The academy gates looked larger than Kaen expected.
Not imposing exactly — just symbolic. A threshold between neglected childhood and something more structured.
Most children around him buzzed with excitement. Loud chatter. Nervous laughter. Parents offering encouragement.
Kaen stood slightly apart.
Hitomi beside him as always, her calm presence grounding the moment.
Neither needed dramatic words.
They'd already survived more than most academy entrants.
He'd made one decision very clearly:
Stay low key.
Strength hidden.
Observation constant.
Reputation neutral.
Attention brought expectations. Expectations brought control. Kaen preferred autonomy.
Inside the courtyard, students gathered into loose groups.
Observation Haki flowed outward naturally:
Excitement.
Insecurity.
Competitive energy.
Curiosity toward Uchiha children.
Nothing hostile — just typical social dynamics amplified by clan reputation.
Kaen cataloged it all quietly.
Then three presences stood out immediately.
Not because they were loud — though one definitely was — but because their emotional signatures were unusually strong.
Future legends, if his past-life memories were accurate.
A white-haired boy laughing loudly, posture relaxed but instincts sharp beneath the carefree exterior.
Jiraiya.
Natural charisma. Raw potential. Slight recklessness already visible.
Nearby stood a blonde girl with confident posture and sharp eyes assessing everything around her.
Tsunade.
Controlled strength. Emotional depth hidden behind outward confidence. Someone used to be responsible already.
And slightly apart from both:
A pale boy with golden eyes watching the crowd analytically.
Orochimaru.
Quiet. Intense. Curiosity bordering on unsettling.
Kaen instinctively understood:
This one observed almost as much as he did.
Kaen kept his gaze neutral.
No staring. No avoidance.
Just another student registering classmates.
Low key.
Always.
Hitomi nudged him lightly.
"You noticed them too?"
Of course she had.
She might not possess Haki, but she read atmospheres well.
"Yes," Kaen replied simply.
"Strong?"
"Potentially."
That answer satisfied her.
Orientation began soon after.
Instructors outlined academy structure:
Basic chakra control starting soon (age threshold reached).
Physical conditioning.
Shinobi ethics.
Teamwork exercises.
Standard curriculum.
Nothing surprising.
Kaen planned to excel quietly — good enough to avoid suspicion, not exceptional enough to attract scrutiny.
A careful balance.
During a break, Jiraiya's voice carried across the courtyard.
"I'm gonna be the strongest shinobi here!"
Some students laughed. Others rolled their eyes.
Tsunade smirked but didn't argue.
Orochimaru said nothing, just watching reactions.
Kaen observed too.
Ambition wasn't the issue.
Visibility was.
Kaen had ambition.
He simply didn't broadcast it.
One brief moment caught him off guard.
Orochimaru glanced directly toward him.
Not long.
Just enough.
Analytical. Curious.
Then the pale boy looked away.
Observation meeting observation.
Kaen filed that away mentally.
Potential future complications.
By day's end, nothing dramatic happened.
Exactly how Kaen preferred it.
No fights.
No spotlight.
No unnecessary attention.
Just a quiet entry into the shinobi world's formal structure.
Walking home beside Hitomi, sunset painting the sky orange, Kaen felt something unfamiliar:
Not comfort.
Not excitement.
Anticipation.
Because this environment offered something public housing never had:
Opportunity.
Information.
Connections.
Growth pathways.
And Kaen intended to use all of them.
Carefully.
Quietly.
Strategically.
Hitomi glanced at him once.
"You're thinking again."
"Always."
She smiled.
"That's why we'll be okay."
For once…
Kaen didn't argue.
That night, he trained lightly — nothing excessive. Recovery mattered too, something his previous life had taught painfully.
Tomorrow, my routine will begin.
Classes. Observation. Slow positioning within academy social dynamics.
The real game had started.
And Kaen intended to play it unseen.