Cornering the Hokage, a Cross-Border Pursuit Warrant

"Hashirama Cells Final Cultivation Pod?" Fugaku clenched the half-sheet of scorched paper in his palm. Ash sifted between his fingers onto the steps. "Danzo was hiding something like this too?"

The Third Hokage's expression changed.

Sasuke saw it.

He raised a hand, and Yamada Naoto immediately paused the projection on the moment Danzo handed over the Defense Line Map.

"Lord Hokage, explain."

The Third Hokage stared at the half-sheet of paper, his throat working. "Konoha banned all research involving Hashirama cells long ago."

"So banned that Danzo used it to buy his life from the black market?"

Sasuke handed the scorched paper to Shikaku. "Make a copy. Put it up."

Shikaku took the paper, scanned it, and frowned. "This isn't an ordinary reply to a trade offer. The Bounty Exchange canceled Danzo's old bounty. That means someone made contact with him in person."

Kakashi stood beside the platform. "It also means he hasn't gone far from the Western Territory."

"Then amend the warrant."

Sasuke took the freshly stamped Pursuit Warrant from Yamada Naoto and spread it directly across the wooden desk on the platform.

"The Pursuit Warrant has already been signed," the Third Hokage said heavily.

"This one isn't enough."

Sasuke picked up a brush and added several lines beneath the Pursuit Warrant. "Additional provisions: all stolen Root assets possessed, transferred, or traded by Danzo shall be classified as treason evidence. The Konoha Military Police Force shall have the authority to Cross-Border Seizure, interrogate associated personnel, and impound funds involved in the case."

The Third Hokage stepped forward. "You want to expand your authority from pursuit to Asset-Recovery Authority?"

"Danzo traded Konoha's defenses for a Cultivation Pod for Hashirama cells. You think I should wait until he's sold everything, then take my time asking permission?"

"The Konoha Military Police Force has no authority to seize black market assets in other countries."

"Then send the ANBU." Sasuke held the brush out to him. "Right now. Immediately. Send a squad free of Danzo's influence and the Hokage Building's old orders, one that dares to arrest people at the Western Territory's Bounty Exchange."

The Third Hokage did not take the brush.

Everyone in the square watched him too.

Hiashi stepped forward. "The Hyuga Byakugan Squad is willing to accompany the Konoha Military Police Force out of the village to trace where the Defense Line Map went."

Shikaku placed the copy of the scorched paper beside the Pursuit Warrant. "The Nara agree to the additional provisions. An abridged defense map has already reached the black market. Unless we recover the stolen assets, our border shinobi will remain in danger."

Inoichi closed the evidence scroll. "The Yamanaka Clan can accompany the squad to verify memories. Once we catch the middleman, Danzo won't escape."

The Third Hokage looked toward the crowd.

The civilians' anger had not subsided, but fear dominated the shinobi's faces. Once something like a Defense Line Map was sold, more than one person would die.

A Chunin raised his hand. "Lord Hokage, my little brother is in the Western Territory patrol!"

Someone else shouted, "Let the police go! They caught the Sound Ninja last night!"

"Sign the additional order!"

"Don't let Danzo sell out the village again!"

The Third Hokage pressed the back of his hand against the edge of the desk. "Sasuke, if the Konoha Military Police Force operates across borders and causes a conflict with another country, who will bear the consequences?"

Sasuke pushed the Pursuit Warrant toward him. "Danzo is a Konoha missing-nin. If Konoha doesn't pursue him, people will think we've tacitly approved his sale of our defenses. Lord Hokage, will you bear those consequences?"

"You're forcing me to hand military authority over to you."

"Danzo already sold that authority."

After those words fell, not even the ANBU below the steps dared move.

Kakashi took an ANBU Cooperation Order from inside his vest. "Lord Hokage, the ANBU can assign personnel to accompany the squad and maintain records. All three parties will document the operation. If the Konoha Military Police Force oversteps its authority, the ANBU will have the right to report it to the Council of Elders."

Sasuke glanced at Kakashi.

Kakashi did not back down. "This follows procedure."

The Third Hokage understood.

This was no graceful way out. They had merely put the knife into a different sheath and shoved it back into his hand. If he signed, the Konoha Military Police Force gained cross-border asset-recovery authority. If he refused and the abridged map of the Western Territory cost lives, the entire village would tear the Hokage Building apart.

Shikaku pushed the ink pad closer. "Time waits for no one."

Hiashi pressed down the Hyuga Clan Seal. "The Hyuga co-sign."

Inoichi pressed down the Yamanaka Clan Seal. "The Yamanaka bear witness."

Choza came up from below the platform and planted a palm on the edge of the desk. "The Akimichi will sign too. If black market shinobi cut off the border supply lines, members of the Akimichi Clan will die as well."

The Third Hokage's brush hovered for two breaths before finally touching the paper.

The Hokage Seal slammed onto the Pursuit Warrant a second time.

Sasuke picked up the additional order and turned to face the square. "Attention, all villagers. Asset-recovery provisions have been added to the Pursuit Warrant for Danzo's treason. The Konoha Military Police Force will immediately seal off all Root remnants within the village. Release every Border Ninja Hawks. Anyone secretly communicating with Danzo, former Root members, or Black Market Exchange will be treated as an accomplice to treason."

Yamada Naoto led the police officers charging out of the square.

"Seal off the old Root residences!"

"Freeze the accounts!"

"Block the North Gate!"

"Medical team, check for poison! Don't let them poison themselves!"

Boots pounded the streets. Civilians stepped aside, and no one spoke another word in Root's defense.

"Sasuke," the Third Hokage said quietly, "you've already gotten what you wanted."

Sasuke looked at him. "Not yet."

The Third Hokage's brow tightened. "What else do you want?"

"All seals, keys, and duty rosters for the Old Well Beneath the Hokage Building."

"That concerns the Hokage Building's internal defenses."

"The abridged defense map was sent out through the Old Well."

Sasuke held out his hand. "Lord Hokage, don't make me ask you a third time in this square whether you knew."

The Dog-Masked ANBU behind the Third Hokage tried to speak, but swallowed his words after a glance from Kakashi.

The Third Hokage took an Old Copper Key from his sleeve and tossed it onto the desk.

Sasuke did not take it. He turned his head. "Neji."

Neji stepped onto the platform and scanned the Copper Key with his Byakugan. "No sealed poison. No signaling chakra."

Only then did Sasuke wrap the Copper Key in a handkerchief. "Hiashi, have the Byakugan Team take control of the Old Well. Shikaku, take the roster. Kakashi, seal the ANBU Internal Affairs Archive as of today. No unregistered files are to be moved."

The Third Hokage's face darkened further. "You're sealing the Internal Affairs Storehouse too?"

Kakashi opened a scroll. "Last night, the Hokage Building sent ANBU to take custody of the assassins. The Internal Affairs Storehouse contains drafts of the relevant written orders. Sealing it to preserve the chain of evidence in a treason case follows procedure."

The Third Hokage looked at Kakashi, and the last trace of their old affection finally cracked.

"If your father were still alive, he wouldn't want you treating Konoha like this."

Kakashi's fingers stopped at the edge of the scroll.

Sasuke glanced sideways. "If the White Fang were still alive, his first question would be who drove him to his death."

Kakashi raised his head, his Sharingan a searing red. "Lord Hokage, please hand over the Internal Affairs Archive Duplicate Key."

The Third Hokage said nothing more.

The key made only a faint sound as it landed on the desk, yet the ANBU formation below the Hokage Building's steps loosened a fraction.

Ninja Hawks flew out of Konoha in waves.

Copies of the Wanted Poster crossed national borders, reaching border posts, Bounty Exchanges, and caravan stations. When Danzo's portrait went up on the Black Market Notice Board, several bounty ninjas tore up the old bounty on the spot.

In Otogakure's underground base, Orochimaru held the new warrant between his fingers and ran his tongue over the corner of his mouth.

Kabuto Yakushi adjusted his glasses. "Lord Danzo is still outside waiting for an answer."

"Tell him to leave."

"The intelligence he brought mentioned the Cultivation Pod."

Orochimaru tossed the Pursuit Warrant into the candle flame. "Konoha is snapping too close at his heels now. Exposing my base for one useless old man isn't worth it."

Kabuto hesitated. "What about the Three Sharingan?"

"Keep them."

At the end of the underground passage, Danzo wore a tattered cloak, half his body still wrapped in bandages.

Kabuto approached him, his tone polite. "Lord Orochimaru says our business is concluded."

Danzo's lone eye darkened. "He gave me his word."

"The Lord Orochimaru who gave you his word did so before the entire Shinobi World wanted you."

Danzo slammed his cane against the ground. "Without me, he would never have gotten Konoha's old defense lines."

Kabuto smiled. "Now the entire Shinobi World knows you have the Defense Line Map. Lord Danzo, you're no longer a key. You're a torch."

Two Sound Ninja blocked the passage.

Danzo looked deeper into the base. "Give me back my eyes."

Kabuto spread his hands. "Deposits are nonrefundable."

Danzo's chest heaved several times before he turned and left.

Outside the cave, cold wind poured into his cloak. He had barely gone a dozen paces when a Black Market Ninja Crow landed on a dead tree, a new Wanted Poster dangling from its claw.

On his portrait, the word "Treason" took up half the sheet.

Danzo raised a hand to destroy the Ninja Crow.

An unfamiliar laugh came from behind the tree. "Don't move, Lord Shimura. You're worth a hundred million ryo now."

Three bounty ninjas emerged from the woods, carrying copies of the Wanted Poster.

Blood vessels webbed Danzo's lone eye. "Get lost."

Seeing his maimed right arm, the lead shinobi grew bolder. "We used to fear your Root. Now you're lower than a dog."

Danzo moved.

Wind Release sliced open the first man's throat. The second turned to flee, only to be pinned to a tree by a kunai. Before the third could make a sound, Danzo detonated the seal beneath the root of his tongue.

The corpse fell.

Danzo took two ragged breaths and searched one of the bodies, finding a Black Market Token. A line of tiny lettering was engraved on its back.

Hashirama Cells Final Cultivation Pod. Buyer has relocated to the Northwestern Abandoned Mine.

Danzo's lone eye fixed on it.

He tucked the token inside his cloak and dragged his injured leg deeper into the woods.

Inside Konoha, the police arrests were already in full swing.

The door of an Old Apothecary in the South District was kicked open. Yamada Naoto pinned the bookkeeper to the counter. "Where are Root's old ledgers?"

The bookkeeper protested his innocence. "I only sell medicine!"

Might Guy dragged a crate of Sealing Needles out from behind the medicine cabinet. "Youth has no need for this gutter filth."

Yamada Naoto reached up and dislocated the bookkeeper's jaw. "Take him away."

Elsewhere, Uchiha elites found a Message Channel beneath the floor of an old residence. Inside lay a half-burned roster, with the names of several Hokage Building logistics officials written at the top.

Fugaku's expression turned icy as he read it. "Send this to Sasuke."

Beside the Old Well at the Hokage Building, Neji scanned the well wall with his Byakugan. "There's a second Message Passage here. It leads outside the village."

Hiashi reached out and felt the bricks. "It was just sealed."

Shikaku studied the traces of mortar. "Someone worked on this during the live broadcast from the square."

Kakashi picked up a broken ANBU Insignia from the bottom of the well.

A number was engraved on its inner surface.

He opened the ANBU roster, matched the number, and his finger stopped.

"This man was standing behind the Third Hokage just now."