“No. My help can’t work for money. I tried that already, thank you very much. Or should I say, I followed standard policy, which is to contract work to ninjas.”
“Ninjas?”
“The Maniwa Clan, to be precise. But I suppose you haven’t heard of them, either. For future reference, theirs is among the oldest orders, up there with the Iga and the Koga. We’ve hired them for countless other jobs. Worked with them for years. But suddenly they stab us in the back.”
What was Togame saying? Stabbed in the back – by ninjas? This was not the world Shichika knew. The clans were known for their unflagging allegiance. You would sooner find the sea gone dry than suffer their betrayal.
“Why did they do it?”
“Why wouldn’t they? A single Shikizaki blade is worth more than the finest piece of art. Enough to buy a country. Anyone who works for money will stab your back for money.” Togame cast her eyes upon the piece of paper sitting on the floor. “Once they had Zetto the Leveler in their grasp, they made off like bandits. And I don’t mean the ninja that we hired. I mean the whole Maniwa Clan.”

Katanagatari Omnibus 1, Page 38