The Martial World...

It is said that all martial arts originate from this world, and at the highest peak of the highest mountain, Mount Budo, there lies a dojo famous for its legendary graduates. At the bottom of the mountain, so far down that the sun only shines half the day, there sits an old, run down, restaurant run by a young girl in a Cheongsam, this is our heroine, Xiao Bai.

***

"Hey Miss, Could I get some Mapo Tofu?"

"Right Away!"

Bowing to the large martial artist, I wondered when I would earn enough money to move out of this dump. I grabbed the last of the tofu we had, and preparing it for the man, watched as a rough looking man entered the building.

"Yo! Xiao Bai, Could I get some Ramen?"

"Shin, I told you to stop coming here, I don't need you hitting on the customers."

Shin despite his looks was as straight as the river outside my home, meaning he was not at all straight. He would often hit on the male customers that entered, not that he had any success in his efforts.

"Xiao Bai, I promise I won't cause trouble for you today, did you hear, the 100th annual martial arts tournament is happening, and I plan on entering, my street fighting skills will carry me to victory!"

"Did I hear you say you'll win? Nah, I'm winning punk, I got a winning strategy and everything."

The large martial artist whose arm alone was larger than my head looked at Shin with a look of determination, one that Shin also had on his face. Holding the bridge of my nose, I handed the martial artist his food and moved to Shin's meal right as a member of the Budo Dojo entered the building.

"Hello Sir, what would you like?"

"Something simple please."

Nodding, I placed a bowl of ramen in front of Shin before starting on a simple dumpling meal for the dojo student. As I finished the meal, and placed it in front of the man, I noticed that the large martial artist had finished, and placed his money on the counter. Deciding to test my new guest, I left the money on the table, only to catch him trying to steal it right in front of me.

"Thieves are not welcome in this establishment."

"You bitch! I'm a Student of The Budo Dojo! You should be Hurk-!"

Kicking him in the gut, I grabbed the pretentious martial artist by the collar and glared coldly at him.

"I don't care who or what you are, if you steal your all the same in my eyes, Scum."

Kicking him out the door, I picked up the money and placed it in my safe, right as a wizened old sensei entered. His outfit said he taught at the Budo Dojo, and following behind him was the student I just disgraced.

"Miss Xiao Bai, I came originally to offer you a position as a Chef for our dojo, but seeing as you were capable of defeating our best student, I came to offer a place in the tournament, please think about it will you. Come Renshi, let's patch up your injuries."

"Yes Sensei."

Placing a paper detailing everything about the tournament, I looked at the prize, only to see that it was over a million Yen. Filled with a sense of determination, I quickly signed my name on the paper, and prepared it to be sent to the Dojo atop the mountain. I was going to win first place, and no one, not even the most powerful cyborgs would stop me.