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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

But it was too late. Locked in mortal combat, he and Dragon Eye tumbled down the sloping floor. They fought in each other’s grip before crashing heavily into the balcony rail. Jack lost his swords, seeing them spiral on to a roof far below. The balcony now hung loose like a lolling tongue over the carnage and threatened to break away entirely.

Defenceless against Dragon Eye and on the brink of plunging to his death, Jack scrambled up the bars of the balcony rail towards Miyuki and his friends. But Dragon Eye, scuttling along like a black spider, pounced on to his back and pulled him down to the bottom again. They wrestled with each other against the rail. The ninja was no longer in possession of Black Cloud, but his hands were just as deadly. He drove a spearhand fist into the soft flesh of Jack’s gut. Jack gasped as a shockwave of pain rocketed through his body, the agony too great for him to even scream. Somehow he managed to land a powerful elbow strike to the ninja’s temple and Dragon Eye reeled backwards. Keeping up the attack, he threw a blistering upper-cut. The fist connected with Dragon Eye’s jaw and he collapsed against the slanting balcony rail. Jack leapt on top of him and jammed a thumb into a nerve point between the ninja’s ribs. Dragon Eye screamed.

‘You’re not the only one to know such techniques,’ said Jack, driving his Finger Sword Fist in deeper.

The balcony shuddered, giving warning of its precarious state. But, with Dragon Eye dazed and numb with pain, Jack realized this might be his only chance.

‘Did Yamato survive as well as you?’ he demanded.

‘Who’s … Yamato?’ groaned Dragon Eye.

‘The young samurai you fell off Osaka Castle with.’

Despite the pain, Dragon Eye managed a pitiless laugh. ‘So that’s who the boy was –’

‘You knew he was Masamoto’s son!’ Jack shouted. Angered by the ninja’s contempt, he slammed him against the balcony rail. ‘Just tell me, is Yamato alive or not?’

61

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Freefall

Dragon Eye didn’t reply. Instead he raked the centre of Jack’s chest with Extended Knuckle Fist. The searing pain forced Jack to let go. But, before Dragon Eye could follow up his attack, the balcony rail split apart and the two of them dropped like stones.

Jack tumbled over and over, panic seizing him as the cliff face rushed past. But, cutting through the terror, he heard a voice in his head saying: The feather doesn’t resist. It simply goes where the wind blows … bear this in mind, young samurai, for when an old enemy returns anew.