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Saburo rolled his eyes at Jack, who tried to ignore the exchange but couldn’t help noticing Akiko’s face flush in response to Takuan’s compliment. Jack realized Kazuki had been right. Akiko clearly had feelings for Takuan.

‘I also reckon you’ve got a chance, Jack, with all that target practice you’ve had,’ added Takuan over his shoulder.

‘Well, unless there’s a category for wooden horses, it won’t be me,’ replied Jack, doing his best to hide his hurt. ‘Sensei Yosa said I have to wait until spring to do Yabusame on a real horse.’

‘You’re lucky,’ said Takuan. ‘I know one student at my old school who was made to train on a wooden horse for three years before he was allowed to ride a real one!’

Jack could well believe it. Judging by his experience of Sensei Kyuzo, there were clearly some very cruel sensei in Japan.

‘Don’t worry, Jack,’ said Yori, trotting alongside him. ‘When you do get on a real horse, your Yabusame technique will be so superior, you’re sure to be selected for the team.’

‘I wouldn’t get too excited about the Kyosha,’ interrupted Kazuki from behind.

‘What do you mean?’ asked Yori.

‘There’ll be a war on by then.’

Yori looked shocked. ‘But… but it’s almost winter and nothing’s happened. Surely the threat’s passed.’

Kazuki shook his head. ‘It takes time to gather an army. My father says this is just the calm before the storm.’

‘But why would Sensei Yosa be planning an inter-school contest for the spring, or Sensei Nakamura a kukai, if there’s still going to be a war?’ said Yori, a note of desperation entering his voice.

‘Competitions keep morale high and our minds off the coming conflict.’

Kazuki gave Jack a hard stare.

‘Nice scar,’ he said, before striding on ahead.

* * *

The knife flashed towards Jack’s stomach. He neatly slipped to Kazuki’s outside guard, struck the back of his wrist and disarmed him. But before Jack could enjoy the victory, a bokken sliced towards his head.

Jack evaded the blade’s arc, closing in on his second attacker, Goro, and grabbing hold of his arm. Applying a crippling lock, he disarmed the sword and drew the blade up between his legs.

Alerted by a shout from behind, Jack turned to see a spear ready to impale him through the chest. Barely avoiding the sharpened steel tip, he kicked his third attacker, Nobu, in the shins and took hold of the spear’s shaft. A quick twist and the end was driven into his face.

Jack turned to face his final adversary. But before he had the slightest hope of executing an air throw, Hiroto released the manriki-gusari and the chain wrapped itself round his body. A moment later, Jack was yanked off his feet.

‘And you were doing so well until then,’ commented Sensei Kyuzo sarcastically. ‘Fail!’

Jack shrugged off the chain, stood and bowed to his four attackers. Though no bones were broken, he could already feel a painful bruise forming where the weighted end had thumped into his back. Being the final combatant in the weapon-disarming exercise, he returned the manriki-gusari to the Weapons Wall and rejoined the rest of the students kneeling in a line. They’d had an entire morning of taijutsu trials, assessing their fitness, fighting technique, grappling skills, breaking ability and disarming methods, all in preparation for the possibility of war.

‘Some of you have proved exceptional in your taijutsu training,’ said Sensei Kyuzo, glancing in the direction of Kazuki. ‘A few are disappointing, to say the least.’

Jack felt Sensei Kyuzo’s beady eyes upon him.

‘However, I consider you’re all ready for the final test of your hand-to-hand fighting skills – Last Samurai Standing.’

Sensei Kyuzo’s stern face broke into a fiendish grin.

‘All stand.’

There was an uneasy murmur among the class as they got to their feet. Sensei Kyuzo was smiling. This could not be good.

26

ZANSHIN

It was utter chaos.

The dojo turned into a battle zone as fights broke out all over the Butokuden. Students began to pummel their nearest neighbour. Everyone was now a potential enemy.

Sensei Kyuzo had set a simple but brutal