Hashirama laughed nervously, "Hahaheh, that was a funny joke, Madara. Now come on, they all need help before the infinite Tsukuyomi can turn them into those white creatures."

"I am not joking, I will not help you unless you let me kill the fourth Hokage, the fourth Kazekage, the fourth Raikage, the third Tsuchikage, and the fifth Mizukage," Madara demanded coldly.

Hashirama's smile faded as the words reached his ears, he looked at her with sadness in his eyes, "But why?"

Her posture didn't budge, she was steadfast in her convictions, "You think that I would change my worldview and ideals because I was manipulated by some wannabe god? No, my convictions are stronger than they have ever been, thanks in no small part to you."

Obito expected this, the ball was in Madara's court and whatever she said goes. Kakashi was willing to step in but... Madara placed Kakashi, Obito, and Jiraiya under a genjutsu so powerful they fell limp, even with their Mangekyou it would take a significant amount of time to escape. The tailed beasts were caught in a genjutsu too, and they began being sealed with chubaku Tensei.

Hikaku remembered this as the woman he worked for, cold, calculating, and unrelenting. He knew he was no match for her back then, let alone now, but he had to do something. Izuna stepped in front of him with his back turned, "Don't interfere, Kaku. This is between the two of them, I don't want this any more than you. But when Madara sets her mind to something she'll never stop until it's done." Hikaku looked at Madara and then at Izuna, he was right, Madara still had unfinished business with Hashirama and it had to be left up to fate.

Hagaromo sighed, "Even now you still bear the curse of hatred, I thought after our talk that you would have changed. I guess I overestimated you."

Madara looked at the ground, "All my life has been sadness and sorrow, even when the village hidden in the leaves was built I saw rage and sorrow in every corner. I will not stand idly by when I know I can make a change, the village system must be destroyed, starting with the Kage."

Hashirama wore a more serious expression, "I know the system is flawed but that's why we need to improve it, we can do it, together."

Madara looked at Hashirama, "What is the point of saving something that is already diseased? There is none, the only option is wiping the slate clean. From the ashes of the old villages can a new system replace them, maybe united as one under the Hokage."

"You want to destroy the political scene and replace it with tyranny, is that it? It won't change anything but give everyone a common goal, to dethrone a tyrant. The villages are in place to protect civilians, children, families, and borders. We aren't savages anymore Madara, the world's evolved beyond tribalistic tendencies."

"No matter how hard you try, humankind only knows violence. And the only way they understand anything is through more violence, killing the Kage will lessen the violence." Madara looked at the sage of six paths, "Will you interfere?"

Hagaromo stroked his beard, "I cannot, and even if I wanted to I am already dead. I am only interested in saving those under the infinite Tsukuyomi, what you do afterward is all up to you."

Hashirama looked toward the ground, he didn't want to fight Madara because they are the ones who can end the infinite Tsukuyomi... But if he must he will and this time he won't kill her. "Madara, I can't let you kill the Kage, I will fight you if I must."

Madara smirked, "Oh, will you kill me a second time to secure your village's survival? Because that is what I want, I want to dance with the only one I deem as an equal. Kaguya was powerful but lacked any actual battle knowledge, you know my every move, and I, you."

Hashirama felt uneasy, Madara wanted to fight him. The mask she wore now was hollow and Hashirama could see right through it, "This isn't about the villages or peace, you just want to fight me until one of us falls."

Madara sneered, "Of course, Hashirama would understand." She thought. After Madara reflected on her past it was made clear to her that she loved Hashirama, she felt it was a weakness. A weakness that she refused to have, she would carve out her own heart if need be, anything to stop her heart from aching. "Yes I do want to fight you, but at this point, I do not care for why. As long as I can see the life drain from your eyes, that is all that matters. I will deal with the villages soon enough, I might even become the Hokage and lead everyone through the endless darkness. But only after I claim your life."

Hagaromo stroked his beard, "If either of you die, I can give the victor the means to undo the infinite Tsukuyomi."

Madara smirked, "Then it is settled, we shall fight. Not here though, it must be where we fought last time, in the so-called valley of the end."

Hashirama had no choice but to agree, he braved a stoic face but he was terrified of fighting Madara again. He followed Madara to the valley of the end, she jumped on top of her own statue and Hashirama did the same.

Madara glanced upon the flowers that were adorning the head of her statue, "Red spider lilies, it is impossible for them to grow on a statue normally, unless..."

Hashirama stared at Madara thinking about all the good times they had and even some of the bad, the thought of Madara smiling warmed his heart. He was an idiot for thinking he could save Madara from the darkness, but that's the thing about idiots, they don't stop. "Madara, we can still turn back. It's not too late to save everyone in the infinite Tsukuyomi and live together peacefully, the red-headed girl you know wouldn't want this."

Madara erupted some of her anger, "You do not know what Tayuya would want! She is my student because I see myself in her stead, I will make sure she does not turn out to be like me. It is the same reason you wanted to train the nine tails jinchuriki, he is just like you."

Hashirama had never thought about it but she was right about Naruto, he not only trained with the boy to make him stronger but because Naruto was just like him. "You're right, I did see him as myself. But I didn't care if he turned out to be just like me, his fate is his own and I have to respect that." Hashirama grew a smile, "If... I do die here today, please make sure Naruto has a wonderful life, he deserves that much."

Madara respected Hashirama's wish, "And if I die, not saying I will, make sure Tayuya does not suffer as we have suffered."

Hashirama declared, "I won't have to make that promise, you won't die today."

Madara laughed maniacally, "Oh Hashirama, always full of hope. But wishful thinking will only get you so far, this battle will be someone's last and there is nothing that can change it."

Hashirama calmed himself, if Madara was a Rekka then he would be a monsoon to quell her flames.

Madara launched herself at him and he braced himself for her attack, she hit him with her leg. Hashirama blocked it with both of his arms and Madara jumped back, using her Susanoo she sideswiped Hashirama off the statue. He started falling but maneuvered himself onto the side of the statue and entered sage mode. He manifested his truth seeker orbs and created a bo staff out of two orbs, Madara didn't have the luxury to manifest truth seeker orbs but she did have her Susanoo at her disposal. She created a gunbai made entirely of her Susanoo and clashed with Hashirama's Bo staff, he pushed her back and tried to restrain her with binds of metal around her arms and legs.

Madara laughed maniacally, "No bonds can hold me, you of all people should know that." She switched places with one of Hashirama's truth seeker orbs and smacked him in the face with her Susanoo gunbai.

Hashirama fell all the way to the river. He halted himself before falling into the water, in an instant he was punched and kicked by something ethereal but he could still sense it. "So these are Madara's unique clones, if I don't be careful I'll be the one whose grave she'll be standing over." Hashirama thought to himself.

Madara reached the water too and folded her arms, "This is the pinnacle of the clone jutsu to ever exist, I call them Limbo clones as they exist in our reality and another. They can block and attack as any normal person would but only can be seen by the Rinnegan, but I assume that your sage abilities give you sensory abilities for them as well. No matter, you will fall today." She swapped places with one of her limbo clones and kicked Hashirama in the face, but he substituted with an obsidian clone and said, "Bringer of Darkness jutsu." While Madara only saw complete darkness, Hashirama threw several punches and kicks to her abdomen.

Madara brought out her Susanoo ribcage and blocked everything before Hashirama smashed her in between two obsidian walls, she erupted out of it with her perfect Susanoo and swiped at him like a fly. Hashirama was sent flying into the side of a cliff, Madara flew with her Susanoo straight for him and Hashirama created an obsidian golem to equal the playing field.

Their Kaiju-sized avatars collided blow for blow, Madara realized this and summoned forth ten meteors onto Hashirama's golem. Hashirama inside of the golem's head was being tossed around by the sheer velocity of them, he created a sword for his golem and cleaved one in half. Madara's Susanoo swiped at Hashirama's golem but he blocked it just in time or else his golem wouldn't have had a head, "What is the matter, only going to fight defensively?" Madara asked mockingly.

Hashirama's golem sprouted an obsidian dragon and grabbed Madara's Susanoo and slammed it into the water, one massive meteor slammed into Hashirama's golem and nearly destroyed it by knocking it down. Madara's Susanoo flew into the air, "If you keep stalling you will eventually die, and if you do that then this dance will no longer be fun." She said.

Hashirama's golem stood back up out of the water, "I don't want to kill you again, especially since we both know what it's like. There has to be another way to end this squabble, preferably with both our lives intact." He reacted to an attack from Madara's Susanoo sword and attacked.

When they backed off Madara tsked. "That is not enough to defeat me, how about I raise the tempo." She siphoned all of the tailed beasts into her Susanoo, it began to grow larger and bluer.

Hashirama reacted to her by creating more golems, Madara was disgusted, "Creating clones is your biggest weakness because it drains you of your full power." Madara blocked three attacks from Hashirama's golems at the same time, she preceded to flash in front of Hashirama's golems and destroyed them one by one. His golems gave Hashirama enough time to summon a one thousand armed kan'on, but now made of obsidian.

Now it was a familiar sight, Hashirama and Madara yelled as they charged at each other, Hashirama enhanced many attacks with every single nature element and Madara created a bow and arrow charging an extra powerful shot.

There was a bright flash as both attacks collided, both Kaiju were destroyed leaving Hashirama and Madara falling to the now lessoned river with their destroyed statues. Their armors were heavily damaged from the previous clash, Hashirama had barely a shirt on and was knocked out of sage mode, and Madara had no more armor plates left on her person, just a shirt and baggy pants.

Hashirama slowly rose and Madara immediately shot a fireball at him, he blocked it with a wooden wall cause the obsidian jutsu drained him of his chakra earlier. Madara was about to fire a second fireball but choked on her tongue and was kicked in the chin and kicked into the air by Hashirama's wood clones, Madara manifested her Susanoo gunbai and smacked two of the wood clones and impaled another clone with her Susanoo swords. It held onto her sword and the real Hashirama punched her in the face.

She fell to the ground and was going to hit him with her Susanoo gunbai but it de manifested, Hashirama was going to hit her with a wooden staff before tripping and breaking it. Madara kicked him in the face and pinned him to the ground and beat him, Hashirama grabbed her collar and head-butted her and dazed them both, and kicked her away.

She got to her feet again with ragged breathing, "Give it up already, Hashirama!"

"Madara!" They both yelled before punching each other in the face, the chest, stomach, and mouth. Blood was oozing from each other's fists, mouths, and noses. Teeth were flying, from dawn to dusk.

The late day began to shine orange upon the valley, Madara no longer had her Rinnegan or Sharingan active and neither of them had as much strength in their punches. They fell sitting down and Madara siphoned some chakra Hashirama still had and used the flaming fist technique to impale Hashirama, he uppercutted her and sent her flying into the side of the valley.

She started banging the rock face, "Over and over and over and over, just give up and let me kill you already!" Madara screamed.

Hashirama replied softly but firmly, "Sorry, I can't do that, because I am your one and only friend." Madara was angered by him and cast her flaming fist technique once more, she wouldn't be stopped from killing him this time.

All the moments he'd spent with Madara, all the times he'd gotten angry at people for disrespecting her, all the times he'd been told not to pursue her love, all the times people told him to give up on saving her, and Tobirama's final words to him fired him up to defy her one last time.

A leaf dropped into the water, Hashirama ripped his forehead protector off and gripped it into his left hand and directed enough water nature energy, and laced it around his arm. It wasn't meant to be an attack but rather it was to absorb the fire until Madara had no more chakra left, his arm might even be severely scarred or he'd be lucky enough to not get burned.

Madara jumped off the cliff face with her flame fist like a blade, Hashirama jumped up to meet her fist. Their fists clashed and Hashirama's headband was completely eviscerated and his arm was burned severely but he continued their clash until they both lay on the ground too tired to move.

Madara was angry, beyond angry even, her right glove was incinerated by their clash and now it was exposed. She started smacking the ground, "Damn you, damn you, damn you!" She yelled. "Why do you try so hard!? I am the worst of the worst, villainous. There is no mercy for villains, only graves."

Hashirama started laughing but started coughing up blood, he quirked his head toward her, "In the Shinobi world there are no villains, only heroes. Some heroes lose their way but it's never too late to turn back. There's always hope to do the right thing, and the right thing is to save my best friend from throwing her life into the abyss."

Madara looked at Hashirama's bruised and bleeding face, she wanted to kill him more than anything just to get rid of her feelings but he was a cockroach when it came to dying. "Why? Why do you care so much, I have only ever brought pain and suffering. No person should pursue pain and suffering willingly, there is nothing to gain by doing so."

Hashirama stared at Madara, watching her face change from sadness, disgust, and anger. It reminded him of the day they finally achieved peace between Senju and Uchiha and laid seeds for the leaf village.

Hashirama felt embarrassed for what he was about to say, "You've always told me I was an idiot and a fool, you've always been right. I've always been too scared and a coward for the silliest of things, my gambling addiction gave me a way to escape from the things I was scared of most."

Madara noticed Hashirama's tone change but she didn't care, "Hashirama, you are an open book to me. Nothing you say or do will change how I feel, it would be best if you just curled up and died."

Hashirama gained enough strength to put his hand over hers, he had never actually felt the touch of Madara's hand. She recoiled at Hashirama's touch, "Why does his hand feel so... Warm and fuzzy?" She thought.

Hashirama pursued her hand and gripped it, "Madara, I've known you for a very long time, and yet there is one thing that I've always wanted to say..." Hashirama gulped, "You are the one and only woman I have ever truly loved, but because of my cowardice I never told you."

Madara's eyes widened, her breath hitched, and she began thrashing around, "No no no no no! Why why why?! Anyone but me, why couldn't you just love Mito instead?! I'm not worth it, just let me die!" She started sobbing quietly. "I'm oil while you're water, we don't go together."

Hashirama moved Madara's bang out of her right eye, she closed her eyes as he did so. He saw her tears and saw the pain in what one sentence brought her, Hashirama had seen pain in her eyes before but this was... Different. It was supposed to be something good but she took it as the end of her world, he didn't know what to do with her being so vulnerable. "Madara, I've been mesmerized by your beauty ever since the day we met at the river. Even then I knew you had a fire deep inside, it proved to me you were a warrior just like me. I never understood what that fire was until now, your fire isn't anger or despair it's your love. You've weaponized it to fuel your rage but you can only lie to yourself for so long before it catches up with you. Even if you never realized it but you want to make sure everyone else can love even if you can't, you put the many above your needs and wants. You're a born leader, the best I've ever known. The number of times your strategies worked on me during the warring states are innumerable, even during the creation of Konoha you were invaluable for many treaties, namely Iwagakure. You are a hot head when it comes to certain things but you're more dangerous when you're calm and reserved, cause it always means you're making a plan. You may have caused so much suffering but you were still striving for a better world for others, I don't think anyone else can compare in selflessness. Your love is greater than anyone's ever with how far you're willing to go to preserve everyone's peace. You deserve to love but if you told me you didn't love me I would be fine with that, just don't pursue this dark path."

Madara opened her eyes to see Hashirama's broken and beaten face, she understood he loved her from just looking back at her memories but him actually saying it was special. She couldn't handle it, this aching feeling, she hated it. She caused him so much pain and yet he still loved her, how could she respond to that?

Madara answered in a way to discourage him, "I-I...I hate, no, I loathe you. You're nothing more than a rival, if I ever used the term friend it would be loosely. Did you really expect me to fall in love with you after everything we've been through?!" She was still sobbing in-between yelling, she now had rage in her eyes.

Hashirama began chuckling and quickly stopped and held his side, "Ouch, laughing hurts." He returned a smile at Madara, "I know your tell."

Madara was befuddled, "My what?"

"Your tell, when you're obviously lying or embarrassed. It's when you shorten words, you never do it otherwise."

Madara started blushing, "I do not!" Hashirama just smiled, "Deny it all you want but it doesn't change anything, I'll just wait for your real answer another time."

Madara gritted her teeth, "I-I don't know, you're-you are discombobulating me on purpose. You can't-cannot manipulate me, I'm-I am the master of manipulation." Madara stood up slowly and crossed her arms, "You mean nothing to me."

Hashirama stood up too and a thought sprouted in his mind, "I mean nothing to you, are you sure? We did fight that snake guy and Kaguya together."

Madara scoffed, "Of course we fought together, you were a necessity for victory. Nothing more," she started eyeing Hashirama's exposed abes.

Hashirama planned to dismantle Madara's mask, "Oh, and one more thing, why do you have wood style, sage mode, and some of my chakra?" He watched her dart her eyes away from him and she began to answer, "I uhh well, attached some of your DNA onto my body. It awakened my Rinnegan and gave me mokuton, it was out of necessity for the infinite Tsukuyomi."

Hashirama scratched his head, "If you put some of my DNA on your body then where is it?"

Madara looked like a tomato, "I can't answer that, it's embarrassing."

Hashirama was now even more curious, "Oh come on, I just want to know." He whined.

"No!" Madara yelled with embarrassment.

"Even if my DNA was so valuable, why place it on your body and not tell me, is it on your butt or back? No, they wouldn't make you so embarrassed. Then it's gotta be your chest or your crotch-" he was stopped by a sudden slap.

"If you're so damned determined then I shall tell you, it's taken on the appearance of your face and I've placed it on my chest, happy now?"

Hashirama started rubbing his cheek, "It's a face huh, well that's new but I guess it keeps me close to your heart."

Madara froze at that, she technically did have Hashirama close to her heart and she never once considered it. "Why it became your face I do not know, but I only put it on my chest because of the wound you gave me. It was out of necessity."

Hashirama once more, "Was fighting me a necessity, or did you want to destroy whatever feelings you had for me? Out of necessity, I presume?"

Madara began walking away, and Hashirama grabbed her uncovered hand. She froze at his touch, "L-Let me go, I don't-do not wish to be distracted by your childish antics anymore."

Hashirama pulled her close, "You never answered me properly, do you have any feelings for me?" His hazel eyes were beating down into her onyx orbs, she tried smacking his chest but those eyes, so full of happiness and hope drew her closer. Madara melted in his arms and decided it wasn't worth fighting anymore, "I hate so many things about you, I hate your stupid perfect hair, I hate your stupid glistening skin, I hate your stupid wood style, I hate your stupid charisma, I hate your stupid abes, and I hate..."

Hashirama watched her eyes dart down in an innocent type of way, there was something else Madara wanted to say but she just stopped, why? Madara regained enough chakra to activate her Sharingan, she continued, "And I hate that I love a stupid hollow head!"

Hashirama froze, his brain almost didn't register it, he didn't imagine it did he? "What did you say?" He asked softly. Madara sighed and bit her lip, "I said, that I hate that I've fallen in love with someone who has mush for brains. You hollow head."

There was a moment of silence between the two, Madara was nervous for once in her life. Always focused and confident but she never had to experience love before, it was a dreadful thing.

Hashirama stared at her like she would disappear if he blinked, she loved him and he felt the world standstill. The one thing he wanted for his whole life was right in front of him, he finally had it. He wasn't nervous anymore, his heart slowed and now he felt calm like he hadn't been for quite some time. "If you want to when we return to the village you can become the fifth Hokage, or would you prefer something else?" He asked.

Madara sighed, "If we return then I am sure to be imprisoned." Hashirama hadn't thought about that, she was still technically a criminal and responsible for many Shinobi's deaths, there had to be justice whether he wanted there to be or not. "But I am quite alright with helping change the systems within the village to help those in need and to prevent there from being another Danzo Shimura or Orochimaru."

Hashirama smiled and leaned forward, he was about to make contact when there was a cough from an unknown source. "Ahem," they both turned to see Izuna and Hikaku standing against the statues hands together. "Are you gonna end that tree cocoon thingy or what?" Izuna asked.

Hashirama and Madara backed away from each as if nothing had happened, Hagaromo appeared in front of them and asked, "Have you settled your dispute then?"

Hashirama looked at Madara, she answered, "I think we have, but may I ask something of you?"

Hagaromo nodded, "Of course, my knowledge is at your disposal."

"Is it possible to erase the memories of the fourth Shinobi war for those affected by the infinite Tsukuyomi?"

Hashirama turned to her, "Why would you want to do that? Everything might be worse off then, and you'll still be known as a criminal."

"The wood sage is right, you might make things worse then. But I understand what you mean, it is possible." Hagaromo answered. "However it isn't what you're thinking."

That got Madara's interest, "What do you mean?"

Hagaromo pulled out an ancient book, "There isn't a traditional way to erase their memories of the past week, specifically for the number of people you intend to use it on. The only way to do so is technically through a loophole, to travel to a specific moment in time and change it from ever happening."

Izuna was disinterested, "What good could time travel do except fracture all of reality?"

"Izuna Uchiha, it could quite possibly bring you back from death."

Izuna was conflicted about it, "You mean I could live again and watch my daughter grow up?"

"If that is what you wish, then yes."

Madara and Hashirama were caught off guard, "What do you mean daughter?!" Madara yelled, "You had a child before marriage?! How could you!"

Izuna got defensive, "It was an accident, she said it was safe. And besides, I found a woman outside the Uchiha clan that saw me for who I am not for my clan status or me being the son of the leader."

Madara stared a hole through Izuna, "We will talk of this later," she turned back to Hagaromo. "Do you know what moment in history could prevent this war from happening?"

He stroked his beard again, "It's hard to say, Izuna Uchiha is destined to die for peace to be brokered between the two clans. The fight at the valley of the end is also destined to happen, Hashirama Senju is destined to skewer your heart from behind. And your manipulation of Obito Uchiha is destined to happen, however, there is another choice which is a blood sacrifice, it could override a fixed point with the cost of that person's life being erased from history but it would have to be Hashirama Senju or Madara Uchiha. I say it would be wise to just accept that you can't change fate without cost."

Hashirama looked at Madara, "I've made choices for you long enough, I think you should decide and whatever you choose I will accept and support it."

Madara closed her eyes and contemplated her options, stay where she was and accept all the consequences of her crimes, and be imprisoned for several years or more, but the future could possibly be good and prosperous.

She could also travel to a point in time and prevent everything from happening, maybe she could live a life with Hashirama and everything could be peaceful but it was all an unknown.

But there was a third option of a blood sacrifice, she could choose Hashirama or herself from being erased from history but everything could be saved and Kaguya would never be resurrected, it was technically the best choice morally but the question wasn't could she choose this choice but would she?

Hagaromo waited for an answer, "Have you decided Miss Uchiha?" Madara opened her eyes, "I have."