"What happened?! What's going on?!" several Konoha Jōnin cried out in shock.
"Naruto is fighting Kanon," a Katsuyu clone nearby spoke up.
"Naruto?" The assembled ninja were stunned.
"You're saying Naruto is fighting Kanon alone?" Choji gasped.
"Yes. He told us not to interfere," Katsuyu replied.
"We can only believe in Naruto now..." Kiba muttered, frustrated. He understood all too well that he was no longer on the same level as Kanon and Naruto. This Uchiha girl, his own age-mate and technically a year younger, had achieved something so terrifying.
She had truly decimated the Hidden Leaf, and she had done it with overwhelming force, not even the Fifth Hokage, Tsunade, had been able to stop her.
Hinata activated her Byakugan, watching the life-and-death struggle in the distance. Every move was a killing blow. Both Kanon and Naruto were in Sage Mode, and their clash had long since moved past the point of a friendly spar.
The blistering pace and sheer power of the exchange left Hinata breathless. She had always known Kanon was strong, but to see Naruto, having mastered Sage Mode, fighting her to such a standstill was staggering.
Though he was clearly being suppressed, who else in Konoha could have fared any better?
"Naruto... he's fighting her all by himself... I have to stop them," Hinata said, stepping forward.
"Hinata-sama! Wait!"
"But Naruto is fighting to the death for the sake of the village!"
"Joining a fight like that will only get in Naruto's way."
"You'll only make him worry."
Hinata bit her lower lip. Memories of Naruto and Kanon flashed through her mind; they had been like two suns. Kanon, as a six-year-old girl who faced the annihilation of her clan yet remained fiery and strong, had given Hinata courage. Naruto, with his never-give-up attitude and his way of the ninja, had taught her how to be a shinobi.
Now, those two were trying to kill each other.
"Naruto... Kanon..."
"Why did it have to come to this?"
…
"Ma, I'm ready." Fukasaku had finished kneading his chakra.
"Yeah, I know," Shima nodded.
Pain noticed the movement. As he raised his hand to cast Universal Pull, his lips curled into a slight smirk.
"Sensed it already? Excellent perception."
Naruto scrambled out of the crater, his heart aching at Kanon's scream. But this was a battle. He moved to use a scroll to summon his Sage Art shadow clones, but in the next heartbeat, he froze.
"Run! Sage Grandpa!" Naruto roared.
It was too late. Lightning flickered in Kanon's hand. A Chidori Sharp Spear tore through Fukasaku's body.
Just like that, Fukasaku was dead, pinned in mid-air by Kanon. As she retracted the lightning blade, his body was dragged toward her.
Looking at Fukasaku's corpse, his eyes closed in death, Kanon's mind flickered to the image of Jiraiya.
"Pa!" Shima's tears spilled over.
But there was no saving him. Naruto's pupils constricted. He rushed toward Kanon, but as he looked at Fukasaku's body, his limbs felt as heavy as lead.
"You bastard!" Naruto exploded, throwing a punch at Kanon. It was the first time in his life he had felt such genuine rage toward her.
Kanon caught the punch firmly, having already tossed Fukasaku's body aside.
Naruto stared into Kanon's emotionless eyes. "Why did you become like this...? Our memories, our dreams, our bonds... do none of them exist anymore?"
"Why did I become like this? Do you still not understand?" Within Kanon's pitch-black pupils, a wave of despair and hatred swallowed Naruto whole.
It was Tsukuyomi. Naruto didn't see many things, he saw only one image: a six-year-old Kanon, covered in wounds, with bloody holes in her abdomen.
Helpless and alone, she knelt over the bodies of Mikoto and Fugaku Uchiha, weeping until her voice failed, collapsing into the breakdown that awakened her Mangekyō Sharingan.
Naruto's heart shattered. Seeing just that one moment caused his pupils to shrink to pinpricks.
Kanon gripped Naruto by the throat, pinning him to the ground. She grabbed his arms and drove her Kusanagi Sword through his palms, nailing him to the earth.
Naruto let out a scream, but it was weak. Compared to the pain Kanon had carried all this time, every single bit of it was enough to make him crumble.
And he, Naruto? He was too naive. From the beginning, he hadn't understood Kanon at all. This girl had endured pain he could barely imagine at age six, yet she had forced herself to keep going because of her dreams and her innate kindness.
He finally understood why she called him naive.
Naruto wept, but this time, he didn't say a word.
Kanon stood up, devoid of joy or sorrow. Naruto had to be captured alive; she couldn't kill him yet. She turned to look at Pain behind her.
In the distance, Gamabunta, Gamahiro, and Gamaken were pinned down by Manda and the other serpents. Naruto was completely isolated.
Kanon stumbled, dropping to one knee. This battle had cost her more than any before. She coughed up several mouthfuls of blood.
The Deva Path walked to her, pulled the Kusanagi Sword from Naruto's hands, and handed it back to her. He replaced the blade with a Black Receiver, pinning Naruto down.
"This should keep the Nine-Tails quiet for a bit."
"Kanon, leave the rest to us."
Kanon said nothing. She quickly wove signs and spoke to the creatures she had summoned: "It's time to go."
Poof!
Manda and the other summoned beasts vanished. Only Kanon and the Six Paths of Pain remained in the clearing.
"With this, the Nine-Tails is successfully captured." Kanon took one last look back at Naruto. He was a sobbing mess, weeping for her.
"Yes. Thank you, Kanon. You have done much for the future of peace. Go and rest," Pain said calmly.
"Kanon..." Naruto lowered his head, his heart a chaotic mess of emotions. "I'm... I'm sorry..."
"There is no need to apologize to me. This isn't your fault, Naruto." Kanon knelt down, gently stroking his cheek.
"Living in this cruel shinobi world, no one is truly their own master. But at least now... I feel like I am truly 'alive'."
Naruto looked at Kanon's face. A drop of blood from her eyelid fell onto his cheek.
"Naruto, I can't see your expression clearly anymore."
"I have to go..."
"Where are you going?" Naruto watched her, dazed.
"To a place... where I can finally find peace."
Kanon used her blood-stained hand to gently poke Naruto's forehead. She knew that if Pain stayed, Naruto would likely die. This was a final goodbye.
Kanon suppressed the despair and rage in her heart and gave Naruto the same warm smile she used to wear.
The tree craves stillness, but the wind will not cease. The gentle, caring Kanon felt as if she had never left.
"Forgive me, Naruto. This is the last time..."
Naruto remained silent. How could he forgive her for destroying the Hidden Leaf?
Kanon spoke again. "It's okay if you don't forgive me. Naruto, if I could have had it my way, I really wish you could have left Konoha with me."
"But I suppose that was just a pipe dream."
Kanon stood and looked toward Pain.
"Are you finished, Kanon?"
"Yes," Kanon nodded. "I'm leaving."
Hearing this, Naruto snapped his head up, staring fixedly at her. He didn't want her to leave, but he no longer had the right to ask her to stay.
As Kanon walked past the Six Paths of Pain, blood leaked from her left eye. This was the final use of the Flower Realm, the last one Konin had prepared for her.
After this, Kanon's Mangekyō would lose its light forever.
As the rose-colored space peeled open, revealing a field of crimson Spider Lilies, both Naruto and Pain were stunned.
Kanon turned back one last time, looking at Naruto over her shoulder. From today on, their relationship could never return to what it once was.
"Kanon!" Naruto screamed at her.
Kanon simply smiled. Knowing she would never see him again after today, it was a soft, light expression.
Naruto froze at that smile. He gritted his teeth and struggled, but pinned by the Black Receivers, he was helpless.
He could only crawl on the ground, weeping with regret, watching his best friend drift further and further away. He had no idea that death was the only fate awaiting him.
Kanon vanished. As she entered the Flower Realm, the rose-like rift sealed shut, cutting her off from the world as if she had stepped into another dimension.
…
Inside the Flower Realm, Konin sighed softly as she watched Kanon walking toward her.
"Kanon, I'm right here."
Kanon turned. Her eyes were completely dark.
"Your Mangekyō has fallen into darkness. When you opened the Flower Realm just now, you already couldn't see them, could you?"
"Yes," Kanon nodded.
"Aren't you curious how I know your physical condition so well?"
Kanon waved her hand, signaling for Konin to come closer.
Konin was puzzled but walked to her. Kanon felt for Konin's shoulder, then traced her face according to memory, before finally poking her on the forehead.
"Who would ever doubt their own self...?" Kanon chuckled softly.
"You realized..." Konin closed her eyes. When she opened them again, they had transformed into the Rinnegan, with twenty-four tomoe slowly spinning within the purple ripples.
"I've known you since I was a child. It's not like I wouldn't notice..."
"Tell me, then. The 'future me'." Kanon smiled, though she saw nothing.
Konin remained silent, and Kanon gave a small nod of understanding.
"Is there something you still can't say? I understand."
Konin's expression was complex. She spoke softly. "Once your Eternal Mangekyō Sharingan transplant is complete, I will tell you our future goal."
"I will explain everything later, but not now..."
"If you are willing to believe me..."
Kanon raised her hand again and lightly pinched Konin's nose. "How did I never notice before? Your nose is so soft..."
"And you were pretending to be some 'Encyclopedia of Ninjutsu'... I should bite you."
Konin froze, her eyes trembling as she stared at Kanon.
"Because of you, I've survived until now. I have no reason not to believe you..."
"Konin... should I still call you that? Or should I call you Kanon?"
"Just call me Konin. When the time is right, I will tell you the whole truth."
"Alright. I understand," Kanon agreed.
"You are too weak right now. Rest for two days, and then we will begin the transplant of your father Fugaku's and your mother Mikoto's Mangekyō Sharingan."
"For your Flower Realm, your mother Mikoto's eyes are the best fit. For your Amaterasu, your father Fugaku's eyes will serve best."
"Their eyes are the perfect match for you."
"When you were six, I manipulated you into bringing their bodies back to the Flower Realm. That was the only way to keep their Mangekyō from being stolen by the Konoha leadership."
Kanon nodded slightly. She had lost consciousness after seeing her parents' death; the heart-wrenching pain had made it impossible to move. To have ended up in the secret passage of the Naka River Shrine... Konin must have controlled her unconscious body to get her there.
"Thank you... for doing so much for me," Kanon said with a light smile.
"There is no need for thanks between us," Konin replied.