Fate DxD

Chapter 92

"Climbing trees?" I repeat, surprised.

"Right on!" Kakashi confirmed.

(why climb trees?)

"And what good will it do us to do that?" Sakura asked.

"Listen to the end before you protest!" Kakashi exclaims. "This isn't simple climbing. You're going to have to climb without using your hands!"

(No way, even monkeys can't do that, so us...)

"Without hands? But then how?...?" Sakura put her hands down her back, trying to picture it.

"Good! Demonstration!" Kakashi do a hands signs.

He walks over to a tree and puts one foot on the trunk, then the other, and steps on the tree, as if he were on the ground.

"This is crazy..." I murmur.

"He climbs vertically, without his hands..." Sakura's eyes went wide.

"And here's the job!" He said, head upside down, feet hooked on a branch. "You need to concentrate your chakra under the soles of your feet, to adhere well to the trunk of the tree. You can do a lot when you master your chakra!"

"Not so fast! I still don't see how climbing trees is going to make us stronger!" Sakura exclaims, not convinced.

"I'll explain, open your ears wide." Kakashi said calmly. "The aim of this training is firstly to get you used to controlling your chakra. You must learn to concentrate exactly the right amount of chakra, exactly in the right place. As I've already explained, this is essential for using the various techniques. Yet even the most experienced shinobi sometimes find it hard to do. Providing the right amount of chakra to climb trees is very subtle work. You have to be very precise in your dosage. What's more, the soles of the feet are the most difficult area in which to concentrate chakra. In other words, if you succeed, you're capable of mastering any technique, at least in theory!"

Kakashi pauses to give us time to absorb all that has already been said, before resuming.

"The second objective is to train yourself to keep your chakra focused on a specific point: in this case, under the soles of your feet. For each of the different techniques you use, you need to distribute the chakra in a different way inside the body each time. Keeping all this energy in balance requires a great deal of effort. Especially since it's usually during combat that a soldier has to mix his energy. You have to keep moving, running and leaping. Controlling and balancing your chakra is an extremely difficult exercise. That's why I want you to climb trees. It's a very complete and effective way of learning to use your chakra. In fact, you were supposed to learn it in your second year, but in view of our mission, it's better that you practice now."

(Something tells me I'm not going to make it...)

"Senji, would you please project three kunai, one for each of you." Kakashi asks me.

I execute myself, activating my magic circuits and projecting three kunai into my hands, before turning to Kakashi, waiting for the next step.

"Good! Now it's your turn!" he exclaims. "Use these kunais to draw a mark on the trunk, at the highest point you can reach."

I give Sakura and Sasuke a kunai, before moving towards a tree. These species are very tall, reaching some fifteen meters. I swallow my saliva, wondering if I'm really up to it.

"Then strive to go a little higher with each attempt." Kakashi finished his instruction. "As you're not yet able to master your chakra very well, I'd advise you to build up some momentum, just long enough to make some progress. Understood?"