‘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.
37
THE JADE SWORD
Jack stared deep into Yamato’s eyes, hunting for his first move.
‘Most battles are won before the sword is drawn,’ Sensei Hosokawa had told Jack during one of their kenjutsu sessions. ‘Defeat your enemy’s mind, you defeat their sword.’
Akiko had won her bokken match against Moriko, exacting a sweet revenge with a three-nothing victory. Moriko’s sneaky tactics in taijutsu had incensed Akiko and she had fought without mercy.
Saburo, on the other hand, having lost so much confidence following his fight with Yamato, was beaten by Raiden two–one. The Taryu-Jiai now hung in the balance; either school could win.
Everything came down to Jack and Yamato.
Jack still couldn’t believe Yamato was fighting against his father’s own school, but the dark thunderous look in Yamato’s eyes made it clear that his fight was with Jack. And Jack alone.
‘Best out of three?’ teased Jack, throwing down their old gauntlet.
Jack knew how Yamato thought and fought. He had been taught by him, practised with him, been beaten by him. This time, Jack vowed it would be Yamato’s turn to lose.
Yamato snorted his disdain and without replying brought his kissaki in line with Jack’s.
‘Hajime!’ announced the official.
Yamato struck with the speed of a cobra. His bokken glanced off Jack’s own weapon and hurtled towards Jack’s head.
Jack ducked under the blow, sweeping round to bring his own bokken across Yamato’s gut. Yamato quickly countered and blocked his strike. Jack immediately pressed forward with another attack, but Yamato predicted it and neatly side-stepped, bringing his own weapon down on to Jack’s leading sword arm.
‘YAME!’ called the official as the crowd applauded. ‘Point to Yagyu!’
‘I could see you thinking the move before you made it,’ laughed Yamato. ‘You haven’t changed, Jack.’
‘But you have,’ replied Jack. ‘You’ve lost face.’
Yamato fumed at the insult and even before the official had started the next round, he launched his attack. It was exactly the reaction Jack had hoped for. Yamato still couldn’t control his temper, and when unsettled by his emotions, Jack knew he would make fundamental errors of judgement.
Yamato’s blows reigned down on Jack and there it was – Yamato’s mistake. He had stepped too close while winding up for a reverse cut and Jack side-
slipped and struck him forcefully across the belly.
‘YAME!’ called the official as Yamato crumpled to the floor, the crowd emitting a loud mix of applause and jeering. ‘Point to Niten Ichi Ryū!’
It was now match point.
The next encounter would decide the Taryu-Jiai. No one dared breathe. The Butokuden became quieter than a temple. Masamoto and Kamakura had both frozen in anticipation, like stone gods upon their thrones.
For a brief moment, time seemed to stretch and Jack and Yamato became locked in an unseen battle, each seeking for the other’s first move in their minds. They moved in slow synchronized steps, mirroring each other’s stances, raising their bokken as one and levelling their kissaki.
‘Hajime!’ announced the official.
Their bokken clashed. Almost as if they were dancing, their feet swept past one another, parries met strikes, strikes met parries, then as one they spun on their heels and brought their weapons round for the kill.
Their arms collided, bokken striking simultaneously at one another’s necks.
‘Draw!’ shouted the official in astonishment.
Their eyes continued the fight. They were still the same boys who had fought on the little bridge at Hiroko’s house in Toba, but neither could deny that they were now equally matched in skill.
Confusion reigned amongst the students. Could there be a draw in a Taryu-Jiai? Of course not! How would the ultimate winner be decided then? The official called for calm.
Jack and Yamato only stood down when the official stepped in between them. The official then hurried over to Masamoto and Kamakura and began to converse in hushed grave tones.
The whole crowd craned their necks, hopeful of catching a word of what was being said.
After several minutes’ intense discussion, the official scurried back to the centre of the dojo.
‘Samurai of the Niten Ichi Ryū! Samurai of the Yagyu-Ryū!’ he announced with great pomp and ceremony. ‘By the power invested in me by the Imperial Court, the Rite of the Jade Sword has been invoked.’
The Way of the Warrior Page 20
