I scrambled to change into my uniform and stepped out of my room just as Jiro did.
“I didn’t think Iron Face could be any more of an ass,” Jiro muttered, clearly irritated. He gestured toward the end of the hall, where Iron Face was now banging a wooden spoon against the bottom of a wok, creating the metallic clanging noise that had yanked me out of dreamland.
Kenji emerged a moment later, fumbling with the belt on his uniform and looking half-asleep.
“Follow me. Your next challenge begins now!” Iron Face barked, already marching down the hallway.
Kenji trailed behind him, his head down. As he passed Jiro and me, he didn’t snarl or glare like usual. Was it possible my encounter with him last night was a turning point?
I hadn’t had a chance to tell Jiro about my run-in with Kenji, so I grabbed his arm, slowing him down.
“I spoke to Kenji last night about the plan.”
“How?”
“It’s not important, but he’s in. We all work together.”
The cold bit through my uniform as we trudged through the early-morning chill. I hugged myself tightly, shivering as we approached the clearing where the last challenge occurred.
Then I saw it. Something that looked like an oversize shipping container, its steel walls glinting under the faint morning light.
Iron Face stopped before the container, straightening as he turned to us with a flourish, like a circus ringmaster revealing the main attraction. “Your challenge today is Kori no Oooooooori,” he said, drawing out the word with dramatic flair.
Cage of Ice. He’s becoming cleverer with his names.
The steel doors groaned as Iron Face pulled them open, revealing a rush of freezing air. Inside, the walls, floor, and ceiling were slabs of glistening ice, reminding me of an ice bar I had once visited. Three rectangular blocks of ice stood in the center. It was clear we’d be carving something out of them.
Jiro let out a low whistle. “Guess we’re freezing our asses off today.”
Iron Face’s smirk deepened. “Work together. Use your creativity to think outside the box,” he said. “Impress Chef Sakamoto.” Iron Face gestured for us to enter.
We exchanged wary glances, but there was no point in stalling. Jiro led the way, followed by Kenji and then me. The moment we were all inside, the doors slammed shut with a resounding clang, sealing us in.
I wrapped my arms tighter around myself, trying to stave off the chill as I walked toward one of the ice blocks. It stood almost as tall as my chest, its surface slick and clear.
“So, we carve something…like a swan?” Kenji said, running his hand over the icy surface. “He was very ambiguous with his directions. So unlike Iron Face.”
“Iron Face said to impress Chef Sakamoto,” I said. “To think outside the box. I’m guessing nothing that screams typical, like a swan.”
“I don’t know how to carve anything,” Kenji said. “What about you guys?”
“I have a little experience,” I said, “but I don’t think it’ll impress Chef Sakamoto. What about you, Jiro?”
He shook his head. “Looks like we follow your lead, Akiko.”
“Where are the tools?” Kenji asked as he circled his block.
“That must be the twist,” Jiro said. “We’re supposed to carve without tools.”
“That’s idiotic,” Kenji snapped. “Do they really expect us to carve a block of ice into something with our bare hands?”
While Jiro and Kenji complained to each other, I moved toward one of the ice walls, running my fingers over its frosted surface as I walked. Something caught my eye, a faint outline embedded deep in the ice. I rubbed away the frost and gasped.
“Hey, guys! Over here!” I pointed at the wall. “Look. It’s a chisel and a hammer!”
The tools were frozen solid, encased in at least a foot of ice.
“How the hell are we supposed to get them out?” Kenji asked, his voice tinged with frustration. “This wall’s thicker than a glacier.”
