Glancing over his shoulder, Jack saw the Kizu end had been blocked by a garrison of doshin doshin. Armed with iron jutte jutte truncheons and vicious truncheons and vicious sasumata sasumata, they formed an impenetrable barrier.
One look at the swollen river told Jack that their only other option would be suicidal, especially for a non-swimmer. It was now apparent why there had been no one on the bridge Jack and Hana had walked straight into a trap.
Jack confronted Kazuki. He"d realized this day would come, but hadn"t imagined it would be quite so soon. He also knew there was no hope of survival against such overwhelming odds. But he had had to defeat his old rival. He couldn"t allow Akiko to come to any harm at the hands of his enemy. to defeat his old rival. He couldn"t allow Akiko to come to any harm at the hands of his enemy.
"I see the Two Heavens failed you," smirked Kazuki, pointing to Jack"s bandaged left arm.
Jack ignored the jibe. Despite a long session of kuji-in kuji-in healing, his arm was still stiff and he had reservations about its effectiveness in a sword fight. healing, his arm was still stiff and he had reservations about its effectiveness in a sword fight.
"Let Hana go," he demanded. "She has nothing to do with us."
Kazuki shook his head, tutting. "When will you learn that anyone anyone who helps you signs their own death warrant?" who helps you signs their own death warrant?"
Hana took hold of her bokken bokken. She briefly struggled to pull it from her obi obi, then unsteadily raised its tip to Kazuki. "Jack"s my friend... I"ll willingly lay down my life for him."
Jack was astounded at her courage. Despite being totally untrained, she was prepared to take on an experienced swordsman.
Kazuki burst out laughing. "Yet again, a girl fights for you, Jack! And a hinin hinin at that!" at that!"
Incensed, Hana rushed forward and slammed the bokken bokken into Kazuki"s thigh. "I"m into Kazuki"s thigh. "I"m not not a n.o.body!" a n.o.body!"
Taken by surprise, Kazuki buckled under the blow. Hana went to hit him again. This time Kazuki blocked it with his right forearm. Miraculously, the strike didn"t break the bone; instead the wooden sword deflected off to one side. With terrifying speed, Kazuki drew his katana katana with his left hand and sliced for Hana"s belly, aiming to cut her in half. with his left hand and sliced for Hana"s belly, aiming to cut her in half.
Jack ran to her aid, thrusting his sword between them and halting the lethal attack. The two young samurai glared at each other, their rivalry as fierce as ever.
The pounding of feet across the boardwalk announced the rapid advance of the Scorpion Gang.
"I will will have my revenge, have my revenge, gaijin gaijin," snarled Kazuki.
"No, you won"t!" cried Hana, whipping him across the gut with her bokken bokken.
Kazuki doubled over. But before she or Jack could finish him, the Scorpion Gang was on them. Driven into retreat, Jack battled to keep them at bay. Although he didn"t have the strength in his left arm to wield two swords, his skill with a single katana katana meant he was no easy kill. meant he was no easy kill.
Hiroto came in first. "I"m going to stick you like a pig," he squealed in his cruel high-pitched tone. "Just like you did me."
Jack remembered throwing a knife at the boy in a last-ditch effort to stop Hiroto from hanging him during the attack on the Niten Ichi Ry Niten Ichi Ry. The blade had pierced Hiroto"s stomach and the boy had let go of the noose. Jack"s mercy in allowing Hiroto to live might now be his undoing.
Meanwhile, Hana was confronted by one of Kazuki"s hulking cousins, Toru.
"You hurt Kazuki," he grunted. "I hurt you."
Toru didn"t use a sword; instead he favoured a kanabo kanabo, an immense iron-studded club. He swung it at Hana. Squealing, she ducked and was forced to leap out of the way as the club came smashing down a second time. It ploughed into the floor, cracking the wooden deck and sending splinters flying. Hana valiantly tried to block the follow-up blow with her bokken bokken, but the force of the strike knocked her to the ground.
Seeing the danger she was in, Jack feigned a wide attack on Hiroto. The boy went to block it and Jack kicked him hard in the stomach, targeting his old injury. Hiroto crumpled, wheezing for breath. As Toru moved to crush Hana with the club, Jack charged at him, his head down in Demon Horn Fist, screaming at the top of his voice, "KIAAAIIIII!"
Startled, Toru turned to pummel Jack instead. He raised his club just as Jack collided into him. It was like hitting a brick wall. But the impact was enough to knock Toru off-balance. He staggered against the bridge"s handrail. It gave way and, pulled backwards by the weight of his kanabo kanabo, Toru toppled over the rail into the foaming waters of the Kizu River.
Enraged at their loss, the rest of the Scorpion Gang rushed Jack and Hana as one. Pulling Hana to her feet, Jack fled with her in the opposite direction.
The d.o.o.s.hin d.o.o.s.hin officer ordered his men to march on to the bridge, officer ordered his men to march on to the bridge, sasumata sasumata primed to meet them. primed to meet them.
Trapped in the middle, Jack realized there was no no escape. escape.
"I won"t let them take you," said Jack, his sword held protectively across her.
"And I won"t let them kill you either," replied Hana, her bokken bokken trembling in her hand. trembling in her hand.
Standing back to back, Jack and Hana faced their fate.
52.
HONOUR AND SACRFICE.
"The gaijin gaijin"s head is mine!" shouted Kazuki, pushing through the ranks.
The Scorpion Gang immediately stepped back to allow the declared duel to take place. Kazuki and Jack had fought many times before, both in training and for real. Their sword skills were well matched and no decisive victor had yet emerged. But that was before Kazuki"s right hand had been maimed by Akiko"s arrow and Jack"s left arm injured by Botan.
As Jack prepared for their final showdown, Hana was seized by a doshin doshin.
"You"re the thief who stole my wife"s fan!" he snarled.
Swinging her bokken bokken, Hana managed to crack the man across the shin, forcing him to let go. Other doshin doshin rushed in, pinning her to the ground with rushed in, pinning her to the ground with sasumata sasumata. The officer stepped forward to skewer her with his sword.
Jack leapt to stop him, but Kazuki intervened first.
"Don"t kill her yet!" he ordered. "She has vital information."
The officer reluctantly resheathed his sword, leaving Hana pinned down by his doshin doshin.
Wielding his katana katana left-handed, Kazuki circled Jack in the pouring rain. left-handed, Kazuki circled Jack in the pouring rain.
"The Shogun"s just doubled the reward for your capture alive or dead," Kazuki revealed, his eyes narrowing.
"It"s good to know I"m valued," replied Jack, raising his katana katana into a guard. into a guard.
"But... I"ll happily kill you for nothing."
Like a bolt of lightning, a flash of steel cut through the air. Jack instinctively deflected it, then swung his own sword in a blistering attack for Kazuki"s neck. Ducking, Kazuki thrust at Jack"s stomach. Jack leapt aside, the sword"s razor-sharp edge almost scything through his obi obi. He retaliated with a diagonal cut across the chest at the same time as Kazuki sliced for his body. Their blades clashed and they stared at one another between the cross of steel.
"You can"t win, gaijin gaijin," snarled Kazuki, pushing hard against Jack"s sword.
Jack shoved back. "I don"t intend to beat everyone everyone. I only need to defeat you you."
Releasing the pressure, Jack let Kazuki come for him. As their blades met again, he executed a Flint-and-Spark strike. The steel of his sword grated against Kazuki"s. At the last moment, he deflected it aside and struck for Kazuki"s heart. Grimacing with the effort, Kazuki barely evaded the attack, the tip of Jack"s sword catching his kimono and ripping his red sun kamon kamon from his chest. from his chest.
"You"ll have to do better than that!" Kazuki seethed and retaliated with a flurry of furious blows.
They battled through the downpour, while the Scorpion Gang and the garrison of doshin doshin watched on, transfixed by the life-and-death struggle. Kazuki"s skill proved to be equal, if not better, left-handed, and Jack was forced to retreat under his onslaught. watched on, transfixed by the life-and-death struggle. Kazuki"s skill proved to be equal, if not better, left-handed, and Jack was forced to retreat under his onslaught.
"Behind you!" cried Hana.
Blocking Kazuki"s strike to the head, Jack glanced round to see Hiroto with his katana katana aimed for his back. Gritting his teeth against the pain in his left arm, Jack drew his aimed for his back. Gritting his teeth against the pain in his left arm, Jack drew his wakizashi wakizashi and deflected Hiroto"s blade away at the very last second. With almost blinding speed, Jack brought his and deflected Hiroto"s blade away at the very last second. With almost blinding speed, Jack brought his katana katana down and thrust it backwards, driving the tip into Hiroto"s gut. down and thrust it backwards, driving the tip into Hiroto"s gut.
Hiroto crumpled to the ground, clutching his stomach. "Not again," he wailed.
"I said said he was mine!" snapped Kazuki, without a shred of pity. he was mine!" snapped Kazuki, without a shred of pity.
Leaving Hiroto to bleed upon the floor, Kazuki turned on Jack.
"That"s enough practice. Time to truly test your Two Heavens!"
Jack raised both his swords. The cut on his left arm had opened up and he could barely keep a grip on his wakizashi wakizashi. In his current state, the Two Heavens was likely to be more of a hindrance than advantage against a samurai of Kazuki"s ability. But he had no choice.
All of a sudden, chaos reigned in the ranks of the doshin doshin. Screams and cries of pain scattered the men to one side. A doshin doshin standing over the imprisoned Hana gasped, then spewed up blood. He collapsed to the floor, revealing a wild-eyed, bearded samurai behind. standing over the imprisoned Hana gasped, then spewed up blood. He collapsed to the floor, revealing a wild-eyed, bearded samurai behind.
"Ronin!" cried Jack and Hana simultaneously.
Seeing Hana caught beneath the p.r.o.ngs of several sasumata sasumata, the samurai"s fury boiled and he went to work on her captors. Ronin was like a whirling dervish, his blade slicing through any doshin doshin who failed to run. who failed to run.
"KILL HIM!" screamed Kazuki, when his Scorpion Gang failed to respond to the unforeseen attack.
As soon as she was free, Hana scrambled to her feet, grabbed her bokken bokken and rushed to Ronin"s side. "I knew you"d come back!" she exclaimed. and rushed to Ronin"s side. "I knew you"d come back!" she exclaimed.
"It"s a question of honour," replied Ronin.
"And sacrifice," said Jack, taking up position next to him as the Scorpion Gang lined up to attack. "We"re all all trapped now." trapped now."
"I"d rather die on my feet sword in hand than live on my knees, clasping a bottle," explained Ronin, looking Jack in the eye. "I will right my wrongs. I will not not fail you." fail you."
"You haven"t haven"t failed me," said Jack, wishing there was more time to explain. failed me," said Jack, wishing there was more time to explain.
But Kazuki was on the warpath and Jack was forced to fight. His rival attacked with vengeful fury as his sword struck again and again. But Jack fought with equal pa.s.sion, his strength renewed now the band of three was together once more.
Goro headed straight for Ronin, while n.o.bu lumbered after Hana.
The doshin doshin sent into a wild panic by Ronin"s slaughter were running in all directions. Their officer was shouting at the top of his voice, trying to reinstate order. The bridge, already weakened by the raging torrent, creaked and groaned under the added strain of the fighting. sent into a wild panic by Ronin"s slaughter were running in all directions. Their officer was shouting at the top of his voice, trying to reinstate order. The bridge, already weakened by the raging torrent, creaked and groaned under the added strain of the fighting.
Although Ronin was an experienced warrior, Goro was young, muscular and fresh to the fight. It took all Ronin"s focus to battle the boy and he had to leave Hana to fend for herself.
n.o.bu chortled at the size of his diminutive opponent. His overwhelming bulk towered over Hana, yet still she didn"t back down. Swinging her bokken bokken, she struck him in the stomach. But it just bounced off.
"Is that all you can manage?" he snorted, raising his own sword to cut her down.
Hana"s resolve crumbled and, fearing for her life, she ran. n.o.bu stomped after her. Jack could only watch as Hana, in her frantic escape, stumbled and fell. She lay there, completely open to attack. Jack cried out to Hana to get up. But it was too late. n.o.bu had already caught up.
He stepped forward to deliver the killing blow when there was a sharp crack crack.
n.o.bu dropped like a stone through the bridge"s deck. Only his vast waistline, wedged between the broken planks, saved him from falling into the river below.
Hana flipped to her feet and laughed in his face. "That"s Drunken Fist!" Drunken Fist!"
Her stumble had been a ruse all along. Playing upon her vulnerability, she"d drawn the heavyweight n.o.bu on to the wooden plank that Toru had cracked earlier. Jack"s spirits were lifted by her cunning and he renewed his efforts to defeat Kazuki. But Hana now faced the man-mountain that was Raiden. And he wouldn"t be fooled with the same trick.
The doshin doshin officer had finally managed to rally his men and marched them back to slay the fearsome Ronin. Still battling Goro, Ronin was forced to call upon all his drunken fighting skills. Weaving and dodging, he played one officer had finally managed to rally his men and marched them back to slay the fearsome Ronin. Still battling Goro, Ronin was forced to call upon all his drunken fighting skills. Weaving and dodging, he played one doshin doshin off against another. Every time they attacked him, they ended up injuring a fellow off against another. Every time they attacked him, they ended up injuring a fellow doshin doshin. Ronin grabbed one of the wounded as a shield, but Goro could see the samurai was tiring and hung back, waiting for the moment to strike.
Jack was fading fast too. His experience with the Riddling Monk had taken its toll and his left arm, coated in blood, was incapable of lifting his sword much higher than his waist. Taking the decision to discard the wakizashi wakizashi and use his and use his katana katana two-handed, he sheathed the shorter blade into its two-handed, he sheathed the shorter blade into its saya saya.
"Giving up?" gasped Kazuki, breathing heavily from the exertion of their duel.
"Just giving you a chance!" replied Jack, wiping the rain from his face.
Their katana katana clashed again. And still neither relinquished any ground. clashed again. And still neither relinquished any ground.
Hana had become trapped against the handrail by Raiden. In an effort to save her, Ronin felled the doshin doshin that were in his way and took his eye off Goro, who leapt forward and stabbed him in the side. that were in his way and took his eye off Goro, who leapt forward and stabbed him in the side.
"NO!" cried Jack.
Ronin reeled away, bleeding. The doshin doshin surrounded him and closed in for the kill. surrounded him and closed in for the kill.
Hana squealed, her legs kicking, as Raidon lifted her off the ground by her hair.
Jack was weakening in the face of Kazuki"s unrelenting attack and would need a miracle to defeat him and save his friends.
He knew their slaughter was inevitable...
53.
WASHED AWAY.
A rumbling roar brought the whole fight to a stop.
The bridge trembled beneath their feet as the noise grew louder and louder. Glancing up the valley, a terrifying sight rushed towards the battling samurai. A wall of water, twenty feet high, thundered down the river, swallowing everything in its path.
Many of the doshin doshin could only stare in uncomprehending horror at the vast wave. A few broke ranks and ran for their lives. But Jack realized it was too late for that. could only stare in uncomprehending horror at the vast wave. A few broke ranks and ran for their lives. But Jack realized it was too late for that.
Throwing himself at the nearest bridge pillar, he clung on with all the remaining strength he had. A moment later, the Kizu River swelled and the wave struck. Trees and debris collided with the bridge, ripping away large segments of walkway. A doshin doshin beside the rail was. .h.i.t in the chest and tossed over the side. Water surged past, dragging other screaming helpless bodies along with it. beside the rail was. .h.i.t in the chest and tossed over the side. Water surged past, dragging other screaming helpless bodies along with it.