As the evening sun cast a warm glow over the village, Izumo made his way to Inoiki's house. He hesitated briefly before knocking, his mind focused on the task ahead. The door creaked open, revealing a middle-aged woman with kind eyes.
"You are?" she asked, her gaze curious yet cautious.
"Izumo," he replied with a respectful nod. "I'm Inoiki's team leader. I came here to discuss team formation with him."
Her expression immediately softened. "Ah, of course. Please, come inside." She stepped aside, motioning him into the house. "Inoiki's out back, training as usual. Let me take you to him."
Izumo followed her down a narrow hallway, the scent of fresh herbs and burning incense filling the air. As they stepped out into the backyard, the scene before him caught his attention.
There, in the fading light, Inoiki stood in deep concentration. His kunai knives floated effortlessly around him, each one glinting in the orange glow of dusk. He was using them to sculpt a rough block of stone with precise, deliberate movements. A sense of calm power radiated from the young shinobi as he worked, completely focused on the task.
Inoiki's mother smiled softly as she watched her son. "He does this every evening," she said, pride evident in her voice. Then, turning to Izumo, she added, "Please wait here for a moment. I'll bring you some tea."
Izumo shook his head quickly, holding up a hand. "No, no, it's fine. I don't want to trouble you. I can wait just ."
But Inoiki's mother waved away his polite refusal, gesturing toward a seat near the garden. "Nonsense. Please, make yourself comfortable. I'll be back shortly."
Without giving him another chance to object, she disappeared into the house, leaving Izumo alone to watch the rhythmic dance of kunai and stone. The quiet determination in Inoiki's movements was mesmerizing.
By now, Inoiki had sensed Izumo's presence. With a subtle movement, he halted the floating kunai and brought them gently to the ground. Turning, he approached his leader with a calm stride and sat down across from him, the faint smile on his lips showing no sign of strain from his training.
"You didn't have to stop," Izumo said, meeting his gaze. "I could have waited. You didn't need to interrupt your session."
Inoiki smiled wider, brushing off the concern. "It's just training for control," he said lightly. "Interruptions don't matter. If I were practicing something crucial, like a search, well... even if you had to wait for hours, I wouldn't stop. That's my determination. If I allow myself to stop, that means I'm not committed enough."
Izumo considered his words, nodding in quiet approval.
"Anyway," Inoiki continued, leaning back slightly, "You came here at this hour. Does that mean the team's been finalized?"
Izumo smiled and gave a firm nod. "You've guessed it right. I came to tell you about the team you'll be part of. The Hokage himself decided."
Inoiki's curiosity was piqued, his eyebrow raising slightly. "Oh? Then let's hear it."
"The team consists of me, Kotetsu, and... Kosuke Maruboshi."
Inoiki's brow furrowed in thought for a moment before he asked, "Just to clarify, is this the same Kosuke Maruboshi who's known as the 'Eternal Genin' of Konoha?"
Izumo blinked, surprised. "You know Kosuke Maruboshi?"
Inoiki chuckled, a glint of amusement in his eyes. "Are you forgetting, Izumo-sensei, that I'm the son of Yamanaka Inoichi, head of the intelligence department? My dad used to tell my sister and me stories about Kosuke Maruboshi when we were kids."
Izumo's surprise gave way to a sheepish laugh. "I completely forgot," he admitted, shaking his head. "Of course you'd know."
"So, how do you feel about the team? Are you satisfied?" Izumo asked, his tone light but curious.
Inoiki grinned, his eyes gleaming with excitement. "More than satisfied. This is the best team I could've asked for. Kosuke Maruboshi has the strength of a Jonin and over fifty years of experience. And with two Chunin like you and Kotetsu, I'm in safe hands."
Izumo smiled, pleased with Inoiki's response. "I'm glad to hear that. We'll meet tomorrow morning and start taking missions," he said, rising to his feet, signaling that it was time for him to leave.
But before Izumo could take another step, Inoiki raised a hand to stop him. "Wait, tea's almost ready. Just give it a few more minutes—Mom will be here soon."
Izumo waved off the offer with a polite smile. "Please apologize to your mother for me. I've got some work to finish."
Inoiki gave a nod of understanding. "Don't worry about it. I'll let her know."
With that, Izumo left the house, disappearing into the evening shadows. A few minutes later, Inoiki's mother returned, carrying a tray with a steaming pot of tea and two cups. Her eyes scanned the room, but there was no sign of Izumo.
"Where did your sensei go?" she asked, looking slightly puzzled.
"He had some work, so he left," Inoiki explained, taking the tray from her hands. "He also said to apologize."
She sighed softly, glancing at the tea. "And this tea?"
Inoiki chuckled, pouring himself a cup. "Don't worry. I'll take care of it." He took a sip, savouring the warmth. "Tea's always good after training anyway."
His mother smiled, sitting beside him as they shared the quiet moment.
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