"You're pretty bold, aren't you?"
"I'm known for being bold. Did you think I'd be too scared to even say something like that, then keep scheming behind everyone's backs and hurting Kirigakure's interests?!"
The moment Mei Terumi heard Bai Ye's words, she couldn't help firing back.
She still wasn't entirely convinced!
What was Bai Ye trying to say?!
What did he mean, I was pretty bold?!
Though, thinking back on the situation, she did feel she had been rather bold.
But wasn't that a strange thing for Bai Ye to say?!
Even if I were a coward, I'd never have done anything to hurt Kirigakure's interests back then!
Was I supposed to sabotage things in secret?
Then propose becoming Konoha's lackey once Kirigakure had nowhere left to turn?!
What a joke!
Mei Terumi would never have proposed that whole series of demands.
She wasn't an idiot. Joining while Kirigakure still had something to offer meant joining as a partner, even if it was weaker than Konoha.
It would still be an alliance between two powerful sides, and Kirigakure would have more say after joining.
But if they waited until Kirigakure had been worn down to the level of a tiny nation...
Then Kirigakure would have nothing left to offer.
Once it was of no use to Bai Ye...
How could Mei Terumi not know what would happen then?!
Looking at it that way, she naturally preferred the former.
Especially after Konoha's latest moves in the shinobi world.
They had only strengthened Mei Terumi's resolve.
In her eyes, Konoha was already soaring.
And it had already begun taking action. Her hesitation would do Kirigakure no good.
There was no one in the shinobi world capable of dealing with Konoha anymore.
Mei Terumi had seen all of this for herself.
She had