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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

A figure strode up the rise to the crest of the peak. Dressed in a black shinobi shozoku, the man became silhouetted against the starry sky like a black ghost. He stopped before them, the moonlight reflecting in his eye … his single green eye.

47

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A Ghost from the Past

Jack’s heart froze in his chest. The air suddenly seemed starved of oxygen, his mind unable to comprehend the chilling presence before him. It was simply not possible. He’d seen Dragon Eye plunge to his death. The ninja was dead, gone forever.

Yet here his nemesis stood – a ghost from the past sent to haunt him.

Jack might have thought himself going crazy, if he’d been the only one to see this phantom. The four pirates had swiftly drawn their swords to keep the ninja at bay.

‘Who are you? Where’s Captain Arashi?’ demanded Skullface, his voice tight and edgy.

The ninja remained indifferent to the threat of blades.

‘Dokugan Ryu,’ he replied, with a curt bow of his head.

The mere mention of his name caused Tiger and Snakehead to exchange uneasy glances.

‘I represent the interests of the Shogun himself,’ Dragon Eye continued as a unit of Sea Samurai marched up behind him. ‘Now hand over the gaijin.’

‘The reward first,’ Skullface insisted, trying to maintain control of the situation.

Dragon Eye nodded grudgingly to one of the samurai, who stepped forward and placed a small wooden chest on the ground. He opened it up to reveal a stack of forty oval-shaped coins.

So that’s the value of my life, thought Jack, resigning himself to his fate. Less than three koban a year!

Skullface’s eyes lit up at the hoard of shimmering gold. ‘And our pardons from daimyo Mori.’

Dragon Eye produced a scroll of parchment sealed with a red wax stamp. Skullface examined the daimyo’s official seal in the moonlight.

‘It appears genuine,’ he said, giving Tiger the nod.

‘You’d be wise not to doubt me,’ said Dragon Eye. ‘You have the reward. Now what about the rutter?’

Skullface looked confused. ‘The rutter? We don’t have it.’

Dragon Eye glared at the pirate. ‘So where is it?’

‘That wasn’t part of the deal,’ argued Skullface.

‘Just answer the question,’ snapped Dragon Eye, noting Tiger was about to claim the treasure chest.

A glint of steel flashed through the air. It was so quick that it might have been mistaken for a shooting star. Tiger collapsed backwards, his head parting from his shoulders and bouncing down the hillside.

Dragon Eye flicked the pirate’s blood from his ninjatō, the tip of the blade stopping inches from Jack’s face. In that moment Jack recognized the swirling hamon pattern along the steel and the swordmaker’s name – Kunitome – etched by the hilt. This was the final proof that the dreaded ninja was no ghost. The sword was Kuro Gumo – Black Cloud – Dragon Eye’s infamous blade.