Looking across the fields to Akuma, Jack asked, ‘Hayato, can you get him with your bow from here?’

Hayato shook his head. ‘He’s out of range. Always is.’

‘Then you need to get closer.’

‘Even if I got past the bandits, Kurochi or Sayomi would kill me first –’

A musket shot rang out.

‘NO!’ cried Yori, his eyes widening in horror.

Jack spun round to see Saburo falling to the ground. At the same time, Akuma launched a second group of bandits to attack the left end of the moat.

‘Hayato, take your unit to stop them,’ Jack ordered, as he and Yori ran the other way to Saburo’s aid.

Dropping down beside their friend, they found him lifeless.

‘Saburo!’ cried Jack, removing the mask from his face.

His friend didn’t respond. Yori began to pray as they frantically tried to revive him. Jack was in shock himself. He couldn’t imagine losing Saburo like this. He should never have asked his friend to join this suicidal mission in the first place.

With their commander down, Saburo’s unit started to flounder and gaps appeared in their defence. Taking advantage of the loss of leadership, the bandits stormed the moat. At the opposite end, Hayato fought to keep the second wave from breaking through.

With the farmers split between two battles, Akuma’s strategy had succeeded and he now sent a third and final division of men to attack the undefended centre. They immediately went to work on the thorn bushes, hacking at them with their axes and swords.

The bandits fighting Saburo’s unit were the first to breach the defences. The lead invader carved his way through the farmers, causing bloody chaos as he slaughtered all in his path.

Yori, enraged with grief, leapt up and faced the oncoming bandit.

‘YAAAH!’ he screamed.

The bandit crumpled as if he’d run straight into a brick wall.

Drawing his breath, Yori prepared to unleash another devastating kiaijutsu attack. Meanwhile, Jack searched for Saburo’s wound to stem any bleeding.

‘YAAAH!’

‘Tell Yori … to stop shouting,’ groaned Saburo, groggily opening his eyes. ‘My head’s ringing … like a temple bell.’

Jack stared in disbelief at his fallen friend. ‘You’re alive!’ Then he spotted the lead shot – embedded in Saburo’s helmet.

‘Help me up, Jack,’ said Saburo, stunned but otherwise unharmed. ‘This armour weighs a ton!’

The farmers cheered in amazement at seeing their commander rise to his feet.

‘Better safe than sorry,’ said Saburo, tapping his helmet. After swaying unsteadily for a moment, he regained his balance and focus. Holding his sword aloft, he rallied his men together, then with a loud kiai charged the invading bandits.