When Root submitted the source of its emergency action authority, no one in the Conference Room felt at ease.
Because that authorization was too old.
So old that when it was first established, Shisui had not yet become the Shisui he was today.
Itachi, too, had still been a child who had not truly entered the leadership's sights.
Yet Root had used this old authorization to cover numerous subsequent Uchiha-related contingency plans.
Observation of high-impact individuals.
Action against high-impact individuals.
Assessment of underage prodigies.
Transfer of Uchiha risk materials.
All these new measures had been placed under the umbrella of an old authorization.
After reading the copy, Gen's first reaction was not anger.
It was familiarity.
Old things again.
Old reference numbers.
The Old Seal.
Old access passes.
The old Sealing Wax Ring.
Now it was an old authorization's turn.
The most frightening thing about the old-shell system was that it did not necessarily need new orders.
It would keep interpreting an authorization from years ago, expanding its scope, and stuffing new provisions into it.
By the time someone investigated, Root could claim that everything had a basis.
Fugaku placed the copy of the authorization on the table.
"What was this authorization's original scope?"
The head of the Archives Room read out the original text.
In high-risk situations within the village, prepare emergency action against high-impact individuals who may pose a risk to entire groups.
The wording was broad.
Broad enough to encompass almost any interpretation of danger.
Danzo said coldly, "Those are precisely the dangers Root faces."
Fugaku did not deny the danger.
He only asked, "Did this authorization specify that it remained valid in the long term?"
After checking, the head of the Archives Room shook his head.
"Not specified."
"Did it specify that it could cover Underage