The Tales of the Ninja Coder

I and the other ninjas of the Totemo Akarui-gumi have been busy with work for Clan Kurudan. (Their full name is Kuruma-no-Danshaku, but sometimes it is useful to shorten things. "Kurudansha" also works.)

The Totemo Akarui-gumi has signed up another ninja, named Amon. He is apparently well versed in forest and wilderness fighting, especially using the Jōgesen-ryū. I have not met him yet, but we have exchanged messages and irogome, and he has been chasing down the Kurudansha's enemies in the forests of central Kansai even as I slay them inside the cities.

I have been most diligent in Ōtsu, working with kama, manrikigusari, and even with the sansetsukon when possible. But I have also made trips to Heian-kyō and even Naniwa when necessary, to ensure that no lingering enemies remain there.

However, this has all been very ad-hoc, undirected work. And the Kurudan clan has also hired another ninja, a man named Hōsei. He has been doing some other form of secret work for them, and the time has come to coordinate our efforts. So today, I and Amon will meet with Hōsei at an inn in Heian-kyō, and we will discuss more long-range strategy. Jinsei may be there, too.

It has been a busy week with the Totemo Akarui-gumi. One of our clients is a group of monks, called the Daiyokaru temple. For them, I have removed some obstacles who were in the way of them setting up a new shrine in the mountainous province of Kawachi. To do that, I also had to learn the rudiments of the Shizuku-ryū fighting style. Then there was the clan who needed a mountain trail cleared, using some of my yamabushi skills.

(Due to the recent bandit activity around Henshukoku, my Shugendō has been getting quite a workout. I've even improved a few parts.)

But yesterday and the day before, Jinsei brought me with him to negotiations with Clan Higatsuke. They are a very small clan in Kamishichiken, near where Castle Iwinaga still stands... but they have very aggressive plans, and want to move quickly. They have many enemies to slay, in order to carve out a place for themselves. Lord Jun, who leads the clan, is a very energetic man, full of verve and enthusiasm. He can be slightly tiring to deal with in large doses.

We are awaiting some of the final orders before we start dealing with Higatsuke enemies who seem to have infiltrated their allies, Clan Ningu (an interesting clan of Hikone, which is expanding its own power). Until then, I hone my blades and maintain readiness.

Earlier today, I concluded negotiations with Jinsei, the leader of the Totemo Akarui-gumi. We are agreed that on Monday, I will go to the gumi's headquarters in Ōmi Province, to be inducted into the group and become one of their ninjas-for-hire.

No longer am I an unemployed ninja!

The Totemo Akarui-gumi is a small group of warriors that hire out to any army that needs them. We perform nearly any type of fighting that samurai can't: in forests, in mountains, in cities; in addition to Pagoda Bearer techniques and the Jōgesen way, we occasionally use a bit of Shugendō, so my experience with the yamabushi is also handy.

The only worry is that the Totemo Akarui-gumi pays its ninjas per kill, rather than per week, so if there isn't enough work, things might get awkward. But they are hiring me because they have too much work, so it seems likely that I can earn a fair amount of gold.

Nihon is gripped by ongoing war. There will always be targets for my gumi's ninjas. I should go buy a few more weapons, and be prepared for Monday.

The pace of things in Yagyū is picking up. This morning, I was able to send no less than four different messages to four different clans, in the hopes of finding one that needs my particular skills.

I then rewarded myself with some time in the village of Nibanseikatsu. I could try to justify this as "goal-oriented", for Nibanseikatsu is the home ground and territory of the Badaijo clan, who I very much wish to join. But I would be lying if I claimed that this particular visit would help me in that regard; I was attending a party at a tavern.

I returned to Henshukoku to find a message from Clan Shinga, inquiring when might be a good time for a meeting. I have also met (by previous appointment) with a man from the Bichiāsu gumi, who says he will soon let me know if there are further negotiations to be had.

If all goes well, I will speak with Clan Shinga's messenger later today. That would be useful, for they are another group from the hanamachi in Heian-kyō, where I already have experience dating back to my days with Clan Iwinaga. It is a pleasant place to work, and clans there are not usually so frantic as those of Izumi or Settsu.

Yesterday was a very bad day for ninja coding. Commander Kobushi took me aside for a talk.

It should come as no surprise that I have been having trouble at Clan Nettobuku. I have not been keeping up on my assassinations, and it has taken me much longer to accomplish them than any of the other ninjas here. Clan Nettobuku is dissatisfied with my performance, and I cannot blame them.

The clan needs another Sōtō Zen monk to assist Airi, and so Commander Kobushi says that if I desire, I could don a robe and learn the sutras. Of course, I would not earn as much gold — for each eight gold pieces I am paid now, I would make only five as a monk. But it would be something.

I have spoken with Akane, and we have decided that it is not right for me to try to become a monk. More importantly, it's not right for me to stay there. I have already spent a few afternoons at Castle Nettobuku silently thinking to myself: "I hate it here." If I go back now, it will only be worse — especially as I'll be trying to learn a completely new trade, in a situation where I have already failed. And I wanted to leave Nettobuku anyway, and time spent in their castle is time that I can't spend in Yagyū, meeting with members of other clans.

So, on Monday, I will go back, hand them back my sansetsukon and retrieve my other pair of tabi, and take my leave of Clan Nettobuku. And then I will devote all my time and energy to finding a new clan, as fast as possible.