Moments later, the bushes exploded, and Tiatsuri stumbled out—bruised, smoking, and very much alive.
"How did you get that injured?!" Kaitara cried, rushing to heal him.
"Now I have to heal your weak sorry ass" she scolded as she continued to heal him
"you're speaking as though I got these injuries on purpose" Tiatsuri argued while he was yet on the floor.
"Why can't you be more like Hatashi" Kaitara said. "He didn't get any injuries"
While, Tiatsuri was yet on the ground he turned to look at Hatashi in order to verify her claims.
Furthermore, when he saw Kaitara was telling the truth he then looked at her and prepared to continue the argument
"at least that means my trial was harder than his" Tiatsuri argued.
"Well, I'll have you know that…" Kaitara said then couldn't her sentence because she heard sensei Hashiro feign clearing his throat while standing up from his reading position
Hashiro stood, stretching. "Congratulations. You've all passed the test of courage."
He looked toward the forest, eyes narrowing slightly. "But the real trials are still ahead."
Shortly after, they gathered their materials together and set out on their journey to Karuta village where they would fight the serpent
Demon.
Nevertheless, their journey was put stopped before it even began when a strange masked figure wearing a black robe appeared in front of them.
"I knew you would come" Hashiro said then grinned
"What do you mean sensei?" Kaitara asked looking very confused
"Yeah, what do you mean sensei?" Tiatsuri asked also looking very puzzled.
"Who is he?" Tiatsuri asked
"The serpent demon of Karuta village" sensei Hashiro said as they all stared at the masked figure in preparation for battle.