There was no time for Sasuke to dwell on the implications of his newfound knowledge. Different gender norms or no, Sasuke needed to figure out a way out without alerting the building that he had just killed their boss.
The easiest way would simply be to assassinate the two guards beyond the door, walk out the front door as if he did nothing wrong and break for it before somebody found the body. Even if he was suspected, he would be long gone before anyone could begin to search for him, and Sasuke had no intention of returning here anytime soon. He would be scot free of the entire operation.
And all for the price of the death of a prostitute.
He had done worse. He had betrayed nearly everyone he'd ever worked with, impaling more than one of them just to fulfill his own goals. Besides, he didn't know this whore. Sasuke didn't owe him anything. What did he care if someone he didn't know died?
But Naruto would.
The nagging voice of his best friend in the back of his head conflicted with his own desires. If he was worth saving, it asked, then why wasn't an innocent man?
Naruto, you make my job far more difficult than it needs to be.
Plan two was simple enough as well, so long as his lying was convincing, and the prostitute didn't contradict him. Tell the guards outside that Gatou had a heart attack while engaging in a threesome and died due to her morbid obesity (there wasn't much to check that would confirm a soul-ripping, and there would be no evidence of any other cause of death besides organ failure), and he and the prostitute walk out the door peacefully, with neither of them convicted of murder.
But word would spread fast. Gatou's death would be made known. And her assets would be shut down. Sasuke couldn't have that either; he needed that money. And the account information he got would be useless if the bank knew Gatou was dead. That meant he was going to have to do this the hard way.
"Hey, you. I can get us out of this, but you'll have to flee this country to do so. If you stay, they'll likely blame and kill you, since their records will show that you were the one granted unsupervised access to this office last," Sasuke spoke. "You'll have to do everything I say without question or hesitation. I leave you here otherwise." The prostitute's eyes widened.
"I-I'll go, please, don't leave me here," the man pleaded with him. Sasuke nodded before pulling out a piece of paper and pen from Gatou's desk, using Gatou's memories and his Sharingan to forge her handwriting, signature and adding her wax stamp to a drafted document giving him complete authority over any financial decisions made on Gatou's behalf. So long as he got to the bank, sold Gatou's stocks in everything and transferred the funds to multiple accounts in different banks before they learned of her death, then Sasuke would be set for life.
He'd have to work fast.
"This is the top floor of the building. Open that sliding door there. Outside is an employee ladder that reaches the roof from this floor. Head up there, make sure as few people as possible see you and wait on the roof for me. I'll be there in a few minutes," Sasuke instructed. The other man nodded and set to scaling the building, closing the glass door behind him. Sasuke forged another note to hang on Gatou's door once he had finished his business here.
Sasuke opened the door and grabbed the two bodyguards by the hair before they could react, pulling them in and cracking their heads together before they could react before throwing their bodies behind him into the office.
He turned to tie up the two women before they could wake up and call for help, but as he moved to unseal his rope, he realized that the bodyguards' skulls were clearly crushed, with brain matter and blood strewn across the floor of the dead businesswoman's otherwise spotless office.
Shit. Too much force.
Sasuke decided to seal the bodies of the women he had just murdered into his invisible seals coating his arm and chest before using a water jutsu to attempt to wash away the carnage he had accidentally created, hoping that people wouldn't notice when they walked in. He knew that his hope was poorly founded, however, given how little time he had, and he knew it wouldn't make much of a difference, seeing as he wanted Nami to know that Gatou was dead.
As soon as he emptied her vaults, anyway.
Taking the "Do Not Disturb" sign he just wrote out with Gatou's forged handwriting and signature, Sasuke hung it on the office door and walked down the hall and took the elevator to the ground floor as if he didn't just slaughter three people. He made sure to quickly hypnotize the receptionist again while halfheartedly muttering that Gatou didn't want any visitors for the rest of the day. After he made sure that Gatou's body probably wouldn't be found for the rest of the day, Sasuke strolled out of the building, ducked round the side, recast his invisibility technique, retracted his false arm and leapt up the building until he reached the roof.
The prostitute was sitting cautiously, almost huddling on the rooftop, eyes darting back and forth in search of danger. Sasuke uncloaked a fair was behind him, slowly walking into his line of sight to as not to disturb the poor boy.
Of course, he was startled anyway.
The boy made to shriek, but Sasuke was on him in an instant, covering the boy's mouth with his hand.
"Scream here and we both get caught. Do it and I abandon you here," Sasuke whispered into the prostitute's ear, who nodded vigorously in response. "We're getting out of here. I'm emptying Gatou's coffers first, then we'll head to Hi no Kuni and go as far inland as possible. Nod if you understand." Fearful or not, the prostitute clearly knew what was at stake if his nod was any indication. Sasuke then hoisted the boy over his shoulder, recloaked and jumped down the building the same way he came up while the prostitute screamed into his shoulder. The prostitute was set back down upon Sasuke' landing, looking as out of breath as if he was the one to jump off the building himself.
Speaking of, Sasuke didn't even know his name, and needed something to call him other than just "prostitute."
"Your name?" The prostitute blinked once and paused for a second before answering.
"Harue. My family's name is unimportant if I'm wanted by Gatou's thugs. What about yours, sir?" He asked. Sasuke shook his head in response.
"Not until we get out of Nami." It would give Sasuke time to think up a convincing lie. Sasuke may have run the spy network, but he operated more on the "go invisible and eavesdrop" rather than the "converse and pry information" spectrum of espionage.
Walking though the darkened forests of the city's outskirts, the pair eventually came to the western sect just across the street from the National Bank of Nami.
"Stay here," Sasuke motioned. Harue stayed as Sasuke walked into the bank, pulling out the forged documentation from his back pocket and greeting the receptionist. Glancing around for witnesses before flashing his Sharingan at her, Sasuke put her under a quick genjutsu to believe the documents without question.
"Alright sir, everything seems to be in order, you have been given power of attorney over Gatou-sama's personal and business accounts, are you here to make a deposit or withdrawal?" the receptionist asked him.
"A transfer. Gatou is withdrawing all liquid assets from both her business and personal accounts, into cash. As soon as possible, please. Preferably in a sealing scroll," Sasuke responded tonelessly.
"Right away, sir." The receptionist left the counter to head to the back of the bank, returning a few minutes later with a sealing scroll in her hand.
"Here you go, sir. Will that be all for today?" He nodded in response and left before anyone else could ask questions. He was sure that once word of Gatou's death got around, every institution would be on high alert, and he was not doing nearly as clean a job as he would like.
Sasuke walked back to where Harue was hiding, telling him to get up. Harue complied, and they walked to the western end, back to the docks where the previous ferrywoman yet stood.
"Your boss wouldn't come down on prices. Three thousand for the both of us," Sasuke spoke begrudgingly, gesturing at Harue. The captain nodded in response.
"Cash up front. I don't deal with thieves." Sasuke nodded, unsealing the ryo under his cloak where the woman couldn't see before handing her the money. Quickly leafing through to count it all, she eventually nodded.
"Hop in, boys, Hi no Kuni awaits!"
Just under an hour later, Sasuke and Harue arrived at the port of Hi no Kuni. They rode the ship in silence, Sasuke uncaring to start a conversation and Harue likely unwilling to. They strode off the ship side by side, ignoring any looks they may have gotten from ogling women or gossiping men, and exited the port town promptly. Only once they were out of earshot of any noticeable bystanders did Harue speak.
"Ah, sir, where exactly are we going?" Sasuke glanced at the prostitute with his visible eye.
"We're first stopping at Keishi. The Library of Hi is there. Afterwards we head to Otafuki, near Konohagakure. You'll be safest there." Sasuke could also begin searching for Zetsu there. He'd have to see if anyone knew of the Akatsuki there, though, and knowledge of the Akatsuki wasn't likely all that common if Gatou didn't know about them. It was also unlikely that Sasuke would be able to do any business with Gatou's list of contacts he'd gained since it wasn't long until word of Gatou's death and missing assets traveled around the nations, and any appointments he would attempt to make would immediately pin him as the culprit. He was an unknown in this reality; best to keep it that way for now.
The fact that men were treated as second class citizens could prove advantageous to him. As with the Gatou situation, no one here would expect a man to be packing the force of a tailed beast, so he would constantly be underestimated. So long as he didn't have to deal with any chakra sensors, he'd be in the clear. No one would suspect him until he was already shoving his hand through their chest.
Perhaps contacting Orochimaru would be a good place to start. Gatou's memories provided quite a few sources of possible information, so long as he could gain audience with the right people.
"Ah, I still don't know your name, sir," Sasuke's train of thought was interrupted by Harue. Shit, he didn't ever actually think up a name. What would be convincing without giving away his real identity?
"…Indra," Sasuke hesitated before responding. Harue cocked his head at Sasuke slightly.
"Can't say I've heard that name before, Indra-sama. Sounds very…traditional."
"My father was a traditional man," Sasuke replied curtly. He probably took a risk with that name. He was just relieved that it hadn't backfired. Harue nodded before leaning in.
"So how come…" he whispered, glancing around suspiciously. "How come you can use chakra?" Sasuke grimaced internally. He really didn't have an answer to that one.
"I'll give you three hundred thousand ryo to never speak of that again," he spoke flatly. Harue's eyes widened.
"Deal." Nodding in acquiescence, Sasuke reached into his back pocket to unseal the money and show it to Harue, before putting it back.
"When we get to Otafuki. You're an easy target for thieves, and we have a long journey." The prostitute looked put out but nodded in understanding.
Sasuke took the opportunity of continued silence to sort through Gatou's memories more thoroughly. Information won wars, and Sasuke was sorely lacking it. He decided to abandon the idea of retrieving some of Gatou's other assets now that word was likely out about the criminal's death, though the blackmail on some of the more important figures in both the political world and underworld would no doubt be useful at some point. Writing up an objective list in his head, Sasuke mulled over how best to find Black Zetsu.
The leaves slowly brightened as the skies slowly darkened, and the two men reached Keishi just before the sun fully set. The large city, painted various shades of red, cream and grey, filtered golden light through nearly every visible window. The smell of street food wafted through the air accompanied by the chatter of both the passersby and the patrons of the various buildings. The only difference Sasuke could see between Keishi and Konoha was that his home village had shinobi everywhere, sitting at some of the bars, jumping between rooves and surveilling the city under invisibility jutsu and such.
It wasn't home. Nowhere was, really. But it was close.
"The Library's likely to close soon if it hasn't already. They might let shinobi in late at night, but they won't allow civilians. We'll get food and an inn, I'll check the library tomorrow," Sasuke spoke tersely to his temporary companion. Harue nodded absentmindedly, seemingly entranced by the sights and smells of the large city. Guiding the man to a nearby restaurant that seemed quiet enough for Sasuke's taste, he absentmindedly ordered a plate of whatever, and paid about as much attention to his companion's order.
"This city is beautiful, Indra-sama! I've never seen anything like it! How big do you think it is?" Harue attempted at conversation. Sasuke shrugged, mulling the question over.
"About as big as Konoha, maybe a bit bigger. Less shinobi, but more civilians." Harue nodded before plowing into his next question.
"So, is this our final stop? Or do you plan on traveling a bit?" Sasuke eyed him from his survey around the traditional wood-and-tatami-restaurant before responding.
"If you want to live here, you're free to do so. I have other things to do. I won't stay longer than a day or two. The money I gave you should be enough for you to get on your feet."
"Where do you plan to go when you leave?" Harue asked once again.
"A couple places. I need to check on some things." Harue smiled.
"Well, I hope you find what you're looking for, Indra-sama."
Sasuke looked away, mildly uncomfortable. The silence pervaded.
"Oh! Food's here!" Harue exclaimed, prompting Sasuke to turn his eye to the waiter bringing their meals, setting a bowl of unagi over rice in front of Sasuke and a plate of kaarage across from him.
Tucking into his food, Sasuke observed both the man across form him and the surrounding restaurant. He could pin a couple people as shinobi, both near a far corner, eating together. He recognized neither of them, nor did they seem to be on duty. All other patrons were locals or tourists. No one was on alert.
"How familiar are you with the legends of the Sage of Six Paths?" Sasuke asked in a low tone, still wary of any possible listeners. Harue gave him a confused look before shrugging.
"My dad told me a couple as a kid, but I never don't remember much. Why, do you know something important about them?" Harue asked in kind. Sasuke shook his head.
"No, I was simply curious how commonplace the legends were. I haven't heard it many times myself."
"I see. Are we going to an inn right after this, or can we explore the city first?" Harue asked excitedly. "I've never actually been to Hi no Kuni before, my parents and I lived in Mizu before moving to Nami. They didn't like how the Swords ran things, but Nami ended up not being great either once Gatou took over the place," he finished dejectedly.
"I'd rather not stay out and about longer than we need to. Cities tend to have higher crime rates than smaller towns, especially after dark. You can explore the city tomorrow while I'm at the library, but I leave mid-afternoon at the latest. Be at the north road by then."
They left the restaurant in relative peace, sticking to the main roads and listening to the chatter of the evening summer crowds while ignoring the occasional drunken civilian trying to grab their attention to join them at one of the nearby bars, eventually finding what looked to be a reputable inn for the night, purchasing a room and settling in for the longest sleep Sasuke had in weeks.
"The Trial of The Five Kage v. Uchiha Sasuke begins," Mifune spoke blandly. "Representative of the Five Kage, please state your case against the defendant." The Raikage stood from his position at the semicircular table, staring down at Sasuke — not that Sasuke could see, willingly bound and blindfolded as he was.
"The Five Kage accuse Uchiha Sasuke of Attempted Murder, Assault with a Deadly Weapon, Mayhem upon a Village leader, Mass Murder, Assassination and High Treason," A finished severely. Mifune nodded.
"So recognized. Uchiha Sasuke, how do you plead?" Sasuke, kneeling, lifted his head to where he believed Mifune's voice was originating.
"Not guilty." He would bet money that the Kage were trying not to snort at that.
"Would you plead your own case, or have another represent you?" Mifune asked of him.
"I will speak for myself."
"So be it. Uchiha Sasuke, you are called to the stand," Mifune told him. Sasuke stood, still blindfolded and bound.
"I was tracking and attempting to kill Shimura Danzo, a man that had betrayed Konoha in multiple ways. Shimura was hosting a secret sect of ANBU that answered only to him, even after the Sandaime Hokage formally disbanded this sect of ANBU and forbid him from reorganizing that. Beyond that, illegal deals with Orochimaru of the Sannin, theft of multiple sacred Konoha bloodlines and the mistreatment and subsequent order of assassination upon the Uchiha clan, after forcing them to commit a coup, all to gain the Sharingan of Uchiha Shisui, which could cast a powerful hypnosis, that he planned to use against the other four Kage once he stole the title in Konoha. It was my duty as both a Kohona shinobi and an Uchiha clan member to bring him to justice. All other violence committed was self-defense, as I simply wished to stop Shimura, and they struck out at me first. When Shimura escaped, I attempted to catch him, though the guards were in my way. I avoided those I could, and only struck at those who were able to make a lethal strike at me. Casualties could have been far greater if I simply wanted to destroy the Kage Summit, but it was not my goal."
Sasuke stared blindly at where he believed Mifune sat, listening to his fingers drumming on the hardwood desk.
"Will the defense bring their case to the stand?" The Iron Lord asked the Kage. A shift, somewhere on the far left of the desk. Heavy. Either Gaara or A then.
"While Uchiha's actions line up with his story, his true intentions are unverifiable but within his own mind. Even if he speaks truth, however, His actions against the Hachibi Jinchuuriki leave his story questionable at best," a deep, bellowing voice spoke. The Raikage, unsurprisingly. "The Hachibi Jinchuuriki was not someone who had done previous harm to the Uchiha clan, and thus was not a case of personal revenge or justice. This was simply an alliance with the man who planned to destroy the Elemental nations wholesale. Why, then, did you ally with him, Uchiha?" Sasuke supposed he had to twist the truth a little to get out of this one.
"You're right, Raikage-sama. Your brother did no harm to my clan. Tobi, however, did. My goal was to get into his good graces, convince him I was loyal to his cause, before cutting him down from behind. I would not have been able to kill him without knowing how his intangibility worked, so I joined the Akatsuki. I was sent with my team to capture the Hachibi on his orders, so I had to make the attempt look convincing. After I had convinced him I was on his side, he gave me my brother's eyes. Thus, I was able to turn on him without dying in the process." Hopefully, the story was plausibly convincing. The Kage deliberated quietly, Sasuke unable to make out exactly what they were saying. Some kind of muffling or sound distortion seal, then.
They eventually reached some sort of conclusion.
"Uchiha Sasuke," Mifune spoke. "We have reached an accord. You will serve no prison time and will not be executed. However, to each major nation you have harmed, you will owe something. To The land of Iron, you will give one third of the Uchiha clan assets in whatever form you see fit." Sasuke nodded. This was agreeable and was no major loss to him. He could recuperate the funds in time. "And to the other major Elemental Nations, you will spend a six-month parole serving each nation, for the attack on their Kage, performing whatever missions they see fit. You will also sire an heir for each major shinobi nation, with a woman of their choosing." Sasuke bolted upright.
"Absolutely not!" He said venomously. "The Uchiha bloodline is a curse, none of us can be freed of our hatred! And you would have this cycle furthered just so you can each scrounge up a bit more power for yourselves? What happens when one of my descendants decides to take up Madara's cause? What happens when they succumb to the curse that my family fell to? That I fell to? You strive for peace, but all you desire are greater tools of war and chaos! It is clear that nothing has changed. None of you wish for peace, and you are willing to pit brother against brother in your future conflicts just to scrounge for resources. Is this what you wish, Raikage-sama? Would you be willing to have your brother sold to another nation so you could end him yourself, all for a pithy scrap of land? Is this the future you desire? Could you say the same, Kazekage-sama? I would love to hear your answers." Silence reigned. Ah, Sasuke had broken the chakra suppression seals inadvertently. He forced himself to take a deep breath and kneel back down.
"I do not wish for such conflict to renew as it was, and I do not want the sins of my clan to become my children's. I also have trouble with the thought of siring with a woman and then simply abandoning her." Silence, once again.
"Uchiha Sasuke," Gaara, this time. "We understand your opinion on the situation, as well as your bloodline. However, you were able to overcome your madness, were you not? You were inspired to be greater than yourself, were you not? You were saved by Uzumaki Naruto in the end, were you not? I have experienced the same. I understand what you have endured and sacrificed. We believe that your children will be proof of peace between the nations, forging strong diplomatic ties as blood, the descendants of one of the men who fought a god to save us all. Your children will be our nations' vow to never force family to raise arms against each other. This is the burden of the Uchiha clan, the one you will raise and teach.
"Do your brother proud, Sasuke."