NOVEL WEB Chapter 26: Chapter 26: The Valley of the End
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The Land of Fire, Kamubi Bridge.
The shadows of the trees sway, and the moonlight flows gently.
Midnight approaches, and the air is mixed with a cool mist. Several seagulls, cloaked in moonlight, continuously circle above the coastline, emitting desolate and lonely cries.
Outside a hidden cave by the shore, Uchiha Madara is giving his final instructions.
"Enough. Your task is to guard the base and ensure no one discovers this place."
"Madara-sama…" Uchiha Hikari trembles as she extends her hand, her almond-shaped eyes glistening with tears, looking pitiful.
Her gaze carries a plea, unsure whether she wants to beg him to stay or to request to accompany him. But whatever it is, it ultimately crumbles under Madara's cold gaze.
"Hm." Her voice is faint, and she nods lightly.
"Do not attempt to seek us out. Do not act rashly until we contact you."
"Hm."
Madara turns around, facing the sea. The waves churn, yet his expression remains neither sorrowful nor joyful.
At this moment, he is fully prepared for departure. He carries a war fan on his back, scrolls at his waist, and his sickle gleams with a sharp polish. His dark red armor reflects the moonlight.
The sea breeze brushes against his face, and his waterfall-like long hair sways with the wind.
"I know you're resentful, but this is the best arrangement we have."
Madara's tone softens, a rare occurrence. "With the Nine-Tails, I won't have any chakra deficiencies. And your eyesight… it has deteriorated significantly, hasn't it?"
"Ah!" Hikari's eyes widen in surprise. In her blurred vision, Madara's silhouette merges with the moonlight.
"I…" She unconsciously clenches her fists, opens her mouth, but no words come out.
Tears silently fall, splashing into circles on the rocks.
"Sigh…"
Not far away, Kamihane lets out a long sigh.
He stands alone on the other side, leaning against an aged palm tree. Its slender leaves, bathed in moonlight, cast a dappled shadow on his pale face.
Like Madara, he is now fully armed. Over his original black combat attire, he wears a vest-like soft armor, with arm guards on both arms. A long sword is strapped to his back, and his medium-short hair is neatly tied at the back.
In fact, his current attire bears a striking resemblance to Itachi Uchiha during the night of the Uchiha clan massacre in the original timeline.
As he gazes at Madara's aloof figure, a myriad of emotions surge within him.
If his predictions are correct, the outcome of this decisive battle between Madara and Hashirama will not differ much from the original timeline.
Though the world often claims these two are the pinnacle of the shinobi world, the true apex is held by Senju Hashirama alone.
This, Madara knows all too well.
In the original timeline, Madara and Hashirama only truly fought three times. Though the reasons for their battles differed, the results were always the same.
The first time, after transplanting his brother Izuna's eyes and awakening the Eternal Mangekyō Sharingan, Madara clashed with Hashirama and was ultimately defeated by him, bringing an end to the Warring States period.
The second time, after leaving Konoha for many years, Madara returned with the Nine-Tails. Hashirama, believing Madara truly intended to destroy the village they had founded together, unleashed his full fury and struck Madara down with a single blow.
The third time, both reincarnated in the Edo Tensei form, they clashed on the battlefield during the Fourth Great Ninja War. Even with the Rinnegan, Yin-Yang Release, infinite chakra, and an immortal body, Madara was still suppressed by Hashirama, trapped within the Gates of the Great God.
You can never know what other methods Hashirama has in store for you. There is only one "God of Shinobi."
But this time, Madara's goal is not to destroy Konoha. His true aim is to obtain a piece of Hashirama's flesh.
His act of descending into darkness, of appearing to seek the destruction of everything, is merely to provoke Hashirama into fighting him with all his might, in a fair and honorable battle.
Often, Kamihane can't help but wonder:
What if Madara were to lower his pride, abandon such extreme methods, and instead approach Hashirama with a gentle tone, making a request?
Would Hashirama agree to his plea, and could this battle be avoided?
But this is impossible. Madara has his own pride, the dignity of a true warrior.
"Kamihane, let's go."
Madara's deep voice echoes from afar. Kamihane responds immediately:
"Understood."
With a "whoosh," his figure vanished, leaving only a leaf gently falling to the ground.
Year 7 of Konoha, a certain summer night.
For the village of Konoha, this was destined to be an extraordinary night.
...
"Summoning Jutsu!!!"
Amidst a towering plume of smoke, the colossal figure of the Nine-Tails emerged outside Konoha. In the chaotic gale, its nine long tails stretched freely under the full moon, and a roar more ferocious than any beast's surged into the sky, rumbling like thunder.
"Clang!!!"
The fan and the greatsword clashed fiercely, and the two figures locked in combat separated under the moonlight, both retreating backward.
The Nine-Tails roared, its massive vines coiled, and the powerful shockwaves mercilessly ravaged the land. This was a battle that ordinary ninja could not possibly intervene in.
Madara, with an overwhelming presence, unleashed his chakra in a violent burst. He activated the Susanoo Armor, and the Nine-Tails, now enhanced by the Susanoo, towered hundreds of feet high, surpassing even the mountains.
The Susanoo itself was the materialization of vast chakra, forming a colossal warrior god for battle. When he used the Susanoo, a symbol of destruction and ruin, as armor for the Tailed Beast, the resulting devastation was nothing short of a natural disaster!
As for his old friend's technique, Hashirama felt a hint of admiration in his heart. But this was no friendly spar—it was a life-and-death battle! He was more concerned about the village being caught in the crossfire.
Thus, he fought while retreating, quietly leading Madara and the Nine-Tails toward the sea.
Madara, playing along, began the pursuit with tacit understanding. After all, his goal was never the destruction of Konoha. From beginning to end, his target had always been Hashirama alone.
Kamihane quietly lurked in the shadows, trailing far behind them, always maintaining a distance that was neither too close nor too far.
His mission was to retrieve the Nine-Tails, and all he needed to do was wait silently for the battle to end.
Suddenly, his brow furrowed slightly. In his spiritual perception, he sensed that quite a few people had also emerged from Konoha, sneaking along far behind.
"What are these guys... planning?"
As he pondered, a crimson beam flashed by, shooting toward a distant island.
Immediately after, a massive fireball erupted on the island, as if the sun had risen prematurely. The entire land trembled, and the blinding light illuminated the entire forest. The deafening explosion echoed across the heavens and the earth!
"This... this is the level of their battle?" Kamihane stared in shock, his back pressed against a large tree, a chill running down his spine.
In that instant, he had seen it clearly—that red beam was unmistakably a Tailed Beast Bomb infused with the power of the Susanoo!
He couldn't help but click his tongue in awe. Thankfully, he hadn't allowed the Nine-Tails to unleash a Tailed Beast Bomb earlier. Otherwise, with his current strength, he truly wouldn't have been able to withstand it!
Looking out at the battlefield, through the thick smoke, he could vaguely make out a faint azure glow and the towering silhouette of the Wood Golem. The sound of splintering wood mingled with the Nine-Tails' roars.
At the center of the battlefield.
Uchiha Madara stood high above within the Susanoo Armor. "Hashirama, it's been a long time since we've fought seriously. You should know... I'm not the same as I was before, right?"
Hashirama's expression was grave. Clapping his hands together, he gathered his chakra while attempting one last plea: "Everything up until now, all our efforts—do you want them to go to waste, Madara?"
He looked up, facing the enormous Susanoo Armor. "There's no benefit to us fighting! This battle will only harm the village and the ninja, only dishonor our brothers and comrades!"
Madara glared down at him, his expression growing colder. "You... dare to lecture me?"
"I don't want to kill you!" Hashirama's eyes remained sincere.
"Are you saying you could kill me anytime you want?"
"No, I mean... we're friends!"
Madara's face twitched, and a flicker of emotion passed through his eyes. He growled, "I've already... crossed to the other side!"
As if to emphasize his stance, the Nine-Tails beneath him let out a deafening roar, its voice shaking the heavens!
Hashirama was momentarily stunned, his thoughts instantly dragged back decades to a bright, sunny morning. Two innocent boys, competing with each other, throwing stones across the river. The image of that spirited young boy gradually overlapped with the figure before him, but no matter how hard he tried, they could not fully merge. Finally, with a roar, the image shattered into chaos.
"There's no other way." Hashirama closed his eyes in disappointment. When he opened them again, all traces of reluctance and sincerity were gone, replaced by pure resolve.
And... the black facial markings infused with dense natural energy!
"Sage Art—True Several Thousand Hands!!!"
With a mighty shout, Hashirama's chakra transformed into a visible radiance. Amid the sound of colossal wood creaking, a thousand-armed wooden Buddha, hundreds of feet tall, rose from the earth, standing tall between heaven and earth. Under the moonlight, its immense shadow completely enveloped the land!
"I'm coming, Madara!!!"
"Bring it on, Hashirama!!!"
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