Watching the sharks swarming around Kisame, Kanon knew exactly what he was planning.
"You bastards! Get out of my way!" Kanon lunged forward, her speed like a flash of lightning. A barrage of attacks from everyone present converged on her instantly.
Yet, every single strike passed through her body. Whether it was Naruto's hand, Yamato's Wood Release, Guy's straight punch, or Killer B's blades, all of them phased through Kanon's form.
Her eyes were fixed solely on Kisame, the veteran "big brother" of the Akatsuki and former partner to Itachi.
Seeing Kanon charge toward him regardless of the cost, Kisame closed his eyes.
Itachi-san... they say you only see your true self on the brink of death, but I suppose you can see others clearly then, too.
Thank you, Kanon... for doing this for someone like me...
Reaching the water prison, Kanon's hand instantly solidified. The searing pain from the sharks' gnawing teeth caused blood to spray from her arm, but she didn't hesitate for a second.
This water prison could only be broken by physical force.
BOOM!
A massive explosion erupted as the water prison shattered along with countless sharks. Bloody gashes appeared on Kanon's arm where pieces of flesh had been torn away.
However, Kisame's condition was visibly much worse. He stared at Kanon in disbelief… this girl had actually managed to rescue him?
"I won't let you die, Kisame-nii!" Kanon roared. She activated Medical Ninjutsu, and the green glow of the Mystical Palm Technique began to knit his wounds together.
Seeing this, everyone, except Naruto, launched a fresh assault on Kanon.
As a terrifying barrage of attacks closed in, a crimson Susano'o flared into existence, shielding them both. Kanon remained focused, carefully stabilizing Kisame's injuries.
The ground shook as the heavy dust cleared; the Susano'o had held firm against the collective onslaught.
"Kanon Uchiha!" Aoba gritted his teeth.
Within that minute, Kanon had managed to stabilize Kisame's life-threatening wounds. Kisame looked up at her, a faint smirk actually playing on his lips.
"I'll make sure you see that world without lies, Kisame-nii!"
"But until then... please rest."
Kisame nodded weakly and lost consciousness. The Flower Realm activated, and he was pulled into its dimension.
"Konin, help treat Kisame-nii."
"Kisame, huh? Fine," Konin replied with a small nod.
Kanon's voice faded from the inner world as she returned her focus to the battlefield. In the physical world, Kanon slowly stood up, and the Susano'o gradually dissipated.
Naruto and the others stared at her, unmoving. As the smoke cleared, they saw Kanon's face. It was expressionless, yet radiating a cold, absolute fury.
"You bastards..." Kanon hissed through gritted teeth.
"I will never forgive you!"
She lunged forward, unleashing a lethal technique from the start.
"Apocalypse: Flower Burial!" Petals manifested within her right eye, and she moved with such speed it was practically a teleportation.
The strike was too fast. Only Naruto, by instantly entering his Nine-Tails Chakra Mode, managed to grab Yamato and narrowly dodge the fatal blow.
Killer B managed to shove Might Guy and himself aside, barely avoiding the instantaneous petal assassination.
Motoi and Aoba were about to retreat. Just as Aoba was about to shout a warning that the petals would track them, a petal pierced through Motoi's skull.
Blood sprayed across Aoba's face, causing the words to catch in his throat.
"I'm not done yet," a cold voice whispered behind him.
"Kanon! Stop!" Naruto screamed, but it was too late.
Crr-ack! The Kusanagi Sword lunged through Aoba's heart and exited his chest in a spray of gore, accompanied by the chirping roar of Chidori lightning.
Motoi and Aoba were dead in an instant. But even then, it wasn't over. The Kanon who had just stabbed Aoba dissolved into a Shadow Clone.
The real Kanon materialized in front of Naruto. She lunged with her sword, piercing Naruto's chest and passing directly through his heart.
Naruto's pupils contracted. This move of Kanon's was purely intended to kill.
Kanon delivered a powerful kick, sending the impaled Naruto and the approaching Yamato flying. As they tumbled back, she hurled a Wind Release: Rasenshuriken at the pair.
Killer B and Guy rushed to intervene, but even with the Seventh Gate open, Guy's reaction was a half-beat too slow.
"Rasengan Fire Dance!" With a low shout, the technique detonated in front of Killer B.
Killer B was consumed by the blast, and Turtle Island trembled under the force of an explosion even more terrifying than a standard Rasenshuriken. Killer B was instantly incapacitated, slumping to the ground.
However, Naruto struggled back to his feet. He had survived a hole in his chest from Sasuke years ago under the protection of the Tailed Beast Cloak; now, with the power of the Nine-Tails' chakra under his control, such a wound would not be enough to kill him.
"Still not dead?" Kanon sneered.
"Kanon! You've gone too far!"
Naruto charged at her, a Rasengan detonating against her abdomen.
But the explosion did no damage. Phasing through the blast, Kanon used her blood-stained hand to seize Naruto. With a powerful knee strike, she sent him flying, his body carving a deep trench into the earth as he tumbled.
There was no point in lingering here. Kisame was still in critical condition. Looking at the bodies of Motoi and Yamashiro Aoba, Kanon felt no ripple of emotion.
They were enemies now. There was no room for reconciliation.
Kanon turned coldly to look at the stunned Naruto. In that moment, Naruto felt the distance between them growing; it wasn't just a physical trench, but a vast, bottomless abyss.
Seeing Might Guy preparing to strike, Kanon vanished. She was swallowed by a rose-patterned vortex and disappeared from Turtle Island. At the very least, she couldn't engage with Guy yet; the Eighth Gate of the Eight Inner Gates was far too dangerous.
…
Inside the Flower Realm, amidst a field of Red Spider Lilies.
Kanon looked at the unconscious Kisame, her expression complicated.
"His injuries are stable, but he's still in danger," Konin said softly.
"I'll continue the treatment," Kanon whispered.
Within the realm, the green light of the Mystical Palm Technique flickered. Kisame's wounds were severe; even for the current Kanon, treating him brought cold sweat to her brow. She began by healing his tongue.
"Kanon... I..."
"Don't talk! I need to concentrate."
Kisame watched as Kanon tirelessly treated him, and the deathly pallor of his face gradually began to fade.
"Biting your own tongue to kill yourself... was it really necessary to go that far?!"
"Staying alive is the most important thing, Kisame-nii!"
Hearing Kanon's near-shouting reprimand, a wave of warmth flowed through Kisame's heart. To think that someone like him could still be remembered and cared for by another.
It seemed this world wasn't entirely "fake" to him after all.
"Thank you..." Kisame whispered.
"I told you... stop talking." Kanon didn't want to think about what would have happened if she had been a step later. Kisame would have died there.
Perhaps the Akatsuki was just a criminal organization to others, but to Kanon, it was the "home" created by her senpais, Nagato and Yahiko. Kisame had always treated her well; seeing him like that had terrified her. She had been afraid that she would arrive only to see him take his own life, powerless to stop it.
But now, as his wounds gradually healed, Kanon's heart finally found peace.
"Where are we going now..." Kisame asked weakly.
"We're going 'home'..." Kanon murmured softly.
…
Five days later. Kumogakure.
The Allied Shinobi Forces had been formed, and the village was bustling with supplies and preparation. Inside the Raikage's office, the Five Kage had already received news of Kanon's rescue of Kisame. Onoki addressed the group:
"Things have reached this point. Our intel has leaked, so we must redraw our battle plans."
"However, since we know the intel has leaked, the enemy will surely come to scout us. This makes it easier for us to set a trap."
Tsunade voiced her concern: "What about the island? Even if it can move, we can't be completely at ease."
"The targets are the two of them. The enemy will definitely come searching."
The Raikage nodded, looking at Tsunade. "To hinder the enemy, the island is already moving along a route I designated. Besides, the mist is thick; it won't be easy for the enemy to find it."
Seeing the Raikage's confidence, the others relaxed slightly.
"If they are searching, the enemy will likely send a small scouting party rather than using mass tactics that would split their forces," Mei Terumi added.
Gaara considered this: "But Kisame likely marked the island's coordinates on a map. Even if the island moves, the enemy will conduct a thorough search around those coordinates. We cannot be careless."
"In any case, we should send reinforcements, but a large force would be easily spotted. Sending a few elites should suffice," Mifune reminded everyone.
"I'll go," Onoki proposed.
"Tsuchikage-sama..." The other four Kage looked at him.
"If it's old man Onoki, I have no objections," the Raikage nodded.
"True, with your ability to fly, you can move quickly."
"Is it really okay?" Gaara asked doubtfully.
"It's fine, Kazekage. I am the Tsuchikage, known as Onoki of Both Scales."
Onoki slapped the table to stand up, but everyone heard a distinct pop from his back.
A moment later, a pained howl echoed through the room. Onoki had thrown his back out again.