Observe was a skill that would be immensely useful, and the best part about it, was how absolutely ridiculously easy it was for me to attain and power-level it. Normally, had I possessed a Mana or "MP" bar along with my Chakra bar, then it would be difficult for me to power-level the skill, because it would cost MP to constantly use. However, seeing as how I did not have mana, and it would be absolutely ludicrous for the skill to use chakra, it meant that there was no cost to using it. This meant, it could be spammed indefinitely.
And so, I did exactly that.
I walked around the entire mansion at night and in my free time, observing anything and everything that I set my eyes on. Paintings, walls, stones, cooking instruments, books, papers, mirrors, plates, pens, scrolls, parchments –
Nothing escaped my gaze, and within the span of about three days in total time of wandering, and using it, the skill now sat at a comfortable level 72.
Who said that being a gamer was hard?
I would max the skill out long before I ever reached the age of thirteen, which was when I assumed 'canon' would start, and it would allow me to gaze upon people and immediately know everything there is to know about them.
Well, considering I already kind of know most of what there is to know about the 'people' in this world, the skill felt fairly redundant. Still, it was good to have, and even better to use once I realized that it aided me in analyzing certain information about the staff that my father employed. Knowing their inner workings, secret addictions, flaws, fears, insecurities – all of these were minor things to which I would eventually need.
And it was with this skill and my wits, that I began my first ever mission.
Escaping my house.
_________
Let it be said, that merely having good observational abilities did not necessarily mean that one would make a good spy.
I had waited until nightfall, when I was certain that Gato would be asleep. Climbing out of my bed, I turned my gaze immediately to my bedsheet, which, thanks to the king-sized bed I was using, was fairly large. From then on, my gaze turned towards the long flowing curtains in the room, and then towards the window.
Yup. I was doing that.
Item:
King-Sized Bedsheet
A long flowing, plain white bedsheet – designed to make sure there's no hiding stains.
Tear to Get – x50 Cloth
Item:
Long Curtains
Designed to hide your privacy – or shield the world from it.
Tear to Get – x20 Cloth
A few seconds of grabbing and tying, and I had 'crafted' something completely new.
Crafting Attempt Successful!
Crafted Item:
Rope
A somewhat stable rope tied with strong knots and easily covering twenty feet.
I opened the windows, shuddering at the rush of cold air which rushed in. Staring down, I had already estimated the total height to be at least thirty feet. I didn't let it bother me though, as I took a deep breath and let the rope fall.
I attatched the other end to something extremely sturdy, which was of course, my bed, and just like that, I performed an escape fantasy that I had only seen in movies and never once imagined could happen in real life. Climbing down the rope, I made sure to avoid making any noises that would give me away, and it took me a few seconds before I ran out of rope, and then stared down at the ground floor below me.
Not good. The distance was apparently an eight foot drop.
Sighing, I turned my attention to the wall.
"Too much and you blast off, too little and you slip off."
The rules of the tree-walking technique echoed softly on my lips, except, with my limited chakra reserves, then blasting off was not going to be an issue in the slightest. Gingerly, I placed one foot on the wall, and then the second one, and then I closed my eyes, and felt, drawing deep from within me, the power which allowed people to spit on physics and to manipulate the laws of gravity like a pubescent child molding clay.
I stuck.
Congratulatons, you have gained the –
I ignored the notification telling me about how I had gained the tree walking skill, in exchange for immediately running down the side of the building, as I could feel my chakra reserves drain like as though a legion of vampires had sunk their metaphorical fangs into my veins and sucked like I was juice box. Four seconds later, I landed on the ground in a low crouch, gingerly remembering to apply the chakra to try and soften my landing.
The first step was complete, which was escaping my room, now, came the hardest part. The cold breeze was absolutely ridiculous, but, I toughened it out and then made my way forward, as it dawned on me that though I had escaped the mansion, I was still within its immediate premises.
"Observe."
My eyes widened.
"Well, fuck."
Though I left the mansion, I was still within the compound, and the compound was insanely large, nearly the size of a bloody football stadium, with the walls at the farthest ends easily reaching twenty-feet, barb-wired and electric. The compound consisted of large open space in the manner of an open plains, and this, along with its massive walls and gates, were all meant to shinobi-proof the place, as the flat and level grounds and lack of any obstruction or proper hiding place, meant that there was absolutely no way for you to cross the compound without being seen.
And this was just the topographical challenge, there was also the other challenge which came in the form of actual opposition.
Compound Security Detail:
Ten Average Patrol Guards
Three Elite Patrol Guards
Fifteen Patrol Hounds
Hounds. Aka – vicious guard dogs that were the breed most likely to bite first and ask questions later. There were fifteen of these things patrolling the place, and I was in the body of a malnourished four year old boy that could barely outpace a feline hopped up on catnip.
With that in mind, I realized there was only one thing I could do.
You have abandoned the mission.
Climbing back up to my room, I removed the sheets from the window, shut it to hide from the freezing cold, hopped back into my bed and went to sleep.
_______________
Year Four, Month Three
"Up! Up brat! Today's the day you get to see how I run my business in person!"
The third month of my fourth year in this world had started with the familiar site of a rotund man spurring me out of bed with the familiar sound of a belt smacking against a wall. It was annoying as to how Gato of all people had me primed like a Pavlov dog, as merely hearing the sound of something or anything smacking, immediately sent a rush of adrenaline into my body and made me react or attempt to escape on sheer instinct.
"Oh, and don't forget to put on your good clothes boy."
I rose an eyebrow at him. "I didn't realize shipment workers were fashion critics."
"It's not for the workers you fool. It's for the people."
"Oh that's much better. Can't have those starving folk possessing any hope of ever being as wealthy as a four-year old now can I?"
I was not surprised when Gato actually smirked. "You're learning boy, that's good."
Rolling my eyes, I held my tongue from making any more snarks, simply because I would finally get to leave the mansion today. There was no need to say something which would deprive me of that privilege.
A few minutes spent bathing and brushing, and some more minutes spent eating breakfast, our moment of departure finally came via fanciful horse carriages, and the gargantuan gates swinging open for the first time.
New Location Discovered!
Mizu no Kuni!
This was how I got to learn that Gato, and I by association, originated from the Land of Water. It made some sense, considering that he owned a shipping conglomerate, and it also made some sense as to why he would favor rogue shinobi from the Hidden Mist. He was the type of man who had subtle biases in that manner.
"You've got your head in the clouds again boy."
I allowed my eyes to sharpen as I pointedly put as much faux swagger into my posture as I could. I heard some snickering from some of Gato's bodyguards who rode beside and in front of the carriage. They were hired muscle, but loyal hired muscle. The difference however, was that these men did not look anything like the local thugs and bandits I had assumed Gato associated with. No, in their odd kimonos, elegant katanas and long straw hats, it was easy to realize that Gato had Ronin as his bodyguards.
Not quite up to the caliber of elite shinobi, but definitely leagues above mere bandits, and all effectively at least Low-Chunin to Low-Jonin level.
"He seems to be a rather smart lad."
The man who had made the comment, had drawn my attention, my eyes flickering to the side and utilizing Observe on what was now an ingrained instinct.