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

Chapter 142: Chapter 142: Next Door

Pakura kept her hand on the door handle for a moment after closing it, not letting go immediately.

’Kitahara Kaede.’

Those three words from downstairs were still echoing in her ears.

A dream from a few nights ago surfaced in her mind. In the dream, she couldn’t clearly see the man’s face, but upon waking, that name had remained deeply etched in her mind.

Pakura frowned.

Ninjas lived in a constant state of high tension; having a few strange dreams was nothing unusual. She was a Jonin of Sunagakure, the user of the Scorch Release. Rasa had only recently taken over as Kazekage, and the village still needed her.

The most urgent priority was to complete the mission. The events of a dream weren’t worth dwelling on.

Yet, the boy downstairs happened to have that exact name.

While there were countless people in the world with the same name, encountering one in person inevitably led to overthinking. Furthermore, when she had entered and made her inquiries, they had locked eyes. It was only for a brief moment, but she felt as though she had seen something different in his gaze.

She wasn’t even sure if she had imagined it.

Pakura withdrew her hand and muttered softly, "...Strange."

She turned and began inspecting the room. The window was half-open, the bed was neatly made, and the table was clean. A waist-high wooden cabinet stood against the wall; everything in the room seemed normal.

Pakura walked over and opened the cabinet. It was empty.

Closing the door without another glance, she shed her cloak and draped it over the back of a chair. As the dark fabric fell, it revealed her graceful figure. The neckline of her outfit was modest, but her back was almost entirely exposed.

Pakura pulled the headband from her forehead, biting one end of it with her teeth, allowing her long green hair to cascade down her back. She gathered her hair with both hands, her movements quick and practiced, tying it back up in a few swift motions.

Only then did the tension she had been carrying finally ease slightly.

Tonight, she only needed to wait for the other two squads to arrive and rendezvous in town. Once she confirmed there were no Konoha reconnaissance ninjas in the vicinity, she would withdraw before dawn and bring the results back to Sunagakure.

That was all.

She couldn’t allow a dream and a coincidental name to disrupt her rhythm.

Pakura placed her ninja tool pouch within arm’s reach of the bed, fished out a tiny bell, and pressed it into the gap of the inner door frame. If anyone pushed the door open from the outside, the bell would chime first.

Having completed her preparations, she looked toward the bathroom on the other side of the room. The door was ajar, revealing a deep wooden soaking tub and a copper faucet mounted on the wall.

Having traveled all the way from the Land of Wind, she was covered in dust and grit; the conditions of the mission had left no room for luxuries. Now that there was hot water, she wanted a proper bath—and perhaps wash away the cluttered thoughts in her head along with the dirt.

Pakura unfastened the side buckles of her ninja gear, removed her clothes, and folded them neatly. She took a bathrobe from the rack, draped it over her shoulders, and stepped into the bathroom.

The door closed behind her, and the sound of hot water rushing into the tub soon filled the room.

***

Kitahara Kaede walked upstairs with his key in hand. As he passed Pakura’s door, he deliberately slowed his pace.

There was no sound from within.

He continued forward a few more steps, opened his own door, slipped inside, and closed it behind him. Leaning against the door, he looked down at the key in his palm.

When he had announced his name downstairs, Pakura had paused on the stairs. The pause was incredibly short—short enough to be explained as a misstep, or perhaps something else. But she hadn’t looked back.

Kitahara Kaede closed his eyes, pushing the thought aside. Now was not the time to dwell on that.

Why Pakura was here was the real question.

Mount Kikyo was nearby. Even if Sunagakure intended to act according to the original plot, they wouldn’t simply send a large force directly. Before that happened, they would certainly send a vanguard to sweep the area, ensuring no Konoha intelligence assets were active nearby.

Pakura was a Sunagakure Jonin with the Scorch Release Bloodline Limit; she wouldn’t be sent on a mundane mission. Her presence in this town—acting alone, without a forehead protector, and using a disguise—spoke volumes.

Kitahara Kaede slipped the key into his pocket.

A vanguard sweep.

She was here to confirm whether Konoha had eyes in this region. If Sunagakure had already pushed their vanguard this far, it meant the deployment of the main force was in its final stages.

Time was tighter than he had anticipated.

However, they still didn’t have enough evidence. The diverted merchant caravans, the signs of combat, and Pakura’s appearance in town could be strung together into a logical theory. But on the Third Hokage’s desk, a theory and evidence were two different things.

He needed tangible proof.

Deployment orders, route maps, strategic documents—even a scrap of a map would suffice. Given Pakura’s strength, she was likely a squad leader. A vanguard mission would require a clearly defined area of operation and an extraction route; there was a high probability she was carrying such documents.

Kitahara Kaede walked to the balcony. He pushed the door halfway open and glanced to the right.

The balcony of Pakura’s room was right next to his, separated only by a wooden railing half a person’s width wide. The distance was less than an arm’s length.

He withdrew and stepped back into the room. Standing in the center of the space, he stared at the balcony for a moment.

Should he go?

He could slip over while she was off guard, search the room, and leave as soon as he found what he needed.

But at that moment, the words "Don’t lie to me" from the courtyard echoed in his mind.

Kitahara Kaede’s hand clenched at his side.

What did that pause on the stairs actually mean?

If she remembered nothing, this would be a simple intelligence operation. Search, grab, and go.

But if she remembered something...

Suddenly, the sound of water drifted from next door. It wasn’t loud, but it was clear in the silence of the night. The faucet was open; the tub was filling.

Kitahara Kaede’s train of thought was cut short.

She was in the bath, which meant any important documents would be left outside. There would be no better time than this.

If Minato hadn’t obtained the evidence, this was the only opportunity he had. He couldn’t afford to hesitate.

Kitahara Kaede walked back to the balcony. She had likely rigged the door with traps, but the balcony side might be unguarded.

He crouched down and pressed his hand against the wooden planks beneath his feet. They were sturdy; they wouldn’t creak.

He glanced at the back alley. Wooden crates, bundles of firewood, and the street lamps had mostly been extinguished. A distant izakaya was still lit, and scattered voices drifted over on the wind. No one was watching this spot.

Kitahara Kaede stood up, his gaze locking onto the half-open balcony door next door.

The water was still running.

He vaulted over the railing and landed on Pakura’s balcony without making a single sound.