Miyuki stared at him as if the answer was obvious.

‘To rescue you, of course!’ she replied, pulling off her hood to reveal a striking girl of sixteen with spiky black hair and eyes as black as midnight.

‘But I’m not in trouble.’

‘That’s not what Hana said.’

‘Hana?’ exclaimed Jack, surprised Miyuki knew the girl.

‘Don’t worry, she’s fine. She got lost in the Iga mountains, but Hanzo’s guiding her to Akiko as we speak.’

Jack was reassured by this news. He was also delighted for Akiko and for her mother, Hiroko, who would be seeing her long-lost son – Hanzo, originally named Kiyoshi – for the first time since his kidnap by Dragon Eye at the age of five.

‘We didn’t believe Hana to begin with,’ continued Miyuki. ‘We suspected she’d stolen your inro. But her detailed knowledge of you convinced us. She was very worried about Ronin and your safety.’

‘Did you find Ronin on your travels?’ Jack asked hopefully.

Miyuki shook her head, much to Jack’s dismay. ‘But you were easy to track! Didn’t you learn anything from the Grandmaster?’ she scolded.

‘I left a trail on purpose. So that Kazuki would follow me, instead of Akiko.’

Miyuki rolled her eyes in disbelief. ‘Well, it worked. Not only are his Scorpion Gang after you but half the Shogun’s samurai!’

Jack blanched and felt an icy shiver run down his spine. ‘How close are they?’

‘The last storm closed the Funasaka Pass. No one will be getting through there for a month or so.’

Jack breathed a sigh of relief, knowing his enemies couldn’t follow his trail for a while at least. Miyuki glanced round at his travelling companions, her brow wrinkling in puzzlement at the odd mix of farmers, samurai and the tiny monk.

‘What are you doing with these people anyway?’ she asked.

‘I made a promise to help these farmers,’ he replied, and explained why they were heading to Tamagashi village.

‘Now I remember why I like you so much, Jack,’ said Miyuki, her usual cool demeanour breaking into a dazzling smile. ‘Looks as if you could do with some help, though.’

‘A ninja wasn’t part of the agreement,’ spat Hayato, his expression fierce.

‘But we do need another warrior,’ argued Jack, who was delighted at her offer. ‘Miyuki’s one of the best ninja I know. Her skills will be invaluable.’

‘She’s the enemy,’ said Hayato with a clenched jaw.

‘And samurai are my enemy,’ shot back Miyuki.

The two of them reached for their weapons.

Yori raised his hands for peace and cut in, ‘Our only enemy is Akuma.’

17 Army of Children

17

ARMY OF CHILDREN

‘So that’s our castle!’ laughed Saburo as they approached the run-down village of Tamagashi. ‘It’s more like a dunghill!’

‘Samurai are so arrogant,’ said Miyuki, shooting him a reproachful look. ‘This is their home. Show some respect.’