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Back The Ring of Wind Save as PDF
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 Eight Leaves Fist had temporarily deafened Manzo as well. The pirates had to point to where Jack was escaping to. Still unsteady on his feet, Manzo used the kumode to help him climb the mast after Jack.

Returning to familiar territory, Jack’s skills as a rigging monkey flooded back. He shimmied to the top without effort. Spreading his arms for balance, he then walked out along the main spar.

Manzo clambered up to his level. At this height, the mast swayed like a pendulum. The pirate looked nervous and uncomfortable. His bulky physique was fine for pulling in ropes, but totally unsuited for rigging duties.

Clutching on to the mast, Manzo tentatively stepped on to the spar and slashed with the grappling iron. Jack shuffled backwards beyond the claw’s reach. Leaning out, Manzo took another swipe at Jack. The bear claw passed a hair’s breadth from his bare chest. But Jack had reached the end of the spar.

‘Nowhere to go!’ snarled Manzo.

‘Come and get me then,’ goaded Jack.

Lured by how close he was to winning, Manzo let go of the mast for a last attack. As he swung the kumode, the ship rocked to one side and he lost his footing. Arms flailing, Manzo tumbled through the air. He smashed into the deck below, buckling the wooden boards. The great man-mountain lay spread-eagled, groaning briefly before falling unconscious.

The bigger they are, the harder they fall, thought Jack.

The pirates were enraged at the defeat of their champion.

‘Bring me bow and arrows!’ demanded Skullface.

The next moment Skullface had an arrow trained on Jack.

Jack darted along the spar. He felt a brush of feathers and heard a soft whoosh as the arrow clipped his arm, drawing a thin line of blood.

Clinging to the mast, Jack saw more pirates run to fetch their bows. Skullface’s furious response was now turned into a game. They nocked their arrows and took aim.

‘First to hit the gaijin earns a jug of saké!’ promised Skullface. ‘Two jugs if you kill him!’

20

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Sea Samurai

Jack was a sitting target. It would only take a single arrow to dislodge him and he’d plummet to his death. His choices were limited. He could jump into the sea – yet even if he survived the fall, he’d be adrift in open water and where would that leave Saburo and his friends? Or he could make a leap for the rigging and slide to the deck. That would certainly be faster than descending the mast. But he’d still be faced with a gang of armed pirates.

An arrow skimmed past his nose. Another struck the mast by his hand.

Deciding he’d at least be able to fight back on deck, Jack prepared to jump for the rigging. With the ship swaying, it was a dangerous and daring move. He couldn’t afford to misjudge the leap …

‘HOLD YOUR FIRE!’