Since there was still time, Kitazawa didn't wake Kurenai. He lowered his head to her neck, felt the smoothness of her cheek, and closed his eyes.
Half an hour later, Kurenai's long lashes fluttered. As she woke, the first thing she felt was the sore, tingling ache in her body. She opened her eyes and saw Kitazawa's profile. A hint of fascination flickered in her gaze; she leaned in and pressed her soft lips to his face.
"Awake?"
Kitazawa felt the warmth on his cheek.
"Mm."
"Want to take a shower?" he asked, reaching out to gently rub her head.
"I'm sticky—I need one," Kurenai said as she sat up. "But I'm going by myself."
"What's wrong?" Kitazawa immediately got what she meant and smiled. "You don't have to worry. I'm not going to lay a finger on you."
"I'm not worried!" Kurenai shot him a glare. "And you saying that has zero credibility!"
"I'm meeting Kabuto and the others at nine." Kitazawa gave her thigh a little pinch. "Squeezing in a shower and breakfast in thirty minutes is already tight. Where would we find time for anything else?"
"I'll trust you this once." Kurenai's eyes rolled playfully; she held out her arms and smiled. "Carry me to the shower."
Kitazawa's eyes widened on reflex. The sight of her asking to be carried hit him a little too hard.
"You're doing this on purpose?" He twitched a smile. "Making Kabuto wait an extra hour wouldn't be the end of the world."
"You already promised them—you can't go back on your word!" Kurenai blurted, suddenly flustered.
"You're such a lightweight and still so addicted," Kitazawa muttered, shaking his head. He got out of bed and scooped her up.
"As if." Kurenai flushed and, instead of admitting anything, gave him a light kick with those long legs. Kitazawa couldn't help glancing at her swinging legs and delicate feet, forcing himself not to look at that touch of red.
After they showered and ate breakfast, they headed for Konoha's main gate.
"Sensei." Kabuto glanced at Kurenai and walked up to Kitazawa. Aburame Torune and Uchiha Izumi followed with greetings.
"Mm." Kitazawa nodded, then introduced, "This is Yūhi Kurenai. She'll be joining us on the mission. You can call her… senpai."
"Kurenai-senpai," the three echoed in unison.
"Kitazawa talks about you a lot," Kurenai said with a smile. "He says you're geniuses among geniuses with limitless potential."
Kabuto thought for a moment. Kurenai and Kitazawa didn't look like they had a simple relationship—maybe they were a couple. After all, missions usually go out as four-person squads.
"Let's register." Kitazawa stepped up to Kotetsu Hagane and produced the Hokage's writ.
"An A-rank mission?" Kotetsu glanced at it and couldn't help remarking, "Your squad's leveling up fast."
It surprised him that Kabuto, Torune, and Izumi had been chunin for less than a month and were already taking an A-rank. Even if they were standouts among their peers, they were still chunin; normally it takes years of seasoning before A-ranks.
"That's true," Izumo agreed. He and Kotetsu had been proctors for the last chunin exams and had watched the three pass with their own eyes.
Kitazawa just smiled, not mentioning that their real assignment was S-rank. The A-rank was a cover—crafted by Sarutobi Hiruzen—to send a letter to a secret Konoha outpost near the Land of Fire's border. The Fire Capital happened to lie along the way.
"Good luck on the mission, Kitazawa-senpai," Kotetsu said after finishing the paperwork.
"Go early, come back early," Izumo waved.
"Thanks." Kitazawa turned to Kurenai and the others. "Move out!"
The five set off on a run, disappearing into the Forest of Death. Because they were still within the Land of Fire, they didn't run into any foolish bandits or rogue shinobi—everything went smoothly.
"Finally here. We've been running all day without lunch—my stomach's protesting," Kurenai said, loosening up as she stopped.
"You should learn from my three students. They didn't complain once," Kitazawa said with a grin, eyeing the Fire Capital ahead.
Kurenai gave him an immediate elbow. Kabuto adjusted his glasses at the sight. He was now even more certain about Kurenai and Kitazawa's relationship—and mentally tagged Kurenai as someone not to mess with.
"Come on, let's eat first," Kitazawa decided. "Then we'll find a place to stay and handle the mission tomorrow."
The five entered the Fire Capital.
"Any of you been here before?" he asked, glancing around.
"I have," Uchiha Izumi said. "In my last squad I took care of the daimyō's lady's cat."
"First time for me," Aburame Torune said.
"I've been here twice," Kabuto added, scanning their surroundings. "For Root assignments."
"Let's go with this one." Kitazawa went into an inn and booked four rooms. That sealed it—not only Kabuto, but even Torune and Izumi picked up on his relationship with Kurenai. Kitazawa and Kurenai didn't mind them knowing. After the rooms were arranged, they ordered a table full of dishes.
"Do you know about the Guardian Shinobi?" Kitazawa asked as he picked up his chopsticks.
"The twelve ninja who protect the Land of Fire's daimyō," Kabuto answered at once.
"Our mission this time involves them," Kitazawa said, and since they were already in the capital, he stopped hiding the real brief and laid it out.
Izumi's small face was full of shock. She hadn't expected this mission to involve twelve special jonin and jonin.
In her old squad, the highest they took was B-rank; even meeting a single tokubetsu jonin was rare. No wonder—this was S-rank. Every S-rank is a brush with death for shinobi.
Kabuto fell into thought. It sounded tough at first glance, but there was actually lots of room to maneuver—much as he'd predicted. They weren't being sent to fight twelve elite shinobi; more than half of those were allies.
Torune, used to following orders, dropped the overthinking despite his surprise and just dug into his food.
"We'll meet Asuma tomorrow," Kitazawa said with a smile. "But before that, I've got a job for you: collect intel on the Guardian Shinobi."
"Got it," Kabuto said, pushing up his glasses.
Izumi hesitated. Three chunin compiling intel on tokubetsu jonin and jonin? It sounded impossible. Even so, she chose to trust Kabuto. Since forming the team he'd been almost unnervingly reliable—so experienced she sometimes suspected there was a seventy- or eighty-year-old shinobi under that youthful skin.
Kurenai instinctively glanced at Kitazawa. She felt the same as Izumi—that this was asking a lot of them—but she didn't say more.
After the meal, Kabuto, Torune, and Izumi left the inn.
"Kabuto," Izumi couldn't help asking, "how are we supposed to gather intel? The Guardians are all way stronger than us."
"You've got the Sharingan, and Torune has his insects. Getting intel isn't the hard part," Kabuto said, methodical as ever. "What we need is to identify the key people."
"Key people?" Izumi got it—they wouldn't investigate the Guardians directly.
"Right," Kabuto mused. "The Guardians are an institution. The Land of Fire must have officials overseeing them. We start there."
Easier said than done; they would still need to infiltrate the palace.
Kitazawa and Kurenai went to the room the inn had prepared. It was basic—bed, table, chairs, the essentials.
"You trust your three students that much?" Kurenai stretched and sat on the edge of the bed, her fair feet dangling and swaying.
"I trust Kabuto," Kitazawa smiled. "What he's been through is harsher than anything we've seen."
"Root, huh?" Kurenai murmured. "I've heard plenty of rumors."
"Root's worse than the rumors," Kitazawa said, sitting beside her.
"I don't understand why the Hokage allows Root to exist," Kurenai turned to look at him, black hair slipping off her shoulder and floating in the air.
"Who knows?" Kitazawa pinched her cheek. "Don't worry. Once Tsunade-sama becomes Hokage, Root won't be around."
"True," Kurenai couldn't help but smile. "With her personality, she'd never tolerate Root."
"She's already foiled Root more than once," Kitazawa said, stretching. "We've still got time. What do you want to do?"
"We have a mission tomorrow. No funny business tonight!" Kurenai blurted.
"I didn't say anything about that," he blinked. "I was asking if you wanted to train in sealing arts. Honestly, you—"
"Shut it!" Kurenai flushed and clapped a hand over his mouth. She hadn't used to think about that kind of thing, but after spending so much time with Kitazawa, she'd started to… indulge.
"I'm going to practice!" She let go, went to the desk, and started working on the Four Limbs Weighting Seal. Kitazawa didn't practice Finger Carving Seal; instead he pulled out the Body Pathway Derangement scroll Tsunade had given him. Sealing wouldn't boost combat power immediately—Body Pathway Derangement would.
That evening, Kabuto, Torune, and Izumi returned safely to the inn.
"Sensei," Kabuto said, taking out a scroll, "this is the intel we gathered."
Kitazawa unrolled it. He had to admit—Kabuto's capability was outstanding. The scroll laid out detailed profiles and the current state of the Guardian Shinobi. It wasn't as exhaustive as Hiruzen's brief, but considering their age and strength, it was more than impressive.
"Nice work," Kitazawa said, handing the scroll to a curious Kurenai.
After reading, Kurenai couldn't help showing a look of shock; even she would have struggled to pull this off.
"Credit goes to Izumi and Torune," Kabuto smiled gently. "Their skills made a huge difference."
"Good. You've all worked hard. Go rest," Kitazawa said. "This mission is bound to end in a big fight. Save your strength."
"Yes, Sensei." The three retired to their rooms.
The night passed quietly.
After breakfast, Kitazawa led Kurenai and the others to the palace. As Konoha shinobi, they had no trouble reaching the hall where the Guardians were based.
"Please wait a moment; I'll inform Asuma-sama," the escort said, turning and walking inside.
Moments later, a young man with a Konoha forehead protector and a full beard emerged. He was clearly the same age as Kitazawa, but looked much older—like a man in his thirties.
Asuma Sarutobi didn't know who the visiting Konoha shinobi were, but the moment he saw Kurenai his eyes went wide. After a beat of surprise, he hurried over.
"Kurenai, what are you doing here?" Asuma asked, delighted, instinctively reaching out a hand.
"I came with Kitazawa," Kurenai stepped back half a pace and answered solemnly.
"Kitazawa?" Asuma looked over at him. It took him two seconds to remember who he was—a nondescript academy teacher.
"Kurenai, are you leading a team now?" Asuma's eyes swept over Kabuto and the other two.
"No," Kurenai said. "The three of them are Kitazawa's students."
Asuma let out a small "huh?" An academy teacher out leading a field squad? He quickly shelved the question.
"Kurenai, did you come especially to see me?" Asuma beamed.
"No," Kurenai shook her head. "I'm on a mission with Kitazawa. We just happened to pass through the Fire Capital."
"You're on a mission with him?" Asuma's guard shot up. In his eyes, Kitazawa might not be strong, but he was handsome and had been popular with the girls back at the academy.
"Mm." Kurenai paused. "It's at the Hokage's arrangement."
That old man! Asuma bristled with dissatisfaction. Knowing full well he liked Kurenai, his father still sent her out with Kitazawa—what kind of thing is that for a father to do?
"Since you're here, why don't you stay for a fe—… for a day," Asuma started to say, then quickly changed tack, remembering the Guardians' complicated situation.
"Let's talk inside," Kitazawa said with a smile.
"Sorry, I got excited seeing you and forgot to invite you in," Asuma raised a hand. "Please."
They entered the hall. Five people with distinct looks sat on the benches lining both sides.
"Let me introduce you," Asuma walked up to a monk. "This is Chiriku, the head monk of the Fire Temple."
Kitazawa instinctively gave him a once-over. Chiriku's black-market bounty was thirty-two million—just under Asuma's.
"These four are known as the Lightning Style Quartet—Kitane, Nauma, Seito, and Tōu," Asuma continued.
"Asuma, you entertain the guests first—we'll talk later," Chiriku and the others exchanged greetings with Kitazawa and Kurenai, then turned and left the hall.
"Something happen?" Kitazawa asked, watching them go.
"Why do you ask?" Asuma blinked, puzzled.
"Their expressions were pretty grave," Kitazawa analyzed. "In the Fire Capital there aren't many things that put the Guardians in a bind."
"Something did happen," Asuma admitted, "but internal Guardian matters have nothing to do with you. Don't worry about it."
In his mind, Kitazawa was an ordinary chunin. Kurenai's genjutsu was good, but at best tokubetsu jonin level. Getting them involved would be too dangerous.
"Worried we're not strong enough?" Kurenai laughed. "Kitazawa's jonin-level now."
"Jonin?" Asuma's eyes flew wide. "How is that possible?"
The shinobi world is brutal; you can usually tell who'll make jonin back at the academy. Even late bloomers stand out two or three years after graduation. But Kitazawa had been average both in school and during his two years as a genin. After making chunin, he'd basically checked out and gone to teach at the academy.
"News doesn't travel as well to the capital," Kurenai said. "Kitazawa's been training under Tsunade-sama. A lot of people in Konoha already consider him her student."
"…?"
Asuma suddenly felt like he'd been living under a rock. He'd only been away from the village a year—how could so much change? Last New Year, Kitazawa had still been a nobody. Could he really have jumped from chunin to jonin in a single year—and become a student of Tsunade, one of the Legendary Sannin? The thought felt absurd. Mostly because Kitazawa had been so unremarkable before—the contrast was too stark.
Asuma's gaze sharpened. Why is Kurenai doing all the talking? Something's off.
"We're classmates and we're both Konoha shinobi. If you've got a problem, we can't just stand by," Kitazawa said, picking up after Kurenai. "If there's anything you need us to do, say the word."
Asuma fell silent. If Kitazawa really was jonin level, adding Kurenai, a tokubetsu jonin, would make it easy to put Kazuma and the others down.
"Talk is cheap," Asuma said, glancing at Kurenai. "How about a spar?"
Kurenai's attitude had triggered his sense of crisis. He needed to prove—right in front of her—that he outclassed Kitazawa.
~~~
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