"Grown-ups are idiots. If they really want to bring an end to this endless fighting, they need to sit down with one another and reach a truce."
Tobirama Senju
Madara slowly surfaced. He wasn't sure if he fell unconscious, passed out, blacked out, or simply blanked out the second his body met the grass. It could have been his body and mind protecting him from the trauma. He drifted back. There were flashes and colors. He felt a great weight bear down on him. He smelled plants and water, he could hear the smack of rain on the forest floor.
"Mikito…" He croaked out, trying to look at her, but his eyes strung from the dim light shining and sleep.
He waited for her to answer. He could taste blood. Everything in him told him it wasn't his. He wondered if it belonged to Mikito, but he couldn't remember her suffering any wounds. He had been out of it completely between exhaustion and borderline dehydration. If he or Mikito had been severely wounded, or wounded at all, he didn't have an inkling of it.
"Mikito…" He said, a little louder, reaching out.
His hand closed on her thigh. She was seated beside him. Awake and at ease.
"I think I'm okay..."
Madara rubbed sweat, sleep, and blood from his eyes and slowly sat himself up. He looked to his side. There was a pile of gigantic leaves sheltering him, and an abundance of branches and twigs forming a perimeter around him.
"Stay right where you are." Madara said, not sure which way was up or down at the moment.
Mikito was trying to knead knots out of her hair, but some of them were sticking fast. Madara didn't feel like wasting any time. He got to his knees, leaned across her body, and stared her in the eyes. They edged together towards the others lips and paused. They were just inches apart. He realized, a little too late that they were suspended two levels above. Some branches had been cracked.
"Why are we in a tree?"
Mikito didn't blink. "It is the best shelter. We're elevated as well."
Madara clambered down the tree, reaching the ground. He sniffed. No dank odor, no musk, no blood. None of those things yet. He craned his head up, watching Mikito recline her back against the bole. He took a look at their surroundings, noting they were in the same place they had been when he let his Susano'o dissipate into nothing.
"How long was I sleeping?"
"About two days. I woke up about an hour ago." Mikito replied, starting her descent.
Madara waited for her to reach ground level before he spoke to her. While she clambered down from the tree he took a few moments to open and close his eyes, let his chakra surge in them, he clenched his hands into fists, and relaxed them. His muscles contracted, his chakra flexed, and he felt no pain at all near or around his eyes. He was feeling great, if not a bit hungry and thirsty.
Mikito hit the ground with both feet, slowly making her way towards him. Her expression wasn't quite blank, but there were little emotions written within her expression either. She seemed to be at ease.
Madara stretched, working kinks from his body. "Are you sure I was sleeping for two days?"
Mikito nodded, moving her neck from side to side until it cracked.
Madara grimaced a little when it did crack. It must have felt good, but it was a loud, dull crack.
"We were both sleeping for two days straight, almost. Nothing bothered us because of our location, and the fact we cleared the marshland. The only things we really have to worry about are in the north, right here is...Safe ground, for lack of a better term. There's predators and beasts, but not like the ones we encountered up to this point."
Madara nodded again. They had survived their battle, and with solid ground beneath his feet once more, he felt a sense of control. As strange as it was-with thousands probably dead around them, and every other monster taken out by some beast. In those moments, he felt his destiny was in another's hands. But, in the same respect, he held his life in his own hands.
He looked at his surroundings, taking a deep breath.
Mikito watched him silently. His body language was mildly aggressive, if she had to say so herself. It reminded her of when they first got into the Shadow Lands and he insisted on scoping around to try and find a higher vantage point. Then he scampered down after encountering some beast insisting they move towards the north because he wanted to.
She wasn't going to entertain him wandering off again. Another intense battle wasn't going to play well in his, her, or their favor. She would definitely fight, and it was without any question that Madara would fight, but the point remained they didn't need to get into one. From this point on the monsters they encountered would be fewer than before. They would be a lot more immense, gigantic, and even more grotesque.
A chill pitted itself into her stomach. She played with her fingers. Her eyes narrowed. The mere thought of encountering these monsters filled her with a mix of dread and anxiety.
"Mikito."
She jolted, coming out of her stupor.
"What the hell are you doing?"
"I'm thinking about knocking you out so we can rest more." Mikito replied, tone dry.
Madara arched a brow. "Why would you do something like that?"
Mikito met his eyes, struggling not to frown. She had a lot of reasons for wanting to do it. She had a lot of reasons as to why she would do it. She was coming up with even more reasons to do it. She was unable to think of any reasons why she shouldn't go through with her train of thought and knock him upside his thick skull. She would have better luck trying to chop a mountain in half.
Seeing that Madara wasn't keen on continuing on in their dialogue until she decided to answer his question, she resolved she would answer his question. It should have been obvious for him. Obvious why she would do something like that. Maybe he was doing it to ruffle her feathers and get a rise out of her, but his eyes were glinting like they would whenever he was serious.
"I don't want to hear you say-I need to get to higher ground. I might be tempted to break your legs. We can't afford to get into another fierce battle so soon after our last. You nor I. You seen the surrounding landscape when we got here with your Susano'o. You will not move to higher ground, just to stumble on some beast that wants to eat you."
Madara blinked twice, a little shocked and surprised at the response. The breaking legs part made him grimace as well, but he knew Mikito was merely venting when she said that and wouldn't follow through on that. He'd put up one hell of a fight before she managed to break both his legs, and they'd both be battered and exhausted as a result. In the same aspect-she had read his mind, perfectly.
He had been about to tell her he needed to get to higher ground. He wanted a better view, and wanted to deduce just how far that desert-like terrain was from their current location. True, he had seen it all when he crash landed here, but his memory was fuzzy just before and after that. He wasn't even sure if he slept for two days straight. It felt more like his body just shut itself down, save for breathing, for two days.
Part of him could concede with her. They were in the north now. Things were going to get a lot worse. They would be encountering worse monsters than before. They needed everything they had and more in order to get through this alive and in one piece. Going through a fierce battle now would likely leave him a little weakened when they face off against the gorog. The more arrogant part of him considered it a warm up, but he knew better than that.
If it were people it'd be a warm up, but since it was not...There was no warm up, at all.
"What if we both move to higher ground together?" Madara questioned, trying to look a little more stern.
"I can't say I agree with that. I would rather stay here and rest for the time being." Mikito replied, tone dropping.
Madara could hear how obstinate she was about it, and he was certain she knew how set he was on going to higher ground. She wasn't willing to budge or concede on the point. He wasn't either. He wanted to keep moving. Excitement and even fear were driving him forward. Driving him to sprint through the desert and right into the jaws of the gorog.
Still, curiosity was getting the better of him. Mikito hadn't become wary and anxious until he mentioned going to the north. She had been more than willing to hold her ground before he tried to get to highland the first time. She had been annoyed he wouldn't even suggest going to a higher ground instead of just standing there and holding his ground.
"What monsters will be encountering?"
It was a viable question, Madara thought so.
"There won't be any pack hunters, thankfully. Where we are now-you'll only encounter bugs, insects, and things like that. No spiders. The big monsters are few and far between, and they are deeper in the north. In the desert area we seen."
"Where's the gorog?
"Truth be told when I was sitting here my first time around, the gorog tore everything you see here to pieces with its bare hands before it roared in my face."
Madara set his jaw, chin touching his chest. If his hair were its old, long length, his split ends would have brushed against his chest and shoulders. He crossed his arms over his chest, pondering every word that statement. He seen many beasts, monsters, and strange creatures rip the landscape to pieces with their attacks, but there wasn't one that just used its hands to accomplish that.
He couldn't form an image in his mind. The only thing capable of doing that with its bare hands was something so gigantic it was beyond comprehension and belief. Seeing such a monster would make him shit and piss. He'd probably be frozen in place, unable to move or speak. It wouldn't be fear-not completely at least. The simple fact his mind wouldn't be able to put its grasp on the monster would cause everything else to shut down.
"Mikito…" Madara trailed off, eyes hard, and they shifted to crimson. "Are you telling me the gorog can grab..."
She clenched her hand shut, then spread her fingers. She did it a few times, before she lowered her arm and gripped at the ground. She gave a tug, and grass and mud came flying out. There was some dirt, but most of it was so wet it miles well have been mud.
"See how I just did that? The gorog can do that with this landscape, with just one hand."
"You are exaggerating!" Madara barked.
Mikito gripped him by the shoulders, eyes growing with emotion. "I am not!"
Madara clenched his teeth, struggling to control himself. "Fucking liar!"
Her eyes shimmered bright. Madara struggled not to stare so deeply into them. He would be taken. He would believe her far fetched statement. He wasn't going to fall into that void. He refused. He seen many monsters, beasts, and creatures here that made the Bijuu look small, there were some that even dwarfed the Bijuu, but Mikito was making the gorog out to be something that could pick up the Bijuu like ants and eat them.
Impossible.
That is impossible!
"Say I do believe you. Tell me why we haven't seen it yet. If the gorog is that damn big I should have seen it when I was coming to land here!"
Mikito pondered if she should have taken her hands from Madara's shoulders, but she decided not to. The simple action was keeping her and Madara under control. Their emotions weren't running wild. They were grounding each other, keeping the other from flying off the handle. How she wanted to. How she knew Madara wanted to. But, they couldn't.
Not now.
"Madara...I know you have this image of me, but I am still a woman. You said I love you to me, something you've reserved only for your family, for Izuna. The possibility of you dying or being eaten...It brings me nothing but despair. If I get crazy and emotional it means that I am scared! I don't want to lose you. I don't want to."
He pulled Mikito in, wrapping his arms around her. He squeezed her hard, crushing his body against her own. He wasn't going to let her get so emotional. He could see the glimmer in her eyes. Tears being held back by sheer willpower alone. He took a deep breath, slowly calming himself. Mikito had no reason to lie or exaggerate, not unless she wanted to turn back, and she had already resolved herself to stick with him.
This was merely a warning.
"Okay, I get it." Madara breathed into the crook of her neck.
"So, will you not go to higher ground and stay here?"
Madara felt a groan about to come from the back of his throat, but he kept silent. He had to get to higher ground, just to scope the area. If that meant he got into a fierce battle with some creature, then so be it. He had to do this. Part of him was conceding with Mikito. To remain where he was. But, another side of him was rebellious. It urged him to go to high ground.
Unfortunately, he was listening to that rebellious side.
"I'll be back soon." He assured.
Mikito gripped his arm, taking a very deep breath. She held it for a moment, and finally exhaled. She knew trying to change Madara's mind wasn't possible when he set it on something. As much as he wanted to concede with her, and in fact was conceding with her, a part of him was still nudging him to do such a dangerous and stupid thing. They barely got out of their last battles, and now he was looking for more.
She stared into his eyes, refusing to budge or let him go. He would encounter a monster, certainly. It may not be a snake, or some multi-headed reptile, but he was going to encounter something. As much as she wanted to be there with him, she had to maintain their camp. She had to look for food. She had to cook it. And, without a doubt she would have to heal Madara when he returns.
Why did he have to be so obstinate?
"Madara..."
"I know..."
Madara marched off into the trees, dropping down into a giant depression. He ran across it and jumped out the other side. He could smell something. It wasn't animal. It was heavy, thick, almost overpowering completely. Madara ran, following rising ground, pushing his way through dense undergrowth, hacking his way through foliage. He was alert, all of his senses were at their peak. Creepers and vines hung from sky high trees. Swathes of leaves and grass tried to hamper his movements.
The growths were slick to the touch. The more he spent time here, the more he realized that he didn't recognize the plant species around him. Parasitic flowers bloomed from the tree-like stems or blossomed from low hanging branches. It was beautiful. Entrancing even. But, it was disconcerting. It was dangerous. A lot of these flowers could be carnivorous, and if he made the wrong step, the wrong twist of his foot, he would end up faced down by a hungry plant.
It hadn't come to that, yet, and he would keep it that way.
He came to an even steeper slope and began scaling up the landmass. He moved with great speed, driving himself hard and furious, even though sweat was already starting to coat his body. He felt he didn't have a lot of time. Mikito was keeping their camp in order, and he needed to get back there as fast and as soon as possible. He approached a ridge line, and an even steeper piece of ground. Too steep and sheer to scramble. The surface was obscured by undergrowth.
Madara grabbed a hold of the plants and hauled himself upward. Chakra matted his feet, offering him support on the treacherous surface. His arms began to burn, his hands began to feel like iron, and his legs began to feel heavy. He was used to the pain of exertion-he loved it He thrived on it. There was power behind the pain. There was power in the pain. He had to thrive on it.
Vines and creepers moved beneath his hands, slipping down the rock wall. He paused. The stem stared to fall, then it flexed, and ripped. Madara had seen it coming, his body had been ready for it. He loosened his grip, jumping far to the side. His hands scrabbled for purchase. His fingers closed around other hanging plants smothering the cliff's surface.
Something curled above him...And started to move down towards him.
It was some freak merging of worm and maggot. It mandibles were clicking, wide open, and it could have bit him in half without any issue. It was more than wide enough to envelope his body and swallow him whole. He couldn't see its eyes nor its legs if it had any to start with. The creature's body curled, dipping down even more. Madara realized with a sense of dread that it was at least four thousand feet long.
It was too damn long.
He gripped his sword, about to draw, but the force of his movement made him slip some more. He hooked his left leg around a dried up stem. It parted from the cliff without any reprieve, swinging him over the terrifying drop. He heard it. A sound to dread in these environment. Crackling dried wood. The maggot-worm creature made no sound. Its head dipped towards him, mandibles clicking.
Its body wiggled, swinging him even further out. The stem was the only thing holding him up. Ahead of him was the cliff face and the disgusting creature's head. Blow him was a long fall, a drop he wasn't going to endure. Madara didn't panic. His sword was gripping with his left hand, he drew it out with his right, slow and steady. If he drew it too fast, there's a chance he would have dropped the blade. At that point he would have to let go and fall. The creature would arch down to swallow him, and he would have to open up with a fire jutsu.
If he was lucky the impact of the attack sending him shooting down even faster wouldn't kill him. If he managed to grab hold of any undergrowth to stop his fall, that would be more favorable. But, considering he would have unleashed a fire jutsu, the whole cliff face and the vegetation would be in flames.
Madara gripped the stem with his left hand, unhooking his leg, and using it to swing him closer. He brought his sword up and around, arcing, just as the maggot-worm went for him. Gripping hard, his sword passed into its mouth, skewering through part of its head, knocking it aside, and slashing clean through a mandible, nearly taking it off.
It was perfectly timed, but it drove the creature into a pained rage. It thrashed, wiggled, and coiled, shoving itself out and from the wall. It nearly took Madara along with it. The stem he had been grasping tore itself free from the rock, and he leapt for another creeper, gripping it with one hand as the writhing maggot-worm creature crashed into the wall beside him.
Regardless of how much pain it was in, the creature still kept all of its focus on him. Madara felt its body loop around him, wrapping around his stomach in the blink of an eye. It looped around again, again, again, and again, and then it finally started constricting. Madara tensed his muscles and pumped his chakra, fighting the creature's powerful grasp.
He hissed through clenched teeth, still holding onto some of the vegetation covering the cliff face. Just as he let go, swung his sword, and cut into a part of the creature, the creature pulled him away from the cliff. He was suspended over open air. It was a long and far drop beneath him. The cliff face was too far away. The maggot-worm creature had circled its body around thousands of heavy branches, holding him steady as it began to extend out towards them. It was shaking.
A heavy feeling that passed all along its body and dug into his core as it began to draw tighter, tighter, tighter, and tighter. Madara struggled to hold out against the pressure, chakra bursting around him, but when he exhaled, and drew in another breath...He knew it would be his last unless he did something. Black grew around the edges of his vision. The maggot-worm creature's head was just feet away. The mandibles edged closer, closer, and closer...Closer...
Madara arced his blade, slicing the creature below its face, then jammed it down into the top of the creature's head. It loosened its body a little bit, but still held fast. Madara took his palm, and smashed it on the butt of his hilt, jamming the blade in as far as it could go. It protruded out from the creature's face, cleaving through a mandible.
It loosened it grip instantly. Madara began to slip. He yanked his sword free, grabbing one of the coils of its body. He could feel himself dropping as the creature began to slide down the cliff. Madara hissed leaping at the last moment, pushing off the disgusting creature's immense body, and struck the surface, scrambling for purchase. His hands clawed at stone and vine stems until his hands lodged into a rock. It jarred him to a halt and sent a pain through his shoulder. He brought himself to a halt, hugging himself to the treacherous surface, curling his leg around another vine.
He gasped for breath as the creature fell away and out into the open. It landed minutes later with a meaty, dull thud that he felt through the cliff and through the air itself. His spine chilled from the impact. Madara glanced down, but the monster was lost to the jungle beneath. Bushes still rustled and trees shook as the reverberations continued to travel.
Madara breathed heavy, easing his racing emotion and heart. He sheathed his sword, and pressed closer to the cliff face. He took his time to catch his breath and let his body cool down. After a while he started to climb again. He was careful to scan the wall more keenly, looking for anything that could be vegetation or creature. Anything could be vegetation and creature.
He reached the ridge line and rolled onto his back. He panted. He took a deep breath, struggling to keep his hands from shaking. His heartbeat calmed. His vision was clear. He was staring up at the streaking white clouds and a crystal blue sky. A sky that would definitely make Mikito happy. Standing, Madara looked north and saw what he climbed up here to see. A wide vista of the coming landscape.
The north was even more expansive that he had thought. To his right and left was the sea, but everything in between that was land. The mountainous horizon in the desert suggested that was the limit before one got into the sea. Around that was vast heavily wooded terrain, stopping only when the desert began. It went on for miles. There were more than ample places for anything big or nasty to hide.
He turned, marching back the way he had come, carefully descending the cliff. He passed every few steps to make sure the worm-maggot creature wasn't there, or some other disgusting creature. He enjoyed these moments. Where he was alone, with only nature surrounding him. It was only himself and no one else around for entire miles.
He was free.
Madara came upon a rock opening, and he jumped again. This time, he landed on a tree a few meters to his right. It was more than a few dozen meters from where he had been. His feet found purchase without much trouble, and he put his hand on the branch to offer him better balance. He kept his sword in his other hand, nestling the sheath on his neck.
He frowned for a moment, checking his surroundings. He felt something shift beneath him. He wasn't sure if it was something moving beneath him or if it was the shockwaves being produced by something or some battle in the distance.
He looked at his feet.
They moved.
The branch had moved.
He lunged off the branch, just as it shifted, trying to go upright. Madara grabbed onto a vine, and swung himself around so his feet came to rest on the cliff face nearby. He watched with a strange fascination as the branch's base dug into the bole, starting to tear a trench and ripping apart bark, and finally left a gouge as it lifted its immense weight nearly upright.
Madara raced backwards, eyes wide, feet flying across the slick cliff face as he picked up speed. Surprise and shock took away everything for a second. Madara somehow remaining upright the entire time as the stick insect lifted itself to its full height. It must have been four thousand feet tall, at least. Its legs were immense and heavily spiked. Barbs were jutting out from its clawed feet. Its head was the size of an island, bulbous, yellow eyes rolled and flicked in every direction at its took in its surroundings.
All at once...
Its attention focused on him...
it faced him and let out a shriek.
Madara's blood went cold.
He didn't know a creature such as this, could make such a sound.
It felt wrong.
The beast kept pace with him. Its legs slammed down around as fast as he ran and pivoted, and he knew eventually he was going to have to fight. This monster was far larger and more aggressive than the last stick insect he had encountered, and he knew it was different as well. It was spotted with green, it had far more eyes, and its teeth were even more jagged.
Madara hissed, tripping, and rolling down. He struggled to gather his bearings. His hands flailed out and his feet struggled for purchase. Everything blackened around him as he smashed into a tree. He felt the soggy bole give, and he was pressed into the cliff face itself. Madara thought of pelting it with a fire jutsu, but that would barely graze its thick shell.
He drew his sword like lightning, ready to fend off the coming attack. The insect leaned in close, punching its legs down into the cliff face to support its immense weight. Half of the cliff ripped apart, raining down debris and dirt for miles around them until a cloud hung heavy. Its head was even more horrible and horrendous up close. It had thousands of eyes, all flicking in different directions.
Its teeth were long, jagged, and sharp. They were in four layers, each set more grotesque than the other.
Madara could smell death in its breath.
He grunted, shifting, gripping his sword harder.
The insect froze above him, and a second later it backed away. Madara held his breath, watching it with wild eyes. It probably couldn't see him because he had ceased to move. It could have bad eyesight, as well. But, it could be sizing him up for a kill. It charged in a flash, and Madara raced ahead to meet it head on. He heard a roar from close by, and an overbearing flash blind him for a second. When his vision cleared the beast was impaled, its legs punctured and ripped, though they remained strong.
Its eyes were pierced, rupturing with blood and disgusting fluids. It spilled everywhere, thin, but the stench was unreal. Its mandibles moved every so often. Madara glared at the monstrous insect, teeth grit. He let out a gasp of air, feeling his shoulder hunch. The insect flew into the cliff a few meters away. Debris and projectiles were kicked up, and a huge cloud began to form around the area. It plummeted down the long drop, huge body quickly being enveloped by the undergrowth below.
Madara was thankful that the fall would kill it. He wasn't sure if he would have been able to finish off the job either. He didn't wish to prolong the creature's suffering-he wanted to end its life swiftly. But, between its impenetrable shell and massive body it would have been hard to pierce right through it. He would have to move to its eyes and attack them, and he wasn't sure if he could get his blade deep enough within its skull to rupture its brain.
He wasn't sure what he did to wound it so severely. Certainly it couldn't have been just with his sword, and only his sword. The blade couldn't have tore through the thick armor of that insect with such ease. He had done something else when he arced, he still couldn't place his finger on what it had been, but he had done it. He was always able to keep track of his battles. Every detail, every sound, every noise, every smell, and everything about that battle.
But, for some reason, this time...
There was a blank...
He tried to remember, but the moment his blade had arced, everything had flashed so bright and so intensely it took his vision away. He dared to say it took his memory away in that moment. Less than a second. Perhaps he had no memory of it at all. That was probably the more accurate possibility between the two. He pondered it for a few long moments, sighing when nothing came to mind.
"Mikito." Madara said.
He emerged from the vegetation, breathing heavily.
He met her eyes when she stood, pacing towards him.
She saw wounds on him. He got into more than one fight out there. Mikito didn't know exactly what happened, but she didn't need to know the exact details. Madara had ventured out too far, disturbed something, and in turn whatever it had been came after him. There were spots of green in his hair, and she was almost certain that it was vegetation from slamming into something.
"There's a desert-like region in the far distance, Everything else is jungle and vegetation. The sea is flanking both sides. I didn't see any marsh, but there are many valleys, canyons, and ravines as well. They grow more numerous when the desert area becomes prominent."
"And what about your wounds?" Mikito asked.
"What about them?"
Mikito scowled, eyes narrowing.
Madara wasn't surprised by the expression. He wasn't the least bit surprised. He was certain she wanted to punch him so hard and fast he would feel like his head was spinning a million miles.
He knew what was coming, and it had been so long since this happened that he was excited as he was amused. It had been a while since he had managed to ruffle Mikito's feathers. It had been his favorite thing to do, before. He wasn't sure why he stopped ruffling her feathers, but it was never too late to start doing just that again, and it seemed he did just that.
"What's with that look?"
"You're being too flippant." Mikito said, tone strong.
Madara drew his brows together. "How so?"
Mikito took a deep breath, trying not to get annoyed. "Minor wounds can turn into severe wounds. There can be infections. There can be poison put into the wound. A simple cut goes from a cut to an amputation. The amputation isn't enough, and you end up dying."
"Aren't you exaggerating a little?"
Mikito's expression turned dark, her lips tightened into a thin line. "You men have your silly pride. You get cut on the wrist and don't get it checked out. Your have your image to think about. A little cut shouldn't be a big deal, but to you pig heads it is. If that would has poison or venom in it, it will kill you within the span of seconds, minutes, or hours...If you are lucky you will die within a few days, but that will be a dreaded pain. But, you men have contests over who can pee the longest or fastest."
Madara frowned, looking at Mikito. "You know how I can get with that..."
Mikito shook her head, not going to push further. She wasn't going to get into Madara's quirk of not being able to relieve himself if someone was behind him or in the general vicinity. He had always taken great measures to relieve himself in private, even if that meant he had to walk a few miles to find the necessary seclusion. She didn't have the patience to continue with this topic.
"Whatever. Just let me heal your wounds."
Madara remained obstinate. "It can wait."
Mikito didn't have the heart to argue with him, normally. Once Madara was set on something, he was focused on that until he achieved it. However, this time around she wasn't going to let up or concede. She wasn't going to be quiet. She never doubted him. However, Madara was still human. Madara could overcome a lot, but death wasn't one of those things.
He never put a lot of stock into his health. He trained, certainly, but his overall health never concerned him. She could remember one time he got food poisoning because he ate fish that had been out for far too long. It smelled funky, but he simply shrugged and said that food is food. She had to deal with him for three days griping and groaning about the food poisoning.
He must have crapped his insides out every single day.
"You are going to stay still, shut your fat mouth, and let me heal you. I refuse to leave anything to chance. You were swinging around on vines, I can see vegetation in your hair. Some of those vines are slick with poison to ward off anything from eating them. Some secrete an acid that goes into the bloodstream before wreaking havoc on the body's cells."
Madara met her gaze, and there was something in the way she was looking at him, that struck a deep cord in him. He wasn't going to speak on it. He experienced the same thing. It happened to everyone in this era, at one point, and time. Fear. Worry. He could see himself reflecting in Mikito at this moment in time. How he would fret over his brothers, how he fretted over Izuna to this day, how he worried for his brothers' health.
Truth be told he never put much stock in himself or worried about himself. It had always been his brothers and family. When he became leader of the Uchiha it had been the Uchiha clan. Never once did he concern himself with his own needs or wants. He couldn't afford to have such a selfish mindset. People were relying on him, children were looking up to him, women were hoping for him to be the best leader...He couldn't worry about himself.
But, now he had someone worrying about him. Fretting over him.
Madara found himself staring at Mikito, and a laugh rumbled from the back of his throat. Deep but vibrant. "I get the feeling I will never be able to best you, Mikito."
Mikito got closer to him, focusing her chakra.
Madara blinked, not missing the haste in which she moved, nor how her chakra flourished. "While you heal me, can I ask you a question?"
"You can ask me anything you so desire and I will answer to the best of my abilities. As long as you stay put and let me heal your wounds, completely."
Madara focused more intently. relaxing as Mikito's chakra entered his system. "Who is the better healer between you and your sister?"
"Is that really your question?"
"You are answering my question with a question, Mikito."
"I thought you had more common sense than that."
"Now, you insult me?"
"If that is how you wish to take my statement."
Madara took a deep breath, and smiled for the briefest of seconds.
It should have been obvious, and truthfully it was obvious, but he still felt like he had to ask.
"Will you answer my question?"
Mikito observed Madara keenly. Perhaps it was being in the Shadow Lands, but, Madara was asking things she never considered or thought he would ask. It wasn't like Madara to ask about healing or anything of that sort. He was battle oriented. Anything that didn't pertain to battle he didn't focus on or care too much about. Healing had been one of those things.
"Ahiko is the better healer. She has been practicing the art since she was three."
"Oh?"
Mikito nodded. "I can heal don't get me wrong. I am not terrible at the art. But, my sister has always surpassed me in the art. She is a kind and gentle soul, who will not hesitate to heal enemies."
"I was thinking that all of the women who join us, and the ones that are present...They should all be advanced in healing. Of course they will be combat medics, but I'd like all of them to be healers, and fighters second."
Mikito arched a brow, tilting her head.
"Don't look at me like I've grown a third head, Mikito." Madara grunted.
Mikito's eyes narrowed. "I'm not. I am just surprised that you are saying this. I would think that you would be focused on the more combat oriented arts and details, rather than the healing arts."
Madara shifted. Maybe he was worrying too much. Maybe he was thinking too much. He didn't care about the details. But, having all of the women trained in the healing arts would put them steps ahead of anyone else. Hashirama would never institute healing into the curriculum despite being an advanced healer himself. While their foes suffer staggering death tolls, they'd be more than okay, and ready for more battles.
"I would like to put this into place."
Mikito shifted an inch. "You mean to make it mandatory?"
"Yes."
"What of the men? If it is mandatory for women, it has to be mandatory for the men as well."
Madara thought about it, closing his eyes to settle his thoughts. "I agree with you. However, as you know, men are pigheaded and a lot of them don't possess the gentle heart of a woman. However, most women are kind and gentle. In order to heal, one has to focus on healing...Whether they are enemies or friends, a healer doesn't discriminate."
Mikito laughed, smacking him on the shoulder. "Ahiko is rubbing off on you. That's one of her sayings."
"Well..." Madara grunted, not quite meeting her eyes. "Ahiko is very adept, and she likes to push on me until I get the point. She does the same with Souji."
"Because you are both inept."
Madara grunted, scowling. "I am not inept. Souji could be a different story, not that I would know."
"Pot calling the kettle black there, but no matter. The Domou have always focused on healing in our training, but I can concede with your point. The more medics we have the better it will be for us. Hashirama will never consider adding medical jutsu into the curriculum. When war does break out between us and his precious village, we will crush them."
"Precisely." Madara nodded. "So, we are in agreement?"
"Of course." Mikito said, expression a little blank. "Need you even ask that?"
"I just want to make sure."
"While we are on the subject. I hope you are ready to be headmaster of your dojo."
Madara blinked, feeling a cold chill run down his spine. "I forgot about that."
Mikito didn't look convinced nor impressed. "I don't see how you did, but your will be headmaster. Is that clear?"
"But..."
"Buuttttt...?" Mikito tilted her head.
Madara grunted. "Nothing."
"Excellent, so we are in agreement."
"Yes."
"Anyways..." Mikito's hands stopped glowing. "How about we get moving. The monsters we will encounter here are fewer than before, but they are a lot more terrible. Are you sure you want to do this still, Madara?"
He took note of Mikito's hand on his thigh. It wasn't quite relaxed, but it wasn't tense either. He wasn't sure if she was seeking comfort from performing the action or just trying to keep herself stable for what was to come, but he wouldn't deny her that. He gently laid his hand atop her own, interlocking his fingers with her own. The action made him feel...Comfortable.
Strange...
"I am more than sure, with you at my side." Madara replied, nodding strongly.
"I can't argue against that. Let's do this!"
"We're going to take our time, now. If you need to rest, we are going to rest. If I feel you need to rest, we are going to stop and rest."
Mikito arched a brow, not looking pleased. "And, what I have to say on the subject of my own health means nothing?"
Madara scowled. "Of course it means something. However, I know how stubborn you are. That is why I will decide when it is time to rest for us, and if we need it more or less on our trek. I can't sense much around us like before, so most of our time will be consisting of traveling. Between the rain and extreme heat, we are going to need a lot of rest. We're going to need a lot of water as well. We can eat when we absolutely have to."
"Okay. Okay." Mikito conceded, bowing her head a little.
Madara gripped her shoulder, looking into her eyes.
"I understand, husband." Mikito assured, giving him a firmer nod than before. "I trust you."
Madara smiled for a second. "Thanks. Now, let us move."
Madara took point and led them further across the valley. Crumbled boulders covered the ground, and every time they took a step, their feet crushed down on them, turning them into smaller rocks. He wondered if the ground beneath them was made of boulders, the remains of stones and earth. A process that took hundreds, if not thousands of years.
Mikito kept her eyes trained on a brood of birds resting on giant branches, their head hunched down as they watched them pass. She moved with caution, sweeping her sword left and right. Never once did she turn her focus off of the birds, while they were curious, that didn't mean they wouldn't swoop down and try to pluck her or Madara off of the ground.
They passed along extremely long, giant rift in the earth. Madara maintained the lead point, stepping through the hollow space that once housed plant life and everything that would have fed on them. He went towards a dip, the dip beyond remained secluded until they reached the edge. They had seen them from a distance, but close up the giant mountains were even more overwhelming. These mountains towered over the previous ones they had seen, making them appear as nothing more than hills.
Hills children would roll down.
Mikito paced her eyes around carefully, feeling, sensing, searching for what could lay beneath them in silent wait. Her instincts were nudging her more and more, danger was close. Danger was always just a breath away. They headed into a thicker patch of jungle, even more massive and tangled than the last patch. Vines and creepers formed snarls and tangles, interlocking with trees and leaves to form walls. Mikito took point, feeling confident, and began hacking into the stalks and stems, carving a path forward.
She already had cuts on her legs and arms, and they began to sting. Sweat was pouring into them, and more than once she blinked to keep the burning liquid from smearing over her eyes. She cleaved through a particularly tangled bunch of leaves and foliage, and she could hear the hiss of a snake. She spotted the flick of its tail as it scurried away.
"This is like a wall." Madara grunted, cutting his arms on nearby leaves. "I can't take a step without getting cut."
Mikito continued to hack a path forward as she spoke. "It's going to get rough."
There were no monsters or beasts lurking about, thankfully. Sometimes there was a rustle of movement, a flicker of a shadow, scampering of feet, but they would all quickly pass as they had came. Mikito followed a river upstream into a wide pool of water, the route divided into hundreds of more rivers and streams, making navigation close to impossible.
They decided to stop, finding some cover, and gathered their breath.
"Water?" Mikito ventured, looking to her husband.
Madara formed the necessary seal to release the seal on his person, and the wooden canteens appeared.
Mikito followed suit.
"The way we are moving, we are going to need it." Madara reasoned.
She moved down the shallow creek with Madara's assistance. They would be able to follow its course upstream. Their trek should be easier this way, with less foliage and creepers to whack their way through. There would be leaves and branches, tangled walls of vegetation, and spiked stems that would crave their blood, but they wouldn't need to deal with foliage that knotted up their feet and ankles.
They could move faster. The water flowed and tumbled along its jagged, crooked path, throwing rainbows above them. Dragonflies and damselflies buzzed about in groups, swooping through the air at breakneck speeds, darting at odd angles that almost seemed impossible. Their acrobatics gave them the appearance of streaking green, silver and indigo.
Frogs, toads, and other amphibians leapt along the wet edges or piled into the water, and the subtle flashes beneath the water signaled fish. Flashes of silver and underwater rainbows signaled that perhaps there were entire schools of fish beneath the surface. It took another twenty minutes, but they finally came upon a wide river that widened into a valley nestled between mountains and trees. Some of the trees were growing out of the mountain themselves, horizontal and jutting, it was the most surreal thing.
Madara took a moment to take it in, knowing he'd never forget it.
Mikito fell into the shadow of a rock, crept forward through the mud, leaned out, and cupped her hands. She sipped the water, eyes lighting up. She turned back to face Madara. "Fresh water, husband. I will gather more for us."
"I'll gather some as well."
Madara crouched down beside her and cupped his own hands. He let them fill with water, and he sipped slowly. Clean, fresh water. He sighed in relief, and scooped another handful. He sipped the water until it was gone. He took out his canteens and filled them all to the top with the water, working with the same vigor as Mikito. He got dozens more from a storage seal on his person, and filled them as well.
One could never have too much water in this place—between moving and sweating, someone would get heat stroke or dehydration—shinobi or not. He knew better than to overestimate his own body and underestimate the environment. Shinobi could freeze to death. Shinobi could fall out from heat stroke or dehydration.
Circulating chakra could only do so much.
"Mikito?"
"Hmm?"
Madara wasn't sure why he was asking these sort of questions. They had always bothered him and he never spoke to anyone about it. Not even Hashirama when they spent their days talking about their dreams. Not even Izuna whom he loved with all of his being. He wrestled with these questions alone, and had been...Until now. He felt that Mikito could understand...She could relate...Maybe she didn't have the same view of it as him, but she still wrestled with the same thing.
He was brought out of his train of thought by Mikito's eyes. Her expression was rather blank and her eyes weren't shimmering with that intensity they always did, but her gaze still caught him.
"Madara?"
"What?"
Mikito tilted her head a fraction, frowning for a moment before she relaxed. "What is it that you wish to talk about?"
Madara shifted, not quite sure if it was wise to ask, but it was too late.
"What is your opinion of hope? What is your view?"
Mikito blinked, turning away from him.
Madara noted something flashed through her eyes. He wanted to say it was rage and fury, but he felt it was something more. Something deeper. He couldn't place it, but he caught it. He could tell by her body language something was going on in her mind. She was wrestling with her emotions, trying to stay calm, trying to maintain her composure.
Maybe it was a mistake to ask her the question, but he wanted to know. He needed to know. He never believed in hope, the word meant nothing to him, and still meant nothing to him. To hope was to desire something to happen. To expect something good to happen. In this era, nothing good would happen. To desire something...Instead of using one's own bare hands, and scratch, and claw, and bleed...One would sit back instead and hope.
The word was repulsive.
"Are you..." Mikito trailed off, looking at the gray sky above. "Asking me if I believe hope is power, or just my general view on the word?"
"I guess both..."
Mikito clenched her fist. Her eyes narrowed. Her teeth began to grind together. "Hope is just a word and nothing more. For me to believe in hope...For me to believe that hope is power...Will go against everything that I've been and stand for. I've scratched, clawed, bled, and screamed for my power. I didn't attain my power through bonds or hope...I attained my power with my own grit."
"Would you say to hope is the same as giving up?"
Mikito took a deep breath, relaxing her body. "To hope is to wait and wait for something to happen. To desire for something to happen. And it never happens. I can't say it is the same as giving up."
"But, it is meaningless, in your opinion."
Mikito met his eyes. "Yes. It has no meaning to me."
Madara moved swiftly thereafter and took the lead. His mind was still reeling from Mikito's blunt answers, and for some reason it only brought more questions into his mind. He pushed them to the farthest reaches, because right here and now, in this place, they held no merit or substance. He swung his gleaming blade as he hacked and whacked through all of the vegetation he came across, ripping the foliage that snarled at his feet, and kept himself tall as he lead the way. He moved forward with a brisk pace, wet, sweaty and dirty. Mikito stayed closed to his side, continuing to monitor their surroundings with a keen scrutiny.
Chakras faded in and out, growing closer and further. There was no noise, save for the rain that opened up on them. There was the gentle breeze that followed the rain, but nothing like they encountered before made their presences known. Whether it was because they didn't live in this part or for the simple fact the gorog called this place him, they all kept their distance.
Madara's eyes oozed with power. Crimson came off in thick swathing waves of pure power. He monitored every centimeter that they stepped. Every leaf that rustled. Every scamper of feet. Every flicker of shadow. Nothing was stalking or attacking them—that much he knew. There was chakra everywhere, and it was hard to distinguish one from the next. But, nothing was after them. Nothing seen them as prey. The bloodlust that had hung thick before was completely absent.
"That is quite amazing." Mikito said. "You have made tremendous progress, I can feel the power wafting from your eyes."
Madara grunted softly. He increased his stride, cutting wide swaths now. He didn't take big or wide swings, instead he swung and pressed his weight on his blade, using leverage more than anything. Mikito watched him. Focused, determined, driven. Normally he would have made a remark, not that he ever needed any boost to his ego, but seeing as he didn't make a remark...
She was enthralled by that fact. Madara wasn't wasting time thinking about his pride or ego. It was only pure focus. Like iron. Unyielding. Unmoving. She more than enjoyed seeing him like this. Just ahead of her, Madara froze. He was halfway into a stance, blade ready to be thrust forward, and then he relaxed, turned, and pressed his fingers against his lips.
He pointed ahead at a clearing in the jungle. There was a massive pool of water, fed by the nearby rivers, streams, and lakes. Its surface was remarkably still, and was spotted with large lily pads clumps of moss, small trees, ferns, and knots of grass. There were dozens of islands in the middle, scattered with branches, old boles, and grassy ferns.
Birds of amazing color and size flew back and forth from the islands to their perches high in the surrounding trees. Madara spotted one bird-like creature that must have had a wing span of three thousand feet. It didn't look to be a predator. It didn't have the sharp, piercing eyes that a falcon or birds like that tended to have. It had soft eyes, reflecting its skittish but gentle nature.
The terrain grew more treacherous, and soon the massive pool of water was lost in the jungle behind and under them. The rose and fell, plants and other vegetation grew thick and spiked outwards. Madara worked hard to clear a path, growling with each swing. He climbed through canyons, over mountains, and dug his sword into cliff faces when he felt his muscles give.
Some of the plant life he recognized, much of it, he didn't know where to start. He knew that most of the undergrowth here wasn't found anywhere else. He wasn't even sure if there were names for it. Only the Domou and Subatsu would know the names of them, and he wasn't sure if either of them bothered to name them in the first place.
It was about a half hour before they came upon one that had massive cups filled with water. They had to be a few thousand feet wide, forming huge circles that blotted out the rain, partly. The stems were ridged, spikes and barbs jutted out from its core. The stem itself was like a tree trunk. Madara approached it carefully, looking inside of it—noting there were dark spots.
Mikito looked at the stem, hand twitching as it clenched around her sword.
"I'd rather not." Madara said, staying away from the plant.
Mikito looked at the stem, eyes hard.
"I wonder if the rocks or stones that we see here are like these plants. If that is the case, then everything within these lands can consume us."
Mikito backed away from the plant, returning to Madara's side. "Luckily that isn't the case."
"Are you sure?"
Mikito snorted softly. "If that were the case, we wouldn't be able to rest or anything."
Madara stalked off through the trees taking point, coming upon a depression that formed a valley nearby. More valleys spread from the one, and canyons rose and fell along the path. He paced himself as he made his way across, and scaled up on the other side of it.
He smelled something.
Overwhelming.
"We're getting close to something." Mikito muttered, eyes hard as stone.
"Something dead?"
Mikito shook her head. "No. Something alive. Something grotesque."
They began to sprint, following rising ground whenever possible, and chopped their way through twisted snarls of foliage and dense undergrowth. They ascended over valleys and ravines, climbed up and down canyons, and jumped over mile long gaps. All of their senses were at their peak, surging like the storm above them. Giant swathes of leaves slowed their movement, vines and creepers made them hasten their steps as they skidded along. Walls of vegetation aimed to knock them over, but they continued on.
It was all slick to the touch.
Wet.
Slimy.
Parasitic flowers blossomed, and carnivorous plants opened their jagged fanged maws. It was beautiful, but terrifying just the same. It was completely deceptive. They raced up a steeper slope, climbing with ease. Neither of the two paced themselves, there wasn't much time, their instincts were flaring. Something was around, trying to conceal its presence, but they could smell it.
The awful odor it gave off.
Madara's skin was pricking and Mikito's hair were standing up on end. The ridge line was close, but they had to ascend steeper pieces of ground before they got there. They had to ascend valleys and canyons before they could get there. It was far too steep and treacherous to scramble or climb by hand. Vines and bright poisonous flowers covered the entirety of it.
Their legs ached, their arms burned, their fingers hurt, and they could feel adrenaline start to pump through their veins. They were ready for the creature to show itself, the creature that was putting out the awful odor. It had to be around here. Madara moved swiftly after their brief period of rest, swinging his gleaming blade as he hacked through the jungle vegetation, leading the way. He moved forward with purpose, wet, sweaty and dirty, but determined.
Mikito swept their surroundings. Chakra faded in and out, growing closer and further. There was no noise, save for the rain that would come and go every so often. Dragonflies and other flying insects darted and buzzed around them, distorting the air with the sounds of their wings. Nothing escaped her hearing or sight. It was all scrutinized keenly.
Madara monitored every centimeter that they stepped. Nothing was stalking or attacking them—that much he knew. At least during this moment in time, they weren't. But, that didn't mean something curious or hungry wasn't observing them at this very moment. He moved down the valley side and towards a river. Madara could feel his body tensing like before. His heart hammered, his hands clenched, and his eyes narrowed.
They moved across the treacherous terrain, making their way towards the ridge line. The trek was difficult, but remained consistent enough. They made headway through dense undergrowth and beneath the shadow of the jungle's canopy. They remained alert for dangers known and unknown, they had to be prepared for everything. They remained silent, the only communication being eye contact or just a whisper between them.
When the slopes got steeper, they used their hands to pull on roots and dangling plants. Sometimes they remained motionless, eyes trained above and below. When the vegetation was too slick to grab they'd jab their swords into the wall, heaving themselves up. Other times they'd hack away the slippery vines and creepers in order to grab onto something more stable.
They changed positions from climbing to guarding one another. They were making good progress, and soon they would be nearing the ridge line. Close to the ridge line and the fallen trees, Madara saw some creature or person pinned to a tree just a few feet away from their trail. He worked his way across, glancing to his side, and behind him at Mikito, making sure he wasn't straying too far ahead.
Mikito caught his eye, and he nodded. It was about a half hour before they came a clearing with flowers. There were trees jutting out every few feet, and a ravine was just a few meters away from them. The flowers were all brightly colored, shining in the sun. Some had large upright cups filled with water. The plants themselves were thousands of feet tall, so the bulb that held the water had to be twice that in width.
High above them, the bulbs formed huge spheres that sucked up the rain and left them somewhat dry. The bulbs couldn't capture all of the rain, but they captured enough where they weren't getting completely soaked. Curiosity got the better of him and Madara approached the formation carefully. He wouldn't be able to look into them, unless he jumped really high, but he was almost certain that he could see dark spots and bulges through the entire stem.
"Madara..." Mikito said, tone wary.
He nodded, inching away from the plants. "They're not going to uproot and come chasing after us?"
Mikito laughed. "No."
Madara nodded and pushed ahead. Ahead of him was the path he had been cutting through the vegetation and undergrowth. Trailing vines and creepers dripped and oozed sap. Snakes nearby hissed, coiling their bodies up to evade. Shadows faded in and out as spiders and other crawlers sped away from them, disappearing into trampled leaves. A few feet ahead of his path, was destruction and an opening that was much, much, much bigger.
Boles were contorted and ripped, branches cluttered the ground, chipped and broken. Leaves and twigs were strung about, still flying through the air. There was depressed foliage and the ground itself seemed to have been caved in. Madara examined everything, and took note of something. The boles and trunks had been bisected completely. Long jagged scars were prominent all over them, and he dared to say something had done it.
Mikito stepped through the narrow path Madara had created, and stepped out into the open. Her brows were drawn together and her eyes were narrowed so much it looked like she was squinting. Shifting her focus back and forth, she stepped with a measured slowness, until she found an oddity. There was a footprint, but at first glance it didn't appear to be one.
Round, like a stub. It was hard to say if it was even a footprint. But, nothing like plants left footprints, and if there were other creatures lurking about there would be toe marks in the footprint. But, this footprint was round. It was like whatever had made it didn't have any toes at all. Just a stump that it would balance on and press into the earth.
"The odor has gotten worse." Madara commented, pinching his nose. "Fuck...That is just awful."
Mikito was too wary to pinch her nose close. "I'm getting a bad feeling...We're about to face off with something...Something colossal..."
Madara traced his eyes around their surroundings, then stretched out his perception. He could feel...Something, it wasn't close, but it wasn't far either. Whatever it was, it was colossal like Mikito had pointed out. He couldn't get a read on it precisely. Whatever it was wasn't trying to seclude itself, but something about it reminded him of a filthy swamp. Murky.
"Is it the gorog?" Madara questioned.
"You will know when it is that, trust me...You won't even ask or have the question in your mind."
Madara drew his brows together. "Then what is it?"
Mikito shifted, body language nothing less than wary. "I am not sure, but we'll find out soon. Whatever it is, it cut down those trees we seen and cut that path."
Madara cracked his neck. "We go after it?"
Mikito met his eyes. "Naturally."
Madara smirked, readying himself for the battle to come. "Before we go...Is this colossal monstrosity before or after those storm clouds we seen?"
"Before."
Madara's smirk widened. "Let's go."
They moved faster as they headed further upriver. The valleys grew wider and deeper as did the canyons, and soon they had to scale up the treacherous landmarks to make headway. Madara ensured his sword was at his side, sheathed. He knew he had to maintain composure and awareness, but he was growing eager and anxious to battle whatever was so murky.
Mikito came to a stop, and she gripped Madara by the shoulder. "Don't move."
"Why-"
Madara couldn't finish saying the word when an impact punched through the earth. It was more powerful, more forceful, and more terrifying than the impacts the ape creatures caused...Than those eyeless devils caused. Than that frog eyed creature caused. They all paled in comparison to this. It felt like the land itself was going to tip over like a glass of water and spill itself out.
The jungle burst apart as a colossal, dark shape rose up from below the trees. The shape was massive. An explosion erupted, but it was different. It started low and grew in volume, rather than fading away to mere echoes like a usual explosion. Mikito could see in Madara's reaction that he could sense the difference, and they both got shoulder to shoulder, hands on their swords.
The roar continued, growing louder, more primal, and more savage like the land was shaking itself awake from a deep slumber. Angered at their intrusion. Hating their mere presence. A shape was flung. The giant splintered tree trunk struck another tree head on, shattering the bark, spearing through part of it and making shreds of it. It sent the tree plummeting to the earth and everything shook.
It was louder than thunder.
"That was thrown!" Madara hissed before he snarled.
"Look..." Mikito murmured, eyes narrowed to slits.
An obsidian blade came forth from the shadow as it grew and grew. The shadow slowly gave way as rain and wind forced it to dissipate.
Madara's eyes widened...Fear, shock, and surprise all took him. Beside him, he could feel Mikito take a step back, fear racing through her body faster than it did with his own. Her eyes were wide. He could only call the creature grotesque. It was truly disgusting. It was bigger than anything they had encountered thus far, far bigger, far more massive, and far more disgusting.
Its skin was gray. Its crooked teeth were bared. its bottom jaws were smashed, making it appear it had no mouth at all. A thick, bloody tongue was where its jaw should have been. It dripped and oozed with crimson. It had a rough mask on part of its face. There were scars all over its body, long, jagged, and cruel. Definitely from claws and teeth. How many clashes and battles it must have been in, and how many of those clashes it had won. It had been wounded and sported those scars, but it was still alive and well.
Its obsidian blade was in the shape of scimitar. Its curve was as massive as a crescent moon. Madara's eyes raced around, and he took note of the disgusting creature's feet. It had no toes. They were mere stubs. Each step it took the ground shook, threatening to tip. It felt like everything was going to be flipped upside down and ripped apart.
That...Is what made...That footprint...
It turned towards them, and Madara could see its eyes...
It didn't budge from its spot.
It turned completely, and took a step forward...
And another.
"What...The fuck..." Madara could barely speak. "Is that..."
Mikito kept her eyes on the blade the monster held in its hands. "A...Monster...A monster we must slay if we want to advance..."
Madara looked at Mikito, and in her eyes he could see fear and dread, and nothing else.
Or...
Was he seeing the fear and despair in his own eyes...
"Slay it...You say..."
Mikito's arms and hands shook, she could barely grip her sword.
Her legs were barely keeping her up.
"Retreat isn't...An...Option..."
Their world turned pitch black.
The crescent raced towards them.
"Madara..."
"Mikito…."
They met each other's eyes.
The fear vanished.
"You ready for this?" Madara ventured.
"Let's wreck this monster!"
"Let's do it...Together."