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Chapters (71)
  1. CHRIS BRADFORD
  2. Contents
  3. Map: The Japans – 17th Century
  4. The Letter
  5. 1
  6. 2
  7. 3
  8. 4
  9. 5
  10. 6
  11. 7
  12. 8
  13. 9
  14. 10
  15. 11
  16. 12
  17. 13
  18. 14
  19. 15
  20. 16
  21. 17
  22. 18
  23. 19
  24. 20
  25. 21
  26. 22
  27. 23
  28. 24
  29. 25
  30. 26
  31. 27
  32. 28
  33. 29
  34. 30
  35. 31
  36. 32
  37. 33
  38. 34
  39. 35
  40. 36
  41. 37
  42. 38
  43. 39
  44. 40
  45. 41
  46. 42
  47. 43
  48. 44
  49. 45
  50. 46
  51. 47
  52. 48
  53. 49
  54. 50
  55. 51
  56. 52
  57. 53
  58. 54
  59. 55
  60. 56
  61. 57
  62. 58
  63. 59
  64. 60
  65. 61
  66. 62
  67. 63
  68. Notes on the Sources
  69. Ninja Pirate Ship Competition
  70. Japanese Glossary
  71. Acknowledgements

Another samurai emerged from a cabin door. His eyes widened in panic upon registering the ninja ambush. As he went to raise the alarm, Jack targeted him with a knifehand strike to the throat. The samurai spluttered, no longer able to cry out. But he still managed to launch a counter-attack, slamming Jack into the handrail. They wrestled for supremacy. Jack’s shuko claws bit into the man’s flesh. The samurai reached for his tantō. Jack, crossing his forearms, grabbed the lapels of the guard’s kimono and fought to put him in a blackout choke. But the samurai was strong. The man drew his knife from its sheath, ready to plunge the blade into Jack’s heart. His eyes bulged, then a second later he collapsed on top of Jack.

Skullface heaved the body off.

‘You should have just killed him,’ he hissed angrily, his blade wet and glistening in the moonlight as he pulled it from the samurai’s back.

Skullface signalled for his unit to check the hold. Jack and Li Ling followed. They entered the main cabin and headed down the steps. Sounds of muffled struggles could be heard throughout the ship. They crept down a corridor. To their right, three samurai were asleep. Tiger, Snakehead and Manzo entered the room and ensured the three men never woke again.

To Jack’s relief, they didn’t encounter any further guards as they entered the hold. Li Ling was ahead of him and she gasped in amazement. As Jack’s eyes adjusted to the dimly lit interior, he too saw the countless chests of gold and silver stacked one on top of the other. Bundles of the finest Chinese silk were piled high in crates. And between them were examples of exquisitely lacquered furniture – tables, trays and cabinets. There was only one treasure missing.

‘Where’s the rice?’ asked Jack.

Skullface snorted. ‘Rice? There’s no rice. This is a Red Seal ship!’

From above deck came the furious clanging of a bell.

39

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Sitting Ducks

Jack and the others burst from the main cabin just as the ringing gave out. Hunting for the source of the alarm, Jack spotted Captain Kurogumo standing beside the ship’s bell, sword held high and dripping with blood. But he hadn’t been the one to sound the bell. A head bounced down the steps and came to rest at Jack’s feet. He recognized the face – it was the samurai he’d knocked unconscious with Fall Down Fist.

Torches began to blaze throughout the harbour as the samurai garrison was called to arms, having been alerted by the bell ringing. On-board the atake-bune and seki-bune ships, the crews rallied to battle stations.

‘Raise the sails!’ ordered Captain Kurogumo to his men.

A gunshot rang out and the captain was blasted off his feet.