"I've heard a little," Kaede Kitahara replied calmly.
Of course, he was not about to say he had watched the movie in his previous life. The finer details were fuzzy now, but he still remembered the overall plot.
At most, it had been an early trial for the main cast.
"Back then, at the former daimyo's request, I brought her out of the Land of Snow," Hatake Kakashi explained. "Logically, she shouldn't return. But her manager came to me and begged me to take her back this time. She's become the symbol of the local resistance."
There was a trace of sympathy in his voice.
Kazahana Doto's rule had been harsh. Otherwise, the people would not have continued resisting for a full decade. A simple сменing of rulers rarely stirred common folk to that degree.
"And with your strength, you can absolutely protect her," Kakashi added.
He had complete faith in Kaede's ability.
Yukigakure was not formidable. Kaede was already close to Kage Level.
In a way, this would also settle an old regret.
If Kakashi did not have absolute confidence, he would never send Kazahana Koyuki back. He had risked everything to bring her out of that chaos ten years ago.
"Kakashi-senpai…" Kaede let out a small sigh, then nodded. "All right. No problem."
He had been itching to move anyway.
Kakashi handed him the mission documents. The objective was clear: protect Kazahana Koyuki until filming concluded. The mission would begin in three days.
Kaede accepted it.
Soon after, he gathered Hyuga Keiko, Amakusa Ryuji, and the three members of Team 7.
"Ah, Kaede-nii! Long time no see!"
Uzumaki Naruto beamed the moment he saw him.
"Yeah, it's been a while, Naruto."
Because Shimura Danzo had repeatedly tried to kill him, Kaede had kept his distance from the main cast to avoid drawing attention.
"Sasuke. Sakura. Long time no see."
"Kaede-nii," Sakura greeted politely.
"Mm."
Uchiha Sasuke responded coolly, but his gaze lacked its former frost.
In Sasuke's heart, Kaede might very well be the last surviving member of the Uchiha Clan.
As for Uchiha Itachi? Sasuke already considered him dead.
Kaede smiled faintly.
"There's something I need to announce. For the next month, we'll be operating together. Kakashi-senpai has entrusted Team 7 to me temporarily. I'll be leading your training and missions."
"Really? Then what about Kakashi-sensei?" Sakura asked quickly.
"He has matters to attend to and won't be available for the next month," Kaede replied without elaborating. "Our next mission begins in three days. Until then, I'll be conducting focused training."
He led the five of them to the Kitahara family's training grounds.
"Hey, you're from the Hyuga Clan, right?" Sasuke approached Hyuga Keiko. "Want to take my challenge?"
He recognized her as a branch family member. She was a few years older, but that did not deter him. He simply wanted to test his growth.
Keiko had not even answered before Amakusa Ryuji's eyes lit up.
A clash between Konoha's two great dojutsu clans.
Especially after the fall of the Uchiha Clan, this was a rare spectacle.
Naruto and Sakura hurried closer.
Though from the branch house, Keiko represented the Hyuga Clan's pride. She raised a brow.
"Sure."
Kaede's interest piqued instantly.
Sasuke moved first.
"Sharingan."
His eyes shifted.
Kaede's pupils narrowed.
Two tomoe.
Less than half a year since the Land of Waves, and Sasuke had already advanced.
What Kaede did not realize was that Sasuke had awakened his single tomoe Sharingan even earlier, influenced by reading the diary. Kaede simply had not been around to see it.
Sasuke flicked two shuriken forward.
Keiko calmly drew her kunai and deflected them.
Unexpectedly, the shuriken curved back midair, guided by steel wire.
She reacted without panic, knocking them aside again.
"Ha!"
Sasuke closed the distance in an instant, kunai flashing downward.
Clang.
Keiko parried.
Then her expression flickered. Her body stiffened.
"Oh?" Kaede caught it immediately.
A subtle Sharingan genjutsu.
Not a named illusion, but the natural hypnotic influence of the eye.
Against most ninja, even a split-second lapse could decide everything.
Sasuke was learning fast.
But it lasted only a heartbeat.
"Byakugan."
Keiko's eyes turned pale.
She had not expected Sasuke's ocular power to be this strong, affecting her without a formal genjutsu.
Still, she was no novice.
Months of relentless training under Kaede had sharpened both her skill and combat instincts.
Clang. Clang. Clang.
Kunai collided rapidly, sparks flying.
"So fast… I can't even follow it," Sakura whispered.
The exchange was dazzling.
This was the hallmark of dojutsu combat.
Speed. Precision. Deadly elegance.
It was not merely taijutsu. It was a battle of vision and prediction.
Who could read the other first.
"Sasuke's impressive," Kaede thought. "No wonder he's the second male lead. Indra's reincarnation indeed."
Keiko had been nearing Chunin Level even before. After months of grueling practice, she was solidly elite Chunin.
Yet Sasuke, three years younger, had caught up.
That alone spoke volumes.
At this stage, in terms of observation and visual acuity, the Sharingan edged out the Byakugan. But in fundamentals, Keiko had the advantage. Years of disciplined basics could not be dismissed.
Finally, Sasuke grew impatient.
"Fire Release: Great Fireball Jutsu!"
Flames roared outward.
As Keiko evaded, he formed hand seals swiftly.
"Chidori!"
Lightning crackled around his hand.
Sakura tensed immediately. She knew how dangerous that technique was.
"Kaede-senpai…"
"It'll be fine," Kaede said calmly.
To him, this was still a Chunin-level exchange.
Sasuke charged, shouting.
"Rotation!"
A sudden surge of chakra spiraled outward.
A dome of spinning energy blasted Sasuke back.
Kaede blinked in surprise.
Rotation.
When had Keiko learned that?
According to Hyuga Clan rules, only the main house was formally taught Rotation. Branch members were forbidden.
Yet there was another path.
Self-comprehension.
Hyuga Neji had achieved it through insight into Gentle Fist's principles.
All Hyuga techniques stemmed from Gentle Fist.
Kaede had once casually suggested Keiko attempt it on her own.
He had not expected her to succeed.
Sasuke hit the ground, gasping, trying to rise.
"That's enough," Kaede said, stepping forward.
He had seen enough.
Sasuke, Keiko, and Ryuji were roughly elite Chunin tier.
Naruto's ceiling and floor fluctuated wildly. Sakura likely hovered around strong Genin Level.
He assigned individualized training plans until dusk.
Afterward, he treated them all to a hearty barbecue.
Only once he returned home, washed up, and settled down did Kaede open his diary.
He began to write.
[Five-Five is about to break through to Kage Level through kenjutsu?
The timeline's a mess. Maybe we'll actually see a second White Fang of Konoha.
The Mangekyo Sharingan might raise Hatake Kakashi's ceiling, but if Obito gets banned, then what?
Borrowed accounts always have to be returned.
Only the strength you earn yourself can never be taken away.]