The sun was slowly descending, illuminating the clouds with its magnificent colours. Calm, almost still air was soothing, as if gently advising people to surrender to slumber.

Unnoticed, three figures left the borders of their village and disappeared in the dense greenery of the forest.

{Elder brother, I will stay here, but you must return, understood?!} calm, yet raged voice resounded inside of Hashirama's head.

{I know, Tobirama! Who do you think your brother is?!}

{Idiot. Naive Idiot.}

Hashirama almost missed a brunch at this honest an straightforward reply.

{Couldn't you just cheer me up? Now all of my motivation is gone...}

{Good. Come back and let me go instead.}

Hashirama shook his head.

{I can't do that. You and Izuna must insure the safety of the village. If by chance neither of us three return, you are going to be the next Hokage and lead this village.}

{Hey...}

{I did say IF. There is another reason for you to stay.}

{...}

{What is it?}

{I can't let my brother risk his life, nor can I put the village into disadvantageous position. Neither can Madara. We will do our out most best, but fate and luck can turn the tables at any given moment. I need you to protect Konohagakure and our citizens. Please.}

Helplessness and guilt could be heard in Hashirama's 'voice'.

{I understand. Good luck, Elder brother.}

The communication was cut. Hashirama sighed in relief. He looked at Madara on his right and could guess from his expression that he had a similar conversation with his brother. Madara held his gumbai and scythe tightly, while his blood red armour was wrapping itself around his tense body.

"Dear, it is alright. We will win." Mito tried to calm him down. Honestly speaking, Hashirama would rather lock her up inside the village, but the woman herself made ot clear. Either she will be taken along or she will follow in secret. Hashirama knew that if it wasn't him or his brother, no-one would be able to stop her. Even Sharingan is useless against some of her fuins.

"I know, Mito." He made his voice sound resolute and face serious, but his heart wasn't in place and was tearing apart from sorrow. He will try to reach out to f.u.kushū, but if it won't work, he will have to kill him.

***********************

Tobirama was sitting on the roof of the police station with a blank, emotionless, pale face. His metal, blue armour with a white fur around his neck made everyone tense. Ever since the war ended, they rarely saw him wearing this set. The sound of plates scratching each other's surfaces filled the air. Not a single muscle twitched, nor was his chakra being used; however, those form Hogosha knew, he was furious. They could feel it through their seals.

"Everyone, follow my orders. Squads 2 and 4, go and put those tags around the borders of the village. Squads 1 and 5, you will be incharge of evacuation if it would be necessary. Everyone else is to go and patrol the streets like the police usually does. Desmised."

"Yes!" Few seconds and everyone were one their way. Izuna paused, took a quick glance at Tobirama's stern, devoided of any expression face and carried on with his task.

******************

As soon as the trio reached the Valley of End, they were greeted with smiling f.u.kushū. His smile wasn't that of a maniac. It wasn't threatening. It was sincere. A true smile from the bottom of one's heart. A weak spark of hope lit inside of hearts of the people that came, only to be extinguished by his light-hearted words.

"Hi, Sensei, Lord Hokage and Mito-sama. It appears that Tobirama and Izuna are apcent, what a shame. I spent so much time preparing for our fight..." he casted down his black eyes. "I even found this c.r.a.ppy fur ball."

The next instant, his Sharingan flared, hand signs were done and a giant, nine-tailed fox appeared. Its eyes were empty and only f.u.kushū's Sharingan could be seen inside.

"f.u.kushū.... " Madara murmured with sorrow.

"f.u.kushū!" Hashirama yeild on top of his lungs, "Wake up, f.u.kushū! You are being used! This is not your decisions and will only bring harm to the world!!!"

"Hn."

"Do you think I'm stupid? Lord Hokage, I will disappoint you then. I fully realise what am I doing and who is in control. It is I who will bring true peace to this world and it will be also me who will kill you."

With those words, f.u.kushū no longer held back. His Sharingan rotated and became EMS. A pitch black Susanoo formed and covered the Kyubi.

"Mito! Get back!" Hashirama commanded and without wasting any more time, activated his Sage mode. Black ornaments appeared on his face creating two black circles under his eyes and one in his forehead. Going through some hand signs, Hashirama made a wood golem and readied to attack.

Madara activated his EMS and a purple humanoid formed around him. It had four hands with different weapons. Gunbai, scythe and katana. His free hand was clenched into a tight fist, ready to strike.

Mito jumped away and prepared her fuins, weapons and sat on the ground. She needed some more time to finish her preparations and for that she had to concentrate.

"Well, Sensei, what do you usually say in those kind of fights?"

"...."

"Oh, come on! Could it be that you had forgotten?"

Madara's body tensed and his Susanoo slashed at the armoured Demon.

The fox jumped out of the way carrying the one who controls it.

"I will say those words then." f.u.kushū heaved a sigh. His face turned to that of the devil and with sweet poison in his voice, he said "Let us dance, Sensei, Lord Hokage."

*****************

The battle was fierce. Jutsus were launched one after the other. The Kyubi was long defeated and was under going the process of sealing. The surrounding area was completely destroyed and only the river continued to flow unhindered.

Madara's body was filled with gashes and deep wounds, while Hashirama appeared to be only scratched in few places; however, he knew, he was shortening his lifespan while using his ability.

A body of a young adult with spiky, raven black hair and pale skin was lying in the mad breathless.

"Let's go, Madara." Hashirama was about to leave, but was caught by a strong hand of his friend.

"Wait. He may come back to life. In our clan, there is a secret, no, forbidden justu. Izanagi. The price for using it is one eye that will see nothing but darkness for the rest of one's life."

Hashirama jolted and turned around to observe f.u.kushū and be ready for any kind of surprise attack. He came closer and found that the heart his, now enemy, is beating, but slowly and carefully, as if trying to conseal its existence. Hashirama looked at Madara for approval, but was stopped once again.

Madara walked up to his only student and lifted his scythe, gripping the hilt tightly.

*SLASH*

The scythe slashed the empty s.p.a.ce. Madara looked for the body, only to find that it was held by a strange looking creature. Pitch black with glowing golden eyes creature was slowly merging with the earth, taking f.u.kushū along.

Hashirama reacted fast enough and attacked It. However, the creature only smirked and disappeared from the Valley.

Hashirama and Madara glanced at each other and read the exact same question and realisation. This was probably IT. The one who made f.u.kushū into a living puppet.

Mito came up to them and let them know that the sealing went without a hitch.

Tobirama met the group at the border with a group if best medics from the Konoha. Madara was hospitalised immediately, while Hashirama and Mito were going to go through a lot of examination, before anything will be concluded.