A few days later.
Inside a spacious tea room somewhere in the Uchiha clan's territory.
A few days after returning to Konoha, Kaede was invited as a guest to the Uchiha clan.
"This is my wife, and this is my son, Itachi," Uchiha Fugaku introduced his family to Kaede with a friendly demeanor.
The lady beside him gave a slight bow to Kaede. Standing quietly nearby was a young boy, not the curious, sunny kind typical of children his age, but unusually calm and composed. The boy bowed respectfully to Kaede and spoke, "Greetings, Kaede-sama."
This was four-year-old Uchiha Itachi.
Though Itachi looked like an adorable child, he had already experienced the fierce battlefields of the Third Great Ninja War earlier that year.
Kaede gave a faint smile as he looked at the young Itachi and said, "This child is impressive. He's sure to become an outstanding ninja."
Hearing Kaede's praise, Uchiha Fugaku smiled proudly.
Itachi was indeed his pride and joy. At only four years old, both his personality and training already showed extraordinary talent far beyond his peers.
"Thank you for your kind words, Kaede-sama," Itachi said again, bowing respectfully.
Though it was his first time meeting Kaede, Itachi already knew of him through his father, the legendary Silver Flash known throughout the ninja world.
Even he had heard the stories of the Silver Flash, and since Kaede's recent return, talk of him had increased even more.
Itachi held Kaede in great respect.
Because Kaede bore the title of hero of Konoha.
"Itachi, you and your mother may leave now," Uchiha Fugaku gestured for Itachi and his wife to take their leave, then picked up the teapot on the table and began preparing tea.
Kaede glanced toward the direction where Itachi and Mrs. Fugaku had left, then said, "It seems Lady Fugaku is expecting again?"
"Mm." Uchiha Fugaku smiled. "Three months along."
Hearing Fugaku's words, Kaede couldn't help but feel a little emotional, time in this world had passed almost unnoticed. The Twelve Konoha Juniors were already old enough to be born.
While arranging the tea set, Fugaku's gaze flickered briefly toward Nohara Rin, who knelt quietly just behind Kaede.
Because Konoha's leaders were keeping Rin's status as the Three-Tails Jinchuriki secret, Fugaku had no idea.
From his perspective, Kaede having Rin by his side suggested a relationship that was anything but ordinary.
A pity...
He had once considered adopting an outsider girl living in the Uchiha territory as a ward and carefully training her, hoping to eventually use marriage to draw Kaede closer to the Uchiha clan.
But now, that seemed far from easy.
The Uchiha clan was proud, never caring much for other families within Konoha, but for figures like the White Fang and the Silver Flash, they held a certain respect.
Because ninja of that caliber were few across the entire shinobi world.
Especially Kaede.
At just thirteen years old, he had already reached near the pinnacle of the ninja world.
As the Uchiha clan head, Fugaku had no direct conflicts of interest with Kaede, so naturally, he was inclined to court him.
Moreover, he had noticed Kaede's strained relations with Konoha's upper echelons, and as Uchiha clan leader, Fugaku easily guessed the reason.
Kaede was aligned with Orochimaru's faction.
Meanwhile, most of Konoha's ninja and leadership supported Jiraiya's faction and Namikaze Minato, which inevitably created friction.
The Uchiha clan was constantly pushed out by Konoha's leadership.
If they wanted a seat at the top, they would always be kept outside the door.
So Kaede, standing opposed to the leadership, was an ally worth courting, or at least not making an enemy of.
Kaede and Fugaku chatted for a while.
Kaede bore no real animosity toward the Uchiha clan.
When he was weak, he couldn't approach them.
But now that he was strong, the Uchiha treated him with courtesy and respect.
Though that respect was earned by his strength, it didn't stop him from having a good impression of the clan.
"Next year, when my second son turns one month old, Kaede-sama, you must come," Uchiha Fugaku said with a smile as he escorted Kaede out of the clan territory.
Kaede smiled faintly and nodded. "I will."
After parting ways, Kaede left with Rin.
Only after leaving did Rin let out a soft breath and say, "So that's the head of the Uchiha clan."
Coming from a commoner background, she felt a bit nervous and restrained facing the leader of Konoha's top family.
She also felt a bit awed.
Those high-ranking Konoha figures who once seemed untouchable were still courteous and treated Kaede as an equal.
"You seem a little nervous," Kaede chuckled.
Rin nodded. "After all, it's the Uchiha clan."
Kaede glanced ahead down the street, hands behind his back as he walked forward.
"The Uchiha clan... you'll be dealing with Konoha's major powers sooner or later.
Now that you're the Three-Tails Jinchuriki and a member of my team, you're already labeled as part of my faction.
Don't think you're still just an ordinary Chūnin."
When Rin had been part of Kakashi's team before, she was just another ninja with no special status.
But now, as the Three-Tails Jinchuriki on his team, she was already an important figure in his faction.
Even Uchiha Fugaku didn't know about Rin's Jinchuriki status yet.
If he did, he would have seen this too, and treated Rin differently.
Rin followed Kaede with a thoughtful look.
As they walked the streets, they occasionally passed by other ninjas who respectfully saluted Kaede.
Even after two years away, Kaede's popularity within Konoha remained high.
Instead of returning home, Kaede took Rin all the way to the back mountains of Konoha.
There, Kakashi was diligently training his Lightning Release techniques.
Kaede was his older brother; if he couldn't defeat him, it was one thing.
But Rin, his team member, had suddenly become the Three-Tails Jinchuriki.
That put a lot of pressure on Kakashi's own strength, he couldn't afford to be weaker than Rin.
"Rin, continue with your training," Kaede said after observing Kakashi's practice, then took Rin to another spot.
In a way, Rin was already a near-perfect Jinchuriki, not forcing control over the Tailed Beast, but able to fight alongside it.
However, that power still needed refinement to be fully effective.
After all, Rin had only been a Chūnin before.
It was less that she controlled the Three-Tails' power, and more that she was carried by it, barely able to manifest her own strength.
Guiding Rin and Kakashi's training was just one part.
The other part?
Kaede himself was training as well, practicing the Flying Thunder God Technique.
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