Terumi Mei knew Kirigakure was in a bad way—very bad.
Compared with the other great ninja villages, Kirigakure was like a pitiful wretch relying on a cold and brutal way of doing things to prop up the village's reputation, all bark and no bite, pretending it hadn't fallen out of the ranks of the great nations.
Even so, Terumi Mei still had high hopes for Kirigakure. After all, it was her village, even if this Village Hidden in the Mist could hardly foster anything resembling bonds.
But she was still trying, and so were many others in the village.
They had started this war to make Kirigakure better, to secure more resources, and to keep other ninja villages from holding them by the throat. They wanted to take the village one step further!
And now, a string of major victories had shown them a glimmer of hope. If things continued this way, they might truly achieve their ideals and gradually shape the village into the place they wanted it to be.
But Yoru's words tore apart that seemingly beautiful illusion, exposing the bloody truth.
"...So what are you planning to do?"
Terumi Mei looked at Yoru and asked softly, "Seize command from Yagura by force, lead Kirigakure to victory in this war, then return home in triumph, overthrow the corrupt regime, and build a whole new village?"
"Have you been reading too many melodramatic novels?"
Yoru's look, as if he thought she was an idiot, instantly dispelled the emotions Terumi Mei had worked up. She even felt a little wounded.
"The farther you go down the wrong path, the farther you get from success. Besides, I can't lead the Kirigakure we have now to victory in this war. It's unrealistic. I can't do it."
Yoru spoke calmly. "Minato Namikaze and