[Inside the ruins · Main hall]
The passage was long, with glowing ores embedded in the walls on either side providing faint light. Naruto and Hinata hurried along it and soon reached the ruins' main hall.
The main hall was vast, its vaulted ceiling dozens of meters high. Murals depicting ancient wars covered the walls. At its center stood an enormous stone platform, upon which rested a crystal ball radiating white light.
Four people stood before the crystal ball.
Their leader was Urashiki Otsutsuki. Three people in black cloaks stood beside him, their faces hidden, but the chakra they radiated marked them as formidable ninja.
"We meet again, Naruto Uzumaki." Urashiki turned to Naruto with an amused smile. "I knew you would come."
"Urashiki!" Naruto clenched his fists. "What are you doing here?"
"Taking back what belongs to the Ōtsutsuki Clan, of course." Urashiki pointed at the crystal ball behind him. "Sealed inside this crystal ball is the secret of the Ōtsutsuki Clan's origins. Once we have it, we can find the fragments of the primordial tree and obtain the Creator God's power."
"In your dreams!" Naruto roared. "I won't let you get away with this!"
"You think you can stop me?" Urashiki laughed. "You only survived last time because Uchiha Ryūha helped you. This time, he isn't here."
"I don't need his help!" Naruto formed hand seals. "I'm enough on my own!"
He was about to charge when Hinata caught his arm.
"Naruto-kun, be careful!" Hinata said. "Something's wrong with those three."
Naruto looked more closely and realized that the chakra emanating from the three cloaked figures was unstable, surging and weakening by turns, as though something were controlling them.
"Are they... puppets?" Naruto asked.
"No." Hinata shook her head. "They're alive, but their minds... have been erased. They're