The Hokage office was quieter than usual.
Not empty — never truly empty during wartime — but stripped of the usual bustle. Only one visitor stood before the Second Hokage that evening.
Uchiha Kagami.
A shinobi respected not just for skill, but for balance — loyalty to the clan without blind pride, loyalty to Konoha without losing identity.
That balance made him valuable.
Rare.
And today… necessary.
Tobirama got straight to the point.
"You've heard about Uchiha Kaen."
Kagami nodded.
"Yes. Battlefield reports. Clan discussions as well."
That earned Tobirama's full attention.
"Tell me about the clan perspective."
Kagami spoke carefully.
Not defensive.
Not accusatory.
Just factual.
"The clan is divided," he said.
"Some see him as potential future leadership material — strength, emotional control, independence."
Pause.
"Others resist the idea. Mostly because of his upbringing. War orphan status still carries stigma."
Another pause.
"And some fear comparison to Madara. Not directly… but implicitly."
Tobirama wasn't surprised.
Historical trauma shaped clan reactions strongly.
Especially the Uchiha.
"And Kaen himself?" Tobirama asked.
"Detached," Kagami replied.
"Not hostile. Not particularly loyal either. Just… independent."
That matched Tobirama's own impression perfectly.
Silence settled briefly.
Then Tobirama spoke again.
"I intend to adjust his field leadership."
Kagami raised an eyebrow slightly.
Not objection.
Curiosity.
"Hatake Sakumo remains exemplary," Tobirama continued.
"But Kaen's situation requires a different balance."
Subtle wording.
Clear meaning.
"Someone who understands both Uchiha internal dynamics and village expectations."
Pause.
"Someone he won't instinctively distance himself from."
Kagami understood immediately.
"Me."
"Yes."
Tobirama's tone stayed calm.
"Effective immediately. You will assume leadership of his three-person squad — Kaen, Hitomi, and Toma."
Deployment unchanged:
Sunagakure front.
Just leadership shift.
Strategic adjustment.
Kagami didn't respond immediately.
He considered implications:
Clan perception.
Village politics.
Kaen's personal psychology.
Finally he nodded.
"I accept."
Tobirama added one more clarification:
"This isn't surveillance."
Pause.
"It's mentorship. Stability. Integration."
That distinction mattered deeply.
Because forced oversight created resistance.
Guided inclusion built trust.
"I understand," Kagami replied.
"And… I think Kaen will too."
Tobirama allowed himself the faintest hint of approval.
Because Kagami's judgment about people was rarely wrong.
Elsewhere, Kaen trained lightly again near his home, Hitomi beside him.
Observation Haki picked up a familiar presence approaching.
Calm.
Controlled.
Recognizable.
Kagami.
Kaen stopped training before the older shinobi even spoke.
"New orders?" he asked.
Kagami smiled slightly.
"Already figured it out?"
"Pattern recognition."
"From tomorrow," Kagami said,
"I'll be leading your squad to the Sunagakure front."
No dramatic explanation.
Just clarity.
Kaen nodded once.
Acceptance immediate.
Because Kagami was someone he instinctively trusted more than most.
Balanced.
Fair.
Experienced.
Hitomi looked relieved.
Toma later expressed excitement openly.
And Kaen?
He simply adjusted mentally.
Leadership changed.
Mission unchanged.
War ongoing.
That night, Observation Haki stretched across Konoha once more.
Political tensions stable.
Clan curiosity increasing slightly.
Village interest cautious but not hostile.
Good equilibrium.
Kaen exhaled slowly.
A trusted Uchiha mentor.
Continued battlefield experience.
System points slowly rising.
Future still open.
For now…
That was enough.