"Five thousand ryo per shift?" I tilted my head, genuinely surprised. Sure, I know that unknown actors don't make much, and the film industry here is barely alive, but… that's still a laughable wage. Especially when a single shift can last anywhere from three to six hours.
On a typical day, McDonald's brings me an average profit of thirty thousand ryo. So, from a financial perspective, I have absolutely no reason to get off my couch for this.
"I understand that might not sound like much to you…" Director Makino began listing other perks, clearly hoping to tempt some naive rookie: a friendly team, shared meals, invaluable and exciting experience, and so on. Not that it mattered - I was already on board, and not for the money.
There aren't many ways to have fun or let your creative side out in this world, not when every country is run like a military camp.
It's not like I ever dreamed of acting in a movie, but… why not, if the opportunity's there? I'm no great actor, but the role isn't exactly demanding - the prince of the Yuam Kingdom barely shows any emotion in the script. After watching so many films with truly brilliant actors, I figure I can at least hit the local average. The only real issue is the time commitment.
"So, when do you plan to shoot the final battle scene?" I asked, since that's where most of the prince's screen time is.
"Definitely not yet. For the battle, we need the perfect location - some kind of stone fortress in the background. We're still searching, and so far only two abandoned garrisons in the south fit our needs. We'll have to negotiate with the local authorities to use one, and then fix up the facade for the cameras. I don't think we'll shoot the final battle before mid-autumn," Makino said confidently.
So for now, I'd only need to film four scenes. That's manageable.
We discussed a few more minor details about my availability, then sealed our verbal agreement with a simple handshake. No need for a formal contract over such a small sum.
"Excellent! Then, Akira-san, I'd like to introduce you to the cast and crew today," the director said, clearly in a better mood.
Since we'd mostly talked logistics, we hadn't gotten into anything more interesting, but on the way to Makino's team's temporary base, we made up for it.
"Oh, it's a brilliant move - thanks to the first film, the audience will have no doubt the prince is the villain. Imagine their shock after the final battle," Makino said, his excitement bubbling over.
"Yeah, that's called a plot twist - when the audience's idea of the enemy or an event gets flipped upside down. If you use it wisely, it can make any story better. The key is not to overdo it," I gave the director a little lecture.
"I see, and you used it perfectly in your book. As someone who's not exactly new to writing scripts, I was sure I knew how it would end, but I was honestly shocked when…" Gradually, the conversation shifted from my book to the script for the third film, which was still in the planning stage.
In the third movie, part of the focus would be on the internal problems of the Yuam Kingdom, but the main plot would revolve around a battle with a sinister "necromancer" who could raise armies of the dead.
For a modern audience, that kind of story would be old hat, but here, it was a fresh idea - something people had only heard about in fairy tales. No doubt, the undead would be a huge draw, and I figured this film would make Makino the most famous director in all five great nations.
If it didn't take so much time and effort to make movies, I might actually be interested in this business. As for opening a movie theater… way too much hassle for too little profit.
"Hey, handsome, want to come in for a few drinks and…" As Makino and I walked down the main street, a girl with heavy makeup suddenly ran up to me. She wrapped her arm around mine - and her fourth cup size - and immediately started pitching the bar she wanted to drag me into.
"I'm not in the mood to drink," I said politely, gently pulling my arm free. If you're going to invade my personal space, at least do it with your chest.
"Then maybe just try our signature dishes… and then, maybe, me," she whispered, her voice sultry, warm breath tickling my ear.
Tempting, but the possible consequences are a total turn-off. I have zero desire to end up in the hospital for a checkup. Who knows what kind of diseases the local ladies of the night are carrying, or how well the med-nin can treat them.
I shook off one huntress, but that was just the beginning. As Makino and I made our way toward the edge of town, more and more flashy girls tried to reel me in, each hoping to lure me into their establishment.
"Hoho, Akira-san, if I'd known how popular you are with women, I'd have chosen a different path," Makino laughed, clearly enjoying the show as I turned down one offer after another.
At least the regular girls just gave me long, dreamy looks instead of throwing themselves at me. Otherwise, I'd have to walk around in a mask like Yamato. Speaking of which, where is he?
I glanced up at the rooftops and caught a glimpse of his head. So, he wants to guard me in stealth mode. Fine by me - in broad daylight, it's unlikely any local gang will try anything.
Unlike Konoha, things were rougher here when it came to crime. All the traders from the western countries flocked here - the Land of Wind, the Land of Rivers, the Land of Rain, the Land of Grass, and the Land of Earth. There were plenty of smaller countries out west, but they mostly did business with the other great nations. In short, Tanzaku was the perfect place for shady dealings, from smuggling to racketeering.
The only thing keeping the local crime in check was the city's ruler - the daimyo's nephew - and the fact that Konoha was so close. So the gangs tried not to get too bold, and from what Saiko told me, they all paid tribute to the local bosses in one way or another.
From what I'd learned, Tanzaku had two major gangs - the Blood Fangs and the Iron Daggers. The rest were small-time, mostly thieves or shop racketeers. Will those gangs leave me alone? I doubt it.
****
Soon enough, Makino and I reached the eastern edge of town, where most of the houses were residential. The director's team was renting a cottage here, with a walled-off yard and three-meter-high fences.
Past the front gate, a paved path led twenty meters to the house. On either side was simple grass with a few trees. By one of the trees, two people were deep in conversation.
"That big guy is Gaijin - he handles editing the film. Next to him is Komoji, our actor playing the princess's squire," Makino said, then waved them over to introduce us.
Next, we went inside the two-story cottage, where they first showed me the basement, used for developing and editing the film. They explained how everything worked, where rehearsals took place.
"I don't think we'll need a rehearsal for tomorrow's scene - just come by, we'll get you into costume, tweak your hair a bit, and as for your face… honestly, you don't need any makeup. Your skin is so clear and pale, women will be jealous."
Yeah, and it's not because of some fancy soap.
"Well, Makino-san, thanks for the little tour. It was nice meeting you," I said, wrapping things up.
"Likewise, Akira-san. I can't wait to start working together," Makino nodded, and with that, we parted ways.
Honestly, it was a waste of time - aside from the editing equipment, nothing really interested me, and most of the actors were either asleep or out having fun in the city.
All right, I'll go check how Ayumi's handling the restaurant opening, then see how the demolition went.
Or… why am I stressing? The clones can handle it just fine, and I'm actually feeling like a nap. That's it - today's a day off.
****
"What's going on here?" Akira approached with a soft, silent step, surprising the workers, who glanced from one boss to the other.
"Everything's going according to plan, but we had to figure out what to do with the construction debris," one clone answered the other.
"Don't the builders usually handle that?" the clone asked, looking over the old foundation left from the demolished store.
"Normally, yeah, but people here are thrifty - they'll sell or give away the rubble to anyone who needs it for filling foundations. There aren't really any landfills around. But it's fine - our chunin dug a pit several meters deeper and dumped all the debris there. How's the restaurant?" the clone asked, not really interested.
"So far, so good. Lots of customers, staff's handling it, Ayumi's got everything under control. But before closing, we should check in again. Judging by the mental link, which is a bit weaker, the original fell asleep and probably won't go anywhere today except to eat," the other replied, sharing his thoughts.
"Got it. Well… we've done our job, so we can relax," the clone was about to make the hand sign, but the other stopped him. "What's the rush?"
"Why hurry? We finished our work - don't we deserve a little reward? How about a drink? We'll sit, chat about who's got it good in the Land of Fire," the clone said, fist out for a bump.
"Maybe you're right - we're just clones, but we've earned it," the second agreed, bumping fists.
****
"Hey, do you even have any money?" clone #2 asked, downing his fifth cup of sake. Alcohol and other drinks didn't affect clones - they were made of chakra, after all - but both perfect copies of Akira were still in high spirits.
"Yeah, there was some left in the safe after buying supplies. Seven thousand won't get us far, but it's something," clone #1 grinned.
"Not much… I was thinking of hitting the gambling halls, since we've got the chance," clone #2 said, finishing another tasteless cup.
"Damn, you're a genius! Let's go win some money," clone #1 said, eyes shining as he stood up.
"More like lose it all," clone #2 grumbled, staying put. He was comfortable enough as it was.
"No way - in gambling, only losers and honest people end up broke. Listen to my genius plan. All that business and investment stuff is nothing compared to this. We'll be rich, you and me, in just four hours. We just need a little starting capital."
****
"Akira-san? And… Akira-san?" Saiko stared, stunned, as two perfect copies of her recent boss walked into her office at the bank.
"Saiko, we need money, fast. Can you lend us two or three hundred thousand ryo?" the second clone asked, while the first started promising the money would be returned that very evening.
"Um, why not just take it from your own safe at the bank?" Saiko asked, trying to make sense of what was happening.
"We're clones, Saiko - we wouldn't pass the security check," the second said, while the first circled the desk, put a hand on her shoulder, and started explaining the world's unfairness toward clones.
Ten minutes later, the clones left, and Saiko just sat there, blinking, not sure why she'd handed over three hundred thousand ryo or if those really were Akira's clones.
"Well, whatever… they said to come to the restaurant at seven to get the money back. If anything, I'm sure Akira-san will cover it."
****
"Clone #3, what cards does the fat guy have?" clone #1 asked mentally, checking in with the clone he'd created. Luckily, the third of chakra he'd given was enough to make a clone and keep up a henge, which, while tricky to control, didn't use much chakra - after all, the Transformation Technique was only E-rank.
"Seven and eight. He's bluffing - just a pair," the clone replied, currently disguised as a simple farmer visiting the place for the first time. He wandered the bar with a mug of beer, poking at everything in amazement. No one bothered him, since he wasn't causing trouble and kept buying drinks.
"Sorry, gentlemen, looks like Lady Luck's with me tonight. Three of a kind," said the bearded man with a beer belly - who was actually clone #1 - showing his cards with a smile.
"Damn! I was so close!" the fat man groaned, watching the clone pull the winnings toward himself.
A similar scene was playing out at another place, with the second and fourth clones.
"Haha, straight! And you all laughed at my prayers to the spirits! Behold the greatness of Shrek!" clone #2 shouted, raking in a huge pot.
"What's Shrek?" one of the other players asked, watching the tense card game.
"Where have you been? Never heard of the great Shrek?" clone #4 said, surprised. Seeing the man shake his head, the clone sighed and started in. "All right, listen up - you seem like a good guy, so I'll tell you, but don't spread it around. It's an ancient legend from the long-lost Ku-Klux clan. The legend of the great spirit Shrek begins in the valley of the deadly swamp, where he was once sealed away…"
The man, barely able to stand from all the booze, listened hungrily to the clone's story, not daring to interrupt.
"…So you see, Shrek is love, Shrek is life," the clone finished his long tale. By then, the audience had grown from one drunk to five, plus a guy with suspiciously red eyes. He wasn't an Uchiha - just a junkie. And the story hit him hardest of all.
"Shrek is love, Shrek is life… I get it now. All this time I was lost in a fog, but now I know what I want."
What that guy wanted, neither the drunks nor the fourth clone really understood, but when they saw him leave the gambling hall with a determined look, they just raised their mugs and wished him luck.
****
"Sorry, we're closing up now," Ayumi told the last customers, who had bags slung over their shoulders.
"Oh, right. Gotta save chakra," one of them said, gently setting his bag down and making a hand sign.
Ayumi tensed, ready for anything, but when the smoke cleared and it was Akira, she let out a sigh of relief. The last thing she wanted was trouble on the restaurant's first day.
The others dropped their henge too.
"All right, let's not waste time - haul the loot to the safe. Oh, Saiko, you're here too?" one of the clones said, spotting her sipping tea at a table, looking surprised by the whole procession.
He came over, opened a bag, and handed her five gold koban coins. One koban was worth sixty-seven thousand ryo. In the Land of Fire, paper ryo was the main currency, but for traders coming to Tanzaku from other countries, it was easier to deal in gold, which had been the standard before the Warring Clans era.
"Call it a bonus for your trust," the clone said, patting her on the shoulder before following the others toward the office.
"Are clones always this different from the original?" Saiko asked Ayumi, who didn't seem fazed at all.
Ayumi just shrugged.
"Besides Akira-san, I haven't seen anyone use clones for everyday stuff, so who knows."
A few minutes later, two clones came back.
"Damn, there's still less than half an hour of chakra left," one grumbled.
"At least we got the loot here. By the way, Ayumi, the safe couldn't fit all our winnings - can you stash the rest somewhere for now? The original will figure it out tomorrow." Ayumi just nodded.
"So you went gambling?" Saiko asked, curious.
"Yep! We won the equivalent of nine million ryo - the fastest, easiest money we've ever made," one clone said proudly.
"Wow," Ayumi and Saiko said at the same time.
"I have to work at the bank every day to make forty thousand ryo a month, and Akira-san, without even being there himself, can make two hundred twenty-five times that in a few hours," Saiko marveled.
*As expected, Akira-san is an amazing person,* Ayumi thought, nodding to herself.
"By the way, ladies, my colleague and I thought it'd be nice to share some of our good mood," clone #1 said, pulling something from his pocket.
"Plus, the original would never bother finding buyers for this stuff," the second clone added.
"Here, Ayumi, my loyal and dear secretary - I know you don't like jewelry, but you can always keep or sell it." With a childlike grin, the clone started putting a ring on each of Ayumi's fingers.
"Now I look like a merchant," Ayumi said, a faint smile on her lips.
"A rich merchant," the clone said meaningfully, raising a finger.
"You have no sense of style," clone #2 said, shaking his head, then turned to Saiko.
"Saiko-san, thanks again for lending us the money. Without your help, we wouldn't have made so much. I really hope you'll decide to work for me," he said, handing her a ring.
*Wow, these are real diamonds. I'd have to save my whole salary for half a year to buy a ring like this,* Saiko thought, admiring the gift. Then her gaze shifted to her wedding ring - old, scratched gold. Shigetsu had been so proud when he gave it to her.
*Saiko-chan, my shop doesn't bring in much, but look what I bought. It's not expensive, but I promise, in a few years, when my business grows, I'll buy you the most expensive ring in Tanzaku,* she remembered her husband's words from long ago. Ten years had passed since then. The shop hadn't grown - it had failed completely. Sales were bad, and after six months, she'd had to find work to feed the kids and her husband, who spent most of what he earned on booze.
With some effort, Saiko managed to slip off her wedding ring and put on the new one, exclaiming in surprise -
"It fits perfectly."
*And it looks beautiful,* she thought.
"No wonder it fits - we have a secret dojutsu," clone #1 declared.
"A secret dojutsu?" both women and clone #2 echoed, puzzled.
"Yep - with one look, we can measure everything: finger thickness, waist size, bust…" clone #2 cut him off, clapping a hand over his mouth.
"He's talking nonsense, don't listen to him," clone #2 finished for his colleague.
*Hmmm, now that I think about it, when Akira-san ordered uniforms for the staff in Konoha, he never asked for our sizes,* Ayumi started to suspect her boss might actually have some hidden talents.
"Akira-san," Saiko called out.
"Yes?"
"I'm listening."
Talking to one person in two bodies was strange for Saiko, but she managed to gather her thoughts.
"If your offer still stands, I'm ready to work with you," Saiko said confidently.
"Really? That's great! I'm glad you agreed - you won't regret it." Stepping forward, clone #2 shook her hand energetically, and at that moment…
"What's going on here?" a man's voice shouted across the restaurant.
At the door stood a short, disheveled man, clearly drunk, with anger and resentment written all over his face.
"Shigetsu, it's not what you think." Saiko quickly let go of Akira's hand and stepped back. "And what are you doing here, anyway? You were supposed to be watching the kids." For a second, Saiko panicked, but then she pulled herself together.
"Oh, I see how it is… *burp*… it's eight o'clock, so I thought, where's my wife? I went to the bank and asked Kuruni if she knew where you were, and here I am. And look at you, all happy, holding hands with some kid."
"Did I miss anything?" clone #1 asked Ayumi, coming back from the kitchen. As soon as the man showed up, he'd run off to grab the last of the fries and enjoy the show.
Ayumi stayed silent.
"What do you know? I got a new job with Akira-san, so now I can bring home more food and pay for your parents' medical bills. Don't point your finger at me - let's talk first," Saiko said, seeing where her husband was going with this.
"Oh, here we go," clone #1 said, settling in.
*Damn, I thought this only happened in cheap soap operas,* clone #2 thought, standing between the arguing couple.
"What's there to talk about? I always suspected you didn't just become a bank manager on your own, and now I see it with my own eyes…"
*He's going to say it,* clone #1 thought, grinning at clone #2.
*No way, he won't,* clone #2 replied mentally.
"You're a whore! That's all there is to it." And for effect, the man smashed the bottle he'd been holding on the floor.
"Ha! Told you - my deduction's better than yours," clone #1 gloated.
"Whatever, I'm just low on chakra," clone #2 shot back.
"Me? You… I'll…" Saiko was so furious at being insulted in public, she couldn't even get the words out.
"What, the truth hurts?" the man sneered.
"Please, calm down and behave yourself," the second clone said, tired of the circus.
*You're asking for it, buddy,* clone #1 said mentally.
"You're asking for it!" the man repeated, striding toward Akira, who was a head taller and much broader.
No matter how you looked at it, Akira was way more impressive than this drunk, but the booze let the guy ignore the facts.
*Akira, clone version 0.2 versus the drunk. FIGHT! * clone #1 cheered in his head.

Though, it was hardly a fight. Despite his state, Shigetsu went for a quick jab instead of a wild swing. But the clone just brushed it aside with the back of his hand - so hard the man's own momentum sent him sprawling, smacking his chin on the floor.
Seeing the fight was over, Ayumi, whose shoulder had been held by clone #1, relaxed.
****
"Wow, the sun's already set… I really slept," Akira said, slowly getting out of bed.
"Wait… if the clones dispelled, I should've woken up," Akira thought, making the hand sign to dispel just in case.
"Oof…" Akira winced as a flood of information hit him.
"Why didn't they dispel right away?" he wondered, sorting through the memories.
"Oh… it's because I fell asleep, the mental link weakened, so they had a bit more freedom… interesting." The fact that the clones decided to have a drink didn't surprise him much. But the rest of the memories…
"Son of a…"
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