Chapter 32: Mei Terumi's Decision! Ishihara's Intimidating Power!

Chapter 32: Mei Terumi's Decision! Ishihara's Intimidating Power!

Obito watched Mei Terumi with a mocking expression, but inside, he was icy cold. The Hozuki clan was primarily responsible for Rin's death, so they had to be eradicated.

Mei Terumi's face shifted through various expressions—anger, frustration, and helplessness. It seemed as if she had a choice, but in reality, there was only one: to allow the annihilation of the Hozuki clan. If she didn't, the Hidden Mist Village would be on the brink of complete destruction.

However, the Hozuki clan was an ally of her own family and had always supported her bid to become Mizukage.

"My patience is running out," Yagura suddenly spoke, his voice chilling.

Mei Terumi's face changed. She had made her decision and exhaled a long breath. "Give me some time; I will handle it."

Yagura nodded, and Mei turned to signal to the Hozuki clan leader. The leader of the Hozuki clan and his high-ranking members approached them.

Controlling Yagura from afar, Obito nearly lost control of his emotions, wanting to kill them with his own hands. But he wasn't going to act rashly against the Hozuki clan. He wanted them to be utterly desperate, to make the Hidden Mist Village itself fall into despair. This was the price they had to pay for Rin's death.

Seeing Mei Terumi's grave expression, the Hozuki clan leader's heart sank. "What's going on?"

Mei Terumi opened her mouth, struggling to speak.

Yagura stood by with a faint smile, creating a tense atmosphere that made the Hozuki clan leader increasingly uneasy.

Taking a deep breath, Mei Terumi finally spoke in a low voice, "Yagura is being controlled. His condition for ending the war is the extermination of the Hozuki clan."

"What?!"

The Hozuki clan leader and the other high-ranking members were shocked. They had suspected Yagura might be controlled, but they never expected the enemy's goal to be their clan's destruction!

"Did you agree to this?" one of the Hozuki clan elders angrily demanded.

"I had no choice. If I didn't agree, he would force Yagura to fully transform into the Three-Tails!"

Gasp!

The Hozuki clan members drew sharp breaths. Yagura was one of the few perfect jinchuriki in the ninja world, capable of fully controlling the Three-Tails and unleashing its full power. Moreover, Yagura himself was incredibly powerful, serving as the primary force in suppressing the Three-Tails within the Hidden Mist Village.

But now, he had become an accomplice of the Three-Tails! What's worse, the village's other tailed beast, the Six-Tails, was on the verge of rampaging. If the Three-Tails were to go on a rampage now, no one in the village would be able to stop it!

Despair crept into the hearts of the Hozuki clan members. No wonder Mei Terumi made the choice she did—anyone in her position would likely do the same.

"Do we stand a chance if we fight together?" the Hozuki clan leader coldly asked, staring at Yagura.

Mei Terumi thought for a moment and then shook her head. If the Hozuki clan leader and the others were in their prime, perhaps with some sacrifice, they could have taken down the Three-Tails. But now...

"If only I had met Ishihara sooner!" The thought flashed through Mei Terumi's mind. Had she met him earlier, she could have acquired the Boil and Lava Release training methods sooner, far surpassing her current strength and avoiding such threats. But alas, there were no ifs in life.

The Hozuki clan leader's heart sank, but one of the elders couldn't contain his anger, shouting, "Damn it! Our clan fully supported you in becoming Mizukage, and this is how you repay us?"

Mei Terumi's face instantly turned cold. "Did I not fulfill my end of the bargain?"

Their alliance had always been a transaction of mutual benefit. The Hozuki clan helped her achieve her and her family's dream of becoming Mizukage, while they regained their former glory in the village. Otherwise, why would the Hozuki clan support an outsider like her? If she hadn't insisted, they would have forced her to marry into the Hozuki clan.

"You!" The elder was left speechless.

The Hozuki clan leader looked gravely at Mei Terumi and said, "Have you considered that even if our clan is exterminated, he might not stop?"

Mei Terumi's expression changed slightly.

Yagura calmly replied, "Once I give my word, I keep it. The war will end when the Hozuki clan is no more."

Mei Terumi looked at Yagura, then back at the Hozuki clan leader and his people. She was bitterly aware of her own lack of strength. If only Ishihara were here, she wouldn't be in such a difficult position.

Suddenly, she thought of something—perhaps the enemy knew about Orochimaru and Ishihara's existence. With some hope, she looked at Yagura and said in a low voice, "If you don't keep your word, I will involve Orochimaru and Ishihara in this fight!"

"Ishihara?!"

Obito's pupils constricted in anger. She dares to threaten me?! But he had to admit, Ishihara made him uneasy. His instincts told him to avoid any direct confrontation with him.

"I need to gather more information about this guy," Obito thought, taking a deep breath and suppressing his anger. Controlling Yagura, he said, "Rest assured, the war will end once the Hozuki clan is exterminated."

Mei Terumi breathed a sigh of relief. She had won the gamble—using Ishihara's name had indeed worked. She knew Orochimaru alone didn't have the same deterrent effect, but those familiar with Ishihara understood his terrifying power and were wary of him.

"Mei Terumi, have you allied with Orochimaru?!" the Hozuki clan leader asked, both shocked and angry. Such an alliance with someone outside the village was a serious taboo.

Mei Terumi calmly replied, "Do you really think Orochimaru could intimidate the person controlling Yagura? Knowing too much won't do you any good!"

Lowering her voice, she whispered, "If Ishihara is willing to intervene, your son Suigetsu might survive!"

The Hozuki clan leader's pupils shrank, his breathing quickened. "Are you serious?!"

He had realized that with just Yagura and the person controlling him as enemies, the Hozuki clan might have had a chance to escape. But with Mei Terumi against them as well, they had no way out. Even if they fought with everything they had, it would only bring more harm to the village, and survival was impossible.

Now, their enemy was the entire Hidden Mist Village! As long as he could save his son, nothing else mattered.

"Of course, I'm serious!" Mei Terumi confidently nodded.

"Alright, I agree!" The Hozuki clan leader's face twisted with conflicting emotions, but he ultimately sighed and resigned himself to the inevitable.