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 PUFFIN BOOKS

YOUNG

THE RING or WIND

Praise for the Young Samurai series:

‘A fantastic adventure that floors the reader on page one and

keeps them there until the end. The pace is furious and the
martial arts detail authentic’ — Eoin Colfer, author of the
bestselling Artemis Fowl series

‘Fierce fiction . . . captivating for young readers’ — Daily Telegraph

‘Addictive’ — Evening Standard

“More and more absorbing . . . vivid and enjoyable’ — The Times

‘Bradford comes out swinging in this fast-paced adventure . .

and produces an adventure novel to rank among the genre’s
best. This book earns the literary equivalent of a black belt’
— Publishers Weekly

‘The most exciting fight sequences imaginable on paper!’

— Booklist

Winner of Northern Ireland Book Award 2011

Shortlisted for Red House Children’s Book Award 2009
School Library Association’s Riveting Read 2009
Chris Bradford likes to fly through the air. He has thrown himself
over Victoria Falls on a bungee cord, out of an aeroplane in New
Zealand and off a French mountain on a paraglider, but he has
always managed to land safely — something he learnt from his
martial arts...
Chris joined a judo club aged seven where his love of throwing
people over his shoulder, punching the air and bowing lots started.
Since those early years, he has trained in karate, kickboxing,
samurai swordsmanship and has earned his black belt in taijutsu, the
secret fighting art of the ninja.
Before writing the Young Samurai series, Chris was a professional
musician and songwriter. He’s even performed to HRH Queen
Elizabeth II (but he suspects she found his banda bit noisy).
Chris lives in a village on the South Downs with his wife, Sarah,
his son, Zach, and two cats called Tigger and Rhubarb.
To discover more about Chris go to www. youngsamurai.com

Books by Chris Bradford:

The Young Samurai series (in reading order)

THE WAY OF THE WARRIOR
THE WAY OF THE SWORD
THE WAY OF THE DRAGON
THE RING OF EARTH
THE RING OF WATER
THE RING OF FIRE
THE RING OF WIND

(available as ebook only)

THE WAY OF FIRE
THE RING oF WIND

CHRIS BRADFORD

PUFFIN
 Disclaimer: Young Samurai: The Ring of Wind is a work of fiction, and while based on real historical
figures, events and locations, the book does not profess to be accurate in this regard.
Young Samurai: The Ring of Wind is more an echo of the times than a re-enactment of history.

Warning: Do not attempt any of the techniques described within this book without the supervision of
a qualified martial arts instructor. These can be highly dangerous moves and result in fatal injuries. The
author and publisher take no responsibility for any injuries resulting from attempting these techniques.

PUFFIN BOOKS

Published by the Penguin Group

Penguin Books Ltd, 80 Strand, London we2r ort, England
Penguin Group (USA) Inc., 375 Hudson Street, New York, New York 10014, USA
Penguin Group (Canada), 90 Eglinton Avenue East, Suite 700, Toronto, Ontario, Canada m4P 2¥3
(a division of Pearson Penguin Canada Inc.)
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(a division of Pearson Australia Group Pty Ltd)
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Parktown North, Gauteng 2193, South Africa
Penguin Books Ltd, Registered Offices: 80 Strand, London we2r ort, England
puffinbooks.com

First published 2012

003

Text copyright © Chris Bradford, 2012

Cover illustration copyright © Paul Young, 2012
Map copyright © Robert Nelmes, 2008
All rights reserved

The moral right of the author and illustrators has been asserted

Set in Bembo by Palimpsest Book Production Limited, Falkirk, Stirlingshire

Made and printed in England by Clays Ltd, St Ives plc

Except in the United States of America, this book is sold subject to the condition that it shall not, by
way
of trade or otherwise, be lent, resold, hired out, or otherwise circulated without the publisher’s
prior
consent in any form of binding or cover other than that in which it is published and without a similar
condition including this condition being imposed on the subsequent purchaser

British Library Cataloguing in Publication Data

A CIP catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library

ISBN: 978—0141—33971I-9

www.greenpenguin.co.uk

MIX Penguin Books is committed to a sustainable

Papartiom future for our business, our readers and our planet.
F responsible sources This book is made from Forest Stewardship
wwwiscog FSC™ CO18179 Council™ certified paper.
ee

ALWAYS LEARNING PEARSON

 .

, .

~~

. i.
 CONTENTS

Map: The Japans — 17th Century

The Letter
1 Ambush
2 Trapped Like Crabs
3 Pilgrims 14
4 O-settai 18
5 Turning of the Tides 25
6 School of No Sword 31

7 Seasickness S35
8 Pirate War Al
9 Omishima Island 48
10 Warrior Spirit 53
11 Wind Demons 59
12 Close-Hauled 65
13 Sea Dragon 71

14 Shark Bait TT
15 Captain Kurogumo 83
16 Fugu 88

17 Dying 94
 18 Pirate Boy 100
19 Fist Fight 107
20 Sea Samurai 114
21 Repel Boarders 119
22 A Pirate’s Punishment 124
23 The Bilge 130
24 Hulled 134
25 Raft 139
26 Adrift 145
27 Albatross ISI
28 White Death 156
29 Stay of Execution 162
30 Kamikaze 168
31 Sea Anchor 173
32 Pirate Island 179
33 Tatsumaki 185
34 Saru
35 Deception
195
36 Octopus 200
37 The Life of a Pirate 208
38 Cutting Out 213
39 Sitting Ducks 218
40 Sea Fog 223
41 A Pirate’s Share 229
42 Target Practice
234
43 Heaven and Earth 238
44 Pirate Town
243
45 Wind Witch 250
46 Kidnapped
255
47 A Ghost from the Past
259
48 Old Wounds 264
49 Flying Fan 267
50 The Koketsu 271
51 Nihon Maru 276
52 Fire Ships 280
53 Smoke Bombs 284
54 Spike 290
55 Weak Spot 294
56 Tug-of-War 300
57 Second Wave 303
58 Cursed 309
59 Collapse 314
60 The Key 318
61 Freefall 325
62 Imposter 328
63 A Favourable Wind 331

Notes on the Sources 335

Ninja Pirate Ship Competition 337
Japanese Glossary 338
Acknowledgements 345
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TOKAIDO ROAD
 THE LETTER

Japan, 1614
Ma, deauedt Hess,

S hope this letter reaches you one day. You must believe Ive
been lost at sea all these years. But you Whe glad to know
Fee cat didipGooldbaal, ,
Father ard 3 reached the fapans in_August 161, but 9
am sad to tell you he was billed in an altack upon our ship,
the Alexandria. 9 alone survived.
Thr these past three years, Ive been bving in the care of
a japanese warrior, Wlasamoto Jaheshi, at his samurai
school in_Kyoto..Me has been very hind to me, but lifehas
not been easy.
_An assassin, a ninja known as Dragon Cye, was hired to
steal our fathers rutter (you no doubt remember how impor-
tant this navigational logbook was to our father?). She ninja
I
was successful in lis mission... lowever, with the holp ofmy
samurai friends, Ive managed to get it back.
This same-ninja was the one who murdered our father.
And while it may not bring you muh comport, can assure
you the assassin is now dead. Justice has been delivered. But
the ninjas death doesnt bring back our father — 9 miss him
so much and could do with his guidance arid protection.at
this time.
Japan has been split by civil war and foreigners tthe
myself are no longer welcome. am a fugitive. On the ran
for my life.I now journey south through this strange and
exotic land to the port ofVlagasahi in the hope that I may
find a ship bound for England.
Me ohaids Rout upon which travel howéversts
fraught with danger and have many enemies on my trail
But do not fear for my safety. Masamoto has trained me as
a samurai warrior and will fight to return home to you:
One day Ido hope 9 can tell you about my adventures
in person...

Until then, ee sister, may oa heep you safe.

Your brothas: Back

PS. Since first writing this letter at the end ofspring, Ive
been kidnapped by ninja. But 9 discovered that they were
not the enemy 9 thought they were. Jn fact, they saved my
life and taught me-aboul the Five Rings: the fue great
elements ofthe universe — Earth, Water, Fire, Wind and
Shy. J now know ninjutsu skills that go beyond anything 9
learnt as a samurai. Dut, because ofthe circumstances ofour
fathers death, 9 still struggle to fully embrace the Way of
the Vlinja ...
Japan, spring 1615

Miyuki helda finger to her lips in warning. Jack, Saburo and

Yori fell silent, glancing with unease round the forest clearing.
It was barely dawn and, although the four friends hadn’t
encountered anyone in days, they remained on their guard.
The Shogun’s samurai were proving relentless in their hunt
for Jack. As a foreigner, a gaijin, Jack had been banished from
Japan. But he was also a samurai warrior. Having fought against
the Shogun in the Battle of Osaka Castle, he’d been accused
of treason. It didn’t matter that he was a mere boyof fifteen.
There was a price on his head and, as a gaijin samurai, he was
wanted dead or alive. |
The dirt track ahead looked deserted. There was no move-
ment among the bushes, nor any sounds to betray a hidden
enemy. But Jack trusted Miyuki’s instincts. Being a ninja, her
senses were highly attuned to danger.
“Ten or so men passed through here,’ Miyuki whispered,
studying a patch of downtrodden grass. ‘Less than an hour
?
ago.
 “Which way were they headed?’ asked Jack, not wishing to
cross their path.
“That’s the problem,’ she replied, her dark eyes narrowing.
“They went in all directions.’
At once, Jack understood what she was implying. An
ominous feeling like the tightening of a noose seized him. His
awareness heightened by the potential threat, he scanned the
undergrowth a second time. Having trained in the Art of the
Ninja himself, he knew what signs to look for. Almost at once,
he spotted several broken stems among the bushes as well as
debris disturbed underfoot. He then realized the forest was
too quiet and the birds had stopped their singing.
“We have to get out of here!’ said Jack, shouldering his pack
to run.
But it was already too late.
A flutter, like the wings of a startled sparrow, heralded the
ambush. Ducking at the very last second, Jack dodged the
steel-tipped arrow targeted for his head. It clipped his straw
hat before embedding itself in a nearby tree trunk. A moment
later, a troop of fully armed samurai burst from the bushes on
all sides and charged towards them.
Instinctively, Miyuki, Saburo and Yori formed a protective
circle round Jack.
‘We won't let them take you,’ Yori promised, holding his
shakujo in both hands. The wooden staff with its pointed iron
tip and six metal rings was the symbol of a Buddhist monk.
But it was also a formidable weapon. The rings jingled as the
fearful yet valiant Yori braced himself for the fight.
‘And I won't let them harm you,’ said Jack, knowing that
Yori as a monk preferred to avoid confrontation.
 He drew both his katana and wakizashi. A parting gift from
his closest friend Akiko, their perfectly balanced razor-sharp
blades glinted in the early morning light as he raised them into
a Two Heavens guard. Likewise, Saburo unsheathed his katana
in preparation to do battle. Although he’d trained at the Niten
Ichi Ry withJack, he hadn’t been taught the legendary double-
sword technique.
‘At least the odds are better than last time,’ Saburo quipped,
referring to the forty bandits they'd confronted in Tamagashi
village the month before.
Sounding a battle cry and brandishing their weapons, the
samurai soldiers closed in for the kill. Miyuki turned to face
the first of their attackers. Before he was within striking
distance, she flicked a shuriken from her hand. The deadly
throwing star flashed through the air and struck the soldier in
the neck. He choked and stumbled. Miyuki leapt into the air,
executing a flying side-kick that sent the samurai sprawling
to the ground. As she landed, the next samurai swung his
sword to cut off her head. Pulling a straight-bladed ninjato
from the scabbard upon her back, Miyuki blocked the attack
and engaged in a vicious sword fight with the man.
Weapons clashed as Jack, Saburo and Yori fought the other
samurai warriors. Jack was confronted by three at once and
had to use all his skill to keep them at bay. His swords whirled
above his head as he deflected each of their strikes. At the same
time, Yori was thrusting the iron tip of his shakujo at any samu-
rai who dared to get close. He winded one in the stomach and
was driving another back when Jack caught a movement in
the bushes. The samurai archer was taking aim.
“Yori, watch out!’ cried Jack.
 But, with no cover nearby, Yori was an easy target.
Using a lightning-fast Autumn Leaf strike, Jack disarmed
his nearest assailant, then kicked him hard in Yori’s direction.
The defeated samurai staggered backwards into the line of fire
just as the archer released his arrow. The arrow hit him square
in the chest and, groaning with pain, he crumpled to the earth.
But the precious seconds Jack took to save Yori’s life now put
his own into harm’s way. One of the other samurai lunged
with his sword. The steel tip was set to impale Jack when a
second blade came out of nowhere and deflected it aside.
“Saved your life . . . yet again,’ Saburo gasped, jumping
between Jack and his assailant. With a furious shout of kiai,
Saburo charged forward and forced the warrior to retreat.
Grateful as he was, Jack had no chance to thank his friend
as the next samurai advanced on him. Jack also realized the
archer now had him in his sights. Almost at full draw, the man
was ready to release his deadly arrow. While the samurai was
proving no match for his sword skill, Jack couldn't hope to
stop the archer.
Then Jack recalled a ninja technique from the Ring of Fire.
Fending off his samurai attacker with his katana, Jack held
his wakizashi aloft and angled its polished blade to catch the
early morning sun. The sudden blaze of light dazzled the man.
He lost his aim and the arrow shot wide.
But Jack knew this was just a short reprieve. The archer
would kill them one by one if they remained in the open much
longer. He shouted to his friends, ‘Into the forest!’
Miyuki was still battling her samurai. The man was strong
and threatened to overpower her. Just as her defeat seemed
inevitable, she reached inside her jacket and threw metsubishi
powder into her attacker’s face. Blinded by the mix of sand and
ash, the samurai was powerless to stop Miyuki side-stamping
his knee and crippling him.
“This way!’ cried Miyuki as the samurai collapsed in agony.
Without a moment to lose, the four friends sprinted from
the clearing into the dense undergrowth. Behind them, they
heard roars of rage as the surviving samurai soldiers crashed
through the bushes in hot pursuit.
 =

TRAPPED LIKE CRABS

‘Do you think we’ve lost them?’ panted Saburo, his chest
heaving.
Hidden behind a tree, Jack and the others peered back
through the forest. Being young had been an advantage in
their escape, since their larger, less agile pursuers were slowed
by the dense thicket. Gradually, the shouts of the samurai had
grown more distant until they’d faded altogether.
Braving another look, Saburo ventured further from the -
cover of the tree.
Thunk!
An arrow implanted itself in the trunk just short of his nose.
‘I think that answers your question!’ said Miyuki, dragging
the startled Saburo away.
The four friends shot off again. They fled through the
forest, paying no heed to direction. Branches whipped at their
faces and tore at their clothes. Jack felt the air burn in his lungs
as they vaulted fallen logs and weaved through clumps of trees.
To Jack, it seemed as if he’d been running forever.
Before his friends had joined him, he’d been chased by
samurai, ninja, doshin officers, metsuke spies and, most relentless
of all, his old school rival Kazuki and his Scorpion Gang. And
since departing Tamagashi village, every day had beena peril-
ous tightrope of evasion, concealment and constant flight.
Cautious to avoid major settlements and the busy coastal road,
the four fugitives had been forced to negotiate tangled forests
and treacherous mountain paths. They couldn’t risk staying
for more than a night in a single place, fearful of being spotted
and reported to a local samurai lord. Yet despite this urgency,
their progress had been slow upon their journey southwest
towards Nagasaki, the port from where Jack hoped to find a
ship bound for England.
The one good thing was that the further south they trav-
elled, the better the weather became. Signs of spring were
emerging and the snow of winter had all but melted away,
only clinging to the mountain peaks. With this came a boun-
tiful supply of food as the forests around them sprang to life.
Blessed with a ninja’s knowledge of fieldcraft, Jack and Miyuki
knew how to live off the land. This meant they weren’t so
reliant upon local farmers for provisions.
Yet they couldn't avoid contact all the time. Early in their
journey their route passed through the riverport of Kurashiki.
For a few days they sheltered in the village of Kasaoka while
Yori recovered from a fever, until rumours of their presence
were leaked to a passing samurai patrol. And on several occa-
sions they had to stop and buy more rice. But their greatest
concern had been the castle town of Fukuyama. The settle-
ment was swarming with samurai. Unfortunately, it was the
sole crossing point for.the Ashida River. There were no bridges
along this broad fast-flowing watercourse, only aferry service
within the town itself. Having no other option, the four of

IO
them took to Fukuyama’s backstreets. With Jack keeping his
head down — his foreign face, blue eyes and blond hair
concealed beneath a wide straw hat — they made the ferry
crossing unnoticed. Or so they had thought .. .
“This way!’ cried a furious samurai, hacking a path through
the undergrowth.
Jack and the others increased their pace, Miyuki leading
the way up a ridge. The ground underfoot became rocky, then
began to slope downwards. All of a sudden, they broke into
a clearing of hard-packed gravel. Miyuki skidded to a halt
beside a small wooden temple. Inside, a statue of the Buddha
sat facing east towards a view of such breathtaking beauty that
it caused them all to pause.
A glassy blue sea like a mirror to the sky stretched towards
the horizon, from where the rising sun shone bright as gold.
Myriad islands shimmered like emerging clouds, each one
melting into the next. At the foot of the hillside, the gentle
sweep of a horseshoe harbour cradled a small fishing port.
Grey and blue tiled roofs rippled down the slopes to the water’s
edge, where a flotilla of boats bobbed quietly beside the jetty.
‘The Seto Sea,’ Yori breathed in awe.
Jack also gazed in wonder at the sight. This was the first
time he’d laid eyes upon any sea since leaving Akiko in Toba
the year before. The vision brought a lump to his throat as a
wave of memories and hopes for the future washed over him.
Prior to his samurai training, he’d been a rigging monkey
on-board the Alexandria. His father had been the ship’s pilot
and they'd set sail round the world to make their fortune. It
was upon this voyage that Jack had learnt his father’s skills and
been introduced to the rutter — an invaluable navigational

Il
logbook that was the only means of ensuring safe passage
across the world’s oceans. His father had taught him its secrets
and the logbook had become their bond. Jack could feel the
rutter’s reassuring weight in his pack now and, combined with
the sight of the sea, an unexpected smile lit up his face as he
recalled happier times in his life. The ocean was beckoning to
him. Home felt closer already.
Miyuki was less impressed by the view. ‘This is a headland.
We've got nowhere left to run!’
An arrow whizzed past, sounding a heavy beat as it struck
a wooden pillar of the temple.
‘We've no choice but to keep going,’ urged Jack, the pursu-
ing samurai almost on their heels. ‘Perhaps we can lose them
in the port, then double back.’
Leaving the shrine, the four of them raced down the gravel
path and entered the port’s narrow twisting streets. They flew
past bleary-eyed fishermen, weaved between the wooden shut-
tered shops and homes, and ducked down alleyways. Behind,
they heard the outraged calls of the soldiers as they lost sight of
their quarry. Cutting down a narrow alley, they passed a line
of white plastered warehouses before coming to a dead end.
‘Back the other way!’ said Miyuki in alarm.
They retraced their steps to the previous street, but heard
the pounding of urgent footsteps headed their way. With
nowhere to go, the four of them dived behind a wooden water
butt and pressed themselves flat against the alley wall.
A moment later, two samurai appeared. But they only gave
a cursory glance down the alley before running on.
Breathing a sigh of relief, Jack whispered, “They've split
up. We need to keep an eye out for the others.’

I2
 He led his friends across the street and down an opposite
passageway. This time they found themselves at the water-
washed steps of the harbour, where a majestic stone lantern,
the height of a small tree, stood as the port’s lighthouse. There
was a salty whiff of seaweed and drying fish, further remind-
ing Jack of his seafaring days. Alongside the dock, he noticed
the first catch of the day was already laid out for sale — baskets
of prawns; racks of bream, mackerel, sweet fish and other
seafood; as well as large pots of squirming crabs, all trying to
escape their fate.
At the opposite end of the harbour, a second group of
samurai charged out of an alleyway. Before they had a chance
to spot the four fugitives, Miyuki slid open a door to a ware-
house and ushered everyone inside. They entered the cool
interior of a saké brewery. Round casks of rice wine were piled
ten high in readiness for shipment.
‘Now we're really trapped!’ Saburo exclaimed, finding no
other exit from the darkened warehouse.
Just like those crabs, thought Jack.
 PILGRIMS

‘It’s only a matter of time before they find us,’ said Yori, peek-
ing through the gap in the door.
The samurai were scouring the streets and checking each
of the buildings in turn. But, with the sun up, the harbour was
coming to life and the soldiers’ task was hampered as clusters
of people gathered along the harbour side.
“We have to make a stand,’ said Miyuki, reaching for her
sword.
Jack shook his head, realizing the futility of their situation.
‘If [hand myself over, at least there’s a chance you can all escape.’
‘Jack, we didn’t come this far to give up now,’ countered
Saburo.
‘I can’t let you sacrifice yourselves like this —’
Yori interrupted him. ‘Remember what Sensei Yamada
once said: A samurai alone is like a single arrow. Deadly but capable
of being broken. Only by binding together as a single force will we
remain strong and unconquerable.’ 3
He went and stood beside Saburo and Miyuki.
“Forever bound to one another. Isn’t that what Akiko vowed to
you, Jack? Well, we are too.’

14
 Jack looked at his friends. Their unwavering loyalty
astounded him. He knew this was what it meant to be samu-
rai — and ninja, for that matter.
‘Tm honoured to have such friends,’ he said, humbled, and
bowed his respect. “We had better make a plan then.’
Miyuki patted one of the saké casks upon which an oil lamp
sat. “We can set fire to the place as a diversion.’
Jack shook his head. “Too many innocent people could be
hurt.’
“What about hiding among the crowd?’ Saburo suggested.
‘It’s getting busy out there.’
Jack and the others peered through the doorway. Aside
from the fishermen and dockhands, there were several groups
of men and women queuing to join boats lined along the jetty.
Many of these were dressed identically in white breeches,
white jackets, straw hats and sandals. A white bag was slung
across each of their shoulders, and round their necks hung a
dark-blue stole — the rectangular cloth being the only item
not coloured white. In one hand, each held a set of rosary
beads; in the other, a wooden staff with a small bell attached
to the handle.
‘It’s like a gathering of winter ninja,’ remarked Jack, throw-
ing a wry grin in Miyuki’s direction. When she'd come
looking for him, she’d been wearing an all-white shinobi
shozoku, the customary ninja garb for missions in snow. Miyuki
had since reversed her clothes to the black side, concealing
them beneath a plain brown kimono.
‘They’re pilgrims,’ explained Yori.
‘We could ask them to pray for our escape!’ Saburo quipped,
his nerves evident in his strained attempt at humour.

15
 Jack saw the samurai working their way down the harbour,
getting closer with every step. ‘I think we'll need more than
prayers.’
Yori turned to him. ‘This fishing port must be Tomo
Harbour. Followers of Kobo Daishi, the Great Saint, pass
through here to get to Shikoku Island, where they embark
upon a pilgrimage of eighty-eight temples in his honour.’
‘But why are they all dressed in white?’ Jack asked.
‘In Buddhism, white is the colour of purity and death. It
symbolizes a pilgrim’s readiness to die as they set off on their
pilgrimage. And the risk is real. They have to cross high moun-
tains, deep valleys and rugged coastline to reach all the temples.
The journey takes at least two months and the pilgrims depend
upon charity for all their needs.’
“That’s very admirable,’ replied Jack, ‘but it means we'll be
easily spotted by the samurai in the crowd.’
‘Not if we're pilgrims too,’ said Miyuki, with a cunning
gleam in her eyes. “Have you forgotten everything you learnt
as a ninja, Jack?’ She gave him a teasing smile. ‘Shichi Ho De
— “the seven ways of going”. ’
Jack remembered how he’d once dressed as a komusd monk
to avoid detection on a mission. ‘Of course! A ninja must be
a master of disguise and impersonation.’
‘But where will we get matching outfits?” asked Saburo.
‘From other pilgrims,’ replied Miyuki, as if the answer was
obvious.
Yori pursed his lips, uncomfortable at the suggestion. ‘It’s
against my vows to steal.’
“We'll just be borrowing them,’ she explained kindly. ‘I
presume these pilgrims accept o-settai?’

16
 Yori nodded. “Custom dictates they can’t refuse any gift.’
‘Excellent,’ said Miyuki, snatching up a ceramic jug that
sat beside the lamp and hurriedly filling four cups with saké.
‘A long pilgrimage must be thirsty work.’
 O-SETTAI

The tinkling of bells alerted them to the arrival of more

pilgrims.
‘We're in luck,’ said Jack, spotting four walking down the
alleyway next to their warehouse.
‘You should hide,’ instructed Miyuki.
Jack positioned hinaself behind a stack of casks in the corner.
Checking there were no samurai in sight, Miyuki slid open
the door. ‘Now remember what I told you, Yori.’
Yori nodded somewhat reluctantly. He didn’t agree with
the methods of Miyuki’s plan but realized there was little other
option. He scampered out of the brewery and into the pilgrims’
path. Bowing low, he announced, ‘Our master wishes to offer
you o-settai. A cup of his finest saké in return for your blessings
upon his brewery.’
Unable to refuse yet equally happy to accept, the four
pilgrims followed Yori to the open door, where Saburo greeted
them and beckoned them inside. The first two were weather-
beaten old men who appeared to be brothers, the third was a
middle-aged woman and the fourth a young man, tall and
bony as a bamboo stem.

18
 Jack watched as Miyuki presented each pilgrim with a full
cup. They gratefully received the offering and drank the
contents. The brothers downed their saké in one go and
smacked their lips with satisfaction. According to tradition,
the four pilgrims then put their hands together in prayer and
began to chant the mantra, ‘Namu Daishi Henjo Kongo...”
Yori had told Jack that the pilgrims would repeat this phrase
three times before handing over an osame-fuda, a paper name-
slip that would confer their blessings upon the brewery.
But they never got that far.
The woman was the first to pass out, her cup falling from
her hands and clattering upon the wooden floor. Saburo imme-
diately stepped forward and eased her to the ground. The two
brothers were next, collapsing like puppets whose strings had
been cut. The fourth, blinking in shock at the fate of his
companions, swayed unsteadily. Then he bolted for the door,
screaming for help.
Miyuki leapt on him in an instant and drove her thumb into
a pressure point at the base of his neck. The cry died in the
man’s throat as he fell limp, dropping lifeless at her feet.
‘You promised you wouldn’t hurt anyone!’ Yori
exclaimed.
‘Don’t worry,’ said Miyuki, giving him a reassuring smile.
‘He’ll just have a nasty headache when he comes round.’
‘What about the others?’ asked Jack, emerging from his
hiding place and inspecting the unconscious woman and two
inert brothers.
‘T only put enough doku powder in the saké to knock them
out for a few hours,’ explained Miyuki. ‘Any more than a few
grains and it would have killed them.’

19
 ‘Good work, Miyuki,’ said Jack, satisfied their victims were
still breathing.
The four of them quickly removed the pilgrims’ clothes
and began to dress themselves. Being small of stature, Yori
was swamped by his outfit and had to roll up the legs and
sleeves. Jack anticipated the opposite problem —as a foreigner
he was tall by comparison to the Japanese — but he was fortu-
nate the younger pilgrim was so gangly.
Yori helped Jack adjust his blue stole. “This is a wagesa. It’s
a cloth symbolizing a monk’s robe and is meant to show your
devotion to the Buddha.’ Yori handed him the rosary beads.
“These are nenju. The number of beads equal the one hundred
and eight bonno.’
“What are bonnd?’ asked Jack, fingering the wooden beads
as he absorbed Yori’s information. It was vital to know such
facts if he was to pass himself off as a real pilgrim.
“They're the misleading Karmas that bind people in Samsara,
the world of suffering. You must carry both the wagesa and
nenju to be considered a true worshipper.’
Jack picked up the pilgrim’s staff. “What's the bell on the
end for?’ ;
“The bell acts as an omamori, like the amulet Sensei Yamada
gave you,’ explained Yori, pointing to the small red silk bag
attached to Jack’s pack. ‘It protects the traveller upon the road.’
“Well, it didn’t work for them,’ Saburo chortled, glancing
down at the comatose pilgrims as he wriggled his generous
belly into a pair of the brothers’ breeches.
Yori rolled his eyes at his friend’s irreverence, then continued.
‘Treat the staff with respect. It represents the body of Kobo
Daishi, who spiritually accompanies all pilgrims on theirpath.’

20
 Nodding, Jack studied the staff in more detail. There were
five characters etched into the handle. Thanks to Akiko, he
not only spoke fluent Japanese but had a basic understanding
of kanji, its written form. Yet, even without this knowledge,
these characters were instantly familiar to him:

Hh 7K: pe Jail ae
Earth Water Fire Wind Sky

“The Five Rings,’ breathed Jack, turning to Miyuki who’d

already finished dressing and was dragging the bodies out of
sight.
“The Buddhist monks apply them for spiritual purposes,’
she replied quickly, giving Jack a meaningful look to keep
secret their ninja arts, even among friends.
Jack held his tongue. He’d been taught about the Five Rings
from the Grandmaster. These five great elements of the
universe formed the basis of a ninja’s approach to life. They
used the Rings’ power and influence within their fighting
techniques and survival tactics. This is what gave the ninja
their strength and made them so deadly and feared.
Placing the staff to one side, Jack turned his attention to
the pilgrim’s white bag. Inside he found incense, candles, a
siitra book, coins, a set of bells for chanting, a small notebook
and a supply of paper nameslips. He removed the notebook
to make room for his own belongings.
‘I'd keep that,’ said Yori. “The ndkydcho is for collecting
visitor stamps from the temples. More importantly, it’s a travel
permit. You'll need it for passage to Shikoku Island.’
Heeding Yori’s advice, Jack returned it to the bag and took

21
out the bells instead. There was just enough room to stow the
most precious item he carried — his father’s rutter. The logbook
wasn’t only of sentimental value to him; it was his means of
getting home and also highly sought after by those who knew
of its power. With the rutter, the trade routes between nations
could be controlled. And Jack had promised his father never to
let it fall into the wrong hands. That’s why he had safeguarded
it with his life and he wasn’t going to leave it behind now.
His only other item of value, apart from his swords, was
the black pearl Akiko had given him the day he departed for
Nagasaki. It had a golden hairpin attached on account of a
thieving merchant, but this proved useful for securing inside
the lapel of his kimono. That left his four remaining shuriken
stars, a gourd of water and the food supplies in his pack. While
Jack contemplated where to stow these, Yori emptied the coins
from his pilgrim bag and put them in a small pile, along with
some rice from his own provisions.
“We're going to need that food,’ said Saburo.
“We're not thieves,’ chided Yori. “We should at least leave
the pilgrims a gift for their involuntary kindness.’
Feeling a touch guilty, Jack took out his pilgrim’s coins and
left a couple of his mochi. Saburo, unwilling to part with his
supply of rice cakes, threw down a samurai helmet with a
round dent in the peak.
“They can sell that if they want.’
‘But that’s the proof to your father you're a hero,’ exclaimed
Jack, recalling the moment Saburo had takena bullet in the
battle against the bandits.
‘It’s too bulky. Besides, if we don’t escape, it won’t matter
whether I’ma hero or not!’

22
 ‘Hurry up, everyone,’ Miyuki urged, tossing a rice cake on
to the pile. “The samurai are closing in.’
“What should we do about the weapons?’ asked Saburo, hold-
ing up his swords. “They’re not exactly typical of a pilgrim.’
‘T’ve an idea,’ said Jack, pulling out a canvas bag from behind
the stack of casks where he’d hidden earlier. “Put them in this.
They’ll simply look like goods for shipment.’
Stashing their weapons, packs and remaining supplies in
the bag, they donned their straw conical hats. Pulling the brim
low over hisface, Jack peered out of the door. A unit of samu-
rai was entering the warehouse opposite.
“Quick, let’s go!’ said Jack. 7
With Saburo carrying the canvas bag, they joined the other
pilgrims. The urge to run for the boat was overwhelming.
‘Slow down,’ whispered Miyuki as they approached the jetty.
‘But two samurai are headed this way!’ Yori breathed in
terror.
- ‘Whatever you do, don’t stop,’ she instructed through grit-
ted teeth.
The soldiers drew ever nearer. Fortunately, their attention
was focused on the alleyways and buildings. Yori and Miyuki
passed unnoticed. But, with the samurai so intent upon their
search and Jack keeping his head down, one of the soldiers
accidentally collided into him.
The samurai turned on Jack and glared.
‘Sumimasen,’ apologized Jack, bowing low and keeping his
eyes to the ground in respect.
Miyuki and the others slowed their pace, Saburo reaching
inside the canvas bag for his katana, Miyuki palming a hidden
shuriken.

23
 The samurai stepped up to Jack, his hand moving towards
the swords on hisobi. Jack held his breath and prepared to run.
‘My apologies, pilgrim,’ said the samurai, pulling a coin
from the pouch on his belt. ‘I have no wish for bad luck. Please
accept my o-settai.’
Stunned, Jack took the money and was about to walk away
when he remembered the ritual. Putting his hands together
and keeping his head bowed, he chanted ‘Namu Daishi Henjo
Kongo’ three times. Then he handed the samurai a nameslip.
The soldier appeared satisfied and resumed his search for the
fugitives, oblivious to how close they really were.
 TURNING OF THE TIDES

“We made it!’ Yori sighed, showing their travel permits and
climbing on-board the boat bound for Shikoku Island.
‘All thanks to Miyuki and your pilgrim knowledge,’ agreed
Jack.
They found a spot near the bow to stow the canvas bag
and sat down. While the other passengers were finding their
own places for the voyage, Jack took the opportunity to
glance up and give the vessel a quick inspection. It was quite
different in design from the mighty three-masted ocean
trader he’d sailed upon to Japan. This wooden ship had a
single mast with a square canvas sail, a flat keel and a wide,
open deck. It was perhaps a third of the size of the Alexandria,
with room for fifty passengers. Its cargo of rice bales and
lamp oil was piled high on the deck and in the hold. The
gunwales were raised with a diamond-shaped latticework of
bamboo guardrails and the stern’s upper deck was given over
to a large rudder and extra-long tiller. To Jack’s eye, it was
more a coastal vessel than an ocean-going ship, but it looked
seaworthy enough. He relaxed, knowing they would soon
be under way.

25
 ‘It’s not over yet,’ warned Miyuki, looking back down the
harbour.
A samurai patrol had just entered the brewery.
‘Why aren’t we setting sail?’ Saburo demanded, becoming
nervous.
The boat was full but the captain seemed in no urgency to
depart.
‘Perhaps there isn’t enough wind?’ suggested Miyuki.
Jack shook his head. “There’s more than enough.’
Yori turned to a kindly-looking man sitting nearby, who
was contemplating the sea and mumbling to himself. ‘Excuse
me,’ asked Yori, ‘what’s the delay?’
Blinking as if disturbed from a trance, the man offered a
cordial smile, then in a soft voice replied:

‘Horseshoe harbour
Where the great tides turn
my life flows in and out.’

His cryptic answer made Jack wonder if the man was in his
right mind.
The smile on the man’s lips faltered as he looked expectantly
at Yori. ‘So. . . what do you think?’
Yori appeared pensive before replying. ‘Like the sea, your
haiku is deep and moving.’
The man beamed upon hearing such gracious praise. “You're
a poet too!’ he exclaimed.
Yori bowed his head in humble acknowledgement.
‘I'd be honoured if you'd share a haiku of yours with me,’
requested the poet, excited at the prospect.

26
 ‘Of course,’ replied Yori, trying to keep his calm under the
mounting pressure of the samurai. ‘But first we were wonder-
ing why the boat hasn’t sailed yet?’
The poet seemed surprised at such a question and replied
matter-of-factly, “We must wait for the tides to turn.’
‘And when will that happen?’ pressed Saburo as Jack glanced
again towards the warehouse. The samurai had yet to emerge,
but they had surely discovered the bodies by now.
“When the time is right,’ declared the poet. ‘Upon rising,
the great tidal streams flow in from both east and west and
meet just offshore from Tomo. When falling, they recede again
in both directions — taking us and every soul upon this boat
along with them. Tomo Harbour isn’t merely a stop-off upon
a journey, it’s a place to wait for the “tide of life” to turn.’
At that moment, the samurai burst out of the brewery.
They began to accost any pilgrim wandering along the
harbour. Some soldiers backtracked into the village, while
others worked their way towards the jetty. Not wanting to ©
draw attention to themselves, Jack and his friends could only
sit and watch as the samurai advanced. Jack realized this was
a turning point in his life. He and his friends would either
escape or die, their fate seemingly dependent upon the pull
of the moon.
Two of the samurai had already boarded the first boat in
line, when the captain of the pilgrims’ ship gave the order to
unfurl the sail and cast off. Jack felt the sweat on his brow as
he prayed their captain wouldn’t notice the disturbance further
down the dock.
The samurai were now running along the jetty to stop any
more vessels leaving. On-board their ship, Jack exchanged a

27
worried look with Miyuki. At this rate, they had no hope of
escaping. The soldiers were halfway down the jetty when the
boat eased away from the harbourside, the breeze filling the
sail.
But its progress seemed excruciatingly slow to Jack and his
three anxious companions. Shouting to the captain, the samu-
rai were sprinting headlong to draw level. Luckily, the wind
buffeting the sail muffled their cries and the captain remained
focused on navigating through the narrow mouth of the
harbour. All of a sudden, their boat picked up speed. Caught
by the ebbing tide, Jack and his friends were carried out with
the current and into the haven of the Seto Sea.

For the first time in over a year, Jack truly felt at ease. They'd
escaped the samurai and he was back at sea. Saburo was fast
asleep, snoring, his face shaded from the bright spring sunshine
by his pilgrim hat. Yori was exchanging haiku with the poet,
while Miyuki, vigilant as ever, was keeping a watchful eye in
case a boat followed them from Tomo. But their vessel was
making such headway that Jack knew it would be impossible
for the samurai to catch up now.
Jack sat upon the prow as their boat cut through the waves.
Every so often he risked a glance up, relishing the breeze upon
his face, and breathed in a deep lungful of sea air. The boat’s
constant pitch and roll was as comforting as a mother’s arms.
And the rushing lap of water against the hull sent a familiar
thrill through him. He was back in his element.
He hadn’t realized how much he’d missed the ocean life
— the feel of the rough wooden deck beneath his feet; the
snap of the canvas sail beating with the wind. Almost four

28
years had passed since he’d sailed aboard the Alexandria, and
it seemed like a lifetime ago. With all his training at the Niten
Ichi Ryw, he was now more samurai than seaman. But his
seafaring instincts were too deeply ingrained to be lost. His
late father had seen to that. With a quick glance, Jack could
tell the captain wasn’t sailing the ship on its optimum tack.
The sail could be trimmed to get at least another knot of
speed out of her. His eye remained sharp for navigational
signs: the light blue hue of the water indicated where the
seabed was relatively shallow and he could tell by the position
of the sun they were headed in a southwesterly direction,
following the coastline.
As he made these observations, his body gently swayed,
unconsciously counterbalancing the rise and fall of the ship’s
prow.
You can take the sailor from the sea, but you can never take the sea
from the sailor.
His father had often jested with his mother about that every
time he’d returned from a voyage. And it was never long before
his father got the urge to set sail again. That very same impulse
had drawn Jack to the ocean and his father’s trade as a ship’s
pilot. The two years spent sailing from England to the Japans
as a rigging monkey had been some of the happiest in his life.
During the voyage, his father had taught him how to navigate
by the stars, gauge the weather, plot a course and, most impor-
tantly, decipher the cryptic notes and observations in the rutter
— the logbook having been encoded to prevent prying eyes
from discovering its valuable secrets.
Gazing across the Seto Sea with its countless islands glim-
mering like jewels, Jack could almost sense the spirit of his

29
father by his side. With a wistful sigh, he surrendered himself
to the memories.
Many of the other passengers — a surprising mix of pilgrims,
merchants, a couple of court nobles, a monk and several trav-
ellers — were also enjoying the view, each wrapped in their
own thoughts.
A man got unsteadily to his feet and approached the bow.
Jack caught sight of him out of the corner of his eye. Glimps-
ing the hilt of a samurai sword on his hip, he momentarily
panicked. But the man was alittle green with seasickness and
had no interest in him. Unkempt, with a stubbly face and
wayward hair, he was thickset and had battle scars across his
arms. He wore a shabby brown kimono with no visible mon,
the crest that would indicate his allegiance to a particular
samurai lord. Without it, Jack guessed he was a ronin, a master-
less samurai.
The ship suddenly pitched over a wave and the ronin
stumbled. As he tried to regain his balance, he accidentally
kicked the canvas bag. One of Jack’s swords tumbled out, its
blade sliding from its saya. The razor-sharp steel gleamed in
the sunlight, the name Shizu clearly etched upon its surface.
The ronin stared in disbelief at the samurai blade, then
turned to Jack.
" “What sort of pilgrim travels with Shizu swords?’
 SCHOOL OF NO SWORD

‘Answer me, pilgrim!’ demanded the ronin. ‘Or perhaps you're

not a pilgrim at all...’
Jack daren’t look up and reveal his true identity. Yet
he didn’t know what to say either. Nor did Saburo —
startled from his sleep, he could only gawp at the exposed
weapon. With their lives at risk, Miyuki was about to
snatch up the katana when Yori stepped between Jack and
the ronin.
‘They’re gifts,’ he explained in an innocent tone, leaving
Miyuki to repack the sword before it attracted anyone else’s
attention.
‘Gifts?’ spat the ronin, unconvinced. ‘A Shizu sword seems
an incredible gift.’
Every samurai knew Shizu-san was one of the greatest
swordsmiths to have lived, and his blades were revered for
both their quality and benevolent spirit. With only a few true
ones in existence, their value was inestimable.
Yori nodded sincerely. ‘They’re offerings for the gods at
Oyamazumi Shrine on Omishima Island. We're donating them
on behalf of our sensei.’

31
 The ronin squinted at Yori. “But this boat isn’t headed for
Omishima Island.’
‘We're . . . going there after the pilgrimage,’ stated Yori,
but his hesitation made the reply sound hollow and the ronin
remained sceptical.
‘What sword school do you belong to?’ he demanded.
Yori paused before answering, ‘The School of No Sword.’
Since the Niten Ichi Rya had been closed by order of the
Shogun, Jack knew it was wise of his friend to give another
school’s name. But even Jack was surprised by such a prepos-
terous-sounding one.
The ronin snorted in disdain. “What sort of ridiculous sword
style is that?’
Yori swallowed nervously. “Would you like a demonstration?’
Grinning with malicious delight, the ronin grunted, ‘A duel!
Most definitely.’
As the ronin began to clear the deck of passengers, Jack
grabbed Yori’s arm. ‘What do you think you're doing?’
“We have to get rid of this ronin,’ Yori insisted. ‘Otherwise
he'll discover who you are.’
‘But did you have to challenge him to a duel?’ Jack knew
Yori wasn’t a fighter at heart and he feared for his friend’s life.
The ronin may be suffering seasickness, but judging by the
scars on his arms he was a battle-hardened and dangerous foe.
‘Let me take your place,’ suggested Jack.
‘Trust me,’ Yori replied, with only a slight tremble to his
voice. ‘I can handle him.’
‘What's going on here?’ The captain, a burly man with a
face weathered as old leather, strode down the steps from the
stern’s upper deck.

22
 ‘A duel!’ cried one of the merchants excitedly.
‘I won't have fighting on-board this ship,’ ruled the captain.
Unwilling to lose face, the ronin stepped forward. “The chal-
lenge has been set. My honour is at stake. We must duel.’
‘My ship, my rules,’ said the captain firmly.
‘T’m a samurai,’ said the ronin. “Do what Isay.’
‘I’m the captain,’ he shot back, unfazed by the ronin’s belli-
gerent attitude. ‘At sea, you do what I say.’
A tense stand-off occurred between the two men and the
ship fell silent.
Coughing for their attention, Yori bowed to the captain.
‘Perhaps you would be kind enough to lend us the rowing
boat? Then we can duel on that island over there without
injuring any of your passengers.’
Yori pointed to an uninhabited outcrop of rock, crowned
with trees and ringed by a small beach. The captain regarded
Yori thoughtfully, his curiosity roused at the prospect of a
fight between a samurai and a pilgrim.
‘That’s acceptable,’ agreed the captain, giving the order to
drop anchor.
A couple of his crew lowered the rowing boat over the side.
The ronin climbed down the rope ladder and waited impa-
tiently for Yori to join him.
‘Let me come with you,’ suggested Saburo.
‘It’s best that I go alone,’ Yori replied, taking a grip of the
swaying ladder.
‘Don’t you want to carry a knife at least?’ asked Miyuki,
offering him her hidden tanto.
Yori shook his head and descended into the rowing boat.
The ronin took the oars and began to paddle. Powerless to

33
prevent the duel now, Jack, Saburo and Miyuki stood by the
guardrail, watching their friend bob across the water towards
the island.
‘That ronin will cut him into eight pieces,’ sighed Saburo
mournfully.
By now, all the passengers and crew were gathered along
the gunwale, eagerly awaiting the start of this unusual match.
Jack noticed the merchants and court nobles were placing bets
on the outcome of the duel — and the odds weren’t favourable
for Yori.
As the rowing boat approached the little beach, the ronin
shipped the oars and leapt on to the sand. Within the blink of
an eye, he’d drawn a bloodstained sword and assumed abattle
stance.
“Time to prove yourself, pilgrim!’ he snarled.
Jack’s heart was in his mouth as he saw Yori stand up to
follow his opponent ashore. All of a sudden Yori snatched up
an oar and pushed the rowing boat back out to sea. The ronin
stared in outrage and utter bewilderment as his adversary left
him stranded.
Rowing calmly away, Yori cried out, “There’s your demon-
stration in defeating the enemy . . . with no sword!’
 SEASICKNESS

Yori reboarded the boat to the sound of applause. In awe of

his peaceful resolution, the pilgrims clustered round him
asking for his blessing. Meanwhile, the merchants and court
nobles were arguing over their bets — some believing Yori to
be the clear victor, others protesting that an actual duel had
never occurred.
“What about the ronin?’ a deckhand asked the captain.
The samurai was stamping up and down on the beach,
waving his arms furiously at them.
‘He'll be picked up by another boat . . .’ replied the captain,
*,.. eventually!’
With a booming laugh, he gave the orders to weigh anchor
and they resumed their journey towards Shikoku Island.
‘Did you see the look on the ronin’s face?’ Saburo chortled,
when Yori finally managed to rejoin his friends. ‘It was as if
he’d swallowed a fish whole.’
Jack laid a hand upon Yori’s shoulder. “You really had me
worried for a moment.’
Yori smiled ruefully. ‘Sorry, but it was the only way I could
think of to get the ronin off the boat without a fight.’

35
 ‘That is ninja cunning!’ Miyuki remarked. ‘Still, you
should’ve taken a weapon, just in case.’
‘I did,’ replied Yori, tapping a forefinger to his temple. “The
mind is the greatest weapon.’
Jack grinned at his friend. Every day Yori was becoming
more and more like their old Zen master, Sensei Yamada — not
only in manner but in wisdom too.
The boat sailed on and the passengers settled down again,
dozing in the sun or gazing across the glistening waters of
the Seto Sea. Returning to their position at the bow, Jack
and the others ensured the canvas bag was kept securely
between them. But they needn’t have worried. The other
travellers now maintained a respectful distance from Yori
and his companions, his honourable act having enhanced
his status on-board the boat.
Jack looked towards the distant horizon. Shikoku Island
was not yet in sight. Surveying the huge expanse of water
before him, he suddenly experienced a deep ache in his heart.
England lay two years’ voyage on the other side of the world,
divided by vast oceans and fierce storms. Yet being at sea, he
felt closer to home than ever before. He yearned to set foot
on English shores once again — to find his sister, Jess, and to
finally stop running. Jack had no doubt that she still prayed
for his and his father’s safe return, even after all these years.
But he was worried about what had become of Jess without
a family to protect and care for her.
‘I feel awful,’ groaned Saburo, holding his head in his hands.
Jack took one look at his friend’s pale face. “You're seasick.
Stand up and keep your eye on the horizon.’
Getting shakily to his feet, Saburo leant against the guard-

36
rail.Jack fished out a gourd from the bag and offered it to him.
“You need to sip lots of water.’
Saburo took a swig. Wiping the back of his hand across
his mouth, he moaned, ‘Oh, I wish this deck would stop
moving.’
‘This is nothing!’ laughed Jack. ‘Wait until we hit a storm.
The deck heaves so much, the sky becomes the sea and you
don’t know which way is up!’
Saburo now appeared even more queasy. ‘How did you
bear this for two whole years?’
‘Don’t worry,’ said Jack, patting his friend gently on the
back. ‘After three days, your body adjusts to the motion and
you stop being seasick.’
Saburo’s eyes widened in dismay. ‘Three days! There must
be something that can be done before then?’
The boat crested a wave and he vomited.
“There is,’ replied Jack, stepping back a pace as it splattered
the rail. “Point your head downwind!’
Leaving Saburo to wrestle with his sickness, Jack returned
to sit beside Yori and Miyuki.
“Will he be all right?’ asked Yori.
Jack nodded. “Yes, he’s finding his sea legs, that’s all.’
Miyuki was staring thoughtfully around the boat. Then
she leant close to Jack’s ear. “Yori and I have been talking.
Rather than making our way to Nagasaki on foot, why don’t
we sail there instead? We'd avoid all the samurai patrols, the
checkpoints on the roads and hopefully any more trouble.’
Jack considered this. It seemed so obvious now. Alone, such
a voyage was impossible. No captain in his right mind would
willingly carry a foreigner, for fear of incurring the wrath of

ay
the Shogun. But with his friends to hide and protect him. . .
‘Do we have enough money to sail that far?”
‘I don’t know,’ admitted Yori. ‘Perhaps we could work our
passage.’
‘Or else borrow a boat,’ suggested Miyuki, a sly grin on her
lips. ‘Jack, you know how to sail and could teach us. With a
ship like this, we could even sail to England!’
Jack laughed out loud, then shook his head regretfully.
‘This boat sits too low in the water. She’d be swamped in the
open ocean. We'd need a ship at least three times the size just
to cope with the storms.’
‘Maybe we can find a bigger one at the next port,’ insisted
Miyuki, unwilling to be put off so easily.
Jack grinned at her determination and zeal. ‘It’s not that
simple, I’m afraid. The distances between landfall are vast. We'd
need food for several months. Not just for us, but a whole crew
as well, since we couldn’t sail a ship that size without help. The
Alexandria carried a hundred souls on-board and well over a thou-
sand tons of supplies. To have any hope of making such a voyage
alive, we require a galleon — and with the Shogun banishing all
foreigners, the only place we might find one is in Nagasaki.’
Miyuki appearedalittle deflated andJack felt bad at having
crushed her idea so thoroughly. But those were the hard facts
of attempting to sail around the world.
‘It doesn’t stop us getting a boat to Nagasaki, though,’
encouraged Jack. “All we need to know is the route and what
bearings we'd have to take.’
At that moment, a deckhand approached them.
“With compliments of the captain,’ he said, putting down
a large plate. Cut into thin strips were a freshly caught bream

38
and a couple of mackerel, along with some pickled ginger and
soy sauce for taste.
‘Thank you,’ said Yori, bowing his head in appreciation.
As the deckhand went to depart, Yori asked, ‘What’s the best
way to reach Nagasaki by boat?”
The deckhand thought for a moment. ‘If you cut short
your pilgrimage, you could stop at Yawatahama in the south
and cross the Bungo Channel to Sagaseki. But then you’d have
the long trek across Kyushu.’
‘Isn't there a more direct route by sea?”
The deckhand whistled through his teeth. ‘That’s the entire
length of the Seto Sea and more. It’s risky. But if the winds
and tides are with you it could be far quicker.’
He looked to the horizon where the distant shimmer of
Shikoku Island was now visible. ‘Once we dock at Imabari,
take a boat due west along the Seto Sea and through the
Kanmon Straits to the Sea of Japan. Then bear south-west
along the coast to Nagasaki itself.’
‘Is this ship going that way?’ asked Jack hopefully, keeping
his face hidden beneath the rim of his hat.
The deckhand laughed. ‘Not likely! There are more pirates
in that area of the Seto Sea than mosquitoes.’ He pointed to
a small red-and-white striped flag that fluttered from the boat’s
stern. ‘See that? The captain pays the pirates along this route
not to attack him. The flag guarantees safe passage — but only
between Tomo Harbour and Shikoku Island. You'll have to
find another boat in Imabari.’
Leaning close to Yori, the deckhand whispered, ‘A word
of warning — you take your life into your own hands sailing
that route. I’ve heard tales of man-eating sea dragons!’

39
 Walking away, he left them all with horrified expressions
on their faces.
‘Perhaps we should stick to the road,’ said Yori, swallowing
fearfully.
‘He’s just trying to scare us,’ said Miyuki. But she appeared
equally unsettled by the idea, and turned to Jack for reassur-
ance. “There aren’t sea dragons, are there?’
Having encountered many strange creatures in the ocean,
Jack could understand why people might believe in dragons.
But he’d never seen one for himself. “Our real concern should
be pirates. We need to find a ship withaflag.’
‘Anda fast one, just in case we meet a dragon,’ added Yori.
Attempting to change the subject away from dragons, Jack
offered the plate of fish to Saburo. “Would you like some food?”
Usually the first in line to eat, Saburo shook his head feebly.
‘Ginger is good for settling the stomach,’ insisted Jack, but
his friend just heaved and hung his head over the side.
 PIRATE WAR

As their boat made its final tack towards the port of Imabari,
a castle loomed into view. Surrounded by sheer stone walls,
the imposing structure rose directly out of the water. The
central keep — a stark white tower with slate-grey curving
roofs — soared five storeys high to command unbroken views
across the Seto Sea. Like an armoured sentinel, it stood guard
at the entrance to the port.
‘That’s Mizujiro,’ explained the poet, noticing how
awestruck Yori and his friends appeared at the sight. ‘Daimyo
Mori’s infamous Castle in the Sea, built to keep watch over
the Kurushima Straits.’
Jack felt a hard knot of dread form in the pit of his stomach.
Where such a fortress existed, so did numerous samurai patrols
—and they were sailing straight into the midst of them.
_ ‘Look! Part of the castle’s floating away,’ exclaimed Miyuki
in astonishment.
Glancing up, Jack saw a wooden section of wall on the
eastern flank detach itself from the main complex. But, as their
boat drew closer, it became apparent the floating wall was
something else entirely.

4I
 ‘That’s an atake-bune,’ the poet said grimly. “One of daimyo
Mori’s warships.’
Jack couldn’t blame Miyuki for her mistaken observation.
The immense vessel was built just like a battlement. On all
four sides, solid wooden walls towered upwards to form an
impregnable box-like shell. Along its length were two rows
of diamond-shaped loopholes from which cannon, guns and
bows could be fired. And an enclosed cabin on the upper deck
completed the illusion of a fortified rampart.
In fact, the only clues to it being a ship were a tall mast and
the forest of oars that projected from a hidden lower deck.
The oarsmen themselves were shielded behind a protective
skirt of bamboo screens, just above the waterline.
As the atake-bune pulled away from the castle, a large square
sail was raised aloft. Emblazoned at its centre was the mon of
a golden shell. Across the waters, Jack could hear the rhythmic
thud-thud-thud of a drum, like the beat of a monster’s heart.
With each strike, the oars dipped into the water to be followed
by the grunts and groans of eighty oarsmen as they strained
to move the great beast across the sea.
The captain of their own vessel kept well clear of the
warship’s path. Built for battle, the atake-bune was heavy and
had limited steerage, but once it had picked up speed, it would
stop for no one.
Several smaller boats followed in its wake. Three were of a
similar design to the atake-bune. These seki-bune possessed
equally strong defences, but were half the size and had pointed
prows, each tasselled with a coiled rope. Upon the open deck,
Jack saw thirty samurai warriors stationed along the gunwales,
armed with bows, muskets and half a dozen cannon. The four

42
remaining vessels were the smallest yet fastest of the fleet.
Powered by twenty oarsmen and carrying ten samurai, these
kobaya cut through the water. But, being little more than glori-
fied rowing boats, there was no wooden planking for side
protection. With the deck completely exposed, the crew would
have to rely on speed and fighting skill to survive inasea battle.
“You'd think there was a war still going on,’ remarked
Miyuki.
‘There is,’ replied the poet, the atake-bune dwarfing them
as it surged past.
‘But the Shogun won,’ said Yori.
‘Daimyo Mori isn’t fighting the Shogun. He’s waginga pirate
war,’ the poet explained. “That’s just one of many Sea Samu-
rai patrols. The daimyo has built an entire navy for the sole
purpose of wiping the pirate clans out.’
‘Are there that many pirates?’ asked Jack.
“Who knows their number? The Seto Sea is vast and has
thousands of islands and hidden coves. But the daimyo’s
campaign is personal. His son was killed bya pirate.’
‘And that justifies a full-blown war?’ questioned Yori as
their boat entered the harbour.
“You clearly don’t know daimyo Mori,’ the poet sighed heav-
ily. “On news of his son’s death, he rounded up the first fifty
pirates he could find, whether guilty or not of the crime. He
crucified them all, nailing them to the seawall as a warning to
other pirates. Then he commanded his torturer to pierce each
of their bodies with spears. The pirates suffered a long and
excruciating death. It was said the pirate leader had sixteen
spears inserted without puncturing asingle vital organ. It took
him five whole days to die.’

43
 With a sorry shake of his head, the poet stood up in readi-
ness to disembark.
‘Believe me, you don’t want to get on the wrong side of
daimyo Mori.’
Jack, Yori and Miyuki exchanged an anxious look as the
poet wished them luck on their pilgrimage and, bowing his
respects, departed. Stepping ashore themselves, they helped
Saburo off the boat and over to the shade of a cedar tree. The
dockside was bustling with fishermen, pilgrims and a disturb-
ing number of samurai. Fortunately, with so many white-clad
travellers, no one paid them any attention.
‘AmI glad to be back on dry land!’ sighed Saburo, slump-
ing against the tree.
‘Don’t get too used to it,’ said Jack. “We need to find another '
boat as soon as possible.’
Saburo was cresttfallen.
Miyuki handed Jack the canvas bag. “With so many samu-
rai, you should stay here with Saburo,’ she suggested. ‘Yori
and I will see what we can find.’
Jack nodded his agreement and settled down beside his
friend. He watched as Miyuki and Yori worked their way
along the dock. Wooden vessels of all types and sizes were
moored to the jetty — from tiny dinghies, to fishing boats, to
large cargo ships.
‘Is there any food left?’ asked Saburo.
“You're clearly feeling better,’ smiled Jack, fishing out a
mochi from the bag.
While Saburo chewed slowly on the rice cake, Jack risked
another glance round the port. Compared to the quietfishing
village of Tomo Harbour, Imabari was a noisy centre for trade

44
and shipping. Dockhands were loading and unloading goods
of all kinds: rice, saké, lacquerware, porcelain, wood, silk,
spices and — given the heavy presence of samurai guards —
presumably copper, silver and gold too.
He noticed the majority of pilgrims were making their way
out of the harbour and taking the road south to begin their
epic journey. As they cleared the port, he and Saburo became
more and more conspicuous. Jack silently urged Miyuki and
Yori to hasten their search for a suitable boat.
Footsteps from behind alerted him to someone’s approach.
But without turning round he could tell by the clink of
armour they didn’t belong to a pilgrim.
“We're in trouble,’ Jack whispered to Saburo.
A samurai guard strode purposefully up to them. “Travel
permits,’ he demanded.
Jack kept his head bowed while Saburo pulled out their
nokyocho books.
“What’s wrong with him?’ said the samurai, giving the
permits a cursory glance as hescrutinized Jack’s hunched form.
‘Seasickness,’ explained Saburo, with an apologetic grin.
The samurai snorted, ‘Soft-stomached pilgrims!’
He handed back the nokyoché and walked on.
Jack breathed a sigh of relief. “Quick thinking, Saburo.’
‘Thanks, but that guard’s bound to get suspicious if we stay
here much longer.’
The tension grew with each passing moment, Jack imagin-
ing more and more samurai eyes turning towards him. He
spotted the same guard pacing along the dock, heading back
their way.
‘I think we should go —’

45
 ‘No, I see Miyuki,’ said Saburo, pointing to a pilgrim
hurrying towards them as fast as she dared.
‘What took you so long?’ asked Jack. ‘And where’s Yori?”
‘He’s at the boat.’
‘You found one!’ exclaimed Jack, trying to imagine what
sort of vessel she’d acquired.
Miyuki nodded. “There were too many patrols to steal a
boat. But we did find one ship sailing all the way to Nagasaki,’
she revealed, although her expression didn’t look particularly
jubilant. ‘We must be quick; it’s leaving now.’
Jack and Saburo picked up the canvas bag and followed
Miyuki along the dock.
‘Most captains weren't going that far south or were too
afraid of pirates to try,’ continued Miyuki. “But, judging by
how much this captain is charging, he’s as mercenary as any
pirate!’
She slowed before a magnificent cargo ship loaded with
barrels of saké. Propelled by a single large sail, it had a rein-
forced hull to bear the weight of the heavy barrels.
‘This looks ideal,’ said Jack, impressed. “Even in a storm,
she should fare well.’
‘Not that ship,’ said Miyuki regretfully. ‘It’s the next one.’
Jack redirected his gaze and his heart sank. Yori stood beside
a single-masted boat similar to the one they’d arrived on, but
this vessel was in a sorry state. The square canvas sail was
patched up, the rigging frayed, and the hull showed signs of
several repair jobs. On top of that, the decks were dangerously
overloaded with cargo and she sat worryingly low in the water.
Yet what choice did they have? They were on borrowed
time. News of their escape from Tomo Harbour would soon

46
reach the ears of Imabari’s samurai. A patrol was working its
way along the jetty at this very moment. Yori waved them
urgently on-board, the captain giving the order to cast off. As
Jack ran up the gangplank, he glanced towards the stern. There
was no protection flag.
 OMISHIMA ISLAN

The boat slipped out of Imabari port, its warped deck creak-
ing and its sail flapping like a broken wing. Waves occasionally
breached the gunwales, soaking crew and cargo alike. In a vain
attempt to keep dry, Jack and his friends perched among the
crates of pottery and bundles of bamboo. They were the only
passengers on-board andJack could understand why. Not only
did the ship appear unseaworthy but the captain and his deck-
hands were a surly bunch. None of them smiled and,
surprisingly for Japanese people, they were unkempt and
unwashed.
The captain, a stout man with rough skin, a ragged beard
and bald head, stood at the stern, leaning upon the tiller. His
listless crew of four went barefoot and wore only the simplest
of kimono or just a plain white loincloth.
“The captain wants payment upfront,’ said Yori.
‘That’s all our money,’ Saburo complained, handing over
the pilgrims’ coins and his own funds. “We won't have any for
food.’ Then, at the very thought of eating, he lay down and
closed his eyes in a vain attempt to fend off the seasickness.
‘But it takes us all the way,’ reminded Miyuki.

48
 ‘Tell the captain he can have half now and the rest upon
arrival, if we make it that far,’ said Jack, eyeing the old sea dog
mistrustfully.
Yori clambered over the crates and up a wooden ladder to
the stern. The captain grunted his dissatisfaction at the half
payment, protesting it was a smear upon his honourable char-
acter. Nonetheless, he quickly pocketed the money. They
conversed alittle longer before Yori fought his way back across
the listing deck to sit beside Jack. The captain had informed
him the entire voyage could take up to a month, depending
upon the tides, winds and weather conditions. He’d also be
making a number of stops en route at various islands to deliver
and collect goods. Much to Yori’s delight, their first port of
call was Omishima Island. They would reach its shores by dusk.
Having been on the run for so long, exhaustion finally took
its toll. Stowing the canvas bag out of sight from the crew’s
prying eyes, Miyuki and Yori succumbed to the gentle roll of
the ship and joined Saburo in sleep. Not far from sleep himself,
Jack took one last look in the direction of Imabari. The port
was slowly retreating into the distance as their boat sailed
north-west through the Kurushima Straits. But the white
tower of Mizujiro remained on the horizon like an all-seeing
eye. Until that disappeared, Jack wouldn't believe they had
truly escaped.

Sensingashift in course, Jack roused himself from his slumber.

The boat was now bearing directly north. Sitting up, he spied
the haze of a mountain peak and presumed this was Omishima
Island. But he decided against waking the others, since landfall
was still some distance off.

49
 Needing to stretch his legs,Jack made his way to the stern’s
upper deck, the only spot on the ship that wasn’t crammed
with cargo. Lifting the brim of his hat, he scanned the horizon
and was glad to discover Mizujiro’s keep was no longer in sight.
Nor could he see any vessels following a similar course to
them.
This time they had made it.
With the mountain and several smaller islands surrounding
them, it was relatively easy for Jack to judge the boat's progress.
Compared to the vast emptiness of the open ocean, the Seto
Sea was blessed with numerous navigational markers. If the
southwesterly breeze held, they were little more than an hour's
sail from their first destination.
But Jack knew the presence of land brought its own set of
problems. For the inexperienced pilot, a ship could run
aground on a hidden sandbank or strike an underwater reef.
Sudden changes in wind direction caused by a nearby land
mass could capsize a boat. And he was already aware of the
major influence that tidal currents played in this region. Jack
wished he had a pen and ink, so he could note down his obser-
vations in the rutter. This seafaring knowledge could prove
invaluable with time. He remembered his father always jotting
down notes in the logbook wherever they sailed. It was second
nature to him. Observe, write, remember, he would always say.
Jack felt compelled to follow his father’s lead and tried to
commit his observations to memory.
‘Bit of a seaman, are you?’ grunted the captain, noting the
ease with which Jack rode the pitch and roll of the deck.
‘I. . . sailed with my father,’ replied Jack, hastily adjusting
his hat to shield his face.

$0
 ‘A fisherman, eh?’
‘No. A navigator.’
‘Hmm,’ said the captain, reassessing the pilgrim before him.
“What’s our current bearing?’
‘North,’ replied Jack. ‘And before that, north-west.’
The captain smiled for the first time. “Take the tiller,’ he
ordered.
Before Jack could protest, the captain let go and strode over
to the guardrail. “Hold her steady!’ growled the captain as he
relieved himself over the side.
Jack leant his weight against the long arm of the rudder.
He could feel the rush of the sea vibrate up the wood and the
power of the wind as it thrust the boat through the waves.
Turning back, the captain caught a glimpse of the wide grin
on Jack’s face.
“The Golden Tiger may not be much to look at, but she fair
flies with the wind, eh?’ he said with pride.
Jack nodded, although he feared the ship would disintegrate
in anything more than a strong breeze.
“Why doesn’t the Golden Tiger carry a flag?’ Jack asked.
‘Pirate tolls are costly,’ replied the captain indignantly.
‘Besides, her looks make her an unappealing prize.’
Considering the sheer amount of cargo on-board, Jack
wondered if the boat’s poor condition wasn’t more of an incen-
tive to a pirate. But he sensed that the captain was more
interested in profit than protection. Fortunately, there were
no pirate ships in the vicinity. The forested slopes of Omishi-
ma’s mountain drew ever closer. Surveying its rocky shore,
Jack couldn’t see any obvious harbour.
‘Bear north-west,’ ordered the captain, pointing to a gap

5I
between the headland and a nearby islet. ‘Beware that outcrop,
though. There’s a vicious current that'll drag you across if
youre not careful.’
Jack leant on the tiller until the Golden Tiger’s prow was
aimed dead centre of the gap. The lead edge of the sail started
to flap in the wind.
‘Shouldn’t your crew trim thesail?’ Jack suggested, know-
ing that a new tack required an adjustment to take best
advantage of the wind.
‘My crew are a useless bunch,’ snorted the captain. ‘They
wouldn’t know the wind’s direction even if it farted in their
faces!’
He shouted at them to tighten the sheets. Wearily, the deck-
hands did their duty. The sail stopped flapping and the Golden
Tiger picked up speed.
“Why hire them if they can’t sail?’ asked Jack in amazement.
“They’re cheaper than real sailors!’ laughed the captain,
taking over the tiller as the boat rounded the headland.
A sheltered cove came into view. The wind dropped and
the Golden Tiger coasted towards a long wooden pier that jutted
out from the beach. Bizarrely, the pier was covered by an
ornate green-tiled curving roof with bright red pillars. Jack
was surprised that a humble fishing port would have such a
grand jetty.
Then he heard Yori gasp in rapture.
Upon the headland, overlooking the bay, was a magnificent
red and gold temple.
 ee

WARRIOR SPIRIT

‘Aren't you going to pay your respects at the shrine?’ enquired

the captain, wondering why his passengers hadn’t disem-
barked. “We may be some time unloading.’
Reluctant as they were to leave the ship, Jack and his friends
had no choice but to follow custom. They couldn’t appear
anything less than devout worshippers, otherwise they would
arouse suspicion. In spite of their misgivings, Saburo welcomed
a return to dry land and Yori was delighted at the opportunity
to visit such a renowned temple.
‘Oyamazumi is one of the oldest Shinto shrines in Japan.
Some monks call it “the seat of the gods”,’ he recounted excit-
edly as they left the pier and passed through the first torii
gateway. ‘Sensei Yamada insisted that I visit here at least once
in my lifetime.’
Climbing the stone steps up the mountainside, Jack was
equally awed by the shrine. Tucked into the forested side of
the headland, the temple sat like an ancient god within the
throne of the cove. The walls — painted bright red and studded
with large iron bolts — resembled the armoured breastplate of
a warrior. Its gilded eaves glistened in the late evening light.

$3
And crowning the main Hall of Worship was a green gabled
roof with golden shachihoko adorning each corner — these
gargoyles had the body of a carp and the head of a dragon.
The four false pilgrims wound their way up the wide path
towards the shrine’s courtyard. At its heart was an immense
camphor tree, its ancient trunk twisting skyward to where a
lush green canopy revealed a mass of white flowers emerging
for spring. As they passed beneath its branches, Yori whispered
in a reverential tone, “This tree was planted by Jimmu Tenno
himself — the first Emperor of Japan!’
Jack began to appreciate the shrine’s significance for his friend.
The Emperor was viewed as a living god and such a gesture
would have bestowed great spiritual wealth on the temple.
Yori led them over to a fountain housed within a small
covered pavilion. Fresh water spouted from an ornate dragon’s
head into a stone basin. Setting aside his pilgrim’s staff, Yori
picked up a wooden ladle and washed both his hands then
mouth in a purification ritual. Saburo, Miyuki and Jack
observed the same rite before entering the Hall of Worship.
Within its cool darkened interior, they were greeted by
calming wafts of jasmine incense and the soft murmur of
prayer. Several monks in white robes and black cloth hats knelt
ina line, hands clasped in worship. Behind them were a group
of pilgrims, some local fishermen and three samurai bearing
arms. Although their heads were bowed in devotion, Jack kept
his distance from the warriors. He knelt to Yori’s far side as
the four of them paid their respects.
‘The shrine is dedicated to Oyamazumi, the protector of
sailors and samurai,’ whispered Yori. ‘He’s the brother of
Amaterasu, the sun goddess —

54
 The monks’ incantation stopped and the head priest rose
to his feet. He walked over to the three samurai, who pros-
trated themselves and held their swords outstretched.
‘Many samurai make such offerings in the hope of success
in battle, or as thanks for victory,’ Yori continued under his
breath. “Sensei Yamada told me daimyo Kamakura came here
after he won the Battle of Osaka Castle.’
Jack felt his heart harden at the mention of the name of
the Shogun. He was the man responsible not only for the
civil war and the exile of all foreigners but for the banish-
ment of Jack’s guardian, Masamoto. If it wasn’t for daimyo
Kamakura, Jack wouldn’t be on the run with a price on his
head.
Accepting the samurai’s weapons, the priest walked over to
a large set of double doors. As he approached, they opened to
reveal an adjoining chamber.
‘That’s the Hall of Offerings,’ explained Yori, seeing Jack’s
eyes widen in amazement. ‘It houses every gift donated in
honour of Oyamazumi.’
The chamber was overflowing with ceremonial swords and
armour. Blades hung like silver scales from every wall, tall
racks of spears and bows lined the sides, and taking pride of
place in the centre of the room was a gleaming suit of silver-
white armour.
‘That belonged to Minamoto Yoritomo, the first Shogun.
Such gifts are the reason why the temple possesses so much
divine power. Many believe the spirits of the great warriors
live on through this shrine. At night, monks have even heard
battles in the Hall of Offerings.’
The priest returned, closing the doors behind him. The

55
monks’ incantation resumed as the priest presented each of
the samurai with an omamori talisman.
‘I wish I hadn’t left my helmet in Tomo,’ Saburo whispered.
“We could have made an offering ourselves — for good luck on
the voyage.’
‘We can still pray for such fortune,’ said Yori, closing his
eyes and putting his palms together.
The four of them fell into silent worship. Jack took the
moment to pray to his own Christian God, letting his mind
drift with the monks’ chant. But he was soon distracted by a
ray of light playing upon his face. Opening his eyes, he dis-
covered the setting sun was streaming in through one of the
latticed windows. It overlooked a path that led to a cliff. An
elderly man was perched upon a rock near the edge, directly
in line with the sun. His movement causing the beam of
sunlight to flicker.
All of a sudden, the man toppled forward and disappeared.
Jack blinked, unsure if he’d really seen him at all. No one
else in the temple apparently had. His friends remained deep
in prayer and, not wishing to disturb them, Jack hurried out
to discover if the man was alive or not . . . or if he’d even
existed.
The courtyard was deserted as he ran along the path to the
cliff edge. Bracing himself for the worst, Jack looked over to
see a dizzying drop. The cliff plummeted straight down into
the sea. Waves churned at the bottom and offered no prospect
of survival. Then a head bobbed to the surface. The man swam
for the shore, but another wave rolled in and he disappeared
once more.

Jack spied a rock-strewn animal track leading to a ledge at

56
the cliff base. Without a thought for his own safety, or the fact
that he’d reveal his identity, he scrambled down ina wild attempt
to save the drowning man. Jack was almost halfway when he
burst back to the surface. But yet another wave engulfed him.
Breathless, Jack bounded over the last few steps and hurried to
the water's edge. He searched the turbulent sea for any sign of
the man. But the churning white mass offered little hope.
A huge wave rolled in and broke against the cliff. Jack
jumped back to avoid getting dragged in himself. As it
retreated, he was stunned to see an elderly man sitting casually
upon the ledge, wringing the salt water from his beard.
‘Are you hurt?’ asked Jack, offering a hand to help him up.
The man stood on his own. “Why should I be?’
“How could anyone survive in there?’ said Jack, pointing
to the deadly confusion of rocks and white water.
‘It’s easy,’ replied the man, his slate-grey eyes taking in Jack
but showing no concern for his foreign appearance. ‘I follow
the way of the water and do nothing to oppose it — its nature
becomes my nature.’
The man started up the track, pausing briefly as an invita-
tion for Jack to follow. Jack was surprised by the nimbleness
and speed with which the old man scaled the steep face.
‘The fall alone should have killed you,’ Jack insisted, unable
to believe the man was unharmed.
Reaching the top, the elderly man picked up a bird’s feather
and held it before Jack’s nose.
‘Watch this,’ he instructed, and let it go. The sea breeze
caught the feather and it fluttered across the bay, floating
towards the beach, ‘You see, the feather doesn’t resist. It simply
goes where the wind blows.’

D7,
 Jack immediately understood. The old man was talking
about the Ring of Wind. The Grandmaster had used the exact
same words. This element of the Five Rings embodied the
spirit of ninjutsu — evasion, open-mindedness, the ability to
respond to any situation, be ready for any attack as it occurs.
To go where the wind blows.
The man pointed to a tree beside the temple, the bough
broken and the trunk split. “That oak tried to resist the wind.
Strong as it is, the tree lost the fight.’ He looked Jack directly
in the eye. ‘Bear this in mind, young samurai, for when an old
enemy returns anew.’
A shiver ran down Jack’s spine, as if someone had walked
across his grave. How could this old man know such things?
He was about to ask when he heard a shout from behind.
Jack!’ cried Miyuki, waving frantically from the courtyard.
‘The boat’s leaving without us!’
 WIND DEMON

They raced along the beach, shouting for the captain to stop.
But the ship had raised its sail and the crew were casting off.
Either the captain didn’t hear them, or he chose not to.
Their feet pounded on to the wooden pier. Miyuki was the
fastest, flying down its length and leaping catlike to land upon
the ship’s deck. A crewmember stumbled back in shock.
Still the boat pulled away.
Jack and Saburo tossed the canvas bag with all their might
and Miyuki caught it. Springing mid-step, Jack flew through
the air to land deftly on the gunwale. He dropped on to the
deck before turning to help the others. Saburo, his cheeks red
and wheezing like a pair of bellows, began to flag. With each
step, the gap between the pier and the boat grew ever wider.
‘Jump now!’ shouted Jack.
Ditching his pilgrim’s staff, Saburo threw himself across
the water. Arms extended, he crashed painfully into the guard-
rail and clung on for dear life. Jack and Miyuki dragged him
on-board. Only Yori remained. Lagging behind because of
his smaller stride, he was still halfway along the pier. Yet the
boat was almost at the end and heading out into open water.

59
 ‘Stop the ship!’ cried Miyuki.
The captain held up his hands apologetically. ‘I can’t. The
tides have turned.’
‘Come on, Yori!’ urged Jack, running to the stern.
Yori sprinted after them, his short legs pumping furiously.
‘JUMP! I'll catch you,’ shouted Jack, leaning over the rail.
The boat cleared the pier. Yori made a leap of faith. Legs
and arms flailing, he launched himself towards Jack’s
outstretched arms.
‘He’s not going to make it,” said Saburo. Seizing Jack’s waist,
he and Miyuki shoved Jack further over the side. Jack, fingers
splayed, stretched for all he was worth. Yori tumbled towards
him. Jack missed the left hand and Yori fell away before his
eyes. But the extra reach allowed him to snatch at Yori’s
pilgrim staff. He clamped down hard, gritting his teeth as the
wood slipped through his fingers.
Yori cried out, desperately clinging on. He swung helpless
above the water andJack thought he was about to lose his friend,
when the staff juddered to a halt. The Five Rings characters
etched into the handle gave him just enough grip to halt Yori’s
fall. With muscles straining, Saburo and Miyuki pulled them
both to safety. They all collapsed on the deck, breathing heavily.
“You left us on purpose!’ accused Miyuki, glaring at the
captain.
‘I forgot we had passengers,’ the captain replied with
unconvincing innocence.
Miyuki rose to confront him. ‘If you ever forget us again,
ll live to regret it.’
you
‘What are you going to do?’ snorted the captain. ‘Throw
your prayer book at me?’

60
 Miyuki started forward, but Jack took her by the arm.
‘He’s our only passage to Nagasaki,’ Jack reminded her
quietly.
Fuming, Miyuki stormed down the steps to the main deck.
‘She’s lucky you stopped her,’ remarked the captain, puffing
out his chest.
No, you're lucky I stopped her, thought Jack, wondering how
the captain would have steered with a broken arm.
Jack joined the others amid the chaos of the cargo. As the
boat sailed round the headland, Jack realized he’d never said
goodbye to the old man on the cliff. Looking up, he could
make out his silhouette against the dying light of the day. The
old man was sitting upon the rock again, staring out to sea.
Jack waved farewell to him.
“Who are you waving to?’ asked Saburo.
‘The old man up there.’
Yori and Saburo both glanced up.
“That isn’t a man,’ said Yori with an amused smile. “That’s
Taira Rock.’
“What?” said Jack, eyeing the figure more carefully.
‘It’s named after Taira Masamori, the Great Pirate Queller,’
explained Yori. ‘Five hundred years ago, as daimyo of Aki
Province, it was his responsibility to stop their raids. Every
time he defeated a pirate clan, he honoured the gods at this
shrine. Then one night pirates attacked Omishima Island and
captured Masamori. They threw him off that cliff top. Some-
how he survived, climbed back up and killed them all. But
during the fight he suffered fatal wounds and died upon that
spot. Legend says, when his body was found, it had turned
>
to stone.
 ‘But I talked with him,’ insisted Jack.
‘Jack’s speaking with warrior spirits now!’ chuckled Saburo,
tucking into a piece of dried fish in an effort to eat before he
became seasick again.
But Jack didn’t laugh. He swore he hadn't imagined the
encounter. Yet, as their boat pulled away from the cove, the
figure revealed itself to be nothing more than a large rock.

Jack stood upon the bow, deep in contemplation. The sun had
set and the Seto Sea now reflected a starlit night sky. A gibbous
moon hung in the heavens, casting a silvery sheen across the
crest of the waves.
An old enemy returns anew.
The phrase haunted his thoughts. He remained convinced
that his experience at Taira Rock had been genuine. The
bottoms of his white breeches were still damp from where
the wave had broken over the ledge. Yet Miyuki didn’t
remember seeing anyone when she'd called to him from the
shrine...
Jack sighed. Daydream or not, he realized it was likely that
Kazuki and his Scorpion Gang had picked up their trail. His
old school rival could easily have got word of their escape
from Tomo Harbour. Tenacious and resourceful, Kazuki
would deduce they'd gone to sea and wouldn’t rest until he’d
captured Jack. At least his enemy’s continued pursuit meant
Akiko was safe, since he couldn’t fulfil his vow to punish her
for crippling his right hand.
Holding a palm to his chest, Jack felt the press of Akiko’s
pearl against his heart. It still lay securely pinned to the lapel
of his jacket and its reassuring touch calmed him. Jack looked

62
to the sky, searching out Spica, one of the brightest stars in
the heavens. He’d shown Akiko its position one night when
they’d been alone together in the Southern Zen Garden. Smil-
ing at the memory, Jack hoped that she gazed up at it
sometimes, just as he did.
“Still communicating with spirits?’ asked Miyuki with a
mischievous grin.
Jack was startled out of his dreaming. Miyuki possessed
a ninja’s unsettling habit of moving with absolute silence.
The sea breeze stiffened and Miyuki drew closer to him. Her
eyes, black as midnight, held his gaze. Knowing the affection
she held for him, Jack wondered what she was about to do
next...
‘Isn’t it dangerous to sail at night?’
‘No... not if you know the waters,’ replied Jack, regaining
his composure. “Of course, there’s always a risk. But I suppose
the captain’s trying to avoid pirates.’
‘Possibly, or . . .” Miyuki lowered her voice, glancing round ~
to check none of the crew was nearby, *. . . because he’s an
illegal trader.’
“What makes you say that?’ asked Jack.
‘In the hold, hidden beneath the crates of pottery, I dis-
covered bundles of the finest silk cloth. He must be trying to
avoid paying port taxes. And that might cause us problems.’
Jack considered this. “Why? Isn’t the fact that he’s avoiding
the authorities good for us?’
‘Perhaps,’ Miyuki conceded. “On the other hand, his crim-
inal activities could attract the sort of interest we don’t want.’
Jack nodded in agreement. ‘Let’s discuss this with the others
in the morning —
a e >

63
 All of a sudden, there was a shriek. One of the crew was
pointing port side with a trembling hand.
‘Fuma!’ he cried, his face drawn back in horror. ‘Wind
Demons!’
 CLOSE-HAULED

Out of the darkness materialized a white sail upon which a

huge black spider had been painted. The ship, twice their size
and with a second foresail for speed, was cutting through the
waves towards them. The crew began to panic, cowering
beneath the cargo in a futile attempt to hide. As the apparition
bore down on their boat, the captain stood rooted to the deck,
gawping with a combination of fear and disbelief.
Jack grabbed the nearest crewmember. “What are Wind
Demons?’
‘N-n-ninja pirates,’ spluttered the man, his face pale as a
ghost’s in the moonlight. “Wind Demons capture and eat their
victims alive!’
Ignoring the man’s ravings, Jack turned back to Miyuki. ‘If
they’re ninja, we’ve nothing to worry about. We just need to
show them the Dragon Seal.’
Jack formed the secret hand sign the Grandmaster had
taught him, the one that ensured a bond of friendship between
any true ninja. .
Miyuki gravely shook her head. “Not with the Fuma clan.
They’re more pirate than ninja.’ She stared darkly at the

65
approaching vessel. ‘After the samurai, the Fuma are a ninja’s
worst enemy.’
The pirate ship was gaining on them fast. If the captain
didn’t take evasive action soon, they would be rammed and
boarded.
“What are we going to do?’ asked Yori, joining them at the
guardrail with a sickly Saburo.
We have to outrun them,’ replied Jack.
‘In this piece of junk?’ groaned Saburo. “We haven't got a
chance!’
‘Handled right, she’ll go faster than the wind,’ said Jack. If
her battered hull and wrecked rigging can hold out long enough, he
thought. But he didn’t admit this to his friends. “The three of
you start throwing crates and the bamboo overboard. We need
to lighten the load.’
‘NO!’ cried the captain. “Those are my ee
‘They'll be no good to you if you’re dead,’ Jack shouted
back, before darting up to the stern’s deck and wrestling the
tiller from the inept captain.
‘This is my ship!’ he protested, shocked by the apparent
mutiny.
‘Then let me save it for you,’ replied Jack, revealing his face
to the captain for the first time.
“Y-y-you're a gaijin!’
‘T'm alsoasailor and a pilot,’ said Jack, leaning hard on the
tiller and steering the Golden Tiger on a westerly course.
‘What are you doing?’ cried the captain in alarm. ‘We
should be running before the wind, not heading into it!’
‘The Wind Demons have two sails,’ stated Jack. ‘They’d
catch up with us in no time. Our only hope is to outsail them.

66
We need to be close-hauled. Now get your men to trim the
mainsail.’
The captain looked thoroughly unconvinced by Jack’s plan
of action. Nonetheless, still in shock at his foreign appearance
and with the pirate ship surging towards them, he ordered his
crew to pull in the sheets. The canvas stopped flapping, no
longer spilling precious wind power, and the Golden Tiger
immediately picked up speed.
Jack realized he was taking a great risk. Close-hauled was
the most challenging point of sail and the hardest in which to
get the best out of a boat, especially one as battered as the
Golden Tiger. The difficulty lay in how close to the wind he
could get. Jack had to aim the Golden Tiger’s bow as high as
possible, while maintaining the fastest attainable speed. He'd
be sailing on a knife’s edge. The brisk breeze meant a sudden
gust could capsize them at any moment. If he steered too much
into the wind, the Golden Tiger would enter the no-go zone
and stop dead in the water. If he angled further away from the
wind, the boat would increase speed but have to cover alot
more ground — and this would allow the faster pirate ship to
gain on them.
Jack’s sole hope relied upon their enemy being less man-
oeuvrable and unable to take such an acute angle to the wind.
This would force the ninja pirates to tack more often, slowing
their progress every time they had to beat a new course.
Miyuki, Yori and Saburo continued to dump cargo into
the sea. Whimpers of pain and loss sounded from the captain
with each crate thrown overboard. But the Golden Tiger bene-
fited from the reduction in weight and began to fly through
the water.

67
 ‘They’re still going to hit us!’ wailed one of the crew.
Jack glanced back. The fearsome pirate ship, its black spider
sail seeming to swallow the stars behind, crested a wave like a
breaching whale. Its exposed hull revealed timbers reinforced
for ramming. As its bow came crashing back to the sea, plumes
of white spray spurted into the air.
‘Change tack!’ insisted the captain to Jack. “They’re headed
straight for our port side.’
‘No,’ replied Jack, steadfastly keeping his bearing. The
Golden Tiger was virtually nose to the wind, the telltale feath-
ering of the canvas warning Jack of just how close they were
to disaster.
‘CHANGE COURSE? screamed the captain, throwing
his arms over his head and bracing himself for the impact. .
The pirate ship drove towards their port quarter . . . and
missed. It sailed past like a great black ghost, its menacing crew
glaring over the side at their escaping quarry.
Unable to sail Jack’s line, the pirate ship was forced to tack
several more times in order to make another run at them.
‘Pin that sail in tight!’ Jack shouted to the crew, seeing the
canvas begin to flap again. Waves lapped over the leeside
gunwale as he fought to keep the boat on its extreme bearing.
The wind whipped past, sending chill sea spray into Jack’s face.
The Golden Tiger groaned under the strain, its rigging threat-
ening to snap.
‘She won't take much more of this,’ warned the captain.
“We don’t have any other choice,’ replied Jack, gritting his
teeth as he held firm to the tiller.
The Golden Tiger was now maintaining its lead, but wasn’t
pulling away. Jack needed to get even more from the boat. But

68
at what cost? This single square-sailed rig wasn’t built for such
demanding sailing.
Miyuki clambered over the heeling deck to join Jack at the
stern. “That's every bit of loose cargo we can shift.’
Jack considered their options. The pirate ship was relent-
lessly pursuing them, picking up speed for a second collision
course. He had to squeeze another knot of speed from the
Golden Tiger.
‘Get everyone aft and on the windward side,’ ordered Jack.
Miyuki ran off to collect Yori, Saburo and the crew. They
gathered on the stern deck beside the port quarter.
‘Now sit on the guardrail and lean out,’ instructed Jack.
‘Are you crazy?’ said Saburo, glancing fearfully with Yori
at the rushing sea beneath them.
“We need to counterbalance the wind and keep an even keel,’
explained Jack. “The heeling of the ship is slowing us down.’
Without needing to be told twice, Miyuki jumped on the
rail and, grabbing hold of a rope, hung herself over the side.
The four crew slipped their feet through the gaps in the
bamboo latticework and leant back as far as they could. With
great reluctance, Saburo took hold of two ropes and did the
same. Drawing in a deep breath, Yori perched on the guardrail
and, closing his eyes, suspended himself above the open sea.
‘And you, Captain!’ ordered Jack.
As everyone threw their weight to port, little by little the
Golden Tiger righted itself.
‘Please tell me, we're going faster?’ Yori begged, unwilling
to open his eyes.
‘Yes! Yes! We're losing the Wind Demons!’ shouted a crew-
member in delight.

69
 Gradually, the distance between the Golden Tiger and the
pirate ship began to increase. Jack reckoned if they could main-
tain their speed, the black spider sail would be no more than
a dot on the horizon by dawn.
Jumping on deck, the captain slapped Jack on the back.
‘Fine sailing, gaijin! Get us to Hiroshima in one piece and I'll
forget about the cargo you ditched . . . and the fact that you're
a foreigner.’
Jack’s gamble had paid off. The crew smiled with relief at
their narrow escape and gazed in wonder at the gaijin sailor
who'd saved them.
Suddenly a rigging line snapped, the sail slackened and the
Golden Tiger lost speed. Behind, the Wind Demons closed in
again for the kill.
 SEA DRAGON

‘Head for that island,’ said the captain urgently, pointing to

a dark outline off their starboard bow. ‘There’s a sea cave on
the far side of the bluff. I’ve used it once before to hide from
these cursed wako.’
Jack adjusted course. If they could make it round the head-
land, they might have a chance. The darkness of night would
help conceal their movements and, with any luck, the pirate
ship would pass them by.
“The Wind Demons are catching up,’ warned Miyuki.
‘I know,’ said Jack as he continued to spill wind from the
sail. But he daren’t risk putting any more pressure on the
damaged rigging.
The Golden Tiger limped on towards the fortress of rock
that thrust up from the sea, its peak capped by a mantle of
windswept trees. The shoreline was craggy and treacherous,
and Jack had to precisely follow the captain’s instruction to
avoid running into submerged rocks — even more so, when a
cloud slipped across the moon, muting its pale light.
The pirate ship disappeared from view as they rounded the
bluff.

TI
 ‘There’s the cave!’ said the captain, pointing to a black crev-
ice at the base of a huge cliff. It was hard to make out in the
gloom, but that made it an ideal refuge.
Wind bleeding from the sail, Jack allowed the Golden Tiger
to drift towards the opening. Their progress seemed excruci-
atingly slow. At any moment the pirate ship would clear the
headland and the Golden Tiger would be in plain sight.
They all silently willed the boat to go faster.
‘We're almost there,’ breathed Yori, his knuckles having
gone white from gripping the guardrail so hard.
Jack stared dead ahead, his focus entirely upon the cave
entrance. He wiped a forearm across his eyes. Was that a glim-
mer ofmovement inside?
Suddenly a ball of flame burst forth, followed by an
almighty roar. In the blinding flash, Jack and the others
confronted aterrifying vision — a ferocious dragon with an
armoured spine of spikes, a devil-horned head and razor teeth
like scythes spat fire at them. A split second later, the Golden
Tiger’s mast exploded.
“Sea dragon! screamed one of the crew, his eyes wide as the
moon with sheer horror.
Unable to believe his eyes, Jack yanked hard on the tiller,
desperately attempting to alter their course. The Golden Tiger
veered away and was blessed with enough momentum to head
back into open water. But there was little hope of escape. The
mainsail was ablaze with hellfire and the Golden Tiger was crip-
pled.
‘Cut the rigging!’ ordered Jack, relinquishing the tiller to
the captain. “The whole ship will go up in flames.’
Miyuki raced along the deck to where their canvas bag was

4)
hidden. She pulled it clear and began to hand out weapons to
Saburo, Yori and Jack. The captain was in too much of a panic
to wonder why his pilgrim passengers carried samurai and
ninja swords. He was furiously waggling the rudder in a
fraught attempt to propel the Golden Tiger away from the sea
dragon’s lair.
On deck it was raining fire. Jack unsheathed his katana and
in one clean sweep sliced through the first of the halyards
tethering the burning sail. Miyuki hacked with her ninjato
along the other side.
‘Clear the deck!’ warned Jack as he severed the last of the
rigging.
Like a dying phoenix, the mainsail tumbled from the sky.
Sparks flew like fireflies and there was a great crackle and splut-
ter as the canvas extinguished in the sea...
But half still lay across the deck, burning fiercely.
Yori thrust at the blazing canvas with his shakujo, trying to
push it over the side. Rushing to his aid, Saburo and two of
the crew grabbed the last remaining lengths of bamboo and
shoved with all their might. The sail slipped over the guardrail
and the roar of flames died. Darkness engulfed them once
again and an eerie silence descended — all that could be heard
was the lapping of the waves against the hull.
“Where’s the sea dragon?’ asked Saburo, breathless, staring
into the black recesses of the cave.
Their eyes adjusting to the night, Jack and Miyuki scanned
the waters surrounding them. Off their port bow, a great
shadow loomed.
In the chaos and confusion, the Wind Demons had caught
up.

73
 Their vessel drew alongside the Golden Tiger, its deck tower-
ing over them. Without warning, several sections of the
gunwales fell away and smashed on top of the Golden Tiger's
guardrail. Great iron spikes bit into the deck, holding the
Golden Tiger fast. An instant later, black shadows swarmed
across the bridges to board the crippled cargo ship.
A crewmember screamed as the steel tip of a blade burst
through his chest. Blood spewing from his mouth, he collapsed
to the deck, dead. Behind, a ninja crouched, his sword slick
with the man’s entrails.
Jack stood frozen with fear. He was reliving the nightmare
of that fateful night four years ago, when ninja pirates had
attacked the Alexandria and slaughtered the entire crew. The
heart-rending moment when his father had been brutally
murdered by Dragon Eye. Once again Jack felt like the power-
less boy he’d been — the one who'd been unable to prevent his
father’s death. Then he reminded himself that he was no longer
that defenceless boy. He was a trained samurai and a ninja.
Breaking his paralysis, he launched himself at the enemy,
swords raised, and cried, ‘REPEL BOARDERS!’
The Wind Demons, dressed head-to-foot in black, were
impossible to see — just the moon-silver glint of their blades
visible. Jack jumped aside as a sword scythed for his neck. He
deflected the attack with his wakizashi, simultaneously thrust-
ing with his katana. But the ninja pirate effortlessly evaded it
as if he were no more thanaleaf in the breeze. His blade circled
round for another killing strike on Jack.
Yori leapt to Jack’s rescue. He drove the iron tip of his
shakujo into the ninja pirate’s back. The force of the blow
stunned the invader, sending his slash wide. At the same time,

74
Jack side-kicked his attacker with all his strength. The ninja
pirate slammed into the guardrail. With another shove from
Yori’s shakujo, he toppled over the side into the watery depths
below.
But more Wind Demons instantly replaced their fallen
comrade.
Saburo, still with bamboo pole in hand, wielded it like a
massive bo staff. He swept the deck in front of him, keeping
the Wind Demons at bay. Meanwhile, Miyuki was perched
upon the starboard rail, fending off two vicious ninja pirates.
She injured one with her ninjato, then kicked the second Wind
Demon in the face. But she was fighting a losing battle as other
pirates joined the attack.
Too far away to help, Jack spotted one of the severed pieces
of rigging lying across the deck. It was still fixed to its cleat
at the other end. Sheathing his wakizashi, he snatched up the
rope and yanked hard. As the line pulled taut, it snagged the
legs of the Wind Demons, toppling them like skittles.
In a deft leap along the guardrail, Miyuki joined Jack by
his side.
‘Thanks for that,’ she breathed, flicking blood from her
blade.
‘Don’t thank me yet,’ replied Jack as more ninja pirates
stormed the Golden Tiger.
The remaining crewmember on the main deck fled for the
stern. Out of the darkness, a hooked knife on a chain flashed
through the air and struck him in the back. A second later, he
was jerked off his feet and dragged screaming across the deck
into the seething mass of Wind Demons. His agonized cries
were cut short as a sword severed his head from his neck.

75
 ‘Fall back!’ ordered Jack to his friends.
Keeping a protective line, they retreated to the stern’s upper
deck. Behind them, the captain and his two surviving crew
cowered beside the tiller. Their expressions were a combina-
tion of terror at the Wind Demons and awe at the battling
pilgrims. The four young warriors valiantly held off the invad-
ers. Jack disarmed one ninja pirate, knocked another
unconscious and threw a third over the side. But the sheer
weight of numbers was overwhelming. An evil hiss emanated
from the Wind Demons’ masked mouths as they closed in for
the kill.
Realizing this would be their last stand, Jack and his friends
formed a tight circle and prepared to defend each other to the
bitter end. But the Wind Demons halted a sword’s length
away.
‘Having second thoughts, are you?’ growled Saburo,
discarding his pole and unsheathing his katana in a finaldisplay
of samurai courage.
On the upper deck of the pirate ship a Wind Demon
appeared. Unmasked, he wore a dragon-horned helmet bear-
ing the emblem of a black spider.
In a voice as deep as the ocean, the pirate captain ordered,
‘Take them. . . alive!’
The watery light of dawn coloured a cloudless sky as thepirate
ship sailed south. Jack and his friends were imprisoned on its
main deck, held like animals in a bamboo cage with nine other
unfortunate captives. The captain of the Golden Tiger crouched
alone in the corner, looking dejected and grief-stricken. His
ship, deemed unworthy for salvage by the pirate captain, had
been ransacked of its cargo, then set adrift.
The other prisoners were a mix of Japanese sailors and
Korean slaves. Emaciated and with haunted expressions, they
regarded the new arrivals warily. All stared at the strange
blond-haired, blue-eyed boy in the pilgrim’s outfit and whis-
pered words of a ‘white demon’ and a ‘gaijin devil’.
Jack ignored them, preferring instead to concentrate on
devising an escape plan. The previous night’s stand-off with
the Wind Demons had ended when alarge net had been thrown
over them. Entangled by the webbing, Jack and his friends had
quickly been subdued and disarmed. There was shock at discov-
ering Jack’s foreign identity, but the pirate captain had issued
orders to cage them all, announcing that he would deal with
the rebellious young pilgrims and unexpected gaijin in the

oo
morning. But, with the sun rising, they were fast running out
of time and still no closer to escape. The cage was solidly built,
with a pirate guard posted at the locked gate. All their weapons
and belongings, even Miyuki’s hidden ninja utility belt, had
been confiscated and they’d had no food, water or sleep for the
entire night.
‘Even if we got out of this cage,’ whispered Miyuki, her
fingers blistered from where she'd tried and failed to loosen
the bars’ bindings, ‘there must be at least seventy ninja
pirates on-board. Without our weapons, we'd be cut to
ribbons.’
“We only need to reach the side,’ replied Jack under his
breath.
“What then?’ asked Yori, his face exhausted and drawn.
“We're in the middle of the Seto Sea.’
“We time our escape as the ship passes an island . . . and
swim for it.’
‘Jack, we don’t have the luxury of waiting for an island,’
said Miyuki. “The Wind Demons intend to kill us.’
‘Orelsé niakeris slaves,’ added Yori, glancing round at the
haggard and hollow-eyed men in dirty loincloths.
Jack realized his friends were right. And jumping ship was
a death sentence in itself. They wouldn't survive long in open
water — dying either from hypothermia, drowning, or a shark
attack.
‘There is some good news,’ said Saburo.
Jack and the others turned to him expectantly.
Saburo forced a smile. ‘I don’t feel seasick any more!’
Jack shook his head in disbelief. The old Saburo was back!
But they weren't likely to enjoy each other’s company much

78
longer. A group of ninja pirates were heading across the main
deck to the cage.
In the light of day the Wind Demons were even more terri-
fying to behold. Their black shinobi shozoku had been exchanged
for a motley array of coarsely woven jackets, tied in at the
waist with belts. A gruesome range of swords, knives and
battleaxes hung from their hips. Some wore random pieces of
samurai armour, spoils of war donned as badges of honour. A
few paraded silk shawls, apparently having plundered the
Golden Tiger’s hidden stock of fine silks. Most of the pirates
went hatless or else tied a bandanna around their dishevelled
manes of black hair. And all the men boasted an unkempt
beard or drooping moustache.
But their most distinctive feature was the profusion of
tattoos that decorated their bodies. One brawny pirate had a
tiger emblazoned across his chest. Another had a pair of swords
in the shape of a crucifix on his back. Down the leg ofatall
skinny man was a two-headed red snake. Along with their
own personal designs, every ninja pirate was branded with a
black spider tattoo upon his neck. The man fronting this grisly
gang was the most monstrous of the lot. He wore a gold
earring, had blackened teeth and a deathly skull tattooed over
his entire face.
‘They’re going to eat us for breakfast! whimpered one of the
Golden Tiger's crew, sniffling as he wiped a hand across his nose.
The ninja pirate with the skull face leered in through the
bars.
‘Any of you fishermen?” he asked.
No one answered. Jack noted the slaves andJapanese sailors
kept their eyes firmly fixed on the deck and their mouths shut.

79
 “You see, we need to catch a shark,’ explained Skullface.
‘Help us and we'll let you go.’
At this promise of freedom, the terrified crewmember of
the Golden Tiger proclaimed, ‘I’ma fisherman! I’ll help!’
The ninja pirate grinned, his mouth a gaping black hole in
his skull tattoo. ‘Excellent.’
He indicated to the guard to open the gate. Jack realized
this might be their only chance of escape. If he leapt on the
guard, the others could make a break for it. But Miyuki laid
a hand on Jack’s arm and silently shook her head. The ninja
pirates were diligent, two of them held barbed spears pointed
at the gate’s entrance. Anyone who attempted to get out would
be skewered like a suckling pig.
The crewman eagerly climbed from the cage and followed
the pirates over to the starboard side, where a block and tackle
had been rigged. The man gazed at it in bewilderment.
‘The sharks in these waters are really BIG!’ explained Skull-
face.
Desperate to prove useful, the crewman replied, ‘Then
you ll need squid or... a whole mullet fish to catch one.’
Skullface pulled thoughtfully at his gold earring as he
considered the suggestion. Behind him, his gang had begun
to snigger.
- “We don’t have a mullet, but...’
Without warning, Skullface struck the crewman across the
jaw. The man went sprawling to the deck. Three ninja pirates
pinned his arms and legs, while the tiger-tattooed pirate bound
the end of a rope to his ankle. A second later they'd hoisted
their prisoner into the air. Dazed and confused, the crewman
flailed his arms in an attempt to right himself.

80
 *... we do have you.’
‘He’s a frisky one!’ grunted the pirate with the sword cruci-
fix tattoo.
Skullface pulled out a knife from his belt and slashed its
blade across the crewman’s forearm. Blood dripped from the
wound on to the deck. “That'll get a feeding frenzy started.’
As the tiger-tattooed pirate swung their live bait over the
side, the crewman started begging for his life. ‘PLEASE! I’ve
a wife and child at home! DON’T DO IT!’
His shouts drew the attention of the other pirates on deck
and they stopped what they were doing to watch. Skullface
turned to the tiger-tattooed pirate, apparently having a change
of heart. ‘All right . . . let him go.’
For a brief second, the crewman hung there, breathing out
a huge sigh of relief. Then the tiger-tattooed pirate released
the rope and the crewman disappeared. There was asplash and
all the ninja pirates rushed to the gunwale.
‘Ican see a fin already!’ cried the two-headed snake pirate.
For a minute or so, there was intense silence as they followed
the progress of the shark through the water. Jack and the other
prisoners couldn’t see the grim show — nor did they want to.
There was a cry of disappointment as the shark apparently
missed the bait. Then came a cheer, followed by a spluttering
scream of agony.
‘He’s caught it,’ yelled the crucifix pirate with glee. “Tiger,
pull him up!’
The tiger-tattooed pirate hauled in the rope. After several
strong pulls, the crewman swung before them. His face was
pale and his mouth fixed into a how] of pain. His right arm
was missing, bitten off at the elbow.

8I
 ‘You let it go!’ exclaimed the two-headed snake pirate in
disappointment.
The ninja pirates laughed heartily at the joke. Jack felt
sickened to the pit of his stomach.
‘Try again,’ ordered Skullface. “This time ensure a shark
takes a good hold.’
The bleeding crewman was dumped back into the sea. The
water churned and the ninja pirates whooped and hollered in
delight as several other sharks appeared. A bloodcurdling
scream rent the air. Then all went quiet.
Tiger tugged on the line. This time it came up easily. At
the end of the rope dangleda single ragged leg.
Skullface cuffed Tiger round the head. ‘Idiot! You lost the
bait!’
 —a

CAPTAIN KUROGUMO

‘That’s why the Fuma are more pirate than ninja,’ said Miyuki
darkly, as Skullface and his gang left the disembodied leg
swinging in the wind, just beyond the reach of the snapping
sharks. “They lack any spirit of ninniku.’
Jack understood. Ninniku was the ninja’s equivalent of the
samurai code of bushido. As part of their training, a ninja strived
to cultivate a pure and compassionate heart, one that didn’t
harbour grudges and always sought peace and harmony. In
Jack’s eyes, these Wind Demons didn’t even possess a heart.
‘But that’s not the only reason why the ninja and Fuma are
enemies,’ continued Miyuki, talking to divert their attention
away from the grim reminder of their own potential fate.
“Twenty years ago, the Fuma clashed with the ninja. Grand-
master Soke told me the whole story .. .’
Jack, Saburo and Yori gathered closer to listen — anything
but think about the crewman’s horrific death.
‘The ninja Grandmaster Hattori and his clan were hired by
the daimyo of Suo Province to wipe out the Wind Demons,
who'd been raiding villages up and down the Seto coastline.
Hattori set sail with a fleet of warships. He found the Fuma

83
hiding in Beppu Bay. There was a great battle. Hattori destroyed
almost all the Wind Demons’ boats. It seemed victory was
assured. But the Fuma sent a fireship into the midst of Hattori’s
fleet. Knowing that it could explode at any moment, Hattori
gave the command to withdraw. What he didn’t know was that
the Fuma had swum beneath their ships and disabled their
rudders. With no way to avoid a collision, Hattori ordered his
men to jump ship, but to their horror they discovered the whole
bay was covered ina slick of oil. Before any of them could
swim to safety, the Fuma ignited the trap and the whole clan,
including Hattori himself, perished in the flames.’
“That’s a cheery bedtime story,’ said Saburo.
‘It’s meant as a warning,’ replied Miyuki. “The Fuma are
merciless and cunning. That makes them very dangerous. Soke
cautioned me to steer clear of them at all costs.’ She gave a
resigned sigh. ‘I was never any good at following Soke’s
advice.’
“We’re doomed then!’ cried the last crewmember of the
Golden Tiger.
‘Hey, we did survive the sea dragon at least!’ said Saburo,
half-heartedly attempting to lift the man’s spirits. But the
reminder of that fearsome beast just turned the crewman into
a quivering wreck.
. ‘That's true . . .’ said Jack, still doubting his own eyes as to
what he actually saw. ‘If that was a dragon, why didn’t it attack
the Wind Demons? We might have stood a chance if they'd
had to battle a monster too.’
A lice-ridden slave coughed and shuffled over. His eyes had
a crazed look and his bare back showed the scars of numerous
whippings.

84
 “The Fuma control the dragon,’ he croaked.
Jack and his friends regarded the Korean man dubiously.
‘No man has such power over wild beasts,’ said Yori.
The slave cackled. “The Wind Demons aren’t men. They’re
gods of the Seto Sea! And we’re no more than fish food . . .’
He trailed off, a terrified expression on his face as he
retreated towards the back of the cage.
‘I trust my crew are treating you well?’ enquired a gruff
voice.
Jack and his friends looked up into the intimidating face of
the pirate captain. His eyes were snake-like gleams of jet-black,
his high cheekbones were sharp and his chin pointed with a long
tuft of beard. He still wore the dragon-horned helmet and was
robed in a green and black suit of body armour; the breastplate
and square shoulder guards were constructed from hundreds of
tiny leather scales that gave it the appearance of dragon skin.
The pirate captain’s right arm was tattooed with a large spider’s
web that stretched all the way from his wrist to his neck, where
a black widow spider nestled, the tattoo unsettlingly real.
Despite the man’s fearsome demeanour, Miyuki was
outraged by the question. ‘Treating us well? They just fed one
of us to the sharks!’
‘Sharks are hungry animals,’ the pirate captain stated
matter-of-factly, grinning to reveal a set of teeth filed into
razor-sharp points.
Yori, who was closest, recoiled in horror. The captain
laughed at his reaction.
‘Captain Kurogumo at your service. Welcome aboard the
Black Spider,’ he said, bowing contemptuously. His shark-like
grin vanished. ‘Now! Who are you?’

85
 ‘We're . . . just pilgrims returning from Shikoku Island,’
replied Yori, quickly regaining his composure.
‘And I’m the Emperor,’ he mocked. ‘It’s evident from your
weapons and swords skills that you're far from pilgrims.’
‘We're samurai,’ said Saburo with pride.
Captain Kurogumo regarded Saburo for a moment. “You
may be. But she certainly isn’t.’
He returned his attention to Miyuki, who stared defiantly
back.
‘Your weapons and clothes in the bag are of ninja origin.
What clan do you belong to?’
Miyuki stayed tight-lipped.
‘No matter. A ninja is a ninja. All traitors.’
Seeing Miyuki rile at the insult to her honour, Jack had to
restrain her. Her fiery temper would get them into even more
serious trouble than they already were. And they each needed
to keep a level head if they were to have any hope of escape.
Captain Kurogumo noted Jack’s intervention.
‘T'll deal with the ninja later,’ he promised. ‘But you,
gaijin, are of real interest to me. Quite extraordinary — a
gaijin samurai!’
He clicked his fingers and a young boy came running across
the deck, carrying a pair of samurai swords. Their distinctive
red handles marked them out as Jack’s daishd. The boy, fresh-
faced and eager, knelt before the captain and held the weapons
out to him. Captain Kurogumo took up the katana and,
unsheathing it, examined the blade.
‘A Shizu sword!’ he exclaimed in disbelief. ‘Unless I’d
witnessed it for myself, I’d have thought anyone a liar who
told me you were a samurai . . . and I’d have cut out their

86
tongue. But your fighting skills are undeniable. You put a
number of my men to shame.’
Captain Kurogumo glanced up to where four pirates hung
by their wrists from the yardarm. “You can cut them down
now, he shouted to Skullface. “Let’s hope they’ve learnt their
lesson and won't be beaten so easily by a boy next time.’
The pirate captain took a few practice swings with the
katana. He smiled appreciatively at its perfect weight and
balance. Then he struck out at the pirate boy. The blade sliced
through the air, its tip stopping just short of his throat. The
boy swallowed nervously as a single bead of blood welled up
from where the steel point had pierced his skin.
Sheathing the blade with satisfaction, the captain asked Jack,
“Who gave you these swords?’
‘A friend,’ he replied.
‘A very special friend indeed, to part with such fine blades.’
With a wave of his hand, the captain ordered the pirate boy
to return the swords to his quarters. ‘I’m intrigued — how on
earth did a gaijin become a samurai?’
‘It wasn’t by choice,’ said Jack coldly. ‘I was a rigging
monkey on a trading ship before ninja pirates like you killed
my father.’
‘Now that is interesting,’ said Captain Kurogumo, raising
his eyebrows at the revelation. “So, young warriors, the ques-
tion is what to do with you. As samurai and ninja, you don’t
warrant mercy. But it’s not in my nature to slaughter children
... without good reason.’
He gave a flash of his shark teeth.
‘Tatsumaki must decide your fate.’
 FUGU

Exposed on an open deck, the cage offered scant protection

from the elements and Jack and his friends were forced to sit in
the full glare of the sun. Although Captain Kurogumo had
promised food and water, he still hadn’t provided them with
either. And Jack didn’t hold out much hope he ever would. The
pirates held little concern for the well-being of their captives.
Jack had to be grateful for small blessings, though. From
their conversation with the captain, it seemed he was unaware
of Jack’s reputation or the bounty on his head.
‘So who’s Tatsumaki?’ asked Jack, his mouth parched.
“Or what?’ corrected Yori. ‘The word means “tornado”.’
‘Perhaps the captain’s going to set us adrift in the middle
of a storm,’ suggested Saburo, who looked faint from hunger.
‘And let fate decide our lives.’
“Then we might have a chance,’ said Jack. ‘I’ve survived
countless tempests at sea.’
The Korean slave was cackling again.
“Tatsumaki comes out of nowhere . . . creates havoc...
then . . .’ His gnarled fingers exploded outwards. ‘. . . disap-
pears into nothingness.’

88
 His wild eyes stared at the young warriors with amused
pity. “All that remains is chaos and desolation. For you to pin
your hopes on Tatsumaki is like putting your head inside a
hungry lion’s mouth!’
The Korean slave laughed, then broke into a coughing fit.
His skeletal body shuddered with the effort. Jack, along with
the others, began to feel an overwhelming sense of despair at
their situation. Glancing round at the despondent expressions
of the other prisoners, it seemed inevitable that death would
be their only way out.
The cage door opened and the pirate boy appeared with a
jug of water.
‘Compliments of the captain,’ he said, setting it down next
to Jack.
The boy retreated and the gate was closed.
Jack snatched up the water but, seeing Yori lick his dry lips
in anticipation, offered the jug to his friend first.
‘No, after you,’ insisted Yori.
Jack lifted the brimming jug to his lips and took a huge
welcome gulp. Almost at once, he gagged violently.
‘It’s seawater!’ he rasped, spitting and hacking up bile.
The sound of hearty laughter reached their ears. Skullface
and his gang were lounging beside the main mast, clapping
each other on the back at their prank.
‘How’s the water, fishface?’ jeered Snakehead, his tattoo of
the two-headed serpent stretched out along his gangly legs
upon the deck.
Jack vomited, expelling the last of the salt water. The pirate
gang roared even louder.
‘That trick never fails on new prisoners,’ grinned Skullface.

89
 Wiping the back of his hand across his mouth, Jack glared
at the ninja pirate. “Tastes better than you look!’
The other pirates stopped laughing and uttered an exag-
gerated cry of shock.
Skullface took the insult more seriously. Seizing a wooden
club, he strode over to the cage. “You need some respect beaten
into you, gaijin.’
He raked the club over the bars, its studded tip clattering
against the bamboo.
‘You don’t scare me, bonehead!’ retorted Jack, trying to
goad the ninja pirate.
Now Miyuki was having to restrain him. But Jack wanted
to provoke Skullface into opening the gate and starting a fight.
Then he could defeat the pirate, disarm him and the four of
them could attempt an escape.
“You couldn’t beat an egg!’ taunted Jack.
Bristling at the slur, Skullface slammed his club into the
bars. “You'll regret that!’
He pushed aside the guard and went to open the gate. But
at that moment aclanging filled the air. A squat cook stood
at the rear cabin’s doorway, thumping a large pot with aladle.
Skullface snorted. ‘Saved by the bell, gaijin,’ he said, waving
his club at Jack. “But I'll return and beat you to a pulp.’
Skullface headed over to the disorderly queue of pirates
and pushed his way to the front. The tantalizing smell of
cooked rice and fish drifted towards them.
“What I’d do for some rice now,’ moaned Saburo, his stom-
ach growling.
“When we escape,’ said Jack, ‘you can have the biggest bowl
of rice you've ever dreamed of.’

gO
 “Well, we won’t be getting out of here fast if you keep
picking fights, Jack,’ said Miyuki. “What were you thinking
of?’
Jack explained his tactic. “We need to make our move before
we become too weak to fight back.’
‘Agreed. Let me take out the guard with Fall Down Fist.’
Jack nodded his assent at the plan.
‘Skullface is coming back,’ whispered Yori urgently.
‘OK, as soon as I step out to fight, Miyuki will jump the
guard,’ instructed Jack. “Yori and Saburo, see those barrels by
the port bow? Make a run for them, push a couple over the
side and then we'll all jump ship together. We can use the
barrels as life rafts.’
Nodding, the four friends readied themselves for their
escape attempt.
But Skullface and his gang seemed to have forgotten about
his promised threat. They sat themselves down by the cage,
greedily stuffing their faces with food.
‘Anyone hungry?’ asked Skullface, wafting a plate piled
high with steaming rice in front of the prisoners’ noses.
Before he could help himself, Saburo replied, “Yes! I am.’
Skullface’s black hole smile reappeared.
‘Of course you are,’ he said, shovelling a thick slice of fresh
fish into his own mouth and chewing appreciatively.
He finished his meal and stood up. “Here’s the deal. We'll
feed four prisoners. No more. So who will it be?’
A Japanese sailor, skinny as a rake and with a desperate look
in his eyes, threw himself to the ground. “Me, please,’ he
begged.
Skullface nodded. ‘Who else?’

QI
 The Golden Tiger's last crewmember couldn’t hold back and
prostrated himself beside the sailor.
‘Only two more places left for lunch,’ said Skullface in a
lighthearted tone.
Again, Jack noticed the Korean slave was keeping silent,
despite appearing the most starved among them. None of the
other prisoners were jumping at the opportunity for food
either.
Skullface became impatient for volunteers. “The plump one
then,’ he said, pointing to Saburo.
‘And who’s going to be the fourth?’ asked Tiger, his eyes
raking over the wretched prisoners.
‘What about the gaijin?’ the crucifix pirate suggested.
Skullface shook his head. ‘No, Crux, he doesn’t deserve
food. Besides, I have other plans for him.’ He looked round |
the cage. “That miserable captain looks like he could do with
cheering up.’
As the guard opened the cage to let the chosen diners out,
Jack nodded to Miyuki. She made a move to rush the guard.
But out of nowhere a spearhead blocked her path.
‘Not so fast, my pretty one,’ snarled Snakehead, keeping
the spear’s barb to her chest.
One by one, the four prisoners stepped out of the cage.
Saburo, wary and reluctant to move, was forced out by spear
tip. Skullface politely invited them all to sit in a circle facing
one another.
He looked round the deck in irritation. “Where’s that new
cabin boy got to?’
The young pirate appeared a moment later, carrying a large
plate. Skullface snatched it from him before clipping the boy

92
round the ear. “Be quicker next time, or I'll invite you to lunch
too.’
The pirate boy bowed apologetically, then hurried away.
With a flourish, Skullface presented the plate upon which
lay four translucent slices of fish.
“Fugu sashimi!’ he announced.
Miyuki gasped. Jack saw the look of horror on her face.
“What's the matter?”
‘Fugu is highly toxic,’ she replied. ‘It’s the most deadly
poison a ninja can use. We put it on blowdarts. You can eat
fugu, but it must be prepared properly. Otherwise you'll die.’
The four prisoners were clearly aware of the lethal nature
of the dish before them. The captain of the Golden Tiger got
to his feet.
“Thank you,’ he blustered, “but I’m not that hungry.’
The pirate Crux shoved the captain back down. ‘Don’t you
know it’s rude to leave the table before you've finished.’
Skullface leant over the prisoners and, with a twisted grin,
announced, ‘Only one slice of the fugu is poisonous. Enjoy
your meal!’
 DYING

The four prisoners glanced at each other in wide-eyed panic.

On the plate, death awaited one of them. But the four slices
looked identical. No one wanted to make that first choice.
‘Eat up!’ encouraged Skullface, holding a knife to Saburo’s
throat. ‘Or die...’
Faced with no alternative, Saburo extended a trembling
hand. Undecided, it hovered over the plate of fugu.
‘Don’t do it, Saburo!’ cried Jack, shaking the bars of his
cage in impotent rage. He couldn’t believe the pirates were
gambling with his friend’s life like this.
‘Shut your trap!’ snapped Skullface, savouring the futility
of Jack’s protests. “He’s got a one-in-four chance.’
Cajoled by the knife at his neck, Saburo selected the slice
furthest from him. Taking a deep breath, he placed it tenta-
tively on his tongue. Then, closing his eyes, he began to chew.
“Swallow it all,’ insisted Skullface.
With a forced effort, Saburo consumed the potentially
deadly fish. Once Skullface was satisfied that every bit was
gone, he removed the knife and moved on to his next victim
— the crewman.

94
 In a frantic bid to escape the fatal meal, the crewman
scrambled away. But Tiger seized him by the hair and dragged
him back. Wrenching the man’s head up, Tiger held his jaw
open. Skullface, using the tip of his knife, delicately picked a
fugu slice and dropped it into the man’s throat before clamping
his mouth shut. Choking, the crewman eventually swallowed
the fish whole and Tiger let him go.
Resigned to his fate, the Japanese sailor took the slice near-
est him and, in full knowledge that this could be his last meal,
he savoured every bite.
With three slices gone, the captain tried to stall for time.
He clearly hoped he would see some telltale symptoms in the
other prisoners before he had to commit to eating the last piece
of fugu.
‘No point holding out,’ said Skullface. “The effects aren’t
immediate.’
With violent encouragement from Crux, the captain of the
Golden Tiger ate the last remaining slice. The four prisoners
stared at one another, grimly awaiting the signs that one of
them was dying . . . meaning they would live. As this sick
game progressed, the pirates started to bet on the outcome.
‘T’ll wager three pieces of silver that the fat one dies,’ said
Skullface.
‘Four pieces on the captain,’ said Crux, giving his charge
an encouraging pat on the shoulder.
More stakes were placed as a crowd of pirates gathered
round for the macabre spectacle. The four prisoners became
pale with dread. Inside one of their stomachs a poison was
slowly leaking into their bloodstream, all for the entertain-
ment of the Wind Demons.

95
 ‘My lips are tingling!’ gasped Saburo, turning to Miyuki in
terror.
The betting among the pirates reached fever pitch at this
revelation.
‘That’s normal,’ reassured Miyuki. ‘It’s the reason why
people eat fugu in the first place.’
Saburo calmed a little, but Jack could see he was close to
hysteria. And he couldn’t blame his friend.
‘No more bets,’ announced Skullface, and the ninja pirates
settled down to await the outcome.
Still none of the prisoners displayed any symptoms
of poisoning. Jack began to hope that Skullface was
simply playing a cruel joke on them. But the betting had
been deadly serious and Jack realized his optimism was
misplaced.
The Japanese sailor picked at his teeth to reveal bloody gums
and this triggered a frenzy of excitement among the pirates.
But Jack knew this was more likely the result of malnutrition
than poison.
The tension grew as the time ticked by.
Jack clasped the bars of the cage and whispered, “You'll be
fine, Saburo. I’m sure you will.’
Saburo glanced at Jack, a resigned expression on his face.
He attempted a brave smile. ‘My mother always said my
appetite would get the better of me one day.’
‘Look! My one is winning,’ Snakehead cried excitedly.
He pointed to a bright red rash that was blossoming over
the skin of his chosen bet. The other pirates studied the
unlucky fugu victim.
Realizing all eyes were on him, the crewman glanced down

96
 at his erupting skin. He broke into a cold sweat and began to
claw at his neck.
‘Water!’ he begged. ‘My throat’s burning.’
The crewman tried to stand, but his legs gave way and he
collapsed to the deck. His body started convulsing as he lost
all coordination.
‘Ple... eeease...help...me... breathe...’
The crewman’s speech became incoherent. He floundered
on the deck like a suffocating fish. As the crewman died before
their eyes, there was a great shout of triumph.
“Yes! It’s not me!’ cried the captain, punching the air in joyous
relief.
The crewman’s movements gradually weakened until he
lay still, an occasional blink being the only vital sign he was
alive. Then he gave a last shuddering breath and his eyes
became fixed in a dead stare.
Snakehead and several other pirates began celebrating their
win, while the rest of the crowd cursed their bad luck and
dispersed. Jack himself experienced a bitter twist of emotions
— elation that Saburo had survived and immense sadness at the
passing of the crewman. No man should have to suffer such a
horrible and agonizing death.
With the show over, the three surviving prisoners were
flung back into the cage. Saburo rejoined his friends, who
welcomed him with open arms. The captain, still grinning at
his fortune, slumped gratefully in his corner. But the Japanese
sailor remained where he’d been thrown, a rash visible across
his face, his body twitching erratically, barely breathing.
‘Oh dear,’ said Skullface with mock concern. ‘It appears
the cook didn’t prepare any of the fugu properly.’

97
 He began to laugh, a cruel cackle that rose in pitch as the
captain and Saburo’s expressions changed from relief to deep
shock. Skullface strode away with his gang, leaving the three
prisoners to their fate.
As the bleak realization sank in, the captain began to blub-
ber. ‘NO...no...not me...I don’t want to die.’
The Japanese sailor was no longer breathing and his body
lay still. |
‘I can’t feel... my tongue,’ said Saburo in alarm.
Without wasting a second, Miyuki grabbed the jug of
seawater and brought it to Saburo’s lips.
‘Drink!’
Saburo stared at her in bewilderment, but she forced the
jug into his mouth, making him take several gulps. Saburo
immediately vomited at her feet.
“What are you doing?’ exclaimed Jack, rushing to support ©
his friend.
‘More!’ ordered Miyuki, tipping the jug up. ‘If we can flush .
his stomach of the poison, there’s a chance he may survive.’
Saburo heaved again, and this time small slivers of half-
digested translucent fish splattered across the deck.
In the corner, the captain was sobbing loudly. ‘I don’t want
...todie...don't wantto... |
_ ‘Stick your fingers down your throat,’ instructed Miyuki,
but the captain was too absorbed in his own self-pity to follow
her advice.
Saburo was becoming drowsy. Jack and Yori eased him to
the floor. They lay their friend on his side along the rear of
the cage, Yori rolling his pilgrim stole into a makeshift pillow.
Miyuki hunted through the folds of her clothes, pulling out

98
a small pouch that the Wind Demons hadn’t discovered on
her. She rifled inside it and took out a twist of paper contain-
ing a black tablet.
‘Hold his head steady,’ she told Jack and Yori.
Saburo’s breathing was laboured and he felt like a dead weight
in Jack’s hands. All of a sudden, Saburo went into spasm.
‘By the love of Buddha, stay with us,’ pleaded Yori, tears
running down his cheeks.
Saburo’s convulsion eased and he turned weakly to Yori.
‘Not... going... anywhere . . . my friend.’
‘Eat this, Miyuki ordered, shoving the black square into
Saburo’s mouth.
‘It tastes . . . disgusting,’ lisped Saburo.
‘Of course it does, it’s charcoal. It'll bind with the toxin
inside you and prevent further absorption. Now swallow it,
before your body can’t even do that.’
Saburo crunched down on the tablet. On the other side of
the cage, there was a heavy thump as the captain keeled over,
clutching his chest.
Jack and Yori gently lay Saburo back on his pillow. His lips
twitched into a sad smile.
‘Wish ...I was... seasick ...now...’ he wheezed.
Kneeling by his side, Yori put his hands together and began
to murmur incantations.
Jack turned to Miyuki. ‘Is there nothing more we can do for
him? It’s a ninja poison — don’t you have an antidote?’
Miyuki gravely shook her head. “There’s no known antidote
to fugu. But Saburo’s strong. All we can do now is wait and
pray.’
 PIRATE BOY

Saburo gazed up into Jack’s face. He looked almost peaceful.

But Jack knew that was the effect of the fugu. Miyuki had
explained that the fish’s toxin slowly paralysed the muscles,
leaving the victim fully conscious until the lungs gave out and
the person died from suffocation. That’s what made it such an
effective poison for ninja assassinations.
‘Can you still breathe?’ asked Jack.
Saburo blinked his eyes twice. Yes.
“Wriggle your toes.’
Jack glanced towards Saburo’s feet, but nothing moved.
“That's good,’ he lied, not wishing his friend to give up
hope. ‘Now, can you feel your hands?’
Saburo blinked once. No.
_ “Hang on in there,’ urged Jack. ‘Miyuki says if you can just
survive the night, you'll make a full recovery.’
Two blinks.
Yori remained at Saburo’s side, deep in prayer. Jack stood
and joined Miyuki where she was tying his pilgrim
jacket to the bars as a sunshade for Saburo. It was now mid-
afternoon, the sun relentless as the pirate ship continued

100
on its southern course. Jack helped her secure the last
corner.
‘So how many people have survived fugu poisoning?’ asked
Jack under his breath.
Miyuki thought for a moment. ‘One.’
Jack stopped what he was doing and stared at her in disbelief.
‘That I know of,’ added Miyuki hurriedly. ‘It was Soke.
That’s how I knew what to do to limit the poison.’
‘So what happens if Saburo stops breathing?”
Miyuki chewed her lower lip, her expression uncertain. ‘If
it comes to that, I’ll have to breathe for him.’
Jack furrowed his brow. “What do you mean?’
‘T’ll blow air into his lungs — hopefully keeping him alive
until the poison wears off and he can breathe on his own
again.’
Jack had never heard of such a bizarre remedy, but he
trusted Miyuki and the mystic healing abilities of the ninja,
having benefited from their skills himself.
“Can't you also use kuji-in?’ he suggested.
Miyuki considered this. ‘Ninja magic won’t have any effect
on the poison. . . although Sha might keep his heart and organs
strong. It’s worth atry.’
Miyuki knelt close to Saburo. Clasping her hands together,
she extended the index finger and thumb to make the hand
sign for Sha. With eyes shut, she moved her hands in figure-
of-eight patterns over his chest and chanted the healing mantra.
‘On haya baishiraman taya sowaka. . .’
Saburo’s laboured breathing seemed to calm almost at once.
Sitting next to Miyuki as she performed the ritual, Jack used
his pilgrim stole to waft cool air over Saburo’s prone body

IOI
while Yori continued to pray, each of them doing what they
could to save their friend’s life.
It was too late for the captain, however. Although his body
still twitched occasionally, the poison had seeped into every
limb and muscle. His eyes flickered around in despair, his life
ebbing away with each feeble breath.
‘He'll be fish food soon,’ the Korean slave muttered. “We’re
all fish food.’
The gate opened. The pirate boy hefted a large cooking
pot, which he dumped in the middle of the cage. A thin gruel
of rice water slopped over the sides. The prisoners leapt
hungrily at it, feeding like a pack of wild dogs.
Jack was about to go over and see what he could scavenge
for his friends, when the pirate boy hastily approached. From
under his arm, he produced a jug and swapped it for the empty
one. Then, reaching into the folds of his jacket, he removed
a couple of cooked fish and presented them to Jack.
‘More poison and salt water?’ enquired Jack bitterly.
‘No, it’s fresh,’ insisted the pirate boy. “And these are
mackerel.’
Jack eyed the boy distrustfully.
“Honest. Last time Skullface made me switch the water for
a joke.’
“Well, we’re not laughing,’ said Jack.
The pirate boy looked shamefaced. ‘Just take them before
anyone notices,’ he urged. ‘I’m risking the whip for you.’
His stomach knotted with hunger, Jack grabbed the fish.
He dipped a finger into the jug and tasted it. The water was
fresh. Realizing the pirate boy was genuine, he bowed his head
gratefully. “Thank you. What’s your name?”

102
 ‘Cheng.’
‘T’m Jack.’
Cheng grinned, the smile lighting up his whole face. The
boy had delicate features, with high thin eyebrows, almond
eyes and fine lips. His hair was tied into a short braid at the
back and his body was lithe, yet deceptively strong. He didn’t
appear to be the typical ninja pirate . . . or Japanese, for that
matter.
“Where are you from?’ asked Jack.
‘A village near Penglai, China.’ Cheng studied Jack with
fascination. ‘I’ve never met anyone with golden hair before —’
‘Oi, cabin boy! What’s taking you so long?’
Skullface was standing at the bow with his gang, coiling
ropes.
‘Just spitting in their food,’ Cheng shouted.
Skullface grunted appreciatively. “We'll make a pirate of
you yet!’
Cheng turned backtoJack, his eyes deep wells of sympathy.
‘I hope your friend lives,’ he whispered, before clambering
out of the cage.
Jack’s faith in human nature was restored a little. Watching
Cheng cross the deck back to the ship’s galley, he wondered
how a Chinese boy like him had ever become involved with
the Wind Demons.
He picked up the jug of fresh water and leant over Saburo.
‘Can you still swallow?’
Saburo blinked twice. With Yori’s help, Jack raised his
friend’s head and offered him a few sips. Some dribbled out
of the side of his mouth, but the water appeared to revive him.
Jack gave Saburo alittle more before letting his friend rest.

103
Breaking apart the two fish with his fingers, he shared their
precious meal.
‘Can Saburo have any?’ asked Jack.
Miyuki shook her head. “He might choke. Besides, we want
the poison to pass through his system first.’
Asa matter of courtesy, they sat out of Saburo’s sight while
the three of them devoured the mouth-watering mackerel.
Immediately Jack felt his strength return. But the vital meal
was over all too quickly.
As they were licking their fingers clean and drinking their
ration of water, Saburo went into spasms. They rushed to his
side. His breathing was erratic and his eyes bulged.
‘What’s happening?’ asked Yori.
‘The poison must have reached his lungs,’ replied Miyuki.
She immediately resumed her Sha healing ritual. But this
time it had little effect. Saburo continued to shudder in the
fugu’s death grip.
‘I can’t channel enough ki,’ gasped Miyuki, a bead of sweat
breaking out on her brow. “We’re losing him.’
Jack immediately took up position opposite her. Having
been trained in kuji-in, Jack knew the hand sign and mantra
for Sha. But he’d only ever practised it on himself. He just
prayed that the combined power of their ki would be enough.
Saburo’s convulsions reached a peak. Then, little by little,
they diminished until his body was only trembling, and his
breathing became more steady.
‘Just a little longer,’ urged Miyuki, ‘and we can save him.’
‘Hey, gaijin\’ snarled an all-too-familiar voice. “We've unfin-
ished business to settle.’
‘Later,’ said Jack, trying to concentrate on the healing.

104
 ‘Now,’ insisted Skullface.
The tip of a spear was pressed against Jack’s neck.
Jack refused to budge. His friend’s life was at stake.
‘Don't make me push any harder,’ threatened Skullface, the
spear’s iron barb now on the verge of puncturing his skin.
Yori knelt next to Jack and whispered, ‘I'll take over if I
can.’ They both knew that Yori had only studied Miyuki’s
healing techniques and had never performed them before on
anyone.
With the greatest reluctance, Jack stopped. Saburo’s condi-
tion worsened. As Yori took up the Sha chant and began circling
his hands, Jack was pushed out of the cage. Unable to take his
eyes off his immobile friend, he was manhandled by Skullface’s
gang into the middle of the deck. A crowd of pirates had
gathered in a circle to watch the gaijin prisoner’s punishment.
Spear in hand, Skullface confronted Jack. He advanced until
they were nose to nose. “You've not only disrespected me,
gaijin. You've upset other members of the crew.’
Four pirates stoodto Jack’s right, glaring at him, their wrists
ringed red with rope burns. They appeared to be itching for
a fight.
Jack quickly assessed his opponents. They looked tough,
but he’d defeated them on-board the Golden Tiger. And he
could defeat them again. Skullface was another matter. His
scar-ridden body was evidence that he was battle-hardened
and no doubt avicious fighter. Jack realized he must overcome
Skullface first, while he remained strong enough, before deal-
ing with the other pirates.
‘Let’s get this over with,’ said Jack, slipping off his sandals
for a better grip on the wooden deck.

105
 ‘Oh, you're not fighting me . . . or them,’ said Skullface,
witha sly grin. “You're fighting the ship’s champion, Manzo.’
Stooping to clear the cabin doorway, a ninja pirate of
Herculean proportions stepped out on to the deck. Three
times the size of Jack, he had a bald head solid as a cannonball,
a wiry beard and fists like hammers. Muscles rippled across his
broad chest and his tree-trunk legs thudded with every step
upon the wooden deck. Aside from the black spider tattoo,
he had a screaming demon bursting from his brick-like stom-
ach. To complete his terrifying presence, he had kanji symbols
branded on to the backs of his hands. His right bore the char-
acter for ‘thunder’:

H
11} i

His left bore the symbols for ‘lightning’:

Ae

Manzo banged them together and, fists raised, thundered

towards Jack.
 FIST FIGHT

Jack felt his heart stop at the sight of this colossus. Manzo was
the stuff of nightmares — a hulking mass of muscle, bearing
down on him like a charging bull. The pirate wasn’t carrying
any weapons. This was clearly to beafist fight. Not that it
mattered — Manzo’s hands were his weapons and could demol-
ish Jack in a single swipe.
Dressed only in his breeches, Jack was unencumbered and
would be able to move fast. And he’d have to. He couldn’t
afford to let his guard down against such a dangerous oppon-
ent. Bouncing on the balls of his feet, he prepared to engage
with the pirate.
As Manzo lumbered towards him, Jack recalled his taijutsu
match in the Taryu-Jiai three years ago. During that inter-
school martial arts contest, Jack had fought Raiden, a samurai
student of similar proportions to Manzo. Jack had stood little
chance of beating him then. But prior to the fight he’d had a
vision of a red demon anda butterfly. The demon had tried
to squash the butterfly with an iron bar, but the butterfly had
survived by evading the attacks until the demon collapsed with
exhaustion, subdued by its own efforts.

107
 This ninja pirate boasted a tattoo of a screaming red demon.
The vision had spoken again! If he could tire Manzo out first,
then he might be able to defeat him.
A huge fist — Thunder — rocketed towards Jack’s head. Jack
ducked and skipped aside. Lightning now came at him, a devas-
tating hook punch to the ribs. Jack sucked in his stomach and
arched his body. The fist shot past, grazing his skin but doing
no other damage. He backed away as Thunder returned for
an uppercut. Then Lightning attempted a savage cross punch.
Jack continued to evade the brutal attacks, Manzo being
strong, but slow.
‘Hit him!’ cried Tiger.
Becoming more and more frustrated, Manzo started throw-
ing wilder punches. Jack ducked and weaved. He bobbed
beneath Thunder; jumped away from Lightning. Not a single
punch landed on target and the ninja pirates, who'd been
baying for blood, now began to boo and jeer at the pathetic
display.
‘Stop running, you coward!’ heckled Crux.
‘Call yourself a samurai!’ derided Skullface. He beckoned
to the crowd. ‘Move in!’
The circle of pirates tightened, restricting the fighting
distance between Jack and Manzo. As Thunder and Lightning
came at him inaseries of chain punches, Jack had to retreat
rapidly. Unknown to him, Snakehead stuck out a foot and he
tripped over it, sprawling on to the deck.
Manzo seized his chance, raising his leg high to stamp-kick
Jack in the chest. There was a horrible crunching sound as his
foot connected. But Jack had rolled away at the last second
and it was the deck that had taken the full force of the blow.

108
The wooden plank splintered and Manzo’s foot shot through,
his ankle becoming trapped.
Jack leapt up and went on the attack. With the devastating
speed and power of a trained warrior, Jack launched a round-
house kick at Manzo’s back.
The pirate barely registered the blow. Undeterred, Jack
fired off a blazing side-kick into the ribs. Manzo grunted, but
didn’t crumble. Jack stepped in and drove a spear elbow at his
kidneys. The pirate simply batted Jack away as if he was no
more than an irritating mosquito. The swipe of his forearm
sent Jack careering across the deck. Stunned, Jack cautiously
circled the snared pirate. Trying not to panic, he racked his
brains for a martial arts technique that might have some effect
on this impregnable rock of a man.
Manzo finally managed to free his foot and turned to face
Jack once more. He blew across the tops of his fists as if clear-
ing them of dust, then he banged them together and smiled,
certain of victory.
But Jack smiled too. He had a secret weapon . . . one that
Sensei Yamada had taught him at the Niten Ichi Rya.
Cho-geri.
The Butterfly Kick — a highly advanced and indefensible
manoeuvre that could cut a swathe through any attack. All
the limbs were extended in a position similar to that of a
butterfly’s wings in flight.
As the ninja pirate advanced, Jack sprang into the air, his
torso twisting, his arms swinging in a wide arc. Both his
legs shot out, twirling before him. The first would smash
Manzo’s left guard aside, the second would hammer into
his head, connecting with his jaw at the knockdown point.

109
As tough as Manzo was, he’d drop to the deck like a sack of
sand.
But Jack was out of practice. He misjudged the distance
and his legs got tangled up in the complex attack. He flew past
Manzo, entirely missing his target. Trying to correct his
mistake, he flapped his arms like a crazed bird, only to crash-
land on his back.
For a moment, there was complete silence. Then an almighty
booming laugh burst from Manzo. The rest of the pirates fell
about too.Jack felt an utter fool. Not only had he failed to defeat
his opponent, he’d made himself a laughing stock.
‘What was that?’ cried Skullface, wiping tears from his eyes.
‘Lame Duck Leaping technique?’
Badly winded, Jack tried to suck in air and clamber to his
feet. Before he’d reached all fours, Manzo seized his ankle.
Jack was spun headlong through the air. He collided into the
mast, pain rocketing through his shoulder.
Dazed and disorientated, Jack lay in a heap at its base. The
next moment he was grabbed by the throat and wrenched
upwards, until his feet were kicking helplessly above the deck.
Spluttering, Jack tried to break the pirate’s hold. But it was
futile. Manzo’s grip was like a vice.
Jack felt the blood pounding in his head and his lungs
started to burn. He glanced over to the cage. Yori was still
performing the Sha mantra. But Miyuki was now bent over
Saburo, fingers clasping his nose, her mouth pressed to his.
She lifted her head, took a deep lungful of air, then blew into
his mouth. She repeated the process and Jack caught the look
of sheer desperation on her face.
He realized both he and Saburo were fighting for their lives,

I1O
neither able to breathe. Jack had to fight back. But, with his
legs flailing off the ground and his breath fast running out,
what could he do against a man as powerful as Manzo?
_ The pirate grinned triumphantly and brought up his right
fist to end it all.
Black spots were dotting Jack’s vision. None of the samurai
techniques Sensei Kyuzo had taught him were ae any
effect. He was out of ideas.
He saw Miyuki look up in“ae at his plight.
‘Eight Leaves Fist!’ she cried and the day Miyuki had shown
him the Sixteen Secret Fists of the ninja flashed before his eyes.
He might have exhausted all his samurai skills, but he still had
a ninja trick or two...
Cupping his hands, Jack used the last of his strength to clap
Manzo either side of the head on his ears. Manzo reeled from
the unexpected ninja attack. His legs buckled and he lurched
to one side, the strike causing complete loss of balance. Releas-
ing Jack, Manzo staggered across the deck as if the ship was
in a ferocious storm.
Jack dropped to the floor, gulping in lungfuls of air. He
rose back to his feet, using the mast for support. Meanwhile,
Manzo had recovered from the shock of the blow. Furious at
being robbed of his victory, he pushed through the pirates and
snatched up a grappling iron lying against the gunwale. The
three spiked hooks attached to the end of the stout wooden
pole were like a vicious bear claw. Used for gaining purchase
on an enemy vessel, the kumode made a deadly weapon and
would rip the guts out of anyone who stood in its way.
Manzo returned to finish off his opponent, but was dumb-
struck to find Jack had disappeared.

BET
 ‘He’s gone aloft!’ shouted Crux.
But Eight Leaves Fist had temporarily deafened Manzo as
well. The pirates had to point to where Jack was escaping to.
Still unsteady on his feet, Manzo used the kumode to help him
climb the mast after Jack.
Returning to familiar territory, Jack’s skills as a rigging
monkey flooded back. He shimmied to the top without effort.
Spreading his arms for balance, he then walked out along the
main spar.
Manzo clambered up to his level. At this height, the mast
swayed like a pendulum. The pirate looked nervous and
uncomfortable. His bulky physique was fine for pulling in
ropes, but totally unsuited for rigging duties.
Clutching on to the mast, Manzo tentatively stepped on to
the spar and slashed with the grappling iron. Jack shuffled
backwards beyond the claw’s reach. Leaning out, Manzo took
another swipe at Jack. The bear claw passed a hair’s breadth
from his bare chest. But Jack had reached the end of the spar.
‘Nowhere to go!’ snarled Manzo.
‘Come and get me then,’ goaded Jack.
Lured by how close he was to winning, Manzo let go of
the mast for a last attack. As he swung the kumode, the ship
rocked to one side and he lost his footing. Arms flailing, Manzo
tumbled through the air. He smashed into the deck below,
buckling the wooden boards. The great man-mountain lay
spread-eagled, groaning briefly before falling unconscious.
The bigger they are, the harder they fall, thought Jack:
The pirates were enraged at the defeat of their champion.
‘Bring me bow and arrows!’ demanded Skullface.
The next moment Skullface had an arrow trained on Jack.

I12
 Jack darted along the spar. He felt a brush of feathers and
heard a soft whoosh as the arrow clipped his arm, drawing a
thin line of blood.
Clinging to the mast, Jack saw more pirates run to fetch
their bows. Skullface’s furious response was now turned into
a game. They nocked their arrows and took aim.
‘First to hit the gaijin earns a jug of saké!’ promised Skull-
face. “Two jugs if you kill him!’
Jack was a sitting target. It would only take a single arrow to
dislodge him and he’d plummet to his death. His choices were
limited. He could jump into the sea — yet even if he survived
the fall, he’d be adrift in open water and where would that
leave Saburo and his friends? Or he could make a leap for the
rigging and slide to the deck. That would certainly be faster
than descending the mast. But he’d still be faced with a gang
of armed pirates.
An arrow skimmed past his nose. Another struck the mast
by his hand.
Deciding he’d at least be able to fight back on deck, Jack
prepared to jump for the rigging. With the ship swaying, it
was a dangerous and daring move. He couldn’t afford to
misjudge the leap . ..
. ‘HOLD YOUR FIRE!’
Captain Kurogumo had appeared on the stern’s upper deck.
Behind him stood Cheng, looking anxiously up at Jack. The
crew lowered their weapons.
“What's all this about?’ demanded the captain.
‘The gaijin was trying to escape,’ explained Skullface.

II4
 Noting the fallen Manzo, Captain Kurogumo glanced up.
‘And where exactly is he escaping to?’
Skullface’s mouth opened then closed. He struggled for a
reply as the captain’s jet-black eyes bored into him.
‘H.... he’s a troublemaker.’
‘He’s a gaijin,’ replied Captain Kurogumo. “And a samurai
that shouldn’t be underestimated. Now lock him back in the
cage.’
Skullface and the other pirates bowed obediently. Turning
to his gang, he ordered, “You heard the captain. Bring him
down, Snakehead.’
“Why me?’ complained the ninja pirate.
‘Because you're a rigger and —
“SUIGUN! cried the lookout on the foremast.
The pirates all froze.
“Where?’ shouted Captain Kurogumo, baring his shark
teeth in displeasure.
‘Sea Samurai to starboard,’ replied the lookout, pointing
towards a nearby island.
From Jack’s perch atop the main mast, he too spieda fleet
charging out of a hidden bay. Its flagship was an immense
atake-bune with a giant golden shell emblazoned upon its main-
sail. The boat was flanked by three smaller seki-bune battleships
and four open-decked kobaya galleys. This had to be the patrol
from Imabari. Judging by their sudden appearance and the
speed of their attack, they’d been lying in wait for the pirates.
‘MAN YOUR STATIONS!’ the captain commanded.
The ninja pirates instantly forgot about Jack as the ship
erupted into furious activity. The Wind Demons raced to their
positions, seizing weapons, donning breastplates and raising

IIS
defences. Black brocade curtains were lined along the gunwales,
fire buckets lit and set upon the deck, muskets primed. In a
matter of moments the unruly pirates were transforming into
a well-drilled fighting machine.
The Sea Samurai surged across the waves, powered by the
thrust of their oars and the wind in their sails. The insistent
beat of the boats’ drums grew louder and more urgent. On
the top decks, Jack saw rows of archers preparing to launch
their first volley.
This was just the opportunity he and his friends had been
praying for. Amid the chaos of battle they could make their
escape. Jack threw himself for the rigging just as the opening
salvo of arrows hailed down — some were on fire, aiming to
set the sails ablaze. Jack caught hold of a rope, swinging in
mid-air, before he wrapped his legs round and slid hand over
hand down to the deck.
With all eyes on the attacking Sea Samurai, Jack picked his
way through the pirates towards the cage. He spotted Manzo’s
kumode lying beside him and snatched it up. Taking the last
few paces at speed, Jack rushed the guard and slammed the
wooden end of the grappling iron into his jaw. Not expecting
an attack from behind, the guard dropped likea felled tree.
As his body thumped to the deck, there was a bloodcurdling
roar. Jack looked up, thinking his escape attempt had been
discovered. But the three seki-bune had closed round the Black
Spider and the Wind Demons were sounding their battle cry.
The air was filled with the crack of muskets, the acrid reek of
gunpowder and the whoosh of flaming arrows. A deep boom
rolled like thunder as a cannon was fired. A moment later, a
huge geyser of water foamed over the bow of the Black Spider.

116
Another deluge of arrows rained on to the deck. Three ninja
pirates cried out as the steel tips found their target.
Several arrows clattered off the bamboo cage, one passing
through and impaling a Korean prisoner in the arm. Inside,
Miyuki and Yori huddled over Saburo’s body. Jack noticed
neither of them were performing Sha and Miyuki had given
up breathing for him.
He was too late!
Jack rammed the bear claw of the kumode into the gate’s
bars. Throwing all his weight against it, he forced the lock
apart and the gate sprang open. He darted over to his friends.
‘Is Saburo . . . dead?’ asked Jack, almost too afraid to utter
the fatal word.
Miyuki turned to him, her face drawn and exhausted. ‘No,
I think he’s over the worst of it . . . but we still need to keep
an eye on him.’
Letting out a sigh of relief, Jack smiled at his incapacitated
friend. Tugging his pilgrim jacket from the bars, he said, “We
have to escape right now. Do you understand?”
Saburo blinked twice.
Miyuki grabbed Jack’s arm. ‘Saburo can’t swim. How do
you expect to get him off the boat?’
‘We tie him to a barrel and tow him.’
‘It’s too dangerous,’ argued Miyuki. “He’s still paralysed. If
he swallows just one mouthful of water, he could drown.’
“We've got no choice. There’s an island nearby. We escape
now ... or die at the Wind Demons’ will —’ An explosion
rocked the boat, wood splintering as a cannonball ripped
through the deck. ‘Or by the hands of the Sea Samurai!’
Arrows peppered the brocade curtains, shredding them and

shy
setting others alight. In the background, the atake-bune loomed
closer, turning its guns broadside.
‘The decision is not for us to make,’ said Yori.
The three of them looked to Saburo.
‘Do you want to swim for it?’ asked Jack.
Two blinks.
 REPEL BOARDERS

Lifting Saburo on to their shoulders, Jack and Miyuki stag-

gered out of the cage. The other prisoners had already fled,
all except the lice-ridden Korean slave.
‘Get out of here while you can,’ urged Jack.
But the Korean merely sat in the corner, picking at the
scraps in the cooking pot and observing the battle. He snig-
gered each time a ninja pirate was wounded or killed.
‘And miss this?’ he cackled. “Revenge never tasted so sweet.’
The atake-bune fired its cannon. The mid-section of the
starboard gunwale exploded in a shower of splintering wood,
bone and flesh. The Korean applauded the destruction.
Leaving the slave to relish the battle’s bloody progress, Jack
and the others stumbied away. Yori was out front, holding the
kumode to fend off any ninja pirates. But the Wind Demons
were all intent upon repelling the Sea Samurai. They were
ditching the burning curtains and firing a barrage of arrows
and musket shot at the enemy ships. Several of the pirates
carried handheld cannon that they rested on the bulwark.
Lighting the fuses, they bombarded an advancing kobaya,
dismembering the samurai crew on-board and sinking the boat.

119
 ‘Hurry!’ urged Jack as one of the seki-bune came alongside
the Black Spider. Its mainsail had been dropped and the mast
lowered to forma bridge on to the pirate ship. But Saburo was
a dead weight, his feet dragging behind as they struggled over
to the barrels on the port side.
Grappling irons were thrown and the Black Spider held fast.
A heavy iron ball bounced on to the deck before them, a short
fuse burning fiercely.
‘TAKE COVERY’ screamed Miyuki, dropping Saburo
beside a pile of coiled ropes and diving on top of him.
Jack and Yori threw themselves next to their friends just as
the horoku bomb detonated. Iron shards tore in all directions,
shredding canvas, timber and pirates alike. As the smoke
cleared, screaming filled the air and a massive hole was blasted
in the deck. Sea Samurai were clambering across the seki-bune’s
bridging mast.
“REPEL BOARDERS!’ cried Captain Kurogumo, who
wielded a fearsome crossbow. He fired off a bolt. It struck the
first samurai in the chest, passing straight through to kill the
samurai behind as well. They both toppled into the sea between
the two boats.
As the captain reloaded, another wave of samurai charged
on to the Black Spider and the Wind Demons engaged them in
brutal hand-to-hand combat. Jack raised his head above the
cover of the ropes, which had been ripped to ribbons by the
horoku’s devastating destruction. The Sea Samurai fought
tooth-and-claw for supremacy of the Black Spider and, as the
Wind Demons were pushed back, the route to the bow became
blocked.
“We need our weapons,’ said Miyuki.

120
 Jack nodded, also aware that he couldn’t jump ship without
his father’s rutter. He saw Cheng rush past with a bucket of
sand to douse a fire taking hold near the mast. Jack ran over
and grabbed the pirate boy.
‘Where are our belongings?’ he demanded.
Shocked to see Jack and his friends free, Cheng hesitated
to reply.
‘Our weapons!’ urged Jack. ‘We just want to escape.’
Looking round at the Wind Demons’ desperate situation,
Cheng came toa decision. ‘In the captain’s cabin. Follow me.’
“Stay there and protect Saburo,’ Jack called to Miyuki and
Yori as he raced after Cheng.
They sprinted towards the ship’s stern, passing Manzo who
sat rubbing his bald head, staring in utter disbelief at the battle
raging around him. Skullface and his gang were embroiled in
a bitter conflict with a unit of Sea Samurai. Although they
were outnumbered, they fought like wild animals, hacking
the invaders to pieces.
Reaching the cabin, Cheng slid open the door andled Jack
down a corridor. inside it was dark and cool, the sounds of
fighting seeming distant as they ran to the far door.
The captain’s cabin was simple and understated. There was
a tatami straw bed in one corner, several seating cushions and
a long, low wooden table. Light filtered in through bamboo
slats and Jack could see his swords and Miyuki’s utility belt
laid out across the table’s surface. Their canvas sack was beside
it on the floor, along with their pilgrim bags. Jack quickly
hunted through them for the rutter. But it wasn’t there.
‘What are you looking for?’ asked Cheng.
‘A logbook,’ replied Jack, his panic rising.

I2I
 ‘Ts this it?’
Jack turned to Cheng, who stood beside the bed. There lay
the rutter, its pages open. The captain had evidently been trying
to decipher it, when he’d heard the commotion on deck earlier.
‘Thank you,’ said Jack, relieved, as Cheng handed him the
logbook.
Wrapping it carefully in its waterproof oilskin, Jack placed
the rutter inside the canvas bag along with all their other
belongings. Jack slipped his swords through his belt and
grabbed his straw hat. Even in the midst of the battle, he didn’t
want to stand out.
‘If any of the crew stop us,’ said Cheng, helping Jack pick
up the bag, ‘I'll say you forced me at knife point.’
Jack nodded and grinned. ‘I was going to anyway!’
Above them, the sound of feet thundered across the upper
deck.
‘Enemy to the stern!’ came a cry, followed by the clash of
swords.
‘We're running out of time,’ said Jack, hurrying down the
corridor.
He and Cheng emerged into the sunlight. The Black Spider
was swarming with samurai. Yet still the Wind Demons fought
on.
‘Summon the dragon!’ ordered Captain Kurogumo, firing
off his last crossbow bolt before drawing his sword to behead
an unfortunate samurai.
The lookout lit the fuse of a black cylinder attached to the
foremast. It sparked, then a bright red flare shot up into the
sky, blazingatrail of smoke that would be seen for miles. Not
wanting to be around when the sea dragon made an appear-

122
ance, Jack ran as fast as he could to Miyuki and the others. He
handed Yori his shakujd and Miyuki her ninjato.
“We can’t fight and hold Saburo,’ said Miyuki.
‘Tl help carry him,’ offered Cheng.
Putting Yori’s staff under Saburo’s arms, Yori and Cheng
managed to lift his inert body off the ground. Jack and Miyuki
drew their swords and began to fight their way through the
confusion of combat. Pirate or samurai, they didn’t care — just
as long as they edged closer to the barrels.
They were almost to the bow, when a fresh unit of Sea
Samurai boarded the Black Spider, forming an impenetrable
barrier of swords and armour. The unit’s commander
confronted Jack, blocking his path with his katana.
‘There’s no escape . . . pirate boy.’
 A PIRATE'S PUNISHMENT

Jack stood, head bowed, on the deck of the atake-bune flagship.

His friends were by his side, Saburo at his feet, immobile but
breathing steadily. The surviving Wind Demons, bloody and
beaten, were next to them — including Captain Kurogumo,
with Skullface and his gang. They were all held in check by a
contingent of samurai guards, armed with spears.
Their situation had gone from bad to worse. Not only had
the Sea Samurai captured them but theybelieved Jack and his
friends to be ninja pirates!
The guards parted to let through a samurai in blue ceremo-
nial armour. The man’s face was stern and his stare as cold as
stone. His cheeks were pinched and he had a pencil-thin mous-
tache that drooped either side of a downturned mouth. On
his head, he wore an ornate helmet with a large golden shell-
crest set upon its peak. And in his right hand, he held a short
stick with a hard brass tip, storm-tossed waves decorating its
surface. .
‘T’m Captain Arashi, commander of daimyo Mori’s naval
forces.’
At this news, there was a sharp intake of breath from several

124
of the pirates. Captain Arashi preened his moustache between
finger and thumb, apparently satisfied with the response. ‘I’m
glad you’ve heard of me — or at least, my reputation. If you
cooperate, it'll make your punishment far swifter . . . although
no less painful.’
He planted the tip of his stick under the jaw of the nearest
Wind Demon, Crux, forcing the pirate to look him in the eye.
“Where’s your pirate base located?’
Crux remained tight-lipped. With crippling speed, Captain
Arashi rammed the brass tip into Crux’s throat. The ninja pirate
staggered backwards, choking loudly and gasping for air.
‘I only ever ask a question once,’ stated Captain Arashi.
‘And I expect a truthful answer.’
Crux glared at the samurai before spitting blood at the man’s
feet.
Captain Arashi shook his head with disappointment. He
turned to two of the guards. ‘Keel-haul this one.’
Crux’s eyes widened in horror as he was seized and his hands
bound behind his back. The two guards dragged him over to
the starboard bulwark. They tied a stout line under his arms
and around his chest. The line had been threaded through a
block hung from the lower yardarm and passed under the ship.
The end of the rope on the port side was fastened to Crux’s
ankles.
‘Hoist him,’ ordered the captain.
The two guards raised Crux off the deck and clear of the
starboard bulwark. As he swung above the water, the other
pirates looked grimly on.
‘May this be a lesson to you all,’ said Captain Arashi, indi-
cating for the guards to let go of the line.

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 Screaming, Crux dropped out of view and plunged into
the sea.
‘Are they drowning him?’ whispered Yori in alarm.
Jack, who'd heard of the punishment of keel-hauling from
other sailors on-board the Alexandria, shook his head. ‘No, it’s
far worse than that.’
The two guards pulled on the line until it went taut. Then,
hand over hand, they hauled in the rope from the opposite
bulwark. At one point, the line appeared to have stuck on the
keel and they needed help to yank it free.
Crux eventually reappeared on the port side . . . or what
was left of him. :
Yori covered his eyes, nearly fainting from shock. Crux’s
body had been dragged across the barnacles on the hull. The
rough shells had grated the skin and flesh from Crux’s stomach,
chest and face. The pirate was completely unrecognizable, his
crucifix tattoo the only remaining clue to his identity. Blood
poured from the open wounds.
‘A fitting punishment for a pirate,’ said Captain Arashi with
satisfaction.
He let the tortured pirate hang there for all to witness the
gruesome fate that awaited them. A spluttering of breath was
heard from Crux’s torn lips. Half-drowned, the ninja pirate
wasn't dead yet.
‘And again!’ said the captain, indifferent to the man’s suffer-
ing.
The Wind Demons stood in sickened silence as their fellow
pirate was hauled under the ship once more. This time, all that
emerged from the sea was a ragged carcass of lifeless flesh.
Captain Arashi approached the next Wind Demon in line.

126
 “Where’s your pirate base located?’
Despite the grisly threat hanging from the yardarm, the
pirate didn’t answer. It became apparent to Jack that the Wind
Demons must have their own code of honour. Like bushido or
ninniku, these men had made an unbreakable oath that bound
them to silence, even in the face of torture and death.
‘Cut off his hands,’ ordered Captain Arashi, his patience at
an end.
A samurai stepped forward, katana drawn. ‘Hold out your
arms.’
The pirate refused, so another guard forced his limbs into
position. The katana’s steel blade flashed through the air; the
punishment over in the blink of an eye. Two soft fleshy lumps
thudded on to the deck. A second later, the pirate began
shrieking in agony, clutching his bloody stumps to his chest.
‘He’s bleeding all over my ship,’ complained the captain.
‘Throw him to the sharks.’
Jack was starting to reel from the sadistic brutality of
Captain Arashi. The Sea Samurai were proving as cruel and
heartless as the Wind Demons. Jack held out little hope that
the captain would show either him or his friends a single ounce
of mercy.
A third pirate refusing to answer was pulled from the line
and bound, shirtless, to the mast. A muscular samurai held a
short rope of nine waxed cords, each with a small knot in the
end.
‘One hundred lashes,’ commanded Captain Arashi.
Jack gasped. That number was a death sentence.
The samurai commenced the flogging and the pirate
screamed as the knotted rope whipped across his bare back and

127
tore into his skin. By the time four dozen lashes had been
inflicted, the pirate’s back resembled raw meat.
Yet still the punishment continued... 49...50... 51...
Cees
The flesh became mangled and the pirate hung limp from
his bindings.
WT ERE Sa ee Ores
The pirate no longer screamed. Flogged to death.
Captain Arashi approached Yori, who stood trembling
before him. ‘I hope you won't need persuasion, little one.’
Yori looked up with fearful eyes. “But we're not pirates.
We're samurai!’
Captain Arashi raised an eyebrow in amusement. ‘I haven't
heard that one before.’
‘It’s the truth. We were held prisoners by the Wind
Demons.’
‘I only have your word for that. Why should I believe you?
My commanding officer informs me that you were fighting
his men.’
“We were only trying to escape from the pirates’ ship.’
Captain Arashi backhanded Yori across the jaw. ‘I despise
people who lie.’
“We're not lying,’ pleaded Yori, a thin stream of blood
running from the corner of his mouth. “We'd been on a
pilgrimage to Shikoku Island when our boat was attacked . . .”
Captain Arashi ignored him and glanced down at Saburo.
“What's the matter with him?’
‘Poisoned by the pirates,’ replied Miyuki.
The captain snorted. “Quick answer, young girl, but don’t
think that will convince me of your innocence.’ He kicked

128
Saburo’s prone body and got no reaction. “Throw this corpse
overboard too.’
‘NO! He’s only paralysed!’ protested Jack from beneath his
hat.
Captain Arashi’s eyes narrowed. He stepped over Saburo
to confront the straw-hatted pirate boy. Putting his stick’s brass
tip to the brim, he pushed the hat clear of Jack’s face.
‘By all the storms in the sea, I never expected to lay eyes
on you!’
 THE BILGE

‘The Shogun will bestow great fortune upon us for capturing

the gaijin samurai,’ Captain Arashi declared to his crew. He
reassessed the group of five before him. “Take them below and
put them under guard. Set sail for Imabari; I want us there by
the morning.’
Jack and his friends were separated from the Wind Demons.
Cheng was assumed to be one of them and the pirate boy didn’t
argue when a guard ordered him to help Miyuki carry Saburo.
He preferred to take his chances as a wanted samurai rather
than a condemned pirate.
A unit of guards escorted them below deck. The interior
of the atake-bune was gloomy, lit only by a few oil lamps and
the diamond-shaped shafts of sunlight that seeped through
the loopholes and gun ports. The first and second decks were
dedicated to battle. A number of cannon lined each side,
although Jack observed that none matched the European artil-
lery in terms of size or power. The Sea Samurai appeared to
depend upon small-arms’ fire — arrows, bows, muskets and
ammunition were neatly stacked beside each loophole. The
samurai themselves sat in groups, recovering from the exer-

130
tions of combat, some nursing wounds. They looked up in
curiosity as Jack and the others were marched down the steps.
The stale smell of sweat struck their nostrils on the next
deck. Eighty bare-chested men stood beside two rows of
yuloh-style oars. The large heavy sculls were pivoted on a pin
and counterbalanced by a rope running from the underside
of the handle to the wooden floor. At the far end a large
round drum hung from the ceiling. The captain’s command
to set sail was given and a man started to pound out a heavy
rhythm. The oarsmen grunted and groaned as they pushed
and pulled on the massive roped oars, their muscles straining
to propel the immense battleship through the water. From
a standing start, the atake-bune slowly yet steadily picked up
speed.
The deck beneath was given over to storage. Gunpowder,
cannonballs, grappling irons, spears and other weaponry were
stockpiled towards the stern. Spare ropes, sailcloth, wood and
repair materials were stowed in the bow. In between, bales of
rice, barrels of fresh water and other provisions were packed
to the low rafters. Having to stoop as they passed through,
Jack spotted their canvas bag and his red-handled swords
among the pile of confiscated weapons from the pirates. He
prayed the rutter was still safely hidden inside the bag.
‘Keep moving!’ said the guard, prodding Jack with his spear.
Ushered towards a set of rickety wooden steps, Jack
descended with the others into the very bowels of the ship.
Here in the dingy bilge — only a single oil lamp for light — a
dank mildew smell filled the air. Their feet sloshed into knee-
deep grimy water. As their eyes adjusted to the dark, Jack
could make out a large wooden grille that separated the

131
square-ended bow from the rest of the ship. One of the guards
unlocked a small door.
‘T hope you'll be comfortable during your stay! "he laughed.
The other guards grunted their amusement as they shoved
Jack and his friends into the slimy confines of the ship’s
on-board prison. Miyuki and Cheng lost their footing on the
slick deck and Saburo fell face first in the water. Jack rushed
to pull his friend out before he drowned. Rolling him on his
back, he dragged Saburo to the side, propped up his head and
wiped the putrid water from his face.
‘Are you all right?’ asked Jack.
Saburo didn’t blink.
Jack shook him. ‘Saburo! Are you —’
“Yesssss,’ came the faintest of replies, no more than a breath.
Jack smiled with relief and held his friend close.
Bedraggled and dripping wet, Miyuki and Cheng got back
to their feet.
‘No thanks to them,’ spat Miyuki, glaring at the guards as
they locked the door. Two remained behind to keep watch
over their charges, sitting on the steps to avoid the noxious
bilge-water.
Jack and his friends didn’t have that luxury. They were
forced to crouch in the darkness and sludge. Yori discovered
a narrow ledge and they laid Saburo along it. He was still
unable to move, yet the fact that he’d spoken gave them hope.
But the cold dank prison was no place for him to recover.
Jack took off his jacket, placing it over his friend in an attempt
to keep him warm, while Miyuki quietly resumed her Sha
healing.
From far off, a bloodcurdling scream was heard.

132
 ‘Sounds like the captain’s boiling that pirate alive!’ laughed
one of the guards.
Cheng winced at their cruel jibe. ‘Not having arrived at the
Yellow River, the heart is not dead,’ he whispered to himself.
“What did you say?’ asked Jack.
‘It’s a Chinese proverb,’ explained Cheng, sitting on his
haunches beside him. ‘It means only when there is no road left
should we feel despair. And, because of you, I’ve escaped the
fate of my fellow pirates.’
‘Don’t thank me yet,’ said Jack. “Our road is almost running
out too.’
He studied Cheng and noticed something odd. “Why don’t
you have aspider tattoo like the other Wind Demons?’
Cheng self-consciously touched his neck and looked embar-
rassed. ‘I haven’t earned my right to one yet. Any Wind Demon
must prove themselves ona raid first — either by killing, steal-
ing or saving another pirate’s life. I suppose now, I won't ever
get my tattoo.’
‘But why would you want to become a pirate?’ asked Yori,
appalled by the idea.
Cheng’s brow furrowed. ‘In my village, nothing ever
happened — except for never having enough rice to eat. And
the pirates always seemed to have food. Every time I visited
Penglai port, I heard their tales of adventure, riches and foreign
lands — it sounded so exciting!’
Cheng looked round at their dismal prison with its scurry-
ing rats and foul stench. “This is not how I imagined the life
ofa pirate.’
 HULLED

Jack guessed that night had fallen. There were no windows or

portholes in the bilge. The only indication of their progress
across the Seto Sea was the creaking of the ship, the splash of
the oars and the grunts of the rowers. The tortured screams
from the top deck had stopped some time back: either Captain
Arashi had obtained his answer . . . or the Wind Demons were
all dead.
Jack realized he and his friends were on course to meet the
same fate. When the atake-bune docked at Imabari in the morn-
ing, they would be delivered into the hands of daimyo Mori.
The ruthless sea lord would have the means to transport them
direct to Edo where the Shogun resided. Once there, their
lives would no doubt be brought to a swift end.
- Yet only the day before, the four of them were sailing
south to Nagasaki and freedom. Aside from a dishonest
captain, little had stood in their way. Now all their hopes had
been dashed by a combination of vicious ninja pirates and
cruel Sea Samurai.
‘Look! Saburo’s wiggling his toes!’ cried Yori in delight.
Jack saw them move too. Pleased as he was at the news, his

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smile was tinged with sadness. His friend was coming back
from the brink only to face a death sentence from the Shogun.
“Well done, Miyuki,’ said Jack, laying a hand upon her
shoulder. ‘Only your ninja skills could have saved him.’
Completing her chant, Miyuki lay back against the hull,
rubbing her temples. She was too exhausted to reply, the
intense healing having taken its toll.
‘Water,’ Saburo wheezed through dry cracked lips.
Yori ran to the wooden grille and called to the guards. “We
need food and water.’
‘Drink what’s at your feet,’ snarled one of the guards, barely
bothering to look up.
Yori glanced in revulsion at the scum floating over the
brackish water. He thought for a moment then worded his
reply carefully. “Your captain needs us alive for the Shogun.
If you let one of us die, I’m sure he'll be most displeased with
you. And we all know what punishments await those who
displease the captain.’
The two guards exchanged an uncertain look. Huffing in
irritation, the first guard got to his feet and disappeared up the
steps. He returned with a jug and a bowl of cold rice. Open-
ing a small hatch in the grille, he passed the vital supplies to
Yori.
‘That’s your lot,’ said the guard, slamming the hatch shut.
Handing Cheng the rice, Yori lifted the water jug to Sabu-
ro’s lips while Jack supported his head. Saburo swallowed
eagerly. He even managed a mouthful of rice. The combina-
tion was enough to return some colour to his cheeks.
‘Thank you,’ he said. His eyes flicked to Miyuki. ‘I owe
you my life.’

135
 ‘That must be the first time a samurai has said that to a ninja!’
she replied with a fatigued grin.
As the five of them shared their meagre meal, Jack contem-
plated how they could break out. But their predicament
appeared even more hopeless than in the pirate cage. The
wooden grille was solid, the iron lock unbreakable, and the
guards too far away to subdue. And once in Imabari, surrounded
by a garrison of samurai, escape would be all but impossible.
‘I should have gone on alone,’ said Jack, looking regretfully
round at his friends. ‘It’s my fault you're in this mess.’
‘It was our choice,’ Miyuki reminded him. ‘We knew the
risks.’
‘But you'd have been safe at home by now. Not trapped in
this hell-hole.’
‘It’s better to be in chains with friends,’ said Yori, ‘than to
be in a garden with strangers.’
Jack sighed. Yori always had an answer. ‘How did I ever
deserve such good friends as —
‘Listen!’ interrupted Miyuki, suddenly alert.
Jack and the others fell silent.
‘I thought I heard the sound of gunfire —’
The distinctive crack of a musket rang out, followed by
panicked shouts and urgent commands. Above, the beat of the
drum grew more insistent and Jack sensed a change in course.
“What's happening?’ asked Yori.
Jack was about to reply when the outer hull imploded.
Timber shattered apart and a dragon’s face, twisted and scarred
with hooked teeth and blood-red eyes, blasted into the bilge.
The whole boat jarred under the impact. The two guards
shrieked in terror as they were hurled from the steps. Jack and

136
the others were thrown to the floor. By the time they found
their feet, the dragon had disappeared and seawater gushed
through the breach in the hull. The two guards scrambled up
the steps as the bilge flooded.
‘Don't leave us here!’ cried Cheng, pulling futilely at the
grille.
The water level rose around them, while above the thunder
of cannon and musket fire filled the air. The atake-bune shud-
dered again, keeling to one side.
Jack front-kicked the prison door. His leg jarred against the
unyielding grille.
‘Let me try,’ said Miyuki. She targeted the lock. But that
held firm too. She bent to examine it. ‘Maybe I could pick the
lock. But I need something thin and pointed.’
They frantically began to search the prison for a loose nail
or anything that would serve as a pick. But in the darkness of
the bilge, they came up with nothing. The water level contin-
ued to rise. It flowed over the ridge where Saburo lay and
Cheng quickly sat him up. Jack’s pilgrim jacket floated away.
Grabbing it, Jack felt Akiko’s pearl under the lapel.
‘Here!’ said Jack, passing Miyuki the pearl with its golden
pin fastening.
Miyuki waded through the water to the grille and began
to jiggle the lock. All the time, the sea flooded in through the
gaping hole.
Jack and Cheng had to stand Saburo on his feet.
‘Ican ... move my fingers,’ said Saburo, his lips managing
a lopsided smile. .
‘Let’s hope you can float too!’ replied Jack, struggling to
keep his friend upright.

137
 The water was now chest high and rising. Yori was on his
tiptoes. Still Miyuki struggled with the lock.
‘The gold’s too soft . . . it keeps bending . . .’
She ducked beneath the surface. Yori began to tread water.
There was barely a head’s height between the sea and the bilge
ceiling. Saburo spluttered as he struggled to hold his chin up.
“We're all going to drown!’ cried Cheng.
In the confines of the bilge, the water lapped at their mouths.
Miyuki still hadn’t surfaced and their air supply was fast
running out. The atake-bune shook with another explosion.
“Yori . . . hold Saburo’s head up,’ gasped Jack. ‘I’ll find
Miyuki.’
Struggling to stay afloat himself, Yori managed to get a
footing on the narrow ledge and support their friend. Jack
took several deep lungfuls of air, then dived. Peering
through the murky waters, he spotted a dark shadow against
the grille. Miyuki, her feet wedged against a beam, was
pushing with all her might at the door. Joining her, Jack
could see a piece of timber from the hull had wedged itself
across the entrance. Miyuki signed to him that the grille
was unlocked. Together they put their weight against it.
The door stayed jammed shut. They tried once more. It gave
a fraction. They kept pushing. Jack felt his lungs burn with
the effort and he could only imagine Miyuki’s desperate
need for air.
Little by little, the door edged open .. . until there was
enough space for Miyuki to slip through. Swimming to the

139
other side, she pulled the obstruction away. The door swung
clear.
Jack headed back to their stranded friends, while Miyuki,
on the verge of drowning, clawed her way up the steps to the
hold. Jack found Yori, Cheng and Saburo squeezed into the
last pocket of air.
‘Follow me!’ he cried, and the four of them half-swam,
half-crawled through the flooded bilge, Jack and Cheng drag-
ging the semi-paralysed Saburo behind them. They scrambled
up the steps and burst to the water’s surface. Miyuki was there
to greet them and heaved Saburo on to the hold’s deck. He
lay there, panting, like a beached whale. Jack and the others
clambered out next to him.
‘We all owe you our lives now, Miyuki,’ said Jack.
Miyuki laughed. ‘Perhaps you'll forgive me for this then?’
Shepassed Jack the black pearl with its gold fastening, twisted
and bent beyond repair.
‘T’ll forgive you anything if we escape this ship,’ said Jack,
pocketing the pearl.
From above, the clash of swords and the screams of dying
men resounded throughout the vessel. The blast of cannon
and musket fire assaulted their ears. But even through this
barrage Jack noticed the oarsmen’s drum was no longer beat-
ing, as if the very heart of the atake-bune had been ripped out.
“Sounds like we'll have to fight our way out,’ said Jack,
struggling to his feet on the listing deck.
He ran over to their canvas bag. Inside were their clothes,
pilgrim bags and —to his great relief — the rutter. Jack seized
his red-handled swords from the pile of confiscated pirate
weapons. Miyuki found her ninjaté and utility belt, tying it

140
round her waist. Cheng rifled through the weapons, selecting
a vicious-looking knife and a short sword. Easily spotting his
shakujo, Yori then searched for Saburo’s swords. He put them
inside the canvas bag before fastening it shut.
“We head straight for the top deck and jump ship,’ instructed
Jack.
“What about Saburo?’ asked Yori.
‘I noticed a rowing boat hanging near the stern. If it’s still
there, then we cut it loose and make for the nearest island.’
Nodding their agreement, Yori and Cheng once again
carried Saburo between them. Miyuki drew her ninjatd, ready
to beat a path through the Sea Samurai. Holding his katana in
one hand, Jack grabbed the canvas bag with the other. ‘Let’s
gol’
As they climbed the steps, the deck above exploded in a
flash of fire and flaming debris. All five of them were blown
off their feet and sent hurtling back into the hold. The ceiling
caved in, extinguishing all light. Jack felt a sharp pain across
his brow and the warm rush of blood as he fell to the floor.
Clamping a hand to his head to stem the bleeding, he
shouted into the darkness, “Yori? Miyuki? Is everyone all
right?”
Dazed groans answered his call.
A flickering orange light returned to reveal a hold full of
smoke and dust.
Yori, Cheng and Saburo were in a heap among the ropes
and sailcloth. Miyuki had landed on the rice bales. It had just
been Jack’s bad luck that his head hit the wooden water barrels.
The gash didn’t feel too bad, but they were all scratched and
bleeding from splinters of blasted timber.

I4I
 ‘What now?’ asked Cheng, looking in dismay at the
destroyed steps.
Their way out was completely blocked by wreckage. Water
swirled at their feet. The ship was sinking fast.
Jack glanced back at the hatch to the bilge. "We swim
through the hole in the hull.’
‘But what about the dragon?’ asked Yori in horror.
‘We don’t have any other option,’ replied Jack, retrieving
his katana as the light in the hold blazed brighter.
‘I'd rather take my chances with a dragon than this ship,’
said Miyuki. She pointed to the fire spreading through the
wreckage towards the stocks of gunpowder in the bow.
Jack handed Yori the canvas bag, then pulled Saburo over
to the hatch.
“Take several slow deep breaths,’ he said, giving Saburo and
Yori a crash course in ninja breathing techniques. “Clear your
lungs completely, then suck in a large gulp of air and hold it.’
Saburo nodded. As soon as he’d taken his last big breath,
Jack dragged him into the swirling water, the others following
close behind. The blaze of the fire lit up the bilge and Jack
easily spotted the hull’s gaping hole, black and jagged like the
mouth of a shark.
Miyuki swam through first, Cheng right behind her. Yori
was next. He briefly struggled with the canvas bag, which had
air trapped inside and was acting like a float. As it cleared the
hull, Yori shot up like a cork. Slowed by Saburo’s bulk, Jack
was last and had to kick hard. With his arms round his friend’s
chest, they made it through the hole. Then Saburo stopped
with a jolt. Their eyes met in panic. Jack yanked on his friend,
but to no avail.

142
 Looking down, he saw Saburo’s breeches had snagged on
the serrated edge of the hole. Jack tugged again. After the third
wrench, the cloth finally tore free. But the mistake had cost
them precious time and energy. Jack pumped his legs, praying
for the surface before they ran out of breath. The darkness of
night meant he couldn’t tell how much further there was to
go. Then their heads cleared the water and Jack immediately
wished they hadn't. They’d surfaced in the middle of a fero-
cious sea battle. Captain Arashi’s fleet was being torn apart by
a fire-breathing dragon, the flames from his burning ships
flickering a hellish orange glow across the Seto Sea.
The dragon charged straight over a kobaya in its path, split-
ting the smaller boat in half and crushing its crew. One of the
surviving seki-bune fired off a cannon. But the iron ball merely
bounced off the spiked back of the beast. The dragon roared
flame in retaliation, setting fire to the battleship’s mainsail
along with several of the crew. Screaming, the Sea Samurai
threw themselves overboard, tumbling like human comets
into the water.
As Jack fought to keep Saburo above the surface, dead and
dismembered bodies of other Sea Samurai washed past.
‘Jack! cried Miyuki, swimming over with Yori and Cheng
in tow.
Yori was hanging on to the canvas bag and his staff for dear
life.
‘We... need ...a boat,’ gasped Jack, Saburo’s dead weight
slowly slipping from his grasp.
‘Look there!’ cried Cheng, pointing to wreckage from the
kobaya.
A section of deck drifted near and Miyuki grabbed hold.

143
Clambering on to the makeshift raft, she hauled Saburo to
safety, then helped the others. They all collapsed with exhaus-
tion. Unguided and unpowered, the raft was tossed on the
waves.
Mercifully, they drifted away from the atake-bune just
before it exploded, the Seto Sea swallowing the great battle-
ship whole.
Jack felt the warmth of the morning sun on his face and heard
the gentle lap of waves. Opening his eyes, he discovered his
friends sprawled across the raft, fast asleep. Yori was curled
round the canvas bag in the middle, with Saburo propped
against him.
Sitting up, Jack inspected the splintered section of deck that
had saved their lives. Rectangular with the main beams
beneath, the raft was buoyant and large enough to hold them
all. But their weight made it unstable and even the smallest
waves threatened to capsize them.
Surveying the horizon, Jack’s hopes rose . . . then fell. None
of the devastation from the previous night was visible and no
samurai or pirate ships pursued them. But now the Seto Sea
stretched unbroken in all directions. With no land in sight, he
guessed their raft had been caught in an outgoing tidal current
—which meant they could be drifting into the vast and danger-
ous expanse of the Pacific Ocean. Glancing up at the sun,Jack
tried to calculate the direction they were heading in. But, with-
out any landmark to judge their progress by, it was impossible
to tell. And since he wasn’t familiar with these waters, even if

145
he could establish a bearing, he wouldn’t know whether their
current course was a good or bad thing. He shook Cheng and
the others awake.
‘Where are we?’ asked Saburo, groggily sitting up.
Jack stared in amazement at his friend.
‘What?’ said Saburo, blinking and wiping his eyes.
“You're better!’
Saburo gave a pained smile as he rubbed a stiff shoulder. ‘I
wouldn’t say that. I feel like twenty sumo wrestlers have
jumped on my bones. My muscles burn every time I move.’
‘Those symptoms will fade in a few hours,’ explained
Miyuki, also glad to see their friend on the road to recovery.
‘All you need now is water, food and rest.’
Saburo’s eyes lit up at the mention of food. ‘I’m famished!
What do we have to eat?’
- Jack laughed. “You almost died from eating fugu! And the
first thing you think about is food!’
“Well, I don’t want to die of starvation,’ said Saburo seri-
ously.
“We should still have some rice,’ said Yori, opening the
canvas bag. His face dropped and he began to dig deeper. ‘Oh,
no... it’s all gone.’
‘Everything?’ enquired Jack, fearing for the rutter.
“No, just our food. Someone must have taken it.’
“What about water?’
Yori held up a cracked empty gourd. “Two are broken; the
others are missing. We must have lost them during our escape.’
"Then we need to find land as soon as possible,’ urged Jack,
realizing their situation had become perilous. ‘Now ..
Captain Arashi gave orders to head back to Imabari. Before

146
 that, the pirates caught us maybe half a day’s sail south-west
of Omishima Island and then the Black Spider took a southern
' tack for most of the day. Since the dragon attack, we’ve been
adrift half the night . .. Cheng, do you have any idea where
we might be?’
Cheng shook his head apologetically. ‘I joined the Wind
Demons barely a month ago. This is the first time I’ve sailed
the Seto Sea.’
Jack bit his lip in frustration. They were well and truly lost.
With no food, no water and no idea in which direction land
lay, their chances of survival were very slim indeed. He tried
not to despair.
“There are hundreds of islands in the Seto Sea,’ said Yori
hopefully. “We’re bound to come across one soon.’
Although Jack wasn’t about to give up, he couldn't share
Yori’s optimism. Being at sea level, he knew they only needed
to be a few miles offshore before the coastline disappeared
below the horizon. They could be passing an island and salva-
tion right now and never know about it.
‘One of us needs to stand lookout at all times,’ said Jack
decisively. “Without sail or oar, we’re at the mercy of the
currents, so if we spot land, we may have to swim for it.’
‘T’ll take first watch,’ Cheng offered.
The raft rocked as the pirate boy gingerly got to his feet.
Shading his eyes, he began to sweep the horizon for any islands.
‘Keep an eye open for boats too,’ advised Miyuki. ‘Fishing
ones preferably. We don’t want to be saved by pirates or Sea
Samurai!’
‘And look out for drifting wood, stationary clouds or birds,’
added Jack. ‘They all indicate land. Especially birds. At dusk

147
they tend to fly towards the shore. And if there’s a roosting
site near, we may even hear their cries.’
Cheng nodded and resumed his search.
‘Dusk?’ questioned Saburo, his expression troubled. ‘But
it’s still only morning.’
Jack nodded gravely. ‘It could be a while before we get
lucky. So we need to be prepared for a long voyage. What else
is left in the bag?”
Yori had a hunt through. ‘Our samurai clothes, our packs,
the pilgrim bags, your rutter and Saburo’s swords.’
Jack looked down at the ragged remains of his pilgrim
outfit. There was little point in changing clothes until they
reached dry land, but they needed to protect themselves from
the sun.
‘Put our belongings in the packs, then tie them to the raft,’
instructed Jack. “We can make a shelter with the canvas bag.
It may be spring, but that sun will soon burn out here on the
water.’
Yori got to work, happy to be guided by Jack’s seafaring
expertise rather than think about their dire situation. Jack
found a loose piece of wood from the raft’s edge to act as a
supporting strut and wedged it in between the planks. Driving
the steel tip of her ninjato into the deck, Miyuki used this as a
second strut. Together, they erected the makeshift shelter and
helped Saburo into its shade.
“We still have our weapons,’ said Miyuki, pullinga straight-
spiked shuriken from her utility belt. “With Yori’s staff, I could
make afishing spear.’
‘Good idea,’ said Jack. “Then at least we might catch some
food.’

148
 ‘But what are we going to drink?’ asked Yori. “We can’t use
seawater.’
“The canvas is ready for when it rains. That'll be our only
source.
They looked up into the sky. It was crystal blue and cloud-
less.
“We might be waiting a long time,’ said Saburo glumly.

The sun had reached its zenith and was beating down relent-
lessly upon the raft. The canvas bag did little to alleviate the
scorching heat and the shade it offered was only large enough
to accommodate two people. The others had to sit in the sun’s
full glare, their discomfort compounded as the salt water dried
and cracked their skin. Already weak from their imprisonment,
their exposure quickened the debilitating effects of thirst and
hunger. As time went on, the five friends became more listless
and a growing sense of desperation spread among them.
So far there had been no sight of land or any other ships.
Jack worried that the raft had floated out of the tidal current
and was no longer drifting in any particular direction. Or
worse, they were in the Pacific Ocean and beyond saving.
Miyuki crouched at the edge of the deck, spear in hand.
She hadn’t moved for over an hour, waiting with dogged
determination for afish to swim by. A school of tiny blue ones
fitted beneath the shadow of the raft, but none offered a real-
istic catch.
‘Can’t we make a sail from this canvas?’ suggested Cheng.
‘The raft is too unstable,’ replied Jack. ‘One wild gust and
we'd capsize. We could cut paddles from the decking, but we
have to be careful not to weaken the raft’s structure —’

149
 All of a sudden, Miyuki lunged. There was a splash followed
by a shimmer of silver in the air.
~*Got one!’ she cried in delight.
Miyuki pinned her catch to the deck, where it flapped and
struggled. She gave another twist to the spear and the fish fell
still. Prising it from the shuriken spike, she offered her catch
to the others. “Who’s hungry then?’
Saburo automatically reached out, then stopped himself.
‘Do you think it’s poisonous?’
Cheng shook his head. “No, it’s a yellowtail. Very tasty. We
can also drink the fish.’
They all looked at the pirate boy dubiously.
‘Let me show you,’ he said, taking the yellowtail from
Miyuki’s hands.
Putting his lips to the fish’s eyeball, he sucked hard. They
heard a squelching pop as it burst and then saw Cheng swal-
low.
‘That’s disgusting!’ exclaimed Saburo, his appetite suddenly
gone.
“You can also drink the fluid along the spine,’ said Cheng,
before offering the other eye to Jack.
Driven by thirst, Jack clamped his mouth over the slimy
eye and sucked.
 ALBATROSS

Over the course of the afternoon, Miyuki managed to spear

another two yellowtails. Using his knife, Cheng cut the three
fish carefully in half before presenting them to Yori, Saburo
and Miyuki to drink from their spines. The fluid would ensure
everyone's survival that day, but wasn’t enough to quench
their thirst. The soft pink flesh of the fish, though, more than
satisfied their hunger.
With their bellies full, their spirits rose a little and Yori
eagerly took up position as lookout, determined to spot an
island. But the promise of land remained as elusive as ever, their
raft bobbing over the water and seemingly going nowhere.
With Cheng’s knife, Jack crafted a crude pair of thin-bladed
paddles from a piece of broken decking. But, until they knew
for certain which direction to head in, the paddles wouldn't
be of much use.
‘I think I saw something!’ Yori cried, pointing to a patch
of sea off their stern. But his voice was one of panic, not relief.
“What was it?’ asked Jack.
‘I... don’t know,’ he replied. ‘It was big and black . . . like
a dragon...’

I§1
 All eyes now watched the waters surrounding them. Their
sense of vulnerability became starkly apparent —a tiny defence-
less raft stuck in the middle of the sea, with nothing between
them and the monsters of the deep. Danger lurked in every
wave, fear in every ripple.
‘Over there!’ shouted Miyuki.
A dark mass, twenty times the size of their ai breached
the surface off their starboard side. A fountain of seawater
spouted into the air, accompanied by a large snort. Anda single
black eye regarded them with keen interest.
Miyuki wielded her fishing spear to fend off the beast. Yori
clung to Jack in terror.
‘Don’t worry,’ said Jack. ‘It’s just a humpback whale. It
won't attack us.’
‘I’ve never seen an animal so huge,’ Saburo breathed in awe.
The humpback circled the raft, but didn’t approach any
closer.
‘It seems to be . . . studying us,’ said Yori, his fear giving
way to curiosity and admiration.
The whale slapped the water with a pectoral fin, sending a
shower of spray over the raft. Jack and the others were
drenched. Sheltered beneath the canvas bag, Saburo escaped
the soaking and laughed. ‘Or else it’s looking for a water fight!’
_ Then with slow grace the whale arched its back and dived,
its fluked tail rising into the air as if waving farewell before
slipping beneath the surface. For a moment no one said
anything, stunned by their encounter with this benign crea-
ture.
Their silence was disturbed by the screech of a seabird. Jack
looked up. A white-feathered albatross glided effortlessly over-

1§2
head. Such birds were believed to be the souls oflost sailors
and to kill one was bad luck. But its sighting now was a stroke
of fortune. The albatross was taking a westerly course. Jack
and the others immediately began to scan the horizon.
‘Birds mean land,’ said Yori excitedly, shading his eyes
against the bright glare of the sun. ‘So where is it?’
The shimmering sea yielded up nothing but a distant haze.
Jack knew the albatross was a long-distance forager and could
fly many miles out from land. But it was late afternoon, so the
sighting offered hope. And inasituation as desperate as theirs,
hope might be the only thing that carried them through their
ordeal.
‘It must be just beyond the horizon,’ said Jack, picking up
the makeshift paddles and handing one to Cheng. “There’s
only one way to find out.’
Kneeling either side of the raft, they began paddling west-
ward while Miyuki and Yori maintained a lookout.
The albatross flew on ahead until it was no more than a
speck in the sky.
They rowed after it, swapping with the others when they
became tired or their hands too raw. Without any landmarks,
it was impossible to tell if they were making headway or just
fighting against the tide. But the act of paddling made them
all feel as if they were taking charge of their own destiny.
The sun dropped lower in the sky, its rays turning the water
golden until it glimmered like silk. But still the sea stretched
on. If they didn’t spot land before sundown, they’d be faced
with trying to survive the night. Not only would they have
to cope with the chilling cold and their mounting thirst but
in the dark they might pass by their only salvation.

153
 Jack dug his paddle in, focusing on his rhythm. His shoul-
ders ached and his palms were blistered. On the other side,
Saburo grunted as he fought the pain searing through his
muscles. They’d tried to dissuade him from rowing, but he
was determined to help. Yori sat in the shade of the canvas,
nauseous and dizzy from overexposure to the sun. Jack had a
blinding headache, but did his best to ignore it. They had to
row on. It was all they could do.
Cheng laid a hand upon his shoulder. “Let me take over,’
he said, seeing Jack sway with exhaustion.
Jack shook his head, knowing the pirate boy was equally
tired. ‘I can keep goingalittle longer —’
‘Land!’ cried Miyuki, her voice cracked and parched.
Jack stood. He couldn’t see anything, but Miyuki’s sharp
eyes glimpsed the rise of an island on the horizon. With a
renewed burst of energy, Jack and Saburo started paddling
again.
‘I can see it too!’ shouted Cheng.
Gradually the dark outline of a peak grew against the sky.
Several seabirds circled above, calling out as if beckoning them
towards the safety of shore. With every pull of their paddles,
the raft floated nearer to land. But Jack became aware that they
were approaching far faster than was possible simply by
rowing. The raft was caught in another current.
This was good news .. . until Jack realized that it was sweep-
ing them beyond the island. At this speed, however hard they
paddled, they wouldn’t be able to break away from its drag.
“We're going to miss the shore!’ he exclaimed in alarm.
“Miyuki! Cheng! We have to swim for it.’
The three of them jumped into the water, leaving Yori and

154
Saburo to keep paddling. Holding on to the raft’s stern, they
began kicking as hard as they could.
The combined power of feet and paddle drove them across
the tugging current. To their immense relief, the island drew
steadily closer, with their raft on a direct course for a sandy
cove.
‘Not far now!’ encouraged Yori, paddling for all he was
worth.
They were going to make it . . . then Jack spotted the
distinctive shape of a grey dorsal fin rising out of the water.
 WHITE DEATH

‘SHARK"’ cried Jack, kicking harder for the shore.

Miyuki and Cheng pumped their legs too. Yori and Saburo
paddled frantically. But they were still far from the safety of the
cove. The fin cut through the water towards them. There was
little hope of out-swimming the shark. Yet if they stopped now,
the raft would drift past the island and back out into open sea.
‘FASTER!’ urged Miyuki, glancing over her shoulder at
the approaching fin.
Then the shark disappeared.
‘It’s gone,’ said Saburo with relief.
“But where’s it gone?’ Cheng panted, looking round in panic.
‘Get out of the water!’ cried Yori, ditching his oar and
putting out his hand to pull them on-board.
- The three of them scrambled on to the raft. As Jack lifted
himself out, the plank beneath him snapped and he felt his
heart lurch as he fell back into the sea. His head went under.
The swirl of water filled his ears. He sensed the malicious shark
coursing straight for him. Bursting to the surface, he flailed
for the edge of the raft. Yori and Miyuki seized his outstretched
arms and yanked him on to the deck.

156
 ‘Stop paddling,’ spluttered Jack to Saburo.
‘But the island —’
‘The shark’s attracted to the splashing.’
Saburo immediately stopped.
The five of them huddled in the middle of the flimsy raft,
the waves lapping around its sides. A foreboding silence
descended. No one dared breathe, their eyes fixed on the
rippling surface of the sea. A slate-grey shape with a pointed
snout slid beneath them. Jack shuddered at the sight, feeling
his blood run cold. The shark was at least double the raft’s
length.
They waited for the inevitable attack, all the time their raft
slowly drifting further from the cove.
‘Let’s make a swim for it,’ said Miyuki. ‘Before it’s too late.’
Jack shook his head. ‘If we do, one or more of us will surely
die.’
“Maybe that’s the sacrifice we have to make to save ourselves,’
said Saburo.
Jack looked at his loyal friend. The resigned yet valiant
expression on his face told him that Saburo thought he’d be
the slowest and most likely victim, his belief in the code of
bushido giving him the courage to make such a suggestion.
‘No, we all survive,’ said Jack, unsheathing his katana. “We
didn’t come this far to be beaten by a shark.’
He gripped its red handle tightly with both hands, steeling
himself to fight off the fearsome predator. His eyes hunted
the surrounding waters. But no fin re-emerged.
After a while, Miyuki asked, “Do you think it’s actually
gone?’
Risking a closer look, Jack peered over the sides of their

1$7
raft. The sea dropped away into inky blackness, but there was
no sign of the shark.
‘Shall we start paddling again?’ suggested Cheng, glancing
towards the receding shoreline.
Jack shook his head. ‘Not just yet —’
Jack ...’ interrupted Yori, pointing to his forehead. “Your
cut’s reopened.’
They all watched in horror as several beads of blood dripped
from the wound into the sea. They spread across the water
like a blossoming rose.
For several moments, no one spoke or dared move. There
was just the lap of the waves against the raft as they drifted
further and further from the salvation of the island.
‘It must have swum on,’ said Cheng, picking up Yori’s
paddle. ‘Let’s go before it comes back.’
But, as he plunged the paddle into the sea, a shadow rocketed
upwards from the depths. Jack and the others flung themselves
to the other end of the raft as a huge mouth bristling with
serrated teeth burst from the water. Its jaws snapped through
the wooden beams, the timber cracking like brittle bones. As
the monstrous beast shot clear of the sea, its long white under-
belly was revealed. A stink of rotting fish filled the air before
the shark slammed back into the water, sending a small tidal
wave across the remains of the raft. Jack and his friends clung
to each other, desperate not to be washed overboard.
The shark, robbed of its prey, dived back down to unseen
depths.
“White Death!’ exclaimed Cheng in between hysterical
gasps. “The Wind Demons .. . told tales . . . of such a shark
... that eats men whole!’

158
 Jack had never seen a great white shark before. But he too
had heard stories of how this bloodthirsty creature split boats
in half and devoured entire crews. Now that he had stared
directly into its malevolent black eyes, Jack believed the grue-
some legends. This was the most feared shark of the seven
seas. Cruel, vicious and cunning, the great white was an
unstoppable force of nature. Gripped by an almost over-
whelming terror, it took all Jack’s willpower not to lose his
nerve entirely. Panic would only get them killed quicker.
“Grab any weapon you can find,’ he instructed. ‘And form
a circle.’
Miyuki eased her ninjato from the crumbling deck. Cheng
shakily held his knife, Yori his shuriken-tipped staff and Saburo
the paddle. His samurai swords were bound to their packs, still
secured to the raft, but he couldn’t risk reaching for them.
While the raft wasn’t yet sinking, any sudden movement could
tip them all into the sea.
They raised their weapons as the great white made a pass.
Rolling slightly so that its snout and saw-like teeth emerged,
the shark’s cold fathomless eye regarded them with menace.
Then the beast sank beneath the waves without atrace.
Jack knelt beside the others on the fragile raft. His heart
thumped in his chest, the blood rushed through his veins. He
tried to calm his breathing, but the thought of that ravenous
shark circling them petrified him to his very core.
The sea erupted behind him. The great white clamped its
jaws on to the corner of the raft and furiously shook its head
from side to side. In a matter of moments, the deck was being
torn apart. Saburo smashed his paddle on to the shark’s snout.
Still the beast ripped into the raft, getting closer with every

159
bite. Saburo struck at it again as Miyuki went for its gills. The
double attack convinced the shark to release its grip and the
monster swam off.
‘The raft won't survive another attack like that,’ panted —
Saburo, wiping the salt water from his eyes with the back of
his arm.
‘Maybe it won't have to,” said Yori hopefully, pointing to
the retreating shark. “You've scared it off.’
Cheng shook his head. ‘I don’t think so. We just made it
angrier.’
With a flick of the tail, the shark turned and came back at
them. The fin scythed through the waves, picking up tremen-
dous speed.
‘Brace yourselves!’ cried Jack, grabbing hold of Yori and
Miyuki.
The great white rammed the raft. The deck buckled, broke
and was tossed into the air. Together Jack, Miyuki and Yori
were flung from the raft and splashed down into the sea, the
breath knocked from them. Gulping in salt water, Jack splut-
tered as he broke the surface. He heard a cry. Saburo and
Cheng somehow had managed to cling to the remains of the
raft, now little more than a few planks of wood held together
by their sodden packs.
' ‘It’s coming for you!’ cried Saburo in alarm.
Jack whipped his head round. A grey dorsal fin sliced
through a wave. But it wasn’t headed in his direction.
“Yori, watch out!’
Turning to face the shark, Yori held out his shakujo. Yet
it was obvious that the great white would chomp through it
like a toothpick. Jack thrashed his way towards his friend,

160
desperate to protect him with his sword. But he was no match
for the frightening speed of the shark.
The great white broke the surface and opened its jaws wide
to devour Yori ina single bite.
 Pes
Ph

STAY OF EXECUTION

As the great white closed in for the kill, there was a deafening
bang like a thunderclap overhead. Flesh, bone, teeth and blub-
ber splattered across the water and the raft. Yori floated,
unmoving, among the bloody remains.
Wiping seared shark meat from his face, Jack couldn't
believe his eyes. The Black Spider was sailing up right behind
them, Captain Kurogumo at the helm. Leering over the side
was Skullface and his surviving gang members. Tiger was
clutching a smoking handheld cannon.
‘Look, it’s our floating treasure chest!’ exclaimed Snake-
head, laughing in delight. He threw themaline. ‘I'd hurry if
I were you,’ he said, pointing to three grey fins cutting through
the water. One was already ripping into the bloody carcass of
the great white.
Jack grabbed Yori, still in shock from his near-death ex-
perience. Together with Miyuki, they swam for the rope.
Saburo and Cheng paddled for all they were worth, the raft
slowly sinking beneath them. Clambering on-board, they were
immediately relieved of their packs and weapons.
“We thought we'd never find you,’ said Skullface cheerfully.

162
 “You came looking for us?’ said Jack, astounded.
Skullface gave a black-toothed grin. ‘Of course, you’re far
too valuable for shark bait.’
The pirate gang escorted them across the deck towards
the stern. The Black Spider was battered and broken from its
battle with the Sea Samurai. Arrows still peppered the planks
and blood stained the wood. They had to skirt the large hole
blasted into the deck by the horoku bomb, and a group of
pirates were working hard to fix the shattered starboard
gunwale. Manzo was among them, holding a new beam in
place. He glared at Jack as they passed. The giant pirate had
a bandage round his head and a large cut across his upper
arm. In fact, few of the pirates had escaped the sea battle
unharmed. Jack guessed at least half of the crew had been
decimated in the attack or tortured to death by Captain
Arashi.
Climbing the steps to the upper deck, Jack and his friends
were met by Captain Kurogumo. Still clad in his green and
black dragon-scale armour, he appeared unscathed and in
surprisingly good humour.
“Welcome back!’ he said, opening his arms wide as if greet-
ing old friends. “Why the sour faces? I’ve just rescued you from
certain death.’
‘Only to face an uncertain death with you,’ retorted Miyuki.
Captain Kurogumo smiled, revealing his set of pointed
teeth. The resemblance to the great white shark was unsettling.
‘True, I’m not in the habit of rescuing samurai or ninja.’ He
approached Jack and laid a hand on his shoulder. ‘But when
you are prized so highly and coveted by the Shogun no less,
then I can’t resist doing good.’

163
 Jack shrugged the captain off. “So you're turning us over to
the Shogun’s samurai?”
‘Why would I want to do that?’ replied the captain, putting
on an offended air.
‘Then what do you have planned for us?’ Miyuki demanded.
Captain Kurogumo eyed her with contempt. “You'll know
your fate once you meet Tatsumaki.’ He turned to Skullface.
‘Lock them away.’
‘What about your cabin boy?’ enquired Skullface, seizing
Cheng by the scruff of his neck. :
Captain Kurogumo scrutinized Cheng, who visibly shrank
under his stony gaze. “Traitors of the Black Spider are punished
with death by hanging.’
‘But I forced him to help us,’ protested Jack.
‘Is that so?’ said the captain, unconvinced by Jack’s ready
defence.
‘At knife point,’ added Cheng hurriedly.
Captain Kurogumo grunted his displeasure at such weak-
ness. Nonetheless he relented. “I suppose we are lacking in
crew numbers; and, Cheng, you were showing real promise
as a pirate. I'll stay your execution for the time being. But you
need to prove your worth . . . or it’s the noose!’
Cheng bowed gratefully for his reprieve. “By the word of
the Wind Demon, I vow my life to you.’
‘Tl hold you to that,’ said the captain menacingly. ‘Skull-
face, have your men take the others away.’
Tiger seized Jack by the arms, wrenching them behind his
back.
‘Be more careful with them this time,’ cautioned the
captain. ‘Remember, they’re our esteemed guests.’

164
 Tiger eased his grip and Skullface imitated a formal bow to
their captives. “This way, if you please.’
With little alternative, Jack and his friends followed. But
Yori stopped at the steps and turned back to the captain.
‘I have a question. How did you survive the dragon?”
Captain Kurogumo raised his eyebrows. “You really want
to know our secret?”
Yori nodded.
The captain leant in close to Yori and, with a conspiratorial
whisper, revealed, “We feed it little juicy samurai!’
The startled expression on Yori’s face caused Captain
Kurogumo to laugh out loud.
They could still hear him laughing when Skullface im-
prisoned them in the cage on the main deck.
‘Tll be watching you like a hawk,’ he warned Jack. This
time, he left two guards at the gate before stalking off with
his gang.
‘Ah! The fish food returns!’ croaked a familiar voice. In the
corner, the Korean slave rocked on his haunches, observing
Jack and the others with crazed amusement.
Saburo slumped to the deck, his head in his hands. “After
all we’ve been through, we’re back where we started! I almost
wish we had been eaten by that shark.’
‘I don’t,’ said Yori quickly, shuddering at the memory. “We
should be grateful for small blessings — at least we're alive!’
Jack looked up at the sun, which hovered over the starboard
bow of the Black Spider. ‘And we're heading in the right direc-
tion this time.’
‘How can you be so upbeat?” said Saburo. “Even as we speak,
the pirates are likely devising some evil way to torture us.’

165
 ‘No, we're valuable to the Wind Demons now — that means
they won't harm us.’
‘You are,’ corrected Miyuki darkly. ‘I doubt that we're so
privileged.’
With regret, Jack realized she was probably right. “Well,
we escaped before,’ he said, eyeing the cage’s weakened lock.
“We just need to find the right moment to do it again. And
remember Cheng is on our side.’
‘Is he?’ questioned Miyuki, glancing towards the upper
deck where Captain Kurogumo was talking intently with the
pirate boy, who appeared to be nodding obediently.
As the evening stretched on, Jack bided his time. Yet not
even the slightest opportunity to escape presented itself. The
guards remained vigilant and the pirate ship sailed on across
the Seto Sea, unopposed. Jack tried to keep his friends’ spirits
up, but they were so exhausted that he worried they wouldn't
have the strength to make a run for it, when an opportunity
did present itself.
Just before sundown, Cheng appeared with a jug and two
large bowls of rice. The guards opened the gate and allowed
him in.
‘Food and water by orders of the captain,’ he explained.
‘Is it safe?’ asked Saburo warily.
' Cheng nodded. ‘I prepared it myself . . . since the cook’s
dead.’
Ravenous and parched from their ordeal on the raft, the
four friends tucked into the simple feast. The jug of water
disappeared in a few shared gulps, the food going down almost
as quickly.
Cheng waited by the cage as they ate.

166
 ‘Can you help us escape?” Jack asked quietly in between
mouthfuls.
‘Td like to, but I can’t,’ replied Cheng under his breath.
‘They’re watching my every move. If you escape, the captain
says he'll flay me alive.’
Jack nodded his understanding. “Where are we being taken?’
‘Pirate Island — the Wind Demons’ lair.’
‘Is that where Tatsumaki is?’
Cheng nodded.
‘Have you met this Tatsumaki?’ asked Miyuki.
Cheng shook his head. ‘I have never been to the Pirate
Island before. Its location is a closely guarded secret.’ He
looked at them all with a grave expression. “But I’ve heard that
no one sees Tatsumaki and lives.’
Dawn broke like a bleeding wound, the distant scudding
clouds turned crimson by the sun’s fiery rays. The southerly
breeze was insistent, but the Seto Sea remained unnaturally
calm.
Red sky in the morning, sailor’s warning, thought Jack absently
as he rubbed the stiffness from his aching muscles.
The night had been cold and uncomfortable on the rough
wooden deck. He and his friends had huddled together, with
one of them always on watch in case there was a chance of
escape . . . or the pirates tried to surprise them.
Standing up to stretch, Jack was greeted by a breathtaking
sight. A magnificent fire-red torii floated in the middle of the
sea. So large was the structure, the Black Spider could have
passed through, if its masts were lowered. With four support-
ing pillars and a curving green-tiled roof, the towering gateway
marked the entrance to the harbour of a small forested island.
Within the natural shelter of the bay, a large temple also floated
on the waters. Daubed in the same fire-red colour, the main
hall faced out to sea, its walkways and windows open to the
elements, its roofline reflected in the rippling waves. Beyond

168
the temple, a forested mountain rose into the sky, its peak
wreathed in a ring of mist like a gateway to the heavens.
‘Is that Pirate Island?’ Saburo gasped, clambering to his feet.
Wiping the sleep from his eyes, Yori shook his head. ‘No,
this has to be Miyajima — the legendary Shrine Island.’
‘It’s so serene,’ breathed Miyuki in awe.
“Why is the temple on the sea?’ asked Jack.
‘The island is sacred,’ Yori explained in a reverential tone.
‘Commoners must not set foot on Miyajima. So the shrine
was built as a pier above the water. By separating it from the
land, the shrine exists in a limbo between the pure spirit world
and our impure world.’
‘But why is the gate so far out?”
‘The shrine is dedicated to the three daughters of Susano-
o, the Shinto deity of seas and storms. Anyone wishing to pay
their respects must steer their boat through the forii in order
to cleanse themselves before approaching the sacred island.’
Jack hoped the Wind Demons were devout worshippers of
Susano-o. With land so close, this could be the opportunity
they'd been waiting for.
Captain Kurogumo emerged from his quarters and climbed
to the upper deck. Cheng followed close behind, bearing a tray
with a china cup, a pot of steaming tea and a small jug of sake.
He was evidently working hard to impress. Ignoring the tea,
the captain went straight for the sakéand knocked it back in one
go. He coughed and banged his chest appreciatively, the potent
rice wine invigorating him for the day. With a quick glance in
the direction of the island, he talked with the helmsman. After
some deliberation, Captain Kurogumo gave the order to sail on.
Rousing themselves, the pirates went about their duties.

169
Skullface replaced the cage guards with fresh men before bark-
ing out orders to the other pirates. A skeleton crew was
assigned to sail the Black Spider, while the majority worked on
repairing the damage to the ship.
Powerless to alter their course, Jack despondently watched
the great torii recede into the distance, until only the peak of
Shrine Island was visible above the horizon. Once again, the
Seto Sea widened into an open and unending expanse of water.
It wasn’t until mid-morning that Cheng managed to bring
more water and rice to their cage.
“Why didn’t we stop at the shrine?’ asked Jack after he’d
taken a long draught from the jug.
‘Sea Samurai patrol these waters,’ Cheng explained, in a
hushed voice so as not to let the guards hear him. “The captain
can’t risk another confrontation with only half the crew and
his ship in such a poor condition.’
‘Do you know if we'll pass land again?’
‘They don't tell me anything,’ said Cheng, shaking his head.
‘ButI overheard the captain say that he intends approaching
Pirate Island at night — so no one can follow us and you won't
know how to get back.’
Jack sighed. Captain Kurogumo was sly and shrewd. He
wasn't taking any chances with them this time.
- With an apologetic smile, Cheng left the cage and resumed
his cabin-boy duties. Jack and the others finished their meal
in silence. They all appreciated just how dire their situation
had become.
As the day drew on, the wind picked up and the sea turned
rough. The Black Spider started to pitch and roll over the rising
Waves.
 ‘Looks like we're in for a rough ride,’ observed Jack, glan-
cing up at the darkening sky.
They all looked south towards a mass of ominous black
thunderclouds. Captain Kurogumo gave orders to reef the
mainsail, stow loose cargo and tie down any unsecured loads.
As Skullface and his gang went to work, it became apparent
that these instructions didn’t include the occupants of the cage.
The prisoners were left helpless and exposed on the open deck.
With no land in sight offering a safe harbour, the Black Spider
continued on its course. Jack realized the captain’s plan was
to run before the storm. But the wind grew stronger, building
rapidly into a gale. The sea heaped up, white foam blowing
in streaks from the crests of the waves. The sky overhead lit
up with forked lightning. A second later, a deep roll of thun-
der roared and shook the heavens.
The storm was almost on top of them.
Racing before it, the Black Spider heeled and listed wildly.
The pirates hung on as best they could while making frantic
adjustments to the sails.
Saburo threw up over the deck. “You said —’ as he wiped a
hand over his mouth —‘I wouldn’t be seasick after three days.’
‘There’s no cure for a storm,’ Jack replied grimly. Even he
was struggling to find his sea legs in such a ferocious tempest.
The Black Spider surged in fits and bursts across the tumul-
tuous sea, but the damaged ship groaned in protest,
threatening to split apart with each and every battering. As
the storm bore down on them, they were plunged into a hell-
ish darkness. The sea was whipped into a cauldron of spray
and gargantuan waves.
Jack and his friends desperately clung to one another,

Evi
shivering from cold and terror at the sheer power of the storm.
A monstrous wave broke over the ship and pummelled the
cage, half-drowning those inside.
‘KAMIKAZE! yelled the Korean slave and raised his fists
in a salute to the black boiling sky.
“What did he say?’ cried Jack, thinking the slave had gone
truly mad.
“Wind of the Gods,’ Yori shouted above the crash of waves
and the crack of thunder. “The pirates should’ve paid their
respects ... Susano-o is very angry.’
 SEA ANCHOR

The typhoon hit the Black Spider with full force, the wind
shrieking and howling like a banshee, deafening the crew and
blinding them with spray. The Seto Sea churned and seethed
as if wrestling with the storm-clad sky. Lightning bolts flashed
and thunder boomed. Waves the size of mountains tossed the
pirate ship like a piece of driftwood and Jack truly feared for
their lives.
Captain Kurogumo, who'd lashed himself to the tiller,
remained fixed to his course, running before the wild wind.
The reefed sails were stretched to breaking point, the masts
threatening to snap, and the deck warped and shuddered
dangerously as the Black Spider rose up over the perilous peaks
before plunging into the deep troughs. All of a sudden there
was a ripping noise and the foresail was rent in two, the canvas
now flapping half-useless in the gale.
Wind can be light . . . or tear a house apart, thought Jack,
remembering the teachings of the Five Rings from the Grand-
master. The storm’s terrible power seemed intent on
destroying the Black Spider and sending them all to the bottom
of the sea.

173
 A foaming wave surged across the main deck, and Jack and
the others were thrown against the bars of their cage. Submerged
in freezing water, they spluttered and choked for air. For a
moment, Jack thought the ship had capsized altogether, then
their heads broke the surface. The receding wave clawed at them,
but they were saved by their bamboo prison. The two guards
weren't so fortunate. They were swept off their feet and borne
away, screaming and flailing, into the dark swirling sea.
Jack spotted Cheng clinging to the main mast.
“CHENG! he cried.
The pirate boy glanced over, his face pale and terror-
stricken. Then, as the Black Spider rose up the next swell, the
deck cleared and he threw himself towards the cage.
‘Open the gate!’ demanded Jack.
‘The captain will kill me,’ replied Cheng, keeping a firm
grip on the bars as the wind and rain lashed at them.
“This storm will kill us all if you don’t let us out!’
Cheng wavered as Yori pleaded with him.
“You owe it to us,’ Miyuki reminded him, seizing the pirate
boy by the arm. “We've saved your life twice!’
Cheng pulled the knife from his belt and Miyuki immedi-
ately backed away.
With a quick glance to check no other pirates were watch-
ing, Cheng wedged the blade into the gap between the lock
and cage and sprang the gate open.
‘Stayhere!’ Jack instructed his friends, much to their confu-
sion.
‘But we can escape now!’ said Miyuki.
Jack shook his head. ‘Our only hope is if I can save this ship
first. You're far safer in the cage.’

174.
 He grabbed Cheng and they weaved across the heeling deck.
Clambering up the steps to the helm, Jack grabbed asafety
line and staggered over to Captain Kurogumo, who was fight-
ing to keep control of the tiller with his helmsman. Running
before the wind was usually a good strategy in a storm. But,
when the waves grew too large or the helmsman too tired, the
ship became vulnerable to broaching or, worse, pitchpoling.
The captain stared at Jack in shock before turning furiously
on Cheng. ‘I'll hang you for this!’
“But I can save the ship!’ shouted Jack above the noise Bethe
storm.
Captain Kurogumo laughed bitterly. ‘Only the gods can
save us now!’
“Not if we make a sea anchor and heave-to.’
‘Are all gaijin such dumb sailors?’ snarled Captain Kurogumo
contemptuously. “We'd be pulled under the water. Knocked
down by the waves. Besides, the sea’s too deep to drop anchor.’
‘A sea anchor,’ corrected Jack, struggling to keep his feet as
the ship suddenly lurched. ‘It anchors itself to the water, not
the seabed.’
‘I’ve never heard of such a thing,’ snapped the captain,
rapidly losing patience. ‘And we certainly don’t have one.’
‘Ican make one,’ persisted Jack. ‘It'll act as a brake . -. turn
the bow into the waves . . . stabilize the ship against the wind.
We'd go straight through the heart of the storm .. . but it'll
be over quicker.’
A wave broke over the stern and they were deluged in
seawater. The safety line slipped through Jack’s fingers, but
Cheng held firm and caught him behind. When the wave had
passed, only the captain remained at the tiller.

175
 ‘If you keep running downwind, the Black Spider will pitch-
pole!’ cried Jack. “The bow will bury itself in a wave! We'll
be thrown end over end! Your ship will be smashed to match-
wood!’
Captain Kurogumo scowled at Jack. “Who do you think
you are, gaijin? I’m the captain of this ship! I know what needs
to be done —and we run from a storm this big.’ He called down
to Tiger. ‘Throw them both in the cage.’
Ascending the steps, Tiger seized Jack and Cheng and began
to drag them away. But at that moment the Black Spider crested
a huge wave and hurtled down the other side. The ship nose-
dived into the bottom of the trough, the impact shattering the
newly repaired starboard gunwale. The Black Spider spun towards
the wind and heeled violently, on the verge of broaching. Jack,
Cheng and Tiger were thrown against the stern’s bulwark. But
miraculously, at the last second, the ship righted itself. Even so,
Jack caught the grim expression on Captain Kurogumo’s face.
They both recognized the Black Spider had reached its limit.
With their survival in the balance, Captain Kurogumo
yelled to Jack, ‘Make the anchor!’ His eyes narrowed. ‘But
don’t you dare trick me.’
Ordering Tiger to help the gaijin in whatever way he could,
Captain Kurogumo focused all his strength on stopping the
Black Spider from broaching again.
‘I need sail, rope and wood,’ Jack told Tiger.
‘In the hold,’ he replied gruffly.
Scrambling down to the main deck, Jack beckoned Miyuki
and the others to follow them into the hold. Water poured in
through the hatch and the floor was awash with displaced
cargo.

176
 Tiger pointed out the spare sailcloth. ‘And how much rope
do you need?’
“Ten times the ship’s length,’ replied Jack.
Tiger’s eyes widened in disbelief. “That'll be all of it then.’
Jack handed out marlinspikes to Miyuki, Yori, Saburo and
Cheng, then instructed them on how to splice the ropes
together. They hurriedly set to work on forming asingle
length of line.
‘Making an escape, hey?’ Skullface dropped into the hold,
sword drawn. He brought the blade to Jack’s throat.
‘No, I’m trying to save us all,’ protested Jack. “Even you.’
Tiger stepped from the gloom of the hold. “Captain’s orders
are to help him.’
Skullface stared incredulously at his gangmember.
“We need Manzo,’ said Jack, pushing away Skullface’s
sword. ‘Bring him down here.’
Skullface looked incensed, but he stomped up the steps
nonetheless. Manzo appeared a moment later. Jack ordered
him and Tiger to carry the sailcloth, while his friends hauled
up the massive length of rope. Back on the main deck, the
storm continued to batter the Black Spider.
‘I need the side of the cage,’ Jack shouted to Manzo.
Unmoved by the wind and waves, the giant pirate strode
over and wrenched off the front wall, leaving the cage in a
state of half-collapse. Laying the bamboo frame upon the
deck, Jack directed his friends to fasten the sailcloth to it. The
task proved almost impossible as waves and spray washed
across the deck, but eventually the job was done — resulting
in a large kite-like structure. Jack fixed the long length of
rope to the frame and handed the other end to Manzo. ‘Tie

LG?
this to the anchor chain in the bow. And bring back the
anchor itself.’
Manzo did as he was told and Jack lashed the Black Spider’s
anchor to a corner of the frame.
With the sea anchor complete, Jack yelled to Captain
Kurogumo, ‘LOWER THE SAILS!’
Against his better judgement, the captain gave the order.
Without sail power, though, the Black Spider lost much of its
steerage and they were in serious danger of broaching.
‘LAUNCH THE SEA ANCHOR!’ Jack ordered Manzo.
With a grunt, Manzo tossed the heavy canvas frame over
the side. They watched as the sea anchor slowly sank beneath
the surface, the rope trailing out behind them.
‘HOLD FAST!’ warned Jack.
As the line reached its end, the chain was yanked taut. The
Black Spider jolted and spun on its axis. Its bow turned to face
the howling wind and cresting waves. A mountain of foam
and sea charged towards them, threatening to engulf them all.
‘This is sheer madness!’ Tiger exclaimed, diving for a safety
line.
‘Curse you, gaijin,’ bawled Captain Kurogumo from the
helm.
Skullface stood nose to nose with Jack, his sword still
drawn. ‘T’ll meet you in hell, gaijin.’
 PIRATE ISLAND

Like a ghost ship, the Black Spider drifted aimlessly on a sea

smooth as glass. Not a puff of wind. Not a cloud in the sky.
The mainsail hung limp, the foresail in tatters, the rudder all
but useless. Bodies lay strewn across the deck, drying out like
dead fish for market in the early morning sun. Captain
Kurogumo dangled, unmoving, from the tiller arm. Several
pirates were draped over the gunwales. Jack was wrapped
round the remains of the cage, his friends caught like crabs
within its bars. Nothing and no one stirred.
High above, a great albatross circled the lifeless vessel.
The seabird sounded a mournful shriek.
Jack’s eyes blinked open. His bones ached, his skin was
rubbed raw, and his throat as dry as parchment. He could
scarcely believe he was alive. Indeed, he had no right to be.
The Black Spider had passed directly through the eye of the
storm, the typhoon being the most violent he'd ever witnessed.
They had battled the entire night, riding wave upon moun-
tainous wave, until exhaustion finally took them all. It was a
miracle that the ship was still intact. But the sea anchor had
kept their prow to the wind, avoiding a broach and preventing

179
the ship from pitchpoling. And, with their progress slowed,
the storm had blown over and mercifully left the Black Spider
behind and intact.
Jack scanned the main deck. Most of the Wind Demons
had survived, although several had been unavoidably lost to
the sea. The Korean slave was also missing, taken at the height
of the kamikaze. Easing himself to his feet, Jack quietly roused
his friends, putting a finger to their lips. He woke Cheng too
and signed for him to follow. Tiptoeing through the maze of
pirate bodies, the five of them descended into the hold. Jack
pulled out a cask of fresh water.
‘Drink your fill,’ he whispered, opening the wooden lid
with a marlinspike.
They began to scoop as much water into their mouths as
they could. Meanwhile, Jack found a knife, a wooden spar,
two paddles and a square of sailcloth, then filled a crate with
provisions. He quickly gulped down some fresh water himself,
before pulling out a second cask and explaining, “We'll take
as many supplies as we can and all swim out to the sea anchor.’
‘But what then? I couldn’t see any land,’ questioned Miyuki.
‘Tll dive down and cut the Black Spider’s anchor. The
bamboo frame will float like a raft. We'll make a sail and escape
under our own wind.’
“You had this planned all along,’ said Saburo in admiration.
Jack half nodded. ‘It was more a prayer than a plan.’
‘But what about sharks?’ asked Yori.
"That’s the risk we have to take,’ he replied, laying a sym-
pathetic hand on his friend’s shoulder. ‘But the storm should
have frightened them off. First we need to retrieve our packs
from the captain’s cabin. We must be quick, though.’

180
 Gathering their supplies, they hurried up the steps out of
the hold. As they emerged from the hatch, a circle of steel
blades greeted them.
‘Leaving so soon?’ asked Captain Kurogumo, baring his
pointed teeth in a hideous grin.

With no cage to hold them in, Jack and his friends were put
to work on repairing the ship with the rest of the pirates. The
rudder needed fixing, the torn sail mending, the sea anchor
retrieving, and the starboard gunwale had to be shored up a
second time.
Despite their status as prisoners, Jack noticed that he and
his friends had gained much respect among the Wind Demons.
Their actions had saved the ship and most of the crew. Such
a debt of life was not easily forgotten or ignored. Even Captain
Kurogumo paid due regard, acknowledging Jack’s service to
the Black Spider by pardoning Cheng for his treachery. Over
the course of the day, they shared equally in the pirates’ meals
and many of the crew spoke to Jack, intrigued by his seafaring
experience and knowledge.
It took until sundown before the Black Spider was shipshape
enough to sail again. By then, a light sea breeze had picked up
and the captain gave orders to set a course for Pirate Island.
Jack and his friends were escorted to an empty cabin, where
more food and water awaited them. But the pirates’ gratitude
and trust only went so far and two guards were posted at the
door.
‘I’d get your heads down if I were you,’ snarled Skullface.
“You may have won favour on this ship, but you still have
Tatsumaki to answer to.’

I8I
 As soon as the pirate had left, Miyuki began searching the
room.
“What are you looking for?’ asked Saburo.
‘A way out,’ she replied, but it quickly became apparent
that escape wasn’t an option. The cabin’s narrow window was
barred and the walls were made from solid stems of bamboo.
Exhausted by both storm and ship work, Jack realized they
had no choice but to take Skullface’s advice. “We should rest.
We'll need our strength for whatever tomorrow might bring.’
Settling down, the five of them soon fell into a deep sleep.
The Black Spider sailed on through the night, following its
secret course across the Seto Sea.

“We're here!’ announced Cheng, with a mixture of excitement

and trepidation.
Jack woke to see the pirate boy peering through the bars
of their window, the golden light of dawn reflected in his
face. Despite his lithe strength, Cheng still seemed too del-
icate to be a pirate — as if he were a butterfly pretending to
be a spider.
The door slid open. Skullface and his gang stepped inside.
‘Rise and shine, young samurai!’ he said, prodding the still-
sleeping Saburo with the tip of his sword.
_ Theyled Jack and the others on to the upper deck. Captain
Kurogumo greeted them with a brief nod of the head. Both
hands gripped the tiller, his eyes fixed upon two islands off
the starboard bow. They lay side by side, separated by a narrow
strait. The first and larger of the islands had sheer cliffs on all
sides, giving it the appearance of a giant’s fortress. Its smaller
sister was little more than a wide thrust of rock, with a crown

182
of trees and sun-bleached scrub dotting its flanks. There was
no sign of a settlement, let alone a harbour.
Captain Kurogumo steered the Black Spider towards the
narrow channel.
‘Only pirate ships dare approach these islands,’ boasted the
captain. ‘A fierce tidal race rips through the strait. Any other
boat to try has been wrecked upon the rocks. Unless you know
how and when to sail these treacherous waters, you're done
for.’
Caught by the current, the Black Spider picked up speed.
Commanding his men to lower the mainsail, Captain
Kurogumo leant upon the tiller and guided his ship into the
confines of the strait. The Wind Demons fell silent as their
captain wove a tricky course between cliff boulders and
submerged rocks. As they sailed through the channel, Jack
noticed two things almost at once. First, there was a hidden
wooden fort on top of the smaller island, its battlements brist-
ling with cannon and heavily armed pirates. The second was
the craggy gap in the larger island’s cliff face — undetectable
from the open sea.
Captain Kurogumo nosed the Black Spider towards the
opening.
‘Welcome to our humble lair,’ said the captain.
Jack and his friends gasped in wonderment. On the other
side lay a huge blue lagoon encircled by sheer walls. Sheltered
from wind and storm, it made the ideal secret harbour. At least
thirty pirate ships were docked at the floating jetty that skirted
the base of the northern cliff. Jack’s attention was caught by a
crew of Wind Demons unloading goods from a ship bearing
the crest of a sea serpent. They were hauling their spoils up

183
the rock face on a system of pulleys, winches and wooden
elevators. As his gaze rose, he couldn’t believe what he was
seeing. Overlooking the lagoon, a pirate settlement clung to
the sides of the precipice. A network of walkways and ladders
connected hanging cabins, houses and storerooms to create a
vertical town. Ninja pirates swarmed like ants up and down
the levels. At the very summit, a citadel dominated the cliff
top. The wooden structure resembled a dragon’s head, with a
fortified balcony protruding like a thrusting jaw over the
lagoon.
A darkfigure stood fearlessly at its end, observing the Black
Spider’s approach.
 TATSUMAKI

‘Pirate Island is a collapsed volcano, its crater flooded by the

sea, explained Captain Kurogumo, steering the Black Spider
towards an empty mooring. ‘Asa secret sealed in blood, no
Wind Demon will ever reveal its location. And nor will you,’
he added ominously.
Jack looked gravely at his friends. They all shared the same
condemned expression and he too wondered if this hidden
lagoon would be their final resting place. Despite all their
efforts and hardships, he now realized his quest to reach Naga-
saki and return home to his sister, Jess, had been little more
than a pipe dream, a mountain that would forever remain
insurmountable.
The crew of the Black Spider threw dock lines to the await-
ing pirates on the jetty, and the ship was secured and the
gangway lowered.
‘Now we mustn’t keep Tatsumaki waiting,’ said Captain
Kurogumo, ordering Skullface and his gang to escort the
prisoners.
The sharp end of Skullface’s sword ensured that Jack and
his friends didn’t dawdle. They were forced down the gangway

185
and on to the jetty. As they headed for a winched lift, they
heard a scream from above. Looking up, they saw a body flail-
ing through the air. Having fallen from the balcony, the man
dropped like a stone. He hit the water with a bone-cracking
smack, the impact instantly killing him.
The Wind Demons barely paid the dead man any attention
as he sank into the lagoon without a trace. The dark figure at
the end of the balcony remained.
‘Tatsumaki must be in a bad mood today,’ observed Captain
Kurogumo with a sorry shake of his head.
Stepping on to a bamboo-framed platform, the captain
indicated for Jack, Yori and Skullface to join him. Miyuki,
Saburo and Cheng stayed behind, guarded by Tiger and Snake-
head, as four men worked a winch to draw the lift upwards.
The rickety construction ascended steadily. Jack was glad he
had a head for heights, but Yori looked far less at ease, clutch-
ing on to the frame with white knuckles. As each level passed,
Jack noted there was an obvious hierarchy — the further up
the cliff face they went, the more prevalent the share of ill-
gotten gains became, with the dwellings increasingly spacious
and well-appointed. By the time they neared the top, some
houses were as opulent as royal palaces.
The lift finally reached the citadel level. The four of them
stepped off on to a suspended walkway and the lift descended
to collect the others. As they stood outside a barred gate wait-
ing for its return, Jack feared what the leader of the Wind
Demons might have in store for him and his friends. To toss
a man from such aperilous height was the act of a cruel and
callous pirate. By all counts, Tatsumaki seemed to be even
more sadistic and ruthless than the Sea Samurai Captain Arashi.

186
 But Jack had faced such brutal men before and overcome
them: the ninja-hater daimyo Akechi, the bandit leader Akuma
and, of course, his long-dead nemesis Dragon Eye. Whatever
fate awaited him and his friends within the citadel, Jack was
determined to fight for their lives with every ounce of strength
he possessed.
The lift reappeared and Miyuki, Saburo and Cheng, along
with their armed escort, joined them on the walkway. Captain
Kurogumo rang alarge brass bell hanging beside the entrance.
A moment later, the gates parted to reveal a sumptuous hall-
way inside. Silk curtains lined the walls and windows, ornate
lanterns hung from the beams and off to the sides were numer-
ous soft tatami-matted rooms, filled with exquisite paintings
and ornamental weaponry. They were led down the hall and
out on to the balcony.
The heady view took Jack’s breath away. The entire ring
of the crater was visible: a tree-lined ridge with a panorama
of the rippling Seto Sea beyond. The sun rose directly in line
with the balcony. Below, like an enormous eye, the crystal-
blue lagoon stared back up at them, the pirate ships now little
bigger than children’s toys.
A figure leant upon the balcony rail, admiring the magni-
ficent vista.
“You must be very relieved you’ve found them, Captain?’
said the figure, turning round.
Jack was momentarily stunned. He'd presumed they were
meeting the pirate leader, so this wasn’t what he expected...
not at all.
A striking svelte woman with a white painted face, red lips
and a swathe of black powder across her eyes stood before

187
them. She wore a Chinese-style blouse and flowing skirt of
the finest black silk with crimson thread embroidered like
swirling smoke. Her hair was long, dark and cut through with
a bold streak of red on one side. The impression was one of
heart-rending beauty and terrible power.
Captain Kurogumo bowed his head low. ‘I promised — on
my life — that I would find them.’
‘I’m glad,’ said the woman lightly. ‘I-wouldn’t have wanted
to throw my favourite captain overboard!’
She gave hima teasing smile. Alluring as it was, Jack noted
it was as hard as ice and the captain wasn’t eased by her barbed
compliment.
The woman turned her gaze upon Jack and bowed her head
respectfully.
‘T’ve been so looking forward to meeting you,’ she said, her
voice smooth as velvet. ‘I’m Tatsumaki, the Pirate Queen.’
Jack had never imagined that the notorious Tatsumaki would
be a woman. But this was no less reason to fear her. She held
sway over the fiercest of pirates and her reputation preceded
her.
Not wishing to rouse the Pirate Queen’s anger, Jack bowed
in acknowledgement of her greeting. ‘I’m Jack Fletcher —’
‘I know who you are,’ she interrupted, strolling over to
him. “The gaijin samurai wanted by the Shogun no less. Worth
ten koban alive or . . . dead.’ She ran her fingers through his
blond hair. “That’s a great deal of gold for a golden-haired
boy,’ she mused.
Jack shuddered, as much from the knowledge of the
increased bounty on his head, as from her chilling touch.
Yori stepped forward and bowed low. “With the greatest
respect, your majesty,’ he began. “While I appreciate such a
reward has its temptations for a pirate, may I remind you that
the enemy of your enemy is your friend — this makes Jack your
ally. By letting us go, you'll be defying the Shogun. And that
would be a true piratical act.’
Tatsumaki eyed Yori with admiration and amusement. “You

189
certainly have a gift with words, young monk. But, as you've
just hinted, Jack’s true value goes beyond riches. It’s about
having influence over the powers that be.’
At that moment, the sun’s rays fell on the balcony, bringing
with it the full warmth of the day.
‘Saru!’ called Tatsumaki.
A small red face peeked through the silk curtains of a
window.
‘Tessen,’ she ordered.
The face disappeared then reappeared, clutching a slim iron
fan. The monkey, with grey-brown fur anda short tail, scamp-
ered along the balcony rail. A key jangled round its neck.
Approaching the Pirate Queen, the monkey bobbed its head
in an imitation of a human bow, then handed over the tessen.
‘Thank you, Saru,’ said Tatsumaki. With a sharp flick of
her wrist, the fan’s metal spine snapped open to reveal a red
painted dragon on ablack lacquered surface. The Pirate Queen
began gently wafting herself.
The bell rang and the gates to the opulent citadel were
opened. Manzo appeared, bearing their packs and weapons.
He laid them before Tatsumaki like spoils of war.
‘These are all their possessions,’ said Captain Kurogumo.
He held up Jack’s red-handled swords for the Pirate Queen to
inspect. “These belong to the gaijin.’
‘Impressive weaponry,’ she observed, noting the Shizu
signature on the blade. ‘I trust that your fighting skill lives up
to this sword’s reputation. I’m intrigued. Who would teach a
foreigner such martial arts?’
Jack was about to answer, when the monkey leapt from the
balcony rail and landed on his shoulder.

190
 Tatsumaki laughed as the monkey began grooming his hair.
“Saru’s taken a liking to you!’
“Must be his ugly foreign face,’ snorted Skullface. ‘Saru
thinks he’s a monkey too.’
Jack tried to extricate himself from the nimble beast, but Saru
simply scrambled behind his back. Suddenly appearing from
beneath his right arm, she reached a paw inside his jacket and
snatched out the hidden black pearl. Before Jack could stop her,
Saru leapt away, screeching in delight and brandishing her prize.
“Give that back!’ cried Jack, going after the monkey.
But Skullface stopped him mid-stride with the edge of his
sword. ‘Leave your new girlfriend be,’ he sneered.
Saru leapt into Tatsumaki’s arms. The Pirate Queen offered
the monkey a nut in exchange for the pearl. Saru took it,
apparently satisfied with the deal, and perched on the balcony
rail to nibble at her treat.
Tatsumaki admired the jet-black pearl, its gleam radiant in
the morning sun. ‘Captain, I thought you said you had taken
all their possessions.’
‘Yes, 1...’ blustered Captain Kurogumo, “. . . just wanted
to test Saru’s skill.’
Tatsumaki smiled knowingly. “Well, as my Saru found this
rare and valuable pearl, I say finders keepers. I think you'll
agree that’s fair.’
‘Very fair,’ replied Captain Kurogumo through gritted
teeth, while glaring at the interfering monkey.
The Pirate Queen pocketed the pearl.
“You keep strange company, Jack Fletcher,’ she remarked,
for the first time paying the others attention. ‘A monk, a samu-
rai, a pirate and .. . a ninja.’

I9I
 Tatsumaki regarded Miyuki with contempt. ‘Throw the
traitorous ninja over the side.’
Snakehead seized Miyuki by the hair and dragged her
towards the end of the balcony. She kicked and fought, but
Tiger grabbed her legs and they carried her the rest of the way
to the edge.
‘NO!’ protested Jack, struggling against Skullface, who'd
seized him round the throat.
Both Yori and Saburo were imprisoned within Manzo’s
iron-like grip.
‘Such compassion for a ninja,’ Tatsumaki remarked in
surprise. ‘I was led to believe a ninia killed your father.’
‘Yes, but not her,’ corrected Jack. ‘Now please let her live!’
‘Give me one good reason why. Her kind tried to wipe out
the Fuma.’
‘But Miyuki had nothing to do with that battle. She’s inno-
cent.’
‘An innocent ninja!’ laughed Tatsumaki. “That’s an interest-
ing concept. But nothing comes for free in this life. She must
pay the debt of her ancestors.’
‘You've my pearl for payment,’ persisted Jack. “Take my
swords as well.’
‘They’re mine already,’ said Tatsumaki, indifferent to
Miyuki’s fate.
Snakehead and Tiger swung Miyuki over the balcony rail and
awaited the Pirate Queen’s final command to drop her. Jack felt
his heart wrench at seeing Miyuki on the verge of plunging to
her death. Only now did he realize just how much she meant to
him. He turned to Tatsumaki in desperation and offered the most
valuable thing he possessed. ‘I'll reveal the secrets of the rutter.’

192
 ‘Rutter?’ queried Tatsumaki, intrigued.
‘He must mean this,’ said Captain Kurogumo, retrieving
the oilskinned book from Jack’s pack. ‘It’s a navigational
logbook, but I haven’t been able to make head or tail of it.’
‘It’s encoded and in my language,’ Jack explained hurriedly.
‘But I can decipher it for you — ifyou let Miyuki live.’
‘And why would such a logbook be of interest to me?’ asked
Tatsumaki. “Explain quickly — my men are losing their grip
on your friend.’
“You want influence and power,’ said Jack hurriedly. ‘Then
the rutter can give you dominion over the seas. The knowledge
inside this logbook ensures safe passage across the world’s
oceans. With it, you could control the trade routes between
nations to your advantage.’
Tatsumaki’s interest was piqued. ‘So this is the reason why
the Shogun is so determined to catch you.’
She held up her hand to Snakehead and Tiger, as Miyuki
dangled precariously over the lagoon far below. The Pirate
Queen looked to Captain Kurogumo, who was grinning from
ear to ear.
‘We could pirate all the ships we wanted,’ he enthused.
‘Demand protection tolls. The Wind Demons would command
the world’s riches!’
Miyuki’s life hung in the balance as Tatsumaki considered
Jack’s offer.
‘Spare the ninja,’ she ordered, much to Snakehead and
Tiger’s disappointment.
The two pirates pulled Miyuki back from the brink and
dumped her on the balcony deck.
Tatsumaki smiled warmly at Jack. “Give me your hand.’

193
 Jack warily held it out. The Pirate Queen flicked the top
of her fan across his open palm. He winced as its hidden razor
edge cut a line into his skin. Blood oozed forth. Then she did
the same to herself and pressed their palms together.
‘It’s a blood oath. If this rutter is as powerful as you say, I'll
let you and all your friends go free. Trick me or attempt to
escape, and you'll all be thrown overboard into the lagoon.
Understand?’ »
Jack nodded.
‘I’m not certain everybody does,’ said Tatsumaki, looking
directly at Cheng. ‘Some are still deceiving me.’
 DECEPTION

‘Do you think Cheng’s been thrown into the lagoon?’ asked
Yori, trying to get a view of the balcony through their barred
window. All he could see was the sheer drop into the crater.
Jack and his friends had been escorted into a luxurious,
yet secure, room within the citadel. Painted scrolls of
_ dragons and tigers adorned the bamboo walls and silk cush-
ions were spread out across the tatami-matted floor. A low
table was laid with several bowls of cooked rice, exquisitely
sliced fish and fresh water. They were now the esteemed
guests of the Pirate Queen. But the two armed guards outside
their solid bamboo door were a clear reminder that in truth
they remained prisoners.
Cheng, detained by Tatsumaki for further questioning, had
yet to reappear. The pirate boy’s fate was uncertain after
Captain Kurogumo had listed his acts of treachery. But, what-
ever deception he was practising, Cheng had remained
tight-lipped.
“We haven’t heard anybody scream,’ said Saburo optimist-
ically, tucking into the feast while he had the chance. ‘At least
... not yet.’

195
 Jack sat with Miyuki, who'd been quiet ever since her last-
minute reprieve of execution.
‘Tatsumaki won’t harm you. You're safe now,’ Jack
comforted her.
Miyuki gave him a half-hearted nod. “But for how long?
She’s using the influence of our friendship to control you.
Once you've given that woman what she wants, we ll no
longer be considered useful. And we'll all end up in that lagoon
— you too.’
‘Tatsumaki’s made a blood oath with me,’ Jack reminded
her, holding up his healing hand.
‘And you trust a pirate to keep their word?’
Jack had no answer to that. “Then I'll take my time decrypt-
ing and explaining the rutter. There's bound to be an
opportunity for escape before I complete it.’
Miyuki turned on Jack. ‘I don’t understand you. You're
giving away the one thing that guarantees your safe return home.
Worse, you're breaking your vow to your father. I thought you
promised not to reveal the rutter’s secrets — never to let the
logbook fall into the wrong hands. A true ninja would never
betray their clan by divulging such information, especially to
the likes of Tatsumaki. That Pirate Queen’s the last person on
earth you should be handing this knowledge to.’
The words stung Jack. He realized he’d made a pact with a
devil and the consequences weighed heavily upon him. “But
I couldn’t let her kill you.’
Miyuki’s midnight-black eyes met his. ‘Jack, don’t you
know that I’d die for you~
The door slid open. Skullface dumped clean clothes on the
floor beside them.

196
 “There’s an ofuro next door. You'll take turns to bathe.
Under guard.’ The tattooed pirate seemed irritated at having
to act like their servant. He glared at Jack. ‘Be ready by
sundown. Tatsumaki expects your company.’
Skullface turned to leave.
“Where’s Cheng?’ demanded Jack. ‘Is he all right?’
Skullface grinned maliciously. ‘Oh, you won't be seeing
him ever again. I can assure you of that.’

The afternoon passed slowly in mournful silence. Although

Cheng had never truly been a part of their group, his kindness
and courageous interventions had saved their lives on a number
of occasions and they each grieved over his loss. Jack had
become used to the pirate boy’s gentle presence and would
deeply miss him.
‘Not having arrived at the Yellow River, the heart is not
dead,’ murmured Yori. ‘I must remember to tell Sensei Yamada
that. It’s a good life lesson . . .’
‘And one we should heed now,’ said Jack. ‘Our journey
isn’t over. Remember, where there are friends, there’s hope.’
Yori managed a brave smile at their shared saying. But it
immediately faded as a brutish guard opened the door.
‘Next,’ he grunted, shoving a scrubbed and cleaned Saburo
back into the room.

Having eaten, bathed and changed into a fresh kimono, Jack

felt revived and was ready to face the challenges ahead. Between
them, they'd agreed a plan to bide their time and observe the
Wind Demons in their lair. They would study the pirates’
defences for weaknesses, use stealth to acquire weapons and

197
provisions for the necessary sea voyage, and keep an eye out
for a suitable boat to steal. Having travelled to Pirate Island in
the dark of night, they also needed to discover their approx-
imate location in the Seto Sea. Only then could they hope to
make a realistic escape from the isolated isle.
The door opened. ‘Follow me, gaijin,’ ordered the guard
gruffly.
Leaving his friends in the room, Jack was led on to the
balcony. With the sun setting behind the citadel, the crater
below had fallen into shadow. Torches were lit along the walk-
ways, their flames looking like burning lava against the cliff
walls. But it was the lagoon itself that bizarrely gave off the
greatest light. The waters sparkled luminescent blue, swirling
in dotted fans of light as if an entire galaxy of stars had dropped
into the sea. The vision was truly magical and for a moment
Jack could only stare in wonder.
‘Sea fireflies,’ said a voice from behind.
Jack turned to see a girl with short black hair, almond eyes
and thin delicate lips. She wore a silk Chinese blouse of jade
green, with a matching skirt embroidered with silver clouds.
‘That’s what Tatsumaki told me.’
Jack did a double take. ‘Is that you, Cheng?’
The girl nodded, then bowed. ‘Li Ling is my real name.’
“We thought . .. you were dead...’ he said, flustered. ‘And
a boy!’
Li Ling smiled apologetically. ‘I’m sorry to have deceived
you, but I couldn’t risk telling anyone. Tatsumaki, though,
saw straight through my disguise.’
‘But why pretend in the first place?’ asked Jack, getting over
his initial shock.

198
 ‘I got the idea from Hua Mulan,’ Li Ling explained. When
she saw that Jack had no idea whom she was talking about,
she continued, ‘Mulan was eighteen when she joined the army
disguised as a man. She fought for the Emperor for over ten
years to become the greatest female warrior in China. We still
sing of her exploits in the Ballad ofMulan. 1 wanted to be just
like her — but as a pirate. And the Wind Demons would never
have let me join their crew if they knew I was a girl.’
‘How wrong you were,’ said Tatsumaki, appearing from
behind a billowing curtain. The Pirate Queen was robed in an
ankle-length dress of red silk brocade, a golden Chinese
dragon shimmering from the lower hem to the tip of her
mandarin collar. ‘Now you know that girls make the greatest
pirates of all.’
 OCTOPUS

‘Boasting as always!’ bellowed a voice thick as tar. A large barrel-

chested pirate with heavy jowls and bloodshot eyes limped
towards them from the direction of the citadel gate. He carried
a vicious-looking trident, which doubled as a walking stick, its
wooden end thunking loudly on the deck with each step.
‘Captain Kujira, I’m so glad you could join us,’ said
Tatsumaki. “This here is Li Ling, a promising new recruit; and
Jack Fletcher, the gaijin samurai, who needs no further intro-
duction.’
The pirate captain offered Jack a stiff bow, while studying
Li Ling out of the corner of his eye.
‘Another girl determined to follow in your footsteps,’ he
smirked, directing his comment at Tatsumaki. ‘I hope she
knows what she’s letting herself in for.’
‘Feeling threatened, are we?’ interjected another female
voice.
A pirate woman of Amazonian build strode over. Dressed
in a long flowing robe of deep-blue velvet decorated with
white curls of cresting waves, she seemed to part the very air
as she walked. Beneath her robe Jack glimpsed a bodysuit of

200
black leather armour, and crossed in her belt were a pair of sai
— dagger-shaped shafts of steel with two curved prongs
projecting menacingly from their handles. The woman’s dark
hair was tied back by a pure white bandanna with the red_
emblem of a shark’s fin stamped at its centre. Several bands of
gleaming gold encircled her muscular biceps. But most
distinctive about the pirate woman’s appearance were her
black-painted fingernails, which had been sharpened into
points, making her fingers look like talons.
‘I'm Captain Wanizame of the pirate ship Great White,’ she
declared.
Jack found himself compelled to bow. What the captain
lacked in natural beauty compared to Tatsumaki, she more
than made up for by her domineering presence.
“Me, feel threatened? Never,’ snapped Captain Kujira,
making himself standalittle taller. ‘Always delighted to have
more female company.’
At that moment, Captain Kurogumo made an appearance.
He entered witha tall man of yellow complexion. Armed with
a slim blade in an emerald-green saya, the man wore a simple
olive-coloured kimono of glistening silk. He had a narrow,
elongated skull and a thin nose that was little more than a pair
of nostrils. Having paid his respects to Tatsumaki and the other
pirate captains, he turned to Jack and introduced himself.
‘Captain Hebi of the Jade Serpent,’ he said, his voice slick
and sibilant like a snake sliding through grass. The unnerving
impression sent a cold shudder down Jack’s spine. ‘So you're
our guide to the treasure of the world’s oceans?’ he continued,
his tongue flickering along his lips. ‘I’m fascinated about what
lies on the far side of these seas.’

201
 Mesmerized by the pirate’s dark piercing eyes, Jack felt his
mouth go dry and his limbs grow heavy.
‘Captain Hebi, you'll have more than enough time to ques-
tion Jack later,’ interrupted Tatsumaki. “Let’s attend to more
civilized matters first.’
The Pirate Queen clapped her hands and two servants
parted curtains to reveal a long, low table set for dinner.
Lanterns lit the open-air room and incense burned to keep the
mosquitoes at bay. Bowls of steaming white rice were inter-
spersed with plates of exotic fish, their flesh forming a rainbow
of colours — white, yellow, pink, red and black.
Tatsumaki invited them all to sit. Jack took his place
between the hefty Captain Kujira and his captor Captain
Kurogumo. As they settled down on their cushions, the
servants poured out fresh water and cups of hot saké.
‘Itadakimasu,’ proclaimed the Pirate Queen, raising her cup.
“We thank the Seto Sea for all she provides . . . and the trading
ships for all she doesn’t!’
‘Itadakimasu!’ the captains responded heartily, lifting their
cups too.
Picking up their hashi, they began to feast upon the banquet
before them. They were not long into the meal when there
came a screeching from behind. Saru’s red face bobbed out
from a window and she scampered over to leap on to Jack’s
shoulder. The monkey started cooing gently in his ear and
grooming his hair again. The pirate captains laughed at the
touching display of affection.
‘I’ve never seen Saru so fond of a stranger,” said Captain
Kujira, popping a red slice of tuna in his mouth.
‘Ow!’ cried Jack as Saru tugged at a lock of his hair. He

202
tried to push the troublesome creature away. “Will you leave
me alone?’
‘Think yourself lucky,’ remarked Captain Wanizame. ‘She
usually claws prisoners’ eyes out.’
Jack immediately stopped grappling with the monkey, fear-
ful of such a vicious reprisal, and surrendered to her hair
pulling. But every time he brought a lump of fish or rice to
his mouth Saru went wild and flailed her skinny arms.
‘She’s hungry. Give her this,’ said Tatsumaki, passing Jack
a small plum.
Saru took the fruit from Jack and examined it carefully.
She then dunked it in Jack’s cup before popping it in her
mouth. Jack was astonished.
‘Snow monkeys are highly intelligent,’ Tatsumaki informed
him. ‘Not only does Saru clean her food before eating but she
loves to bathe in hot springs, just like us.’
‘I didn’t know there were springs on this island,’ remarked
Captain Kujira.
‘No, there aren’t. That’s why Saru uses the ofuro next to
Jack’s room.’
Jack almost choked on his rice at the thought of having
shared a bathtub with the monkey. He caught the sly grin on
Tatsumaki’s face and wondered if it was her idea of a joke. But
somehow he didn’t think so.
‘Captain Kurogumo, I was worried for you yesterday,
expressed Captain Wanizame. “That storm was a hull-breaker.’
‘The Black Spider’s a tough ship,’ replied Captain Kurogumo.
‘I heard the gaijin saved you and your crew, said Captain
Hebi.
Captain Kurogumo grunted. He clearly had no wish to

203
disclose his inability to ride out a typhoon before the Pirate
Queen.
‘A sea anchor, I believe,’ continued Captain Hebi. “‘Ingeni-
ous. I must have one made for my ship.’
Tatsumaki raised her right eyebrow in interest. “Captain
Kurogumo, you never mentioned this.’
‘The boy’s a fine mariner,’ he admitted. ‘And, by all
accounts, a talented navigator too. He gave us quite a chase
when we first pursued the cargo ship he was on. But we caught
him.’
‘Only because of the dragon!” said Jack, his pride pricked
by the captain’s suggestion that he’d been captured through
the pirate’s more skilful seamanship.
The Pirate Queen and her captains shared an amused look.
‘Jack, your value is increasing all the time,’ said Tatsumaki.
‘l’m even more intrigued. Where does all this knowledge come
from?’
‘My father,’ Jack replied proudly.
‘He was evidently a great man.’
‘He certainly was,’ said Jack. “Until Dragon Eye murdered
him. But now my enemy’s dead, all I want is to go home.’
The table fell silent at the mention of the infamous ninja’s
name. All the Wind Demons appeared unsettled, as if someone
had walked across their graves.
In an attempt to break the tension, Li Ling asked, “Where’s
home?’
‘London, England,’ replied Jack. ‘That’s why we’re headed
to Nagasaki. To find a trading ship to take me back.’
“Why Nagasaki?’ asked Captain Kujira. ‘Osaka has plenty
of vessels you could use.’

204
 ‘Japanese ships couldn’t handle the open ocean. They sit
too low and don’t carry enough sail,’ explained Jack. ‘Only a
European galleon can sail that far.’
“How far is far?’ enquired Captain Hebi.
“Two years’ sailing. Mostly out of sight of land.’
Captain Kujira whistled through his teeth.
‘I can see now why you value this rutter so highly,’ said
Tatsumaki.
Jack nodded. ‘It’s my father’s life work.’
Captain Kujira looked to the Pirate Queen. ‘It’s all well and
good possessing such knowledge. But it seems an unnecessar-
ily long and hazardous voyage simply to pirate foreign lands,
when we already have a supply of rich pickings on our own
shores.’
‘L agree,’ said Captain Wanizame. ‘Any venture would be
highly dangerous without the appropriate ships.’
“We could build some with the gaijin’s help,’ Captain Hebi
suggested.
‘He may beasailor,’ snorted Captain Kurogumo, ‘but I
doubt he’s a shipbuilder.’
The Wind Demons continued to debate the prospects and
pitfalls of pirating the greater oceans. As the discussion
progressed, Jack sensed his value to the pirates rapidly drop-
ping — along with his and his friends’ chances of survival.
‘There are riches beyond your wildest desires,’ interrupted
Jack. ‘In the South Americas alone, you'll find cities of gold,
streets of silver, rivers of jewels. If you pirated the Spanish
and Portuguese galleons sailing in those waters, you could fill
this entire crater with treasure in less than a year.’
The Wind Demons gazed with avaricious eyes over the

205
expanse of the lagoon. The image of it piled high with gold
and jewels whet their piratical appetites.
‘Such a prize is very tempting, if not irresistible,’ said
Tatsumaki. ‘Don’t you agree?”
The pirate captains nodded vigorously andJack was relieved
to have bought himself some more time.
‘Ahh, the main dish,’ announced Tatsumaki with delight
as four servants brought in a tray and placed it before the Pirate
Queen.
A large gelatinous blob sat in the middle of a huge plate.
Tentacles spiralled out from the body, rows of suction cups
pearly white and glistening in the lamplight.
The dish writhed and reeled over the tray.
‘Live octopus! My favourite!’ said Captain Kujira, licking
his lips.
Jack stared at the quivering mass, unable to hide his disgust
as each of the captains hacked off an arm.
‘Live octopus builds strength and stamina,’ pronounced
Captain Wanizame, shoving the thrashing limb into her mouth
and chewing appreciatively.
Captain Hebi dangled his in the air and, like a fish gobbling
a wriggling worm, let it slide down his throat. Captain Kujira
bit into his fleshy tentacle, its powerful suckers sticking to his
chin so that he had to prise them off before swallowing each
piece.
Tatsumaki caught the horrified expression on Jack’s face.
‘Before going into a sea battle, it’s customary to eat octo-
pus,’ she explained, dipping her tentacle in soy sauce. “With
its eight arms, the creature protects us against enemies from
all directions.’

206
 “You're going into battle then?’ asked Jack, struggling to
keep the contents of his stomach down.
Nodding, Tatsumaki ripped off a quivering octopus leg and
handed it to Jack. The tentacle continued to writhe in his grip.
‘All of us are — so eat up!’
 THE LIFE OF A PIRATE

It took every ounce of Jack’s willpower not to gag. The

actual taste of the tentacle wasn’t a problem — the flavour
was mildly pleasant. But, as he chewed the rubbery flesh,
the octopus’s suckers stuck to his teeth, tongue and roof of
his mouth, making it almost impossible to swallow. With
continual grinding, however, he managed to take most of
it down.
Li Ling wasn’t so successful. She started choking on her
tentacle, a piece of octopus determinedly clinging to the back
of her throat. Her face went blue as she gasped for air. Only
a heavy-handed slap between the shoulder blades from Captain
Wanizame saved her from suffocation.
‘I thought you said she was a promising recruit,’ sneered
Captain Kujira to Tatsumaki.
Upon hearing this jibe, Li Ling snatched the last leg of the
octopus and stuffed it in her mouth whole. She chewed
manically, her cheeks and eyes bulging, before swallowing
hard. The tentacle disappeared in a single gulp.
‘Li Ling has the makings of a great Wind Demon,’ laughed
Tatsumaki with some pride.

208
 Mote saké was poured and the Pirate Queen raised her cup
for a toast:

‘Bound by sea and storm, we the Wind Demons pledge to plunder;

to destroy all samurai with lightning and thunder.’

The pirate captains clamoured their approval and downed their

drinks. Encouraged by Tatsumaki, Li Ling did the same,
coughing hard as the fiery alcohol burnt her throat. But Jack
refused to join in their ritual.
‘Don’t you wish to be a Wind Demon too?’ said Tatsumaki.
‘No,’ replied Jack. “My father said pirates are the plague of
the oceans.’
The genial atmosphere at the table died. The pirate captains
glared fiercely at him, Captain Wanizame drumming her
sharpened fingernails on the tabletop as if wanting to rip the
skin from his body.
Tatsumaki, tutting at the remark, held up her hand to calm
her captains. ‘Jack merely needs educating in what it truly
means to bea pirate.’
Fixing him with her startling brown eyes, she declared,
‘The existence of the sea means the existence of pirates. The
lands surrounding the Seto Sea are among the poorest in all
Japan. Much is barren or too steep to cultivate. The commu-
nities around its shores and on its islands are constantly in
threat of starvation. So the people depend upon the seas for
survival. But, when drought or typhoons hit, what can good
men and women like us turn to in order to survive? Daimyo
Mori and his samurai won't help. So we must help ourselves.’
‘By raiding, stealing and killing others!’ exclaimed Jack.

209
 ‘And how is that any different to what the Sea Samurai do?’
challenged the Pirate Queen.
‘The samurai protect these communities from pirates like
you.’
Tatsumaki laughed. “The samurai are bigger thieves than
any pirate. They do nothing, yet they tax the poor to fill their
own stomachs, even when the farmers and fishermen have
barely enough to feed their own families. At the slightest sign
of resistance, they raze villages to the ground, destroy their
fishing nets and sink their boats. Make no mistake: daimyo Mori
rules with an iron fist. He shows no charity to his people.’
Having heard the tales of daimyo Mori’s cruelty and
witnessed with his own eyes the brutality of his navy
commander Captain Arashi, Jack was compelled to believe
Tatsumaki. He’d also encountered similar stories of samurai
persecution and indifference when he’d fought for the farmers
of Tamagashi village. Resistant as he was, Jack found himself
being swayed by the Pirate Queen’s argument.
“The Wind Demons don't pillage such communities or steal
from struggling fishermen,’ she asserted. “We only target the
Sea Samurai and rich traders — cargo boats, grain ships and
vessels carrying rice tax. Then we redistribute our gains to
those less fortunate.’
‘Like us pirates!’ said Captain Kujira, sharing a laugh with
the other captains.
‘And local fishing villages,’ stressed Tatsumaki, remaining
deadly serious. “We offer them protection from the Sea Samu-
rai too. So, Jack, that is the true life of a pirate.’
Despite her argument, Jack still couldn’t believe that a pirate
was more saintly than a samurai, especially considering the

210
opulence of her citadel and the riches on display all over Pirate
Island. “You expect me to have sympathy for Wind Demons?’
‘No, just your understanding,’ replied Tatsumaki. ‘Why
not judge for yourself when you come on the raid tomorrow?
See exactly the sort of riches the samurai keep from their
subjects.’
‘T’m no pirate,’ stated Jack.
“We're intercepting a ship destined for the new capital Edo.
It’s a shuinsen, one of the Red Seal ships of the Shogun himself.
We've been planning this raid for months. The boat will be
well guarded and armed with cannon. And with Captain
Kurogumo having lost so many men, we needa skilled warrior
like yourself on-board.’
Jack shook his head. ‘I refuse to go.’
‘Don’t you want to strike a blow against the Shogun?’
persisted Tatsumaki.
‘Td rather escape his clutches, not run towards them.’
“But the ship will be carrying rice tax that we can give back
to the villages.’
“You don’t need me to do that. And don’t you want me to
translate the rutter?’
‘That can wait a day or so. This treasure ship is here and
now. Besides, it’s the perfect opportunity for me to see you
in action for myself. I insist you go with us . . . otherwise I
can’t promise the continued safety of your friends.’
From her veiled threat, it was clear that the Pirate Queen
wouldn’t take no for an answer. And Jack had to admit that
the chance to help local farmers, as well as put a thorn in the
Shogun’s side, was appealing. But more importantly such a
raid presented other opportunities.

211
 ‘T'll only agree if my friends come too,’ said Jack.
Tatsumaki grinned at him. ‘Not on your life. They remain
here as insurance that you'll obey my commands.’
Realizing Tatsumaki held all the cards, Jack asked, ‘How
will I know you'll keep your word?’
“You don’t. It’s a matter of trust,’ Tatsumaki replied. “But
he who is afraid to shake the dice will never throw a six.’
 CUTTING OUT

“There’s our prize,’ said Tatsumaki, pointing to the shuinsen

anchored in Hikari Harbour two nights later.
Under the faint light of a crescent moon, Jack could just
make out an impressive three-masted ship of over five hundred
tons with a double keel. The design was a strange combina-
tion of Chinese junk and Spanish galleon — the oriental-style
batten sails and red bamboo framework on the gunwales
contrasted with the European beaked prow, aft-mounted
rudder and distinctive quarter gallery. The shuinsen was the
first Japanese vessel Jack had seen capable of ocean-going
voyages. Built as a cargo carrier, it was armed with just six
cannon for a last defence. Tatsumaki warned her pirates that
its escort of two atake-bune and four seki-bune were the real
firepower.
‘We're outnumbered and outgunned,’ observed Jack.
The Wind Demons had brought only three ships — the Great
White, the Jade Serpent and Captain Kujira’s Killer Whale. With
the Black Spider under repair, Captain Kurogumo and his crew
had joined the Great White, along with Jack, Li Ling and
Tatsumaki.

BiG
 ‘Our plan isn’t to attack the flotilla,’ replied the Pirate
Queen. ‘We'll use stealth to “cut out” the shuinsen.’
The Wind Demons were all dressed in black shinobi shozoku
in readiness for the assault. So too was Jack. He’d been allowed
Miyuki’s ninjato for the raid and the sword was strapped to his
back. Tatsumaki explained that Captain Kurogumo’s crew,
with his help, were to steal the Red Seal ship and sail the vessel
back to Pirate Island. Meanwhile, the pirates under Captain
Hebi and Captain Kujira’s command would disable and distract
the shuinsen’s armed escort. Captain Wanizame and her crew
would deal with the small castle that overlooked the harbour.
Li Ling stood trembling beside Jack as the Pirate Queen
disclosed her plan.
‘Don’t worry,’ he whispered, patting the sword on his back.
Tl protect you.’
‘l’m not scared,’ Li Ling shot back. ‘I’m excited. This is my
first chance to earn my spider!’
Tatsumaki gave the command to lower the rowing boats
and the Wind Demons clambered over the sides. Jack found
himself in a boat with Li Ling, Skullface and the surviving
members of his gang. No one talked, but Skullface’s eyes never
left Jack the entire way. The Wind Demons’ ships had been
anchored just round the headland, out of sight of any samurai
lookouts, and the little armada of rowing boats took their time
to reach the harbour entrance. Painted black, they were almost
undetectable against the sea.
Jack still couldn’t believe that he was taking part in a pirate
raid. Nor had Miyuki, Yori and Saburo been able to compre-
hend his decision. But once he’d explained his plan to discover
Pirate Island’s position in the Seto Sea and so plot their escape

214
route, they pede cod: Unfortunately, Tatsumaki had other
ideas and when the Wind Demons had set sail early that morn-
ing, Jack had been kept below deck until Pirate Island was far
beyond the horizon.
The raiding party silently entered the harbour. Captain
Wanizame’s unit broke off and headed for the castle. As Jack’s
boat glided past the first of the atake-bune, a group of Captain
Hebi’s Wind Demons slipped into the water and dived beneath
the surface. Another boat came to rest behind the shelter of a
seki-bune’s rudder and the crew immediately set to work
dismantling it.
Captain Kurogumo’s five boats pulled alongside the shuin-
sen, while the remaining Wind Demon force glided past to the
other Sea Samurai vessels. Skullface was in charge of Jack’s
unit. With a gloved hand, he signalled for them to scale the
Red Seal ship’s hull. Bringing their rowing boat as close as
they dared, they reached up and grabbed hold of the planking.
Each of them wore shuko, the steel claws digging easily into
the wood. Jack’s sailing experience enabled him to climb the
sides without fear. But the surface was slimy and he had to
take great care with his footing. Slowly and soundlessly, the
ninja pirates crawled up to the top of the gunwales.
Peering over the lip, Jack caught sight of several samurai
guards patrolling the main deck. One was directly in front,
his back turned to him. More were stationed on the stern-
castle’s upper deck, where black shadows clung just below
handrails, waiting for the signal to pounce.
Jack had a horrific sense of déja vu. Once again he was back
on the Alexandria, the night of the fateful attack by Dragon
Eye. Except this time, he was one of the ninja pirates preparing

215
to slaughter an innocent crew. But what choice did he have?
If he didn’t obey Tatsumaki’s orders, she would kill his friends.
Besides, the Wind Demons would be stealing the ship, with
or without him. All he could do was avoid unnecessary blood-
shed.
A cricket chirped in the night, the samurai guards paying
it no attention. On its second call, the Wind Demons attacked.
Blades, sharp and silent, went ruthlessly to work. One by one,
the samurai slumped to the deck. Jack leapt over the handrail
to confront his guard. Not wanting to kill him, he hit the
guard with Fall Down Fist. The blow caught the man across
his neck and he dropped like a sack of rice.
Another samurai emerged from a cabin door. His eyes
widened in panic upon registering the ninja ambush. As he
went to raise the alarm, Jack targeted him with a knifehand
strike to the throat. The samurai spluttered, no longer able to
cry out. But he still managed to launch a counter-attack, slam-
ming Jack into the handrail. They wrestled for supremacy.
Jack’s shuko claws bit into the man’s flesh. The samurai reached
for his tanto. Jack, crossing his forearms, grabbed the lapels of
the guard’s kimono and fought to put him in a blackout choke.
But the samurai was strong. The man drew his knife from its
sheath, ready to plunge the blade into Jack’s heart. His eyes
bulged, then a second later he collapsed on top of Jack.
Skullface heaved the body off.
“You should have just killed him,’ he hissed angrily, his blade
wet and glistening in the moonlight as he pulled it from the
samurai’s back.
Skullface signalled for his unit to check the hold. Jack and
Li Ling followed. They entered the main cabin and headed

216
down the steps. Sounds of muffled struggles could be heard
throughout the ship. They crept down a corridor. To their
right, three samurai were asleep. Tiger, Snakehead and Manzo
entered the room and ensured the three men never woke again.
To Jack’s relief, they didn’t encounter any further guards
as they entered the hold. Li Ling was ahead of him and she
gasped in amazement. As Jack’s eyes adjusted to the dimly lit
interior, he too saw the countless chests of gold and silver
stacked one on top of the other. Bundles of the finest Chinese
silk were piled high in crates. And between them were ex-
amples of exquisitely lacquered furniture — tables, trays and
cabinets. There was only one treasure missing.
“Where’s the rice?’ asked Jack.
Skullface snorted. ‘Rice? There’s no rice. This is a Red Seal
ship!’
From above deck came the furious clanging ofa bell.
 SITTING DUCKS

Jack and the others burst from the main cabin just as the ring-
ing gave out. Hunting for the source of the alarm, Jack
spotted Captain Kurogumo standing beside the ship’s bell,
sword held high and dripping with blood. But he hadn’t been
the one to sound the bell. A head bounced down the steps and
came to rest at Jack’s feet. He recognized the face — it was the
samurai he’d knocked unconscious with Fall Down Fist.
Torches began to blaze throughout the harbour as the samu-
rai garrison was called to arms, having been alerted by the bell
ringing. On-board the atake-bune and seki-bune ships, the crews
rallied to battle stations.
‘Raise the sails!’ ordered Captain Kurogumo to his men.
A gunshot rang out and the captain was blasted off his feet.
Jack, Li Ling and Skullface scrambled up the steps to the
helm. Captain Kurogumo lay on his back, clasping his side
and groaning weakly. The deck was slick with blood. But, in
the darkness, they couldn’t tell whether it came from the
captain or the headless corpse. Li Ling immediately applied
pressure to the wound, the captain cursing her in pain.
‘Give me that obi,’ she said, pointing to the dead samurai.

218
 Skullface tore off the man’s belt and handed it to her. She
bound it round the captain’s chest in an attempt to stem the
bleeding. As she pulled the bandage tight, Captain Kurogumo
cried out and writhed in agony, before his eyes rolled back in
their sockets and he fell still.
‘Is he dead?’ asked Jack.
Li Ling shook her head. “He’s breathing.. . just.’
With their captain down, Skullface took charge.
‘Cut the dock lines!’ he called to his gang as more musket
shots were fired.
Tiger and Snakehead rushed off with the others and began
hacking at the ropes. Arrows whisked through the air and a
Wind Demon fell screaming overboard.
‘Get the mainsail up!’ Skullface barked, noticing the canvas
was only half unfurled.
A Wind Demon shouted, ‘It’s jammed.’
“Put Manzo on to it.’
‘He already is.’
The colossal ninja pirate was at the front, yanking on the
main halyard, but to no avail.
In frustration, Skullface slammed his sword into the wooden
handrail, splinters flying. “We're sitting ducks!’
A unit of samurai thundered up the gangway. With all the
Wind Demons occupied, there was no one to stop them. The
soldiers were halfway across before Manzo spotted the threat.
He let go of the halyard and charged over. Using his great
strength, he lifted the gangway — samurai and all — and tossed
the end over the side. The samurai tumbled into the water,
shrieking as the heavy gangway crashed on top of them.
‘The foresail’s up,’ announced another ninja pirate.

219
 ‘That’s not good enough!’ snapped Skullface. “We won't
harness enough wind to make an escape. We need the mainsail.’
‘T'll fix it,’ offered Jack.
Skullface eyed him doubtfully.
‘I was a rigging monkey. I know what I’m doing,’ he
insisted.
Skullface nodded and Jack ran off, leaving Li Ling to tend
to the unconscious captain. Jack launched himself at the near-
est shroud supporting the main mast. Hand over hand, he
scaled the rigging with practised ease. Skullface gave the order
to trim the foresail and took hold of the tiller; the canvas
caught the night breeze and the shuinsen pulled away from the
jetty. Below, Jack could hear the angry shouts of samurai and
the blast of muskets. He prayed none of them looked up — he’d
make easy pickings for a sharpshooter.
Jack reached the masthead. Although the Chinese junk sail
worked in reverse to the square-rigged Alexandria —the canvas
being raised rather than lowered — he immediately spotted the
problem. The halyard block was damaged, its sheave cracked.
In the Wind Demons’ rush to raise the mainsail, the halyard
had slipped off the broken sheave and jammed.
‘Give me some slack,’ Jack called down, securing the rope
on a cleat to hold the sail in place. With great difficulty, he
‘worked the halyard free and realigned it. Releasing the cleat,
he then instructed the Wind Demons to unfurl the sail slowly.
Inch by inch, the sail’s yard spar rose up the mast. At the same
time, the Sea Samurai on the other vessels were raising their
sails and dropping their oars, determined to give chase.
From his vantage point, Jack could see across the entire
harbour. The first seki-bune had left the jetty to block their escape.

220
But, with its rudder sabotaged, the ship had no steerage and it
ploughed straight into the harbour wall. As they passed one of
the immense atake-bune, it made no attempt to pursue them. The
holes drilled in its hull by Captain Hebi’s men had done their job
and the ship was sinking fast. But, instead of abandoning ship,
the quick-thinking samurai captain ordered his men to open fire.
Cannon and musket shot strafed the shuinsen’s deck. Wind
Demons dived for cover as the red bamboo guardrails and
bulwarks exploded in a shower of splinters and iron shot. Even
Jack had to shelter behind the mast as a number of arrows and
bullets whistled past his head. Below, the screams of wounded
ninja pirates pierced the night. But Skullface ordered no retaliat-
ing fire. Faced with an entire garrison, as well as the Sea Samurai
force, their only hope lay in escaping the confines of the harbour.
They were ahead of the surviving Sea Samurai ships, but they
still had to sail past the castle and its formidable bank of cannon.
‘Back to your stations!’ commanded Skullface. “They won't
dare sink a Red Seal ship.’
But Skullface was wrong.
Lanterns burnt inside the castle, and through the loopholes
Jack could make out silhouettes working furiously to load the
cannon. It would be touch-and-go if the shuinsen made it
through in one piece.
As they reached the harbour entrance, a loud boom thun-
dered from the castle’s direction. This first explosion was
followed by the blast of several more cannon. Jack instinctively
ducked, vainly shielding himself from the approaching iron
shot.
But nothing hit the ship. Jack looked up to see the castle
half in ruins where all the cannon had backfired.

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 “‘WANIZAME! roared Skullface, brandishing his sword in
triumph. The rest of the crew cheered in salute of their fellow
ninja pirates, who'd accomplished their mission with devastat-
ing effect.
The shuinsen entered open water without further resistance.
By now, the mainsail had been fully raised and trimmed
towards the wind. The ship immediately picked up speed and
pulled away from Hikari Harbour.
Behind, Jack could hear the heavy beat of drums as the
samurai crews rowed after them. Powered by oar and sail, they
were quickly gaining on them. One of the seki-bune was for-
ging ahead of the others when it came to a juddering halt, its
bow suddenly veering off to one side. There was a wrenching
of wood and half the jetty was dragged into the sea — the seki-
bune’s anchor having been tied to the harbour structure.
But that still left two seki-bune and a fearsome atake-bune in
pursuit. These appeared to have escaped the Wind Demons’
sabotage tactics. As they raced after the shuinsen, the armed
samurai on-board shot arrow and musket at the ninja pirates
fleeing in their rowing boats. The Wind Demons paddled hard
for the safety of their own ships, but they were being picked
off one by one. . . until Captain Kujira’s Killer Whale rounded
the headland and lay down a barrage of suppressive cannon fire.
Glancing back towards the harbour, Jack spotted a blaze
coming from the top tower of the castle. For a moment, he
thought this was the work of Captain Wanizame’s crew . . .
then he realized it was a distress beacon, its rising flames visible
for miles.
 SEA FOG

Jack scanned the dark skies from atop the main mast and
located the pole star. The shuinsen had struck a course dead
south. Behind, a lone seki-bune pursued them. The other
two Sea Samurai ships had been intercepted by the Wind
Demon vessels and they were now engaged ina full-scale
sea battle. The thundering blast of cannons rolled across the
water and the muzzle flash of guns lit the sky like a distant
storm.
The seki-bune kept coming, relying upon its oarsmen for
speed, its main mast having been crippled in the firefight. But
the wind-powered shuinsen, weighed down by its precious
cargo, was considerably slower. Only its head start on the
seki-bune was preventing their immediate capture. Skullface
gave orders for every inch of sailcloth to be raised, planning
to maintain their advantage for as long as possible in the hope
that the samurai crew would eventually tire.
As the chase went on, they soon lost sight of their fellow
Wind Demons and their fate in the battle remained unknown.
But the castle beacon continued to burn brightly on the hori-
zon — sending its distress call into the night sky.

22:3
 Jack stayed aloft, keeping an eye on the stars and committing
their course to memory. If he and his friends did manage to
escape from Tatsumaki’s clutches, then he needed to know
their way back to land from Pirate Island. But such a prospect
was becoming more and more unlikely as the heavy beat of the
oarsmen’s drum increased and the seki-bune gained on them.
‘Load the stern cannon!’ ordered Skullface.
Tiger and Snakehead went below, just as a hail of steel-
tipped arrows peppered the deck. The seki-bune had drawn
into firing range and the Wind Demons were forced to take
cover. Jack had a bird’s-eye view of the Sea Samurai priming
muskets and preparing to launch a second volley of arrows.
Then a heavy boom resounded from within the shuinsen. It
was followed by the splinter and crack of wood and the cries
of injured men. But no Sea Samurai on the upper deck were
hurt. Tiger and Snakehead’s aim had been purposefully low,
the shot destroying the oars along the enemy’s port side.
Disabled, the seki-bune rapidly fell behind.
The Wind Demons gave an almighty roar of defiance.
Nothing could stop them now. They’d stolen the Shogun’s
Red Seal ship! Then Jack caughta flicker of a sail on the hori-
zon. He looked harder and five more sails emerged from
behind the shadow of an island, the pale moonlight reflecting
off a golden shell on their white canvas.
‘SUIGUN TO THE SOUTH! cried Jack, realizing the
beacon’s call had been answered.

Dawn broke and the Sea Samurai patrol were closer than ever.
Following Jack’s warning, Skullface had grabbed the tiller and
immediately altered course west. But a short while later, across

224
the waters, came a deep resonating tone like the call of a prim-
eval bird. Jack, who'd been ordered down from the rigging,
shuddered at the unnerving noise.
‘It’s a horagai, a conch-shell trumpet,’ Li Ling had explained,
still nursing the unconscious Captain Kurogumo. ‘The seki-
bune must be signalling our position to the patrol.’
With the benefit of both sail and oar, it hadn’t taken long
for the Sea Samurai to find them.
“We'll never escape now,’ growled Tiger, eyeing their
relentless pursuers.
The day not yet begun, a chill rose up from the cold sea,
but the wind blew warm and moist. Jack had experienced such
conditions countless times before and began to search for
further signs. He smiled to himself when he spotted the haze
on the horizon.
‘Head north,’ said Jack to Skullface.
‘That way lies land,’ replied Skullface, ignoring his sugges-
tion.
‘And sea fog.’
Skullface laughed mockingly. ‘I thought you knew how to
navigate, gaijin. We won't be able to see a thing!’
‘Exactly,’ replied Jack. “And nor will the Sea Samurai.’
Skullface instantly understood, but didn’t like the idea one
bit. “We could run aground or hull ourselves on rocks.’
‘There must be charts in the captain’s cabin,’ said Jack. ‘If
you can pinpoint where we are, I can pilot you safely through
the fog.’
Skullface glanced back at the ever-advancing samurai fleet
and cursed. He turned to Tiger. ‘Get the gaijin what he
needs.’

225
 The ninja pirate returned with both chart and compass.
Having calculated their position and studied thechart, Jack
instructed Skullface to take a bearing north-north-west.
The Sea Samurai fleet altered their course accordingly and
the race was on.
The bank of sea fog seemed impossibly far away, its pres-
ence too indistinct to judge their distance from it. But the
closing gap between the shuinsen and Sea Samurai was all too
easy to gauge. The drums beat faster, the oars dug deeper, and
distance grew shorter as the Sea Samurai realized the Wind
Demons’ intention and tried to stop them.
“We're not going to make it,’ said Snakehead.
The Sea Samurai bore down on the shuinsen in a final burst
of power.
Then a sudden gust of wind wafted a billowing cloud of
fog towards the Wind Demons and they were enveloped
within its whiteness. The bewildering fog was so thick that
the ninja pirates could not see from bow to stern.
“Head east,’ said Jack, holding the compass before Skull-
face’s eyes.
Skullface leant upon the tiller and the Wind Demons
trimmed the sails. Unable to see the white canvas, they pulled
on the sheets until they could no longer hear the luffing of
the sails. Jack counted time in his head. When he thought the
shuinsen had gone far enough, he instructed, ‘Lower the sails,
drop anchor and silence your men.’
“What?” said Skullface, incredulous.
‘Just do it!’ hissed Jack.
Grudgingly, Skullface gave the order. The sails were furled
and the shuinsen came to a halt. Blinded by the fog, the Wind

226
Demons had only their ears to rely upon to warn them of the
Sea Samurai’s approach.
At first, all that could be heard was the lapping of the waves.
Then, in the foggy distance, there came the creak of a ship
and the splash of oars. The drums had been silenced, no doubt
so that the samurai captains could detect the shuinsen. Other
ships could be heard further off, but this one was close enough
to hear the hushed voices of the samurai on deck.
“We were right on their tail!’ rasped a voice in annoyance.
Jack held his breath, terrified of making even the slightest
sound as the Sea Samurai ship rowed directly towards them.
Skullface glowered at Jack, convinced that he’d doomed them
to die.
The faintest of silhouettes passed perpendicular to their
stern, then disappeared again in the fog. The sound of paddling
receded into the distance. The Wind Demon crew gave a
collective sigh of relief.
‘Raise the foresail only,’ whispered Jack. “Continue on an
easterly course, but slowly.’
‘But we're behind the enemy, why not just head south?’
said Tiger.
‘We can’t leave the fog bank yet. They’re bound to have left
one or two lookout ships to attack us as we emerge. We have
to put some distance between us and them first.’
On Skullface’s command, the crew quietly went about rais-
ing the anchor and sail. The shuinsen crept through the fog,
playing a fraught cat-and-mouse game with the Sea Samurai.
When they heard a ship ahead, Jack had to alter course. He
studied the chart, but for the most part had to navigate by
instinct, guessing their progress and praying he was right. The

227
shuinsen wove between hidden islands and rocky outcrops, the
deadly obstacles looming out of the fog like monsters of the
deep before diving back into the white swirling mist.
Muffled by fog and distance, they heard the crunch of
wood, followed by shouts of anger.
Skullface grinned. “That’s one less ship to worry about.’
Jack scrutinized the chart again. ‘If I’m right, we should be
far enough away from any lookout ship now and can use this
island as cover, before heading south.’
Leaning on the tiller, Skullface let the shuinsen’s bow turn
until the compass point hit its mark. Gradually, like a veil of
smoke, the fog lifted and they left the Sea Samurai patrol
behind to continue its futile search.
 A PIRATE'S SHARE

‘The Sea Samurai were so close I could have spat on them!’

boasted Skullface as he described their miraculous escape to
Tatsumaki. The other pirate captains rolled their eyes at his
bragging, but nonetheless were delighted to see their prize
intact.
The shuinsen was safely docked within the lagoon after sail-
ing a circuitous route back to Pirate Island. The surviving
crewmembers of the Great White, the Jade Serpent and the Killer
Whale crowded on to the jetty, noisily celebrating its unex-
pected arrival. Having won the battle against the Hikari Sea
Samurai, they had returned a day earlier and believed the Red
Seal ship lost.
Tatsumaki regarded Skullface sternly. ‘And what made you
decide to enter the fog? That was reckless .. .’
‘The gaijin’s to blame,’ said Skullface, quick to avoid criti-
cism.
‘...and brilliant,’ she added, much to the ninja pirate’s
dismay.
Tatsumaki turned to Jack, a smile curling the corner of her
lips. ‘Another trick you learnt from your father?’

229
 ‘No,’ Jack admitted. ‘I got the idea from the Ring of Wind
— evasion is far better than engagement,’ he explained, remem- -
bering his Five Rings lesson with the Grandmaster. ‘I was
taught that the best move is simply not to be there.’
Tatsumaki studied him intently, her dark eyes seeming to
search his soul. “You certainly didn’t learn that as a samurai.
That’s ninja thinking!’
The Pirate Queen stopped two pirates, who were unload-
ing one of the treasure chests, and summoned them over. For
a moment, Jack thought that she was going to have him
thrown overboard. Then she opened the lid of the chest and
took out a generous handful of silver coin.
‘In recognition of saving the ship and Captain Kurogumo’s
crew, I declare you an official Wind Demon,’ said Tatsumaki
with due ceremony. ‘And as a real pirate on your first raid,
you ve earned your share.’
The Pirate Queen filled Jack’s hands with the treasure.
Skullface scowled at seeing Jack get the reward. But Jack let
the coins fall through his fingers and tumble to the deck.
‘I don’t want your blood money. I just want freedom for
me and my friends.’
Tatsumaki gave a laugh like a peal of bells. ‘Of course,’ she
said agreeably, leaving the coins where they lay. ‘Just as soon
as you've deciphered the rutter.’
“Why should I believe you ever will?’ said Jack. “You lied
to me about the rice.’
Tatsumaki looked offended. ‘Are you telling me there wasn’t
any?”
She turned to her pirate captains for confirmation. They
all shook their heads in an act of unified regret.

230
 ‘T’m sorry I misled you, Jack,’ said Tatsumaki, her tone
seemingly earnest. “But I promise, on my honour, some of the
Shogun’s coin will go to the local villages — including your
share, if that’s your wish.’
Jack was totally disarmed by the Pirate Queen’s apparent
sincerity. Although he guessed she used her charm to manip-
ulate people, he found it hard to resist and nodded his
appreciation that his share would be given away.
‘Now on to more important matters,’ said Tatsumaki. ‘How
was Captain Kurogumo injured?”
Upon their return to Pirate Island the captain had regained
consciousness, but was still too weak to give an account
himself.
“One of the samurai guards wasn’t dead and sounded the
alarm,’ explained Skullface gravely. “Captain Kurogumo dealt
with him but was shot in the process.’
“You left a guard alive!’ exclaimed Captain Hebi. “That
would never have occurred with my men.’
‘Nor Captain Kurogumo’s,’ asserted Skullface. “Usually.’
He glared at Jack, his suspicions left unspoken.
Jack averted his gaze to the deck, knowing that it had been
his fault the alarm was raised.
‘One thing’s for certain,’ remarked Captain Kujira, noticing
the exchange, but misreading Skullface’s angry look. ‘Without
Jack’s intervention and expert seamanship, we would never
have got our prize.’
Skullface opened his mouth in silent outrage at Captain
Kujira’s praise of Jack.
“We need more pirates like this boy!’ agreed Captain Wani-
zame, clapping a hand on Jack’s shoulder.

231
 ‘Perhaps we can persuade Jack to stay?’ said Tatsumaki,
turning to him. ‘It’s obvious you’re more than welcome.’
Jack was led away, albeit reluctantly, by the Pirate Queen
and her captains to celebrate their victory, leaving a seeth-
ing and embittered Skullface to carry on unloading the
shuinsen.

“We thought you'd been thrown overboard,’ said Yori, when

Jack was finally returned to their guarded room in the citadel.
Jack smiled reassuringly at his friends. “You know I'd never
leave you like this.’
“What happened to you?’ asked Saburo, his expression a
mixture of concern and relief.
Jack recounted the pirates’ raid on Hikari Harbour and their
narrow escape from the Sea Samurai patrol. When he’d
finished, Miyuki exclaimed in disbelief, “You’ve been made a
Wind Demon’
Jack nodded sheepishly. “But it does have its advantages,’
he said, pulling a roll of paper from the trouser leg of his
shinobi shozoku.
‘A sea chart!’ she gasped, her eyes widening in amazement.
‘I used it to navigate the shuinsen out of the fog. Once clear,
Skullface forced me to go below deck so I wouldn’t see the
final approach to Pirate Island. But he forgot that I had the
chart. Although I might not know exactly where we are, I’ve
a good enough idea which direction we need to sail in to reach
landfall.’
‘Is it far?’ asked Miyuki.
‘In a small boat, perhaps two or three days’ sailing.’
“We've been saving food for the voyage,’ said Yori eagerly.

232
He picked up a silk cushion from the corner of the room.
Inside, the stuffing had been replaced with small balls of rice.
‘T realize there’s not much, but at least it’s a start.’
“What about water?’ asked Jack.
Saburo shook his head. “We haven't been allowed to keep
any water jugs, he explained. “But I thought we could use the
bucket from the ofuro and .. . fill it with the bathwater.’
Jack couldn’t stop himself grimacing at the idea. Then he
remembered that he’d sucked fish eyes. Surely Saburo’s bath-
water couldn't be any worse than that!
‘Our main problem is escaping from this room,’ said
Miyuki. “The guards check on us regularly and rotate every
few hours to stay sharp. We’re not even given hashi to eat with,
in case we use them as weapons.’
‘There must be another way out of here,’ said Jack.
‘Without a knife, the bamboo is simply too tough to break
through,’ she explained. ‘I did manage to loosen a floorboard,
though. But that’s no help.’
“Why not?’
‘See for yourself.’
Miyuki pulled back one of the tatami mats and lifted the
floorboard. Through the narrow gap, Jack had a giddy view
of the lagoon far below.
‘There’s nothing to hold on to,’ said Miyuki. “We'd plunge
straight to our deaths.’
 TARGET PRACTICE

‘There’s no land whatsoever?’ questioned Tatsumaki, as she

studied the blank hand-drawn map of the Pacific Ocean.
The rutter was laid out on a table in one of the citadel’s
antechambers. In response to the Pirate Queen’s question, Jack
pointed a finger to a couple of specks in the middle of the page.
‘My father discovered fertile islands here, directly east by south
of Japan. He’s written down the course we took. Any ship
would need to use them as a stepping-stone to the Americas.’
Captains Hebi, Wanizame and Kujira knelt opposite, scru-
tinizing the information Jack had given them so far. It was
enough to whet their appetites, but not so they could act
effectively upon their newfound knowledge — Jack had been
careful to leave out crucial facts every so often.
. ‘If we set up a pirate base on these islands,’ mused Captain
Hebi, his eyes narrowing deviously, ‘we'd have a stranglehold
on trade passing through the Pacific.’
Captain Wanizame and Captain Kujira nodded their agree-
ment.
‘Excellent work, Jack,’ said Tatsumaki, closing the logbook
and caressing its leather cover. “Keep this up and you and your

234
friends will be on your way in no time at all.’ The Pirate Queen
stood, beckoning for an attendant to collect the rutter for her.
“We'll meet again tomorrow.’
The pirate captains and Jack bowed her farewell as she
strode out of the room, the attendant following in her wake.
Saru, who'd been perched on Jack’s shoulder like a faithful
parrot, leapt down and raced after her mistress. Jack’s eyes
followed the three of them through the open door into the
citadel’s inner sanctum. He hoped to discover where the rutter
was kept, but the shoji slid shut before he could find out.
‘Come with me, Jack,’ said Captain Kujira, walking stiffly
with the help of his trident in the direction of the main gate.
Jack looked over in surprise. He was usually shepherded
straight back to the guarded room after the rutter meetings, or
else forced to translate more of his father’s notes to a scribe.
Watched like a hawk at all times, he’d been unable to acquire
a knife, or any other tool as yet, to help facilitate their break-
out. Trapped in a prison within a prison, he and his friends
were frustrated by the lack of progress in their escape plans.
Miyuki now paced the floor like a caged tiger and even Saburo
was going off his food. Only Yori remained patient at their
prolonged confinement, continuing to methodically stockpile
rice.
‘Where are we going?’ Jack asked.
‘On-board my ship, the Killer Whale,’ replied the captain.
‘Tatsumaki wants you to observe its firepower first-hand.’
They entered the bamboo lift and descended to the lagoon.
While Jack had taken every opportunity to memorize the
citadel’s layout, this was his first chance to explore the jetty.
The lagoon was bustling with pirates repairing ships, loading

235
 supplies and unloading booty. Fish of all kinds were being
bartered for stolen goods and raucous shouts burst from dark
dens stinking of stale sweat and spilt saké. Those pirates not at
work were involved in gambling, arm wrestling, or else grog-
gily recovering from the previous night’s hangover. The
atmosphere along the jetty was one of a tinderbox waiting to
explode.
Captain Kujira led the way through the chaotic rabble, his
trident thudding on the wooden dock with each step, its sound
parting the pirates. As they headed towards the Killer Whale,
they passed the Shogun’s stolen Red Seal ship. Jack was amazed
to see that it had been stripped of all its sails, rigging and any
other useful items, and now appeared as empty as a beggar’s
purse.
‘A shuinsen’s of no use to us,’ explained Captain Kujira, upon
noticing Jack’s surprise. ‘It’s too easily recognizable. We need
everyday cargo boats or, even better, Sea Samurai ships.’
Jack was momentarily taken aback to see a seki-bune moored
at the jetty. The ship was in a poor state, its mast and rigging
destroyed, but the hull appeared intact.
‘I captured it during the battle,’ said Captain Kujira proudly.
‘A ship like this will allow us to pass samurai checkpoints unop-
posed — no one would ever suspect pirates to be on-board!’
Jack now saw that the shuinsen’s main mast was being trans-
ferred to the seki-bune, along with other spare parts, to restore
the ship to seaworthiness.
‘Jack, Jack!’ cried Li Ling, running over to them. ‘Look
what I’ve got.’
She turned round and lifted her dark hair to reveal a small
black spider freshly tattooed on the nape of her neck.

236
 “Was that for saving Captain Kurogumo’s life?’ Jack asked.
Li Ling nodded enthusiastically. ‘And Tatsumaki’s asked
me to join her crew. Can you believe it?’
‘Well . . . congratulations,’ said Jack, trying to sound pleased
for her.
“And I get to wear the black and crimson uniform of her
ship!’ she added, showing off her new jacket.
‘Girl pirates!’ Captain Kujira grunted at her exuberance,
before impatiently limping on.
The Killer Whale was moored at the far end of the jetty.
Docked alongside was the Black Spider. The ship’s repairs were
almost complete and the vessel had regained much of its
former glory and menace. As they passed by, Skullface and his
gang appeared at the gunwales. Jack felt their glare upon him
as he and Li Ling ascended the gangway to the Killer Whale’s
main deck.
“Cast off!’ ordered Captain Kujira.
The Killer Whale left the dock and sailed out through the
gap in the crater wall. As they entered thestraits, Jack noticed
a single-sail skiff had cast off too. It carried five ninja pirates
and was loaded with fresh supplies. The boat was headed for
the dock below the hidden fort atop the sister island. Jack tried
to contain his excitement as he eyed the skiff longingly.
‘Are we going on another raid?’ he asked Captain Kujira,
wondering when the Killer Whale intended to return.
‘No,’ replied Captain Kujira, laughing. He pointed to a
small raft upon which three samurai were frantically paddling
away. ‘It’s time for target practice.’
 a

HEAVEN AND EA RTH

Captain Kujira guided Jack and Li Ling down to the Killer

Whale’s gun deck. The wooden beams were blackened with
soot and the tang of burnt gunpowder hung permanently in
the air. An impressive array of cannon lined both sides of the
ship, their muzzles protruding into the bars of sunlight that
flooded in through the open portholes. The pirate crew, with
their muscular torsos bare and grime-streaked, obediently
awaited the captain’s order to commence firing.
“Heaven and Earth won us the battle against the Sea Samu-
rai, Captain Kujira said smugly, patting the first two cannon
of the starboard row.
Jack gave him a quizzical look.
‘This here is Earth,’ he explained, admiring the long iron
barrel of the first cannon with a bore the size of a man’s fist.
‘And this is Heaven.’ Roughly a third longer with a calibre
twice as large, the second gun looked as formidable and
destructive as any European 24-pounder culverin. The two
types of artillery repeated themselves in pairs down the length
of the ship.
‘But this one’s my pride and joy,’ announced Captain

238
Kujira, approaching a mammoth gun facing out of the bow.
‘Crouching Tiger. This beast will hull anything, even an atake-
bunel’
Jack and Li Ling were awed by the sheer dimensions of the
weapon. Mounted upon areinforced carriage, its barrel was
broad and stout as a temple column and dominated the gun
deck. Piled beside it was iron shot the size of small boulders
and Jack had little doubt that a direct hit at the waterline from
one of these would sink any vessel.
“We captured these weapons from a Korean battleship,’
Captain Kujira went on. ‘Such firepower gives us an advantage
over the Sea Samurai. You see, they still fight as if they’re on
land. Their standard tactics are to launch a salvo of arrows,
then approach close enough to board and battle hand-to-hand.
But we favour bombardment, keeping our enemy at bay until
they’re too damaged and weak to fight back. Such long-
distance artillery skills, however, require practice.’
He peered out through a porthole.
‘Good, our target’s gone far enough. Starboard battery to
your stations!’
The pirates broke into well-drilled activity. The barrels
were cleaned with a dry rammer, then charged with gunpow-
der. Once packed down, a second round of powder was put
into the chamber. Then a wad of paper was inserted and
rammed home. The barrel was swabbed out before acannon- |
ball was gently rolled into place. But not all the guns were
loaded with round shot. The pirate crew nearest Jack lifted a
heavy iron-tipped arrow with thick leather flights into the
muzzle of their cannon.
‘Those are daejon,’ explained the captain over the noise of

239
the carriages being wheeled into their firing positions. ‘They’re
far more accurate than shot, having a longer range yet packing
no less of a punch. On impact they smash apart, sending deadly
shards into the enemy. And for a truly devastating attack, the
arrows can even be setonfire!’
The captain licked his lips at the very thought.
‘Mark your target,’ he commanded his crew.
The pirates gauged their guns’ trajectory and Laci the
carriages appropriately.
‘Starboard battery — FIRE!’
The deck resounded to the blast of cannon, each one as
loud as a thunderclap. The carriages recoiled, bucking away
from the portholes like wild horses, the muzzles discharging
clouds of smoke into the ship. Jack’s ears rang, his eyes stung
and he hacked at the acrid stench of gunsmoke.
The haze cleared just as the barrage of cannonballs and
iron-tipped arrows reached their target. The sea surrounding
the raft exploded in plumes of boiling spray. For a moment,
the samurai were tossed upon the waves before disappearing
beneath the churning water. Then they bobbed back up,
bedraggled but alive. Still clutching their paddles, they rowed
desperately in a bid to get out of range.
‘I think your crew need more practice, ‘remarked Jack, with
great relief for the poor samurai.
Captain Kujira shook his head. “You always aim short on
your first shot. Otherwise if it goes beyond, you can’t gauge
how far over.’
The pirate crew began rapidly adjusting the angle of their
cannon. Then the guns were reloaded with furious efficiency.
‘FIRE!’ ordered Captain Kujira.

240
 Another round of explosions shook the Killer Whale. Jack
felt the concussions deep in his gut. This time the raft was
capsized by the violent waves. But still none of the cannonshot
hit their mark. The samurai clambered back on-board the raft
and resumed their frantic paddling.
Final adjustments were made by the pirates. When the
cannon were primed once more, Captain Kujira personally
checked the trajectory of each gun and instructed his crew on
improving their technique. The last gunner, bowing to his
captain’s superior knowledge, offered his burning match.
Accepting the honourable gesture, Captain Kujira touched
the flame to the gun’s vent. The Heaven cannon blasted out
its daejon. Whizzing like a mighty firework, the flaming iron-
tipped arrow arced across the sky towards the panicking
samurai.
The raft exploded in a fountain of foaming sea spray and
fiery splinters. When the water settled once more, the three _
samurai were nowhere to be seen.
The ninja pirates applauded their captain’s consummate
skill. Despite joining in the cheers, Li Ling noticeably blanched
at the men’s cruel deaths. Heartened to see this, Jack wondered
if she really had the stomach to be a true pirate — he hoped
not.
‘Those men were defenceless,’ he protested to Captain
Kujira.
The captain gave Jack a dismissive look. “They had a chance
to get away. That’s more than the Sea Samurai would ever
allow us!’ he snorted. ‘Besides, no one escapes Pirate Island
alive.’
He eyed Jack meaningfully. Only now did Jack realize

241
why Tatsumaki had wanted him to witness this atrocity
. .. to convince him how futile any escape attempt would
be.
 PIRATE TOWN

Unwilling to be deterred by the Pirate Queen’s veiled threat,

Jack announced that evening to his friends, ‘I’ve found our boat!’
Miyuki, Saburo and Yori could barely contain their excite-
ment at the news.
‘So we leave tonight!’ insisted Miyuki.
Jack shook his head. He told them about Captain Kujira’s
cruel display of target practice. “We'd be spotted immediately
by the lookouts on the other island — then blown to smither-
eens.’ His friends’ elation slumped into despondency.
‘But what other option do we have?’
‘None really,’ replied Jack. ‘Our only chance is to escape
under cover of the next black moon.’
‘But that’s two weeks away,’ despaired Saburo.
‘I know, but we need that time to figure out how
to break
free from this room and get down to the jetty without being
spotted,’ explained Jack. “Besides, I still don’t know where the
skiff is moored. And we don’t want to be hunting for it in the
dark.’
‘Perhaps Tatsumaki will let us go before then?’ Yori
suggested optimistically.

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 ‘I wouldn’t count on it,’ said Miyuki. —
‘But Jack said she was pleased with the information he'd
given her.’
‘The Pirate Queen is just dangling our freedom as a carrot
to keep Jack talking.’
Despite harbouring the hope that Tatsumaki would keep
her word, Jack knew Miyuki was probably right. He was prov-
ing too valuable to the Pirate Queen for her to ever lethim
go. And Tatsumaki was astute enough to realize that the rutter
was only as good as the pilot who interpreted it. She would
need his first-hand experience to achieve the logbook’s full
potential. They would never be allowed to leave Pirate Island,
blood oath or not.

Another week passed. The daily sessions with the rutter grew
more in-depth and Tatsumaki’s interrogation became more
searching. Jack continued to skip crucial bits of information,
but Captain Hebi seemed to sense when he wasn’t revealing
all the facts and had the unsettling knack of getting him to
divulge more than he wanted. The longer he spent explaining
the secrets of the logbook, the more the pieces of the puzzle
fell into place for the pirates. Jack realized that he and his
friends had to escape at the next black moon, before the Wind
Demons acquired enough knowledge to use the rutter for their
own ends, with or without him as pilot.
Fortunately, during the sessions, he'd gained more of the
Pirate Queen’s trust and was given greater freedom to roam
her citadel, unaccompanied. But Tatsumaki still didn’t take
any chances, having instructed the guards to search him thor-
oughly before allowing him back in the room. This made it

244
impossible to smuggle anything to his friends. So Jack spent
his free time pacing out various escape routes and memorizing
where sentries were posted. He even succeeded in gaining
access to the balcony and began looking for safe ways down
the cliff face to the lagoon. But apart from the bamboo winch
lifts, operated by a four-man crew below, the only other
option appeared to be through the vertical pirate town itself.
‘Enjoying the view?’ enquired Tatsumaki.
Jack looked up guiltily, feeling as if he’d been caught in the
act of escape. “I was admiring the town’s remarkable construc-
tion,’ he replied.
Tatsumaki placed both hands upon the rail and gazed over
her domain. ‘It’s taken ten years of my life to build this. All
under the nose of daimyo Mori. That’s why he’ll never defeat
the Wind Demons — he has no idea where we are and never
will. Would you like to take a closer look at the town?’
“You'd let me explore it . . . alone?’ asked Jack, surprised at
her suggestion.
Tatsumaki laughed. ‘Not if you value your life. Pirate Town
can bea bit unruly at times. You'll need a guide. And I’m
confident you won't try to escape — I know how loyal you are
to your friends. Besides there being nowhere for you to go.’

The next day Li Ling was waiting for him by the citadel gate.
‘Tatsumaki’s appointed me to be your guide,’ she
announced.
Jack was pleased to see her, but wondered whether he could
fully trust Li Ling now that she was an initiated Wind Demon.
It would be just Tatsumaki’s style to make their pirate friend
a spy.

245
 ‘How’s life as a pirate?’ asked Jack.
‘It’s hard work,’ she replied, showing him the blisters on
her hands. ‘But as one of her crew, I get a share of the treasure.’
Li Ling fished out a silver coin from the pouch on her belt.
She polished it proudly and held it up to the sunlight.
Ifthat single coin is her reward, thought Jack, glancing back at
the resplendent rooms in the citadel, it’s obvious who’s taken the
lion’s share.
‘Shall we go?’ suggested Li Ling, leading him towards a
narrow rope walkway sloping down the cliff face.
‘We're not taking the lift?’ asked Jack.
Li Ling shook her head. ‘Only captains ride for free,’ she
replied.
“You have to pay?’
Li Ling nodded. ‘Everything has its price in Pirate Town.’
They descended the walkway, a slim bamboo rail the only
barrier between safety and a fatal plummet to the lagoon basin.
Looking over the rail at the precipitous drop, Jack saw count- _
less roofs projecting from the rock face. Smoke curled up from
cooking fires and pirates thronged the gangways and ladders.
Jack had a clear view of the ships docked at the jetty, but he
was still too high up to spot the skiff.
“This top level is for captains only,’ explained Li Ling as
they passed by grand bamboo houses with balconies overlook-
ing the lagoon. “This one belongs to Captain Kurogumo.’
Jack glanced in. There appeared to be four rooms, each
matted out with the finest tatami and separated by silk shoji
decorated with painted battle scenes. A large treasure chest sat
in one corner, surrounded by an impressive hoard of samurai
armour, exquisite swords and other prize weapons. Jack’s eyes

246
widened — among the armoury were his red-handled Shizu
swords.
‘The captain’s not there,’ said Li Ling, thinking Jack was
looking for him. ‘Now he’s well enough, he’s inspecting the
repairs to the Black Spider.’
Jack spotted movement on the balcony. A woman with long
black hair, a white face and black teeth appeared. Dressed in
a shimmering purple kimono, the geisha looked harmless
enough until he spotted the tanto knife in her obi. Her dark
eyes regarded him with suspicion. Reluctantly moving on and
leaving his swords behind, Jack followed Li Ling down a rick-
ety ladder to the next level.
More houses perched on the cliff face. These were smaller
two-room abodes, but no less sumptuous.
‘The quartermaster, pilots and ships’ carpenters live here,’
explained Li Ling. “The lower levels are for the rest of the
crews.’
‘Based on rank order?’ asked Jack.
Li Ling shook her head. ‘Length of service, strength of arm
and riches determine your position.’
‘So where are your quarters?”
Li Ling forced a smile. ‘At the very bottom . . .’ Her eyes
then hardened with resolve. *. . . For the time being.’
As they descended, Jack noticed the buildings became less
elaborate. They still relied upon bamboo frames for strength,
but the solid bamboo walls were replaced with pieces of spare
decking, canvas sheets and even driftwood. It gave the vertical
town a ramshackle look and the appearance that it could
collapse at any moment. Only the sturdy storehouses main-
tained any sense of solid structure.

247
 ‘This is the main street,’ announced Li Ling.
The walkway was the busiest and the widest so far, allow-
ing men to pass three abreast. It skirted the outside edge of a
series of buildings with open shop fronts. But these shops
didn’t offer the typical wares. Many were bars selling cheap
saké, or gambling dens where pirates could lose their riches on
the toss of a dice. A tattooist had set up business in one cabin
and was etching a black sea dragon on to the burly arm of a
Wind Demon. In the store next to them, a woman and man
haggled angrily over a vicious-looking battleaxe — the owner,
clearly not getting the price she wanted, was threatening to
show her potential customer how sharp the blade really was.
As Jack walked along the suspended street with Li Ling, he
felt the eyes of many pirates following him. But they weren’t
the usual looks of astonishment at his blond hair and blue eyes.
They were hungry, greedy stares.
Li Ling noticed the attention too and whispered, “There
are rumours that you’re worth one hundred koban to the
Shogun, alive or dead!’
Jack didn’t know whether to laugh or be seriously afraid.
But, whatever the actual bounty was now, he was a walking
treasure chest to these pirates. He could only hope that
Tatsumaki’s influence was great enough to protect him from
such lawless men.
‘BELOW!’ came acry.
Li Lingpulled Jack into the cover of the nearest shop front.
A splatter of brown-stained water dropped from above into
the lagoon.
‘I promise, you don’t want that sort of rain to land on your
head,’ she smirked.

248
 As Jack glanced over the rail, his eyes happened upon the
skiff. The little boat was moored in the shadow of Captain
Wanizame’s Great White.
The promise of freedom was tantalizingly close.
 WIND WITCH

‘Why don’t you have your fortune told?’ suggested Li Ling,

pointing to a dark smoky cabin with dead snakes, dried lizards
and bat wings hanging from the beams. ‘It’s customary for
every pirate to visit the Wind Witch.’
“Have you visited her?’ Jack asked, wrenching his eyes away
from the skiff and giving the macabre shop a dubious look.
Li Ling nodded, her face beaming. “The Wind Witch knows
all. She told me that I would make a great pirate one day, and
would command the South China Sea.’ She gestured for Jack
to go inside. He was about to protest, but Li Ling urged him
forward. ‘It'll be worth it,’ she promised. ‘I'll wait for you.’
Reluctantly, Jack found himself entering the Wind Witch’s
den. He had to stoop to pass through the many shrouds that
hung from the ceiling like ancient cobwebs. The room stank
of sulphur and charred hair. A couple of candles flickered in
the gloom anda stone hearth smouldered red with the remains
of a fire. Dried herbs, wrapped in bundles, were scattered on
the floor. From tiny wooden cages, stacked along the rear wall,
Jack heard scurrying and high-pitched squeaks and saw black
shapes twitching in the darkness. In the centre of the room

250
was a rough wooden table upon which a bowl, a small pile of
animal bones and a dagger lay. But there was no sign of the
Wind Witch.
Jack hesitated, wondering if he should call out. In truth,
being wary of such magical practices, he was glad to have
missed the witch. But, as he turned to leave, a heap of rags
burst into life.
‘Do not fear going forward; fear only to stand still,’ croaked
the old crone’s voice.
‘I think . . . I’ve changed my mind,’ excused Jack, backing
out of the doorway.
“To come so far and turn at the last step is a journey wasted,’
said the Wind Witch. ‘If you want to know the road ahead,
Jack-kun, you must ask those coming back.’
Hearing his name, Jack faltered mid-stride. He had assumed
that this Wind Witch simply weaved fortunes that people
wanted to hear. Yet this old crone seemed to promise much
more than that.
‘Sit!’ she demanded, beckoning him impatiently with a
bony finger.
Jack warily took his place opposite the Wind Witch. He
couldn’t make out her features beneath the cow] of rags, but could
smell her fetid breath and see the glint of her devil-black eyes.
‘Fortune favours the fair,’ said the witch, studying his
features.
Jack’s skin crawled as her eyes raked over his face. ‘I don’t
have the means to pay you,’ he admitted.
The Wind Witch clicked her tongue in annoyance. Then
her hand shot out and seized him by the hair. Before he could
pull away, she’d hacked off several locks with the dagger.

251
 ‘The mane of a golden child will be payment enough,’ she
said, rubbing the locks between her skeletal fingers and sniff-
ing them appreciatively.
Pocketing the hair in the sleeve of her raggedy clothes, she
kept a few strands back and placed them on the table. Then
the witch snapped some twigs into the bowl and, using the
embers of the fire, set the tinder alight. She ground down
herbs and sprinkled them over the flames, sending potent watts
of smoke into the air. With the dagger, she shaved off several
pieces of bone into the bowl, then spat on the mix, her spittle
sizzling in the fire.
‘Your hand,’ she instructed, without looking up.
Jack hesitantly held out his arm. The Wind Witch took
hold and with the tip of her dagger blade pricked his thumb.
Jack grimaced as she squeezed out three drops of blood. Next
she grabbed one of the wooden cages, opened it and shook
out a large black spider. Before the creature scuttled away, she
dropped it into the flames where it writhed and died. Jack
covered his mouth and nose as his nostrils filled with the stench
of burning flesh. Finally, the witch added a few strands of his
hair and the flames turned bright green.
Leaning over her burning concoction, the Wind Witch
breathed in a lungful of the fumes, then settled back. When
she spoke next, her voice was deep, hoarse and seemingly
disembodied.
“To gain freedom, one must wake from death and return to life...’
Her body shuddered within its trance. ‘Pain will nourish your
courage when the dragon returns .. .. Curls of smoke spiralled out
from her hooded face. ‘Your journey’s end has only just begun.
The greatest sacrifice is yet to come ~

252
 Suddenly the Wind Witch gave a piercing shriek and
knocked the bow] to the floor, extinguishing the flames.
“What’s wrong?’ asked Jack, alarmed at her erratic beha-
viour.
The Wind Witch shook her head, as if petrified out of her
wits. ‘Some things are not meant to be seen.’
She dismissed him with a wave of her hand. ‘Leave. Now!’
“What did you see?’ Jack insisted.
But the Wind Witch collapsed senseless among her heap of
rags.
Jack jumped up, his heart racing. What had she meant by her
fortune-telling? And what could have been so terrifying to scare a witch?
Hurriedly emerging from the den, he blinked against the
bright sunshine. Shaken as he was by the experience, in the
cold light of day, his encounter now seemed little more than
a bad dream. He tried to persuade himself that the woman had
been playing a trick on him, perhaps for not having the money
to pay. Still, it was a frightfully convincing performance...
Jack looked for Li Ling amid the throng of pirates, but
couldn’t see her. Out of nowhere, Skullface stepped into his
path.
‘Li Ling’s been summoned by Captain Kurogumo,’ he
explained. ‘I'll escort you from here on.’
There was something in the pirate’s manner that put Jack
on his guard. He cautiously backed away.
‘Where do you think you’re going, gaijin?’ asked Skullface,
his grina little too wide.
‘To the citadel,’ replied Jack.
‘Then follow me,’ invited the pirate, gesturing innocently
towards a rickety side ladder.

253
 ‘But that’s not the way,’ said Jack, turning to run.
Tiger and Snakehead suddenly appeared, blocking his path.
Without warning, Manzo jumped out from a nearby cabin
and bundled him inside. Caught in his bear-like grip, Jack was
powerless to fight back. Within seconds, he was enveloped by
a sack and bound tightly with rope, his wrists and ankles
expertly hogtied behind him. Struggling against his bonds,
Jack cried out for help.
‘Shut him up!’ hissed Skullface.
The last thing Jack felt was a heavy blow to the back of his
head.
 KIDNAPPED

The floor pitched and rolled. For a moment, still bound within
the sack, Jack thought his sickly disorientation came from the
strike to his head. Then he registered the creak of wood, the
splash of waves and the flap of canvas. He was at sea.
Apart from the dull throb at the base of his skull, Jack didn’t
think he was otherwise injured. He tried to move, but the
ropes held him fast. His throat was dry from the dust within
the sack. He considered shouting for help, but it was unlikely
anyone would come running to his aid. It was better to remain
silent and learn what he could before revealing to his captors
that he’d regained consciousness.
He had no idea kow long he’d been out for. No light seeped
through the coarse sacking, so Jack guessed that he was either
in the hold of a ship or else night had fallen.
He heard voices: only four and he recognized all of them
—Skullface, Snakehead, Tiger and Manzo. If that was the case,
he was probably on a small boat, otherwise there’d need to be
more crew.
What had Skullface and his gang planned for him? His
sudden abduction didn’t bode well. It would certainly be

255
against the wishes of Tatsumaki. And he’d witnessed the cruel
games of torture that these pirates enjoyed playing with their
prisoners. Was this the danger the Wind Witch had foreseen? If so,
surely she could have given him better warning!
Jack listened as Skullface issued the command to lower the
sail. A moment later, the boat bumped against a rock and the
deck lurched as someone leapt ashore.
‘Manzo, bring the gaijin,’ said Skullface.
Jack was manhandled off the boat and tossed over the
pirate’s shoulder. Manzo’s sandalled feet crunched on loose
stones as they trekked away from the shoreline. No one spoke
for a while. Then Jack was dumped unceremoniously on the
ground. He couldn’t help letting out a cry as he landed upon
a jagged outcrop.
‘The gaijin’s awake,’ growled Manzo.
The sacking was roughly pulled off him and Jack was
greeted by Skullface’s leering tattooed features.
‘Pleasant journey?’ he mocked.
Jack coughed up the dust from his lungs and looked around.
They were atop a barren island, little more than a lump of
craggy rock with a single windswept tree clinging to its peak.
A waning crescent moon hung in the night sky, lendinga pale,
ghostly sheen to the surrounding waters. There appeared to
be no other islands in sight.
Jack's assumption regarding the number of kidnappers had
been correct. The skiff, in which he’d placed so much hope
for an escape, lay bobbing at the water’s edge . . . empty.
“What do you want with me?’ said Jack.
“You're an ill omen, gaijin,’ spat Skullface. ‘Ever since we
picked you up, the Black Spider's been cursed — captured by Sea

256
Samurai, caught in a kamikaze storm, the captain shot. You even
took my credit for bringing home the Shogun’s Red Seal ship.’
He kicked Jack viciously in the stomach. Jack doubled up
with pain, rolling on the ground as he gasped for breath.
“That was my one chance to become a CAPTAIN!’ snarled
Skullface in outrage. ‘So it’s time to get rid of you for good,
gaijin.’
Recovering from the blow, Jack wheezed, ‘You're going
to... maroon me?’
Skullface chuckled. ‘No, that would be merciful.’
A cold inevitability struck Jack. “Torture and kill me?’
‘Tempting,’ admitted Skullface, ‘but we'll leave that to the
Sea Samurai. You’re worth more alive.’
‘Look, their ship’s here already,’ said Snakehead, glancing
out to sea.
Skullface grinned. “Told you they wouldn’t miss an oppor-
tunity like this to please their Shogun.’
The pirates’ plan was now clear to Jack. They were going »
to exchange him for the bounty on his head. Following his
instinct that the four pirates were acting on their own, he said,
‘But Tatsumaki’s sure to find out you kidnapped me. And
when she does, she’ll punish you all.’
Skullface laughed. “Not likely. We'll say you escaped .. .
and blame it on Li Ling. That pretty little pirate will lose her
head before the sun’s up.’
Jack felt all hope drain from him. Not only was he being
sent to his death but Li Ling would suffer too. And what would
happen to Yori, Saburo and Miyuki? Without him, his friends
would hold no value to Tatsumaki. They’d be thrown to their
deaths in the lagoon, fish food just like all her other victims.

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 Jack writhed against his bonds, determined to free himself.
‘No use struggling, gaijin,’ spat Tiger. “They're on their way
up.
Jack became desperate. “But I’m of great value to your Pirate
Queen. I still have to translate the rutter.’
“You're of great value to us,’ replied Skullface. “We’ve nego-
tiated ten koban each and a pardon in return for your head.’
Jack racked his brains for some samurai or ninja technique
to save him from his predicament. But he was as powerless as
a turtle on its back.
A figure strode up the rise to the crest of the peak. Dressed
in a black shinobi shozoku, the man became silhouetted against
thestarry sky like a black ghost. He stopped before them, the
moonlight reflecting in his eye . . . his single green eye.
 a

A GHOST FROM THE PAST

Jack’s heart froze in his chest. The air suddenly seemed starved
of oxygen, his mind unable to comprehend the chilling pres-
ence before him. It was simply not possible. He’d seen Dragon
Eye plunge to his death. The ninja was dead, gone forever.
Yet here his nemesis stood — a ghost from the past sent to
haunt him.
Jack might have thought himself going crazy, if he’d been
the only one to see this phantom. The four pirates had swiftly
drawn their swords to keep the ninja at bay.
“Who are you? Where’s Captain Arashi?’ demanded Skull-
face, his voice tight and edgy.
The ninja remained indifferent to the threat of blades.
“‘Dokugan Ryu,’ he replied, with a curt bow of his head.
The mere mention of his name caused Tiger and Snakehead
to exchange uneasy glances.
‘I represent the interests of the Shogun himself,’ Dragon
Eye continued as a unit of Sea Samurai marched up behind
him. “Now hand over the gaijin.’
“The reward first,’ Skullface insisted, trying to maintain
control of the situation.

259
 Dragon Eye nodded grudgingly to one of the samurai, who
stepped forward and placed a small wooden chest on the
ground. He opened it up to reveal a stack of forty oval-shaped
coins.
So that’s the value ofmy life, thought Jack, resigning himself
to his fate. Less than three koban a year!
Skullface’s eyes lit up at the hoard of shimmering gold. ‘And
our pardons from daimyo Mori.’
Dragon Eye produced ascroll of parchment sealed with a
red wax stamp. Skullface examined the daimyo’s official seal in
the moonlight.
‘It appears genuine,’ he said, giving Tiger the nod.
‘You'd be wise not to doubt me,’ said Dragon Eye. “You
have the reward. Now what about the rutter?’
Skullface looked confused. “The rutter? We don’t have it.’
Dragon Eye glared at the pirate. “So where is it?’
‘That wasn’t part of the deal,’ argued Skullface.
‘Just answer the question,’ snapped Dragon Eye, noting
Tiger was about to claim the treasure chest.
A glint of steel flashed through the air. It was so quick that
it might have been mistaken for a shooting star. Tiger collapsed
backwards, his head parting from his shoulders and bouncing
down the hillside.
Dragon Eye flicked the pirate’s blood from his ninjato, the
tip of the blade stopping inches from Jack’s face. In that
moment Jack recognized the swirling hamon pattern along the
steel and the swordmaker’s name — Kunitome — etched by the
hilt. This was the final proof that the dreaded ninja was no
ghost. The sword was Kuro Kumo — Black Cloud — Dragon
Eye’s infamous blade.

260
 ‘Don’t make me ask you again,’ said Dragon Eye, turning
his attention back to Skullface.
Incensed at seeing his fellow Wind Demon slaughtered,
Manzo launched himself at Dragon Eye. The ninja merely
stepped aside, letting the pirate fly past before driving the
ninjato into his back. Manzo gave a great guttural groan, then
toppled over the rocky crag.
Skullface now rushed Dragon Eye, slicing his sword across
the ninja’s chest. But Dragon Eye deflected the attack and
countered at such speed that Skullface didn’t realize he’d lost
... until his sword dropped to the ground, his right hand still
attached to the hilt.
Clasping his bleeding stump to his chest, Skullface crumpled
to his knees, his mouth open ina silent scream, the pain yet to
register.
Dragon Eye stood over him. “Last chance. Who has the
rutter?”
‘Go... burn in hell!’ spluttered Skullface.
Unmoved by the pirate’s insult, Dragon Eye formed his
fingers into Snakehead Fist. With a sharp sudden jab, he
plucked out the pirate’s right eye. Skullface now howled in
agony, blood streaming down his cheek.
“Tatsumaki has it . . .” he wailed.
‘And where is this Tatsumaki?”
*... on Pirate Island.’
“Where’s Pirate Island?’
Despite his horrendous suffering, Skullface now held his
tongue. Dragon Eye didn’t hesitate. He tore out the pirate’s
other eye. Skullface’s tortured screams filled the night sky.
Jack could no longer bear to watch; nor could any of the

261
samurai. Without his eyes, Skullface’s tattooed head now
became truly skull-like.
The shrieks faded into agonized sobs, but still Skullface
refused to answer.
Jack heard a sickening crunch of steel on bone, then a body
slump lifeless to the ground. As much as he’d loathed the
pirate, Jack had to admit Skullface remained a loyal Wind
Demon to the bitter end.
Dragon Eye now set his sights on Snakehead, who'd been
too shocked by the sudden turn of events to react. The pirate
immediately threw down his sword and surrendered. Offering
the man no mercy, Dragon Eye struck a rapid combination of
pressure points across Snakehead’s body.
Jack instantly recognized the lethal ninja technique of Dim
Mak.
Snakehead went rigid, paralysed to the spot by the ninja’s
Death Touch. Jack knew from his own bitter experience at
the hands of Dragon Eye that a firestorm of pain would be
spreading throughout the pirate’s body, eventually crippling
and crushing his heart.
“Where is it?” demanded Dragon Eye.
The terror in Snakehead’s eyes was palpable, but he didn’t
respond.
_ Dragon Eye drove a thumb into a nerve point in the pirate’s
neck. Snakehead let out a scream. But uttered no words.
With the unit of samurai distracted once again by the grue-
some torture, Jack broke the paralysis that had held him ever
since laying eyes upon his old enemy. Determined to escape,
he felt behind him until his fingers came across a particularly
sharp piece of rock protruding from the ground. Then he

262
began furiously rubbing its jagged edge against the rope bind-
ing his wrists. On several occasions, he had to bite down on
his tongue as the rock cut into his skin.
Snakehead shrieked again, but weaker this time as Dragon
Eye targeted a nerve point beneath his jaw. Jack realized time
was fast running out. The rope became slick with his own
blood, but he kept cutting away.
Without even a glance in his direction, Dragon Eye suddenly
said, “Cease your pathetic escape attempt, gaijin, or I'll cut
your hands off too.’ .
Jack was given no choice but to comply as one of the samu-
rai now held the edge of a wakizashi to his throat.
Dragon Eye resumed his systematic torture. Snakehead was
now moaning and whimpering like a wounded dog. Eventu-
ally, his resistance was broken. In between feeble breaths,
Snakehead revealed all — the location of Pirate Island, the
strength of the Wind Demons’ forces and even the danger of
entering the tidal straits — before begging for the torture to
end.
‘With pleasure,’ said Dragon Eye, severing the pirate’s head
from his body.
Jack was bound to the main mast of the Sea Samurai’s ship and
surrounded by six armed guards. Dragon Eye was taking no
chances with him.
The ninja stood upon the upper deck, a wraithlike figure
against the star-studded sky, the samurai crew keeping a wary
distance. He gave the order to cast off and the ship headed due
north.
The bodies of the four Wind Demons had been left to rot
on the barren island, the skiff at the shoreline their only grave
marker. Even though Jack held little sympathy for the deceased
pirates, he wouldn’t have wished such torturous deaths on any
of them. Their harrowing ends merely proved that Dragon
Eye remained as ruthless as ever.
_Jack felt the ninja’s glare upon him. Even from across the
deck, Dragon Eye’s malice reached out like tendrils of ice. For
a moment he found it hard to breathe, seized as he was by a
suffocating combination of terror, despair and disbelief. His
mind still couldn’t grasp the ninja’s miraculous resurrection.
Was Dragon Eye somehow immortal? The idea sent a shudder
through him. There was no way any normal man could have

264
survived the drop from Osaka Castle’s top tower, eight storeys
down to the stone courtyard below. Besides, he’d witnessed
Dragon Eye die with his own eyes .. . then again . .. thinking
back to that war-torn night, he’d only seen the ninja fall.
He'd not actually seen him land . . . or had any real proof
of his death.
Perhaps Dragon Eye had landed upon a lower roof? Or
used a grappling rope to halt his descent? Maybe a sakura tree
had broken his fall? Whatever had happened, there was no
denying the fact that his nemesis was back and very much
alive.
As Jack returned the ninja’s cold pitiless stare, he felt the
old wounds open up again. His heart bled with sorrows he’d
once thought healed, or at least subdued. Grief for his dead
father flooded through him in a fresh wave of loss. Visions of
Dragon Eye thrusting the blade into his father’s chest flashed
before his eyes and he began to sob. All his struggles to over-
come the ninja had been in vain. Justice had never been carried
out. His father was dead, he and his sister orphaned, while his
murderer still lived. Yamato, his friend and brother-in-arms,
had sacrificed himself to save Jack and Akiko. Now it appeared
Yamato had died for nothing .. .
Jack was struck bya startling revelation. IfDragon Eye had
survived, then so too might Yamato!
A burst of unimaginable hope filled his heart. Even now,
Yamato could be reunited with his father Masamoto, or roam-
ing Japan searching for him. Jack tried to calm himself and
temper his expectations. He knew the odds were stacked
against such a possibility — otherwise Akiko, Yori or Saburo
would surely have got word of their friend’s survival. But

265
there was still a slim chance and Jack wasn’t willing to give up
on his newfound hope. He used it to ignite a renewed deter-
mination to survive.
Jack had no idea how he could escape. Tied to a mast,
guarded by samurai and watched by Dragon Eye, the situation
was hopeless. He couldn’t depend upon his friends to save him
this time; they were relying upon him to free them. Still, he
had no intention of letting them down.
A realization slowly dawned on Jack. He’d been warned of
Dragon Eye’s return — not once but twice.
First, the warrior spirit of Taira Masamori, the Great Pirate
Queller — or whoever the man was — had given him a lesson
in the Ring of Wind ‘for when an old enemy returns anew’. Jack
recalled the unyielding oak on the cliff top that had lost its
fight against the wind, and the flexible feather that had
survived.
And, second, the Wind Witch had foreseen: ‘Pain will nour-
ish your courage when the dragon returns...’
It was so obvious now. Both had tried to prepare him for
this encounter with Dragon Eye.
Jack decided to follow their advice. He would ‘go where the
wind blows’, letting the memory of his father burn likea fire
within him.
The Sea Samurai ship was still in sight of the barren island
when there was a commotion on deck.
“What’s the problem?’ demanded Dragon Eye.
‘One of my lookouts saw something,’ replied the ship’s
captain, peering astern into the darkness.
“What exactly?’ said Dragon Eye, impatient for details.
‘I don’t know. It looks like —’ Suddenly a blinding blast of
hellfire lit up the night sky. - A SEA DRAGON!’ screamed
the captain as he dived to the deck.
The ball of flame rocketed towards the ship. Dragon Eye
took cover just as the stern bulwark exploded into lethal shards
of blazing timber. A samurai too close to the rail was engulfed.
Screaming and flailing his arms, the burning man toppled over
the side.
Held captive, Jack could only watch as the fire-breathing
monster surged closer. It spat out another flaming ball. This
time the rudder was hit. The ship lurched. The captain desper-
ately tried to regain control, but there was little he could do.
All steerage was lost.
‘Port side, fire your cannon!’ ordered Dragon Eye as the

267
creature charged headlong at the disabled ship.
From below came the hurried sounds of priming. A loaded
cannon was hauled into firing position and a few moments
later an almighty boom rocked the deck. The shot whizzed
through the air and, more by luck than fine judgement, struck
the dragon first time. But the cannonball just bounced off the
armoured back of the beast.
Unharmed and undeterred, the dragon continued to hurtle
towards them at terrifying speed.
‘BRACE YOURSELVES!’ snarled Dragon Eye, a second
before the beast rammed into the port side. The bone-shat-
tering impact sent samurai flying across the deck. Dragon Eye
alone, as surefooted as a cat, kept his feet — as did Jack, but
only because he was tied to the mast.
Jack now found himself staring into the jaws of death:
tendrils of smoke rose from the dragon’s throat, the gaping
mouth of the beast large enough to swallow him whole. Two
rows of jagged teeth threatened to rip the flesh from his body.
But the dragon held off, its fiery eyes staring unblinking at
him. Then Jack watched in astonishment as Wind Demons,
clad in black, clambered across the armoured back of the beast
and swarmed on to the samurai ship’s deck.
The crew, stunned by the dragon’s surprise attack, were
slow to react to this new threat, and some were slaughtered
where they stood.
“THEY’RE JUST PIRATES!’ bawled Dragon Eye, his
ninjato already at work.
The Sea Samurai snapped out of their shock and began to
fight off the invaders. Weapons flashed through the night and
the two sides clashed in a ferocious battle.

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 Leading the Wind Demons, a whirling dervish in black
and red robes cut a path through the samurai crew. True to
her name, Tatsumaki was a tornado of destruction as she
wielded a formidable naginata. The curving blade atop the
long pole sliced in arcs, felling Sea Samurai left, right and
centre.
Jack was awed by the ferocious skill of the Pirate Queen as
she spearheaded an attack towards the main mast.
Realizing her intention, Dragon Eye yelled, ‘KILL the
gaijin\’
A samurai broke off and headed forJack. Struggling against
his bonds, Jack tried to free an arm to fight back. But he was
bound tighter than a hangman’s noose. The samurai grinned
as he raised his sword to hack the head off his defenceless
victim. Jack writhed in desperation to avoid the lethal blade,
knowing Tatsumaki could never reach him in time.
The Pirate Queen, realizing this too, pulled her tessen from
her obi. With a flick of her wrist, the iron fan opened and she
threw it in Jack’s direction. The tessen spun through the air like
a single-winged hunting bird. It skimmed in front of the samu-
rai, causing him to falter in his attack. Then the man’s eyes
widened in shock. He dropped his sword and clasped his neck.
Blood poured through his fingers, the fan’s razor-sharp edge
having sliced his throat wide open. Spluttering a final breath,
the samurai collapsed at Jack’s feet.
Moments later, he was surrounded by a protective cordon
of Wind Demons.
‘Secure the ship!’ commanded Tatsumaki as her pirates laid
waste to the remaining Sea Samurai.
A Wind Demon rushed to Jack’s side.

269
 ‘I thought you were as good as dead,’ said Li Ling, pulling
off her hood.
In a single swipe of her naginata, Tatsumaki sliced through
the ropes binding Jack.
‘Thanks for coming to my rescue,’ he said, rubbing the
circulation back into his arms.
Tatsumaki flashed him a triumphant smile as she retrieved
her deadly fan. “You're too precious to let anyone take you.’
Jack looked around at the slain samurai. “Where’s Dragon
Eye?’ he asked.
‘Dokugan Ryu? But you said he was dead,’ replied
Tatsumaki, bemused.
Jack gave a despondent shake of his head. ‘I was wrong.’
“That ninja must have more lives than a cat!’
The Pirate Queen ordered an immediate sweep of the ship.
The Wind Demons turned over dead bodies, searched the
cabins and hunted below deck. But it was as if Dragon Eye
had never existed.
 THE KOKETSU

Jack stood before the sea dragon and laughed at how easily
people had been fooled. In the moonlight, the beast had an
unsettling lifelike quality. But close up, no longer distracted
by the chaos of battle, he saw the creature for what it was —a
strange and formidable battleship.
The design was unlike anything he’d ever seen, or could
possibly have imagined. Protruding from the bow was the
dragon itself, an immense figurehead large enough to contain
a gun crew and a Heaven cannon that fired flaming shot. The
armoured back of the beast was a curved roof of iron plates
with vicious spikes thrusting up. Not only did this ‘dragon
skin’ deflect cannonballs but it prevented the enemy from
boarding the ship — grappling hooks couldn’t gain purchase
and any boarder foolish enough to try would find their feet
pierced by the spikes. This iron-clad roof completely enclosed
the ship’s overhanging top deck and shielded the crew within.
From adefensive point of view, the Wind Demons’ battleship
appeared unassailable.
But it was also an attack vessel. On all sides there were gun
ports, three to the bow and stern and ten down either side.

271
The dragon’s twenty legs were powerful yuloh-style oars,
projecting down from the overhanging deck, giving the ship
not only speed but manoeuvrability. Its long tail turned out
to be the main mast, which had been lowered to protect it
during the assault. At the waterline was another carved face,
one that Jack recognized. A twisted and scarred protrusion
with hooked teeth and blood-red eyes, it was the battering
ram that had hulled Captain Arashi’s atake-bune.
‘She’s named the Koketsu,’ remarked Tatsumaki proudly.
‘It means “Jaws of Death”.’
Jack thought it an apt name for such a fearsome vessel.
“We captured her from the Korean navy,’ the Pirate Queen
continued. “Only a handful have ever been built, so the Sea
Samurai have never seen one before. That’s why they believe
in sea dragons!’
She gave a throaty laugh and climbed on to the ship’s roof.
“Welcome aboard,’ she said, offering her hand. ‘Let’s talk,
while my men finish unloading the samurai ship of its weapons
and supplies.’
Stepping up a gangplank, Jack followed the Pirate Queen
along a narrow walkway between the rows of iron spikes to a
wooden hatch. Clambering inside the belly of the beast, Jack
found himself on the main deck. Unusually for a battleship,
the deck was shared by both oarsmen and gunners. The twenty
Heaven and Earth cannon were divided by twenty teams of
hulking oarsmen, each so powerfully built they could have
crushed a man’s skull with their bare hands.
"These men are the pumping heart of the Koketsu,’ proclaimed
Tatsumaki as her muscular crew bowed their respects. She indi-
cated the two rows of cannon. ‘And these its teeth.’

a,
 As they headed for her cabin, Jack was surprised at how
orderly and neat everything appeared. The Pirate Queen
evidently maintained a disciplined ship. When she opened the
door to her quarters, there came a screech of delight and a
flash of fur landed on Jack’s shoulder.
‘Saru!’ exclaimed Jack, for once glad to see the little monkey.
Saru chattered back in answer, happily preening his hair.
Tatsumaki’s cabin was in stark contrast to the opulence
of her citadel. Functional and uncluttered, it housed a
lacquered cabinet in one corner, a low table in the centre
and a weapons rack down one wall — upon which Tatsumaki
now laid her naginata. Drawing up a red silk cushion, she
sat upon the polished wooden floor behind the table and
invited Jack to join her. Jack took his place opposite, Saru
still perched on his shoulder, contentedly chewing on a piece
of fruit.
‘How did you find me?’ asked Jack.
‘Li Ling raised the alarm, when she discovered you hadn’t
returned to the citadel,’ explained Tatsumaki, cleaning the
edge of her lethal tessen before fanning herself with it. ‘At first,
we thought you'd escaped. The skiff was missing. But you
were last spotted with Skullface and his gang. And they were
missing too. Then it was just a combination of guesswork and
luck that we found you. That barren island is the closest to
_ our base. But, if we'd arrived any later, you and that samurai
ship would have been long gone.’
There was a knock at the door and Li Ling entered with
another female pirate, hefting a small wooden chest.
‘This was the only treasure we found on-board,’ Li Ling
informed Tatsumaki.

273
 She placed it on the table and opened it to reveal the stack
of gleaming koban.
‘That was the reward for my head,’ explained Jack.
‘And now it’s payment for your rescue,’ said Tatsumaki,
closing the lid and taking possession of the gold. “Though you
still owe me for saving your life.’
Jack realized it was a debt that would be hard to repay.
‘I also found this,’ said Li Ling, handing Tatsumaki the
scroll with the daimyo’s wax seal. ‘It looks important.’
Tatsumaki broke the seal and read the contents. She
scowled. ‘Where’s that traitor Skullface and his gang now?’
‘Dragon Eye tortured them to death,’ replied Jack gravely,
recalling the gruesome scene.
‘Good.’ Tatsumaki crushed the pardon in her hands. “Saves
me the trouble. We can now return to Pirate Island without
further delay.’
Jack wondered whether he should tell Tatsumaki about
Snakehead’s confession. If Dragon Eye had got away, then
the Sea Samurai would probably launch an assault on the
island. The Pirate Queen would be grateful for the warning.
She might even trust him more; maybe release him and his
friends as promised. Then again, a surprise attack could be
just the opportunity they needed — in the confusion of
battle, they might be able to slip away unnoticed. But it
would be a risky strategy, since they could be caught or
killed by either side. And Dragon Eye would be hunting
him down too.
‘Something on your mind, Jack?’ asked Tatsumaki.
Jack realized that his best chance of survival lay with
Tatsumaki and the Wind Demons. He took a deep breath

274
before replying. “Snakehead revealed the location of Pirate
Island.’
For a moment, Tatsumaki’s face appeared to turn to stone.
‘To whom?’
‘Dragon Eye and his samurai escort.’
The Pirate Queen’s expression relaxed slightly. ‘Then we
have nothing to worry about. They’re all dead.’
‘Not Dragon Eye, though,’ reminded Jack.
‘I don’t see how that ninja can elude death a second time.
If he’s no longer on the ship, he must have drowned.’
“You should never underestimate Dragon Eye,’ said Jack.
‘But we're in the middle of the Seto Sea,’ contended
Tatsumaki. “Even if he managed to swim back to the island,
it’s barren and he’d be marooned.’
‘Not if he found Skullface’s boat.’
Tatsumaki snapped her fan shut with such force that it
sounded like a bone breaking. A second later, she was on her
feet, ordering her pirates to stop plundering the samurai ship
and set sail at once for the barren island. The Koketsu surged
across the sea. But, when it rounded the headland, the skiff
was gone.
 = —™ = = SS

NIHON MARU

‘WIND DEMONS! Will you RUN before the Sea Samurai?’

challenged Tatsumaki. The Pirate Queen stood atop the Koket-
su’s dragonhead, her naginata in hand, her mane of black hair
with its angry red streak billowing out behind her.
‘NO! NEVER’ responded the Wind Demons, who crowded
the walkways and jetty of Pirate Island, hungry fora fight.
“Will you BOW before their pirate-murdering lord?’
‘NO! NEVER!’ they yelled, clashing their weapons furi-
ously.
“Will you SURRENDER your hard-fought riches?’
‘NO! NEVER!’
“This island is your castle,’ pronounced the Pirate Queen.
‘Defend it with your lives. Destroy all samurai with lightning and
thunder!’
She raised her naginata in a salute and the Wind Demons
howled a battle cry so loud that it echoed round the lagoon
walls and shook the vertical town as if the crater were erupt-
ing once more.
Jack stood with Li Ling on the jetty in front of the Koketsu.
He glanced up to the citadel high above. Miyuki, Yori and

276
Saburo would no doubt be looking down, wondering what
all the shouting was about. Although he’d managed to get a
message to them that he was alive and well, he hadn’t seen
them since his return three days ago and they were probably
thinking the worst. But, following his kidnapping, Tatsumaki
was unwilling to let him out of her sight.
As soon as they'd docked at Pirate Island, Tatsumaki had
summoned every pirate captain to a council of war. A few of
the captains suggested relocating to a new island before their
sworn enemy attacked. But the majority felt that daimyo Mori’s
personal war against the Wind Demons had gone on long
enough.
“We've never been stronger!’ argued Captain Kurogumo,
once again fighting fit.
In the end, they voted unanimously to stay the course and
conquer the Sea Samurai, once and for all.
The ensuing days had been a blur of preparation. Weapons
were sharpened; cannon were inspected and cleaned; iron shot
and daejon fire arrows loaded aboard; horoku hand bombs
assembled and primed; extra casks of gunpowder stowed below
decks; defensive brocade curtains hung along the gunwales;
and every ship made ready to sail at a moment's notice.
A bell tolled three times.
‘TO YOUR SHIPS!’ cried Tatsumaki, knowing the Sea
Samurai had been sighted.
The Wind Demons thundered along gangplanks, raised
sails and took up oars.
Li Ling turned to Jack. “Being apirate certainly isn’t dull,’
she said, forcing a smile.
‘A ship is safe in harbour, but that’s not what ships are for,’

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replied Jack, recalling the words of his father. “I suppose it’s
the same for pirates. If you want to be one, you have to go
out and fight.’
‘For riches or for worse!’ she said, patting her sword and
clambering aboard the Koketsu to take up her post. Jack,
however, had other plans now that all the Wind Demons were
distracted. He turned to head the other way back to the citadel.
Then he felt a hand on his shoulder.
‘Stay with me, Jack,’ saidTatsumaki pointedly. ‘The safest
place for you is in the belly of the dragon.’

Fifty pirate ships in all left the lagoon and entered the straits.
The Koketsu was at the head of the fleet. No longer a secret
weapon, it was now the flagship of the Wind Demons in a
battle that would ultimately decide who ruled the Seto Sea.
Jack looked out of the front porthole with Tatsumaki and
Li Ling. He gasped at what he saw. It seemed as if the pirates’
fate was already sealed. Stretching from east to west was a
formidable armada of over a hundred warships. A deadly
combination of swift kobaya, warrior-bearing seki-bune and
heavily gunned atake-bune were closing in on Pirate Island.
The Wind Demons’ ships were outnumbered two to one. But
if the Pirate Queen was unnerved by the samurai’s display of
force, then she didn’t show it.
“We know these waters,’ she said. “We have the advantage.’
‘I must be seeing things,’ said Li Ling, pointing to a struc-
ture in the middle of the Sea Samurai fleet. ‘That looks like a
... castle?’
‘That’s the Nihon Maru,’ replied Tatsumaki darkly. ‘Daimyo
Mori’s command ship.’

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 Jack stared with Li Ling in disbelief at the massive floating
fortress. Dwarfing even the biggest atake-bune, the immense
vessel looked like a replica of daimyo Mori’s Mizujiro castle that
stood watch over the Kurushima Straits. Its wooden sides were
raised into defensive battlements and there were two open
fighting towers, one in the bow and one in the stern. An entire
army appeared to line the ramparts and cannon thrust out of
every porthole. It even boasted a three-storey keep in the
centre, complete with whitewashed walls and graceful curved
roofs of green tile, on top of which sat a large golden shell.
With its three massive sails dominating the skyline, the
command ship was like a leviathan of the deep: colossal, terri-
fying and invincible.
‘How will we ever defeat that?’ whispered Li Ling to Jack.
Jack had no idea. He just prayed Tatsumaki did. Otherwise
they were all destined for a watery grave.
 FIRE SHIPS

The stretch of water between the two opposing fleets glistened

brightly in the morning sun. A lone albatross dived into a wave
and snatched a fish from the sea. In the distance, the low
resonating tone of a horagai trumpet sounded. A moment later,
the water exploded in a plume of white foam, the idyllic scene
shattered by the concussion of cannon fire from the Nihon
Maru and its fleet. Then trails of smoke scorched the sky as
daejon fire arrows rained down in retaliation.
Jack steadied himself against a beam as the Koketsu was
rocked bya blast landing off their port bow. Sea spray shot
through the open portholes, drenching and chilling the gun
crews.
‘They missed!’ cried Li Ling in delight.
‘First one’s always short, remember?’ said Jack, and Li Ling’s
grin vanished.
Tatsumaki shouted commands and the oarsmen strained to
the fevered beat of the drummer. The Koketsu spun on its axis,
its broadside pivoting towards the approaching enemy ships.
‘FIRE!’ she yelled.
The deck shook with cannon bursts, ten in quick succession.

280
 Gun carriages recoiled and the crews immediately set to work
reloading. As the sulphurous smoke cleared, Jack saw the iron
shot and daejon arrows bombard the samurai fleet. Many fell
short into the sea, but a few struck their targets first time. The
starboard side of a seki-bune was ripped asunder by a daejon fire
arrow, while a kobaya of samurai troops was holed and rapidly
sank beneath the waves.
The Wind Demons cheered, then Jack’s ears rang again as
they unleashed a second round of shots. A retaliating barrage
from the Sea Samurai followed and there was a deafening thunk
as a cannonball bounced off the armoured roof.
‘That must have left some dent!’ cried Li Ling, who'd
' clapped her hands to her ears against the noise.
Grateful to be shielded within the Koketsu, Jack saw that
the other pirate ships didn’t benefit from such protection. A
pirate galley had been caught bya vicious strafing of grapeshot
and had lost half its oarsmen. Another ship was fast taking on
water, having been hulled by a cannonball. Captain Wani-
zame’s Great White had suffered a direct hit to its main mast
and the sail now burnt fiercely. Her crew was fighting to hurl
the flaming canvas overboard before it engulfed the entire ship.
If the Wind Demons continued to suffer losses at this rate,
Jack realized they wouldn’t survive long. Daimyo Mori was
going to tear their ships apart.
Tatsumaki read his thoughts. “The Sea Samurai’s cannon
are no match for our Korean guns,’ she declared. ‘Just watch
what we can do to them.’
She pointed in the direction of Captain Kujira’s Killer
Whale. An enemy boat strayed into the ship’s line of fire and
moments later disintegrated like matchwood as Captain Kujira

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targeted it with devastating accuracy. The Killer Whale boomed
repeatedly with its Heaven and Earth cannon and another
samurai ship was crippled. Every so often the pounding blasts
were punctuated by the thunderous detonation of Captain
Kujira’s ‘pride and joy’. Each time Jack heard Crouching Tiger
roar, a samurai ship would heel to one side, mortally wounded
by the mammoth gun.
Yet the Sea Samurai continued to bear down on the Wind
Demons, daimyo Mori’s command ship, at the heart of the
armada, invulnerable to the pirates’ relentless barrage. Archers
on-board the samurai boats unleashed volley after volley of
arrows that flew through the air like swarms of deadly bees.
It was as if the sky was raining death. Pirates screamed as steel
tips pierced their bodies and they dropped to the deck, writh-
ing in agony.
‘Send in the fire ships!’ snarled Tatsumaki. “Before these
samurai get close enough to board us.’ 3
Li Ling raced off to raise the signal flag that would relay
Tatsumaki’s command to the other pirate captains. Shortly
after, six small boats piled high with rice straw and gunpowder
charges pulled ahead of the Wind Demons’ ships. Jack was
stunned to see a skeleton crew on-board each boat — their
mission being suicidal.
The Sea Samurai bombarded the boats as they approached.
But the targets were too small for accurate cannon fire and the
crews were shielded from arrows and musket shot by the straw
bales. The pirates rowed ever closer to the samurai fleet, then
at the last possible moment they ignited the straw, set their
boats on a collision course and leapt over the sides.
Havoc reigned among the Sea Samurai ships as they sought

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to avoid the floating bombs. The fleet had to break formation,
the ships opening themselves up to the lethal cannon attacks
of the Wind Demons. Most of the kobaya and seki-bune vessels
proved manoeuvrable enough, but the atake-bune were slower
and more cumbersome. One found itself too close as the first
fire ship exploded. A whole section of its starboard side was
set ablaze. Flames fanned out, spreading over oars, up rigging
and across sails until the whole ship was an inferno.
The Wind Demons gave a mighty cheer at the initial devas-
tating success of Tatsumaki’s tactic. The next fire ship
detonated, taking out a kobaya lost in the smoke and confusion.
But the three following bombs were too far from their targets
to cause any serious damage. The last fire ship, however, was
on a direct course for the Nihon Maru.
Jack and the Wind Demons watched with bated breath as
the burning boat edged ever nearer the daimyo’s command ship.
Then, at the last moment, a kobaya surged out of nowhere,
its crew rowing furiously. They collided with the fire ship,
knocking it off course. They continued to propel the blazing
explosives away from the Nihon Maru. Just as they reached a
safe distance, a ball of flame engulfed the kobaya and its crew.
This time, no one on-board the Koketsu cheered; the Wind
Demons honourable enough to recognize the samurai crew’s
extraordinary courage and sacrifice to save their lord.
Then the pounding of the cannon resumed. By the time the
Sea Samurai had managed to regroup into their attack forma-
tions, at least ten of their ships had been crippled or sunk.
But their advance was ultimately unstoppable and the Sea
Samurai fleet ploughed into the Wind Demons like atidal wave.
Jack braced himself as the Koketsu rammed an atake-bune. The
impact was like a charging bull hitting a brick wall. There was
a horrendous crunch of wood and the Koketsu shuddered to a
bone-jarring halt. Jack had barely found his feet, when
Tatsumaki gave the order to ‘retreat and turn’. The oarsmen,
well versed in hit-and-run assaults, leant upon their oars and
wrenched the Koketsu’s battering ram free.
Watching the seawater rush into the atake-bune’s hull, Jack
recalled the terrifying escape he and his friends had been forced
to make from Captain Arashi’s bilge prison. He now wondered
how they’d ever survived.
As the Koketsu withdrew, the Sea Samurai blasted away with
muskets, the shot clattering like hail upon the armoured roof,
but otherwise doing little damage. As soon as they were in
position, the Wind Demon gunners unleashed a broadside
volley of cannonballs. The already weakened hull of the atake-
bune crumbled under the blistering barrage. The ship heeled
violently before sinking beneath the waves.
“Three down!’ declared the head gunner, marking the
wooden carriage of his cannon with a knife. The carriage’s

284
surface was covered in such score lines, too many to count.
Jack didn’t dare contemplate the number of souls lost accord-
ing to that gunner’s tally. But, as the sea battle raged on, he
had no doubt that the number would be equalled by the end
of the day.
All around the Koketsu, Sea Samurai and Wind Demons
fought for supremacy. The long-distance bombardment had
turned to brutal close-quarter fighting. Ships drew alongside
one another, exchanging cannon, arrow and musket fire,
before grappling hooks were slung across and the decks became
floating battlefields. Swords, axes, knives and spears were all
put to deadly use.
As samurai and pirates slaughtered one another, it was as if
Pirate Island had been plunged into the depths of hell. The
Seto Sea ran red with blood. Sharks circled, taking advantage
of the bloodbath, so that even survivors found themselves
fighting for their lives. Clouds of black smoke from burning
ships obscured the blue sky and the morning sun was trans-
formed into a fierce weeping eye.
The Koketsu alone weaved in and out of the battling ships.
Capable of sudden bursts of speed, and highly manoeuvrable
due to its U-shaped hull, it evaded boarding attempts and
wreaked havoc upon the samurai fleet. It charged straight over
a kobaya of samurai troops, splitting the vessel in two. When
‘Captain Hebi’s Jade Serpent was trapped in the crossfire of two
atake-bune, the Koketsu rushed to her aid, sinking one and leav-
ing the other crippled and at the mercy of Captain Hebi’s
cannon.
As Tatsumaki and her crew sought out their next victim,
a seki-bune drifted towards them, its crew dead upon the deck.

285
 ‘Looks like someone got there before us,’ observed Li Ling.
‘Shall we sink it?’ the head gunner asked Tatsumaki, his
knife already primed to add another score mark.
The Pirate Queen shook her head, smiling. “Not unless you
need more target practice!’
But, as the Koketsu passed the dead ship, Jack noticed some-
thing odd. The tiller had been tied fast, keeping the ship on
course. He was about to point this out, when the seki-bune’s
oars suddenly sprang to life and the ship surged towards them.
Its main mast dropped with an almighty crash on to the roof
of the Koketsu.
‘IT’S A TRICK!’ shouted Tatsumaki, giving orders to pull
away.
But it was too late. The supposedly dead crew leapt to their
feet, weapons drawn, and charged over the makeshift gang-
plank. A round iron projectile flew through one of the
Koketsu’s open portholes. The hand bomb rolled across the deck,
its fuse burning fiercely. On instinct, Jack pushed Li Ling behind
a pile of cannonballs, then dived at Tatsumaki, knocking her
to the ground. A moment later, the bomb exploded, iron shards
flying in all directions to maim gunners and oarsmen alike.
Protected behind the carriage of a Heaven cannon, Jack and
Tatsumaki escaped the worst of it.
‘I guess that makes us even,’ Tatsumaki admitted to Jack,
before pulling herself to her feet.
Jack nodded, glad to no longer owe the Pirate Queen alife
debt. But they were far from safe as more hand bombs landed
on the gun deck. This time the explosives were soft-cased, their
contents wrapped in wicker cartons. Jack instantly recognized
them as endan — ninja smoke bombs. Having been shown how

286
to make one by Kajiya, the ninja blacksmith, he knew they could
also contain lethal fragments of iron or broken pottery.
“TAKE COVER!’ he warned Li Ling, who'd thought the
danger was over. Jack ducked back behind the cannon with
Tatsumaki.
A moment later, the endan detonated and clouds of smoke
billowed out. So did shards of pottery — they whizzed through
the air, embedding themselves in the ship’s wooden beams as
well as Wind Demons unable to find cover. Within seconds,
the gun deck was plunged into an eye-watering fog. An explo-
sion mid-ship was rapidly followed byafierce battle cry. The
Koketsu had been breached.
“REPEL BOARDERS!’ cried Tatsumaki, rallying her crew.
Jack heard the pirates draw their weapons and rush to meet
the invading Sea Samurai.
‘Stay here!’ Tatsumaki ordered Jack, unsheathing her sword
and disappearing into the smoke.
Jack listened as steel clashed against steel and the cries of
wounded men and women filled the air. Although this wasn’t
his battle, his survival depended on Tatsumaki and her crew
prevailing. But there was no guarantee of victory, and in order
to protect himself he needed a weapon.
Leaving the cover of the gun carriage, Jack headed for the
Pirate Queen’s cabin. He crouched low, where the smoke was
thinner, but it was still disorientating and he had to use all his
ninja skill to keep his bearings. Suddenly two men burst out
of the fog, hands at each other’s throats. Jack dodged aside as
they fought tooth-and-claw to kill one another. Then the
smoke enveloped them again, the outcome of their struggle
unknown.

287
 Hurrying on, Jack kept his hands out before him, ready to
fend off any attackers. His fingers touched a wooden panel and
he fumbled along until he found a door. A man screamed close
by and Jack caught a glimpse of a bloody katana. Sliding the door
open, he dived inside and shut it before anyone could follow.
He was pounced upon from behind, hands clawing at his
face.
‘It’s me, Saru!’ reassured Jack, having almost jumped out
of his skin.
The terrified monkey stopped screeching and leapt back on
to her cage, her fingers anxiously pawing the key round her
neck, while her eyes remained fixed on the door for more
intruders.
She’s one effective guard! thought Jack as he made his way over
to the weapons rack.
A katana rested on the lower shelf. He snatched it up and
secured it to his obi just as he heard a girl scream. Disregarding
his own safety, Jack flung open the cabin door.
‘LI LING?’ he shouted above the noise of the battle and the
groans of the dying.
‘Jack, HELP ME!’
Heading in the direction of her voice, he found her trapped
between two cannon. A cruel cut across her arm had forced
her to drop her weapon. A samurai twice her size closed in for
the kill. He lunged at her with his sword. Li Ling ducked
behind a barrel, the steel blade glancing off the iron muzzle.
The samurai struck again, but this time Jack intervened. Block-
ing the thrust with his katana, Jack side-kicked the man over
an Earth cannon. The samurai tumbled head over heels and
was knocked out cold by a pile of cannonballs.

288
 “This way!’ said Jack, grabbing Li Ling’s hand and pulling
her towards Tatsumaki’s cabin.
But no sooner had they taken two steps than a shrouded
face materialized out of the smoke.
Dragon Eye.
The ghostly apparition caused Jack to halt in his tracks. Frozen
with shock, his limbs simply refused to respond as the ninja
advanced, the blade of Black Cloud dripping red with blood.
Only when he sensed the tug from Li Ling as she dragged
him away did the spell break. They fled blindly through the
fog, colliding into beams, cannon and bloody brawls. In the
confusion of smoke and battle, it was hard to tell who was
friend and who was foe. Shadows fought through the swirls,
every figure threatening to be Dragon Eye.
Jack stumbled over a dead body and lost his grip on Li Ling.
A pirate woman grappling with a samurai bowled into him.
The three of them staggered across the deck, Li Ling vanish-
ing into the smoke. A knife flashed past Jack’s eyes before
burying itself in the samurai’s throat. The pirate woman, seized
by bloodlust, turned on Jack to do the same to him. But a
flicker of recognition stayed her hand at the last moment.
Then her eyes bulged and she collapsed to the deck, sliced
clean through from shoulder to hip. The glistening blade of
Black Cloud preceded the ominous silhouette of a shinobi shozoku.
Jack dived away, hoping to lose Dragon Eye amid the

290
 smoke. But, everywhere he turned, the ninja seemed to loom
towards him. Ducking and weaving between the cannon, Jack
made a sudden switch for the other side of the ship. The smoke
cleared briefly and he spotted daylight. Above him, an
exploded hatch offered a way out. Scrambling up the steps,
he emerged on to the Koketsu’s roof.
Coughing and eyes watering, Jack barely had time to regis-
ter the mayhem of the sea battle before a samurai rushed at
him with a sword. The blade cut down to his left. Jack blocked
the attack with his katana. The samurai struck again. This time,
Jack executed an Autumn Leaf strike. The technique was
rushed, but it was enough to disarm his attacker and the sword
clattered to the iron deck.
In desperation, the weaponless samurai threw himself at
Jack. They both crashed backwards. The impact knocked the
breath out of Jack and his katana slipped from his grasp. Pinned
beneath the samurai, Jack felt the man’s fingers wrap round
his throat. Wrestling to free himself, Jack used his forearm to —
attack the inside of the samurai’s left elbow, while simultan-
eously palm-striking him in the jaw. The double-assault broke
the samurai’s balance and he collapsed sideways. Jack fought
his way on top.
But the samurai offered no resistance. He'd gone limp in
- Jack’s grip.
It wasn’t until the blood ran in rivulets down the curving
iron roof that Jack realized why. He’d been fortunate enough
to land on the walkway, while the samurai had rolled on to
the spikes. With great care, Jack got to his feet and stepped
away from the impaled samurai, whose face was fixed in a
contortion of agony.

291
 Jack retrieved his katana and was considering his next move,
when Dragon Eye rose out of the hatch.
‘Don’t make me kill you, gaijin. Surrender!’
Jack raised his sword in reply.
‘So be it,’ hissed the ninja, flicking the blood from Black
Cloud’s blade.
Tightening his grip on the katana, Jack braced himself for
a fight to the death. Their last encounter had been an epic
struggle. It had taken all his courage, every ounce of strength
and mastery of the Two Heavens just to survive. Even then,
he'd needed his friends Akiko and Yamato to ultimately defeat
Dragon Eye. Yet still they had not been able to kill the ninja.
This time, Jack had only a single sword. And he was alone.
Jack tried to push his doubts aside. They would just get him
killed. His swordmaster Sensei Hosokawa had taught him that
he must ‘stare death in the face and react without hesitation. No fear.
No confusion. No doubt.’ He repeated the mantra in his head,
clearing his mind into a warrior’s state of mushin: ‘Expect noth-
ing. Be ready for anything.’
Dragon Eye advanced, squatting low like a crab to counter
the pitch and roll of the ship. He held Black Cloud aloft in his
right hand, the blade poised like the stinger of a scorpion.
Jack mirrored his stance, but gripped his katana in two hands
above his head, the blade’s tip pointed directly at the ninja’s face.
Almost too fast for the eye to see, Dragon Eye flicked his
wrist and a shuriken spun towards Jack’s throat. With his mind
open to any attack, Jack reacted without hesitation. He cut
down with his sword, meeting the throwing star halfway. The
shuriken ricocheted off the bladeinto the turbulent sea.Jack had
scarcely recovered from this opening strike, when Black Cloud

292
swooped down from the sky. His arm jarred as their blades
clashed. Dragon Eye pressed forward, forcing Jack to retreat.
‘Careful where you step, gaijin,’ taunted Dragon Eye, slicing
for Jack’s legs.
Jack leapt over the blade. For a moment, he was suspended
above the armoured roof. A moment of panic gripped him as
he sought for safe gaps. But, with the agility of a trained ninja,
Jack replanted his feet between the spikes.
Dragon Eye cursed and cut for his midriff this time. Jack
stepped back out of range, his foot narrowly missing a vicious
spike. He thrust with his katana in retaliation, but Dragon Eye
deflected the attack and once again slashed for his legs. Jack
jumped away. This time his foot scraped down a spike, ripping
the skin from his ankle. Crying out in pain, he stumbled to
recover his balance. Dragon Eye immediately cut for his head.
Jack ducked, only to be kicked in the chest. The force of the
blow lifted him off his feet and sent him flying.
As he arched through the air, the image of the impaled -
samurai flashed before his eyes . . . but the face of the dead
warrior was his own.
In a final bid to save himself, Jack twisted and flung out his
limbs as if he were performing a horizontal Butterfly Kick.
He landed upon all fours like a cat and, by the skin of his teeth,
managed to hold his body above the deadly spikes.
But his fortune was short-lived. Dragon Eye rushed over,
seized him by the hair and forced his head towards the deck.
A sharpened point thrust directly in line with Jack’s right eye.
‘I’m going to present your head to the Shogun ona spike!’
snarled Dragon Eye.
 WEAK SPOT

Jack’s muscles trembled as he strained to keep his head up, the

spike now afraction away from piercing his eyeball. Dragon
Eye pushed harder and points of pain erupted along Jack's
chest where the sharpened tips of other spikes were about to
puncture his ribs. His arms were close to giving out. Jack grit-
ted his teeth, calling upon all his reserves of strength.
But Dragon Eye was too strong. Jack had nothing left.
Then the pressure was gone, Dragon Eye’s hands no longer
gripping him. He heard high-pitched screeching and angry
shouts. Scrambling to hisfeet, Jack turned to see Saru tearing
into the ninja’s face and remaining eye. Dragon Eye howled,
wrestling to rid himself of the beast. He managed to seize
Saru’s tail and fling her off. The monkey twirled helplessly
through the air, bouncing once on the roof, before disappear-
ing over the side.
“No one harms Saru and lives!’ shrieked Tatsumaki, her
expression one of thunderous fury as she charged towards the
ninja, flanked by four Wind Demons.
Dragon Eye took one look at the fearsome Pirate Queen
and leapt from the Koketsu’s roof on to the seki-bune’s deck.

294
He pointed Black Cloud at Jack. ‘I'll be back for you, gaijin,’
he promised.
Then before any of them could give chase, he jumped on
to a piece of passing wreckage. Jack watched the ninja float
away and disappear among the carnage of battling ships.
‘And I'll be after you,’ vowed Tatsumaki, a tear streaking
the black powder around her eyes.
Jack felt a lump in his throat as he tried to console the Pirate
Queen. “Saru was a brave monkey. She saved my life.’
‘Just be sure you kill the ninja next time!’ she replied, star-
ing wretchedly in the direction Saru had been tossed.
Then a small red face bobbed up from the roof edge. Having
checked the coast was clear, Saru scampered between the spikes
and leapt into Tatsumaki’s arms.
‘Saru! My little Wind Demon!’ exclaimed the Pirate Queen,
rubbing her head affectionately. ‘I knew you were tougher
than any ninja.’
Relieved Saru was alive, Jack glanced towards the other
Wind Demons, who were all bloody and bruised.
‘Is Li Ling OK?” asked Jack.
One of the pirates nodded. “She’s helping clear the deck of
samurai scum.’
‘So you've beaten them?’
‘Not yet,’ replied Tatsumaki, gravely scanning the floating
battlefield. “‘There’s plenty more where they came from.’
The Seto Sea was awash with burning boats and sinking
ships. Bodies, dead or dying, floated past like shoals of fish.
Vessels still seaworthy locked horns, their crews firing point-
blank at one another before boarding and fighting
hand-to-hand. Despite their superior cannon, the Wind

295
Demons were being decimated by daimyo Mori’s larger and
more organized force. Sea Samurai swarmed over the pirate
ships, slaughtering the crews and seizing the vessels. Jack reck-
oned that the pirates must have lost nearly half their fleet.
Amid the devastation the Nihon Maru pressed forward,
laying down suppressive fire, protected behind a defensive ring
of seki-bune. Signal flags and the blare of horagai issued from
its keep, directing the Sea Samurai’s formations and attack
manoeuvres. Any weaknesses in the Wind Demons’ defences
were quickly spotted and exploited. The tide of battle was
rapidly turning against the pirates.
But Tatsumaki remained defiant and undaunted. “Ten sail-
ors wisely led will beat a hundred without a head,’ she declared.
“We must sink their command ship.’

The Koketsu shook, its beams almost rattled loose by the

impact. Oarsmen clung on determinedly to their oars. Gunners
fought to stay standing as their cannon almost broke free from
their chains. Li Ling went flying but Jack somehow kept his
feet:
‘RETREAT AND TURN!’ bellowed Tatsumaki above the
cacophony of musket shots raining down upon the iron roof
and the blasts of cannon from the defending seki-bune ships.
The Koketsu was rocked bya direct hit to its port side. The
crack and crunch of wood as a cannonball ploughed through
the deck was followed by the screams of injured pirates.
‘Put that fire out!’ cried a gunner to his men, as flames licked
the inner walls of the gun deck and apna towards their explo-
sive charges.
Jack wondered just how much more damage the Koketsu

296
could sustain. The wooden gunwales were being blown to
smithereens, the roof pounded to scrap metal by close-range
cannon each time they charged the Nihon Maru. And so many
oars had been blasted to splintered stumps that they'd already
lost two rowing units. Soon the ship would be no more than
a floating coffin.
Through a gaping hole in the Koketsu’s side Jack could see
Captain Kurogumo’s Black Spider and Captain Wanizame’s
Great White embroiled in a furious battle with the Sea Samu-
tai. Their mission was to keep the defending seki-bune at bay,
while the Koketsu and Captain Kujira’s Killer Whale attempted
to sink the Nihon Maru.
Tatsumaki had rallied their best remaining ships for the
task. But they'd been met with overwhelming resistance.
Trapped within the heart of daimyo Mori’s armada, enemy fire
came from all directions. The Wind Demons had so far lost
three of their ships in the attack and more were on the brink
of defeat. The pirates were simply being obliterated . . . and -
all for nothing.
The Nihon Maru remained stubbornly afloat, its hull
immune to the pirates’ bombardment. Even Captain Kujira’s
Crouching Tiger had failed to make an impact.
‘FIRE!’ ordered Tatsumaki with an almost desperate cry.
The Koketsu rang to the thunder of Heaven and Earth
cannon. When the gunsmoke cleared, the Wind Demons gave
a despairing groan. Their fourth attempt had achieved little
more than the splintering of a few boards.
‘It’s hopeless!’ cursed the head gunner, plunging his knife
into the wooden gun carriage. “That hull must be reinforced
with iron.’

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 ‘We cannot give up,’ said Tatsumaki.
‘What else can we do? We’ve thrown everything we've got
at this monster.’
‘Try AGAIN on the starboard side,’ she ordered furiously.
‘There has to be a weak spot. A chink in its armour some-
where.’
The weary oarsmen propelled the Koketsu down the seem-
ingly endless length of the Nihon Maru. All the time musket
shot, arrows and cannon battered the crumbling pirate ship.
Jack took shelter with Li Ling behind a pile of ropes as shards
of wood and lethal projectiles tore through the air. Jack real-
ized their chances of survival were almost nil. The Nihon Maru
was proving indestructible and another ramming raid would
surely see the Koketsu blasted out of the water. If by some
miracle they managed to retreat to the protection of Pirate
Island, the Sea Samurai would simply surround them. Daimyo
Mori would show no quarter to the Wind Demons — he had
a personal vendetta to wipe the pirate clans out forever.
With their downfall assured, Jack thought of Yori, Miyuki
and Saburo imprisoned in the citadel. Would they be shown
any mercy by the Sea Samurai? It seemed unlikely. His friends
would either be killed in the fighting or recognized as his
accomplices and put to death for treason. Jack cursed himself
for letting them ever come on this journey in the first place.
He should have insisted that they left him in Tomo Harbour.
Now he was powerless to save his loyal friends.
As the Koketsu rounded the Nihon Maru’s bow and took up
position for a fifth and no doubt final run, Jack glanced up at
the insurmountable sides of the command ship. Hundreds of
armed soldiers lined its battlements, primed to launch a devas-

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tating salvo at them. Jack noticed that the Nihon Maru was
now listing heavily to starboard. For a moment, he thought
that she had been holed. But it was just the weight of the
soldiers causing her to tilt, daimyo Mori having mustered the
majority of his men to one side for maximum firepower.
Seeing this, Jack smiled to himself. He had found the weak
spot.
‘FIRE!’ ordered Jack to the gunmen.
The Koketsu roared with cannon blasts. Jack watched the
daejon arrows arc into the smoke-filled sky.
‘For all our sakes, your plan had better work,’ said
Tatsumaki.
Jack could only pray that it would. The Pirate Queen had
taken some persuasion to stop her ramming raid, but once he'd
pointed out the Nihon Maru’s weak spot she’d understood.
Hurried adjustments to every cannon followed, the gunners
toiling hard as they shifted their weapons into the steepest
possible trajectory. Ropes were lashed together and fed out
of the portholes before being secured to the Koketsu’s stern.
Every Wind Demon, except the gunnery crews, was assigned
to the oars. But the most difficult part of the plan was to ensure
the daejon arrows hit their target first time.
There would be no second chance.
When the head gunner had been assured of their accuracy,
Tatsumaki gave Jack the privilege of issuing the firing order.
For a brief moment, Jack had hesitated. He’d questioned
himself about aiding the Wind Demons. But with his survival

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and the fate of his imprisoned friends at stake, he’d realized
there was no other option. Between the Sea Samurai and the
Wind Demons, the Pirate Queen was the lesser of two evils.
The daejon arrows shot upwards, their tethers trailing out
behind them. The Sea Samurai on the battlements ducked as
the ten projectiles soared past. They entirely missed the Nihon
Marv’s battlements. Jack could just imagine the relief on the
samurai’s faces . . . and the utter shock and bewilderment as
the iron-tipped arrows struck the Nihon Maru’s keep. They
embedded themselves in the whitewashed walls up to their
flights. A unit of samurai rushed to rescue their lord from the
keep’s upper tower. But Jack’s plan wasn’t to kill the daimyo.
‘ROW LIKE THE WIND!’ he shouted and threw his
weight behind the nearest oar with six other men as the drum-
mer took up the rhythm.
The Koketsu surged away from the Nihon Maru, gaining
speed with every oar stroke. Then the ship suddenly jarred to
a halt as the ten ropes tied to its stern snapped taut.
‘Keep rowing!’ grunted Jack.
The oarsmen pushed and pulled on the yuloh oars, their
muscles bulging, sweat pouring down their backs, as the
Koketsu’s timbers creaked and groaned with the strain.
Jack glanced through the stern porthole. The Koketsu
appeared dead in the water, all forward momentum lost.
‘ROW HARDER" he cried above the drummer’s insistent
beat.
Like a tug-of-war between David and Goliath, the Koketsu
fought against the monumental bulk of the Nihon Maru. But
the command ship was immovable.
‘It’s not working!” said Tatsumaki, glaring at Jack.

301
 ‘It will,’ he replied. ‘Just give it a chance!’
But doubts were being raised in his own mind too. However
hard the Wind Demons rowed, they were simply not powerful
enough to overcome the mighty Nihon Maru. The pirates plunged
their oars in again and again. The ropes stretched to their limit.
Then two of them snapped. Jack’s plan was fast unravelling.
“COME ON!’ he roared. ‘FOR YOUR QUEEN!’
A tremendous burst of effort came from the Wind Demons
and the Koketsu edged over a wave. Three more ropes broke.
Oars dived into the water, propelling the Koketsu onward. Jack
stared in desperate hope at the command ship. With its keep
being dragged sideways, the deck was now heeling dangerously.
The Sea Samurai, finally understanding what was happening,
rushed to the port side to counter the perilous slant of the deck.
But the Nihon Maru had reached tipping point.
The bigger they are, the harder they fall, thought Jack.
Strong and immense as the Nihon Maru was, he’d realized
its design was top-heavy and unstable. The command ship’s
superstructure was its Achilles heel. Like a harpooned whale,
the Nihon Maru keeled over. A final pull from the Koketsu’s
oarsmen sent it crashing into the Seto Sea.
With their command ship down and sinking slowly beneath
the waves, the remaining Sea Samurai ships floundered in
confusion and panic. Their fighting spirit crushed by their
daimyo’s defeat, they turned tail and fled.
The Wind Demons on the Koketsu gave a triumphant battle
cry. Their call was echoed by cheers from the Black Spider and
the other surviving pirate ships. The battle for Pirate Island
had been won.
 57

SECOND WAVE

“The Wind Demons are forever in your debt, Jack,’ declared

Tatsumaki. ‘And so am I.’
They stood upon the armoured roof, the Wind Demons hail-
ing their victory as the Koketsu docked at the lagoon jetty. More
pirate ships limped in, their crews battleworn but jubilant.
Jack bowed respectfully to the Pirate Queen. “You can easily
repay that debt.’
Tatsumaki raised an eyebrow. ‘Really?’
‘Release me and my friends.’
She pursed her lips, apparently reluctant.
‘Do you think I should, Saru?’ she asked, turning to the
monkey upon her shoulder. Saru bobbed her head enthusiast-
ically and Tatsumaki smiled at Jack. “Your request is granted.’
‘Also, hand back my swords and our weapons.’
‘That’s acceptable to me,’ replied Tatsumaki, nodding
amiably, ‘though it might be harder to persuade Captain
Kurogumo to part with those Shizu swords of yours.’
‘And return my father’s rutter.’
Tatsumaki laughed at his audacity. ‘Next you'll be asking
for a boat!’

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 ‘That had crossed my mind,’ replied Jack.
The Pirate Queen studied him. ‘Are you certain you don’t
want to stay here asa Wind Demon? We can protect you from
the Shogun. And you've proved yourself a fine pirate. I'd even
make you captain of your own ship.’
It was Jack who laughed out loud this time. His father
would turn in his grave at the thought of his son becoming a
pirate. He shook his head. ‘I have to get to Nagasaki. I must
return home to my sister.’
Tatsumaki nodded. ‘I suppose we all seek different treasures
in life,’ she replied wistfully. ‘I'll arrange a boat for you.’
‘And the rutter?’ pressed Jack.
The Pirate Queen’s expression became hard as a diamond.
‘I’m afraid that belongs to me.’
‘But we made a blood oath!’ exclaimed Jack, holding up
his scarred hand.
‘I only promised to set you free,’ replied Tatsumaki coolly.
‘And that’s exactly what I’ve agreed to do. Think yourself
fortunate that you and your friends are escaping with your
lives.’
Jack felt cheated and angry. Without his father’s rutter, his
whole future and that of his sister Jess were at stake. But,
surrounded by armed Wind Demons, he was in no position
to argue. And why should he be so surprised by Tatsumaki’s
mercenary decision? She was a pirate, after all!
‘Don’t look so resentful, Jack,’ said Tatsumaki with a conci-
liatory smile. ‘I'd be happy for you to remain with us as our
pilot to the South Americas. Together we could rule the seven
seas... even sail to England...’
She let the suggestion hang in the air.

304
 Jack didn’t say anything, realizing that she was simply
trying to appease him with the possibility. But their ultimate
destinations were totally opposed. He wanted to sail home.
Tatsumaki wanted to plunder the oceans. He’d never reach
England that way. And even if they eventually did, they'd be
blown out of the water for being pirates by the British Navy!
Besides, Jack still held key information to the rutter and he had
no intention of ever revealing those secrets to Tatsumaki and
her Wind Demons.
‘Till make my own way home,’ he said eventually. ‘With
my friends.’
Tatsumaki sighed in disappointment at his decision. ‘Then
you
re free to go.”
‘Look!’ cried Li Ling, emerging from the hatch. ‘It’s Captain
Kurogumo.’
There was a great roar as the Black Spider came alongside,
Captain Kurogumo and his crew punching the air in salute to
the Koketsu. Upon the main deck was the golden-shell figure-
head from the Nihon Maru.
‘It’s solid gold!’ yelled Captain Kurogumo, baring his
sharpened teeth in avaricious delight.
“We should melt it down and make you a throne, Tatsumaki,
now that you’re Queen of the Seto Sea!’ pronounced Captain
Hebi as he approached the Koketsu and performed a ceremonial
bow.
The Wind Demons gave an almighty cheer at this new title
for their leader.
Gazing upon her exultant followers, Tatsumaki said, “It
won't be long before we have enough gold to make thrones
for all of us!’

305
 Another cheer erupted from the Wind Demons.
Captain Hebi was joined on the jetty by Captain Kurogumo
and the other surviving captains. Jack noted there were piti-
fully few left. 3
‘Where’s Captain Wanizame?’ asked Tatsumaki, searching
among the grime-streaked faces for the Amazonian pirate.
Captain Kurogumo spat in anger. “Those cold-blooded
samurai slaughtered her and every soul on the Great White.’
‘What about Captain Kujira? He was on the final assault
with us,’ said Tatsumaki in growing disbelief at their losses.
But the Killer Whale wasn’t to be seen anywhere among the
battered fleet.
Captain Hebi’s expression darkened and he shook his head
regretfully. “We've paid a heavy price for this victory.’
“We may have lost many souls . . . but we’ve won so much
more,’ Tatsumaki proclaimed, trying to rally their spirits.
“Tonight we celebrate our conquest and honour those who
died this day. Tomorrow, we commence a reign of piracy on
a scale never before witnessed. We shall rule this sea by
LIGHTNING and THUNDER!’
The captains roared their approval and the Wind Demons
went wild, stamping their feet on the decks and clashing their
weapons. Standing among the baying pirates, Jack wondered
atthe terror that was about to be unleashed upon the Seto Sea.
Then, cutting through the noise, he heard a bell toll three times.
Tatsumaki and the pirate captains heard it too, exchanging
uneasy looks as a rowing boat powered across the lagoon from
the sister island.
‘SEA SAMURAI. . . sighted on the northern horizon!’
panted the lookout as he reached the Koketsu.

306
 ‘But they’re defeated,’ exclaimed Captain Kurogumo.
The lookout shook his head. ‘It’s a second wave!’
Dismay and alarm spread among the Wind Demons. They
looked to their Pirate Queen for guidance.
“We've beaten them once,’ said Tatsumaki, undaunted by
the new threat. “We can do it again.’
“Tatsumaki, we don’t have the strength to fight another
battle,’ argued Captain Hebi.
‘Are you suggesting that we run before the Sea Samurai?”
‘What other choice:do we have? We might not be beaten
but we're certainly broken. Just look around you.’
Tatsumaki eyed their war-torn ships and wounded pirates.
Livid at their weakened state, she nonetheless agreed with his
assessment. “Come hell or high water, we'll have our revenge
on these Sea Samurai. This war is not over!’
‘But what about our hoards of riches?’ challenged Captain
Kurogumo. ‘Are we simply to surrender them to the samurai?’
“Certainly not,’ replied Tatsumaki, her resolve hardening.
“Grab what treasure you can, then make for Demon Island in
the Sea of Japan.’
Not needing to be told twice, the pirate captains and their
crews disbanded. They surged up Pirate Town’s walkways in
a frenzied rush to recover their stashed riches before the Sea
Samurai fleet arrived.
Tatsumaki gathered her more disciplined crew together.
She sent the gunners to restock their ammunition store, the
other Wind Demons to load essential provisions for the voyage
ahead, and the oarsmen, chosen for their strength, were
ordered to accompany her to the citadel to retrieve the best
of her treasure.

307
 Jack was forgotten amid the whirlwind of activity. He was
left behind on the jetty as Tatsumaki and her oarsmen headed
for the bamboo lift. Pushing his way through the unruly mob
of pirates, Jack hurried after her but was stopped by the strong
arm of an oarsman.
‘Sorry. No room for passengers,’ said Tatsumaki, closing
the gate behind her.
“What about the boat you promised?’ asked Jack, realizing
he and his friends would be stranded without one.
Tatsumaki gave a half-apologetic smile as the lift rose into
the air. ‘It’s everyone for themselves now, Jack. Remember,
we're pirates . . . not samurai!’
 CURSED

So much for the Wind Demons being forever in my debt! thought

Jack as his eyes scanned the lagoon for an escape boat.
But the only ones docked at the jetty were those that had
survived the battle — and they were far too large for a four-man
crew to handle, and were already taken. The lookout’s rowing
boat was also gone, having returned to the hidden fort with
news of the Wind Demons’ immediate withdrawal. Jack just
had to hope that, following the conflict, he’d find a suitable
vessel washed up on the island’s rocky shores. Otherwise, he'd
be asking Tatsumaki for passage on-board the Koketsu — and
that no doubt would come ata price.
But Jack realized his first priority was to free Miyuki, Yori
and Saburo. Turning to run up the gangway into Pirate Town,
he bumped straight into Li Ling coming the other way.
‘Sorry, Jack!’ she gasped, dropping the sack of rice that
she’d been lugging. ‘I didn’t see you. Where are you going
anyway?”
‘The citadel.I have to release my friends, then somehow
find a boat off this island.’
‘Aren't you coming with us?’

309
 Jack shook his head. ‘No, a pirate’s life isn’t for me.’
Li Ling looked saddened by the news.
“You could join us,’ suggested Jack, not wishing his Chinese
friend to die at the hands of the Sea Samurai . . . or become a
bloodthirsty pirate.
‘And miss all this excitement?’ she replied, glancing round
at the chaos. “This is what I dreamed of, Jack. ’m a Wind
Demon now and always will be.’
“Then take care,’ he said, realizing that her fate was her own
choosing and it wasn’t for him to change her mind. “But don’t
ever lose that kind heart of yours.’
Helping to lift the rice sack on to Li Ling’s shoulder, he
turned to go. He'd only taken a few steps when she suddenly
said, ‘I know where there’s a boat.’
She pointed to a small iron gate beyond the jetty at the base
of the cliff.
‘I shouldn’t be telling you this, but that passage leads to a
hidden sea cave. Tatsumaki has a boat stowed there for emer-
gencies.’
“You're a life saver, Li Ling. What sort of boat?’
‘A skiff. Tatsumaki asked me to check its supplies before
we went into battle with the Sea Samurai. But you'll need the
key for the gate.’
. ‘No, we won't,’ replied Jack confidently. ‘Miyuki can pick
locks.’
‘Not this one. It’s a Chinese double lock.’
‘So where’s the key?’ asked Jack.
‘That’s the other problem,’ she replied, biting her lip
awkwardly. ‘It’s attached to Saru’s collar.’
‘It’s lucky that Saru likes me,’ said Jack, although he had

310
no idea how he would take it without the Pirate Queen
noticing. He’d figure that out once he was reunited with his
friends.
‘Good luck!’ cried Li Lingas Jack sprinted up the gangway
into Pirate Town.

The main street was crammed with marauding pirates, elbow-

ing one another out of the way as they seized their precious
loot. Some were raiding the shops and stores. Others were
ransacking the cabins of their recently dead friends, scuffles
breaking out each time a highly valuable item was discovered.
Jack rushed past, dodging between the Wind Demons and
their fights. He clambered up ladders and along the suspended
bamboo walkways. The citadel seemed impossibly high up
and he was aware that with every passing second the Sea Samu-
rai were sailing closer and closer.
Finally, with his heart pounding and his lungs burning,
Jack reached the top level. As he staggered past the door to
Captain Kurogumo’s house, he remembered his Shizu swords
were inside. Sliding open the shoji, he hurried into the main
room and over to the corner where he’d seen the treasure chest
and weapons. He spotted his daishd immediately. His hand was
almost upon the red hilt of his katana, when he felt the sharp
tip of a knife in his back.
Behind him, silent and still as a statue, stood the white-faced
geisha.
‘Just claiming what’s mine,’ explained Jack calmly.
The geisha said nothing. She merely pressed the blade harder
into him. Jack hastily moved his hand away from the katana’s
hilt and the pressure eased a touch.

311
 ‘Stealing from a pirate?’ tutted Captain Kurogumo, step-
ping out from the balcony.
‘Samurai aren’t thieves,’ replied Jack. “You know they
belong to me.’
‘Once belonged to you,’ corrected Captain Kurogumo.
‘Tatsumaki said I could have them back, for defeating the
Nihon Maru and saving the Wind Demons.’
‘Did you save us?’ challenged Captain Kurogumo, baring
his shark-like teeth in a flash of anger. “We're fleeing from the
Sea Samurai. Our fleet is decimated. Pirate Island is lost to us
forever. Skullface was right about you. You’ve cursed the
Wind Demons!’
A great cheer echoed up from below — the Killer Whale had
entered the lagoon.
‘Captain Kujira survived after all,’ remarked the pirate
captain with a twisted smile. “Unlike you, gaijin,’ he added,
drawing his sword.
With the geisha’s tanté close at his back, Jack dared not move.
Before he could even reach for his katana, Captain Kurogumo’s
kissaki would pierce his heart in a split second and he’d drop
to the floor, stone-cold dead.
So this is to be my end, thought Jack. Run through by a dishon-
ourable pirate. No chance to free my friends or see Jess ever again.
_ Then the Killer Whale opened fire, its cannon booming as
if the volcano itself was exploding. The cliff walls shuddered
under the impact of heavy iron shot. |
“What in the name of — cried Captain Kurogumo, losing
his footing as the balcony rocked wildly.
Another salvo blasted Pirate Town. A cannonball struck
the supports of Captain Kurogumo’s house and thebuilding

452
 started to sheer away from the cliff face. In the chaos of the
moment, Jack spun round, knocking the tanto from the geisha’s
grasp with his elbow. Then using a palm-strike to her chest
he sent her crashing into the balcony rail.
As the bamboo house pitched violently, Jack snatched up
his swords and dived for the door. He managed to grab hold
of the walkway’s supporting post, just as the building
completely broke away. He hung suspended in the air, watch-
ing Captain Kurogumo and the geisha flailing among the
- falling wreckage of their house, the pirate’s precious weapons
cascading out like lethal jewels into the lagoon far below.
As their screams spiralled away, Jack thought that perhaps
he really had cursed the Wind Demons — or at least Captain
Kurogumo — for capturing him and his friends in the first
place.
 COLLAPSE

The Killer Whale continued its bombardment of Pirate

Town. Jack could only presume that the Sea Samurai had
taken over the ship, cunningly using it to masquerade as
Wind Demons and fool the lookouts. Cannonballs tore into
the town’s lower levels and ripped through the main street.
Daejon fire arrows embedded themselves in the walls, setting
the bamboo buildings ablaze. Pirates, screaming and on fire,
plunged to their deaths. Many fled in blind panic. Some
managed to reach the jetty and their ships, but others,
trapped by the fires, had to leap into the lagoon for their
lives.
Jack tossed his swords on to the walkway, then hauled
himself up. Without a moment to lose, he sprinted for the
citadel. The gates were wide open and he charged straight in.
Two oarsmen were dragging a treasure chest brimming with
silver and gold towards the lift. They ignored him as he flew
past and headed down the corridor to where his friends were
imprisoned.
A blast rocked the citadel and Jack was knocked off his feet.
Lanterns clattered to the floor. Scrambling back up, he stag-

314
gered round a corner and dashed towards the room. The
guards were gone, but the door was still barred. He heard
frantic hammering on the other side.
"Yori! Miyuki! Saburo!’ cried Jack, yanking the bolt free.
He flung the door open and was greeted by the familiar faces
of his friends. He felt as if he hadn’t seen them for months. As
they exited, he embraced each of them in turn.
‘Good to see you too,’ said Saburo, smiling at Jack’s unre-
served emotion.
Yori was too overcome to say anything, tears of relief well-
ing up in his eyes.
Returning Jack’s embrace, Miyuki whispered in his ear, ‘I
really thought I’d lost you forever.’ Then she stepped away,
Japanese formality taking over once more, and focused on
their situation. ‘Let’s get out of here. I’ve had enough of this
Pirate Queen’s hospitality.’
‘Do you still have the sea chart?’ asked Jack.
Miyuki nodded and held up the roll of paper.
‘Excellent. There’s a boat through a gated tunnel beside the
jetty, but first we have to get the key,’ Jack explained. ‘And if
we're lucky, find your weapons and the rutter too.’
They turned to go when Yori remembered: “The rice!’
He ran back into the room just as a tremendous explosion
shook the building. The floor beneath Yori collapsed.
‘NOOOO!’ yelled Jack as his friend disappeared.
He rushed to the door, where a huge gaping hole now
exposed the perilous plunge to the lagoon. Fragments of wood
and tatami mats twirled through the air, vanishing into the
distance. A gunpowder store on the level below burned
fiercely, having been hit by a daejon arrow.

315
 . ‘YORI! cried Jack, his eyes searching for his fallen friend.
‘Down here!’ replied a tiny terrified voice.
A section of floor hung precariously from a few broken
beams. Yori clung to the edge, his legs dangling in mid-air.
Dropping on to his stomach, Jack reached for him. “Grab
my hand!’
Yori shook his head. ‘I can’t. It’s too far.’
The floor gave alittle as a beam split further. Yori cried out
in panic.
“Take my ankles,’ Jack instructed Miyuki and Saburo.
Using the door frame as a brace, they lowered him over
the abyss. Jack stretched out his arms to his friend. He could
hear the terrible sound of splintering wood and snatched in
desperation for Yori’s hand . . . and missed.
He tried again. ‘Now!’
Yori let go with one hand — the floor broke away and
tumbled down the cliff face — and he just managed to clasp
Jack’s fingers. Jack held on to Yori with all his might, his
friend swinging helplessly over the lagoon. Miyuki and
Saburo wrestled to pull them both in.
‘Hurry!’ urged Jack, feeling Yori’s fingers slipping through
his grasp.
As Jack was dragged back over the threshold, he lost grip
of Yori. . . but Saburo made a grab for his jacket and pulled
their friend to safety. They collapsed in a heap on the corridor
floor, panting from exhaustion and shock.
‘Sorry ...’ gasped Yori. ‘I dropped . . . the rice.’
Jack burst into laughter at his unnecessary apology. ‘As long
as I didn’t drop you, nothing else matters.’
Another explosion shook the building.

316
 ‘This citadel’s becoming a death trap, said Saburo, scram-
bling to his feet. ‘Let’s go!’
“We need to get the key first,’ reminded Jack.
He led them down a corridor towards Tatsumaki’s quarters.
They hurried past open shoji on every side. Discarded loot and
treasure were scattered across the floors, only the best having
been taken by Tatsumaki’s oarsmen.
‘Our packs!’ exclaimed Saburo as they passed by one of the
ransacked rooms.
Darting inside, they grabbed their belongings. They were
relieved to discover their weapons stacked in a corner. Miyuki
secured her ninjato to her back and her utility belt round her
waist. Saburo thrust his katana and wakizashi into his obi, while
Yori was thrilled to be reunited with his trusty shakujo.
They heard the Pirate Queen shouting from a nearby room.
‘Hurry up!’ she ordered. “The Sea Samurai fleet are almost
upon us.’
Creeping down the corridor, Jack and his friends peeked
round a door into the citadel’s main hall. Tatsumaki stood
with her back to them, directing the loading of her last remain-
ing treasure chests. Saru sat upon an open chest, nibbling a
piece of her favourite fruit.
‘There’s the key,’ whispered Jack, spying the glint of metal
hanging from her collar.
‘How can we get it?’ said Saburo. “You can’t just walk up
to Tatsumaki and politely ask.’
‘T have an idea,’ said Miyuki.
Reaching into her pack, she pulled out a blowpipe.
‘Are you going to kill the Pirate Queen?’ asked Yori as Miyuki
inserted a tiny dart into the pipe.
Miyuki took careful aim and blew. The dart whisked
through the air towards its target.
‘Ow!’ cried the Wind Demon, swatting at his neck and
dropping the treasure chest he was carrying. “Pesky mosqui-
toes!’
‘No, just distract her,’ Miyuki replied with an impish grin,
as the chest crashed to the floor and hundreds of silver coins
spilled out.
‘You clumsy idiot!’ exclaimed the Pirate Queen, rushing
to save her precious treasure.
While Tatsumaki and the oarsman were busy gathering up
the silver, Jack seized the opportunity to sneak over to Saru.
The monkey caught sight of him and bobbed up and down,
chattering excitedly as he approached. Jack puta finger to his
lips in a desperate attempt to calm the monkey. Saru seemed
to understand and settled as soon as he stroked her head. With
great care, Jack removed the key from her collar.
The Wind Demon continued shovelling handfuls of silver

318
back into the treasure chest, while the Pirate Queen looked
on, chastising him for his stupidity with the sharp edge of her
tessen. Having pocketed the key, Jack’s eyes fell upon the
distinctive black oilskin covering of the rutter. The logbook
had been stowed in Saru’s open chest. Reachingin,Jack’s hands
clasped round the oilskin, its cool touch reassuringly familiar.
Hastily, he slipped the rutter into his pack. All the time Saru
was watching him, quietly nibbling on her fruit.
Jack was about to return to the others, when he noticed an
object gleaming beneath where Saru was perched. The black
pearl with its twisted gold pin was here too. He couldn’t leave
his sole connection to Akiko behind. But, as soon as he picked
it up, Saru screeched loudly and snatched the pearl from his
hand. She clasped it possessively to her chest and screeched
again.
Tatsumaki spun round. ‘Jack!’ she exclaimed, taken by
surprise. “Have you changed your mind? Are you joining us?’
But, looking at Saru and then at the chest, she realized what
he was up to. “You're welcome to the key you've stolen, but
if you value your life, put the rutter back now.’
Jack shook his head. ‘It’s everyone for themselves,
Tatsumaki. Remember, you're a pirate . . . and I’m a samurai!’
He ran for the door. Tatsumaki flicked her wrist in his direc-
tion. The iron tessen snapped open and spun across the room.
“Watch out!’ cried Miyuki as the razor-sharp fan swooped
for Jack’s head.
At the last second, Jack dodged aside and the tessen embed-
ded itself in the door frame.
‘After him!’ cried Tatsumaki furiously. “That gaijin’s stealing
our future!’

319
 Four Wind Demons chased after Jack into the corridor. But
he and his friends were faster than the hulking oarsmen and
had already turned the corner and were out of sight.
‘This way!’ said Jack, leading them through the citadel’s
many chambers towards the main gate, where he prayed the
lift would still be working.
Jack burst through a large set of double doors on to the
main balcony and ran straight into Dragon Eye.
‘T’ll have that,’ said the ninja, holding out his hand for the
rutter as if having expected its arrival.
In contrast, Jack was completely unprepared for the appear-
ance of his resurrected enemy. He faltered mid-stride and
didn’t know whether to turn and flee or charge right through
him.
‘He’s still alive?’ gasped Saburo, already backing away.
Yori could only stare in wide-eyed horror at Dragon Eye,
the metal rings on his shakujo trembling in his grasp. Even
Miyuki was momentarily frozen to the spot, intimidated by
the ninja’s chilling presence.
Behind them, Jack could hear the pounding of the Wind
Demons’ feet getting closer. They were trapped.
‘The rutter,’ demanded Dragon Eye. ‘Don’t make me ask
you again.”
_ Jack caught a glint of steel and the image of Tiger’s head
bouncing down the hillside flashed before his eyes. With light-
ning reactions, Jack unsheathed his katana, the Shizu blade
moving like quicksilver through the air. There was a clash of
steel upon steel and the blade of Black Cloud was stopped a
hair’s breadth from Saburo’s neck. Saburo managed a nervous
gulp at the lethal stand-off.

320
 “You don’t get away with that trick twice,’ said Jack, launch-
ing a fearsome front kick at Dragon Eye’s chest.
The ninja staggered backwards under the blow.
‘And you'll never harm any of my friends again,’ he vowed,
his katana slicing down for the ninja’s head.
But Dragon Eye was quick to recover. He deflected Jack’s
attack and threw out his hand.
“Watch out!’ cried Yori.
A cloud of metsubishi powder shot towards Jack’s face. Jack
spun away and the blinding dust dispersed harmlessly into the
air.
“You'll have to do better than that,’ goaded Jack.
“There they are!’ shouted a Wind Demon, thundering down
the corridor.
Recovering her wits, Miyuki drew her ninjato and turned
to face the pirates. ‘Jack, this is no time for settling old scores.
We have to leave. NOW!’
But Dragon Eye blocked their escape route.
‘You go,’ urged Jack, tossing Yori the key. ‘I'll hold off
Dragon Eye.’
Pain will nourish your courage when the dragon returns . ..
Recalling the Wind Witch’s words, Jack thought of his
father, of Yamato and all that he’d lost as a result of this ruth-
less ninja. Immediately, he felt the flames of courage ignite in
his veins.
‘I’m no longer scared of you!’ declared Jack and charged at
his sworn enemy.
‘You should be,’ snarled Dragon Eye, deflecting Jack’s
katana and countering with a vicious slice upward with his
own sword.

300
 Black Cloud almost carved Jack in half, but he leapt away,
somersaulting to land deftly on the balcony rail.
‘It’s you who should be fearing me, now I’ve the skills of a
samurai and a ninja.’
Covertly reaching into his pack, Jack flung a shuriken at
Dragon Eye. The throwing star whirled through the air.
Dragon Eye twisted away, but was a fraction too slow. The
star cut his upper arm and he let out a surprised grunt of pain.
Before Dragon Eye could recover, Jack leapt off the rail,
unsheathing his wakizashi, and launched a blistering Two
Heavens attack. His swords were a whirl of fury as he drove
the ninja down the balcony, clearing the way for his friends
to escape.
‘This time I’ll defeat you for good,’ promised Jack.
Blocking each and every sword blow, the ninja laughed,
‘Dragon Eye can never die!’
Below in the lagoon, the Killer Whale let loose another
devastating round of cannon fire, turning Pirate Town into a
ruin of blazing buildings and crumbling walkways. Crouching
Tiger’s distinctive roar resounded off the crater walls and a
boulder-sized cannonball obliterated a storehouse and all its
surrounding buildings. The damage was so widespread that a
whole section of Pirate Town caved in on itself. The citadel’s
foundations shook as if in the grip of an earthquake and the
idyllic lagoon became awash with flaming wreckage and dead
bodies.
‘Come on, Jack!’ cried Miyuki, running for the gate with
the others. “The balcony’s collapsing.’
But it was too late. Locked in mortal combat, he and Dragon
Eye tumbled down the sloping floor. They fought in each

322
other’s grip before crashing heavily into the balcony rail. Jack
lost his swords, seeing them spiral on to a roof far below. The
balcony now hung loose like a lolling tongue over the carnage
and threatened to break away entirely.
Defenceless against Dragon Eye and on the brink of plun-
ging to his death, Jack scrambled up the bars of the balcony
rail towards Miyuki and his friends. But Dragon Eye, scuttling
along like a black spider, pounced on to his back and pulled
him down to the bottom again. They wrestled with each other
against the rail. The ninja was no longer in possession of Black
Cloud, but his hands were just as deadly. He drove a spearhand
fist into the soft flesh of Jack’s gut. Jack gasped as a shockwave
of pain rocketed through his body, the agony too great for
him to even scream. Somehow he managed to land a powerful
elbow strike to the ninja’s temple and Dragon Eye reeled back-
wards. Keeping up the attack, he threw a blistering upper-cut.
The fist connected with Dragon Eye’s jaw and he collapsed
against the slanting balcony rail. Jack leapt on top of him and
jammed a thumb into a nerve point between the ninja’s ribs.
Dragon Eye screamed.
‘You're not the only one to know such techniques,’ said
Jack, driving his Finger Sword Fist in deeper.
The balcony shuddered, giving warning of its precarious
state. But, with Dragon Eye dazed and numb with pain, Jack
realized this might be his only chance.
‘Did Yamato survive as well as you?’ he demanded.
‘Who’s .. . Yamato?’ groaned Dragon Eye.
‘The young samurai you fell off Osaka Castle with.’
Despite the pain, Dragon Eye managed a pitiless laugh. ‘So
that’s who the boy was —’

323
 “You knew he was Masamoto’s son!’ Jack shouted. Angered
by the ninja’s contempt, he slammed him against the balcony
rail. ‘Just tell me, is Yamato alive or not?’
 FREEFALL

Dragon Eye didn’t reply. Instead he raked the centre of Jack’s

chest with Extended Knuckle Fist. The searing pain forced
Jack to let go. But, before Dragon Eye could follow up his
attack, the balcony rail split apart and the two of them dropped
like stones.
Jack tumbled over and over, panic seizing him as the cliff
face rushed past. But, cutting through the terror, he heard a
voice in his head saying: The feather doesn’t resist. It simply goes
where the wind blows . . . bear this in mind, young samurai, for when
an old enemy returns anew.
Trusting in the Ring of Wind and the wisdom of the
warrior spirit, Jack imagined himself as light as a feather. As
he plummeted through the air, he didn’t fight it any more. He
let the updraught carry him away from the cliff face. Dragon
Eye, arms flailing and venting his rage, flipped head over heels
the opposite way. Jack realized this was how it must have been
for Yamato when he let go from Osaka Castle’s top tower —
freefalling out of control towards certain death with his sworn
enemy.
But Jack felt strangely at peace. Like Yamato, he would die

325
with honour, sacrificing himself for his friends. He had the
rutter and its secrets would perish with him. And there was no
way on earth that Dragon Eye could survive this time.
The wind whistled past his ears, almost as if heaven was
calling to him. Jack felt like a bird soaring through the sky.
For one heady moment, he thought he might fly all the way
to England.
Then the rippling surface of the lagoon came rocketing
towards him.
The warrior spirit’s words came to mind once more: Follow
the way ofthe water and do nothing to oppose it . . .
Rather than tensing for impact, Jack made himself relax.
He recalled how the albatross dived into the sea to hunt for
fish, spearing through the waves at tremendous speed.
Its nature becomes my nature...
Jack pointed his arms down, making himself straight as an
arrow.
He hit the surface. The sudden chilling shock of the lagoon
knocked all breath from his lungs. The rush of wind became
the roar of water. His body was pounded and crushed on all
sides as he plunged deeper and deeper. The concussion of
cannonfire turned to muffled rumbles. The ethereal bars of
light that played near the surface faded into oblivion.
Jack touched bottom, his fingers raking through sand as
fine as silk. His lungs were now burning from lack of oxygen
and he was on the verge of blacking out. Sparkles of light
flickered before his eyes anda serene stillness enveloped him.
He drifted through this watery hidden world . . . then he
burst to the surface, noise and light rushing back to him.
Shouts, screams, cannonfire and waves surrounded him.

326
Wreckage, ropes and broken beams floated past. He gulped in
several desperate lungfuls of air. He was alive — battered,
bruised and aching, but definitely alive.
He swam for the crater’s rocky shore.
Above, Pirate Town was burning but the citadel, like its
Pirate Queen, defied the destruction, resolutely clinging to
the cliff walls. Those pirates still remaining on the crumbling
levels clambered down what ladders, walkways and founda-
tions were still fixed to the crater face.
As Jack approached the shore, he spotted a black shape
spread-eagled upon a rock. He headed towards it. He had to
be certain this time: confirm the ninja’s demise with his own
eyes.
 IMPOSTER

Jack clambered on to the rock and stood over the lifeless body
of Dragon Eye. A large pool of blood was trickling into the
lagoon. His nightmare was over.
Then a single bloodshot eye flickered open and Jack’s heart
froze.
‘This isn’t possible. No man can be immortal!’
The ninja began to laugh. Dropping to his knees, Jack
grabbed Dragon Eye by the lapels of his jacket and shook him
furiously.
‘Why won't you just die?’ he cried, all his pain and frustra-
tion welling up.
The ninja flopped limp as a rag doll in his grip. He splut-
tered and choked, unable to breathe, let alone reply to his
question. Jack now saw that Dragon Eye was, in truth, a
broken and dying man. He lay him back down and stared in
utter disbelief.
His shaking had partly dislodged the ninja’s hood to reveal
a second eye.
Whipping the hood completely off, Jack was met bya stran-
ger’s face. During the Battle of Osaka Castle, he’d discovered

328
Dragon Eye’s real identity to be the exiled samurai lord Hattori
Tatsuo. But this ninja definitely wasn’t him. Along with possess-
ing two eyes, there was no facial scarring from the childhood
pox. And this man was some ten years younger than the
Dragon Eye he knew and feared. Only his build, jawline and
green-tinted eyes were similar.
‘WHO are you?’ demanded Jack.
‘Dokugan . . . Ryu,’ replied the ninja weakly.
Jack shook his head. ‘No, you're not. I’ve seen Hattori
Tatsuo’s face with my own eyes. You're an imposter.’
The man grunted, accepting defeat. ‘I’m a kagemusha .. .
his Shadow Warrior . . . that’s why, gaijin ... Dragon Eye can
never die!”
“But my guardian Masamoto killed Hattori’s double in the
Battle of Nakasendo.’
‘The perfect deception!’ wheezed the ninja. ‘And now
another of our clan will take over the mantle from me...’ The
ninja gloated at the shock on Jack’s face. “Black Cloud will have
a new master .. . and Dragon Eye’s legend will live on!’
For the first time Jack understood the warrior spirit’s true
meaning of ‘an old enemy returns anew’.
All of a sudden he was seized by the throat, the ninja’s
fingers cutting off his air supply. He writhed in the iron-like
grip as the man rose up before him.
Squeezing the life from Jack, the kagemusha spat into his
face, ‘I’ll haunt you . . . to your grave, gaijin!’
Then the man slumped back down and fell still, his two
eyes staring soulless at the smoking sky.
Recovering his breath, Jack bowed his head and began to
sob.

329
 ‘Jack!’ called Miyuki, running along the shoreline. “Are you
all right?’
Yori and Saburo dropped down beside him, astonished to
see Dragon Eye unmasked and their friend in one piece.
“Why are you crying?’ asked Saburo. “Dragon Eye’s really
dead this time.’ :
Jack shook his head. A small flame of hope in his heart had
just been extinguished. “Because . . . because it means Yamato
is dead too.’ He grieved once more for his loyal friend and
brother, the pain of loss as raw as the first time.
Yori rested a hand upon Jack’s shoulder. “Yamato lives on
through you, Jack. In everything samurai that you do. His spirit
is your spirit. Forever bound to one another.’
Jack wiped his eyes, comforted by Yori’s wise words.
Miyuki knelt beside him. ‘I can’t bring your friend back,
but I did manage to recover these.’ She handed him his Shizu
swords. ‘I realize you can’t be a samurai without them.’
Smiling gratefully, Jack stood and sheathed the blades into
their sayas. He felt strengthened by their presence, but even
mote so by the support of his friends at his side.
‘Let's go,’ he said, turning in the direction of the gated
tunnel. “We’ve got a boat to catch.’
 A FAVOURABLE WIND

Leaving the dead ninja behind, Jack and the others headed
towards the gate. But, as they approached, they heard a low
rumble and felt the ground start to tremble.
‘RUN!’ screamed Miyuki, realizing what was happening.
The four of them charged along the lagoon’s shore. But it
didn’t look as if they were going to make it. Pirate Town was
collapsing like a deck of cards. Roofs cascaded on to one
another, walkways crumbled and buildings toppled. An
avalanche of flaming wood, broken beams and loose rocks
poured down the crater walls.
As they sprinted for their lives, Jack caught a glimpse of Li
Ling urging the last surviving Wind Demons on-board the
Koketsu, before giving the order to cast off. He couldn't see
Tatsumaki among them, though. But, when he glanced up to
check the state of the landslide, he spotted a lone figure stand-
ing on the lip of the citadel’s broken balcony.
Like a true captain, thought Jack. She’s going down with her
ship.
The citadel, finally surrendering to the inevitable, began
to tumble piece by piece into the lagoon.

331
 ‘FASTER!’ urged Jack as the first of Pirate Town’s wreck-
age and rubble splashed into the lagoon. A huge boulder
ploughed into the Jade Serpent, taking all on-board with it.
Saburo stumbled and Jack dragged him to his feet. They
threw themselves the last few paces to the iron gate.
Yori fumbled for the key.
‘Come on!’ begged Miyuki as more rocks and debris rained
down on them.
In his haste, Yori dropped the key. Groping on the ground,
he snatched it up and rammed it into the lock. He turned the
key and pushed.
‘It’s stuck!’ he cried.
Saburo drove his shoulder into it and the gate burst open.
They all dived inside just as Pirate Town engulfed the lagoon.
The roar of rock and wreckage resounded down the tunnel
like the bellow of a dragon. Then all went silent and they were
plunged into darkness.
Coughing and spluttering from the dust, Jack called out,
‘Everyone OK?’
Three voices answered, hoarse but relieved. Gingerly
getting to hisfeet, Jack took the lead and they blindly followed
the tunnel wall.
‘Are you certain we're going the right way?’ asked Saburo
after a while.
In the pitch-black, Jack had no idea if the tunnel split off
at any point.
‘I think so,’ he said, trying to be reassuring. Then relief
swept over him. ‘I can hear water lapping.’
They kept edging through the darkness, the sound of waves
growing louder with every step.

332
 ‘I can see light!’ exclaimed Yori.
Up ahead, the faintest of gleams was wavering over the
moist surface of the rock wall. Turning a corner, they emerged
into a small cave, sunlight dimly reflecting from the sea outside
and illuminating the space. A skiff was tied to a metal ring in
the wall, its mast lowered so that it could enter and exit the
low cave entrance.
‘Li Ling’s done us proud,’said Jack, inspecting the boat and
finding it fully stocked with provisions and two casks of fresh
water.
They clambered on-board and stowed their packs and
weapons. Jack gave the rutter a reassuring pat as he tucked it
beneath the gunwales. With the demise of Tatsumaki and her
captains, and the logbook back in his possession, his father’s
precious knowledge was safe once more. Jack knew he’d been
reckless to reveal so many of its secrets to a band of ruthless
pirates. But he believed his father would have understood his
bonds of friendship to Miyuki, Yori and Saburo. All of them
had been willing to sacrifice their lives for him. And in return,
he would lay down his life, and whatever else it took, to save
them.
Saburo picked up one of the oars and pushed off. Carefully
navigating between submerged rocks, they rowed out of the
sea cave and into bright sunlight. The cave was located on the
southern side of the island, so they were safely out of sight of
the approaching Sea Samurai fleet. As soon as they were clear
of the shoreline, Jack raised the mast and hoisted the sail.
‘Keep rowing,’ Jack instructed Saburo and Yori. “We need
to get as much distance between us and this island as possible.’
As they pulled away, the rim of the crater came into view.

333
Black smoke and flaming ash rose up from the caldera, the
extinct volcano now looking dangerously active as Pirate
Town burned. On its western side, a few Wind Demon ships
had made it out of the lagoon and were fleeing into the
distance. Jack spotted the distinctive armoured roof and
dragonhead of the Koketsu. He just hoped that Li Ling would
be able to outrun the Sea Samurai.
“Which way are we heading?’ asked Miyuki, pulling out
the sea chart.
Jack studied the map. He plotted a course that would take
them across the wide expanse of the Seto Sea, through the
Kanmon Straits and on to their final destination, Nagasaki.
Having got his bearings, he pointed over the starboard bow.
‘West,’ he said, striking a course towards the setting sun.
Feeling the fresh sea breeze on his face, Jack smiled at his
friends. ‘And we're in luck for once. The wind’s in our favour!’
 ——

NOTES ON THE SOURCES

The following quotes are referenced within Young Samurai:

The Ring of Wind (with the page numbers in square brackets
below) and their sources are acknowledged here:

1. [Page 277] ‘A ship is safe in harbour, but that’s not what

ships are for.’ By William Shedd, theologian (1820—1894).
2. [Page 296] “Ten soldiers wisely led will beat a hundred with-
out a head.’ By Euripides, Greek playwright (484-406 Bc).
 NINJA PIRATE SHIP
COMPETITION

A Young Samurai competition was held in the Young Times

section of The Times newspaper to name the Ninja Pirate
Ship that would feature in The Ring of Wind.
The winner was:
Jonathan Harper
for his suggestion of the Koketsu, which means Jaws of
Death (or Tiger’s Den, or dangerous place).
Out of the countless excellent entries, this one stood out
immediately. It fitted the image of my ninja pirate ship
perfectly, since the vessel has a dragon-shaped battering ram
on its prow to sink other ships.

Congratulations, Jonathan!

ae

PS Remember to look out for more competitions and prizes

on www. youngsamurat.com
 JAPANESE GLOSSARY

Bushido

Bushido, meaning the ‘Way of the Warrior’, is a Japanese

code of conduct similar to the concept of chivalry. Samurai
warriors were meant to adhere to the seven moral principles
in their martial arts training and in their day-to-day lives.

2 Virtue 1: Gi— Rectitude

~ Gi is the ability to make the right decision
with moral confidence and to be fair and
equal towards all people no matter what
colour, race, gender or age.

Virtue 2: Yu — Courage
Yu is the ability to handle any situation
with valour and confidence.

338
 Virtue 3: Jin — Benevolence
Jin is a combination of compassion and
generosity. This virtue works together
with Gi and discourages samurai from
using their skills arrogantly or for
domination.

Virtue 4: Rei — Respect

Rei is a matter of courtesy and proper
behaviour towards others. This virtue
means to have respect for all.

Virtue 5: Makoto — Honesty

Makoto is about being honest to oneself
as much as to others. It means acting in
ways that are morally right and always

as
doing things to the best of your ability.

Virtue 6: Meiyo — Honour

Meiyo is sought with a positive attitude in
mind, but will only follow with correct
behaviour. Success is an honourable goal
to strive for.

46 Kw
4
Virtue 7: Chungi — Loyalty
Chungi is the foundation of all the
virtues; without dedication and loyalty
to the task at hand and to one another,
one cannot hope to achieve the desired
outcome.

339
A Short Guide to Pronouncing Japanese Words

Vowels are pronounced in the following way:

‘a’ as the ‘a’ in ‘at’
“e’ as the ‘e’ in ‘bet’
‘i’ as the ‘i’ in ‘police’
‘o’ as the ‘o’ in ‘dot’
‘u’ as the ‘w’ in ‘put’
ai’ as in ‘eye
CF . ‘ ?

ii’ as in “week
eed . ‘ 9

0 asin ‘go
6? . ‘ >

“@ asin ‘blue’

Consonants are pronounced in the same way as English:

‘g’ is hard as in ‘get’
‘j’ is soft as in ‘jelly’
‘ch’ as in ‘church’
zZ asin ‘zoo
‘ 9 . 6 >

‘ts’ as in ‘itself’

Each syllable is pronounced separately:

A-ki-ko
Ya-ma-to
Ma-sa-mo-to
Ka-zu-ki
arigato gozaimasu thank you very much
atake-bune large Japanese naval warship
ba wooden fighting staff
bonno the 108 worldly desires that Buddhists
believe all humans are afflicted with

340
bushido the Way of the Warrior -- the samurai code
cho-geri butterfly kick
daejon (Korean) large rocket-like arrows tipped
with iron and leather flights
daimyo feudal lord
daisho the pair of swords, wakizashi and katana,
that are traditional weapons of the samurai
Dim Mak Death Touch
doku poison
doshin Edo-period police officers of samurai
origin (low rank)
endan ninja smoke bombs
fugu blowfish or puffer fish
Fuma Wind Demons
gaijin foreigner, outsider (derogatory term)
geisha a Japanese girl trained to entertain men
with conversation, dance and song
haiku Japanese short poem
hamon artistic pattern created on a samurai sword
blade during tempering process
hashi chopsticks
horagai conch-shell trumpet
horoku a spherical bomb thrown by hand using a
short rope
itadakimasu let’s eat!
kagemusha a Shadow Warrior
kamikaze lit. ‘divine wind’, or ‘Wind of the Gods’
kanji Chinese characters that are used also by the
Japanese
katana long sword
ki energy flow or life force (Chinese: chi)
kiai literally ‘concentrated spirit’ — used in

341
 martial arts as a shout for focusing energy
when executing a technique
kimono traditional Japanese clothing
kissaki tip of sword
koban Japanese oval gold coin
kobaya small Japanese naval boat
Koketsu Jaws of Death (or Tiger’s Den, or
dangerous place)
komuso Monk of Emptiness
kuji-in nine syllable seals — a specialized form of
Buddhist and ninja meditation
kumode spiked ‘bear paw’ on a stout pole used as a
grappling iron and weapon
metsubishi blinding powder, a ninja weapon
metsuke technique of ‘looking at a faraway mountain’ |
Mizujiro ‘castle in the sea’
mochi rice cake
mon family crest
mushin a warrior’s state of ‘no mind’
naginata a long pole weapon with a curved blade on
the end
Namu Daishi This is the mantra of Kobo Daishi,
Henjo Kongo which translates as ‘Homage to the
Saviour Daishi, the Iuminating and
Imperishable One!’
nenju Buddhist rosary beads
Nihon Maru Japanese naval flagship
ninja Japanese assassin
ninjato ninja sword
ninjutsu the Art of Stealth
ninniku the philosophy of the ninja, ‘cultivating a
pure and compassionate heart’

342
Niten Ichi Ryu the “One School of Two Heavens’
nokyocho temple stamp book
obi belt
ofuro bath
omamori Buddhist amulet to grant protection
osame-fuda paper prayer slips
o-settat the action of giving of food and money to
pilgrims
ronin masterless samurai
sai a pointed, dagger-shaped metal truncheon,
with two curved prongs called yoku
projecting from the handle
saké rice wine
sakura cherry-blossom tree
Samsara the Buddhist concept of a ‘world of suffering’
samurai Japanese warrior
sashimi raw fish
saya scabbard
seki-bune medium-sized Japanese naval warship
sensei teacher
Sha ninja hand sign, interpreted as healing for
ninjutsu purposes
shachihoko an animal in Japanese folklore with the
head of a dragon and the body of a carp
shakujo Buddhist ringed staff used primarily in
prayer, and as a weapon
Shichi Hd De ‘the seven ways of going’, the art of
disguise and impersonation
shinobi shozoku the clothing of a ninja
Shogun the military dictator of Japan
shoji Japanese sliding door
shuinsen Red Seal ship

343
shuko climbing claws
shuriken metal throwing stars
sohei warrior monks
suigun ‘water army
sumimasen excuse me; my apologies
sutra a Buddhist scripture
taijutsu the Art of the Body (hand-to-hand combat)
tanto short knife
Taryu-Jiai interschool martial arts competition
tatami floor matting
tessen iron fan
torii a distinctive Japanese gate found at the
entrance to Shinto shrines
wagesa a stole, a strip of cloth worn by monks and
priests
wakizashi side-arm short sword
wako Japanese pirates
yuloh a large, heavy sculling oar used in the Far
East

Japanese names usually consist of a family name (surname)

followed by a given name, unlike in the Western world where
the given name comes before the surname. In feudal Japan,
names reflected a person’s social status and spiritual beliefs.
Also, when addressing someone, san is added to that person’s
surname (or given names in less formal situations) as a sign of
courtesy, in the same way that we use Mr or Mrs in English,
and for higher-status people sama is used. In Japan, sensei is
usually added after a person’s name if they are a teacher,
although in the Young Samurai books a traditional English
order has been retained. Boys and girls are usually addressed
using kun and chan, respectively.

344
 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

This seventh book in the Young Samurai series was a true

voyage of discovery, terror and excitement. For one thing,
I didn’t know if I would ever reach my destination — a book
is like an open ocean: formidable, unpredictable and awe-
inspiring. Luckily, I was accompanied on my voyage by my
ever-faithful crew.
Thank you and love to my family: my gorgeous and
understanding wife, Sarah, my hardworking Mum and Dad,
my supportive in-laws, Sue and Simon, my loyal Steve and
Sam, and Karen, Rob and Thomas (who are family in my heart).
And, of course, with the birth of my son, Zach, I had an extra
passenger on-board while writing! Although you stopped
me doing my duty as ‘captain’ of the story for the first few
months, you quickly turned into an indispensable member
of my closest crew — giving me smiles when I needed them
most, laughs when I was at my lowest, and love at all times of
the day. I couldn’t have written this book without everyone’s
wonderful support.
A huge thanks must also go to the engine of this ‘ship’:
Charlie Viney, my agent and friend; Shannon Park, my editor;

345
the Puffin team — Wendy Shakespeare, Julia Teece, Jayde
Lynch, Vanessa Godden, Sara Flavell and Paul Young; and
Franca Bernatavicius and Nicki Kennedy, my overseas agents.
Well done to Toby Cronshaw who won the Young Samurai
website competition to suggest the name for the fearsome
pirate leader who would be Jack’s adversary in this book.
Your suggestion of Tatsumaki, which means ‘tornado’ and
is also a respected Japanese name, was perfect. My pirate
queen needed to be just like a tornado — to be able to appear
out of nowhere, cause havoc and then disappear again into
nothingness having taken what she needs, only leaving a
legacy of confusion and emptiness.
Noah Benoit, long-time fan of the series, needs to be
thanked for suggesting that Jack should have a female enemy
character at some point. I hope Tatsumaki lived up to your
expectations!
I'd also like to give credit to Jennifer Bell of Foyles
bookshop, London, for suggesting the idea of having a
monkey in the story. I hope you like Saru, because you
breathed life into the little creature who became vital to
Jack’s survival.
Finally, a true bow of respect goes to Tiwa Ethan Adelaja,
Luneth Pangya and Sharuk Rahman for their fantastic
Young Samurai Duelling Card entries! Anyone who wishes
to download these brilliant Duelling Cards can find them at
www. youngsamurai.com
Arigato gozaimasu to all my faithful readers, librarians,
teachers and booksellers!

Chris
Any fans can keep in touch with me and the progress of the
Young Samurai series via the website www. youngsamurai.com
 CAN'T WAIT
FOR THE NEXT
JACK FLETCHER
BLOCKBUSTER?

THE RING OF SKY

Here's a Sneak preview ...

 FOOTPRINTS

Japan, summer 1615

Spluttering and choking, Jack hacked up a lungful of salt

water. His fingers gripped the wet sand as another wave broke
over him, threatening to drag him back into the chill sea. The
constant roll of breakers was like the restless breathing of a
great dragon that, having had its fill, spat him out on to the
shore. The only other sound was the plaintive cry of a seagull
circling overhead.
With the last of his strength, Jack clawed his way up the
beach. Once clear of the waves, he rolled on to his back, gasp-
ing from the effort, and opened his eyes. The sky was a wide
expanse of crystal blue, not a cloud in sight, no trace of the
storm that had raged the previous night. The early-morning
sun shone down in warming golden rays from the east, hinting
at the fine summer day to come.
Jack had no idea how long he lay there recovering, but when
he opened his eyes again the salt water had cracked his lips and
his kimono was bone dry. His mind whirled like the churning
ocean and his entire body felt sore and bruised, having been

351
pummelled by waves, rocks and the reef in his desperate swim
towards land. So far as he could tell no bones were broken,
although every muscle ached and there was a painful throb in
his left side. But, to his relief, he realized this was just the hilt
of his sword jammed against his ribs.
With great care, he groggily sat up. By some miracle, he
still possessed both his katana and the shorter wakizashi. A
samurai warrior’s sword was considered to be his soul. And
Jack — trained in the ways of the samurai and the ninja — was
thankful not to have lost his. For in a country that now deemed
foreigners and Christians to be the enemy of the state these
weapons were his lifeline.
His pack was also tied round his waist. Bedraggled and
misshapen, its contents looked to be in a sorry condition. He
emptied it on to the sand. A cracked gourd fell out, along with
a couple of crushed rice balls and three slim iron shuriken. The
ninja throwing stars were followed by the heavy thump of a
book —his father’s rutter, a priceless navigational logbook that
offered the only means of safely crossing the world’s oceans.
Jack was reassured to find the rutter still protected within its
waterproof oilskin cover. But the sight of the broken gourd
was cause for concern. Having spent much of the night battling
for hislife, Jack was weakened by hunger and thirst. Snatching
up the gourd with a trembling hand, he poured the last dregs
of fresh water into his parched mouth. Then, without bother-
ing to brush the sand off, he consumed the cold rice balls in a
few ravenous bites. Meagre and salty as they were, the rice
revived him enough to clear his head and take stock of his
situation.
Glancing round, Jack discovered he’d washed up in a sheltered

352
bay. The beach was bounded by craggy headlands to the north
and south while, behind, a small cliff rose westwards to a
scrub-lined ridge. On first inspection the bay appeared to be
deserted. Then Jack spied a piece of wreckage bobbing at the
shoreline. With a sinking heart, he recognized it instantly.
Sprawled out like a huge drowned moth was the broken mast
of the skiff, its tattered sail rippling in the waves.
Only now did the realization hit Jack that his friends were
missing.
Scrambling to his feet, he ran down to the shore and fran-
tically searched for any sign of them. Finding no bodies on
the beach or in the shallows, he scanned the bay and horizon
for their boat. But the little skiff was nowhere to be seen. With
a growing sense of despair, Jack feared Yori, Saburo and
Miyuki were lost at sea, gone forever.
Then Jack spotted two sets of footprints in the sand and a
spark of hope was rekindled. Dropping to one knee, he
inspected the prints and applied his ninja tracking skills.
Grandmaster Soke had taught him how to identify tracks by
their size, shape, depth and pattern. Immediately — and with
dismay — Jack could tell these didn’t belong to any of his
friends. They were too large. Made by an adult and facing
opposite directions, it was evident that the two sets belonged
to the same individual. Both prints possessed a similar uneven
pattern, indicating the person had either a limp or an odd gait.
Jack also noted the approach had been hurried, but the depar-
ture urgent; the sand was more heavily displaced and the prints
wider apart, signalling a change of pace into a run.
Whoever it was, their presence was unlikely to be favour-
able for Jack.

3523
 He caught the sound of distant voices to the north. Hastily
gathering up his belongings, Jack fled the opposite way. He
ran along the beach towards the southern headland, all the
time keeping his eye out for the slightest proof his friends had
survived. Approaching the rocky outcrop, he noticed the
opening to a cave and made directly for it. Just as he entered
its cool darkness, he heard a shout from behind.
‘The gaijin’s over here!’
Jack glanced back to see an old fisherman with bandy legs
leading a patrol of armed samurai on to the beach. Hiding
inside the cave’s entrance, Jack observed the fisherman totter
over to where the mast lay.
“Where is he then?’ demanded the leader of the patrol, a
sour-faced man with a topknot of black hair and a thick mous-
tache.
‘I promise you,’ protested the fisherman, pointing a gnarly
finger at the marks in the sand, ‘I saw him with my own eyes.
A foreigner washed up on this beach and he had samurai
swords.’
The leader bent down to examine the evidence. His eyes
followed Jack’s tracks along the beach.
‘He can’t have got far,’ snarled the leader, drawing his
katana. “We'll hunt this gaijin samurai down like a dog!’
 Home is within reach, but the _
Shogun’s samurai are closing in. ..

Can Jack make it back to

England alive?

THE RING or

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A x PAY B.

THE ADVENTURE CONCLUDES AUGUST 2012

2)
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THE WAY oF FIRE
AN EXCLUSIVE

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 NG GION
KGlSUAS
IS BATTLING
HE HIGH SEAS...

ae by the Shogun’s samurai,

oat:PB GpiaCreCeeNTe only one hope of escape — the
Seto Sea. But with ferocious storms, man-eating sharks
and ninja pirates at every turn, their chosen route
is fraught with danger.
eek eco racarmenya RCRU ata celn ante tay
»flee south from a ruthless samurai sea lord. Unless Jack can
| harness the Ring of Wind, he and his friends
are destined for a watery grave .

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Warning: contains scenes of violence

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