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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

Almost too fast for the eye to see, Dragon Eye flicked his wrist and a shuriken spun towards Jack’s throat. With his mind open to any attack, Jack reacted without hesitation. He cut down with his sword, meeting the throwing star halfway. The shuriken ricocheted off the blade into the turbulent sea. Jack had scarcely recovered from this opening strike, when Black Cloud swooped down from the sky. His arm jarred as their blades clashed. Dragon Eye pressed forward, forcing Jack to retreat.

‘Careful where you step, gaijin,’ taunted Dragon Eye, slicing for Jack’s legs.

Jack leapt over the blade. For a moment, he was suspended above the armoured roof. A moment of panic gripped him as he sought for safe gaps. But, with the agility of a trained ninja, Jack replanted his feet between the spikes.

Dragon Eye cursed and cut for his midriff this time. Jack stepped back out of range, his foot narrowly missing a vicious spike. He thrust with his katana in retaliation, but Dragon Eye deflected the attack and once again slashed for his legs. Jack jumped away. This time his foot scraped down a spike, ripping the skin from his ankle. Crying out in pain, he stumbled to recover his balance. Dragon Eye immediately cut for his head. Jack ducked, only to be kicked in the chest. The force of the blow lifted him off his feet and sent him flying.

As he arched through the air, the image of the impaled samurai flashed before his eyes … but the face of the dead warrior was his own.

In a final bid to save himself, Jack twisted and flung out his limbs as if he were performing a horizontal Butterfly Kick. He landed upon all fours like a cat and, by the skin of his teeth, managed to hold his body above the deadly spikes.

But his fortune was short-lived. Dragon Eye rushed over, seized him by the hair and forced his head towards the deck. A sharpened point thrust directly in line with Jack’s right eye.

‘I’m going to present your head to the Shogun on a spike!’ snarled Dragon Eye.

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Weak Spot

Jack’s muscles trembled as he strained to keep his head up, the spike now a fraction away from piercing his eyeball. Dragon Eye pushed harder and points of pain erupted along Jack’s chest where the sharpened tips of other spikes were about to puncture his ribs. His arms were close to giving out. Jack gritted his teeth, calling upon all his reserves of strength.

But Dragon Eye was too strong. Jack had nothing left.