Not the Uchiha.
Once those words went into the record, even the wind over the rocky shore seemed to stop for an instant.
They did not directly identify the mastermind.
But for the first time, they pried open a crack in the suspicion cast on the Uchiha over the events leading up to the Night of the Nine-Tails.
Crow stared at the record sheet, silent for a long time.
As a member of the Hokage's Anbu, he knew exactly what those words meant.
If Morikawa Kai's testimony was true, someone had given an outside masked man access through an old internal authorization channel.
And that person was not an Uchiha.
Then at least part of the basis for the suspicion Konoha had placed on the Uchiha for years would have to be reexamined.
Shisui breathed softly.
He showed no sign of joy.
Because this was not an answer anyone could celebrate.
Not the Uchiha was the most dangerous answer.
It meant the real problem lay deeper within the village.
Morikawa Kai was still gasping.
The Medical Ninja had brought the backlash from his sealing under control, but did not dare remove it completely.
That seal was too brutal.
It seemed designed solely to stop him from saying a certain name.
Gen did not ask for the name.
He repeated his previous question.
"The reference number."
Morikawa Kai raised his hand and slowly traced a few strokes on the stone with his finger.
They were not complete words.
They were part of an old directive's reference number.
The Recorder immediately copied them down.
When Itachi saw the first half of the number, his expression changed.
"It's close to the old directive numbering system."
Crow looked at him.
Itachi did not take his assessment any further. He only said, "We'll need to