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End of Year 9 in the Hidden Leaf.
Ever since the Battle at the Valley of the End, Akio had rarely left his home. Yet today, he ventured out alone, traveling over a hundred miles+ from the village.
The place he arrived at was a barren wilderness, surrounded by crumbling cliffs and scattered ruins. No one had known of this place before, but in time, it would come to be known as The Valley of the End.
"Those two... seriously..." Akio sighed. Despite having enjoyed over a year of playing dice with Hashirama, he still regretted being unable to stop the battle that had occurred here a year and a half ago.
It was precisely because of that regret that Akio had taken up an unusual new hobbyāstone carvingāhoping to leave behind a detailed legend for future generations.
Scanning the chaotic surroundings, Akio frowned.
"Looks like I'll have to play janitor firstā¦ Wasn't this place supposed to be surrounded by forest? Sasuke and Naruto's first fight had trees everywhere... Did they grow back later?"
The cleanup alone ended up taking Akio an entire day, and he couldn't help but curse himself inwardly, "Why act cool and come alone? Should've brought a few helpersā¦"
"Whew..." With a deep breath, Akio formed hand seals.
"Earth Style: Open Earth and Raise Rock!"
"Earth Style: Open Earth and Raise Rock!"
"Earth Style: Earth Return!"
Three Earth Release techniques later, three massive stone slabs emerged within the valley. The two on either side were roughly rectangularāperfect for carving Hashirama and Madara. The slightly smaller stone in the center had a flat face, ideal for engraving an epitaph.
Akio nodded in satisfaction but sighed as the sky began to darken.
"Better rest for now. This one's going to be a long-term project..."
He said it was going to be a long haulābut even Akio didn't expect it to be this long.
It took him three whole months just to complete the initial carvings of Hashirama and Madara.
Looking at his handiwork, Akio gave a proud nod.
"Perfect. This'll do." he murmured. The statues he had carved were far more lifelike than those in the original series. His level-10 sculpting skill had never let him down. If not for the size and color, people might mistake them for actual living people.
"Butā¦ how should I finish this last part?" Akio found himself hesitating. The final detailātheir hand gesturesāwas still missing.
"Should it be the Seal of Reconciliation?" Akio sighed. But in the original series, the fight between Hashirama and Madara hadn't ended in peace.
"A combat stance?" He scratched his head. That didn't feel right either.
"Can't exactly have them flipping each other off, right? Hahaā¦" Akio chuckled at his own joke.
Just as he was agonizing over the decision, he suddenly sensed a familiar chakra rapidly approaching.
Looking up, Akio frowned.
"Hashirama? What are you doing here?" he asked instinctively, half-afraid the man had chased him all this way just to play dice again.
"Gramps!" Hashirama called out from a distance. "I came to see how the statues turned out."
Akio's face darkened. So shamelessā¦ Coming to admire his own statue. This guy must've learned that from meā¦
But when Hashirama got close, he barely glanced at his own likeness before turning his gaze to Madara's statue, eyes heavy with emotion.
"Here we go againā¦" Akio sighed to himself, seeing Hashirama about to sink into another wave of guilt. He quickly interrupted, "Good timing, Hashirama. Help me decideāhow should I carve their hand signs?"
Hashirama blinked, only just noticing the incomplete hands.
"The Seal of Reconciliation, Gramps," Hashirama said after a pause, letting out a long breath.
Akio wasn't surprised. That's what he had been leaning toward as well. "Alright then. I'll get started. Once you're done looking, you can head back."
Hashirama shook his head. "I've got something else to do here."
Akio raised an eyebrow, puzzled. Hashirama formed a series of hand seals.
"Wood Style: Deep Forest Emergence!"
Lush greenery burst forth around the valley. Trees, branches, and even leaves began sprouting all around them.
Akio was stunned. "Hashirama, what are youā¦?" Even in all the battles he'd seen, Hashirama had rarely used Wood Release on such a scaleāespecially not to the point of growing full trees with leaves.
"This will drain your life force, won't it?"
Hashirama smiled and shook his head. "It won't take much." He pulled a familiar necklace from his robe. The moment he did, all the freshly grown leaves withered awayābut the necklace in his hand radiated vibrant life.
"It's already been ten years since the founding of the villageā¦" Akio murmured, starting to understand Hashirama's intent.
And sure enough, Hashirama's next words confirmed it.
"Kaori is pregnant. This necklace is a gift for my grandsonā¦ or granddaughter." Hashirama said softly. "I infused it with a large amount of Wood Release chakra. It'll grant long lifeā¦ and suppress the tailed beasts."
Akio nodded, unsure whether to feel happy or sorrowful. Tsunade's long-awaited birth was drawing nearābut so too was the end of Hashirama's lifeā¦
"Sighā¦" With a deep breath, Akio resumed his carving. Hashirama stayed to watch.
Two days later, Akio finished the final hand gestures for both statues. He then stood before the central stone.
"Hashirama, how should I praise you and Madara?" Akio asked with a smile.
Hashirama looked embarrassed.
"Still can't beat me when it comes to shamelessness, huh?" Akio thought proudly, though it was unclear why that was worth boasting about.
"Alright, I'll write it like this!"
Title:The Valley of the End
Inscription:
"Two men who quelled the chaos. Gods of the Shinobi world, who took the path of the ninja to its utmost limitsāSenju Hashirama and Uchiha Madara fought their final battle here."
Signed:Witness of the Shinobi World.
"Gramps, why not sign your name?" Hashirama asked, puzzled.
Akio sighed. "The legend only needs the two of you. Meā¦ I'm not someone people should sing praises about."
Hashirama nodded. If Akio were to be praised, the focus might beā¦ less than appropriate. Something about battlefield bathing beauties.
With the Valley of the End complete, the two returned to the Hidden Leaf together.
The journey was peacefulāuntil they neared the village and encountered something odd.
Two masked shinobi passed them in a hurry, carrying a large sack. As they passed, they nodded in respectful greeting.
Hashirama returned the nod and asked, "Are those the ANBU Tobirama put together? They seem decent."
Akio, however, frowned slightly. He had sensed that the "sack" contained a living person.
"An enemy spy?" Hashirama asked after Akio explained.
Akio hesitated. He had a suspicionābut wasn't quite ready to confirm it.
"Let's follow them quietlyā¦" he whispered, increasing his pace.
Hashirama was momentarily confused, but quickly caught on and followed.
Just as Akio had suspected, the two masked shinobi didn't head back into the village. Instead, they ran along the outskirts, making their way northeast of the Hidden Leaf.
"No wayā¦ Don't tell me it's thatā¦" Akio muttered, unwilling to believe what he was starting to suspectā¦
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