"Why am I here?"
Mei Terumi raised her chin slightly as she stepped into the center of the cave.
There was no hesitation in her movements and no fear in her eyes. With her arms folded across her chest, she stood calmly before the gathered commanders, radiating a confidence that seemed entirely natural.
"I am here under orders from the Mizukage."
Her clear voice echoed through the cavern.
"You have been operating in the Land of Fire for days, and yet you have achieved nothing of significance."
Her gaze swept across the assembled Seven Ninja Swordsmen.
Raiga Kurosuki.
Kushimaru Kuriarare.
Jinin Akebino.
Jinpachi Munashi.
None of them spoke.
"No victory."
"No territory reclaimed."
"No meaningful results."
"Only losses."
The atmosphere instantly grew heavier.
"The Mizukage is very dissatisfied with the current situation."
The words were neither harsh nor emotional, yet they carried immense pressure.
Cold sweat appeared on several foreheads.
Because everyone in Kirigakure understood one truth.
Failure was never tolerated.
And under the Bloody Mist's rule, failure often meant death.
After allowing the silence to linger, Mei continued.
"Brute force will not break them."
Her tone remained calm.
"If brute force were enough, you would have already won."
The statement was blunt.
And impossible to refute.
"Uchiha Anlan's forces have established a stable structure."
"The Return Army."
"The Wind-Forest Army."
"The Volcano Army."
"And the Red Guard."
"They support one another, share resources, and reinforce each other's positions."
"If we continue attacking them blindly, we will only continue bleeding our own forces."
The commanders frowned.
Because they knew she was right.
Then Mei smiled faintly.
"So we change tactics."
The simple sentence immediately drew everyone's attention.
"Against the defectors, we must use strategy."
"Not brute force."
She extended a finger.
"Spread rumors."
"Create distrust."
"Divide loyalties."
"Encourage surrender."
"Many of those people are not truly loyal to Uchiha Anlan. They followed him because he offered survival, stability, and hope."
"If we destroy that trust, their unity will weaken."
Raiga nodded immediately.
"Of course they're not truly loyal."
"They were Mist ninja before anything else."
Mei continued.
"Second."
She raised another finger.
"Stop trying to fight everywhere."
"Break a single point."
The commanders' expressions gradually changed.
"Instead of injuring ten fingers, cut off one."
The cave fell silent.
Everyone immediately understood her meaning.
Choose one army.
Find its weakest moment.
Gather overwhelming strength.
Strike without hesitation.
Destroy it completely.
Kill its commander.
Erase its command structure.
Shatter morale.
If successful, the entire system supporting Uchiha Anlan's rebellion would begin to collapse.
It was a simple strategy.
Yet none of them had dared to execute it.
Because the risk was enormous.
Failure meant directly confronting the Uchiha's elite forces.
And failure could easily result in becoming exactly like the defectors they were hunting.
A dangerous thought surfaced in more than one mind.
If we lose...
Should we surrender?
The idea was absurd.
Treasonous.
Yet impossible to completely suppress.
After all, survival was every shinobi's most basic instinct.
At that moment, Raiga suddenly smiled.
It was a sharp smile.
A calculating smile.
"In that case..."
"Why don't you lead the operation?"
The atmosphere inside the cave shifted immediately.
Jinin nodded in agreement.
"You clearly have talent."
Jinpachi laughed loudly.
"Let's see whether your blade is as sharp as your tongue."
The praise sounded sincere.
Respectful.
Even encouraging.
But everyone present understood the truth hidden beneath those words.
It was a trap.
If Mei succeeded, everyone would share the credit.
If she failed, she alone would bear responsibility.
Simple.
Convenient.
Disposable.
Only Kushimaru Kuriarare remained silent.
Among those present, he was perhaps the only one who fully saw through the scheme.
Before Mei could formulate a response, Raiga acted.
"Send a message to the Mizukage."
"Request an official appointment."
The order was issued immediately.
Fast.
Decisive.
Leaving no room for objections.
A short while later, a hawk descended into the cave carrying a sealed scroll.
The scroll was opened.
The official seal of the Mizukage was clearly visible.
The contents were brief.
Direct.
And shocking.
"By order of the Mizukage."
"Mei Terumi is hereby appointed Commander of the Eastern Front."
"She is granted full authority over all military operations within the theater."
The cave became completely silent.
Mei accepted the scroll.
The paper felt cold in her hands.
Heavy.
Real.
She understood everything.
The trap.
The risk.
The immense pressure now resting upon her shoulders.
But she also saw the opportunity hidden within it.
Slowly, a single name surfaced in her thoughts.
Uchiha Anlan.
A shinobi of the same generation.
The same age.
Fighting on the same battlefield.
And yet he had already shaken the entire ninja world.
If he could rise...
Why couldn't she?
A spark ignited within her eyes.
All hesitation vanished.
Replaced by ambition.
Determination.
And a fierce desire to prove herself.
Her fingers tightened around the scroll.
Then she looked up.
"I accept."
The words were firm.
Without hesitation.
Without retreat.
Immediately afterward, her expression sharpened.
"Submit reports on all troop deployments."
"Enemy movements."
"Supply conditions."
"Casualty records."
"We begin planning immediately."
The authority in her voice was unmistakable.
For the first time, the commanders before her felt the presence of a true battlefield leader.
Then Mei's lips curved into a faint smile.
"Now then..."
"Let's decide which finger we cut off first."
"Understood, Commander Mei!"
Voices echoed throughout the cave.
And in that moment, a new player stepped onto the battlefield.
Not a pawn.
Not yet a queen.
But something far more dangerous than either.
A commander whose name would soon be known across the entire war.
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