The Ring Of Earth Part 11

Over the past two weeks, Jack had not only continued practising evasion and escape tactics, but had been introduced to the ninja's version of taijutsu taijutsu. Initially surprised at how different the unarmed combat training was from that of the Niten Ichi Ry Niten Ichi Ry, he now appreciated the effectiveness of their style and found it appealing. The aim behind their taijutsu taijutsu wasn't necessarily to kill, but to fight their way through to a means of escape. And while the samurai rigorously drilled their moves to perfection, the ninja rarely practised a technique more than five times in any session. wasn't necessarily to kill, but to fight their way through to a means of escape. And while the samurai rigorously drilled their moves to perfection, the ninja rarely practised a technique more than five times in any session.

'A rigid system is open to attack,' the Grandmaster had explained in their first taijutsu taijutsu lesson. 'Any formal structure has weakness inherent within it. That's the flaw in the samurai's fighting art. Take the foundations from the house and it collapses.' lesson. 'Any formal structure has weakness inherent within it. That's the flaw in the samurai's fighting art. Take the foundations from the house and it collapses.'

Soke had demonstrated this on Jack, asking for a cla.s.sic samurai attack. Neatly evading his cross-punch, Soke had stepped on Jack's lead foot, then knocked the back of his knee to take away his balance. Jack was so distracted by this that, before he could retaliate, Soke had him in a painful armlock and was sweeping him to the ground.

'There's no right or wrong way in ninjutsu ninjutsu,' the Grandmaster had gone on to say. 'It only has to work. Each attack you'll encounter is unique in terms of distance and timing, so each response should be unique in its own way. Learn the basic principles, then apply them with a flexible mind.'

Every taijutsu taijutsu lesson so far had been a painful experience. But none more so than today when Soke had partnered him with Miyuki to run through the most crippling locking techniques. lesson so far had been a painful experience. But none more so than today when Soke had partnered him with Miyuki to run through the most crippling locking techniques.

Jack stood up, ma.s.saging his throbbing thumb. The morning sun was now filtering through the trees into the glade, but the lesson was far from over. The other students were tirelessly practising different hand-to-hand strikes.

'Good work, Miyuki,' said Soke, nodding with approval at her execution of the thumb lock. 'I think it's time you taught Jack the Sixteen Secret Fists of the ninja.'

Miyuki stared at Soke, taken aback by his suggestion. 'Does he really really need to know them all?' need to know them all?'

Soke nodded.

'As you wish, Grandmaster,' she said, reluctantly bowing to his request.

'Jack,' said Soke, 'you may be familiar through your samurai training with a few of these techniques the use of the fist, edge of the hand, elbow or knee to strike with. But the ninja don't limit themselves to this. We see the whole body as a weapon. Miyuki, please demonstrate Demon Horn Fist.'

Without warning, Miyuki charged head first into Jack. Her forehead struck his ribcage, knocking him to the ground. Jack landed heavily, wheezing for breath.

'I admire your eagerness, Miyuki, but that may have been a little too too hard,' cautioned Soke. hard,' cautioned Soke.

'I held back,' she protested, raising her hands in innocence. 'I didn't break his ribs, did I?'

You weren't far off it, thought Jack, knowing Miyuki was trying to a.s.sert her dominance again.

'It's all right,' said Jack as he took a breath and brushed himself down. 'I should have been in a stronger stance.'

'Very well,' said Soke. 'Continue demonstrating the rest of the techniques. But be careful, especially with the Eight Leaves Fist.'

He gave Miyuki a stern look before wandering off to check on the other students' progress.

'What's the Eight Leaves Fist?' asked Jack.

Cupping her hands, Miyuki slapped Jack either side of the head on his ears. Even though the attack was relatively soft, Jack reeled from the unexpected strike. His legs buckled momentarily and he lurched to one side.

'Done properly properly,' Miyuki explained, smirking as Jack had to lean against a tree to steady himself, 'the Eight Leaves Fist can cause loss of balance and and deafness in your enemy.' deafness in your enemy.'

'I can understand why,' said Jack, his ears still ringing.

'This one's called Extended Knuckle Fist.'

Folding her fingers at the second knuckle, she raked them down the centre of his chest. In spite of himself, Jack cried out. The attack was excruciating. Before he could recover, she went on to the next.

'This one's Finger Needle Fist.'

Standing in front of Jack, Miyuki closed her right hand to leave only the little finger protruding.

'What are you going to do with that that?' asked Jack warily. The digit appeared too fragile for any meaningful strike.

'It's for soft targets. Like the eyes or ...'

Reaching over, Miyuki inserted her little finger into his left ear and pressed deep into the ca.n.a.l. Before he knew it, an arc of pain like lightning coursed through Jack's body.

'That hurts!' he exclaimed, standing on tiptoes to relieve the agony.

'It should do,' she said calmly. 'I've targeted a kyusho kyusho point.' point.'

'Please, that's enough!'

'But how are you going to understand the effectiveness of these techniques if you don't experience them for yourself? Some samurai you are!'

She removed her finger, releasing the nerve point, and the pain instantly stopped. 'Perhaps we should end the lesson.'

'No!' shot back Jack.

'Then stop complaining.'

'I just have an aversion to unnecessary torture, that's all,' argued Jack.

'Well, you're clearly not man enough to be a ninja,' she retorted.

Riled by the implication, Jack did did stop complaining. But by the end of the session, he felt bruised and battered all over. Miyuki hadn't held back in her demonstration of any of the Sixteen Secret Fists even to the point of knocking him temporarily unconscious with Fall Down Fist. Yet, in a single session, her phenomenal skill had helped him understand how to apply the different fists and their effectiveness in combat. stop complaining. But by the end of the session, he felt bruised and battered all over. Miyuki hadn't held back in her demonstration of any of the Sixteen Secret Fists even to the point of knocking him temporarily unconscious with Fall Down Fist. Yet, in a single session, her phenomenal skill had helped him understand how to apply the different fists and their effectiveness in combat.

'Excellent work, both of you,' commended Soke, drawing the training to a close. 'Jack, you've been extraordinarily fast in grasping the principles.'

'I've had a very dedicated dedicated teacher,' Jack replied, smiling coolly at Miyuki. teacher,' Jack replied, smiling coolly at Miyuki.

'I'm sure she was,' said Soke, a knowing smile on his face. 'Why else do you think I chose her!'

As the Grandmaster went to dismiss the cla.s.s formally, Miyuki whispered out of the corner of her mouth, 'Soke may be pleased, but I'm not so easily impressed. Don't outstay your welcome, samurai. You're not not a ninja, and you a ninja, and you never never will be.' will be.'

Miyuki turned and strode off in the direction of the village.

Jack was taken aback by her continued animosity. The other ninja were beginning to accept him and he couldn't think of any reason to deserve such spite. Recalling his training with Akiko at the Niten Ichi Ry Niten Ichi Ry, Jack wondered how two warrior girls could be so different.

Akiko and Miyuki were like fire and ice.

Training had been a pleasure with Akiko. With Miyuki, it was a trial. If Soke hadn't held her in so much esteem, Jack would have sworn Miyuki was the ninja sister of Kazuki. Though a gifted martial artist, Miyuki acted as hard and unforgiving as a rock and was almost as malicious as his old school rival.

Akiko was equally talented, possessing an inner strength like the steel of a samurai blade. But she had a gentle side, a warmth and a compa.s.sion for others that knew no bounds.

Jack missed her deeply.

21.

RICE P PAPER.

Hanzo shot by the house at full pelt. Close behind was Kobei, followed by two other boys. Wondering what the urgency was, Jack stopped his stealth-walking practice in the paddy field and watched them hurtle down the road. But as they sprinted past the other villagers, n.o.body seemed alarmed at their haste. When the four boys reached the pond, they rounded the large hanging tree and raced back up the road. Approaching the house once more, Jack noticed they all wore straw hats on their chests.

'What are are you doing?' cried Jack. you doing?' cried Jack.

'Speed ... training,' gasped Hanzo, drawing nearer.

'But why the hats?'

'Makes-you-go-faster,' replied Hanzo, zooming past without stopping. 'Can't ... let them ... fall.'

Hanzo disappeared up the road towards the shrine, a trail of dust following in his wake. Kobei was still hot on his heels, but the other two boys now lagged far behind. This at least explained Hanzo's remarkable pace in the escape run.

'Impressive, isn't he?'

Jack turned round to see Soke, his bright eyes gazing proudly in Hanzo's direction.

'He's certainly full of surprises,' agreed Jack. 'After barely a few lessons, he's skilful enough to wield a real sword. It's as if he was born with it in his hands. Where does he get it from? His parents? Or you?'

'No, no, no ... He's a natural. Much like yourself.'

'Me?' said Jack, surprised by the compliment.

Soke nodded. 'I was concerned your samurai training would be a barrier to ninjutsu ninjutsu, but you've mastered the basic principles very quickly. Even more impressive, you've already become quite adept at s.h.i.+n.o.bi aruki s.h.i.+n.o.bi aruki,' Soke commended. A wry smile then graced his old worn face. 'Certainly better than when you tried to sneak up on me and Momochi having tea the other week.'

Jack's face flushed with shame.

'Don't worry. Spying is exactly exactly the sort of skill you should be refining as a ninja.' the sort of skill you should be refining as a ninja.'

'Maybe it's time I left,' said Jack, mortified at being caught. 'I've already delayed more than I should.'

'Nonsense,' said Soke, waving his hand dismissively. 'You've only taken your first steps in comprehending the Five Rings. It would be irresponsible of me to let you leave half-trained.'

'But Momochi '

'Momochi is just being paranoid,' Soke interrupted. 'But that's a good thing. It's important that somebody questions matters. Momochi's suspicious nature has paid off on many occasions. He has a nose for trouble.'

'I should should go then,' Jack insisted. 'I have no wish to endanger the village more than I have.' go then,' Jack insisted. 'I have no wish to endanger the village more than I have.'

Despite his n.o.ble words, Jack didn't really want to leave. He felt protected within the valley. Granted, he was worried by Momochi's intentions, but he was more concerned about the samurai who hunted him. Not that he wanted to stay any longer than necessary among the ninja; it was just that the ninjutsu ninjutsu lessons were increasing his chances of reaching Nagasaki alive. lessons were increasing his chances of reaching Nagasaki alive.

Soke laid a rea.s.suring hand upon Jack's shoulder. 'Momochi's wrong in this instance. Shonin and I have spoken and he is of the same mind. The searches are dying down, but the samurai are still patrolling the borders. You should stay a while longer. Patience is not only a virtue; it can be a lifesaver for a ninja.'

Jack was relieved at the Shonin's decision, though he knew Miyuki wouldn't be thrilled at his continued presence and would most certainly try to make his life with the ninja as uncomfortable as possible.

'Follow me. It's time we perfected your stealth-walking,' said Soke, leading Jack back inside the house.

Laid out across the floor of the doma doma were long sheets of thin rice paper. They stretched from the doorway to the raised wooden floor and had been dampened with water. were long sheets of thin rice paper. They stretched from the doorway to the raised wooden floor and had been dampened with water.

'Your task is to cross the room without tearing the paper.'

Jack didn't think this was possible the sheets looked awfully fragile.

'You'll need to master uki-as.h.i.+ uki-as.h.i.+,' explained Soke. 'Floating feet technique.'

The Grandmaster stepped on to the paper with his tiptoes and very gently lowered his feet. 'Imagine each step is as light as a feather.'

Jack couldn't believe what he was seeing. The Grandmaster appeared to almost hover above the paper's surface. As Soke crossed the room, he didn't leave a single mark or footstep. To the untrained eye, it looked like magic.

'Now you try,' said Soke, mounting the raised wooden floor to observe his student.

Taking a breath, Jack carefully placed his toes down on the paper just as the Grandmaster had. So far, so good. Lowering the sole of his foot to the ground, he took a second step. But when he lifted his back foot, he heard the undeniable rip of paper.

'Call upon the Ring of Wind,' Soke advised. 'Float, don't walk.'

Jack tried again, summoning up feelings of lightness and imagining he was a feather. His balance was much improved from all the paddy-field practice, but still his feet tore the rice paper every time.

At that moment the door opened and Hanzo, hot and out of breath, charged in.

'Floating feet!' he cried. 'I love this!'

Kicking off his sandals, he joined Jack in the task. 'Bet I can reach the other side before you do, tengu tengu!'

'It's not a race, Hanzo,' chided Soke gently. 'If you're not careful, one day your impetuosity will be your downfall.'

As if to prove Soke's point, there was a sound of tearing as Hanzo tried to overtake Jack.

'It's only a little little rip,' defended Hanzo, bringing his thumb and forefinger close together to show how insignificant it was. rip,' defended Hanzo, bringing his thumb and forefinger close together to show how insignificant it was.

Soke shook his head. 'A tear is a tear. Even the slightest error of judgement can ruin a mission. Remember that. Your life may depend upon it.'

'Yes, Soke,' replied Hanzo, abashed.

'Uki-as.h.i.+ takes patience to perfect,' instructed Soke. 'But once you master it, you'll be able to cross any surface without making a sound.' takes patience to perfect,' instructed Soke. 'But once you master it, you'll be able to cross any surface without making a sound.'

'Even a Nightingale Floor?' Jack asked.

Two years ago, daimyo daimyo Takatomi, the lord of Kyoto Province, had invited Jack to his castle and demonstrated this remarkable security feature for preventing an a.s.sa.s.sination a wooden floor constructed on metal hinges that trilled like a bird with the pressure of a single foot. No one could walk across it without alerting the guards supposedly, not even a ninja. Takatomi, the lord of Kyoto Province, had invited Jack to his castle and demonstrated this remarkable security feature for preventing an a.s.sa.s.sination a wooden floor constructed on metal hinges that trilled like a bird with the pressure of a single foot. No one could walk across it without alerting the guards supposedly, not even a ninja.

'That is the most challenging of crossings to train for,' admitted Soke. 'I know of only one man who has achieved such a feat.'

'Will you show me how, Grandfather?' asked Hanzo eagerly.