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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

With the unit of samurai distracted once again by the gruesome torture, Jack broke the paralysis that had held him ever since laying eyes upon his old enemy. Determined to escape, he felt behind him until his fingers came across a particularly sharp piece of rock protruding from the ground. Then he began furiously rubbing its jagged edge against the rope binding his wrists. On several occasions, he had to bite down on his tongue as the rock cut into his skin.

Snakehead shrieked again, but weaker this time as Dragon Eye targeted a nerve point beneath his jaw. Jack realized time was fast running out. The rope became slick with his own blood, but he kept cutting away.

Without even a glance in his direction, Dragon Eye suddenly said, ‘Cease your pathetic escape attempt, gaijin, or I’ll cut your hands off too.’

Jack was given no choice but to comply as one of the samurai now held the edge of a wakizashi to his throat.

Dragon Eye resumed his systematic torture. Snakehead was now moaning and whimpering like a wounded dog. Eventually, his resistance was broken. In between feeble breaths, Snakehead revealed all – the location of Pirate Island, the strength of the Wind Demons’ forces and even the danger of entering the tidal straits – before begging for the torture to end.

‘With pleasure,’ said Dragon Eye, severing the pirate’s head from his body.

48

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Old Wounds

Jack was bound to the main mast of the Sea Samurai’s ship and surrounded by six armed guards. Dragon Eye was taking no chances with him.

The ninja stood upon the upper deck, a wraithlike figure against the star-studded sky, the samurai crew keeping a wary distance. He gave the order to cast off and the ship headed due north.

The bodies of the four Wind Demons had been left to rot on the barren island, the skiff at the shoreline their only grave marker. Even though Jack held little sympathy for the deceased pirates, he wouldn’t have wished such torturous deaths on any of them. Their harrowing ends merely proved that Dragon Eye remained as ruthless as ever.

Jack felt the ninja’s glare upon him. Even from across the deck, Dragon Eye’s malice reached out like tendrils of ice. For a moment he found it hard to breathe, seized as he was by a suffocating combination of terror, despair and disbelief. His mind still couldn’t grasp the ninja’s miraculous resurrection. Was Dragon Eye somehow immortal? The idea sent a shudder through him. There was no way any normal man could have survived the drop from Osaka Castle’s top tower, eight storeys down to the stone courtyard below. Besides, he’d witnessed Dragon Eye die with his own eyes … then again … thinking back to that war-torn night, he’d only seen the ninja fall.

He’d not actually seen him land … or had any real proof of his death.