Yuudai, ignoring the frenzied woman, strode out of the warehouse. Going over to the far side of the dock, he released the mouse on to the riverbank and watched it scamper safely away.

The woman stood at the warehouse door, fuming at him.

‘I ordered you to kill the wretched creature!’

‘What harm did the mouse ever do to you?’ asked Yuudai, his voice low and gentle.

The woman’s lips appeared to chew themselves as she sought for a suitably vicious reply. Eventually, she spat, ‘How dare you disobey me! You get half-rations today. Now back to work, all of you!’

Resuming her tyrannical abuse, the woman lashed out with her cane and the porters scattered to their posts, their moment of amusement over.

With a weary sigh, Yuudai followed the woman inside.

‘A bit soft for a samurai, isn’t he?’ commented Saburo.

‘But very strong!’ said Jack.

‘I like him,’ said Yori. ‘He respects life.’

‘What good is that if he’s facing a bloodthirsty bandit like Akuma?’ argued Toge.

‘He’s trustworthy and loyal,’ replied Hayato. ‘That counts for a great deal.’

Toge still wasn’t convinced. ‘If he’s samurai, then what’s he doing working as a porter?’

‘Yuudai has no family left,’ revealed Hayato. ‘He must fend for himself – any way he can. And not many lords are hiring young samurai.’

‘Do you think he’d be willing to join us?’ asked Jack.

Hayato nodded confidently. ‘It doesn’t look as if he’s enjoying his current position. And he needs food to keep his strength up.’

Turning to Yori, Jack whispered, ‘Remind you of anyone?’

Yori glanced at Saburo and smothered a giggle.

They waited until midday when the porters took a short break for lunch. Yuudai sat by himself at the end of the dock, his long legs dangling over the edge, his feet almost touching the water. Hayato made the approach, since he knew the boy.

Jack and the others watched from a distance as the two of them conversed. Hayato pointed to the farmers, then to the three samurai. Yuudai slowly chewed his food as he listened. Hayato finished and, bowing, awaited his reply.

Everyone craned their necks, anxious for Yuudai’s response.

The boy mountain wiped his hands on a cloth and stood – then walked slowly back along the dock, the wooden planks creaking under his weight. When he reached Jack, he stopped.

Yuudai looked down at him and smiled. ‘Your offer sounds worthy.’

Bowing in appreciation of his acceptance, Jack asked, ‘When can you join us?’

‘Now,’ he replied, collecting his nodachi sword from inside the warehouse door. He slung it across his back. In spite of its extra-long blade, the nodachi looked like a child’s toy in his hands.

Striding over to her workforce, the withered woman snapped, ‘Stop idling! Get back to work!’

The porters wearily hauled themselves to their feet.

‘Where are you going, samurai boy?’ she demanded.