Kakashi: Godless Ascension

"Stop that!" Kurenai whispered sharply, a blush rising to her cheeks.

"Stop what?" Kakashi's voice floated up from the silver pendant hanging around her neck.

"Stop doing weird things," she muttered. The pendant had been swinging gently, brushing against her neck, and occasionally, just a little too low.

"What weird things?" Kakashi replied, feigning innocence, though the amusement in his tone was crystal clear.

"Nothing. Just… behave," she huffed, glancing down at the pendant with flustered eyes.

"Of course," he said smoothly, though a soft chuckle still slipped out.

"You're enjoying this far too much," Kurenai mumbled under her breath, crossing her arms as they moved carefully through the trees.

Despite her irritation, she couldn't deny a small smile tugging at the corners of her lips. She was enjoying their little exchange more than she wanted to admit.

The air was cool beneath the canopy, sunlight flickering through shifting leaves. The deeper they went, the more serious she became. Her eyes sharpened, scanning their surroundings with practiced precision.

The pendant swayed again with her movement, lightly tapping her chest. Kurenai stopped and gave it a soft flick. "Just focus," she muttered, not sure if she was talking to Kakashi or herself.

They were closing in.

After several minutes of quiet, deliberate travel, they reached a half-crumbled cottage near a mossy outcrop. Through a broken window, three figures could be seen inside, seated around a table. One more ninja stood outside, supposedly keeping watch, but his lazy posture and distracted eyes said otherwise.

"Four chakra signatures," Kakashi's voice said from the pendant. "Three of them are Chunin… and the fourth one, that should be your target."

Kurenai nodded silently.

But then Kakashi let out a low, amused hum. "Huh. That explains it."

She blinked, whispering, "What is it? Something wrong?"

Kakashi's tone turned wry. "I just sensed a familiar chakra nearby. Someone's trying to score points with the lady in distress."

Kurenai's brows drew together. "Don't tell me…"

"Oh yes. Beardy uncle himself."

Kurenai stiffened, her eyes narrowing. "Asuma?"

"Bingo," Kakashi murmured. "Looks like he had a hand in getting this mission assigned to you. Probably thought it'd be the perfect setup for him to swoop in and 'save' you."

Her mouth parted in disbelief. "So this wasn't just a standard assignment? He pulled strings to look like a hero?"

"Well, his daddy is the Hokage. Some people will listen just for that," Kakashi said casually, fanning the flames with a grin only she could hear.

Kurenai's expression tightened. "He's been following me around the village like a lost dog since he came back. Always smells like cigarettes and cheap ego."

"Don't worry. I'm here. You're not alone, and you're not someone who needs saving anyway." Kakashi said as he chuckled softly.

That quiet confidence in his voice made her pause. Her fingers brushed against the pendant, holding it gently for a second.

"Thank you, Kakashi," she said sincerely.

"There's no need for thanks between us," he replied, voice calm and steady.

Her heart fluttered at that line, and she exhaled softly, feeling the moment settle into her chest.

They approached the clearing in silence, shadows hugging Kurenai's form as she crept low. The guard outside hadn't noticed a thing, his gaze was drifting, and his grip on his sword was loose.

Kakashi focused through the pendant, using his mental energy to disturb the guard's thoughts. A subtle wave of interference passed through him. The man blinked, frowning, suddenly dazed.

That was her moment.

In one smooth, silent movement, Kurenai struck. Her kunai sliced across the guard's throat cleanly. His body crumpled, not a sound escaping him. Blood pooled quietly at the threshold.

"Now," Kakashi whispered.

Kurenai reached into her pouch and pulled out a scroll wrapped with tightly bundled paper bombs, something she'd prepared just in case the mission got messy.

She crept to the edge of the cottage, attached the scroll to a weighted pouch, and hurled it through the broken window with perfect aim.

It hit the floor.

A moment of silence.

Then, Boom!

A fiery explosion erupted from inside, shattering the building. Wood splintered and smoke billowed out in thick clouds. The two Chunin inside had no chance to react, their bodies were torn apart, their limbs flung into the dirt like broken dolls.

But then, through the flames, the rogue Jonin staggered out. His face was burned, his uniform shredded. He clutched a sealed scroll tightly against his chest, eyes bloodshot and wild.

His aura flared with fury and desperation.

Kurenai didn't flinch. She reached for her wrist, and the Nature Pulse Seal was glowing. Kakashi's Yin chakra filled her veins, thrumming with power.

She stepped forward calmly, locking eyes with her target.

"Demonic Illusion: Tree Binding Death," she said.

And just like that, the rogue ninja's world changed.

Dark trees burst from the ground in his mind, their limbs wrapping around his arms and legs. The air turned thick and heavy. Shadows twisted.

He couldn't move.

Inside the illusion, Kurenai appeared behind him, silent and composed. She raised a kunai and brought it to his throat.

In the real world, he was paralyzed. His body stood rigid, eyes wide in horror. He let out a muffled scream, lost entirely in her genjutsu.

Kurenai walked closer, watching him. Her hands were steady, her breathing calm.

"He's done," she whispered.

"Nice work. You were flawless." Inside the pendant, Kakashi smiled.

Kurenai gave the pendant a gentle pat, her heart still racing but proud of how she had handled it. "Couldn't have done it without your chakra."

"You were the one who used it. You're the one who made the call. That's all you," Kakashi replied simply.

For a moment, she stood there, watching the man locked in the illusion. He wouldn't be a threat anymore. And the scroll? She would secure it and return it safely.

Kurenai exhaled deeply, her body relaxing for the first time since she entered the forest.

As she reached up to remove the pendant from her neck, Kakashi spoke again, this time with a teasing note. "Now that you've completed your mission, can I go back to being a handsome ninja instead of your jewelry?"

"Only if you promise not to misbehave," Kurenai smirked.

"No promises," he chuckled, and with a poof of smoke, he returned to his normal form, crouched beside her.

"Being a pendant was harder than it looked." He said as he dusted off his shoulders.

"You had the easy job," she teased.

"Oh? I had to endure all that swinging. You nearly knocked the breath out of me a few times."

Kurenai laughed, a genuine, relaxed laugh, and turned to face him.

"Thanks for everything today, Kakashi."

He looked at her quietly, then gave a small nod.

"I'll always show up," he said. "Especially for you."

Kurenai felt her cheeks heat again, but she didn't look away this time.

As the wind picked up and the sakura petals floated gently through the trees, the two shinobi stood side by side, stronger, together.