To be assigned a mission to do something she did every day seemed to be a dream come true. Seventy ryo to complete a D rank mission of polishing a wealthy, retired swordsman's prized sword was the general description of the task Miyako had been assigned to do - a task of which she readily agreed to take on. To a Kenjutsu specialist like Miyako, regardless of her skill level, she had an unbreakable bond with the bladed weapons, and to provide maintenance to such weapons was by no means considered a chore to her, but rather, an enjoyable hobby. A person of limited likes and dislikes, this was one of the rare cases where she would openly state that she enjoyed doing something.

Slinging the strap of her sheathed katana over her shoulder, Miyako exited the cafe where she had been going over the mission details and headed off towards the richer part of the village. It was a rather gloomy day outside - the skies stuck indecisively at a stormy gray blanket of clouds state but with no rain in sight. It didn't seem as though it were an ideal weather for a party, but then again, they lived in Kumogakure and anyone - whether they be a resident or guest to the village - should know better than to expect perfect sunshine.

It didn't take her long to find the house, the entire complex flashy and thoroughly designed for attention was hard to miss. Even without guests arriving yet, the place was overwhelming, and in various places, people could be seen working on the finishing touches of the front yard. Strolling past time with long strides to avoid catching too much unnecessary attention, the intimidating wooden structure that was the door came upon her within moments, and - taking a deep breath but not bothering to fix her messy hair and check her general appearance - she knocked twice before letting herself in the already- opened door. The interior of the house - which should really be called a mansion - was even grander than its outer appearance, the spacious area decorated with many fascinating antique pieces. Suddenly, Miyako was itching to see the weapon she was to work on, expecting it to be just as beautiful as the decorative trinkets in the house.

And there it was, sitting within a glass box in the center of the living room. Unable to stop herself, Miyako moved automatically towards the centerpiece, as though the sword encased within its protective barrier was calling to her. Pressing her face so that her nose was mere millimeters away from touching the glass, she was so preoccupied with studying the fine details of the blade that it wasn’t until the sound of someone’s footsteps were several meters close that she turned around, just in time to hear the owner of the footsteps say, “She’s a real beauty, isn’t she?"

[ D rank mission - 487/600 ]

Miyako gave the man a respectful nod of greeting. “Yes, she is. I apologize for the intrusion without first looking for the host. I’m Ryuzoji Miyako, here to complete my mission.” The man that stood before her was of an impressive height and stature, dressed in a clean-cut outfit that spoke clearly of his wealth. His graying black hair was combed back in a slick style, and his facial features undeniably pleasing to the eye even with his increasing age.

“I commissioned this as a D rank mission, but I didn’t realize that they would send such a young girl. But never mind that, I trust you are a skilled Kenjutsu user? I’m Etsuko Juza, owner of this house and of that sword. A pleasure to meet you, Miyako-chan.” The man – Etsuko Juza – introduced himself, offering Miyako his hand. Taking it, Miyako was puzzled to see that this man’s hands were smooth and unblemished, completely free of any marks or calluses from wielding any kind of blade. Even if he was a retired samurai, if his claims of being an esteemed Kenjutsu specialist were true, his hands should still have fading scars at least. But she made no comment as she shook his hand. Instead of simply letting her go after the handshake, Juza held it for longer than necessary, smiling in a way that sent shivers down Miyako’s spine. But after a while, he let go and went to take the sword out, holding it rather awkwardly as he directed Miyako to a room full of brand new supplies, as though he had just sent someone off to buy them. “You may use anything provided here, and I expect a perfect job to be done within an hour.” With that, he proceeded to hand the sword to Miyako, blade first, before letting out an embarrassed laugh and awkwardly turned so that Miyako was able to take it, hilt-first. Just that simple mistake confirmed Miyako’s suspicion that this man was in no way at all experienced with using a sword. But she took the sword anyways with a small bow, waiting for the man to leave before properly inspecting the blade.

Although a magnificent blade, made of the finest materials to truly enhance a shinobi’s every movement, it was definitely not well cared for. The first and foremost indication of this conclusion was that the sword lacked a proper sheath, allowing the blade to be exposed to the elements of which would ultimately wear it down. Letting out a puff of breath, in both frustration and pity for the beautiful weapon, Miyako set to work, sitting cross-legged on the floor as she proceeded to clean, repair, and sharpen the sword. It was a delicate business, as she couldn’t move on to the sharpening state until she was completely convinced that the blade was repaired to the point where it wouldn’t simply disintegrate upon contact with the rough sharpening tool. But eventually, she was able to run her fingers along the flat edges of the blade without so much as a single blemish, and so she set to work on the finer edges of the blade.

Four fifths of an hour later, she was nearly finished, glancing around at the tools provided to her and picking out a high quality polish. Although Juza appeared to have little to no knowledge about weapons, he had at least spent the appropriate amount of money and time in purchasing the finest materials. Finally, satisfied with her work, she spent a few moments brandishing the sword before she heard the sounds of someone approaching. Looking up to see the man who commissioned this mission, she stood up, handing the blade to him carefully, as though it were a precious treasure – which it was.

[ D Rank mission - 1115/600 ] -- Complete.