Wind blew leaves from the surrounding trees into Sato''s face as he glared at Nikio. His eyes shifted back and forth from purple to jet-black. "I won''t let you hurt them."


    Nikio gasped as he changed the aim of his bow to from Ai to Sato. "Your eyes! Are you a Bakemono as well?!"


    Sato responded quickly "No! I mean, yes. I mean, sort of."


    "Pick one!" Nikio shouted angered a she shot his arrow. The arrow missed its target and hit a tree instead. ''Damn it!"


    Ai laughed, "Seriously? Why do you carry that bow around if you can''t even shoot?"


    "I''m new at this, okay." Nikio clarified rubbing his neck.


    "Okay. But do you mind telling us what exactly a Bakemono Hunter is?" Sato questioned plopping down onto the grass, realizing that Nikio wasn''t a threat to him.


    "Pretty much just what it sounds like." Nikio explained. "We hunt down Bakemono as part of our daily jobs. Sometimes we take specific requests. I just graduated from BHA yesterday. It stands for Bakemono Hunter Academy, so I''m new.


    "But why is there a need to hunt Bakemono?" Sato inquired.


    "I don''t know where you come from but here Bakemono are fearsome creatures and some of the best Bakemono Hunters are sent out to galaxy to deal with other neighboring Bakemono."


    "I think I get it now." Sato got up rubbing his gray jeans. "But listen. Not all Bakemono are bad, you know. Although Ai over here is a little sassy sometimes."


    Ai elbowed Sato in the ribs. "Shut up!"


    Sato winced. "See what I mean."


    Nikio smiled, "I guess you''re right. It''s just I''m so use to this system because I grew up with it. I always wanted to be a Bakemono Hunter. But it''s never occurred to me that somewhere out there, there were good Bakemono."


    Sato grinned, "Don''t sweat it dude. Well we gotta get going."


    As Sato, Ai, and Yuuki started to walk off, Nikio ran in front of them. "Hold on!"


    "What is it, Nikio?" Ai wondered.


    "If it''s not too much to ask. I''d like to join you guys." The blonder teen requested. "I think it''ll me learn even more about Bakemono and improve my skills as a Bakemono Hunter."


    Sato nodded, "Sure. The more the merrier. Damn that sounded corny."


    "Thank you so much! Oh but first how about I take you to a weapon shop. Sato." Nikio suggested. "Ai, Yuuki, I would ask you guys too. But not everyone in this world is as lenient as I am."


    "It''s fine. We''ll wait here for you guys." Ai said a she and Yuuki sat down on the grass.


    Sato and Nikio walked until they came across a merchant''s stand. "Hey, how may I help you?" The brown haired old man asked wiping some oil onto his beard.


    Nikio set his bow on the table. "I''d like you to upgrade this Bake-Bow please."


    "Gotcha." The merchant turned to Sato. "And what about you? What can help you with?"


    Sato waved his hands in front of his face. "Oh, I''m good. I''m just here as company."


    "Nonsense! My friend here would like a Bake-Sword, please." Nikio requested for Sato.This book is hosted on another platform. Read the official version and support the author''s work.


    "Coming right up!" The merchant went behind a curtain with Nikio''s bow.


    "So, what''s a Bake-Sword and Bake-Bow?" Sato questioned Nikio.


    "You see, they''re both part of a group as weapons known as Bake-Weapons. They are made specifically for Bakemono Hunters." Nikio explained. "But even if you''re not one, you can still use it. One of the coolest things about them is that once you get in sync with it. You can use some amazing techniques!"


    The merchant came back out and handed Nikio back his bow. He then gave Sato his sword. The gleaming shine reflected off the thick silver blade. "Here you go."


    Sato took the blade carefully into his hands. "Um, thanks. Hey Nikio, you okay?"


    Nikio was now staring at a Porto Potty nearby. "I bet there''s a beautiful woman in there."


    Sato''s mouth drops. "You''re not seriously planning going in there are you!"


    Nikio coughed, "Of course not. Don''t be silly. It''s probably locked anyway."


    Sato sighed of relief. "Okay, that''s good."


    "Which is why, I use this arrow to make a small dent in the door." Nikio took out one of his arrows from the case on his back. He crawled over to the door of the outhouse and poked the arrow through. "Damn. The hole''s too small."


    The door slammed open on Nikio''s face, leaving a red mark in the center. A muscular man glared down at Nikio. "What are you looking at?" He kicked Nikio back to where Sato was.


    Sato sighed, "So, you are a perv then."


    Nikio brushed off his white khakis as he got up. "I prefer to think of myself more as a ladies man."


    Sato grinned, "Really. Cause that sure wasn''t a lady just now."


    "I didn''t know a guy was coming out okay!" Nikio yelled embarrassed.


    Sato tried not to laugh. "Whatever. Let''s just get back to the spaceship."


    Once Sato and Nikio made it back to the spaceship, Ai and Yuuki were eating toast at the dining table. Sato looked awkwardly down at the toast. "So are we seriously having toast for dinner?"


    "You have a better idea?" An agitated Ai questions turning around to face Sato.


    "Yeah. Food people actually eat for dinner." Sato suggested.


    "Okay, cook it then!" Ai snapped.


    "But I can''t cook!" Sato barked back.


    "Well then eat your toast." Ai turned back around to begin eating.


    "You lost Sato." Yuuki says softly as he sips his cup.


    Sato sighs "Thanks for taking her side, Yuuki."


    The small blue haired boy nods, "You''re welcome."


    "I''ll take your sidle, bro." Nikio offered.


    "I don''t want a pervert on my side." Sato said as he took his seat at the table.


    "What''s a pervert?" Yuuki asked puzzled.


    "Nothing! Just eat, okay." Sato said putting Yuuki''s question aside.


    AI whispered to Sato. "You can''t say stuff like that around Yuuki."


    Sato sighed, "Sorry."


    Nikio stared out the window. "Hey guys, look. A monkey Bakemono was rampaging on a small planet close by. "That Bakemono is wanted. This could be my first record as a Bakemono Hunter!" Nikio jumped out of the spaceship and onto the planet.


    "Nikio, wait!" Sato followed Nikio''s action. "Ai come on."


    Ai jumped out of the ship as well. "Yuuki, you stay in there. We''ll be right back."


    Once Sato and Ai caught up to Nikio he already had his bow ready. "Here I go!" The blonde teen shouted as he barely managed to stick an arrow into the Monkey Bakemono''s foot.


    The Monkey Bakemono roared as it charged for Nikio. "Look out!" Sato shouted as he ran up to swings his sword at the monkey, managing to slice its side. Its gray blood splashed out. "Nikio! Hurry, get up!"


    "Right." Nikio quickly got up before the Monkey Bakemono was overhead, planning to smash its fists onto Sato and Nikio.


    "No chance monkey!" Ai screamed as green spiked shield surrounded Sato and Nikio. The spikes extended impaling the Monkey Bakemono''s torso.


    Sato stared at the shield in awe. "Ai. When did you learn how to do this?"


    "I don''t know. It just happened. Hurry finish it off!" The Magic Bakemono screamed impatiently.


    Yuuki walked in front of the Monkey Bakemono''s feet. Sato''s eyes widen as he notices Yuuki. "Yuuki! Quick get out of the way!"


    Yuuki turned around and stared apathetically at the monkey. "Hey."


    The Monkey Bakemono lifted up its right foot preparing top smash Yuuki with it. Sato pushed Yuuki out of the way, taking his place in front of the Monkey Bakemono''s foot. Nikio shot another one of his arrows, but it missed its mark. Hitting a rock in the ground instead.


    Sato swung his sword upwards. Blood from the monkey''s foot sprayed. The purple haired teenager climbed up the Monkey Bakemono''s body. Getting a lift from its head he flipped off into the sky. He came down slicing his blade downwards. The Monkey Bakemono fell to the ground.


    Sato rested his sword on his shoulder. "Phew. Do you two have a death wish or something?!" He screamed at Nikio and Yuuki.


    Ai ran up to them. "Yuuki! I thought I told you to wait in the spaceship."


    "I got cold. You left the door open." Yuuki stated simply.


    A brown haired man with a steel longsword surrounded by an army of other men with various weapon walked over to the group. The brown haired man spoke. "So then, you all. Defeated this Monkey Bakemono?"


    Sato nodded, "Yeah. Why?"


    The man with the longsword had a serious look on his face. "I need to ask you a favor."