"Kanon!"
A voice suddenly rang out, interrupting Karin's "assault" on Kanon.
"Sakura?" Kanon stood up. Though her clothes were a bit disheveled, her expression was utterly indifferent.
Kanon turned to Karin behind her. "Go find Suigetsu and Jugo. I have some personal business to handle here." She looked at Sakura with a cold smile, emitting a killing intent that made the pink-haired girl's skin crawl.
This feels nothing like the Kanon of the past, Sakura thought, a seed of doubt taking root. Is this really her?
"What are you doing appearing before me? Waiting for me to kill you?" Kanon asked.
"Where is Sasuke?! I came to find him. I'm going with him, I'm defecting from Konoha!"
"Is that so? Unlucky for you, he's already left," Kanon said flatly, her gaze meeting Sakura's with chilling calm.
…
In a frozen wasteland, Naruto sprinted across the snow.
Pervy Sage, I really am a huge idiot... but I'm not giving up on Sasuke.
Kanon, I finally understand what it feels like to lose a bond. If I can just see you... see both of you... I feel like I'll finally find the answer.
Meanwhile, Kakashi, having received intel on Sakura from Kiba, had placed the other two in a safe location and continued his pursuit. He knew Sakura intended to kill Sasuke alone, but with her strength, was that even possible?
As for Kanon... Kakashi realized that even he might not be able to win against her now. He knew all too well that his Mangekyo abilities were no match for hers.
…
Sakura had closed the distance, stopping not far from Kanon. Seeing her approach, Kanon spoke dismissively to Karin: "Go. Now. We'll talk about the rest later."
"I understand." Karin knew this wasn't the time to be stubborn.
"Find Suigetsu and Jugo, then leave with them. I don't want you to die." Kanon's voice reached Karin's ears, sending a wave of warmth through her. It was true; Suigetsu and Jugo were still missing, and she was the only one who could find them.
As Karin retreated, Kanon faced Sakura. The two girls of the former Team 7 stood opposite each other, one face clouded with solemnity, the other devoid of joy or sorrow.
"Sakura, what's your angle? Why do you want to follow that guy?" Kanon asked coldly.
"I don't have an angle! Ever since you and your brother left the village, I've regretted not going with you!"
"Enough! I'm tired of your noisy, useless chatter."
The moment the words left her lips, Kanon lunged, throwing a heavy punch straight at Sakura. Sakura's pupils dilated; she truly hadn't expected Kanon to attack without hesitation. The kind, gentle Kanon of Team 7 would never have raised a hand against a former comrade.
BAM!
Sakura blocked with both arms, but Kanon's strike was merciless. The sheer force of the impact sent Sakura flying back hundreds of meters, her body carving a deep trench into the bridge in the distance.
Looking at Sakura coughing up blood in the crater, Kanon felt only a sense of mockery. This person clearly tried to kill me once before. Why did I ever forgive her?
Kanon raised her left hand. Screeching bolts of lightning began to gather – the Chidori.
Sakura scrambled to her feet in the pit, watching in terror as the cold, ruthless Kanon raised the lightning blade. If that Chidori landed, she was dead.
"I stopped caring a long time ago. Die." With her three-tomoe Sharingan spinning, Kanon swung the Chidori downward.
CLANG!
At the critical moment, Kakashi appeared, using Lightning Blade to parry Kanon's hand away. In that split second, Kakashi saw her eyes – pure, focused killing intent and a terrifyingly swift execution.
"You've truly fallen, Kanon!" Kakashi shouted angrily.
In a flash, Kanon pivoted into a spinning side kick. Kakashi stepped back to dodge, but Kanon's hand was already planted on the ground.
"What?!" Kakashi gasped. Kanon used her hand as a pivot to rotate her entire body, her other leg slamming into Kakashi and sending him flying.
In the nuances of Taijutsu, Kakashi had actually been outmaneuvered. Sakura watched in shock as Kanon stabilized herself, took a step back, and manifested a red skeletal arm that smashed down toward the immobilized Sakura.
"Damn it, Kanon's combat experience is too high!" Mid-air, Kakashi threw out a wire, piercing Sakura's arm to pull her away.
Sakura let out a muffled groan as she was yanked out of the path of destruction. The massive skeletal fist slammed down, shattering the ground. The sheer vibration left both Kakashi and Sakura stunned. If Kakashi hadn't acted instantly, Sakura would be a smear of red paste.
Amidst the dust, a massive red Susano'o hand propped Kanon up, propelling her forward.
"Tch. Was I a bit too slow?" Kanon huffed.
Kakashi stared grimly at Kanon before speaking to Sakura. "Sakura, you intended to kill Kanon and Sasuke all by yourself, didn't you?"
"You don't need to carry that burden. As the sensei of Team 7, the fact that you all fell apart is my failure. It's all my fault."
Kakashi raised a kunai toward Kanon. "Sakura, just to put your mind at ease..."
"I said some irresponsible things before."
"Kanon! Don't let the darkness of this world blind you! There is still a chance to turn back!"
Hearing such absurd words, Kanon's body began to tremble. She was so angry she started to laugh:
"Hah... Hahahaha! Kakashi, 'turn back'?"
"Are you joking?!" Kanon roared, a thick, suffocating killing intent erupting from her.
In that moment, memories flooded back: her parents collapsed under the moonlight; Izumi's head being pierced through; the endless assassination attempts by the Leaf.
She saw the image of Jiraiya, riddled with wounds before his death, as if it were yesterday. She felt Itachi's fingers tapping her forehead as he whispered, "Forgive me, Kanon. This is the last time."
Then the vision shifted. Sasuke standing on the beach at sunset, pointing a sword at her throat.
Finally, she saw Tayuya's coffee, Jirobo's honest smile, the Akatsuki robes she had spent all night mending for Sakon and Ukon, and Kidomaru's severed, rotting arm.
Kanon's eyes became bloodshot, filled with despair, rage, and madness.
Seeing her state, Kakashi shifted into a high-alert stance. "Kanon, don't let revenge blind you! There are still many warm moments in this world!"
"Give them back! My father, my mother, my clan! My comrades, my village, everything I've lost! Give it all back to me! Then, and only then, will I give up my revenge!"
"You're just a spineless coward who's all talk! Stop lecturing me!"
Witnessing her frantic, vengeful state, both Sakura and Kakashi turned pale. The Kanon before them had plunged into total darkness; there was no light left in her eyes. The little girl who once yearned for a peaceful field of flowers was never coming back.
If she won't come back, then I have to do this myself, Kakashi thought, his expression hardening as he focused on her.
"I don't want to kill you."
"Are you trying to make me laugh? Kakashi, are you implying you could kill me whenever you wanted?!"
"Stop acting like a sensei and lecturing me. You're not worthy!"
"Right now, I really, really want to kill you, Kakashi!"
Facing the manic Kanon, Kakashi slowly lifted his headband, revealing his Sharingan. He looked at her and sighed inwardly. To think that gentle, hot-blooded girl could be influenced by Madara to this extent...
"Sakura, get out of here. I'll take over your heavy resolve. This is my mission, too."
"Go on, hurry," Kakashi said, offering a small smile to Sakura.
Sakura nodded and retreated. As she left, Kakashi turned back to Kanon, shedding his white flak jacket.
"As the leader of Team 7, let us end everything right here!"
"I told you, stop using that 'sensei' tone to order me around! You don't deserve it!"
"No matter who falls, I still think the old Orochimaru was more likable than you," Kakashi said tonelessly.
"Lord Third... even you, who raised so many disciples, must have felt this pain. The agony of having to face your beloved student to protect the village."
"I think I understand it a little bit now."
"I wonder what Lord Third was feeling then. I feel the same way now."
"Then you can die here, just like that stinking old man!"
With those words, both blurred into afterimages and charged at each other!