‘Shut your trap!’ snapped Skullface, savouring the futility of Jack’s protests. ‘He’s got a one-in-four chance.’

Cajoled by the knife at his neck, Saburo selected the slice furthest from him. Taking a deep breath, he placed it tentatively on his tongue. Then, closing his eyes, he began to chew.

‘Swallow it all,’ insisted Skullface.

With a forced effort, Saburo consumed the potentially deadly fish. Once Skullface was satisfied that every bit was gone, he removed the knife and moved on to his next victim – the crewman.

In a frantic bid to escape the fatal meal, the crewman scrambled away. But Tiger seized him by the hair and dragged him back. Wrenching the man’s head up, Tiger held his jaw open. Skullface, using the tip of his knife, delicately picked a fugu slice and dropped it into the man’s throat before clamping his mouth shut. Choking, the crewman eventually swallowed the fish whole and Tiger let him go.

Resigned to his fate, the Japanese sailor took the slice nearest him and, in full knowledge that this could be his last meal, he savoured every bite.

With three slices gone, the captain tried to stall for time. He clearly hoped he would see some telltale symptoms in the other prisoners before he had to commit to eating the last piece of fugu.

‘No point holding out,’ said Skullface. ‘The effects aren’t immediate.’

With violent encouragement from Crux, the captain of the Golden Tiger ate the last remaining slice. The four prisoners stared at one another, grimly awaiting the signs that one of them was dying … meaning they would live. As this sick game progressed, the pirates started to bet on the outcome.

‘I’ll wager three pieces of silver that the fat one dies,’ said Skullface.

‘Four pieces on the captain,’ said Crux, giving his charge an encouraging pat on the shoulder.

More stakes were placed as a crowd of pirates gathered round for the macabre spectacle. The four prisoners became pale with dread. Inside one of their stomachs a poison was slowly leaking into their bloodstream, all for the entertainment of the Wind Demons.

‘My lips are tingling!’ gasped Saburo, turning to Miyuki in terror.

The betting among the pirates reached fever pitch at this revelation.

‘That’s normal,’ reassured Miyuki. ‘It’s the reason why people eat fugu in the first place.’

Saburo calmed a little, but Jack could see he was close to hysteria. And he couldn’t blame his friend.

‘No more bets,’ announced Skullface, and the ninja pirates settled down to await the outcome.

Still none of the prisoners displayed any symptoms of poisoning. Jack began to hope that Skullface was simply playing a cruel joke on them. But the betting had been deadly serious and Jack realized his optimism was misplaced.