Chapter 59:
Although Konoha is enjoying a relatively peaceful period, the war only ended less than a year ago. Diplomacy with neighboring countries isn't as friendly or stable as it would be during more peaceful times, like in the 60th year of Konoha. Because of this, the upcoming Chunin Exam will only have participants from within Konoha itself.
The Chunin Exam was scheduled to take place in half a month, and during that time, Orochimaru, Jiraiya, and Tsunade focused on their training in preparation.
At the training grounds, Orochimaru was sparring with Jiraiya while Tsunade sat off to the side, watching the battle with an amused expression. Every time Jiraiya was knocked back, Orochimaru would calmly offer advice.
"You're already stronger than most Genin," Orochimaru said as Jiraiya was sent flying once again. "You don't need to push yourself this hard."
"Ugh… you're my goal…" Jiraiya replied, panting as he lay sprawled out on the grass, struggling to catch his breath.
"Come on, Orochimaru!" Jiraiya said determinedly, despite his exhaustion. "I've figured out how to break your illusions! This time, you won't get me!"
Tsunade walked over, shaking her head at Jiraiya's stubbornness. "Jiraiya, I think you should rest. Your chakra's almost completely depleted. If you push any harder, you'll just hurt yourself."
Chakra is the combination of physical and spiritual energy. It's drawn from the 130 trillion cells in a ninja's body, used to perform ninjutsu and stored within their body for use. Once a portion of chakra is expended, a ninja can recover it by resting or taking special pills. However, when a ninja's chakra reserves run completely dry, their body is pushed to its limits.
Overexertion in such a state can be dangerous. The body starts to draw from its remaining reserves of physical and mental energy, potentially causing mental and physical breakdowns that could even lead to sudden death. In most cases, ninjas are careful to save some chakra for emergencies to avoid these dire consequences.