The sky was gray and cloudy, darkening the landscape. Wind whipped and rustled the tall grass, adding a calming ambiance to the scene. Dead bodies lay scattered among the field. They were crumpled and mangled as if torn apart by wild animals.

Madara Uchiha brushed his hair to the side as the wind blew. He analyzed the scene before him with his sharingan, before ceasing its function. "It's over. We've won."

With a collective sigh of relief, the Uchiha clan began cleaning up their weapons and looting the corpses for items of value. The battle lasted half a day. The enemy clan was strong but overzealous, and the Uchiha clan completely wiped them out. The last of their bloodline was gone and they will only be remembered as a piece of history. One of the main differences between the two fighting clans was that the enemy clan wanted to fight to win, whereas the Uchiha clan fought to live. They don't love war and suffering, but they do value their lives. Thus, they easily became the victors.

Izuna walked over to Madara and stood next to him. "Was that the last of them? Did we just wipe out an entire family?"

Madara nodded. "We did…" He began cleaning off his weapon and then set it on his back. Madara smiled. "You did well, Izuna."

Izuna gave a small smile. "Thank you, brother."

Madara stepped forward and began calling to his clansmen. "Alright! Finish what you're doing. We need to leave this area quickly!"

"YES, SIR!" The clan responded before doing as told.

Madara turned to Izuna. "Be strong, Izuna. It'll be over soon."

"I'm fine, really." Izuna waved his hand. "By the way, how are your eyes?"

Madara furrowed his brows with a slight grimace. "I'll be fine in battle."

"How bad is it?" Izuna asked softly with genuine concern.

Madara clenched his jaw. "My vision is beginning to blur more, but it's now accompanied by a dull, throbbing pain as if they got hit with a bat. It's incessant." He softened his face. "Nonetheless, I am the leader of the Uchiha clan, and I'll be able to fight any foe- including Hashirama Senju."

Izuna looked at his brother with slight concern but then relaxed his face as the clan was ready to leave. "I think they're ready."

Madara nodded and pointed east. "Let's move out!"

"YES, SIR!"

Madara was sitting in his bedroom with Izuna, sipping tea. The room was illuminated by one white candle. The brothers relaxed as they reflected on their battle that day and planned for future strategies.

"Today went very well, but it was longer than expected," Madara stated. "We need to ensure that our clansmen are being trained properly on stamina in case of situations like this. We pulled through due to superiority in and of itself, but that's not enough."

Izuna nodded. "We can incorporate that into training sessions. I'm sure they're all thinking the same thing… We never know when will be our last battle with the Senju as well."

Madara shook his head. "That is true, Izuna, but have you noticed anything different from the last few times we've battled them?"

Izuna furrowed his brows as he started to think. "I'm not certain if this is correct, but there seems to be much less of a chakra reserve amongst its clansmen. I at first thought it might be due to fewer bodies present, but they haven't lost a lot of shinobi."

Madara nodded with a smirk. "I've noticed the same thing. If you can recall, Hashirama often had a young girl with him. She didn't fight often, but when she did, she would only use taijutsu."

"Oh, yes! And quite effectively." Izuna's face lit up. "You mean to tell me that she isn't with them?"

"Precisely. Either she's dead or they've brought her into hiding. She was providing more chakra for her clansmen, like a tree of life connecting her root system to her people. If she isn't with them in battle, their reserves are much lower than what we remember. " Madara put a hand on his chin. "I'm assuming they've hid her… If we are correct, she must be a phenomenal weapon."

Izuna nodded. "Imagine if we had her."

"That's what I'm thinking. I doubt, however, that we'll find her. That change happened many years ago." Madara sighed and leaned against the wall. "Either way, the Senju aren't as much of a threat as they once were, but-" Madara gasped in pain and dropped his teacup. He held his eyes with both hands and groaned. "Aaaah!"

"Brother!" Izuna immediately came to this brother's side. "Brother, look at me."

Madara slowly removed his hands from his eyes to reveal blood droplets in his palms. He looked at Izuna with blood streaming down his cheeks. "Izuna… If this keeps up though… Battling them will be much more difficult."

Izuna sighed. "We will do our best. Don't worry… let's clean you up."

Hashirama and Tobirama were sitting on a cliff in silence before Hashirama broke it. "How long have we been away from Reina?"

"Five years." Tobirama looked toward his brother. "It won't be much longer."

Hashirama looked up at the stars. "I know…"

"What makes you so sure?" Tobirama inquired.

"Intuition…" Hashirama turned to see the scowl on his brother's face. He chuckled. "And from reading the battlefield." He turned to look out at the trees below him, lit up by the moon. "Madara has probably caught on by now that we aren't the same without her. Reina was basically our mother of war. She would heal us faster than anyone else and feed us chakra as if it was second nature."

Tobirama nodded. "Won't this make the Uchiha more aggressive though? If so, why haven't they been?"

Hashirama smiled. "It's simple, really." He looked at Tobirama. "Madara's ocular power is fading."

Tobirama crossed his arms. "I thought as much. He isn't as sharp. It's minuscule, but still visible. Izuna, however, is sharper than ever before."

"And naturally so. Izuna isn't the one leading the clan into battle and fighting the strongest foes alone." Hashirama swung his feet at the edge of the cliff and then laid back to look up at the night sky. "Few battles remain… I know it." Hashirama breathed in the night air and admired the stars. "It just might happen, Madara. We just might make our dream come true."

The sun was blazing as the Uchiha fought the Senju clan on a rocky field. Madara jumped at Hashirama with a downward slice of his sword. Hashirama blocked his attack and sent tree roots after Madara who jumped back to dodge them. Madara gritted his teeth as he focused on his next attack.

Izuna and Tobirama fought nearby. Izuna flashed toward Tobirama and used his sharingan to freeze him in his place. Tobirama halted as Izuna kneed him in the liver and punched him in the face, sending him flying across the field. Izuna blew a fireball at Tobirama. Tobirama quickly came to and sent a water dragon to block it. Steam engulfed the area and Izuna was right in the middle. Tobirama sent kunai flying, which Izuna easily dodged.

"A blind attack…" Izuna smirked, being able to see through Tobirama's moves with ease. "I pity those who do not wield the sharingan."

In an instant, Tobirama flashed toward Izuna and sliced his abdomen. "Flying Raijin Slice!" Tobirama's blade cut right through Izuna, causing him to freeze and cough up blood.

Madara immediately noticed the injury his brother sustained and ran over to him. "Izuna!" As Izuna began to fall toward the ground, Madara caught him to keep him standing. "You're okay! We can fix this. Everything will be okay."

Hashirama stood in front of the brothers and pointed a sword at him. "Madara… you can't beat me." He lowered his sword. "Why continue this pointless fighting? We are the two strongest clans on the battlefield and we are causing nothing but more pain and bloodshed. Let's make peace."

Madara stood in silence. "I can protect Izuna and the whole clan that way. Everyone can live in peace." Madara's thoughts were quickly interrupted.

"Don't do it, brother!" Izuna roared. "Have you forgotten how many of our loved ones they've killed?"

Madara was torn. Hashirama's offer could benefit everyone in the long run, but how could he ever atone for what he and his clan had done? Yes, the Senju butchered many members of the Uchiha clan, but the Uchiha always returned the favor. With that, Madara pulled out a smoke bomb and disappeared, leaving his clansmen on the battlefield.

Madara kneeled beside his brother's corpse. He held his head low as tears streamed down his face. He quickly wiped them away. Though no one was around to watch, he still knew he had an image to uphold and had to become stronger both physically and mentally. Madara clenched his teeth, so utterly sick and tired of war and desiring peace with his best friend, but at the same time, disgusted and full of hate for the Senju. His heart was constantly battling his mind and it was eating away at him.

"I'm sorry, Izuna." Madara spoke quietly.

Izuna was lying down, watching his brother softly weep. "Don't be, brother. Please stop crying."

Madara shook his head. "I promised I'd protect you. If I lose you I-"

"Sssshhhh…" Izuna placed his hand on his brother's cheek. "You have the clan to live for. Think about what's best for them…" He wasn't getting through to Madara and knew it. "Madara."

"Yes?"

Izuna began to speak softly. "I'm not going to make it… but I want you to have something special, for the next time you face Hashirama."

"W-what is it?" Madara wiped his tears and composed himself.

Izuna smiled. "You're so strong, but you need to be stronger… I want you to take my eyes."

Madara froze in place. "No… Are you ins-"

"Do it, Madara… They won't be of use to me when I'm gone. Take them and maybe they'll help you see." Izuna looked at him sternly. "Do it now. I don't have much time."

Madara nodded. "For you, anything."

Madara bowed down at his brother's corpse before sitting upright. He stood up and his eyes turned into the mangekyou sharingan. "Thank you, Izuna… We will find peace, together." With that, Madara walked out of the room to ruminate over his next steps.

After a fierce battle that lasted a full day, Madara was defeated. It was the first time his back ever touched the ground. He lay waste as Hashirama kneeled over him.

Tobirama walked over to them and held up a sword, pointing downward at Madara. "Madara Uchiha… you're finished."

"Don't do it!" Hashirama snapped.

Madara looked over at Hashirama. "Just get it over with, Hashirama. It would be an honor to die by your hands."

"That settles it," Tobirama said as he raised the sword to stab the Uchiha.

Hashirama glared up at his brother. "NO ONE TOUCHES HIM."

Tobirama immediately backed off at the aggression of his brother. "But… why?"

Hashirama looked down at Madara. "Madara, don't just give up. Now is our chance to make our dreams come true. If I kill you, it'll incite the younger generation that follows you."

"I wouldn't be so sure. The younger generation doesn't have such pluck." Madara retorted.

"Either way, we made a promise. Remember? We were going to get strong and become the leaders of our clans so we could end this war. We would start a village where everyone could live in peace." Hashirama looked at his friend. "Can't we go back to the days when we would skip rocks together?"

"I'm afraid that's impossible," Madara said with exhaustion. "We aren't the same anymore. I lost everyone closest to me. You haven't. I have nothing left to protect." Madara looked up at the sky, then back at the brothers. "There is only one way to atone… Right here and now, kill your brother or kill yourself. Choose."

Hashirama stood up and took off his armor. "Thank you, Madara. You truly have a good heart."

Tobirama scowled. "You mustn't be serious."

Hashirama pulled out a kunai. "Do not kill Madara after I die. I forbid any fighting between the Uchiha clan and the Senju clan." Hashirama smiled and raised the kunai. "Farewell." A tear slipped down Hashirama's cheek. He went to stab himself when Madara stopped him.

Madara gripped Hashirama's hand with all his might. "Enough… You've shown me your guts… Let's end this war."

It was a misty afternoon as Reina sat by the koi pond at the Ashikaga manor. Shinji and Kimi stepped out and walked over to her. "Reina Senju," Kimi spoke as they stopped behind her.

Reina smiled softly and turned around to face the clan leaders. "Hello, what brings you out here, if I may ask?"

Shinji cleared his throat and began to speak with his gruff voice. "We have just gotten word that the Senju clan and Uchiha clan have signed a peace treaty."

Reina stood up slowly with a face of pure shock. "I'm sorry, what do you mean?"

Kimi smiled and stepped forward, putting a hand on Reina's shoulder. "In other words, darling… the war has ended."

Reina gasped as her eyes began to water. She started breathing shakily and was choking up. She tried to catch her breath, but simply couldn't. Her breathing became short and she collapsed on one knee. Reina was hyperventilating, onset by a whirlwind of thoughts and emotions, and couldn't breathe.

"Reina!" Kimi crouched down to hold her. "Reina, breathe."

Reina could hear Kimi's voice fading away. "What now?" Her vision became blurry until her world became one of darkness.

"She's fainted!" Kimi gasped.

Shinji bent down and scooped the unconscious girl up. "I'll bring her to the infirmary." He rushed through the house with Reina in his hands, passing both Han and Nao along the way.

Nao and Han were in a meeting room, kneeling across from Shinji and Kimi. "What do you mean the war has ended?!" Nao asked with growing anger.

"Nao, calm yourself," Kimi demanded.

"Are you not an advocate for peace?" Shinji inquired.

"It's not that." Nao lowered his head.

Han looked at his parents with a somber expression. "I think Nao is upset that Reina will be leaving the compound." Han furrowed his brows with confusion. "Nao, why not just leave with her if you love her so much."

Nao shook his head and looked at Han with wide eyes. "I can't. It's not that simple."

Han's face of confusion turned to a face of suspicion. "What do you mean? What have you been hiding?" Though Han was goofy, he was a sharp individual.

"Han, now is not the time. This doesn't concern you." Kimi spoke.

"Indeed, it does. Reina is practically family. Family looks after family. So, Nao, why can't you leave with Reina when it's time?" Han inquired as his patience began to rapidly dwindle.

"HAN!" Shinji snapped at his son. "Now, is not the time! We don't even know if Reina is leaving."

Han immediately bowed. "My sincerest apologies, I was out of line… And I apologize to you as well, Nao. I'm sorry."

Nao sighed. "I understand your concern. Don't worry. I appreciate your love for Reina."

Han straightened his back and looked at his parents. "She will be leaving, though. Isn't she?"

Shinji nodded. "I would assume that eventually she will be. The Senju and Uchiha clan are currently in the process of creating a village where shinobi can live in peace. I can only infer that Reina will be living there in the future with her family."

Nao bit his lip. "Do you believe that other clans will follow suit and create more villages?"

Kimi nodded. "I do. There might be some clans who desire to remain independent, but I do believe that we will see a trend."

Nao was in his room, holding his head. "Fuck fuck fuck fuck fuck!" He yelled with anger, sorrow, and confusion. "I can't lose her. What if something happens to her?" He sighed a shaky breath of dismay. "I love her…"

Nao sat in the infirmary, watching Reina sleep. "I love you… Please don't go."

By the time evening came around, Reina finally woke up. Her head throbbed as she sat up slowly. "What happened?" She opened her eyes to see Nao. "Hey, handsome."

Nao smiled softly and helped her sit up. "You're finally awake."

Reina nodded and yawned. "What on earth happened to me?"

"You were told that the war ended, hyperventilated, and fainted." Nao bit his lip before looking up at her. "Are you okay?"

Reina looked down into her lap. She began playing with the white sheets as her gears turned. "I don't know what to feel… I want to see my brothers more than anything, but I don't want to leave you." Reina looked up at Nao. "I love you…" She gritted her teeth as Nao looked down. She clenched her jaw and shook her head. "Is it too much to ask for you to come with me…?" Her eyes began to water. "We've been together for … over four years… why end it now?"

Nao looked at her face and immediately felt her pain. "I don't want to end things now, but I don't think I can come with you when you inevitably go."

"What do you mean you don't 'think' you can come? It's a yes or no question." Reina was beginning to lose her patience. Her face became red and hot as she listened for an answer.

Nao lowered his head. "I love you, Reina… but I can't go." He shook his head. "It's just not that simple."

Reina looked at him with bewilderment. "How?! How is it not that simple?!" She sighed and held her head in her hands. She wiped her eyes and looked up at Nao. "Why can't you come?"

Nao mumbled. "It's too complicated to explain now."

Reina nodded slowly. "I see how it is." She sighed. "Can we at least cherish each other until I leave?"

Nao laughed hardily. "Reina, I want to cherish you for life. If I could marry you I would."

Reina chuckled. "I'm so confused."

Nao nodded. "Yes, I'll cherish you. There's nothing else I'd rather do."

Reina leaned back and closed her eyes in confusion and pain. She knew that she would be leaving and would never dream of passing up such an opportunity. After all, she lived on to see her brothers again, but she loved Nao and the Ashikaga clan. However, from the very beginning, the decision was made that she would return, so that is what she intended to do.