Drill Instructor:

Shinako was becoming something of a fixture here at the training grounds. As she heard it, after her first visit some of the men had set about the camp with egg-shells full of paprika and gun powder, throwing them at their comrades and subordinates as a prank at embarrassing times, such as when they were eating or relieving themselves. It hadn't taken long for a few superiors to notice how effective and cheap such weapons were and to invite Shinako back to teach more shinobi techniques. She was to deliver her speech to almost double the crowd that she had addressed earlier, as it seemed that word had gotten around.

With so many gathered, Shinako had arranged them into a more orderly formation, so that everyone could see and hear. It was going to be an altogether more formal occasion than the last, with less room for joking and laughing amongst peers.

"Alright, gentlemen, today's lecture is on chakra. Let me see a show of hands for those who are already familiar with chakra..."

Quite a few of the men raised their hands, but for the most part it seemed as though she was speaking with novices on the subject. She thought about how it should really be a chunin or higher teaching the finer points, but she could at least cover the basics. She doubted that any of these men would put the information to use without a proper foundation in shinobi training.

"Chakra is the essential energy in all living things, and is the fuel for even the simplest shinobi techniques. From basic arts taught in academy..."

With that, Shinako walked to a nearby tree, headed directly toward it and not stopping. Placing her feet on the side of it she proceeded to walk directly up its bark until she was standing parallel to the ground. The awe on the faces of the men was apparent. Shinako smiled and let out a slight laugh, holding her hands out to her sides as if to display something, walking once around the trunk to their applause before stepping back onto the ground.

"...to more advanced techniques, such as nature transformation, chakra is a resource that is invaluable to the shinobi. In fact, even though you hardly notice it, each and every one of you feeds on small reserves of chakra to live your daily lives. Without it, you would become exhausted and die, a danger which is slightly more prominent in the minds of shinobi, as we expend this energy in creative ways that run through it quickly."

Shinako formed the sign of the ram in front of her.

"At its most basic level, chakra is the mingling of physical and spiritual energies. Your bodies naturally mix these energies, sending the chakra throughout in a sophisticated system that is very similar to the one used for blood. Each of your vital organs is constantly surrounded by a web of chakra."

She displayed her hand sign prominently so that all of the soldiers could see it.

"Through focus and with the use of handseals, Shinobi can speed up this natural mixing process, forming chakra at an accelerated rate to give themselves abilities beyond the normal human limit. Speed, endurance, accuracy...all of these can be increased drastically through the use of chakra. Mixing it in different concentrations and with their natural proficiencies, many shinobi can transform it into things such as fire or wind to create combinations of elements to destroy their opponents."

She dropped the seal and paced a few steps to her left, engaging some of the soldiers furthest from the tree where she had displayed her technique.

"Chakra reserves can be increased by increasing the components of chakra. Physical energy can be increased by performing activities such as exercise. All of the rigorous drills that each of you go through are designed to increase your physical energies. Shinobi do very similar exercises in the furtherance of physical training. In addition to these, we also train our spiritual energies through meditaion, study, and philosophy. In many ways, the very act of focusing chakra increases spiritual energy."

After a few moments of silence, a few questions started rolling in. Shinako answered them as best as she could, until one relatively scrawny man covered in tattoos asked her what the most interesting technique she knew was. Thinking about it, Shinako of course chose to discuss her clan's famous techniques. Of course, she stuck to broad strokes.

"Most families have secret techniques that they practice. They are developed behind closed doors and practiced by shinobi from a young age. My clan specializes in a form of Yin release, which is created by an imbalance between spiritual and physical energy during chakra creation. We utilize our spiritual energy to transform the world around us, using very little of our physical energy. Yang release is the exact opposite embalance, and is used for more flashy and physical techniques, such as those used by the Akimichi clan. Watch my shadow."

Shinako pointed down to her shadow with her right index finger. As the men watched with baited breath, her shadow began to dance, forming into the shape of a large bird. Next it took the shape of a perfect circle before finally darting quickly toward one of the men causing him to fall out of his seat in his attempt to escape. The inky expanse returned to its natural positon at her toe and the men began to applaud.

"Of course, this is just a pop lesson on chakra. It is a very complicated subject, and has more permutations being developed today and every day. As with the lesson on weapons, what you take away from today should be a more accurate view of what goes on, not necessarily a rigid set of rules that everything must adhere to. Methods of using chakra are incredibly diverse, and perhaps I will be able to return sometime and explain them to you. However, until then, gentlemen, class is dismissed."

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