People in Demon Slayer: The Journey That Began with Demon Slayer

Ye Cang retorted sarcastically, "You guys, driven by power and profit, will never understand!"

Seeing that Yekura was so angry, Mei Terumi didn't ask any more questions: "Since you've chosen to reveal your true identity, does that mean you're planning to announce that you're still alive and that you're trying to force Kirigakure to join the war because Sunagakure abandoned you?"

"Since you already understand, what's the point of asking any more questions?" From beginning to end, Yekura never gave Terumi Mei a kind look.

Yosuke chimed in at the opportune moment, saying, "Now the reasons and the greater good are in your hands, Mizukage. So, what is your choice?"

After a moment's thought, Terumi Mei did not answer Yosuke directly, but asked, "What if I need you to hand over Yekura to Sunagakure?"

Yosuke's expression was somewhat cold: "If you have this idea, I advise you to give up this dangerous idea. Since we can enter here silently, we can also assassinate you silently. If the village's leader is assassinated and Kirigakure falls into the chaos of civil war again, then we can still achieve our goal."

Mei Terumi sneered, "You guys are really arrogant. Do you think you can take on the entire Hidden Mist Village with just a few of you?"

"I'm just stating a fact: if you choose to go your own way, then we will immediately wage war against Kirigakure!"

Yosuke unleashed his full power.

Gyutaro, Deidara, and Itachi also looked at Mei Terumi with solemn expressions.

They will fight without hesitation as long as Yosuke gives the order.

Mei Terumi was shocked. Yosuke's aura alone was enough to frighten her. This was something she had only felt before, when Yosuke was the former Jinchuriki of the Three-Tails and the Fourth Mizukage, Yagura Karatachi, since she took office as Mizukage.

Furthermore, Mei Terumi sensed that Yosuke wasn't joking; if she continued to talk about handing over Yosuke, a battle would immediately break out.

“Since you won’t let me hand Pakura over to Sunagakure, then I need Pakura to attend the Kirigakure meeting so that everyone knows Pakura is alive and that it’s all a conspiracy by Sunagakure.”

Yosuke looked at Yekura. If Yekura was unwilling, then no one could force her.

Faced with Mei's proposal, Yokura finally nodded and agreed to it.

Chapter 235 Negotiations Failed

After Yekura agreed to attend the Kirigakure meeting, Terumi Mei began preparations.

Mei Terumi convened a meeting with all the high-ranking officials of Kirigakure and the Jonin currently stationed in Kirigakure.

In fact, the higher-ups of Kirigakure understood that the death of Yekura was part of a conspiracy by Sunagakure to force Kirigakure into joining the war, but they were powerless to stop it.

Because Pakura was a hero of Sunagakure, second only to the Kazekage in status, yet she died in Kirigakure, public opinion was now in the hands of Sunagakure.

If it were just a matter of public opinion, Kirigakure could have withstood the pressure. However, in addition to the pressure from Sunagakure, Kirigakure was also threatened by Kumogakure and Iwagakure, forcing Kirigakure to join this war it did not want to join.

This incident left everyone feeling like they had a fishbone stuck in their throat, utterly disgusted.

Mei Terumi announced on the spot that Yekura was still alive and that the incident in Kirigakure was still happening.

As Mei Terumi had expected, everyone present became excited, because if Yekura was still alive, it meant that Kirigakure could escape from the war.

Yekura also appeared from the shadows at the opportune moment, took off her mask, and recounted how she was betrayed by Sunagakure.

If things proceed as planned, with Yekura's testimony, public opinion will shift in favor of Kirigakure, allowing Kirigakure to take the opportunity to criticize Sunagakure and extricate itself from the war.

However, some people in Kirigakure do not think so.

This part includes the Kirigakure ninja who attacked and killed Yekura that day.

One of the representatives of these radical ninjas, Kento Koya, an advisor to Kirigakure, immediately voiced his opposition.

"Yakura cannot live! Because those who attacked Yakura that day were indeed ninjas from Kirigakure. If Yakura is allowed to live and return to Sunagakure, Sunagakure might very well turn their attention to the Land of Water and spread the flames of war to the Land of Water!"

Mei Terumi looked at Kento Koya with a solemn expression: "Advisor Koya, Lord Yekura said that she has now left Sunagakure!"

Kento Koya questioned, "Lord Mizukage, she is a ninja from Sunagakure. Her words cannot be trusted. If Sunagakure wants us to hand over the Kirigakure ninja who attacked and killed Pakura that day, should we hand them over?!"

Mei Terumi's face turned ugly because the thing she least wanted to happen had still happened.

Kento Kotani continued, "Although Kumogakure has temporarily withdrawn from the battlefield, Iwagakure and Sunagakure are still fighting against Konoha, and with our Kirigakure joining the fray, there is no suspense in this war. Our Kirigakure will definitely win. Pakura is still alive, which will only disrupt the current stable situation and threaten the safety of Kirigakure. Therefore, Pakura must die!"

The radical ninjas under Kento Kotani's command constantly chanted, "Pakura must die! Pakura must die!"

These voices continued to influence those around them, and even the conservative Kirigakure ninjas began to echo them.

The situation gradually spiraled out of control, and Mei Terumi's face had turned completely gloomy.

Looking at Mei Terumi's unpleasant expression beside her, Yekura said sarcastically, "Looks like you're having a pretty tough time as the Mizukage."

Mei Terumi sneered, "How can you even laugh? Aren't you afraid that if I agree, I'll kill you right here?"

"What do I have to be afraid of? I have companions." Ye Cang's expression remained unchanged, still as calm as ever.

Mei Terumi was worried about this: most of Kirigakure's troops had gone to the Land of Fire, leaving only a small number of ninjas behind in Kirigakure.

Seeing that he had built up enough emotion, Kento Kotani began to pressure Mei Terumi into making a choice.

"Lord Mizukage, although you are the highest leader of Kirigakure, important decisions in the village must be made together with us, and require the consent of more than half of the advisors. In that case, let's start the vote now! I choose that Pakura must die, so that this invincible war can continue!"

Mei Terumi breathed a sigh of relief. Kirigakure has a total of four advisors, two of whom belong to the conservative faction and two to the radical faction. Only the conservative faction chose to stand on her side, and with her votes being three to two, she was still the winner of this vote.

Unsurprisingly, a radical advisor with a menacing appearance raised his hand.

Mei Terumi announced, "Your current vote count is two, so..."

Kento Kotani interrupted Mei Terumi: "Lord Mizukage, please look carefully at our vote count."

Mei Terumi looked on in disbelief to see that even her trusted confidant, the conservative advisor Takashi Shinkawa, had raised his hand.

"Takashi Shinkawa...why?"

Takashi Shinkawa lowered his head with some guilt, not daring to look directly into Mei Terumi's eyes, and remained silent.

The current vote count is two votes from the conservatives and three votes from the radicals, meaning that even if Mei Terumi were the Mizukage, she wouldn't be able to change this decision.

The ninjas of Kirigakure began to stir, eager to make a move against Pakura.

Yekura retreated rapidly, putting distance between herself and the ninjas from Kirigakure.

Fearing that Yokura would escape, Kento Koya raised his arm and shouted, "Kill Yokura immediately! We must capture her!"

A massive horde of ninjas surged toward Yekura's location.

Suddenly, four figures descended from the sky and appeared in front of Ye Cang.

Wearing a mask, Yosuke asked, "Yakura, are you alright?"

Ye Cang shook his head and said, "I'm fine, but it seems the negotiations have broken down."

Yosuke said nonchalantly, "It's good that nothing happened. If the talks broke down, so be it. I didn't expect the people from Kirigakure to be so stupid."

As Yosuke watched the approaching Kirigakure ninjas, he said to Itachi, "Itachi, do you see? This is the third kind of peace I mentioned before, the failure of rule-based peace. When the rules infringe on their interests, they will choose to break the rules and seize their interests."

“Master Yosuke, I saw it.” A cold glint flashed in Itachi’s eyes.

Mei Terumi was still trying to salvage the situation: "Wait, don't do it yet!"

However, at this point, Mei Terumi's attempts to stop her were completely ineffective.

Yosuke also lost his patience, and a strong killing intent swept across the entire scene.

"Since you don't want peace but war, then we'll give you war!"

Gyutaro pulled out the Blood Scythe, which was covered in blood.

Deidara had already reached into his ninja tool pouch and was eagerly beginning to devour the clay.

Itachi also awakened his Mangekyou Sharingan and drew the Ame-no-Murakumo sword.

Battle is imminent.

Chapter 236 Launching the War

Deidara made the first move, scattering countless clay spiders on the ground, which crawled continuously toward the Hidden Mist Village ninjas.

"drink!"

Deidara's clay spiders exploded continuously, instantly raising clouds of dust, and the first ninjas to charge suffered heavy casualties.

However, the Hidden Mist Village ninjas behind them had already formed hand seals, and countless ninjutsu swept towards Yosuke and his companions.

Itachi flicked the hair covering his eyes, and the Mangekyou Sharingan in his eyes spun continuously.

"Susanoo!"

A huge red skeleton rose from the ground, and red veins and flesh gradually spread throughout the skeleton, forming a complete body.

All the ninjutsu of the Hidden Mist Village ninjas struck Itachi's Susanoo, yet not a ripple was made.

Itachi manipulated Susanoo, and with a single wave of his hand, a large number of ninjas were sent flying into the sky.

The ninjas of Kirigakure were utterly horrified by the formidable fighting power displayed by Itachi and Deidara.

"What...what kind of power is this?!"

Mei Terumi noticed something amiss: "You are... a survivor of the Uchiha clan?!"

Itachi did not answer Mei Terumi; instead, he responded with Amaterasu flames.

Black flames continued to spread across the battlefield.

Seeing that the black flames could not be extinguished by water-style techniques, Mei Terumi hurriedly commanded, "Sealing team! Seal these black flames!"

When the sealing team began to seal the black flames, Mei Terumi also joined the battle.

Mei Terumi quickly formed hand seals: "Lava Release: Lava Monster Technique!"

Mei Terumi spat out a sticky and highly corrosive acid from her mouth, which covered Itachi's Susanoo.

Meanwhile, Itachi's Susanoo began to melt under the corrosive effect of the acid.

Mei Terumi was greatly encouraged and formed hand seals again, unleashing the Melting Monster Technique.

"Scorching Escape? Overpowering Steam Kill!"

Yekura unleashed a ninjutsu, manipulating a fireball created by her Scorch Release technique to make contact with Mei Terumi's Lava Release.

The fireball evaporated all the water in the acid, rendering Mei Terumi's ninjutsu ineffective.

Meanwhile, Gyutaro found Chojuro.

Gyutaro asked, "Is your sword one of the Seven Ninja Swords?"

Chojuro was somewhat shy, and despite being enemies, he still nodded.

Gyutaro scratched his cheek: "I'm really lucky. I'm sure that brat will be very happy."