"What do we do?"
Ōnoki spoke quietly, his brows tightly furrowed.
Helplessness and wariness covered his aging face as his gaze slowly shifted toward the Fourth Raikage beside him.
The two briefly exchanged glances.
At that moment, no words were needed. They could see the conflict and anxiety in each other's eyes.
Their situation was painfully awkward.
-Attack? That would be suicide.
-Retreat? That would make them look weak and cost them every shred of dignity.
The power Yemu had displayed had long since exceeded everyone's understanding of the word "shinobi."
He alone could rival a nation; a single word from him could decide the world's fate.
The once formidable Akatsuki had crumbled in his hands as easily as clay dolls.
Now, even those who styled themselves "Kage" seemed reduced to stray dogs by the roadside before this silver-haired youth.
They were stuck, unable to advance or retreat.
If they forced themselves to fight now, their so-called "Shinobi Alliance Army" would probably be wiped out in less than half an hour.
But if they surrendered and handed over their villages...
That would mean the complete collapse of the Shinobi World's order. The Five Great Nations would cease to exist.
Finally, Ōnoki broke the silence first.
Gritting his teeth, he decided to switch tactics-to talking his way out.
"Yemu, I think your idea is excellent. Unifying the Shinobi World is something we all hope for."
Ōnoki smiled, forcing a measure of friendliness onto his face. His voice sounded seasoned yet sincere.
"So we've decided to go back and discuss it first."
"What does everyone think?"
As he spoke, nearly every muscle in Ōnoki's face twitched.
But he had no choice. At a time like this, his life obviously mattered more than his pride.
The Fifth Mizukage, Mei Terumi, was no fool