Shakaromi. This is my home. This village has been protected for many generations, built upon a high mountain peak.
Not just that, this village is guarded and kept safe by the Shakaromi Samurai Defense League, made up of the strongest fighters in the land.
I am Namo Himoka, a 23-year-old ordinary guy with nothing but a plate of takoyaki and a dream, a dream to get off my lazy ass and do something with my life.
"Keep em' coming, Mr. Yama," I say while shoving another takoyaki ball in my mouth.
The elder chef, Mr. Yama, was a wise but hearty old man, with a heart of gold, and hair of silver and white.
"Ohh, you must be famished, young Namo. Did those hooligans try to steal from you again?" Mr. Yama says while making a fresh batch of Takoyaki.
I scoff, placing my chin on my palm, "Hah! They couldn't take me on, even if they had blades and bows!" I say with a chuckle, and I eat another mouthful of Takoyaki.
"Don't worry about me, Ol' timer, I'm my own person, you don't have to keep worrying about me."
As I continue to talk to Mr. Yama, a woman with long green hair that flows down her sides and is put into a ponytail, dark purple eyes with a gaze so cold it froze over my takoyaki, and a dark purple and black kimono with a blade by her waist, approaches the Takoyaki stand. She sits down and nods at Mr. Yama.
"The usual, extra bonito flakes." The mysterious woman said in an emotionless and cold voice. Mr. Yama chuckled softly and nodded, getting prepared to make the Takoyaki.
I stare down at the woman's katana, the sheath was a very pretty lilac and white color, and the handle is a black diamond-shaped design.
"Stop staring at me, it's creeping me out…" The woman said in a cold tone. I felt my spine jump out of my body at her very authoritative tone.
"S-So sorry… I didn't know that I-" My words get cut off as she holds up her hand dismissively.
"I don't want to hear your sorry excuse. Just keep the staring to a minimum."She says, eating another takoyaki ball. I try to reason with her, however, we both hear a shrilling screech from the village.
We both look up, and we see that a couple of bandits are robbing a woman at knifepoint. "Oh no, someone's about to get robbed! What's-" Just then, the mysterious woman gets up and starts stretching.
"Thanks for the Takoyaki, Mr. Yama. It was very enjoyable." The woman places yen on the table and grabs her blade, walking over to the bandits like she has all the time in the world.
"Mr. Yama, who the hell was that woman…?" Mr. Yama looks at me like he's got a story to tell, and boy does he…
"That's the Shakaromi's elite samurai chief, Momoki Asami. She's in the Shakaromi Samurai Defense League."
My ears perked up as I heard this information. Shakaromi Samurai Defense League? They are the best of the best, the biggest of the big… And I just met one of them?
As I was lost in my thoughts, I suddenly heard a loud CRACK, like a sonic boom from a whip. "What the hell was that!?" I exclaimed, dropping my chopsticks.
"Oh, don't worry about it, young Namo, Asami is taking care of the bandits like the blade master she is." Mr. Yama said with a chuckle.
I get up from my chair and walk to the nearby corner to check on the fight, and there I see Ms. Asami handling the bandits with such ease. "Don't ever show your faces in the village ever again… next time I won't be so merciful."
Ms. Asami sheathes her katana and walks away with the bandits knocked out and tied up with rope.
"Damn, I should never get on her bad side, otherwise she'd turn me into a takoyaki ball," I say with a gulp.
I walk back to the Takoyaki stand and continue eating, still wondering about what I just encountered today.