Chapter 1: Death
"War buddies, huh? Well..... I guess.. that's okay," He said, his voice trailing off as his vision wavered and Hashirama's outline became hazy.
'I guess, I was wrong.....
I merely desired to create a world of peace, in my own way.
I still believe in my ideology, but perhaps my methods were misguided. I have lived through countless battles and seen the true ugly face of humanity many times.
War will always exist. Peace is nothing more than an illusion, a fleeting mirage that can never truly be grasped
War is a constant reminder of humanity's capacity for destruction and cruelty. It shatters families, destroys homes, and takes the lives of the innocent. The echoes of the screams of the wounded haunt the survivors long after the battles have ended. The stench of death lingers in the air, and the land is left scarred and barren. It is self-sufficient. It continues long after the hills are blanketed in heavy darkness and the valleys are damp and crimson with blood. It does not offer mercy or compassion and it is always prejudiced, blind, and selfish.
In war, there are no winners, only losers. The cost of victory is measured in the lives of sons and daughters, brothers and sisters, mothers and fathers. The true cost of war is the loss of humanity, the loss of innocence, and the loss of hope.
Long after death reigns over the land, the war continues so long as there are those willing to fight, fueled by the determination and hatred of those who refuse to lay down their arms. But amidst the destruction and chaos, I have come to realize that there is still some light in the darkness. I have seen moments of selflessness, of love and friendship, even in the midst of this endless conflict. Today, I saw a glimmer of hope, a reminder that amidst all the violence and hatred, there is still some good in this world....I saw that today....I learned that today
But as rare and precious as these moments may be...Love is, and always will be one of the greatest motivations of war....as ironic that may seem.'
His vision started darkening
'Fighting those two brats taught me various things, especially that annoying blonde brat.
But now, everything is over.....All that I have fought for in my life has been destroyed. I am not fearful of death, but I am regretful and curious about what the world will be like under that blond kid's rule. I wonder how he will lead, and what changes he will bring about....however this is end....
His vision started flickering
'Well Hashirama, I imagine this will be last time I will be seeing you all. I know that I will most certainly spend eternity in Hell if there is one, but I am at peace with that. I have no regrets, and I am content knowing that I have lived a life true to myself.
So, goodbye my friend. May we meet again in another life.'
And then everything turned dark....
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In a pitch black void a bright yellowish orb was floating around aimlessly, being the only source of illumination. Suddenly, the space near it distorted, and from it emerged a being, completely comprised of light. The being surveyed its surroundings, its body crackling with energy as it took in the darkness that surrounded it.
"Fascinating, first it was him and now this...." the being mused to itself, "Hmm, this time I will do things differently...to make things more interesting," It chuckled, a hint of 'excitement' in its voice.
Suddenly, the being and the orb disappeared in an instant, both of which were accompanied by a wisp of light. The void was left empty once again
.
.
.
A man, dressed in nothing but thin black garments, groaned as he came to on a bed of soft grass. Confused and disoriented, he slowly opened his eyes, revealing those deep, pitch-black orbs.
He struggled to his feet, taking in his surroundings as he tried to make sense of where he was. The landscape was breathtaking, with lush green hills that seemed to stretch on forever. The sky above was a brilliant azure blue, and the horizon was a sprawling vista of open, unspoiled wilderness.
"Where am I?" he muttered, still dazed, "Is this Hell?" He scanned the area, taking note of the peaceful and serene environment that surrounded him, "Well, it's much more...normal than I imagined. Not at all what I was expecting," he thought out loud.
"Good morning," An unknown voice abruptly appeared behind him, causing him to flinch and reflexively turn around, his years of experience on the battlefield kicking in as he instinctively raised his hands, ready to defend himself.
Despite his quick reaction, he couldn't shake off the feeling of surprise and unease that someone had managed to sneak up on him without him noticing.
Though as soon as his eyes read the figure, he was astounded at the identity of the voice. His eyes briefly flashed red as his shock once again intensified, he couldn't believe what he was seeing.
It wasn't a type of any Transformation Jutsu. Either the person in front of him was incredibly skilled in the art of transformation and even the Sharingan couldn't unveil it, or it really was him....
He had never met him before, yet he had heard stories and glimpsed his appearance from the ruins he had searched. It was the Sage of Six Paths, Hagoromo Ōtsutsuki.
He was sitting peacefully on a chair, holding a steaming cup of tea. The sight was surreal and he couldn't quite process it all.
The figure just chuckled, looking at his reaction, and calmly added as he took a sip from his tea, "Now, now, there is no need for violence. I heed you no harm. Haha, your reaction is so different from young Diablo's."
He couldn't help but stare at the figure, deep in contemplation. 'Who was this Diablo?' his mind wondered in curiosity, but he pushed the thought away as he asked the most pressing questions.
"Hagoromo, why are you here? Have you brought me here? And where am I? What is this place?" He said, his voice filled with a mixture of confusion and suspicion.
'Hagoromo's' smile was 'warm' and 'comforting' as he responded to the flurry of questions that were thrown at him, "So many questions at the same time," he said with a chuckle, "Well, let me answer each one of them. I'm not the Hagoromo Ōtsutsuki you know. I'm merely taking his form because you are more familiar with it. This place is my humble abode. I created it to welcome a certain someone in the past, and I liked it so I decided to keep it." His voice was filled with amusement and a hint of nostalgia as he spoke.
"As for who I am, it would be what you call Kami. It's a pleasure to meet you, Madara Uchiha."
Madara was about to snort in disdain at the beings proclamation on its identity but broke down in cold sweat as his eyed widened, a heavy pressure dawned down upon him. His knees fell and dug onto the dirt, collapsing, unable to withstand the immense pressure. It was as if entire universes had collided and were crushing down upon him.
This wasn't someone just stronger than him, Madara could sense the utter hopelessness of his situation as he felt the immense might of the being before him
He felt humiliated.
He, the man feared throughout the entire Shinobi world, was bowing down in submission to someone. It was a humbling and degrading experience that filled him with a burning sense of anger and frustration. He gritted his teeth tightly together as he tried to come to terms with the realization that he was no match for this... this thing, whatever it was. He hated this....being so weak....and vulnerable
The pressure suddenly disappeared and Madara slowly raised his head, his gaze fixed firmly upon the perpetrator. He glared with a fierce intensity
The so-called Kami, stood before him, a smile on his face that was both embarrassed and apologetic, as he scratched the back of his head, "It was not my intention to humiliate you, I simply wanted to show some proof as you didn't believe me. I apologize for this misunderstanding."
Madara's expression remained unchanged, not looking any fazed by the apology, but he did calm down a little, as he let out a tired sigh.
He then sat down cross-legged on the grass, and bent forward with one of his fists supporting his cheek as he looked contemplatively at the Kami.
"So.....Kami," Madara spoke, his voice tired and uncaring, "What do you want with me? Am I not destined to go to Hell for all the crimes and sins I have committed in my life?"
"No, you're not going to Hell, or any kind of afterlife," The Kami spoke, his voice calm and measured, "Usually, after death, souls go to their respective afterlives based on the faith they followed, and if they didn't follow anything, they had another separate place. But you, Madara, you were not going to any kind of afterlife. Instead, you were floating aimlessly around the void."
This....is fascinating, as the void is a place where nothing exists, nothing can exist and nothing will ever exist. Even I need to take precautions when entering the void. But for you, a mere mortal soul, to have survived the void is truly extraordinary."
He stopped momentarily as he deeply gazed into Madara's eyes.
"I...I also do not see your future," he said, his voice tinged with confusion,"I can't see the path that lies ahead of you...
I have never seen these phenomena before...except once "
As he ended, a thought entered the Kami's mind, 'Does this mean I'm not Omniscient after all?' He thought with a hint of amusement, 'But I can still see everything... everything that has happened, everything that is happening, and everything that will happen, in all the ways possible. But I still can't see his path, his future... just like him... hmm, how interesting.'
"You intrigue me, Madara," He continued, his voice filled with genuine curiosity.
Madara carefully took in the information he received, processing it in his mind.
"....and what I want from you can wait. First of all, I have a question for you. What would you do if you got a second chance at life? A second beginning in a completely different world(s?) Would you still pursue your ambitions once again and try to bring.....peace to that world?"
He thought about it...his ambition, his dream, and wondered if that was still something he would strive for. But as he thought about it, he realized that he was tired of fighting, tired of the constant struggle and the never-ending cycle of violence.
"I...I don't know," Madara finally spoke, breaking the silence. "Perhaps...but no, I don't think so. I have had enough of this and I'm tired. I'm tired of everything. If I did have another chance at life, I will live it for myself. Freely and fully, I will do whatever I want. Maybe I'll create my clan once again and make it rise to greatness once more. Though I will not accept if there are any other beings stronger than me."
His brows furrowed and he clenched his fists in frustration and anger as he recounted his experience with Black Zestu and how Kaguya had taken control of his body. He had been conscious throughout the entire ordeal and had been forced to witness the entire fight between her and the brats
It made him feel.....weak.....insignificant....
"I will not rest until I am the strongest. I will not accept anyone above me. I will tirelessly train my body and hone my skills until I am unmatched in battle. I will satisfy my boredom and blood-lust by fighting powerful foes and emerging victorious. I will be....no... I NEED to be the strongest" He ended with a sharp look, as his eyes glinted fiercely.
Kami didn't say anything as Madara spoke, but his smile grew wider and wider with each word,"Brilliant...absolutely brilliant," he finally said, "Hear me out, Uchiha. I will give you such a chance. I will give you a new life in another world."
Madara raised one of his eyebrows in suspicion, "I still don't understand...Why? What is your reason behind all of this?"
Kami chuckled, "Why not? There is no particular reason, I just want to see the impact your existence will bring to this other world and how you will interfere with its strings of fate. I am curious to see how you will use your abilities and skills in a new environment, and what kind of impact you will have on the world and its inhabitants."
"So it's for your entertainment... I refuse. I will not be a pawn in your game, a mere toy for your amusement. I am not an object to be used for your entertainment. I refuse to be a chess piece, moved about for your amusement. I will not be a plaything for you higher beings or any other being for that matter. I will not sacrifice my autonomy and self-determination for the sake of your entertainment." He replied firmly, shaking his head in denial
The smile on Kami's face did not falter. "Yes, it is for my entertainment," he admitted, "But I promise you, I will never interfere in this world nor with your surroundings or even influence or control the will of the people around you, whether they are allies or enemies. I will merely observe, from time to time, not your entire life there. Just your battles, or your conflicts and certain interactions with certain people.... and one day I'll get bored of it and stop. I will not observe your private life...I give you my word."
Madara was silent for a moment before replying with disdain, "And you expect me to just take your word on it, an unknown being whom I had no knowledge of previously and who I just met today?"
Madara knew he was being too arrogant, the being in front of him was incomprehensible to him.... yet his pride, which was already a little damaged from their interaction before, refused to bow down.
'I may be just digging my own grave here,' Madara thought amusedly at the ironic notion
Kami seemed to hesitate for a moment, a look of strain appearing on his face. But then, with a sigh, he spoke, "Fine, I have ways to make you follow my will regardless...but I will not do that."
He then took a deep breath,
"I, @#$@#E$@, vow upon the infinitesimal laws of all space and time that after you step out of this space, I will follow my promise of what I have said before. If the covenant is broken may the universal laws judge me and shred my entire being, soul, and body and discard their remains in the deepest pits of the abyss. Let it be known that my punishment will be eternal, to be never seen again."
Madara would have just shook his head, thinking of it as empty words, but his eyes widened at the aftermath.
Huge gold chains emerged out of the ground and some cleaved through the sky, binding the so-called Kami and completely chaining him up, before simply just disappearing in place.
His instincts.....no, his entire soul was screaming at him to stay away from those chains or else he would face a fate far worse than death.
Whatever this Kami just did....it was the real deal...
He then hesitantly said, still surprised at the events that just took place, "I-I do not understand.....Why? Why did you do this?.... Why do you go this far?"
"Of course, you do not understand. Do you know how it is to live since the beginning of time with no form of intrigue or anything to satisfy your boredom? Do you know how it feels to know everything that happened, that is happening, and will happen?....No, you do not understand. You cannot understand how valuable the existence of beings like yourself is to me. I have been alive for eons, seen and known everything, but the existence of creatures like you, with your free will, your choices, your struggles, your triumphs and your failures, are the only things that can bring some sense of excitement, purpose, and meaning to my endless existence.
Yes, I could have forced or maybe even just influenced you to bend to my demands, but that is not what I want, that will not give me any benefits at all. It would be simply watching you move through a certain path that I paved....so very predictable, so very boring....but, if I leave you to yourself, there will endless possibilities, endless choices that you may or may not choose. That is what I want to see, that is why I go this far just for this desire of mine to be fuilfilled. That's why I am willing to go this far to protect that, to make sure that those moments of excitement, purpose and meaning continue to exist"
Madara couldn't really fathom what the other being across him was referring to, but he felt that he could rationalize Kami's actions a bit. "Ok...I understand... I agree," he said
Kami clapped his hands together, a look of satisfaction on his face, "Great!" he exclaimed. He then waved his hand and a suit of red crimson armour, which was so very familiar to Madara, appeared before them. Underneath it lay a scroll.
"There, your armour, if it gets broken, as long as you have one chunk of it, you can regrow it with your chakra," Kami said, gesturing to the suit, "The scroll underneath it contains various weapons of yours that you used during your Shinobi wars. I will also let you keep your Rinnegan, you would be able to activate it like your Eternal Mangekyō Sharingan. Do you have any other requests?"
He lightly stroked the armor as past memories flooded his mind, before grabbing hold of the scroll, storing his armor inside before shortening it to the size of a pinky and tucking it under his sleeve.
Madara thought for a while before saying, "Can you remove that sickly white skin and that horrid thing from my chest? I don't like the fact that Hashirama's ugly mug is there, it's unsightly...though, it would be preferable if I still keep the benefits of his cells"
Kami nodded amusedly, "Yes, I can do that. I will also let you keep your Wood Release and the other abilities as well."
"Now... hmm....there was one more thing, hmmm.....Ah yes!" he then snapped his fingers. Suddenly, in a wisp of light, something appeared before them. The first thing Madara could see was fur, white as the purest snow.