After three days of travel, Team 11 finally arrived at a small town located at the intersection of the Land of Grass, the Land of Fire, and the Land of Waterfall.
Looking at the slightly familiar Futago Town ahead, Reiji let out a long sigh of relief.
Finally, a place with people. These past three days, he'd nearly been driven mad by Teuchi's constant chatter.
The kid was probably on his first long-distance trip and wouldn't stop asking how much farther it was. No wonder he'd eventually become famous for his ramen in Konoha—with that kind of persistence, how could he not succeed?
Gathering intel was basic stuff taught at the Ninja Academy, so Reiji didn't waste time and gave a direct order.
"Stay together. The three of you gather intel in this town first."
With that, he turned and walked into the town.
Behind him, Teuchi shouted.
"Reiji-sensei, what about you? Aren't you coming with us?"
Reiji quickly waved him off, rejecting the offer with a smile. Seeing him leave, Tsunade crouched down, whispered a few instructions to Rie, and caught up to Reiji.
"Reiji, aren't you going to keep an eye on them?" Tsunade asked.
"I am. My eyes haven't left them."
Even if he was only a half-trained sensor, he was still a sensor-nin.
There were quite a few ninja in this town, but very few who could actually threaten those three.
Besides, Reiji had placed Flying Thunder God markers on all of them.
Most importantly—taking care of kids? That's what clones are for! Why do it yourself?
...
While Reiji walked away, Rie and the others entered the small town.
"Boss Rie, what should we do first?" Teuchi asked eagerly as he followed her.
"Eat."
Rie muttered, her eyes scanning the busy street without drawing attention. Then she led the way into a simple little izakaya.
Teuchi and Fugaku Uchiha followed—not because Rie was the oldest, but because she was seriously strong.
Raised with little oversight, Rie feared nothing… except math.
Inside the izakaya, Rie waved like an old-timer.
"Five grilled chicken skewers and two pickled plum rice balls!"
She sat down first, signaling Teuchi and Fugaku to order too.
Soon, the food arrived.
Just then, a thug-looking man leaned on their table, a sleazy grin plastered across his face as he stared at Rie.
"Hey little girl, that all you're eating?"
He casually grabbed one of Rie's rice balls and weighed it disdainfully in his hand.
"Why not come sit with big bro here? I'll treat you to something better."
Rie glanced at the forehead protector on his head—Land of Grass—and sighed.
"You're right, big bro. There really is something wrong with the world. Why are idiots like you everywhere?"
"What'd you say?" The Kusa ninja leaned in closer, grinning lewdly.
In an instant, Rie's face went cold as she activated her jutsu silently in her mind.
Lightning Release Armor—on!
Sparks crackled violently around her body.
At the same time, her right hand shot out and clamped around the ninja's neck, too fast for the eye to follow.
Then she stood and slammed him to the ground.
"You dumbass, see the forehead protector on my head? I'm a Konoha ninja!
Look me in the eye, you bastard!"
Before her words finished echoing, seven or eight Kusa ninja at a nearby table stood up, shouting in crude voices.
"@#￥%... Let go of our guy!"
"You little brat! This is the Land of Grass, and you dare lay hands on one of ours?!"
"You little wench's got a real temper!"
Teuchi jumped up in a panic. Though clearly flustered, he stood firm beside Rie, keeping watch on the Kusa ninja.
Fugaku Uchiha, while shocked by Rie's speed, stood shoulder-to-shoulder with her as well.
Rie scanned the group of angry Kusa ninja and the guy she was choking, his face now flushed bright red. Her brows furrowed—and she tightened her grip.
Crack!
The sharp sound silenced the entire izakaya.
The ninja pinned beneath her lay dead, his neck grotesquely twisted.
Onlookers instinctively recoiled, seeing the small girl who had just killed without hesitation.
Damn… this girl's brutal.
They had no idea. Rie had once watched her father tied up and her mother brutalized right before her eyes. The darkness in her heart was terrifying.
If it hadn't been for Reiji, she'd be either dead—or worse, a violent extremist.
The fact that she was still standing here was already proof of Reiji's efforts to help her heal.
...
Rie rose slowly and faced the other ninja. Without a word, she began forming hand seals.
The Kusa ninja flinched, then moved in unison—drawing weapons and charging from all directions.
"Fire Release: Great Flame Bullet!"
A massive surge of flames erupted from Rie's hands, expanding rapidly in the wind.
In a flash, the entire izakaya was engulfed in fire.
The Kusa ninja turned pale. This girl didn't look old, but her speed and chakra reserves were insane—better than most Chūnin.
"Water Release: Water Formation Wall!"
A panicked shout came from within the blaze.
A huge torrent of water surged up, shielding the Grass ninja.
Water met fire, unleashing thick clouds of steam.
"Hmph." Rie snorted coldly, hands already forming more seals.
She didn't know many advanced jutsu—but her massive chakra reserves meant she could spam what she did know endlessly.
"Water Release: Water Syrup Gun!"
Pfft!
"Water Release: Water Candy Bullet Barrage!"
Pft pft pft pft!
"Earth Release: Sticky Mudfall!"
"Earth Release: Dropping Lid!"
Teuchi and Fugaku stared, dumbstruck, as Rie turned into a one-girl ninjutsu artillery unit, launching a barrage of bizarre techniques at breakneck speed.
First, massive globs of sticky spit.
Then smaller spit balls fired like bullets.
Then gooey mud rained down from the sky.
And finally—a giant turtle-shaped pot lid crashed down, smashing the entire izakaya to rubble.
...
From a nearby hiding spot, Reiji peeked through his fingers, utterly broken.
This… this… THIS!
I taught this girl Earth Release and this is what she comes up with?!
Fireballs, spit attacks, mud drops, and falling cookware!
Rie, what is WRONG with you?!
Beside him, Tsunade's pupils dilated, her face filled with unfiltered shock.
This little girl—she'd become a full-blown ninjutsu maniac in just a short time.
And her jutsu weren't just flashy. Their power was the real deal.