Naruto: We Agreed on a Simulation, But They Actually Came to Life?

Chapter 107: Chapter 107: Very Strong

Leaving the mission office, Kitahara Kaede paused.

He had just combed through every single request on the board.

He needed a mission that satisfied three specific criteria: the right direction, the right timing, and a solo deployment. Not a single one fit.

Out of twenty-some slips, the tasks were either team-based or headed in the wrong direction. The only C-rank patrol mission that vaguely fit the timeframe was located to the southeast—nowhere near the site of the peace talks. Even if he took the standard route and then doubled back, he would lose several hours, making it impossible to return on schedule.

Kaede reconsidered his options.

Sneaking out of the village wasn’t impossible, but since Yagura took power, the frequency of night patrols had increased significantly, and the sensory barrier surrounding the village had been recalibrated. If he were caught, not only would he have to answer for it, but the entire plan he had coordinated with Terumi Mei could collapse.

Should he give up on Pakura?

He had spent far too long laying the groundwork to let it all go to waste now. He couldn’t bring himself to accept that.

Both paths seemed blocked. He kept thinking, but no new solutions emerged.

Then, a voice called out.

"Kaede."

He turned to see Ao walking toward him, a mission slip held between his fingers.

"Just coming out? Have you taken a new mission yet?"

"Not yet."

Ao handed over the paper, his tone flat.

"I have an A-rank escort mission. The client is at a port outpost a day’s journey from the village. I’ve already scouted the route; there are no anomalies. The Chunin originally assigned to lead the way ran into some trouble, so I’m short one person."

Ao explained the division of labor: he and another Jonin would escort the supplies along the main route, while Kitahara Kaede would head out first to the port to rendezvous with the client. They would then meet at a designated point to finish the mission together.

"Given your strength, if you leave tomorrow morning, you’ll arrive by evening with time to spare."

Kaede took the paper, scanning the rendezvous point, the timeline, and Ao’s departure time line by line.

Terumi Mei had previously mentioned that the peace talks were scheduled for tomorrow morning. The window Ao had provided gave him an entire day. With his actual speed, reaching the port where the client was located would only take a few hours.

That meant tomorrow morning belonged to him.

Since he was traveling solo, he wouldn’t have to share a path with anyone, and his movements wouldn’t require explanation. The direction of the port allowed him to bypass the peace talk location; he could easily handle the detour. With the time buffer Ao provided, he would have more than enough time to handle his business on-site and circle back to the rendezvous point. As long as he managed his pace, the schedule wouldn’t be an issue.

Kaede folded the mission slip and slipped it into his pocket.

"I’ll do it."

Ao nodded.

"The contact code and backup routes are on the paper. Find me if you have any questions."

With that, Ao turned and walked away without another word.

***

At the training ground, Terumi Mei had already arrived.

She was working on her technique proficiency, repeatedly cycling through the sequence of Water Style: the opening stance, the hand seals, and the release.

Kaede walked to the edge of the field and watched her for a moment. Her timing was correct and her seals were crisp, but she hesitated slightly during the follow-through. It didn’t look like a technical flaw; it looked as if her mind was preoccupied.

Tomorrow was an S-rank mission.

Part of her focus had likely already drifted toward it, leaving her unable to concentrate fully. If she brought this state of mind to the field, the two Jonin accompanying her wouldn’t correct her, and under high pressure, she might not even notice it herself.

He stepped forward.

Hearing his footsteps, Terumi Mei stopped and glanced over.

"You’re here."

Kaede nodded. "Let’s begin."

Mei raised her hands, shifting into a stance.

Kaede noticed her positioning. It was a habit she only exhibited when she was unsure of her own state—she was giving herself a bit more breathing room to compensate. Telling her "don’t think too much" would be useless. The most direct solution was to push her until she had no mental energy left to think about anything else.

Giving her no room for buffer, Kaede went all out.

He pressed her continuously, compressing the distance and cutting into the gaps in her habitual defense.

Terumi Mei made mistake after mistake.

Her footwork was half a beat slow; her parrying angle was off by an inch. During their third exchange, she even left a flank open—an opening she would normally never ignore.

In less than a minute, Kaede neutralized the strength in her arm and used her momentum to pin her shoulder and drive her downward.

Mei’s back hit the ground with a thud. She looked up to see his palm stopped just beside her neck.

She grit her teeth, her emerald green eyes refocusing.

"Again."

Kaede stepped back.

In the second round, Terumi Mei changed her tactics. Having been defeated too decisively, she immediately created distance and deployed Boil Release.

The concentration of the acidic mist was significantly higher than in previous sessions, and it spread faster. She hid her opening attacks within the gaps of the expanding fog. By the time Kaede raised a Water Wall, she had already flanked him, unleashing a blast of Lava Release.

This time, she was serious.

Kaede stepped back twice to adjust his position, but she pressed forward, giving him no room to breathe. After seven or eight exchanges, her rhythm had completely returned.

The sparring session continued for nearly forty minutes. In the latter half, Mei forced him to adjust his positioning three times. In the final round, she used a Lava Release feint to distract him, slipping behind his flank and nearly touching his back.

They ceased their movements.

The two walked to the edge of the field and sat down. Sweat beaded on Terumi Mei’s forehead, and her breathing was heavier than usual. She unscrewed her water bottle and took a long drink, not rushing to speak.

Kaede took a sip from his own bottle. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw her staring at the ground, clutching the cap without screwing it back on.

After a few seconds, she spoke.

"That mission..." She paused, as if weighing her words. "Do you think I can do it?"

Kaede glanced at her. She wasn’t looking at him; her gaze was fixed on some random spot at the edge of the training ground, her fingers tightening unconsciously around the bottle.

An S-rank mission. She had jumped straight from Chunin, and this was her first time encountering a mission of this level. It was only natural to be nervous.

"You can. Because you’re already very strong."

Terumi Mei’s fingers froze.

She turned to look at him, her visible eye blinking in surprise.

It had been four years. From the day he told her his name under the crooked tree after the graduation exam until now, nearly four years had passed. In all that time, she could count on one hand the number of actual compliments he had given her.

Most often, he said "Keep going." Occasionally, he’d give her a "Passable," which was already considered high praise. More often than not, it was "You’re one step short" or "Think about it more."

She was used to that.

But he had never once used the words "very strong."

"Are you serious?"

"I am. Just go in and do it seriously."

Terumi Mei stared at him for several seconds. His expression remained unchanged—his usual, perpetually calm demeanor.

She looked down and tried to screw the cap back onto her bottle. She missed the thread on the first try and tried again.

The corners of her mouth curled upward. She tried to suppress the smile, but eventually gave up.

"Fine."

Her voice was softer now, the end of the sentence tilting upward slightly. She tightened the cap and leaned back against a wooden post, hugging the bottle to her chest.

"Then I’ll do it seriously."