Chapter 3
It rained for two days.
Not a storm—just the kind of persistent, cold drizzle that seeped through cloth, skin, and spirit. Ghost spent most of it under the merchant's awning, sorting herbs and tying bundles with twine until his fingers went numb. The work was dull, but it paid: one warm meal a day, and sometimes the merchant let him sleep inside the shop storeroom when the wind cut especially sharp.
That was more than most kids on the street had.
He didn't complain.
The system had gone quiet again, content to let his routine settle. But that wasn't the same as nothing happening. He was learning the streets, watching faces, taking note of movement patterns, patrol routes, the layout of alleys that doubled as escape paths.
He was preparing.
The merchant—Tajima, Ghost had learned—watched him one morning over a bowl of rice and pickled greens.
"You've got eyes like a feral cat," he muttered.
Ghost didn't answer.
Tajima leaned back, wiping his hands. "That's not an insult. Cats live longer than dogs around here."
That afternoon, a new task appeared.
> [Daily Task Available: Observe and Record]
Objective: Spend three continuous hours watching a public area without detection
Bonus: Identify at least two irregular patterns in crowd or behavior
Ghost chose the central fountain square. It was always busy—market stalls, travelers, shinobi from the capital passing through. The perfect place to vanish in plain sight.
He climbed to a second-story ledge behind an old sign, wedged between two buildings, and settled in.
He watched.
Two hours in, he noticed the girl.
She wore worn traveler's clothes, a scarf pulled tight against the rain, and moved through the crowd with a rhythm too smooth for a civilian. Her eyes moved like his did—always scanning.
Shinobi.
Not from here.
She met with a man near the east gate. They exchanged something small. He left. She stayed.
A pattern. A mission?
Ghost noted it silently. She passed by three more times in different intervals, always choosing different angles.
Another irregularity: two men near a food cart who hadn't bought anything in hours. Always in sight of each other. Casual, but deliberate. One carried a courier bag too clean for the rest of his outfit.
They were watchers. But for who?
> [Task Completed: Observe and Record]
Bonus Achieved
Reward: 1x Uncommon Roll, 1x Minor Perception Boost (Passive)
Ghost didn't roll immediately. He climbed down, returned to the shop, finished the day's work.
That night, as wind pushed rain against the shuttered windows, he spun the wheel.
> [Reward: Hunter's Gloves – Rare Item]
Description: Light-weight, padded gloves that increase grip, dexterity, and reduce hand fatigue. Minor self-repair enchantment.
He slipped them on.
They fit perfectly.
---
The fourth day brought a visitor.
Ghost was restocking a shelf when the door chimed.
Tajima stiffened. That alone was unusual. The merchant rarely cared who entered unless they stole something.
The visitor was tall, dressed in the black-and-gray of Fire Capital retainers—shinobi not affiliated with any Hidden Village, but trained nonetheless.
"Morning," the man said. His voice was mild, but his eyes missed nothing. "You're Tajima?"
Tajima nodded, gruff. "What's it to you?"
The man smiled. "We're doing a routine sweep. Looking for a runaway. Thirteen. Brown hair. Scar on the cheek. Might be hiding in town."
Tajima's gaze flicked to Ghost.
Ghost kept his head down, folding cloth sacks.
"Kid doesn't match," Tajima said.
"Didn't say he did."
"Then what're you doing here?"
"Checking."
The shinobi's eyes lingered on Ghost. Danger Sense flickered. Not sharp. Just... on alert.
"I saw you yesterday," the man said casually. "Near the fountain."
Ghost didn't answer.
The man smiled again. "Sharp little shadows. You see anything unusual? Girl with a scarf? Couple of men loitering?"
Ghost shrugged. "Just a crowd."
"Mm."
The shinobi reached into a pouch, pulled out a wrapped candy, and tossed it to him. Ghost caught it.
"Stay dry, street mouse."
He left.
The moment the door shut, Tajima swore.
"You say nothing to anyone, you understand?"
Ghost nodded.
That night, the system pinged again.
> [Achievement Unlocked: The Quiet One]
Description: Successfully withhold critical observation under pressure.
Reward: 1x Rare Roll, Trait Option – [Composure I] available
He accepted the trait.
> [Composure I]: Passive. Increased resistance to fear, interrogation, and emotional manipulation. +10% mental stability under stress.
Ghost sat alone for a long time after that, the gloves tight on his hands, the candy untouched.
The game was getting wider.
And so was the danger.