At the edge of the Forest of Death, in the Sarutobi Clan's private training ground.
Unlike the training grounds commonly found in Leaf Village, this place was surrounded by towering barrier pillars. The ground was paved with specially made soundproof stone slabs, and even the air carried an oppressive stillness. In one corner of the grounds, several wooden training posts were covered in blade marks of varying depths. The deepest cuts had nearly split the entire posts apart.
Hyuga Xiao sat with his back against a stone pillar. The corrosive wound on his left shoulder had been roughly treated with medical bandages by Kurenai Yuhi, but the searing pain from the Curse Mark's backlash still pulsed at the ends of his nerves. His face was pale, and the Caged Bird Seal on his forehead faintly burned beneath his skin like a branding iron ready to explode at any moment.
Kurenai stood three steps in front of him, her hands forming seals as she maintained a simple soundproof barrier. Her breathing was somewhat hurried. Clearly, repeatedly using genjutsu and barrier techniques had drained her considerably.
"He's here," Hong suddenly said in a low voice.
Ripples spread through the barrier at the training ground's entrance, and a figure passed through the screen.
Asuma Sarutobi wore a dark green Elite Ninja vest, an unlit cigarette hanging from his mouth, with his right hand casually tucked into his pocket. His gaze swept over Hong before stopping on Xiao for two seconds. A complicated emotion flashed through his eyes—surprise, vigilance, and something like calculation.
"Hong, do you know what you're doing?" Asuma's voice was calm, but pressure hid beneath that calmness.
"I do." Hong did not back down. "He saved me. More than once."
Asuma walked to the center of the training ground, took out