'No pain, No gain!'
Renjiro clung onto that phrase to enable him to complete his workout.
He already had decided on a workout plan. He would be doing a hundred pushups, pullups and squats. He would also run laps around his yard.
He did not have any way of measuring the distance but by his approximation, one lap around his yard was around a hundred meters so a hundred of such laps would result in ten kilometres (6.21 miles).
Renjiro knew that starting this from the get-go was a tall order. He opted to start with a fraction of the numbers and then gradually increase the reps and sets.
Renjiro took a break since he was spent after the workout. It was now time for his chakra control training.
Early on in the series, the concept of chakra control is introduced through the training exercises. Leaf balancing, Tree Climbing and Water Walking become the foundation for building precise chakra control.
These exercises require shinobi to employ a precise amount of chakra to hold the leaf in place and use their chakra to scale trees without their hands and to tread on the water's surface.
Renjiro concluded that the criteria for a solid foundation in chakra control was having mastery in all three exercises. He was about to begin with the leaf-balancing exercise.
Renjiro had already visited both libraries and already gotten basic information on the exercises.
The deceptively simple yet challenging task focuses on enhancing a ninja's precise control over their chakra. Its objective is to stick a single leaf, usually a dry, fragile leaf, on a specific part of the body, often the forehead or the tip of the nose, using nothing but chakra. The leaf should remain in place without falling.
Easy right?
Wrong.
The troubling part is the mental focus required. Successfully balancing the leaf requires intense concentration and focus. The ninja must channel their chakra with unwavering intent and maintain that concentration to prevent the leaf from falling.
Under the shade of a towering tree, Renjiro sought a moment of stillness.
Seated in the traditional cross-legged position, Renjiro closed his eyes and began to calm the turbulence of his thoughts. All his worries vanished, replaced by a singular focus on the present moment.
With each measured breath, his mind settled into a state of serene clarity. He visualized the turmoil dissipating like ripples on a pond, leaving only the core of his being.
In the palm of his hand, he held a fragile leaf. With a few slow breaths in and out, he channelled his focus onto the leaf, his fingers brushing against its surface with a gentle touch.
Then, with deliberate care, Renjiro raised the leaf to the centre of his forehead. It quivered against his skin. He felt the connection between his chakra and the leaf a subtle dialogue between energy and life.
Renjiro concentrated his chakra on that precise spot, the very centre of his forehead, and he felt the subtle movement of his energy. The chakra flowed, guided by his intent and purpose. Within moments, the leaf, which had once teetered on the precipice of his skin, adhered firmly to his forehead.
The achievement filled him with a sense of satisfaction and accomplishment. He had harnessed his chakra, channelled it and achieved the desired result.
However, Renjiro's elation was short-lived. As he repeated the process again and again, the leaf's adherence became inconsistent.
'It's like I'm getting worse with every try.'
Frustration set in, overshadowing his earlier success. What frustrated Renjiro even more was that he was losing significant amounts of chakra in the process.
'Calm down Etha- No Calm down Renjiro. It's called the leaf concentration exercise. You can't be calm and concentrate if you are frustrated.' Renjiro tried to calm himself down.
The first thing he had read from the books was that chakra control, like life itself, required balance and mastery.
Unfortunately, things did not get better as the only improvement Renjiro saw after an hour was his frustration levels. He was wrestling with the delicate art of chakra control, and it was proving to be a formidable opponent.
'Dammit! What am I doing wrong?' Renjiro racked his brain but he could not find a solution to his problem.
Exhausted and disheartened, Renjiro rose from his spot under the tree and dusted himself off. With a deep sigh, he made his way to Miwa's place. It hurt his ego but he was not dumb enough to realize when he needed help.
Renjiro approached the entrance. As he knocked then pushed open the doors and stepped inside, he was met with Miwa was seated on a tatami mat.
"Renjiro," she acknowledged with a nod,
"How can I help you?"
Renjiro settled opposite Miwa.
"Miwa-sama, I... I've been trying to master chakra control, but it's more challenging than I imagined. I succeeded at first, or I think I did. After repeating the process, I've been losing chakra. I can't seem to achieve it."
Miwa regarded him with a measured, understanding gaze.
"Show me exactly what you were doing." Miwa urged Renjiro
Renjiro obliged and did as he was told. Just like his previous attempts, Renjiro failed. Miwa noticed his frustration.
"It is good that you have taken the first step by seeking help. Chakra control is as much about self-discovery as it is about technique." Miwa paused to let the words sink in.
"Do you know why the exercise is performed on the forehead and not any other part of the body?"
"Is it because it is near to our brains? If we can attain control of the chakra near our brains it will be easier."
"Close Enough. It is because of something called Tenketsu. It can be simplified to a hole where our body releases chakra. There is one on your forehead. If you can control the chakra released from there then your overall chakra control increases."
'Oh! Those are the points that the byakugan reveals to Hyugas. But if people know this why aren't there techniques that help people fully increase the output of these points?'
"So how do it do it?" Renjiro asked.
"First try meditation then just release chakra not from your whole forehead but from that Tenketsu alone."
Renjiro followed her instructions, closing his eyes and breathing in, then out, slowly and deliberately.
"Let go of your frustration," Miwa continued in a soothing tone. "In meditation, you'll find the clarity and mental discipline you seek. Your chakra is a part of you, and you must learn to flow with it, not against it."
It did not take long for Renjiro to form a connection with his chakra. He then focused on his head and tried to release it. It was hard at first, but after a few more attempts Renjiro got a hang of it.
It was akin to consciously choosing to breathe with your mouth instead of your nose. Once you get a hang of it, you could even switch between the two in a heartbeat.
With enough chakra being released a weak grip was established and the leaf finally stuck on Renjiro's forehead.
'That's what I am talking about!'
Renjiro was happy to finally do it. Now he just had to keep this up for as long as he could.
'Was it this easy?'
Renjiro thought the exercise was easy and wondered why many characters struggled with it. That's when he realized the main objective of the exercise.
You had to hold the leaf in position for as long as possible to better your control. It was just like breathing exercises in vocal practice.
The more you exhale and inhale at controlled rates, the more you can hold the sound. In this case, if you regulate the chakra output, your control increases.
But prolonging the time the leaf sticks on your forehead was like continuously exhaling, and that was the ultimate test.
Miwa noticed Renjiro's action and timed him. She was surprised at how long he could concentrate on the exercise.
"More than half a minute. Good work Renjiro. This is a great result for your first try."
"Thanks, Miwa-sama, this was all because you guided me."
"Don't worry, whenever you are stuck I will always try my best to help."
Overall Renjiro was elated since he was an overachiever in his past life, so he was always used to things coming quickly to him with less effort applied.
But things were different here, evidently, as with the leaf balancing exercise. Renjiro did not let this get into his head though. He was painfully aware of how this was just the first step in a long journey ahead.