Niten Ichi Ryuu: Gorin no Taisei

The Niten Ichi Ryuu Gorin no Taisei (二天一流五輪の体勢, "Two Swords as One Heaven School - Method of the Five Rings") is the koryu (古流, lit. "old school") of the Yagami Clan, an internal art that requires immense talent and effort to master. Each of its techniques are classed in order of difficulty from the basic Ground Circle Kata that could cleave a man in two to the Void Circle jutsu that bend the very laws of the universe. This style is the succession of the Yagami Clan and is used with Tsukikage (月影, lit. "Moon Shadow") the Yagami ancestral Blade.

Description
Kanji: 二天一流五輪の体勢

Romaji: Niten Ichi Ryuu Gorin no Taisei

Rank: S-Rank

Type: Nintaijutsu

Elemental Affinity: Yin–Yang

Clan: Yagami Clan

The Niten Ichi Ryuu system is a unqiue formless taijutsu style; meaning that it has no structured set of movements that are taught. A purely an internal art, emphasizing the cultivation of the energy within and the various methods by which it may circulate throughout the body. This in turn, forces its practitioners to influence their own training and style to a great degree in order to create a style uniquely suited to the practitioner. The progenitor of the style, Ryuu Yagami believed that even if he could teach everything he knew to his clan and subsequently their students, they would never be able to match him simply because his style would not be ideal for them. Practitioners of this system often varied and wildly different techniques and abilities, making them unpredictable, powerful combatants. However this system is immensely difficult to master, for the process by which one cultivates one's energies is slow, requiring years of diligence and training before they are truly able to grasp the very basis of the Niten Ichi Ryuu.

Ying Yang Five Elements Theory
Within the Niten Ichi Ryuu there exists what is known as the Ying Yang Five Elements Theory. In this theory, five divine elements exist: earth, water, fire, wind and void. The fundamental of the Niten Ichi Ryuu is inherent in its breathing methods which teach the practitioner how to generate chakra within the body. Chakra is in essence "life energy" it exists within the body, in the atmosphere, and throughout nature itself. It is the very water we drink, the very air we breath, the land upon which we tread, the food that is consumed, it is the very heart of our mind, body and soul.

Thus the first breathing method is designed to cultivate this energy, gradually allowing its practitioner to take in chakra through the breath. Inhaling generates yin chakra, while exhaling generates yang chakra, and through this meditative system of breathing one is able to help develop these energies within the body, purifying them. The purification of energy is essential to the Niten Ichi Ryuu, as its philosophy denounces the barbaric concept of "more chakra equals more power"; power in this system can be achieved through small amounts of pure energy, rather than massive quantities of it.

Advanced practitioners of the Niten Ichi Ryuu system are able to utilize its teachings to separate the two masses of chakra, yin and yang, and then collide them together to produce an explosion, releasing massive amounts of energy. This method is also used to create, amplify and manipulate the divine elements within the body and the atmosphere. In theory this practice allows its practitioners to ignore the limitations imposed by elemental affinities, since in the process of creating them, the chakra is not transformed into the raw element, instead channeling, and emulating its effect.

Ground Circle
The Ground Circle (土円陣, Chi Enjin) is the foundation of the system, teaching its practitioners the fundamental breathing patterns, and training techniques to develop the necessary control and energy to master their power. Within the Ground Circle, practitioners are taught a breathing method designed to stimulate the flow of yang chakra in the exhale through meditative training. This process is coupled with various methods by which the body is conditioned and strengthened. In time these training exercises meld together synchronizing the breath, the flow of yang chakra with the movement. It is highly encouraged that those who reach this level begin adapting this principle to the various kata's and movements of their own taijutsu style so as to better become accustomed to its usage. Mastery of the Ground Circle, is accomplished when one is able to reach synchronicity with all three. Doing so allows the practitioner to push beyond the very limits of their bodies, achieving powers that superhuman in nature. The ability to tread over water as though it were solid ground, leap vast distances, and crush whole boulders are the true sign of mastery within this circle.

Water Circle
The Water Circle (水円陣, Mizu Enjin) is regarded as the bridge, for within this circle the practitioner learns the complete form of the breathing techniques that will allow them to merge the energies of yin and yang. This effort however is perhaps the most difficult to grasp, as one must first become sensitivity and learn to absorb the ambient yin chakra that resides in the air and environment around them. As with the Ground Circle meditative breathing exercises are resumed, only this time, a new component is introduced that to stimulate the intake of yin chakra upon the inhale, allowing it to spread throughout the body in order to stimulate the generation of Yang chakra. As yin and yang are closely linked it becomes increasingly important that the practitioner learns the flow of one energy to the next; within Yin there is Yang and within Yang there is Yin, one begets the next in an endless cycle of conversion and transformation. This is the essence of the Water Circle, and when one is able to grasp this concept, they are then ready to synchronize this breathing with their movements to complete the foundation of the Niten Ichi Ryuu system. This mastery of one's yin and yang chakra's allows for the practitioner to expand upon and reach unprecedented levels of physical capability, such as temporary flight, monstrous strength, a body capable of withstanding nearly all of the powers that would seek to crush it.

Fire Circle
The Fire Circle (火円陣, Ka Enjin) is where practitioners of the Niten Ichi Ryuu begin to develop mystical abilities that rival the powers seen by shinobi. The purification training that is undergone in the previous two circles were designed to allow the practitioner to merge the two chakra's, and through repetition, purify their chakra into a potent form. In this circle the practitioner learns to separate the merged masses of energy, and collide them together again. This process releases tremendous amounts of energy and when used in succession can build massive quantities of power, this is the essence of the Fire Circle. The applications for this are boundless, and when applied to the divine elements, the practitioner is capable of manipulating, and transforming them according to his will. Since pure energy more easily changes form, the energy released by the collision amplifies their chakra allowing the practitioner to manipulate the divine elements. By colliding this new energized chakra against the presence of a divine element, they are able to manifest it in various forms. The ability to conjure flames, direct the winds, churn the earth, and sway the ocean are all within one's reach when mastery is attained within the Fire Circle.

Wind Circle
The Wind Circle (風円陣, Kaze Enjin)

Void Circle
The Void Circle (空円陣, Kuu Enjin)

Behind the Scenes

 * The Niten Ichi Ryuu is loosely based off of the art of the same name, developed by Miyamoto Musashi.
 * The "Circles" within the Niten Ichi Ryuu each represent a book in Muashi's Book of Five Rings.
 * The fundamentals of this style were greatly inspired by Enlightenment of Thunder and Lightning (EOTL) from the manhwa series Veritas.
 * The philosophy of this style along with the weapon Tsukikage, are based off of the style depicted in the fanfic Break the World by Rihaku. All credit goes to the original author for these brilliant ideas.