Chapter 27: Exploration

The wooden board displayed the eight groups assigned for the examination:

[

Team 1: Tamura, Takumi, Kaito, Hideyoshi

...

Team 3: Kenji, Shoco, Aimi, Michiko

...

...

...

...

Team 8: Nobunaga, Ishin, Reyoma

]

Aimi's initial excitement faded when she saw her team assignment. 'Ahh, come on, Goddess Alpame. Well, it isn't that bad. Ishin is a good guy. It will be a problem, but it shouldn't be much since Ishin isn't as superstitious as others are. And as for... what?? Nobunaga? Let's hope for the best. Besides, I am in Shoco's team,' she thought. She glanced at Michiko, who exhaled loudly in exasperation.

With a cheeky smile, Aimi said, "Aren't you happy? After all, we are in your lover's group."

"WHO'S MY LOVER? THAT JERK! DON'T SPEAK NONSENSE, AIMI!" Michiko yelled, suddenly realizing she was in public. Embarrassed, she lowered her head. "Damn it," she murmured lightly.

"Hey, looks like we are in the same team," Kenji said, approaching Aimi and Michiko while waving his hand.

"Oh, my holy Alpame, why is he here now," Michiko muttered under her breath.

Reyoma, on the other hand, was processing his own team assignment. 'Well, it isn't ideal, but Ishin is reliable. Nobunaga... let's just hope for the best,' he thought, glancing over at his new teammates. Ishin caught his eye and gave him a nod of acknowledgment.

"Alright, everyone, gather with your teams and prepare to move to your starting positions," Sword Daiki announced, bringing everyone back to the task at hand. "Remember the rules and give it your all. This is your chance to prove yourselves."

The moment announcement was made, and a guard came to each group, blindfolded them, tied their hands with one rope, and guided them away. Each group was split and taken somewhere else.

Reyoma, Ishin, and Nobunaga stood silently, hands untied now, but still feeling the phantom pressure of the blindfolds they had worn during their journey. The morning air was crisp and fresh, filled with the earthy scent of the forest. Ahead of them, a tall wooden fence marked the boundary of their examination area. Beyond it, a dense forest spread out, with thick trees interspersed with bamboo. Fruits hung from the branches, and birds chirped and flitted about, unaware of the impending challenge.

"The moment you step inside that fence, your examination starts," the guard said. He gave them a final nod and then turned away, leaving them to face the forest and whatever lay within it.

Reyoma took a deep breath, feeling the weight of the moment. He glanced at Ishin and Nobunaga, his teammates for this crucial test. Ishin's expression was calm and focused, while Nobunaga was looking at him intansly.

"What?" Reyoma said, looking directly into Nobunaga's eyes.

"What? Ha, ha, ha. What? Really, omen? You're asking me what?" Nobunaga's voice dripped with disdain. "I'm about to take the most important examination of my life, and I'm stuck with an omen like you. And you're asking me what?"

Ishin stepped in, his tone calm but firm. "Stop, Nobunaga. You don't have to be so dramatic. It wasn't his choice any more than it was yours. We're all in the same group now, and that can't be changed. Instead of entering the examination location like every other group is probably doing right now, we're here fighting among ourselves. Nobunaga, until Reyoma is no longer in our group, treat him like one of its members."

"Tsk, okay, if you say so," Nobunaga relented, though not without a scowl. "But let me be clear, this will only last until the examination ends. And don't get too close to me."

'Neither do I have any interest in getting to know you,' Reyoma thought, suppressing a sigh.

"And Reyoma," Ishin added, "don't mind his previous words."

"Okay," Reyoma simply nodded, appreciating Ishin's attempt to keep the peace.

With the confrontation momentarily diffused, the three of them turned their attention back to the task at hand. The forest ahead was dense and foreboding, and the sounds of the village were now a distant memory.

"Let's move," Ishin said, taking the lead.They walked deeper into the forest, the tension between them still palpable but pushed aside by the urgency of their mission. Reyoma kept his senses sharp, eyes scanning the trees and undergrowth for any signs of movement. Nobunaga followed, his demeanor still wary, while Ishin remained alert.

The morning sun cast dappled shadows on the forest floor as they pressed on, each step taking them further into the unknown.

Reyoma marveled at the beauty and danger interwoven in nature. Instead of feeling nervous, he felt invigorated, relishing the freedom and independence he found in the woods. The monotony of his recent days had taken an unexpectedly beautiful turn, and he couldn't deny the exhilaration coursing through him.

As they ventured deeper into the forest, the landscape changed, and the presence of water became more pronounced. The trees thinned out, revealing patches of open space. Suddenly, Ishin spotted something ahead.

"Reyoma, Nobunaga, look," Ishin called out, pointing to a tree splattered with blood. As they approached, the signs of struggle became more apparent, with bloodstains dotting the surrounding foliage.

"It's fresh, probably within the last six hours," Reyoma remarked, examining the leaves and detecting the metallic scent of blood.

"And how do you know that? Do you fancy yourself as some kind of hunter?" Nobunaga retorted sarcastically.

Reyoma sighed inwardly, recognizing the beginning of what promised to be a long and challenging ten days. Ignoring Nobunaga's jibe, he calmly explained, "It's simple observation. The blood is still bright in color, and if you touch it, it's slightly sticky."

"He's right. It's fresh," Ishin confirmed, rising to his feet.

Nobunaga persisted, "I was just wondering how you know such things."

"It's common sense," Reyoma replied, his patience wearing thin. "And besides, can't you see the water puddles around? It's clear that it has rained recently. If the blood hadn't been fresh, the rain would have washed it away from the leaves."

Nobunaga fell silent, begrudgingly acknowledging Reyoma's explanation.Reyoma stepped forward, his tone serious. "But that's not what's important right now."

"Yap. What's more important is to determine our location. Beasts don't kill other beasts in territories not their own. It's crucial to identify where we are before we can find a safe place to camp," Ishin explained, his gaze fixed on the towering tree ahead.

"Then the creature that caused this might still be nearby," Nobunaga observed warily.

"It's possible. It might even be watching us," Ishin replied, already beginning to remove his armor.

"Why are you taking off your armor then?" Nobunaga questioned, puzzled by Ishin's actions.

"Isn't it obvious? He wants to climb the tree to get a better view. It's a substantial tree, after all," Reyoma interjected, offering an explanation.

Without further hesitation, Ishin nodded and began to ascend the tree, his movements swift and determined as he sought a vantage point to survey their surroundings.

As Reyoma grasped his rapier, its form akin to a katana but with distinct differences—double-edged and straight—Nobunaga couldn't help but voice his curiosity.

"What kind of sword is that?" he inquired.

Reyoma, ever sharp with his retorts, responded, "For someone who didn't want me to get any closer to you, you sure ask a lot of questions," as he began making a mark on the tree.

"I was just curious. Who wants to get close to you?" Nobunaga retorted.

Their brief exchange halted as Ishin descended from the tree, ready to share his findings. "Good news, we're already very close to an arena."

"That's great! Do you see any of our fellow trainee seekers?" Nobunaga inquired eagerly.

"Not yet, let me finish first," Ishin replied. "Directly to our north, there's an arena, maybe a couple of kilometers away. To our west, all I see are vast swamps. There are many of them. However, on our east, there's a dense forest spanning as far as the eye can see. But the most interesting and beautiful thing I saw was a giant tree."

Nobunaga's curiosity piqued. "A giant tree?" he questioned.

"Yes," Ishin affirmed.

Reyoma, intrigued, inquired, "How big was it?"

"The only reason we can't see it from here is because we are surrounded by trees, or we can even see it from here. It is a very, very big tree," ishin explained.

"So, which part are we going to explore today?" Nobunaga asked.

Reyoma considered their options. "If we venture into the forest, there will be open fields with lots of trees obstructing our vision. Any beasts like wolves or tigers could easily spot us. But if we head to the swamps, there will be more open space, and while our vision won't be obstructed as much, most of the threats we'll face will be in the water. What do you think?"

"Why not just go to the arena and camp there? If any corrupted monster shows up, we can just kill them there and simply deposit the loot once we kill them," Nobunaga suggested camping at the arena.

"The arena is still a couple of kilometers away, approximately forty kilometers. Even if we started walking now, we wouldn't reach it until dusk. It's better to find a safe place to camp around here," Ishin advised.

"Then, are we going to the forest or swamps? Personally, I prefer the swamps," Nobunaga stated.

"Is it okay with you to explore the swamps, Reyoma?" Ishin asks politely.

Reyoma agreed, "Sure, let's go to the swamps then."