"Unidentified?"
Sasuke pulled the toad talisman from Shikaku's hand, brushed his fingertip over the line that had turned red, and looked up at the Third Hokage.
"Lord Third, when you wrote Jiraiya the Help Request Letter, did you invite an outsider along, too?"
The Third Hokage had pressed his hand against the side of his chair and was about to rise, but stopped at those words.
"I only asked Jiraiya to return to the village."
Shikaku handed Sasuke another communication record.
"The border sentries reported that Jiraiya was indeed on his way, but a ninja wearing a bamboo hat was traveling with him. His identity wasn't registered, and his chakra was sealed with toad oil."
The lightning in Kakashi's hand faded a little, and his tone grew heavier.
"If unidentified people are brought into the village at a time like this, the Hokage Building must take responsibility."
The Third Hokage stared at Kakashi.
"Jiraiya is not an enemy."
Sasuke raised his hand, and Yamada Naoto immediately turned the Water Mirror toward the tribunal.
"I'm asking about his companion."
The Third Hokage had no response.
Curses surged up from below the platform again.
"The Third Hokage wants to bring outsiders into the village again?"
"Danzo just died, and he's already calling people in to overturn the verdict?"
"Make him resign first!"
Sasuke slapped the thick accountability scroll down before the Third Hokage. It unrolled, revealing the jointly signed evidence of the Hokage Building's protection of Root at the very top.
"Hiruzen Sarutobi, Danzo is dead, Root has been destroyed, and now it's your turn."
The Third Hokage looked down at the scroll.
"Sasuke, the village has just endured a rebellion. It needs a Hokage to steady people's hearts."
With a cold expression, Yamazaki Masanari opened the records from the Daimyo's Residence.