Chapter 71: Survival in the Wilderness
"Moreover, this dense forest must have Mist Ninja guarding the main paths. In my current state, encountering them would be a death sentence, wouldn't it?"
"Sigh!"
"In the future, I should avoid playing the hero when I don't know the way. Otherwise, dying because of my poor sense of direction would be truly ridiculous!"
With a deep sigh, Koshino, troubled by his "poor sense of direction" and separated from Kurenai and Tatami, could only silently search for a safe place within the dense forest.
As for actively searching for Kurenai Yuhi and Tatami, that was no longer in Koshino's plans.
After all, as Koshino thought, if he were to encounter Mist Ninja while searching for Kurenai Yuhi and Tatami, how could he possibly fight them in his current condition?
Not to mention elite Mist Ninja like Hozuki Mangetsu, even a few ordinary Mist Ninja would be enough to kill Koshino in his severely injured state.
So, after checking the contents of his ninja tool pouch, Koshino found that besides some emergency medical supplies, Nara Clan's secret medicine, and a few hidden weapons, he still had enough provisions to last a few days.
He quickly handled his tracks and headed to a tree, calculated its size, and used a sharp kunai to carve out a hollow to hide in.
Being small in stature was now an advantage for Koshino.
If it were an adult like the Fourth Hokage in Koshino's situation, he would need to find a much thicker tree to carve out a hiding spot.
In such circumstances, any Mist Ninja searching the area would likely check not only the surrounding caves but also the thicker trees.
By hiding in a relatively thinner tree trunk, Koshino naturally had a better chance of avoiding detection, making it difficult for the Mist Ninja to find him.
Of course, someone like the Fourth Hokage would never find himself in Koshino's current predicament.
So, hiding in the tree hollow he had carved out, Koshino was merely trying to comfort himself in his dire situation.
Before sleeping, he first treated his injuries. At this moment, the benefits of having read the Nara Clan's secret scrolls became apparent.
Back when Tsunade was in the Leaf Village, to prevent casualties among the village's ninja—partly due to the tragic death of her brother Nawaki—Tsunade,
one of the Sannin, insisted that every squad must include a medical ninja.
She also required every ninja to carry some medical supplies in their ninja tool pouches during missions.
Unfortunately, not everyone knew how to treat their own injuries. Most ordinary ninja would just use medical bandages to crudely deal with their wounds.
But Koshino was different.
As a member of the Nara Clan who had read their secret scrolls and understood some pharmacology, and having spent considerable time with the medical ninja unit, Koshino was quite adept at treating injuries.
In no time, Koshino, wrapped in medical bandages like a mummy, made his appearance.
However, despite looking like a mummy, thanks to Koshino's rather proficient emergency treatment, most of his wounds would heal in just a few days.
The injuries from the explosive tags would heal in a day. The only challenging ones were the severe wounds on his shoulder and chest.
Yet, Koshino was confident that with the Nara Clan's secret medicine, he could return to peak condition in half a month.
The only downside was that recovering to peak condition in half a month would be possible in the Leaf camp.
In the wilderness, Koshino considered it a stroke of luck if he could prevent his injuries from worsening.
With food, water, and nutrition in short supply, how could Koshino expect more?
Night had fallen.
Chewing on the hard, dry rations, Koshino didn't dare to light a fire while being pursued by the Mist ninja. He hid alone in a tree hollow, thinking to himself:
"If only I had watched more wilderness survival shows before."
"Damn, isn't my situation pretty much the same as wilderness survival? The only difference might be that my circumstances are even worse."
"In those shows, survival is the main goal, but I also have to evade the Mist ninja's pursuit. It's kind of pathetic!"
With a silent sigh, Koshino glanced at the blood-stained bandages and took a deep breath.
"Sigh! It's really tough for an injured person to survive on dry rations. Even if I can keep the wound from worsening, there are bound to be some hidden ailments inside my body!"
"Hidden ailments, now that's a tricky issue!"
"No way! Tomorrow, even if it's risky, I must gather some fresh herbs for healing and some meat to replenish my nutrition!"
"I never realized before how valuable the pharmacology and recipes recorded in the Nara Clan's secret scrolls were. Now, they seem priceless!"
"At least in terms of wilderness survival, they're incredibly precious!"
With that thought, Koshino sat cross-legged in the tree hollow, recovered his chakra, and recalled the battle with Hozuki Mangetsu.
It's undeniable that Hozuki Mangetsu was the first formidable enemy Koshino encountered, providing him with invaluable combat experience that gradually familiarized him with battlefield tactics.
Especially after the encounter with Hozuki Mangetsu, Koshino experienced a breakthrough, achieving a qualitative leap in strength.
It made Koshino understand why battlefield combat is essential for a ninja's true growth.
So, even amidst numerous crises, Koshino meticulously recalled his battle with Hozuki Mangetsu.
Until exhaustion overcame him, Koshino finally succumbed to sleep in the tree hollow.
When he awoke the next morning, Koshino was determined to heal his injuries to prevent any hidden ailments from lingering in his body.
Sometimes, it's crucial not to underestimate the hidden ailments left after healing.
Even the slightest injury during combat can leave a hidden danger in the body, let alone the arduous battle with Hozuki Mangetsu.
After winning a battle, any wounds must be treated along with the hidden ailments.
Otherwise, these ailments accumulate, turning minor injuries into major ones, potentially becoming incurable and causing a ninja's strength to stagnate.
A sudden outbreak could even threaten a ninja's life.
It's like the NBA players from Koshino's previous world.
As professional athletes, failing to manage their bodies and returning to action before fully recovering can lead to hidden ailments.
Many talented players, who didn't pay attention in their youth, accumulated countless hidden ailments, ultimately leading to the end of their careers and a quiet exit from the NBA stage.
With so many examples before him, Koshino was determined to learn from them.
So, even at the risk of danger, Koshino was gathering herbs in the dense forest, planning to use the Nara Clan's secret medicine to first heal his wounds and then cure the hidden ailments.
As for nutrition, the vast forest always had some wild animals. As long as Koshino could manage the traces of battle, hunting would be an easy task for him.
After crudely making some of the Nara Clan's secret medicine and completing his healing, Koshino was about to go hunting when something unexpected happened!
The surprising event was the sudden appearance of the Mist Anbu while Koshino was hunting!
"Huh?"