16 Master

After my little adventure following me becoming a master, I had to return to Japan. Mom was quite insistent. After a year living in Korea I was returning home, once again the trip once uneventful, and once again I wonder why they would allow a teenager to board a plane with an Ōdachi, the mysteries of life.

The taxi dropped me off in front of my house, the front door opened, there I see mom with her perpetual seriousness but a small smile in her face. We hug each other, my face only reaching her breasts, mom is tall, 179 cm, slowly but surely, one day I will be taller than her.

The hugs last almost a minute, after we separate from each other, mom holds my hand and drags me to the living room, she pushes me to the couch and sits beside me, her face saying to me -Tell me everything and don´t dare miss a detail.- As the good son I am, I comply.

I tell her about the dojo challenges, and my meeting with sensei, against my better judgement I leave the death threats out of the story, I don`t want sensei to be murdered by mom. I proceed to tell her about my training and explain to her Recoilless Renewal, even offering to teach her, but she declined, although judging by her look she might have taken some hints on Dou ki application from it.

After showing it to her, to say she had look of astonishment, would be an understatement.

Now, the conversation I think was the reason for her insistence on my returning began.

"Congratulation on becoming a master dear" Mom happily says, "I knew you could do it."

Pride fills me, "Thank you mom, you were right, I really did need to leave." I finish with a smile of gratitude in my face.

She rolls her eyes, with a look of -mom knows best, of course she is right- and starts talking, "It´s time I explain to you in detail, what the next level of martial arts is, as you probably have already realized, one does not reach master class, one falls into it…-"

She is right, me reaching master class was pure serendipity, after 'mastering` them for Recoilless Renewal I did not immediately reached master class, while so little time passed between the events that it might as well had been at the same time, there is a big difference.

After realizing I was out of my head, mom continues, "A master class has not only mastered a martial art, they have also gotten a qualitative increase in strength and speed, which comes with it's own rules, you will no longer be allowed to seriously fight anyone below expert class, while not actually prohibited it is so frowned upon that it practically is. This does not mean you cannot fight them in sparring, mock battles, teaching or if your life is in threat, which I doubt, but those are the only exceptions. Clear?"

Obvious rules, but I get why they need to be said. "Clear" I answer.

Mom has entered teacher mode, "Grandmaster class is another topic, the same as masters they have mastered their martial arts, but they have also perfected them and pushed beyond it, at this point, the increase in strength and speed is exponentially above the master classes' while also having a massive increase in ki. Clearly the same rules I mentioned before apply."

I wait there for second. Processing.

I hug her, she has always been so helpful, and caring, explaining the things I need to know in excruciating detail. As serious and emotionless as she appears on the outside, her actions express all the emotion I need to know. I finish my hug and smile at her.

As I am simply thinking what a great mom she is, I suddenly remember we are reaching an important event. And I will need mom's help, even if she does not know it.

I steel myself for what I am about to ask her. "Hey mom?" She looks at me waiting for me to continue, "I've been talking to Saiga" She raises an eyebrow, wondering where this is going, "And it seems he is creating an organization, One Shadow Nine Fists, I believe it's called." I chuckle, "And from what he has told me there is a chance they'll invite you in the future, if they do, could you accept?" I finish, hoping for the answer I wish.

Mom stands there, wondering why would I ask her this. Her head moves slightly up, as well as her eyes, considering. "Sure, why not, if it's interesting." She answers.

Without saying anything else I, once again hug her, "Thanks mom" I only say, ending the topic, and starting small talk, asking what she did the year I was away.

._._._._._._._._._._.

After a month of staying with mom for my fifteenth birthday, I leave again.

Seems mom released the news there was a new fifteen-year-old mater class martial artists, obviously not mentioning anything about my relationship with her nor my last name, taking a hint from what sensei said, I dye my hair black, and stop using the Fūrinji style as much, never using any of the techniques and focusing on jujitsu and Recoilless Renewal, this time I leave Tenken with mom, wondering what possessed me to take it with me to Korea.

Japan's government seem to have a cooperation with martial artists much like how Sasaki worked with the FBI, or will work with the FBI, fucking timelines are so confusing.

The point being Japan has a similar program, and thanks to mom I seem to have gotten their attention, sending a low-class master after me, believing I was weak for a master due my age. Did not even need to use Renewal in the poor guy.

After feeling me out, I seem to have gained enough attention to be formally invited to work for them.

Do the bastards not realize I'm fifteen? Do not care, or simply choose to ignore that, not so small detail. Whatever it may be, I started doing some, what I can only call, mercenary work for the Japanese government.

A small fire here, some Yakuza there, protecting a VIP out there, pretty much seems martial artists are asked to do anything the government cannot do in a quick fashion, or needs a more hands-on approach.

And I seemed possessed, doing anything I could, no matter the job, regretfully no assassinations, or killings, those seemed reserved for either some members of Yami, or known Satsujinken practitioners, and I am neither of those, while I would have liked my first kill to be in a controlled environment and with intel, no such luck.

I was not a member of Yami and while not a Katsujinken, I have never killed before, which seems to put me in the Katsujinken category until proven otherwise.

And like that, another year seemed to pass.

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A/N: Hello everyone.

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