VALLEY OF END
The water, flowing elegantly through the valley, began to turn crimson as Madara's corpse fell. The water began to flow a bit more violently due to the obstruction of his body. His kama and gunbai lay beside him, submerged. Standing above him was an exhausted warrior, bruised and bloodied. The leader of the Senju clan, feeling weak in his knees, sank to the river bed at the sight of what he had just done. He looked around at the earth that had been demolished and saw only destruction. He could feel the killer intent resonate among the dancing leaves and the undeserving light of redemption from the moon. His calm and serious composure disappeared when he stole a few glances at the dead relic before his eyes. He had just killed the one person who shared his dream. With his severely burnt left hand, he wiped the incoming tears and shrieked. With diminishing grip, he managed to look into the water and saw his face in the clear moonlight. Physically, he was the same but Madara was right; he had changed. The winds blew colder and Hashirama began to lose consciousness. Each time his hands slipped off the rocks, he forced himself back up, desperate to stay awake. His vision began to blur as his eyes began to close. His chakra, no matter how infinite it might seem, was slowly depleting. In his last moments of sentience, he could see a silver figure, clad in blue armour and fur near his neck, running towards him calling out his name.
"T-Tobirama?"
"Yes, Elder Brother, it's me. It's over. Let us go home."
"What about Madara?"
"Leave him. It's over. He poses no threat to the village now. Elder Brother, you are in no form to talk; do not waste what energy you have left."
Tobirama noticed Hashirama whisper his dead adversary's name with a hint of regret. He understood that close friendship and bond they shared from the time they were children. But mindsets change, goals change and loyalties change as well. Despite Madara sharing the same dream as Hashirama for the ultimate utopia of the ninja world as an end goal, he was still too attached to his losses and that attachment never allowed him to move forward. His ultimate dream for non-violence slowly dissipated as he became trapped in his abyss of vengeance.
Tobirama helped his weak brother walk until he saw a few of his own clansmen rushing to them to help. He left him in their arms and walked back to the valley and stared at Madara's body. Toka Senju, a trusted warrior of Hashirama, appeared beside him.
"Lord Tobirama, what about the Nine-Tails?"
Tobirama suddenly jolted when he saw the Nine-Tails beast grunting and struggling in Hashirama's wooden avatar. The fox's mouth was covered with the statue's wooden hands but one could clearly hear its curses and threats.
"I'll handle it. Attend to the First Hokage."
"And what about Madara Uchiha?"
"Leave it to me."
Toka gave a simple bow and made her way back to the village.
Tobirama sighed as he was left alone in the valley. He took out one of his kunai laced with his special formula. He aimed it at the top of the statue's head and transported himself. The warrior almost reeled at the thought of how tall he was and the constant scuffle of the fox within did not make it easier. After balancing himself, he took a deep breath. Transporting a group of objects this big would not only deplete his chakra but also might rip apart space-time continuum itself. Tobirama knew the consequences of such a jutsu but was willing to risk it. A dangerous beast charged with malice and violent nature cannot be allowed to roam free.
"Hiraishin no jutsu!"
Tobirama collapsed as he and the creatures appeared in Konoha. He looked at his palm stained with the blood he spat out. Ninja and townsfolk alike noticed the new set of shadows looming over them and froze when they turned around and suddenly saw the fox in their village.
"Kyuubi! Run!"
Soon, there was chaos that only aggravated the fox more. The fox had realised that this situation would only call for his sealing and he was not willing to give up his freedom. He thrashed about and used the might of his tails to crack the wood. The beast's efforts proved fruitful when the statue gave way…and the nine-tails was finally free. The fox sunk its claws into the ground and growled when it stopped and smelt the air. There was one scent he remembered and he gave a devilish smirk.
"HASHIRAMA…YOU ARE HERE! HOW GREAT WOULD IT BE TO MAUL YOU WHILE YOU SLEEP SOUNDLY…"
He immediately shifted and turned to the direction of the hospital. Tobirama, depleted of chakra, banged his fist to the ground as he cursed himself. The fox leapt in the air to crush the hospital where Hashirama lay but was wrapped with chains and brought to the ground. The Nine-Tails, fazed, immediately recognised the chains that bind him.
"THESE CHAINS…THESE CHAINS ARE AN UZUMAKI TECHNIQUE! WHO'S CHAKRA IS THIS?"
The fox turned back to see a fair woman with bright red hair in two buns, equipped with a Byakugou seal on her fore-head.
"You dare harm my people, fox?!"
"THAT FOUL TOBIRAMA…BROUGHT ME HERE, WOMAN!"
Mito Uzumaki turned her head to Tobirama who was currently on the ground, groaning.
"Tobirama! Why did you bring it here?! Do you know what threat it poses to the village!?"
"Lady Mito, it poses a bigger threat if it was allowed to run free. I brought it here thinking we could handle it somehow."
She cleared her throat and beckoned her guards.
"Send for Hikaku Uchiha! Now! Only he can control this beast!"
Hikaku soon arrived on sight and bowed before Mito. He shuddered before the fox in chains, that saw a pin-wheel pattern manifest in his blood red eyes, which again evolved into a more intricate pattern.
"Mangekyou Sharingan!"
The fox was immobilised as the same pattern in Hikaku's eyes replicated itself on the fox's eyes. Mito let out a sigh of relief. Hikaku was the among the few Uchiha other than Madara to awaken the Mangekyou Sharingan, also making him one of the only men to control beasts of similar ferocity.
"Lady Mito, this will only hold him for a few more hours or so until the point where I will lose chakra from overuse of my eyes!"
Mito thought hard. Her husband had finally brought peace to the village and she needed to contribute equally to the safety of the village. After giving it some thought, she clenched her fist.
"Summon the Uzumaki clan! I am going to get this beast sealed within me."
There was a sudden uproar and protest against her decision which was silenced when her expression and demeanour made it clear.
The Uzumaki appeared in front of the immobilised fox and agreed with her decision, the best possible scenario.
Tobirama caught her shoulder and tried to convince her otherwise but she brushed it off and prepared for the sealing.
Six of her clansmen surrounded her and brought out a special scroll which served as a mat for her to sit on. She activated her Hundred Healings Seal as a precaution and closed her eyes. The Uzumaki ninja synchronously performed hand signs and placed their palms on the ground and concentrated as a jet-black sealing formula was tattooed onto Mito.
The Nine-Tails, still under the control of Hikaku, could somehow see his fate. Hikaku could sense a new power surge over the fox.
"Quickly, I won't be able to restrain it any longer!"
Unperturbed, the Uzumaki focused their chakra and channelled it to the scroll where Mito sat.
"Fuinjutsu: Muttso Ori Shiru!"
The Nine-Tails howled as it felt its very soul was torn out of its body. Inside, the fox felt empty as his insides were stolen and he felt his consciousness appear in the body of the woman. Tobirama, back on his two feet crossed his arms.
"Just a bit longer, Hikaku."
Hikaku gave a strained nod as his eyes began to bleed.
Two hours passed, filled with struggle and screams of pain but were finally silenced as Mito fainted with this sudden entry of chakra. The Nine-Tails was no longer there.
Mito floated within her deep subconscious world and arrived at a murky and dark environment. The floor was filled with water but it did not seem to get her wet at all. She stood in front of a large gate, more like a prison with a seal as a key.
She stumbled and fell backwards when an orange, furry paw firmly scratched and grasped the golden bars of gates.
"YOU FOUL WRETCH! YOU DID THIS! I AM NOW CAGED IN THIS MISERABLE ABODE OF YOURS!"
Mito got back up and placed her hands on her stomach, where the fox had been sealed. Undaunted, she walked closer to the fox. Now the only thing separating them was a layer of the hardest metal.
"If you use your power, only hatred will come from it. Stay tranquil inside of me."
With that, she turned her back and walked away, creating the peaceful sound of footsteps splashing in the water, the only sound heard in the dungeon. The piercing red slits of the fox's eyes bulged through its sockets and drool began to form near the corner of its mouth. The fury of the orange beast was unfathomable for it was the first time it had ever been sealed.
"YOU HUMANS ARE A CURSE ON THIS LAND! YOU WILL RECEIVE A FATE FAR WORSE THAN YOU CAN EVER IMAGINE!"
Mito disregarded its words and pinched herself to exit this undesirable world and awoke in the arms of Tobirama and her kin. Tobirama, with his blood-shot eyes fixed onto Mito, he asked, "Did it work?"
Mito took a deep breath and replied, "It is done. The beast will prove no threat as long as I am alive."
"Good. I will have to go back to the battlefield. It is only right to bring back Madara's corpse."
The silver and blue warrior disappeared and materialised on the rocks beside the river but to his surprise, found no signs of Madara's body. His weapons were no where to be seen as well. He crossed his arms and inspected the area thoroughly. He looked at the head of the waterfall and found the water moving more fervidly. He's gone, the water would have flushed him beyond the village borders itself.
"It looks like his body belongs to the river now, wherever it ends."
He abruptly shifted his head to the top of the valley, pointing to a cave. He thought he had seen a dark black figure move. He stared in that direction for almost two minutes until he blamed his 'hallucination' on the overwhelming events that took place that night and transported himself back to the Hidden Leaf village.
From the cave on a ledge ten metres above the valley, a human-shaped black head poked out and scanned the valley for anymore people and after being convinced that he was alone, the black figure leapt to the spot where Madara fell and looked at the moon in wonder. Madara's body is gone. Does this mean he was washed away by the water? Did that brat Tobirama take his corpse? Or...is the Uchiha still alive? He climbed the jagged rocks of the valley back to the cave when heard footsteps. He dove beside the entrance and saw a disoriented man with scars and spiky, long and black hair make his way up the secret staircase to the inside of the cave. The black figure, through his yellow eyes saw the man wrap his clothes around his stab wound. The man then spat out a piece of flesh, now soft and covered with his saliva. The black figure waited until the mystery man came closer and presented himself in the moonlight. The black figure recognised the man as none other than Madara Uchiha himself. Shocked, the black figure gave a short chuckle. Interesting! The Uchiha used the Izanagi to revive himself. Mother's revival is closer to reality now. Let's wait and watch.
Madara began coughing blood onto the rocks and sat down on a flat surface and smiled.
"That fool Tobirama. He did not bother to check his surroundings thoroughly. But I am close to death and I have lost the Sharingan in my right eye. I wonder what I should do..."
He slowly got up, with grunts and aches, and created a clone which leapt out and lay near the end of the river miles away.
"According to Tobirama, I belong to the river now. So that's where I would be, in case the Senju decide to find me."
He walked to the flesh that had hardened a bit and took out a kunai.
"With Hashirama's flesh, I would finally attain the Rinnegan. The Eye of the Moon plan is going to happen and will bring peace whether they desire it or not."
The black figure growled a bit at his assertion. I am to thank for that. Your so-called "plan" was written on your damn stone tablet. Nevertheless, at last, you have fixated on this goal. The future is now laid out for you, Uchiha.
Madara, equipped with a kunai in one hand and his rival's flesh in the other, he bit hard on a piece of cloth he had previously fastened around his mouth. His screeches were muffled through the cloth as he carved deep into his left pectoral. Trembling, he shoved the flesh in the bloody crevice and slowly stitched himself. He removed the cloth and for a second, was astonished at how painful his little surgery was given that the cloth was ripped apart by his teeth. He dressed himself and descended down the stairs. He could feel Hashirama's cells get to work in his body and accelerate the merging of skin cells in his wounds. Madara felt replenished with chakra as he disappeared into the forest never to be heard or seen again. The black figure followed him into the thick foliage and rubbed his palms together as the sunrise painted the sky in a dull pink and orange. Now, all that's left is the Rinnegan.
Hiraishin no jutsu- FLYING THUNDER GOD TECHNIQUE
Mangekyou Sharingan- ADVANCED FORM OF THE SHARINGAN
Fuinjutsu: Muttso Ori Shiru- SEALING: SIX PALMS SEAL
