Watching the Island Turtle flip over, Deidara brought Kabuto and Kanon down to the surface.
"Kabuto, go find the Eight-Tails and the Nine-Tails."
"Kanon-chan and I will deal with them. We have some scores to settle."
"Fine, let's do that," Kabuto nodded slightly.
At that moment, Onoki, Kurotsuchi, and the others arrived on the scene.
"Deidara, witness my terror!" Onoki sneered.
"Great, the old man's gone berserk," Deidara muttered, cold sweat trickling down his forehead.
"You haven't forgotten, have you!" Onoki brought his hands together, preparing his Dust Release.
"This is getting bad. Is he really going to start with Dust Release?"
"What are you afraid of, Deidara-genii Kanon patted him on the shoulder.
"Easy for you to say! You're a shadow clone; I'm the real deal!"
"It's not the same. Besides being a shadow clone, I'm an Uchiha!"
Kabuto separated from the pair as Deidara took Kanon and began flying toward the flank.
"Don't even think about running!"
"Dust Release: Atomic Dismantling Purge!"
"Dust Release: Chidori Sharp Spear!"
BOOM!
The Atomic Dismantling Purge collided with the Chidori Sharp Spear infused with Dust Release, instantly triggering an atomic agitation. Kanon and Deidara were blown back dozens of meters, while Onoki went careening through the air.
"She actually used the nature transformation of Dust Release in conjunction with Chidori!"
"As expected of the genius girl of the Uchiha!"
"How about this!" Kanon formed hand seals. Behind her, a massive torrent of water rose, surging toward Onoki and his team.
"Water Release: Water Dragon Bullet Technique!"
Akatsuchi spat out a clay figure to block the strike. The Water Dragon Bullet failed to cause substantial damage, but a smirk played on Kanon's lips. In that instant, she hadn't just woven the signs for the water dragon, she had added this!
"Lightning Release: Lightning Ball!"
"What?!" Onoki gasped in shock. He and Akatsuchi were suddenly surrounded by lightning orbs, and the countless electrical currents left them paralyzed.
"Now!" Kanon shouted. Deidara was even faster; the clay bird in his hand dove straight at the group.
"Katsu!"
BOOM!
Following the explosive roar, Onoki and Akatsuchi were sent flying, crashing directly into the sea. The coordination between Kanon and Deidara had actually forced the Tsuchikage into a major blunder!
Kanon formed another seal, splitting into two more shadow clones. One remained with Deidara, while the other joined Kabuto.
Deidara led the Tsuchikage away from the main battlefield, while Kurotsuchi remained behind, noticing Kabuto.
"Is that brat Kanon Uchiha the one controlling that snake? She can still use shadow clones?!" Kurotsuchi said, stunned.
"My Sage Mode sensing is decent, wouldn't you say?" Kanon said, pulling up beside Kabuto.
"Mm. I've found Naruto's location. He's inside the giant turtle shell."
"And the entrance?" Kanon asked.
In the sky, Kurotsuchi rapidly formed seals. Looking down at Kanon's clone and Kabuto, she felt they were simply too slow.
"Lava Release: Quicklime Congealing Technique!"
Cement erupted from Kurotsuchi's mouth, intending to restrict Kanon and Kabuto's movements. However, Kanon's clone only let out a cold laugh. She only needed Sage Chakra to maintain her clone's duration, and as long as she stood upon this planet, Sage Chakra was essentially infinite for her.
Kanon's hands moved in a blur of seals. Watching the incoming cement, her three-tomoe Sharingan spun.
"Lava Release: Quicklime Congealing Technique!"
The moment the lime collided, Yamato leaped out to provide backup. Motoi and Aoba Yamashiro were already dead; he was the only one left to offer support.
"He's out," Kabuto said softly.
"It's Kanon Uchiha!" Yamato whispered.
"Don't show your face so easily! We can handle this!" Kurotsuchi barked.
"With just you?" Kanon's hands formed seals.
"Fire Release: Great Fireball Technique!"
A Great Fireball as massive as a meteorite hurtled toward Kurotsuchi.
"If I remember correctly, you're the Tsuchikage's granddaughter!" Yamato said.
Kurotsuchi didn't respond. The fireball was too immense for her to block; she could only dodge.
"Perfect. Lead me to Naruto and the others," Kabuto sneered.
"Kabuto? You're actually working with Kanon Uchiha!"
"We meet again, Yamato." Kabuto pulled down his hood and looked at Yamato.
"I'll flush the powder over, let's catch them together!" Kurotsuchi shouted.
"Water Release: Water Trumpet!"
The water turned the lime into cement, hardening around Kabuto and Kanon's feet.
"Idiots. Now you can't move."
Seeing Kurotsuchi's arrogance, Kanon simply shrugged helplessly.
"Don't get ahead of yourself."
The three-tomoe in Kanon's eyes spun, and the signature Genjutsu of the Uchiha instantly swallowed Kurotsuchi.
"Oh no! It's Genjutsu!"
Seeing the three-tomoe pattern appear in Kurotsuchi's eyes, Yamato immediately formed seals to help. However, Kabuto blocked Yamato's path, leaving the situation dire.
Meanwhile, Deidara's side saw Onoki and Kanon clashing with Dust Release. The sheer variety of the exchange left Deidara shocked.
"This old man is even faster than he was in his prime."
"Damn it! How does this Uchiha brat have so much chakra!" Onoki roared, beginning to whet and pant.
"Deidara, you always loved keeping your distance and fighting while you ran."
"It's the most annoying way to fight!"
"Zip it, old man! You're being suppressed this badly by Kanon-chan, so quit talking big!"
Deidara had already slipped his hand into his sleeve; he was ready to use C4 to finish Onoki off.
On the other side of the island.
Kanon and Kurotsuchi clashed. The moment their legs collided, the disparity in strength was obvious. Kurotsuchi was sent flying like a cannonball by Kanon's kick.
Yamato, meanwhile, found his Wood Release unable to restrain Kabuto and was eventually swallowed whole by the man.
"You bastards!" Kurotsuchi scrambled up, finally realizing Kabuto's true goal.
"Your target wasn't the Eight-Tails and Nine-Tails at all!"
But there was nothing she could do. Kanon's rear-guard action was terrifying; a massive Rasengan Fire Dance slammed down. Kurotsuchi used every ounce of her strength to dodge, but even the glancing aftershock left her severely wounded.
"Let's go!" Kanon said, and her shadow clones on the island instantly vanished.
In the sky, Deidara hurled another clay bomb at Tsuchikage Onoki.
"Don't look down on me, old man!"
High above, Onoki's Dust Release converged once more. This time, he intended to pour a massive amount of chakra into the strike.
"Prepare yourself, Akatsuki!"
"I'll show you today whether your Dust Release or my Explosion Release is true art!"
Just as Deidara was about to strike, he felt Kanon grab his wrist. Behind her, a rose-colored vortex appeared.
"Mission accomplished, Deidara-nii."
"What? We were just getting to the good part!"
"You'll have plenty of fun once the war starts. For now, we retreat." With that, the vortex swallowed both Deidara and Kanon, and they vanished.
The simultaneous disappearance of both parties left everyone blindsided. When Tsuchikage Onoki returned, he looked around and asked, "What happened?"
"They got away..." Kurotsuchi bit her lip.
"Deidara escaped me as well."
"Yamato, who was responsible for the Nine-Tails' containment, has been taken," Kurotsuchi reminded him.
"To capture a Wood Release user, they even gave up searching for the Eight-Tails and Nine-Tails?!"
"I don't know if they want him as a hostage for interrogation, or if the Wood Release ninja was their target all along."
"The problem is that Yamato likely possesses critical intelligence," Onoki muttered.
The gap in combat experience was immediately evident as Onoki analyzed the implications.
"Even we've heard of Konoha's Yamato. Is he really that easy to break for information?" Kurotsuchi asked.
"Don't speak too soon. If the opponent is Kanon or Madara... don't forget their powerful ocular jutsu."
"They are Uchiha. Yamato cannot defeat their ocular powers!"
…
Back at the Masked Man's base, Deidara and Kanon stood at the front as Kabuto unceremoniously dumped Yamato onto the ground.
"You brought back the wrong trophy," the Masked Man said softly, walking over.
"Perhaps, but this man is the Nine-Tails' jailer," Kabuto replied.
"Sigh, I'm going to get some rest." Deidara patted the Masked Man on the shoulder and left first; he had more bombs to prepare. He had no interest in hearing the details of the post-mission report.
Kanon looked back and forth between Yamato and Kabuto.
"I think I'm starting to understand."
"By utilizing Yamato's cells, Zetsu can be vastly strengthened. Plus, this guy has intelligence on Naruto and the others."
"Exactly. As expected of the pride of Ryūchi Cave."
"I'm not as great as you make it sound..." Kanon scratched her head.
"Compared to a forced search for the Tailed Beasts, capturing this man was a much more efficient method."
"Then move quickly," the Masked Man said. In his left eye, the Rinnegan appeared.
"My left eye thirsts for the coming war."
Behind the Masked Man, Kanon's original body stepped out, and the shadow clone beside Kabuto instantly vanished.
"Even with the Rinnegan, how much of its power can you actually wield?" Kanon looked at the Masked Man mockingly.
"Care to find out?" the Masked Man looked at Kanon meaningfully.
"Bring it." Kanon reached for her Kusanagi Blade.
However, the Masked Man simply turned away.
"Actually, never mind. We are partners; there's no need for infighting."
In truth, he knew well that he was no match for Kanon, even with the Rinnegan. This girl terrified him even more than Itachi; her combat intelligence, philosophy, and strategic planning were all superior. The current Kanon had long since surpassed his imagination.
She had completed numerous S-rank missions using only shadow clones. Could he truly face this original body standing before him?
This was the question in the Masked Man's heart. But it didn't matter; they weren't enemies now, at least on the surface, they were still "partners."