Morita's shrill voice cut off abruptly.
He had not stopped on his own. A crisp tap had interrupted him.
Baishi had lightly tapped a finger against the tabletop.
Thump.
All the noise and panic in the meeting room seemed to have been swallowed by that single sound. Everyone's eyes, including those of Morita, who had already descended into hysteria, instinctively turned toward the head of the table.
Baishi remained seated, his posture unchanged. He merely raised his eyes and looked calmly at Morita. There was neither anger nor surprise in his gaze, only the scrutiny of someone looking down from above.
"Minister Morita."
His voice was quiet, yet everyone heard it clearly.
"What you just said concerns the central government of the Land of Fire and the fundamental relationship between the village and the Capital. It falls outside the scope of this safety assessment meeting."
Morita opened his mouth, seemingly still wanting to defend himself, but under Baishi's gaze, he could not get a single word out.
"You are suspected of bearing responsibility for a major safety incident, and this may involve a more complex infiltration by outside forces. To ensure the fairness and confidentiality of the subsequent investigation, prevent collusion among suspects, and protect your own personal safety..."
Baishi spoke at an unhurried pace. Each word was like a cold brick, building a high wall around Morita.
He offered no comment on Morita's attempts to implicate others. Instead, he moved directly to classifying the incident on procedural grounds.
"I hereby announce that, effective immediately, the Konoha Discipline Inspection Department will place Logistics Minister Morita under 'Dual Regulation' and conduct an investigation in isolation."
The words "Dual Regulation" seemed to lower the temperature in the meeting room another few degrees.
This was the highest-level disciplinary procedure established during the Second