Chapter 28: Camp

It was noon as the three trainee seekers made their way through the trees. The sun was starting to tilt towards the west, casting long shadows from the tree leaves onto the forest floor. The dappled sunlight created a pattern of light and dark, giving the dense forest an ethereal feel. Reptiles of various kinds crawled on the tree trunks and branches, their scales glinting in the intermittent sunlight.

After a while, they came upon a muddy lake, not particularly deep but quite wide, stretching out before them. The surface of the water was murky, reflecting the fragmented image of the sun as it began its descent. Patches of reeds and water plants dotted the edges of the lake, and the occasional ripple indicated the presence of unseen aquatic life.

Reyoma, Nobunaga, and Ishin paused at the sight of the lake, each taking in the scene with different thoughts.

"Looks like we've reached the swamp area," Reyoma observed, his eyes scanning the perimeter of the lake for any immediate threats.

Nobunaga, less enthused about the muck and potential dangers, scowled slightly. "Great, just what I wanted, a muddy lake."

Ishin, ever the pragmatist, said, "We need to find a suitable spot to set up camp. Somewhere elevated, away from the water's edge to avoid any night-time surprises."

Reyoma nodded in agreement, "Let's move around the lake's perimeter and see if we can find a higher ground or a cluster of trees that we can use for shelter."

As they cautiously moved along the lake's edge, the sound of rustling leaves and distant bird calls filled the air, reminding them that they were deep in the wilderness, where every step had to be taken with care and vigilance.

"Let's explore the surroundings separately. If we keep moving at this pace, we're definitely going to end up being shelterless at night," Ishin suggested, his thoughts deep with the knowledge of the dangers twilight could bring.

"Okay, that's a great idea, but what should we do about these mosquitoes? They keep biting me all around my face," Nobunaga complained, lightly slapping himself. All three of them were completely covered in armor, leaving only their faces exposed. The mosquitoes were targeting the easiest source of blood—their faces.

Reyoma, hearing this, turned his head, searching for something he had been looking for a while now: mud. They hadn't been able to go near the muddy lake until now, but now they was right at the bank of one. Walking forward, he picked up a pebble and threw it into the middle of the lake. As the pebble hit the murky water, creating a circular wave, someone's silhouette near the bank of the lake and many other places of lake, some shadows moved towards the disturbance.

"Come here," Reyoma said, turning back and looking at his teammates with a slight grin.

Hearing this, Ishin and Nobunaga exchanged confused glances.

"Why?" Ishin asked, noticing the movement in the lake. Something was definitely hiding in the water. He paused, frowning for a second, but then cautiously marched toward Reyoma.

"Are you really going to go? Didn't you see the movement in the lake? Are you really going to believe him?" Nobunaga said, puzzled by Ishin's behavior.

"Don't follow if you don't want to," Ishin replied nonchalantly.

Without waiting for his teammates, Reyoma plunged his hand into the water, grabbing the mud beneath. He took his hand out with a fluid pull, stared at the mud in his hand for a bit, and then smeared the mud all over his face, covering it completely.

Seeing this, Ishin nodded in understanding. "Smart, Reyoma. The mud will help keep the mosquitoes biting."

Nobunaga, still skeptical, watched for a moment before reluctantly following suit. He grabbed a handful of mud and applied it to his face, muttering under his breath, "This better work."

After drenching their faces and necks with mud, the trainees quickly backed away from the murky water, not wanting to find out what lurked beneath its surface. They separated, each trying to find an elevated area that wasn't wet. However, almost all the land around them was either soaked with small puddles or slightly dry patches near trees standing in the middle of the water. Unable to find any dry land, they gathered to discuss their options.

"This really sucks. Not even a single piece of dry land. This fucking swamp," Nobunaga said irritably, clearly frustrated. "This is all because of your bad luck, omen, that's affecting us!" Reyoma simply ignored him. He knew they should have already found a place to camp instead of wasting time quarreling.

"That's enough, Nobunaga," Ishin sighed, looking at the sun. 'Just four hours,' he thought. "We will have to stop searching for dry land. There are just three to four hours left until dusk. Instead, let's camp in the trees. What do you guys say?" Ishin asked seriously.

Reyoma nodded in agreement. "It's a good idea. We need to be off the ground anyway but will have to build a roof who knows when the rain might pour down."

Nobunaga grumbled but eventually agreed. "Fine. Better than being eaten alive by mosquitoes or whatever else is lurking around here."

The three of them found a large tree with thick branches that could support their weight. Ishin climbed up first, finding a sturdy spot to settle. Reyoma followed, using his agility to maneuver easily among the branches. Nobunaga, despite his grumbling, managed to climb up as well.

Agreeing on places to rest with safe-looking branches, Reyoma, as per their agreement, climbed down to pick up wooden branches. Meanwhile, Ishin went to collect tall grass, intending to use it as rope, and Nobunaga cleared the tree of pests. As a tree in a swamp, it housed many insects, so Nobunaga's job was to wreck their nests and smooth the tree from chips.

By the time Reyoma and Ishin returned, it was already evening. The first thing they made was a torch to provide light as dusk settled. They then constructed a crude roof of leaves supported by wooden branches. Ishin intertwined the tall grass he collected to create ropes, which they used to bind the structure together. They placed large leaves on the branches to create a comfortable sleeping area. Finally, they positioned a big open container on the very top of the tree to collect rainwater. Their shelter was ready.

Reyoma silently watched, a sense of accomplishment bubbling in his heart. It was his first time camping away from home. Although they were facing danger, at this moment, Reyoma felt it was worth it.

Ishin nodded in satisfaction. "We did well. This should protect us from most of the elements and any small creatures that might come our way."

Nobunaga, still a bit irritable, shrugged. "As long as we don't get eaten by bugs or worse, it'll do."

They climbed back up into the tree, settling into their respective spots. The torchlight flickered, casting shadows on the leaves and branches. Reyoma took his position for the first watch, his eyes scanning the darkening swamp below.

"Remember, stay alert," Ishin reminded him. "We can't afford to be caught off guard out here."

Reyoma nodded, his grip tightening on his rapier. "I won't let anything sneak up on us."

"You better do as you say, omen," Nobunaga said, uninterested and yawning lazily.

"Tomorrow we will explore the north west side. Let's try to get as close to the arena as we can," Ishin suggested, looking at the magnificent tree that seemed to tear through the clouds, with moonlight and torchlight both falling on his face.

"We should also try hunting something. I don't wanna starve to death," Nobunaga said lazily. He continued, "I wonder how far that tree is. Is it out of this examination location or not? If it is, I would like to visit it once," he mumbled.

Suddenly, Nobunaga jerked upright and said, "Wait, if there's no one to see us walking out of the fence, then we can go out, right?"

Ishin and Reyoma glanced at each other, a silent understanding passing between them. Ishin then spoke with a light laugh, "Hahaha, so you don't know."

"Don't know what?" Nobunaga asked, confusion written all over his face, taken aback by Ishin's reaction.

"We are being watched," Reyoma said nonchalantly, a hint of mockery in his eyes.

Nobunaga's eyes widened. "Watched? By who?"

"The examiners, of course," Ishin explained, still chuckling. "They wouldn't just let us roam around without supervision. There are probably shinobi hidden around, ensuring we follow the rules and don't stray beyond the boundaries."

Reyoma nodded. "Exactly. They won't intervene unless necessary, but they're always there, watching our every move."

Nobunaga's face twisted in frustration. "Great. Just great. So we're like rats in a cage."

"Think of it more as a test of our abilities and integrity," Ishin suggested, his tone turning serious. "We need to stay focused and work together if we want to pass."

Reyoma added, "Breaking the rules won't get us anywhere. We have to prove ourselves the right way."

Nobunaga sighed deeply, leaning back against the tree trunk. "Fine. But it doesn't mean I have to like it."

The three of them settled into an uneasy silence, each lost in their thoughts. The swamp around them buzzed with nocturnal life, the sounds of insects and distant animal calls a constant reminder of the dangers lurking in the darkness.