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 15: Legacy Part 2

The only thought in Ruby's head was to see her great-grandfather. Shirou's close following behind her didn't register in her head focused on one mindset. That in some deluded logic seeing him in person would make everything fine and that he wasn't dying. Madara Uchiha, one of the last remnants that tied her to her mother, wasn't going to die. She didn't want him to die.

'He can't be dying, he can't be dying, he can't be dying.' Ruby thought frantically, her tears trailing behind her.

It was only the middle of her flight she activated her Sharingan turned to its Mangekyou state. Her sight took in everything in the world in her haste at such clear detail searing into her mind. That didn't stop Ruby in her rush to see Madara, and it fueled when her eyes took in familiar scenery. She only barely remembered the bare necessities such as the entrance into the caves, a turn here, and a descension of flights. The entire traverse through the earthy maze took such little time with her maddened speed all the while hope filled her when she got closer to the great hall where he usually sat.

That all shattered at the sight greeting her. Her entire flight simply died out, leaving Ruby standing at the entrance. For the first time in months, Uncle Obito was present. He was dressed in a black coat decorated with red clouds and his white, one-eyed mask was colored a bright orange. Instead of his usual position leaning on a wall, he was standing at the right side of the stone throne Madara sat in his meditations. On the left side of the throne was the black mass known as Black Zetsu, but it was what Ruby saw on the throne that shook to her core, her Sharingan burning the sight into her mind.

Madara Uchiha, the second God of Shinobi and rival to Hashirama Senju the first Hokage, sat there waiting to die. The plug connecting himself to the chakra that sustained him was gone, and his visage showed his true age of stark white hair and shriveled skin clinging to bone. There was none of the powerful presence he always held since the time he first brought Ruby here. It was horrifying for Ruby to see Madara so vulnerable.

"Great-grandpa!" Screamed Ruby.

She did the only thing her mind and body could will and it was to run to his side. Along the way Ruby removed the oni death mask and nearly tossed it aside, revealing the rivers of tears running down her face. Madara's one Rinnegan eye opened weakly to see his great-granddaughter at his side, her face drenched with her falling tears.

"Ah... Ruby-chan..." Madara spoke, heaving with dry coughs. "Unfortunately it seems... time has caught up to this... relic of the past."

"Don't!" Exclaimed Ruby, setting her pack down to reach for her fuinjutsu scrolls. "I - I can save you. Just please hold. Just... Just..."

Ruby's entire motions stopped when she felt a hand grasp her right forearm with the miniscule remnants of strength it had left. Ruby turned her head back first glancing down at Madara's wrinkly limb grabbing her and followed up to his face. Despite its wrinkled look, there was clear telling of what Madara felt conveyed in his Rinnegan eye. He had already accepted his end.

"You know... what my philosophy is... Ruby-chan..." Madara said, his voice seeming to fade with every word.

"Th-The new generation m-must become st-stronger to r-replace the old." Ruby cited, her voice breaking from sobs trying to escape her throat.

"I already... tested the Shinigami enough with this... long life... but I am ready to... go now." Madara wheezed out. "Ruby-chan... Obito may be my successor... but you are my legacy. Carry on with pride... for I am proud to call you my great-granddaughter... the one who will surpass me."

"I don't want you to go." Whimpered Ruby, lunging forward to grip tightly on her great-grandfather's kimono. "Don't. Please don't."

Madara responded with an one-armed hug. "Ruby-chan, it... has to be. As all things live... all things must die. But... before I go... there is still something I want to leave behind."

The strongest Uchiha gave one glance to Black Zetsu, who gave nod before slinking into a corner of the chamber where it was too dark to see. His Rinnegan scanned the room till they landed on Shirou, standing stoically yet ready for any sort of action to be made.

"Boy, come here." Madara commanded.

Despite his wheezy voice it carried enough weight to make Shirou momentarily stagger before approaching. His mismatched eyes stared back at Madara's one Rinnegan eye as if a silent conversation was going on between them.

"You have... proven yourself loyal to my legacy." Madara said. "I would like... to pass on a gift to you."

Black Zetsu emerged from the darkness of the shadows as he approached Shirou. In the entity's hands was a medium-sized syringe filled with a mysterious green-yellow liquid that still bubbled. While his stoic demeanor, Shirou was not put at ease by the size of the needle nor the grin on Black Zetsu's face.

"Ehm... what is that?" Ruby asked tentatively seeing how the topic now switched to Shirou.

It was Black Zetsu who answered. "This here contains the cells of Hashirama, refined and perfected to the purest state of its bloodline. Once injected into a suitable person, it shall grant the Wood Release Kekkei Genkei right down to the DNA. And you Shirou are quite possibly the most perfect candidate given both your Uzumaki and Senju ancestry."

"And you're just giving the Wood Release to me?" Shirou said, his eyes widening at the sheer absurdity of this. "Why?"

"The Wood Release... despite its legendary power also holds a fond place in my heart." Rasped Madara. "Boy, you've earned this. Just like Ruby-chan... you will become your own legend to succeed that of myself and Hashirama left... and I would like to have his own legacy be passed on."

"...He won't be growing a face on him, will he?" Ruby asked in concern for Shirou.

"Unlikely with him." Black Zetsu corrected. "Madara and Obito here do not have the advantage of being natural Uzumaki or Senju like Shirou here. The 'face growths' are only a cause of a complications of genetics installed artificially. Really, the worst that can happen with Shirou is that he might lose the ability to use some elemental jutsu, but something like that won't stop you."

"Alright then." Ruby said, giving Shirou the best smile she could muster despite her puffy teary eyes. "It's your choice, Shirou-kun."

Shirou sighed, returning the smile with his own and glancing back to Black Zetsu. "I accept. As long as I can use the power to help Ruby in our endeavors."

"Good." Black Zetsu replied.

Without any warning, Black Zetsu took hold of the twelve-year-old boy and jabbed the needle into his neck. The sudden injection made Shirou make a grunt of surprise and for a small second Ruby's eyes glimmered with murder at the supposed harm on Shirou. She nearly jumped from the spot to pounce Black Zetsu fully intent on ripping apart. Her the dark aura of 'murder-for-Shirou' died down as soon as it came noticing Shirou was fine with the redhead only visibly wincing.

The injection of Hashirama's cells into Shirou made veins bulge around his neck area and only calmed down when Black Zetsu took away the syringe now empty of its contents. Ruby instantly went to Shirou's side to assess any injuries that might have occurred. There wasn't any bleeding as Shirou's potent vitality was already in the midst of healing. His knees shook slightly as Shirou's body, but with gritted teeth he stood on his legs.

"Agh... that hurt." Shirou commented with a groan.

"Get some rest for the cells to integrate in your body." Black Zetsu suggested. "Consider this Madara-sama's last gift before passes on from this world."

'And that's the last time I entertain helping him with his so-called legacy with these kids.' Thought Black Zetsu maliciously. 'Go ahead and croak. You're just another stepping stone for Mother's revival.'

Madara started to hack in coughs and wheeze, drawing Ruby's full attention. She returned to Madara's side, the tears still going down her face. Her lips were quivering as she tried to hold in her sobs.

"This is it for me." Madara resigned, summoning the last of his strength to keep his voice steady. "Ruby-chan, my great-granddaughter. Grow as strong as must for your goals. Never regret the path you follow for we are born with an inner strength to change the world."

Ruby could manage to nod with a sniffle. She leaned her down closer to Madara and clinged to his shoulder in some vain logic that he will be kept alive. Her gaze came back to Madara's wrinkled face when she felt the old man rest a hand against her cheek. It amazed her that even at death's door Madara managed to make a smile. Not one so sinister or evil as expected of the Ghost of the Uchiha, but a warm smile reserved for his family.

"No need to cry." Madara spoke. "Smile."

They were his last words and Ruby knew it. With all of her resolve, Ruby quirked her lips upward into a smile back at Madara just in time to see him draw his final breath. Madara Uchiha, the strongest Uchiha since the days of Indra and Ashura, has died. Everyone in the chamber knew it and those like Shirou and Obito had no way to react to his death. The chamber grew silent with only the dripping of Ruby's tears on the cave ground while no could see her face that stopped sobbing.

Eventually, it was Shirou who made a move first, albeit shakily. He laid a hand on Ruby's shoulder to get her attention. When he received no response, only then did Shirou speak.

"Ruby?" Shirou said.

Shirou's worried tone caused Ruby to stiffen and finally did she turn her head back. Doing so revealed her face, and what they found shocked everyone to their core. Obito especially stiffened at the change they all saw when Ruby's eyes were shown to all. They were not the usual Sharingan, but the pattern of her Mangekyou had become more complex. The hollow tear drop shapes were now each encased in intersecting points from three lines of black protruding from pupil, and each of these lines featured a sharp cross with two sides of the cross joining at the tear drop designs as if to connect them.

Besides the new pattern of her Sharingan, there was an unmistakable power emanating from the silver Sharingan eyes. It was the same Obito felt when he first beheld Madara, and for Shirou it was greater in the rare times she ever summoned her Mangekyou Sharingan.

At this moment, Ruby Rose-Uchiha now possessed one the most powerful eyes in the world, the very same that made Madara so feared as a God of Shinobi. Eyes so powerful she can break the land apart. She has become the second to awaken the Eternal Mangekyou Sharingan, the most destructive dojutsu in the Elemental Nations.

Ruby did not make a response to the shocked looks she received nor did she register the burning of her eyes. Her lips were set in a flat line while tears still lingered on her face. She only spoke these words.

"Please let me bury him."

No one objected her request. It was the least they could do to give the girl comfort. It is never a light thing when one sees their own family die.

(Later)

There was a clearing Ruby knew that she found perfect for a man like Madara. Amongst the forest that she has trained in and called home, it was this particular spot that was the most beautiful in her opinion. Wildflowers of white, red, blue, and purple to bloomed filling what would mostly be emerald green grass. The sun shined down unhindered by trees that would normally shadow the ground. However, the most amazing aspect of this part where Ruby would mostly find herself training endlesslly was an edge of a cliff that provided an overview of the sea of trees, a mountain range in the distance, and the perfect view of the setting and rising of the sun.

Ruby could not imagine a better burial ground for her great-grandfather. Hardly have human influence touched this place and even the air felt sacred. Madara deserved a resting place like this. History at large in the shinobi world viewed him as a monster and villain who betrayed his village for a 'desire of power'. It couldn't be further from the truth from what Ruby was told by him. He was just a man who realized the darkness that took hold of a dream he had with his brother in all but blood, how he tried to save his family from eventually perishing in a village that would then despise them, and the desperation Madara felt trying to save that dream worth fighting for. Even though he failed, Madara did not regrets in his heart.

The legacy of Madara then went on to dig the hole to bury the Uchiha exile in. She did not use any sort of enhancement with chakra or ki nor did she want help. All Ruby used was a shovel and raw conviction. It was her way to further honor Madara. Meanwhile, Shirou was not too far keeping a close watch on Ruby as she worked throughout the whole day with the sun beating down on her, ready to jump in if fatigue took her to the point of collapse. Yet even as sweat drenched her body and her breath labored, Ruby did not falter and her face did not show emotion. He actually wanted to help, practically his entire body screamed to do so sensing the emotional pain Ruby had to be feeling, but she was adamant that she do this alone.

Once the hole was done, Ruby retrieved Madara's body, completely wrapped in linen bandages to preserve his body. Underneath his arms were crossed over his chest and Ruby made sure his eyes were closed as if he were in a deep sleep. It took some effort to lift the body and softly lay it into ground. Despite her strength training, she was still a twelve-year-old carrying the body of an elderly but full-grown adult. With Madara's body in the hole, Ruby then went through the grueling task of refilling the hole with the dug up soil; a process that took till the sun was just above the horizon entering dusk.

When Ruby was settling the soil flat, she found herself staring blankly between the now filled grave and the darkening scenery of the forest. She didn't register the hunger pains of her empty stomach desiring food nor the aches of her muscles. Her silver eyes looked ahead to the horizon as if finding some clarification when they came back to focus. From the sidelines, Shirou felt Ruby's chakra spike for the first time since her task. Making one handsign, Ruby ran her chakra into the ground with her Crystal Release and ahead of the filled-in grave sprouted a slab of solid crimson crystal to serve as Madara's tombstone. Ruby kneeled down to it and with her finger channeling Scorch Release wrote on the crystal slab in kanji that read.

"HERE LIES A GREAT MAN
WHO LOVED HIS FAMILY
AND DREAMED OF A BRIGHTER FUTURE"

Ruby rose up to her feet and began to walk away. She paused beside Shirou to glance back at him. The redhead was taken aback by the chaotic mess of emotions in her eyes, but her understood the silent message she wanted him to follow her home. He wanted to say something, but could not bring the strength to do it and complied to follow his companion at her side.

The pair walked in morbid silence through the forest till they came to the hut they both called home. Ruby stopped in her trek before the door where Shirou took it upon himself to open the door and take the lead inside. Ruby followed after, stuck in an aimless stare as her hand automatically closed the door. It was at this point Shirou's nerves of his own silence were at their end, and he turned around to say something to Ruby. To somehow uplift her spirits to that bright smiling and cheery girl he knew.

"Ruby-"

That was all he could get out before Ruby suddenly had her arms on his shoulders. Her knees gave out as if they finally collapsed under too much weight and Shirou was pulled down with her. He tried to speak again until Shirou felt how Ruby's entire body was shaking and the tight squeeze of her hold on his shoulders.

"Please just hold me." Ruby muttered meekly.

The voice she spoke in felt like a stab to Shirou's heart. It was so weak, so vulnerable and frightened and small. That was not the Ruby she knew, who was always brave, strong, and had a great golden heart. Yet Shirou complied nonetheless, wrapping his arms around Ruby in an embrace as tightly as comfortable possible.

It first started with Shirou feeling the front of his clothes damp with a downpour of tears. Sobs began to escape from her mouth until they couldn't be contained anymore. They grew in greater volume with even greater emotion behind them. Shirou could only respond holding Ruby closer to him, knowing he was her best hope to be comforted. The crying grew more and more until to a final buildup...

"Uuu... Uuuuuaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhh! Aaaaaaaaaaaaahaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhh! Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhh!..."

The dam of heavy emotions came flooding out, unable to be contained any longer. These horrid sounds of despair reverberated through the hut and out into the forest. Shirou could feel his own tears threatening to spill out from the raw sorrow and pain Ruby was letting out. He continued to hold on to her if only to be her only pillar of support at the lowest Ruby has ever been.

He did not know nor did he care how long they stayed on the floor holding each other in their embrace. His only concern was on Ruby trusting her pain and sorrow in wails onto him. The sun had long set into the darkening sky of twilight approaching night. Eventually, Ruby's crying died down to a whimper to a slow, yet shaky breathing. Shirou glanced down to see Ruby had literally cried to sleep as tears still leaked from her closed eyes, but her hold on him was still strong.

Knowing Shirou couldn't leave Ruby like this, he carried Ruby in a bridal hold to her bedroom. Even as he set her down the grip on his shoulders did not let up as if her life depended on it. He would have tried to get her let go, but what happened next made it impossible for Shirou.

"Don't go... Please don't go... I don't want to be alone..."

Even if it was a mumble in her sleep, it froze Shirou on the spot. It was a pitiful whimper filled with desperation and abject terror it caused Shirou's chest to tighten. He felt a swirl of emotions including dread to what Ruby was feeling but also including a mess he couldn't identify himself. But as he knew it right there, Shirou could not afford to leave Ruby alone not when she needed his help more than anything else. Any thoughts otherwise were ruthlessly squashed. With some careful maneuvering, Shirou laid right next to Ruby on the bed staring right back at her teary-eyed face.

"Don't worry." Shirou whispered. "You'll never be alone."

It finally dawned on Shirou the severe situation with Ruby. She was the type of person who had too much love for her family and the death of Madara, one of the last things that connected Ruby to her deceased mother, had broken something in her. His presence in her life was a lifeline, which can be attributed to Ruby's lack of growth in a regular society, and that fortunately included Shirou with their close friendship ever since she freed him from his slavery. He was now Ruby's sole lifeline, and if he abandoned her there was no telling of the dire consequences that will befall her. It was more than trust Ruby had for Shirou; she now depended on Shirou's very existence.

So he made a silent vow in that moment. Shirou Arashi, an Uzumaki and Senju descendent, swore with every fiber of his being to never let Ruby cry ever again.

A bit short, but now Ruby has achieved the final evolution of the Sharingan and thus ends her time with Madara and Obito. She must now take the journey in her own hands to find her strength. At this point, the story can go many ways, with one being she joins in assisting the Kiri Rebellion to liberate Kekkei Genkei users. I am also trying to have Shirou and Ruby bond closer, especially with Shirou being Ruby's emotional support in the future. Of course as time goes by, they may make new friends along the way with some even joining them in the adventure, whether in one world or between two.

So I know some of you are going to complain giving Shirou Wood Release. Well, I just really wanted to and it will definitely bolster Shirou as he is a powerhouse in his own right. However, it does come with its cost as now he can't use elemental jutsu for Earth and Water, but the Wood Release is now integrated into his very DNA.

Here's a topic I also wanted to tackle and that is the Uchiha Massacre. I always hear in the fandom that it is what they deserved for planning a coup and their supposed 'ego' didn't really help them. But if you look at it from a bigger picture, the Uchiha were in the right for rebellion. They are one of Konoha's founding clans and yet because of Tobirama Senju they don't even have the same political rights as other clans like the Nara or Hyuuga. They were forced into the police role and put into a place where there was always general suspicion against them from the village. And yet for generations they have fought and died for the village in wars like any other shinobi, always showing that they had the same loyalty as anyone in the village. To civilians, they be looked on with prestige but to the political standpoint that were Senju biased like Danzo and even Hiruzen the sacrifices of the Uchiha were far less than that of anyone else. Loyalty, no matter how strong, is never infinite and I believe that at the time of the Uchiha Massacre they just couldn't take it anymore. Madara was right in that Uchiha would perish in the village because every political power was against them and the Uchiha were scorned by those like Danzo. They may have betrayed the village, but to be honest they were betrayed first by the village they gave their lives for. It wasn't pride or arrogance that led them to a coup; it was desperation, and I want to tackle that in this story.

Up next is Chapter 16.

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