Chapter 245: The Truth
Kitahara Kaede walked up to Terumi Mei’s desk.
The surface was tidy, with documents stacked neatly by category. He scanned them quickly.
Nothing.
They were all routine files—mission logs, patrol reports, and the like.
Kaede frowned.
’Something’s not right.’
He recalled seeing Terumi Mei place items into the right-hand drawer several times, always locking it afterward. The important things had to be in there.
His gaze fell on the small copper lock. He didn’t have time to go searching for a key. Without hesitation, he drew a kunai and jammed it into the lock, prying it open with force.
*Click.*
The lock snapped.
He slid the drawer open. Lying right on top was the latest defense map of the Mizukage Building that Genji had mentioned.
Kaede felt a wave of relief and reached for it. But just as he was about to close the drawer, he froze.
Tucked beneath the map was an envelope. It bore the wax seal of Konoha, and the seal had already been torn open.
’A letter from Konoha? Why is it here?’
Kaede set the defense map on the desk and picked up the letter. As he unfolded the paper, he saw it was written by Minato.
The beginning of the letter covered general village matters—improving finances, the expansion of the training grounds, and Kushina nagging about when he would finally return.
Kaede’s eyes quickly slid to the end.
"Additionally, Pakura asked me to tell you that the matter you discussed with her previously has become problematic."
"She wants to know when you can finish your business over there and return as soon as possible."
Kaede’s breath hitched.
This had clearly been sent before the urgent letter. In other words, Pakura had sensed something was wrong in Amegakure long ago and had tried to notify him immediately.
Yet, he had known nothing.
Connecting this to the letter he had just found, it was clear that Genji must have passed this letter to Terumi Mei to deliver to him. Instead, she had opened it and locked it away in her drawer.
’Why didn’t she give it to me?’
He couldn’t understand. Kaede refolded the letter and tucked it into his clothes.
His gaze returned to the drawer. Beneath the letter lay another intelligence file. He pulled it out.
Attached to the front was a photo of Pakura.
"Pakura," a high-ranking official of the Hidden Rain Village...
Kaede read through the lines. On the final page, the date of the investigation was clearly marked.
It was exactly three days after the first time he had asked Terumi Mei to send a letter back to Konoha.
In that moment, all the clues clicked into place.
The day he had handed that letter to Terumi Mei, she had opened it privately, discovered the existence of "Pakura," and immediately dispatched people to investigate.
Then, when Minato’s second letter arrived, she opened it again and saw that Pakura was urging him to return. Consequently, she suppressed the letter entirely.
Kaede suddenly remembered the day he had confessed. When he spoke Pakura’s name, Terumi Mei’s face hadn’t shown a hint of surprise—only a clenched jaw.
It wasn’t that she was naturally calculating; it was that she had known all along!
And before that... she had used her key to walk straight into his room, sat by his bed, and breathed softly into his ear. She had laughed, calling it a "benefit."
What was hidden beneath that smile?
It was the certainty and control of someone who already viewed him as a possession.
Stealing letters, private investigations, intercepting critical intelligence... every step she took was a test of his limits, every step a way to compress his world.
Regardless of how composed he usually was, a surge of anger rushed to his head.
But a moment later, he forced the anger down.
’I can’t entirely blame her.’
In her memories, she had watched him die by her own hands. That kind of pain was likely carved into her very bones.
That was why she was now clutching so desperately, circling him, and frantically blocking anyone who might take him away.
He had taught her what trust was, and he was the one who had made her lose that trust.
Ultimately, he was the culprit behind this obsession.
Kaede calmed his complex emotions. Thinking about this was useless right now. Something had happened in Amegakure; Nagato’s Rinnegan had been stolen, and the situation could spiral out of control at any moment.
He had to get back immediately.
Kaede closed the drawer and took Pakura’s files with him. Once finished, he grabbed the defense map from the desk and strode out of the office.
Outside the building, the twenty elite ANBU gathered by Genji were already lined up. Gonbe stood at the front; seeing Kaede emerge, he gave a short nod.
Kaede unfolded the defense map and sketched a simplified attack route on the ground.
"The sentries in the west corridor rotate every five minutes. We’ll cut in from the east."
"Yagura has three personal guards. Once we’re inside, your job is to keep them occupied."
"Give me one minute."
He looked up, his gaze sweeping over the group. "Any questions?"
Everyone shook their heads.
Genji stood to the side, leaning on his cane. He spoke in a low, heavy voice.
"Lord Kitahara, we leave everything in your hands."
Kaede nodded. With a flash of movement, he led the charge, racing toward the Mizukage Building.
The raid went more smoothly than expected.
***
Twenty minutes later.
Kaede withdrew his hand and turned toward Genji at the door.
"The genjutsu is broken; Yagura is awake. I’ll leave the rest to you."
Genji leaned on his cane as he walked in. He glanced at Yagura, who was slumped in a chair gasping for air, and then looked at Kaede. His eyes were full of admiration.
"Lord Kitahara, Kirigakure owes you a great favor."
Kaede shook his head.
"Elder Genji, the reason this went so smoothly is thanks to Chief Terumi Mei. She and I had repeatedly run through every detail; her study of Yagura’s defense system was incredibly thorough. Without her intelligence and analysis, I couldn’t have finished this so quickly."
Genji’s gaze tightened. After a moment of silence, he nodded solemnly.
"I understand. Kirigakure will not overlook Terumi Mei’s contributions."
Seeing that the message had been received, Kaede said no more. He glanced out the window; it was already evening.
"Elder Genji, I have an urgent matter. I must leave immediately."
"As for the details of the alliance, once Kirigakure has stabilized, I will have Konoha send an official delegation to discuss the specifics."
Genji did not try to stop him.
"Safe travels."
Kaede turned and left. He didn’t return to his quarters to pack; instead, he immediately activated the Body Flicker Technique, becoming a blur as he vanished from the Hidden Mist Village.
***
Evening.
The main gate of the Hidden Mist Village.
Terumi Mei returned with her mission team. Today’s mission had gone smoothly, and they had finished over an hour ahead of schedule.
She was in a wonderful mood.
If she hurried back now, she would be just in time for dinner. Kaede had been resting at home all day; perhaps he had already prepared the meal.
The moment she pushed open the door, she would smell the aroma of food. Then, he would peek his head out of the kitchen wearing an apron and say, "You’re back? Wash your hands and eat."
At the thought, Terumi Mei’s steps became lighter after dismissing her squad.
She arrived at the small building where Kitahara Kaede lived. She looked up.
The second-story window was pitch black.
Terumi Mei paused. It was already dark; why weren’t the lights on?
’Silly me, of course the secodn floor is dark, he’s cooking on the the first floor after all.’
She took out her spare key and pushed open the door.
The house was shrouded in darkness. There was no aroma of food, no warm light. Only a deathly silence.
’Did he go out to buy something?’
Terumi Mei stood in the entryway, her hand still on the doorknob. Facing the empty house, she called out softly, tentatively.
"Kaede, I’m home. Are you here?"