I apologize in advance if you think there is a lot of info dump, I will try to reduce it in the future.
What do you think of the novel? I would love some opinions, I'll read and comment on all of them.
***
Yujin was inspired as he spoke about Qi. Tsunade only interrupted to ask something she didn't understand or to discuss a difference she noticed between Qi and Chakra.
For instance, while Chakra is internally generated at the intersection of mental and physical energy, Qi is formed by accumulating external energy.
When Tsunade asked if he was talking about natural energy, he smiled and replied slowly.
"Yes and no. To explain, I first need to establish the concept of natural energy and see if we are talking about the same thing. For example."
Yujin sat in a lotus position and closed his eyes. He remained silent for a few minutes, and Tsunade didn't interrupt him. He then opened his eyes and, after seeing her puzzled expression, responded.
"As I thought, you can't feel..."
Yujin began to scratch his chin, trying to understand the implications of this. He had just discovered something crucial, perhaps the most fundamental difference between Qi and Chakra.
"Yujin, Yujin, hey, hey, what's happening?"
He was so absorbed in his thoughts that Tsunade took a while to get his attention.
"So... What is natural energy to you?"
"Natural energy is the energy of nature, of the surroundings. It's in everything."
Yujin nodded, satisfied with her brief answer.
"Well, then you know what natural energy is, but it seems our concepts are a bit different..."
He lost himself in thoughts again, but this time Tsunade didn't interrupt him. A few minutes later, he started speaking.
"Look, the concept you mentioned is correct, but let me add some points. First, every martial artist from where I come from can absorb natural energy, and that's how Qi is created. It's the combination of internal energy with external energy."
Tsunade, who knew a lot about Sage Mode, was surprised. Wasn't that Sage Mode? Sage Mode is when you merge Chakra with natural energy.
"But where I come from, there are two different concepts of natural energy, and only someone who has reached a high level of martial arts can distinguish them. The first concept is that natural energy is the energy of the world, and we can use it to create Qi. This concept is the most well-known, and every martial artist knows it."
"The second concept is only discovered when you become a Grandmaster, which is the fact that natural energy is not just energy but also intent."
"Earlier, when I sat down and closed my eyes, I was channeling the first concept, which is the most commonly used. I absorbed natural energy through my body to increase my Qi reserves. But for some reason, you didn't feel anything."
Tsunade recalled how Yujin sat and closed his eyes. She watched him the whole time but didn't feel anything different.
"If a martial artist had seen me, they would have felt the natural energy from the surroundings accumulating around me, slowly being absorbed into my body, and then the impure energy expelled after a breathing process. But you didn't feel it, so we can conclude that the first and most vital difference between me using Qi and you using Chakra is that the first concept of natural energy doesn't exist for you, which is intriguing. Maybe your body is different, and you can't feel it, or you lack the necessary breathing techniques."
"Wait, I don't understand, what do you mean by another 'concept'? The way you're talking, it's like natural energy has two different properties." Tsunade was getting confused with the conversation. It's as if Yujin was arguing that natural energy had two different aspects.
"You're not entirely wrong; that's more or less what I mean. It's an evolution of perception. Before becoming a Grandmaster, natural energy is just a way to accumulate Qi, and it's just an empty and intentless energy that exists around. Even if you think there might be something more to it, you don't 'understand' it without a shift in perspective. To have that shift in perspective, you need to reach a high level of martial arts; to reach the Grandmaster level, which is the highest level."
"So Grandmaster is the highest level? There's nothing above?" Inside, Tsunade was more surprised to learn that Yujin is at the peak of martial arts. She knew he was strong, but not this strong. Grandmaster is like a Kage in the ninja world, the strongest in the village.
"No. Where I come from, above Grandmaster, there isn't a 'stage,' but there are different rankings based on reputation and fights. It's a subtle difference, but anyway, what's the use of me talking about the Martial Arts society? The point is: natural energy is very complex, and you only understand it better when you reach the Grandmaster level."
"It's when you can feel the 'intent' of natural energy and understand why it exists. Some call it the 'breath of the world,' but anyway. In my view, you can't feel the first concept, but you can feel the second. It's as if you skipped an entire understanding stage and reached the end before going through the process, causing failures."
"You can feel the intent of energy and think that's the energy. Perhaps you sense energy in the intent, but you have to understand that intent is the will of something, while energy is an inanimate thing. It's the same relationship as between a tool and a person. Intent is the person, and energy is the tool. Intent moves the energy, which is the tool, to achieve goals. In the case of the intent of nature, its about making the wind blow, the water flow, the fire burn, and the earth nourish."
"You can feel the intent but not the energy, and that's why you can't absorb it, and hence you can't produce Qi. That's the fundamental difference between me and you. The reason why I can produce Qi, and you can't."
***
The two spent the next hours discussing their findings. Although Yujin's were insightful, there were still many details to be discussed by both. Each contributed with what they knew.
They got so absorbed in the discussion that when night fell, they were still talking.
Both had an impressive thirst for knowledge, equally interested in the subject. Tsunade, who was writing her findings in a notebook, had already filled half the book with information.
As they approached dawn, Tsunade suggested they sleep since it was late, but not before having a drink. They didn't even return to Yujin's apartment; they simply entered one of the many rooms with a bed, drank, and slept.
The next morning, when Tsunade woke up, she looked surprised at Yujin, who was already awake and doing his movements.
"I always wake up first, what happened?"
Tsunade also started moving, this time recalling some of the conversation they had yesterday about Qi and trying to apply some of the knowledge she acquired.
"I usually wake up even before the sun appears in the sky, but because of our drinking spree, I ended up sleeping more than usual recently. My body adapted today."
Tsunade continued moving and feeling her body. She began to understand the purpose of some movements, although she wasn't sure if she was right.
"Why do you wake up so early?"
"In the morning, especially during sunrise, Qi is the purest and easiest to absorb. While normally the process of purification in the body is needed, during the first thirty minutes after sunrise Qi is so pure that you can absorb it directly without any harm to your body."
The sun had risen long ago, so that period had passed, making her regret not waking up earlier.
"When are you going to teach me a Qi accumulation method?"
"Let's research enough first. I want to make sure there are no differences between my body and yours. If the reason why you can't feel natural Qi is physical, maybe it's impossible for you to accumulate Qi. I think we should start with the Sage Mode you mentioned before."
After thinking for a bit, she understood Yujin's concern and agreed. Currently, only one person in the village can enter Sage Mode, and he returned today from the front lines.
"So let's meet with Jiraya after the exercise."