"Kan... Kanon?"
As if sensing someone calling her name, Kanon turned her gaze slightly.
"Oh, it's you, Sakura," Kanon said indifferently.
"Why... why are you doing this…" Before Sakura could even finish her sentence, a streak of pink light flashed past. Kanon moved with such blistering speed that Sakura couldn't react at all.
In the blink of an eye, Kanon unleashed a sword strike, cleanly severing Hiruzen's head. Tobirama moved to support him, but found his own body completely immobilized.
"Chidori Current..." Arcana of lightning crackled violently along the blade of Kanon's sword.
In a mere matter of moments, the battlefield had once again reverted to her dominating all four Hokage single-handedly.
The peers of their generation watched Kanon, a collective wave of shame washing over them. Kiba, in particular, was acutely aware that Kanon was actually a year younger than them.
Yet her current strength surpassed even Naruto, the hero of Konoha, and her older brother, Sasuke. Her combat techniques and tactical intellect far exceeded anyone else present.
"You bastard!" Naruto's golden Tailed Beast claw tore through the air, but Obito evaded it instantly.
"Don't run!" Naruto roared.
"Alright! While his attention is occupied by their fight and Kanon is momentarily held back, let's cut down the giant tree!" Hashirama shouted to the masses from the crater.
Gaara took to the sky on a cloud of sand, projecting his voice over the entire Allied Shinobi Forces: "We are the stars of the new era! Summon your resolve and your courage! Let us charge together!"
Looking at Naruto, Gaara was reminded of his former self. Naruto had truly become an indispensable pillar of the entire shinobi world, unconsciously transforming into a beacon of hope for everyone.
Just like that, save the world, Naruto! Gaara roared internally.
In that instant, the spirits of the Allied Shinobi Forces rallied. Gaara's words held immense weight.
"Tailed Beast Bomb!"
"Arrow of Kagutsuchi!"
Boom!
A massive Tailed Beast Bomb and a purple Susanoo arrow slammed concurrently toward Obito, only to be deflected by a shield forged from his Truth-Seeking Balls.
Naruto and Sasuke touched down on the ground. Seeing Obito completely unscathed, Naruto's expression turned grim. At this point, they could only rely on raw brute force.
Inside the Kamui dimension, Kakashi finished stitching his wounds. Using Lightning Release to stimulate his cellular activity, he was finally mobile.
Might Guy clenched both fists, glaring at the God Tree as he loudly boomed at Lee and Tenten beside him: "The springtime of my youth... has not faded yet!"
"Lee! Tenten! Let us unleash our youth to its absolute absolute limit!"
"Let us show those who have forgotten what youth means... the true power of our springtime!!"
Watching Kanon hold off three opponents simultaneously and keep the situation deadlocked, Hashirama's clone shifted his gaze from Naruto back to Kanon. A sense of gratification filled his voice as he muttered:
"I've learned about your past from everyone else..."
"You and Kanon are just like Madara and me in the past..."
"However, Naruto Uzumaki, I cannot say for certain what kind of future the two of you will carve out. But right now, you are the one uniting everyone."
"Your turbulent life, Kanon, who has acknowledged you since childhood, and the people who have walked alongside you all this way... they have made you who you are today."
"It is your way of life that gives everyone hope!"
Finishing his monologue, Hashirama leapt from the crater, landing near the Allied Shinobi Forces.
"Toward hope! Follow him!"
Suddenly, the entire Allied Shinobi Forces surged forward, following Gaara and the others as they charged toward the Divine Tree.
In the distance, Mifune bellowed, "The samurai shall not fall behind! Charge together!"
Shikamaru and the others rushed forward as well, his body having mostly recovered.
During a swift exchange of positions, Minato was seized by the throat by Kanon. A Dust Release blast instantly pulverized his head.
"Naruto's dad, stay out of my way!"
With a careless toss, Minato was thrown aside, while on the other flank, Hiruzen was sent crashing into the earth by a heavy punch from her Susanoo ribcage.
Only Tobirama remained, but how could Tobirama's speed hope to contest Kanon's? Armed with the Flying Raijin Technique and the intangibility of her Flower Realm, they couldn't place a Flying Raijin formula on Kanon at all.
Placing a formula on the skeletal structure of a Susanoo was utterly meaningless. Conversely, they had all been marked by Kanon.
Seeing Hiruzen kicked to the ground by Kanon, Orochimaru glided over, mocking him, "How pathetic, Sarutobi-sensei."
"Orochimaru... are you just going to stand there and watch?" Hiruzen muttered, crawling out of the deep pit.
"I am no match for Kanon. She has already surpassed all of us."
"Though I have no interest in this war, if Obito's so-called Infinite Tsukuyomi is successfully cast..."
"It would mean the destruction of my most precious, grand testing ground. That is somewhat unacceptable."
"Then lend a hand!" Hiruzen yelled as he shot back into the air, aiming to rescue Tobirama.
Seeing the roots of the God Tree thrusting toward the crowd, Orochimaru unleashed Hidden Shadow Snake Hands to restrain the flora.
"Very well. Let us take a moment to reminisce about the nostalgic bond of master and disciple."
Before Orochimaru could say anything more, a tempestuous gale swept across the battlefield, blowing countless shinobi of the Allied Forces off their feet!
In front of the God Tree, a crimson Complete Susanoo manifested. A single sweep of its blade felt as though it could cleave through the universe itself, sending the Allied Shinobi Forces flying like ants, rendered utterly useless despite the Nine-Tails' chakra.
The violent winds, accompanied by a distortion in space, tore through the ranks. Shockingly, there was no one piloting the Complete Susanoo; Kanon was still engaged with the Reanimated Hokage, fighting independently from her construct.
Chasing Naruto and Sasuke, Obito noted this display and gave a slight nod. Though they had brief frictions earlier, Kanon was still willing to lend him a hand, which actually made Obito feel a twinge of shame.
Thus, he commanded the God Tree to manifest Wood Dragons, sending them plowing toward the Allied Shinobi Forces.
"Do not fear! Today, we fear nothing!" Gaara roared.
"Charge!"
"It's time to risk it all!"
Confronting Kanon's Complete Susanoo, the Allied Shinobi Forces showed no fear this time. Sakura exerted every ounce of her strength. Drawing upon Shizune's years of research and medical support, she liquefied Katsuyu, transmitting her healing essence to everyone present on the field.
Obito stepped onto the God Tree, his silhouette vanishing in a flash. Sasuke missed him by a hair's breadth.
"Tch!" Sasuke clicked his tongue, swinging his Susanoo blade downward. Obito soared into the air once more, bypassing Naruto.
Obito's speed was simply too blinding for Naruto and Sasuke to track cleanly, but they were gradually beginning to sense his movements.
"Over here!" the two shouted in unison, predicting the exact location where Obito was about to land.
Bang!
Naruto's Tailed Beast claw and the massive Susanoo sword struck simultaneously, but both were intercepted by Obito's Truth-Seeking Balls.
Obito's expression remained indifferent as he spoke, "It is time to begin. You all need to sleep."
"I will guide you to the world of dreams. There is no time left."
In the next instant, the Truth-Seeking Balls morphed into colossal black hands, binding Naruto and Sasuke securely.
On the other side of the field, Kanon used her intangibility to slip directly into her Flower Realm space, and the Complete Susanoo vanished from the field.
When she reappeared, she was already right next to Obito, sitting atop the God Tree with her legs elegantly crossed.
"Damn it! She actually made it back!" Tobirama's expression twisted in shock. It turned out Kanon had intended to return to Obito's side all along, and they hadn't been able to delay her for a single second. Had she just been playing with the four Hokage this entire time?!
Inside the Kamui dimension.
Kakashi frowned. He was certain that Obito still wanted validation, he wanted to test Naruto's heart. Naruto was the spitting image of Obito's past self, and Obito desperately wanted to invalidate the ideals Naruto held so dear.
That unyielding spirit that refused to bow down no matter what, and that immutable Will of Fire… Obito wanted to see if it truly existed.
Miracle after miracle had gradually shifted Obito's perception of Naruto. That very Will of Fire he had once abandoned and denied... deep down inside, Obito could no longer completely reject it.
No matter how many times Obito sought confirmation, no matter how much he tried to convince himself that such things were illusions, he was undeniably wavering. He had become conflicted, desperate to find an answer through Naruto.
Sure enough, Obito smashed Naruto and Sasuke straight down into the earth.
Countless Allied shinobi were sent flying like insects as a massive crater collapsed into the ground.
Within the depths of the pit, Jugo and Sasuke staggered to their feet. Meanwhile, Obito simply stood in place, making no further move to strike.
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NOTE: This fic has been completely translated. If you want to read the whole story head over to my p-atre-on: p-atre-on.c-om/Overgod [Just remove the hyphen to access normally]