Yamamoto Taiko life has been very difficult. At a very young age Taiko lost his main family was in a very tragic car accident, Taiko wasn't with them at the time as he was being watched by a babysitter since he was still an infant. His only family after the accident was his grandfather whom ran a dojo outside Kyoto, that specialized in kobodu among other weapon styles.
His life at the dojo was overwhelming, not only did he have to attend the nearby school he had to also endure all the training of the dojo. His grandmother had passed away several years before his arrival so he had inherited many of her duties of cooking and cleaning on top of his already loaded plate. His childhood unfortunately was sacrificed as he had little time to have fun or play with friends.
Taiko took to the training of the dojo very swimmingly. He always did his best as he did not want to disappoint his grandfather whom he looked up to. He quickly became skilled with a variety of weapons and fighting styles as well as in karate. Through his grandfather's peerage he also befriended a black band muay thai fighter whom he ended up taking supplemental lessons with.
At school he also excelled being one of the top students as well as vice president of the student council. He wasn't the smartest kid but he always gave it his all, whether it was PE or math. He also was a member of the music club and became decent at singing as well as playing guitar.
Eventually when the time came he decided to attended a university far away to his grandfathers dismay but understood. The timing was good as he was starting to burn out from all his training as well other things. His grandfather would just have to hire someone to help out. He decided that he wanted to study biology and botany as he always enjoyed the mysteries that mother nature had.
To support himself he had taken a job as security guard at an upscale hotel near his campus. While working there he met his girlfriend Akane whom worked in the same hotel as a maid. They had a good relationship and his life was just starting to become very enjoyable. That would all change one fateful nigh.....
Sitting in his chair with a guitar lightly playing a song, Taiko was relaxing after a long day. He had just finished school for the day as well as having finished a good workout. He had just gotten back from the bathhouse and oddly for once actually had some free time.. He was now trying to figure out what he was going to cook for dinner when all of sudden his phone started to ring.
“Great its the buchou...” he murmured to himself knowing that it was his boss from the hotel he worked at calling him most likely to ask him to take on a shift.
Thinking to himself ' I will politely decline him and resume my beloved free time' he was really tired and simply wanted to make dinner and play some games he enjoyed assassin games the most where you had to stealthy infiltrate and take down enemies. After which he would lay down, perhaps even having some fun when with Akane after she gets off work latter in the evening.
“Taiko here” he said with no emotion after begrudgingly answering his phone.
“Hey Taiko-kun I was wondering if I could you interest you into picking up a shift tonight” 'totally called that' Taiko thought', “We have just recently had a important VIP request to stay with us after there personal airplane had engine problems that would take the night to fix” his boss said with an enthusiastic tone.
“I am sorry buchou but I regrettable have to de.....” Taiko started to say before he was quickly interrupted by his boss
“Wait I really need you Taiko-kun, we are extremely short staffed. Plus it will give you a chance to meet this VIP. I think you would have a great deal of interest in.” buchou put the bait on the hook.
“Really who is this VIP that I would have an interest in ” Taiko inquired.
“Haha Ill give you two hints. it is someone that you have a huge crush on and she is from America” bochou answered.
Someone that he had an obvious crush on and was from America? Taiko quickly realized that could be only one person his favorite idol Jennifer-tan! As someone who enjoyed music Taiko found himself a fan of many music genres and groups both Japanese and English. His favorite artist was Jennifer Centers. She was an American idol considered to be the most beautiful idol by pretty much everyone. She had a very alluring voice that could touch your soul and she played guitar very skillfully. As matter of fact him and Akane a few days ago had attended her concert and she did not disappoint in the slightest.
“Ill be there right away!” Taiko said in very shrill voice. He could not hide his excitement even though his exposure to her at work would be limited to her checking in and out of the hotel. He quickly got ready making sure his appearance looked its best.
“♪ I am your only one♪!” Taiko was singing one of her songs to himself shamelessly as he rode his bike towards work.
'I wonder how Akane-chan is going to react to this development' he wondered to himself.
Arriving at the hotel, Taiko quickly slipped into locker room to get changed into his uniform. 'I wonder if I should spike my hair' he contemplated. After confirming his appearance in the mirror he left the locker room to check in the security booth on the first floor. Halfway to the room he encountered someone he was hoping to avoid.
“Taiko-kun I cant believe you!” Akane was in tears. “Literally 20 minutes after we are told SHE is staying here you check in to work for an extra shift!”
“And what is up with your appearance? I never see you put in this much effort for me! You are the absolute worst!” she pounded her fist into his chest with enough force to slightly stagger him.
“*cough*Listen Akane-chan you know you are my girlfriend and I love you dearly, but when buchou asked me to work an extra shift and he told SHE was staying here I had to look presentable no? You know there is no way she would ever go out with me she is like a goddess” Taiko tried to defuse the situation but he only made it worse in fact much worse.
“You have no idea of feelings of a maidens heart. Taiko-kun you owe me big time I expect a romantic date tomorrow.” with that she stormed off to the women's locker room to change to go home her shift must have just ended.
“I can understand her jealousy but did I really deserve to be hit for something so small?” Taiko said to himself out loud. The two other female workers nearby whom were obviously ease-dropping looked at him in way that said that not only did he deserve it he probably deserved worse.
Opening the door to the security booth he greeted his fellow workers for the night. “ Hey Issea-san, hey buchou” He grabbed a walkie talkie flashlight and a clipped them to his belt.
“I don't think I have ever seen Taiko-kun this excited before” Issea stated matter-factually.
“She isn't going to be here for a little bit so hold your horses boys” buchou said.
Finally after a few hours her and her entourage arrived at the hotel. It consisted of her another girl who looked like her manager, and 4 bodyguards all whom you could tell meant business. Taiko really wished he was one those guys he figured he was probably strong enough to beat one them in a fight. Finishing at the desk they started head towards the elevators. Jennifer's had a perfect hourglass figure, she was curvy where it counted and trim everywhere else, her creamy white skin that looked so soft and smooth that it was hard to believe it was skin possessed by a human and not a goddess, and her face was so gorgeous even though she had a hat and sunglasses on you could spend hours staring at it st lost in thought and not even realize any time has passed. Light blood hair and behind the sunglasses blue eyes as deep as the ocean. While passing by she did a slight courtesy towards the security booth looking directly at me.
Da-thump
Taiko could feel his heart skip a beat or two. 'She is truly a goddess' Taiko said to himself 'mental image saved.'
'Well I just signed up for 12 hours of work just for one mental image totally worth in my opinion' Taiko quickly rationalized in his mind.
The night was pretty uneventful so far only thing he had to do was make some paparazzi leave after the hotel wouldn't confirm or deny Jennifer Centers was staying there or not.
Boss had already left and it was just him and Issea working the rest of the night.
Taiko noticed that nature was calling him to the nearest restroom.
“Got to hit the bathroom be right back” Taiko let Issea know that was going to the bathroom.
Issea simply nodded.
After he finished taking care of his business while he was washing he hands something odd happened. For some reason all the lights went out and he could hear glass break in the distance softly.
He quickly picked up his walkie talkie “Issea-san whats going on over there?”......silence. “Can you hear me?”.......silence
'I don't like this! I swear to god if this is some sort of prank i am kicking someone butt' Taiko quickly put down his walkie talkie and grabbed his flashlight and his knife he always kept on himself.
Slowly he crept up the door to the bathroom.
He could hear footsteps approaching the other side of the door. Taiko quickly turned off his flashlight and quickly climbed up the wall of the bathroom grabbing on to a metal vent up above. Unfortunately there was no time to open it right now with his knife since the footsteps were almost here so he simply just held on pulling his knees close to his chest and slowed his breathing.
The bathroom door was kicked open and two guys with silenced pistols with flashlight attachments came in. One by one they kicked open doors to the stalls ready to kill if someone was there. Taiko just tried to calm his nerves and mask his presence as much as possible.
“Dammit where is that other guard its time for him to join his buddy in the afterlife” one of the bad guys said in frustration.
“Don't worry about it we will find him eventually all that matters is that we eliminate the goddess child whom was conceived outside of wedlock by orders of our master” the other bad guy was trying to bring there mission back into focus.
'I knew she had to be some kinda of goddess or half goddess' Taiko confirmed in his head.
As soon they left the bathroom Taiko quickly opened up the the ventilation cover with his knife. 'I am going to save her no matter what!'.
Knowing what floor she was in Taiko was making haste as much as he could in the ventilation system trying his best to keep the sounds to a minimum.
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Opening up the went to 9th floor bathroom he could see one of the bad guys the literally had he pants down (he was using urinal for its intended purpose). With his knife in his mouth Taiko silently descended down the wall using the small gaps in the bricks to hold himself. He took his knife in his hand and slowly approached the man while he was finishing up. Taiko quickly with a concentrated burst of movement Lodged his knife into the back the mans skull, immediately the man went completely limp like a puppet with its strings cut. With his offhand Taiko grabbed him and slowly brought him to the ground.
'I just killed someone' Taiko took a couple of seconds to wrap his head around it. He had killed many people in video games before as he was an expert at stealth type games like Metal gear solid and assassins creed. Yet when he pulled his knife out of his victims head he couldn't help but slightly throw up in his mouth as blood started to seep out.'Snap out of it he is here to kill my goddess, a quick death is merciful' he brought himself back into focus. Grabbing the mans pistol and earpiece he left the bathroom.
“Target is locked in a safe room with reinforced steel we are setting up the c4 now” someone said in his earpiece.
'Shit I have to get there quickly' Taiko started sprinting to the end of the hall.
There was two bad guys posted in front of the suite keeping watch. Taiko was taking cover the as soon as he saw the flashlight pass by in the hallway going the other direction. He quickly started to approach the two guys. Aiming for the upper chest area he quickly squeezed off a few shots at the first guard. His first shot missed but his second two hit and one of them hit the spinal cord as the goon quickly collapsed to the ground. The second guy turned and shot at Taiko grazing him in the shoulder. It felt so painful he almost dropped his knife in his offhand. Taiko quickly tackled the man to the ground and quickly shot him point black in the temple before he could recover from his head hitting the ground.
Boom! As soon C4 went off the whole hotel shook. Taiko couldn't hear clearly immediately after but quickly realized he had to go to her go right away because the door protecting her was gone now
In the room there were 3 guys one of them with a katana the other 2 with pistols one also had a c4 remote in his other hand. As smoke was clearing he could see Jennifer and her manager in the panic room huddled in the corner. As for the four body guards they were all dead body parts were everywhere it had been a massacre. Taiko started to sneak up on the 2 henchmen who were watching the scene in front of them.
“Please we will do anything just tell us what you want” the manager begged.
The katana guy smiled “what do I want? Its simple to eliminate the mistake of a certain goddess. The illegitimate child must die by our master orders it”. The manager pulls out a taser and shots it at the katana guy. He dodged the barbs and then grabs on to the wires connected the taser and with a quick tug the manager who is holding onto the taser is pulled closer to him. Swoosh in an instant the manager is slashed. After several seconds her head falls off her shoulders.
“You realize that you arn't going to get away with this my mother will curse you and you have a very painful death” Jennifer says trying to buy time as she is the only one whom notices Taiko approaching from behind.
“Hephaestus send you? You realize all shits going to break loose when Aphrodite finds out this happened.” she quickly added trying to deter him from killing her.
“ You see that is where you are wrong I have blessings from a different god then Hephaestus, but thankfully due Hephaestus ingenuity I have an item that blocks my actions from the gods” he held a small mirror that had a bunch of fancy runes on it.
“Now enough chit chat time for you to die” right as he said this Taiko point blanked one of the goons in the back of the head executioner style with his pistol and the the one he slashed their throat with his offhand and then slashed there wrist severing palmaris longus making him drop the gun which he quickly kicked away. The sudden thud and loud gurgling noise of blood caught the katana guys attention and he quickly turned around.
“So we have a hero present ahahah. Young man you did very well to take out my men but unfortunately like you they were all small fries. Judging by your stance and the way you are holding your knife I can see that you are martial artist.” After a few seconds he continued “I am known Banshi by your people and I have the blessings of a war-god. Here take this and please entertain me before I complete my mission” Banshi threw something towards Taiko.
Tossing the pistol aside Taiko caught the item that Banshi threw to him it was another katana 'oh he wants an old fashion sword fight. I wonder if he realizes I am a first dan in itto-ryu'.
Stashing his knife away Taiko take he stance and says “Bring it”. Immediately he feels wind pressure on him and he immediately jumps back right as he does he sees a white wave pass through where his neck just was a split second ago. “Interesting you are the first person to successfully dodge that attack before you are giving my high hopes young martial artist” Banshi an obvious battle fiend stats ecstatically.
“The name is Taiko” Taiko says as he unleashes a 5 strike technique all which are parried by Banshi easily.
Banshi responds to the combo with a high strike to the shoulder that is still slightly bloody from getting grazed earlier, Taiko blocked it but he was almost tardy he could tell that there is slight nerve damage in that arm. Next Taiko changes his stance slightly instead of the traditional open stance he crouches down and hold the katana aligned with his shoulder to help defend high strikes. Banshi next attack is low so Taiko jumps in anticipation for a low swing and swings high at his opponent. Banshi's low attack was however a feint so when he parries the high attack from Taiko whom is just sitting in the air he gets a free shot in which uses a knee attack to the abdomen which send Taiko flying backwards slamming into the wall behind him.
“*cough*cough*” Taiko had the wind slightly knocked out of him from that last knee attack.
“Pathetic is that really all you have? I was getting excited for a fight but from what I have seen I got excited over nothing” Banshi did his dash attack again which Taiko could sense coming so dodged it with a simple side roll since he couldn't jump back with the wall in his way.
Quickly after the roll Taiko regained his stance and Banshi was already on top of him like a horsefly.
Lightning fast combos were being ripped off by Banshi Taiko was having difficulties keeping up and started to prioritize vital points with his guard. Several of Banshi slashes managed to cut Taiko in various places on his arms and legs and he was now bleeding everywhere.
'I have never faced someone so strong before if I lose focus for even a split second I will surely lose my head' Taiko tried to refocus himself.
“Cmon cmon I know you can do better, you better get serious before its too late” Banshi was trying to get him to make a mistake to get an opening for a vital point.
Taiko reading the situation acted like he was frustrated however in reality he was super calm, calmer then has ever been. “yarghh” Taiko started his 5 hit technique earlier that ends in high attack to the left shoulder however after the 4th attack he sold the 5th attack as a feint of his own and quickly slashed across to right across Banshi's midsection finally landing a strike.
Banshi eyes are grow so wide he touches his stomach which now has a giant slash in it and then tastes his own blood. “YES! More show me more! Make my blood boil!” Taiko steps in quickly and starts another exchange with Banshi. At this point both of them can easily read each other like a book and the exchanges are only draining each person of stamina and blood.
'If this continues to be a war of attrition I am going to lose since I am losing blood a lot faster' Taiko thought to himself. He also is noticing that his senses are starting to dull for some reason. I am going to have give up an opening to be able to get a good attach in sorta like sacrificing a chess piece to secure a bigger piece from your enemy.
Kicking the ground hard he charges straight at Banshi appearing to perform a simple stab attack reading this Banshi dodges to the side and counters with an easy high attack to the shoulder. Taiko drops his sword and reaches for his knife with his now free hand. Banshi previous attack buries deep into his left shoulder with the blade so deep in his shoulder Banshi takes a second to try and dislodge from Taiko's flesh. In an instant the smile on Banshee face was transferred over to Taiko because Taikos knife was now buried into Banshi heart slipping through his rib-cage to land in that vital spot.
“You realized that my blade is poisoned?” Banshee ask simply.
“Yes I could feel my senses dulling and it couldn't be attributed to simple blood loss so I decided to open myself for one last attack” Taiko explained his strategy as he twisted his knife and then yanked it out causing blood to sprout out like a fountain.
“Well fought maybe we can fight again someday in Valhalla.” Banshi fell backwards and passed out from blood loss he would soon be dead.
Taiko smiled as he saw his angel he was able to protect running up to him.
“You are the security guard from earlier I remember you! You are my hero!” Jennifer said ecstatically.
“It was all worth it just to see you smile. Akane-chan is sure going to mad at me dying over something like this hahaha*cough*” Taiko laughter was cut short as he coughed up blood from his collapsed lung.
“Please don't die your wound look serious but I think you can maybe hold out for the paramedics” Jennifer tried to encourage him.
“Normally that might be possible even with a collapsed lung and severe blood loss however that man's weapon is poisoned and I can feel death slowing embracing me and taking me away, that man Banshi lived up to his name of certain death” his eyes were now too heavy to keep open, he heard the sound of glass being shattered somewhere far away he could hear angel calling to her mother to save him. It was too late even if she could help there was no going back at this point.