Jack thanked the Lord for all the hours he had spent as a rigging monkey on-board the Alexandria. He was used to hanging on with his arms for hours at a time in wind, rain or snow.

Yet he also knew his limits and recognized the signs that he was approaching the end of his endurance. He had perhaps another minute or so before his arms gave up entirely.

Kazuki, however, was once more as steady as a rock.

27: A REASON TO TRAIN

27

A REASON TO TRAIN

A single bead of sweat rolled down Kazuki’s face and his arms began to tremble.

That was all the incentive Jack needed. Kazuki was fading fast.

‘Jack! Jack! Jack!’

The shouts kept coming.

‘Kazuki! Kazuki! Kazuki!’

No, he wasn’t going to be beaten by Kazuki! He would not be defeated by the sword. He could see Akiko willing him on from the sidelines and he fought the bokken in his hands. Gritting his teeth, he closed his eyes and called upon every last drop of strength he had.

Suddenly, like the breaking of a wave, his body flooded with a curious energy. He experienced an infinite nothing, his arms seeming to stretch on forever, weightless, almost numb.

There was a loud wooden clatter as a bokken fell to the floor of the dojo; then an explosion of clapping and cheering and only the sound of his name.

‘Jack! Jack! Jack!’

‘Well done, Jack-kun. You defeated the sword,’ said Sensei Hosokawa.

Jack opened his eyes to see Kazuki fuming, his arms limp by his side, his bokken lying on the floor.

With utter relief, Jack lowered his aching arms. They felt heavy as lead, but he had won. He had beaten Kazuki – in front of everyone. Relishing his very public triumph, he bowed to Kazuki.

Kazuki, imprisoned by etiquette, was forced to acknowledge Jack’s victory with a lower bow.

At lunch that day, Akiko, Yamato, Kiku and Saburo crowded round Jack at the table at the far end of the Chō-no-ma. Kazuki sat rigid at the opposite table, fixing Jack with a thunderous expression and ignoring the attempts of Nobu and Emi to lighten his mood.

‘How did you manage it, Jack?’ pestered Saburo. ‘Your arms were dropping. You were defeated. Then BANG! They went straight as an arrow.’

‘I don’t know,’ said Jack, who was still trying to massage the remaining tension from his shoulder muscles. ‘I just had a rush of energy from nowhere and my arms felt weightless.’

‘Ki!’ said Kiku.

Jack looked at her, baffled.

‘Ki means “life force”. My father explained it to me once. It is your spiritual energy. With training, samurai can channel it into their fighting,’ explained Kiku.

‘Of course!’ interrupted Saburo enthusiastically. ‘The sohei monks of Mount Hiei were legendary for being able to harness their ki. Supposedly, they could defeat their enemies without even drawing their swords.’

They all gave Saburo a collective look of disbelief.