Mine to Take (A Boruto Love Story)

CHAPTER THIRTY

A/N: Hey everyone! Here's another installment of Mine to Take. I seriously had hit a writer's block with this chapter, to the point where I wanted to give up. But lo and behold I managed to push right through it. Hopefully it's to your enjoyment. Thanks to all those who've reviewed, favorite/followed Mine to Take. Please, keep it coming. It gives me so much motivation to continue.

CHAPTER THIRTY

From their perch in the trees, Team 9 stared down at the group of men sitting in the clearing around a campfire. The mission called to retrieve the treasure belonging to Yūhei's soon to be bride which had been stolen by a gang of thieves. Yuna couldn't really place a finger on it, but something about the whole scene below made her feel uneasy.

"Something about this doesn't feel right, Ryōgi," Yuna whispered, staring down at the group of thieves, and then looking directly at him.

"What do you mean?" he whispered back.

"Look at them." She gestured to the men below. "Don't they seem a little off to you? Hell, they're not even talking to one another let alone have moved to take a piss since we got here."

"Now that you mention it, it does seem kind of suspicious. Do you think perhaps they were onto us this entire time?"

Teal eyes narrowed.

"No, I don't think that's it."

"Yuna, Ryōgi, are you ready?" Jiro's voice came through both Yuna and Ryōgi's earpiece.

"Just a minute sensei," Yuna replied back quietly and snapped a twig off the branch beside her before aiming it down to one of the men below.

Ryōgi's eyes widened in panic. "What are you doing?"

"Testing something," she answered.

"What's going on over there?" Jiro whispered harshly into their earpiece.

"You'll blow our cover," her red haired comrade said, but it was too late, Yuna had already tossed the stick at the man, hitting him square in the back of the head. But the man didn't speak or move, confirming the kunoichi's suspicions.

Ryōgi straightened. "What in the hell?" he whispered, confused.

"Told you," Yuna instantly rose to her feet. "Something's off."

She jumped down from the tree tops and landed in a silent crouch on the forest below, Ryōgi next to her. The two cautiously made their way over to the group until they stood in front of them. Three sets of brown, two blue, were both glassy and vacant, doing any task they were ordered to do.

Jiro landed on the ground beside them and stormed up to them.

"What do you two think you're doing? You were supposed to wait for my orders. This whole mission is jeopardized now because of your carelessness."

"Relax sensei." Yuna's sigh was exasperated. "There's nothing to fear because these men are no longer a threat." She waved her hand in front of one of the men's faces earning no response. "See. No one's home; they're being brainwashed."

"But that would mean..." Jiro began.

"...that it could only be one person!" Ryōgi finished, grey eyes wide as he began to scan the forest as if he expected to find the Katayama lurking behind a tree.

Yuna couldn't sense his chakra, couldn't tell which way he had gone, no broken branches or footprints. So close, Ataru had been so close, but he had escaped her once again. With a heavy heart and no other choice, she retrieved the golden panda statue from one of the thief's satchels and began her journey back to the Land of Berries.