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

Chapter 141: Chapter 141: Lodging

When Kitahara Kaede came out of the third lodging house, the sky had already darkened.

Lanterns along the street lit up one after another, and the aroma of snacks drifted over with the wind.

He stood at the entrance and looked back at the owner inside.

The information he had just asked about was more or less the same as what they had previously deduced.

But when he asked which side the ninja belonged to, everyone shook their heads.

"Didn’t see clearly."

"Didn’t dare get close."

"In any case, just don’t go over there."

That was all.

Kitahara Kaede slowly walked along the side of the street.

It still wasn’t enough.

This information could prove that there was ninja activity near Mount Kikyo.

It could also prove that the caravans taking a detour was not a coincidence.

But it could not prove that Sunagakure was preparing to launch a surprise attack from there.

With only this kind of vague information, at most, the village would send additional reconnaissance and increase its vigilance.

If they wanted Konoha to immediately adjust its large-scale defensive line, the evidence was still far from sufficient.

If Sunagakure launched a surprise attack according to the original script, Konoha could still be caught off guard.

His earlier warning to Minato had merely handed over a "possibility."

It had not truly changed the result yet.

Kitahara Kaede raised his eyes and looked toward the final lodging house at the end of the street.

One more.

If he still could not find direct evidence, then he could only see whether Minato and Kurenai could track down something on their side.

He walked into the shop.

The shop was not large.

Behind the counter sat a middle-aged man, lowering his head as he worked an abacus.

Hearing footsteps, the owner raised his head.

"Guest, are you staying the night?"

Kitahara Kaede’s tone was natural.

"I’ll ask about the price first."

The owner pushed the abacus aside.

"Ordinary room, two thousand ryō a night. Hot water included. Meals are separate."

Kitahara Kaede nodded.

"Do you still have vacant rooms?"

"Plenty."

The owner glanced at him.

"Fewer people have been taking the old road these days, so there are more empty rooms instead."

Kitahara Kaede followed the topic and asked, "The old road?"

The owner raised his hand and pointed outside.

"The one by Mount Kikyo."

After saying that, he seemed to realize he had spoken too much and immediately closed his mouth.

Kitahara Kaede did not hurry to press him.

He placed his hand on the counter and softened his tone slightly.

"I came from the west. I was originally planning to take that road."

The owner’s expression changed a little.

"Then you’d best change routes."

"Take the northern detour?"

"Yes."

The owner stared at him.

"Walking an extra day and a half is still better than losing your life."

Kitahara Kaede smiled.

"Oh? Then I’m rather curious. I’d like to know what exactly happened over there."

The owner did not answer.

Kitahara Kaede took out a roll of money from his sleeve and pushed it onto the counter.

"I’m not asking for free."

The owner looked at the money, then swept a glance outside the door.

No one on the street was paying attention to them.

Only then did he put the silver coins into the drawer.

"Some time ago, there was a group of medicinal herb merchants who refused to believe the rumors and insisted on taking the old road."

"When they came back the next day, they were missing two people."

Kitahara Kaede asked, "Dead?"

"Don’t know."

The owner shook his head.

"They said they ran into ninja at night, and the group was scattered."

Kitahara Kaede looked at him.

"Are they still in town now?"

"They left long ago."

Kitahara Kaede fell silent for a moment.

Again, it was like this.

The owner closed the drawer and lowered his voice further.

"If you only want to travel, then listen to my advice."

"Don’t ask around."

"Ordinary people lose their lives the moment they touch matters involving ninja."

Kitahara Kaede nodded.

"Thank you."

Just then, the door curtain was lifted from outside.

A woman’s voice came in.

"Owner, do you still have rooms here?"

Her voice was not loud.

But it made Kitahara Kaede’s hand, which was resting beside the counter, stop.

This voice was far too familiar to him.

So familiar that he did not need to turn around before that face had already appeared in his mind.

Pakura.

In that instant, countless questions flashed through his mind.

Why was she here?

Should he turn around and look?

If he turned around, would Pakura recognize him directly?

If she recognized him, what should he do?

But making any other movement right now would be even more suspicious.

After making his decision, Kitahara Kaede withdrew the hand he had placed on the counter and turned around.

A woman stood at the entrance.

Her green hair was simply tied up, and she wore a dark cloak over her body.

She was not wearing a Sunagakure forehead protector.

Her clothing had also been concealed.

But that face, and those orange eyes, still made his chest tighten.

Pakura also looked at him.

Their gazes met in midair for a moment.

Her eyes were very calm.

It was only like she was looking at an unfamiliar guest.

Soon, she moved her gaze away and looked back at the owner.

Kitahara Kaede hesitated slightly.

She didn’t know him?

When this judgment surfaced, he did not relax.

When Tsunade first saw him, she had not directly recognized this face either.

Pakura might be the same.

So the fact that she did not recognize him at a glance did not mean she had no memories.

When the owner saw Pakura, his attitude became a little more enthusiastic than before.

"We have rooms."

"There are still a few empty ones upstairs. How long will you be staying, guest?"

Pakura nodded.

"One night."

The owner took out the registry.

"Name?"

Pakura paused for a moment.

"Aki."

The owner did not ask further and handed her a key.

"Upstairs, turn left. Second room."

Pakura took the key.

"Thank you."

She turned and walked toward the stairs.

Kitahara Kaede looked at her back.

Pretending to be a passerby right now was the safest choice.

After leaving this shop later, he could find a way to contact Minato.

That was what the old him would have done.

But his feet did not move.

Pakura’s glance just now had been too calm.

So calm that he could not tell whether she truly had no memories at all, or whether she simply had not recognized this face.

Kitahara Kaede’s hand, hanging at his side, slowly clenched.

In the simulation, he had used his real name.

If Pakura remembered those events, then once he said his name, there was no way she would have no reaction at all.

This was the most direct method.

The owner’s voice interrupted him.

"Guest, what about you?"

Kitahara Kaede raised his eyes.

The owner was holding the registry.

"Are you staying or not?"

Kitahara Kaede placed the money on the counter.

"I’ll stay."

The owner lowered his head to write.

"Name?"

Kitahara Kaede did not avoid the direction of the stairs.

"Kitahara Kaede."

When those three words fell, all of his attention was on the staircase.

Pakura’s footsteps stopped.

The pause was very brief.

The next moment, she continued walking upstairs.

The sound of her footsteps quickly disappeared on the second floor.

Kitahara Kaede looked at the stairway and did not withdraw his gaze.

She stopped.

But she did not turn around.

If she remembered everything completely, then with Pakura’s personality, she would not have walked away like this.

But if she had no memories at all, she should not have stopped just now either.

Kitahara Kaede pressed his brows slightly.

So which was it?

Did she have them, or not?

This was troublesome.

Kitahara Kaede withdrew his gaze.

The owner handed him another key.

"Upstairs, turn left. Third room."

Kitahara Kaede took the key.

Right next door.

He put the key into his palm and walked upstairs.