Dreams of a Monomaniac

chapter 1

Everything was dark... Dark and cold.

What happened? How did everything go so wrong?

The last thing Madara remembered was the arm of Black Zetsu piercing through his chest as he mocked him. A molten, evil chakra violently coursed through his veins, his body felt like it was on fire and all he could hear was that traitorous roach's maniacal laughter. The pain was excruciating, never before had he ever felt something so physically unbearable. The only thing he could do was scream out in agony until he was lost in a dark abyss...

Why? Why did it end like this? After decades of planning and dedicating every fiber of his being into this plan, did he turn out to be a necessary part of someone else's plan? The world was going to finally be at peace with no more wars, no need to kill each other, no more pain. He would have been the savior who made everyone's dream a reality. His dream would be a reality!

For over half a century this plan has been in the works, it was a tedious job that required so much blood, sweat, and tears. Literally. How many people had lost their lives along the path for eternal peace? Madara himself had dedicated his life and some to it, he had even traded his humanity for supposed immortality. He thought he had become a God.

Was it all for nothing? He had done unspeakable things and so much was lost. This was the bitter end. A world where he could be happy again would never be in reach. All that was left was for him to die alone.

Footsteps start closing in on him, the familiar chakra signature giving him a small sense of relief. He wasn't dead just yet but it wouldn't be long.

"Hashirama..." The armor-clad shinobi kneeled down next to his lifelong rival and best friend. There was a look of regret etched on his face. Like Naruto with Sasuke, Hashirama did everything he could to bring his friend out of the darkness but failed. The bonds between all of them were so similar, it was almost laughable.

It took all the energy Madara had left to open his eyes enough to see the man sitting next to him. The look of pity the Senju gave made him want to reach up and smack him, but he didn't have enough strength for that. From being the legendary Uchiha clan head who fought tooth and nail with the Senju, to the new God-like Sage of Six Paths, it was a great hit to his pride to been seen in such a state. He couldn't do anything else but lay there, he could barely feel his own body. Everything was cold and numb.

"We both...have things we want so badly...but never seem to get." The Uchiha lamented bitterly. It was so hard just to say anything. His throat felt raw and voice so weak. He could feel himself fading in and out. His thoughts were scattered as he tried to cling to any bit of consciousness he could. Thoughts of regret, friendship, his clan, death, betrayal, love... and her.

Madara's mind focused on that one thought. How he just wanted to see her one last time. The woman he lost during a power struggle in the early days of the village. No matter how hard he tried over the years, he couldn't forget the scene from that day...

"No one said it was easy! There's a limit to how much we can do when we're alive... That's why we leave it to the next generation... They'll do it for us." Hashirama seeing the faraway look in Madara's eyes assumed his train of thought but also knew there wasn't much time left and wanted to get out as much as possible. Madara spoke of how his dream was at an end, but he continued on. The Shodaime could do nothing more than point out there was nothing left for them now but to die, but not as enemies. They would die as comrades.

Madara would accept Hashirama's last act of kindness, there was nothing to lose in the end. At least he would pass on with someone by his side. Maybe if he had followed a similar path, his world wouldn't have become a living hell. But he lost what was important to him, and did everything he could to bring it back.