Ihara's words brought the argument in the conference room to a temporary halt.
A retired clerical ninja from the outer ranks could not possibly know the whole truth.
But he knew the terror of that system.
Leaving did not mean it was over.
The old seal might still exist.
The old identity might still exist.
The old access privileges might still exist.
As long as those in the shadows wished it, someone who had already left could still reappear on an application.
Even a dead man could continue collecting sealing wax.
Gen looked at Ihara, his tone softening.
"You don't have to say who instructed you. Just tell us about the procedure."
Ihara raised his head, as though grasping at his last shred of safety.
"The procedure is... you never really leave."
His voice was hoarse.
"Crossing a name off the outer personnel list is just for appearances. Old seals, old code names, old mission routines-some of those are kept."
"Utter nonsense," Danzo said coldly.
Ihara immediately lowered his head and began trembling.
Gen did not look at Danzo.
Fugaku did not rise to the provocation either.
They both knew they could not let Ihara become a witness testifying under coercion.
Crow spoke. "I suggest checking the records of destroyed old seals."
That statement effectively added Anbu corroboration to Ihara's testimony about the procedure.
Hiruzen Sarutobi nodded.
"Check them."
Danzo's gaze darkened to the extreme.
The review had already changed direction.
At first, the meeting had only been a review of the Nine-Tails Old Records.
Then they had uncovered the Old Permission Entry.
Then ledger pages added after the fact.
Then irregular collections of sealing wax.
Then a dead man's identity.
Now, they had uncovered the old seal system used by Root's outer ranks.
The trail to the true culprit