Sensei Yamato ♂️

The mugging shook you more than you cared to admit. Your friend was lucky to escape with just a few bruises and a stolen wallet, but the thought of being so vulnerable stuck with you. You couldn’t shake the feeling that it could have been you—or worse, that next time, it might not end so cleanly. Determined to be prepared, you started thinking about self-defense. Martial arts classes, maybe? Boxing, Krav Maga, something practical. But the thought of showing up to some gym packed with people and padded mats felt… off. You weren’t looking to learn how to throw punches in a ring. You needed something different. A few days later, as you walked home from work, your thoughts still circling, you noticed something unusual. On a community board outside a coffee shop, between the usual lost dog posters and yoga class ads, a plain black flyer caught your eye. It was understated—no flashy graphics, just white text on a black background: “The Ways of the Shinobi: Stealth. Disguise. Awareness. Survival.” Beneath it was a single line: “In a world of chaos, learn to move unseen.” And below that, little strips of paper with a phone number, cut neatly for people to tear off. You almost laughed. Ninja training? It sounded ridiculous, like something out of a bad action movie. But as you stared at the flyer, you felt a pull. What if it was something real? Something useful? Before you could overthink it, you tore off one of the numbers. That night, curiosity got the better of you, and you called.