Chapter 10: A Job Worth Doing
Chapter 10: A Job Worth Doing
Daichi's smirk lingered in my mind long after I left our meeting.
I had a job now.
The problem? I had no idea what it was yet.
Daichi didn't tell me on the spot. Instead, he told me to wait. A test of patience, maybe? Or a power move? Either way, I wasn't going to sit around like an idiot.
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Step 1: Preparing for the Worst
If Daichi was going to throw me into something dangerous, I needed to be ready.
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[Ranking Criteria: "What's the best way to prepare for an unknown job?"]
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1. Gather supplies (93.4%) – Basic tools can be the difference between life and death.
2. Scout Daichi's movements (88.1%) – Learn more about who I'm dealing with.
3. Improve escape options (85.7%) – Always have an exit strategy.
4. Find a backup plan (82.2%) – Just in case the job goes south.
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I decided to gather supplies first.
I wasn't stupid enough to walk into this blind, so I used some of my remaining ryo to stock up on essentials—kunai, wire, and a few basic poisons from an old woman who didn't ask questions.
Then, I started watching Daichi from a distance.
Turns out? He was busier than I thought.
Daichi wasn't just some washed-up shinobi taking odd jobs—he had connections. He met with a few other former ninjas, most of them just as shady-looking as he was.
Something was going on.
But before I could dig deeper, the job finally arrived.
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Step 2: The Job
I found Daichi waiting for me at an abandoned warehouse near the western district.
"You took your time," he said.
"You never gave me a time."
He grinned. "Fair enough."
Then he tossed a sealed scroll at me. "Here. Your job."
I unrolled it and immediately frowned.
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[Mission: Retrieve a package from a small estate in the upper district. Target: Noboru Ishi. Do not get caught.]
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Breaking into a civilian estate? That wasn't what I expected.
"Who's Noboru Ishi?" I asked.
Daichi waved a hand. "Some rich merchant. Nothing important."
"Then why are we stealing from him?"
He smirked. "Because someone paid good money for that package."
I didn't press further. This wasn't about right or wrong. It was about getting in, getting out, and proving myself.
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Step 3: Planning the Heist
I had to be smart about this.
I spent the next day watching the estate from a distance, mapping out exits, guard rotations, and potential weak points.
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[Ranking Criteria: "What's the best way to get in without being detected?"]
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1. Roof infiltration (91.9%) – Harder to spot, but tricky to escape from.
2. Pose as a servant (87.6%) – Risky, but could work if done right.
3. Underground tunnels (85.4%) – Some old buildings had forgotten access points.
4. Brute force (72.3%) – Stupid. Just stupid.
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I went with the rooftop method. Fast, quiet, and harder to detect.
I waited until late at night, then moved across the rooftops until I was perched above the estate.
The guards below were lazy, barely paying attention. Easy.
I slipped inside through an open balcony and started searching.
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Step 4: The Unexpected Problem
I found the package quickly enough—a small, wrapped box hidden inside a drawer.
Too easy.
And of course, that's when things went wrong.
A voice sounded behind me. "I was wondering when someone would come for that."
I spun around, kunai in hand.
A man stood in the doorway—not a guard, not a servant.
Noboru Ishi.
And he was smiling.
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Step 5: The Lie That Saves My Life
Shit.
My mind raced. If he called for the guards, I was done. But he wasn't panicking. He was watching me like I was an amusing puzzle.
Which meant I could still salvage this.
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[Ranking Criteria: "What's the best way to get out of this alive?"]
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1. Bluff that I was sent by a rival merchant (92.8%) – Misdirection could buy time.
2. Pretend I was forced into this (89.5%) – Play the victim.
3. Fight and run (76.4%) – Risky, might escalate things.
4. Beg for mercy (60.2%) – Yeah, no.
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I went with Option 1.
I kept my kunai at the ready but didn't move aggressively. "You should really get better security," I said smoothly.
Noboru raised an eyebrow. "And who do you work for?"
I smirked. "Wouldn't you like to know?"
His eyes narrowed, but I saw curiosity flicker across his face.
That was my opening.
"I'm just the errand boy," I said, shrugging. "But hey, if you want to know who sent me, maybe you should try asking your competitors."
His expression darkened. Perfect.
I had planted a seed of doubt. If he thought a rival merchant was behind this, he'd be too busy dealing with them to worry about me.
I took a slow step back. "Since you caught me, I'll be leaving now."
Noboru didn't stop me.
His mind was already somewhere else, calculating what this meant for his business.
I slipped out the same way I came in, package in hand.
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Step 6: The Aftermath
Daichi was waiting for me at the warehouse.
"Took you long enough," he said.
I tossed him the package. "You didn't tell me the target would be awake."
He chuckled. "That's part of the test."
I didn't argue. I had done the job, and more importantly—I got away with it.
Daichi opened the package, glanced inside, and nodded.
"Not bad, kid," he said. "You might actually be useful."
I didn't respond.
I was already thinking about what came next.
Because tonight proved something important—
I wasn't just playing this game.
I was getting good at it.
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End of Chapter 10.