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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