Shiori woke up to find herself stuck in a hollow fallen tree. Her tired brain must have thought it provided good cover. Then she must have squeezed in more and more so she wouldn't be visible to passersby.
It was good thinking on her part, but the narrow hole caused her to get stuck. Shiori took a few deep breaths. She didn't have many options. She couldn't move much to get out herself.
Because of the limited space, she couldn't use jutsus or form hand signs, so she had limited options. She decided to use pure elemental manipulation. While suiton was her forte, she could use the basics of all elements. She used the basic elemental training of all elements to improve her chakra control when she started to become a medic.
Her best option would be to use a Futon. Suiton and Raiton were not helpful in her case. Doton needed her to be able to move and use the boost of power, which she couldn't, and Katon would mean she would simply roast herself alive.
However, Futon should be able to crack the wood or cut into it enough for her to move. She started slowly, making small wind slashes at the tip of her fingers to cut into the wood in front of her.
Thankfully, the wood was long-dried and brittle, so it shouldn't take long.
It took her two hours to get out. In the end, she managed to cut two holes for her hands to be free and then used a bit of chakra enhancement and doton to break the hole enough to get out.
She didn't exert too much chakra, but her body still hurt from the previous trial. She planned to rest for the day but further from the edge. She continued on her path. It was hard not to drag her tired limbs along the way, but she didn't want to leave a clear trail to where she was heading.
She took out an energy bar out of her bag and mindlessly chewed on it while she observed her surroundings. She could clearly see where her next obstacle started. There was a transparent barrier of fog.
It was as if something prevented the fog from leaving the forest. The only thing she could think of was seals, but how and why were beyond her. She mentally listed it as something to inspect further before proceeding.
She walked a bit further and found a suitable spot. She assumed the forest was not entirely natural, and someone kept it in that state. All the dead branches and dead leaves were gathered into piles in one area.
There was some smell from decomposing elements that should keep most predators away. The broken branches also formed an excellent base for her to make a shelter. She managed to move enough of them so she could fit through a small hole. She then took out a few seals and activated them.
They would cast a small area of genjutsu that would cover her presence, and the other seals would trigger if anyone was too close. Shiori also positioned herself in a way that prepared her to get away in case of an emergency.
She started meditating to calm her body and mind and finally fell asleep.
When she woke up, it was morning once again. Hopefully, she hadn't slept more than a day. From the level of stiffness in her joint, she was probably right. She took her time getting ready for the day.
She first went through her stretches and kata to warm up. Then, she did a few chakra exercises that weren't extensive. Then, she unsealed her toiletries. To pass through the forest, she had to close her eyes so she would be at a disadvantage against enemies.
To lower her chance of confronting nonhuman predators, her best bet was to cover her scent. There was no river to wash up, but she had enough emergency supplies to make a cloth wash possible.
She used scentless products and cleaned herself. She also changed her clothes. Her last step was packing some food and water outside of her seals and in her bags.
It was time to go. This was the last step but also the hardest. She also had the most instruction for it. the forest ahead of her was fully covered in thick fog. So dense that she wouldn't be able to see a mere step ahead of her.
The creatures living in the forest were so adapted to it that they did not need their sight to hunt. There was only one path to safety where the animals would not attack.
If she strayed for even a single step, the creatures would tear her apart. To stay on the path, she had to be in control of her mind and body. The thick chakra of the forest caused auditory and visual hallucinations.
The hallucinations were to raise deep emotions in her, and if she gave in, she would get located by the creatures, and it would be the end. The challenge was that even if she did not show outward reactions, tiny flickers in the chakra could also give her away.
Not only did she have to control her outward reactions, but she had to control the inside ones, too. A single mistake would mark her death. The warning kept repeating in her head like a mantra.
She knew that getting worked up would only mean less control and more danger, but the warning kept ringing in her head. This would not do. Shiori slapped the sides of her face to snap herself out of it.
She was a survivor, and she would overcome any challenges.
With her first step into the fog, she immediately closed her eyes. One less stimulant for her. There were no sounds around her so far, but she didn't let it fool her.
Anticipation was also an emotion that could be felt from the chakra. She relaxed her body and mind and continued forward. She started focusing on the world around her.
Chakra was in every living thing if you knew what to look for. It was like a halo to surround their very being. The art of senjutsu was long out of practice, but she once read some books on it.
She wouldn't be able to practice its more advanced techniques, but the variations of its basis were in different meditation practices, and she needed to practice meditation before.
She started letting her mind drift without any thoughts, drifting with the tides. Once she was detached from her sense of self, she opened herself to the world around her.
The feeling of life was passing through her. Once she was securely floating, she allowed herself to drift into the world around her. There was so much going on, but the most overpowering thing was the fog.
It was dense and old. It carried traces of thousands of living things inside it, yet it also was laced with death. She could feel the animals hunting one another, the fear of the prey, and the excitement of the hunter.
She felt it all and still kept herself detached. It was only for her to be an observer. Something curious caught her attention. The fog around her was changing. Being laced with some sort of density.
How curious. The same density could be felt around all other living creatures. The density depended on the amount of their chakra. The unique part was that the older the beast, the darker it was.
The darkness also depended on the natural feeling of the chakra. Those with darker chakra were surrounded by darker fog. Perhaps darkness was not a good description.
It was more akin to a mirror. A reflection. Reflecting back the core feeling of one's chakra back to them. Maybe that was why there were supposed to be hallucinations. The fog mirrors the person's darkest part to them.
Also, by expecting the dark and scary hallucinations, you subconsciously twist and focus your chakra on them, causing them to amplify towards you.
The most fascinating part, perhaps, was the path. A slight tug on her chakra guided her on her path. Whenever she was straying the wrong way she could feel it like a fragile strand pulling on her.
It was so slight that she wasn't even sure if it was real. But the path she was on made her remember the past. The day she and her sensei spent up on a hill. Just lazing around and watching clouds.
She was always too restless to remain idle, but it was the day after a harsh period of constant running, and they needed a break. Shiori emptied her mind before the thoughts consumed her.
Meditating and not letting emotions take over.
Shiori opened her eyes to find herself in a room. She had no idea what she was doing there or how she got there. She remembered walking into the fog, but it was as if her memory of anything that had happened inside was gone.
She checked around the room. Her backpack was next to her, and it seemed untouched after a quick check. Someone must have changed her clothing since she was wearing a plain white Yukata.
The material was thin but durable. It was of good quality. She analyzed the room further. She didn't want to run out into an unknown situation.
The room was decorated in an old Japanese style, with plain tatami floors and white shoji screens on the walls. She had woken up on a white futon with a white blanket.
There was a small closet, which, upon checking, was empty. There was a small desk with a candle to the side. There were no decorations in the room. It was so plain that if it wasn't for the clear signs of use, she would have thought the place was brand new.
But it was clear that everything was old but well cared for. Shiori wanted to go out and explore, but she didn't want to put herself in danger before meeting the people who brought her here and seeing what they wanted.
So she took out the only book unsealed in her bag and started reading. It was a book about different methods of making tea. The one she was reading now had an interesting take on black tea.
First, you need to put the leaves in a ceramic pot. Then, you pour cold water into the pot and drain it. Then, you spread the leaves on the side of the pot, leaving the bottom empty. Then, you put the lid on it.
After that, you need to fill a kettle with water, put it on fire, and put the pot on top of it. When the water comes to a boil, you would fill the pot with the appropriate amount of water and let the kettle boil on fire for 20 minutes.
The cold wash at the beginning of the process would ensure there is no dust on the leaves and help them stick to the sides of the pot. Putting the pot on top of the kettle, which is coming to a boil, would allow the leaves to sweat and release most of their flavor. Finally, the boiling time would ensure that all the essence of the leaves is released into the water.
Shiori was interested in doing her own experiments with the method. It was genius not to put the leaves on the bottom of the pot. This would ensure that the leaves were away from direct heat and only got warm from the steam coming from the sides and the heat coming from the bottom. The ceramic pot would also protect the leaves from the high heat.
She wondered if she could use a similar method for some of the heat-sensitive herbs she needed to brew for medicine. Maybe she wouldn't add water to the pot but another type of liquid that boils at lower temperatures.
She viciously took notes when she heard the door open.
"You are a curious one, aren't you?" A voice from behind her said.