Nocking the arrow, Hayato raised his bow, took aim and fired. They all watched with bated breath as the arrow sped through the air, its feathered flights whipping past the bushes. A moment later it clipped the target, but flew beyond and disappeared into the river. It was a good shot, but not good enough.

‘Missed again,’ Miyuki tutted.

Hayato glared at her. ‘I’d like to see you do any better!’

Jack stepped forward and handed Hayato another arrow. ‘Remember how you hit a moving target in that boat on the river. Just use the same technique now.’

Reluctantly, Hayato accepted the arrow and took aim a third time. But in mid-flow he paused and looked hard at Miyuki. A sly grin spread across his lips. Narrowing his eyes, he refocused on the target and fired.

The arrow shot towards the bridge and struck the target dead centre.

‘I knew you could do it!’ said Jack.

‘Yes,’ said Hayato, shooting Miyuki a sideways glance. ‘I just had to imagine the target was a ninja!’

Miyuki took the insult in her stride.

‘Whatever it takes,’ she replied coolly. ‘But you’d best hit it first time when Akuma comes, because you won’t get a second chance … just as you wouldn’t with a ninja.’

39 Battle Cry

39

BATTLE CRY

A massive shout erupted from the moat.

Jack and the others turned to see Saburo astride the built-up wall of earth, punching the air.

‘We won!’ he cried in jubilation.

Exhausted and covered in mud, his unit crawled out of the trench and admired their work. The thorn-filled ditch now encircled the entire village, forming a daunting barrier to any invader.

‘The village wins,’ corrected Jack, his and everyone else’s spirits lifted by the accomplishment of such a monumental feat. At the start no one would have believed the task was possible.

Yuudai’s team laid the last of the thorn bushes.

‘Let Akuma come if he dares!’ he said to Jack, giving the barbed defence a final inspection. ‘That bandit’s about to get one very nasty shock.’

Flopped in the snow, Kunio was picking thorns out of the palms of his hands. With a pained expression, the boy begged, ‘Can we rest now?’

‘Tonight,’ said Jack, clapping him encouragingly on the back. ‘But first you must practise your spear drills.’

Groaning at the thought, Kunio marched off with the other farmers to fetch their weapons. After their last training experience, none of the villagers showed much enthusiasm. But the imminent threat of Akuma compelled them to make an effort and the return of their daughters had given them hope that the impossible could happen.

They obediently gathered in the square in their assigned units. Toge was the last to arrive and found his position at the front.

‘Let’s hope Akuma is late too!’ Hayato remarked, the farmers laughing at his jest.