The Kaze no Aji restaurant, a jewel of the Auton family, had stood in Cloudsea for years. Its staff, thirty strong, were ninjas all, placed there by Susanne, the Auton Group's matriarch, to serve as her son's hidden guardians—a blade in the dark.Profit was a secondary concern; their true mission was to shield Elio, the heir, from unseen dangers.All this was kept from Elio, a secret held close by Susanne until his decade of trials neared its end.Now that Elio was stepping into his role as Master Rinz, the veil of secrecy was lifted. Susanne's parting words to her son: use the ninjas well. In the cutthroat world of business, enemies lurked, and one must always be ready for the unexpected.In the shadowed hallway, a sea of ninjas knelt, a silent testament to their reverence for Master Rinz. By day, they were the picture of normalcy: elegant shop owners, chefs with killer authentic moves, and lively young waitresses. When the sun set, however, they traded aprons for stealth, honing
Among them was Kaori Hashimoto, a petite girl with a sweet face and the team captain's badge. She put on her game face and asked, "Master Rinz, are we doing this one-on-one, or is it an all-in rumble like old times?"Elio's grin was all confidence. "Come on, every single one of you. I've got this. And hey, if you manage to beat me, I'll give each of you a cool gift. Deal?"A chorus of excited squeals rang out as more than ten girls huddled up, whispering and plotting their next move like they were gearing up for a secret mission.With a casual flick of his wrist, Elio signaled for his weapon. The quick-stepping Yoshiko was right there, handing him a bamboo sword that was every bit as long and hefty as a katana but made for training. Gripping it firmly, he swung through the air, the blade cutting a whooshing sound that promised a challenge."Bring it on!"At Master Rinz's command, Kaori's voice cut through the air, "Get ready, team. Attack mode, now!"Like a burst of starlings, th
The crowd was a mix of seasoned ninjas who, by daylight, played the roles of shopkeeper, chef, and jack-of-all-trades. Now, they were all chuckling and whooping it up, clapping their hands and dancing around in pure glee.Their ringleader, Yoshiko, chided them with a chuckle, "Come on, you rascals, get up! Don't squash Master Rinz flat!"A gaggle of girls, still eager for more fun, sassily shot back, "As if! Master Rinz isn't some clay figurine—we cannot squish him!""Let's just bunk down like this tonight. With Master Rinz as our mattress, we're in for some sweet dreams, teehee..."Lucky for Elio, these ninja gals were light as feathers, each barely tipping the scales at a hundred pounds. Otherwise, he would be pancaked by now.As they giggled, they got to their feet, untied Elio, and could not resist sneaking in a few playful pinches. After all, it wasn't every day they got to be this up close and personal with Master Rinz.Elio rose, his cheeks tinged with pink, thinking these
The girls snickered behind their hands, eagerly anticipating Master Rinz's response. They were all love-struck teens who had not yet had their own romances, and they were totally into this kind of gossip.Elio thought back to his own "marriage" – if you could call it that. He had been bunking on the floor, technically married but as untouched by love as he was on his wedding day. At twenty-five, he was still a bachelor, his first kiss yet to be claimed. His cheeks flushed with embarrassment. Man, it was complicated!Admitting the truth would be way too mortifying. So Elio puffed up his chest and boasted, "Oh, absolutely! My wife isn't just a knockout; she's sweet as pie. Every night, she starts with a foot wash, follows up with a massage, and let's just say... she's amazing in every way, if you catch my drift..."The girls burst into giggles, throwing out compliments like confetti. "Wow, your lady sounds like the perfect wife and mom. She's incredible!"Grinning, Nami Fujiwara said
Elio's suite was a stone's throw from his office, a combo of living room, bedroom, and study that screamed luxury—almost on par with a five-star hotel and way beyond the Jones family's place. It was like comparing the earth to the sky.Elio slipped into the study and nudged the towering bookshelf aside to unveil the secret safe tucked away behind it. He punched in the code and pressed his thumb against the scanner. With a heavy thunk, the towering safe swung open, revealing stacks of cash worth millions and a trove of property titles and assorted papers.Elio had eyes only for one thing. He reached into the heart of the safe and pulled out a small cloth bundle, then he carefully locked everything up again and slid the bookshelf back into place.He laid the bundle on his desk and unwrapped it, revealing a collection of thirty-three silver instruments, each about the length of his hand, and five gold instruments that were something else entirely. The silver ones were just your averag
Old Madam Jones was pushing seventy, her hair a crown of silver, her face smooth and her bearing regal. One look at her, and you knew she had been a knockout back in the day. She lit up with a smile when she saw Elio. Though she was the old master's wife, she had a soft spot for her grandson-in-law. Indeed, it was her decision to go against the grain and bless the marriage between Evelyn and Elio, welcoming him into the family with open arms.Fate has a funny way of bringing people together!Three years back, May, the housemaid, was out at the market picking up groceries when a pair of motorbike-riding thugs snatched her wallet. Elio, who happened to be making deliveries nearby, sprang into action. He chased the crooks down and got May's wallet back.Old Madam Jones got wind of Elio's heroics and would not rest until she had thanked him personally. She insisted on having him over for dinner, and Elio, with no way to politely refuse, showed up at the grand Jones estate for the meal.
Old Madam Jones could not help but laugh, playfully raising her hand as if to swat him. "You little scamp, always teasing your old grandma. Looks like someone's asking for a timeout. Let's see how I'm going to straighten you out."To everyone else, he might be the son-in-law who could not do anything right, but to Old Madam Jones, Elio was her golden boy. She might talk tough, but her eyes were soft with affection, just like he was her own flesh and blood.Ever since she got sick, which of her grandkids, besides Evelyn, actually took the time to drop by? Elio was there for her more than her own grandkids. Her heart was not made of stone; the old lady knew who really had her back.Elio grinned. "Grandma, you wouldn't really smack me, would you? After all, I'm the grandson-in-law you handpicked.""Hmph, always playing the charmer, aren't you? Evelyn's still sore at me, thinking I did her wrong by matching her up with you."Old Madam Jones teased, but then she softened. "Don't hold i
Elio nodded, deep in thought. "Got it, grandma. Do not worry, I've got all the Five Golden Instruments right here, and I know how to use them. I think they might help ease your sickness a bit. As for how much they will heal, I can't make any promises." "What, you have got all the Five Golden Instruments? Can I see them?" Old Madam Jones was even more amazed. She remembered the old healer saying that getting your hands on just one of those Instruments was a huge deal. How on earth did Elio have them all? It was incredibly weird."Absolutely," Elio said as he drew out four more shimmering gold instruments, placing them alongside the Buddha's Heart and passing them to Old Madam Jones.Old Madam Jones took them gingerly, letting May slip on her fancy glasses with the floral frames, and peered closely at the ancient seal script etched into the gold. She ran her fingers over the characters, whispering, "Tribulation, Salvation, Virtue, Healing, Justice... These are the legendary Five Gold