Sure enough, when Kazuyama Gekkō informed the four youngsters that Kumogakure had already begun their operation, their reactions couldn't have been more different.
Obito: "Yay! Finally, a proper fight!"
Kakashi: "Got it. Doesn't matter how many show up."
Shisui: "Sensei, I'll be careful."
Rin: "Okay, I got it. But, um, Sensei... if they come, can I rob them?"
Goodness. When Rin shyly voiced her desire to rob these Kumo ninja, Kazuyama Gekkō felt he saw his younger self in her—the one who used to enjoy robbing others. Beneath their harmless exteriors lay a shared delight in mischief.
He never would have guessed that the usually quiet Rin Nohara would awaken this trait—a love for the thrill of robbery. Given the situation, what else could he say? He could only leave with a "Do as you see fit," then vanish from the spot.
"Tsk tsk, Kazuyama, did you see that?"
"Your disciple is carrying on your legacy, one trait at a time."
"Hahahaha! A little girl who loves robbery? If word gets out, where will you hang your head as her sensei?"
As soon as he left, Chōmei's mocking voice followed. Kazuyama Gekkō could only sigh in resignation. After all, he never expected Rin Nohara to awaken such an unusual trait.
If anyone was meant for robbery, it should have been Obito. That guy was a gambler—when he ran out of money, wouldn't he just have to steal? Yet here we were, with Rin, who'd always been a Medical-nin, turning into a bandit. Ah, life is full of surprises.
...
Returning to his surveillance post, he observed that Kumo had dispatched ten teams, each consisting of three members. Deploying so many teams at once for reconnaissance clearly revealed the Kumo leadership's deep anxiety.
It made sense—their own supplies were running dry. How could they not be anxious? Two teams were stationed on each of the four roads leading out of the village, while another two headed straight for the coastal city.
"Heh heh heh, Kumo has no idea just how vast a net I've woven for them."
"Kazuyama, are you certain your disciples can handle all of them?"
"Absolutely. As long as they don't deploy thirty Jōnin, there won't be any issues. Even if they do deploy thirty Jōnin, with Kinrin and the others present, it won't be a problem."
Kazuyama Gekkō was well aware of the combat prowess of the four young ones. Even Rin Nohara wouldn't fail—he was currently hovering above her deployment location.
The two sides had already clashed.
This time, Rin Nohara used only three clones. Including her true form, the four of them directly intercepted two squads. Battle was imminent.
"Just as the Lord Raikage and the others said—bandits lurk outside the village!"
"Only four? Take them down and return to claim our reward!"
The six Kumo ninja showed no awareness of the gravity of the situation. They genuinely believed the bandits before them were ordinary thieves and charged headlong into the fray.
A faint smile touched Rin Nohara's lips as she clenched her fists and roared,
"This tree I planted! This path I carved!"
"Wish to pass? Leave your life and treasure behind!"
After shouting the rallying cry, she planted her feet and launched forward like a rocket.
Above, Kazuyama Gekkō, hearing this familiar rhyming slogan, choked on his breath.
"Cough cough cough..."
"Where on earth did she learn this stuff???"
"Hahahaha, Kazuyama, your apprentice is quite something. That chakra usage reminds me of someone."
Chōmei, like Kazuyama Gekkō, was observing the battle below through his Hive Mind.
Rin Nohara had already engaged her opponent. She raised her right fist and slammed it into the ground. The punch, saturated with dense chakra, instantly shattered the earth.
Not only did Chōmei recognize it, but Kazuyama Gekkō did too. Damn it, this was Tsunade's brute strength! Had this brat learned that too?
Brute Strength is the ability to amplify the destructive power of physical techniques through precise chakra control. It isn't a specific jutsu or taijutsu, but rather a method based on meticulous chakra manipulation.
To unleash this terrifying power, one must concentrate chakra with extreme precision within the body, then release it in a single explosive burst during combat to achieve explosive force.
"BOOM!"
As Rin Nohara's fist struck, the battlefield instantly filled with smoke and dust.
"Fire Release: Fire Whirlwind!"
"Water Release: Thousand Water Blades!"
The next second, the smoke ignited, a massive fire tornado erupting from the ground, trapping the six ninjas within. Simultaneously, countless senbon launched a precise barrage.
Fire and water clashed, and Rin Nohara instantly ignited the battle into a white-hot frenzy.
"Damn it! These aren't ordinary bandits!"
"Zaku, defend! The rest of you counterattack!"
"Water Release: Water Formation Wall!"
"Explosive Tag!"
The sudden shift made the six ninjas realize their opponent wasn't just common bandits, but fellow ninjas like themselves. No, different. Their strength was clearly superior.
"Oh dear, oh dear, why resist? Wouldn't it be better to hand over the money quietly?"
"Take this punch!"
Watching the uncooperative ninjas, Rin Nohara's face twisted into a wicked grin. Robbery was meant to be like this—those who resist deserved a brutal beating! That would make them hand over the money willingly!
A fist packed with monstrous strength appeared before one ninja in an instant.
"BOOM!"
The punch landed, sending the ninja straight to dreamland. And that was with her holding back—if she'd unleashed the full force of that monstrous punch, it could've killed the ninja outright.
"Holy crap, what kind of power is that?"
The Kumo ninjas watched their comrade get knocked flying by that single punch, and they all felt uneasy. After all, what kind of force could send someone flying like that?
They weren't strangers to such power—precisely because they'd seen it before did it strike such fear. That was the kind of strength only the highest ranks of Kumo possessed.
"You bandits! Are you declaring war on Kumogakure?"
The sheer force of that single punch instantly crushed any thought of resistance in their minds.
Seeing them retreat, Rin Nohara smiled faintly. She knew her punch had served its purpose as a deterrent.
She had already analyzed the bandits' entire psychological makeup over the past few days. They sought wealth, not lives—after all, what was a human worth? Money was far more straightforward.
"Hand over every last coin and possession, and you may leave."
"Fine, we'll give it!"
The remaining five Kumo ninja grimaced, but faced with her overwhelming strength, they had no choice but to swallow their pride.
Once Rin Nohara collected all their valuables, she waved them off with a satisfied gesture. The group visibly relaxed, ready to leave—only to be called back by Rin Nohara's voice.