The white cloth landed on the windowsill, its blood not yet dry.
Fugaku reached for it, but Sasuke pinned a corner down with his pen.
"Don't touch it. Get someone from the Yamanaka Clan to examine it first."
Fugaku withdrew his hand, his brows knitting. "The Death Report for the Fourth Hokage's Team? Who sent this?"
Sasuke watched the direction in which the black crow outside had flown. "The sender wants me to storm the ANBU Internal Affairs Archive tonight."
"A trap?"
"Of course it's a trap."
Killing intent surged in Fugaku's eyes. "Then we don't go?"
Sasuke slipped the white cloth into an evidence bag and sealed it with wax. "We go. But not me."
A landing sounded outside the door. Kakashi had returned, still holding the report he had yet to deliver.
The moment he entered, his gaze landed on the white cloth.
"Let me see."
Sasuke pushed the evidence bag over. "You can look. Damage it, and you pay with your life."
Kakashi did not argue. He read the line through the sealed bag, veins bulging on the back of his hand.
"This isn't the cipher script ANBU usually uses."
"Someone is using your pain to bait me-and you."
Kakashi looked up. "What do you intend to do?"
"The Hokage told you to monitor me, so go report to him." Sasuke handed him the revised fake report. "While you're there, request access to the ANBU Internal Affairs Archive. State your reason clearly. Danzo's underground experiments involve ANBU files, and you need to cross-check old mission numbers."
Kakashi looked at the paper. "The Third Hokage won't agree."
"He will." Sasuke slapped the inventory documenting the preservation of Danzo's severed arm onto the table. "Add this: Sasuke Uchiha already suspects the ANBU Internal Affairs Archive contains records of Root asset transfers. He's emotionally unstable and may publicly confront the Hokage Building."
Fugaku snorted. "You're using Sasuke to threaten the Third Hokage?"
"Yes." Sasuke raised his eyes. "He'll fear me making a public scene, so he'll send someone he trusts most to investigate first. Kakashi, once you're inside, don't look at the Fourth Hokage's report."
Kakashi's gaze darkened. "Why?"
"Because that's the bait." Sasuke pushed another sheet toward him. "Take only these three things: registrations for Root's publicly operating businesses, transfer records for the ninjutsu scroll repositories, and protection-fee ledgers from commercial shops. Once you have them, leave."
"What if I see that report?"
"You can read the title." Sasuke stared at him. "But you must not break the seal. Open it now, and the sender will know you've taken the bait. Then the person who dies might not be you. It might be someone who can prove the truth about the White Fang."
Kakashi's hand paused around the paper.
Fugaku looked at Sasuke. "You want Root's assets?"
"Danzo used Uchiha funds to support Root. Now that Root is a rogue ninja organization, its property should naturally compensate its victims." Sasuke pushed his teacup aside. "The Hokage Building wants to swallow it all back into ANBU. I'll devour it first."
Kakashi tucked the papers into his ninja tool pouch. "I need an hour."
"You get fifteen minutes."
"That's too short."
"You're the ANBU Captain-in-Chief, not a doorman." Sasuke picked up the Hokage's red-sealed order from the table. "Since the Third Hokage sent you to monitor me up close, he has to give you sufficient authority. Take this red-sealed order when you go in. If anyone stops you, tell them Sasuke is refusing surveillance, and ANBU needs to find old cases involving restrictions on Bloodline Limits."
Kakashi stared at him. "You're even going to use that order?"
"Leaving wastepaper lying around is the real waste."
An ANBU outside urged him on. "Commander, the Hokage Building is waiting for your report."
Kakashi turned and opened the window. "Once I have them, how do I get them to you?"
Sasuke pointed at the black crow feather beside the windowsill. "You don't need to deliver them. Follow the Third Hokage's rules and send the clan compound's surveillance records back. Slip them among the most ordinary blank patrol sheets."
Only after Kakashi left did Fugaku speak. "That crow looks like Uchiha Itachi's work."
"It doesn't just look like it. It is."
"He still dares to interfere?"
Sasuke sealed the crow feather in another small bag. "Itachi wants to bog me down in old ANBU cases. Danzo wants me out of the clan compound. The Third Hokage wants to see me slip up. So I'll make all three of them hand me money together."
Less than eight minutes later, Kakashi's messenger hawk landed by the window.
The outer layer of the scroll bore a routine ANBU shift roster. When Sasuke opened it, he found three thin sheets tucked inside.
Fugaku glanced at them, his breathing growing heavier.
"Root has thirty-two businesses operating openly in Konoha?"
"Plus two ninjutsu scroll repositories, six medicinal herb shops, and leases for four training grounds." Sasuke handed the papers to Yamada Naoto. "Assemble the Konoha Military Police Force. Seal them all before dawn."
Yamada Naoto froze for a moment. "Clan head, do we need a written order from the Hokage Building?"
Sasuke pressed Danzo's S-Rank Missing-nin wanted notice onto the table. "The order to freeze a rogue ninja's assets is enough. Bring the Hokage's personally signed order stating that anyone obstructing a seizure will be treated as an accomplice to village betrayal, too. If anyone dares stand in your way, make him read it aloud first."
Fugaku pulled on his outer robe. "I'll lead the team."
"No." Sasuke held his wrist. "You guard the evidence room. I'll go myself."
"You've just been placed under surveillance."
"All the more reason to let them see clearly." Sasuke crossed the outer hall. "Kakashi will bring ANBU to witness from the perimeter. The Hyuga will send someone with the Byakugan to check for hidden doors, and the Nara will record the seals. Move fast. Don't give the Hokage Building time to sober up."
The streetlights of Konoha were still burning when the Konoha Military Police Force's footsteps swept down the long street.
Root's first business bore an ordinary grain shop sign. The shopkeeper had only just opened the door when Yamada Naoto pinned him to the counter.
"The Konoha Military Police Force is seizing the assets of rogue ninja Danzo! Seal all ledgers!"
The shopkeeper went pale. "This is private property!"
Sasuke flipped the registration book to its last page. Beneath the oiled paper, Root's covert seal was clearly visible.
"So private that you send thirty percent of your profits to Root every month? Take him away."
An ANBU nearby tried to speak, but Kakashi raised a hand to stop him. "Record it."
The second property was a ninja tool shop. Its backyard cellar held crates of Explosive Tags.
The third was a medicinal herb shop, with unregistered hemostatic agents and paralyzing poison powder in its secret room.
By the time the sky began to gray, seals on thirty-two businesses covered Konoha.
The Hokage Building finally sent someone.
The ANBU messenger stood at the street entrance, his voice strained. "Lord Third Hokage orders that all remaining Root assets be placed temporarily under the unified control of the Hokage Building!"
Sasuke did not even turn his head. "Too late."
"Sasuke Uchiha, you have no authority to annex village property on your own!"
Sasuke tossed him the seizure inventory. "First, Danzo is now an S-Rank Missing-nin. Second, these businesses are registered under the names of Root affiliates. Third, the Konoha Military Police Force holds temporary authorization to investigate assets connected to treason. Fourth, the ANBU Captain-in-Chief witnessed the entire process."
The messenger looked at Kakashi. "Commander, Lord Hokage demands that you stop this immediately!"
Kakashi opened his record book. "No instance of the Konoha Military Police Force exceeding its authority was observed on-site. All seized items bear Root's covert seal. I recommend that the Hokage Building participate in a subsequent review."
"You..."
Sasuke walked up to the messenger. "Go back and tell Hiruzen Sarutobi he can try to take it. Have him come himself and explain in front of the villagers why rogue ninja Danzo's stolen goods must go into the Hokage Building's storehouses first."
The civilians watching nearby immediately erupted in curses.
"Trying to pocket it again?"
"The Uchiha's compensation hasn't even been paid in full!"
"Find out how much Root stole first!"
Their curses drove the messenger back two steps. He could only turn and leave.
That afternoon, an emergency elders' meeting was forced to convene.
Sasuke placed thirty-two seizure inventories on the table. The thick stack blocked half the Third Hokage's face.
The Third Hokage held his pipe. "Sasuke, Root's assets involve village secrets. They cannot all be absorbed into the Konoha Military Police Force."
"I never said we'd absorb all of them."
Just as a flicker appeared in the Third Hokage's eyes, Sasuke set down a second document.
"Compensation for victims, expansion of the Konoha Military Police Force, evidence storage, and interrogation of those involved. Expenses in these four categories will be deducted first. The remainder will be divided among three parties under the Council of Elders' supervision."
Shikaku took the document, read two lines, and twitched an eyebrow.
Hiashi stamped it outright. "The Hyuga agree."
The Third Hokage looked at Shikaku.
Shikaku rubbed his temple. "Legally speaking, prioritizing a rogue ninja's assets for victim compensation and investigating the case is defensible."
"ANBU is also investigating Danzo," the Third Hokage said heavily.
Kakashi stood beside the door. "ANBU has been screening for infiltrators recently. We're short-staffed and unable to take over a large volume of assets."
The Third Hokage tapped his pipe against the edge of the table.
He finally realized something was wrong.
"Kakashi, are you certain?"
"Certain."
Sasuke pushed the final scroll over. "Lord Hokage, sign it. If you don't sign today, those families outside who are still owed compensation will ask who you intend to keep the money for."
People had already gathered outside the window.
Yamada Naoto stood before the noticeboard with several civilian family members. The list of unpaid compensation was posted in plain sight.
The Third Hokage stared at Sasuke, the wrinkles on his face drawn taut.
"You're coercing the Hokage."
Sasuke met his gaze. "I'm cleaning up the rotten accounts Danzo left behind on the Hokage's behalf. If you're dissatisfied, you can call Danzo back and collect them yourself."
Shikaku coughed softly and lowered his head, avoiding the Third Hokage's gaze.
The pen came down, and the seal was stamped.
The Konoha Military Police Force swallowed up most of Root's aboveground resources.
When the meeting adjourned, Sasuke did not leave. He spread out a new document, its page bearing only a large title.
[New Konoha Police Law]
When the Third Hokage read the title, the pipe fell straight from his hand onto the table.
Sasuke pressed the document down beside the Hokage Seal and looked up at every clan head present.
"The money is ours. Time to dig out the Hokage Building's roots."
Before you continue