claim to be a
samurai, yet you violate the very code of
bushido
– rectitude, honour and
loyalty. By turning me in, you’re betraying Masamoto-sama, my guardian and
your
friend.’
Sensei Kyuzo’s face contorted as a
battle of emotions played out – fury, guilt, sorrow, loathing – before they all hardened
into pure anger. ‘I owe
him
no allegiance. Not since he surrendered and
went into exile. He should have committed
seppuku
. Died with honour.’
‘Masamoto never surrendered!’
shot back Jack. ‘And if defeat is so shameful, then why didn’t
you
commit
seppuku
?’
Sensei Kyuzo stopped in his tracks and fixed
Jack with his beady eyes.
‘Because I’ve an old score to
settle first,’ he revealed, cracking his knuckles.
15
A Final Lesson
Sensei Kyuzo dropped into a fighting stance
and beckoned Jack to engage.
Even uninjured, Jack had been no match for
the hand-to-hand combat skills of his
taijutsu
master. And with one limb
incapacitated he was as good as dead.
So Jack reached for the
kunai
in
his belt.
Sensei Kyuzo was unperturbed by the
appearance of the weapon. ‘At least it’ll make the fight a bit more
challenging
,’ he mocked.
They circled the woodblock floor, their bare
feet scuffing across its polished surface. Sensei Kyuzo waited patiently for Jack to
make his move.
‘You can have first strike,’ he
promised, narrowing his eyes in anticipation.
Sensei Kyuzo’s confidence in his own
combat skills had turned to arrogance. Still, Jack knew this opening attack might be the
only chance he’d get. He had to find a gap in his
taijutsu
master’s
defence before committing to any strike.
At first glance there was no obvious
weakness, his sensei’s stance being near perfect. Then Jack noticed the lead left
handwas a little low. To a trained warrior, this was an open door
inviting a full-on assault. On the other hand, when dealing with an opponent as cunning
as Sensei Kyuzo, Jack knew such a defensive error could equally be a trap.
He decided to feign an attack at the
supposed opening, then switch to a low thrust to the ribs.
As the
kunai
jabbed high, Sensei
Kyuzo shifted his arm to block the attack. Tricked by the bluff, his left-hand side was
now exposed and Jack changed the
kunai
’s trajectory. But Sensei Kyuzo had
been ready for it. His right fist shot across, the knuckles targeting the back of
Jack’s right wrist. They struck a nerve point, causing Jack’s hand to spasm,
and he lost grip on the
kunai
. The weapon flew across the room and clattered
into the darkness.
Before Jack could retreat out of range,
Sensei Kyuzo countered with disconcerting speed. His left fist targeted Jack’s
lower ribs. Jack buckled under the paralysing blow. A right hook caught his eye. Then a
left uppercut to the jaw floored him. Seeing stars and his head ringing with pain, Jack
writhed on the ground, an easy target. But his
taijutsu
master made no attempt
to finish him off.
‘Get up!’ snarled Sensei Kyuzo,
a malicious glint in his eyes.
As he recovered from the hammer-like blows,
Jack realized the old man intended to extend and
enjoy
the fight. While he had
no wish to give his teacher such pleasure, neither could he allow himself to be defeated
so easily. Wiping blood from a split lower lip, Jack pulled himself to his feet.
‘Have you not learnt anything
I’ve taught you?’ said Sensei Kyuzo in a disappointed tone. ‘Not that
I ever wanted to teach scum like you.’
With brutal force, he front-kicked Jack in the
chest and sent him skidding across the floor. This time Sensei Kyuzo had hit
Jack’s solar plexus. Feeling as if his lungs had imploded, Jack found himself
fighting for every snatch of breath. Sensei Kyuzo approached unhurried, relishing
Jack’s suffering. He flexed his fingers in readiness for the next barrage of
blows.
Despite being half-crippled from the
after-effects of the kick,
samurai, yet you violate the very code of
bushido
– rectitude, honour and
loyalty. By turning me in, you’re betraying Masamoto-sama, my guardian and
your
friend.’
Sensei Kyuzo’s face contorted as a
battle of emotions played out – fury, guilt, sorrow, loathing – before they all hardened
into pure anger. ‘I owe
him
no allegiance. Not since he surrendered and
went into exile. He should have committed
seppuku
. Died with honour.’
‘Masamoto never surrendered!’
shot back Jack. ‘And if defeat is so shameful, then why didn’t
you
commit
seppuku
?’
Sensei Kyuzo stopped in his tracks and fixed
Jack with his beady eyes.
‘Because I’ve an old score to
settle first,’ he revealed, cracking his knuckles.
15
A Final Lesson
Sensei Kyuzo dropped into a fighting stance
and beckoned Jack to engage.
Even uninjured, Jack had been no match for
the hand-to-hand combat skills of his
taijutsu
master. And with one limb
incapacitated he was as good as dead.
So Jack reached for the
kunai
in
his belt.
Sensei Kyuzo was unperturbed by the
appearance of the weapon. ‘At least it’ll make the fight a bit more
challenging
,’ he mocked.
They circled the woodblock floor, their bare
feet scuffing across its polished surface. Sensei Kyuzo waited patiently for Jack to
make his move.
‘You can have first strike,’ he
promised, narrowing his eyes in anticipation.
Sensei Kyuzo’s confidence in his own
combat skills had turned to arrogance. Still, Jack knew this opening attack might be the
only chance he’d get. He had to find a gap in his
taijutsu
master’s
defence before committing to any strike.
At first glance there was no obvious
weakness, his sensei’s stance being near perfect. Then Jack noticed the lead left
handwas a little low. To a trained warrior, this was an open door
inviting a full-on assault. On the other hand, when dealing with an opponent as cunning
as Sensei Kyuzo, Jack knew such a defensive error could equally be a trap.
He decided to feign an attack at the
supposed opening, then switch to a low thrust to the ribs.
As the
kunai
jabbed high, Sensei
Kyuzo shifted his arm to block the attack. Tricked by the bluff, his left-hand side was
now exposed and Jack changed the
kunai
’s trajectory. But Sensei Kyuzo had
been ready for it. His right fist shot across, the knuckles targeting the back of
Jack’s right wrist. They struck a nerve point, causing Jack’s hand to spasm,
and he lost grip on the
kunai
. The weapon flew across the room and clattered
into the darkness.
Before Jack could retreat out of range,
Sensei Kyuzo countered with disconcerting speed. His left fist targeted Jack’s
lower ribs. Jack buckled under the paralysing blow. A right hook caught his eye. Then a
left uppercut to the jaw floored him. Seeing stars and his head ringing with pain, Jack
writhed on the ground, an easy target. But his
taijutsu
master made no attempt
to finish him off.
‘Get up!’ snarled Sensei Kyuzo,
a malicious glint in his eyes.
As he recovered from the hammer-like blows,
Jack realized the old man intended to extend and
enjoy
the fight. While he had
no wish to give his teacher such pleasure, neither could he allow himself to be defeated
so easily. Wiping blood from a split lower lip, Jack pulled himself to his feet.
‘Have you not learnt anything
I’ve taught you?’ said Sensei Kyuzo in a disappointed tone. ‘Not that
I ever wanted to teach scum like you.’
With brutal force, he front-kicked Jack in the
chest and sent him skidding across the floor. This time Sensei Kyuzo had hit
Jack’s solar plexus. Feeling as if his lungs had imploded, Jack found himself
fighting for every snatch of breath. Sensei Kyuzo approached unhurried, relishing
Jack’s suffering. He flexed his fingers in readiness for the next barrage of
blows.
Despite being half-crippled from the
after-effects of the kick,
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