The cold of the Glacial Mine Tunnel seeped into the marrow.
Hyuga Xiao sat cross-legged beside an abandoned mine cart, the blue crystal between his brows giving off a faint glow. The link between the Pact Stone and the Tenseigan was like an icy thread, running from his forehead straight into the depths of the moon, continuously delivering knowledge and power beyond mortal limits.
The price was that his emotions were being diluted.
He looked at Kurenai Yuhi, who was meditating beside him with her eyes closed, and data automatically surfaced in his mind: Chakra reserves, B-rank. Genjutsu specialization, A-rank. Loyalty, 98.7%. Emotional bond depth, "deep." If sacrificed, Tenseigan awakening progress could be accelerated by approximately 12.3%...
"Enough."
Xiao muttered under his breath and forcibly cut off the frigid stream of data.
Hong opened her eyes. Her crimson pupils resembled two flickering flames in the dim mine tunnel. "Xiao, what did you just say?"
"Nothing." Xiao rose to his feet, and icicles from the ceiling came raining down with his movement. "It's time to go."
"Where?"
"Back near Konoha."
Hong froze. "Go back now? Danzo and the Main House are both looking for you—"
"That's exactly why we need to go back." A cold curve touched Xiao's lips. "The most dangerous places often hide the most crucial clues. That masked ANBU, and the Main House's recent movements—I need to confirm them with my own eyes."
He extended a hand, and a three-dimensional map made of blue motes of light appeared above his palm. This was the real-time sensory ability granted by the Pact Stone. Through the Moon Tenseigan's broad perspective, it could track chakra flows in designated areas across the Shinobi World.
On the map, the region representing the Hyuga Clan within Konoha was flashing with dense red points.
They