"Are you certain?" Mei Terumī asked, her voice laced with shock.
"Is he still alive? Didn't he die decades ago?" Gaara added, his expression clouding with confusion.
"Exactly. That man should have breathed his last long ago," Ōnoki remarked, his stubborn refusal to believe the news evident.
"I am not entirely clear on the details myself, but the intelligence is reliable," Danzō replied, giving a subtle shake of his head.
"Are you trying to tell us he's immortal?!" the Raikage demanded, glaring at Danzō.
"It is hard to say..."
"Could he truly be a monster...?" Cold sweat trickled down Onoki's forehead. As one of the few who had actually faced Madara Uchiha in the past, he knew all too well the sheer terror of the man's power.
At that moment, Danzō used Kotoamatsukami to subtly manipulate Mifune, the leader of the neutral Land of Iron.
Mifune spoke up, offering a proposal: "In order to deal with the threat of the Akatsuki, perhaps it is time to form an unprecedented Allied Shinobi Force consisting of the five great hidden villages."
"An alliance?" the Raikage muttered, skeptical.
"An excellent idea," Danzō nodded.
"These are extraordinary times; we must act with a single heart and mind..."
Mifune nodded slightly. "This would allow for a unified command, preventing further chaos and fragmentation."
Onoki, however, remained wary. "Then the question remains: who shall be granted supreme command over this alliance?"
"If you were to decide among yourselves, it would lead to endless bickering. Therefore, I hope you will respect the neutral stance of the Land of Iron."
"Among the Five Kage, who is most suited...?" Just as Mifune began to speak, a cold, calculating smirk played on Danzō's lips.
"Currently, only the Nine-Tails of Konoha remains as an active Jinchūriki. Controlling him is the ultimate key to victory," Mifune continued. "Therefore... what if we entrust the authority of the Allied Shinobi Force to the Hokage?"
Every eye in the room turned toward Danzō, who sat with narrowed eyes. The shock among the Kage was palpable.
…
In the Hidden Leaf Village, the members of the Konoha 11 stood gathered together.
Because Sasuke had been officially declared a wanted criminal, both Uchiha siblings were now international fugitives. Forced by the gravity of the situation, their peers had converged to discuss the unthinkable.
The dilemma felt insurmountable. Kanon's actions were deemed absolutely unforgivable, but for Sasuke, some believed there might still be a way back.
The atmosphere was heavy with bitterness. Ino, the most sensitive of the group, was moved to tears, her heart aching for the pain Naruto and Sakura must be enduring.
"We aren't children anymore. We have to be the ones to stop the Akatsuki."
"The reason I'm here is to get a guarantee from every member of Team 7," Shikamaru said calmly, looking at Sakura, who kept her head bowed next to Sai.
"A guarantee? What do you mean?" Hinata asked softly.
"Yes," Shikamaru nodded. "Because of Sasuke and Kanon, Konoha and Kumogakure are on the verge of war."
"Let me put this bluntly, so listen carefully."
"If the Cloud ninja kill those siblings, you, Naruto, and Ino won't just let it slide. If you try to retaliate and get yourselves killed by the Cloud, then Choji, Inoichi-san, and my father, along with your parents, won't just stand by. We'll be forced to seek revenge."
"Then the other side won't stop either. They'll come for us. If Choji and I are killed next, our clans will mobilize. In the blink of an eye, a full-scale war begins. According to the intel from the Cloud messengers, those siblings are now international high-value criminals."
"If Sasuke continues to operate with the Akatsuki and Kanon, spreading hatred wherever they go, then we, the people of Konoha, must be the ones to take them out."
"Do you understand what I'm saying?" Shikamaru continued, his voice softening slightly as he saw her distress. "That is the 'guarantee' I'm looking for."
"Sakura... you..."
"Shikamaru! Don't say another word..." Tears finally spilled from Sakura's eyes, tears of grief for the bond she couldn't let go of.
"I'm sorry, Sakura. No matter what your answer is, I will act for the sake of Konoha's future. Even if it means killing Kanon and Sasuke."
"I need to talk to Naruto about this, too. Where is he?" Shikamaru asked.
"Naruto went to the Land of Iron to intercept the Raikage," Sai answered.
"He went that far for them?!" Shikamaru was genuinely stunned. "This is going to be even more complicated than I thought."
In the distance, Sakura wiped away her tears and looked Shikamaru straight in the eye.
"I'll be the one to tell Naruto," she said, her voice turning firm. "After all, he's a big idiot who's always been in love with me. Even though Kanon is so wonderful, he doesn't know how to treasure what's right in front of him... so let me handle this."
She intended to release Naruto from their childhood promise. She wanted him to return to the village, to stop carrying the burden of the pain she had caused him. She would take it upon herself to settle the score with Sasuke and Kanon.
In this moment, she wasn't following the will of Naruto, Sasuke, or Kanon. She was moving forward according to her own resolve.
…
BOOM!
A terrifying explosion rocked the foundation.
By now, the masked man had vanished, leaving Kanon alone.
A massive fist made of crimson skeletal energy, the arm of Susanoo, had completely pulverized the main gate.
From the grip of that spectral hand, she tossed aside a samurai who had been crushed into a bloody pulp. Behind her, the hallway was littered with the fallen forms of the Land of Iron's guards.
The force of the blow echoed into the inner chambers. Everyone inside recoiled in shock, their eyes snapping toward the entrance.
Even the members of Team Taka, who had been lying in wait, were paralyzed by the sheer pressure of this power. Sasuke's pupils dilated as he turned to look.
Following Sasuke's trembling gaze, a young woman stepped through the ruins of the gate. Her long black hair fell loosely, and a fox mask hung from the left side of her bangs. She was slender and elegant, with a face of haunting beauty.
Kanon wore a blue Uchiha-style trench coat, her steps calm and measured as she entered the lions' den.
Her face was a mask of cold indifference. But in her eyes, Sasuke could see the sight of a heart that had once beaten for peace and family now utterly dead.
"Intruder!" Dozens of samurai instantly surrounded her.
BAM!
With a single swing of the massive crimson hand, the guards in front of her were flattened into a red mist.
Kanon tilted her head slightly. She had always been a master sensor, one whose abilities rivaled even Karin's. With a single sweep of her chakra, she locked onto Sasuke's location.
"Kanon-chan..." Karin started to call out, but Jūgo clamped a hand over her mouth.
He could feel it, a suffocating, terrifying killing intent radiating from her.
Sasuke's eyes met Kanon's. But after only a fleeting second, she looked away and continued walking forward, treating Sasuke as if he were nothing more than thin air.
From beginning to end, she was alone. She had come to this perilous Five Kage Summit entirely on her own.
As she moved, countless chakra-infused blades swung toward her, only to be effortlessly deflected by the skeletal ribs of the Susanoo's first form.
Kanon looked at the swarming guards, the corners of her mouth curling into a slight, chilling smile.
"So, you've all gathered? Since you stand in my way... you can all die."
Kanon bit her thumb, a drop of blood sliding down her hand. She wove a set of hand signs and slammed her palms against the floor.
"Summoning Technique!"
POOF!
The colossal form of Manda exploded into existence. The appearance of such a gargantuan predator sent the guards into a state of pure panic.
"Kanon-sama!" the serpent hissed.
"Manda, slaughter every guard in front of me," Kanon said tonelessly.
"As you wish!"
Manda unhinged his massive jaws. Within seconds, the first floor was filled with the sounds of bone-chilling screams and the tearing of flesh. Blood and bone splattered against the walls, leaving the rest of Team Taka in a state of sheer horror.
Such a cruel, blood-soaked scene... was this truly the same Kanon? The girl who had once yearned for peace, the one who was so kind, was gone.
Sasuke watched the carnage, his heart twisted with agony. Yet, he reminded himself that killing Danzō was the priority. He was the primary target of his revenge. He would have to finish his vengeance first, and only then would he find a way to apologize to her.