Another path

The Swamp - 1st day

< Hello everyone and happy new year ! Oh God, it's been so long, I can't believe it... First of all, I apologise to all of you since it wasn't my point to make you wait for so long. I just happened to be a little bit too optimistic and I didn't realise that studying for my 2nd exam week would take me so much time. I mean, I totally should have seen this coming but I was in denial and I just wanted to sleep during holidays. I didn't sleep in the end and I had two days-off during a two week long vacation so I didn't find the time to write anything. But thankfully, I started classes so I'll have time to write !
Anyway, onto the chapter and thanks for being so patient. >

________

Kāyô was standing right next to the body of Kyôko, an Iwa kunoichi. He searched his pocket for a thin piece of paper that he threw onto her forehead. The seal tag glowed faintly before the young woman disappeared. The Kitsune then took out a scroll and overwrote the name with the word "K.O". He quickly searched for other chakra signatures in the surroundings but didn't find anything too out of place. He did feel some chakra but he'd be unable to clearly tell whether they belonged to the wild life or a shinobi. Which was quite impressive actually, the contestants understood the main issue of the trial quite well. The Kitsune sighed : since he was the one to land into the Rat Trap, he had to search it thoroughly before heading anywhere else.
And as the name suggested, the Rat Trap wasn't a place you could escape that easily...

Kôshu Kyôko : Knocked out.

***

The Raijin tree : a species of tree that is known for conducting electricity much better than any other living being, almost as well as metals. It cannot produce electricity itself outside of usual action potentials for cellular signals but it's somehow able to conduct and even amplify electricity from other living beings. Since only the inner cells and not the bark conduct electricity, the tree in itself is harmless but it can electrify water through connections of roots. By connecting its own roots to that of another plants, it can exchange and amplify electrical signals coming from them and then redirects it toward other Raijin trees or body that would be able to conduct electricity. In the swamps, it is not rare that the Raijin trees roots would at least be in contact with water so it is highly recommended to avoid touching any water body when such trees are nearby for you may be severely electrocuted.

***

Suzuka quickly opened her eyes when she sensed something coming. She exhaled quietly upon realising it was just a pack of wolves hunting nearby.

She had been so tensed for the past few hours.
Of all places she could have landed in, it had to be in a poisonous forest ! The trees were surrounded by a white, almost green fog, which is never a good sign. She had crouched all the way out in order not to breathe whatever they were emitting and soon found herself in front of a lake of sorts.
She had paused earlier to feel the ground with her palm and she had detected an island at about 11 o'clock from her initial position.

When she saw the lake, Suzuka refrained from cursing out loud.
Of course the water had to be poisonous as well ! It seemed like the chemical substance the trees were releasing was able to dissolve into the water. No animals were swimming here so it probably still was harmful.

Walking onto the water would make her an easy target and the lake was quite broad, so she went for the next best solution : she coated her whole body with chakra and swam to the island.
She wasn't able to breathe the entire time as she had to remain under the surface and by the time she reached the shore, she was exhausted.