Fugaku watched the sparring session with quiet satisfaction. He couldn't deny the pride that swelled within him as he observed Shisui's performance. After all, Shisui had been personally trained by him in many of the techniques that were being put to the test.
Though Shisui was slightly older than Enso, Fugaku considered them to be on equal footing in status, since Enso was a disciple of Minato. Itachi, too, held immense potential, and with time, Fugaku believed his son would be able to catch up with Enso. It was a matter of experience and patience. While Enso had the advantage for now, Itachi had yet to awaken the Sharingan.
Enso had gained more from the match than Shisui, picking up techniques like Shisui's 'Body Flicker' and 'Afterimages Clone'—without either Uchiha realising it. It was clear to Enso that Shisui's speed, especially in close combat, was unparalleled, even exceeding Minato's in close ranges. Shisui's 'Afterimages Clone' demonstrated the depth of his mastery.
His movements were so light and fluid that Enso had trouble keeping up, but he managed to defend himself, using his quick reflexes and experience. Shisui's full speed was a bit faster than Enso's 'Void Step,' a technique that had always been a reliable tool for him.
While Enso could theoretically match or surpass Shisui's speed with Chakra Reinforcement, doing so would undermine the purpose of this sparring session, which was to test their abilities rather than compete at their maximum potential.
Enso's true strength in the battle came not from sheer speed but from his ability to anticipate and defend against Shisui's attacks. He had prepared for the 'Afterimages Clone' technique, using the Mind's Eyes of the Kagura. His sensing ability allowed him to dodge the dangerous 'Dance of the Sun Halo' without taking any serious injuries.
Enso didn't even get the chance to attempt any of his Water Release techniques—Shisui was relentless, pushing him to his limits, testing not just his physical prowess but also his tactical mind.
...
At Kushina 's home.
Naruto had become more comfortable around Enso—often reaching out to be picked up, a simple gesture that spoke volumes about the growing bond between them.
Over dinner, Enso casually shared details of his sparring session with the Uchiha, as he always did. Albeit, he left out the part where he had learned Shisui's techniques. Instead, he focused on the impressive aspects of the fight, the speed, the strategy, and the techniques that Shisui had used. Minato agreed that Shisui's speed was exceptional in close combat.
He jokingly said that Shisui was one of those kids who was so fast, he'd have to use his 'Flying Thunder God' just to keep up. Enso laughed at the joke, but his curiosity couldn't be contained. He asked Minato if he could teach him any Ninjutsu.
Minato smiled warmly but gently declined, explaining that he would be happy to teach Enso after the Chunin Exams. "Your skills are already more than enough for a Genin," he said. "Besides, there's still so much you can learn from Hayama-senpai."
Though Enso felt a flicker of disappointment, he wasn't disheartened.
A month had passed since Enso had created the 'Dynamic Blade Styles,' a powerful Kenjutsu technique that was quickly becoming an integral part of his combat. He had already engraved the movements of the Kenjutsu deep into his muscle memory, but today, he decided to take things a step further.
He was ready to take on a new challenge: 'Tsubamae Gaeshi,' a sword technique he had studied closely but had never attempted. Enso was confident that now, after all the training and sparring, he was ready to learn it.
With only three days left before the Daimyo Guarding mission, he was determined to make the most of every moment. Enso calmly make his way toward the training ground first thing in the morning.
He had deliberately held off on practising this ultimate technique, choosing to focus on refining his 'Dynamic Blade Techniques' and ensuring his foundation was as solid as possible. The sparring sessions with Minato, Hayama, and Shisui had been invaluable, helping him sharpen his skills, correct flaws, and strengthen his overall combat ability.
As he began, Enso quickly realised that mastering 'Tsubamae Gaeshi' would be far more difficult than he had anticipated. At first, he could only manage two slashes — not nearly enough to complete the technique as intended. But with each swing of his blade, his confidence grew. He understood that failure was a natural part of the process and refused to let frustration take hold.
The original technique consisted of only three strikes, as Kojirou wielded a single sword instead of two. Now, building on the foundation of his Dynamic Blade Style, Enso aimed to perfect a sequence of six consecutive slashes.
This technique was no joke, as its difficulty easily surpassed that of an A-Rank jutsu. Unlike ninjutsu, it relied entirely on physical strength and pure skill, leaving no room for shortcuts.
Enso trained relentlessly, refusing to let frustration take root and affect his judgment. Again and again, he attempted to push past the barrier that held him back, but no matter how many times he swung his blade, he couldn't create more than four strikes with 'Tsubamae Gaeshi'. Still, he didn't falter.
He entered a grinding state of mind — a place where time, hunger, and fatigue meant nothing. He stripped away everything he knew about Kenjutsu, shedding unnecessary thoughts and habits, returning to the basics: feel, instinct, flow.
Hours passed unnoticed. Enso practised, failed, corrected, and failed again. Yet, with each failure, he grew sharper. His arms ached, his muscles trembled, but his spirit remained firm. It was amid this endless repetition, when his mind and body reached their absolute limits, that a breakthrough finally came.
On one swing, something clicked — a supreme technique that ignored everything in existence by carving a certain future with nothing but the will of his blade.
Six flashes of silver tore through the air, striking almost simultaneously. With a resounding series of cracks, the stone slabs he used as targets split into six perfectly clean pieces.
Enso lowered his sword, panting heavily. A thin sheen of sweat coated his skin, and for the first time in hours, he let himself smile. He had long stopped practising on trees after he accidentally damaged one during his second attempt earlier. He didn't want to ruin the training ground's natural beauty by leaving a trail of broken trees behind him.
As he straightened, Enso glanced up at the sky and was surprised to find it already dark. The stars had begun to twinkle faintly overhead, and he realised he had completely missed his usual dinner time. His stomach growled in protest, snapping him back to the present. Without wasting a moment, he gathered his things and headed toward Ichiraku Ramen, planning to pick up some food to eat at Kushina's home. He could already imagine her worrying, wondering why he had disappeared without prior notice.
At the stand, Enso ordered ten takeout bowls of ramen, making sure there was more than enough to satisfy his ravenous appetite. As he waited, he decided to buy thirty sticks of dango from a nearby vendor as well — something to share with Minato and Kushina as a small apology for missing dinner.
Without bothering to change his clothes, Enso rushed straight to Kushina's house, carrying the warm bundles of food. His training attire was stained with dust and sweat, but he was far too hungry to care. When he arrived, Kushina was already at the door, greeting him with a worried expression.
Enso quickly apologised, explaining what had happened and why he hadn't been able to help with dinner that night. He handed over the dango with a sheepish grin before borrowing a bowl to finally sit down and devour the ramen he had brought.
While eating, Enso eagerly told them about his progress — about the success he had finally achieved after countless failures. Kushina and Minato listened patiently, their expressions shifting from concern to curiosity as he spoke.
After finishing the last of his food, Enso stood up and demonstrated the 'Tsubamae Gaeshi' for them. He unsheathed his sword in a fluid motion, and in a split second, six blindingly fast slashes tore through the air.
Minato's eyes widened in shock. Though it looked simple at a glance, he could instantly tell the truth — the blade strikes had transcended time and space, forcing a "certain future" into reality with sheer technique alone.
It wasn't just speed. It was inevitable.
"This is a certain death technique," Minato said gravely after a long silence. "Promise me you won't use this against any of your comrades, even in training." Kushina, usually fiery and spirited, looked just as stunned.
Enso nodded with quiet seriousness. He understood the risks. He hadn't rushed to learn this technique for show—or to use it against those who mattered to him. His skill in swordsmanship was no secret to Minato and Kushina; they had witnessed it firsthand, felt its weight and precision.
"Sensei, do you think it would work against that masked man?" Enso asked, curiosity edging his voice. After all, Minato had once faced that very enemy during the Nine-Tails incident.
Minato took a slow breath, his gaze distant as if recalling that night. He asked the same question that had lingered in his mind after witnessing Enso's demonstration. "His space-time ninjutsu is on a level beyond even my Flying Raijin," he admitted. "I'm not sure... I suppose it all comes down to who activates their technique first."
Enso knew there was a chance that Obito might appear during the mission. He didn't have many chances to kill someone like Obito — a man whose Kamui ability made him nearly untouchable. But if he could use 'Tsubamae Gaeshi' before Obito activated his intangibility, then maybe, just maybe, he had a shot at ending him for good.
Even if he couldn't land a fatal blow, striking before Obito could activate his intangibility — and costing him an arm or a leg — would still bring Enso immense satisfaction. As the thought settled, he clenched his fists silently, a quiet determination burning in his eyes.
Even if the odds weren't entirely in his favour, at least now Enso had a chance of surviving an encounter with Obito during the upcoming mission. That thought alone drove him to continue his preparation with unwavering focus. Over the next two days, Enso dedicated himself completely to mastering his sword technique. He trained with his nearly ruined Wakizashi, using the battered blade to sharpen his execution of Tsubamae Gaeshi.
From dawn until long past sunset, he practised without rest, his world narrowing down to the rhythm of his breathing, the swing of his blade, and the feel of the technique burning itself into his muscles. He abandoned all other training routines, focusing solely on perfecting his strikes until his body couldn't move anymore.
By the end of each day, his hands were blistered and his arms ached from the relentless repetition, but Enso pressed on without complaint. He knew that hesitation or clumsiness against someone like Obito would mean death. He silently heals his wound before bedtime, and his mind has nothing but Tsubame Gaeshi.
On the final day before the mission, as he was finishing another long session of practice, his faithful blades finally gave out. With a sharp crack, the Wakizashi snapped cleanly apart. Enso stared at the broken weapon in silence, feeling a reluctant acceptance settle over him. Though he wanted to keep going, he knew he couldn't risk damaging the last pair of blades he still had. Sighing, he decided to call it a day.
After packing up, Enso made his way into Konoha's bustling marketplace. His first stop was the supply shop he frequented for equipment. There, he immediately placed an order for over a thousand Nail Shuriken, completely clearing out the shop's stock. The shopkeeper, an elderly man with a thick moustache and a good-natured smile, happily accepted Enso's hefty payment and promised to restock soon.
While browsing through the shop's dusty shelves, Enso stumbled upon something unusual—a small collection of Armour pieces that looked distinctly foreign. Black and white leg guards and bracers, crafted from lightweight metal, were tucked away in the corner. Curious, Enso tested them with a few careful strikes with his Kunai. To his pleasant surprise, the armour was durable enough to resist a solid blow yet light enough not to restrict movement.
Though the origins of the armour were dubious at best—it was clear the pieces weren't obtained through entirely legal means—Enso didn't hesitate. Items like these were rare, and he knew an opportunity when he saw one. He bought eight pairs in total, already thinking about how to distribute them. He planned to gift sets to his teammates, reserve two pairs for Itachi and Shisui, and keep three sets for himself. After all, reliable armour was a rare commodity, especially when facing unpredictable enemies.
Satisfied with his purchases, Enso headed toward Kushina's house, the familiar path calming his mind after the day's intensity. When he arrived, he wasted no time and asked her a question that had been on his mind: "Sensei, is there any sealing technique that can generate heat?"
Kushina's eyes lit up with excitement. Smiling proudly, she retrieved two sealing formulas from a scroll—one that could produce heat, and another that could generate cold. She also showed him a special variation she had invented herself: a temperature adjustment seal. This seal could sense the external environment and automatically regulate the temperature for comfort.
"I use it on all my clothes and gear," Kushina said with a grin. "It makes training and missions a lot more bearable, believe me."
Impressed, Enso carefully studied the seals under her guidance, committing the structure and flow to memory. Before the night was over, he had successfully inscribed the temperature adjustment seals onto the armour pieces he had bought. Testing them out, he found that the armour now felt almost magical—maintaining a perfect, comfortable temperature no matter the surroundings.
What made the seal even better was that it required no chakra to maintain; it was a constant passive effect. Enso couldn't help but marvel at Kushina's ingenuity. With the seals in place, he also decided to apply them to the inner layers of his clothing, making sure he would always be at peak condition regardless of the weather.
Feeling satisfied with the day's accomplishments, Enso excused himself and returned home. Standing alone under the moonlit sky, he resumed practising Tsubamae Gaeshi, cutting through the air with precise, fluid movements. The blade sang with each strike, carving invisible lines through the night.
Three hours later, sweat soaking his clothes and breath steady, Enso finally lowered his sword. The technique was no longer a conscious effort—it was becoming instinct.
Soon, the real test would begin.