The horizon was gradually staining with the fiery hues of sunset as Kanon slowly blinked her bleary eyes open.
She realized she wasn't lying on the cold ground. Feeling the rhythmic sway of movement and a familiar warmth against her back, Kanon nuzzled into the scent she knew so well.
"Itachi-nii..."
"Kanon, are you feeling unwell anywhere?"
"No..."
Detecting that Kanon had finally woken up, Itachi spoke with a hint of lingering tension in his voice.
He had been on his way home from his shift at the Anbu when he noticed a crowd gathered in a circle. Initially, Itachi intended to avoid the commotion and take a shortcut home, but then, through a gap in the crowd, he caught sight of a girl with long, waist-length hair collapsed on the ground.
The pale blue of her clothing had sent a jolt of shock through him; the outfit was far too familiar. It belonged to his younger sister, Kanon.
Pusshing through the crowd with a look of disbelief, he found the black-haired girl lying there, her breathing steady and calm. Only then did Itachi confirm that it was indeed his little sister.
Ever the rationalist, Itachi had quickly checked her condition. Finding that she had simply fallen into a deep sleep, he let out a sigh of relief, hoisted her onto his back, and began the walk home.
"Honestly, how could you just fall asleep in a place like this?" Itachi scolded, feigning irritation.
"I'm sorry... Itachi-nii..."
"Don't ever fall asleep outside again! Understood?"
"I understand..."
Kanon had lost track of time because she was so absorbed in exploring The Encyclopedia of Ninjutsu within her mental landscape. Now that she looked around, the sun had indeed dipped below the horizon, and the surroundings were succumbing to darkness.
"Oh no!" Kanon scratched her head, a look of dread crossing her face.
"What's wrong, Kanon?" Seeing her so panicked made even Itachi tense up.
"Mama told me to be home before sunset. I'm so late... she's going to scold me..."
Itachi shook his head helplessly. "Don't worry. When we get back, I'll tell her I ran into you on my way home and asked you to keep me company for a while. That should cover it."
"Mm! Itachi-nii is the best!" Kanon rested her head happily on Itachi's shoulder, her mind drifting back to the Ninjutsu Tome in her head.
Within that mental space, as long as she desired to learn a technique from the book, it would emit a radiant glow, instantly granting her the knowledge of the jutsu's principles. From there, she only needed to practice to achieve mastery.
The first technique Kanon had chosen to learn was a C-rank jutsu: Wind Release: Wind Cutter Technique. It was a jutsu capable of transforming wind into sharp blades that could slice through flesh and bone in an instant.
However, Kanon's genius lay in her uninhibited imagination. Since her current chakra reserves were meager and required development, she wanted to save chakra by concentrating the wind blade onto her fingertip.
She couldn't test the idea today, though. She would have to find a secluded spot tomorrow.
When they arrived home, Itachi kept his word and covered for her, keeping the fact that she had fainted on the street a secret.
…
The following day.
As usual, Itachi left early. Shortly after breakfast, Sasuke headed out to continue his own training.
But today was different for Kanon. She packed a small bag and prepared to head out herself.
"Kanon-chan, where are you going?" Mikoto asked as she folded laundry, watching Kanon put on her shinobi boots at the entryway.
"I'm going to train, too! I want to catch up to Sasuke-nii!"
Mikoto was clearly taken aback by Kanon's declaration. She watched as the door gently closed and couldn't help but offer a proud smile.
Kanon found a secluded spot backed by a cliff. The area was deserted year-round yet perfectly safe. Here, she began practicing the fingertip version of the C-rank jutsu, Wind Release: Wind Cutter.
Using the chakra refinement method her father had taught her, she began her focus. Slowly, a faint pressure of wind began to gather at her index finger. Success! Kanon felt a surge of joy as she felt the localized pressure.
"Now... release!" Kanon pointed toward a nearby tree.
A blade of wind shot from her hand in a flash. In the blink of an eye, it carved a deep gash into the trunk, but it was accompanied by a spray of crimson blood from Kanon's own finger.
Kanon winced as she looked at the laceration on her hand. "Compressing it that small... I guess it damages the finger too," she muttered, a bit disappointed.
She didn't pay much mind to the blood seeping from the wound. Instead, she examined the mark her jutsu had left.
Satisfied with the depth of the cut on the tree, she nodded and returned to her practice of the Wind Cutter Technique.
But Kanon's training for the day didn't end there. She followed a specialized regimen designed for her by the Ninjutsu Tome.
First came water surface walking at the river, followed by tree climbing, and finally, agility drills and shurikenjutsu practice.
The day's training was grueling, but Kanon endured it all. She had gained so much today; her drive was fueled by the desire to catch up to Sasuke and the dream of one day practicing shuriken alongside Itachi.
By noon, the sun hung high in the center of the sky. Kanon walked to the edge of the cliff, looking out at the distant mountains and the stream below. Her heart felt light and free.
However, people tend to get hungry when they relax. A loud grumble echoed from Kanon's stomach.
"I'm hungry... I should go grab some ramen!" Kanon told herself. She made her way toward the more prosperous districts of Konohagakure. After thirty minutes of walking, she reached a bustling street.
She had heard that a place called Ramen Ichiraku was incredibly famous, so she set off to find it.
As she passed a mask shop, a sudden commotion caught her attention. A young boy with short blonde hair and three whisker-like marks on each cheek came sprinting past. In his haste, he collided with Kanon, knocking her down.
"Ack! Sorry!" Naruto Uzumaki didn't even turn his head, tossing out a quick apology as he dashed toward the mask shop.
Kanon rubbed her backside, standing up with a bit of a pout. But in the next moment, she froze. She was struck by the boy's eyes, which were like brilliant blue jewels.
The boy wore a look of hopeful anticipation. Kanon followed his gaze and saw the blonde-haired child staring longingly at a fox mask hanging on the wall of the shop.
Kanon also noticed the way the passersby were looking at him. She stood her ground and listened to the whispers.
"Look, it's that kid. How disgusting."
"I heard the Fourth Hokage died because of him, you know?"
Hearing the comments, Kanon felt a wave of confusion. Why did everyone harbor such animosity toward this boy?
The cold glares from the villagers felt alien to her. It gave her a sudden, jarring sense of estrangement from her own village. The boy before her was just a child, roughly her own age; why was he subjected to such universal contempt?
"You monster fox! If you want it that badly, just take it!" The shopkeeper barked, ripping the mask off the wall and throwing it violently at Naruto.
"Ow! That hurts..." Naruto groaned in pain.
"Don't hang around my shop! Take the mask and get lost!" the man roared.
Many people witnessed the scene. Though some felt a flicker of sympathy, they chose to remain silent bystanders.
Seeing this, Kanon felt a surge of genuine anger. She pointed at the bystanders and shouted, "What are you all doing?!"
"Why are you just watching? Can't you see a grown-up is bullying him?!"
She was the first to rush forward, helping Naruto to his feet.
Naruto was stunned. He looked up at Kanon, a whirlwind of emotions swirling in his heart, but most of all, he felt a profound sense of being seen.
He had never actually done anything wrong; his pranks were only a desperate plea for attention. Yet the people around him always met him with cold eyes. No matter how strong a person's heart is, it is bound to break eventually.