Outside Konoha in the Land of Fire, a group of people walked slowly through the night.
The moon in the sky had already turned blood-red, and an ominous chakra flowed in from afar, affecting the entire world.
Orochimaru stopped and looked into the distance. His snake-like pupils narrowed into slits as he said in a low, hoarse voice, "This ominous chakra... is it the Ten-Tails? It seems the battle over there is quite intense."
Second Pillar also glanced in that direction. He lowered his head in silence, and only after a moment did he say, "Hurry. We do not have much time to waste."
Orochimaru gave a sinister chuckle and turned eastward.
After walking for a long time, they arrived before a dilapidated clan compound. It was not within Konoha, but some distance away from the village.
Hozuki Suigetsu looked around and said, "Where is this? It looks so run-down."
Orochimaru chuckled softly. "This is the Uzumaki Clan's settlement, established during Konoha's early days. Back when the First pacified the world and founded Konoha, the Uzumaki Clan, as distant relatives of the Senju, also contributed greatly to the village's founding. Not long after the village was built, Senju Hashirama invited them to join Konoha.
"However, the Uzumaki Clan was a people with traditions of their own. They did not agree to join completely, but neither did they wholly refuse. Thus, this settlement came to be. Come, enter with me."
The four entered the ruined Ancestral Hall. The place was filled with the decay of time; the entire hall had partially collapsed, and cobwebs and dust could be seen everywhere.
Led by Orochimaru, the four stopped before a wall hung with dozens of different masks, seemingly items once used in rituals.
"Ah, this place looks so creepy. Why did we come