Two days had passed since Kakashi was incapacitated by Itachi Uchiha's Tsukuyomi, and Sasuke was subjected to another traumatic "lesson" through the same genjutsu.
Kanon's injuries had almost entirely healed thanks to her consistent use of the Mystical Palm Jutsu. She had shed her former childish innocence; her every action was now marked by cold decisiveness.
Clad in crimson, the eleven-year-old girl walked down the street with an aura that commanded the distance of an ice queen. She stopped in front of a mask shop. Her eyes were drawn to a specific item hanging there—the fox mask, the same kind Naruto had been wearing when they first met.
Without her headband, Kanon's long, straight black hair cascaded down her back like a silken waterfall, shimmering with a natural luster. She purchased the mask but didn't cover her face; instead, she wore it tilted on the left side of her forehead. Using a few hair ties, she pulled her hair into twin tails to keep it from interfering with her movements.
"This should be more practical," she murmured.
She proceeded to restock her supplies at a ninja tool shop and bought several changes of clothes from a boutique, sealing everything into her Flower Realm storage. Though her height hadn't changed, her presence was transformed. With the mask on, she was certain neither Sasuke nor Naruto would recognize her.
She still needed a proper weapon. While kunai were versatile, a shinobi needed something more substantial. Following the shopkeeper's recommendation, she settled on a standard straight-bladed sword.
As she stepped out of the shop, Kanon's pupils suddenly contracted. Ahead of her, Jiraiya and Naruto were walking by, deep in conversation. They were laughing and joking, seemingly unchanged by recent events.
A wave of complex emotions washed over her. She had considered Naruto her best friend, someone she was willing to sacrifice everything for. Seeing him laughing so happily with Jiraiya left her feeling hollow. An inexplicable sense of abandonment crept in, and her expression gradually hardened into a mask of indifference.
It seems I didn't hold much of a place in your heart after all...
Or perhaps, you've already moved on?
Fine. Then from now on, we are strangers.
Without another word, Kanon turned and walked in the opposite direction.
"Pervy Sage, why did I just get a really familiar feeling?" Naruto asked, looking around.
"Did you? Probably just your imagination," Jiraiya replied.
"No! It wasn't!"
"It definitely wasn't my imagination!" Jiraiya's tone suddenly shifted as he stood tall, striking a pose. His mouth began to water as he stared at a beautiful woman walking by. "That was a definitely a familiar feeling of beauty..."
"Here we go again..." Naruto sighed, facepalming. He had learned from Jiraiya that Kanon wasn't dead, only missing. That news had finally eased his heart, allowing him to focus on this training journey. But he couldn't help but wonder: Where did Kanon go?
Before he could think further, Jiraiya was already dragging him toward the crowd.
…
At noon, Kanon entered a popular restaurant she had heard locals praising. She took a seat in the furthest corner and ordered a few dishes.
"Thanks for the food..." she whispered to herself, folding her hands. She was about to start her "sweep" of the table when a commotion erupted nearby.
"What?! If you don't pay up today, I'll beat you to a pulp!" a man roared, grabbing a woman in her twenties by the collar.
"Can't you give us a few more days?" a short-haired woman standing nearby, who was clutching a small pig, pleaded desperately.
"No way!"
BAM!
Just as the man prepared to curse again, the woman he was holding buried a fist into his face, slamming him so hard he became embedded in the floor.
"Tsunade-sama..."
"Shizune, we're leaving!" Tsunade barked, dragging her assistant out of the restaurant.
Kanon watched the scene play out from her corner; it served as decent entertainment for her meal. She didn't bother following them yet; she needed to replenish her energy. By the time she paid the bill, the stack of empty bowls on her table was taller than her head. The other patrons stared at the eleven-year-old girl in disbelief.
"She's a pretty little thing, isn't she? A real beauty in the making."
"Yeah, but what's with the mask on her head?"
"Should we introduce her to our son? We could arrange a marriage for when she grows up!"
Hearing the gossip, Kanon frowned. She wasn't here to stand out. She paid and left quickly. She had a long journey ahead of her, and her destination was still far.
She hadn't gone far when an explosion rocked the street ahead. The shockwave caused her to narrow her eyes and look toward the rising dust clouds.
Two powerful chakras...
Kanon donned her mask and moved toward the site of the blast. Staying hidden, she spotted four figures. One of them surprised her as she recognized Kabuto Yakushi immediately. However, she didn't know the man standing beside him or the two women facing them.
She suppressed her chakra and watched from the shadows.
"It's been a long time, Orochimaru!" Tsunade shouted.
The name hit Kanon like a lightning bolt. Her expression turned cold and murderous. So that's him? That's Orochimaru? A deep, frigid killing intent flickered in her eyes.
"What do you want after all this time? Surely not to catch up on old times," Tsunade said coldly.
"Actually, I have a small favor to ask of you," Orochimaru replied. He looked slightly off, appearing as though he were fighting a high fever.
Seeing Tsunade's scowl, Kabuto spoke up softly. "Tsunade-sama, I'm sure you've noticed..."
"Find someone else. I don't heal people anymore," Tsunade cut him off before he could finish.
"That won't do. You should know how severe this injury is. No one can heal the damage to these hands except the legendary medical expert... the Slug Princess of the Sannin, Tsunade."
Tsunade stared at Orochimaru's hands, her face grim. "Those hands... that's more than just an injury. What did you do?"
Orochimaru remained calm, showing no hint of remorse for his actions. "Nothing much. Just a wound I sustained while killing the Third Hokage."
Tsunade's expression darkened further; Shizune's entire body began to tremble. "You... you actually..."
"Don't look so horrified," Orochimaru sneered. "Everything that has a shape must eventually perish. Humans are no different."
He then began to speak of Tsunade's deceased brother, Nawaki, and her lover, Dan Katō. Enraged, Shizune lunged at Orochimaru, only to be intercepted by Kabuto's chakra scalpel. After a brief, fruitless exchange, Tsunade smirked.
"Orochimaru, you haven't changed a bit. You know me too well. Don't try to play me."
With a sudden movement, Tsunade slammed her fist into the wall behind her. Her Monster Strength sent cracks spider-webbing through the stone until the entire structure collapsed.
"I'll kill you, you bastard!"
"We aren't here to pick a fight. We're here to negotiate," Kabuto said, trying to de-escalate as Tsunade teetered on the edge of fury.
"Negotiate? Don't make me laugh. Get out of my sight!"
"That's impossible," Kabuto said, stepping in front of Orochimaru. "Because you are the only one who can heal Orochimaru-sama's hands."
"Leave!"
"We won't make you do it for nothing! Let's make a deal!"
"I'll count to five," Tsunade growled. "Either you disappear, or I'll make you disappear."
"Please, calm down!" Cold sweat broke out on Kabuto's face. "This is an offer you can't refuse."
"5... 4... 3... 2... 1..."
As she finished the countdown, Tsunade and Shizune both lunged. But just as they moved, Orochimaru spoke a single, slow sentence.
"I can bring your beloved brother and lover back to life. Using the Forbidden Jutsu I developed."
Tsunade froze. She stood rooted to the spot, lost in memory. After a long silence, she finally spoke. "If I heal you... what will you do?"
"Once I have what I want... this time, I will utterly destroy Konoha!"
Hardly had the words left Orochimaru's mouth when a young, icy voice drifted in from the distance, cutting through the tension. The four of them spun around in shock; none of them had sensed this person's presence.
They saw a girl with long hair tied into twin tails that swayed with her light, rhythmic steps. She wore a fox mask, but even the porcelain couldn't hide the refined grace of her features.
"Don't worry," the girl said, her voice devoid of warmth. "Leave the destruction of Konoha to me. How about you just die here today?"