"Isn't it finished yet?!" Kanon rested her chin in her hands, watching the members of the Akatsuki perform the Sealing Jutsu: Nine Phantom Dragons.
"Not yet. Is something the matter, Kanon-chan?"
"I want to go out for a walk."
"Go then," Pain said softly.
"You won't be needing me for the rest of this, right?"
"Kanon, come to the Land of Fire and rejoin us for the next move," Kakuzu added.
"Fine, I'll take my time getting there. Might as well enjoy the scenery on the way," Kanon chuckled.
"Honestly, you really are just a girl, aren't you?" Hidan remarked, throwing his hands up in a shrug.
"Mind your own business!" Kanon snapped, her secret feelings exposed as she barked back at him.
…
Meanwhile, Shikamaru had already finalized his strategy against Hidan and Kakuzu. He planned to move out that very night to hunt them down.
After gathering Choji, who had been training by digging holes in the mountains, he headed toward the flower shop owned by Ino's family.
As they arrived, Ino came running out of the shop.
"Shikamaru, it's time to move, isn't it!"
"Huh? Yeah." Shikamaru was clearly caught off guard by her readiness.
As dusk settled over the village, Shikamaru stood before Asuma's grave. He placed a lit cigarette on the headstone.
"I'm late, I'm sorry. But... I'm not lost anymore."
"What we're about to do might be reckless. Asuma-sensei, please watch over us."
Late at night, at the gates of Konoha, Shikamaru finished tightening his shinobi boots. Standing ready, Ino asked softly, "Are you ready?"
"We're heading out, Shikamaru."
"Yeah. Let's go."
Just as the three of them stepped past the village entrance, Tsunade's voice rang out.
"Wait!"
"Lady Fifth..." Ino gasped.
"Where do you think you're going?" Tsunade demanded.
"To finish the mission," Shikamaru replied. "We've formed a new cell. We're going to complete the job."
"I will not permit you to act on your own!" Tsunade stepped directly in front of Shikamaru. "Shikamaru, I intend to place you in a squad of my own choosing. You will move only after a detailed battle plan has been established!"
"Then just send us reinforcements later," Shikamaru said, refusing to back down. "We've already discussed it and finalized our strategy."
Tsunade frowned. Having already paid a tragic price, she didn't dare take another risk.
"That's enough!"
"Asuma is dead! There are only three of you now. Do you really think the three of you can defeat the Akatsuki?"
"Can you, Shikamaru, defeat even one of them, like Kanon Uchiha?!"
"Asuma is dead! You're a three-man cell! Do you want to be wiped out?!"
"This isn't like you. Are you planning to just throw your lives away?!"
"You know Kanon's strength better than anyone. Besides, she has two other Akatsuki members with her. Just the three of you?!"
"We aren't idiots... we aren't going there to die. It's just..."
"Just what?!" Tsunade pressed.
"If I keep running away and live my life with this weight in my heart... I don't like that kind of 'troublesome' way of living."
Seeing his resolve, Tsunade's expression softened into a serious gaze. "Grow up. A ninja's work is accompanied by death."
"There will be deaths that are impossible to accept. But if you can't overcome them, there is no future."
Despite her solemn warning, Shikamaru smiled, holding up Asuma's lighter.
"Carrying this lighter as a memento... it makes me feel like Asuma-sensei is still here, protecting us."
"Until this battle is over, this lighter is staying with me."
Tsunade understood all too well. If she let these three go today, it would be a death sentence. Even if Kanon spared them out of past sentiment, the other two Akatsuki members were more than capable of killing them in an instant, especially since intelligence on Kanon and the other one was still scarce.
"Face reality! You only have three people!"
"A squad needs—"
Before Tsunade could finish, Kakashi's voice interrupted from behind.
"It'll be fine if there are four, right?"
"Kakashi-sensei?!" Ino and Choji exclaimed in surprise.
"Since the opponent is Kanon, I'll join as the leader of Team 10. How does that sound?"
Tsunade froze, unsure of what Kakashi was calculating. "Kakashi, you..."
Kakashi stepped closer and spoke softly to the Hokage. "Even if you stop them, these kids will go anyway. If I'm with them, I can keep an eye on them."
"I was Kanon's teacher. In this village, aside from Team 7, no one knows her better than I do. I might be the only one who can handle her."
He then leaned into Tsunade's ear. "I won't let them do anything reckless."
Looking at the determined eyes of Team 10, Tsunade realized she couldn't stop them. Behind the Hokage Rock, the sun began to rise, signaling the dawn.
Tsunade sighed deeply. "Fine. Do whatever you want."
Shikamaru reached out and shook Kakashi's hand. "Kakashi-sensei, what about Naruto?"
Ino and Choji looked at Kakashi's bandaged right hand in shock.
"What, that kid doesn't need me anymore," Kakashi joked. "Besides, he's got another captain leading him now."
Shikamaru nodded. "That Naruto..."
Kakashi turned to the three of them. "Alright, Team Asuma. Are we ready to move out?"
"We're in your debt, Kakashi-sensei," Shikamaru said with sincere gratitude.
…
During the day, under the 24-hour deadline Tsunade had given Naruto to complete his new jutsu, the boy realized the gravity of the mission. He didn't waste a single second, training relentlessly on the Rasenshuriken.
Meanwhile, after Shikamaru explained his strategy to Kakashi, he handed him a container with a needle.
"I see. To think you could analyze the enemy this thoroughly after only one encounter."
Shikamaru shook his head regretfully. "But the other guy's abilities have too many unknowns. And Kanon Uchiha's strength is... terrifying."
Seeing Shikamaru's methodical analysis, Kakashi was impressed. To be able to draft a strategy that instantly incorporates me... he's truly an incredible ninja.
"Alright, the plan is set. Our targets are Kanon, Hidan, and Kakuzu," Shikamaru reminded them.
"Got it!"
"Then let's go," Kakashi announced. "First, we find their trail."
"We should search the route from the Fire Temple to the bounty stations," Choji suggested.
"We might find footprints or a scent. Though I don't think it'll be that easy."
"Then let's pick up the pace!" Kakashi shouted.
…
After the Three-Tails was pulled into the Gedo Statue, the Sealing Jutsu: Nine Phantom Dragons concluded. This marked the fourth day.
"With this, the sealing of the Three-Tails is complete. Dismissed."
Pain's projection vanished instantly. Hidan stretched his neck. "Finally. Kanon-chan, are you here yet? If not, we're leaving without you."
"Not yet. You guys go on ahead. I haven't entered the Land of Fire yet; the scenery here is quite nice," Kanon's projection responded smoothly.
"Then we won't wait. It's time to head to Konoha, Hidan."
"Konoha?" Deidara turned his head. "Kakuzu, Hidan, since Kanon-chan isn't with you yet and you're heading to Konoha, I'll give you a piece of advice."
"There is a Jinchuriki there named Naruto Uzumaki who is very close with Kanon. And her teacher, Kakashi Hatake. If you run into them, be careful."
Hearing Deidara's warning, Hidan mocked him loudly.
"Hey! Hey, hey! Don't go comparing us to you, Deidara! You're the kid who had to ask Kakuzu to sew your arms back on!"
Kakuzu turned his head and jabbed at Hidan. "Better than having your head chopped off."
"Hey, Kakuzu! Whose side are you on?! Aren't we partners?!"
"I agree with Kakuzu-nii's point. Hidan-nii, your fighting style really needs some work," Kanon added with a shrug.
"What?! Even Kanon-chan is—?!"
"You bastards! Who are you even helping?!"
"Hidan-nii, who are you calling a bastard?" Kanon asked innocently.
"I'm calling you a bastard!"
"Oh. So a bastard is calling me one. Correct."
Hidan realized something was wrong with the logic, but he couldn't quite put his finger on it. "Wait, it's the bastard who's calling me—you...!"
Before Hidan could explode, Kakuzu cut him off. "Shut up, Hidan. It's time to go."
"Tsk!"
The two projections vanished.
"Then I'll be going too." Kanon looked at the remaining members, her gaze lingering a moment longer on Itachi Uchiha's face before she left.
Hidan and Kakuzu both regained consciousness in the physical world.
"I've been cooped up for three days. I'm going to go wild!" Hidan cracked his neck. "Just you wait, bounty heads."
Kakuzu was already walking away.
"Hey, Kakuzu! Where are you going? The bounty station is in the other direction!"
"Are you an idiot?" Kakuzu asked without looking back.
"What was that?!"
"Our target is the Jinchuriki. There's no point in going back there to wait for an ambush. We'll take a different route to Konoha."
"Three days have passed. That bounty corpse has likely been transported back to Konoha by now anyway."
Hidan thought about it and gave a small nod. "Fine, makes sense. Should we wait for Kanon-chan?"
"No. She's fast enough to catch up," Kakuzu muttered. "By the way..." He turned around and glanced at Hidan's neck.
"What?!"
"That stitched wound looks hideous. Use this to cover it."
Kakuzu tossed Hidan's forehead protector back to him.
"Isn't this my head protector? What, did you actually pick it up for me?" Hidan grinned. "Kakuzu, you've actually got a nice side to you, don't you?"
"Shut up, Hidan. Keep moving!"
Hidan tied his forehead protector back on and hurried to catch up.
"Hey! Wait for me! Hey! Kakuzu! You actually like me, don't you?!"
"Say one more disgusting thing and I'll kill you."
"Hahaha, don't be so shy!"