Prologue: The end of a dream
I don't remember who or where I am, but...I'm assured that never in my entire life I feel so...demolished. And in more ways than one.
I feel my head spinning, and I can't wait to throw up the nonexistent food in my stomach.
My eyes, which I pride myself on so much -I think-, don't work as they should. I only see darkness before me...I think I suffer from tunnel vision. I close my eyes, understanding that try to acquire information through my sight is useless.
I feel like every cell in my body is painfully shutting down. The world around me became less and less real...and more like an illusion...a dream.
At involuntarily escaping what it leaves my consciousness, due to my state of uselessness and other unpleasant sensations -such as constantly hearing deafening buzzing- I heard an echo in the distance. The steps of a person were approaching my body that, at least I suppose, was lying on the floor.
As a last effort, I open my eyes once more and focus to win against the tunnel vision. To my relief, something changes. The landscape was still dark...but in the middle...there was a light that floated in the sky...a blood-red light.
(The moon...)
Thanks to that, I remembered who I am ...
I AM MADARA UCHIHA, AND THIS IS MY STORY / FAILURE.
I born in the cradle of one of the greatest and most skilled Ninja Clans, being I the rightful heir and the chosen one who would lead our people to glory (or at least I thought I was). Possessing the Kekkei-Genkai of the Uchiha, and added to my innate abilities both in combat and judgment, there was no one that was a rival to me...
...
There was no one to be my rival?
...
!
Now I remember...if there was someone...that's the man the echoes belong to. Even without seeing him, I knew that he was there. THE ONLY FRIEND I HAD MADE: HASHIRAMA SENJU.
As if Hashirama's presence had the same effect as resuscitation techniques, I could clearly recall my surroundings. It was the last of the night, but like a candle about to go out, the moon seemed to shine brighter. It was as if it painted a representation of myself in the sky. One last mockery on my inevitable end...
In a couple of seconds, I remembered how I got to this so sorry state: I followed the words written on the Uchiha Sekihi, and made the preparations to carry out the Jutsu that would save everyone: The Mugen Tsukuyomi. With this technique, the entire world should fall into an illusion, ending wars and people's suffering forever. A world of peace alone would reign.
THAT WAS 'MY' PLAN.
But it betrayed me...the being that I thought I had created myself, nothing more...who also turned out to be the one who manipulated me to perform the Jutsu that 'would save everyone'.
(PATHETIC...) Was the only conclusion I had towards myself. Fooled like a 5-year-old little child. Is this end worthy of Madar-...no, is this a worthy end to anyone?
As a result of the above, here I am: Half-naked on the floor, with the tailed-beasts pulled from my body, like the loser.
Did I lose because I was weak? Unthinkable. Any fool who dared to insult me never saw the light of the next day. In my eyes, the 'power' that others boasted was only an insult at that word. Not even the Kages, Shinobis considered as the strongest on the Elemental Nations, posed a challenge for me.
Did I lose because I was stupid? That's extremely difficult. Few could match me in intellect, military tactical, judgment, or any field that required my attention.
Did I lose because I was overconfident? Perhaps. But I would say that in my case, it was fully justified by what I have already explained above.
Did I lose for paying attention to a stone instead of trusting people...on my people? I...I...I just...don't know...I don't know anymore...
Hashirama knelt next to me. It's more than certain that this will be our last talk ... and obviously, I don't want to leave without clarifying things with him.
With great difficulty, I uttered in the most summarized way. "Neither you…nor I…we got…what we wanted…" I said weakly.
"It would not be easy. There is a limit to what we can do during our lives. That's what the next generations are for, to do it for us." He replies me with solemn.
Hmphahahahaaa...I couldn't expect less from you ...
"As always...so naïve...hmphehe. You...were always...the optimist. But...perhaps...that was...the right thing to do..." I admitted without further ado. My pride won't be needed on this exchange.
After a pause, I continued. "My dream...came to the end…but yours…can still be fulfilled…"
"You hurried too much. Nothing would have happened because we couldn't achieve it. The important thing was to educate the next generation to carry it out."
"...Then...it was impossible…for me… because I always...hated…to be followed…" I said bitterly.
I had no one to trust. No one thought like me. I had no one to protect. No one needed me. No one wanted my presence. I had nothing and no one. Just me...AND I LOVED THAT. EVEN WHEN IT HURT ME, I LOVED STAYING JUST WITH MYSELF.
Hashirama looked away for a few moments as a sign of meditating. "Do you remember what you told me as children?" He continued. "'Shinobis never know when they will die. To be immortal, we must expose our true selves, exchange drinks and toast as brothers'."
He turned his gaze at me.
"But we died, and now we can only toast as war buddies."
"...As...war buddies?..." Hmphehee ...you talk about understanding each other, right? That's impossible, we never-
…
…
No...we already do it. After fighting, after throwing everything we had at each other...even after all that, here we are...chatting like we're back to when we were kids.
We're enemies. We're rivals. We're friends. There is no falsehood in our actions or thoughts...OUR RELATIONSHIP IS GENUINE. And for that, we can do a giveaway to something better...
"Well, in that case, we…are…rea…dy…" I choked. I couldn't go on anymore...that was the last thing I could babble coherently.
Even with this goodbye that could be construed as peaceful, I feel great regret. Not just because I failed in my goals, but I'm sure this world would have been better without me.
The only thing left of Uchiha Madara will be a legacy full of infamy. "The Greatest Terrorist," or "The man who played be God and almost wipe us all," the history books will say.
An unworthy title...an unworthy ending...an unworthy legacy. That's what I am leaving behind.
AND NOW, THE DARKNESS CLAIMS ME...
...
Third-person P.O.V
Madara closed his eyes. A few seconds passed, and Hashirama just can look at his old friend with sorrow. Surely a man like him deserved a better ending than this…
Nearby, Rikudou Sennin, Naruto, Sasuke, Kakashi, and Sakura looked at both of them.
"Now I will release the five Kages and undo the [Edo-Tensei]." Announced the great sage.
Without warning, a black hole opens just below Madara, and quickly began to swallow his body.
That astonished everyone.
(A dimensional ability? But I'm sure my mother has been sealed!)
There was no time to analyze. The father of shinobis must do something. "[Rikudou no Jutsu: Tendo] [Banshō Ten'in]"
The wise old man stops Madara's absorption. But it was only temporary. The power of attraction of the black hole was too much. Even with all his strength -which wasn't too much due to his ghostly state-, was a useless exercise.
(N-no...I have almost no strength left...)
The portal makes a barrier-repulsion as a response to the attempt to avoid the subtraction of the fallen Uchiha. It pushes all present back off.
Until at last, Madara's body disappears.
Naruto hurriedly approaches with the sage.
"Rikudou old man! What happened?!"
It absorbed the sage in his thoughts. His perception went to work in a hurry. After analyzing all the possibilities, he concluded that Madara's body was no longer on his world. So, someone has dragged him into another dimension…
Sighing, he answers. "...I'm not even sure how to answer that..."