His consciousness returned after a few days, but I wasn't allowed to meet him, as his grandma had placed guards at the entrance. I gave up, as she wouldn't like to know if I sneaked in. Like that, I spent my one month in the hospital and received my treatment.
During this time, I trained myself in ki to increase my proficiency, as I should take part in the candidate selection. These selections take place in mid-December, between the 15th and 20th. The date hasn't been fixed yet, but they will make me participate in it even if it is against my will.
So, I need to make an effort to save my face in front of others, though there's no one who could match me with their swordsmanship.
Recently, Keiko surpassed me. Kenji might be close to her, while Akiko might be the weakest among the three of them. If I must place myself between them, I would fit between Kenji and Akiko, weaker than him and a bit stronger than Akiko.
Considering pure swordsmanship talent, I might be on the top, but when we are considering pure ki talent, they might be the best, including Akiko. They've been training themselves from their childhood, so their precision at control is far better than mine.
The others are also the same as them. They are from renowned families, rich, with old traditions.
I've memorized the names of all the other candidates that might be selected. They are quite strong.
The ones I should watch out for are 'Enomoto Chieko' and 'Enomoto Chiaki', twins from Kansai, and the Kansai prefecture captain's grandkids.
'Higashi Haruto' from Tohoku. His family owns a traditional Japanese sweets shop, which is the largest in the whole of Japan.
'Watanabe Akihito' from Shikoku. His grandpa is the vice-captain of Shikoku.
Chubu has two females, 'Ito Aina' and 'Serizawa Izumi'. Ito's family has been in politics for generations. The next one from that family is her older sister.
As for Serizawa, her family runs the nation's biggest and best corporate hospitals. Both her parents are doctors. Her grandpa was the previous captain of the Chubu prefecture. He got both her older brother and her into swords.
Kyushu also has two, one female and one male, 'Saito Yuudai' and 'Ishikawa Karen'. Saito's family is a big corporate company, and Ishikawa is the daughter of Saito's father's bodyguard. Basically, she is his bodyguard.
There's a rumour that they both are in a relationship.
Leaving their personals, the last one is 'Umemoto Kyoko' from Okinawa, granddaughter of the Okinawa captain.
As for Chugoku, Ken is the best one, but now he's out of the tournament, and there's no one in the prefecture who could match his level.
Hokkaido has Ryuu, but he broke his arm in a fight against me, and he needs physio. There's no time for training, so he's out.
Each country sends a minimum of ten and a maximum of fifteen. So, the elders might select them and us four. Including us, that makes a total of thirteen.
To make it a round figure, they might select a couple of others who are capable, but there aren't many, so it might not happen.
And today's my discharge day.
Finally, my freedom has come. I am given salvation.
Today's date is thirteen, and the selection starts from tomorrow.
Kenji said he would come and pick me up, and I've been waiting for him for the past one hour. He isn't picking up my calls or reading my messages.
It's already a miracle that I've waited one hour for him, but I couldn't wait anymore. I took a taxi and went to my home to meet my mother.
She visited me every day with Keiko and brought me lunch. Thanks to her, Keiko and I had lunch dates every day. Kenji and Akiko would come visit me once every three days.
Moms are sure built different.
She was nagging me every day. She thought my opponent was very tough to make me end up on a hospital bed. She wouldn't believe that the one who kicked ass was me.
At one point, she said that she would go ask my grandpa why he made me fight with such a strong opponent.
Well, I understand her fear, but she was being way too dramatic.
I asked her to stop coming to see me if she was going to be like that every day. She stopped complaining after that.
I reached home. Everyone was present that day. My dad didn't go to work as I was being discharged, and my mother said that we were having a family lunch.
As I entered, my brother took my bag and shouted that I've come home.
It was half past eleven. My mother asked me to rest and said she would call me after the lunch was done.
I went to my room and fell on the bed.
I slept as soon as I fell on it. I didn't know that my bed and room could feel this comfortable.
After an hour, my brother came to wake me up. We both went down to the dining table. All the food was set, and my mom and dad were setting the table.
We both helped them, and my mom filled the menu with her Indian dishes, those that I like.
As I was enjoying the delicious food, my dad asked when I would be returning to the Minka.
I swallowed the food in my mouth and answered that I would return in the evening.
For which, my mother said,
"He won't return for the next one week. He just returned from the hospital, and you are sending him back?"
"He won't be fighting there. He's just going there to live with the others, and your grandpa asked me to deliver this to you: 'You are selected as a candidate for the tournament, and just train with your sword for the next month.' That's what he said. Congratulations, my boy."
"What!? You are sending him to even greater danger? I won't allow it," my mother said.
"It's not something I decided. The whole JSA Council of Elders decided on it."
"So, what? It's my son they are sending..."
Their argument, or more like a lover's quarrel, went on like that.
From the side, my brother congratulated me for getting selected.
I didn't understand why they were congratulating me. I got selected, that's a given. After all the hard work I've done and they made me go through, it is the least.
I ate the food to my heart's content and thanked my mom for the food, said my goodbyes to both my brother and father, and left for the Minka.
The Minka was empty.
I tried calling the three, but they didn't answer.
So, I went to the HQ and asked the reception to meet my grandpa, but they said he's at the stadium the whole day.
So, I went to the stadium.
It was quiet. Sounds of swords clashing were audible as I went further.
When I entered the hall, there was a fight going on. The others were sitting and watching, including the captains.
To my surprise, there were all regions' captains present.
I thought of getting out of there, as it could get a little bit problematic.
I turned around and headed back.
Then I suddenly got a call from Grandpa Genji, saying that he saw me and wanted me to return.
I returned, as I had no choice.
When I went in, the fight was already over.
The one who won was 'Iwata Emiko' of Shikoku, and the one who lost was 'Kanzaki Taiki' from Chubu.
The three of them were sitting beside the captains, including the other grandchildren. The others were sitting above them.
I went to the top and got myself a clear and distant view.
The winner went and sat on the bench near the mat.
After a twenty-minute break, she came back onto the mat, and from the audience stands, 'Umemoto Kyoko' got up and went to the mat.
They both gave their respects to each other and began their fight.
The fight was not that interesting at the beginning.
It was a slow start from both sides.
As it went on, the fight shifted towards Kyoko. I didn't notice when, but it was after ten minutes the match began.
She ended it just after getting her momentum.
Her opponent fell on her knees and admitted her defeat.
As soon as her opponent gave up, she turned towards the audience and said,
"I would like to have a fight with you, Fujiwara Satoru-san"