Tsunade wiped away her tears, her gaze turning frigid. In a few strides, she charged toward Orochimaru and Kabuto.
She slammed her foot into the earth. The massive impact of her Monster Strength leveled the entire alleyway instantly.
"Come, Orochimaru!" Tsunade glared coldly at her former friend. Now, her only desire was to kill the man standing before her.
"Come to think of it, we haven't crossed blades until now," Orochimaru hissed.
"True." Tsunade shed her overcoat and lunged at the duo. "I'm going to kill you pieces of trash right here!"
Tsunade threw another punch, sending dust billowing and stones flying. Her sheer physical power kept Orochimaru and Kabuto from daring to close the distance.
"Orochimaru-sama, this area isn't suitable for battle. Let's move to a better location."
"Hmph. Very well."
The two vanished from the scene, with Tsunade in hot pursuit. As the Sannin's chase moved into the distance, a rose-shaped vortex swirled in the empty alley. A girl clad in a crimson Uchiha trench coat appeared, a fox mask resting on her forehead.
"Quite the destructive power," Kanon muttered, squatting down to examine a shattered boulder. "To destroy stone this hard with a single strike..."
Just as Kanon prepared to stand, a voice called out from behind her.
"Kanon!"
Naruto shouted with surprise and joy. Hearing the call, the girl turned her head. Her face remained a masterpiece of refined features, beautiful enough to make any woman envious, but her expression was as still as ancient water.
Her hollow eyes caused Naruto and Jiraiya to frown with concern.
"You... what are you doing here?"
"Quite the ruckus, isn't it?" Jiraiya muttered, glancing at the destruction.
"Kanon! If you're here, you must know where Tsunade-baachan went!" Naruto shouted. "We have an emergency! We have to find her right now!"
Hearing this, a beautiful arc formed at the corner of Kanon's mouth. She didn't speak immediately, merely gazing at Jiraiya, Naruto, and Shizune with detachment.
"She made a choice that reeks of a Hokage," Kanon said softly.
Before her voice could fade, Jiraiya stepped forward. "Kanon, I don't want to kill you. Tell me what happened!" His tone was urgent; the situation with Tsunade and Orochimaru wouldn't wait.
"Hahahaha!"
A burst of laughter interrupted him. Kanon laughed maniacally before widening her eyes to glare at the three of them.
"Kill me? You think you can kill me now?"
"Don't make me laugh, Jiraiya."
Kanon's expression turned wild. The three-tomoe in her eyes began to spin as she wove hand signs. A swirling gale erupted around her.
"Fire Release!"
"Die..."
"Storm Dance!!!"
A terrifying torrent of flames erupted from her mouth. Channeled through the vortex of the Flower Realm, the massive, rotating firestorm swept toward the three of them.
The surrounding environment began to melt instantly. The horrifying temperature made Jiraiya gasp in shock, and Shizune screamed.
But Naruto gritted his teeth and stepped to the very front. He threw his arms wide, intending to take the brunt of Kanon's devastating ninjutsu alone. Tears streamed from his eyes as he stood as a shield for Jiraiya and Shizune.
"Naruto!"
Jiraiya's pupils contracted. He clenched his fists so hard his palms bled. If he hadn't been drugged by Tsunade and rendered unable to mold chakra, he wouldn't be in a position where he needed his student to protect him.
But the expected explosion never came. Just as the Storm Dance was about to incinerate Naruto, it vanished into thin air!
Naruto stared wide-eyed at Kanon. It wasn't because of any counter-measure; Kanon had canceled the jutsu herself!
"Kanon... I knew it... you're still—"
"Don't speak so presumptuously!"
"You're still the same Kanon as before, right?!" Naruto screamed at her.
"I'm not... No more. Never again."
"Instead of worrying about me, you should chase your dream of becoming Hokage."
"If I can't even save my best friend, how can I ever become Hokage?!" Naruto declared with unwavering conviction.
Kanon turned away, tears pricking her eyes despite her resolve. Her figure blurred into an afterimage and vanished from the area.
Naruto's expression was complex. He knew that Kanon had canceled the jutsu specifically because she didn't want to hurt him.
"Kanon! Even if we're worlds apart, we'll always be best friends!"
As Naruto stood dazed, Jiraiya barked at him: "Naruto, let's go! I've located Tsunade!"
…
CRASH!
Another explosion rocked the battlefield as Tsunade's fist created yet another crater. Orochimaru, unable to use his hands, relied on Kabuto to engage her.
Kabuto swallowed a soldier pill and traded blows with the Sannin. Explosions echoed as the two fought to a standstill. However, Tsunade soon fell into one of Kabuto's tactical traps. Just as Kabuto prepared to deliver a finishing blow, a massive cloud of smoke erupted beside her.
Jiraiya, Naruto, and Shizune appeared in the nick of time, intercepting Kabuto's lethal strike.
"It's been a long time, Jiraiya," Orochimaru said, looking at his former teammate.
"Your eyes are as sinister as ever," Jiraiya smirked back.
Tsunade delivered a quick elbow to shove Jiraiya aside before lunging at Kabuto again. But Kabuto was prepared. He drew a kunai and slashed his own hand. As blood sprayed, Tsunade instantly lost her ability to fight, paralyzed by her phobia.
Naruto charged in but was quickly knocked back by Kabuto. Kabuto retreated to Orochimaru's side and swallowed another soldier pill, surveying the opposition.
Jiraiya stepped to the front, cold sweat trickling down his neck. "Shizune, you handle the one with the glasses. I'll take Orochimaru. But before we start... I'd really like Tsunade to fix my body."
"It might take some time... I'm at a loss right now too," Shizune said, shaking her head as she looked at the catatonic Tsunade.
"Eh?! Seriously?!" Jiraiya was dumbfounded. "Fine then. I guess I'll just have to fight them like this. Tsunade, use your restoration ninjutsu and rest."
Naruto was annoyed that he hadn't been given an assignment. "What about me? What about me?!"
"You and that pig protect Tsunade."
"What?! I want to fight too!"
"I should be out there—" Naruto was cut off by Jiraiya's stern refusal.
"No! That four-eyed kid was right, you aren't on their level. The opponent is a Sannin like me, the man who killed the Third Hokage. Only I can face him. Besides, that glasses kid has strength on par with Kakashi."
"Fine! If that's how it is!" Naruto began to form a sign for Shadow Clones, but Jiraiya stopped him.
"Don't use Shadow Clones. It's pointless. You can't bait enemies like these; it's just a waste of chakra."
"Now... let's begin."
Jiraiya stepped forward. Across the field, Kabuto moved as well, using his own blood to smear a line across Orochimaru's arm. Jiraiya bit his thumb in preparation.
"Summoning Jutsu!" both roared.
A massive, two-headed snake appeared. Orochimaru and Kabuto stood atop its heads, looking down. Jiraiya glared back fearlessly, for his summon was—
In the next moment, he froze. Naruto froze too.
At their feet, Gamakichi appeared. He was barely larger than Jiraiya's foot. Gamakichi looked up and waved cheerfully. "Long time no see!"
Jiraiya and Naruto stood in stunned silence. Shizune realized that because the drug's effects were so potent, Jiraiya still couldn't properly mold his chakra.
Orochimaru let out a cold laugh. "You're as dim-witted as ever, Jiraiya. No matter how little talent you had, I didn't think it would come to this. It seems Tsunade did quite a number on you."
Naruto gritted his teeth, unable to stand seeing Jiraiya mocked. "Then I'll do it!"
Naruto performed the Summoning Jutsu. POOF! A cloud of white smoke cleared to reveal Gamatatsu, who was roughly the same size as Gamakichi.
Orochimaru and Kabuto mocked the "foolish master and student" pair mercilessly. Orochimaru signaled the attack.
"I'll handle Jiraiya. You take care of the rest!" Orochimaru commanded.
"What a shame. I was looking forward to testing myself against the great Jiraiya-sama."
As the massive snake heads lunged toward them, a voice suddenly halted everyone in their tracks.
"Is this the power of the Sannin? How pathetic."
Everyone turned toward the source. On a nearby patch of open ground stood a girl in a red Uchiha trench coat, a fox mask on her forehead, and her hair in twin tails. She looked at the battlefield with utter disdain.
One drugged and unable to mold chakra. One with broken arms, unable to use jutsu. One paralyzed by the mere sight of blood.
She didn't move to attack. Instead, she swiped the dust off a nearby rock and sat down, resting her chin in her hands like a bored spectator. She didn't say another word.
"Damn it... is that Sasuke's sister?!" Orochimaru's brow furrowed.
But the battle raged on. Jiraiya and Orochimaru kept each other in check while Naruto and Shizune clashed with Kabuto.
Kanon remained motionless, simply waiting for the end of the struggle.