NINJA SLAYER

Machine of Vengeance

Chapter 03

The Tokorozawa Pillar Castle Tower

The time at the tone is the witching hour. Off in the distance, the jewelry box-esque home of a greedy Buddha in all its beauty of seven prismatic colors stands out from the darkness. The lumen glow of this illusionary beauty in actuality is made possible by tired laborers who work through the night. Here only the ruling class is allowed to enjoy the beauty of the night skies from high above. Namely men like him.

He alone -- the owner of the Nekosogi Fund, the head honcho of the Soukai Syndicate -- relaxes with a wine glass in hand on this tatami throne residing in the Tokorozawa Pillar. This man is Laomoto Khan. Wearing an Armani suit, a gold ninja mask and coif, tonight like any other night, he sits with four blonde oiran courtesans who lay in waiting around his throne.
As he brings his wine glass to his lips, the sophisticated sensor on his gold menpo activates and the mask opens automatically. One of the oiran courtesans draped over his knee, opens her obscene kimono flashing organic grapes wedged between her voluptuous watermelons. Khan grabs one and places the grape in her juicy lips.

The oiran nimbly peels the grape with her lips. Exposing the fruit inside, she places the grape on her tongue and serves it to Laomoto who laughs, “Mu-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha!” He nips it away with delight swallowing it with some wine. He then spies the ultra-thin LCD monitor at his fingertips. In-flight visuals appear on the screen.

“Good day, Laomoto-san.” Captain Kinjima wrapped in an imposing and overdone high altitude protective suit bows respectfully on the other side of the monitor screen. A god of thunder emblem symbolizing Omura Industries is on his helmet.
Omura Industries, an underworld mega-corporation, holds a monopoly in the field of heavy industries in Japan. Their connection with the Soukai Syndicate runs deeps. The two are as thick as thieves.

“We have detected the existence of a counter-ninja.” Kinjima said.
“Nicely done.” Laomoto nodded.
A figure down on one knee is diagonally behind Kinjima: a ninja. The ninja wears an aviation helmet in addition to his ninja mask with the Omura Industries logo on his forehead. The ninja doesn’t quiver.

“I am thrilled to present to you the massive firepower of our company’s battle demon gargoyle airship, the Bubujima.” The captain flattered.
“We would like to invite you to witness first hand its impressive combat capability on this night of nights and urge the police for official deployment.”
“You insolent.”
“Aiee!?”

After being given a good scolding via the monitor, the captain goes into convulsions from the fear. And without a doubt, he’s most likely pissing his spacesuit.
Laomoto scolded. “That’s some sideshow. Who said you could talk about business? I’ll discuss business when I want to discuss business.”
“Absolutely. You’re absolutely right.” The captain jumped down from his cockpit seat getting down on his hands and knees.

Laomoto, however, paid no mind to the captain’s desperate pleas. He gulped down his wine and wedged the empty glass between the oiran’s porcelain breasts staining them with purple juice from the smashed grapes.
Laomoto signals with his hand to the remaining three oiran to get it on. They giggle and begin caressing each other.

“Well, show me how your little toy works. Delight me to my heart’s content.” Laomoto decadently toyed paying no mind to the monitor. He grabbed some organic sushi perfectly positioned on a multi-tiered food box placed at just the right height from the arm of his throne. Some beautifully marbleized fatty tuna sushi. He devoured two pieces at once.

The laser scanning optical system scans the streets once again. While Ninja Slayer springs from building to building, the lasers steadily close the distance on him.
With the demon gargoyle zeppelin soaring very high above, what is Ninja Slayer going to do? Then, once again, the counter-ninja cannons fire. BOOM!
He manages to evade them by the skin of his teeth.

Another type of laser combs the perimeter. Several seconds later, as the missiles lock-on target, the identity of the laser is now evident. From the demon gargoyle zeppelin, four missiles fire at once. Leaving white tracers in the night sky, the missiles pour in towards Ninja Slayer.

“Yeeart!” Ninja Slayer does a tailspin evasion jump.
KABOOM! KABOOM! KABOOM! KABOOM!
Five frames later, the missiles self-destruct in succession. While in his tailspin, Ninja Slayer shot down all of the missiles by throwing target intercept ninja stars.
With his ninja kinetic visual acuity, swatting down a tracking missile moving at normal speed is child’s play compared to zeroing in on a mosquito.

“Yeeart!” He lets out another round of throwing stars. CHIN! CHIN-CHIN!
Sparks faintly glimmer high above and the sound of metal smashing is heard. His suriken make a direct hit on the airship. BOOM!
A counter-ninja cannon fires!
“Yeeart!” Namusan! Right after Ninja Slayer jumps, the building explodes into bits!

“Yeeart! Yeeart! Yeeart! Yeeart!” While doing another aerial whirlwind twist, Ninja Slayer lets off a burst of rapid-fire throwing stars. The demon gargoyle zeppelin sparkles with flames as the stars impact. The airship precariously starts to rock. The demi-shuriken stars that Ninja Slayer throws aren’t mere slingshot pebbles mind you.

“Aieeee!”
The captain glared at his instrument panel with surprise. “What, what on earth?”
“Are you going to allow this counterattack?” Laomoto chimed into the monitor. “With all your firepower onboard, can’t you defeat one rogue ninja? Is he beyond your control, Omura-san?”
“No! This is mere prototype! Everything is dandy.”

“My patience is gradually wearing thin, Omura-san.”
“Aieee!?”
With the oiran on his lap, Laomoto yawned as he fondled her set of plump knockers. The other three oiran try to get his attention by breathing heavily in unison and fondling each other.
“Engage!” The captain orders his ninja behind him.

“Roger. My pleasure.” The Omura Ninja nimbly got to his feet and exited the engine room door with incredible speed.
“Laomoto-san!” The captain called as if he’s holding down the fort. “This might be the perfect chance for a presentation on our company’s ninja capabilities. I mean, but not as any formal business, you know.”
“Do whatever you want. Just kill the enemy!”
“Aieeee!”

Even now and even in the distance, we witness several billows of black smoke pouring of out of the demon gargoyle zeppelin which regains its balance every now and again. While leaping from building to building, just how many tens of hundreds of ninja stars had he thrown? And there’s no end in sight to his flash of lightening momentum.
“Yeeart! Yeeart! Yeeart! Yeeart!”

CHIN! CHIN-CHIN! Sparks scatter once again. Flames erupt near the engine.
But just then, something ejects from the airship and hones in fast on Ninja Slayer rotating like a hummingbird.
Namusan! That’s not a machine; that’s a ninja! And this ninja is wearing a jet rocket pack on his back.

Hovering within clinging distance, this new foe exchanges courtesies with Ninja Slayer as proper ninja etiquette dictates.
“Domo. I’m Cloud Buster!”
Flames spew out of his jet pack. While running around, Ninja Slayer brings both hands together to return the greeting.
“Pleased to make your acquaintance. I’m Ninja Slayer. Come at me with as many ninja as you like. The result spells the same: your ruin.”

“Pride cometh before the fall!” Cloud Buster skillfully jets and coils around Ninja Slayer pulling out his weapon of choice.
A baton? A hooked truncheon? Nay, it’s an electromagnetic blade – the latest technology from Omura Industries – capable of discharging fierce voltage.
Ninja or not, if repeatedly hit enough times by that, his internal organs will fry and he’ll soon perish.
“Yeeart!”

“Yeeart!”
Ninja Slayer unleashed a chop to assault this weapon. The two attacks collide.
“Aaaargh!” The electromagnetic blade sparks and crackles. In agony, Ninja Slayer assumes a defensive position. Smoke rises up from his wrist cuffs.
“At Omura Industries, this is what we call science! Our industry is your victory!” Cloud Buster blurted out company propaganda like a programmed robot.
“Yeeart!” The electromagnetic blade made its second attack.

Ninja Slayer’s guard is in danger.
“Yeeart!” Ninja Slayer evades the attack with a fluent body bridge retreat.
But without a moment’s delay, the laser beams are already tracking his movements. SWOOSH!
BOOM! Counter-ninja missiles fire from the demon gargoyle zeppelin.
By the skin of his teeth, Ninja Slayer performs back handsprings over and over again to evade the impending danger.

“Industry!” Cloud Buster slashes from the sky above.
Ninja Slayer evades his attack via back handsprings.
With unrelenting power to spare, the electromagnetic blade mercilessly destroys an electrical fukusuke good luck doll.
Ninja Slayer jumps from a water tower to a lightening rod and then finally to some power lines which he rides like a pro surfer.

CH-TICK-CH-TICK! The relentless laser scanning beams target from above.
While sliding down the power lines, Ninja Slayer glares at the zeppelin.
Four missiles come flying his direction at once.
“Yeeart! Yeeart! Yeeart!” Ninja Slayer counterattacks with throwing stars.
“Industry!” Namusan. Cloud Buster foils his attack.

“Yeeart!”
“Aaaargh!” Ninja Slayer promptly dropkicked Cloud Buster in his torso and jumped back out of the way.
But a building conveniently located behind him is nowhere to be found for his triangular jump retreat.
He clings to an oblong neon sign that reads: got stiff shoulders. A tracking missile approaches. He neglected to shoot them all down.

Ninja Slayer tries leaping up the side of the building by grabbing the sign with all his might.
“Industry!” Cloud Buster jetted down and sliced the sign with his blade.
“Aaaargh!?” Ninja Slayer gets shocked along with the sign.
Right after Cloud Buster’s hit-and-away move, he flies off and the missile impacts.

KABOOM! Neon glass shatters as the supporting strut gives way. Ninja Slayer plummets to the roadside along with the sign.
Cloud Buster circled him in the air. “The combined power of Omura Industries science and ninja karate is what won the battle!” He mutters with satisfaction and gives a thumbs-up sign to the zeppelin.
Namu-Amida-Butsu…Oh my Buddha!