While Kanon was still observing her surroundings, Tagitsuhime appeared before the temple.
"Is there another trial?" Kanon asked softly.
"No. We have already lost; the three trials are over."
"Your body has returned to its original state as well."
"Those who come here do so to seek the power of the Sages."
"Ordinary shinobi cannot complete such challenges. How were you able to do it?"
"What a shame. If only you had succumbed, I could have eaten you."
Hearing these cold words, Kanon's expression remained unchanged.
"If it were just you, you wouldn't be able to."
Tagitsuhime did not take offense, merely chuckling. "You have earned the right to see the Great White Snake Sage."
"I see." Kanon nodded and walked inside.
She came upon a massive set of double doors; a strange power seemed to surge from within. Beyond them lay an interminable row of stairs. Without a word, Kanon began her ascent.
At the summit, beneath the carved stone serpent head of Ryūchi Cave, sat a bed. An ancient white snake reclined there, watching Kanon with a satisfied smile.
"Are you the White Snake Sage?" Kanon inquired.
"I am."
"I already know; everything that happens in Ryūchi Cave reaches my ears."
"Man is born of desire, destined to slowly fall into darkness."
"All who seek me out do so to satisfy their cravings, casting aside everything they are."
"Since you have passed the trials, I shall not lie to you."
"Every person who wishes to learn Senjutsu comes here full of ambition, only to fail the tests or die in the attempt."
"If your will is shallow, if you only seek power to show it off, you will never master Senjutsu."
"You... why have you come here to seek strength?"
Listening to the Sage's words, Kanon stood still, her eyes appearing somewhat hollow.
"Whether I can learn it or not does not matter. What I must endure does not matter. Even if I die here..."
"I simply never want to see that weak, useless version of myself ever again."
The White Snake Sage paused, looking intently at the girl before her.
"What is your name?"
"Uchiha Kanon."
"Fine... before you learn Senjutsu, there is one final test." As the White Snake Sage spoke, she lunged forward and bit Kanon's neck.
Puncture wounds appeared on Kanon's shoulder as a torrent of natural energy was pumped into her body. The White Snake Sage was confident; many who passed the initial trials fell at this final hurdle.
As her fangs pierced Kanon's skin, the girl didn't utter a sound. This gave the Sage pause.
As she injected more and more Senjutsu chakra, even the White Snake Sage began to look surprised. Why was the girl so silent after receiving such a massive amount of energy?
Through her sensory abilities, the Sage could feel the terrifying Senjutsu chakra rampaging wildly through Kanon's body. By all rights, it should have been agonizing.
This level of pain would make even a high-ranking shinobi writhe and scream, yet this young girl seemed to have forgotten what pain was.
The White Snake Sage looked at Kanon's side. If not for the slight beads of cold sweat, the Sage would have thought she hadn't injected any chakra at all.
After a while, the White Snake Sage released her. Looking at Kanon's expressionless, sweat-drenched face, she marveled:
"What incredible willpower. To be exposed to this much Senjutsu chakra and not turn into a snake... you truly have the potential to achieve the most perfect Sage Mode in the history of Ryūchi Cave!"
"Is that so?" Kanon nodded slightly. She could feel the parts of her body being eroded by the natural energy, but what of it?
She was already well-acquainted with pain.
"You have immense potential, Uchiha Kanon. I will teach you all the Sage Arts of Ryūchi Cave. You have a genuine chance to utilize Sage Mode without undergoing any physical transformation."
"The ultimate, perfect Sage Mode... you might actually achieve it."
"Prepare yourself. Your true training begins now."
Hearing the Sage's decisive words, Kanon spoke indifferently:
"I told you, I don't care what I have to do. Even if I die here, I refuse to remain weak. Please, let us begin immediately."
"Very well. Such grit for an eleven-year-old... we start tomorrow!"
…
Amegakure.
Konan called out to the figure in the distance, "Pain, come here."
"He is coming."
Pain took the central seat with Konan beside him. Next to them, a man wearing a swirl-patterned mask sat in the chair beside Pain.
"Over the next three years, the capture of the Tailed Beasts will begin," Pain said softly.
"Yes. We start in two years," the masked man replied from the shadows, his face obscured. "The time is almost ripe to recruit the final member of Akatsuki."
"Who?" Konan asked calmly.
"Itachi Uchiha's younger sister: Uchiha Kanon."
The masked man's tone was flat, yet it caused Konan and Pain to pause.
"Her?" Even Nagato, controlling Pain from behind the scenes, was somewhat surprised. By all accounts, Kanon was technically his junior apprentice.
"You both know what she went through in Konoha," the masked man said, his voice turning cold.
"Yes... she is a pitiable child," Konan nodded slightly.
"Everything she has endured since childhood is enough to forge her into a shinobi capable of standing on her own. Even though she is only eleven, her hatred for Konoha must be bone-deep by now."
Listening to Konan's analysis, the masked man gave a definitive answer.
"Correct. However, I have some history with her; she cannot know I am part of Akatsuki. This recruitment mission must be handled by you," Obito said calmly.
Konan and Pain exchanged a look and nodded.
"She is a child who desires peace. She should fit your ideals well, Nagato," Konan remarked.
"Indeed. After all, she is our fellow disciple."
The masked man nodded and stood up. "I'll leave Itachi's sister to you. However, because of Itachi's presence, getting her to join might be difficult."
Pain nodded. Itachi and Kanon, this pair of Uchiha siblings was truly troublesome. If Kanon joined the organization, it would be best to keep them from having too much contact.
That was what Nagato and Konan were thinking. Furthermore, Uchiha Kanon was a beautiful girl; having a "younger sister" in the group might brighten the atmosphere of Akatsuki.
But Pain looked out at the sky over Amegakure and whispered:
"Yahiko, the peace you desired will eventually come. Akatsuki will make it all reality."
Konan nodded and leaned against his side, overlooking the village below.
The masked man watched this for a moment before vanishing into a space-time vortex.
When he reappeared, he was in an underground chamber. Zetsu emerged from the surrounding walls.
"Obito, how do you plan to handle Uchiha Kanon?"
"That girl is a true genius. Konoha's leadership must have gone senile. Once she joins Akatsuki, I will tell her the truth about Itachi."
"Are you that confident she won't side with Konoha?"
"She won't. Konoha cast her out with their own hands. She will never go back. Besides, her strength and combat talent aren't inferior to Itachi's."
"She's only eleven, Obito. Is she really as formidable as you say?"
"Just wait and see, Zetsu. Often, those who crave the light the most become the most desperate once their hope is shattered. This world has no value."
"Just like me..."
As he spoke, Obito remembered the moment he saw Rin being impaled by Kakashi's Chidori. He understood Kanon's pain better than anyone; she was like him. They could understand each other.
Because their worlds had both been destroyed by this filthy shinobi world. Their hearts were already hollow.
"Rin... I will create a world with you in it..."
Watching the silent Obito, Zetsu asked one final question:
"She doesn't know you're the leader of Akatsuki, does she?"
"No."
"No wonder you're letting Nagato handle the recruitment. But have you considered what will happen when Itachi and Kanon meet face-to-face?"
"Yes. That is a problem."
"But that is a problem for Nagato to solve. After all, on the surface... he is the leader of Akatsuki."