Suddenly Kazuki materialized in front of him, blocking his path.

‘Where do you think you’re going, gaijin?’

‘To bed, Kazuki. Like everyone else,’ replied Jack, attempting to step round him.

‘Who gave you permission to use my name, gaijin?’ said Kazuki, forcibly pushing Jack backwards.

Jack stumbled and fell against another boy, who had sidled up behind him. Jack rebounded off the boy’s impressively large belly.

‘Now you have insulted Nobu too. You owe us both an apology.’

‘Apologize for what?’ exclaimed Jack, trying again to get past, but Nobu’s sumo-like bulk refused to budge.

‘How rude! Not willing to apologize. You should be punished,’ threatened Kazuki.

Jack heard Nobu cracking his fingers, as if limbering up to hit him, but stood his ground.

‘You wouldn’t dare!’ Jack shouted defiantly.

He glanced over Kazuki’s shoulder. Akiko and Yamato, along with everyone else, had already disappeared into the Hall of Lions. He felt his bravado rapidly slipping.

‘There’s no one here, gaijin,’ sneered Kazuki. ‘See? You’re not always under Masamoto’s protection. Who’d believe a gaijin anyway?’

Kazuki’s hand shot out and grabbed Jack’s left wrist, twisting it. The pain was instant. His whole arm contorted and Jack dropped to his knees, desperately trying to relieve the agony.

‘First, you need to apologize for taking my seat. Second, you insulted me in front of my friends. Third, you offended me greatly by pointing your hashi at me. Apologize!’ said Kazuki, rotating Jack’s wrist further with each demand and sending bolts of burning pain shooting through his arm.

‘Apologize, gaijin!’

‘Go to Hell!’ spat Jack in English.

‘What did you say?’ said Kazuki, baffled by the strange-sounding words. ‘You’d better be careful, gaijin. You wouldn’t want to injure yourself before starting your training now. Would you?’

Kazuki applied even more pressure. The pain seared white-hot through Jack’s arm and Kazuki drove him face first into the ground. Jack was unable to move. Kazuki forced Jack’s arm up and behind his back, and purposefully rubbed Jack’s face in the dirt.

‘Enjoying the worms, gaijin? It’s all your kind deserve to eat!’ taunted Kazuki. ‘Gaijin aren’t worthy to be taught our secrets. Our martial arts. You don’t belong. Go home, gaijin!’

He twisted Jack’s arm one notch further and Jack could feel his arm about to break again.

‘Sensei!’ warned Nobu.

Kazuki jumped to his feet, releasing his grip on Jack.

‘Another time, gaijin!’

Then both Kazuki and Nobu were gone, fleeing round the corner of the Chō-no-ma.

Jack lay there, clutching his arm to his chest. He trembled as he thought of Kazuki’s final words – ‘Another time, gaijin!’ – ominously echoing Dragon Eye’s own threat.