Chapter 12

**The End of the Second Match** is the twelfth chapter of *Tenkaichi Nihon Saikyo Bugeisha Ketteisen* and the first chapter of Volume 4.

## Summary

The Kodachi Muso, who even after losing his sight and hearing, can see one step ahead of his opponent. The Fuma Empress, who consumed a toxic drug and became the ultimate lifeform. Two monsters, bound together by a chain of iron, could now dig their claws into one another's hearts.

As the two yell at each other to die, the fight devolves into a sequence of Toda Seigen dodging all of Fuma Kotaro's attacks while Kotaro is continually slashed all over her body. The audience can't see what they're doing but Toda Shigemasa figures out Toda has the upper hand, by a hair. Mori Ranmaru exclaims he's easily evading Kotaro's beast-like speed with his skill and foresight. Yagyu Munenori notices that the rhythm of Toda's offense has gone up a notch and he's continuing to read one step ahead of Kotaro. Yagyu thinks it has been incredible of Toda to come this far and show even further evolution.

However, he can't reach her to deal the finishing blow. As Kotaro ducks to avoid Toda's slash, Yagyu observes how Toda's body is already ragged and torn while Kotaro's stamina is seemingly limitless. After Kotaro dodges the slash, she punches Toda's left shoulder and the impact is so strong that the bone sticks out. If Toda's body cannot keep up anymore, Yagyu believes he has no chance of winning. Questioning if that's all he has, Kotaro yanks on the chain. That causes Toda's shoulder to partially split open. Pulling him towards her, Kotaro mocks him for being in pain and for acting like he's done already.

As he screams, Toda recounts how, for all his life, he's only ever had things taken away from him.

The Gods gave him, a man born into a samurai family, a weeker feeble-than-average body. The tachi didn't suit him but he didn't want to give up so he devoted himself to mastering the kodachi, through blood, sweat and tears. But then, the Gods took away his sight and finally, they took away Zen, a kid who could've become another him. Now, at long last, they've come for his life.

Maniacally smiling, Toda urges the Gods to bring it on as he'll take back what was taken from him with his kodachi. As Kotaro pulls him in, Toda aims his kodachi. Yagyu can't believe that in this scenario, Toda is aiming for a cross-counter. Clicking her teeth, Kotaro raises her left arm and lets the kodachi pierce through it, all the way into her shoulder. At the same time, she lands a punch on Toda's face. As Toda is knocked away and Kotaro stands back, with the kodachi still in her arm, she realises her punch didn't go far enough so she failed to finish him off. Kotaro is then surprised by the fact that Toda can still handle his sword when Toda draws his other kodachi and gets into a stance with the left side of his face ripped open.

As Kotaro smiles about how something has gotten into him, Toda asks Zen to give him some more power as he's given everything to become stronger, even his death. That's why Toda thinks Zen reappeared to him like a ghost. As they both charge in again, Toda inwardly exclaims he has to win or else, his whole life will have been worthless. The two resume their sequence of attacks.

As the audience look on with shock, Kotaro suddenly falls to her knee and the Fifth exclaims she's lost too much blood. The weakness of **Miyabi Orochi** is that its user cannot stop bleeding out and the Fifth believes Toda's terrifying lust for victory has taken its toll on Kotaro's stamina. This next clash will be their last.

Suddenly, Toda finds himself in a field of flowers. He can see and hear now, and in front of him, is Zenzaemon. Zenzaemon assures Toda that he's done enough and promises to guide him now. Looking behind him, Toda sees a sea of blood, skulls and katanas. As Zenzaemon extends his hand, Toda looks back at him before walking into the blood. Zenzaemon tells him not to go that way but Toda ignores him and keeps walking, losing his sight and hearing. As his wounds reappear on his body, Toda thanks Zenzaemon for letting him see his face again. As Zenzaemon keeps calling out for him, Toda tells Zen that he doesn't care if he's in Heaven. Where Toda is heading, the Asura Realm, this will do him just fine.

In reality, it's revealed Kotaro dodged Toda's sword strike and gouged out his heart. As Hojo screams in excitement while Konoe Sakihisa and Shigemasa display distraught faces, Toda suddenly grabs onto Kotaro's arm and lifts up his kodachi. Kotaro tries to stop his incoming attack but she can't lift her left arm. Toda slashes into Kotaro's left shoulder and they scream until Kotaro manages to use her left hand to grab Toda's sword arm and stop him from cutting into her any deeper. Toda then drops his kodachi as he dies. As she embraces him, Kotaro says that was the first time she ever felt the fear of death and calls Toda the best man she's seen.

Cackling, Oda Nobunaga declares that was splendid. Ranmaru officially announces the winner of Tenkaichi's Round One – Match Two, sponsored by the Hojo Clan, is Fuma Kotaro.

## Appearing Characters

* ⁵ᵗʰFuma Kotaro
* ⁶ᵗʰFuma Kotaro
* Hojo Ujimasa
* Konoe Sakihisa
* Mori Ranmaru
* Oda Nobunaga
* Seki Zenzaemon (dream)
* Toda Seigen
* Toda Shigemasa
* Yagyu Munenori