Genin promotion barely had time to settle before another announcement spread through Konoha.
Not public.
But impossible to keep secret.
Jiraiya, Tsunade, and Orochimaru had been personally selected as disciples of Sarutobi Hiruzen — Tobirama's most trusted student.
The news traveled quickly through the academy ranks.
Some admired it.
Some envied it.
Some saw it as inevitable.
Kaen saw something else:
Positioning.
Sarutobi Hiruzen wasn't just a skilled shinobi.
He stood closest to Tobirama politically — a future leadership candidate, whether openly stated or not.
Training promising young shinobi under him served multiple purposes:
Combat strength.
Ideological shaping.
Future stability.
Classic wartime leadership planning.
Kaen watched the trio quietly during their next academy appearance.
They hadn't changed outwardly much.
Jiraiya still energetic.
Tsunade still composed.
Orochimaru still observant.
But their schedules shifted.
More private training.
More time near administrative zones.
Occasional ANBU presence nearby.
Subtle signs.
But obvious if you knew what to look for.
Orochimaru's gaze toward Kaen grew slightly sharper after that announcement.
Not hostile.
Just… reassessing.
Perhaps wondering whether Kaen might eventually fall into similar mentorship channels.
Kaen had no intention of making that easy.
Visibility remained risk.
Especially now.
Meanwhile, Tobirama's quiet observation of promising young shinobi continued.
War demanded preparation for the next generation.
Stable leaders.
Reliable combatants.
Predictable loyalties.
Uchiha children historically complicated that last category.
Not always fairly.
But historically.
Kaen understood this.
And adjusted behavior accordingly:
Respectful.
Measured.
Non-provocative.
Control remained his strongest shield.
Hitomi noticed the political shifts too.
"They're getting closer to the center of things," she said about the trio.
"Yes."
"You ever want that?"
Kaen thought carefully.
"Influence without autonomy isn't real influence."
That answer surprised even him slightly.
But it felt accurate.
War preparation accelerated daily:
Mission rotations increasing.
Genin teams forming faster.
Medical training intensifying.
Even civilians sensed the tension now.
Markets quieter.
Conversations cautious.
Storm fully arrived.
System progress continued quietly in the background.
Daily lottery spins.
Points accumulating from training evaluations.
Ultra Instinct still distant but gradually reachable.
Mangekyō Sharingan unused publicly.
Nine-Tails-level chakra contained carefully.
Power remained private capital.
Not public display.
One evening, Observation Haki picked up something interesting:
Sarutobi Hiruzen discussing academy graduates with Tobirama.
Not specific words.
Just emotional tone:
Concern.
Strategic thinking.
Measured optimism.
Leadership preparing carefully.
Kaen exhaled slowly.
War era shaping everyone differently.
Some rising into spotlight.
Some pushed into battlefield roles.
And some — like him — choosing quieter paths.
At least for now.
Hitomi stood beside him again on the rooftop.
"You're thinking far ahead, aren't you?"
"Always."
She smiled faintly.
"Good. Someone has to."
Kaen looked toward the Hokage Monument once more.
Future leaders already forming.
History moving forward whether individuals liked it or not.
But Kaen intended something slightly different:
Not just surviving history.
Shaping his own place within it.
Quietly.
Strategically.
Unnoticed… until necessary.