"You think you've won?"
A terrifying surge of chakra suddenly erupted from the dying Yugito Nii. Countless blue flames tore the building apart, sending a ferocious, rising heatwave soaring into the sky, right toward Kanon.
Against all odds, the Two-Tails had a trump card left even while suppressed by the Deity Gates! The sheer force of the thermal blast actually blew the gates aside.
"Had she laid a trap beforehand?" Kanon wasn't particularly surprised. Her opponent was a Jinchuriki, after all; if Kanon could strategize with Shadow Clones, it wasn't impossible for Yugito to have prepared a fallback plan.
Looking at the dying Yugito Nii within the phantom image of Matatabi, Kanon spoke softly, her voice growing cold. "Stop struggling. You'll suffer less if you give up now."
As dark clouds began to shroud the sky, Yugito Nii shouted with a trembling voice, "I am Yugito Nii of Kumogakure... I won't fall here!"
"Stubborn," Kanon muttered. Her Three-Tomoe Sharingan surfaced as a rose-colored vortex pulled the rest of Team Hana into the Flower Realm. Her expression darkened. "In that case, I'll make it so you can't even maintain your Tailed Beast state."
Kanon leaped high into the air, her hand signs synchronizing with the roiling thunderclouds above. The sky was heavy with thick layers of gray, lightning flickering faintly amidst a tense, oppressive atmosphere. Standing atop a jagged rock, Kanon's gaze was sharp as a blade, her Sharingan staring coldly down at the Two-Tails.
Taking a deep breath, she wove a sequence of signs. Chakra began to spiral around her, forming a complex array. As her energy surged, the air became ionized; bolts of lightning gathered within the clouds, coalescing into arcs of blinding light. Above her, the clouds began to rotate, forming a massive celestial whirlpool.
"This is the jutsu my brother taught me."
"Its name is Kirin."
Kanon's voice was icy and unwavering. At her command, a titanic current of electricity descended from the heavens, coiling in mid-air. In an instant, a creature of pure lightning, the Kirin, manifested. Its body was gargantuan, wreathed in violent electricity, its eyes glowing with a piercing blue light.
"Vanish along with the thunder."
The corners of Kanon's mouth curled slightly as the lightning in her hand resonated with the beast above.
BOOM!
A horrific explosion rocked the region. The Kirin let out a deafening roar that made the entire battlefield tremble. The surrounding Cloud shinobi, unaware of the technique's nature, were struck with awe and terror. This was the raw power of nature itself!
A minute later, Yugito Nii finally lost consciousness. Her breathing was faint; had it not been for the slight rise and fall of her chest, Kanon might have thought her dead. It was a technique Kanon couldn't fully restrain, but she knew the Tailed Beast would protect its host's life.
The battlefield was left in a haze of dust and scorched earth. Kanon slowly lowered her hand, and the Kirin dissipated into the air.
"Two-Tails captured successfully."
When Kanon's pupils spun again and the four members of her team reappeared, the landscape was unrecognizable. Yugito Nii's residence had been reduced to charred cinders by the lightning, erased from history. The Jinchuriki lay truly defeated, unconscious and without a shred of resistance left.
"Onii-chan... thank you for teaching me such a powerful jutsu." As the sparks on her hand faded, Kanon thought back to those two years of training in Ryuuchi Cave, and the messages the snake Aoda had brought back from Sasuke, instructions that detailed the conditions and principles of Kirin without reservation. A warmth spread through her heart; in this world, Sasuke was the one who cherished her most.
Looking at the devastation, the four members of Team Hana looked somber. They felt their talent was lacking, their strength insufficient, perhaps even a burden to Kanon.
Sensing their thoughts, Kanon pinched Jirobo's nose and gave the four of them a sweet smile.
"Don't feel like you're weak. No matter what happens, even if you end up as ordinary people, to me, you are my best partners. You're even..."
Before she could finish, Tayuya pulled her into a hug.
"You too... you're the most important person to us."
"Alright, alright, enough with the sentimentals," Kidomaru laughed, breaking the tension. "Jirobo, you're the strongest, you carry her. It's time to head back to the Hidden Rain Village."
…
Four hours after Kanon's departure, Kumogakure shinobi finally arrived. They frowned at the sight of the charred earth stretching for kilometers. They prepared to report back to the Raikage.
From that day on, Yugito Nii of the Hidden Cloud was declared missing. Because Kanon worked so cleanly, no one knew where she had gone or who had attacked; any traces or evidence left by the team had been incinerated by the Kirin.
Three days later, in the Hidden Rain Village, Pain, Konan, and Kakuzu appeared. Five figures approached through the distant rain. Yugito Nii's body twitched occasionally, evidently still under the influence of Kanon's genjutsu.
"That was efficient," Konan murmured.
"As expected of our junior," Pain added, watching as Kanon and her team arrived.
"This is the Two-Tails," Kanon said. Jirobo dropped the battered Jinchuriki onto the ground like a dead dog.
"Good work," Pain nodded. "Konan, summon the others to begin the ritual."
"Understood."
As Konan departed, Kanon spoke softly to Pain. "This mission took a lot out of us. Team Hana needs to rest."
"I understand," Pain replied.
Kanon turned, looking curiously at Kakuzu. "Kakuzu-nii, why are you here?"
"I'm here to organize the funds. Kanon, you should keep an eye out for bounty targets. The organization's finances are still tight. Only money is real."
"I see," Kanon nodded.
"The organization takes missions, but the cash flow is too slow," Kakuzu began, launching into a lecture on financial literacy for the five members of Team Hana. As Kanon and the others listened with spinning heads, Pain made his exit with the Two-Tails.
When Kakuzu finally finished, Kidomaru and the others were speechless.
"Do you understand now? Everything else is worthless; only money is real."
In the distance, Hidan approached, scythe over his shoulder. He spoke to Kakuzu with a bored sigh. "Kakuzu, this is so dull. Let's go find some more followers for Jashin."
"Hmph. I just picked up a few bounty handbooks. They've all been updated." Kakuzu handed one to Kanon. "Here, take this."
"Why give it to me?" Kanon asked, flipping through the pages.
"I have high hopes for you. It seems there are still sensible people in the Uchiha clan," Kakuzu said with a squinted smile, patting her shoulder. He viewed Kanon as a kindred spirit, a bounty hunter who understood the value of coin.
"Thanks for the trust, Kakuzu-nii. Though, Hidan-nii... I've been meaning to say something about that slicked-back hair of yours."
"Huh?! Is my hair not trendy?"
"It's not! It's ugly! I don't like it!"
"What?! Kanon, don't mess with me! Look closer, I think it looks pretty good!"
Seeing Hidan panic, Kanon burst out laughing. "Alright, alright! It's actually quite cool. I was just teasing you."
Watching Kanon interact so naturally with the other Akatsuki members, Team Hana felt a sense of awe. They knew who Kakuzu was, the man who had once fought the First Hokage, Hashirama Senju.