Young Samurai _ The Way Of The Dragon - Chris Bradford [11]
‘It didn’t cut a thing. Not a single leaf was parted; flowers kissed the steel and floated by; fish swam right up to it; the air sang as it gently blew by the blade.’
‘So Kunitome-san’s was the better blade,’ interrupted Yamato.
‘No! The monk declared Shizu-san the winner. Kunitomesan contested the decision, for his master’s sword had failed to cut anything. The monk then explained. The first sword was by all accounts a fine weapon. However, it was blood-thirsty and evil for it didn’t discriminate as to who or what it cut. “It may just as well be cutting butterflies as severing heads,” the monk had said. Shizu-san’s sword, on the other hand, was by far the finer of the two for it didn’t needlessly cut that which was innocent and undeserving of death. The spirit in his sword demonstrated a benevolent power worthy of a true samurai.
‘Because of this, it’s believed that a Kunitome blade, once drawn, must draw blood before it can be returned to its saya, even to the point of forcing its wielder to wound himself or commit suicide.’
Jack glanced down at his healing thumb, then at the tantō with his blood still stained upon the steel. Perhaps there was some truth in the old man’s warning.
‘Mark my words, that tantō is a demon blade. It’s cursed and will breed bloodlust in those who carry it.’
‘Old man, are you serving or gossiping?’ demanded a samurai who sat impatiently at a table on the other side of the tea house.
‘My apologies,’ replied the proprietor, bowing. ‘I will be with you right now.’
He got up and retrieved his tray.
‘My advice is to lose that tantō in the forest you found it in.’
The proprietor then bowed and left the three of them to ponder his words. They all gazed at the blade, its awakened spirit seeming to draw them in as if they were caught in a whirlpool.
‘What did I tell you?’ said Jack excitedly, breaking the spell. ‘It’s fate. We have to go to Shindo. The tantō comes from the same village that Orochi mentioned. This must mean the ninja came from around there too.’
‘Didn’t you hear anything the man just said?’ asked Yamato, his dark brown eyes wide in disbelief at Jack’s jubilant reaction to the news. ‘That knife is cursed.’
‘Surely you don’t believe that?’ dismissed Jack, though he wasn’t quite as certain as his bravado made out.
‘Yet you believe in fate; that we should go to Shindo.’
‘Yes, but this is different,’ Jack argued, cautiously sheathing the tantō and slipping it into the obi around his waist. ‘The knife’s superstition. This is a clear sign we must follow our destiny. We must follow the Way of the Dragon – find where the ninja hides. Isn’t that right, Akiko?’
Akiko was flattening the folds of her ivory-coloured silk kimono and appeared to be thinking very carefully before answering. Jack had used the very words she’d whispered to him after she’d awoken from her poisoning. Jack just hoped Akiko would still be on his side, despite the obvious danger of such a venture.
‘I think we should go,’ agreed Akiko. ‘Masamoto-sama made clear to us that we have to tell him any information we know about Dokugan Ryu. That includes anything we find out about him too. Imagine if we could give Masamoto-sama the location of the ninja’s headquarters. We may even get back Jack’s rutter.’
‘Why are you suddenly so keen on pursuing this ninja, Akiko?’ Yamato demanded, turning on his cousin. ‘You almost died the last time we agreed to help Jack.’
‘More reason for me to want to find the ninja. Besides, weren’t you the one who suggested we should try and trap him in the first place? It was your golden opportunity to get revenge on Dragon Eye for your brother’s murder, a chance to restore the family honour.’