Sealed Move: Tennoji Dojo

It was the day Nagisa first stepped inside Tennoji Dojo.

Taking one look around the place, Nagisa's immediate impression was that it was a deserted dojo.

The silence was so absolute that one could hear the chirping of sparrows outside. None of the heat born from clashing minds, none of the sharp clatter of pieces striking the board, none of that breathless tension—there was simply nothing.

In the dojo, where the scent of aged timber and tatami mats drifted through the air, the afternoon light did little more than softly illuminate floating specks of dust.

"Are you looking to join?"

The voice came from the back of the room, from a man seated in front of a shogi board.

He appeared to be in his twenties. There was an intimidating air about his sharp, almond eyes, which held a deep blue hue, and a quiet stillness enveloped his entire presence.

"Y-Yes! Um, an old gentleman outside told me I could come in, so excuse the intrusion...! My name is Yunoki Nagisa!"

Nagisa bowed deeply and greeted him with spirited enthusiasm.

"I see. I'm Tennoji Kaito, the current master here."

"It's an honor to meet you, Tennoji-sensei!"

"Just Sensei is fine."

"Yes, Sensei!"

"You're full of energy."

While Nagisa's voice wasn't especially loud, her crisp, clear way of speaking showed more than enough high spirits, even from Kaito's perspective.

Paying that no mind, Nagisa looked around the dojo. It was plenty spacious, with boards and pieces arranged to accommodate dozens of players.

Yet the hall was so quiet that all of those pristine setups felt glaringly out of place.

"...Um, from the looks of it, there's no one here... Is the dojo closed today?"

"No, we're open today as well."

"Huh? Then...?"

"Zero students. It's completely empty."

Kaito stated matter-of-factly.

"Ever since my old man stepped down, no one even comes by to observe anymore. Well, there are plenty of other dojos these days, and the East and Central Districts offer much better environments, so it can't be helped."

"Oh, I see..."

Nagisa glanced toward the corner of the room.

The neatly arranged piece boxes were covered in nicks and scratches, bearing the marks of the countless people who had once used them. Looking at how they seemed to wait endlessly for the day someone might pick them up again, Nagisa couldn't help but feel a pang of sorrow.

"By the way, Nagisa, do you mind if I ask why you came to this dojo? Not to sell myself short, but if you're just looking to play casually for fun, there aren't enough people here. I'm the only opponent you'd have."

Kaito asked as he placed the piece in his hand back onto the board.

"Not at all! I... I just want to get stronger, so...!"

"Do you have a goal in mind?"

Nagisa shook her head without a moment's hesitation.

"I don't have a goal. Nor do I have a dream. —All I want is to become strong, and that's more than enough."

Only then did Kaito's eyes shift slightly. He looked at Nagisa with an appraising gaze, as though water had finally reached the mark on a measuring gauge.

"—This might be an odd question, but before coming here, did you attend another dojo?"

"I went to Kamikita Dojo."

"Kamikita... If I remember correctly, that's Ryuga's place..."

"Yes."

A brief silence fell between them.

"That place is supposed to be brutally Spartan. How many months were you there?"

"Four years."

"..."

Kaito fell silent in sheer astonishment.

Kamikita Dojo was home to a fiercely selective elite, even within the North District. Its instructor was an extreme meritocrat, and unsavory rumors were rampant about poor teaching methods and power harassment.

And yet, whenever someone managed to defeat the Central District players who consistently dominated the top ranks of individual tournaments, it was always students from Kamikita Dojo.

Monsters forged by being pitted against one another like venomous insects in a jar under abhorrent conditions. When it came to famous alumni from Kamikita Dojo, Aomine Ryuga was the textbook example.

He had a track record of high finishes in national tournaments, and though he had aged out of joining the Shoreikai through normal means, his skill was easily formidable enough to pass the pro apprentice transfer exam at any moment.

If she had endured four whole years in a place like that, that alone was worthy of immense praise, Kaito thought in silent awe.

Plucking a piece from the position formed on the board, Kaito turned his back to Nagisa and asked:

"Nagisa, are you interested in turning pro or becoming a female professional?"

"...I'm sorry, but not at the moment."

Nagisa answered honestly. Since being honest had always been her only real redeeming trait, it had caused plenty of misunderstandings in the past.

Even so, she gave an honest answer.

"I see."

Turning back around, Kaito began walking straight across the middle of the dojo.

He strode directly toward her—and as Kaito's footsteps drew steadily closer, Nagisa took a few steps back.

Eventually, right around the point where his looming shadow completely enveloped Nagisa, Kaito came to a halt.

"U-Um...?"

As he looked down, his gaze pierced into the unyielding resolve hidden deep within Nagisa's eyes. From the youthful sparkle dwelling in those eyes, it was almost impossible to imagine she possessed the grit to have survived four full years at Kamikita Dojo.

Yet that was only the baseline assumption. If she truly was iron that had been tempered in the forge's flames for four straight years—

The corners of Kaito's mouth relaxed ever so slightly, quietly exuding a spark of fighting spirit.

"I'll take full responsibility for making you strong."

This was a challenge for Kaito as well. If he couldn't make this diamond in the rough shine, it would only expose his own inadequacy as an instructor.

Thus, his motivation flared up all at once. Kaito basked in the rare delight of having unearthed a student who wouldn't quit.

Nagisa, who had just been cornered by Kaito's looming presence, looked up with shining eyes, clutched both her hands together, and stepped right back into his personal space.

"—Yes!! I'll be in your care, Sensei!"

ToC