Naruto: We Agreed on a Simulation, But They Actually Came to Life? Chapter 33 33: Who Said It Was For Him?

Before the sky had fully brightened, Kitahara Kaede arrived at the door of Tsunade's house.

He gave two short knocks.

There was a commotion inside, followed by the sound of footsteps rushing down the stairs with an urgency that suggested a fire had broken out.

The door swung open, and Nawaki poked his head and shoulders out.

His ninja tool pouch was bulging on his shoulder, and his forehead protector was polished to a mirror finish; it was obvious he had spent considerable ti scrubbing it in front of a mirror.

When he saw who it was, he froze for a heartbeat.

Then, his eyes lit up.

"Sensei?!"

He looked Kaede up and down twice, his expression as if he were terrified of mistaking him for soone else.

"I heard a few days ago that the lead Jounin had changed, but I thought I'd misheard—I can't believe it's actually you!"

Kaede's lip twitched.

*This kid... I didn't realize he was such a little hater.*

"What, you're disappointed it's ?"

"No way!" Nawaki chuckled, rubbing his hands together. "With Sensei leading the team, this mission is basically—"

"Take off your gear pouch."

Nawaki's mouth remained open, his smile freezing on his face.

"...Not enough, huh?"

Kaede had already crouched by the door, patting the ground.

Nawaki grumbled sothing under his breath but obediently unslung the pouch and spread it open.

Kaede flipped through the items one by one. His fingers paused on the Military Ration Pills, weighing them in his hand.

"Not enough. Add two more portions."

"It's only a C-rank—"

"Add two more."

Nawaki caught the look on Kaede's face and swallowed his protest, turning and sprinting back into the house to search for more.

By the ti Nawaki returned and began stuffing the Military Ration Pills inside, Kaede had already stood up.

He reached out and pressed the buckles on the inner armor of Nawaki's shoulder, checking both sides to ensure they were secure.

"Let's go."

The two of them walked side by side out of the alley.

The streets were mostly empty, save for a few early-rising vendors setting up their stalls and the distant sound of dogs barking.

After a few steps, Nawaki couldn't hold it in anymore.

"Sensei, seriously—it's just a C-rank reconnaissance mission. Is all this really necessary?"

"Once you leave the village, there is no such thing as 'necessary' or 'not necessary,'" Kaede replied without glancing back. "For every item you forget to bring, there's a new way to die."

Nawaki went silent.

Two seconds later, he silently tightened the strap of his gear pouch by one more notch.

The silence didn't last long.

"Sensei."

"Hmm."

"About this mission... do you also feel like sothing is off?"

Kaede glanced at him.

Nawaki scratched the back of his head.

"It's not exactly that sothing is 'off,' it's just... after my sister heard I was going on a mission a few days ago, she's been acting strange. Every ti I ask her, she says it's nothing, but I'm not stupid."

He paused.

"She doesn't act like that when she's confident about a situation."

Kaede kept his eyes on the road ahead.

"Which is why you didn't sleep a wink last night and polished your forehead protector three tis."

Nawaki grinned, making no attempt to deny it.

"I figured—since Sensei is leading the team, Sis probably won't have to worry about anymore."

Kaede gave him a light smack on the back of the head.

"Listen to your commander once we arrive."

"I know, I know."

Rubbing his head, Nawaki returned to his usual bouncy self, skipping forward as they walked.

***

The South Gate.

The other two Genin were already waiting.

They were newcors who had graduated in the sa class as Nawaki, one tall and one short, both standing rigidly at attention.

As they saw Kitahara Kaede approaching, they snapped their heels together with a sharp *clap*, nervously rattling off their squad numbers and nas.

Kaede waved them off.

"Just call Captain. There's no need to be so tense."

The two relaxed their shoulders, though their backs remained stiff.

Nawaki stood beside them, hands behind his back and chin tilted upward—affecting the air of a seasoned veteran.

Kaede shot him a sidelong glance.

Nawaki imdiately straightened his face and leaned in, dropping his voice to a whisper.

"Sensei—look at the South Gate."

Kaede looked in the direction he was pointing.

Tsunade was leaning against a stone pillar at the entrance of the South Gate.

Her deep blue coat was draped casually over her shoulders, her ponytail tied loosely, and her hands were tucked into her pockets.

Based on her position and posture, she had been there for a while.

Today was her shift at the hospital.

Before Kaede could move, Nawaki had already pressed up against him, practically whispering into his ear, unable to contain the gossip on his face.

"Sensei, let tell you—"

He cast a sneaky glance at Tsunade, confirming they were far enough away.

"A few days ago, Sis didn't co ho for the night."

He paused for effect.

"When she ca back the next day, she had this... *smirk*... on her face."

Kaede ignored him and walked toward Tsunade.

Behind him, Nawaki silently gave him a thumbs-up.

Seeing him approach, Tsunade pulled her hand from her pocket and produced a small cloth bundle. She didn't look him in the eye, simply shoving it toward him.

"Take it."

Kaede took the bundle and peeled open the top with his thumb.

Military Ration Pills—high-concentration ones, individually sealed, and a darker shade than the standard military issue.

Pressed beneath them was a tube of hemostatic cream with a handwritten label; the handwriting was crisp and the strokes were powerful.

Tsunade's handwriting.

Kaede stared at the tube of cream for a few seconds.

"Nawaki probably won't need this, will he?"

Tsunade's gaze drifted toward the treetops outside the South Gate.

"Who said it was for him?"

Her voice was stubborn and cold.

But as soon as she spoke, her gaze shifted back—not to his face, but to his hand, watching the way he tucked the bundle into his gear pouch.

Kaede said nothing more, sliding the bundle into the innermost compartnt of the pouch and pressing it firmly into place.

Tsunade's eyebrow twitched.

"This is Nawaki's first ti traveling far from ho."

"Mm."

"Don't let him show off. That kid dares to charge headfirst into anything the mont he gets carried away."

"He won't."

She paused.

"Neither will you."

Her tone was the sa as before, as if she were rely ntioning it in passing. Like a footnote added after instructing her brother.

But Kaede heard it.

The previous words had flowed smoothly, but those last few were strained.

"Alright."

Just one word.

Tsunade nodded and turned to leave.

After a few steps, without stopping her stride, her voice drifted back on the morning breeze.

"Co back early."

By the ti those words reached his ears, her silhouette was already distant.

Kaede watched her for a mont, then turned back to his squad.

"Move out."

The four of them exited the South Gate and stepped onto the official highway. A layer of morning mist had risen.

After twenty or so steps, Nawaki looked back once.

Then he turned around.

He didn't speak imdiately. He walked in silence for five or six more steps before tugging on Kaede's sleeve.

"Sensei."

"Hmm."

"Sis is still there."

His tone had changed; the previous cheekiness was gone, replaced by sothing indefinable.

"She's not looking at ."

Kaede didn't stop walking.

But he did look back.

The morning mist was thin, and the outline of the South Gate was still clear.

Tsunade was still leaning against that stone pillar, her deep blue coat standing out vividly against the grayish-white fog.

She hadn't left.

And indeed, she wasn't looking at Nawaki.

The mont their eyes t, Tsunade's chin lifted slightly.

She didn't wave, she didn't nod, she made no gesture at all—she just watched him.

Kaede withdrew his gaze.

He realized he was smiling.

Nawaki observed him for three seconds and let out a snort.

Kaede reached out and smacked him on the back of the head.

"Watch the road."

"...Oh."