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

Chapter 146: Chapter 146: Disturbance

Kitahara Kaede lay on his bed, staring up at the ceiling.

It had been over three months since Konoha deployed its defenses toward Mount Kikyo.

Nothing had happened.

While Konoha remained on high alert, Sunagakure had become unnervingly quiet; even the minor skirmishes along the border had dwindled.

Kaede rolled over.

There was only one logical explanation.

Once Pakura realized the intelligence scroll was missing, she must have reported it to the village. Upon receiving the news, the Sunagakure high command likely judged that their operational plan had been leaked. They would have either redesigned the mission or abandoned it entirely.

Once the element of surprise is gone, the advantage vanishes.

The lack of action was a good thing. Fewer lives were lost in Konoha, and Sunagakure wouldn’t be left vulnerable to a Kirigakure opportunistic strike following a defeat.

He sat up and glanced at the calendar on the wall. He had circled today’s date in pencil. He had an appointment to visit Kushina at noon.

Kaede got out of bed, washed his face, and changed into a set of clean, dark casual clothes. Then, he opened the door and stepped out into the midday sun.

***

When he arrived at Kushina’s house, Kaede knocked.

*Knock, knock.*

There was no answer from inside.

He waited a few seconds and knocked twice more. Still, there was no response.

Kaede frowned slightly. Kushina wasn’t the type to forget things. Furthermore, given her personality, if she were home, it shouldn’t be this quiet.

Just as he was about to knock again, the ground beneath his feet trembled slightly. Immediately following the vibration, a sudden burst of air pressure surged from inside the house.

Kaede’s hand was already on the doorknob. This felt wrong.

At that moment, the door was pulled open from the inside.

It wasn’t Kushina standing there. It was Tsunade.

She was dressed casually today, her hair tied back in a simple ponytail. There were a few beads of sweat on her forehead, as if she had just finished some strenuous work.

"Lady Tsunade."

Tsunade brushed a stray lock of hair away from her face and looked at him. "You’re here. Come in."

Kaede nodded and followed her inside.

The living room was a mess. The coffee table was skewed, cushions lay scattered on the floor, and a potted plant by the window had been overturned. It seemed the recent disturbance had been quite violent.

Noticing his gaze, Tsunade assumed he didn’t know what had happened and offered an explanation. "There was a bit of a situation just now."

She paused. "Kushina is a Jinchuriki."

A flicker of surprise crossed Kaede’s face.

He knew, of course. But very few people in the village knew who the Jinchuriki were, so he couldn’t afford to seem too composed.

After a brief pause, he spoke. "I had no idea Kushina-nee was a Jinchuriki."

Tsunade wiped the sweat from her brow. "The Tailed Beast inside her grew restless. It’s been suppressed now."

Kaede nodded.

Footsteps echoed from above as Kushina walked down the stairs. Her complexion was slightly paler than usual, but the moment she saw Kaede, a bright smile lit up her face.

"Kaede, you’re here! That commotion didn’t scare you, did it?"

"No, it didn’t."

"Good!"

Kushina walked into the living room and glanced at the wreckage, scratching her hair in frustration. "I don’t know what’s gotten into that thing; it just suddenly decided to throw a tantrum today."

She spoke lightly, her tone almost complaining.

Kaede gave her a lingering look. That burst of energy must have taken a toll on her, but Kushina simply didn’t want others to worry.

Kaede knelt and helped Tsunade right the overturned flowerpot. Soil was scattered everywhere, so he gathered a few clumps of dirt back into the pot.

Kushina pushed the coffee table back into place, muttering as she did, "I don’t get what it wants. Every now and then, it just tries to force its way out, like it’s trying to win some kind of contest."

Kaede thought about it. In reality, the Nine-Tails had been sealed inside a human body for too long. Everyone wanted to use its power, but no one bothered to communicate with it.

Anyone in that position would have a bad temper.

"Kushina-nee," Kaede asked, "do you ever talk to it?"

Kushina stopped mid-motion and looked up at him. "To the Nine-Tails?"

"Yeah." Kaede casually swept some debris to the side. "Since it’s reacting, it should be able to hear what’s happening outside. You’ve always just suppressed it—there must be another way."

Kushina blinked, stunned. "I’ve... never tried talking to it." She looked down at her stomach, her expression hesitant. "But that thing has such a terrible temper. Would it even listen?"

"It doesn’t hurt to try." Kaede swept the last of the crumbs into a tray and clapped his hands. "Even if it ignores you, you can just yell at it. It’s better than fighting a losing battle of willpower every time."

Kushina blinked, then nodded seriously. "When you put it that way, I actually want to try."

Standing nearby, Tsunade’s movements slowed. She shot a glance at Kaede, then quickly looked away.

The three of them spent about ten minutes cleaning the living room. Kushina glanced at the clock on the wall.

"It’s almost noon. Let’s make lunch."

She turned and went into the kitchen, pulling open the refrigerator. It was completely empty. Kushina stared at the void for two seconds before lightly slapping her own forehead.

"Oh no."

Tsunade walked to the kitchen doorway. "What now?"

"I forgot to buy groceries!" Kushina turned around. "I was going to have Minato pick some up on his way back, but he was called away on a mission early this morning."

Tsunade gave her a flat look. "And?"

Kushina’s eyes darted around. She grabbed her wallet from the counter and shoved it directly into Tsunade’s hand.

"And so... I’m begging you, Lady Tsunade!"

Tsunade looked down at the wallet in her hand and arched an eyebrow. "You certainly know how to push people around."

"The Nine-Tails just caused a scene! I need to rest!" Kushina declared righteously. "Besides, it’s not convenient for me to go out right now."

Tsunade was almost amused by her audacity. "Your excuses are truly..."

"It can’t be helped!" Kushina then looked at Kaede. "Kaede, it’ll be hard for Lady Tsunade to carry all the bags by herself. Go and help her!"

Kaede nodded. "Sure."

Tsunade gripped the wallet, stared at Kushina for a moment, and finally sighed. "I really can’t deal with you."

With that, she turned and headed for the door. Kaede followed. The two of them stepped outside, one after the other.

Kushina stood by the door, watching their retreating figures. Only after they had turned the corner of the alley did she close the door.

As silence returned to the house, Kushina twirled a lock of her red hair and whispered to herself, "It really can’t be helped, right?"

She then walked back to the living room and sank into the sofa.

***

Konoha’s main street was bustling at noon. Shops had set up sunshades, and the crowds of shoppers were loud and lively.

Tsunade and Kaede walked side by side. A small distance remained between them, and neither spoke first.

The silence was subtle, almost electric.

Kaede glanced at Tsunade. She had been testing him for a while now, and since they were finally alone, he decided it was time for him to do the testing.

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