Without hesitation, Hana slashed at the rock.
Thick claw marks tore through the surface, carving deep gashes into the stone as if it were soft clay. The raw cutting power of her golden claws left Enso speechless.
Enso was genuinely impressed by Hana's use of Blood Sticky Gold. He had never imagined it could be applied this way. She used it as a direct tool for mobility and combat.
In a smooth motion, Hana launched a mass of the gleaming substance at one of the stone pillars surrounding the arena. The hardened blend of sweat and blood burrowed deep into the rock like a stake.
Hana created another set of hardened tips on each of her fingers, then swiftly launched herself upward, climbing the stone pillar with practised ease. Her movements were precise and powerful, almost effortless in how she scaled the jagged surface.
Within seconds, she reached the top and paused, standing tall against the wind.
After a brief moment, she began her descent. Instead of jumping down, she dragged her reinforced fingers along the surface of the pillar to control her speed. The hardened material scraped against the rock, sending sparks flying with every motion.
It was a controlled fall, graceful and calculated, showcasing both her technique and the strength of the Blood Sticky Gold.
This method relied entirely on the toughness and adaptability of the Sticky Gold. It wasn't stretchy like silk, but it was dense and durable, acting almost like reinforced armour.
The technique was familiar enough that he didn't have to fake failure this time. With practised ease, he mimicked her steps and reproduced the climb on a nearby pillar.
Once he landed, Hana nodded approvingly and moved on to the next lesson.
"Now we move on to sticky silk and corrosive silk. Watch closely."
She raised her hands and began to form fine threads of silk from her fingers. This time, she drew from her sweat, moulding it into something more refined and flexible. The sticky silk formed into a large net, which she flung outward to cover a wide area. It stuck instantly to the stone surface. Then she compacted the silk into a dense projectile and fired it at a distant boulder.
The impact was light, but the silk clung tight, wrapping part of the rock like glue.
"This kind of silk is different," Hana explained. "It's made purely from sweat. The Sealing Lineage uses something similar, but they layer sealing jutsu over it after capturing a target. I don't bother with seals. I just control the properties directly."
She demonstrated further by adjusting the stickiness and flexibility of each strand, showing how easily the silk could shift between binding a target and allowing for fluid motion. Despite its delicate appearance, the silk was incredibly strong and surprisingly stretchy.
This version of silk was messier, spread wider across the area like a web designed to trap rather than pull.
Enso watched closely, analysing every subtle movement. The logic behind the sticky silk began to make sense. It shared foundational principles with the spider rope, but the key difference was in its composition.
This variant was formed purely from sweat, making it uniquely suited for wide-area coverage and entrapment.
Drawing from his own sweat, he moulded his chakra and produced a strand of sticky silk. He tested it, then began to expand. One by one, he recreated Hana's techniques, covering the training field with a complex web. The silk stuck to walls, rocks, creating a domain of sticky silk.
Hana returned to her position, arms crossed, nodding with pride. Enso stood among his own webwork, steady and calm.
"Here's the last silk technique. Corrosive silk is more useful for torture than killing," Hana said, her tone calm and instructive. "I'm not from the Venomous Lineage, the ones born with poison glands, but this still has its uses. If you restrain your target with sticky silk and then cover them with corrosive silk, it becomes incredibly effective. You won't need much of it, though. If the balance is off, it can damage your pores."
She extended her hand and fired a thread of silk at a nearby stone. The silk struck the surface and peeled away a darkened layer, revealing a clean white stone underneath.
"You'll need to mix the acid with a bit of sweat before releasing it," she continued. "That outer layer of sweat protects your pores from the acid during release. Once the silk is exposed to air, the acid eats through the sweat and then begins corroding the actual target. It's much safer this way. I'll show it once more."
With practised ease, Hana launched another strand at a different section of the stone, peeling off another blackened layer like it was old bark coming off a tree.
Enso activated his Mind's Eye of Kagura, focusing intently. The technique sounded dangerous, and he didn't want to miss even the slightest detail. It relied on pure stomach acid, after all, and any mistake could easily harm the user more than the target.
"That'll be all for today. Tomorrow, you'll be sparring against the Six Lineages once again. This time, however, your focus will shift. I want you to apply the spider techniques you've learned today alongside your Nether Energy. Do not become overly reliant on your blade. The battlefield is always changing, and a true warrior adapts faster than it does," Hana said with pride in her voice, watching Enso perfectly replicate every technique she had demonstrated.
His progress had exceeded her expectations.
Meanwhile, on the far side of the training grounds, Tengen was engaged in his own brutal method of instruction. One by one, he knocked the six young spiders to the ground, mercilessly forcing them to fight back or be crushed. His method was unforgiving, almost insane in its intensity, but undeniably effective.
By the end of the day, each of them had fully transformed into their human forms. More than that, they had begun retaliating with Nether Energy, their attacks sharper and more focused than ever before.
Tengen took great pleasure in using Enso's rapid progress as a weapon against the others. He mocked them relentlessly, reminding them that a human outsider had already surpassed them in technique. That shame turned into fuel, burning inside each of them and forging their weakness into resolve.
But it was not Tengen's methods alone that had brought them this far. Hana's patient guidance had already laid the foundation for their growth. Her early teachings on controlling and moulding Nether Energy had made it possible for them to progress so rapidly once pushed to their limits.
Later that evening, Hana returned with Enso and paused at the sight before her. Her eyes widened in disbelief as she saw the six young spiders standing tall in their human forms, radiating raw Nether Energy. Tengen leaned against a stone pillar with a smug expression, as if daring her to question the results of his madness.
After dinner, Enso sat alone in quiet meditation. He closed his eyes and let his breath settle, sinking into the rhythm of his own heartbeat. He was exploring the hidden depths of the Mind's Eye of Kagura. Although he had already studied everything detailed in the scroll passed down from Kushina, his recent sparring match with Tengen had unearthed something new, something dormant within the technique.
It was what the scroll had only hinted at: the potential for true extrasensory perception. At first, Enso had believed this ability stemmed entirely from his connection to Nether Energy. But now, he began to suspect that was not the whole truth.
Tengen's reaction during the sparring match, the way he had responded not to raw power but to subtle perception, had sparked a revelation. Nether Energy could sense killing intent, fear, and strong emotions. It excelled at picking up sudden shifts in emotional states, allowing a fighter to detect danger or deception. But the Mind's Eye of Kagura was something else entirely.
The Mind's Eye of Kagura possesses an extraordinarily wide sensory range. In fact, its detection radius can easily rival that of Tokuma's Byakugan, which is renowned for its far-reaching perception. However, in battles against close-combat specialists like Tengen, such expansive range becomes more of a liability than an advantage.
It tends to serve as a distraction, failing to provide the necessary clarity during rapid, high-speed exchanges. Enso eventually came to realise this weakness. In response, his body instinctively began to adapt, gradually condensing the vast field of his sensory perception.
He managed to reduce it to a tightly controlled radius of only five meters. That adaptation allowed him to properly respond to Tengen's aggressive and unpredictable attacks during their most recent fight.
As for why this specialised form of the ability was never mentioned in the Uzumaki scrolls, Enso could only speculate. He believed that, in earlier times, individuals with this power were likely assigned traditional sensor roles similar to those performed by members of the Yamanaka Clan.
It was possible that the combat applications of the ability were overlooked or never fully explored.
Still, Enso was certain that this was not a skill he had developed through adaptation alone. That meant it should be replicable by others who possess the same innate ability.
To push his limits even further, Enso calmed his mind and focused deeply, compressing his sensory field to the absolute minimum. The result was a thin, almost invisible layer of awareness that hugged his body like silk. He was inspired by Hana's teachings in the art of spider-based techniques, which emphasised subtlety and precision. As he entered this heightened state, his five physical senses were pushed to their peak, and for a brief moment, they felt as if they had been magnified by the Mind's Eye of Kagura itself.
Maintaining this state, however, was no simple matter. At his current level, Enso could only hold it for one minute. This clearly indicated that he had not yet mastered it. Even so, he smiled, feeling genuinely satisfied with his progress. It was better than he had expected. He chose not to rush the process and instead committed himself to slow and methodical refinement.
Deep down, he knew that if the sensation of life-threatening danger from Tengen were present again, he might have already achieved full control of the ability.
Fortunately, Hana had already arranged an opportunity for him to test his limits once more. Tomorrow, he would be sparring against six of Hana's summoned creatures simultaneously. Knowing he would be without his sword in that battle, Enso dedicated another two hours to exploring his options and refining his hand-to-hand combat skills.
As he continued his training, the condensed sensory field enabled him to gain a deeper understanding of his own body. He could feel the connections between every vein, the alignment of his internal organs, the positioning of individual hairs, and the intricate structure of his muscles and bones.
Every second spent in that state gave him a clearer sense of his internal composition. Before long, he managed to form a true suit of body armour using Blood Sticky Gold. Unlike previous versions, this one provided full protection without limiting his mobility in the slightest.
In the past, Tsubamaru had used Blood Sticky Gold primarily as a heavy armour, intended to absorb and deflect incoming damage. Enso, however, took a different approach. Recognising that heavy armour interfered with his mobility, he avoided that method entirely. Thanks to his refined control, that disadvantage had now been eliminated.
To complete the transformation, he even shaped a partial skull mask that covered his nose and mouth. This not only completed his golden armour set but also concealed his facial expressions, providing a strategic advantage in battle.
After a full day of relentless training, Enso finally rested. His body, having reached its limit, sank into sleep without resistance. For once, his dreams were quiet and his breathing steady. It was the deep, undisturbed rest that only came after complete physical and mental exhaustion.
The following day, the Arena was alive with activity. All six spiders had assembled in their human forms, standing silently in formation around the circular battleground. Surrounding them were the Elders, respected figures from each lineage, gathered to observe this rare display of high-level combat training.
Tengen stepped forward, taking on the role of referee. His gaze was sharp and his expression unreadable. This was not just a test for Enso. It was a lesson for the spiders as well.
The format had been changed. Rather than facing all six spiders at once or in isolated duels, the battles would begin as two-on-one engagements, gradually escalating in difficulty. The setup challenged both sides and forced tactical evolution.
The first team was Aka (Red) and Gin (Silver). Though they had assumed humanoid forms, they were clearly unfamiliar with their new anatomy. Their movements were stiff and unnatural.
Their combat style still relied heavily on the Eight Spider Blades, which were manifestations of Nether Energy rather than physical weapons. These blades extended from their backs like ethereal limbs, swift and sharp, but lacking the nuance of true martial training.
Enso, however, was different.
Not only could he wield the Eight Spider Blades as fluidly as if they were extensions of his own body, but he also moved with the precision and decisiveness of a modern close-combat specialist. His understanding of human physiology, combined with his mastery of timing and angles, made the fight one-sided.
In less than two minutes, he overwhelmed Aka and Gin using simple but effective techniques, well-placed strikes, swift parries, and clean sweeps, before binding the two in thick cords of sticky spider silk.
Hana observed the entire exchange with a small, approving smile. She raised her hand, signalling the next phase of the match. At once, the remaining four spiders launched into action, leaping into the arena with practised coordination.
This subtle signal did not escape Enso's sharpened senses. In response, he instantly extended his Mind's Eye of Kagura to its full five-meter range, enveloping the area around him like an invisible sphere of awareness.
Murasaki (Purple) and Kuro (Black) rushed to free Aka and Gin, slicing through the webbing with their blades. Meanwhile, Shiro (White) and Kin(Gold) advanced on Enso together. These two were clearly more proficient in their human forms. Shiro employed silk threads as a mobility tool, swinging between points to create openings and provide cover.
Kin(Gold) engaged Enso directly using a fluid style of Taijutsu. Some of his movements mirrored Enso's earlier techniques, including jabs, low kicks, and footwork patterns, as if he had memorised them by observation alone.
Enso countered effortlessly. He used Void Step, a technique that allowed him to momentarily walk on air by pushing off threads of spiritual energy. With this, he manipulated elevation, weaving above and around his opponents while controlling the tempo of battle.
He didn't need complex moves. Simple strikes, straight punches, calculated hooks, and well-timed sweeps were all he used. But his execution was perfect. Every attack landed where it needed to, and every defence flowed seamlessly into his next movement.
Despite their coordination, Shiro and Kin were gradually forced onto the defensive. But the momentum shifted once all six spiders rejoined the fight. Now untangled and regrouped, the entire group surrounded Enso.
They attacked with more cohesion, revealing adaptive strategies. Enso countered by summoning his Eight Spider Blades, which extended from his back and curved around him like a shifting cage. With them, he kept the group at bay, carving through strikes and defending against multi-angle assaults.
He reinforced his offence by forming a claw-shaped weapon from Blood Sticky Gold. The metallic sheen glistened in the sunlight as he lashed out with increased aggression. For a while, he maintained the upper hand.
But the spiders adapted quicker than expected. After thirty minutes of constant battle, their tactics evolved. They shifted into a defensive formation with four spiders maintaining a rotating guard while Kin and Shiro launched coordinated attacks.
Enso grinned. This was exactly what he needed.
Amid the intensity, he began to shift his use of the Mind's Eye of Kagura. Rather than keeping it constantly active, he began toggling it on and off in rapid intervals, adjusting to the rhythm of battle.
The precision this offered allowed him to sharpen his perception at critical moments without exhausting his focus.
But fatigue was setting in, not just for Enso.
Shiro and Kin began to burn through their reserves of Nether Energy. Slowly, their human features receded and their original spider forms emerged. They became larger, faster, and more resilient. The change brought with it increased power, but also introduced new challenges.
Their movements became more aggressive, and their attacks more overwhelming. Without the use of his sword, Enso was forced to rely entirely on hand-to-hand combat, his Eight Spider Blades, and his enhanced bodily awareness.
But despite the pressure, everyone was shocked to see Enso visibly more relaxed, moving as if he possessed a sixth sense. His Eight Spider Blades flowed smoothly against Kin (Gold) and destroyed Shiro (White)'s silk.
With his newfound extrasensory perception, he retaliated against the remaining four spiders, slowly webbing them up against the stone wall pillars.
* Hey everyone, if you've made it this far and haven't left a review yet, please consider doing so. It would really help me out.
Another thing, I am not sure if I will be able to release new chapters tomorrow. We'll see how thing goes.