Fuma Yukika
At that same moment.
On an underground website known to everyone living in Japan's criminal underworld.
An anonymous post appeared on the free-for-all board of the Japanese server, known to locals as the Darknet's Medieval Division.
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1. Posted by a VIP, name withheld: 2017/05/03(Wed) 13:27:18.47 ID:lokoisGod
My friend who works for the EE security team just called me. Is it true the Black Yaksha crawled out of his coffin and came back to life?
2. Anonymous Contractor
It's true. The God of Destruction himself confirmed it. Besides, he was just spotted fighting in Akihabara, and the rumor's already all over Tokyo. The EE guys set off an EMP to control the info, so no one has video, but there must be dozens of people who saw them fight.
3. Posted by a VIP, name withheld: 2017/05/03(Wed) 13:28:37.13 ID:lokoisGod
Holy shit....
4. Anonymous Hacker
But isn't the Black Yaksha all hype? A guy from 10 years ago? Sounds like a whole lot of exaggeration to me.
5. Passing Anonymous
???
6. Anonymous Acupuncturist
?????
7. Anonymous Martial Artist
???????
8. Posted by a VIP, name withheld: 2017/05/03(Wed) 13:30:23.47 ID:lokoisGod
lolol look at this newb's baiting skills lmaoooo. Sure, the Black Yaksha is a bubble. An un-buh-lievable one.
9. Anonymous Hacker
If you want to refute me, then 'spoon-feed' me the explanation.
10. Anonymous Acupuncturist
You know... if the young man doesn't want to look up information himself, I wish he'd just shut his mouth. It makes me want to sew it shut with my needles.
11. Anonymous Martial Artist
First time I've ever seen someone call one of the legendary Seven Fists 'hype.' You got a death wish? I'm not far.
12. Passing Anonymous
(This comment has been deleted by Ivan's Royal Guard)
13. Anonymous Patriot
(Image of a waving Japanese flag) If you're Japanese, you should be stanning the Black Yaksha, the only Japanese member of the legendary Seven Fists.
14. Anonymous Hacker
(Image of a foreigner amazed by an automatic taxi door) Don't you ever get tired of your nationalist bullshit?
15. Anonymous Patriot
(Image: 49 Amazing Things About Japan That Shocked the World!) Nope, never~ Always exciting~ Always new~
16. Passing Anonymous
Why is that fake patriot always on this board? Is he a ghost haunting this place?
17. Posted by a VIP, name withheld: 2017/05/03(Wed) 13:40:55.06 ID:lokoisGod
Honestly, I think it's fucking possible. Go outside for once!!!
18. Anonymous Loves Anonymity
The fact that the NINJA appearing in 'Sasuke's Ninja Chronicles' are historically accurate is written in the Kojiki.
19. Anonymous Acupuncturist
I'm losing my mind....
20. Anonymous Hacker
But if the Black Yaksha is as amazing as you guys say, why'd he suddenly disappear without a word? I thought he was the strongest contractor in the underworld.
21. Go Parlor Regular
Heh heh heh... This old man shall explain....
22. Anonymous Martial Artist
We didn't ask you, grandpa. Go on back to your corner.
23. Anonymous Acupuncturist
Am I the only one who finds it fucking annoying how he only writes 'old man' in kanji?
24. Go Parlor Regular
The Black Yaksha... that is, the 17th Fuma Kotaro, head of the Fuma Ninja Clan, first began to make his name known on a summer night, way back in the year 1999...
25. Anonymous Hacker
Someone give me the one-line summary.
26. Posted by a VIP, name withheld: 2017/05/03(Wed) 13:48:21.36 ID:lokoisGod
Ivan the God of Destruction wanted to find a worthy opponent, so he held the first God of Fist tournament in 1999. Some crazy strong NINJA popped out of nowhere, wiped out all the other ninjas, and made it to the finals, becoming a legend.
27. Go Parlor Regular
The God of Fist tournament... a place where the world's most renowned fighters gathered, seeking wealth and fame... A man in a black ninja uniform appeared out of thin air...
28. Passing Anonymous
lolololol how long is this roleplayer gonna keep this up.
29. Anonymous Patriot
Japanese NINJA are invincible, and the Black Yaksha is a god.
30. Anonymous Contractor
You... you're actually a fan of 'Manshin,' aren't you?
31. Anonymous Patriot
Aaargh! No!
32. Anonymous Martial Artist
Manshin is so bad he even makes the brain-dead patriot flinch....
33. Anonymous Contractor
'Sasuke's Ninja Chronicles' is. truly. entertaining.
34. Posted by a VIP, name withheld: 2017/05/03(Wed) 13:55:27.53 ID:lokoisGod
Yeah, right~ Your precious Manshin is a one-trick pony with his art, and his stories are shit~
35. Go Parlor Regular
At the end of the century... when the whole world was abuzz with Nostradamus's prophecies and the announcement of the God of Fist tournament, a dark-haired man of destiny suddenly appeared and threw down the gauntlet to the world's strongest...
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"..."
Though it was Golden Week, Fuma Yukika couldn't go back to her hometown because of her part-time job. After skimming through the anonymous posts on the Darknet thread, she began to get ready to go out, half-believing and half-doubting what she'd read.
The Black Yaksha mentioned on the board, Fuma Kotaro, was her father, who had left home about ten years ago.
She didn't know if the Black Yaksha spotted in Akihabara was really her father, but it was worth checking out.
'Will he even remember my face?'
Just ten years ago, the Fuma Ninja Clan hadn't been in such dire straits. But when her father, the clan's linchpin, left the village, it naturally fell apart.
As everyone in the clan turned their backs on their hometown to find a way to survive, their power gradually dwindled, and now, they were a clan in name only.
Though she hadn't even met him yet, a storm of emotions swirled within her.
She wanted to ask him why he left the village, why he abandoned her.
"Father..."
Awkwardly muttering a word she hadn't spoken in a very long time, Fuma Yukika locked the door to her studio apartment and headed for Akihabara, where the Black Yaksha had been seen.
***
We ducked into the complex alleyways of Akihabara to avoid prying eyes and made our way to a laundromat.
*Whirrrrrr—*
As the washing machine tumbled my hoodie, which had been ruined by dirt and the kidnappers' blood, I asked Sasha, who was staring at her smartphone with a bored expression.
"So, what's the plan now?"
Sasha looked up from her screen and answered.
"First, I'd like to do some sightseeing in Akihabara."
"Aren't you a fugitive?"
"You beat them all up, so I should be fine for a few hours. For now, you just have to protect me until seven, like we agreed."
Since I'd already received the down payment, I couldn't really protest her decision.
Instead, I decided to discuss something that had been bothering me.
"By the way, nothing about our fight has shown up online."
Honestly, with that many witnesses, it wouldn't have been strange if at least one or two videos had been filmed.
But after checking a few online forums, it was strangely quiet, with no mention of the incident.
Sasha crossed her legs with a relaxed expression and said.
"That's probably because of the EMP."
"EMP?"
"When EE Company's combat operatives are on a major mission, their first step is to deploy an EMP pulse to disable all electronic devices in the area. Videos spread like wildfire on social media these days."
"Then what about the forum posts?"
"They're probably working with the Japanese cabinet to control the flow of information. With EE Company's influence, that's more than possible."
I started to get curious about this EE Company she kept mentioning.
I doubted she meant the esports organization.
Hearing my question, Sasha explained with a serious look.
"EE Company is short for Easter Egg Company, a massive Russian arms manufacturer."
"...Why would such a big-shot company try to kidnap you?"
"I told you before, didn't I? I'm the child of someone in a pretty high position in Russia."
"Right, you did."
To be honest, things had happened so fast that I'd half-forgotten.
*Beep! Beep! Beep! Beep!*
Just then, the alarm signaled that the wash cycle was finished. I opened the machine door and pulled out my now-clean hoodie.
It was soaking wet.
I threw it into the coin-operated dryer next to the washer and turned to Sasha, who was leaning against the laundromat's glass wall and yawning.
"So, where do you want to go next?"
"Hm? Isn't it obvious?"
Sasha said, turning her smartphone screen to show me.
"When in Akihabara, you have to go to a maid cafe."