Orochimaru Awakening Progress: 10%.

Ruohuo felt like he had opened Pandora's Box.

And he had proof.

Orochimaru first took him to the training grounds.

"Ruohuo, observe carefully with your Sharingan."

Orochimaru slowly formed Hand Seals, but didn't complete the jutsu or say what it was.

But the system responded.

[Ninjutsu Type: C-Rank Wind Release: Wind Cutter.]

[Triggered the "Child of Flame" effect. You can learn all elemental techniques, but any you use will be replaced by flames.]

[Successfully learned ninjutsu: Fire Style: Wind Scythe.]

An ordinary Wind Release jutsu.

Ruohuo knew Orochimaru was about to start observing his talent for turning "everything into Fire Style."

Anyone who had gone to school knew the process.

First observe, then study, compare multiple cases, and conduct repeated experiments.

See? Wasn't this the most basic scientific process for a scientist to pursue knowledge?

Ruohuo was naturally happy to go along with it.

He didn't even want to hide his buff that let him learn ninjutsu instantly!

He was the worthy heir to the Will of Fire, the next Uchiha Clan Head and head of the Konoha Military Police Force, and the future boss of the Ninja World Military Police Force.

How could he justify himself without some talent to his name?

Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh!

Unlike other Fire Style jutsu, which were spat from the mouth, several blades of flame appeared out of thin air in quick succession. Radiating heat, they sliced through the air in front of him!

Wind Release: Wind Cutter → Fire Style: Flame Blade!

Orochimaru didn't hide his reaction, either.

He thoughtfully pulled out a little notebook and jotted something down. Then he pursed his lips and demonstrated a brand-new set of Hand Seals to Ruohuo.

This time, though, there were a few more seals, and Orochimaru only demonstrated them without actually using the jutsu.

"This technique may require a bit more chakra."

"If you can't learn it, don't push yourself."

"Okay, sensei!" Ruohuo was eager to give it a try!

Fugaku had said something similar, and ended up demonstrating every Fire Style jutsu he knew.

Orochimaru was the mighty Cold Lord, a student of the Professor of Ninjutsu.

Even if he hadn't mastered all five elements at this point, and had a pile of snake-related jutsu besides, that should be enough for Ruohuo to learn from for a while, right?

[Ninjutsu Type: B-Rank Water Style: Water Dragon Bullet.]

[Triggered the "Child of Flame" effect. You can learn all elemental techniques, but any you use will be replaced by flames.]

[Successfully learned ninjutsu: B-Rank Fire Style: Water Dragon Bullet.]

There were more than twenty Hand Seals, and Ruohuo was a little excited to try it.

What would happen if he used Fire Style to perform a Water Style jutsu?

Whoosh—!

The air grew unbearably hot, and a gigantic dragon of flame appeared out of nowhere!

It didn't attack anything. Instead, it circled around Ruohuo, making for a spectacular sight!

Though the temperature seemed a little high...

Ruohuo felt a little wistful. The Water Dragon Bullet had indeed turned into a Fire Dragon Bullet, but it seemed he couldn't ride it through the sky as freely as Mei Terumi could?

Meanwhile, Orochimaru's expression grew even stranger. He took out his little notebook and quickly jotted something down again.

After finishing his notes, Orochimaru didn't rush to teach him another jutsu. Instead, he took out a shuriken.

"Ruohuo, next I'm going to teach you an extremely practical technique."

"It'll do a lot to strengthen your Will of Fire..."

"...Okay." Ruohuo wanted to take out his own little notebook and jot down some notes, too.

[Orochimaru Awakening Progress: 10%.]

He was already trying to pull the wool over someone's eyes. It felt like he was starting to become the Shameless Snake from Ruohuo's memories...

"Ninja Art: Shuriken Shadow Clone Jutsu!"

This time, Orochimaru shouted the name aloud. The shuriken he threw instantly split into two, then four, soon forming a curtain of shuriken!

Just like when he'd learned the Shadow Clone Technique earlier.

Since this wasn't an elemental jutsu, it hadn't triggered the Child of Flame learning buff.

This time, the system didn't display any notifications.

But Ruohuo had his Sharingan.

'Isn't this an A-Rank jutsu?'

'The learning difficulty... probably isn't too high, considering Orochimaru learned it right after graduating.'

'What would the requirements be... speed at forming Hand Seals? Chakra reserves? The Shadow Clone Technique? Shuriken Jutsu?'

'Oh, and I need a shuriken.'

Ruohuo pulled a shuriken from his ninja pouch, hurled it straight ahead, and rapidly formed Hand Seals at the same time!

He might not have the buff to help him, but the system wasn't the source of all his talent.

If Orochimaru could learn it as a child, then Ruohuo ought to meet the requirements, too.

"Ninja Art: Shuriken Shadow Clone Jutsu!"

Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh, whoosh, whoosh, whoosh!

The shuriken shot out and rapidly multiplied in midair, becoming countless shuriken that formed a dense curtain!

Ruohuo raised an eyebrow. He really was a genius.

"Oh?"

Orochimaru pursed his lips and took out his little notebook to jot something down.

Ruohuo didn't move, either. He stood obediently in place, waiting for Orochimaru to offer up more wool.

And this scene became a glimpse of what their master-disciple relationship would be like from then on...

As it turned out,

whether before or after his "awakening,"

Orochimaru was a perfectly capable teacher.

Under Orochimaru's tutelage, Sasuke's strength had improved by leaps and bounds.

And right now, Orochimaru really was the best teacher for Ruohuo.

Though he hadn't "awakened" yet, Orochimaru had always dreamed of learning every jutsu, discovering the truths of the world, and attaining immortality.

That goal had taken shape after Orochimaru witnessed too many deaths.

It was only after he failed to become Hokage that his ambitions had grown out of control. He was willing to learn forbidden jutsu if that was what it took to overcome the fragility of life.

But now,

by a stroke of luck, Ruohuo was showing off his "talent" without restraint, and it seemed he had unknowingly unlocked the chains around Orochimaru's heart.

It wasn't much, but it was working.

In the days that followed,

Orochimaru kept demonstrating the jutsu within his authority to Ruohuo, trying to find the limits of his "ability."

Ruohuo was naturally happy to go along with it, frantically expanding his repertoire of ninjutsu.

Of course, Orochimaru couldn't spend every day teaching him.

As the only one of the Sannin still stationed in Konoha, he was hardly any less busy than his teacher, the Hokage.

But Orochimaru could use Shadow Clones...

Aside from basic lessons and ninjutsu training, Orochimaru never missed a single one of Ruohuo's Genin missions.

That made Ruohuo's life as a ninja incredibly fulfilling.

Every day, he'd get up and sprint twenty kilometers to the Hokage Office Building.

He'd pick up the day's mission and try to finish it by noon.

In the afternoon came Chunin exam training: reviewing and learning ninjutsu, along with lessons in the fundamentals of being a ninja.

Well, even though it was a lesson, the one taking notes was the teacher...

When class ended at dusk, he'd arrive just in time to meet Obito after school.

After training Obito and Shisui, and replenishing his energy with grilled fish and game, he'd go home and collapse into bed.

Sometimes, when Orochimaru gave him a day off, Ruohuo would visit the senior members of the Konoha Military Police Force to learn from them.

Especially when it came to genjutsu. It would come in handy later.

Life went on in a steady cycle, busy and fulfilling.

The days passed one by one...

Finally, one morning,

Ruohuo got out of bed and glanced at the circle he'd marked on the calendar. He smiled confidently.

"I've been training for so long."

"It's time to strengthen my Will of Fire again!"

Well.

Some lies, if you kept telling them, eventually became true in your own mind.