Chakra Training 1

Akira got out of bed rather early on this particular morning. He wished to get some extra training done as he felt he had been slacking as of late. He would move rather slowly getting dressed while his coffee got ready and his food warmed over the fire. He wondered what the few people he had graduated with were up to today. His graduating class was the smallest in the history of Shimogakure, only five of them graduated and he felt somewhat foolish because he was the oldest by around two years. While this doesn't seem like a lot, it definitely feels it when you are in the room learning the basics when there are those his own age who are fully fledged Samurai. He didn't mind being behind, but that didn't mean that he would be content to stay behind. He wanted to improve just like everyone else, so he decided on a game plan as he ate his breakfast and drank his coffee. He decided that one of the most important things for him to work on would be his chakra control and quantity. He needed to have large reserves and good control over those reserves to be able to do most of the advanced skills that Samurai had access to and to be able to utilize any abilities his future weapon would have to offer.

1/5

He finished eating and threw on his haori to head to the training grounds. It was cold out, but in a village known to be 'hidden in frost' this didn't come as a surprise. He walked through the dimly lit streets, they were empty which was normal for this time of the morning. It wasn't for several hours that most people woke up to start their day, so Akira felt he should have plenty of time to go about his business training. He arrived to the snowy training ground far before the sun had started its ascent into the sky and if things went his way, he would still be there long after it had set. He looked around the training ground, there were a couple of evergreen trees that were frostbitten and looked to be frozen solid along with a few ice blue rocks. There were three training posts and two training dummies stood off to one side. All in all, it made for a typical training ground. But, at the moment, Akira simply wanted to work on his chakra. So he got into a meditative position on top of one of the nearby logs and started to circulate his chakra throughout his body.

2/5

The ebb and flow of chakra. He would think back to what he had learned in the dojo about what laws he was expected to uphold as a samurai. He would also look back to what he had learned about chakra. There were eight laws that all Samurai vowed to uphold, Justice, Courage, Mercy, Politeness, Honor, Loyalty and Self-Control. He had to keep these vows present in his mind as he continued to grow and progress in his career as a Samurai. He then thought back to what he had learned about chakra. There were two parts to chakra one must train in order to maintain true control. This is what was taught through the practices of Ninshu. Physical energies and Spiritual energies came together to form chakra as we know it. Physical energy can be increased through physical exercise, training, or in some cases external stimulants such as drugs. Though the final method is generally frowned upon in samurai culture. Spiritual energy is connected to the mind's consciousness and can be increased through studying, meditation, and experience. These two energies becoming more powerful will in turn make the created chakra more powerful. This was Akira's goal overall. But, he remembered one of the most important lessons from his days in the dojo.

3/5

Because chakra takes time and a great deal of training to gradually build up, the key to its use is not actually having large amounts of chakra but instead being able to sufficiently control and conserve it. A good way to build up chakra in the body is to spin it into a tight spiral; Whether to spin the chakra left or right is dependent on the way the user's hair grows. Due to Akira having a rather unique way that his hair grew, he found that he was able to spin his chakra through his body in either direction, left or right. This was apparently quite rare in Shimogakure. He decided that this would be a good way to practice moving his chakra through his body, so he started with that. He spun it to the right and then the left, focusing it to different areas as it spun. First his forehead, then his arms and legs, then his hands and feet, then his stomach and chest, then his fingers and even into his toes. At one point, he wanted to try to spin it both ways at once, left in his right hand and right in his left hand. This task however, proved to be far more difficult than initially thought.

4/5

He continued to focus on that one singular task. Spinning his chakra slowly in opposite directions in each hand. He started simply, he would spin it in one hand slowly, getting a feel for it and trying to make it automatic. Then he would work on adding in the other hand to follow. It was a simple sounding task, but one that proved far more complex and difficult to accomplish than initially presumed. But, that didn't stop him from trying. He was making slow progress, but it was progress none the less. He continued to work at it, slowly gaining ground. This was good. As long as he continued to make progress, he would be happy. He was content with not being the best of the best and merely wanted to keep an even pace with himself. If he never stopped moving, he would always be improving. That, in his own eyes, was far more important than surpassing those around him. Yes, surpassing oneself is what Ninshu was all about. He just kept working on getting his chakra to spin against itself until, after three hours of trying and working with it, he succeeded. He was now spinning his chakra in opposite hands in opposite directions.

5/5 (+200 Chakra)

Akira was pleased with how he had progressed through the morning training. The sun was just starting to peek over the pines around the training ground, the ice sparkling in the light. It was a magnificent sight really, the view of the sun and ice working together. But, now that he had finished a chakra warm up, he was going to move on to something else. Weaponry was, admittedly, among the most important things for a samurai to use. In the dojo they trained prospective recruits in the use of a variety of weapons, though they focused on the use of a katana. He enjoyed throwing knives and short blades as they allowed for faster strokes and much more accuracy. He was also somewhat skilled with a bow, although in the world that wasn't a very used weapon. He just needed to find himself something that his chakra would resonate with. But, he supposed he could just work on various hand to hand katas while he didn't have a weapon as of yet. He simply needed to turn himself into a weapon. Training his own body and mind to the point of a weapons deadliness. Thats what he needed to do to be a successful samurai.

1/5

This training and the way his environment looked reminded him of a time nearly four years ago when he actually found someone to train with. It was a day that had started very much like this day, Akira got out of bed rather early on this particular morning. He wished to get some extra training done as he felt he had been slacking as of late. He would move rather slowly getting dressed while his coffee got ready and his food warmed over the fire. He would be starting at the dojo next year and it was something that he was very much looking forwards to. He enjoyed spending time with his peers, although most of them seemed disturbed by his unique appearance. Many clans around him were already in training or had been in training for the last few years. He was very much behind his peers due to having grown up in the orphanage, so he was behind in his training. He didn't mind being behind, but that didn't mean that he would be content to stay behind. He wanted to improve just like everyone else, so he decided on a game plan as he ate his breakfast and drank his coffee. He decided that one of the most important things for him to work on would be his chakra control and quantity. He needed to have large reserves and good control over those reserves to be able to do most of the advanced skills that Samurai had access to and to be able to utilize any abilities his future weapon would have to offer.

2/5

[Flashback start back 4 years, Akira is now 13]

The young Akira would make his way to the courtyard behind the orphanage where the children often went to play or study in an outdoor area rather than the stuffy rooms offered inside the orphanage. He made his way out to a large open area between four trees and would sit down to meditate. Yes, a thirteen year old meditating was quite strange indeed, but it was something he had picked up quite some time ago to use as a tool for both training his chakra and keeping his mind sharp. He would often meditate when he had to or wanted to ponder something. He enjoyed riddles and puzzles, but he also liked to read on the history of the world. There was not a lot of global history that had to do with Shimogakure, but there was a lot available in their libraries about the history of the world, the history of the Shinobi nations and quite a few books on why the shinobi nations were garbage or useless, or dishonorable. Akira, for his part, held no ill will against the ninja, but he did feel that a few of them throughout history had been quite dishonorable or that they allowed their power to go to their head.

3/5

Saki traversed in the area from time to time, she even trained somewhere along these parts. By herself mostly. It turns out that she just finished training herself, seventeen years of age and yet so dedicated. Saki tended to not be into what other women her age were into, drooling over good looking men, what a disgrace. They should be doing something more productive, like dedicating themselves to the battlefield and Shimogakure as a whole. Saki was a rare breed now-a-days.

Saki walked in subtle pace, towards the village. Training for today was complete, and now she needed a re-fill. It was half-full, a wooden canteen full of alcohol. Yet, she did not appear drunk. Or intoxicated in the slightest manner, in fact her walk was near perfect.

Saki's attire was warm, but it failed to hide her maturing womanly assets. Under her fur jacket, Saki's chest rose and fell with each step and breath. She opened the canteen and peeked in with her one good eye. Groaning in displeasure.

"Looks like I need a refill.."

Saki placed the canteen back on her side, halting her steps to find the obviously younger fellow meditating alone.

["Now that's what I like to see!"]She praised the stranger silently.

She approached him, sitting about two feet from him in a meditation - like style. Joining in, he looked like he needed the company anyway.

"Chakra trainin'?"

In truth she was intoxicated, and seemed to fail at determining his age. Reaching to her curvy hips and offering the boy the canteen. "Here this will put some hair on your chest...." she observed him a little more, squinting with her good eye - the other under an eye patch. "And face...."

She still seemed to not know he was too young, just by facial features alone.

Akira was training his mind when his focus whas broken slightly by the approach of a new prrsence to the grounds. It was a woman, who looked to be around four years his senior. She guessed at the purpose of his training and was correct. She then offered him a drink, he could smell right away that it was alchohol. He took the flask and drank a swig. He had drank before, living in the orphanage often led to bad influences getting around the kids there. But, alchohol had never affected him. He returned the flask and continued to move his chakra about. "Thanks, I was getting thirsty. I am Akira, nice to meet you." He maintained his breathing, calm and gentle. Breathing was important for meditation and chakra control exercises. The woman was dressed both warmly and in a way that revealed a lot of her... assets... but, Akira was not at that stage of his life yet, he only cared about his training and finding his family one day.

4/5

She took the canteen and strapped it back to her hip.

"Akira huh?"

Saki started to wobble, at first unnoticeable by the naked eye, it intensified greatly. Obviously drunk. Upon closer inspection, the one before her had white hair. What a rarity. She had to comment on it, after moving her conical hat to rest on her back. This in turn revealed most of her face.

"White hair. You dye it or something? Red eyes also. Hmnm..." her natural seductive-like monotone mumbled.

It was like when an negotiator was on to you, she squinted with her one eye and all while struggled to keep her posture straight. Quickly she rubbed the thought off, snapping out of her thoughts.

"Saki. Saki Mori."  

Well, while she was here she may as well join. She started to concentrated and circulate chakra about her body as well, it proved a challenge since she couldn't exactly sit still.

1/5

The woman in front of him was very clearly drunk, or a the very least, mostly drunk. She clearly did not have the tolerance for alcohol that he did, but he shrugged it off. She then started talking about his hair and eyes, sure this was usually the first thing people noticed about him. He had snow white hair and red, slitted, demonic eyes. But, most people simply ignored it to avoid coming off as rude or inconsiderate. The woman merely assumed he dyed his hair. "No, I was born this way." Was the only response he could really come up with to such a question. Saki Mori, what an interesting name. He would be sure to remember it. "It is nice to meet you, Saki-chan." He wasn't entirely sure what to say to the woman other than that. He didn't really know much about carrying on conversations at this point, largely due to the fact he was the oldest child at the orphanage and thus didn't really have many people to talk to. He hoped that would change when he got into the Bushido Dojo. As they talked, he had continued to form his chakra, it was clear to him that his reserves where growing at a decent rate.


5/5 (+200 chakra)

"No,no, no,no."

Saki thought she was on to something. Staring the boy down. Sure of it almost. How the hell did he have slitted eyes? Red, slitted eyes. 'Born this way,' huh? That only made her already intoxicated mind run wild with imaginations. Pondering on the several possibilities of who or what this boy could be. It was truly unique, nothing she has seen before.

["Red eyes.....slitted like a..."] She thought to herself. Taking another swig of the liquid from her canteen.

"A DRAGON!you lucky bastard!" Saki excitedly extended arm, some of the clear liquid jumped from it and out, not too much.

"This calls for a celebration! Ako"

A... a dragon?? Really? She was most certainly drunk off her rocks. Akira simply had no idea how to even begin to answer her... "I... i'm definitely NOT a dragon. I am just a boy, who is about to become a Samurai." He was proud that he had been accepted into the dojo, he knew it was only due to his abnormally large chakra pools, but he didn't care. It gave him a place to belong and that's what mattered. He continued to move his chakra throughout his body, it was nice to have someone to chat with as he did this rather boring chakra training exercise. "So, are you a samurai, Saki-chan?" He had to wonder, she had an eyepatch after all, and that usually signified combat, and combat, in shimo, usually signified position as a Samurai.

1/5

Looks like Saki's mind was already set on this whole 'dragon,' thing. Everything he said up until his question seemed to be ignored. She finished the canteen, groaning when the last drop rolled down her tongue and into her gullet. "Grrrr...."

Ako, seemed to have common sense at the very least. He pieced together evidence that paved way  to only one logical solution. For quite some time now, Saki has been a samurai. A high ranking one at that, even now, while just seventeen. She loathed the feeling away from conflict, participating in more exhibitions than she could remember. Not all so successful, due to the curse. Making a lot of things harder than it was supposed to be. Despite this, Saki still partook on missions. Nothing could stop her!

"Yes, Ako, I'm a samurai!" Proudly answering whilst she wobbled. "You're out here all alone. Where's your dragon buddies? OH! Can you breathe fire?!"

It was best he just agreed, Saki wouldn't take him being as normal as her for an answer; Her intoxicated mind wouldn't allow it.

Akira was simply dumbfounded how this woman was acting, but he supposed that people acted strange when drunk, so it somewhat made sense. "I'm not a... sigh... I can't breathe fire. But, I'm sure that I will become a powerful Samurai none the less!" He still had that childlike determination, that made him believe in triumph through any means and any obstacle. He continued to move his chakra around his body, it was something important for a samurai to have the ability to split their focus between two things, such as talking and training one's chakra. He could feel his reserves slowly growing, and the thought of it all excited him to no end, one day he would have the biggest reserves in the Land of Iron, that was his goal. Because for one to truly be successful, they need a goal. Something to work for and something to dream after.

2/5

She laughed, exposing a pearly white toothy smile. "I bet you will dragon boy!"

Her smile stretched from One end of her face to the other. "It's a cruel world out there!" A cute hiccup caused her upper body to jump a little, her chest rising and falling in rapid succession. The female samurai curled her digits around her eye patch, revealing her eye which she struggled to opened, and a permanent mark that scared her smooth - perfect complexion forever. The mark was burn, and unpleasant to look at. After a few seconds of showing him, she closed that eye and covered it back up.

"It's not a pretty occupation. But I applaude you for your aspiration!"

He knew the job wasn't easy, but it was the only way to make a good living in this village. Plus, if he didn't get adopted in the next few weeks, he would be forced to do it anyways. And no one his age got adopted, especially with the surplus of much younger children present. Another thing that added to his probability to not get adopted was his odd appearance. Some parent's even went as far as to call him a demon to his face. But, he had grown used to such treatment and just shrugged it off. This was the first time he had ever been accused of being a dragon though. From what he recalled, dragons were large and scaly, he was neither of these things, but this woman was intoxicated, so it was understandable. Looking into the scar where her eye was reminded him that it was a dangerous job he was basically being forced into, as every samurai was littered with scars, if not physical ones than those of the mental variety. "I know it won't be easy, but I am more than willing to put what little I have on the line to defend my village."

3/5

**FLASHBACK END**

Yes, that had been a rather peculiar meeting to say the least. He has grown up so much more since then though, even going as far as to discovering his clan, becoming a samurai and working on mastering his bloodline. Though, he knew that chakra quantity had become even more important to him from the moment he learned about his bloodline and how it works. He needed to do a bit of groundwork before he was at a comfortable level, although, he already had more chakra than most his age and level. He continued to meditate, sending his chakra to various points in his body that would allow for him to control his abilities more easily. These chakra points would be essential in the fighting style he was currently developing, so he needed to be able to utilize them properly. He wondered briefly what Saki was up to these days, he hadn't seen her in quite some time now that he stopped to think about it. He also wondered about his relative that told him about his clan, the drunk Hoshi. Why is it that any time he learns anything useful, it is from a drunk?

4/5

Training was something that Akira enjoyed. It was also something he did on a regular basis. He wondered briefly how some people managed to get so powerful and such prestige in the Samurai culture. He would think back to what he had learned in the dojo about what laws he was expected to uphold as a samurai. He would also look back to what he had learned about chakra. There were eight laws that all Samurai vowed to uphold, Justice, Courage, Mercy, Politeness, Honor, Loyalty and Self-Control. He had to keep these vows present in his mind as he continued to grow and progress in his career as a Samurai. He then thought back to what he had learned about chakra. There were two parts to chakra one must train in order to maintain true control. This is what was taught through the practices of Ninshu. Physical energies and Spiritual energies came together to form chakra as we know it. Physical energy can be increased through physical exercise, training, or in some cases external stimulants such as drugs. Though the final method is generally frowned upon in samurai culture. Spiritual energy is connected to the mind's consciousness and can be increased through studying, meditation, and experience. These two energies becoming more powerful will in turn make the created chakra more powerful. This was Akira's goal overall.

5/5 (+200 chakra)