The Way Of The Dragon (11 page)

‘What do you have in mind?’ said Yamato guardedly.

‘If you win, I promise to leave your family pet alone,’ he said, glancing at Jack.

‘And if I lose?’

‘You leave the
gaijin
to us.’

‘Agreed,’ said Yamato, to Jack’s utter astonishment.

‘That’s very courageous of you!’ mocked Kazuki. ‘But you do realize that win or lose, he’s a lost cause. When
daimyo
Kamakura has his way, any
gaijin
found hiding in Japan will be executed or crucified.’

‘That won’t ever happen,’ said Yamato.

‘Yes, it will. You can’t deny there’s a change coming. Japan is entering a new age and we need a strong lord like Kamakura to lead the way.’

‘He only governs Edo Province, not Japan. The Council would never allow it’

‘No, but
one
day he will rule.’

Turning on his heel, Kazuki returned to his gang.

‘Yamato!’ exclaimed Jack, pulling him to one side. ‘What were you thinking in agreeing to his bet?’

‘Don’t worry, I have no intention of losing.’

‘But what if you do?’

‘Then nothing’s changed. He’ll continue to harass you as before. Besides, you’re the one who told me I couldn’t lose.’

Jack realized he had to trust his friend. Yamato needed to focus on the fight and couldn’t allow doubt to enter his mind. ‘You’re right. You’re the best in Sensei Kano’s class. They’ve got no chance.’

‘Sorry we’re late,’ said Akiko, appearing slightly flushed as she hurried across the courtyard with Kiku, Yori and the new boy. ‘We wanted to show Takuan the view over Kyoto.’

‘It’s truly magnificent,’ said Takuan, bowing a formal greeting to them. He looked at Jack.

‘Yes, it is,’ replied Jack, giving a short but courteous nod of the head in return. He knew the exact spot they’d been to. It was where he and Akiko had shared
hatsuhinode
together, the first sunrise of the year. Foolishly, he’d always thought of the viewpoint as their little secret.

‘I could even see the Imperial Palace,’ Takuan enthused. ‘Akiko’s kindly agreed -‘

‘Sorry, but the contest is about to start,’ Jack interrupted. ‘And Yamato needs to get ready.’

‘Of course, how disrespectful of me,’ said Takuan, somewhat embarrassed. ‘
Gambatte
, Yamato.’

Yamato inclined his head in acknowledgement. Takuan took his place in the crowd beside Akiko. Emi and her friends had also arrived and went over to greet Takuan. Soon a small group of admirers had gathered round the new boy.

‘You’d have thought
he
was the one fighting,’ Saburo remarked, shaking his head in disbelief.

Jack focused his attention on helping Yamato, and prepared the blindfold.

As the three of them walked into the centre of the courtyard to meet with Kazuki and his gang, the students to their right suddenly parted and Masamoto appeared, accompanied by Sensei Hosokawa and Sensei Kano.

‘What’s my father doing
here
?’ exclaimed Yamato, all the blood draining from his face.

Saburo swallowed nervously. ‘Now we’re in trouble.’

But Masamoto and the sensei simply made themselves comfortable on the main steps.

‘Looks like he’s come to watch!’ said Jack.

‘You must
really
be feeling the pressure now,’ goaded Kazuki, seeing Yamato’s confidence waver. ‘Don’t worry, we won’t let your defeat look too easy. In fact, we’ll come at you one at time to give you a fighting chance.’

‘Ignore him,’ whispered Jack, tying the blindfold round Yamato’s eyes. ‘He’s lying. Just be prepared for anything.’

Yamato nodded, taking a deep breath to calm himself. His hands gripped the staff so tightly his knuckles had gone white. Jack realized his friend was struggling to maintain focus.

‘You can beat anyone with a
bō
. Trust your senses,’ Jack advised, repeating Sensei Kano’s advice from
Chi Sao
training the previous year.

Jack and Saburo moved to the sidelines, leaving Yamato alone in the centre of the courtyard. The five members of the Scorpion Gang encircled him.

The crowd fell silent.

Five against one, with Yamato blindfolded. This would be a stunning victory. Or a swift and shameful defeat.

Goro went first.

Hearing him approach, Yamato spun to face his opponent. He was alerted to the attack by the swish through the air as Goro struck with his staff. Blocking it with his
bō
, he then whipped the other end of his staff into Goro’s gut. The force of the blow bent Goro double. Yamato quickly followed up, bringing the shaft down hard across the boy’s back. Goro dropped to the ground.

The crowd were momentarily stunned. No one had really expected Yamato to win even one bout. Jack breathed a sigh of relief. At least his friend had proved he wasn’t an easy target. He gave Yamato a great shout of encouragement. The rest of the students soon joined in.

Nobu now approached and the students quietened down.

Yamato easily picked up the boy’s heavy footsteps. Without hesitation, he swung his staff at Nobu’s head. But Nobu was ready for him. He deflected the
bō
with the shaft of his right
tonfa
. He then spun the other baton into Yamato’s face. Yamato reeled from the blow to his jaw. The crowd groaned.

Seizing the advantage, Nobu flipped the
tonfa
over in his right hand and brought the tip of the handle down on to Yamato’s head. Despite the pain and disorientation, Yamato sensed the attack and dived out of the way. At the same time he swept his staff across the ground, catching Nobu behind both ankles.

The crowd erupted into amazed applause as Nobu was knocked off his feet. Glancing over at Masamoto, Jack saw his guardian remained impassive to his son’s courageous display. Then again, the fight was far from over.

Hiroto made his move, swinging the
surujin
above his head. Yamato noticed the change in sound as Hiroto released one end of the roped weapon at his legs. He jumped into the air to avoid becoming entangled, but the rope wrapped round the shaft of his staff. Grinning, Hiroto yanked back on the
surujin
, hoping to disarm Yamato of his staff. Yamato let Hiroto pull his
bō
but guided its tip straight towards his opponent’s chest. Winded by the strike, Hiroto fell to his knees.

The crowd went wild. Yamato had defeated three attackers. What had seemed an impossible challenge might now be a glorious triumph. But Jack could see his friend was tiring. This was the moment in a fight when mistakes were made.

The students began a chorus of ‘Yamato! Yamato!’ but this was soon stopped as Moriko went on the attack. However, the
Yagyu Ryū
students didn’t stop clapping. Despite efforts to silence them, they continued to make as much noise as possible.

Jack now realized Moriko’s weapon was her group of supporters. Their shouts masked her approach and Yamato was taken by surprise as she side-kicked him in the back. Yamato almost dropped where he stood. But somehow he managed to keep his footing and spun round to confront her. Grimacing with pain, Yamato tried to sense her attack above the noise of the
Yagyu Ryū
students.

Moriko went to finish him off with a roundhouse kick to the head, but Yamato began to twirl his staff until it became a blur. The whirling
bō
formed a defensive wall that Moriko couldn’t penetrate. He drove her back until she was almost in the crowd. Realizing Moriko was trapped, he stopped the
bō
and thrust its tip into her midriff. With cat-like grace, Moriko leapt to one side grabbing the shaft to try to disarm him. But Yamato countered, twisting the end over and putting her into a wrist lock. Moriko was forced to the ground. She submitted under the pain.

The crowd applauded, then went quiet for the climax of the match.

Only Kazuki remained.

But Yamato was on his last legs, his breathing ragged.

The tension mounted as Kazuki calmly approached Yamato. He made no attempt to conceal his advance.

‘If you want to hit me, I’m right here,’ he declared.

Yamato didn’t wait to be told twice. He struck for Kazuki’s head. But Kazuki was simply too fast. He ducked beneath the staff, then cut down at Yamato’s neck with his
bokken
.

He stopped his wooden sword short. Yamato felt the blade upon him.

‘You just lost your head,’ said Kazuki.

There was a moment of awed silence before the students cheered Kazuki’s consummate skill. A single attack and Yamato had been defeated.

Jack ran over as Yamato removed his blindfold. Disappointment was etched in his face and a dark red bruise was forming where Nobu had hit him with the
tonfa
.

‘That was very impressive, though,’ added Kazuki with sincerity. ‘I expected you to be knocked down first time. You may have lost the match, but you’ve earned my respect.’

Kazuki bowed.

Then, with a grin, he turned to Jack. ‘I’m looking forward to claiming my prize.’

Kazuki strode off.

‘Sorry,’ said Yamato, unable to meet Jack’s gaze.

‘Don’t be,’ replied Jack. Even though Kazuki’s threat now hung over him like a guillotine, he knew his friend had done his best. In fact, better than anyone would have imagined. ‘You beat four of them. Everyone’s talking about it.’

‘But I lost,’ he sighed. ‘That’s what they’ll remember. There’s no glory in coming second.’

‘It’s not what I’ll remember,’ replied Jack. ‘I’ll remember a friend fighting for me and for honour.’

Yamato attempted a smile, but he was inconsolable. His chance to prove his worth had slipped through his fingers. And now, as Masamoto approached, Jack saw the weight of failure hang heavy on Yamato’s shoulders. Yamato dropped into a bow and awaited his father’s verdict.

Masamoto studied his son, an austere expression on his face.

‘Yamato-kun, you lasted far longer than I predicted. But you let Kazuki outwit you. By telling you where he was, he also knew where you would attack. That was your mistake.’

‘Yes, Father,’ mumbled Yamato.

Jack knew his friend was needing more than a lesson in combat. He needed to know his father accepted him whatever the outcome.

Masamoto turned to go. ‘Once your talent for the
bō
translates to the
katana
, you’ll be as fine a swordsman as Tenno was.’

‘
IN-YO
,
IN-YO
, IN-YO!
‘ cried Sensei Yosa.

Jack saw a flash of colour as her horse thundered by, the steed snorting under the exertion. An arrow howled through the air, whizzing past Jack and shattering the square wooden target beside his head with a loud
crack
!

The students rattled their quivers to signal their delight at Sensei Yosa’s extraordinary display of horsemanship and archery. Having let go of the reigns to nock, draw and shoot her arrows, she continued down the track, standing high in her saddle and guiding the horse with only her toes.

Approaching the next target at breakneck speed, she raised her bow and released her second arrow. This too hit the mark and the cedar wood exploded into several pieces.

She had only moments in which to prepare herself to draw a third and final time, her stallion galloping past the target just as she launched her final arrow. With a hard
bang
, it struck the very centre of the mark, snapping it in two.

Her students shook their quivers and applauded even louder.

Sensei Yosa turned her steed on the spot and cantered back up the archery course. Situated in the picturesque wooded grounds of the ancient Kamigamo Shinto shrine, it was a purpose-made track with ropes down either side and three head height wooden targets in a line.

Jack and the others had been back at school just over a month when Sensei Yosa had announced that her
kyujutsu
class was competent enough to begin training in
kisha
, the art of shooting arrows from horseback. That morning they had gathered at the school’s stables, bows and arrows in hand, to select five horses for the lesson. From there, they’d made their way to the northern district of Kyoto where the Kamigamo shrine was located.

Sensei Yosa drew up her horse beside the group of trainee warriors lined along the edge of the track. Taking a moment to tie back her long dark hair, she revealed a face of quite startling beauty, graced with chestnut-coloured eyes. She could have been mistaken for a royal
geisha
rather than a warrior, if it had not been for the cruel red battle scar that cut across her right cheek.

‘The form of
kisha
you will be studying is called
Yabusame
,’ declared Sensei Yosa, dismounting. ‘It will not only sharpen your skills as an archer, but it’s a ritual that pleases the gods and will encourage their blessings upon our school.’

She pointed down the track.

‘Note the height of the targets. They’re at the same level as the space between the peak of an enemy’s helmet and their facemask. A direct hit here represents a fatal blow on the battlefield.’

Removing an arrow from the quiver attached to her right hip, she showed the class its blunt, wooden ball tip.

‘When training, you’ll use
jindou
, instead of the usual steel-tipped arrows. Since
Yabusame
is a ceremony dedicated to the gods, any weapon which draws blood cannot be used.’

As Sensei Yosa replaced the
jindou
, Jack leant over to Yori to whisper in his ear.

‘You have a question, Jack-kun?’ Sensei Yosa enquired, her eyes sharper than a hawk’s.

Jack looked up, startled. He hadn’t wanted to ask her in front of all the class in case he appeared stupid.

‘I was wondering,’ he said, sensing the eyes of the other students upon him, ‘what you were shouting
In-Yo
for?’

‘Good question,’ said Sensei Yosa. ‘It’s an old samurai prayer meaning darkness and light. It focuses your samurai spirit on the target. Now, do you wish to be the first to try
Yabusame
?’

Jack shook his head. Although he’d had two years’ intensive training and his archery skills were much improved, he didn’t fancy his chances from the back of a horse.