The Tales of the Ninja Coder

I have been very diligent in my visits to the town of Seinikki, where I have been stealthily observing the underworld operatives who are causing troubles. It seems there are 31 of them, a most inauspicious number. Each one will require special techniques to defeat with my manrikigusari. So far, I am nearly ready to deal with three of them, and I have singled out two others for special study.

These five are likely to be the most difficult of all. If I can take them down, the others should be much easier.

In the meantime, I have also made my first visit, under the cover of darkness, to the town of Kusatsu, at the intersection of the Tōkaidō and the Nakasendō. Kusatsu is a tightly guarded town, where no swords or staffs may be brought. Peasants' tools, such as the kama, are no problem, and it is very easy to slip a manrikigusari past their guards.

I think it would be to my great credit if I could get a representative from Clan Saezuri installed in a place of power in Kusatsu. (Of course, the large numbers of operatives from Clan Toyotomi in Kusatsu won't make that easy... I'd rather see clan Te-no-hira grow in power in Kusatsu, but they are only recently arrived there, and will have their work cut out for them.)

There is much work to be done, and Kusatsu is in the other direction from Yagyū, where I must go often to seek for employment.

Working with the Totemo Akarui-gumi has its good points and its bad ones. I am very nearly a free ninja, able to set whatever hours and working conditions I please... but access to healers is very limited, and sometimes there isn't a lot to do.

But today, I have performed a most skillful feat for the Daiyokaru monks. They wanted to know if it was possible to find a way into the castle of Lord Mainen, who is notorious for his security. A previous Totemo Akarui ninja, who has since left our gumi, once tried and failed.

But now I have crept deep into Mainen's castle. (No, I'm not saying how.) While he was occupied with other matters, I took a single piece of writing-paper from his desk, wrote on it "I am Ichirō of Iga, in Lord Mainen's office"... and then stamped it with Lord Mainen's chop! I have it now in a pocket, as I work my way back out of the castle so I can report to the Daiyokaru.

It is work like this that makes me proud to be a ninja.

And I have a message from Jinsei detailing some work that I can do for a new client, the Sanatsui Clan.