Chapter 73: The Battle of the Valley of the End
The turmoil in the Uzumaki clan had subsided, and peace was gradually returning. However, near Konoha Village, the negotiations between Hashirama and Madara had collapsed.
"Hashirama! It's been a long time since we fought! This time, there's no old man here to risk his life killing the Nine-Tails! Summoning Jutsu!" Madara shouted, and the ferocious Nine-Tails appeared before Hashirama once more.
Several miles away, Masahiko's remaining Shadow Clone was hiding. Hearing this, he sighed softly. "Madara, I'm not fighting the Nine-Tails this time..."
As he lamented, Madara and Hashirama had already engaged in combat.
"Wood Release: Wood Dragon Technique!"
Hashirama started with a big move... A massive wooden dragon tightly coiled around the Nine-Tails. The Nine-Tails roared, forming a Tailed Beast Ball that blasted through the Wood Dragon's head.
"Wood Release: Wood Human Technique!"
A familiar Wood Human emerged from the body of the Wood Dragon, catching the Tailed Beast Ball with its right hand and slamming it back into the Nine-Tails.
A massive explosion obscured Masahiko's vision. When the dust settled, Masahiko looked back at the battlefield.
Madara had entered the Majestic Attire: Susanoo state, while Hashirama was encased in layers of mask-like wood.
"I haven't seen this jutsu before..." Masahiko murmured.
Over there, Madara answered his question. "You actually blocked the Majestic Attire: Susanoo? Wood Release: Hōbi Technique, is it?"
After the defense was released, Madara slashed at Hashirama, but the Wood Human caught the blade with both hands.
"I've seen through your attacks, Madara!" Hashirama shouted. "Laughing Buddha Jutsu!"
Many giant wooden hands appeared around Madara, grabbing at the Susanoo-clad Nine-Tails.
Madara focused, and the light sword in the Susanoo's hand erupted with immense power, slicing through all the wooden hands.
Hashirama frowned, leaping quickly through the debris. "If this continues, the village and the land will be... I'd better move to the seaside..."
"Hashirama, don't run!" Madara shouted, giving chase.
Watching the two run further and further away, Masahiko's Shadow Clone looked frustrated. "I don't think I can catch up to them. What do I do..." Thinking this, he quickly followed.
Near the seaside, the Nine-Tails under Madara's feet formed another Tailed Beast Ball. Instead of firing it immediately, Madara slashed his sword, embedding a shuriken into the Tailed Beast Ball to add rotation and cutting power.
"Hashirama! You can't block this one!"
Hashirama focused slightly. "Summoning: Five-Layered Rashomon!"
The Five Rashomon Gates were destroyed instantly, but the Tailed Beast Ball's trajectory was altered.
BOOM! With a loud bang, the Tailed Beast Ball struck the opposite shore.
Masahiko arrived nearby just in time to see this. His mouth twitched. "The opposite shore is the Land of Water, right...? Those poor guys."
"Hashirama," Madara spoke up. "It's been a long time since we fought seriously. You should know that I am different from before!"
Hashirama clasped his hands together. "Madara! Do you want to destroy all our efforts, all our dreams?! Fighting you brings no benefit! Our battle will only harm the village and the ninja! It only insults our comrades and friends!"
"Are you... lecturing me?!" Madara glared slightly.
"I don't want to kill you!" Hashirama shouted.
Masahiko shook his head helplessly. "Hashirama, you idiot..."
Sure enough, hearing this, Madara's chakra surged even more violently. "Are you saying you could kill me anytime you wanted?"
"No! I'm saying we are friends!"
"I've already reached the opposite shore!" Madara shouted, and the Nine-Tails let out a piercing scream.
"I have no choice..." Hashirama murmured. "Sage Art: Wood Release: True Several Thousand Hands!"
The multi-armed Buddha was summoned by Hashirama once again. It was even more massive than during the mining war, and the number of arms had multiplied several times over.
"Hashirama!" Madara shouted, charging toward him.
"Top Transformed Buddha!" Hashirama yelled, and thousands of wooden fists rained down on Madara.
Madara focused, releasing countless small Yasaka Magatama beads, shattering nearly half of the wooden hands.
However, the remaining wooden hands still struck Madara's Susanoo. Panting, Hashirama detached the main body of the Buddha from the massive construct of arms behind it.
When the smoke cleared, the Susanoo armor on the Nine-Tails had been mostly destroyed, and the Buddha's right hand was gripping the Nine-Tails directly.
"Here goes!" Hashirama shouted. The Wood Human jumped onto the Nine-Tails. "Kakuan Entering Society with Bliss-Bringing Hands!" The character for "Seat" appeared on the Wood Human's palm as it pressed down onto the Nine-Tails' head.
Madara snorted coldly and leaped off the Nine-Tails' head.
As the Wood Human's hand touched the Nine-Tails, the beast's crimson eyes slowly cleared, closed, and it fell into a deep sleep.
Hashirama, unable to maintain the massive Wood Release any longer, released the jutsu and faced Madara directly. The two prepared for a taijutsu showdown.
However... in the distance, Masahiko's Shadow Clone nodded and murmured, "This is the moment. Sorry, Madara..."
"Sage Art: Dust Release: Detachment of the Primitive World Technique: Pillar!"
The massive chakra fluctuation startled the two combatants. Madara turned his head slightly, his expression changing. "Damn it! That blasted old man... he still had a Shadow Clone?"
Hashirama's expression was complex. "Great-Uncle... Madara..."
However, the Dust Release gathering in Masahiko's clone's hands didn't fire at Madara. Instead, it slowly turned toward Hashirama. Just as Masahiko was forming the seals, a black shadow had drilled into his body.
"Damn it! Black Zetsu! You dare to show up now?!" Masahiko screamed internally. Seeing the Dust Release about to fire at Hashirama, Masahiko's Shadow Clone gave a helpless smile and poof, disappeared.
"Great-Uncle!" Hashirama shouted, confused. He hadn't noticed Black Zetsu's presence. At the same time, he breathed a sigh of relief; deep down, he didn't want Madara to die.
Madara also relaxed, but then his expression tightened. He thought, "That guy... the one claiming to be my will... he can possess the old man's body and control him?"
Madara was now shaken, unsure if he should continue fighting Hashirama. That "manifestation of his will" concerned him greatly.
However, after his sigh of relief, Hashirama shouted, "Madara!" and charged at him.
Madara glanced at Hashirama, put his thoughts aside, and the battle continued.
Uzumaki Clan Territory.
Masahiko, who was concentrating on recovering his chakra, paused. A massive influx of information from his Shadow Clone made his expression change drastically.
He stood up immediately. Ignoring the fact that he had only recovered 20% of his chakra, he flew off rapidly under the confused gazes of his clansmen.
Over two hours later, Masahiko arrived near the battlefield and sighed. He could only sense the chakra of Hashirama and the Nine-Tails. The battle... was over.
Arriving at the center of the battlefield, Masahiko saw the sleeping Nine-Tails and Hashirama, who was leaning against it, regulating his breathing.
"Hashirama..." Masahiko sighed. Hashirama's life force was severely depleted. If he were an ordinary person, he would have died long ago.
Hashirama opened his eyes and looked at Masahiko. He murmured, "Great-Uncle... I... killed Madara..."
Masahiko sighed. "I know."
A line of text flashed before his eyes: "Witnessed and participated in a Naruto world Main Story: The Battle of the Valley of the End. Received 50 Witness Points."
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