Konoha: The Honored One

Gojo raised a finger, a smug grin lighting up his face as he thought of an excuse on the fly. "Because I just helped an old lady cross the road," he said, his tone casual, as though it were the most natural thing in the world.

Kurenai crossed her arms, her red eyes narrowing as she shot him a skeptical look. "Seriously? You expect me to believe that?" she asked, exasperated. "You? Helping an old lady? Right after an Akatsuki member detonates a small nuke? You don't even help yourself most of the time!"

Gojo chuckled, waving off her disbelief. "Hey now, a woman who's too sharp is destined to be unpopular, Kurenai-chan," he teased, reaching out to pinch her nose gently. "And your nose… so sensitive! Maybe I should get you a job sniffing things out."

Kurenai blinked, taken aback. Did he just imply she should be a ninja dog?

Her cheeks flushed with embarrassment and frustration as she pulled back. This man was insufferable! Without missing a beat, she yanked a kunai from her pouch and hurled it directly at him. "Oops, my hand slipped," she said sweetly, though her tone carried unmistakable venom.

The kunai stopped mid-air, hovering inches from Gojo's face, as if frozen in time. He tilted his head, unimpressed, his grin growing wider. "No worries, Kurenai-chan. Slips happen."

Before she could retort, he wrapped an arm around her waist, pulling her close. Kurenai barely had time to react before she felt his hand land on her backside with a sharp smack.

"Slap."

The sound echoed in the clearing. Kurenai froze, her eyes wide, and her mouth slightly open as she processed what just happened.

"Be careful next time," Gojo said in a sing-song tone, as though he were scolding a mischievous child.

Her brain caught up with her body as mortification bloomed across her face. She stared at him, utterly stunned. "Y-you… you SPANKED me?"

Gojo gave her a look of faux disappointment. "Well, you slipped first, didn't you? And I slipped right back. Call it even."

Kurenai's hands balled into fists as she lunged at him, her embarrassment now fully replaced by rage. "You're unbelievable!" she shouted, flailing against his unshakable grip.

But no matter how hard she tried, she couldn't break free from his hold. He finally let her go, patting her on the head like a child. "Now, now, no need to get worked up. You're just proving my point, Kurenai-chan. Calm down, and remember—no more 'slipping.'"

Her whole body trembled as she glared at him. "When we get back to the village, I'm telling Lady Tsunade EVERYTHING. Including what you were really doing on Oiran Street!"

Gojo raised an eyebrow, a playful smirk creeping across his lips. "Snitching on me to the teacher, huh? You do realize that'll just make you the most unpopular girl in my book, right?"

"Slap."

Another resounding smack landed, and Kurenai jumped, clutching her backside. "You—!"

"Slap."

"Stop it!"

"Slap."

"You're a sadist!"

Gojo sighed, shaking his head. "Nope. But you're starting to sound like a masochist. You sure you don't like this?"

"Enough!" Kurenai yelled, backing away and covering her rear defensively. Her cheeks were flaming red as she glared daggers at him. "I… I was wrong! Happy? Now leave me alone!"

Gojo's grin widened in triumph. "Good girl. You're learning."

Before Kurenai could summon another retort, Might Guy approached, two large sacks slung over his shoulders. He flashed a gleaming smile. "Gojo! Everything's taken care of. Let's head back to the village!"

"Great," Gojo replied, stretching his arms as though he'd just completed a long day of hard work. "Time to clock out, kids. Let's move!"

As the group began their trek back, the mood was heavy. Naruto clenched his fists tightly, his blue eyes simmering with determination. "Akatsuki…" he muttered under his breath. "I swear I'll make them pay for what they've done to Gaara."

The reality of Gaara's death weighed heavily on them all. Naruto, usually the one to carry hope, felt the bitterness of defeat gnawing at him.

Kurenai, still rubbing her sore backside, limped slightly as she walked. "I hate you, Gojo," she muttered under her breath, shooting him the occasional glare.

Sakura noticed her discomfort and walked over. "Sensei, are you okay? Did you get hurt?"

Kurenai hesitated, her face flushing again. "I-it's nothing. Just… a minor injury caused by a certain shameless idiot."

Sakura tilted her head in confusion. "Huh?"

Meanwhile, Kakashi stumbled slightly, his legs shaking from the overuse of chakra. His body felt like it was made of lead. Before he could fall, Might Guy swooped in, hoisting Kakashi onto his back.

"Don't worry, Kakashi! I've got you!" Guy declared, beaming with his usual over-the-top enthusiasm. "And while we're at it, let's race back to the village! Loser carries the winner's luggage for a week!"

Kakashi groaned. "Guy… please…"

But Guy was already sprinting off at full speed, leaving a trail of dust in his wake. The group stared after him, dumbfounded.

"That guy's exhausting," Sasuke muttered, shaking his head.

Gojo chuckled, turning to the group. "Alright, kids. Looks like you're running back on foot. Good luck!"

Before anyone could protest, he scooped up Kurenai like a sack of potatoes, ignoring her indignant cries. "See you back at the village!" he called over his shoulder before vanishing in an instant.

Naruto's jaw dropped as he stared at the empty space where Gojo had stood. "That jerk just ditched us!"

Sasuke smirked. "What did you expect?"

"Hey, Sasuke…" Naruto said slowly, a sly grin spreading across his face.

Sasuke raised an eyebrow. "What?"

Naruto's grin widened. "Gojo-sensei said you'd transform into something useful if I needed help. So… you're carrying me back!"

The group's laughter echoed through the forest as Naruto took off after Sasuke, who was already stomping away in annoyance. Despite the exhaustion, the humor lifted their spirits, even if just a little.