by Unknown
Bunshichi flipped his body horizontally. Pulling his right leg, he kicked Kajiwara's stomach with his left foot. Kajiwara tried to block it with both his arms. It slipped out. Kneeling down, Kajiwara tried to do a takedown on Bunshichi that was still trying to get up. He had gotten into his chest. Bunshichi desperately tried to use both his elbows and planted them repetitively on Kajiwara's shoulders that were as tough as big rocks and boulders. However his posture wasn't good enough and his blows had no effect at all.
He had been finally brought down to his back and he was pressed from above. Kajiwara seized his left wrist with his hand. He was trying to pull an arm lock of some sort. Bunshichi regretted it. He should have run away before he had gotten into that situation. His back was shaking violently, while carrying Kajiwara's weight on his chest, he tried to get himself up from the ground. This was a pro wrestling bridge.
Suddenly, Bunshichi made an impressive human arch with his body. It seemed that in between that desperate struggle, he had swallowed some dirt and pebbles from the ground. Kajiwara sighed.
Using his forehead as fulcrum, Bunshichi twisted his own body and in that way he was able to free himself from the arm lock. But this didn't happen without damage as Bunshichi's forehead was bleeding and the open wound had some pebbles and dirt mixed with the open skin. But this was a small price to pay in exchange for seizing Kajiwara's arm. It was Bunshichi's time to get some payback with ground fighting of his own.
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During the moment when he took Kajiwara's right arm, they were able to stand side-by-side. That's when Kajiwara and Bunshichi's eyes meet one another.
“Heh, Heh...”
Kajiwara laughed. While he was still laughing, he approached his forehead to Bunshichi and “Bang!!” he gave him a strong head-butt right between his nose and mouth. He managed to get even closer and “Bang!!” he landed another one. Bunshichi felt a warm river fell from his nose. It was blood.
“Bang!!” for the third time, the rugged forehead found his mark for a head-butt. For the fourth time Bunshichi released his right hand and tried to nab Kajiwara with his right fist. Surprisingly enough, he was able to land a good one on Kajiwara's nose tip.
After that heated exchange, both men tumbled and competed with each other on the ground. Their look was almost the same. Both of them with bloody faces with some mud and bruises all around. It was a muddled and frightening fight.
Little by little, slowly and gradually, both of them managed to increase the damage done to each other. If we were to compare them to their first fight. One would say that they became more persistent this time. Much like two serpents battling and trying to entangle each other. Those who would have watched the fight once would not be able to tell which person attacked whom. It would have to be filmed to be analyzed. There were occasions when the person on top was in more pain than the person on the bottom because their faces got distorted.
But as you can see, there were neither lights nor spectators who could bear witness to this dirty spectacle.
Himekawa was the only person who watched the fight. He watched them fight with a smile so big, his fine nostrils were expanding a little. His delicate face had this delighted look of someone finally finding a treasure that he sought for so long.
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EPILOGUE: CHAPTER III
The wind was blowing from the ocean. The twigs and branches were making an eerie sound within the darkness and silhouettes of Yamashita park. Two dark shadows were running frantically and emerged from the trees.
It was Date and Ryoji. Along the trail, Date suddenly stopped and his nose wriggled a little.
“What's wrong, Mr. Date?” Ryoji asked and looking worried.
“This is strange, I smell blood.” Date answered back.
“Blood, you say?”
“No matter how little blood there's around, I can smell it and it always stinks ”. Date started walking faster.
Ryoji followed him not too far behind, he kept the pace. In an instant, both of them stopped when they saw three men lying down in the dark. Two of them were under a cherry tree. The man that was resting in the trunk of the cherry tree looked like he was in severe pain and just got defeated. Groaning constantly, the other was just resting down, it felt that they were so injured and weak.
But the person away from the cherry tree looked like a mountain, he didn't make any sounds.
“Hell, this is Crazy Dog.” Date said while walking towards him.
“What the hell happened in here!!?” Date asked the one that was semi conscious resting on the trunk.
Shimura, that sustained an injury when his wrist got bent by Bunshichi, was looking at Date in pain. He realized he was talking to someone from Toyoo pro wrestling .
“He defeated me.” he groaned in shame.
“Defeated you? Who?”
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“Bunshichi did. He defeated both of us but the big guy over there was defeated by Himekawa.” He kept talking but due to the pain, he was having difficulty breathing.
“Himekawa?” It seemed that it was the first time Date heard that name.
“I think Katou left to call Kawabe.”
“I see...”
“But I need to tell you, I think the police and the ambulance might come here soon, there was a couple that saw us and left in a hurry, probably they called them...” Shimura could say just so much until he got interrupted by Ryoji.
“I don't have time, tell me where is Kajiwara and my old bro Tanba now!!”
“They're over there...”
“Ahh! Shit!!” Ryoji ran towards the darkness and didn't look back.
“Hey, if you help me out, we'll be able to move this dude closer to here” Date said, Looking at the giant.
“What!!?”
“Whatever, just get lost.”
“We will never be able to move this giant dude to a bench.”
“He'll have to walk by himself.” Date said.
“No shit.”
“Tsk...” Date spit to the ground.
“He got beat up pretty bad.” Date kicked Crazy Dog's cheek with his shoe. Shimura was looking at him with a disgusted look in his face and Crazy Dog started groaning a little while his giant body started moving.
“It is hard to believe the monster has finally been defeated.” Murmured Shimura.
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Shimura stood up, He helped Tsurumi stand up with his right hand and put Tsurumi's arm on his shoulder.
“Shit!!” Date kicked Crazy Dog's groin area but he didn't notice, he just groaned a little.
Surprised by it, Crazy Dog lifted up his hip and yelled “Ugh!! Damn it...” He murmured under his breath.
Grabbing him by the collar, Date told him “If you still want to fight in Japan's rings, you'll do exactly as I say...”
“First, you'll get up and walk on your own, even if you have to crawl, you'll call Kawabe on your cellphone or find a nice Taxi drive that's kind enough to give you a ride to the hospital...”
Hearing this, Crazy Dog tried to lift himself up without avail. Date really started getting worried that he'd get involved in some mess he had no business to begin with, until he heard a couple of footsteps behind him and a familiar raspy voice.
“Date...you're here...” It was Kawabe.
“Isn't it fun when shit hits the fan?” Date said jokingly.
“This is horrible...” Kawabe said in a serious voice. “Being a victim of a hit and run.”
“ What!?” Date got confused.
“Crazy Dog was run over by a car and the driver got away...If that's the case.” Kawabe said determined.
“Sure, that's what it was...” Date smiled and nodded.
“Now, where are Tanba and Kajiwara...?” Kawabe asked while looking around.
“I'll take care of it, leave them to me.”
“Can I trust you?”
“Come on Old Kawabe, I've been in the wrestling world longer than you, I just retired last year but I still can pull my strin
gs just fine.
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“Alright...” Kawabe nodded and picked Crazy Dog up from the ground.
“Had I knew it was going to turn like this, I would have had someone smaller to do this.”
“Well, you have to leave now. Someone already called the cops about the fights and the injured in this area, I'll see you around.” Date said while running toward the place where Bunshichi was.
EPILOGUE: CHAPTER IV
Ryoji found both men entangled in a fierce battle. He couldn't say or do anything but watch with a sad face how this fight was going to end. It wasn't exciting, he felt that he was about to cry. At his side was Himekawa Tsutomu admiring the fight with the same faint smile and delighted look. His eyes were absentminded. Much like when someone stops for a while to admire a beautiful thing that cannot see everyday. The ocean wind fluttered Himekawa's long black hair sideways giving him a majestic look. From inside his mouth, Ryoji Kubo kept whispering pleads to Bunshichi to stop.
“Come on, Old bro, this is enough...”
He wanted to jump in the middle and stop this nonsense and get him to a safe place.
“Why do these two have to fight so bitterly? For what reason?” He had seen the enjoyment of Bunshichi's street fights many times before. But this time, he wasn't enjoying this match. It was sad, it was painful. Much like seeing your best friend being tortured in front of you. Ryoji almost couldn't contain his tears watching the fight.
He always enjoyed watching him fighting, watching anybody fighting. It was the first time that he hated this fight. It was painful to watch and he couldn't wait for it to stop.
While punching and kicking Kajiwara, Bunshichi felt that he was receiving the same amount of pain that he was inflicting to his opponent. He also noticed the damage and pressure in his own joints when he was targeting the same joints of Kajiwara. It also seemed that he could experience Kajiwara's pain when he attacked him.
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It was the strange experience of feeling that his body and Kajiwara's were connected by a mysterious bond that made them feel the same, the same pain, the same feelings, the same sadness. Almost like a mirror.
The more he tried to attack Kajiwara, the more he was tormenting himself. Ryoji sensed this. He wanted to desperately be the beacon that would bring Bunshichi back to his reality. He stopped caring. He let his tears roll down his cheeks.
“Bro, that's enough!!” Ryoji yelled. “This fight has to stop!!”
The light of the moon was reflected in Ryoji's tears. He was so distraught that he didn't notice that Date was standing next to him and his feet felt like they were almost nailed to the ground.
The martial arts stopped, the fighting spirit was gone. What remained was the void and the loneliness of two men hurling weak blows and empty attacks at each other. Mixed with the mud and blood. Everything was fading away into nothingness...
You could hear Ryoji's screams in the wind. You could also hear the sirens of police in the distance getting closer and closer. The sound of the ocean crashing onto the shore was gradually being overtaken by the familiar sound of sirens and the flashes of blue and red were getting closer and closer.
Those screams, sounds and colors were supposed to reach Bunshichi and Kajiwara ears and eyes....
But no, it might not reach them after all.
“Come on, bro!!” Ryoji kept screaming.
But Bunshichi did not move. He did not win the battle that day, in fact, neither did Kajiwara. There was nothing to win, probably never was... and never will...
An unbearable loneliness had stuck in Bunshichi's face. He had fought with himself.
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AFTERWORD by Yumemakura Baku
If you have been reading my books for a while, you'll notice that this is my first novel attempt that doesn't include any science-fiction, magical or occult elements. Why is that, you might ask? Well...
“I got two strong guys here, which one of them is stronger?” The theme is quite simple, yet fascinating. I always wanted to write stories about martial artists someday and this is one of them. I was always wondering “Why is it that nobody want to write stories about the modern Miyamoto Musashi?” The wandering man that wanted to test his might and skill without having to involve himself in a tale of self redemption or “rescue the girl”. Just test himself for the sake of fighting enjoyment? Why is it that when we say “a martial arts novel” it always has to involve a psychic, a CIA agent or some sort of military or magical reborn Kung-Fu guy? Why can't they focus on an ordinary swordsman story? They're always a private investigator Karate expert or a criminal that's just good at Judo. Why does nobody ever bother to write a story of a simple fighter or somebody that just uses Karate as their main protagonist?
It doesn't mean that there has never been “good novels with combat themes in it” I just thought that the story about the modern Miyamoto Musashi would be a little different in these times.
How about the story about the modern “Sugata Sanshiro” then?
I have to say in Japanese comic “Manga” form, there are a lot of them. My favorite is “Karate Baka Ichidai” (Karate for life, A Crazy Karate life. In USA is known as “Karate Master” on HULU) there's also “The Karate from hell” (Karate Jigokuhen) and “The Karate Three Kingdoms” (Karate Sengoku) Finally edited into separate volumes.
How did they know that we needed stories like that? Who told them??
In my case, when it come to stories about fighters, you just can't ignore or leave pro wrestling behind. But how was I was going to integrate pro wrestling to the “Modern Miyamoto” story? I know how people with common sense have a specific vision about pro wrestling.
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“It's a show”, ”it's fake”, ”It's scripted”, “It's arranged”, “It's just a fight between Yakuza” etc....
We don't know whether it's true or not but there's nothing that it can be done if people think about it in that way.
After all, there's no mistake in saying that the world of pro wrestling is marred in sorrow.
I like pro wrestling, Karate and Kick-boxing, but I'm just an amateur that has never experienced them directly. But for sure. I'm also a fan of the Miyamoto Musashi story, who would fight people in “one against one” kind of matches.
I should probably write a story about that. About an amateur fighter that likes to challenge other skilled people in “one versus one” fights. And so, this became the theme for this book.
And I became very satisfied with the theme too. It got me thinking “Is there a person that would care more about expressing stubbornness rather than fighting scenes and scores?” I'm sure there must be someone strange like that.
There should not be a win-loss situation between Bunshichi and Kajiwara when they fought for the first time either.
I really wanted to mention this in the book. Inside the book, there's still someone who could have become a wrestler a few years later even if they weren't born from the pro wrestling organization called the UWF. If you haven't watched the fight between Super Tiger and a wrestler called Fujiwara Yoshiaki, but still want a clearer explanation concerning the UWF, Technically, they were formed earlier than when this book was written. If you cannot see their technical composition of “Kicks and joint locks” you would not be able to write a book about it.
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About the other fighting scenes in this book, for those who are familiar with the Japanese pro wrestling and Karate world would probably remember and quote them when they read this book. There might be inspiration for such scenes in the surface but remember that this book is my literary creation and I did not mean offense to current fighting organization or actual persons.
There's something I need to confess though. This book will not end in this volume, originally there was a plan to end this book in a single volume but I get a bad habit on falling in love with my good stories and it get longer and longer the more I write and the more people ask
me to make more out of them.
This story would probably be over in three volumes, at least, that's the plan.
What kind of moves would Tanba use against experts of different martial arts? Boxing? Kung-Fu? Aikido? Even sumo!!? wow, there's such a vast world that sometimes I can't keep my eyes closed just thinking what is he going to find next. The more I think about it, the more exciting it gets!!!
Ah, It's happening again as we speak. I'm not sure if I already got it but I think I have developed a stomach ulcer. Somehow when my stomach is empty. I'll feel the pain right away. When I start writing the manuscript, I feel my stomach turning upside down. And when I grab my stomach with both my hands, I feel my hands are tied up. I can even see the creamy yellow gastric juice when I vomit. Until last year, any time it happened, I would not force myself too much and I would fill my stomach right away. Somehow I managed to do something about it. But this time it was not the case. I did not have appetite and food could not seem to reach my stomach. Even if I forced myself to eat, I would throw up right away. On top of it, for the past month, I felt that this situation would never end. Even when I went to see the doctor, I would not get better. Even if I coughed my lungs out, I would still not stop coughing. From my throat came a voice that was at the verge of dying. It was painful, I was in tears. When I coughed, I felt that I was trying to force my lungs to breath in some air. It was a terrible situation for me. Moreover, it was really painful for my lungs to breathe in the air that was piled up in my stomach. My tongue would get tense and saliva started coming out. I would not speak for at least an hour.