The hollow was frighteningly hot.
Ryuto and the other four stood at the edge of the hollow, looking at the woman seated in the center of the platform.
Ōtsutsuki Kaguya.
She had pale skin, long bluish-white hair trailing to the ground, two horns on her head, and another eye in the middle of her forehead. All three eyes were tightly shut.
Nine glowing orbs of chakra in different colors floated before her: One-Tail's dark red, Two-Tails' deep blue, Three-Tails' gray-blue, Four-Tails' lava red, Five-Tails' steam white, Six-Tails' foamy purple, Seven-Tails' insect green, Eight-Tails Gyuki's purplish-black, and Nine-Tails' demon-fox orange.
The chakra of all Nine Tailed Beasts was here.
Those glowing orbs were slowly sinking into Kaguya's body. Almost half had already gone in.
Black Zetsu stood beside Kaguya, controlling Hyūga Tenshu's body. The pitch-black face on the right half of Tenshu's face grinned, looking immensely pleased.
"You're here?" Black Zetsu's voice rang out. "A little slower than I expected."
Hashirama stepped forward.
"You're Black Zetsu?" He stared at that half-face. "What exactly are you trying to do?"
"What am I trying to do?" Black Zetsu laughed. "I'm saving my mother. Can't you tell?"
Madara's eternal Mangekyō Sharingan remained fixed on Black Zetsu.
"Who is your mother?"
"My mother?" Black Zetsu turned toward the seated Kaguya. "Her, of course. Ōtsutsuki Kaguya, the progenitor of chakra, the master of the God Tree, one of this world's... creators."
He spoke very slowly, enunciating every word.
Tobirama frowned. "Creator? Then why was she sealed here?"
"Good question." Black Zetsu turned back, the eye on that half-face sweeping over the five of them. "Then let me tell you the true secrets of this shinobi world's ancient past."
He cleared his throat, though Tenshu's voice was already hoarse.
"Long, long ago, my mother, Ōtsutsuki Kaguya, came