Soul-searching for evidence, proof beyond dispute

"Who was it sent to?"

Sasuke asked only that.

Neji shook his head. "That was the only sentence left in the residual audio. After the sealing lines burned through, the Hokage Building Underground was cleared into an empty cavity. The Byakugan couldn't see anyone."

The Third Hokage's face turned livid. "The Hokage Building Underground is a Wartime Shelter Level. There couldn't possibly be a hidden Root passage there."

"Then open it and investigate." Fugaku stepped forward. "When my Uchiha clansmen's eyes were transplanted, you said Root had gone rogue. When the Hyuga's Byakugan were hidden in a vault, you said Danzo had acted alone. Now a backup of the Defense Line Map has been sent out from the Hokage Building Underground. Are you still going to say you knew nothing?"

Veins bulged on the back of the Third Hokage's hand. "Uchiha Fugaku, remember your place."

Sasuke closed the sealed evidence box. "He is. Otherwise, you wouldn't still be standing here talking."

The air at the dungeon entrance grew tense. Every ANBU reached for their ninja tools.

Kakashi pushed up his forehead protector, exposing his Sharingan. "Lord Hokage, don't let the ANBU draw their blades in the dungeon. We have Sound Ninja here, Root remnants, memory scrolls, and witnesses from every clan."

Shikaku entered from outside the interrogation room and surveyed the situation. "Lord Third Hokage, violence won't resolve this. If a backup of the Defense Line Map really has left the village, we need to establish where it went immediately."

The Third Hokage stared at Shikaku. "You believe this child too?"

Shikaku turned his gaze toward the sealed evidence on the table. "I believe the evidence."

Inoichi lifted his hand from Tayuya's head. His face was pale, and his fingertips found the teacup at the edge of the table. The tea had gone stone cold. He didn't drink it, but spoke immediately. "There's a second map in her memories."

Sasuke looked over. "Go on."

"Danzo gave Orochimaru the full map. There was also an abbreviated map with only three routes: the old drainage outlet, the gap in the western barrier, and the Old Well beneath the Hokage Building."

The Third Hokage's breathing grew heavy. "The Old Well?"

Inoichi nodded. "In the memory, Danzo told Orochimaru that if the deal failed, Root would send the abbreviated map to the Black Market Exchange and use it to put bounties on Konoha's border patrol squads."

Yamada Naoto slammed his fist into the wall. "He was going to sell out the village a second time!"

Sasuke turned toward the Third Hokage. "Still want to maintain stability?"

The Third Hokage's Adam's apple bobbed. He gave no answer.

"Inoichi Yamanaka." Sasuke pushed a blank scroll toward him. "Record the memory of the abbreviated map. Three copies. One for the Konoha Military Police Force, one for the Yamanaka Clan, and one for the Nara Clan."

Inoichi didn't hesitate. "I can do that."

The Third Hokage spoke. "Inoichi!"

Inoichi's palm paused half an inch above the scroll, then pressed down on it. "Lord Hokage, if this abbreviated map gets out, Konoha ninja will die. The Yamanaka Clan cannot cover this up for Danzo."

The Third Hokage briefly closed his eyes. When he opened them again, weariness showed in his gaze. "I never said to cover it up."

Sasuke picked up a still image, walked up to the Third Hokage, and flung it at his feet.

In the photograph, Danzo handed the Defense Line Map to Orochimaru, with three Sharingan laid out on the table.

"Then sign the search warrant. The Hokage Building Underground, the Old Well, the Wartime Shelter Level—open all of it."

The Third Hokage looked down at the photograph. "Opening it now will cause panic."

"Panic is already on its way. Every moment you delay, the villagers will think you're cleaning up after Danzo."

Hiashi said coldly, "The Hyuga can send a Byakugan team to assist. We won't disturb unrelated areas. We'll only search where the sealing lines passed."

Shikaku added, "The new members of the Council of Elders can co-sign. If Lord Hokage refuses, we'll proceed under the emergency defense provisions."

The Third Hokage looked at Kakashi. "And the ANBU?"

Kakashi stood beside Sasuke. "The ANBU will assist in protecting the Hokage Building. They won't touch the evidence or take suspects away on their own."

At those words, the Third Hokage finally understood.

The blade he had sent to watch Sasuke now had a different hand on its hilt.

The Third Hokage held out his hand. "A pen."

An ANBU handed him one.

The Third Hokage signed the search warrant. As he stamped it, his wrist paused. "Sasuke, I'll only give you until dawn to investigate."

Sasuke put away the warrant. "After dawn, I'll show the whole village Danzo's true face."

"You cannot do that." Anger entered the Third Hokage's voice. "Danzo committed treason. I will issue a wanted notice. Releasing the footage will destroy the village's credibility!"

Sasuke tilted his head toward him. "Danzo sold away the village's credibility. I'm not the one who destroyed it by exposing him."

The Third Hokage wasn't holding his pipe. His fingers curled against his cuff. "You're still young. You don't understand the balance between ninja villages."

"I understand that dead people can't talk. That's why every living witness will be under my watch tonight."

Sasuke turned and gave his orders. "Yamada Naoto, muster two hundred officers from the Konoha Military Police Force and seal the outer perimeter of the Hokage Building. Fugaku, take the Uchiha elites and guard the dungeon. Hiashi, have the Byakugan team search the Old Well. Shikaku, take over the records. Kakashi, record the name of every ANBU who leaves their post at the Hokage Building."

The Third Hokage raised his head. "Where does that leave me?"

Sasuke stopped at the doorway. "Lord Hokage, please sit in your office. Once I've dug out the rotten roots under your rule, I'll ask you to stamp the paperwork."

A young ANBU behind the Third Hokage couldn't hold back. "Sasuke Uchiha, you've gone too far!"

Sasuke looked back at him. "Your name."

The young ANBU clenched his teeth and said nothing.

Kakashi raised a hand and pressed it onto his shoulder. "Stand down."

Sasuke stared at the ANBU. "Starting tonight, any ANBU who refuses to give their name is forbidden from coming within thirty paces of the evidence. Kakashi, put that in the temporary orders."

Kakashi took out a scroll. "Recorded."

The Third Hokage said nothing more. He turned and left, his retreating steps much slower than when he had arrived.

The door to the Hokage Building Underground was opened half an hour later.

The Byakugan team entered first. Nara shadows spread across the floor, and the Konoha Military Police Force followed with sealing lamps held aloft. Burned formation markings lay beside the Old Well, old Root insignia remained on the walls, and drag marks scarred the ground.

Hiashi crouched to examine them. "Someone just left here."

Kakashi brushed the dust on the wall. "The old ANBU restriction seals have been replaced. The new seals cover the old marks."

Shikaku placed a seal strip into an evidence bag. "Lord Third Hokage said this was a Wartime Shelter Level?"

Standing beside the Old Well, Sasuke glanced down. "Why would a Wartime Shelter Level have a Message Channel reserved for Root?"

Yamada Naoto pried half a metal tube out of the well wall. "Clan head, something's lodged in here."

Fugaku took it and used the tip of his blade to pick open the outer wax seal. Inside lay the charred corner of a sheet of paper, with only a few words remaining.

Western Territory, Bounty Exchange, fire

Sasuke looked at the scrap. "The abbreviated map has already been sent to the Western Territory."

Kakashi frowned. "Konoha has border defense squads in the Western Territory. If black market ninja buy access to those routes tonight, the patrol squads will be the first to suffer."

Sasuke sealed the scrap away. "Shikaku, send the Nara Clan's messenger deer along the western route immediately. Hiashi, have the Byakugan team watch the west gate. Kakashi, have the ANBU intercept every unregistered ninja hawk."

Fugaku looked at him. "What about you?"

"I'm going back to the plaza."

Yamada Naoto froze. "Now?"

Sasuke handed the sealed evidence box to Fugaku. "I'm not letting the Third Hokage drag this out until noon. Set up the screen before dawn. Show it publicly at first light."

Shikaku frowned. "What about the Daimyo's Residence?"

"Send them a copy at the same time." Sasuke looked toward the Hokage's Office. "The Third Hokage fears nothing more than Konoha's scandals getting out. Then I'll make him watch how this scandal was dug out from right beneath the Hokage Building."

By the time they returned to the dungeon, Inoichi had finished recording all three memory scrolls. His complexion was worse than when he had arrived, and flecks of blood Tayuya had coughed up stained his sleeves.

"Kimimaro's memories are difficult to access." Inoichi pushed the scrolls toward Sasuke. "The Cursed Seal is protecting his brain. But the evidence from Tayuya, Qingmu Shen, and the Root remnants is enough."

Sasuke didn't take them immediately. "What does the Yamanaka Clan want?"

Inoichi looked up. "You're certainly direct."

"After tonight, the Hokage Building will keep a tally of everyone who stands with me. Without enough benefits, anyone would regret it."

Inoichi fell silent for a moment. "The Yamanaka Clan wants a lawful role in jointly investigating the Konoha Military Police Force's intelligence files. Any Mind-Reading Evidence Collection must bear a Yamanaka signature."

Shikaku glanced at Inoichi but said nothing.

Sasuke nodded. "Agreed. Add one more provision: the Yamanaka Clan will handle psychological screening for new recruits to the Konoha Military Police Force. The costs will come from Root's seized funds."

Inoichi's hand stopped at the edge of the scroll. "You're really willing to give us that?"

"I don't like borrowing someone else's blade for nothing." Sasuke put away the scrolls. "But if that blade goes dull, I'll replace it too."

Inoichi lowered his head and chuckled, then pressed the Yamanaka Clan's seal onto the evidence record. "The Yamanaka Clan bears witness to Danzo's treason."

As gray light seeped over the horizon, the Konoha Military Police Force had already cleared a large open space in Hokage Plaza.

An enormous screen hung in front of the Hokage Building's outer wall, with rows of seal-powered projectors set up before it. Civilians were woken by knocking at their doors. Ninja from every clan received urgent notices and hurried over in confusion.

Standing behind his office window, the Third Hokage watched the crowd below grow larger and larger. Cracks formed in the teacup clenched in his hand.

An ANBU lowered his head. "Lord Hokage, should we send someone to take down the screen?"

The Third Hokage looked at the Konoha Military Police Force standing in formation with blades in hand, then at the Hyuga Byakugan Squad on either side. Members of the Nara and Yamanaka Clans, along with Akimichi, were all present.

"Take it down?" the Third Hokage asked. "Who should we send?"

The ANBU didn't dare answer.

Below, Sasuke had changed into the black Clan Leader's Robe, its collar fastened neatly. He stepped onto the raised platform. Kakashi stood to his left, Hiashi to his right, and Inoichi stood behind him holding the evidence scrolls.

The sound-amplification ninjutsu activated.

Sasuke looked over the packed plaza and spoke. "Every citizen of Konoha, every ninja from every clan, listen carefully. The Konoha Military Police Force will disclose a case of treason here."

The Third Hokage pushed open the door and descended the Hokage Building's steps with his ANBU.

"Sasuke, stop."

Sasuke looked at him and pressed his hand onto the projector's seal.

"Too late."

Just before the screen lit up, an urgent messenger hawk's cry rang out from the direction of the west gate.

A Hyuga scout rushed into the plaza, his face drenched in sweat.

"Clan head, urgent news from the Western Territory! The Bounty Exchange has already listed the abbreviated map of Konoha's defenses for a hundred million ryo. The buyer's name is..."

The words caught between the scout's teeth. Then he raised his head toward the Hokage Building.

"The buyer's name is Shimura Danzō!"