Who are you?

Part 18

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.