When Uchiha Yorin said that, Mei Terumi—snapping back to awareness—got so worked up she fainted on the spot.
Pakura watched with unexpected sympathy in her eyes.
…
At first, Mei had led troops to ambush her and nearly finished her off—Pakura had every reason to be furious, to hate the girl's guts.
But seeing Mei this unlucky now, with her own great vengeance freshly won, Pakura couldn't help feeling a little sorry for her.
In the end, the real villain was Sunagakure. Mei had merely been Kiri's tool to execute the plan.
Besides, over a hundred other Kiri shinobi had been cut down by Uchiha Yorin. Her revenge was served.
And after Yorin's little production, everyone in Kirigakure would surely brand Mei a lifelong enemy.
At the bounty office, Mei's head would surpass S-class. Every merc and rogue-nin would want it.
And even if Kiri changed hands—if Yagura really got crushed and recycled off—the new Mizukage wouldn't spare Mei either.
Internal chaos is one thing—but you broadcasting our dirty laundry to the world, making everyone laugh at Kiri? Unforgivable.
If we don't grind you to dust, how does a Mizukage sit easy?
…
Imagining Mei bearing all of Kiri's hatred with no retreat—ambush around every corner, living like a Warring States shinobi—Pakura felt genuine pity.
"That leaves her with only one path—straight into the dark."
Pakura thought, "Right now, Mei probably wants Uchiha Yorin to win more than anyone.
If Uchiha Yorin can topple Kirigakure entirely, Mei can sleep easy."
Then she laughed at herself.
What a joke. Even the weakest, silliest of the Five Great Villages is still a great village. How exactly is Uchiha Yorin going to win? I'm thinking too much.
…
While Pakura pondered, Mei Terumi slowly came to.
Credit to the future Fifth Mizukage—though she'd been out for a while, her head still worked. Everything Pakura thought through, Mei arrived at as well.
So the moment she woke, she darted at Uchiha Yorin like a fledgling returning to the nest—
Not to fight him—but to hug his leg as fast as possible, rubbing against it with tears streaming down, and sob:
"Yorin-nii, I did everything you said—you can't abandon me!"
Uchiha Yorin: "Don't worry."
He stroked her red hair gently and said, "As long as you behave, I'll protect you to the end. I won't sell you off at the drop of a hat like those heartless Suna types."
Watching from the side, Pakura took a stray hit—clutching her chest, she felt a stab of pain.
Mei climbed right up that ladder. Whatever her usual temperament—and however calm she might become a decade from now—for now she was young and green. She nodded hard without hesitation:
"Mm! I'll be good. I'll listen. Whatever Yorin-nii wants me to do, I'll do!"
Seeing it, Tsunade didn't even have the energy to roll her eyes or fake another cough.
"Forget it."
On reflection, she'd gotten reeled in by Uchiha Yorin the same way.
And, on further reflection, more girls would end up reeled in the same way.
That thought hit Tsunade like a truck—crisis mode. She couldn't help wondering if she should be more proactive—make sure he felt her feminine charm more…
Look at Mei: maybe not better face or figure than herself, but the styling was way spicier—low-cut top, eye-covering bangs, polished nails, glossy lips, hip-swaying walk—enough to overwhelm a young man.
By comparison, she was in a green robe and capris—like a middle-aged uncle. Good thing her looks can carry; otherwise she'd disappear into a crowd.
And Pakura too—trendy highlights, open-back outfit—no wonder. Who's to say why Yorin rescued her?
"What if I combine Mei's low neckline with Pakura's open back? Is that too shameless? Then wear it in private—'victory lingerie,' so to speak."
Not actual lingerie, but still.
…
The girls around Yorin had different thoughts—some he noticed, some he didn't. Either way, he didn't care much.
Compared to all that, the thrill of recruiting two high-level powerhouses in one go was far more satisfying:
"So—my comrades!"
He spread his arms and addressed his followers in a ringing voice: "A new era is dawning—the morning light is on your faces. A greater world—peaceful, equal—opens before you!
"Once, Uchiha Madara and Senju Hashirama ended the Warring States and founded the age of ninja villages.
"What we must do is go further—end all war and strife!
"We, Akatsuki, will build a better world!
"No hunger—no slaughter—no darkness—no sin!
"To do this, we will do terrible things, extreme things—things many will call madness!
"We will be hated. They will call us monsters and demons!
"We will strike the nobles, kill the daimyo, seize their land and wealth, and found an empire ruled by shinobi!
"They will say we're mad, say we're wrong.
"It doesn't matter. If it buys a better world, we'll swallow all the slander with a smile!
"Each generation has its mission.
"Ours is to do the hard work."
…
In front of his followers, Uchiha Yorin no longer hid his desire or his ambition.
He came to this world to be emperor.
Damn the daimyo, damn the Five Great Villages, damn Ōtsutsuki Kaguya—
When the mood takes me, I'll grind you all to dust.
Hee-hee, hee-hee, hee-hee-hee-hee, hahaha, ke-ke-ke-ke-ke…
In high spirits, Uchiha Yorin returned to his loyal Amegakure—as Akatsuki's leader.
Back in Ame, it was like coming home—no knocking, he pushed the door open and shouted:
"Nagato! Big haul! I just found two Kage-class powerhouses to bolster our foundation—surprised? Shocked?"