Big Spider Appears

Time flew by as Shaye frantically absorbed knowledge. Under Elder Chiyo's guidance, his progress was astonishingly fast. He quickly grasped nature transformation training that gave ordinary shinobi headaches, thanks to his extraordinary perception and control; he could effortlessly memorize the complex, profound Sealing Formulae and understand their underlying logic with his photographic memory; he absorbed advanced medical knowledge and diagrams of the human meridian system like a sponge taking in water; even the most complicated puppet structure blueprints and control techniques could be mastered in an extremely short time, allowing him to offer unique insights.

His talent could no longer be described as merely "decent" or "good." It was truly "astonishing." Elder Chiyo saw it all, and while surprised, she became even more determined to devote herself fully to cultivating him. She realized that having Shaye continue doing repetitive standard-part work in the Manufacturing Division was a tremendous waste of his time and talent.

One day, Chiyo summoned Shaye before her, her expression solemn. "Shaye, your work in the Manufacturing Division ends here. I have already spoken with them. Starting tomorrow, all your time must be devoted to training and study. You need to refine your foundation more systematically and thoroughly, and fully integrate everything I have taught you. What the village needs in the future is a strong person capable of standing on his own, not merely an outstanding craftsman. Do you understand?"

Shaye paused slightly, then nodded solemnly. "Yes, Grandma Chiyo, I understand." He understood that this reflected Chiyo's high expectations and special investment in him, and his heart was filled with nothing but gratitude.

Thus, Shaye's daily rhythm changed once more. He completely left Puppet Limb Manufacturing Team Three and threw himself wholeheartedly into the more intensive training program Chiyo had planned for him. His days became even more monotonous, yet more fulfilling, and every day he could feel his strength steadily improving.

Yet the idea of "transportation" had never faded from his mind. On the contrary, as his theoretical knowledge rapidly grew, especially his understanding of large puppet power systems, structures, and energy transmission, the design blueprint for Big Spider continued to improve and evolve in his mind.

Unable to use the shared tools and materials in the Manufacturing Division anymore, he turned his attention to his own little house and the crude set of tools he had brought from the Maintenance Unit. All his materials came from the savings he had earned selling "Spiders," occasional support from his father, and every discarded part he could find.

Time became his greatest problem. The training Chiyo arranged nearly filled his entire day. Thus, late nights and early mornings became the hours for his secret "workshop."

When the village had fallen silent and most people had already drifted into dreams, a faint light still shone from Shaye's little house. From within came the soft sounds of filing and careful assembly. He used every spare moment to polish the joints of a spider leg, carve a small transmission rune, and adjust a miniature power-transfer mechanism.

This process was a hundred times harder than making the "Spiders." Many structures needed repeated revisions, insufficient material strength required reinforcement, and matching the power core's output with the leg drives required countless fine adjustments. He encountered failures too numerous to count, sometimes even nearly embarrassing himself during the next day's training from staying up late and exhausting his energy.

Yet he never tired of it. This was not merely about creating a tool; it was also a comprehensive practical test of everything he had learned. He cleverly incorporated the knowledge he had learned from Chiyo, Sasori, and Bunpuku into this creation: using Sealing Techniques to stabilize the miniature energy flow, drawing upon medical meridian knowledge to optimize chakra transmission within the puppet body, and using structural blueprints provided by Sasori to avoid load-bearing flaws...

Hard work paid off. One morning, as dawn began to break, Shaye completed the final assembly and inspection.

A strangely shaped puppet stood quietly in the center of his little house. It stood about half a person tall, with eight slender legs made from a mix of tough wood and metal, each featuring multiple joints. At the center of its body sat a crude, semi-enclosed cockpit that could only fit one person curled up inside. A polished transparent crystal was embedded before the cockpit for observation. The whole construct looked rough and simple, yet possessed a cold mechanical beauty and a stable, powerful structural presence.

This was—Big Spider!

Shaye took a deep breath, suppressing his excitement as he carefully climbed into the narrow cockpit. He gripped the control levers inside with both hands, chakra threads extending from his fingertips to connect with the receiving points of the core at the base.

He slowly infused chakra...

Buzz...

A low, steady hum came from within Big Spider. The initial version of its Puppet Core in the abdomen activated, and the runes across its surface lit up one after another with a faint glow. The joints of its eight spider legs gave off the faintest mechanical clicks.

Shaye gently pushed the control levers.

Click... click...

Big Spider's eight legs began moving in a strange yet coordinated rhythm! Carrying Shaye, it took its first steady step inside the little house, then its second! Its movements were somewhat stiff, but exceptionally stable. The eight legs distributed the weight perfectly, adapting to the uneven floor.

It could move forward, backward, and turn slowly! Though it was not fast and made quite a bit of noise, it had truly succeeded in carrying him as it moved!

Shaye controlled it as it clumsily turned in a circle within the cramped space, his excitement beyond words. This meant that from now on, his mobility would be greatly improved! Whether on long-distance missions or in complex terrain, he would have far greater means to deal with them!

Though this was only the first prototype and still had many areas that needed improvement, its successful birth marked another solid and distinctive step for Shaye on the path of the puppet master.

Morning light streamed through the window, falling upon the workbench covered in metal scraps and the steel spider slowly moving across the room, as well as Shaye's face, filled with accomplishment.

His path was continuing to stretch forward beneath his feet.

(End of Chapter)