The Ring of Earth Read online

  PUFFIN BOOKS

  Praise for the Young Samurai series:

  ‘A fantastic adventure that floors the reader on page one and keeps them there until the end. The pace is furious and the martial arts detail authentic’ – Eoin Colfer, author of the bestselling Artemis Fowl series

  ‘Fierce fiction … captivating for young readers’ – Daily Telegraph

  ‘More and more absorbing … vivid and enjoyable’ – The Times

  ‘Bradford comes out swinging in this fast-paced adventure … and produces an adventure novel to rank among the genre’s best. This book earns the literary equivalent of a black belt’ – Publishers Weekly

  ‘The most exciting fight sequences imaginable on paper!’ – Booklist

  School Library Association’s Riveting Read 2009 Shortlisted for Red House Children’s Book Award 2009 and longlisted for the Carnegie Medal 2009

  Chris Bradford likes to fly through the air. He has thrown himself over Victoria Falls on a bungee cord, out of an airplane in New Zealand and off a French mountain on a paraglider, but he has always managed to land safely – something he learnt from his martial arts …

  Chris joined a judo club aged seven where his love of throwing people over his shoulder, punching the air and bowing lots started. Since those early years, he has trained in karate, kickboxing, samurai swordsmanship and has earned his black belt in taijutsu, the secret fighting art of the ninja.

  Before writing the Young Samurai series, Chris was a professional musician and songwriter. He’s even performed for HRH Queen Elizabeth II (but he suspects she found his band a bit noisy).

  Chris lives in a village on the South Downs with his wife, Sarah, and two cats called Tigger and Rhubarb.

  To discover more about Chris go to youngsamurai.com

  Books by Chris Bradford

  The Young Samurai series (in reading order)

  THE WAY OF THE WARRIOR

  THE WAY OF THE SWORD

  THE WAY OF THE DRAGON

  THE RING OF EARTH

  For World Book Day 2010

  THE WAY OF FIRE

  For the Pocket Money Puffin series

  VIRTUAL KOMBAT

  CHRIS BRADFORD

  PUFFIN

  Disclaimer: Young Samurai: The Ring of Earth is a work of fiction, and while based on real historical figures, events and locations, the book does not profess to be accurate in this regard.

  Young Samurai: The Ring of Earth is more an echo of the times than a re-enactment of history.

  Warning: Do not attempt any of the techniques described within this book without the supervision of a qualified martial arts instructor. These can be highly dangerous moves and result in fatal injuries. The author and publisher take no responsibility for any injuries resulting from attempting these techniques.

  PUFFIN BOOKS

  Published by the Penguin Group

  Penguin Books Ltd, 80 Strand, London WC2R 0RL, England

  Penguin Group (USA) Inc., 375 Hudson Street, New York, New York 10014, USA

  Penguin Group (Canada), 90 Eglinton Avenue East, Suite 700, Toronto, Ontario, Canada M4P 2Y3 (a division of Pearson Penguin Canada Inc.)

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  Penguin Group (NZ), 67 Apollo Drive, Rosedale, North Shore 0632, New Zealand (a division of Pearson New Zealand Ltd)

  Penguin Books (South Africa) (Pty) Ltd, 24 Sturdee Avenue, Rosebank, Johannesburg 2196, South Africa

  Penguin Books Ltd, Registered Offices: 80 Strand, London WC2R 0RL, England

  puffinbooks.com

  First published 2010

  Text copyright © Chris Bradford, 2010

  Cover illustration copyright © Paul Young, 2010

  Map copyright © Robert Nelmes, 2008

  All rights reserved

  The moral right of the author and illustrators has been asserted

  Except in the United States of America, this book is sold subject to the condition that it shall not, by way of trade or otherwise, be lent, resold, hired out, or otherwise circulated without the publisher’s prior consent in any form of binding or cover other than that in which it is published and without a similar condition including this condition being imposed on the subsequent purchaser

  A CIP catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library

  ISBN: 978-0-141-96161-3

  CONTENTS

  Map: The Japans – 17th Century

  The Letter

  1 The Gaijin Samurai

  2 An Unfair Fight

  3 The Iga Mountains

  4 King of the Tengu

  5 Grandfather Soke

  6 The Village

  7 Swordplay

  8 Shonin

  9 The Hidden Enemy

  10 Miyuki

  11 Running in Circles

  12 A Frog in a Well

  13 Tree Fight

  14 Grandmaster

  15 The Five Rings

  16 The Art of Stealth

  17 Dragon Breathing

  18 Blowing Zen

  19 Constant Threat

  20 Sixteen Secret Fists

  21 Rice Paper

  22 Shuriken

  23 The Invisible Ninja

  24 Diving Deep

  25 A Silent Mind

  26 The Demonstration

  27 Soke’s Student

  28 The Pillow

  29 Test of Truth

  30 First Mission

  31 Monks of Emptiness

  32 A Question of Loyalty

  33 Hell’s Garden

  34 Finger Needle Fist

  35 A False Accusation

  36 One of the Clan

  37 The Note

  38 Ninja Magic

  39 Moving Target

  40 Bandits

  41 Waiting

  42 Harvest

  43 Invasion

  44 The Village Square

  45 Fire in the Farmhouse

  46 The Nine Ninja

  47 An Unlucky Number

  48 Mist Castle

  49 Drunkard

  50 Kachimushi

  51 Sleeping Samurai

  52 Gemnan

  53 Traitor

  54 Fire Shuriken

  55 Ninja or Samurai?

  56 The Ring of Earth

  57 A Happy Farewell

  Notes on the Sources

  Japanese Glossary

  Acknowledgements

  For Karen,

  a sister to me

  THE LETTER

  Japan, 1614

  My dearest Jess,

  I hope this letter reaches you one day. You must believe I’ve been lost at sea all these years. But you’ll be glad to know that I am alive and in good health.

  Father and I reached the Japans in August 1611, but I am sad to tell you he was killed in an attack upon our ship, the Alexandria. I alone survived.

  For these past three years, I’ve been living in the care of a Japanese warrior, Masamoto Takeshi, at his samurai school in Kyoto. He has been very kind to me, but life has not been easy.

  An assassin, a ninja known as Dragon Eye, was hired to steal our father’s rutter (you no doubt remember how important this navigational logbook was to our father?). The ninja was successful in his mission. However, with the help of my samurai friends, I’ve managed to get it back.

  This same ninja was the one who murdered our father. And while it may not bring you much comfort, I can assure you the assassin is now dead. Justice has been delivered
. But the ninja’s death doesn’t bring back our father – I miss him so much and could do with his guidance and protection at this time.

  Japan has been split by civil war and foreigners like myself are no longer welcome. I am a fugitive. On the run for my life. I now journey south through this strange and exotic land to the port of Nagasaki in the hope that I may find a ship bound for England.

  The Tokaido Road upon which I travel, however, is fraught with danger and I have many enemies on my trail. But do not fear for my safety. Masamoto has trained me as a samurai warrior and I will fight to return home to you.

  One day I do hope I can tell you about my adventures in person …

  Until then, dear sister, may God keep you safe.

  Your brother, Jack

  1

  THE GAIJIN SAMURAI

  Japan, summer 1614

  ‘Hey, stranger, you’re in my seat!’ snarled the samurai warrior.

  Jack stopped slurping his noodles. Even though there were plenty of empty benches in the dilapidated inn at Shono, a post station that served those travelling along the Tokaido Road, Jack didn’t dare question the samurai. Without looking up from beneath his straw hat, he slid himself across to the next table. Then he returned his attention to the steaming bowl and took another mouthful.

  ‘I said, you’re in my seat,’ repeated the man, his hand now resting upon the hilt of his samurai sword in a clear threat. Behind him, two other pairs of sandalled feet appeared.

  Jack tried to remain calm. So far on his journey, he’d managed to avoid any serious confrontations. He hoped to keep it that way.

  But with Japan in upheaval, he knew it would be difficult. Following daimyo Kamakura’s victory in the civil war, the samurai lord had declared himself Shogun, the supreme ruler of Japan. Many of the samurai who served him were belligerent because of this. Drunk on victory, saké and newly acquired power, they bullied the local people and any person of lower status.

  At first glance, Jack appeared to be no more than a farmer or a wandering pilgrim. He wore an unassuming plain blue kimono, a pair of sandals and a conical straw hat typical of a rice farmer or Buddhist monk. Its wide brim hid his foreign face.

  Without protest, Jack moved to another table.

  ‘That’s my friend’s seat.’

  There was a snigger of laughter from the other two soldiers. Jack realized he was in a no-win situation. He would have to leave. If they discovered his true identity, he would be in real trouble. As a foreigner, a gaijin, he was a target for persecution. The Shogun’s first act in office had been to issue a countrywide edict banishing all foreigners and Christians from his land. They were to leave immediately – or face punishment. For some zealous samurai, the foreigners weren’t departing quickly enough. Even in his short journey from Toba to the Tokaido Road, Jack had already passed one unfortunate Christian priest, his mutilated body hanging from a tree and left to rot in the sun.

  ‘I’ll be finished soon and on my way,’ replied Jack in perfect Japanese.

  Too hungry to leave any behind, he hurriedly gulped down more noodles with his chopsticks. This was the first hot meal he’d had since saying goodbye to his friends four days ago.

  ‘NO! You’ll finish now!’ ordered the samurai, slamming his fist upon the table.

  The bowl clattered to the ground, spilling its contents across the hard-packed earth. A stunned silence filled the little inn. Its few customers began to edge towards the door. A serving girl cowered behind the counter with her father.

  Forced to confront his assailant, Jack looked up for the first time.

  The samurai, a burly man with a rat of a moustache and bushy black eyebrows, stared in astonishment at Jack’s blue eyes and blond hair.

  ‘A gaijin!’ he gasped.

  Jack stood up. Though only fifteen, he was taller than many Japanese men. ‘As I said, I’m leaving.’

  The samurai, quickly regaining his wits, barred Jack’s way. ‘You’re not going anywhere,’ he said. ‘You’re a fugitive and enemy of Japan.’

  The other two soldiers closed rank. One was thin with a narrow pinched nose and close-set eyes; the other short and fat like a toad. Each of them carried a pair of samurai swords – a standard katana and a shorter wakizashi.

  ‘I don’t want to cause any trouble,’ Jack insisted, his hand grasping his pack in readiness to make a run for it. ‘I’m just passing through, on my way to Nagasaki. I’m leaving as ordered by the Shogun.’

  ‘You should never have arrived in the first place,’ sneered the thin samurai, spitting at Jack’s feet. ‘You’re under arrest –’

  Jack tossed his chopsticks into the man’s face, momentarily distracting him, and bolted for the door.

  ‘Seize him!’ ordered their leader.

  The toad-like soldier grabbed Jack’s wrist. All of a sudden, the man was on his knees and crying out in pain as Jack executed nikkyō on him. This wristlock was the first taijutsu move Jack had ever been taught at the Niten Ichi Ryū, the samurai school in Kyoto where he’d trained for the past three years.

  ‘Help!’ whimpered the man.

  The leader, unsheathing his sword, now charged forward.

  Jack released the lock just short of breaking the man’s arm and threw him into the path of the attacking samurai. At the same time, he reached for the katana strapped to his pack. As the samurai’s lethal blade arced towards his neck, his own steel sword flashed from its saya.

  The two katana collided in mid-air. For a brief second, no one moved.

  ‘A gaijin samurai!’ exclaimed the leader, his eyes wide as saucers.

  ‘This is the one!’ The toad-like warrior squealed as he scrambled to his feet. ‘The gaijin our Shogun is seeking!’

  ‘And there’s a price on his head,’ added the thin samurai, drawing his sword too.

  All three surrounded Jack, blocking any hope of escape.

  He had no choice. He’d have to fight his way out.

  2

  AN UNFAIR FIGHT

  The serving girl, a slip of a thing with a short bob of black hair, peeked fearfully over the counter. Her eyes never left Jack as he was backed into a corner.

  Since it was an inn for commoners, the wooden building was a simple affair constructed mainly of bamboo and cream-coloured washi paper walls, with a few wooden pillars for support. The tables were rickety and worn. Beside the counter were a large cask of saké and several stone jars for serving the rice wine. Jack caught a glimpse of the girl’s father, hurriedly stowing away the few precious china bowls he owned, and wondered if there was a back way out of the inn. The sliding shoji door that was his most obvious means of escape stood on the opposite side of the room, with the three samurai in between.

  ‘Must we take him alive?’ asked the thin one.

  ‘No, his head will be good enough for the Shogun,’ replied the leader.

  Jack, realizing he couldn’t defeat them all with a single sword, withdrew his wakizashi. He raised both weapons and prepared to defend himself. The two magnificent swords with their dark-red woven handles had been given to him by Akiko, his closest and dearest friend. They had been her late father’s and highly prized, made by Shizu, the greatest swordsmith to have lived. This would be the first time Jack had used them in combat. But their weight felt good in his hands, the blades perfectly balanced.

  The leader hesitated in his attack, taken off-guard by Jack’s unusual fighting style. Most samurai only used their katana in a duel.

  ‘He knows the Two Heavens!’ the toad-like warrior exclaimed.

  ‘So what?’ spat the leader. ‘There are three of us!’

  Despite his bravado, Jack noticed the tip of the man’s katana quivering slightly. The Two Heavens was legendary among samurai – a devastating double-sword technique taught only to the best students of the Niten Ichi Ryū. It was almost impossible to master, but those warriors who did were considered invincible. Masamoto, the founder of this samurai school and Jack’s former guardian, had fought over sixty d
uels and never lost one.

  ‘He’s just pretending. No gaijin could know such a skill,’ said the leader, pushing the fat samurai forward. ‘Kill him!’

  ‘Why me?’

  ‘Because I order you to!’

  With reluctance, the samurai drew his sword. Jack glanced at the blade. It was clean and unchipped. He guessed the man had never been in a real duel in his life.

  ‘S-s-surrender, gaijin, or else!’ he stuttered.

  ‘Or else what?’ Jack challenged, playing for time as he positioned himself behind a table.

  ‘I’ll … cut your head off,’ the man replied with little conviction.

  ‘And if I surrender?’

  The samurai, stumped for an answer, looked to his leader.

  ‘We’ll still cut your head off,’ replied the leader with a sadistic grin.

  At that moment, he nodded a signal to the thin samurai.

  ‘ATTACK!’

  All three converged on Jack at once.

  Jack kicked over the table and the fat one tumbled to the ground, losing grip of his sword. The thin samurai sliced for Jack’s neck as the leader thrust for his stomach. Jack ducked beneath the first blade, at the same time deflecting the second attack with his wakizashi.

  Before either of them could counter, Jack side-kicked the thin samurai in the chest, sending him flying into a pillar. There was a sharp crack as the wood splintered and the building shuddered. Spinning round, Jack now targeted the leader’s head with his katana. The blade whistled through the air, slicing clean above the samurai.

  ‘You missed!’ he cried.

  ‘Did I?’ Jack replied as the samurai’s topknot of hair slipped off his head and dropped to the ground.

  Shocked at the loss of his status symbol, the leader didn’t notice the creak and crack of timbers until it was too late. Jack’s blade had also cut through the ties holding together a section of the bamboo ceiling. A rock-hard stem fell on to the man’s head, knocking him out cold, and he was buried beneath an avalanche of bamboo.