In a corner of Wufang City, Asuma and Chiriku had retreated from the battlefield. After carefully erasing their tracks, they opened a small section of the barrier surrounding the area and slipped inside.
The "Ghosts" in the city couldn't use Chakra, so they still hadn't discovered Asuma and the others' hideout after all this time. The barrier's entrance was in a shadowy corner, hidden from view outside by a huge trash can. It wasn't particularly sophisticated, but it worked very well.
After opening the barrier, Asuma and Chiriku vanished into the dark alley.
It was a vast underground complex. Among the non-rebellious ninja of the Twelve Guardian Ninja, there were Earth Style users. Building an underground palace wasn't especially difficult for Jonin skilled in Earth Style.
It was this hidden underground palace and the excellent barrier that had allowed the survivors to stay concealed until now.
As Asuma and Chiriku emerged from the passage leading to the underground palace, the candles along the path suddenly lit up. Once the two had passed, they quickly went out again. Before long, Asuma and Chiriku reached an open area. Not far away, a short, middle-aged man anxiously craned his neck toward the corridor entrance.
Behind the middle-aged man stood two well-built young men. Each wore a white sash embroidered with the character "Fire" at his waist.
The middle-aged man saw Asuma and Chiriku and his anxious expression turned to delight. Before they could approach, he called out, "Well? Did you succeed?"
The middle-aged man waiting for Asuma and Chiriku was none other than the current Daimyo of the Land of Fire.
"We failed. The usual Ninjutsu had no effect, and we don't know how to kill them."
"Right now, all we can do is find a way to escape and ask Konoha for