Young Samurai: The Ring of Sky Read Online Free

as curious residents peered out to see what
     all the commotion was about.
    ‘The
onsen
owners claim the
     baths work wonders on the body and spirit,’ explained Benkei. ‘Let me show
     you one.’ He suddenly switched right towards a large wooden building with a
     thatched bamboo roof and barged through a set of double doors.
    Baffled by his companion’s mid-chase
     tour, Jack nonetheless followed him inside. They skidded on the polished wooden floor of
     the reception area and knocked over a display of perfectly arranged flowers.
    ‘This way!’ cried Benkei,
     ignoring the protests of the bath attendants.
    He led Jack down a corridor into a room
     clouded with steam. Several bathers were relaxing in a sunken pool fed by a natural hot
     spring. Shocked by the sudden intrusion, they sat gaping like wide-mouthed frogs in the
     milky water.
    ‘Where now?’ said Jack, unable
     to spot a way out.
    ‘Wrong turn!’ Benkei cried
     apologetically, racing back to the door.
    The first samurai entered the
onsen
. Benkei snatched up a wooden bucket full of hot water and threw it over
     the warrior. The samurai gasped in surprise but kept coming, so Benkei threw the bucket
     itself. It struck the warrior in the head,stunning him. Jack finished
     him off with Fall Down Fist, as the second samurai charged in, sword drawn. Benkei
     grabbed a towel from a terrified bather. Twirling it, he threw the towel into the
     samurai’s face. The momentary distraction gave Jack the opportunity to side-kick
     the samurai into the steaming bath. He landed with an almighty splash among the
     dumbstruck bathers.
    ‘Impressive kick,
nanban
!’ said Benkei. ‘Let’s get out of here.’
    Returning to the corridor, they ran down to
     the last door. Screams filled the air as female guests grabbed their robes.
    ‘
Sumimasen!
’ apologized
     Benkei, pretending to cover his eyes. ‘Just passing through.’
    Jack respectfully averted his gaze as they
     dashed to the opposite side of the
onsen
. Sliding open a door, they emerged
     into a well-tended garden with rock pools and waterfalls. Steam rose from a number of
     natural stone
rotenburo
where more bathers soaked in the super-heated
     waters.
    ‘Pity we can’t stay,’
     remarked Benkei. ‘I could do with a bath.’
    Leaping over a bubbling pool of pink-fleshed
     guests, Benkei and Jack ran through the garden as cries of outrage and alarm followed
     them. They clambered over a stone wall and dropped into a backstreet, before quickly
     ducking into a deserted alleyway. From behind the shelter of a woodpile, they peered
     out.
    ‘I think … we’ve lost
     them,’ said Benkei, wiping the sweat from his brow.
    Jack started to nod his agreement, when
     there was a bellow from the other end of the alley.
    ‘Stop right there,
gaijin
!’ snarled the sour-faced samurai. ‘And you,
     Benkei.’
    The rest of the patrol, their swords drawn,
     stood in formation behind their leader.
    ‘Then again, maybe not!’
     admitted Benkei, holding up his hands in surrender.

6
  
Nine Hells of Beppu
    ‘By order of the Shogun, you’re
     under arrest for treason,’ declared the patrol leader, striding down the alley
     towards them.
    ‘
What?
’ exclaimed
     Benkei in genuine shock. ‘I only hoodwinked the local magistrate.’
    ‘Not you, idiot. The
gaijin
.
     But don’t think you’ll escape punishment. You’re an accomplice
     now.’
    ‘You’d best arm yourself,
     Benkei,’ Jack suggested, unsheathing his
katana
as the patrol
     advanced.
    ‘You’re the one with the swords.
     You fight them.’ Benkei began to back away. ‘My mother always said, when in
     trouble … 
run
!’
    Hightailing it up the street, Benkei left
     Jack to fend for himself. Outnumbered ten to one, Jack decided that Benkei’s
     mother might be right in this instance. Cutting the ropes binding the woodpile, he
     shoved his shoulder into it with all his might. The logs rolled and clattered their way
     down the alley. They