Chapter 83: The Fire Never Dies

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With the combined efforts of Uchiha Madara and Senju Hashirama, Konoha Village was founded in the Land of Fire.

Their achievement inspired other regions to establish their own villages:

- The Land of Lightning established Kumogakure.

- The Land of Earth established Iwagakure.

- The Land of Water established Kirigakure.

- The Land of Wind established Sunagakure.

During this period, the five great nations began to take shape.

Hashirama became the First Hokage.

Madara tried countless times to persuade Hashirama that the Uchiha and Senju clans should unite to destroy the other villages, leaving only the Land of Fire and Konoha in the entire ninja world.

"The crime may be in the present, but the sin will be in the future!" Madara argued.

However, Hashirama refused every time. He believed that such killing would be too cruel, that it would stain their hands and souls.

Madara often scolded Hashirama for being indecisive, but Hashirama remained firm in his convictions. Madara, in turn, didn't force the issue.

Time passed, and the days turned into years.

It had been a full year since Sasuke traveled through time.

Sasuke watched silently as Konoha grew more prosperous, as the village became stronger under Hashirama's leadership.

One night, Madara, holding a flask of sake, sought out Hashirama for a drink, but what he found instead was a fierce argument between Hashirama and Tobirama.

Tobirama was insisting that the Uchiha clan was inherently dangerous, that Madara should never be trusted with power as he would surely turn against the other villages.

Hashirama hesitated, torn between his promise to Madara and the doubts sown by Tobirama's words.

But it was that hesitation that completely shattered Madara's trust.

Sometimes, a man's resolve lasts only for a moment.

Madara forced himself to resist the urge to kill Tobirama in revenge for Izuna.

Instead, he returned to the Uchiha compound, his heart heavy with betrayal.

In the quiet of the night, Madara turned to Sasuke, his voice broken, "What should I do?"

"My father died with the Thousand-Armed Buddha!"

"My brother was killed by Tobirama, yet I cannot avenge him!"

"Even my best friend is starting to lose faith in me."

"What have I done wrong?"

"What should I do!?"

Sasuke did not answer Madara directly. He knew that his response could change the course of history. Instead, he said, "Follow your heart."

If Konoha doesn't trust me, Madara thought, then I will lead the Uchiha to build a new village!

---

Madara left Konoha.

As the sun set behind him, his silhouette stretched long and lonely against the fading light. There was no one behind him, no one who shared his vision, no one willing to follow him.

"That day, I called on all the Uchiha to leave the village with me, but no one followed."

"No one among those I sought to protect was willing to believe in me."

Madara didn't just look back at Konoha; he also cast his gaze forward, towards the Uchiha clan.

He pinned his last hope on the Uchiha Stone Tablet, the prophecy of the Infinite Tsukuyomi.

Madara had always believed that the current peace was only temporary. As long as the shinobi system and the great ninja villages existed, war would never end.

Hashirama didn't understand him.

His clansmen didn't trust him.

So, Madara decided to rely only on himself to achieve the peace he dreamed of.

Konoha Village—he would treat it as nothing more than a dream.

Sasuke followed Madara, his presence a small comfort. Madara chuckled bitterly, "You're following me to mock me, aren't you?"

Sasuke replied, "No, I want to see what you've gone through."

Madara's tone softened slightly. "I'm sorry, I can't keep the promise I made to you."

"It's alright," Sasuke said, "I'll find my own path."

---

After leaving Konoha, Sasuke continued to follow Madara. Perhaps it was because Sasuke reminded Madara so much of Izuna.

Madara showed Sasuke a rare tenderness, catching a pheasant and giving Sasuke both drumsticks, offering him the fattest part of any fish they caught.

Though Sasuke only observed and didn't interfere, at least Madara was no longer alone.

Madara eventually traveled to the Land of Wind, to Sunagakure.

In the boundless desert, he sensed powerful chakra fluctuations.

It was Shukaku, the One-Tailed Beast.

In pursuit of his vision of peace, Madara set his sights on the tailed beasts. By gathering all nine, he believed he could gain power far greater than Hashirama's.

Madara found Shukaku sleeping deep in the desert. But as he approached, the beast awoke, furious that someone had dared to disturb him.

Shukaku's belly swelled, and he unleashed a powerful wind blast towards Madara.

Madara snorted, "Such a minor trick!"

With a flick of his fan, Madara easily deflected the attack, sending it back at Shukaku. "Uchiha Reflection!"

The force of the rebound shattered half of Shukaku's sandy body.

Shukaku roared in anger as the surrounding sand reformed his body. He struck at Madara with massive sand claws, but Madara stood unfazed.

Blue chakra flared around Madara, forming a massive, two-faced Susanoo.

With two swift strikes, Susanoo's swords cut Shukaku's body into pieces. Then, Madara's Sharingan took control of Shukaku's soul, the tailed beast's greatest weakness.

Despite being overpowered, Shukaku was shocked.

How could this human be so strong? Shukaku thought. I might as well submit.

But Madara, unimpressed, released the genjutsu. "For a tailed beast, your power is pitifully weak. You're not even worth using."

Without another word, Madara turned and walked away, his departure as graceful as ever.

Shukaku was left stunned.

"Wait, what? Did he just... dismiss me?"

"Wait! Come back! You're really not interested?"

Madara kept walking, his anger palpable.

Shukaku had assumed Madara was playing hard to get, but now he realized Madara was serious. This left Shukaku feeling deeply insulted.

Am I not a tailed beast? Why would anyone reject my power?

After Madara left, Sasuke appeared.

Seeing another human, Shukaku snarled, "Another damn human! I'm going to kill you!"

But Sasuke, with a backhanded swipe, unleashed Susanoo and Amaterasu, forcing Shukaku to back down immediately.

Realizing Sasuke's power, Shukaku sighed, "Fine, just enslave me already. I'll give you my strength."

But Sasuke responded coldly, "You're too weak."

Shukaku nearly spat out blood.

Two humans in one day had humiliated him. Shukaku's hatred for humans had never been greater.

---

Inside Sasuke, the Two-Tails, Matatabi, was almost dying of laughter.

"This Shukaku... what a joke."

---

''When I return to the time and space of the future, I'll definitely make fun of Shukaku!''

Sasuke said to Madara, "Madara, you should seek out the Nine-Tails. The Nine-Tails is the strongest of all the tailed beasts!"

Uchiha Madara replied, "Alright."

The Nine-Tails growled, "You dare..."

When Madara found the Nine-Tails, they clashed in a fierce battle.

Madara quickly realized that the Nine-Tails was indeed as powerful as Sasuke had claimed. The sheer intensity of its chakra earned Madara's recognition.

Madara declared to the Nine-Tails, "You will be my tailed beast!"

The Nine-Tails snarled back, "In your dreams!"

Madara's eyes narrowed, "You don't have a choice. Whether you agree or not, you will submit."

With his Sharingan, Madara forced the Nine-Tails under his control, forming a binding summoning contract with the beast.

This was a humiliating defeat for the Nine-Tails, but there was no escaping it—Madara's power was overwhelming.

The Nine-Tails was compelled to become Madara's summoning beast.

After securing the Nine-Tails, Madara settled on the border of the Land of Earth.

Another year passed.

Sasuke was now 17 years old, and Madara made his return to Konoha.

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In Konoha, alarms suddenly blared across the village.

Tobirama, startled and disbelieving, turned to one of the Konoha Guard's members, "Kagami, what's happening?"

The Uchiha had taken on the role of guards within Konoha, and Kagami Uchiha, one of Senju Tobirama's disciples, was on duty.

Kagami, only ten years old at the time, looked at Tobirama with conflicted eyes. "Sensei... someone is invading Konoha."

Tobirama's fury rose, "Who is it? I'll deal with him myself..."

Kagami hesitated, then said, "It's Uchiha... Madara!"

Tobirama's eyes widened in shock, "I need to inform my brother immediately!"

---

Hashirama stood in disbelief as he saw Madara, clad in red armor, standing atop the Nine-Tails.

"Madara! You've finally returned. Why did you leave without a word?" Hashirama asked, his voice filled with sorrow.

Uchiha Madara responded coldly, "We are no longer the same. We don't share the same ideals. There's no need for us to stay together."

Hashirama, desperate to salvage the bond they once shared, shouted, "Madara, are you really going to throw away everything we worked so hard to build? This will only dishonor the memory of our brothers and comrades!"

Madara's expression twisted with disdain, "You... are in no position to lecture me!"

Madara yelled, "It's been too long since we last fought, Hashirama!"

Hashirama, holding back his emotions, said, "Madara, I don't want to kill you!"

Madara's eyes narrowed, "Are you saying you think you can kill me whenever you want?"

Madara slammed his hands onto the ground. "Summoning Jutsu: Nine-Tails!"

Hashirama responded swiftly, clapping his hands together, "Wood Release: Wood Dragon Technique!"

A colossal wooden dragon erupted from the earth, coiling around the Nine-Tails.

The Nine-Tails roared, firing a Tailed Beast Bomb that obliterated the Wood Dragon.

But then, Hashirama's Wood Golem appeared, grabbing the Tailed Beast Bomb and shoving it back into the Nine-Tails' mouth.

The Nine-Tails was stunned—how could someone use its own attack against it?

Madara, however, enveloped the Nine-Tails in his Susanoo, the blue aura shielding the beast from all damage.

Hashirama, impressed, remarked, "Madara, covering the Nine-Tails with Susanoo... you truly are a genius!"

Hashirama then slammed his hands onto the ground once more, summoning a vast forest, "Wood Release: Advent of a World of Flowering Trees!"

The enormous wooden hands reached out, grasping the Nine-Tails.

Madara's Susanoo immediately fortified around the beast, reinforcing its defenses.

"Impressive, Susanoo!" Hashirama admitted.

The Nine-Tails fired another Tailed Beast Bomb, destroying the wooden hands, but Hashirama realized the devastation their battle was causing.

We can't keep fighting here. This land can't withstand our power. We must move to the sea! Hashirama thought.

He began running toward the shoreline, with Madara in hot pursuit, shouting, "Hashirama, don't run away!"

Once they reached the beach, the Nine-Tails gathered a massive amount of chakra in its mouth, preparing to unleash a Super Tailed Beast Bomb, enhanced by Madara's Susanoo.

Madara's excitement grew, "Let's see how you counter this, Hashirama!"

"Boom!"

The Tailed Beast Bomb was launched!

Hashirama quickly bit his thumb and slammed his hand onto the ground, "Summoning Jutsu: Triple Rashomon!"

The triple-layered Rashomon barriers absorbed the blast, but the immense power altered the bomb's trajectory.

Hashirama called out to Madara, "Madara, stop this madness!"

Madara's voice was resolute, "Never!"

Hashirama's face grew serious. "You've gained the power of the Nine-Tails, but I've mastered the Sage's Technique!"

As he spoke, patterns of the Sage Mode appeared on Hashirama's face.

He clapped his hands, "Wood Release: Sage Art, True Several Thousand Hands!"

A giant Buddha, dozens of times larger than the Nine-Tails, emerged from the earth, its thousands of arms ready to strike.

"Immortal Method: Top Transformed Buddha!"

"Hashirama!!!"

"Madara!!!"

The Buddha's countless arms descended upon the Nine-Tails, triggering a violent explosion.

Madara watched in shock as Susanoo, which had been protecting the Nine-Tails, shattered under the onslaught.

Before Madara could react, one of the giant hands grabbed him, pinning him down.

Hashirama, his voice stern, declared, "Your power is too dangerous, Madara. It must be sealed!"

Blue chakra flared around Madara as he summoned the full power of Susanoo, the giant warrior emerging completely.

Susanoo drew its sword, slashing toward Hashirama!

"Madara!!!"

"Hashirama!!!"

They screamed each other's names, their attacks colliding with earth-shattering force.

When the dust settled, Madara and Hashirama stood on the water, both battered and bleeding. Madara held his gunbai and scythe, while Hashirama was covered in wounds.

Madara smirked, "Hashirama, this time... I've won."

Madara struck Hashirama with his fan, knocking him down. Proudly, he declared, "Hashirama, why do you look so defeated... so broken..."

But then, Madara's eyes widened in disbelief. Hashirama, with a kunai in hand, had pierced Madara's heart from behind!

Madara looked at Hashirama, shocked, "You... attacked me from behind!"

Hashirama, filled with sorrow, replied, "Madara, whether friend or family, if anyone threatens the village, I won't hesitate to stop them."

Madara's strength faded, and he collapsed.

Hashirama, exhausted, fell to the ground as well, his heart heavy with regret. After a while, he slowly left the battlefield.

But just as he departed, Madara opened his eyes. His left eye had transformed into a Rinnegan.

Madara had used Izanagi, escaping death by rewriting reality.

This time, Madara had lost, but he never imagined Hashirama would actually kill him.

As he watched Hashirama walk away, Madara murmured, "I'm disappointed in you, Hashirama."

With that, Madara also left the battlefield.

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Meanwhile, in the Land of Water, at Kirigakure Village...

The First Mizukage was addressing the villagers, laying out the plans for the future.

Suddenly, a strange sound echoed in the sky.

A villager asked the Mizukage, "Lord Mizukage, what's that in the sky?"

The Mizukage looked up and saw a small black dot growing larger and larger.

It was a gigantic Tailed Beast Bomb!

The Mizukage was stunned, realizing that disaster had come to their doorstep.

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