."
And before anyone could do anything he passed out too, his head falling right on the boy's family jewels once again, waking him up to scream in pain for a second, before he passed out with his mouth open.
Haruto peeked over from the corner where he was hiding and smiled as he walked away, he only just remembered that his house was the other way.
***
"..."
The enigmatic room was filled with an equally enigmatic silence.
"Did you see that!?" Izuna asked with his eyes wide open. He looked like he'd seen a ghost.
"What happened?" Kushina asked, eyes confused slightly but her lips wide as she smiled at the scene she'd just seen, "Those bullies got what they deserved. They were probably trying to shame him for leaving the academy, I'd seen it plenty of times when I was at the academy myself. Assholes who just can't keep their hands to themselves. Hokage said they think they're above others just because they're not plain civilians."
"You seem to find it quite funny Mito?" Hashirama asked, scratching his head a little.
"Of course it's funny! Where else would you get to see such a hilarious take down of foolish bullies!?" Mito said, slapping Hashirama's shoulder lightly in joy.
"But there's no way he did what I think he did, did he!?" Izuna shouted again, causing Tobirama to snap at him angrily, "We get it. He calculated just the exact direction to push him after pulling his pants down to knock him into the girl so that the other boy would stop chasing after him and help his naked boss get away from girlfriend. So stop shouting!"
"Huh!?" Kushina's eyes widened as she complained. "No way! How could anyone know all that! Not even the sharingan could do that!"
Izuna was quick to retort, "The sharingan isn't meant for such petty things and it can do way way worse! If it was brother and he had the sharingan he would not have missed even the shinobi waiting in the trees!"
"..?" Kushina was still confused but she assumed they were ANBU or Clan shinobi keeping track of something in the village or at the Hokage Tower nearby before turning to look at Minato and Mito, waiting for an explanation to what Tobirama had just said.
Looking at her, it was Hashirama who explained this time, "Those two other kids were holding their hands behind the bully kid's back when he was 'talking' to Haruto. Their shadows were intertwined and Haruto noticed that and quickly made up a plan to take them all out by turning them against each other."
"No way!" Kushina exclaimed again, but then she burst out laughing even more.
"So it was all planned!? Haha! That's even more hilarious! Nice for them! Now their little gang will break up and that boss will have rumours spreading around about him mooning random people." Kushina shouted with joy as she watched the school bell ring just when Haruto began to leave, causing various kids to rush out, only to freeze at the bizarre sight in front of them.
"I guess his Creative Intelligence being high bleeds into his combat intelligence?" Mito said, her face full of smiles too.
***