Meanwhile, Kakashi, who had been racing along with his Anbu team, once again reached the familiar border between Konoha and Kirigakure. There, he spotted a shapely figure he could hardly call unfamiliar leaning against a tree trunk ahead, seemingly waiting for him.
"At last, I managed to catch you again, busy man."
Mei Terumi chuckled and walked toward Kakashi. With her alluring face and deliberately lowered voice, she radiated temptation from head to toe.
Kakashi, however, looked helpless. "I rushed here day and night as soon as I got the news in Konoha, but you were already waiting for me. It seems... things aren't that simple?"
At his words, Mei Terumi glanced behind him.
"Wait here for a moment."
Understanding her meaning, Kakashi gave the Anbu following him their instructions, then followed Mei Terumi to a secluded corner.
"What happened?"
"As soon as Lord Mizukage returned, he placed Lord Genji under house arrest."
Mei Terumi dropped her languid manner and spoke to Kakashi with a serious expression.
"A power grab?"
"No. After Lord Mizukage returned, Lord Genji stepped aside voluntarily without any argument. But even after Lord Genji handed control back to him, he was still placed under house arrest."
"And it wasn't just Lord Genji. Several senior officials in Kirigakure who spoke up for him were confined too. The Fourth never treated the people in the village particularly well before, but he always respected Lord Genji.
"To be honest, if Ao hadn't confirmed that he really was the Fourth Mizukage, we would have suspected someone was impersonating him."
Watching Kakashi's thoughtful expression, Mei Terumi warned him, "Be careful. Lord Mizukage was missing for so long, and he came back like a completely different person. Everyone in the village is afraid for their own safety, and they can't help remembering