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HANTEI
WA NO CONTEST
by Rawle Nyanzi
NOTE:
All Asiatic names are written in Asiatic order, with the family name
first (for example, Tanaka Ichiro, not Ichiro Tanaka.)
Mokuan Daigo stood watch over the
sand-filled ring set up in the middle of this tiny town of 2,000
people. Takako, the daughter of the local daimyo, sat in a high
chair, overlooking the ring and the spectators around it; she was
dressed in a kimono of fine, smooth silk, loose near the waist to
allow her legs to move. She had not styled her hair in any elaborate
manner, preferring to let it hang loose about her shoulders. A couple
of samurai stood guard on either side of the chair.
Daigo couldn't help but be
captivated by the girl's loveliness.
"I welcome all of you to the
first-ever Hessen Province Tournament of Strength! The winner will
join me in facing the demon who eats out the fish in the River
Takaramizu, and I shall enhance the winner's might so that he may
vanquish the menace," Takako said. Daigo gave a slight chuckle;
Hessen Province had only about 8,000 people at most, and its "daimyo"
was simply a man who grew wealthy by growing pleasure leaves. He
spoiled Takako, and it wasn't long before the girl assumed leadership
of the town just by being stubborn with everyone.
Daigo watched the first two
contestants enter the ring, but their little wrestling match didn't
interest him in the least, only Takako – her clear skin, her long
black hair, her amazing legs, her silly personality – occupied his
mind.
And he knew how to win her.
As the fight dragged on, Daigo
made his way through the crowd to Takako's high chair. The two
samurai – really just local tough guys who got their hands on
swords – glared at him, their hands on the hilts of their blades.
Without hesitation, Daigo lunged in and punched both samurai in the
face. The blows sent them stumbling to the ground, and the audience
gasped.
"What's going on down
there?" Takako asked, but Daigo ignored the question and grabbed
the bottom of the high chair. He heaved it backward, and lovely
Takako screamed as her lofty seat hurtled to the stones below. One of
the samurai on the other side caught the chair before it met the
ground, but the sudden stop made Takako tumble out.
Daigo rushed over to the girl and
tossed her over his shoulder with ease. The wrestlers, the samurai,
and the crowd turned to face him, stunned at his audacity. Daigo ran
for the edge of town, headed for the river so he could face the
demon. The samurai and the wrestlers gave chase, egged on by Takako's
cries for help.
Daigo gripped Takako's legs
tightly as she struggled in vain to break free. Though Takako was
slim, it took all the energy Daigo had to both carry his captive and
outrun the mob of men behind him. As his muscles burned, he kept up
the pace, determined to reach the river and face the demon. He staked
his honor on this; if he failed but survived, he would end his own
life.
But his meeting with destiny
arrived sooner than he anticipated.
Amidst the rice paddies, a
muscular kappa took up fighting stance, his powerful arms ready to
crush anyone who dared to cross him. He wore nothing but a helmet and
loincloth, and his beak had a knifelike edge that glinted in the sun.
Daigo stopped, as did the men chasing him.
"Kappa, I'm here to-"
The kappa stopped Daigo. "So
the young witch will help. A dishonorable way to duel, but I accept
your challenge all the same," he said. He bowed, but the helmet
prevented the water from falling out of his head, allowing him to
maintain his stamina.
"Fine by me," Daigo
answered. He put Takako on her feet, then stretched. "Takako,
you know what to do," he told her.
Takako made several hand seals,
then a wave of inhuman strength came over Daigo; he felt like he
could uproot a tree with his bare hands. He turned to the kappa and
got into a fighting stance. Daigo bowed to him, then rushed forward.
Daigo grabbed the amphibian, but
his hands slipped off of the oily skin every time. The kappa had no
such difficulty; he grabbed Daigo, lifted him high over his head,
then slammed him down onto the grass. Were it not for Takako's spell,
Daigo's back would have snapped. Daigo got up and tried to strike the
kappa this time. Though the demon blocked or evaded the first few
blows, his luck didn't last forever; Daigo landed solid strikes to
the kappa's chest and face that knocked him backwards but not off his
feet. The kappa tried for another grapple, but Daigo ducked and
uppercut the monster right in his chin, finally sending him to the
ground.
But he was far from being knocked
out.
Daigo went to sit on the kappa
and remove his helmet, but the slippery creature crawled away,
sideswiping Daigo's leg as he passed. Daigo ignored the pain and
glanced at where the creature was going.
A sharp pain ran through his
spine. He was going for Takako!
Daigo ignored his bleeding leg
and dashed toward his opponent. As the kappa crawled toward the girl,
she ran for the crowd. But both she and Daigo were too late. The
kappa grabbed Takako from behind, then placed one webbed claw under
her chin.
"I can fight dishonorably,
too. Now leave me be or I will crush this girl's head like an egg,"
the kappa said, not facing Daigo but definitely addressing him. In
the blink of an eye, Daigo closed the distance, grabbed the straps of
the kappa's helmet, and snapped them. Before the kappa could react,
Daigo forced the kappa's arm down, then lifted off the helmet and
knocked the water out of his head.
The kappa let Takako go and fell
to his knees. "Well played, young human. I shall leave your
river," he said. As the kappa walked away, the men cheered.
"Takako," Daigo called
out to the girl.
"Yes?" Takako said.
"I win." Daigo ran up
to Takako and kissed her right on the lips. The sudden affection
shocked her at first, but she embraced him in return.
Takako broke the kiss. "You're
as good a champion as I could ask for," she said. With arms
around each other's shoulders, they turned around to face the crowd.
"Everyone, let's get back
home. We still need to find out who the strongest guy in town is,"
Daigo said. Everyone laughed, for the kappa no longer loomed over
them.
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