Disclaimer: The following is a fan-based parody. Naruto, Naruto Shippuden, and Boruto are all owned by Masashi Kishimoto. RWBY is owned by Rooster Teeth. Please support the official release.

Chapter 14: Legacy Part 1

(Ruby vs Rengoku)

Ruby was the one to make the charge first, surprising Rengoku when her lunge cratered the earth at her feet. She breathed and focused her ki into lungs in a millisecond, such was the focus brought on by constant practice and meditation. Rengoku's eyes focused on Ruby, watching in fascination as she displayed her Breathing Art from her inhalation of air like a vacuum. When she exhaled, him and the Hashira were almost blown away from the shock of the raw power. The blade just inched from the scabbard glowed a pale blue, and the power rolling off of her felt like cool light of a night.

Rengoku was not idle in the miniscule timeframe Ruby made her charge. He focused his own breath, and his exhalation came out in a wave of heat heating the air and ground around him melting the snow. His sword of red steel lit in bright orange fire and prepared himself in a more defensive stance for whatever Ruby was going to unleash. It was useless to dodge when he had no idea of the attack.

'Moon Breathing...'

As Ruby chanted in her mind, Rengoku noticed how she tightened the hold on her blade ready to spring it forth in the famed slash in iaido. He could also feel the sensation of cooling night intensify from Ruby, letting him know his opponent was about to unleash her Breathing Art. In response, Rengoku focused his Breath of Fire ready to use one of its forms at the last moment if he needed to. He could have done so earlier to interrupt Ruby's opener, but Rengoku wanted to see what she had in store.

"Flame Breathing, Seventh Form:..." Rengoku chanted under his breath.

'... Fourth Form:...'

Rengoku's instincts were one of the best of the Hashira. It was that same instinct of danger that alerted him to the great threat upon him. A quarter second of action that if missed would have spelled trouble for him. Fortunately, Rengoku used that small frame of safe time to change his form in midswing.

"Flame Breathing, Fourth Form:..." Rengoku chanted again.

'... Mirror Flower - Water Moon.'

"... Blooming Flame Undulation!"

Several slashes in their clash in the blink of an eye. From Ruby, she swung her blade up in a straight vertical cut, then with both hands made a pair of upward slashes in perpendicular angles. Each stroke of her blade through the air left a pale blue trail. As for Rengoku, he nearly twisted his body as he blurred in circular slashes at all angles around him, but these were not attacks. The Fourth Form of the Breath of Flames is the Breathing Arts greatest defensive maneuver capable of intercepting strikes from all angles further enhanced by the dome of fire too intense to let anything pass through. It lasted only for a moment before the dome of fire dissipated and the two fighters were left at neutral ground, with Rengoku looking slightly winded.

"Yare yare, that was a terrifying thing you did there." Rengoku commented with a light smile. "If I were anyone else, that would have hurt a lot."

Ruby smiled. "It's one of my favorite techniques."

It was a necessary move to make in order to defend himself from the multiple crescent-shaped slashes of ki closing on him from all sides summoned by Ruby's three initial strikes. For in fact Ruby's opener was not in those strikes, but using those strikes to summon forth those crescent blades to strike her opponent at all angles. That was the power of Moon Breathing, Fourth Form: Mirror Flower - Water Moon.

"Being on the receiving end of it, I know for certain that's an entirely new Breathing Art you made yourself." Rengoku noted. "What do you call it?"

"It's my Breath of the Moon." Ruby answered. "Quite deadly don't you think?"

"Amazing is what I call it." Rengoku cheered. "At least we know what the new Hashira will be. Indeed, Ashina-dono is right to make you one of us."

Ruby shifted back into iaido. "Would you like to continue?"

Rengoku gave a sparkling grin, the flames on his sword intensifying in proportion. "It would be my pleasure, Ruby?"

The pale light of the moon and the blaze of crimson flames waved through the air. This time both Rengoku and Ruby charged at each other abandoning their neutral distance. To the eyes of the Hashira trained to see their high speeds, they could see the steam-like hiss of their breathing. Wherever Rengoku went, the snow would melt below him from the heat of not just his sword but his body while Ruby was more passive with the power of ki concentrated into her sword.

"Flame Breathing, First Form: Unknowing Fire!"

"Moon Breathing, First Form: Dark Moon - Evening Palace!"

Ruby drew out her sword in a quick slash of iaido, the blade appearing like a smear of light purple in the air. From it birthed ki formed into crescent shapes sharper than any forged blade could match, increasing the techniques already potent cutting ability. Meeting in its offense was Rengoku flying at speeds that left fire in his wake from the ki outpouring for him. His sword swung in opposition at Ruby's opening in multiple slashes, eacn one burning the crescent blades summoned from the slash and ending with his blazing blade meeting Ruby's own. For the moment, the two Breathing Art users were in a blade lock. In the end Ruby was forced to break off having used only one arm to hold her katana in that moment and feeling her sword about to snap. She spared a glance to her blade noticing a part halfway was scorched with the steel chipped.

"I thought I would get you with that one." Rengoku said. "At this point, your sword will give before you will."

Ruby shrugged. "Yeah, but I make do with what I got."

"I think we can stop here." Rengoku said, relaxing his stance and sheathing his blade away. "I can already see you are Hashira material. If you had a proper blade, I don't know if I would have won if we continued. You are an amazing kid, you know that?"

Ruby gave a respectful bow for Rengoku's praise. "Arigatou Gozaimasu."

However, the sharp clang of steel broke the peace between them and directed Ruby's attention to the duel between Shirou and Sanemii. It was still going on, and it seemed one or both fighters have abandoned the initial reason for the duel. In comparison, it was quite violent enough to make Ruby gape. None of them would notice it with Shirou's blank expression, but Ruby knew him enough to tell he was angry with Sanemii.

(Shirou vs Sanemi)

As soon as Isshin gave the signal, Sanemi was already in motion bringing his sword in his stance and his breathing regulated to his Breath of Wind. Instantly, the air became stilled by the ki Sanemi was emitting, fully intent on harming Shirou to make sure of his place. Wind gathered and condensed around his green blade to where it was concealing it in twisting colors of grey. Staring down at the Wind Hashira, it felt like looking down at a predator gone rabid.

"Wind Breathing, Second Form..."

'No.' Shirou thought. 'He's like a force of nature, uncaring of who gets hurt.'

Normal people in Shirou's place would have gone weak and run away in terror. Most people would be terrified for their lives. Shirou, however, was far from normal people. Those who know him could say that Shirou was extremely passive, almost lacking in any ill intent. Even his time as a slave didn't diminish that and the experience instead brought a steel in his nerves to face anything coming after him. But in this moment Shirou felt genuine anger at someone, not for what was done on him but the potential threat on Ruby. Which was why he opted into going an offensive stance instead of focusing on defense.

"...Claws-Purifying Wind!"

Sanemi swung his blade in a vertical downward swing and unleashed sharp winds in the shape of four claws racing right at him. Shirou's body tensed in a millisecond preparation and launched forward toward the attack. Gasps left the lips of the Hashira watching him with exception of Isshin who narrowed his eyes. The Wind Hashira widened his eyes at Shirou's seemingly suicidal approach. As the redhead closed on the attack, Shirou's mind focused on steel and channeled ki into his lungs.

"Steel Breathing, Seventh Form..." Shirou chanted, his mismatched eyes glinting. "Forge Through Flames."

With his katana gripped in both hands he began to swing. If Ruby's motions with the blade were practiced mastery, then Shirou had perfect dexterity. None watching him could believe the fluid yet powerful motion in each swing of his blade directed forward each with a specific intent. Every arc of Shirou's blade was executed perfectly. The claws of wind were reduced to dispelling cobwebs to the slashes forming a protective net for Shirou.

"What the hell!?" Exclaimed Sanemi.

Shirou creation of the Seventh Form of his Breath of Steel was for a counter-assault technique. Its purpose was for the Dragon Release user to have a safe approach by literally deflecting away whatever attacks or hazards in front of Shirou while closing the distance to his opponent. It's perfect against any enemies with range and in theory negate the offensive jutsus of shinobi. And right now his display of basically swatting Sanemi's attack left the Wind Hashira open in his surprise; it was a mistake Shirou will gladly take advantage of.

"Steel Breathing, Fifth Form: Spear Point."

Adjusting the grip on his katana, Shirou thrusted his sword forth in a lunge as if using a spear all the while pouring his unquie Breath of Steel ki distorting the air around it. Cracks grew on the blade struggling to hold the energy, but Shirou trusted his weapon to outlast the fight. He would make sure to end it quickly. As the redhead expected, Sanemi put up a hasty defense and managed to block Shirou's thrust with the flat of his green katana. The force in Shirou's attack was enough to not only push the Hashira off his feet, but there was visible spot of heated steel from the point of impact.

"Fucking shit." Sanemi swore under his breath, successfully landing on his feet and flowing into a stance. "Wind Breathing, First Form: Dust Whirlwind Cutter."

This time Sanemi made his own approach dashing back at Shirou while surrounding himself in a literal storm of wind slashes till he looked like a vertical tornado. He was so fast that Shirou found it difficult to keep track. Thus the redhead sported a defensive stance placing his blade perpendicular in front of him while angled slightly downwards. The form he was going to attempt was not exactly complete but it was his one of his best defensive maneuvers to test against Sanemi.

"Steel Breathing, Sixth Form: Dragon Scale - Shatter Stars."

At that moment Shirou swung his blade outwards similar to iaido. His ki refined like a forged blade swung out in semi-circle slash of shining grey and when Sanemi's cyclone of slashes came into contact it was completely negated leaving the Wind Hashira shocked on the spot. Every offensive force brought on against Shirou was simply reflected in all directions.

"I ain't done yet." Roared Sanemi, jumping up above Shirou. "Wind Breathing, Fifth Form: Cold Mountain Wind."

Shirou's eyes widened in alarm watching Sanemi surrounding himself in ripping winds. He fell down on top of Shirou in arced slashes forming a storm around him to cut flesh into pieces. Time seemed to slow as Shirou watched the arced slashing winds drop down at him by inches and breathing in the necessary air to fuel his Breath of Steel ki.

"Steel Breathing, Fourth Form: Octaslash!"

His best bet at that moment was to meet offense with his own offense. Shirou's motions with the blade now swung in swift and steady arcs in front of him eight in total against the many that were upon him. So many times did the blades clash between the two Breathing Art users it sounded like metal grinding in a smithy. After the eighth swing, Sanemi and Shirou finally broke apart with their forms spent. While Shirou looked relatively calm still, Sanemi absolutely looked pissed.

"Damn you to hell, brat!" Cursed Sanemi.

"Ara ara." Kanae Kocho chuckled. "Looks like Sanemi more than he thought he chewed. It looks a lot like the time he paid the price when fighting Muichiro-kun."

"He's good." Commented Muichiro, his distant look replaced with a studious expression. "Never has he wasted a single movement."

Muichiro gathered curious stares from his fellow Hashira. Rarely is the boy ever serious and only so when the situation calls for it especially when hunting blood demons. It was the first time they have ever seen the prodigy and creator of the Breath of Mist actually praise someone for his skill.

"Ooh~, looks like Sanemi is getting mad as well." Shinobu said in a mocking manner, noticing Sanemi's growing veins and red face. "That boy Shirou has definitely had him on the ropes."

"I ain't going to take this anymore." Snarled Sanemi, winds of ki literally exploding off his body blowing the snow away. "Prepare yourself, brat!"

Again, Sanemi leaped forward toward Shirou, who was prepared into a defensive stance. Once above the redhead, Sanemi shifted into a stance and inhaled air to fuel his ki that surrounded his body in roaring winds. All of the Hashira and the trio of Tanjiro, Inosuke, and Zenitsu recognized the stance the Wind Hashira was taking in midair, causing great alarm among them. They all knew it as a technique designed to kill a blood demon by literally shredding them into tiny bits to prevent them from regenerating. It was a great skill for killing the demons they have hunted in their order, but on a human - it was simply too much.

"Shinazugawa-san, stop!" Tanjiro exclaimed.

"Wind Breathing, Seventh Form-"

All eyes were on the scene with Shirou and Sanemi. All looked with grave worry, especially Ruby who felt her freezing cold feeling the dread from the Hashira and the amount of ki Sanemi was generating into the attack. For Shirou, he knew that none of his Breath of Steel techniques were going to protect from the onslaught that was going to come forward. The answer was simply for rising swordsman prodigy: if Breath of Steel won't work then that will. Before everyone's eyes, Shirou's entire stance completely changed from its previous tense and rigid stance like steel to something more fluid, flexible, relaxed, and by the tingle on everyone's necks more powerful. Shirou consumed more air into his lungs more than he did before in the fight and from his exhalation came a great heat. It was as if he was...

(Cue Yoriichi Theme)

"Sun Breathing, First Form-"

"-Gale - Sudden Gusts!"

"-Flash Dance!"

Before their eyes where they once thought of Shirou's sudden danger were turned to looks of complete awe as the 'steel' within his blade was replaced by all-consuming flame of red completely enveloping it. Calling it fire did not seem right to the sheer heat and raw ki pouring from Shirou with each breath; it looked more like the surface of the sun. If Rengoku's Breath of Flames could melt the snow around him, then Shirou's ki itself from this new Breathing Art melted all the snow in the entire clearing, revealing the barren earth below. The cold bite fled away and the air was quaking from intense heat.

With a literal sword of the sun's flames, Shirou did a vertical swing with a tremendous roar of effort. The force and power he put into split Sanemi's winds in two and literally burned the technique. In the same motion, the power of Shirou's swing lifted his body up into the air to be level with Sanemi, whose eyes were wide with disbelief and even fear.

"Sun Breathing, Second Form: Clear Blue Sky!"

In midair, Shirou did a full vertical 360 degree spin, unleashing a wave of burning heat around him. Sanemi used a hasty block enhanced with his Breath of Wind ki focused on the blade, but it only protected him from being burned to the bone. He was unfortunately knocked down to the ground give or take a few tumbles to get dirt onto him. Shirou did not let relent as he launched forward as soon as his feet touched the ground, a literal crimson blaze following him in his wake.

'S-So fast.' Ruby thought. 'He's almost as fast as the First Form of the Breath of Thunder.'

It was too late to stop Shirou on his approach for what looked like the final blow. All Sanemi could do was stare down at what was practically death itself coming down in a literal hellfire blaze. Those mismatched eyes were too cold to show any sympathy for him in that moment. He couldn't bring himself to pray for mercy from his petrified state.

'Is this it?' Sanemi thought. 'Offed by a little brat? Fuck.'

"Sun Breathing, Third Form: Raging Sun!"

No one could stop Shirou as he made a horizontal swing with his blade trailing a coat of crimson fire. Its aim was clear to be Sanemi's neck. A clean kill to be sure. He did not dare to blink as time found itself slowing down to let him watch that blade coming closer. Yet at the point of impact, Sanemi did not feel the burn of the blade cutting into his flesh. The flames of Shirou's new Breathing Art died down, and Sanemi looked down to find the flames had literally burned the steel to ashes all the way to the tsuba guard. There was only an inch of charred steel poking at the nape of his neck.

(End Ost)

"Looks like my blade couldn't last long." Commented Shirou off-handedly, glancing to his ruined weapon. "We're done here. You satisfied, Sanemi-san?"

"W-Wha..." Sanemi gasped, suddenly collapsing to his knees at the loss of adrenaline.

"I-I-I can't believe it." All eyes left Shirou to Tanjiro, a shaky finger pointed at said redhead. "Th-That was the Breath of the Sun. The Dance of the Fire God. How did you know about it?!"

"Knew about it?" Shirou said, quirking an eyebrow. "I just sort of... created it a month ago."

A gag-like sound escaped Tanjiro's lips to express his shock, joined by the gasps and mutters of surprise from the Hashira and even Isshin himself. Ruby started to feel uneasy from the tense atmosphere from the Demon Slayer Corps brought on by Shirou's surprising new Breath of the Sun. Why did he discovering a new Breathing Art bring out such a reaction from everyone?

"What's going on?" Ruby asked eventually, loud enough to get their attention. "Why is Shirou's Breathing Art so shocking?"

"Ruby, this is more than that." Isshin answered. "What Shirou has done has somehow rediscover the Breath of the Sun, the oldest Breathing Art of our order that predates all others. Old stories talk of this Breathing Art capable of burning demons to ashes with a single stroke of the blade and any master of it was peerless to the world. It was created by the very first and strongest Demon Slayer in history, Yoriichi Tsugikini who was said to have never been harmed by either beast, man, or demon in his entire life for his skill in the blade. His very existence as well as his Breath of the Sun is the very reason the Demon Slayer Corps exists."

'The strongest Demon Slayer!?' Ruby thought. 'And Shirou managed to rediscover his Breathing Art by accident!?'

Isshin was in the world of Kage compared to shinobi based on his raw power which in fact was his mastery of ki and the Breath of Wind. If what Isshin said was true about this Yoriichi, the first Demon Slayer, still considered the strongest of their order that would put the very peak of the Breathing Arts at the likes of the God of Shinobi like Hashirama and her great-grandfather. Even though ki was the physical half of chakra, yet by itself it was powerful in its own right.

"No ordinary person can simply use the Breath of the Sun, even amongst us Demon Slayers." Isshin continued. "The only exception is our boy here, Tanjiro Kamado. His family is the only blessed with the capability to ever use the Breath of the Sun, much like how shinobi view Kekkei Genkei. It has been passed down Tanjiro's family for generation renamed as the Dance of the Fire God. Only recently did we discover this with Tanjiro and his family being able to use the ancient Breathing Art... until now that is. And of all things to accidentally rediscover it! You brats might as well kill me with a heart attack! Ruby, Shirou, you have earned this honor and all that follows."

Isshin gave swept an expectant gaze to the Hashira and at their cue they nodded, each one pulling out a thick tome from their coats. They stepped closer to Ruby and Shirou together and presented the texts to the pair. Isshin in meanwhile reached behind himself and revealed two sheathed hidden on his back where they were held by a harness on his back. He stood in front of Shirou and Ruby till he was looking down on them and planted the sheathed blades in front of them. The aged Sword Saint was already in explaining noticing Ruby's curious gaze at the scene.

"From myself and the Corps, we grant you the blades used in our order." Isshin proclaimed. "They are Nichirin blades, forged from an ore that only comes from one mountain where the sun always shines upon it. The alloy is the best at conducting the Breathing Arts and ki, just as much as Iron Country's blades channel chakra. Go on and take hold of them. They are yours from now on."

With some hesitance, Ruby and Shirou gripped a Nichirin blade respectively. The tsuba and handle while not aesthetically impressive they could both tell the practical quality from the smooth grip alone. They began to draw the blades from their sheaths, revealing the pristine steel shining a white silver in the light of day. It was a much greater quality than the weapons they have, but the surprises didn't end there. As soon as the blades fully left the sheaths they began to change color. For Ruby, hers turned a deep purple with jagged highlights of crimson red focused from the blunt edge reminiscent of storm clouds. Shirou's Nichirin sword became obsidian black shining in the light with miniscule sparkles of silver like stars.

"The Nichirin blades change color depending on the wielder's ki." Isshin said. "Never seen purple before and black I have only seen from Tanjiro. Moving on however, the Hashira gift to you centuries of dedication to the Breathing Arts. It is our honor that we share with you our full knowledge of the Breathing Arts to you. These tomes hold the full copied documentation of each Breathing Art respectively from the Hashira and the Demon Slayer Corps in its entirety."

'Oh my Kami, really!?' Ruby thought in shock realizing that each Hashira was giving her their Breathing Arts.

"You can't be serious!" Exclaimed Ruby. "I mean, don't you think this is too much?"

"Okami, remember when I said to you that the Breathing Arts is a lost art?" Isshin said. "It is lost because in this age of shinobi we must hide in secret lest this art be turned into a weapon of warfare. The Breathing Arts are more than that. What we are doing is entrusting you entire generations of dedication so that you may possibly find those worthy to continue our legacy. We trust you to keep this art of humanity alive with you."

Isshin's words were spoken with a passion despite his gritty, grim tone of voice. She wanted to deny them; she didn't even trust herself with what was hundreds of lifetimes in her hands. But with how Isshin spoke how he and the Hashira were trusting her, how could Ruby not accept?

"It would be my honor." Was all Ruby could say.

Smiles bloomed throughout the Hashira, especially from Rengoku and Mitsuri. After resheathing her new Nichirin blade and replacing her old one at her hip, each one of the Hashira handed down their respective tome into her arms. Surprisingly, Tanjiro left the sideline and walked towards Shirou with a scroll outstretched for him. It looked worn from his brown texture, but still well kept to keep the paper from crumbling.

"You should have this." Tanjiro said. "This is the scroll that denotes how to perform the Dance of the Fire God. We have a copy of it within the Demon Slayer Corps, but this one has been passed through my family."

Shirou widened his eyes at the implication. "Kamado-san, are you sure about this? It feels like I am impeding on something important to your family."

"No, I'm sure." Tanjiro said with a warm smile. "You are a good person, I can tell you, and I think my father would have loved more people to use the Dance of the Fire God. It's a beautiful tradition in our family, and I would like for it to still live with you as well."

"I won't disappoint you." Shirou said, accepting the scroll.

When the last one from Gyomei deposited the copy of his Breathing Art, an idea blossomed in Ruby's head.

"Wait here please." Ruby said, running into her tent.

After a few moments, Ruby reemerged from her tent only that three tomes lay in her arms instead of the pile given to her by the Hashira. They were entirely different by the black cover denoted of a common blank book than the ones given to her. Mirroring the Hashira from earlier Ruby presented the texts to the gathered Demon Slayers added with a bow.

"Please accept these in return." Ruby requested. "These volumes are created have a copy of the Breath of Thunder, as well as our creation of the Breath of the Moon and the Breath of Steel. If you would honor us in keeping your legacy alive, then please have our own legacies live on through the Corps too."

Expression of surprise flicked through the Hashira, followed by a silence. Gyomei was the one to step forward with tears running down his face from Ruby's words. He took hold of the offered tomes from Ruby with a tender care unlike his huge stature and to the surprise of his fellow Hashira he bowed before Ruby.

"It would be our honor, Ruby of the Moon Hashira." Gyomei said.

"You have proven yourselves before us and even contributed to the Demon Slayer Corps with your own addition of the Breathing Arts." Isshin announced in a bellow. "By the power as the Hashira, we dub you, Ruby and Shirou, as the Hashira of the Moon and Steel. This is the last time we will see each other for who knows how long, but I know you two will leave a mark on this world. Ah, one more thing."

Using his odachi like a staff Isshin walked out of the clearing behind a tree. He emerged a second later brandishing a second odachi, this one longer than Isshin's own that it seemed ridiculous. The blade lacked a guard and only had a handle colored purple with golden etchings. From the pommel were two strings of purple rope. Tied around the sheath of the blade was a medium-thick scroll held by green twine.

Ruby didn't know why, but she felt something very... strange from the sword. Looking at it prickled her senses like a light needle tap. She couldn't sense a source of chakra from the sword nor a hint of it being touched by ki or chi. The sword looked so normal, but her very soul spoke that it was very far from normal - that it should exist in mortal hands.

"I, on a personal note, want you to be in possession of this blade. Monohoshi Zao." Isshin said, handing the sword to Ruby accepting it. "Long ago, this was the owner of my master, who trained me in hopes I can exceed to his swordsmanship. Attached is his own documentation of the blade's specific techniques I failed in to reach. My hope is that you can succeed and achieve a skill in the sword my master hoped someone could surpass."

"Your master?" Ruby wondered. "Who was he?"

"Nobody knows." Isshin said. "It's as if history completely ignored or rather he ignored it. I can only give you a name. Sasaki Kojiro."

As soon as Ruby heard the name, shivers from no reason ran through her body. It was like the name itself held some sort of weight in the world. And when Ruby accepted Monohoshi Zao, she felt a foreign sensation through her body and disappear as soon as it came to a calm trickle. Her grip on the blade itself seemed more comfortable in her hands - like it belonged to her.

"This is where we part ways from now on." Isshin announced, beckoning the Hashira to leave. "I am sure that even you have places to be instead of cooping yourself here in Iron Country. I shall leave with these last words. Okami, become strong. Become strong enough to shake the mountains and shatter the sky. Succeed my master's legacy of human skill and attain power no other can match."

"I... I will." Ruby said in a deep bow, not realizing she was shedding tears.

"Make sure you hunt any demons you might find out there." Rengoku cheered, turning around with his haori flying about. "Keep your hearts burning, my fellow Hashira."

"Hai." Shirou replied.

Without another word, Isshin and the Hashira left the clearing and the pair of Shirou and Ruby could only watch them disappear in the thick of the forest. They may never meet again, but on this day life-changing impressions were made. Ruby was all the more glad to have met such wonderful people, even more so to now be part of a legacy older than Ninshu.

(One Week Later)

One week has passed and for the first time in months, Ruby and Shirou were no longer in the forest clearing or anywhere near Iron Country. The sun of a blue sky shined down on the pair now walking across field of grass back to Madara's hideout. They only carried packs on their backs stuffed with storage scrolls holding all of their belongings. There were a few notable changes appearance-wise in the pair.

With Shirou, he now had two swords sheathed at his hip. The blades were twin dao swords as ordered and forged by Iron Country, made with the finest quality of steel that can handle their use of chakra. One was black like coal while the other was a pearly white, and were named Karna and Rama respectively, inspired by Ruby's new interest in the less-than-local religion of Hinduism. On Shirou's back sheathed on a harness was a tsurugi, the only type of double-edged blade among the Elemental Nations, that he had taken to name Kiritsugu. Covering his lower face was a metal mask taking the shape of a snarling demon with black fangs like that of an oni.

Ruby now had two swords sheathed at her waist, a wakizashi and katana for use in the style of the Niten Ichi-Ryu. The wakzashi, named Mizutsune, featured a rose red handle, white pommel, and a tsuba shaped out into feather-like points colored golden fading into red at the edges. Her katana was named Akaibara, and the red of the handle was more akin to blood and fire with oval patterns orange. Its tsuba featured two crescent moons going inward with one featuring tomoe markings and the other crimson swirls.

Her face was shadowed by a bamboo straw hat studded with metal at the edges. Her red cloak was draped at her solders like a cap and the hood was pulled over her face. Underneath that however, it would come as a surprise to find Ruby's face hidden behind the oni death mask with flame-like patterns. The very same used by the shinigami. Shortly after leaving Iron Country, the Shinigami having overheard the talk of immortal demons was quite... miffed to say and encouraged to find these so-called immortal demons as well. Since then, they have to an agreement where Ruby can wear the mask casually and even stir up light conversation with deity while she in turn gave him sight of the world through her own eyes. The ancient Otsutsutski would make light comments now again, but would mostly contend himself in silence.

'You have grown quite the interest with the stories of other cultures.' Such as now, with the deity's voice reverberating in her head.

Ruby was not paying as much attention to the road and her eyes were glued to the open book in her right hand. It was copy of cultural story pertaining to a religion known as Hinduism that made itself home in Iron Country and remote parts of the Elemental Nations. Having studied Shinto in her search of Otsutsuki, she was curious with lore that Hinduism. The current folktale she was immersing herself in was the Hindu epic Mahābhārata. A story featuring a demigod known as Karna, the son of Surya, who was odds against Arjuna, demigod of Indra. She found herself enjoying the epic and was finding inspiration for new techniques Ruby wanted to replicate from the story.

The travel so far was quiet with Ruby in her reading and Shirou keeping track of their progress. The redhead was making his advancements in fuinjutsu and elemental manipulation at every moment they paused on the road. He was working on using his more basic elements of fire, lightning, and wind that he has been neglecting and testing if he had nature Kekkei Genkei born from his Kekkei Tota.

Shirou's motions suddenly stopped like a statue, making Ruby also stop in her tracks in response. There wasn't even a blur of movement when Shirou did move again. One second he was there and the next the redhead swordsman prodigy was ten meters away. His dao blades were already drawn out and crossed at the neck of an intruder ready to lop his head off. The only reason he hasn't was because he knew the awfully pale entity from Madara's lair being White Zetsu.

"Woah, woah, woah, woah, woah." Panicked Zetsu. "Jeez, why are you so jumpy? It's me. Your bud, Zetsu."

"Zetsu?" Ruby wondered, coming to the scene. "What are you doing here?"

From Shi's dimension where he saw the world from Ruby's sight, the ancient being narrowed his eyes in suspicion at Zetsu. He utterly lacked any way to sense the living world, thus he could not determine the true origins of Zetsu himself. However, his intuition was one to behold for someone as old as him.

"I bring news." Zetsu said, his face wavering into a frown. "Not the good kind."

Ruby sighed. "Zetsu, what is it?"

Zetsu cringed. "Well Madara brought me out here to find you because... Ruby, he's dying."

Those words. The words formed into that sentence brought a very familiar chilly dread in her body. It was a feeling Ruby hoped to never feel again. The last time Ruby did so was when she heard her mother was not coming home.

'No...' The word echoed in Ruby's head as the world blurred from her sudden high speeds directly to Madara's lair.

She had to get there. Above all else, Ruby needed to be there! Ruby hated - absolutely loathed, dread, feared, pain - if any of her family died!

That's part one done and marks the end of the Iron Country arc.

Up next is Chapter 15: Legacy Part 2

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