It was not even midday, but the Butokuden was already stiflingly hot. The
students of both schools lined the edges of the hall, fanning themselves like
a cloud of butterflies, while countless others were peering in through the
slatted windows.
Masamoto came and found Jack, Akiko and Saburo getting ready for the
next round. He congratulated Akiko on her outstanding kyujutsu
performance and offered each of them words of encouragement for the
forthcoming taijutsu match.
'Remember the second virtue of bushido,' he said with gusto as he left to
take his place in the Butokuden. 'Courage!'
'Those are fine words,' said Saburo to Jack when Masamoto had gone,
'but it's not courage we need, it's a miracle!'
Jack gave Saburo a despairing look and shrugged despondently as he got
changed into a fresh set of clothes, firmly tying an obi round his blue
fighting gi. When they were all ready, Jack, Akiko and Saburo entered the
Butokuden and formed a line in front of the ceremonial dais.
Masamoto and Kamakura sat within the curving alcove of the Hall, two
emperors waiting for their gladiators to fight. Kamakura was less buoyant
than before, while Masamato exuded an air of quiet confidence following
his school's first victory.
'Round two, taijutsu!' announced the Imperial Court official, then giving
a glance in Raiden's direction said, 'This is not a death match. A win will
be awarded either by points, submission or knockout only.'
Raiden gave a dismissive shrug that clearly implied he had no intention
of following the rules.
'During each match, points will be awarded for execution of technique.
Ippon is a full and winning point given for a demonstration of perfect
technique. Waza-ari is half a point for a near-perfect technique – two wazaari equals a winning ippon. Yoku and Koka are given for lesser techniques
and will only count if, at the end of a stick of time, there is no outright
winner. The school with the most matches earns this round.'
Like the roar of a pack of lions the crowd cheered, their shouts
reverberating around the Butokuden.
'First match. Akiko versus Moriko. Line up!'
Akiko's face lost much of its colour at the mention of her name.
'You'll be fine,' encouraged Jack. 'Remember what Sensei Kyuzo always
says: "Tomorrow's victory is today's practice." Well, we've practised more
than enough to win.'
And it was true. The diminutive Sensei Kyuzo had been the most
demanding of all the sensei. It was almost as if the man had resented having
to teach them and so had punished them with extra tough training. They had
rigorously gone over technique after technique. He had drilled the basics
and nothing else.
'What about other techniques like ren-geri, multiple kicks?' Saburo had
complained one day and then had to do fifty press-ups for insolence, while
Sensei Kyuzo explained, 'Kihon waza is all you need. Multiple kicks are
too open for countering. A good solid block or punch is far more effective. I
told you, the basics are for battle.'
And it would be a battle. The Yagyu girl, Moriko, hissed and bared her
black teeth as she faced Akiko for their bout.
'Rei!' said the official, and the girls bowed to Masamoto and Kamakura
and then to one another. A stick of incense in a brass bowl was lit to mark
time and the official cried, 'Hajime!'
At once, Moriko launched herself at Akiko, firing off a front kick, then a
roundhouse kick and then a back kick. Akiko retreated defensively,
attempting to counter the blitz of attacks. She managed to deflect the front
kick, just dodged the roundhouse, but was caught on the hip by the back
kick. She went spinning to the floor. Moriko jumped forward to finish her
off with a fumikomi, stomping kick.
'YAME!' cried the official, halting Moriko's vicious attack. 'Waza-ari to
Moriko!'
The Yagyu School cheered its approval. Jack was livid. He hated
watching Akiko in a fight. He wanted to rush out there and defend her, just
as she had once done for him.
'Rei!' said the official, and the girls bowed. 'Hajime!'
Moriko blitzed Akiko again, but this time Akiko was ready. She sidestepped, trapped Moriko's roundhouse with one arm and did a straight
palm-heel strike to the chest, sweeping Moriko's standing leg at the same
time. A simple yet highly effective block and counter, but Moriko grabbed
Akiko as she went down and made her perfect technique appear messy.
'YAME!' cried the official, halting the bout. 'Waza-ari to Akiko!'
The Niten Ichi Ryū went wild. The two girls were even.
'Rei!' said the official, and the girls bowed. 'Hajime!' This time Moriko
kept her distance.
They circled one another, Moriko hissing like a black cat. They each
feigned attacks, before Moriko made a sudden grab for Akiko's lead arm.
Akiko countered, but then they were grappling, each trying to get the upper
hand for a throw. Akiko was first and rolled her body in for an o-goshi, hip
throw. Moriko dropped her hips, lowering her centre of gravity and
preventing Akiko's throw. From behind she yanked viciously on Akiko's
hair.
Jack was one of the few to see it. Hair grabbing was prohibited, and
Moriko kept close, hiding the illegal move with her body. Akiko was
trapped. Moriko then foot-sweeped Akiko from behind, dragging her down
with her hair.
'YAME! Waza-ari to Moriko!' said the official, oblivious to Moriko's
cheating. 'First match goes to Yagyu Ryū!'
'I can't believe it!' said Jack, incensed, as Akiko knelt down next to him.
'How could the referee not see that?'
'Don't worry about my fight. It's over,' said Akiko, her face hot and
flushed with the exertion. 'Focus on yours. You have to win.'
'Second match. Raiden versus Jack. Line up!'
Jack's heart stopped for a beat. He was up against Raiden.
'Good luck, Jack,' whispered Yori, who was kneeling behind them with
the rest of their class.
'Yes, good luck, Jack,' said Emi warmly.
Her flirtatious tone was not lost on Akiko who stared at Emi in mute
astonishment.
'Thank you,' said Jack, somehow managing to smile back. Now there's a
first, he thought, Emi noticing him.
Then Kazuki caught his eye and Jack's amiable feelings evaporated.
Kazuki slid a finger across his throat.
His old enemy had been sulking ever since the hanami, for Jack was no
longer the gaijin of the school, but the hero. And Kazuki had been
sidelined. Now he was relishing the prospect of Jack's forthcoming bout.
There was no way on earth he could win and Kazuki knew no one liked a
loser.
Jack walked out into the centre of the Butokuden. The heat instantly
sapped his strength. There was not a breath of fresh air and bars of hot
sunlight scorched the wooden floor.
The hall appeared larger than ever to Jack, who felt tiny as an ant
opposite the giant that was Raiden. Raiden grinned and tilted his head from
side to side, loosening the joints in his neck with a sickening crack.
Jack was about to be torn into pieces.
He glanced over to his friends. Their faces reflected his fears like a
mirror.
Then he saw Sensei Yamada, Sensei Kyuzo and Sensei Hosokawa,
standing in the wings. Sensei Yamada bowed slightly, then indicated with
an open hand the size difference between Sensei Kyuzo and Sensei
Hosokawa. Jack immediately understood; size had never been an issue for
Sensei Kyuzo when fighting. It should not be for him either.
'Rei!' said the official.
Jack and Raiden bowed to Masamoto and Kamakura, then curtly to one
another. The official waited for another short stick of incense to be lit before
shouting, 'Hajime!'
Jack had decided on an all-or-nothing approach and, as Raiden lumbered
forward, Jack hit him with a front kick, then a roundhouse. But Raiden
merely batted his kicks away before throwing a single forearm blow. Jack
went flying and ended up sprawled on the floor.
'YAME!' cried the official. 'Koka to Raiden!'
Jack staggered to his feet, dazed but unhurt. Akiko and Saburo gave him
encouraging looks, but their support was undermined by Kazuki's gloating
face behind and Nobu miming himself getting hung by a noose.
'Hajime!'
Jack was barely ready when Raiden stomped on his front foot. Jack let
out a yelp and tried to get away, but his foot was trapped. Raiden swung a
large left hook. Jack ducked, feeling it pass over his head. But as he rose,
Raiden launched his right fist into Jack's face.
Jack blocked it with a solid age-uke, rising block, but he knew his time
was short if he didn't free himself quickly.
Jack dropped to his knees and, with all his weight, struck the inside of
Raiden's thigh, aiming directly at the nerve point Sensei Kyuzo had shown
them during training. Raiden howled in pain, releasing Jack's foot, but as he
staggered backwards, he managed to catch Jack with a messy but brutal
backhanded slap across the cheek.
Jack went flying for a second time.
'YAME!' called the official. 'Koka to Raiden!'
'Come on, Jack. You can beat him,' encouraged Akiko, but the groans
from the rest of Niten Ichi Ryū were a far more honest reflection of his
chances.
On the third attack Jack lasted a fraction longer, before being struck by
Raiden's forearm across the neck.
Jack crumpled to the floor.
'YAME!' called the official. 'Koka to Raiden!'
This time Jack stayed down and the official's count began.
'One… two…'
Raiden's 'clothesline' strike had knocked him senseless and Jack lay
there wishing it was all over. His head rung with pain, the cheering was a
wash of sound in his ears and the idea of giving up now was more inviting
than ever. He had no chance in this contest. His only hope was to finish the
bout alive and in one piece.
'three…'
Then he heard a voice above the murmur of the crowd.
'Seven times down, eight times up!'
Jack shook his head, trying to clear it. The hall came back into focus and
the voice gained clarity.
'four…'
'Seven times down, eight times up!'
It was Yori. He was shouting at Jack. 'Seven times down, eight times
up!'
'five…'
Yori was telling him not to give up. All Jack's lessons suddenly came
together as one. He could not accept defeat.
'six…'
He had to conquer his own doubt and fear. Sensei Yamada's words rang
in his head. 'In order to be walked upon, you have to be lying down.'
'seven…'
'Seven times down, eight times up!'
He could now hear Saburo and Akiko joining in Yori's chant, along with
several of the other students.
'eight…'
He would not be defeated without a fight.
'nine…'
Jack forced himself to his feet. The crowd roared, eager to see the gaijin
fly again. The count stopped and Jack staggered into line.
'Hajime!' said the official without giving Jack any further chance to
recover.
Raiden thundered forward.
Jack blocked his first attack.
Raiden lumbered past, turned and charged again. Jack managed to get a
strike into Raiden's side, but Raiden hammer-fisted Jack in the chest and he
was projected backwards, landing heavily near Akiko.
'YAME!' called the official. 'Koka to Raiden!'
Akiko looked distraught, but Jack got up and tried again.
'YAME!' called the official, as once again Jack was driven to the ground
like a rag doll. 'Koka to Raiden!'
Raiden took advantage of Jack's weakened state and executed ura
mawashi-geri, a hook kick, badly bruising Jack's ribs.
'YAME!' called the official, with a growing concern in his voice. 'Yoku to
Raiden!'
Jack was glad the floor was sprung, although the impact on landing still
hurt. He forced himself up again, wobbling slightly, just like the Daruma
Doll. Jack was now beginning to appreciate all the times Sensei Kyuzo had
made him uke. The experience had toughened him up against such constant
battering, exactly as Akiko had said it would.
'Half a stick of time remaining,' announced the official. 'Hajime!'
Raiden was now breathing heavily from the extended fight. He was
obviously used to his opponents giving up after one round. His face had
gone bright red and he was sweating like a pig.
He was slowing up too, noticed Jack, as he easily blocked Raiden's
mawashi-zuki, roundhouse punch. Then the realization struck him in a
blinding flash. Raiden sweating, reddened and tiring was not a pig. He was
a demon, the demon from Jack's vision!
Too tired to even attempt a proper technique, Raiden grabbed Jack and
with pure brute strength threw him across the dojo. Jack went skidding
across the floor on his back, coming to a halt at Sensei Yamada's feet.
'YAME!' called the official. 'Koka to Raiden!'
The Yagyu School went wild. In less than half a stick of time, the match
would be theirs. There was simply no way on earth Jack could win.
Jack stared up at Sensei Yamada, who leant expectantly over him as if in
prayer.
'Sensei! Raiden's the demon from my vision!' spluttered Jack. 'What
does that mean?'
Sensei Yamada simply opened and closed his hands like the wings of a
butterfly. The message was clear – Jack had to be the butterfly.
Jack picked himself up and tidied his blue fighting gi. Blue! Jack laughed
at how blatant his vision had been. He couldn't defeat Raiden through
strength, but he could win with skill, speed and stamina.
Jack changed tactics. Raiden clearly had poor technique, simply relying
on his size and weight to do the work for him. If Jack was quick and agile
like the butterfly, he could avoid the blows. Eventually Raiden would
exhaust himself, just like the demon in his vision. Jack only hoped he had
enough time remaining to tire the 'demon' out.
'Hajime!' announced the official.
The fight resumed.
However, keeping out of harm's way was easier said than done. Jack
couldn't simply run around the dojo. He had to remain close enough to
make Raiden attack him, force him to exert himself, but without landing a
strike.
Jack drew the fight on, flitting from one spot to another. He ducked,
weaved and dived, all the while the heat of the approaching midday sun
cooking the Butokuden and turning it into a furnace.
Raiden lashed out in frustration, his movements becoming more sluggish
as Jack dodged blow after blow. Sweat rolled down the boy's brow and into
his eyes. Wiping the sweat away, he dropped his guard slightly.
This was the chance Jack had been waiting for.
Jack knew there was no way a simple kick or punch could floor Raiden.
He would need to get past the boy's ape-like arms before even being able to
land an effective strike. There was only one option open to him, Chō-geri,
the butterfly kick. 'Whatever you believe, will be,' Sensei Yamada had said,
and at this moment Jack believed he could do it.
Without hesitation, Jack launched himself into the air. A season of
training converged into a single moment.
As Jack twisted in the air, his arms circling in the form of a butterfly for
control, he brought his right leg spinning round to catch Raiden's weakened
guard, knocking it clear, then his left leg shot past and slammed into
Raiden's jaw. Chō-geri connected and Raiden buckled under its force.
The whole Butokuden went eerily silent.
Jack landed neatly over the groaning body of his opponent just as the
incense burnt out and its last piece of ash fell into the dish.
'YAME!' called the astounded official. 'Ippon to Jack!'
Against all the odds, Jack had succeeded in performing chō-geri. He
could not believe it!
The Niten Ichi Ryū erupted in applause and Jack staggered to his corner,
leaving Raiden lying prone on the floor.
'That was amazing!' enthused Saburo who had rushed over to support
him.
'Where did you learn to kick like that?' called a voice from the crowd.
'What's it called?' demanded another. 'The flying gaijin?'
Jack was swamped by his fellow students, all wanting to be taught his
flying gaijin kick. Saburo pushed everyone back, reminding them to retain a
respectful distance.
Still in a daze from his victory, he knelt down while all the students
jostled to be as close to their newfound hero as possible.
The official was desperately calling for silence and gradually the crowd
settled down into an excited murmuring.
As everyone re-took their places, Jack could see Sensei Yamada, an
enigmatic smile on his lips, politely deferring to Sensei Kyuzo who was
apparently demanding an explanation for Jack's hidden talent for kicks.
'Final match. Saburo versus Yamato. Line up!' announced the official
and all eyes fell upon the two remaining competitors.
The match now level, this final bout was crucial.
If Saburo defeated Yamato, the Niten Ichi Ryū would be the victors of the
second round. Saburo was a competent fighter and there was a strong
possibility he could win. Yamato, however, had become an unknown factor.
Yamato squared up to Saburo.
Saburo gave a gracious smile but Yamato remained impervious, a barren
look in his eyes, as if he failed to recognize his former friend.
'Rei!' said the official, the two of them bowed and the incense was lit.
'Hajime!'
Yamato didn't move.
Saburo hesitated slightly, then struck with a clean front kick followed by
a solid reverse punch.
Yamato coolly evaded the kick, blocking Saburo's punch with his
forearm. Then in one lightning movement, he spun into Saburo and threw
him with a devastating seoinage, shoulder throw. Saburo sailed through the
air and landed hard on the wooden floor of the Butokuden.
'Ippon!' shouted the official over the exultant cheers. 'Round two goes to
Yagyu Ryu!'
The incense had barely begun to smoulder and the match was over.