Night had finally fallen, and the candidates were stationed at the edge of Mayonaka Forest. Towering green trees loomed above, their massive trunks clustered tightly, forming a thick canopy that blocked nearly all light from the moon. Shadows stretched like living fingers across the forest floor, and the air carried an almost tangible weight.
Most candidates were gripped by fear, some by excitement—but neither emotion was fully mature. None truly understood the horror the exams would unleash.
"ALRIGHT!" Ryōtarō's voice boomed, snapping everyone to attention.
"The time has come for the exam to begin! Once the moon reaches its peak, the Police Force entrance exams will officially commence!" He pointed toward the pale moon, its silver light filtering through the canopy like an omen.
A palpable tension settled over the candidates, thick enough to cut with a katana. Hearts pounded, breaths quickened, and the forest seemed to lean in, as if listening to their fear.
"Hey, Reiko," Sentarō whispered, lowering his voice, "what do you think?"
Reiko's eyes scanned the looming forest, her lips curling into a frown. "The instructor said we just have to survive," she murmured, "but I think it's more than that."
"More? What do you mean?" Sentarō asked, confused.
"All we candidates need to do is survive," Reiko explained, her gaze narrowing, "but the criminals must kill us to earn their freedom. That means—"
"A fight is unavoidable," Sentarō finished for her, realization dawning on his face.
"Exactly," Reiko said, her voice low, "but judging by the panic in the others, we aren't the only ones who realized that." She swept her eyes across the candidates, noting the subtle flickers of terror in their faces.
Sentarō followed her gaze, and his eyes locked on Tadatoshi's. The two held each other's gaze, murderous intent burning in their stares.
Then Ryōtarō shouted, breaking the moment. "IT'S TIME TO BEGIN THE EXAMS!"
Every candidate tensed, then moved. Fear laced their steps, but a small, foolish spark of hope lingered in their hearts—they believed they might make it out alive. But that hope was built on ignorance, blind to the true horror awaiting in the forest.
"Now, BEGIN!" Ryōtarō yelled, and chaos erupted.
Candidates bolted into the forest. Sentarō and Reiko ran side by side, leaping over gnarled roots and dodging low-hanging branches until they finally vanished into the shadows of the trees.
"KYAKYAKYA! Fresh meat!" a voice hissed from the darkness. A man stepped forward, his white kimono undyed, tattoos running across his face like twisted marks of pride. He brandished a katana, tongue sticking out to intimidate. "Good. There are two of you. After I kill you, all I need is one more."
"I'll start with the girl!" he lunged at Reiko, a deadly glint in his eye.
THUD!
A heavy right hook from Reiko caught him square in the jaw, sending him crashing into a tree with enough force to kill him instantly. Before they could breathe, three more men emerged from the shadows, each dressed identically and wielding katanas.
"Reiko! Step back!" Sentarō shouted, unsheathing his own sword.
"Shunpū!" He blurred forward, closing the distance between himself and the three criminals.
"ONE SWORD STYLE!" Sentarō announced, positioning his blade horizontally in a deadly arc.
"Sanrin no Mai!" (Triple Ring Dance.)
In a graceful, curving motion, his sword cut through the air, decapitating the three men with elegant precision. It was beautiful, swift, and deadly—a perfect demonstration of the One Sword Style's mastery.
"Wow, Sentarō. That was incredible," Reiko said, a broad smile crossing her face.
"Huh… I just used the technique I learned in training," Sentarō said, his cheeks reddening slightly under her praise.
While Sentarō and Reiko fought with skill and poise, the other candidates were falling into chaos.
"I'm going to die… I'm really going to die," one young man whispered, hiding behind a tree as he witnessed the slaughter of his peers.
"He-he-he-he… there you are, little one," a man with a cloth wrapped over his left eye stepped forward, dressed like the other criminals, a cruel smile stretching across his face.
"No… please, let me live! Please!" the candidate pleaded.
"He-he-he-he… this isn't personal," the criminal said, his tone mockingly gentle. "I just want my freedom." With a swift motion, his blade sliced through the young man's neck. Blood spattered across the forest floor.
The screams of the dying echoed in the trees, painting the night with crimson. Another candidate looked around in horror, noting the lifeless bodies scattered beneath the trees. "This can't be happening… it's only been minutes," he whispered, lifting his sword to end his own life.
Five criminals emerged from the shadows, surrounding him.
"Don't do it, kid," one mocked, eyes glinting with amusement.
"Yes, don't," a larger one said. "Unlike some people here, we work for our food." Hegrabbed the boy's sword, stopping him from ending his life.
"Don't worry," another added with a grin, "we'll make it agonizing. That's the best part."
Suddenly, a familiar voice rang out, wild and overenthusiastic. "HAHAHAHAHA! WHAT A BORING BUNCH YOU ARE!! BUT DO NOT WORRY—NOW THAT HOSOKAWA TADATOSHI HAS ARRIVED, THINGS ARE ABOUT TO GET FLASHY!"
Tadatoshi stood tall amidst the five criminals, radiating confidence. His grin stretched from ear to ear as he brandished his two swords with theatrical flair.
"Damn… he's real," one of the men muttered, turning to face him. "It's people like you I love to toy with."
Tadatoshi's eyes sparkled with mischief. "NOW… THE ENTERTAINMENT BEGINS!!" He placed his hands on his sheathed swords, teasing his opponents without even unsheathing them.
In the next instant, he vanished from sight, reappearing behind the man charging at him. With a single fluid motion, his blade sliced through the man's neck. "One," he counted aloud.
The others lunged forward, but Tadatoshi moved faster than thought. Each man fell in quick succession, his swords striking with deadly precision.
"TWO SWORD STYLE!"
"Shunkan Zangeki!" (Instant Severing Strikes.)
All five criminals were down, their bodies strewn across the forest floor. More emerged from the shadows, rushing toward Tadatoshi with raised swords.
SWISH!
He dodged the first attack with ease, slashing diagonally through the chest of the nearest criminal. Two more struck simultaneously from either side.
CLANG!
Tadatoshi parried effortlessly, the metal clanging against metal. His grin widened. "Yeah!! Now this is a party!"
He launched himself into the air using Gekishō, hovering several meters above the ground.
"TWO SWORD STYLE!!" Tadatoshi roared, lifting his blades high.
"Rakujin Zangeki!!" (Falling Blade Severance.)
The downward strike cut through two criminals, chest sliced cleanly as they collapsed.
"HAHAHAHAHA!! Now this is fun!" Tadatoshi shouted, his excitement almost palpable.
"Hey, weakling," he called to the nearby candidate, pointing to himself with a grin. "If you survive this exam, just know it's because of me—the LORD OF FESTIVALS!!"
A deep, ominous voice suddenly resonated from behind him.
"So you're the one making all that noise, huh?"
Tadatoshi instinctively jumped back, not out of fear, but because his instincts screamed caution. He glimpsed the figure: a man easily twice the size of an average human, wielding a massive cleaver-like sword.
"How… how did a man this large sneak up on me without me sensing him?" Tadatoshi's mind raced.
"Don't you know you're causing a ruckus in my forest?" the giant said, running a hand through his thick, lion-like hair. "I'll admit, you caught me off guard, but that doesn't—"
"For a weakling, you talk a lot," the man interrupted, his deep voice vibrating like a drum. Tadatoshi felt a twinge of irritation, readying himself to strike.
"Hey, Tadatoshi," the candidate stammered, voice trembling, "look behind… him…"
Tadatoshi glanced over, his eyes widening at the trail of blood and bodies stretching behind the giant. Recognition sparked.
"Wait… I've heard of you…" Tadatoshi murmured, a grin forming across his face.
"You're the criminal who lured samurai to his hideout with a trail of ninety-eight corpses…" Tadatoshi realized, unsheathing his two swords.
"Abe Nobuyuki… The Giant Cleaver," he announced.
"Yes," the man said, smiling wide. "And I'm trying to break my personal record tonight. I'm already up to sixty."
Tadatoshi's grin widened, the thrill of the challenge electrifying him. "ALRIGHT!! Things are about to get flashy!!"
With a flourish, Tadatoshi leaped forward, swords ready, eyes blazing with the promise of a battle that would be remembered long after the moon had set. The night of Mayonaka Forest had truly begun.