Mei Terumi responded loudly, "We are all here, what do you want to do?"
"Surrender without killing!"
Shikamaru was surrounded by Neji, Ya and Choji to protect him.
"Look at Kisame Hoshigaki and Zabuza Momochi around you! They are the best role models!"
Shikamaru reached out and pointed to Kisame and Zabuza who had already put away their swords but still exuded a strong sense of oppression.
Although the two were once Kirigakure's S-class Rogue Ninja, now standing in the Konoha camp, they appear to be extremely "harmonious", even with a kind of calmness of "abandoning the dark and turning to the bright".
"They were once Ninja of Kirigakure, and they were once enemies of Konoha. But now, they have chosen a wiser path and chosen to follow the true peace and future!"
Shikamaru's voice rose a little higher and he began to draw a blueprint.
"As long as you put down your weapons and take refuge in Konoha, Konoha promises not only to ensure your personal safety, but also to fully support Kirigakure's post-war reconstruction and development.
Konoha will help Kirigakure recover and let the people of Kirigakure live a better life!"
He paused and his tone became more sincere. "We Konoha are launching this war not to conquer and destroy, but to end Shinobi World's decades-long cycle of war and hatred, and to establish a new order of true unity, peace, and prosperity!
Dear Kirigakure, you are also Ninja, and you have also experienced the pain of war. Don't you want to see your children grow up in a world without war?
Don't you want Kirigakure to get rid of the shadow of 'Bloody Mist Village' and truly embrace the sunshine?
Surrender! For yourselves and for the future of Kirigakure!"
Shikamaru's words are not only a tactic to attack people's hearts, but also partly represent Naruto's conception of post-war governance.
Conquest by force and assimilation with gentleness go hand in hand.
He tried to use more practical and ambitious reasons such as "survival", "future" and "peace" to disintegrate the last fighting spirit of Kirigakure's remnant army and avoid an unnecessary final bloody battle.
Just when Shikamaru finished singing "White Face" and was trying to create an atmosphere of "put down your weapons and have a bright future", a plain voice sounded just right, took over and started singing "Red Face".
Shino Aburame, standing next to Sasuke, pushed up his sunglasses:
"Shikamaru, what nonsense are you talking to them about."
His tone was calm, as if he was talking about a trivial matter that had nothing to do with him.
"Kirigakure has been captured by me and Sasuke."
Shino looked through his sunglasses and calmly glanced at those Kirigakure Ninja, "If you persist here, it has no strategic significance."
He paused and added the most crucial sentence, like an ultimatum:
"You have no way out."
This sentence, like a basin of ice water, extinguished some illusions that Shikamaru's words may have brought. Shino used the most direct and coldest facts to tear away the last trace of "fighting for the village" and "maybe there is hope" in Kirigakure Ninja's heart.
The core of the village has fallen. Their battle here, apart from increasing unnecessary casualties and delaying time, can no longer change any outcome. They really have no way to retreat - in front of them is the vast sea and the Konoha army, behind and behind are Sasuke Uchiha and Susanoo, and they are also surrounded on both sides.
Shikamaru gives the way out and hope after surrender.
Shino points out the desperate situation and inevitable outcome of stubborn resistance to the end.
One is soft and the other is hard, one is pulling and one is beating, one is giving hope and the other is cutting off the escape route.
This classic "red and white face" tactical combination is old-fashioned but easy to use.
The look of despair on the faces of many Kirigakure Ninja became even stronger, and the hands holding the weapons began to tremble slightly, and there was obvious wavering and struggle in their eyes. Some people looked at their companions around them, seeming to communicate with their eyes; others lowered their heads dejectedly, their fighting spirit dissipating at a speed visible to the naked eye.
Of course, there are still die-hards who have an unyielding Flames burning in their eyes and are ready to fight to the death. But the general trend has obviously begun to tilt in the direction guided by Shikamaru and Shino.
Sasuke stood among Susanoo, overlooking all this from a high position, saying nothing about the cooperation of Shikamaru and Shino, but the cold killing intent was still locked on the battlefield, as if silently exerting the final pressure: surrender or die.
The air of the battlefield was frozen in a strange silence and confrontation.
The Kirigakure remnant army is facing the final choice.
Mei Terumi suppressed the confusion in his heart and despair about the situation, and forced himself to think calmly.
Although she is the current top frontline commander of Kirigakure, she has not yet officially succeeded Fifth Mizukage.
The "surrender" conditions given by Shikamaru sound tempting.
But the premise of all this is that the highest decision-making level of Kirigakure, the elder Genji who controls the real power of Kirigakure, has lost control of the situation, or... has chosen to surrender.
"So," Mei Terumi took a deep breath, his voice penetrated the battlefield clearly and firmly, and he looked at Shikamaru with a burning gaze, and also swept across Sasuke and Shino in the distance, "What happened to you, Mr. Genji? We want to see Mr. Genji!"
Genji's attitude is the most critical factor that determines whether Kirigakure will fight or surrender, and its future direction.
If Genji is still there and ordered to resist to the end, then even if the core area of the village falls, these remnants of the army still have the righteous duty to "fight to the death under the orders of Elder". Even if they are eventually destroyed, they have fulfilled the duty of Ninja.
If Genji had... or made a different decision, then the situation would be completely different.
Hearing Mei Terumi's sudden question, Sasuke and Shino looked at each other.
Both of them saw a hint of... confusion in each other's eyes.
Who is Genji?
Their brief silence and subtle expressions were interpreted as having another meaning in the eyes of Mei Terumi, who had been staring at their reactions.
The flame of hope suddenly surged in Mei Terumi's heart!
'They didn't respond right away. They even looked a little... confused?'
Mei Terumi's heart beat violently.
'Are... are they bluffing? Kirigakure has not been completely defeated at all? Lord Genji may still be commanding somewhere, or has organized an effective counterattack? Mizukage Building's 'fall' may be just a local battle situation, or even a lie on their part?'
Once this idea arises, it is difficult to contain it.
If the village is really intact and Genji is still there, then their resistance here is still meaningful, and may even be buying time for the village to fight back.
That means that Shikamaru's persuasion to surrender and Shino's intimidation may be Konoha's psychological tactics in order to end the battle as soon as possible and reduce losses.
"I don't know. We smashed Mizukage Building directly. Maybe he died inside Ruins."
Shino reacted and shouted loudly.
Mei Terumi mentioned Genji at this time, which means that Genji must be a very important person, and Mizukage Building has been destroyed. Regardless of whether Genji is alive or not at this time, he must be a dead person in the mouths of Shino and Sasuke.