Inside the Root Headquarters.
From the oppressive darkness, an old man emerged. Bandages wrapped around his left eye, and a cross-shaped scar marked his chin, a grim reminder of a past encounter with a sharp blade.
An Anbu operative removed his mask and knelt on one knee before the elder, his voice filled with reverence. "Danzo-sama..."
"Speak. Why have you sought this meeting?"
"Naruto Uzumaki remains as he was before. However, the strength of the Uchiha siblings..."
The operative proceeded to report everything he had witnessed during Kakashi's survival exercise. Danzo listened in contemplative silence. He was already aware that Kanon possessed advanced Ninjutsu; what troubled him was the source of her training.
It is likely a hidden inheritance left by Fugaku Uchiha, Danzo surmised, his eyes darkening as he clenched a fist. Kanon must have kept these scrolls secret. That would explain her current level of power.
His mind drifted to the legendary Sannin—Jiraiya, Orochimaru, and Tsunade. Not one of them could be controlled or utilized for his purposes. To Danzo, anything beyond his control was a potential threat to the village.
"As I thought, the Uchiha clan was destined for ruin. If this remnant is allowed to grow further, she will become a liability. For the sake of Konoha, this Uchiha survivor must be brought under my command."
Danzo nodded, dismissing the operative. Left alone, he began to calculate. His agreement with Itachi Uchiha had been to spare Sasuke alone. This girl's survival was an anomaly. Had Hiruzen not intervened with a direct order, Danzo would have long ago sent assassins to "finish" the brat.
"Fugaku Uchiha... it seems you left many of Konoha's techniques to your daughter. You leave me no choice."
Danzo summoned a specialized Root agent. "In one month, you are to issue an order to Kanon Uchiha. Following the Chunin Exams, she is to be inducted into Root."
"Danzo-sama, what if she refuses?"
"Then kill her immediately to eliminate any future threat."
"Understood!" The agent vanished into the shadows.
"Hiruzen, do not blame me for being heartless," Danzo muttered to the empty air. "This is not Sasuke Uchiha; she is not part of the pact with Itachi."
…
While Team 7's missions were frequent, they were mostly mundane chores: catching runaway cats, finding lost items, or weeding gardens. The lack of action left Naruto, Sasuke, and Sakura feeling dejected.
Kanon, however, approached every task with earnest dedication. To her, being a ninja was a dream come true, and even these small steps felt like progress toward her ultimate goal. Despite the triviality of the work, the past month had been full of laughter and warmth. The daily life of Team 7 had become a precious routine.
Kanon had also stopped hiding her light. Her exceptional performance had already caught the eyes of several high-ranking officials. By now, she possessed at least a modicum of strength to protect herself.
One afternoon, after another day of manual labor, the team's patience finally snapped.
"Seriously! Why are all our missions so useless?!" Naruto complained, slapping Kanon on the shoulder.
"Don't ask me. Who am I supposed to ask?" Kanon replied with a shrug.
"Let's go find the Third-jiisama," Sakura muttered.
Except for Kanon, the group looked utterly drained. Kakashi, observing them, realized that Kanon was far more complex than he had initially thought. Her mastery of Ninjutsu far exceeded standard Genin levels. He assumed, like many others, that she was studying the Uchiha scrolls left by her parents.
Kakashi felt a pang of pity. To lose one's parents and clan at age six, forced to train relentlessly day after day... The Uchiha siblings carried a burden far too heavy for their years. Yet, he saw that Kanon was still a young girl at heart. She was talented, yes, but she also shared that hot-blooded, "idiotic" determination that defined Naruto.
They soon arrived at the Hokage's office. Hiruzen Sarutobi smiled as he saw them return.
"You've returned, I see."
"Yeah, jii-chan! Don't you have any real missions for us?" Naruto asked with a flattering grin.
Hiruzen flipped through a stack of documents. "Let's see... babysitting for the Fire Councilman... running errands for a neighboring village... or helping harvest sweet potatoes."
"NO!" Naruto interrupted. "No more of those! I want a real mission! Give us something amazing!"
Sasuke and Sakura nodded in agreement, while Kanon remained neutral. As long as she was with them, she was happy.
I knew he'd start throwing a tantrum eventually... Kakashi sighed.
Ninja missions were ranked from D to A. As rookies, Team 7 was restricted to D and C-rank tasks. Hiruzen looked at the pouting Naruto and let out a small chuckle.
"Naruto, you want a higher-level mission?"
Naruto's eyes lit up. "Wait, jii-chan! You mean it?"
"Since you insist, I'll give you a C-rank mission. You are to act as bodyguards for a certain individual."
The client was Tazuna, a master bridge builder. Team 7's mission was to escort him back to the Land of Waves.
…
The next morning, the group gathered at the village gates, but the Uchiha siblings were nowhere to be found.
"We're supposed to leave in thirty minutes. Where are Kanon and Sasuke?!" Naruto grumbled.
Kakashi sensed something was wrong. "I'll go check. Wait here."
He hurried toward the Uchiha district. Just outside the estate, he found Kanon and Sasuke being blocked by an Anbu operative.
"Are you going to let us pass or not?!" Sasuke barked, shielding Kanon behind him.
"Wait for your instructor," the Anbu replied coldly.
When Kakashi arrived, he was taken aback. "Anbu? Are you from Root?"
"Kakashi, you're just in time." The operative pulled Kakashi aside and handed him a document.
Kakashi's eye widened. "Danzo-sama wants to see Kanon?"
"Correct. Sasuke Uchiha may proceed with the mission, but Kanon Uchiha must report to Root headquarters immediately."
Is he trying to recruit her like he did with Itachi? Kakashi wondered. Itachi had entered the Anbu at a similar age. "Fine... I understand."
Kakashi knew that with the Third Hokage in power, Danzo wouldn't dare do anything truly drastic to Kanon within the village. He walked back to the siblings.
"Kanon, a high-ranking official needs to see you. I'm afraid you won't be able to join us on this mission."
"Oh... alright. Maybe next time then," Kanon said, her voice tinged with disappointment and a hint of nervousness about meeting a "high-ranking official."
Kakashi looked at Sasuke. "Sasuke, we have to go."
"Kanon, you're home alone. Take care of yourself," Sasuke said firmly.
"I will, nii-chan! Go on, don't worry about me. Just remember to bring me back something delicious!" Kanon pulled out half of her saved allowance and pressed it into Sasuke's hand.
"What's this?"
"Take it. It's the money I've saved up. Use it if you guys get hungry on the road. And... tell Naruto and Sakura I'm sorry I couldn't go with everyone."
"Kanon..."
"Go on, get moving! I'll be fine with the Anbu."
Kanon followed the operative away, leaving Kakashi and Sasuke standing in thought.
"It's likely an invitation to join the Anbu," Kakashi said softly to Sasuke. "This could actually be a good opportunity for her."
"I hope so," Sasuke replied. "Let's go."