Arrival at Long Beach Port
The afternoon sun shone brightly. In the distance, sea and sky met in an expanse of blue, while a few albatrosses glided on the air currents behind the ships, their wings motionless above the white surf.
The main ship carrying the Land of Water's daimyo sailed in the center, with two fast escort ships flanking it roughly a hundred meters away on either side.
Having finished his patrol, Hozuki Mangetsu leaned against the railing and peeled an orange. His method was the same as ever: clean and meticulous.
He stripped away the white pith strand by strand, arranging it neatly in his palm. When he saw Sōji approaching, he even thoughtfully offered him half the orange.
Sōji stopped and accepted it without thinking. After a glance at the chewing Mangetsu, he broke off a segment and popped it into his mouth.
He bit down, and sour juice burst across his tongue!
His expression stiffened as he turned toward Hozuki Mangetsu. Sure enough, the man wore the wicked grin of someone whose scheme had succeeded, then spat his own orange into the sea.
Just then, Mangetsu spoke, his tone so casual it was as though nothing had happened. "Suigetsu and Karin both passed their school finals. Full marks in every subject."
"They beat upperclassmen in their one-on-one combat tests, too. They even wrote a letter specifically to tell you."
As he spoke, Mangetsu pulled a crookedly folded envelope from his sleeve and handed it over.
Sōji spat out the sour orange and took the envelope. "What did they write?" he asked helplessly.
The handwriting was crooked, the ink uneven. In several places, obvious mistakes had been rubbed with a saliva-dampened finger, leaving gray smudges.
The letter was simple: Big brother Sōji, I won my combat exam!