The morning sun was yet to meet the horizon, as the sky remained dark but lacking stars. To some, it was the time where one can prepare for the storm that is the day. But to others, it marked the beginning of something far greater.
Today was that day, the one Ujiyuki, Shigekatsu, and Sentarō had been preparing for. The day of the police force entrance exams.
"Alright, Ujiyuki" a voice came from outside his room. "We're ready to leave. Aren't you planning to see us off?"
The shōji door slid open, and there stood Shigekatsu, neat and elegant in his red-and-black striped kimono, that same mischievous grin plastered across his face.
"Tch… you couldn't wait for me?" Ujiyuki muttered.
Shigekatsu chuckled. "If I waited, we'd be leaving at sunrise."
Ujiyuki sat up slowly, rubbing his head. "Where is he?"
"Sentaro? He's outside," Shigekatsu replied. "I told him to wait while I fetched you."
Ujiyuki exhaled and stood, stretching his shoulders. "So it's finally here."
"You worried, but there's no need he's grown a lot, hasn't he?" Shigekatsu said quietly.
Ujiyuki didn't answer right away. But the faint smile tugging at his lips was enough.
They stepped outside together and there he was. Sentarō stood proudly in his new outfit a white Kosode with crimson lining and a black Hakama, his sword sheathed at his left hip. He stood tall, but his nervous energy was plain as day.
"Great," Ujiyuki called out. "Looks like you're ready to go."
"Yes, Mr Ujiyuki," Sentarō said, bowing slightly, trying to hid his nervousness but his eyes betrayed him.
Ujiyuki approached, then, to the surprise of both Shigekatsu and Sentarō, he pulled the boy into a firm embrace. Sentarō froze. He could feel the warmth from Ujiyuki's calloused hands and the steady beat of his heart. For years, Ujiyuki had been strict, even harsh, but never once had he shown affection so openly.
"Come back alive, Sentarō," Ujiyuki said quietly.
The sound of his own name from Ujiyuki's lips stunned him more than the words themselves. For five years, his master had only called him "kid" or "brat." But never his actual name, never "Sentarō."
He swallowed hard. "Don't worry, Mr Ujiyuki. I'll come back. That's a promise."
Ujiyuki let him go, studying his face for a moment longer before nodding. "See that you do."
Shigekatsu placed a hand on Ujiyuki's shoulder with his trademark smile plastered on his face. "Relax, Ujiyuki. The boy is tough. At least tougher than him."
Ujiyuki stood there without a response, with an expression that seemed odd but it was quickly broken by-
"Oi! Mr. Shigekatsu!" Sentarō called from a few paces down the path, waving eagerly. "Let's go already!"
Shigekatsu laughed. "Look at that. He's more eager than a hungry wolf."
Ujiyuki stayed where he was, arms crossed, watching them walk down the dirt path. The breeze picked up, brushing through his hair and kimono. He watched until the two were no longer in sight.
"…Of course he has grown a lot," he muttered to himself. "He is nothing like him."
The journey from Ujiyuki's home led them through the forest first. The trees stood tall and proud, their green leaves swaying gently in the wind.
Sentarō's eyes darted everywhere, excitement practically bubbling out of him. "Ahh, I can't wait! I feel excited already!"
"You're a strange one, Sentaro," Shigekatsu said, glancing sideways at him. "After hearing all that talk about the danger of the exam, you're still smiling?"
Sentarō smirked. "That's easy. I just know I'm gonna pass."
Shigekatsu sighed. "Confidence is a great attribute to have but to much of it gets men killed."
"But that's the thing confidence keeps me moving," Sentarō shot back, smiling wide.
The older man chuckled under his breath. "Heh. You sound just like someone I used to know."
They walked on for a while, the forest thinning. Soon, the trees parted to reveal a familiar dirt road. Sentarō blinked, slowing his steps.
"Wait a minute," he said, squinting at the landscape. "I know this road…"
"What's wrong?" Shigekatsu asked.
"This leads to Fubukichō market, doesn't it? The one Mr Ujiyuki and I used to visit."
"That's right," Shigekatsu said. "We'll be passing through this and a few other villages before getting to the district."
Sentarō's grin returned. "It's been ages since I've gone there!" he muttered to himself, as a light grin appeared on his face. The memories of his meeting with a girl he now can't fully remember and the memory of when he truly found his reason to fight.
But when they finally reached the marketplace of Fubukichō, that grin vanished.
The sight before him struck like a blade to the chest. The once-lively market, full of chatter, and the scent of food fresh and cooked, now lay in ruin. Empty stalls stood crooked and broken, their roofs half-collapsed. The few that remained upright were filled with rotting goods, dust, and flies. Only a handful of people still took part in buying and selling. Most people in the village were thin, pale, dressed in rags. Their faces were hollow. Hopeless.
Sentarō stopped walking. His throat tightened. "Mr. Shigekatsu… what happened here?"
Shigekatsu's face remained neutral, but there was a shadow behind his eyes. "You wouldn't know. You've been training with Ujiyuki all this time."
"This… this can't be. Last time I came here, the place was alive! Merchants, kids, the smell of food, it was full of life!"
He turned slowly, his gaze sweeping across the market with one thing in his mind, the image of that little red-haired girl from before. "How… How did it end up like this?"
Shigekatsu sighed, his tone calm but heavy. "Why are you acting surprised, this is the way things are now. Taxes went up, trade fell apart. The rich hoard what they can, and the rest… well, this is what's left."
Sentarō clenched his fists. "That's not right. This isn't how it's supposed to be."
"Right or not, it's reality," Shigekatsu said firmly. "And reality doesn't care what you think. Anyway it doesn't concern me, so let's move we've got ground to cover. The Fourth Unit's exam won't wait."
"But—!"
"Do you want to miss your chance and take it next year?" Shigekatsu asked, his tone cutting through the air like a blade.
Sentarō froze, his breath catching. He looked around one last time, at the broken stalls, the hungry faces, the silence where laughter used to be. He lowered his head, shoulders tense.
"Just because I'm not affected doesn't mean I am meant to ignore it" he said softly. "Mark my words, Mr. Shigekatsu, when I survive exam and wear the uniform, I'll come back here, and make things right."
For the first time since leaving home, Shigekatsu smirked. Not his usual teasing grin, but something smaller, proud, even, but something else was present in that smile.
"Let's not get ahead of ourselves, kid"
After some hours, the road curved uphill. The air grew fresher, the scent of soil and grass thick and the morning sun finally rose above the horizon. Birds circled above, and from the top of the hill, the world opened up before them.
"Here we are" Shigekatsu said, stopping at the ridge. "Welcome to the Asakusa-machi District, the Flourishing Grasslands."
Sentarō stepped forward, his eyes widening. The sight was breathtaking. Far below stretched an endless sea of green, rice paddies and fields glistening in the morning sun. The homes were neatly arranged, smoke rising from their chimneys. Workers moved in the distance, tending crops, laughing, living.
"This is incredible…" he breathed. "It's difference from the Kurogane district is huge."
Shigekatsu nodded slowly. "It's a land blessed by both coin and crop. Prosperity lives here."
"Wow, Mr. Shigekatsu, this is an amazing sight to beho—"
"CAN'T YOU TAKE A HINT!!!"
The sudden roar of a woman's voice sliced through the peaceful air like thunder. Both men froze, turning toward the sound.
Not far ahead , perhaps a hundred meters, a girl stood in the middle of the road, gripping a man by the neck with one hand. Her blonde hair shone under the sun, smooth and bright as silk. Her Kosode was yellow and Hakama black, her sword sheathed by her right. Even from a distance, her face was striking, sharp, fiery, beautiful. The kind of beauty that would make most men lose their breath.
But Sentarō and Shigekatsu didn't have time to admire it, because the girl's expression was that of pure fury.
"Unhand me, my dear lady" the young man she held in her hands sputtered.
"Shut it!" she barked, shaking him. "You were sent by my grandfather, weren't you? GO back and tell him this—"
She pulled her fist back.
"—I'M NOT GOING THROUGH WITH ANY ARRANGED MARRIAGES, I'M GOING TO BE A SAMURAI!!!"
Her punch connected with a dull thud. The man doubled over, gasping. She didn't stop there a quick one-two to his gut rushing pain through his body, and then a devastating uppercut that launched him high into the air.
The poor man flew like a paper doll, crashing into the dirt a few meters behind Shigekatsu and Sentarō.
Both men stood frozen.
"…Did that girl just—" Sentarō began.
"Send a fully grown man flying? Yes, yes she did," Shigekatsu finished, blinking slowly.
The girl dusted off her hands and exhaled, glaring down the path as if daring anyone else to try her patience. When her eyes landed on the two men, her brows furrowed.
Sentarō's mouth hung open. "She's… unbelievable."
Shigekatsu smirked, crossing his arms. "Such hysterical strength is hard to come by in a young girl."
Sentarō didn't reply. He was too busy staring, not in awe of her beauty, but the sheer strength behind her punches.
"That kind of power… from someone so young?" he thought, his heart racing. "What kind of person is she?"
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For those wondering, A Kosode, is the base layer robe worn by samurai in Japan. It sits directly on the body, providing comfort under armor or formal clothing and allowing easy movement. Basically the shirt for a samurai. While a Hakama, are wide, pleated trousers worn over the kosode. They add formality and status while allowing freedom of movement, especially important for walking, riding, and combat. So samurai trousers.