Daiki Takamori

Ten years later...

The birds were chirping, the flowers were swaying, the wind was whistling and Diaki Takamori... Lets' just say he wasn't as happy as this image that was just formed in your head. Throwing your sword away and running from a wild animal, was in a sense an act of cowardice. That was actually what he just did.

"Takamori-dono!" His father's hunters called out for him as a wild boar came charging out from the brush in dire pursuit. "Come back!"

With his fingers fastened together and his toes curled in, he kept running. Yet the boar he had just been hunting was trying to run him through with its massive tusks. This wild creature was at least twice the size of a domesticated hog.

"Easier said tha–" He was cut off, his toes mashing into a large tree root and flung him forward. He tried to grab a low hanging branch on his way down, but it simply slipped out of his grasp and he came crashing down, face first into a small mound of ordure.

He laid there for a matter of moments in disgrace, slowly lifting his face and pressing his hands against the ground to help himself back up. Just as he was about to get to his feet, he was knocked over by an undeterred boar which head butt him in the behind.

The unsettling squishy feeling accompanied by the smell imitating from his forehead, gave Takamori a strange metallic taste in his mouth. "Son ... of..." He gagged, his head lurching forward a bit as he rolled onto his back.

He puked in his mouth and quickly swallowed it as the boar began to dig into the ground with its hoof, getting ready to charge him once again. His eyes darted side to side, where was his father's men? Did they give him up for dead?

All color drained from the pale boy's face. His downturned ember colored eyes dilated. "System..." Daiki whined internally, feeling around for something to help him defend against this heavyset monster.

'Ding' You called? Oi, you need some help. Would you like some assistance?

Narrowing his eyes forward at the ivory tusks which were pointed towards his nethers, he was definitely not ready do die and even more so, not ready to be neutered by a beast!

"Yes! I am in need of assistance!" He cried aloud as he timidly began to back away from the beast in a crab-like crawl on all fours. He even flung the feces which he previously face planted in, directly at the boar's face.

An annoyed squeal erupted from the monster as it shook its head and scrunched it's snout. A brighter flame renewed in its eyes, a flame which could very well melt his flesh and render his bones to ash.

'Ding' Please update the System interface for assistance. 5000 EXP.

"SOMEONE HELP!" He thrashed around in the moist soil as he found his back against the trunk of a tree. He threw handfuls of dirt and pebbles, anything he could find; even a dandelion, a the wild boar.

Within moments a girl in a orange and yellow set of monk robes came descending from the sky, a makeshift quarter in her hand as she landed before him, between him and the boar.

Yet at first glance, Diaki couldn't tell what he was looking at. She had a slender figure, a feminine face, but her body had the lack of a feminine shape. Like a child who barely chose which biological function it would have.

Blinking a few times at the sight, he stared at the back of her head. It was covered in fuzz as if it was growing back from having been shaved. "Huh?" Slowly his head lulled to the side, he watched as she charged forward.

"You called?" Her voice was fake, making it sound like a deeper man's voice.

Daiki translated this as someone trying to act tough, but his shaken demeanor changed. No longer shaking or thrashing at the soil around the tree, he stared at the girl who between him and death. Was this person really going to charge at such a beast?

Like crackle of thunder, the snapping sound resonated with the following silence in which the boar found itself on its side. It snorted, a clear look of confusion on its face. A massive bruise seen on the beast's underbelly seared with pain.

With her legs spread and her staff held out in a defensive stance diagonally in front of her. She wore a grin across her lips before glancing over her shoulder towards the man.

Despite the shit smeared on his forehead and his bangs, he was rather attractive. His facial features were unusual and sharp. Yet his timid eyes seemed to be avoiding eye contact, looking clearly passed her head. That's when a thought passed through her head.

'Is this the rumored Lord of Fusu's son?' Her head cocked to the side lightly, her dark black marble-like eyes stared at him. Her eyes were large and adorable, captivating. Yet he didn't bother to give them a gander.

"Takamori-dono?" Correcting her posture, she knelt down on one leg and clasped her hands together after carefully placing her weapon on the ground as she bowed her head.

Fidgeting, he slowly got to his feet and looked over the boar who was disabled and unable to move from the place it lay. It was clear it was bleeding internally. His gaze moved back to the semi-shaven head of the girl before him. Swallowing shallowly, he placed a hand on the top of his head after wiping his hands and face off with a hemp cloth from inside his robes.

"Thank you," he stared into space as he spoke, gently resting a hand on the top of her head, as if bestowing something upon her.

They remained in this position silently for a few moments, before she glanced up at the man. "My Lord?" She asked curiously, her left thick brow creasing downward and the right raising in a questioning expression.

Startled by the sudden address, his eyes finally locked onto hers. "Y-yes?"

While it wasn't really her place to question why his hand was still on her head, she felt she'd like to get him to remove it. "Takamori-dono, why are you touching my head?"

"..." His eyes diverted from her as he glanced off into the distance, hearing the shouting of his father's men who were just now catching up. "It's soft," this was the only response he gave as he let his fingers run along the top of her head as they slipped off and his hand rested at his side.

"You can stand now," he nodded to the monk, offering a hand before looking away again.

Despite having wielded a weapon such as a staff, the girl's hand was relatively soft as he helped her to her feet. His mouth opened partially as he stared at the feminine fingers. He unknowingly continued to hold her hand, while staring at them.

The girl dressed as a monk simply stood there casually, staring at the and which was still holding his. "..." She knew exactly what kind of person he was, rumored to be timid and anti-social around women. He was unable to talk to them, yet he was able to give simple responses to other men.

"Could he believe that I'm a man?" That thought crossed her mind, until her eyes wandered over towards the men who were approaching. They immediately slowed down at the sight of the downed boar and the girl who's hand was being held by their lord's son.

"Young Master!" His hunting instructor called out in a cheerful tone, throwing his hands in the air ecstatic. "Bless our gods you are alright!" As he approached he began to notice the girl's attire.

Giving the lady a light bow, the instructor looked her over for a few moments then noticed the makeshift quarter staff on the ground. He had a gander at her head, and noticed it wasn't shaved anymore, but was covered in the fuzz of new hair.

"You must be the warrior monk that left the followings of the monastery. Quite the path," the instructor sounded rather confident in his deduction.

"Mmm," the girl gave a light nod as to validate this claim.

"Perhaps our Lor–" The instructor was cut off by the young master waving his hand in dismissal, as if calling for silence. "Or the young master would like to hire you?"

Daiki nodded, not giving them much of a glance, only giving the illusion he was looking at them.