On a mountain peak near Konohagakure, Madara's figure now stood. He was still clad in the attire of the Warring States period, a red layered lamellar armor similar to Hashirama's, with a gunbai fan strapped to his back. His gaze was sharp as he watched Konohagakure, which was growing more prosperous by the day, in the distance.
"Konoha..." Madara murmured softly, his tone filled with a hint of emotion.
He remembered how, filled with fervor, he and his friend Hashirama had set aside their personal obsessions and jointly established this hidden village. Even the name 'Konoha' was given by him personally, so naturally, he held a certain affection for Konohagakure.
However, all of that had now been cast aside. Establishing a village like Konoha hadn't shown him the hope of peace; instead, he felt increasingly ostracized. Even his own clan members couldn't understand him or communicate with him. In the entire Konohagakure, only Hashirama could truly communicate with him.
Thinking of this, Madara seemed to recall someone else. A young figure appeared in his memory—the Senju brat who always liked to follow him, calling him 'Madara-jiisan.'
That was Hashirama's grandson. Before he discovered the 'secret' hidden behind the world, he had treated Hashirama's young grandson like his own kin. He even personally taught him how to master fire-release chakra and three powerful Fire Release ninjutsu.
"Hibari..." A reminiscent smile subtly touched Madara's lips as he softly murmured.
After this, Hashirama's figure appeared in his mind again. Following that, the expression in Madara's eyes gradually became cold, and his gaze towards Konohagakure turned icy.
"For this world, for our shared dream, Hashirama... and Hibari, I'm truly sorry. Please, die for this world!" Madara uttered a ruthless statement.
The next second, he no longer delayed. He quickly formed hand seals, and his originally dark pupils began to spin. In an instant, they transformed into the awe-inspiring Eternal Mangekyo Sharingan.
"Summoning Jutsu!" Madara roared, slamming his palm onto the ground beneath his feet. A massive summoning formula instantly erupted from his palm, covering the ground. Then, with a soft 'thump!', three huge plumes of smoke burst forth from beneath his feet.
When the smoke dispersed, a colossal, reddish-orange figure had appeared beneath Madara's feet. The figure continuously emanated powerful chakra energy, and that chakra energy subtly carried an ominous aura.
This was none other than the strongest Tailed Beast in the eyes of the world: the Nine-Tails Fox.
However, at this moment, the Nine-Tails seemed to be under someone's control. As a Tailed Beast, it had actually been reduced to someone's summoned animal, and its eyes had turned into tomoe Sharingan—proof that it had been forcefully controlled by Madara with his Mangekyo!
The Nine-Tails' chakra energy was immense. Its sudden appearance near Konohagakure immediately caused its malevolent aura to sweep out, alarming all the experts in Konohagakure.
Tobirama, who was speaking with Hibari, felt his hairs stand on end upon sensing this aura. His face darkened, and he said, "This aura... Is it a Tailed Beast?"
Even Hibari felt this malevolence. His eyes instantly widened in shock. If he remembered correctly, at this point in time, the only person to have attacked Konoha with a Tailed Beast was Madara Uchiha!
And the Tailed Beast in Madara's hands was none other than the Nine-Tails, Kurama!
This event undoubtedly signified that Madara, who had been missing for a long time, had returned, and with a strong purpose.
The Battle of the Valley of the End was about to begin!
Thinking of this, Hibari couldn't help but panic.
Why had he worked so hard to improve his strength? He wanted to become strong sooner so he could rewrite the fate of his two grandfathers. But it seemed time was still too short. He was ultimately too young.
For ordinary events, he might have the ability to intervene, but the battle between Madara and his Hashirama-ojii was something even Tobirama barely had the qualifications to intervene in!
'Could it be that Hashirama-ojii was truly going to die from his severe injuries after this?' This thought made Hibari's heart race with extreme panic...
Tobirama also noticed Hibari's tension. He thought Hibari was worried or scared and comforted him, "Don't worry. With us here, we absolutely won't let this Tailed Beast run rampant!"
Then Tobirama patted Hibari's shoulder and continued, "You wait here, don't run around. I'm going to see your Hashirama-ojii..."
Before Tobirama could finish his sentence, he felt another terrifying power gathering. His face changed, and he said grimly, "Damn it, it's a Tailed Beast Ball!"
The next second, Hibari saw a massive, purplish-black Tailed Beast Ball emerge from beyond the distant mountains, soaring towards Konohagakure.
Judging by its immense power, if it hit the village, there was no telling how many people would die.
Without bothering to give Hibari any further instructions, Tobirama's body moved. He suddenly vanished from his spot. Seeing this, Hibari snapped out of his shock from the Tailed Beast Ball and softly murmured, "Flying Raijin Technique!"
At the same time, Tobirama's figure appeared out of thin air in the path of the Tailed Beast Ball. Then, his chakra pulsed violently, and the air instantly filled with his hand seals.
The next second, the Tailed Beast Ball, filled with destructive aura, collided with the seals that had appeared out of nowhere. Tobirama, with a calm expression, softly roared, "Flying Raijin Guiding Thunder!"
As his voice fell, the entire Tailed Beast Ball was swallowed into a different dimension. Then, in a vast wasteland not too far from Konohagakure, the Tailed Beast Ball reappeared out of thin air.
Immediately after, a mushroom cloud erupted from that location. A powerful shockwave accompanied by deafening explosions instantly spread throughout the entire Konohagakure.
Only then did Tobirama descend from the air to the ground, wiping the sweat from his forehead that had formed due to tension.
At the same time, the First Hokage of Konohagakure, Senju Hashirama, appeared beside Tobirama. He had already shed his Hokage's ceremonial robes and was clad in the red layered lamellar armor he usually wore during battle, with a large scroll on his back.
"Tobirama, that aura is..." Hashirama wasted no words, speaking in a deep voice.
Tobirama directly completed his sentence, saying, "It's the Nine-Tails Fox!"
Meanwhile, on the Nine-Tails' head, Madara watched the Tailed Beast Ball being teleported away. He sneered, "Tobirama."
Just as Tobirama found him utterly irritating, he likewise found Tobirama extremely irritating, even hateful. After all, Tobirama had killed his younger brother, Izuna Uchiha; this was a blood feud!
Thinking of this, Madara's mind stirred. The tomoe in his eyes rotated again, and simultaneously, the Nine-Tails Fox beneath him let out a wild roar, its aura growing even more frantic.
"Go, destroy this ridiculous and pathetic village!" Madara said softly, and his figure leaped down from the Nine-Tails Fox's head.
The next second, the colossal Nine-Tails Fox charged furiously towards Konohagakure, seemingly intending to utterly destroy the entire village.
Watching this scene, Hashirama said in a deep voice, "No, there's Madara's chakra in this..."
But there was no time for him to ponder further. If the Nine-Tails Fox were allowed to enter, even if he could deal with it, it would cause immeasurable damage to the village.
Therefore, Hashirama quickly said, "Tobirama, stay in the village and arrange for everyone to evacuate and be on alert. You must maintain the village's stability. I'll confront it!"
"Anija, let me also..." Tobirama was about to argue, but Hashirama placed a hand on his shoulder and said in a deep voice, "This is a Hokage's order!"
Looking at his brother, whose eyes were filled with resolute determination, Tobirama finally said in a deep voice, "Yes, Hokage-sama!"
Hearing this, Hashirama's lips subtly curved. The next second, without saying anything further, he instantly vanished from his spot with a Body Flicker Technique.
Then, Tobirama saw the Nine-Tails Fox, which was charging towards the village, halt abruptly. Numerous tree branches and vines began to entwine themselves around its limbs.
Undoubtedly, Hashirama had already begun his move.
Just then, Tobirama saw a flash of fire erupt from behind the Nine-Tails Fox, instantly incinerating all the entwining vines and branches.
Looking at this extraordinarily familiar and powerful Fire Release ninjutsu, and sensing the chakra within it, Tobirama's expression also darkened. He gritted his teeth and whispered, "Madara... Uchiha!"
He knew it. Those from the Uchiha clan were never truly stable, and among them, that bastard Madara had the most extreme ideology.
After he silently left Konohagakure, Tobirama understood perfectly well that sooner or later, that guy would cause trouble again because he was simply not the kind of person who would find a place to quietly live in seclusion, accepting and embracing death as time passed!
At the same time, Hashirama looked at the Nine-Tails Fox, which had broken free but made no further moves, and his gaze gradually became pained. He roared in agony, "Madara! What kind of joke is this??"
"Hashirama, you're still so foolish... Do I look like I'm joking?" Madara's figure emerged from the flames, looking at Hashirama and speaking softly.
"Why are you doing something like this? Do you know how dangerous that was just now? This is the village we built together!" Hashirama yelled furiously.
"I'm tired of playing house, Hashirama!" Madara said with disdain.
"Playing house?" Hashirama's gaze also gradually turned grim...
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