Entering the Flower Realm, the scenery had long since ceased to be a vibrant field of colors. Every flower had transformed into a blood-red spider lily, and the sky itself was choked by a crimson haze.
It was a mirror of Kanon's current soul. Within this realm, Konin stood waiting; here, she could use cherry blossoms to manifest a physical body, though she was bound to the Flower Realm's borders.
In stark contrast to the haggard, battered Kanon, Konin stood pristine and immaculate, despite sharing an identical face.
"What is your next move?"
Kanon listened to Konin's voice with a detached expression, her heart swept clean of emotion.
"A flower field full of peace must be drenched in blood along the way."
"Oh? It seems you've already made up your mind."
The corner of Kanon's mouth quirked upward. She looked down at a blood-red spider lily growing near her ninja boots, knelt, and plucked it.
"First, I heal."
Looking at the deep crimson bloom, Kanon said little else.
"You won't even tell me?! Though, I believe I understand." Konin wore a smile full of dark meaning.
"You and I are one. How could you not know what I am thinking?" Kanon said flatly.
"Of course I know."
Simultaneously, the two voices spoke the ultimate goal echoing in Kanon's mind:
"Destroy Konoha."
…
Several days passed.
At the Konoha Hot Springs.
Jiraiya stood with a deep scowl on his face. He had already heard the report regarding Kanon from Kakashi.
"Sigh... I suppose the thing I feared most has finally happened?" Jiraiya let out a soft sigh. "It seems Kanon truly wasn't the Child of Prophecy the Great Lord Elder spoke of..."
He gritted his teeth, ready to set off and demand an explanation from Danzo, when the two Village Counselors, Koharu and Homura, appeared behind him.
With the Third Hokage's sacrifice, the village could not remain leaderless. They were here to invite Jiraiya to succeed as the Fifth Hokage.
However, having just processed the departure of a student, Jiraiya had no heart for the office; moreover, he had long grown accustomed to a life of wandering.
"If it's the Sannin you want, isn't there one more?"
"That woman, Tsunade."
Homura and Koharu exchanged a glance and nodded. "That girl certainly has the ability."
"But no one knows her whereabouts."
Jiraiya gave a light chuckle. "I'll go find her and bring her back. That should solve the problem, shouldn't it?"
"But—"
"Compared to a man with no motivation like me, the capable Tsunade is much better suited to be Hokage. What do you say?"
"Understood. We will consider it as soon as possible."
"However, to search for Tsunade, we must assign three Anbu to accompany you."
"Don't worry, I won't run away. Sentinels are unnecessary." Jiraiya paused, a look of regret crossing his face. "I originally hoped to take two people with me on this journey... but now, only one is left."
Homura and Koharu knew exactly who Jiraiya was referring to. After the loss of nearly a hundred Root jōnin, the blow to Konoha's overall strength was catastrophic.
…
Konoha remained desolate. The losses from the invasion were severe, and reconstruction was underway, but the post-war landscape cast a long shadow over the hearts of the villagers.
Kurenai Yuhi and Asuma Sarutobi were walking and chatting on the street when they spotted Kakashi standing silently outside a shop. The loss of Kanon had left the Team 7 mentor in a state of mourning he had yet to overcome.
But life had to move forward. As a teacher, he couldn't remain despondent forever. He offered a greeting to the pair.
"You two seem to be getting along well..."
Kurenai's face flushed. She playfully scolded him with a hint of embarrassment.
"Idiot! I'm just here to buy dango because Anko asked me to."
"What about you?! What are you doing in a place like this?"
"Nothing much. I'm buying offerings, and waiting for someone. Waiting for Sasuke."
Kakashi's gaze suddenly sharpened.
"Eh? You're waiting for someone? That's rare," Asuma remarked, noticing the shift in Kakashi's focus. "Are the offerings for Obito?"
"Obito?" Kurenai asked, clearly unfamiliar with the name.
"Something like that."
Sure enough, Sasuke approached from the distance in silence. His expression was hollow; several days had passed since Kanon's disappearance, and he still had no news.
"Kakashi... rare to see you arrive early. Is there any news about my sister?" Sasuke asked.
"No..." Kakashi shook his head.
Suddenly, two mysterious men inside the shop vanished without a trace. Kakashi caught the eyes of Asuma and Kurenai, giving them a subtle signal. The two jōnin hurried off immediately.
Seeing them leave, Sasuke's brow furrowed. He had just felt a strange, familiar sensation.
"Kakashi! Did my sister really die in this war?! Why hasn't a body been found?!"
Sasuke lost his composure, grabbing Kakashi by the shoulders.
"Sasuke, give me a break. I truly don't know where Kanon went..."
"But it's true that there is no official news of her death."
Sasuke seemed to grasp Kakashi's meaning, the implication being that he shouldn't panic yet, as there was a high probability Kanon was still alive. This finally managed to stabilize Sasuke's frantic heart.
Nearby, Kisame and Itachi walked leisurely through the village. Suddenly, Asuma and Kurenai blocked their path.
"You aren't from this village. What is your business here?"
"It has been a long time, Asuma-san, Kurenai-san," Itachi said respectfully from beneath his straw hat.
"You know us? That means you were once a shinobi of this village," Asuma said calmly.
Itachi lifted his hat slightly, revealing a three-tomoe Sharingan. On his hand, he wore the "Vermilion" ring.
"You... you are—?!" Asuma looked on in disbelief.
Itachi removed his hat, revealing his face, and pulled his arm from the sleeve of his black, red-clouded cloak.
"No mistake... You're Itachi Uchiha!"
Standing beside him, Kisame spoke with a sneer. "Are these acquaintances of yours, Itachi-san?"
"Then I suppose I should introduce myself as well." Kisame removed his own hat. "Kisame Hoshigaki. I look forward to our future acquaintance."
"There won't be a 'future.' I'm taking you down right now!" Asuma flashed a confident grin.
"Itachi-san, it seems the people of your village really do hate the Uchiha," Kisame chuckled mockingly. "Whether it's your sister or you, it's all the same."
"What?!" Asuma froze.
"You know the whereabouts of Kanon Uchiha?!" Kurenai asked, shocked.
"We saw her. Although, she was covered in wounds and on the verge of death. I imagine your own Konoha Anbu did that to her," Kisame taunted them with a grin.
Asuma and Kurenai's faces darkened. The fact that Danzo had sent Anbu to hunt Kanon Uchiha had already begun to leak among the core high-ranking officials. It was a scandal for Konoha, but as jōnin, they knew fragments of the truth.
Kurenai looked at Kisame, trying to shift the focus. "Kisame Hoshigaki, I know you too!"
"Formerly of the Hidden Mist. Wanted for the assassination of a Daimyo and for state-level sabotage. A rogue ninja on every nation's most-wanted list."
Asuma raised his trench knives, channeling chakra into them and assuming a combat stance.
"You are both S-Rank criminals on the bingo book. Itachi, after causing such a horrific incident, you have a lot of nerve returning to this village."
"Asuma-san, Kurenai-san... please do not interfere with me."
"So, what is your purpose?! Why come back after what you did?" Asuma demanded.
Kisame's small eyes turned bloodshot with excitement. "They're so noisy, Itachi-san. Shall I kill them?"
"It seems we won't be able to leave the village quietly. But don't overdo it. Your techniques are quite conspicuous."
Kisame's expression turned predatory. "It's decided then! I'll kill them both!"
Kisame swung his greatsword, clashing violently with Asuma's blades! Meanwhile, Kurenai found she had no resistance against Itachi. In an instant, she was caught in a genjutsu. After being kicked into the lake by Itachi, Kurenai barely had time to react before Itachi's kunai was pressed against the back of her head.