As Akira internally teased Sasuke, comparing his grudge-holding nature to that of a cat, he wondered how best to deal with this sulking feline. The answer, of course, was to soothe him by stroking his ego.
With a quick mental shift, recalling how a cat owner might placate a huffy cat, Akira spoke up, "Sasuke, it's not that I didn't want to take you with me back then. It's just that the situation at the time was better suited for Naruto."
"Why? Are you saying I wasn't good enough?" Sasuke's expression darkened further.
"There are three reasons," Akira began.
"First, you've always had the highest potential. Itachi and I both acknowledged this. But because of that, you needed more time to develop. Look at you now—you've awakened the three-tomoe Sharingan. I'm sure your reputation as a genius has spread throughout Konoha."
"Second, it's precisely because of your high potential that you needed to train on your own. Naruto, being at the bottom of the class, couldn't catch up to you through normal training. So, he had to take shortcuts, what we'd call 'using hacks.'"
"Given that, it made sense to take him along for a short-term boost in power. That's why I brought him instead."
"Third, and most importantly, our bond is stronger than what I share with Naruto. I didn't want to put you in danger."
As Akira spoke these words, even he couldn't help but feel a bit embarrassed by how sappy they sounded.
But the effect was immediate.
Sasuke's face softened, a mixture of happiness and bashfulness flickering across his features.
"Hmph!" Not knowing what else to say, Sasuke simply huffed before using the Body Flicker Technique to leave.
See? As cringe-worthy as those lines were, they clearly had a powerful effect on Sasuke. It's like when a guy sweet-talks a girl—does he enjoy saying those corny lines? Probably not. But there's no denying that they work wonders.
In Sasuke's case, he truly saw Akira as a brother. If Sasuke had been a girl, those words would have had him on his knees in an instant.
"So, I guess my 'talk-no-jutsu' isn't half bad after all," Akira thought, smiling to himself as he watched Sasuke's flustered retreat. He mentally patted himself on the back.
Once Sasuke confirmed Akira's identity, Kiba and the others dispersed.
But news of Uchiha Akira's return to Konoha, a name that had once echoed throughout the entire shinobi world, began to spread rapidly within the village.
"What? Uchiha Akira is back in Konoha?"
In the Inuzuka clan, Kiba's family reacted with surprise upon hearing the news.
Seven years ago, Akira's name had resounded across the entire ninja world. But then, he had suddenly disappeared without a trace.
Many had speculated that such a talented shinobi had likely met an untimely end, with the Uchiha clan keeping the details under wraps.
No one expected that after seven years, he would suddenly reappear.
"Sis, I heard you fought him once, right?" Kiba asked his sister, Inuzuka Hana.
"Yeah, back then I was supposed to represent Konoha in the Chūnin Exams held in the Hidden Cloud. But Akira challenged me, and naturally, he took my spot."
"Time flies—it's been eight years since then," Hana remarked, nodding with no hint of resentment in her tone.
After all, it was during that Chūnin Exam that Akira won first place, earning the title of a genius and bringing honor to Konoha.
Besides, even though she was older than Akira at the time, there was no shame in losing to him.
"What? That kid Akira is finally back? Great, let's get things ready. We need to invite him over for dinner tomorrow. And make sure Hanabi stays home tomorrow—no going out!" Over at the Hyuga household, Hiashi Hyuga was overjoyed when he heard the news of Akira's return.
Though the Uchiha clan hadn't broadcasted Akira's whereabouts during his absence, they hadn't kept it a secret either.
When Akira had been missing for a few months, Hiashi had asked Fugaku, the Fifth Hokage, and learned that Akira had been focusing on intense training all these years.
Now that Akira had finally returned, Hiashi couldn't sit still.
Akira was now fourteen, the age when feelings between boys and girls start to blossom. If Hiashi didn't act quickly and some other girl caught Akira's eye, he'd be kicking himself for missing the opportunity.
"Oh? So Akira's back in Konoha? I wonder what the Sage Mode from Ryūchi Cave is like."
One of the legendary Sannin, Jiraiya, quickly got wind of Akira's return and couldn't hide his excitement. He was eager to see how Akira had grown.
"Akira… he's completed the Dragon Transformation, hasn't he? I wonder what he's like now," Orochimaru mused in his lab, also having heard the news. A smile of anticipation spread across his face.
Orochimaru was perhaps the one person in Konoha who knew the most about Akira's situation.
Meanwhile, after surveying the current state of Konoha, Akira turned back towards the Uchiha clan compound.
Back in the day, thanks to the meddling of the Konoha higher-ups, the Uchiha clan's district had been pushed to the outskirts of the village.
Though Fugaku had become Hokage since then, the location of the clan's compound hadn't changed.
For one thing, moving was a hassle. And for another, with the Hokage's seat firmly in Uchiha hands, did it really matter where they lived?
Returning home without bothering to hide his presence, Akira triggered a response almost immediately.
"Who's there?"
A figure appeared quickly—it was a beautiful young woman in her early twenties. But upon seeing Akira, she paused in surprise.
Her Sharingan, with its three tomoe, locked onto Akira before her expression shifted to one of joy. "Master Akira?"
Keiko had grown even more beautiful over the past seven years. Smiling, Akira greeted her.
See? Keiko recognized him immediately. But Sasuke? He couldn't even recognize his own brother at first, and he still had the nerve to hold a grudge for seven years?
Back then, Keiko had been around fifteen, about the same age Akira was now—a vibrant young girl.
Now, at twenty-two, she had blossomed into a stunning woman, retaining some of her youthful charm but with an added touch of mature allure.
"Master Akira, you've finally returned! I'm so happy!"
Keiko, unable to contain her joy, rushed forward and hugged Akira tightly, as if afraid he might vanish if she let go.
Though she was officially just a servant, back when she had been captured by Danzo, Akira had risked his life to save her, even going as far as to kill Danzo.
In her heart, Akira had long since become the most important person in her life—no one else came close.
She hadn't seen him in seven years, and the longing she felt had only grown stronger, like a well-aged wine that had become richer and deeper over time.
"Ahem…"
Just then, a cough interrupted the moment.
It was the old man, Akira's grandfather, who had heard the commotion and came out to investigate.
He arrived just in time to see Keiko clinging to Akira.
"Alright, alright, Keiko, I… I can't breathe!" Akira, who at fifteen was now as tall as Keiko, patted her back, his face flushed from the tight embrace.
Realizing she had been holding on too tightly, Keiko quickly released him, a bit embarrassed by her impulsive behavior.
Though the old man and Akira didn't treat her like an outsider, Keiko was still technically just a servant.
"Phew, I really couldn't breathe for a moment there!" Akira rubbed his chest, feeling like he had just been crushed under a heavy boulder.
It had been seven years since they last saw each other, and Keiko had been so overwhelmed with emotion that she hugged him with all her might.
"My dear grandson, you're back!"
Once Keiko let go, the old man tried to steady his voice, though it still trembled slightly with emotion, and there was a raspy undertone.
"Yes, I'm home," Akira replied, nodding as he looked at his grandfather.
Seven years had passed. While both he and Keiko had grown, the old man had clearly aged further. His body was more hunched, his face more wrinkled and weathered.
"It's good that you're back. It's late now, so go to bed. We'll talk tomorrow."
Though the old man had a lot to say after all these years, he glanced at the sky and decided it was best to let Akira rest first.
"Alright, Grandpa," Akira agreed, his tone obedient and respectful. After saying his goodbyes, he headed to his room.
Though he hadn't been home in seven years, his room was spotless, and the bedding still carried a faint fragrance.
It was clear that Keiko had been taking care of it all this time, waiting for his return.
Lying in bed, Akira didn't feel much of an emotional impact.
For him, the seven years had passed like the blink of an eye, with no real sense of time slipping away.
But for many others, that night was destined to be a sleepless one.
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Note: If you are interested, you can read up to chapter 193 at patreon.com/Emik01.
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