First Mission by Chris Bradford

Author:Chris Bradford
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Barrington Stoke
Published: 2020-05-15T00:00:00+00:00

“Grandmaster!” cries Cho, running through the gateway. “The Scrolls have been stolen!”

We both turn to her in shock. The Scrolls are the secret teachings of the ninja. Written upon them is everything the Grandmaster knows, and all that the Grandmasters before him knew – weapon skills, hand-to-hand fighting methods, the Seven Disguises, the Sixteen Secret Fists, the Death Touch, deadly poisons and even ninja magic.

“What happened?” asks the Grandmaster.

“I visited the Hidden Shrine as you asked,” replies Cho, out of breath, “but when I got there it had been attacked.”

“What about Monk Osamu who was guarding it?” asks the Grandmaster. On his old face I see worry for his old friend.

“He’s alive but badly beaten.”

“Does he know who did this?”

Cho nods. “They were samurai. They wore the black eagle crest of Lord Oda’s army.”

The Grandmaster gives a deep sigh. “This comes as no surprise.”

I clench my fists in anger at the news. For as long as I can remember, Lord Oda has been our enemy. While some samurai hire the ninja as spies and assassins, most do not trust us and a few, like Lord Oda, want to destroy us all. What makes it worse for me is that this samurai lord murdered my father during the Battle of Black Eagle thirteen years ago. Because of him, I never met my father.

“We must get back the Scrolls,” the Grandmaster says, slamming his fist into his palm. “Lord Oda must not learn our secrets. If he does, our clan is doomed. He will defeat us. Tell me, when did the attack take place?”

“Early this morning,” Cho replies.

“We still have time,” the Grandmaster says. “Black Eagle Castle is a day’s march from the Hidden Shrine, but a ninja can speed-run there in half the time. Send our two best ninja at once.”

“All our ninja are on a mission,” Cho tells him.

The Grandmaster strokes his grey beard, thinking hard. “Cho, you must go alone then. It’ll be very dangerous, but – ”

“I’ll go with Cho,” I say.

“This is not a test, Taka,” replies the Grandmaster. “You could get killed.”

“You told me that being a black belt is a state of mind. That I must believe in myself. Well, I can do this if you give me the chance.”

“I know how you feel about Lord Oda,” the Grandmaster says. “You want to fight him for what he did to your father. But you cannot allow the wish for revenge to take away your focus. That could lead to failure.”

“I seek justice, not revenge,” I reply. “To get back the Scrolls will be justice.”

The Grandmaster stares at me. I know he can’t see, but it feels like he’s looking deep into my soul.

“So be it,” he says with a grave look on his face. “Complete the mission and nothing else. The fate of our clan is now in your hands.”

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