Kanon took a single step forward, instantly putting distance between herself and the three Kage.
Tsunade rose from the settling dust as the Raikage helped Killer B to his feet. Although the three of them hadn't sustained any serious injuries, the exchange was a chilling testament to Kanon's terrifying prowess; even without relying on her intangibility, she possessed the strength to take on all three of them at once.
"The sensory perception of Sage Mode allows me to stay ahead of your movements."
"Naruto, since you can use Sage Mode too, you should know that the natural energy I wield now is on an entirely different level than before."
"I hope you all understand... as a disciple of Ryuchi Cave, my Perfect Sage Mode means I no longer have reason to fear anyone."
Suddenly, a horrific pressure of natural energy erupted from behind Kanon. The white aura of nature energy was so intense that it blew back everything in the vicinity. Tsunade and the Raikage raised their arms to shield their faces.
At that moment, Kanon began weaving hand signs with blinding speed, preparing a signature Ryuchi Cave Senjutsu she had never before revealed. From her mouth, an orange dragon emerged, coiled around a glowing purple orb.
"Sage Art: White Rage Technique!"
The orange dragon manifested before them, leaving Tsunade, the Raikage, and Killer B frozen in shock. The dragon began to spiral violently around the purple orb before diving into it, triggering a massive explosion.
A blinding flash of strobing white light erupted, accompanied by a high-frequency sound that tore through the battlefield. A, Tsunade, Killer B, and even Naruto let out agonizing screams. The technique functioned by sensory overload, stripping the targets of their sight and hearing. The vibration in the air was so violent it numbed their very senses.
"Raikage... protect Naruto..." Tsunade coughed up blood. She knew she had to use her own body to weather the storm; with her regenerative abilities, she was the only one who could.
Beside them, Kanon remained completely unharmed. Within the protection of her Susanoo, she used Senjutsu to fluctuate her own senses to negate the effects while relying on sensory perception to fight. Naruto, however, was doing the same.
In an instant, the brothers A and B were rendered combat-ineffective. The battle shifted into a desperate struggle: a bloodied Tsunade and Naruto forced to hold the line against Kanon.
Boom!
Fists collided with flesh. Naruto, empowered by Sage Mode, traded blows with the Sage-enhanced Kanon in a high-speed blur. Tsunade, despite her internal injuries, provided support whenever an opening appeared.
After several frantic exchanges, Naruto and Kanon leaped back, creating space. As the White Rage Technique faded, both were panting heavily. This was a high-octane battle of attrition. Kanon, currently manifesting as a Shadow Clone, was pushing her limits just to maintain a stalemate against the group.
Kanon retreated a step, her hands hitting the ground just as A and Killer B launched a coordinated counterattack.
"Lateral Bolt of Pain!" A swung a devastating horizontal hand-chop. Kanon pivoted to dodge, but hidden in the Raikage's shadow, a massive Tailed Beast Bomb was hurtling toward her.
"We got her!" Tsunade shouted.
Naruto remained silent, his heart sinking. He knew the sheer destructive power of a Tailed Beast Bomb, could Kanon truly survive a direct hit?
Seeing the sphere of destruction closing in, Kanon realized the distance was too short to evade.
"Sage Art: Rasengan Fire Dance!"
Rose-red chakra exploded from Kanon's body as she forcibly manifested the Second State of Susanoo. In the Susanoo's hand, a spinning Rasengan infused with flames ignited, surrounded by a rotating ring of crimson starlight.
The Rasengan Fire Dance clashed head-on with the Tailed Beast Bomb!
BOOM!
A massive mushroom cloud rose into the sky, the roar of the explosion shattering the silence for miles.
"Kanon!" Naruto screamed toward the epicenter. Tears streamed down his face. He was caught in an agonizing vice between his duty to the world and his bond with his best friend.
Naruto stumbled to his knees. Tsunade placed a hand on his back, her own expression heavy with grief. Having lost so many loved ones, she understood this pain all too well. Naruto slammed his fist into the scorched earth until his knuckles bled. The air was thick with the scent of ozone and destruction.
His heart hammered against his ribs. He couldn't believe his eyes. The dreams of their childhood, the girl who believed in him, the promise they shared, it all seemed to vanish in that blast. The cruelty of fate had shattered everything in an instant.
The Tailed Beast Bomb was a power meant to erase existence. Naruto's instincts screamed at him; he had wanted to rush forward to push her away, but Tsunade had held him back. He could only watch as his dearest friend was swallowed by the light.
As the smoke cleared, Naruto remained kneeling on the blackened earth. His hand trembled as he reached toward the spot where she had stood, now nothing but a bottomless crater.
"Kanon..." he choked out, his voice thick with a profound sense of powerlessness.
At the bottom of the crater, a blood-soaked Kanon forced herself to stand. In Sage Mode, she had pushed the Shadow Clone to its absolute limit. These clones now possessed a physical density nearly identical to flesh and blood, making her current state look all the more gruesome.
Her left arm had been completely blown away. Her clothes were stained crimson, and she struggled just to remain upright.
Seeing her stand despite everything, Naruto felt a knife twist in his heart. The girl who used to sit with him on the cliffside, talking about a brighter future, was now broken and bleeding before him while he stood by, doing nothing.
"I can still do more... for that... flower field..." Kanon staggered toward the four of them.
Even as a Shadow Clone, she wanted to do more for her original self. For the dream she shared with Konin, she couldn't afford to fall here.
Her hair was disheveled and matted with blood. Facing the Raikage, the Hokage, and two Perfect Jinchuriki simultaneously had been a bridge too far. Her Susanoo had shattered; she was at the very end of her rope.
"Brother, she's still moving."
"Finish her," the Raikage commanded.
As the words left A's mouth, the look in Naruto's eyes shifted.
"Wait, Brother!" B jumped in front of the Raikage.
"What is it, B?!"
"If you attack her again, Naruto is going to lose control!" Tsunade yelled. She watched anxiously as the Nine-Tails' chakra began to flare violently around Naruto.
"Don't you dare touch her!" Naruto roared. The sheer force of his chakra sent Tsunade reeling back several steps.
Kanon stumbled to her knees, coughing up a mouthful of blood. The pink markings of her Sage Mode faded, and even her Mangekyo Sharingan began to dim, unable to maintain its form.
"Kanon!" Naruto was at her side in an instant. His speed had increased tenfold, catching even the Raikage off guard.
Naruto reached out to support her broken body, his heart a chaotic mess of conflicting emotions. Sensing his touch, Kanon gritted her teeth and slapped his hand away.
"I don't need... your pity!"
The rejection felt like a physical tear in Naruto's chest. Kanon continued to cough blood, her resolve as a clone unwavering. She had to give the original every advantage possible.
"Kanon! Stop being so stubborn! Aren't we supposed to be best friends?!" Naruto pleaded.
Kanon froze. She slowly lifted her head. Her exquisite features and those ruby-like Sharingan eyes looked hauntingly beautiful in the fading light, like a setting sun.
Naruto looked into her dying eyes and felt his own tears fall. In that gaze, filled with despair and a quiet sorrow, it felt as if her eyes were speaking to him, crying out about how difficult it was just to stay alive.
Kanon suddenly broke into a faint, radiant smile. In the final moments of the Shadow Clone's existence, she chose to leave that smile with him.
"Maybe... but... I will be the one... to win..."
As the words left her lips, she collapsed. Her face turned pale as the spark of life vanished.
POOF!
Kanon's body erupted into a cloud of white smoke.
"What?! It was a Shadow Clone?!"
The battlefield fell into a stunned, hollow silence.