Chapter 457: Who is Genshi?
Mei Terumi responded loudly: "We are all here. What do you want?"
"Surrender and you will be spared!"
Beside Shikamaru, Neji, Kiba, and Choji guarded him.
"Look at Kisame Hoshigaki and Zabuza Momochi beside you! They are the best examples!"
Shikamaru pointed to the distance, toward Kisame and Zabuza, who had sheathed their blades but still exuded a powerful sense of oppression.
Although both were once S-rank missing-nin from the Hidden Mist, standing in the Hidden Leaf Village camp now, they appeared unusually "harmonious," even carrying a sense of calmness from "abandoning darkness for light."
"They were once Ninjas of the Hidden Mist, and they were once enemies of Hidden Leaf Village. But now, they have chosen a wiser path, choosing to follow true peace and the future!"
Shikamaru raised his voice slightly, beginning to paint a blueprint.
"As long as you lay down your weapons and join Hidden Leaf Village, Hidden Leaf Village promises not only to ensure your personal safety but also to fully support the post-war reconstruction and development of the Hidden Mist Village.
Hidden Leaf Village will help the Hidden Mist regain its vitality, allowing the people of the Hidden Mist to live better lives!"
He paused, his tone becoming more earnest: "We in Hidden Leaf Village did not start this war for conquest and destruction, but to end the cycles of war and hatred that have plagued the Ninja World for decades, and to establish a truly unified, peaceful, and prosperous new order!
Everyone in the Hidden Mist, you are also Ninjas who have experienced the pain of war. Don't you want to see your children grow up in a world without war?
Don't you want to let the Hidden Mist Village cast off the shadow of the 'Bloody Mist' and truly embrace the sunlight?
Surrender! For your own sake, and for the future of the Hidden Mist!"
Shikamaru's words were both a psychological tactic and partly represented Naruto's vision for post-war governance.
Military conquest and soft assimilation went hand in hand.
He attempted to use more practical and grander reasons like "survival," "future," and "peace" to disintegrate the last fighting spirit of the remaining Hidden Mist forces, avoiding unnecessary final bloodshed.
Just as Shikamaru finished playing the "good cop," striving to create an atmosphere of "lay down your weapons, and the future is bright," a flat voice rang out at just the right time, taking over the conversation to play the "bad cop."
Standing beside Sasuke, Shino Aburame pushed up his sunglasses:
"Shikamaru, why waste words on them."
His tone was devoid of waves, as if speaking about a trivial matter unrelated to himself.
"The Hidden Mist Village has already been taken by Sasuke and me."
Shino's gaze swept calmly through his sunglasses over those Hidden Mist Ninjas, "Your persistence here has no strategic significance."
He paused, adding the most crucial sentence, like an ultimatum:
"You have nowhere left to retreat."
This sentence was like a basin of ice water, extinguishing the slight illusions that might have been brought by Shikamaru's words. Shino used the most direct and cold facts to tear apart the last glimmer of luck in the hearts of the Hidden Mist Ninjas—the hope of "fighting for the Village" or "perhaps there is still hope."
The core of the Village had fallen; their battle here could no longer change any outcome, other than increasing pointless casualties and delaying time. They truly had nowhere to retreat—in front was the vast sea and the Hidden Leaf Village army, behind and in front was the Susanoo of Uchiha Sasuke, and both sides were surrounded.
Shikamaru provided an exit and hope after surrender.
Shino pointed out the desperate situation and inevitable outcome of resisting to the end.
One soft and one hard, one pulling and one hitting, one giving hope and one cutting off the path of retreat.
This classic "good cop, bad cop" tactical coordination was old-fashioned but effective.
The look of despair on the faces of many Hidden Mist Ninjas deepened, their hands gripping their weapons began to tremble slightly, and obvious hesitation and struggle appeared in their eyes. Some looked at their companions, seemingly communicating with their eyes; others lowered their heads dejectedly, their fighting spirit dissipating at a visible speed.
Of course, there were still diehards with flames of unyielding spirit burning in their eyes, prepared to fight to the death. But the general trend was clearly beginning to tilt in the direction guided by Shikamaru and Shino.
Sasuke stood within the Susanoo, looking down at everything from above. He did not say a word about the coordination between Shikamaru and Shino, but that cold murderous intent remained locked on the battlefield, as if silently applying the final pressure: either surrender or die.
The air on the battlefield solidified in a strange silence and confrontation.
The remaining Hidden Mist forces faced the final choice.
Mei Terumi suppressed the chaos in her heart and the despair regarding the situation, forcing herself to think calmly.
Although she was the current highest commander on the front line of the Hidden Mist, she had not yet officially succeeded as the Fifth Generation Mizukage.
The "surrender" conditions given by Shikamaru sounded tempting.
But the premise of all this was that the highest decision-making level of the Hidden Mist, the Elder Lord Genshi who controlled the true power of the Hidden Mist, had already lost control of the situation, or... had chosen to surrender.
"Then," Mei Terumi took a deep breath, her voice piercing through the battlefield clearly and firmly. She looked intently at Shikamaru, and also swept across the distant Sasuke and Shino, "What happened to your Lord Genshi? We want to see Lord Genshi!"
The attitude of Genshi was the most critical factor in deciding whether the Hidden Mist would fight or surrender, as well as the future direction.
If Genshi was still there and ordered them to resist to the end, then even if the core area of the Village had fallen, these remaining troops would have the righteous justification of "fighting to the death under the Elder's orders." Even if they were ultimately wiped out, they would have fulfilled their duty as Ninjas.
If Genshi had already... or had made a different decision, then the situation would be completely different.
Hearing this sudden questioning from Mei Terumi, Sasuke and Shino looked at each other.
Both read a hint of... bewilderment in the other's eyes.
Who is Genshi?
Their brief silence and subtle expressions, falling into the eyes of Mei Terumi who had been staring fixedly at their reactions, were interpreted as having another meaning.
A flame of hope suddenly flared up in Mei Terumi's heart!
'Could it be... they are bluffing? The Hidden Mist Village hasn't been completely broken at all? Lord Genshi might still be commanding somewhere, or has already organized an effective counterattack? The 'fall' of the Mizukage Building might just be a local battle situation, or even their lie?'
Once this thought arose, it was hard to suppress.
If the Village was truly intact and Genshi was still there, then their resistance here was still meaningful, and it might even be buying time for a counterattack within the Village.
That would mean Shikamaru's persuasion to surrender and Shino's intimidation might be psychological tactics adopted by Hidden Leaf Village to end the battle as quickly as possible and reduce losses.
"Not sure. We smashed the Mizukage Building directly; he probably died in the ruins."
Shino realized and shouted loudly.
Mei Terumi had mentioned Genshi just now, which meant Genshi must be a very important figure, and since the Mizukage Building had already been destroyed, regardless of whether Genshi was there or not, he had to be a dead man in the mouths of Shino and Sasuke at this time.
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