The next morning, Uchiha Akira woke up and went through his morning routine. Brushing his teeth wasn't much of an issue, but washing his face—now that was a bit tricky with those antler-like horns on his forehead. Washing around them proved to be a bit of a hassle.
In the dining room, both his grandfather and Keiko were already waiting for him. By the looks on their faces, it was clear they hadn't slept well. No doubt the excitement from last night had kept them up.
"So, my dear grandson, have you successfully completed your dragon transformation?" his grandfather asked, casually glancing at the dragon horns on Akira's head—something he had already learned about from Orochimaru.
"Seems like it," Akira nodded in response.
"And, do you feel any discomfort? Any strange side effects?" His grandfather's concern was evident as he continued to probe.
"Not at all. In fact, I feel much stronger than before. Just from the increase in my physical strength alone, my chakra reserves have gone up by about ten thousand units," Akira answered.
"Chakra reserves… ten thousand?" His grandfather looked at Akira in surprise, clearly puzzled about what this figure meant.
"To put it simply, ten thousand units of chakra is roughly equivalent to the amount needed to be considered at the entry-level of a Kage," Akira explained.
"Kage-level?" His grandfather still seemed confused, not quite understanding what this "Kage-level" actually represented.
"Well, to be fair, the concept of Kage-level doesn't exist in the shinobi world at large. The classification of chakra levels is something Jiraiya and I came up with in our private discussions," Akira clarified with a sigh, realizing the need to simplify his explanation.
He then went on to give his grandfather a brief overview of the Kage-level concept and how chakra amounts were categorized.
"So, this is something you and Jiraiya came up with? It's quite an interesting system, and it does seem logical," his grandfather mused, nodding in understanding as he grasped the significance of these classifications.
Internally, his grandfather marveled at how Akira's physical transformation had led to such a significant increase in his chakra reserves—an entire ten thousand units just from enhanced physical strength. Clearly, the dragon transformation had greatly improved his grandson's overall condition.
"Keiko, do you have anything you'd like to ask?" Having learned what he wanted to know, Akira's grandfather turned to Keiko, acknowledging that she, too, might have a lot on her mind after seven years.
Keiko thought for a moment, then shook her head. "No, Elder has already asked what I wanted to know."
Elder? What had the old man asked? Just about Akira's physical condition? So, after seven years apart, the thing Keiko was most concerned about was his health? This realization warmed Akira's heart.
So, this is what it feels like to have family, Akira thought to himself.
While outsiders focus on your achievements, your family cares about whether you're tired or not.
Despite not seeing each other for seven years and having undergone a dragon transformation, neither his grandfather nor Keiko asked about his newfound power. It was Akira who had brought it up. Their primary concern had been whether his health was alright.
"Akira, I hope I'm not intruding?" Just as Akira was chatting with his family over breakfast, a familiar, resonant voice called out. Orochimaru walked in, his pale golden snake-like eyes fixated curiously on Akira.
The two locked gazes—Orochimaru's snake-like eyes meeting Akira's dragon-like ones. Though their eyes had similar hues, the aura they exuded was vastly different.
"You're still in Konoha?" Akira asked, a bit surprised.
Indeed, when Akira had initially brought Orochimaru back to Konoha, it had been under threat, using Kotoamatsukami to ensure his compliance. But shortly after, Akira had gone off to Ryūchi Cave, and seven years had passed in the blink of an eye.
In Akira's mind, it made sense that Orochimaru would have left Konoha long ago, especially after his seven-year disappearance. Yet here he was, still in the village.
"Well, for one, after I betrayed the Akatsuki, Konoha served as a solid shield for me," Orochimaru began to explain.
"Secondly, Konoha offers ample resources for my research, sparing me the trouble of sourcing them myself."
"Lastly, I've been waiting—waiting for your return, Akira. I wanted to see what you'd become after your dragon transformation."
Orochimaru remained standing as he spoke, addressing Akira with a degree of deference that hadn't gone unnoticed.
Indeed, returning to Konoha had been forced upon him. But once he settled in, Orochimaru found life in the village far more convenient and comfortable than his previous nomadic existence. In a way, it was the classic case of "the fragrance of home is hard to resist."
"Fair enough," Akira nodded thoughtfully, accepting Orochimaru's reasoning.
If Orochimaru had offered some sentimental or emotional explanation, Akira would have been skeptical. But the reasons Orochimaru provided were practical and rooted in self-interest, which made them all the more believable.
That's just who Orochimaru was—a realist. Perhaps it was this pragmatic mindset that made him such an unparalleled scientist, earning him the title of the shinobi world's foremost researcher. After all, what's wrong with a scientist having a realistic perspective?
"Alright, no need to stand there. Take a seat," Akira said after a bit more conversation, noticing that Orochimaru was still standing.
"In your presence, Akira, I'm not worthy of sitting," Orochimaru replied, bowing slightly to show his submission.
Orochimaru had been closely following Akira's progress at Ryūchi Cave, fully aware of his successful dragon transformation. Although Orochimaru's own form had long since evolved into that of a white serpent, he couldn't help but be in awe of Akira's transformation into a dragon.
Having learned of Akira's return, Orochimaru had barely managed to restrain himself throughout the night before hurrying over first thing in the morning to witness the change for himself.
The moment their eyes met—Orochimaru's snake eyes and Akira's dragon eyes—Orochimaru felt an undeniable pressure, a primal dominance emanating from Akira.
"You're being too modest. Please, sit," Akira insisted, somewhat amused by Orochimaru's attitude.
Though Akira understood why Orochimaru was so respectful—after all, a dragon inherently commands respect from a serpent—he couldn't help but find it a bit over the top. After all, they were both human at their core, weren't they?
But despite his internal resistance, Orochimaru found his body compelled to comply. For someone like Orochimaru, who rarely submitted to anyone, this was an unsettling experience.
Still, he had no choice—his instincts as a serpent overrode his conscious will, compelling him to bow before the dragon in front of him.
Meanwhile, Akira's grandfather, listening to the conversation between Akira and Orochimaru, was secretly astounded. Although Orochimaru's true identity was a well-kept secret in Konoha, it wasn't hidden from someone of his status as the Uchiha clan elder.
Hearing Orochimaru speak so deferentially, even claiming he wasn't worthy to sit in Akira's presence, filled the old man with shock.
However, he understood that Orochimaru's submission wasn't due to any power Akira wielded but rather his status as a dragon.
For the first time, Akira's grandfather gained a true sense of just how significant this dragon transformation was.
Eventually, Orochimaru did sit down at Akira's insistence, though he was clearly conflicted. By nature, Orochimaru was not one to submit to anyone, yet here he was, deeply torn between his scientific curiosity and the primal fear that Akira's presence invoked.
As Orochimaru wrestled with his conflicting emotions, another voice called out, breaking the tension.
"Hey, Akira! I heard you're back in Konoha!" Naruto's loud, enthusiastic voice filled the room as he barged in.
Early that morning, Naruto had learned of Akira's return and wasted no time in rushing over to see him.
Naruto had grown significantly, though in Akira's eyes, his appearance was now quite similar to how he'd been depicted in the Shippuden timeline of the original series.
"Yes, it's been seven years," Akira replied with a smile and a nod.
"Listen, Akira, I've got to tell you—my strength has grown by leaps and bounds in these seven years. I'm confident I can compete with you for the Hokage title now!" Naruto declared, his usual exuberance shining through.
Even though he was thrilled to see Akira again, Naruto's first thought was to challenge him for the Hokage position—his dream hadn't changed a bit.
"Oh? Is that so? How strong have you gotten?" Akira asked, amused, turning his attention to Naruto.
"I've mastered Kurama's chakra! And that's not all, I—" Naruto began, clearly eager to boast about his accomplishments, like a friend showing off his latest achievements.
"Kurama's chakra, huh? Have you mastered the Nine-Tails Chakra Mode?" Akira interjected, intrigued by Naruto's progress.
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Note: If you are interested, you can read up to chapter 195 at patreon.com/Emik01.
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