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

A few days later, in the laboratories of the Konoha Research Building.

Orochimaru stood before a row of petri dishes, watching the active proliferation of cellular tissue with a slight curl of his lips. Without looking back, he scribbled rapidly into his notebook, completely oblivious to the sound of Kitahara Kaede pushing open the door.

Kaede walked up beside him and glanced at the petri dishes. "How is the progress?"

Only then did Orochimaru close his notebook and turn around. "A stripped-down version of the munitions should be ready in a few days."

He pulled a data report from a drawer and handed it over, his voice unable to hide a tremor of excitement. "The theoretical verification went smoother than expected. The preliminary synthesis path is functional; mass production won't be an issue."

Kaede took the report and flipped through several pages. Every parameter and indicator exceeded expectations. He closed the report and handed it back. "And the genetic experiments?"

"That can't be rushed," Orochimaru replied, tossing the report onto the table and turning back to stare at the petri dishes. "It's cross-generational work. The sample size is too small; accumulating the necessary data takes time."

Kaede nodded. He remained standing by the workbench, but his mind had already shifted to another matter.

The intelligence Pakura had delivered a few days ago was clear: Danzo, leading the elites of Root, was frequently contacting Hanzo in the Land of Rain. The two sides were growing closer by the day. He had to reach the Land of Rain and set up a stakeout before Danzo could make his move.

This trip would be different from previous ones; it wasn't something he could return from in a few days. He needed to let Tsunade know.

Coming back to the present, Kaede spoke to Orochimaru. "I have to go on a long trip. I'll be gone for a while. Is there any material you need?"

Orochimaru, who was dripping a reagent into a petri dish, didn't even look up as he handed over a list. Kaede took it and walked out of the laboratory.

***

Outside the Hokage Building.

Tsunade walked out of the building clutching a stack of documents. Just as she reached the entrance, she saw Kitahara Kaede. Her gaze swept over his face before landing on the mission gear he had already changed into.

"Another mission?"

Kaede hadn't expected to run into Tsunade here. He stopped and nodded. "I'm going to find the key materials for Orochimaru's next phase. I'll be gone for a while, so I came to let you know."

Tsunade tightened her grip on the documents, remaining silent for a moment.

Just now, in the Hokage's office, The Third had revealed some details to her, his tone a mix of sentiment and probing curiosity. He had told her about the arms trade and the alliance plans with other nations that Kaede had proposed.

Although The Third had only shown her a portion of the plans, it was enough for her to realize that the "important matters" he had previously hidden from her were all true. He hadn't been idling away his time; he was laying the groundwork for the village's future in a way she had never imagined.

Tsunade suddenly remembered a few days prior. She had secretly discovered that Kaede regularly visited the post office in a small border town to collect letters. At the time, a sting of suspicion had flared up in her heart. Combined with her previous doubts about those clothes, she had almost convinced herself that they were love letters from some woman on the outside.

But now, connecting the dots, Tsunade felt her previous jealousy was almost laughable. For a man capable of planning the geopolitical landscape of the entire shinobi world, those letters could only be his intelligence network spanning the Five Great Nations. She had almost let wild imagination lead her to misunderstand a man who was truly achieving great things.

Her emotions were a tangled mess as she looked at Kaede again, her gaze far more complex than before. She suddenly wondered: he had done so much for the village, but what about them? They couldn't keep their relationship in this ambiguous state forever.

"Are you in a hurry to leave?" Tsunade asked.

Kaede blinked, taken aback. "Not particularly."

"Then walk with me for a bit," she said, stepping forward and leaving him no room to refuse.

Kaede watched her back for a moment before following. The two walked together toward the banks of the Naka River. A light breeze brushed across the water, creating gentle ripples.

Tsunade stopped and turned around. Sunlight filtered through the gaps in the leaves, dappling her shoulders, while her golden hair fluttered in the wind. She looked directly into Kaede's eyes.

"Between us... what exactly is our relationship right now?"

The question was fast and direct, like a straight punch that hit Kaede instantly. His heart skipped a beat. He hadn't expected Tsunade to bring the topic to light at this moment.

Since they had "re-introduced" themselves with a simple "hello," the two had maintained a delicate balance, neither side willing to pierce the veil. But now, Tsunade had asked.

Kaede looked into her unwavering eyes, his mind racing. He wanted to answer her directly, but now was not the time. This trip to the Land of Rain was the final stop for Danzo. Once that old man was dead, the majority of the village's internal threats would be eliminated.

Rin was in the Shikkotsu Forest, and the pieces were set for Obito; once Rin woke up, another problem could be solved. Minato was about to officially succeed as Hokage, and once Orochimaru's finished munitions were ready, Konoha's finances would be saved.

Only then would his trump cards and his confidence be truly sufficient. He would no longer need to be as cautious as he had been, constrained by the gap in their social standings or the turbulent political currents. Only then could he stand by her side without reservation.

Meeting Tsunade's gaze, his swirling thoughts condensed into a single sentence.

"Wait until I return from this trip." His tone did not waver, and his eyes were more serious than ever. "Then, I will give you the answer."

Tsunade watched him. She understood that this was a promise from a man who needed to handle all his troubles first. Her pressed lips finally relaxed and slowly curved upward.

"Alright."

Tsunade suddenly took a step forward. She placed one hand lightly on Kaede's shoulder to steady herself and pressed a soft, warm kiss lightly against his forehead. Then, she quickly pulled away.

Kaede felt his mind go blank with a loud *buzz*, his breath hitching in his throat.

Tsunade had already stepped back half a pace, a faint blush dusting her cheeks. "Go on," she said with a smile.

It took several seconds for Kaede to recover. He looked at Tsunade standing in the sunlight, seeing the irrepressible smile on her lips. He gave a small grunt of affirmation, suppressed his surging emotions, and turned to walk toward the village gates.

Tsunade remained where she stood. Watching Kaede's figure recede into the distance, she made a decision in her heart. Once he returned and their relationship was confirmed, she would personally place the necklace left by her grandfather around his neck.

Her grandfather's treasure should be left to someone worthy.

The waters of the Naka River continued to flow. Tsunade withdrew her gaze and turned back toward the Konoha Hospital, the smile still lingering on her face.

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