"Hehe, I never expected Miroku's daughter to have grown so much. Have you properly inherited the priestess's power?" An evil voice suddenly echoed throughout the area.
At the sound of that voice, Shion's hand visibly trembled, and a trace of fear flashed across her face.
"Who's there?!" Naruto immediately shifted to stand in front of Shion, staring toward the source of the voice.
A man stepped out from the shadows, his face carrying a strange expression as he looked at Shion, who was in the midst of sealing. His eyes flickered with wariness, fear, fervor, and greed.
"Hehe, fate truly is predetermined." The man smiled faintly at Naruto and Shion, speaking casually as though Naruto's guarded stance meant nothing to him.
"Moryo..." Shion murmured softly. As if trying to hide her fear, she took a deep breath, but the movements of her hands did not stop in the slightest! Even with Moryo right before her, within arm's reach, Shion would never abandon her duty! Never forget her mission!
"What?!" Naruto's pupils contracted slightly, and his vigilance rose to its peak! So this guy was Moryo? An existence even more terrifying than the Nine-Tails within him?
"It has never changed. No one can shake it. As though it had been decreed by a god, fate is the truest depiction of the present!" Moryo chuckled to himself, speaking as though he did not care at all about the barrier that was about to be completed.
"Priestess, your fate is to merge with me!" Moryo said calmly. In that instant, Naruto felt as though the world before his eyes was gradually darkening, as if double images were appearing.
Suddenly, a disdainful snort rang out in Naruto's heart. "Hmph!" Naruto jolted awake.
"Not good!"
"Whoosh!"
"Clang!" Naruto swiftly drew a kunai, twisting aside to