The Way Of The Dragon Read Online Free

his
shuko
claws primed to strike and rip the skin from his back. Jack crawled on all fours, desperate to get away. The ninja crouched winding up to strike.
    Jack pulled himself to his feet and stumbled into the thicket, but he knew he had little chance of survival. His fate was sealed as a third ninja dropped down in front of him and blocked his escape.
    This ninja wore a black
shinobi shozoku
.
    For a moment, no one moved.
    Then the black ninja kicked Jack in the chest, throwing him backwards. At the same time a
shuriken
knife plunged into a bamboo stem right where Jack had just been standing.
    Before Jack could register what had happened, the black ninja attacked him again. This time sweeping him off his feet. He landed hard upon the ground only to see the green ninja above him, in mid-strike, his
shuko
claws swiping through thin air instead of gouging deep into Jack’s back.
    The green ninja hissed in frustration, then glared in furious amazement at the black ninja. He struck with his claws, but the black ninja blocked and countered with a lightning spear-hand thrust to the throat. The green ninja gagged and staggered backwards. He went on the attack again, swiping with his
shuko
, but the black ninja stood his ground, calmly drew a
tantō
and sliced a cruel line across the green ninja’s chest. Staring down in shock as blood soaked his chest, the green ninja backed away, then fled in panic into the thicket.
    The black ninja turned on Jack, blade in hand.
    Jack stared up in terror.
    ‘Jack!’ came a cry.
    The black ninja didn’t hesitate.
    Flicking the blood from the blade, the ninja leapt up a bamboo stem, disappeared into the canopy and was gone.
    Moments later, Yamato burst through the thicket to find Jack lying on the ground, his arms bloodied and his face a curious combination of fear and disbelief.
    ‘Are you all right?’ demanded Yamato, his
bō
staff raised to fight. ‘I found Orochi dead. What happened?’
    ‘We were attacked by ninja and they killed him,’ replied Jack, grimacing as he inspected his wounds. Though the score marks weren’t deep, they were painful. ‘Then they came after me, but… but I was saved by another ninja.’
    ‘Saved? Are you sure you haven’t fallen on your head?’ said Yamato, helping him to his feet. ‘The ninja are our sworn enemy.’
    ‘I’m sure of it. Twice this ninja stopped the other one killing me.’
    ‘Well, I’ve never heard of a guardian ninja!’ laughed Yamato. ‘Whatever the reason, you should be grateful.’
    ‘Yes. But what
is
the reason?’
    ‘Who knows, but we’d better get back to Akiko if ninja are around.’
    ‘First, let’s search this ninja,’ replied Jack, going over to the prone body of the fallen assassin.
    ‘But what about Akiko?’
    ‘It won’t take long. Besides, she can handle herself.’ They both knew this to be true, though Jack didn’t want to admit that she was still weak from her poisoning and therefore vulnerable. He would have to work quickly.
    ‘What are you looking for?’ asked Yamato.
    ‘I don’t know,’ answered Jack, rifling through the man’s garments. ‘A clue of some sort.’
    Yamato looked around uneasily, worried the other ninja would come back. Jack beckoned him over.
    ‘Look at this.’ Jack held up the man’s hand. ‘A finger’s missing.’ He pulled off the cowl to reveal the ninja’s face. A thin stream of blood ran out of the corner of the man’s mouth.
    ‘So what?’ said Yamato.
    ‘Don’t you recognize him? He was one of the customers who entered the bar after us. No wonder Orochi ran. He must have known they were after him.’
    Jack continued to search the ninja. He found a length of hooked climbing rope attached to the back of his belt, five
shuriken
stars, some
tetsu bishi
spikes in a pouch and an
inro
case containing several pills and some unidentifiable powder. On the man’s hip was a
tantō
.
    Jack unsheathed the knife, cursing as the blade cut into his thumb.
    ‘Careful,