The journey back toward the Land of Wind began before sunrise.
Desert winds hadn't yet touched them, but the air already carried dryness — a reminder of where they were heading.
This time, however, leadership felt different.
Uchiha Kagami walked at the front.
Calm.
Measured.
Not overly authoritative.
Just steady.
For the first few hours, nobody spoke much.
Hitomi walked beside Kaen as usual.
Toma scanned surroundings with renewed enthusiasm.
And Kagami simply observed.
Until finally, he spoke.
"You know how the Uchiha are often described, Kaen?"
Kaen answered honestly:
"Emotional. Proud. Sometimes unstable."
Kagami smiled faintly.
"Not entirely wrong."
He slowed slightly so Kaen walked beside him.
"Strength and emotion run deep in our clan. That creates brilliance… but also imbalance."
No bitterness.
Just realism.
"Some become overly proud," Kagami continued.
"Others become consumed by personal pain."
Pause.
"And some… mistake intensity for wisdom."
Kaen listened carefully.
This wasn't lecture.
It was mentorship.
Rare for him.
Valuable.
"Where do you think you fall?" Kagami asked.
Kaen considered.
"Detached."
"That's safer than extremes," Kagami said.
"But detachment alone isn't enough either."
That intrigued Kaen.
"Why?"
"Because leadership — whether battlefield or clan — requires connection."
Pause.
"Not blind pride. Not emotional volatility."
Another pause.
"Balanced empathy."
That word lingered.
Empathy.
Kaen rarely thought in those terms.
Survival had prioritized awareness over emotional engagement.
Kagami added gently:
"And don't let clan politics define your identity."
"That trap ruined more Uchiha than any enemy."
Kaen nodded slowly.
That aligned with his own instincts.
Strength for autonomy.
Not validation.
Hitomi quietly absorbed the conversation too.
Toma listened more casually but still attentively.
The entire team benefited.
As terrain shifted from grassland to dry earth…
Wind began carrying sand.
Heat intensified.
War front approaching again.
Kagami's tone shifted slightly — more operational now.
"When we reach Sunagakure territory, remember:
Sand terrain punishes impatience.
Visibility changes quickly.
Enemy scouts often use terrain advantage."
Practical advice.
Experience speaking.
Kaen appreciated it.
Not because he lacked capability.
Because mentorship accelerated wisdom.
And wisdom preserved lives.
By late afternoon, the desert horizon appeared fully.
Dunes stretching endlessly.
Heat haze distorting distance.
And faint chakra signatures in the far range — allied and enemy both.
War zone confirmed.
Kagami stopped briefly before entering the active combat perimeter.
"Final reminder," he said calmly.
"Power is useful. Control is essential. Reputation spreads faster than ability."
He glanced at Kaen meaningfully.
"Choose what people see carefully."
Kaen nodded once.
Already his philosophy.
Still reassuring to hear.
Then they stepped fully into the Sunagakure battlefield region again.
Wind stronger.
Air harsher.
Tension immediate.
War hadn't paused while they traveled.
It never did.
Kaen extended Observation Haki cautiously.
Enemy patrols active.
Allied defenses stable.
Combat inevitable soon.
But this time…
He didn't feel alone in leadership.
Kagami's presence provided balance.
Guidance without control.
Trust without pressure.
And Kaen?
Still quiet.
Still observant.
Still choosing his path deliberately.
Even in war.