Neko continued to hold the wound closed, silently imploring the man to come back round. But there was little hope of that. Jack respectfully closed the dead farmer’s eyes and pulled Neko away.

Where’s Miyuki? Jack signed.

With a bloodstained hand, Neko pointed to the forest. Jack peered round the barrier. Kurochi and seven bandits were cautiously edging along the main track in single file. But there was no sign of Miyuki.

He tried not to worry about her, realizing she was probably well hidden. Yet seeing the bandits approach unopposed, he couldn’t help question the effectiveness of her defences. With his katana at the ready, he urged the other three farmers to unsheathe theirs and prepare to engage.

The bandits’ confidence grew, the further along the snowy track they came. Clearly believing Akuma’s diversion had drawn all the ronin to the southern boundary, the leading bandit began to stride towards the village.

Then he was gone.

In the blink of an eye, the man had completely vanished from the path. Kurochi and the other bandits came to an abrupt halt, all of them sharing the same shocked expression. Even the farmers were surprised by his sudden disappearance.

Then a pained moan rose from the hidden pit. ‘My legs … my legs … they’re broken!’

‘Spread out!’ ordered Kurochi, making a sweep of the forest with his musket.

His remaining six men fanned out. They kept their eyes on the ground, worried they too might fall into another snow-covered trap.

Rebuking himself for even doubting Miyuki, Jack now watched their advance with eager expectation. As the bandits worked their way through the undergrowth, he wondered who the next victim would be. He didn’t have to wait long. One man was concentrating so hard on where he was placing his feet that he never saw what hit him. Pushing his way between two bushes, he triggered the release of a pre-sprung branch. It snapped back into place, striking the bandit in the forehead with such force that it sent him flying backwards. He rebounded off a tree trunk and dropped unconscious into the snow.

The other bandits were now petrified of making any movement.

‘Keep going!’ urged Kurochi, although he remained where he stood.

A grunt of pain alerted Kurochi to the loss of a third man. He lay slumped on the ground, having apparently been attacked by a mound of snow.

The four bandits left were frozen with fear as they imagined death awaiting them in every bush, tree and snowdrift. But Kurochi wasn’t so easily put off. He raised his loaded musket and took careful aim.

Jack’s heart leapt into his mouth when he realized his intended target. As Kurochi pulled the trigger, Miyuki burst from her hiding place.

The snowdrift exploded behind her.

‘Kill that ninja!’ roared Kurochi, reloading, furious to have missed his quarry.