The Way of the Warrior - Chris Bradford [61]
Suddenly he stopped his pounding of the post.
‘You, gaijin! Come over here,’ ordered Sensei Kyuzo.
‘My name is Jack, Sensei,’ replied Jack stiffly, taken aback at the sensei’s insulting use of the term.
‘Fine. Gaijin Jack, come here,’ he said, beckoning him with one sharp flick of his hand.
Kazuki let out a snort of laughter, whispering ‘Gaijin Jack’ under his breath to Nobu.
‘Kazuki-kun!’ said Sensei Kyuzo, without taking his eyes off Jack. ‘I trust that you will live up to your father’s reputation as a samurai. Pay attention!’
Jack got up and stood opposite Sensei Kyuzo. He didn’t know what to expect; the sensei was clearly ruthless. Jack certainly wasn’t going to underestimate him again.
‘Before we deal with kicking, punching or throwing, you must be able to control your enemy. We are going to start with grabs and locks, since it is easier for you to feel the energy lines in a hold than a strike.’
He squared up to Jack, eyeing him meanly.
‘Grab my wrist as if you were trying to prevent me from drawing my sword. Attack me!’ he ordered Jack.
Jack stepped up and warily took hold of the sensei’s arm. His own wrist instantly flared with pain and he involuntarily dropped to his knees to relieve the agony. Sensei Kyuzo had merely wrapped his hand over Jack’s arm and twisted it towards him, but the effect was overpowering.
‘This is nikkyō. It applies painful nerve pressure to the wrist and forearm,’ explained Sensei Kyuzo. ‘Tap your hand on your thigh or the floor when it gets too unbearable, gaijin.’
Sensei Kyuzo then rolled Jack’s wrist a notch further and Jack was blinded with agony. Jack slapped his thigh manically and the technique came off. Through eyes watery with pain, Jack could see Kazuki thoroughly delighting in his public suffering.
‘Get up and attack me as hard and fast as you can,’ he ordered.
Jack did, but was immediately driven to the ground again by the excruciating agony of the same simple move. Jack’s hand thrashed wildly on his thigh and the pressure was released.
‘You see the soft controls the hard. The harder Gaijin Jack tried to attack, the easier it was for me to defeat him,’ he said, a callous smile on his lips as he demonstrated the technique several more times for the benefit of the class.
Sensei Kyuzo then performed further techniques on Jack, flinging him around like a puppet, using him as a punching bag, pushing him over for having a poor stance. By the end, Jack was exhausted, battered, bruised and aching.
‘Now I want all of you to practise nikkyō. Partner up – decide who is the tori, executing the technique, and who is the uke, receiving the technique. Kazuki, why not train with my uke? He should be nicely warmed up for you.’
Jack groaned inwardly at the unfairness of it all, but was determined not to let his frustration get the better of him in front of Kazuki.
‘Since you are my uke, Gaijin Jack, I go first,’ said Kazuki, offering his arm for Jack to grab.
‘Remember, everyone,’ warned Sensei Kyuzo. ‘If the technique is applied too severely, tap the floor or your thigh to let your partner know. They must release you.’
Jack clamped his hand over Kazuki’s wrist, confident that Kazuki’s inexperience would mean he would not be able to apply the technique. But Kazuki had clearly practised nikkyō before. Jack dropped to his knees, his body instinctively reacting to avoid the pain.
Jack tapped his thigh.
Kazuki applied more pressure.
Jack tapped harder.
Kazuki twisted Jack’s wrist as far as it would go. So acute was his agony that tears streamed down his face. Kazuki looked on, a vindictive glee in his eyes.
‘Change partners,’ commanded Sensei Kyuzo.
‘Good training with you, Gaijin Jack,’ spat Kazuki, discarding Jack’s wrist then striding off to find his next victim.
Jack fumed. He hadn’t even been given the chance to retaliate.
When class came to an end, Jack was the first out.
Akiko came hurrying out and chased after him.
‘Are you all right, Jack?’ she asked.
‘Of course not! Why didn’t Sensei Kyuzo pick someone else to demonstrate