44

BULLSEYE

Jack hadn’t practised with a shuriken since leaving the ninja village. He weighed the weapon in his hand, trying to get the feel of it again. The stars were deadly, capable of wounding, incapacitating and even killing their victims.

For a moment, Jack considered using the shuriken to attack Botan or one of his gang, but Shoda had his knife again and was close enough to slay Hana before he’d taken two steps. Ronin was still on his knees, morosely staring at his bottle of saké, and could no longer be trusted to help.

‘I need three attempts,’ stated Jack, indicating the other shuriken in Botan’s hand. ‘It’s been a while since I threw one of these.’

Botan eyed him suspiciously. ‘If that’s what it takes.’

Jack lined himself up with Hana. She was a good thirty paces away. He couldn’t afford to make even the slightest error of judgement. He’d have to allow for the breeze, while the growing drizzle of rain made the throwing star slippery to hold. Taking a deep breath to calm his nerves, he decided on an over-arm technique and launched the star at Hana. The shuriken whistled through the air but was wildly off target. The point slammed into the trunk beside Hana’s right wrist.

‘You almost took my hand off!’ she exclaimed, much to the amusement of Botan and his gang. ‘Have you ever done this before?’

‘Once or twice,’ Jack replied, giving her a sheepish look and taking the next shuriken from Botan.

Hana’s face went pale as Jack tried an under-arm delivery this time. The spinning star flashed towards her, in direct line with her eyes. She screamed … as it lodged itself a hair’s breadth to the left of her head.

‘You’re getting closer,’ smirked Botan.

‘No more, Jack!’ Hana pleaded, staring in horror at the deadly star.

‘I think I’m getting the hang of it now,’ replied Jack, holding up the third shuriken.

He flicked the weapon with a side throw. It spun crisply towards its target, striking the apple dead centre. The fruit exploded, sending chunks flying everywhere. Botan’s gang broke into spontaneous applause at the feat, while Hana almost fainted with relief.

‘Very impressive,’ said Botan, flipping the remaining shuriken in his hand. ‘But I can do better than that. Her heart!’

‘I thought you might,’ replied Jack, roundhouse-kicking the samurai in the stomach before he could release the star.

As soon as Shoda saw his leader attacked, he drew his knife and went for Hana. Jack snatched the shuriken from Botan’s hands and launched it at Shoda. The star pierced his leg, hobbling him.

‘Run, Hana!’ cried Jack. ‘I’ve cut you free!’

Hana glanced down to see the shuriken next to her right hand had sliced into the rope. She yanked hard and it snapped. One of Botan’s men rushed to seize her. Hana shook off her bonds, grabbed the shuriken beside her head and immediately drove one of the star’s spikes into the man’s arm. Yelling in pain, he clasped his bleeding wound. She kicked at his knee with all the force she could muster and there was a sharp crack before the man crumpled to the ground.

Meanwhile, Jack dived to evade Botan’s sword slicing him in half as the samurai, roaring with rage, recovered and attacked him. Rolling to his feet, Jack ducked as another swipe of the sword almost beheaded him. His katana and wakizashi lay out of reach on the ground behind the samurai. Without these, he wouldn’t survive long.

Ronin had snapped out of his despair as soon as he’d seen Hana set free and now leapt into action. He threw saké into the eyes of his captor, then used the man’s own swords to finish him off. Snatching up his discarded katana, he went to attack Botan but the fifth samurai of the gang stopped him and they became embroiled in a bitter duel.

Unchallenged, Botan advanced on Jack. His sword whirled through the air and Jack retreated before the deadly blade. Driven back against a tree, he had nowhere to go and Botan closed in to seal his fate. But an apple flew out of nowhere and struck the samurai full in the face.

‘Bullseye!’ cried Hana, punching the air.

Botan staggered backwards and Jack seized the opportunity to run for his swords.

Hana’s delight was short-lived as Shoda came lurching towards her, knife in hand. She began to pelt him with apples too. But the gambler batted them away and she ducked behind the tree. Shoda came round the other side, blocking her escape. She screamed and ducked as he slashed for her face.

Ronin, seeing her desperate plight as she ran round and round the tree, redoubled his efforts to defeat his own opponent. He smashed the man’s sword aside and mortally wounded him with a devastating slice across the belly. The samurai collapsed, clutching his entrails, as Ronin dashed to Hana’s rescue.

The rain now fell in earnest as thunderclouds rolled over the mountains. Jack snatched up his swords and confronted Botan. Despite the samurai’s intimidating physique, Jack felt empowered with his Shizu swords in hand and raised both weapons into a Two Heavens guard.

Wiping the apple remains from his face, Botan snarled at Jack, ‘That fancy sword work won’t save you!’

Botan attacked and their swords clashed like lightning against the darkened sky. The samurai proved brutal. His immense strength was an advantage and Jack felt his arms shudder with every impact. He had to call upon all Masamoto’s sword training to defend against the onslaught.

The rain ran into their eyes and the ground became treacherous underfoot as the wet earth turned to mud. Jack attempted an Autumn Leaf strike in the hope of disarming Botan, but the samurai kept hold of his sword and managed to counter with a thrust that sliced across Jack’s upper arm. Blood gushed out as the blade dug deep. Jack reeled away, parrying the sword to one side. He glanced at his injury. It was a flesh wound, but deep enough to compromise his left arm’s fighting ability.

Botan knew this too and began to focus all his attacks on Jack’s weak side. A heavy blow caused Jack to lose grip on his wakizashi and he was left to rely solely upon his katana. Exhausted and bleeding, Jack was forced into a retreat. Botan kept up the pressure, hammering him with strike after strike. Jack stumbled over one of the dead samurai, slipping in the mud and falling to one knee. Seizing the opportunity, Botan was on top of him in an instant.

‘It’s time to claim my reward!’ he declared, aligning his sword with Jack’s neck.

As the blade arced towards him, time stood still for Jack … then the steel tip of another blade pierced Botan’s chest. Groaning, the samurai clutched at his heart and fell to the ground, dead.

Ronin stood there, thunderous and bloodstained. Shoda lay motionless at the foot of the apple tree. Hana, shaking like a leaf, appeared unharmed. Ronin took a step forward. Jack hurriedly got to his feet and raised his sword. Ronin may have just saved his life, but the samurai was no longer to be trusted.

‘What now?’ Jack demanded, his temper fired up by the heat of battle. ‘Are you going to drug me? Kill me? Steal my swords? Or have you been after the rutter all along? You’ve been leading me round and round. Never getting anywhere! You’re not a samurai. You’re a drunk and a liar!’