The sun had risen, spilling its golden light across the village. The sky blazed in gentle hues of pink and orange, the radiant flowers glimmering as if kissed by the morning itself. Birds filled the air with cheerful, melodious songs. It was a morning that could heal even the deepest of wounds—a morning that felt like rebirth. For Sentarō, it was a rare moment of peace, one he desperately needed after the horrors of the Night of Blood.
THUD!
The sound shook the walls of his room. Sentarō jolted upright in bed, his heart skipping a beat.
"Hey, kid! How long do you plan to sleep?!" Ujiyuki's voice boomed, carrying authority and mischief all at once. The door flew open with a dramatic force that sent a faint draft through the room, revealing Ujiyuki standing in his bright yellow kimono, hands planted on his hips.
"Huh?… Mr. Ujiyuki?" Sentarō mumbled, still groggy, blinking against the morning light. He stared at his mentor, who radiated energy like a man who had not slept a second in a week.
"Enough sleeping, kid," Ujiyuki said with a grin that stretched from ear to ear. "Time to celebrate!"
"Celebrate?" Sentarō echoed, confusion furrowing his brow. Then, slowly, understanding dawned on him.
"Wait a minute…" he muttered, leaping out of bed with surprising speed for someone so worn out. His nose twitched instinctively, sniffing the air. "…It can't be…"
Ujiyuki's grin widened, his eyes glinting with unspoken amusement.
In a flash, Sentarō donned his dark green kimono and bolted toward the living room. There, the sight that greeted him stole any remnants of sleep from his body: three steaming bowls of freshly made Oden, surrounded by small plates of Tsukemono and fluffy white rice.
"Heh heh, like what you see?" Shigekatsu's voice teased, his yellow-and-blue highlighted kimono almost sparkling in the morning light. He leaned casually against the doorway, observing Sentarō drooling over the feast.
"Wow… I can't believe you actually made this, Mr. Shigekatsu!" Sentarō exclaimed, his voice brimming with pure, unfiltered joy. His eyes practically sparkled as he leaned closer to the table. "What's the occasion?"
"Occasion?" Ujiyuki said, striding forward with a Tokkuri of sake in hand and three small cups balanced expertly atop his palm. "The occasion is your successful return from the exams, kid."
He placed the cups beside each bowl, then rested a firm, warm hand on Sentarō's shoulder. "I was saving this for when you finally made it back alive. I'm really glad you survived."
Sentarō's chest swelled with warmth. Words failed him, but his wide eyes and faint smile said it all.
"All right, let's dig in!" Shigekatsu exclaimed, taking his seat. Sentarō and Ujiyuki joined him, and soon the room was filled with the sound of chopsticks scraping against bowls, sizzling steam, and the soft clatter of wooden cups. Sentarō wasted no time, shoveling mouthfuls of oden into his mouth with gusto, while Shigekatsu poured sake with meticulous care.
"To Sentarō's safe return!" Ujiyuki shouted, raising his cup high. Sentarō and Shigekatsu mirrored the gesture, tipping the cups and swallowing in unison.
"Damn, that's hot!" Sentarō exclaimed, waving his hand to cool his mouth, steam rising comically from his head.
"As expected," Shigekatsu said, a faint smile tugging at his lips. "Your first time drinking."
"But wait… how did you know oden was my favorite?" Sentarō asked mid-bite, wide-eyed.
"I remember you mentioning it during training," Ujiyuki said, pouring another cup of sake for himself. He lifted it to his lips and let out a satisfied sigh. "Haaa… now that hits the spot."
The three men ate, drank, and laughed until their hearts felt lighter than they had in months. Ujiyuki chuckled as he saw Sentarō's animated expressions and Shigekatsu's subtle smirks. The room was alive with warmth and camaraderie, a stark contrast to the horrors they had survived just days before.
"Wow, kid," Ujiyuki said, his face flushing a deep red from the sake. "For a first-time drinker, you have a surprisingly high tolerance."
"Ehh… Ujiyuki nii-san, I think it's time we… address the elephant in the room," Shigekatsu said, his voice colored by the alcohol, though his eyes remained sharp.
"You're right," Ujiyuki agreed, nodding solemnly. Sentarō froze mid-bite, confusion furrowing his brow.
"Sentarō," Ujiyuki said, his tone shifting to serious, "we heard about the incident during the entrance exams at the Fourth Division…" His eyes darkened. "…also known as The Night of Blood."
"The Night of Blood?" Sentarō asked, his chopsticks paused mid-air. Confusion and unease crept into his expression.
"Yes," Ujiyuki said gravely. "News travels fast, and after hearing about the event, people gave it that name."
Shigekatsu's face grew somber. "We also heard that only four candidates survived… the lowest in history."
Sentarō set his chopsticks down slowly, his mind recalling the scorched battlefield, the cries, the blood-soaked ground. "It's… shocking that the news would get here so quickly. But… yes. It's all true," he said, his voice calm yet serious.
"I'm truly glad you survived, kid," Ujiyuki said, gripping Sentarō's shoulder with firm reassurance.
Shigekatsu nodded in agreement, eyes gleaming with quiet determination. "Now you're one step closer to achieving your goal."
Sentarō took a deep breath and straightened his back. He had thought the exams themselves would define him, but he now understood—they were just the beginning.
"Listen closely," Ujiyuki said, lifting his sake cup once more. "Surviving the exam is the only requirement to pass. And since you did, congratulations—you've officially passed."
"However," he continued, "this only concerns the Fourth Division. Other divisions still have their exams, and those usually take a few days. After all the exams conclude in each division, surviving candidates are sent a letter, along with a uniform and… a sword."
"A sword? How do they know which one I use?" Sentarō asked, eyes wide with disbelief.
"Oh, that's the sensei's job," Shigekatsu replied with a light grin. "They submit a description of your sword so the blacksmith can craft an officially authorized police-force weapon."
Ujiyuki added sternly, "Once you receive your sword and uniform, you are expected to report immediately to the division where you took your exams. And don't worry, there's a living quarters prepared for you there."
"Really?!" Sentarō asked rhetorically, a wide grin forming as his chest swelled with excitement. But then reality hit him. "But… what about you, Mr. Ujiyuki? And you, Mr. Shigekatsu?"
"You'll be living there from now on," both men said, their smiles wide and reassuring. "So don't worry about us, kid."
Sentarō's grin widened until it could have lit the room. He leapt into the air, clutching his cup of sake. "ALRIGHT! NOW MY JOURNEY AS A SAMURAI BEGINS!"
Shigekatsu and Ujiyuki rose from their seats in unison, raising their cups high. "YEEAAHH!" they echoed, their voices harmonizing in celebration.
The morning light bathed the room in a warm glow as the three of them drank, laughed, and savored the fleeting moments of peace. For Sentarō, the world was suddenly full of possibilities. The battles, the trials, and the Night of Blood—all were behind him, for now. Ahead lay the path he had dreamed of, paved with challenges that would test his body, his mind, and his spirit.
As the last drops of sake disappeared into their cups, Sentarō's eyes sparkled with determination. He had survived, he had endured, and he had returned. Now, his story as a samurai—a protector of the people—truly began.