Kazuyama Gekkō, who had already charged into the town, instantly dispelled his Transparent Escape Technique and used a Transformation Technique to disguise himself as a "pirate."
Then, grinning widely, he dashed toward a nearby jewelry store, bellowing:
"Pack up all the jewels for me!"
"Hurry up! You bastard shopkeeper, do you want me to tie you up, hang you from our ship's bow, and let the sharks gnaw you to Haku bones?"
"And you lot! Hiding in a jewelry store? Hand over everything valuable you're wearing!"
"Don't make me do it myself!"
He slipped into character in a second—nothing short of perfect! Kazuyama perfectly embodied the essence of a ruthless bandit. He was now a tiger descending the mountain, his true nature laid bare.
In no time, he had ransacked the entire jewelry store inside and out. Shouldering a bulging sack, his face was plastered with a grin. These were jewels! Valuable stuff!
Meanwhile, everyone inside the store trembled in fear. All they had left were the clothes on their backs—money, jewelry, watches—all gone.
"Terrifying! Are these pirates insane? He even snatched my glasses!"
"Without my glasses, I can't see a thing... Guys, what's going on now?"
A squinting man shuddered in lingering fear. He truly hadn't expected a pirate to be so ruthless.
The man beside him, who had also hidden, patted his shoulder in consolation and explained why the pirate had snatched his glasses.
"Buddy, learn your lesson. Why wear gold-rimmed glasses for no reason?"
"Couldn't you just get something plainer? Look at how that pirate reacted to the gold—he'd rather kill three thousand by mistake than let one slip away..."
"Sigh, we can't stay in the Land of Water any longer... It's too chaotic."
Hearing this, everyone couldn't help but sigh. Losing money was one thing, but losing their lives? That would be the end. To save their skins, they decided to leave the Land of Water overnight.
"Tsk tsk, they've already started fighting over there."
"Whoa, that water dragon... Whoa, that lightning... If this were just some ordinary pirates, I'd write my name backwards!"
Kazuyama, shouldering his large pack, found a secluded spot to store his belongings into scrolls. Just as he stepped out, he saw a fierce battle erupting nearby. Water surged, lightning flashed—the spectacle was intense.
But none of that concerned him. His goal was to loot as much as possible.
"Hey, buddy, which crew are you with?"
Suddenly, two figures appeared behind him, dressed like him—also "pirates."
Kazuyama glanced at them but didn't respond. Instead, he scolded them in exasperation.
"What the hell is wrong with you guys?!"
"Can't you see the fight over there?!"
"Hurry up and loot!"
Faced with his scolding, the two "pirates" froze for a moment. But then it hit them—he was right. Their captain and the others were fighting hard, and here they were dawdling around. Ugh, how unworthy! They were elite members of Kumo!
"Bro, you're spot on! Thanks a bunch. Hey, hey, hey, Hastor, let's get looting!"
"There's a jewelry store over there? That's the one!"
Hearing they were heading for the jewelry store, Kazuyama intercepted them again.
"Don't go there. I've already looted it clean."
"You two move ahead. We'll split up!"
Seeing the scroll in Kazuyama's hands, the two brothers' eyes flashed with admiration. Look at that—only a ninja from Kumo could move this fast!
"Got it! Thanks, bro!"
The pair heeded Kazuyama's advice and dashed forward.
Kazuyama nearly burst out laughing.
"Kazuyama, you're such a jerk. That's the snack street, right?"
"Don't they even glance at the signs?"
Chōmei was already doubled over laughing. From their vantage point in the sky, they'd already mapped out the entire town's layout.
He was certain—absolutely certain. As a foodie, even though his diet consisted mostly of insects, the fried silkworm pupae, grasshoppers, and scorpions from the snack street were his absolute favorites. Every time they passed by, he'd demand Kazuyama get him some.
So Chōmei held the snack street in high regard.
Hearing Chōmei's words, Kazuyama grinned mischievously and glanced back at the street sign standing by the roadside. For some reason, though, the name on the sign was completely illegible—clearly vandalized.
"I'm just a kind soul. Seeing them all looking so gaunt and emaciated, eating more couldn't hurt."
"Jejeje..."
That laugh—who would believe he wasn't a villain???
...
Meanwhile, in the midst of battle, Biwa Jūzō, one of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist, had gone berserk.
His Kubikiribōchō had already claimed six "pirates," but soon he became the target himself. His opponent was formidable, wielding Lightning Release with masterful skill.
Lightning trumps Water Release—this forced Jūzō into a stalemate, leaving him unable to break free and aid his comrades.
"Damn you, Kumo! How dare you attack my Land of Water so brazenly!"
"Are you tearing up the peace treaty?!"
Jūzō dodged a bolt of lightning. After the recent battle, water stains were everywhere. Water conducts electricity. Even though he'd used chakra to insulate himself from the water's surface, he still felt a tingling sensation on his body.
Facing his furious roar, the "pirate" snorted coldly with disdain.
"What Kumo Hidden?"
"We are the Thunder Pirates!"
"These seas are our domain! Land of Water? We're here to take your Land of Water!"
"Lightning Release! Lightning Strike!"
Words were useless. Fight!
The cross-shaped mark on Jūzō's forehead was practically overflowing, but what could he do? The other side wouldn't admit it—no amount of arguing would change that.
"Damned Kumo Hidden! Take this blade!"
Facing the Lightning Release, he dared not use Water Release, fearing collateral damage, nor could he employ Mist Release—that would only make the looting smoother for the enemy. He was choking on frustration.
The others around him were also fighting fiercely. The Kumo had come prepared this time—numerous in number, split into two groups: one to fight, one to loot. Even with the Mist Hidden guarding the island, it was difficult to defend against.
As for Kazuyama, well, he was practically laughing himself to death.
Though he considered the Northern Three Islands' economy underdeveloped, no one ever complained about free loot. In just a few moments, he'd already raided five shops, including an apothecary.
He'd taken every medicinal herb in sight, including numerous snakeberries. To his astonishment, he even discovered a single Seven-Leaves-One-Branch Flower root in this very shop.
This was the very herb that had helped him conquer the Ryūchi Cave Sage back then!