Chapter 26: PROTECTOR
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That night, I swapped places again with my decoy double. Sora came for the exchange, and we crept back through the tunnels to Thunder Temple.
“Where are the twins?” I asked.
“Preparing for their mission,” she said, a few steps ahead of me.
I barely registered what she said, lost in my thoughts.
“Sora, I think the Samurai are going to torture me.”
“Yes, Ember, that’s what they do with prisoners who won’t talk. Any other profound insights to share?”
“What if they figure things out?”
“We have time. They’ll first give you an official chance to preserve the appearance that they’ve followed the rule of law.”
“And after that?”
“That’s a future problem—for you.”
I needed to change the subject.
“What were your trials like when you—”
Sora whirled and clutched me by the throat, holding a burning card to my face.
“Is everybody so nosey wherever you’re from? Never ask me about my past. We''re stuck with you because the Jingozi forced you into our lives. Don’t tempt me to execute you on the Shogun’s behalf.”
“I’m sorry,” I quivered, tears filling my eyes.
“You cry too much,” she shoved me down. “Save that weakness for your herald. Maybe you’ll find the pity you’re not getting from me or our faction.”
She stormed off.
***
Day [27/40]
Time Remaining Until Execution: [25 Days]
Taikumi called me into the war room. He paused to observe my countenance, still shaken from my encounter with Sora.
“My child,” he said, “what’s wrong?”
"Nothing," I said.
"Sora?"
“Why is she so cruel to me?”
Taikumi frowned, pausing to measure his following words.
“She didn’t tell you?” he asked.
“Tell me what?”
“She used to be like you.”
“Huh?”
“She was a vessel. She hosted one from another dimension many years ago.”
“No way,” I said. “Wait, you know where I’m from?”
“Yes, but only Sora and me.”
“How?”
“That’s not important,” he said. “Though it explains why Sora is one of our fiercest warriors. She was endowed with great powers. But despite all her gifts, she now harbors a great hatred towards the Jingozi. She is… unbalanced. I often fear it will destroy her from within.”
"She knows we''re on the same team, right?"
"Allow her more time," Taikumi said, putting his hands on my shoulders and furrowing his brow. "When we first found her, she was…"
His eyes started to glisten before gathering himself.
“I’ve said enough, my child. Let’s keep this our secret for the moment. Do this old merchant a kindness and pour us some tea. We have exciting work to do.”
***
“Ember,” Taikumi began, “there’s something you must understand about the Ninja faction. We aren’t just warriors of the shadows. We’re protectors of the people. Our origins lie in a group of commoners and former Samurai who banded together to fight corruption and injustice. The authorities turn a blind eye to the suffering of the common folk, and so it falls upon us.”
“So, we’re like vigilantes?”
“Protectors. The Ninja faction balances the scales, ensuring those without power have a voice. We take on contracts from the commoners with nowhere else to turn.” He held up a stack of notes. “These are requests from the people. Each represents a plea for help, a story of injustice that must be set right. It’s our duty and honor to answer these calls.”
I plucked one of the papers. It was a hastily written note in a foreign language.
“What do I need to do?”
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Taikumi smiled.
“You will accept missions. Each will test your skills and growth, allowing you to serve while progressing as a Jingozi apprentice.”
“What about the other Ninjas?”
“Everyone, including Sora, Kaito, and Hikari, has taken on political missions to harass the Shogunate. We can’t risk your capture while you’re in training.”
“I have a request, if I can.”
Taikumi raised an eyebrow.
“I don’t want to kill anybody,” I said.
“We are Ninjas…”
“You said Ninjas are the ‘protectors of the people.’ Well, I’m your girl.”
He snorted and followed up with a deep belly laugh.
“Very well, Ember. Your request is accepted.”
NEW QUEST: NINJA GUILD
Complete 10 Ninja Guild Missions
Bonus experience for extra missions completed before the time limit.
Progress: [0/10]
Taikumi handed me my first mission note, which I could now read.
NEW MISSION: SHOPKEEPER EXTORTION
Stop thugs from extorting the shopkeeper.
“This is a plea from a shopkeeper in the market district,” he said. “He’s been harassed by a group of thugs demanding protection money. The authorities won’t help him, so he turned to us. Your mission is to stop their extortion and ensure the shopkeeper’s safety.”
***
I felt relieved to be outdoors for a change. Being cooped up underground and in prison cells was driving me crazy.
Night had fallen, and the rain poured down. From the shopkeeper’s rooftop, I scanned the area, my eyes adjusting to the darkness with Kitty draped around my shoulders. We were both soaked, yet she somehow managed to fall asleep. The market was quiet, the usual hustle and bustle replaced by the steady patter of rain. The shopkeeper had described the thugs’ routine—they showed up at night to collect their so-called protection money.
Four men in grungy beige gis strolled towards the shopkeeper’s stall. I assumed the one holding an umbrella was the leader. They laughed and joked as they approached.
“Here they come, Kitty,” I whispered, rubbing her chin. “Remember, I’ll call if I need you, and no lethal force.”
They reached the stall to start their usual antics. The shopkeeper, an elderly man with a kind face, stepped out to confront them, but he had no money to offer. His defiance only provoked more jeers and mockery. The cocky leader wagged a finger, dropped the umbrella, and brandished an axe.
My smoke bomb exploded before them. They stumbled back, coughing and disoriented. I stepped off the ledge, landing between them and the shopkeeper.
“Who the hell are you?” the leader choked.
Ignoring him, I focused on the first thug, throwing a close-range card into his chest. He flew across the street, slamming into a storefront, collapsing unconscious on the pavement. The other thug and the leader charged with axes raised. I ducked and rolled beneath their swings.
I threw another card, its energy humming as it struck the leader’s wrist, sending the axe spinning out of his grasp. He howled in pain, his hand now half severed, practically dangling by tendons from his wrist.
With a swift kick, I swept the second thug’s legs out from under him and hit him mid-air with another card, sending him crashing into a stack of crates.
A lantern struck me from behind, dousing me in oil and fire. Kitty had already glinted out of danger.
NINJA KIMONO: FIRE PROTECTION [PASSIVE]
Cost: 2 Zii
<ul>
<li>
Zii: 92/100
</li>
<li>
Cards: 6/10
</li>
<li>
[Error]: 7/7
</li>
</ul>
I’d totally forgotten about my armor.
Sizzling in the rain, I strode toward the last thug like a stuntman on fire. He panicked and tried to run, but I fired a Jingozi card, aiming for his legs. The card tripped him, sending him face-first into the pavement with an audible crunch.
As I caught my breath, the fire died down. I turned to face the leader, who glared at me, blood still spewing from his wrist.
“You’ll pay for this,” he hissed.
“Not tonight.”
I tied the thugs together with the rope from my inventory. The shopkeeper emerged from behind a cart.
“Thank you,” he said, his voice trembling. “I didn’t think anyone would help.”
“You’re welcome.”
But now, there was a problem. What was I supposed to do with these four thugs? Should I leave them here—hang them from a pole with a note?
“You’ll regret asking for help! The Iron Fists always collect our debts! We’ll be back!” the leader cursed into the street, now filled with onlookers holding umbrellas.
Something in me boiled over.
“No, you won’t,” I said.
With four more flicks of my wrist and four max-charged cards, I made sure they’d never walk on two legs again.
<ul>
<li>
Zii: 88/100
</li>
<li>
Cards: 2/10
</li>
<li>
[Error]: 7/7
</li>
</ul>
MISSION COMPLETE: SHOPKEEPER EXTORTION
Stop thugs from extorting the shopkeeper.
QUEST UPDATE: NINJA GUILD
Complete 10 Ninja Guild Missions
Progress: [1/10]
Remaining Time: [25 Days]
***
“Taikumi,” I said, bubbling excitedly, “I did it. I stopped the Iron Fist gang—a dumb name, by the way—the shopkeeper’s safe. He was such a sweet old man. You should have seen it!”
“Well done, then, Ember. You’ve completed your first mission.” Takumi tossed me a pouch of coins.
“What’s this?” I asked.
“We may be protectors of the people, but we don’t work for free,” he said. “That is your cut. The rest goes to the guild.”
“Wow, we get paid to do justice? This is amazing.”
“Remember, every mission is different, and overconfidence can be dangerous.”
“I understand, sir!” I saluted. “I won’t get cocky.”
***
I couldn’t sleep.
My eyes locked on the cracks in the ceiling, tracing unfamiliar shapes in the plaster and stone. The screams of those thugs echoed in my memory, but it felt like I was recalling someone else’s dream. I couldn’t decide if I should be horrified or… satisfied. A strange hum lingered beneath my skin, leftovers from the Zii-Kata routine before bed.
Kitty curled at my side, purring softly. I stroked her fur in a slow, mechanical rhythm. Was I supposed to feel guilt clawing at my insides? The idea seemed logical—people were hurt and scarred for life because of me—but my heart remained strangely still as if someone had flipped off a switch. All that remained was a low thrumming of what it felt like to have all that strength at my fingertips.
“They were hurting innocent people,” I muttered, trying to justify… well, something. But a tiny voice whispered that maybe it was never supposed to be that easy. That true justice should feel heavier. Yet I couldn’t ignore the spark of satisfaction flickering within.
My thoughts spun off in rapid tangents. Who can I trust here? Sora was on permanant tilt. Her prickly manner hinted at secrets she and Taikumi refused to share, and I wasn’t sure I had the luxury of caution.
Then there was the Shogun. His stern reputation didn’t match the glimpses of mercy he’d shown—so what did he really want? Was it foolish to play along, or did I even have a choice? And do they realize I’m not from this world—that I’ve got an edge no one else should have?
I swallowed hard. Scenes from earlier played on a loop—the leader’s severed hand, twisted faces of shock and pain.
“Maybe I’m just numb,” I breathed, listening to Kitty’s purrs. Or maybe I liked it—liked the rush, the absolute certainty the cards gave me at that moment. I closed my eyes, trying to summon some shred of remorse. It didn’t come. Instead, all I felt was a strange sense of power throbbing through my veins, an almost yearning to do it again if I had to.
As the night dragged on, I found no conclusion, no neat moral line. My hands flexed, unconsciously mimicking the motion of summoning a Jingozi hand. I wondered whether I was strong because I protected the helpless or just because I could break anyone who stood in my way.
Do I even care about the difference?
Kitty purred on, steady as a drumbeat, offering no answers. And in that dark silence, my mind circled back to the same questions—about Sora, the Shogun, and whether anyone had noticed my unfair advantage—until exhaustion finally blurred them into the shadows.