The Ring of Earth - Chris Bradford [45]
Soke continued. ‘Finally, water can be used as a defence. You can draw your enemy into a river and force them to fight in the water. A samurai’s armour will weigh them down, giving you the advantage. To improve your water-fighting skills, you’ll practise your taijutsu and weapon work later in the pond.’
Jack hoped he wasn’t partnered with Miyuki again. She was more than likely to drown him – ‘accidentally’, of course.
‘Water can also act as a shield. Tenzen, I require you for this demonstration.’
As Tenzen stripped down to his loincloth, Soke went over to the hanging tree where a bow and quiver of arrows rested against the trunk.
‘You may be under fire when making an escape, so it’s vital you learn how to avoid the arrows and gunshot of the enemy.’
To Jack’s utter amazement, the Grandmaster picked up the bow, nocked an arrow and took aim at his student.
Diving into the pond, Tenzen swam hard beneath the surface. Soke fired at him, the arrow lancing through the water. It appeared to strike Tenzen, but he kept going. As Soke launched another two arrows, Tenzen swam on, emerging unharmed on the opposite bank.
‘Your turn, Jack,’ shouted Tenzen.
‘Me?’ replied Jack, alarmed at the idea. Tenzen may have made it unscathed, but he knew what he was doing.
‘Go on,’ urged Hanzo. ‘Tengu can’t die!’
Jack gave Hanzo a doubting look.
‘The samurai’s too scared,’ Miyuki taunted.
Jack realized that if he wasn’t to lose face, he had no real choice. Stripping off, he approached the bank.
‘Bet the water’s cold as ever,’ mumbled Shiro as Jack prepared to dive in.
The Grandmaster already had an arrow nocked.
‘Remember to swim deep,’ advised Soke, pulling back on the drawstring and taking aim.
The old man really meant to shoot him.
Jack, taking three deep controlled breaths, dived into the icy waters of the pond. The chill shocked him initially, but he soon began to pump his legs when he caught a glimpse of an arrow shooting past his head. He had to go deeper.
As he swam, he felt an arrow strike his back. Luckily, he was deep enough for the initial momentum of the weapon to have been lost. Even though it didn’t pierce his skin, it was a painful reminder of how dangerous the training exercise was.
Not willing to risk surfacing, he kept swimming. But the exertion was putting considerable strain on his lungs. He desperately needed to take a breath. Suppressing the instinct as he’d been taught, he forced himself onwards.
Another arrow glanced off his leg, much softer this time. The dark shadow of the bank drew nearer and Jack exploded to the surface, gulping in a lungful of air. Clambering out, he collapsed on the ground, breathless and horrified by the experience.
‘Well done,’ said Tenzen, patting him on the back.
‘Soke is crazy!’ gasped Jack.
Tenzen nodded. ‘Usually he blunts the arrow tips.’
The two of them waited together on the far bank while the other students made the perilous crossing. As Jack lay there drying in the sun, he noticed there were no farmers in the fields.
‘When do you do any farming?’ he asked.
Tenzen smiled.
‘Summer’s the best season to be a rice farmer,’ he explained. ‘Having planted the seedlings in spring, nature takes over. Aside from a bit of weeding and irrigation, we can sit and watch the rice grow. That is when we’re not training as ninja. But come end of summer, we’ll be working dawn to dusk, harvesting the crop.’
‘And that’s no fun!’ moaned Shiro, flopping down next to them, breathless from his swim. ‘Won’t be long now until we’re threshing the rice till our arms drop off.’
Jack was suddenly aware how quickly time had slipped by. If he didn’t move on soon, summer would be over and he’d be travelling through the autumn. The days would be shorter, the nights colder and the journey longer. It was time to go.
Hanzo surfaced and swam over in his direction, a broad grin on his face.
‘Told you tengu can’t die!’
Jack realized it would be sad to say goodbye to Hanzo. Despite the boy’s irritating refusal to call him by his name, Hanzo’s enthusiasm was infectious.