Saburo drove his shoulder into it and the gate burst open. They all dived inside just as Pirate Town engulfed the lagoon. The roar of rock and wreckage resounded down the tunnel like the bellow of a dragon. Then all went silent and they were plunged into darkness.
Coughing and spluttering from the dust, Jack called out, ‘Everyone OK?’
Three voices answered, hoarse but relieved. Gingerly getting to his feet, Jack took the lead and they blindly followed the tunnel wall.
‘Are you certain we’re going the right way?’ asked Saburo after a while.
In the pitch-black, Jack had no idea if the tunnel split off at any point.
‘I think so,’ he said, trying to be reassuring. Then relief swept over him. ‘I can hear water lapping.’
They kept edging through the darkness, the sound of waves growing louder with every step.
‘I can see light!’ exclaimed Yori.
Up ahead, the faintest of gleams was wavering over the moist surface of the rock wall. Turning a corner, they emerged into a small cave, sunlight dimly reflecting from the sea outside and illuminating the space. A skiff was tied to a metal ring in the wall, its mast lowered so that it could enter and exit the low cave entrance.
‘Li Ling’s done us proud,’ said Jack, inspecting the boat and finding it fully stocked with provisions and two casks of fresh water.
They clambered on-board and stowed their packs and weapons. Jack gave the rutter a reassuring pat as he tucked it beneath the gunwales. With the demise of Tatsumaki and her captains, and the logbook back in his possession, his father’s precious knowledge was safe once more. Jack knew he’d been reckless to reveal so many of its secrets to a band of ruthless pirates. But he believed his father would have understood his bonds of friendship to Miyuki, Yori and Saburo. All of them had been willing to sacrifice their lives for him. And in return, he would lay down his life, and whatever else it took, to save them.
Saburo picked up one of the oars and pushed off. Carefully navigating between submerged rocks, they rowed out of the sea cave and into bright sunlight. The cave was located on the southern side of the island, so they were safely out of sight of the approaching Sea Samurai fleet. As soon as they were clear of the shoreline, Jack raised the mast and hoisted the sail.
‘Keep rowing,’ Jack instructed Saburo and Yori. ‘We need to get as much distance between us and this island as possible.’
As they pulled away, the rim of the crater came into view. Black smoke and flaming ash rose up from the caldera, the extinct volcano now looking dangerously active as Pirate Town burned. On its western side, a few Wind Demon ships had made it out of the lagoon and were fleeing into the distance. Jack spotted the distinctive armoured roof and dragonhead of the Koketsu. He just hoped that Li Ling would be able to outrun the Sea Samurai.
‘Which way are we heading?’ asked Miyuki, pulling out the sea chart.
Jack studied the map. He plotted a course that would take them across the wide expanse of the Seto Sea, through the Kanmon Straits and on to their final destination, Nagasaki. Having got his bearings, he pointed over the starboard bow.
‘West,’ he said, striking a course towards the setting sun.
Feeling the fresh sea breeze on his face, Jack smiled at his friends. ‘And we’re in luck for once. The wind’s in our favour!’
Notes on the Sources
The following quotes are referenced within Young Samurai: The Ring of Wind (with the page numbers in square brackets below) and their sources are acknowledged here:
[Page 277] ‘A ship is safe in harbour, but that’s not what ships are for.’ By William Shedd, theologian (1820–1894).
[Page 296] ‘Ten soldiers wisely led will beat a hundred without a head.’ By Euripides, Greek playwright (484–406 BC).
Ninja Pirate Ship Competition
A Young Samurai competition was held in the Young Times section of The Times newspaper to name the Ninja Pirate Ship that would feature in The Ring of Wind.
The winner was:
JONATHAN HARPER
for his suggestion of the Koketsu, which means Jaws of Death (or Tiger’s Den, or dangerous place).
Out of the countless excellent entries, this one stood out immediately. It fitted the image of my ninja pirate ship perfectly, since the vessel has a dragon-shaped battering ram on its prow to sink other ships.
Congratulations, Jonathan!
PS Remember to look out for more competitions and prizes on www.youngsamurai.com
Japanese Glossary
Bushido
Bushido, meaning the ‘Way of the Warrior’, is a Japanese code of conduct similar to the concept of chivalry. Samurai warriors were meant to adhere to the seven moral principles in their martial arts training and in their day-to-day lives.
Virtue 1: Gi – Rectitude
Gi is the ability to make the right decision with moral confidence and to be fair and equal towards all people no matter what colour, race, gender or age.
Virtue 2: Yu – Courage
Yu is the ability to handle any situation with valour and confidence.
Virtue 3: Jin – Benevolence
Jin is a combination of compassion and generosity. This virtue works together with Gi and discourages samurai from using their skills arrogantly or for domination.
Virtue 4: Rei – Respect
Rei is a matter of courtesy and proper behaviour towards others. This virtue means to have respect for all.
Virtue 5: Makoto – Honesty
Makoto is about being honest to oneself as much as to others. It means acting in ways that are morally right and always doing things to the best of your ability.
Virtue 6: Meiyo – Honour
Meiyo is sought with a positive attitude in mind, but will only follow with correct behaviour. Success is an honourable goal to strive for.
Virtue 7: Chungi – Loyalty
Chungi is the foundation of all the virtues; without dedication and loyalty to the task at hand and to one another, one cannot hope to achieve the desired outcome.
A Short Guide to Pronouncing Japanese Words
Vowels are pronounced in the following way:
‘a’ as the ‘a’ in ‘at’
‘e’ as the ‘e’ in ‘bet’
‘i’ as the ‘i’ in ‘police’
‘o’ as the ‘o’ in ‘dot’
‘u’ as the ‘u’ in ‘put’
‘ai’ as in ‘eye’
‘ii’ as in ‘week’
‘ō’ as in ‘go’
‘ū’ as in ‘blue’
Consonants are pronounced in the same way as English:
‘g’ is hard as in ‘get’
‘j’ is soft as in ‘jelly’
‘ch’ as in ‘church’
‘z’ as in ‘zoo’
‘ts’ as in ‘itself’
Each syllable is pronounced separately:
A-ki-ko
Ya-ma-to
Ma-sa-mo-to
Ka-zu-ki
arigatō gozaimasu thank you very much
atake-bune large Japanese naval warship
bō wooden fighting staff
bonnō the 108 worldly desires that Buddhists believe all humans are afflicted with
bushido the Way of the Warrior – the samurai code
chō-geri butterfly kick
daejon (Korean) large rocket-like arrows tipped with iron and leather flights
daimyo feudal lord
daishō the pair of swords, wakizashi and katana, that are traditional weapons of the samurai
Dim Mak Death Touch
doku poison
dōshin Edo-period police officers of samurai origin (low rank)
endan ninja smoke bombs
fugu blowfish or puffer fish
Fuma Wind Demons
gaijin foreigner, outsider (derogatory term)
geisha a Japanese girl trained to entertain men with conversation, dance and song
haiku Japanese short poem
hamon artistic pat
tern created on a samurai sword blade during tempering process
hashi chopsticks
horagai conch-shell trumpet
horoku a spherical bomb thrown by hand using a short rope
itadakimasu let’s eat!
kagemusha a Shadow Warrior
kamikaze lit. ‘divine wind’, or ‘Wind of the Gods’
kanji Chinese characters that are used also by the Japanese
katana long sword
ki energy flow or life force (Chinese: chi)
kiai literally ‘concentrated spirit’ – used in martial arts as a shout for focusing energy when executing a technique
kimono traditional Japanese clothing
kissaki tip of sword
koban Japanese oval gold coin
kobaya small Japanese naval boat
Koketsu Jaws of Death (or Tiger’s Den, or dangerous place)
komusō Monk of Emptiness
kuji-in nine syllable seals – a specialized form of Buddhist and ninja meditation
kumode spiked ‘bear paw’ on a stout pole used as a grappling iron and weapon
metsubishi blinding powder, a ninja weapon
metsuke technique of ‘looking at a faraway mountain’
Mizujiro ‘castle in the sea’
mochi rice cake
mon family crest
mushin a warrior’s state of ‘no mind’
naginata a long pole weapon with a curved blade on the end
Namu Daishi This is the mantra of Kobo Daishi,
Henjo Kongo which translates as ‘Homage to the Saviour Daishi, the Illuminating and Imperishable One!’
nenju Buddhist rosary beads
Nihon Maru Japanese naval flagship
ninja Japanese assassin
ninjatō ninja sword
ninjutsu the Art of Stealth
ninniku the philosophy of the ninja, ‘cultivating a pure and compassionate heart’
Niten Ichi Ryū the ‘One School of Two Heavens’
nōkyōchō temple stamp book
obi belt
ofuro bath
omamori Buddhist amulet to grant protection
osame-fuda paper prayer slips
o-settai the action of giving of food and money to pilgrims
ronin masterless samurai
sai a pointed, dagger-shaped metal truncheon, with two curved prongs called yoku projecting from the handle
saké rice wine
sakura cherry-blossom tree
Samsara the Buddhist concept of a ‘world of suffering’
samurai Japanese warrior
sashimi raw fish
saya scabbard
seki-bune medium-sized Japanese naval warship
sensei teacher
Sha ninja hand sign, interpreted as healing for ninjutsu purposes
shachihoko an animal in Japanese folklore with the head of a dragon and the body of a carp
shakujō Buddhist ringed staff used primarily in prayer, and as a weapon
Shichi Hō De ‘the seven ways of going’, the art of disguise and impersonation
shinobi shozoku the clothing of a ninja
Shogun the military dictator of Japan
shoji Japanese sliding door
shuinsen Red Seal ship
shuko climbing claws
shuriken metal throwing stars
sohei warrior monks
suigun ‘water army’
sumimasen excuse me; my apologies
sūtra a Buddhist scripture
taijutsu the Art of the Body (hand-to-hand combat)
tantō short knife
Taryu-Jiai interschool martial arts competition
tatami floor matting
tessen iron fan
torii a distinctive Japanese gate found at the entrance to Shinto shrines
wagesa a stole, a strip of cloth worn by monks and priests
wakizashi side-arm short sword
wako Japanese pirates
yuloh a large, heavy sculling oar used in the Far East
Japanese names usually consist of a family name (surname) followed by a given name, unlike in the Western world where the given name comes before the surname. In feudal Japan, names reflected a person’s social status and spiritual beliefs. Also, when addressing someone, san is added to that person’s surname (or given names in less formal situations) as a sign of courtesy, in the same way that we use Mr or Mrs in English, and for higher-status people sama is used. In Japan, sensei is usually added after a person’s name if they are a teacher, although in the Young Samurai books a traditional English order has been retained. Boys and girls are usually addressed using kun and chan, respectively.
Acknowledgements
This seventh book in the Young Samurai series was a true voyage of discovery, terror and excitement. For one thing, I didn’t know if I would ever reach my destination – a book is like an open ocean: formidable, unpredictable and awe-inspiring. Luckily, I was accompanied on my voyage by my ever-faithful crew.
Thank you and love to my family: my gorgeous and understanding wife, Sarah, my hardworking Mum and Dad, my supportive in-laws, Sue and Simon, my loyal Steve and Sam, and Karen, Rob and Thomas (who are family in my heart). And, of course, with the birth of my son, Zach, I had an extra passenger on-board while writing! Although you stopped me doing my duty as ‘captain’ of the story for the first few months, you quickly turned into an indispensable member of my closest crew – giving me smiles when I needed them most, laughs when I was at my lowest, and love at all times of the day. I couldn’t have written this book without everyone’s wonderful support.
A huge thanks must also go to the engine of this ‘ship’: Charlie Viney, my agent and friend; Shannon Park, my editor; the Puffin team – Wendy Shakespeare, Julia Teece, Jayde Lynch, Vanessa Godden, Sara Flavell and Paul Young; and Franca Bernatavicius and Nicki Kennedy, my overseas agents.
Well done to Toby Cronshaw who won the Young Samurai website competition to suggest the name for the fearsome pirate leader who would be Jack’s adversary in this book. Your suggestion of Tatsumaki, which means ‘tornado’ and is also a respected Japanese name, was perfect. My pirate queen needed to be just like a tornado – to be able to appear out of nowhere, cause havoc and then disappear again into nothingness having taken what she needs, only leaving a legacy of confusion and emptiness.
Noah Benoit, long-time fan of the series, needs to be thanked for suggesting that Jack should have a female enemy character at some point. I hope Tatsumaki lived up to your expectations!
I’d also like to give credit to Jennifer Bell of Foyles bookshop, London, for suggesting the idea of having a monkey in the story. I hope you like Saru, because you breathed life into the little creature who became vital to Jack’s survival.
Finally, a true bow of respect goes to Tiwa Ethan Adelaja, Luneth Pangya and Sharuk Rahman for their fantastic Young Samurai Duelling Card entries! Anyone who wishes to download these brilliant Duelling Cards can find them at www.youngsamurai.com
Arigatō gozaimasu to all my faithful readers, librarians, teachers and booksellers!
Chris
Any fans can keep in touch with me and the progress of the Young Samurai series via the website www.youngsamurai.com
Disclaimer: Young Samurai: The Ring of Wind 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 Wind 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
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Penguin Books Ltd, Registered Offices: 80 Strand, London WC2R 0RL, England
puffinbooks.com
First published 2012
Text copyright © Chris Bradford, 2012
Cover illustration copyright © Paul Young, 2012
Map copyright © Robert Nelmes, 2008
Cover illustration by Paul Young
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
ISBN: 978-0-141-97099-8
Table of Contents
Map: The Japans – 17th Century
The Letter
1 Ambush
2 Trapped Like Crabs
3 Pilgrims
4 O-settai
5 Turning of the Tides
6 School of No Sword
7 Seasickness
8 Pirate War
9 Omishima Island
10 Warrior Spirit
11 Wind Demons
12 Close-Hauled
13 Sea Dragon
Young Samurai: The Ring of Wind Page 26
