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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

‘Maybe it won’t have to,’ said Yori hopefully, pointing to the retreating shark. ‘You’ve scared it off.’

Cheng shook his head. ‘I don’t think so. We just made it angrier.’

With a flick of the tail, the shark turned and came back at them. The fin scythed through the waves, picking up tremendous speed.

‘Brace yourselves!’ cried Jack, grabbing hold of Yori and Miyuki.

The great white rammed the raft. The deck buckled, broke and was tossed into the air. Together Jack, Miyuki and Yori were flung from the raft and splashed down into the sea, the breath knocked from them. Gulping in salt water, Jack spluttered as he broke the surface. He heard a cry. Saburo and Cheng somehow had managed to cling to the remains of the raft, now little more than a few planks of wood held together by their sodden packs.

‘It’s coming for you!’ cried Saburo in alarm.

Jack whipped his head round. A grey dorsal fin sliced through a wave. But it wasn’t headed in his direction.

‘Yori, watch out!’

Turning to face the shark, Yori held out his shakujō. Yet it was obvious that the great white would chomp through it like a toothpick. Jack thrashed his way towards his friend, desperate to protect him with his sword. But he was no match for the frightening speed of the shark.

The great white broke the surface and opened its jaws wide to devour Yori in a single bite.

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Stay of Execution

As the great white closed in for the kill, there was a deafening bang like a thunderclap overhead. Flesh, bone, teeth and blubber splattered across the water and the raft. Yori floated, unmoving, among the bloody remains.

Wiping seared shark meat from his face, Jack couldn’t believe his eyes. The Black Spider was sailing up right behind them, Captain Kurogumo at the helm. Leering over the side was Skullface and his surviving gang members. Tiger was clutching a smoking handheld cannon.

‘Look, it’s our floating treasure chest!’ exclaimed Snakehead, laughing in delight. He threw them a line. ‘I’d hurry if I were you,’ he said, pointing to three grey fins cutting through the water. One was already ripping into the bloody carcass of the great white.

Jack grabbed Yori, still in shock from his near-death experience. Together with Miyuki, they swam for the rope. Saburo and Cheng paddled for all they were worth, the raft slowly sinking beneath them. Clambering on-board, they were immediately relieved of their packs and weapons.

‘We thought we’d never find you,’ said Skullface cheerfully.

‘You came looking for us?’ said Jack, astounded.

Skullface gave a black-toothed grin. ‘Of course, you’re far too valuable for shark bait.’