OBD: Chapter Thirty-Three

Chapter Thirty-Three: The Untrustworthies

Yuna was exhausted, though she would never admit it. The sun hung low as her team trudged through the gates of Konoha, dust clinging to the hems of their cloaks. The air tasted like home—sharp, familiar, laced with hints of earth and fire. Tatsuya let out a yawn that she immediately scolded with a glare, while Kaede glanced around, her eyes lingering on the gate's guards, their figures standing watchful and tense. There was a heaviness in the village, the same they left behind when they departed for their assignment weeks ago. The Uchiha matter had not yet been resolved, it seems.

They made their way to the Mission Assignment Hall, footsteps almost echoing despite the midday crowd. Yuna gave a quick nod to the Chūnin at the desk, signalling for the routine paperwork. Kaede stepped up beside her, looking just as tired, but her eyes were sharp, the strain showing only in the small twitch at the corner of her mouth. Yuna ignored her as she filled in the forms, her thoughts straying to the road they had just left behind at the border with Frost—the jagged cliffs, the burned-out husks of border outposts, the silence of a land ravaged by war.

Kaede had wandered off to the side, her attention caught by a group of shinobi standing around an open scroll hanging from the wall—a copy of Konoha's bingo book. She was staring down, her expression stiffening with something almost like shock. Yuna watched her for a moment, then sighed, irritation rising. "Kaede," she called, her tone sharp enough to cut through the low murmur of voices. Kaede didn't move, didn't even acknowledge her.

"Sensei," Tatsuya muttered beside her, his gaze shifting in the direction of Kaede. "Something's up."

Yuna clicked her tongue, striding over to where Kaede stood, her eyes glued to the page. Yuna caught sight of the headline—'New Additions' scrawled in bold ink—before she saw what held Kaede's attention. The names. The faces. She skimmed over the familiar names, her gaze stopping abruptly on the entry that had rooted Kaede in place.

Uchiha Itachi.

The ink seemed to glare back at her, harsh against the parchment. The bounty on his head was staggering—S-rank, the kind of bounty reserved for criminals well beyond redemption. Her chest tightened, something cold and sharp twisting beneath her ribs. She glanced at Kaede, then Tatsuya, both of them staring at her, waiting for some kind of explanation.

"Get the paperwork done," she said, her voice a low command. Kaede opened her mouth, but Yuna's glare cut her off. "Now." Kaede turned, her hands trembling slightly as she reached for the mission forms, her eyes darting back to the scroll as if hoping it would disappear.

Yuna took a deep breath, her fingers clenching into fists at her sides before she forced herself to relax. There was no time for hesitation. She turned on her heel, her steps deliberate as she made her way out of the hall. The Hokage's office was not far, but each step felt like it dragged her deeper into something dark, something she wasn't sure she was ready to face.

The guards at the door barely glanced at her before letting her through. The Hokage's office was just as she remembered it—sparse, practical, the faint scent of old paper lingering in the air. The only difference was who wore the Kasa. Danzo sat behind the desk, his single visible eye lifting to meet hers as she entered. He gestured for her to approach, his face unreadable, the bandages obscuring any hint of expression.

"Yuna Inuzuka," he greeted, his voice low, controlled. "You seem troubled."

Yuna didn't bother with pleasantries. "Itachi Uchiha," she began, her words clipped, her tone holding none of the respect she might have offered another Hokage. "He's been added to the bingo book. S-rank. Why?"

Danzo's gaze did not falter. He leaned back slightly, his hands folding in front of him. "Itachi Uchiha has proven to be a danger to this village. He murdered ANBU operatives under my command," he said, his voice carrying a weight that seemed to press against the walls of the room. "It was a necessary measure to add him to the list, I am sure you can understand."

Yuna felt her throat tighten, the shock giving way to something else—something akin to disbelief, anger simmering beneath the surface. "ANBU? Why would he—" she cut herself off, her mind reeling, the pieces refusing to fit together.

Danzo's gaze sharpened, his visible eye narrowing. "Perhaps you can tell me, Yuna," he said, his voice softening, almost as if coaxing her. "You were his sensei, after all. Surely you must have noticed something—a change in his behaviour, anything that might have suggested this... defection."

Yuna's jaw clenched, her eyes narrowing. She knew this game. She had played it before, too many times. Information was currency, and men in power were always looking to collect. She swallowed the retort that threatened to slip free, forcing her voice to remain steady.

"Itachi was always... different," she said, choosing her words carefully. "He was focused, talented beyond his years. But he wasn't unstable. Not like this. He was loyal to the village." Her voice tightened. "He was my student."

Danzo hummed, the sound low, almost dismissive. "Loyalty is a fragile thing, Yuna," he said, his tone almost condescending. "Even the most loyal can break under the right circumstances. And Itachi Uchiha, it seems, has broken. Knowing his clan and their curse, I can't say I am surprised."

Yuna stared at him, her fists clenching at her sides. Danzo shifted slightly, his gaze still fixed on her. "Itachi will be removed from your team, effective immediately," he said, his voice leaving no room for argument. "A replacement will be assigned in due course. You will continue with your duties as scheduled."

Yuna's frown deepened, her mind reeling. Itachi—gone. Just like that. The boy she had trained, the boy she had tried to mould, had been ripped away, branded a traitor, a criminal. She took a slow breath, forcing herself to nod, her eyes never leaving Danzo's.

"Understood," she said, her voice hollow.

Danzo gave a curt nod, his attention already shifting, dismissing her without another word. Yuna turned on her heel, her steps steady as she left the room, but inside, her thoughts were in turmoil. Itachi, a traitor? An S-rank criminal? None of it made sense. She knew there was more to this—something deeper, something darker. And she intended to find out what. The urging burned at the back of her mind, familiar, but not. Strange.

As she stepped out of the Hokage's office, the sunlight felt too bright, the air too cold. She glanced back, her eyes narrowing as the door closed behind her.