Hodarou

On the morning of their hundredth training session in The Underworld, Hodarou finally disarmed Makura. For a full second, there was only the sound of the Mega Sabre clattering on the obsidian floor. Then Hodarou broke the silence with a wild cheer, nearly tripping over the hilt of the blade that was still too big for them. Makura, their stoic guardian, had been teaching them how to survive in a realm of ash and slosh. They insisted on the grim war paint and the brutal drills. But they never said anything about the lucky plant Hodarou wore, a single stubborn sprout that refused to die. Makura grunted, retrieving the weapon, but didn't wipe the triumphant smudge of paint from Hodarou's face. Survival was the lesson, but Hodarou was a reminder that it didn't have to be joyless.