"Hey, kid!"
Enma did not continue the pursuit. Instead, he stood still, arms crossed, his golden eyes scrutinizing Shinichi, who was still panting, a dozen meters away.
"Now you can use Ninjutsu."
These words startled Shinichi slightly. In the past month of hellish special training, both sides had abandoned all fancy techniques and only used the purest Taijutsu, raw strength, and ability to withstand blows to clash.
Enma once stated that only by first making the body remember the essence of power can one talk about anything else.
In this unreserved sparring session, Enma truly felt the extraordinary physique of the boy before him.
That astonishing strength, resilience, and endurance are simply unlike those of ordinary humans.
If Hiruzen Sarutobi hadn't explicitly told him beforehand that the child was a commoner orphan, he would have even suspected that Shinichi might possess some unknown Kekkei Genkai or have some connection with the Senju clan, known for their powerful physique.
"Didn't you want to create a fusion of Ninjutsu and Taijutsu?"
Seeing Shinichi's expression, Enma explained, "I really don't have anything to teach you about the specific training of Ninjutsu. Your hand seals and Ninjutsu are not the way of our race."
Enma paused, then continued, "However, combining existing powers and rapidly connecting them in actual combat, even transforming them into a unified whole that is no longer separate Taijutsu and Ninjutsu, but as natural as breathing... This process might be forced out in battle."
Enma's meaning is clear: In the upcoming sparring session, Shinichi can freely use the Ninjutsu he has mastered.
The goal is no longer simply to endure or dodge, but to try to truly connect the release, restraint, and cover of Ninjutsu with the movement, entry, and timing of Taijutsu under the immense pressure brought by him, to find that feeling of fusion, and to lay the most primitive practical foundation for the possible concept of fusion between Ninjutsu and Taijutsu in the future.
"Come on."
Enma's voice was deep and full of absolute confidence: "Attack with the determination to kill me. Don't worry about hurting me. In the current Shinobi World, there is nothing that can hurt me."
...
After a while.
The training ground was even more ravaged than before, with charred traces and new craters everywhere, indicating that the battle had entered a new phase.
With an incredibly sharp energy hum, the azure chakra ball, Rasengan, was seized by Shinichi in a fleeting moment and was fiercely driven toward Enma.
Enma reacted extremely quickly, raising his right palm at the critical moment to block the high-speed rotating chakra ball containing terrifying penetrating power.
The ball contained not only sharp penetrating power, but also a solid and heavy force.
Under the impact of this force, even with his mountain-like body, he could not maintain his balance and slid backward, his feet sinking deep into the ground and carving out two furrows, until he finally stopped retreating seven or eight meters away.
Smoke and dust rose slightly.
Enma raised his eyebrows and looked at the black-haired boy who was panting heavily, not far away, and was obviously exhausted. Then his gaze fell on his right palm that had caught the Rasengan.
On the palm, a large piece of the tough fur that was usually impervious to swords and knives was torn off, and the tough skin underneath was broken, with a trickle of bright red blood slowly seeping out.
He stared at the crimson stain and fell silent.
"Senior Enma, are you... Alright?"
Shinichi asked while trying to catch his breath.
In the battle just now, he did his best, using a variety of Ninjutsu and Taijutsu combinations to create a gap, in order to finally get this opportunity for a close-range attack, forcing Enma to take a full-force Rasengan from him.
Although Enma's body enjoys the reputation of being indestructible, it's not an absolutely indestructible entity in the literal sense.
In the future, its palm was cut by the Sword of Kusanagi, controlled by Orochimaru.
Speaking of indestructibility, he must mention another unique talent of Enma's Adamantine Monkey Clan, the Adamantine Nyoi Transformation.
They can completely weaponize their bodies according to the needs of the battle, freely transforming into a form called the Adamantine Nyoi.
Once transformed into this unique weapon form, their hardness will undergo a qualitative leap.
Not only can they withstand a direct confrontation with a weapon like the Sword of Kusanagi without sustaining any damage, but they can also send a berserk nine-tails flying out of Konoha with a single blow.
Even during the Fourth Shinobi World War, the third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi, used this form to shatter the ten-tails' dense Wood Style attacks and successfully save Naruto Uzumaki.
Perhaps, only when in this Adamantine Nyoi form can Enma truly be worthy of the title indestructible.
By contrast, in his regular monkey form, steel muscle and iron bones might be a more fitting description.
In this form, he's able to ignore the bombardment of most conventional Ninjutsu and Taijutsu, and his defensive power is terrifying.
However, when faced with powerful Ninjutsu attacks or weapons like the Sword of Kusanagi, his powerful body can still be broken or injured.
"Very good..."
Enma's deep voice broke the silence. He shook his hand, and blood splattered on the ground: "Not bad."
Perhaps feeling embarrassed that his earlier assertion that it was impossible for him to get hurt had been broken, he spoke with a hint of awkwardness in his voice.
"Let's end this training here for now."
As soon as the words fell, without waiting for Shinichi to respond, his massive body vanished with a bang, turning into a thick cloud of white smoke and disappearing on the spot.
In the center of the training ground, only a more ravaged ground, fallen trees, and... where Enma had just stood, some dark red bloodstains that had not yet completely dried on the dust and gravel stood out conspicuously.
Seeing this, Shinichi's gaze lingered briefly on the bloodstains on the ground, his eyes flickering slightly.
But he didn't do anything. Instead, just like after every intense sparring session in the past, he exhaled a long, tired, and hot breath.
Then, without saying a word, he began to tidy up the messy site, gathering the broken pieces of wood and roughly filling in the most conspicuous potholes.
Everything looked no different from usual.
One month later, in the southern border of the Land of Iron, in Foji Town.
This border town, adjacent to the Land of Fire, is famous for its mining and forging industries, and the air is perpetually filled with a faint smell of metal and charcoal.
At this moment, inside a pub called Sakurami Pavilion in the Foji Town, it is bustling with activity.
The heated curtains hung low, but they couldn't block out the rising heat and noise inside the room.
Clinking earthenware cups and goblets, people dressed in various costumes or travel attire sat around low tables, mostly ronin, merchants, and local artisans, the air filled with the salty aroma of sake, grilled fish, and soy sauce.
People talk about recent ore prices, what the border patrols have seen, or which workshop has received another large order.
Rough laughter and boasting filled the air, creating a noisy scene.
Just then, the tavern's thick wooden door creaked open, letting in a blast of cold air from outside.
A tall figure stood against the light in the doorway.
After a brief silence, a clear voice, brimming with undisguised eagerness and confidence, cut through the noise inside and reached everyone's ears clearly: "Gentlemen, may I ask you a question?"
"Who's the best fighter here?"