Meanwhile, Xin (now armed with Samehada) had placed several layers of seals on the sword and wrapped it in bandages. From that day onward, he was officially one of those ninjas who carried around heavy weapons to slice through his enemies.
Several days passed by in relative peace; the ocean was calm, and no enemies showed up. It was obvious that Mist Village hadn't yet realized one of their patrol squads had disappeared.
"Master Gengetsu, the team led by Fuguki Suikazan hasn't returned as scheduled. No word has been received from them either," a Mist Village ninja reported gravely.
Upon realizing that Fuguki's patrol team had failed to return, Mist Village finally began to take the situation seriously.
"Summon Yagura to me," Gengetsu commanded, his expression darkening.
"Yes, sir," the ninja responded, hurrying to carry out the order.
It wasn't long before Yagura arrived to meet with Gengetsu. In Mist Village, Elder Gengetsu's authority was almost equal to that of the Third Mizukage. Many of the village's affairs were handled by him personally, unlike in Konoha, where even minor issues were reported to the Hokage.
Yagura, who was being groomed to become the next Mizukage, entered with respect.
"Master Gengetsu," Yagura greeted, his small figure standing tall despite the weight of the weapon strapped to his back, which was far too large for his stature.
"You've come. How is the Mizukage's health?" Gengetsu inquired, setting down the documents he had been reading and motioning for Yagura to sit.
Yagura took a seat and replied, "After treatment, the Mizukage's condition has improved, but..."
He hesitated, reluctant to finish the sentence, knowing that what he was about to say might reflect poorly on the Mizukage.
"His temper has been getting worse, hasn't it?" Gengetsu finished for him.
Yagura nodded. "He's sacrificed two ANBU members without batting an eye. It's as if he no longer cares about the lives of the village's shinobi."
"Sigh..." Gengetsu let out a heavy sigh.
No one was sure when exactly it had begun, but the Third Mizukage's temper had become increasingly unpredictable. He was prone to sudden outbursts that kept the entire village on edge. Many shinobi had lost their lives for reasons they barely understood.
"Age has caught up with the Mizukage," Gengetsu remarked. Then, without lingering on the subject, he handed a scroll to Yagura.
"Take a look at this," He said.
Yagura opened the scroll and carefully studied its contents. When he had finished, he closed it again and said, "Master Gengetsu, I'll personally take a team to investigate. Please take care of yourself. The village can't do without you."
With that, Yagura gathered a squad and set out from Mist Village, heading toward the area where Fuguki's team had been assigned to patrol.