The Ring of Earth - Chris Bradford [1]
A CIP catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library
ISBN: 978-0-141-96161-3
CONTENTS
Map: The Japans – 17th Century
The Letter
1 The Gaijin Samurai
2 An Unfair Fight
3 The Iga Mountains
4 King of the Tengu
5 Grandfather Soke
6 The Village
7 Swordplay
8 Shonin
9 The Hidden Enemy
10 Miyuki
11 Running in Circles
12 A Frog in a Well
13 Tree Fight
14 Grandmaster
15 The Five Rings
16 The Art of Stealth
17 Dragon Breathing
18 Blowing Zen
19 Constant Threat
20 Sixteen Secret Fists
21 Rice Paper
22 Shuriken
23 The Invisible Ninja
24 Diving Deep
25 A Silent Mind
26 The Demonstration
27 Soke’s Student
28 The Pillow
29 Test of Truth
30 First Mission
31 Monks of Emptiness
32 A Question of Loyalty
33 Hell’s Garden
34 Finger Needle Fist
35 A False Accusation
36 One of the Clan
37 The Note
38 Ninja Magic
39 Moving Target
40 Bandits
41 Waiting
42 Harvest
43 Invasion
44 The Village Square
45 Fire in the Farmhouse
46 The Nine Ninja
47 An Unlucky Number
48 Mist Castle
49 Drunkard
50 Kachimushi
51 Sleeping Samurai
52 Gemnan
53 Traitor
54 Fire Shuriken
55 Ninja or Samurai?
56 The Ring of Earth
57 A Happy Farewell
Notes on the Sources
Japanese Glossary
Acknowledgements
For Karen,
a sister to me
THE LETTER
Japan, 1614
My dearest Jess,
I hope this letter reaches you one day. You must believe I’ve been lost at sea all these years. But you’ll be glad to know that I am alive and in good health.
Father and I reached the Japans in August 1611, but I am sad to tell you he was killed in an attack upon our ship, the Alexandria. I alone survived.
For these past three years, I’ve been living in the care of a Japanese warrior, Masamoto Takeshi, at his samurai school in Kyoto. He has been very kind to me, but life has not been easy.
An assassin, a ninja known as Dragon Eye, was hired to steal our father’s rutter (you no doubt remember how important this navigational logbook was to our father?). The ninja was successful in his mission. However, with the help of my samurai friends, I’ve managed to get it back.
This same ninja was the one who murdered our father. And while it may not bring you much comfort, I can assure you the assassin is now dead. Justice has been delivered. But the ninja’s death doesn’t bring back our father – I miss him so much and could do with his guidance and protection at this time.
Japan has been split by civil war and foreigners like myself are no longer welcome. I am a fugitive. On the run for my life. I now journey south through this strange and exotic land to the port of Nagasaki in the hope that I may find a ship bound for England.
The Tokaido Road upon which I travel, however, is fraught with danger and I have many enemies on my trail. But do not fear for my safety. Masamoto has trained me as a samurai warrior and I will fight to return home to you.
One day I do hope I can tell you about my adventures in person …
Until then, dear sister, may God keep you safe.
Your brother, Jack
1
THE GAIJIN SAMURAI
Japan, summer 1614
‘Hey, stranger, you’re in my seat!’ snarled the samurai warrior.
Jack stopped slurping his noodles. Even though there were plenty of empty benches in the dilapidated inn at Shono, a post station that served those travelling along the Tokaido Road, Jack didn’t dare question the samurai. Without looking up from beneath his straw hat, he slid himself across to the next table. Then he returned his attention to the steaming bowl and took another mouthful.
‘I said, you’re in my seat,’ repeated the man, his hand now resting upon the hilt of his samurai sword in a clear threat. Behind him, two other pairs of sandalled feet appeared.
Jack tried to remain calm. So far on his journey, he’d managed to avoid any serious confrontations. He hoped to keep it that way.
But with Japan in upheaval, he knew it would be difficult. Following daimyo Kamakura’s victory in the civil war,