Chapter 17: SORA


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    Wait. Bed. Stay quiet.


    I shoved the note in my mouth, chewed it up, and spat it into the bucket. Laying on the mat, I stared at the ceiling, counting the beams and wondering what Kitty was up to. Most likely, she was neck-deep in an anthill somewhere or enjoying Jingozi sanctuary room service.


    I counted the ceiling beams again. How long is this going to take?


    Closing my eyes, sleep—maybe boredom—crept over me. The lights flickered as usual, a sign of an evening storm.


    “You have a visitor.”


    Rubbing my eyes, the two guards approached the cell. Between them was Taikumi, the exotic goods merchant I’d met on my first day. A foot shorter than the Samurai, he wore a fine golden robe over a shirt and pants a size too small for his stout frame. His hair was slicked back under a headband, matching the entire outfit. The final touch was the gaudy gold rings on each finger, including his thumbs.


    “By Raiden’s thunder!” Taikumi exclaimed. “When I heard a redhead from foreign lands was sentenced for execution, I knew it was you.”


    “What do you want?” I didn’t bother to get up.


    “No more than to indulge an old man’s curiosity, young lady. Although, an old friend of mine visited me the other day as a truly welcome surprise. As a gift, she brought me this curious bobble.”


    Taikumi presented a green stone about the size of a baseball.


    “It seems made from jade, and she called it a ‘nexus stone.’ Although I’ve never heard of such a thing.”


    I stood up and put my hands on the bars. Yukiko?


    “Wait,” a guard commanded. He snagged the jade stone to inspect it. After returning it to the merchant, he nodded to the other guard. Taikumi flashed us all a wide grin, revealing a gold tooth.


    “You wouldn’t happen to know what this is, would you?” he asked. “Maybe where you’re from or during your travels?”


    I studied Taikumi’s face. There were none of the usual tells he was lying. Were he and Yukiko actually friends, or was I falling for another scam? I didn’t know who to trust anymore. For all I knew, Yukiko was the puppet master pulling the strings behind everything—setting me up for murder.


    “No,” I returned to the bed.


    “A tragedy. Death by beheading is rather unfortunate,” Taikumi said, walking away. “I’m sorry for you. May the heavens grant you peace.”


    The guards escorted the merchant to the door when the room blacked out.


    The bed swung downward like a trap door. I tumbled into the arms of three figures, a hand covering my mouth. One pulled off a mask to reveal a mop of red hair, too dark to see more. The redhead lay on the wooden panel with the mat. The other two lifted the door and latched it closed.


    One held up a Ninja faction token, the heart symbol glowing red.


    “Follow us.”


    * * *


    We crawled through the tunnel for hours in silence until it widened, and we could walk with a slight hunch. But I refused to take another step.


    “Anybody going to explain what the hell’s going on?” I said.


    The two Ninjas kept walking ahead.


    “Fine,” I crossed my arms. “I’m not going anywhere until—”


    They stopped, turned, and stared. After a long sigh, I relented and caught up to them.


    We reached a hatch above us. One of the Ninjas deposited their token into a small slot. The latch turned with mechanical clicks, and the hatch opened. We climbed into a candle-lit room filled with maps and a large wooden table cluttered with papers. Shelves lined the walls holding scrolls and books, while the entire room smelled of old parchment and ink.


    Taikumi stood at the head of the table.


    “Welcome to the cellars of Thunder Temple,” he said, “and to the Ninja faction.”


    “You know Yukiko?” I asked.


    “Of course! That vixen’s been resisting my romantic charms since we were children.”


    I couldn’t help but crack a smile. He gestured for us to sit at the table.


    “As for why you’re here,” he began. “We have a plan.”


    “Plan?”


    “We will use your pending execution to strike the Shogun.”This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there.


    “How?”


    “The Ninja will cause civil chaos in the city for the next month—high-profile thefts, releasing secrets, assassinations—anything to agitate the Shogun and publicly embarrass him. We will demand your release. This will draw him out during your execution, where we will assassinate him.”


    “Assassinate? Why would he put himself out there if he suspects I’m Ninja faction by then?”


    “That is the kind of arrogant ruler he is. He’d never appear publicly, but if it serves him and his reputation, history tells us he will.”


    “If it fails?”


    Taikumi frowned and paused for a moment.


    “It could, yes. But it will also embolden the common people to rise against Samurai rule. The Shogun’s increasing paranoia and erratic behavior have already sown discontent. This will push things to a breaking point.”


    “And what am I supposed to do?”


    “You begin your Ninja training,” he said. “We’ve placed a decoy in your cell to impersonate you. You’ll need to return occasionally during interrogations.”


    “Isn’t she at risk of being killed?”


    “She’s willing to sacrifice for the greater good. We all play our parts, Ember. But I’d be remiss if I didn’t apologize for being rude to you during our last encounter. It was necessary to maintain the ruse.”


    “I understand.”


    “You can rest here tonight,” he stood and opened a door behind him. “We’ve retrieved something that might provide comfort.”


    Kitty bounced into the room and leaped onto my shoulders, purring against my cheek.


    “Thank you, Taikumi.”


    “Silverglints are a good omen,” he reached over to pet her. “But there are always two, no?”


    “Dark Elven.”


    “I see. You rescued this one from those savages.”


    “She rescued me.”


    “Even better!” he snorted. “Raiden smiles upon our cause.”


    Taikumi briefed me on all their intelligence against the Samurai faction. He shared how his parents were Samurai but executed for speaking out against the Shogun’s oppressive policies upon the merchant class.


    “You’ve already met Hikari and Kaito,” Taikumi said, gesturing behind him. I didn’t even realize the two Ninjas were still in the room. But now, stepping into the light without masks, they were twins, no older than teenagers.


    Hikari’s long, dark hair was tied back in a high ponytail with a pretty face and almond-shaped eyes. Kaito, a spitting image, had a more serious air about him. His hair was cropped short, with a clean-shaven face. Both wore traditional black Ninja attire, carrying swords on their backs.


    “Nice to meet you both,” I said. “That was a neat trick to break me out of jail.”


    Hikari’s eyes widened with excitement.


    “You’re the Jingozi dealer! We’ve heard so much about you!”


    Kaito stood at attention, his expression more intense but filled with admiration.


    “The honor is ours. Your reputation precedes you.”


    “Oh? Well, I hope I live up to the hype.”


    “Yeah. Standing up to the Shogun like that?” Kaito continued, “I would have snapped like a pair of chopsticks and told him everything.”


    “Well, the truth is, I was kind of peeing my pants.”


    Hikari and Kaito exchanged glances and burst into laughter.


    “We like her already,” Hikari playfully punched Taikumi in the shoulder.


    I couldn’t help but smile at their infectious energy.


    “So, how did you two end up with the Ninja faction?”


    “It’s a long story,” Hikari began. “Our father was a Samurai, and our mother was a geisha. But he denied us as his children. After our mother died in the brothel, we were left to fend for ourselves.”


    “That’s when the Ninja faction found us,” Kaito added. “It’s been our home ever since.”


    “I’m sorry to hear that. It must have been tough.”


    “It was, but we’ve found our place,” Hikari shrugged. “And now, we’re meeting a walking and breathing Jingozi apprentice. How exciting is that? And you are so pretty. I’ve never seen hair like this… it’s like it’s on fire.”


    “Stop gushing like a temple waterfall, Hikari,” Kaito said. “She’s still just a person like the rest of us.”


    “As if you’re not going to try to impress Ember like that elven seamstress,” She stuck her tongue out at him.


    “I hate you.”


    “You two are quite the pair,” I laughed.


    “We hope to be chosen for Jingozi apprenticeship someday,” Hikari said. “It’s a great honor.”


    They looked at me with another big grin, then bowed and spoke together, “You’re our first real mission!”


    The Ninja twins weren’t anything like I expected. They seemed… happy, like family. Even Taikumi, sitting at the table watching us, looked proud of them—of us together.


    “To celebrate,” Hikari said, “how about a drink? We have some homemade sake to knock the Zii out of you.” She produced a small flask and offered it to me.


    I took a sip. The sake burned down my throat, leaving me coughing and sputtering.


    “Oh my God… that’s… strong.”


    The twins burst into laughter. Hikari took a swig of her own.


    Kaito clapped me on the back. “Don’t worry, you’ll get used to it. Or maybe not, but it’s fun to watch.”


    “You two are something else,” I chuckled.


    Despite their youth and playful banter, Hikari and Kaito were clearly competent. Their past hardships had shaped them into survivors. Hanging out with them was like hanging out with the long-lost family I never knew I had—or wanted. Rocky would love these two.


    A knock was at the door. A red Zii coin appeared in the slot, and the door automatically opened. Taikumi hurried from studying some maps to usher in the visitor.


    It was Sora, the geisha from the Jingozi sanctuary.


    Name: Sora [Divine Dealer]


    Tier: IV [Cobalt] Rank 9


    Faction: Ninja [Assassin]


    She was still wearing her breathtaking geisha outfit. Its rich black fabric was decorated with cherry blossom patterns in shades of red and gold. The kimono was artfully draped to reveal her shoulders and a hint of cleavage, the neckline plunging just enough to be enticing while still maintaining an air of mystery. The sash was positioned slightly lower than usual, highlighting her hips and the curve of her waist.


    The sleeves were long and flowing, yet they parted seductively at the shoulders, allowing glimpses of her traditional tattoos. The kimono’s hem was shorter than the usual ankle length, ending just above her knees to reveal her toned legs covered in thigh-high stockings.


    Her face was flawless, with a porcelain complexion, red lips, and perfectly lined eyes. A flower hairpin adorned her pixie-cut hair, adding a final touch of traditional beauty to her provocative appearance.


    “Ember, I introduce Sora,” Taikumi said.


    “I half expected you to be dead,” Sora said. "How you made it this far is beyond me."


    “How did you know I’d be at the Jingozi sanctuary?” I was too overwhelmed with awe to pay heed to her derision.


    Sora held up a Ninja faction token.


    “Your token is enchanted. It allows us to track you.”


    “So, you’ve been watching me?”


    “Yes. And now, I’ll be training you in the coming days. If you''re up to the task, that is.”


    “Guess we’ll have to behave ourselves with Sora around,” Kaito chuckled.


    Sora’s expression didn’t change.


    “Does this look like a time for your childish humor, Kaito? There’s no room for error, and Ember’s role is crucial. If she fails, our entire faction is at risk.”


    “Yes, Sora,” they said in unison, their playful demeanor gone.


    “I understand,” I said.


    “Good. Now, stop drinking and get some sleep. We start early tomorrow.”


    Everyone in the room bowed slightly to Sora. By the time I awkwardly followed suit, she was already gone.


    MISSION COMPLETE: SAMURAI CITY


    Travel to a Samurai city and find the Ninja faction.


    LEVEL UPDATE


    Name: Ember [Doctrine Dealer]


    Tier: I [Iron] Rank 2