Your Body Is a Template Chapter 13: You Are Owed Nothing

Moving through the carts and seeing that many of the workers and guards had not made it. Far more had survived to my relief while we counted the dead and salvaged what we could of this incident.

Looking over at the blood-drenched form of Gaman, with more of the guards slumped or slouched, cradling their arms or parts of their bodies while they occasionally glanced down at the few bodies lying on carts, looking like they were almost asleep if not for the blood covering their bodies and their skin looking deathly pale.

“Kojirou. Good to see you managed to survive and defend the rear.” Gaman told me, looking grim but relieved.

“I was growing worried I wouldn’t be able to hold the rest of them off for much longer.” I said, feeling exhausted and sore. My legs were talking to me as I walked in a stiff manner after the wave of water.

“Humbleness is a virtue, but you are too humble, Kojirou. Word has reached me you managed to not only survive the rear attack but also managed to cut down a fair number of those men from the Land of Waves. If it wasn’t for you holding them back, we would not be here speaking.”

“Are the ronin and samurai from the Land of Waves really that bad?” I asked despite knowing the shinobi are referred to as the bloody mist, but I would like to think the samurai would be different.

Gaman gave me a piercing gaze before responding, “Your master didn’t teach you much about other factions of those who live and die by the sword?”

I could only shake my head as he walked away. "Kojirou, follow me, I will explain what I can while we salvage what we can.”

He gave out several quick orders to the workers around us as they grieved and sulked but did as they were told while the remaining guards stuck close to them as they all looked jumpy. I only see Hajima with no sight of the other two. 

Before I can even process they are more than likely gone, Gaman speaks, getting my attention. “Each group of samurai, regardless of the nation they stay in, abides by some idea of honor. But that doesn’t mean it is a universal understanding of it, each interprets it differently. The Land of Waves is so radical on the idea of honor that, as far as all other groups are concerned, they have none to speak of. They believe strength and cunning alone are all that matters. That is their honor.”

“So why were they after your lord?” 

At this question, Gaman simply continued walking as I stayed by his side, wanting an answer to why we were attacked and so many of those men died. 

“Kojirou, help with keeping an eye out in case they return and aid in getting the carts ready to leave. I will explain things to you once we are moving and not sitting here vulnerable.” 

My gaze drilled into the man for a good long moment before relenting and doing as the man had asked of me. Not ordered, but asked, and after what we just went through, I may not follow orders depending on what the order entails.

Helping get the supplies or what we could take with us off the carts and the mules or horses that had survived, but there were too few of them left to bring all the carts and supplies with us. The caravan is soon moving again, and not long after, with what’s left of our group, we are on our way before Gaman has me stand by him near the lord's carriage.

“Kojirou, I suppose after what just happened, you have earned the right to know why the Land of Waves had sent a group like that after us. Step inside the carriage.” Gaman gestured to the door on the carriage.

I looked between him and the carriage before getting inside of the carriage with Gaman following me inside. It’s rather comfortable with cushioned seats, but that's not what had my attention. What does is a dark-skinned teenager with light blonde hair. Dressed in expensive robes embroidered with obsidian black clouds and golden lightning. 

He looked tired with dark bags under his eyes, and his eyes almost appeared bloodshot as his left hand shook for a moment when I entered the carriage before he hid it in the long sleeves of his robe. “Is this the ronin that you spoke of?” He asked calmly. Or at least an attempt at appearing calm.

"Yes, Lord Yasu. This is Kojirou Sasaki. He is partly why the caravan had managed to survive and we were not overwhelmed,” He said gently to the kid.

He nodded and bowed his head to me. Not wanting to come off as disrespectful just yet, I bowed in turn to him just to show some face and etiquette, knowing he is of nobility and my employer for now. 

“You have my gratitude for fending off the forces from the Land of Waves. I assume you have questions?” His eyes, despite the fatigue and stress he must have been under when the attack occurred, did nothing to hide the keen and sharp gaze in his eyes.

“Yes. Why was such an organized and capable group like that after you?” I cut to the chase, not wanting to waste time on pleasantries.

The kid sighed as he rubbed the bridge of his nose before leveling me with a serious look that is almost alien when someone as young as him wears it. “A complicated question, but I will try to summarize it for you as best as I can. You have earned that much and proven yourself worthwhile enough to keep around, with how capable you are.” 

Letting the comment about me earning anything despite being put in the lion's den with whatever Game of Thrones was going on here slide, as it does provide job security even if I am currently contemplating just leaving and going my own separate way. By this point it may as well be morbid curiosity just to know why this all happened.

“How familiar are you with the disparities in technology in the world?” 

His question made me blink at the sudden shift in topic. “A little, like power lines in some places providing power in higher-class areas and maybe seeing one place that was universal while others have none in lesser nations.”

“An astute observation. How would you compare the paths and lesser bridges compared to the ancient ones in our country?” 

Again, his line of questioning is confusing me. What does this have to do with the caravan getting attacked?

“The newer commissioned paths are not even close to the ancient ones. If you told me the older ones were newly made with the largest sums of money used to fund their creation and the newer paths were old, ancient ones, I would believe you. It’s a stark contrast between the two like night and day.” 

Lord Yasu shook his head with a small smirk on his face. “Not many would be so blunt as to say such things to the one who managed to convince the Daimyo to have the newer paths built. But I respect that, I'd rather have honesty even if I don’t care for the contents of that honesty, but it means I can trust it. To an extent… but we are not here to discuss if you can be trusted. You must now be wondering why any of these questions has anything to do with those assailants attacking the caravan simply to kill me.”


So they were not here to capture him for ransom or something? If they wanted him dead, why not wash us off the bridge? Did they want to confirm if he was truly dead?

Not aware of my inner thoughts, he continued, “It’s because of the delicate balance between the nations of the world, particularly the great nations. Artifacts and wonders from the past like the bridges have drawn many to them in hopes of understanding them and recreating them. But the rulers and those in power do not like their enemies or rivals understanding and being capable of recreating such things.” 

“So it would give a nation greater power than others, like better infrastructure and faster means of traversing a country with the bridges and pathways. Not just helping travelers like traders but helping mobilize armies far faster.” 

An approving look is on Lord Yasus' face at me figuring things out. “Exactly. Things like old strange devices that can be worn on two different people's heads, letting them communicate great distances between one another to relay information. Things like this some nations have and know how they work but do not yet understand how to recreate them and make more of them, so they are limited to the few they possess. Should one be discovered doing such a thing as trying to uncover secrets of the past and have a good chance in figuring them out, they would become a great threat.”

After that the carriage fell into an awkward but tense silence as I mulled over what I had been told, now having more questions. Where did this technology come from if they didn’t know how to make it? 

But a more important question comes up that I needed to know why.

“If you were being targeted for such a thing, why didn’t you have a larger and better-equipped escort? You hired a bunch of men with no training in things like ki or chakra usage, and their skill with a weapon was lackluster at best.”

“Because such resources would be denied to me. Those in positions of power would, if they did give me some protection, be lackluster at best and not enough to protect me. Which is why we had hired several of those men as guards in hopes of hiding me as an affluent merchant with ties to nobility while a decoy of myself would hopefully draw their attention away.”

So others in his own country want him gone as well, whether it’s because they view him as a rival or they don't want a war when they are not ready for one. 

“So then why try to go to the capital on a treacherous journey like this when you could have fled and made a new life for yourself away from this country?”

“To make an appeal to the Daimyo to give me clemency and to explain what I hope to accomplish with the research. That the attacks are unfounded. I can’t just cut off all ties to my homeland and family and live out in the wilderness!” He was getting more heated as he went along.

“But with you being here to help us, we have a much better chance of getting to the capital alive. I assure you you will be paid far more than when you first entered my employment, especially after learning who you really are.”

“Oh? And who do you think I am?”

The boy chuckled at my question. “Oh, no need to be coy, Kojirou. After Gaman had told me of what he had seen of you and what you managed to do in defending this caravan, having the number one protecting me will see me to the capital safely!” He said this while deflating in relief, believing that because of me being here, he would be ensured his safety.

A snort escaped me as the boy looked at me questioningly, while Gaman, who at being mentioned was keeping an eye on me, looked like he bit into a lemon and was now giving me an incredulous look. 

“I think you are mistaken if you think that.”

The boy only smiled and chuckled. “Kojirou, I am well aware of the people that pursue you for the number one and the rules surrounding the headbands. Word has spread fast after the first conflicts occurred and what is happening across the world because of them. With the remaining guards and Gaman backing you up, any would-be attacker would be overwhelmed and dealt with.”

My polite smile turned brittle at the delusional little fool thinking that because two high-priority targets are close to one another with a few surviving guards and me, who is one of the targets, and I can act as a deterrent, then he is lying to himself.

Leaning closer and clasping my hands together into a pyramid, I ask, “So would you still think that if the Demon of the Hidden Mist decided to show up?” 

My question was asked with such innocence and lightheartedness that one would think I was asking about his mother’s health and how life is going.

The boy's face slowly loses the dark skin tone, turning paler as his mouth opened and closed almost like a fish's. Even Gaman's gaze snapped to me as he scrutinized what I said and my face to see if I was lying.

“The D-Demon of the Hidden Mist… you're making a joke made in poor taste. Surely?” His tone was filled with hope born out of desperation.

I shake my head. “The ronin who was in charge of the others attacking at the rear before leaving said that the Demon would be interested in knowing I am with your caravan.”

Gaman cuts in this time, “He must have been bluffing.”

“Bluffing for what reason? He knew he couldn’t get past me without cost, as he witnessed firsthand with me.”

Gaman tried to find some explanation while he seemed to want to know how I managed to kill those ronin so easily. “Then to get in your head and make you leave! They are from the Land of Waves, and despite trying to distance themselves from the Bloody Mist shinobi, they are in the end no different despite how they may try to say and show otherwise.”

“As far-fetched as it sounds coming from him, I do not believe your reasoning either.” I left out the implication of the ronin saying that Zabuza of all people may have a number two headband. 

That had me worried. The man, from what I remember of him, had managed to get the jump on Kakashi, of all people, and he was far from weak. In their rematch, Kakashi had managed to best him, but Zabuza made him work for it all the same, and if it weren't for the arsenal of jutsu that Kakashi could call upon, he would have had a much more difficult fight.

Samurai and ronin may have an advantage over most shinobi, but if there was ever a lesson I learned from games like Pokémon, it's that just because something has a type disadvantage doesn’t mean it is going to lose. Someone like Zabuza was referred to with some respect from someone like that ronin who, if he had decided to kill us with that water attack, could have. Then I need to either get better far faster or leave. 

The latter is looking more likely. 

“If one of the seven swordsmen of the Hidden Mist is here possibly leading the Land of Waves men against us, then it is all the more reason for you to stick with us, Kojirou. Even if you flee, leaving us to die after you have entered my employ, I doubt they would give up a chance to take that headband from you. If anything, you owe me for further endangering myself and everyone else in this caravan.” 

I take a moment to register Yasu's words, and once I do, my hands clench into fists as I narrow my eyes at the kid. Did he really just say I owe him? Gaman himself never took his eyes off of me as a hand rested on his sword. 

Taking a breath and letting it out. I grudgingly accepted what he said. He isn’t wrong, as a grim acceptance overtook me. My presence among these people had put them in danger even though they were already in danger before I had even shown up. 

“You are correct in that I did bring another layer of danger upon you all, however, I owe you nothing.” 

“Excuse you?” Yasu said, looking affronted at what I just said, as Gaman relaxed but looked between me and his lord. 

“You withheld vital information in regard to the nature of the job and got many people killed to protect your life. You can make the argument that most of them wouldn’t have taken the job had they been made aware of what to expect, but that doesn’t change the fact you sent them to their deaths. Yes, my presence also would bring danger upon them, but that makes us even since we both would be responsible even if you could see my headband.” 

“Kojirou, choose your words carefully…” Gaman said in an even tone, showing he did not take kindly to me challenging his lord. 

“I will so long as your lord does not attempt to get on what he thinks is a moral high ground with me. But you are right, Lord Yasu, that I cannot flee and that there is strength in numbers. So now we must discuss adjusting my payment for this job.” 

“I will pay you extra–”

“Five times what I was going to be paid.” I cut him off calmly as he looked at me like I grew a second head and proclaimed myself master of the universe.

“That is absurd!” 

“What do you value more? Your life or money?” 

The kid looked annoyed as one of his eyes twitched while Gaman looked like he was trying to not smile. Kind of surprised by that since I had expected him to get indignant alongside the kid for demanding that much of a raise for my reward. 

“I currently lack the money to pay that much. Double your reward.” The kid says through gritted teeth. 

“Triple it and you have yourself a capable ronin that will try to keep you alive.” 

“Try?!” 

I smiled at his look of shock at me not saying I would give my life to protect him. “Nothing is guaranteed in life. I cannot promise you that this will all workout and you will make it out on the other side alive. But I will try my best to save you, knowing that I am being paid something worth my labor involved and having a group to help keep me alive. I will not go any lower than this. Do you accept it?”

The boy looks annoyed as his face scrunches up like he bit into a lemon as Gaman watches on.