Yes, the Hokage

Therefore, even though Pakura has overturned the table now, neither side can resist her. They can only follow her orders, otherwise both the Akatsuki and the resistance will face the worst possible outcome.

And Pakula didn't just flip the table; she first looked at Mei Terumi: "However, since you have chosen to stand with Lady Fenglan, I will ensure that your casualties are within a controllable range."

"As for you..." She glanced at the three Akatsuki members again, "It's not too late to turn back now. I'll put in a good word for you with Lord Fenglan and ask him to provide Amegakure with more manpower and supplies, especially for the construction of the orphanage..."

Her gaze fell on Xiao Nan: "Didn't you say you'd been looking forward to this for a long time?"

"You bastard," Konan gritted her teeth, "Have you been deliberately hanging out with me to extract information?"

“That’s not how it works,” Pakula said coldly. “Yahiko sent you to take care of me because you are naive and thought I wouldn’t be on guard so he could extract information from me. But I hid it and ended up getting what I wanted to know from you.”

Obito's resolute words, coupled with his intense gaze, caused all the high-ranking officials present at the meeting to lower their heads.

[Using both kindness and severity, this woman has even mastered this tactic.] Mei Terumi involuntarily clenched her fist. [I didn't expect her to improve so quickly.]

About a month and a half ago, this woman was still just a drifting duckweed clinging to Fenglan, but in just over a month of war, she has grown into such a commander who combines ruthlessness and strategy.

In fact, Pakura was originally the commander, but she never thought from "Fenglan's perspective" or used her subordinate ninjas as pawns, because she herself was a pawn in the past, and naturally she would want to protect every pawn.

Now, Pakula is clearly evolving into a chess player, while Mei Terumi's strategy against her remains stuck in the mindset of a chess piece—of course, this cannot be blamed on Mei Terumi, as Pakula has been deliberately pretending to be a chess piece all along, and only now has she realized that the girl who could only look at her with envy in the Land of Iron has actually been playing against her in place of Fenglan all along.

And at this moment, this game has come to an end—the resistance can establish a new Kirigakure, but it will suffer heavy casualties and will be unable to resist Konoha in the short term, so it can only open its doors to free trade; the Akatsuki can receive funding and continue to act as the black glove, but Yahiko's wings have been reduced by more than half, and his next headache is how to appease this group of unruly newcomers.

Pakula, who came alone, navigated the gap between the two opposing forces, yet he successfully completed his mission.

"Now, is there anyone still dissatisfied with my plan?" Finally, when Pakura swept her gaze across the tent with a slightly authoritative look, Kisame, Mei Terumi, Yahiko, Nagato, and Konan all lowered their heads, not daring to meet her eyes again.

Wow, no wonder Lady Fenglan told me to prioritize her safety; this guy is amazing.

Obito, standing to the side, scratched his head in frustration: [Not only did they take care of Kirigakure, but they also gave Yahiko a dressing down, stealing all my work. Doesn't this make me seem useless?]

While he was lost in thought, Pakula had already issued a series of orders. The five people walked out of the tent one after another. Only then did Pakula lower his voice and say, "Mr. Obito, I have one more thing to ask of you."

"What is it?" Obito raised an eyebrow.

"Regarding the Fourth Mizukage, Yagura, if my guess is correct, the resistance intends to deliberately hold back and let him escape. So I hope you can keep an eye on things. If those guys really dare to do that..."

"Don't worry." Obito's eyes flashed with coldness. "I will ensure that the Three-Tails Jinchuriki and the Fourth Mizukage rest in peace in the Land of Water."

"Thank you for your trouble." Pakula nodded. "And if such a thing really happens, please try not to leave too many traces, so that it will be easier for Lord Fenglan to take subsequent actions."

"understood."

Obito appeared calm on the surface, but in his heart he was thinking: "Holy crap, this woman is terrifying! Waaaaah, Rin, I miss you..."

Chapter 166 Mei Terumi's Resolute Determination

After settling everything according to Pakula's instructions, both sides returned to their tents. However, they were not going to wait quietly for the right moment, but instead began to discuss Pakula's aggressive tactics.

"Yahiko, have you really been trying to get rid of Mr. Fuuran all along?" Nagato was the first to speak.

“That’s right.” Yahiko sighed as he sat down in his chair.

"Then why didn't you tell us?" Xiao Nan seemed a little incredulous. "Is it just because we have a good impression of Mr. Feng Lan? Yahiko! We promised that no matter what happens, the three of us would face it together, sharing both good and bad times. As long as you're determined to resist, we will definitely stand by your side!"

“Of course I know you’ll be on my side, but this time is different.” Yahiko gave a wry smile. “Nagato is someone Fenglan is particularly focused on, and Konan, you’re too naive. Telling you about this so rashly could easily lead to leaks, not to mention…”

"This enemy is different; it's far too dangerous. Our opponent isn't just Feng Lan, but the entire Hidden Leaf Village! Even one of Feng Lan's subordinates is proving so troublesome; our resistance is highly likely to fail!"

"That's why I want to manage all of this on my own. Even if I fail, Feng Lan might let you two off the hook out of consideration for Nagato's value..."

"Snapped--!"

However, before Yahiko could finish speaking, Konan slapped him across the face. The slap wasn't hard, but the sound of Konan's sobs and angry curses stunned him instantly: "You bastard! I've already almost lost both of you once, do you want me to go through that again!"

She stepped forward and hugged Yahiko tightly: "I know I'm not strong enough to help much, but no matter what decision you make or where you go, I will follow you. You and Nagato are my everything, my everything!"

“Konan…” Yahiko was stunned as he was hugged, and for a moment he didn’t know how to react. He always regarded himself as the older brother, so no matter what danger or difficulty they encountered, he would stand in front of them. When Konan was captured by Hanzo, if it was his own choice to sacrifice himself to save their lives, he would not hesitate.

But it was only after Xiao Nan scolded him that he realized that his actions seemed a bit too arrogant and that he hadn't taken his two companions to heart. He was always the one who broke the oath of sharing joys and sorrows with the three of them.

“Yahiko,” Nagato said at this moment, “Do you think that if it really comes to that, Fenglan will let me and Konan go? He’s such a smart person, how could he not see the relationship between the three of us? There’s no reason why he wouldn’t think that the two of us would do anything to avenge you.”

"Even if there's only a one in ten thousand chance that Feng Lan is willing to take pity on us, the two of us are unlikely to survive alone. On the contrary, if the three of us stick together, it might make him hesitate to act rashly."

Nagato was right about this. With Fenglan's understanding of the plot, he naturally knew that the three of them had a perfect and stable triangle relationship. If any one of them were missing, the other two would turn evil. So, either he wouldn't take action, or he would kill all three of them.

He walked over, hugging Yahiko with his left arm and Konan with his right: "Jiraiya-sensei once taught us that nothing is more important than our friends. No matter how difficult things get, the three of us working together will definitely be able to overcome them!"

At this moment, Konan stopped crying, reached out an arm to hug Nagato, and looked up at Yahiko: "And you, what do you say?"

“You’re right!” Yahiko was also filled with pride, reaching out to hug his two companions. “Whether it’s Konoha or Fenglan, as long as the three of us are together, there’s nothing to be afraid of!”

If Fenglan saw this scene, she couldn't help but say that the three of you living a good life is better than anything else.

Although all three were still young and impetuous, youthful exuberance can't put food on the table. After a brief moment of excitement, they still had to calm down and face the reality of the situation.

What should we do now?

As the brains of the trio and the entire Akatsuki organization, Yahiko had naturally been thinking about this issue. Hearing his two companions ask him this question, he could only sigh and say, "It's not advisable to continue going against Fenglan for the time being. Right now, he's just giving us a warning. If we continue, we won't gain any advantage because we don't have many supporters, and we might even invite further retaliation."

"So for now, let's humble ourselves and obey Fenglan for a while, and wait for the right opportunity."

“Yes.” Nagato and Konan exchanged a glance and both agreed.

Yahiko could only sigh inwardly. Right now, the trio's influence within Akatsuki had been greatly diminished. As Konoha continued to exert its influence on Amegakure, Fenglan's image would only grow stronger. Could they really find an opportunity to make a comeback?

Companions are a pillar of support in times of adversity, but they are also a weakness and a sore spot. As long as Feng Lan doesn't touch this sore spot, she can use this weakness to restrain the trio, making them afraid to truly fight to the death for each other.

Then, Konoha's resources and security guarantees can be used to gradually erode Amegakure. Even if Yahiko finds an opportunity to resist, his situation will be similar to that of Madara Uchiha back then. Apart from Konan and Nagato, no one will be willing to follow and pursue him.

If it really came to that, even if he was unwilling, he would have no choice but to submit for the sake of his two companions and truly become Fenglan's black glove.

This was something Fenglan had planned long before forming an alliance with Amegakure.

……

Meanwhile, in the rebel army's high-ranking tent, besides Kisame and Mei Terumi, Ao, who possesses the Byakugan, was also discussing the matter.

"What should we do?" Kisame was clearly not the type of person who relied on intellect. "Are we really just going to obey that little girl and let the resistance fighters be on the front lines?"

“We have no choice but to obey.” Mei Terumi sighed. “If we turn against them now, the Akatsuki, whom we’ve been using as cannon fodder, will definitely not join forces with us. Besides, they were originally part of Fenglan’s group… If we fight each other internally first, not only will we likely lose, but even if we do win, how will we attack Kirigakure with the remaining forces?”

"Now, the only way is to rely on the Akatsuki organization... no, to be precise, the power of Fenglan and Konoha, to first establish the new Kirigakure, and then gradually develop it until we can break free from their control. Although the hope is still slim, it's better than having no hope at all."

“But Lady Mei Terumi,” Ao couldn’t help but interject, “the rebel lads aren’t fools. They might not realize what happened at the time, but they’ll definitely come to their senses later and accuse us of poor command… Besides, after the new Kirigakure is established, we’ll have to sign all sorts of unequal treaties with Konoha…”

His implication was clear: who will take the blame? If no one takes the blame, it won't be enough to appease public anger.

Qing himself wanted to memorize it, but unfortunately his level was too low and he couldn't memorize it at all.

“I’ll do it!” Kisame gripped Samehada tightly. “Now that I’ve decided to become the Fifth Mizukage, it’s only right that I bear the burden of the village’s darkness.”

It wasn't that he coveted power, but after fighting to this point, he couldn't simply give up the position of Mizukage. The five new Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist were all personally appointed by Kisame, and he always charged ahead and retreated behind in every battle. Furthermore, Mei Terumi continuously arranged various events to boost his reputation. Currently, he is highly respected not only within the resistance army but also throughout the entire Land of Water. It gives people the feeling that since he's already here, it wouldn't be appropriate for him not to ascend the throne on the spot.

"No, the village has been shrouded in blood mist for too long. What the villagers and ninjas need is a shadow like the Golden Flash, symbolizing light and hope. So you cannot have any stains."

Mei Terumi took a deep breath, her face resolute: "I originally planned to assist you for a few more years before making this move, but now there's no way... Kisame, Ao, remember this: I commanded this battle from beginning to end, including all the contracts signed during Konoha's visit after the battle... I signed them all."

"No!" Kisame said resolutely, "You are clearly the greatest contributor to the establishment of the new Kirigakure, how can you bear such burdens? You will be..."

“There’s nothing more to it.” Mei Terumi raised her chin. “During this time, I will try my best to teach Ao all kinds of matters, big and small. After the contract is completed and Konoha leaves… that’s when you, in the name of the Mizukage, will publicly execute me, this rogue ninja.”

"How could I do this to you..."

"This is a necessary sacrifice!" Mei Terumi interrupted Kisame sharply. "It is worth it to exchange my death for the hope and tomorrow of the entire Hidden Mist Village. War is bound to kill people, and the many resistance fighters who died tonight... someone has to give them an explanation."

"As long as you can firmly remember to fight for a better tomorrow for Kirigakure, I can die in peace even as a rogue ninja."

Kisame's beady eyes widened. He couldn't find a specific reason to refute Mei Terumi, but he stubbornly sat down and said, "I disagree."

“I know you disagree, and I don’t need your agreement,” Mei Terumi said calmly. “This was my original plan. However, the original plan was to wait a few years before taking this step. A few years would allow you to establish yourself, allow the new Seven Ninja Swordsmen to gel, and allow those who are not convinced by you to gradually get used to your presence. That way, my death would not have too much of an impact on the entire transition.”

"And now?" Kisame couldn't help but ask.

"Now, because of my misjudgment, Pakula has made a move that the general has made. We don't have time to plan these things slowly anymore. The post-war Mist Village will be more chaotic than we expected and more easily infiltrated by the outside world. Those who are not convinced by the resistance will also take this opportunity to cause trouble. So someone must complete the transition in the most thorough way."

"Everything I'm doing now is an asset of the resistance, but it will become a debt after the war. When a person dies, the debt is wiped out... I'm just paying for my mistakes."

"I've killed one comrade after another with my own hands because of Suigetsu Hozuki's words..." Kisame's large hand gripping Samehada trembled slightly, his eyes bloodshot. "Now you're telling me that even after becoming the Mizukage, you'll still do the same?!"

"It's different, Kisame, it's different."

However, Mei Terumi smiled and said, "Those people you killed before didn't want to die, but I went to my death voluntarily. I just asked you, my comrade-in-arms, to see me off on my final journey."

Kisame gripped Samehada so tightly that the sharp edges pierced his palm, drawing blood: "...When did you start planning this?"

“From the day I signed the agreement with Fenglan in the Land of Iron.”

"So you planned this from the very beginning..."

“I planned to go this far from the beginning.” Mei Terumi lowered her head and began to allocate the resistance forces. “I just reached my predetermined destination ahead of time, while you must continue to lead Kirigakure toward the light.”

"Therefore, your path is far more difficult than mine, and that is precisely why I chose you as the Mizukage."

Chapter 167 Encirclement and Slaughter of the Three-Tailed Beast

The night was as dark as ink, and the sea breeze from the Land of Water, carrying a salty and fishy smell, seeped into every crevice of Kirigakure.

The rebels' assembly point was an abandoned outpost five kilometers away from Kirigakure Village. This outpost was once Kirigakure's border outpost during World War II and was later renovated, but it was eventually abandoned in the Blood Mist Village.

Pakula stood in the shadow of the stone wall, an old map hand-drawn by Tobirama spread out in front of him. It was marked with new ink marks indicating three lines of defense, the rotation times of the two patrol teams, and the coordinates of the Mizukage's direct forces stationed in the village. This was clearly new intelligence obtained in the subsequent war.

"The ace is in position," a liaison officer from Akatsuki reported in a low voice.

Pakula nodded without looking up: "What about the resistance?"

"Mei Terumi said that the assembly is complete and a feint attack can be launched at any time."

“Tell them to wait another ten minutes.” Pakula’s finger traced an arc on the map, landing on a spot marked as an old drainage outlet on the east side of the village. “The Akatsuki’s surprise attack team will enter from this direction. Nagato will go first. If Yagura is in the village, his Rinnegan will be the fastest to sense the location of the tailed beast chakra.”

"Aren't we allowed to pass directly through the barrier and enter?" Yahiko frowned slightly.

“That’s right, you are also bait.” Pakula said directly, “Yagura thinks we are flanking him from both ends, trying to keep him busy, but the real killing move is with that ace. He only needs to bring three people into the village and launch a large-scale destruction in the very center.”

As he spoke, Pakula named three people: "Kakuzu, Sasori, and Bakutsuchi."

The three people were not surprised when they were called upon, nor did they refuse; they silently stepped forward.

Are you planning to further deplete Akatsuki's forces...?

Yahiko knew he couldn't show resistance at this moment, so he simply asked, "And what about you?"

“I will join the resistance on the front lines to ensure that Mei Terumi doesn’t deliberately let the Jinchuriki escape,” Pakula replied coldly.

The implication is that I know you wouldn't dare to deliberately let Yagura go, because with Nagato's strength, it's impossible for him not to be able to keep Yagura. Since I wasn't present this time, you no longer have the excuse of "prioritizing the protection of Pakura".

“…I understand.” Yahiko lowered his head.

“Then, check the time and prepare for action.” Pakula’s hand gently traced across the map. “Lord Fenglan said that my value is greater than the outcome of a war… but in this war, I will win!”

……

The moonlight was obscured by clouds, and an ominous undercurrent rose on the sea surrounding Kirigakure.

Obito activated Kamui, capturing the three Kage-level shinobi into his spatial dimension, quietly awaiting the start of the battle.

He could sense that the three people behind him were looking at him with ill intent. Kakuzu craved his heart, Sasori wanted to turn him into a human puppet, and Bakuto was a spy sent by Iwagakure. He couldn't be happier to be able to eliminate Konoha's high-end combat force here.

Obito sneered and waited without turning his head. After being taught by Hashirama and experiencing two battles against the Eight-Tails and the Zero-Tails, he was no longer afraid of ordinary Kage-level shinobi, even if they were in his Kamui dimension.

Although these three had ideas in their minds, they dared not actually carry them out. Putting aside Bakuto, Kakuzu and Sasori had survived to this day as rogue ninjas, so caution was their most basic quality. Fighting Obito here, not to mention whether they could succeed, what if Obito simply used his Mangekyou Sharingan to escape and left them in this space?

The forces split into three groups, each leader silently calculating the time. Finally, when the moment arrived, Mei Terumi, Obito, and Yahiko simultaneously raised their hands and then forcefully swung them down: "Move out!"

"Boom—!"

Thirty seconds later, the first batch of explosive tags from the resistance army detonated on the outskirts of Kirigakure, the flames tearing through the dark fog. However, Yagura's defenses were not afraid of this frontal assault. Yagura, who was in the Mizukage's office, simply gave a few instructions and did not even leave his desk.

However, a series of booming explosions then came from the old drainage outlet. Although Yagura had also arranged for people there, they were clearly no match for Nagato's Asura Path's charging ability. Moreover, he could use the power of the Animal Path to continuously summon large summoning beasts to form an army by himself. As his application of the Rinnegan became more and more refined, he gradually approached the position of a Super Kage, and a Super Kage is someone who can fight against a great nation by himself.

"Has it finally arrived...?"

Yagura took a deep breath, his eyes showing no surprise or fear. He had long known that he couldn't stay in the village forever. The resistance had received tremendous support, not only from external forces but also from resistance within the Land of Water.

It seems that overnight, everyone became an opponent of the Blood Mist Village. Even in the Hidden Mist Village, many people secretly made plans, waiting for the rebels to attack so they could immediately respond.

Although he and his guards had killed many people during this period, making the villagers afraid to openly rebel against him, tonight's full-scale operation meant he had the advantage of both timing and popular support; only the advantage of terrain was insufficient to withstand a direct assault.

So... let's prepare to run away.

Yagura had been thinking about how to escape all this time, and now he immediately took action. As the Jinchuriki of the Three-Tails, as long as he could successfully jump into the water, no one could stop him. Then he could take the wealth and resources he had prepared in advance and plan to make a comeback.

Therefore, Yagura did not hesitate to send out his left and right guards to charge along the front of the village entrance against the rebels... This move was intended to inflict more casualties on the rebels, so that after the Akatsuki organization supporting these people retreated, he would have far fewer people to face.