Chereads / Young Samurai Book 1 The Way Of The Warrior / Chapter 37 - Chapter 36 : The Demon And The Butterfly

Chapter 37 - Chapter 36 : The Demon And The Butterfly

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.