1 Sakamoto Training

Dodging the projectiles flying through the air, 34 calibre bullets were ricocheting against the walls forming a tangle of webs making it tough for the mind reader to dodge. All together, Mr Sakamoto, Lu Xiaotang and Heisuke were aiming their guns for the target on Shin's back as the boy manoeuvred swiftly attempting to get the low ground of the bullet's trajectory. This exercise today was helping improving the practical skills of Shin's mind reading powers but the influx of thoughts coming from his comrade.

"Shoot Shin = Hurting my friend"

"I wonder what pork buns Aoi will be cooking today. These ones I'm having aren't really hitting the spot"

"I want some alcohol."

Shin distracted from all the trios thoughts stumbled tripping between both legs and subsequently getting a bullet lodged into his head by the best sniper in the group Heisuke. Luckily the guns were only loaded with toy bullets or this exercise could be lethal. Squeaking from Heisuke parrot, Piisuke, indicated when the training exercised ended and the shooter all placed their weapons down.

"I got him, yay. You did well lasting for so long Shin." Heisuke complimented his friends with a genuine smile but Shin got barely accept it.

Instead Shin cursed under his breath by his recklessness clutching his fist tightly leaving nail marks in his skin. Approaching the roof all his friends but he was only concerned with one person's opinion so he tried to read the thoughts of his mentor Sakamoto.

"That could have been better. What a shame." Those were the words coming from Sakamoto thoughts and Shin knew that his almost mentor figure was talking about his recent performance in the training. He knew that the bullets the three shot at him had overwhelmed just like his battles in the lab. The only reason he was able to beat the invisible bastard was with the help with the sniping weirdo and even so, he still struggled. That fight had made him come to the realisation that he needed to get stronger so that arose the suggestion for a training session.

Lu interrupted his thoughts," Hey Shin get ready, it's Mr Sakamoto turn. Aren't you excited to see the boss in action?"

Next up in line for training was Mrs Sakamoto. He cracked his shoulder before reaching the bottom of the stairs where the shooter were aiming their weapons at him. Shin was the first to shoot and with a simple slide of his head the ex-assassin dodged and a new flurry of bullets swamped Mr Sakamoto. With limited movements the boss dodged all the bullets easily predicting each of the fires and used multiple mundane items in his pockets to block the shots. Reloading his gun Heisuke tried to shoot his infamous ricochet shot but the shoot was predicted and Sakamoto grabbed the bullet and threw it back in the original direction it came from using a fork. Five minutes of bullet later the flurry stopped as the shooter had no amino. Tarou had ended the rally with not a scratch on him and back to his original skinny form, the ex hitmen form that he was known for.

"Wow the old man is really impressive, couldn't even touch him with my bullets," Heisuke commented a bit embarrassed that his only skill was so easily defended against by the boss.

"Yeah he is, Mr Sakamoto is one of the popular man. He saved me from the triad after all so he's got to be an incredible assassin," added Lu.

While the two other shooter were praising the marvellous man, Shin was feeling something that he hadn't felt before or even fathom he could. It was inferiority. Even since he was hired into the Sakamoto store today, he had fought alongside the man he admire so much for so long and that had made him realise. This was the power of Tarou Sakamoto, once one of the most formidable assassins in the world.

The order, the being known as X, there were so many enemies that Shin had no chance against at his current state. Just letting out a huge sigh unknown to the rest of his friends he walked back to the store to collect his thoughts together. All these forces in the assassin world made Shin shake in his place for a bit before a controllable sweat poured from his arms.

*******

Dinner had come for the Sakamoto residents and Aoi had served for the group grilled shrimp. Unfortunately the annoying snipper whose mind was basic as a child couldn't join the group for having to run an errand with his parrot. Hana was rocking back and forth on her baby chair ready to eat her dad comforting her on his lap. Aoi in her typical house wife persona cheering up the whole table had a smiled and continued to ask question to the rest about the taste of her dinner.

"What's wrong Shin, aren't you hungry," the concerned wife looming over Shin taking care of one of her employees.

"Oh I'm fine, just tired from today's training that's all." Giggling slightly ensuring he paired it with a smile to dim her concern.

"Are you jealous about Mr Sakamoto performance during training," the Lu teased. That hit right on the nose for Shin; this girl just knew how to hit Shin's nerve even if not purposely. Even though he should be happy about the boss's strength he couldn't help but feel that his time here maybe undervalued him.

"Are you worrying Aoi? If you are I'll kill him." Under the stern face of the father pampering his daughter, Sakamoto thoughts ran as while as ever.

Munching on his pork buns, Sakamoto was feeling a sense of relief finally having a delectable dish.

"Hey mommy, can we have a sleepover today?" Begged Hana to her mother while she was doing the dishes. "I don't want anyone to leave today and I want to play some games with them."

"Oh but Hana, everyone else has things they need to do so you can't be greedy okay?"

"I don't think it'll be any problem, right guys?" questioned Sakamoto to his crew with his expressionless face painting words that his worker couldn't ignore. He gave a glare of death under his glasses that ogled with blood lust if they dared to defy his daughter wishes.

Gulping they both reluctantly replied with, "yes we would love too stay for a sleepout Hana."

Aoi seemed suspicious of the two's nervous giggles but seemed to just shrug it off as she was more than used to the weird family that they had come to love. Honestly, Hana hadn't had many people to talk too growing up since she and her husband were so busy with the family business. Hearing the rumbles and argument that Hana were having with their friends Aoi was gleeing with a smile from the kitchen sink.

Mainly it was the Chinese girl playing card games with Hana as they had a connection over the feeble kid activity. Constant remarks about Shin's character were mocked between the two as Shin could not only hear the words in their minds but what they saying aloud.

"Shin's really annoying sometimes isn't he? Hehe." Hana whispered that in a soft breath into Lu's ear.

"You know I can you right?" Shin shot up from the couch. In clear frustration his outburst didn't to have faze the girls at all as he retracted back his seat, his hand supporting his head on the arm rest.

Shin and Mr Sakamoto had decided to sit back on the pearly white Sakamoto's residents couches sharing a pack of crisp with each other. To be honest, when it was both of them alone in a room they had trouble making small talk without any common thing to talk about. Since there was so many assassins after the one billion dollar bounty on Mr Sakamoto's head, these times of peace and quiet for the assassin were uncommon.

Shin decided to ask a sudden question whilst the two were alone sitting on the same couch with Lu and Hana out of hearing range.

"Are you worried Mr Sakamoto. About the order, x and all these assassins in the world that are probably stronger than you. When I think about it I always see myself sweating" Sucking on his ramen the broth splurging everywhere on the table Sakamoto paused at the sudden question. Putting his ramen down onto the table he cleared his mess up before staring directly at Shin.

"You think I'm weak do you? I'll kill you." After those words Mr Sakamoto looked at Shin directly with under his glasses having thoughts off killing him by turning his neck 360 degrees.

"AAH! Why did you think of killing me Mr Sakamoto. I wasn't saying you were weak at all, I'm just asking if you were worried about the threats that are coming." Shin slid back quite a bit back on his chair sweating bullets that his instinct were telling him.

No words were exchanged just a silent glance from his boss. Shin continued to read his mind still trying to seek the answers he was looking for.

"You are a staff member of the Sakamoto's. Have confidence in yourself as a assassin. Assassin who only look up to people who can kill them are low tier. I don't know when you started to think like this, but as your employer if you need a vaccination you can get some paid leave for a little bit but you better come back here sooner rather than later." Staring to cry a little bit Shin started to think off the words offered to him by his previous mates.

"You are a trash assassin Shin. Why are you always so nice to people whilst fighting. If you can read their mind why don't you just finished them. Useless brat." Those words during his time in his rung in his mind like a bell everyday. He calmed himself down whilst grabbing tissues from the table to wipe the liquid from his eyes. From the corner of his eyes he noticed that his boss was hunched over more than usual and starting to go green.

"B-brrr" Throwing up slightly into a bowl Mr Sakamoto produced slime green puke from his mouth as he vomited the substance into a plastic bag. Rubbing the rest of the remains from the edge of his lips the boss didn't look like he wasn't feeling too well taking Shin aback.

"What's wrong Mr Sakamoto?" Shin was starting to get concerned for the heath state of his boss bringing him up offering his shoulder.

"I think that those pork buns from are fighting back now." Intaking a large breath of air he vomited once again in the plastic bag next to him. Aoi was now rushing next to him.

"Those words in his mind before were than. *Click*" The realisation of what he said before flooded into the mind readers thoughts. He felt embarrassed for coming to such a absurd conclusion doubting his master in every way.

"This place, this home, it's a family I have never been with before. If I stayed as a assassin I would have never seen the potential that I could have achieved as a person. I was alone after I ran away from the lab, no family, and no friends. Here I have something I will protect no matter what happens and I will train however hard I need to in order to make all my friends happy. Thank you Mr Sakamoto I owe you my life for the rest of my life." Glazing at the happy family Shin arose a grin on his face, feeling a hit on his back Mr Sakamoto gave him a hit on his back to indicate that he was more than proud of the boy.

"Dad, Shin, Mom, come here and join me and Lu because we're going to play cards now." Waving her hands Hana had already dealt five hands for each of the family members.

For the rest of the night the Sakamoto's enjoyed a sleepover with Hana brimmed with energy after accidentally consuming some coffee on the table which Aoi later scolded Mr Sakamoto for leaving on the table. This was the life of the Sakamoto's and little did they know that forces were going to attacked by the unknown entities attacked by the assassin known as X.