64 Mental Clarity

As the sun rose, and the amount of light reaching into the forest increased, Natsume eventually woke up. She stretched her muscles and looked around. Nothing had happened while she slept, allowing her to get some much-needed rest. She did a quick sweep of the area before jumping down from the branch. Some small animals ran away in fear, which made Natsume relax.

Checking the sun, it was already almost noon. She leisurely walked the short distance out of the forest and observed the horizon to the north. She could already see the beginning of the mountain range. After taking out some dried rations and having a quick meal, Natsume continued her journey.

The land could be considered barren when compared to the Land of Fire, but when compared to the Land of Wind, it was a paradise. Although the mountainous terrain did not have large signs of life like a forest, it had many tenacious smaller life forms. Moss, vines, shrubs, small animals, and reptiles. Natsume saw creatures she had never seen before. This made her understand that life persists even in harsh conditions.

After traveling for a day and taking in all the new and interesting sights, Natsume settled down at the edge of a small spring. Although she still had water stored from her planned desert venture, the spring water had a unique taste to it. It was cool and refreshing. In her travels, she had not seen a single other person. However, given the current situation in the Land of Earth, many did not have the luxury to travel, so it made sense. The next day, she left the small spring and continued toward the mountain. Based on her estimate, she would be able to climb the first peak within the day.

As she traveled deeper into the wilderness, she felt the Nature energy around her become denser. One thing she realized rather early was that you could not practice senjutsu anywhere. Places that were developed and pilfered by humans would have a thin presence of Nature energy. Whereas places untouched by man or bustling with life would be very dense. This was probably one of the reasons why the hidden sage regions, like the Ryuchi caves, existed.

The mountain was fairly steep, but she climbed it with relative ease. Although she could utilize chakra to make it easier, she decided to take this opportunity to train herself. Her body was still growing, but her strength was not to be underestimated. Because of early taijutsu training and the enrichment of a strong chakra reserve, her physique alone could rival the average adult shinobi.

After several hours of climbing, she reached the top and felt an odd sense of satisfaction. Looking down below, she could see for miles around her. Natsume felt weightless and free from her worries. This state of mind brought her directly into a state of enlightenment. She sat down cross-legged and was absolutely still. Her breathing even slowed down to the minimum.

The nature energy was rich and plentiful in this area. However, she did not dare to risk absorbing it. Instead, she was focused on her mental state and emotions. Taking the words of the old granny to heart, Natsume focused on the feeling she had reaching the peak. The calmness and selflessness she experienced was like a guiding light in the dark. Although a fire raged within her heart, she slowly soothed it bit by bit.

After a while, the sensation of enlightenment passed, and she was no longer able to continue meditating. Instead of forcing it, she went with the flow and woke up. This was the first time she had the awareness and intention to directly resolve the negative emotions rooted deep within. After a single session, Natsume felt that the Nature energy around her had become more comfortable with her existence. Although it did not have a consciousness, it was a power that could not be utilized casually.

Natsume thought about the things she experienced in her short life and realized that they were less painful. Although she still felt the grief, she was able to move on from some of it. However, she experienced too much in a short time, so it was difficult to have closure in one session. Additionally, she sensed the grievances of her past life were hidden at the core. Ultimately, she would have to resolve her past life's regrets.

A thought struck her in that instant, and she activated her sharingan. It transitioned quickly into her Mangekyou Sharingan, and she did not detect any abnormalities. After releasing her dojutsu, she heaved a sigh of relief. This visual prowess was always associated with hatred and strong emotions to the outside world and to the Uchiha themselves. However, Natsume now suspected that this was a misunderstanding that, over time, became the only understanding.

Since she had no way to prove this, she did not ponder it too long. Looking at the long mountain range ahead of her, she could vaguely see a pillar of white in the distance. Although it looked like clouds at first glance, with careful inspection one could tell they were coming from the ground. She moulded her chakra and began to run along the mountain tops, practicing her earth release jutsu along the way. She would form bridges, platforms, and various other transformations to refine her versatility and control.

After traversing a dozen peaks with this method, Natsume could now clearly see the pillar of smoke and ash that was being emitted from the giant volcano. Between the volcano and this mountain range was a lush green valley. There were countless structures and farms built along the river that ran down the middle of the valley. However, a streak of red could be seen coming down the center of the valley, perpendicular to the river, threatening to cut off the water supply.

Down below were several people attempting to keep the lava at bay, but their efforts were meaningless against the force of nature. The sky was completely blocked by the ash rising into the sky, so the temperature in the nearby region was very cold despite being springtime. Natsume observed for a long time before finally coming down the mountain.