Karen and Rob Rose, Geoff and Lucy Roy, Matt Bould, Charlie Wallace, Hayley Drewery, Russell and Jackie Holdaway, Andy and Sarah Hitt (and Martha and Ellen!), Nick and Zelia O’Donnell, Emma and Simon Gibbins, the ever-growing Dyson family, Lisa and Simon Martin, Rob and Robbie Cooper, Barbara and Scott Horsfield, Heather and Steve Miller, Nick and Jane Coward, Mike and Sonia Evans, Rob and Michelle Dunkerley, Steve Backshall, Oli Bishop, Stephan Bedelian, Anthony Varney, Danny and Kate Fitzpatrick … to name only a few.

Oh, and Gazebo Man for protecting my ‘swords’!

Arigatō gozaimasu!

Disclaimer: Young Samurai: The Ring of Fire 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 Fire 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
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Penguin Books Ltd, Registered Offices: 80 Strand, London WC2R 0RL, England

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First published 2011

The moral right of the author and illustrators has been asserted

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

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

ISBN: 978-0-141-96163-7

Table of Contents

Map: The Japans – 17th Century

The Letter

1  Frozen

2  Rice

3  Neko

4  Black Moon

5  Seven Samurai

6  Fire

7  Baby

8  Abducted

9  Recruitment

10  An Old Friend

11  A Helpful Monk

12  Splitting Arrows

13  Hayato

14  Yuudai

15  Out of Time

16  White Shadow

17  Army of Children

18  The Reluctant Leader

19  A Ninja’s Inspiration

20  Through the Eyes of the Enemy

21  Locked Horns

22  Defences

23  A Samurai’s Sword

24  A Dark Secret

25  Divisions

26  Samurai School

27  Thorn Bushes

28  A Lost Cause

29  Wanted

30  Scouts

31  Tracking Trails

32  Akuma

33  Up in Flames

34  Rescue

35  Fire Fight