Chōmei began exerting his power, while Kazuyama Gekkō was no slacker either.
"Water Release: Wave Giant!"
"Water Release: Great Waterfall Technique!"
"Water Release: Violent Water Colliding Wave!"
Leveraging the terrain, Kazuyama Gekkō operated like a perpetual motion machine, frantically unleashing Water Release techniques. Once the water giants materialized, they got to work, their massive forms propelling the surging waves forward.
The other techniques were no different—they all charged headlong toward the land. The focus was sheer scale, aiming to unleash a tsunami.
"Kazuyama, you bastard! I'm still in the ocean!"
"Damn it! This deluge of water! You've gone too far!"
Chōmei, still churning in the ocean, bore the brunt of the assault first. He'd been having a blast until these waves smashed him flat.
Kazuyama Gekkō's current chakra and ninjutsu quality were worlds apart from the young Karami of old. It was unquestionably Kage-level quality, especially his chakra volume. After triggering his passive ability, it rivaled that of a Tailed Beast. It could be said he'd already surpassed Kisame Hoshigaki, becoming the first human-shaped Tailed Beast.
As for raw power? Well, that goes without saying. He was definitely stronger than the Third Mizukage back in the day. The pupil surpassing the master, after all.
"Hahahaha, Chōmei! I'm giving you a free shower here, and you're complaining?"
"If it were anyone else, I'd charge them through the nose!"
Chōmei nearly choked on Kazuyama Gekkō's shameless remark, but then he thought, hey, it's been years. What kind of person is Kazuyama Gekkō? He knew him well enough. Arguing with him over this was just courting trouble.
Under the frenzied actions of man and insect, the once-calm sea transformed into a massive tsunami scene. Through the Hive Mind's observation, salvage boats near the coast began retreating. Witnessing this, Kazuyama Gekkō couldn't help but chuckle.
"Fishing operations suspended for now."
"Summoning Technique!"
But that wasn't all. Kazuyama Gekkō bit his thumb, smearing the blood across his right arm. He then channeled his chakra and unleashed a Summoning Technique. Such a formal procedure made it clear this summoning held no good intentions.
The next second, white smoke billowed from the sea as dozens of massive sea serpents materialized before him.
"Hehehe, the Ryūchi Cave is the gathering place for all snakes worldwide. These sea serpents finally have a purpose."
"Go! Seal off this entire sea area. No one is to go out fishing!"
Disasters and calamities always come in pairs. With the tsunami already unleashed, adding a few giant snakes was hardly a stretch.
"Whoa! So many snakes!"
"Kazuyama, you're thoroughly wicked. Sea snakes this size? Even the Kumo's elite squad would struggle to handle them."
"Tsk tsk. As expected, you're the one you shouldn't mess with. Too wicked."
Chōmei suddenly surfaced from the sea, a trace of surprise still on his face. Clearly, the appearance of over a dozen sea serpents had startled even him. With such colossal sea serpents entering the waters, it could be said this entire sea had fallen completely under their dominion.
"This is just the beginning."
"Fishing is merely one aspect."
"Cutting off all supplies to Kumogakure is the key."
Kazuyama Gekkō's gaze swept toward the distant land. He trusted his four disciples would not disappoint him.
...
At the same moment, at the western pass of Kumogakure.
"A merchant caravan?"
"Sorry, but for the sensei's plan, you won't be passing through."
Guarding this point was the sole female member of the four-person squad, Nohara Rin. Having dedicated herself to Medical Ninjutsu, she had become an exceptional healer. Yet this did not mean her other skills were lacking.
In fact, her mastery of Medical Ninjutsu had sharpened her chakra control, allowing even minor techniques to unleash formidable power in her hands. After all, she had trained under two legendary masters: Pakura and Tsunade.
"Sister Kinrin, hide yourself. I'll intercept them."
"Don't you need my help?"
"Heh heh heh, no need. Just a merchant caravan. Shadow Clone Technique."
Of course, Rin Nohara wouldn't go alone. After all, robbing a caravan solo just looked off. Using clones to maintain appearances was a reliable tactic, and she didn't forget to employ Transformation Technique either.
Soon, a band of masked bandits charged toward the caravan.
On the caravan side.
"Captain, once we deliver this shipment, can we finally get some rest?"
"Hahaha! What? Tired already?"
"You bet. Running these transport missions nonstop is exhausting. I'm really missing those little girls."
"You bastard! Look at your petty ambitions! Delivering goods to Kumogakure is a goldmine—how could we possibly do it just once?"
In the Land of Lightning, every merchant guild knew the unspoken truth: doing business with Kumogakure guaranteed massive profits. After all, backed by the Land of Lightning's Daimyō's Manor, Kumogakure enjoyed immense support—both financial and manpower. The commissions they paid were incredibly generous.
"Heh, that's true. This whole shipment is just daily necessities. Otherwise, we wouldn't be making this much money."
Their caravan consisted of over ten carts.
But soon, their laughter faded.
"Fire Release: Blazing Fire Technique!"
A cold voice pierced the ears of all the workers. The next instant, the entire convoy was engulfed in flames.
"What's happening! Bandits?"
"No! That's a ninjutsu? Someone's robbing us!"
The captain was the first to react, his face twisting with terror and confusion.
Robberies were rare in the Land of Lightning. After all, it was a nation that revered martial prowess and power above all else. Compounded by the presence of Kumogakure, the very concept of banditry as a profession was virtually nonexistent within the nation.
How had they stumbled upon such a situation?
"Hehehe, quite the haul. Looks like we'll be making a tidy profit this time."
"Leave the goods behind. You may go."
Having never engaged in such activities before, Rin Nohara could only recall her sensei's words and cobble together a few sentences. Surprisingly, the way she delivered them did carry a certain air of ruthless banditry.
Crucially, after uttering those words, Rin felt an unexpected tinge of satisfaction.
Startled, she quickly composed herself. She was a healer—how could she derive pleasure from robbery? No, no, this was utterly wrong.
Fortunately, her teacher, Kazuyama Gekkō, remained unaware. Otherwise, she'd surely hear: "Tsk tsk. Just as expected—you learn what you learn from."
Kakashi was currently focused solely on self-improvement, but behind the scenes, he'd already started poring over quite a few books—clearly indulging in some rather... questionable material.
Obito? A regular at the gambling dens, though his luck at the tables was nothing to write home about.
Now even Rin had been corrupted by him, developing a taste for robbery. Truly, she was carrying on her teacher's "virtues" in the most glorious way possible.