Yui froze, then followed Nai Hyuga's pointing finger upward. Sure enough, a stone door carved with intricate patterns stood silently overhead, radiating an imposing air.
The door's location astonished her. One question filled her mind: Why is this door on the ceiling of the cave?
She glanced around. The stone door's sudden appearance felt utterly out of place.
Nai Hyuga shook her head. Neither of them knew the answer, but a faint suspicion began to form in her mind.
"Yui, do you think this ruin might have been turned upright? Could that be why the stone door is up on the rocky ceiling?"
Yui paused at Nai Hyuga's suggestion. She stared at the stone door above, her red lips parting unconsciously. "That... actually seems possible."
"But I hope that isn't the case."
If the ruin really had been turned upright, as Nai Hyuga suggested, they might have to expend a great deal of effort to find what lay inside.
"Hehehe, you two actually found it."
Orochimaru's amused voice drifted up from below. Yui and Nai looked down to see him crouching, holding a broken piece of fluorescent rock between two fingers.
Its light remained unchanged, showing no sign of fading.
"Let's go down and ask Orochimaru what he thinks." Yui shook her head. She wanted to push the door open right away, but there was no telling what dangers awaited, so she suppressed the urge.
"All right." Nai Hyuga nodded, and the two controlled their Flying Ninjutsu to descend slowly.
"Orochimaru, I'm sure you've already figured something out, or at least have an idea!" Yui met his eyes with a scrutinizing gaze.
"Hehe..."
Orochimaru chuckled, tossed away the fluorescent rock in his hand, and looked up at the imposing stone door. He nodded slightly. "Indeed. The moment I first saw