That was indeed the case.
To Kirigakure, Genji was like an anchor holding everything steady. To put it bluntly, as long as Genji was still alive, no matter how much turmoil erupted in Kirigakure, it could all be quelled in the shortest possible time.
Such was Genji's prestige.
He was a founding elder who had established Kirigakure alongside the First Mizukage, Byakuren!
Of course, there were a few small disturbances during the process. After all, this involved replacing the village's Kage, even if Karatachi Yagura had already demonstrated the strength and caliber befitting a Kage two or three years earlier.
Ultimately, however, he lacked sufficiently impressive achievements, strength, and prestige to command the entire shinobi village.
There had indeed been no conspiracy behind the death of the Third Mizukage, Aoki. He had simply died of a serious illness. Yet precisely because of that, it stirred the most primal desires of some people in the village. In particular, a small minority within the Hozuki Clan and Kaguya clans began itching to act. Fortunately, Karatachi Yagura reacted in time, and with a reasonable elder like Genji overseeing matters, although there were a few minor clashes as the various sides gathered, the situation ultimately settled into a smooth transition.
Yet the dangers hidden within this seemingly effortless political transition were truly known only to Karatachi Yagura, Genji, and those who held power in the great shinobi clans such as Kaguya, the Hozuki Clan, and the Minazuki Clan!
It was a grave situation in which a single misstep could have triggered a massive internal conflict!
Only many years later did Kei truly learn the details of that night.
Until that day, Kei could only form his own guesses from a few scattered clues, and those remained nothing more than guesses.
He would not make any further dangerous moves.
There was no point in doing so.
Kei only needed to confirm that he would still have several years to grow in peace. That was enough!
Able to set his mind at ease for the time being, Kei once again threw himself into his cultivation plans.
In early December, Kirigakure held the inauguration ceremony for the Fourth Mizukage, Karatachi Yagura. As usual, they invited the shinobi villages of the various nations to attend. This was both a courtesy and a declaration of their stance!
They even deliberately chose to make it a grand affair!
The shinobi villages of the various nations, which had begun stirring somewhat after the sudden death of the Third Mizukage, Aoki, suppressed their restlessness after receiving Kirigakure's invitation, particularly when they saw that no further disturbances had arisen there.
The Shinobi World, where the slightest ripple had just appeared, returned to peace once more.
Without an opportunity, they could not force a move. With all the shinobi villages wary and watchful of one another, whoever moved first could easily expose an opening. Never assume that Konoha was the only nation in the Shinobi World that could be ganged up on!
It was simply that Konoha was everyone's first target!
But if an opportunity presented itself in another great nation's shinobi village, those "vicious neighbors" certainly would not let such a chance pass them by!
Kirigakure's reason for holding such a grand inauguration ceremony for the Fourth Mizukage was also to reassure its people and warn the nations of the Shinobi World!
Kirigakure was not to be trifled with!
And once the inauguration ceremony ended and Kirigakure safely passed through this most critical period of political transition...
The final sliver of a chance for another great war disappeared completely.
The senior political leaders of the various shinobi villages also chose to lie low entirely, entering the period of rest and recovery most important to each of them.
The Shinobi World truly welcomed a precious period of peace!
The dark clouds of war that had hung over the Shinobi World, particularly over the people of the smaller nations, finally dispersed!
The common people all cheered the arrival of a "new, stable life."
Yet those at the top of the various nations knew perfectly well that this peace was only temporary.
Kei knew that just as clearly.
Thus, in his training from then on, he pushed closer and closer to the limits of his body and mind.
He wanted to gain greater strength in the shortest possible time!
Without distraction, he stepped forward with unwavering resolve.
Time flew by along with those strides.
Spring passed, and winter came.
In the blink of an eye, it was the winter of Konoha Year 40.
In Kirigakure, inside the teachers' office in the Ninja Academy's administration building.
"Are you certain you want to apply to graduate next year, Kei?"
Looking at the slender boy before him, Minato asked in a low voice, his expression exceedingly solemn.
That boy was none other than Kei.
Since he had enrolled in Kirigakure's Ninja Academy in March of Konoha Year 38...
Nearly three years had passed.
In December of Konoha Year 40, as his third year at the Ninja Academy neared its end, Kei formally submitted a graduation application to his instructor, Minato!
This was a decision Kei had made after considering everything.
Three years.
That had been enough for Kei to lay a fairly solid foundation.
He had more or less mastered everything he needed to learn and understand. What remained could not be learned simply by studying at the Ninja Academy. To put it plainly, staying at the academy any longer would be something of a waste of time for Kei!
There was also another crucial reason: in the original story, the Third Shinobi World War had broken out around Konoha Year 42. Konoha Year 41 was almost upon them, and he did not have much time left. Kei had to graduate early and start adjusting to being a full-fledged shinobi sooner!
That would also make it easier to put more arrangements in place!
In fact, of late, friction between the shinobi of the Five Great Nations across the Shinobi World had gradually been intensifying. For now, it was still confined to "missions," but it was foreseeable that these clashes would gradually expand!
Then, one day, an incident could spiral out of control and trigger a relatively large clash on the border between two great nations, very likely drawing the attention of the entire Shinobi World. There was a strong chance that a new Shinobi World War would erupt in precisely this way!
Given this situation...
Kei felt he absolutely had to prepare in advance.
If he really delayed any longer and waited until later to graduate, even setting everything else aside, the strong possibility of losing most of his autonomy alone was not an outcome Kei could accept.
"Yes, Minato-sensei. This is a decision I made after careful consideration! You should know as well that staying at the Ninja Academy doesn't mean much for me anymore. Besides, the others have probably applied to you for early graduation too, haven't they?"
Kei looked at his instructor with a resolute expression and answered in a low voice.
Nearly three years...
Had allowed Kei to grow a great deal as well. In appearance alone, Kei, who was nearly eight, had already reached a height of 1.4 meters, with a face that looked more rugged and a physique more muscular than three years before!
Had he claimed to be eleven or twelve, probably few people would have doubted him.
Still, the immaturity in his features remained clearly visible.