Naruto: Konoha's Psychic

(Happy Holi to all of you.)

"I'm heading out on a mission," he announced, his voice steady despite the storm of emotions churning inside him. "An S-Rank."

His mother paused, her hands stilling over the cutting board. She turned to him, her eyes wide with a mix of pride and concern. "An S-Rank? Your first one?"

He nodded, forcing a small smile. "Yeah. It's a big deal."

His father set his cup down, his sharp gaze studying Inoiki. "S-Rank missions aren't to be taken lightly," he said, his tone serious. "You'll need to be sharp, focused. No room for mistakes."

"I know," Inoiki replied, meeting his father's eyes. "I'll be careful."

For a moment, the room was silent, the weight of the unspoken hanging in the air. Then his mother stepped forward, pulling him into a tight embrace. "Come back safe," she whispered, her voice trembling slightly.

Inoiki hugged her back, his chest tightening. "I will," he promised.

As he stepped away, his father gave him a curt nod, a silent acknowledgment of the gravity of the mission. 

After preparing everything with his parents' help, Inoiki left the house. The weight of the mission ahead pressed on him, but he pushed aside his worries and made his way to the designated gate of Konoha. As he approached, he spotted Kakashi leaning casually against the gate, his nose buried in his usual orange book. Inoiki couldn't help but raise an eyebrow.

"I wasn't expecting you to arrive on time," Inoiki remarked, a faint smirk tugging at his lips.

Kakashi glanced up, his visible eye curving into a crescent as he chuckled. "So, have I become so famous for being late?"

Inoiki laughed softly. "All thanks to Naruto."

Kakashi closed his book and tucked it into his pouch, his demeanour shifting slightly. There was a faint tension in his posture, something Inoiki noticed immediately.

"By the way," Inoiki began, his tone more serious now, "you looked pretty deep in thought when I arrived. Is everything alright?"

Kakashi sighed, his hand resting on the back of his neck. "Not that big of a problem, but you know how Naruto and Sasuke are together. Today, they got into a fight. Both of them used powerful jutsu—jutsu that could have killed them. Sasuke… he clearly had the intent to kill Naruto. Naruto's attack was in self-defense, so I wouldn't blame him entirely. I was there and intervened, or else things could have gotten much worse."

Inoiki's frown deepened. "How are they now? Are they alright?"

"They're fine," Kakashi replied, though his voice carried a hint of unease. "But Sasuke… he's feeling inferior. Naruto's growth, and your strength, have hit him hard. He used to think of himself as the most gifted, but now, compared to you, his achievements and strength seem almost insignificant."

Inoiki sighed, his chest tightening. This was exactly the direction he hadn't wanted things to go. Sasuke's feelings of inadequacy were dangerous, a ticking time bomb that could lead him down a dark path. But there was little Inoiki could do about it now.

Kakashi straightened, his tone shifting to one of professionalism. "Okay, we should focus on the mission for now. You take the lead, and I'll follow. I'll comment on your actions if needed, but this is your show."

Inoiki nodded, pushing his concerns about Sasuke to the back of his mind. He didn't have the luxury of dwelling on what-ifs. The mission demanded his full attention. With a deep breath, he set off, Kakashi falling into step behind him.

Their journey was largely uneventful, thanks to Inoiki's keen senses. His 'Observation Haki' allowed him to detect potential threats long before they became a problem, and he skillfully steered them clear of any conflicts. Along the way, Inoiki took charge of their meals, preparing fresh food each time. It was a habit he'd picked up from Kosuke, one of the many skills he'd learned from the old man. Kakashi, for his part, seemed to thoroughly enjoy the meals, a rare compliment escaping him on the first night.

"You learned from Kosuke, right?" Kakashi asked as he finished his portion.

Inoiki simply nodded. "Yes."

By the end of the second day, they reached their destination just as night fell. The base, a Konoha outpost designed to monitor the borders of the Fire Country, loomed ahead. But Inoiki didn't rush in recklessly. Instead, he paused, closing his eyes and extending his senses through 'Observation Haki.' The scene that unfolded in his mind made his stomach churn.

When he opened his eyes, his expression was grim. "There's an ambush," he said quietly. "Around 200 ninjas, most likely from Iwa. And there's a large group of people gathered in one spot—they're not moving. My guess is they're captives, probably the guards of this base. Our people."

Kakashi's eye narrowed, his usual laid-back demeanor replaced by sharp focus. "What's the plan?"

Inoiki's mind raced, calculating their options. The mission had just become far more complicated—and far more dangerous. But he knew one thing for certain: they couldn't leave their comrades behind.