Once the first contract had been checked, the envoy from the Land of Grass stood up.
The deceased was the Land of Grass's former councilor. He had opposed leasing the northern mines to the Land of Earth, then been attacked by an Akatsuki member on his way home.
Iwagakure had claimed at the time that it had nothing to do with the incident, and had even stationed troops there in the name of protecting the mining district.
Now the contract spelled everything out.
Ten percent of the mining proceeds went to Akatsuki, forty percent to the Land of Earth's Daimyo's Residence, and the remainder was divided between the Iwagakure Mission Department and the local nobles.
"Is this the peace the Tsuchikage spoke of?"
The Land of Grass's envoy demanded an answer through the Water Mirror.
Ōnoki's image remained, but no answer came.
The sound of rustling documents came from the Iwagakure office. A moment later, a clerk approached him and bent down to hand him the results of an internal review.
Ōnoki read them, then pressed the paper beneath his palm.
"The Mission Department adviser has been suspended. Iwagakure will give the Land of Grass an answer."
"When?"
"Once the investigation is complete."
"He's been dead for five years, and you've mined those mountains for five years! How much longer do you need?"
Outside a public relay station, the Land of Grass's merchant caravan held up an old notice preserved by the deceased's family, comparing it word for word with the contract in the Water Mirror.
The date, the location, the payment-not a single detail could be refuted.
Sasuke signaled for Shikaku to continue.
The second set of accounts came from the Land of Lightning.
Kumogakure had once hired Kakuzu to attack a noble in its own country who advocated