'Ughh I'm boreddd' Kuroichi thought, as he lazily hung head over heels from a tree branch. It was a rest day for Kuroichi, having done non-stop training practically ever since he arrived in the forest, today was a day for him to just calm down, relax and rejuvenate for the coming days.
He noticed that while his body was getting a little stronger and better each and every day, he was still only 3 years old and not made to work, work, and work some more just yet. That could only be done once he grew some more in a few years.
Having heard the saying that rest is just as important as training he decided to not be over-ambitious and take heed of the warning his body and mind were sending him. However Kuroichi, being pretty much always busy with training and improving himself, found that he didn't really know what to do with himself now that he had free time but no training planned.
'That's right! I've done some exploring here and there ever since I got here, but that was only in combination with looking for food. Now that I have a whole day with nothing planned maybe I should go explore the area some more..'
As Kuroichi packed up the things he thought he may need for the day, he noticed his knife having become much duller than it was before.
'Huh.. I need to find a way to sharpen this thing otherwise it'll be totally useless in a little while.' He thought as he secured the knife on his person.
As he left his shelter and went deeper into the forest, he slowly left behind the parts of it that had become familiar to him. Thinking ahead, he started to break branches at a certain height every so often, so that he could find his way back.
As he walked through the forest, he began noticing more and more of the little details that he would usually overlook. The way the light shone through the canopy and fell on the forest floor. The way the forest was so packed with life. He noticed insects flying and playing within the light, beetles on the ground and ants walking along small branches carrying leaves back to their colony.
Every place he looked was filled with a quiet sense of peace, something he rarely felt before. 'This is so different from my first life, but really nice in it's own way. I was always so distracted by my circumstances and modern luxuries that I never realized the beauty contained in the simplest things.'
As Kuroichi continued walking through the forest, step by step, he could suddenly hear the sound of flowing water from up ahead. As he unintentionally picked up his pace, Kuroichi darted through leaves and branches until he finally parted some bushes with his hands making his eyes widen and his breath hitch at the sight in front of him.
What he saw before him was a beautiful river, glistening like liquid crystal. The water was moving lazily, weaving it's way through the forest and it's surface shimmered with soft ripples. Large, smooth rocks jutted out at irregular intervals, some half-submerged, others standing tall. Sunlight streamed through the gaps in the canopy, making patterns appear all over the water, flickering and shifting with every small motion of the current.
Upon closer inspection, Kuroichi could see fish darting around the water near the surface, their scales flashing in the light for a few brief moments before they vanished back into the depths. Insects such as dragonflies and water striders were easily visible right above the water surface.
Kuroichi smelled the air, it was fresh and clean, carrying the scent of damp earth, moss-covered stones, and the crisp coolness of the flowing river.
For a moment he just stood there as if entranced. In the middle of his struggle for survival and strength, this place felt untouched and undisturbed, a peaceful sanctuary hidden within the wilderness. The tension in his shoulders eased a bit as he listened to the gentle sounds of the river, it's steady flow a calming him down.
As Kuroichi came out of his stupor, he decided to go take a dip in the water. He hadn't learned to swim in this body yet, but he didn't think it would be an issue. The river banks were shallow enough for him to stand and who knew if you even needed to learn to swim again, or if it was a thing that just stayed with you even through death.
As he began taking off his clothes, he thought that for the entire time he's been in the forest this would be the first time he'd take something resembling a shower or bath. 'I really have been skimping on my hygiene a bit, but there isn't much I could do here in the forest.. none that I know of at least.'
Before he put his feet into the water, he noticed his reflection in the water. It was quite blurry, the water not being still enough, and the patterns on the water disrupting a clear reflection, but he could see himself for the first time, he realized.
The reflection was wavering with each ripple but he could clearly make out his dark unkempt hair framing his small face, strands falling on his forehead.
His eyes were deep and dark, they held an eerie sharpness with a look far too knowing for a three year old boy. His skin was pale, not sickly pale, but the kind of pale that could be in the sun for days at a time and would only have marginally become a little more tanned.
Hunger had made him thin, his arms and legs were a bit wiry from all the workouts and stress he carried with himself each and every day.
His clothes were what could once be described as simple peasant garb, made from hemp or cotton, now they already had stretches and ripped places where the fabric was torn apart. The fabric, once beige, was stained with dirt and frayed edges that hung loosely from around his sleeves and pant legs. The cloth barely fit him, slipping slightly off his small frame, held together only by the knots he had tied to keep them in place.
He stared for a long moment, expression unreadable. He had no memory of ever seeing himself like this. He hadn't cared before, but now, gazing into the river's shifting surface, he couldn't shake the feeling that the boy staring back at him looked more like a stranger than himself.
Pushing these thoughts aside, Kuroichi slowly went into the water, the current swirling around his legs as he went in a bit deeper. As he was halfway submerged, he tried to swim for the first time. The movements seemed unfamiliar and required a lot of coordination in the beginning, but a short time later and Kuroichi was swimming as if he hadn't just done it for the first time. At least in this body.
The moment he went in a bit deeper and his whole body was fully submerged, a sense of weightlessness overtook him. The water washed over his skin, soothing away the grime and exhaustion clinging to him like a second layer.
He let himself relax, floating on his back, eyes half-lidded as sunlight danced across the surface. The slow-moving current carried away the tension in his muscles, and for a fleeting moment, the world felt quiet. No hunger, no struggle, no training having to get done, just the rhythmic flow of water around him.
Standing knee-deep in the cool river, the MC held his tattered clothes in his hands, watching as the dirt and grime darkened the water around him. He dunked the fabric under the surface, rubbing it against itself, his fingers working through the worn material with slow, deliberate motions.
He wrung out the cloth, watching as muddy streaks streamed into the current, then repeated the process, dipping and twisting until the water ran clear. Once satisfied, he spread the damp garments over a smooth rock to dry in the afternoon sun.
After he came back to shore, he sat himself onto a smooth rock. He stayed there for a moment, feeling the sun warm his damp skin, droplets rolling down his arms as he took a deep breath.
Looking into the distance, Kuroichi noticed a smooth dark rock close to the river bank. He walked over and pulled the stone ashore, struggling a bit at first but soon managing it just fine.
He got his knife and as he sat before the smooth stone he thought 'Let's see.. what do I remember of stone sharpening from my memories?
Nevermind, let's just try it like this!'
The surface of the rock was slick from the water, he held the knife at an angle to it, and with a steady hand fluidly drew the knife across the stone in a deliberate motion. Each stroke of his was measured as tiny sparks of friction danced along the edge of the knife.
Tiny shavings of metal flaked away, washing into the river, while the knife's dull edge slowly honed into becoming deadly again. He tested it against his thumb, feeling the slight bite of the freshly sharpened blade. Satisfied, he rinsed both the knife and the stone in the river, watching as the murky traces of metal swirled away into the current.
Kuroichi gathered his clothes and secured the knife again before tucking it away. Kneeling by the river one last time, he dipped his water bottle into the cool current, watching as it filled with water. With everything in place, he rose to his feet, casting a final glance at the peaceful stream.
Then, without a word, he turned and disappeared into the trees, his footsteps light as he made his way back to the only place he could call home, his shelter in the middle of the forest.
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