"Kaede… I'm really glad you're okay!"
Uchiha Shiori's eyes were red. Not from smoke. Not from dust.
From fear.
If something had actually happened to Amakaze Kaede, she wouldn't have been able to forgive herself. And knowing how the village worked, the fallout would have been ugly.
Kaede stepped out of the mirror and landed lightly on the stone.
Above them, the crystal mirror fractured into dozens of glittering shards before dissolving into chakra mist.
He walked over and lightly tapped her forehead.
"I'm fine. See? Still breathing."
Shiori turned away and rubbed her eyes hard.
"I wasn't crying. The smoke got in my eyes."
"Sure it did."
Kaede didn't press her further.
Because truthfully, he hadn't been surprised.
From the moment he stepped onto the Hokage Rock, something had felt wrong. Not danger exactly. More like pressure. Like a hand resting on the back of his neck.
So he stayed ready.
Someone attacking inside the village wasn't impossible.
Just stupid.
Shiori's Sharingan scanned the surrounding forest in slow, methodical sweeps.
Nothing.
No lingering chakra.
No movement.
Kaede placed a hand on her shoulder.
"Relax. They're gone."
Shiori hesitated, then nodded.
She trusted his instincts.
"…This is my fault," she said quietly. "If I hadn't insisted on sparring—"
Kaede shook his head.
"Someone wanted me dead. If it wasn't tonight, it would've been tomorrow. Or next week. You didn't cause this."
That helped.
Not completely.
But enough.
Shiori clenched her fists.
"Do you know who it was?"
Kaede sighed.
"Uchiha Setsuna."
Shiori's jaw tightened.
Of course.
His younger brother had nearly died in a match with Kaede.
Vengeful. Extreme. Petty.
All classic traits.
"He only dares to move from the shadows," Shiori said coldly. "And we don't even have proof."
"He'll try again," Kaede replied calmly. "When he sees I'm still alive."
Shiori nodded.
"I'll warn my brother."
Uchiha Kei was strong. Stronger than Setsuna.
Still, siblings worried. That was normal.
The lights of Konohagakure were dimming one by one below.
Kaede glanced toward the village.
"We should head back. It's getting late."
Shiori agreed.
They started down the mountain.
Halfway down, Shiori slowed.
Then sped up.
Then slowed again.
Kaede noticed.
"You're walking like you're arguing with yourself."
Shiori froze.
Her face went red.
"N-Nothing. Let's just hurry."
She took off ahead.
Kaede stared after her.
…Teenagers are weird.
They reached the village entrance.
"I'm going this way," Shiori said quickly. "Be careful."
"You too."
They split.
Kaede's expression darkened once she was gone.
He had wanted a quiet life.
Train. Grow stronger. Stay under the radar.
Apparently, the world had other plans.
"Sometimes you don't go looking for trouble," he muttered. "Trouble just trips over itself and lands on your face."
By the time he reached home, only a few houses still had lights on.
He stripped out of his dusty clothes and stared at his reflection.
White hair. Pale skin. Calm eyes.
Same body.
Different situation.
He filled the bath and sank into the warm water.
Muscles loosened.
Mind slowed.
Then tomorrow's schedule popped into his head.
Taijutsu training with the First Hokage.
Kaede exhaled slowly.
That man's idea of "normal training" was borderline inhuman.
Not because the First Hokage was cruel.
But because ninjutsu-wise, there wasn't much left to teach Kaede right now.
So physical conditioning became the fastest growth path.
Kaede submerged his face and blew bubbles.
Something he used to do back when he was stressed in his previous life.
Then—
[Ding][Chaos Event Triggered][Uchiha Kei nearly dies during a match with the host.][Uchiha Setsuna develops an intense obsession with revenge.]
Kaede jerked upright.
Inhaled water.
Immediately regretted it.
"Cough—cough—!"
He hacked water onto the floor, eyes watering.
"Of course. Of course today isn't allowed to be normal."
Nearly assassinated.
Nearly drowned.
But beneath the irritation…
A slow grin formed.
"So this counts as chaos?"
Interesting.
Maybe because he was tied to the Hokage.
Maybe because his existence kept bending outcomes.
Either way…
Uchiha Setsuna was not fodder.
He was elite Uchiha.
Which meant…
This wouldn't be boring.
Kaede leaned back into the tub.
"If you're coming for me, big brother complex…"
His eyes sharpened.
"Then come properly."