Chapter 20

**The Gate of Celestial Awakening** is the twentieth chapter of *Tenkaichi Nihon Saikyo Bugeisha Ketteisen* and the first chapter of Volume 6.

## Summary

Marume Kurando guesses Kamiizumi Ise-no-Kami has recognised Hino Choko since he has opened it. Shibata Katsuie questions what was opened and Kurando reveals it is the door to the martial consciousness that Kamiizumi reached. They have called it: the **Gate of Celestial Awakening**.

As his eyes glow, Kamiizumi promises to show Choko what martial arts is really like. Choko wonders how Kamiizumi dodged his kick when that should've put him down for good and guesses this is a sliver of the Bushin's power. Finding this interesting, Choko wants to know just how far the Bushin's martial arts go. Getting it started again, Choko runs forward and attempts to use a palm strike with his left hand. Kamiizumi inwardly notes how quick Choko is, adding that he can hardly be called human himself.

Very narrowly dodging Choko's palm strike, Kamiizumi walks forward and claims he appreciates this. He asks Choko to let him use his speed and Kamiizumi proceeds to tap the pommel of one of his katanas against a certain point on Choko's stomach. This causes Choko to be sent flying back, all the way against the side of the Twin-Dragon Cage.

As Miyamoto Musashi, Shinmen Munisai, Fuma Kotaro, Sasaki Kojiro and Hayashizaki Jinsuke all express their shock, Kamiizumi asks Choko what he thinks and says that martial arts is pretty fun. Hozoin Inshun, the audience and Mori Ranmaru can't believe Kamiizumi sent Choko's huge frame flying. Yagyu Munenori goes over how that tap was loaded with both his weight and his foe's, which is an application of the Fa Jin continental arts. However, Yagyu notes that even that is but a trivial technique for Kamiizumi now.

While in this state, Kurando explains that Kamiizumi possesses both reaction speed and agility, which surpass human bounds. Such that even the principles underlying the fighting styles of the world, which seem like mere supposition, are made feasible in reality. That is the power of he who has opened the **Gate of Celestial Awakening**.

Kamiizumi advises that Choko keep one thing in mind: he who knows the laws of the universe, and can make them his own power, has the capability of becoming a Martial God.

Kamiizumi's life was practically the mastery of the sword. His grandfather and father were lords of Kamiizumi Castle and master swordsmen. The dojo established on the castle grounds was considered the holy spot of the sword, where masters from every place would gather. That was the kind of environment Kamiizumi was raised in. Long ago, in that dojo, located in the Kozuke Province, Kamiizumi Hidetsuna (later known as Kamiizumi Ise-no-Kami) promised his master, Aisu Ikosai, that he would make sure his Kage-Ryu goes down in history as the greatest style there ever was in Japan. Ikosai claimed he knew of nobody else with as much talent as him and was confident in placing the principles of Kage-Ryu and his sword in his care. However, Ikosai told Hidetsuna to keep one thing in mind. The martial way is perfected in one using the great forces of nature—himself included—to their utmost.

That is practically the realm of the Gods.

Ikosai admitted he could never reach it. Hidetsuna said reaching the realm of the Gods sounded interesting and began drawing the sword Ikosai gave him, expressing his wish was to be the strongest in history: unrivaled in a thousand years. Hidetsuna promised to make this sword of his divine. Hidetsuna's outstanding genius and resolution to be the strongest had overpowered all other martial artists. Before the age of thirty, he mastered three different styles and established Shinkage-Ryu. Thereafter, for over twenty years, he took part in many fierce battles of the era and, all the meanwhile, spent much time fervently researching and refining martial arts.

All for the sake of making his sword reach the Gods. At age sixty, Kamiizumi Nobutsuna easily cut an arrow while seated and everyone thought it was incredible. But that night, as he practiced alone, Kamiizumi thought about how it wasn't incredible but utterly dreadful as that won't make his sword divine. Throwing his sword to the ground, Kamiizumi insisted his reaction, speed and agility were still within the realm of man, making him question what he must do to reach the Gods. Kamiizumi's unusually lofty ideals struck out all he had done before.

Forgoing the sword entirely, he would not so much as wield a single stick and instead, would spend nearly his whole day in meditation while standing on the edge of a cliff, in order to prose his mind and body, one more time, for a way to reach the Gods.

While meditating, Kamiizumi thought about how taxing this was. No matter how much he tempered his body, Kamiizumi recognised that power within man's ability wasn't enough. He came to the conclusion that he must subject himself to the laws of nature to reach the Gods. His mind and body have their own voice, and even the universe has its own voice. In order to reach the state he wants, Kamiizumi realised he must be able to hear the universe's voice. Though it was far away, Kamiizumi knew he would reach it as he thought about how the Gods lie beyond the contradiction of seeking to be unrivaled in a thousand years and surrendering himself to the universe. Thus, Kamiizumi spent all his days, standing upon the Earth, continuing to seek the Gods, even during violent storms.

In the year 1577, ten whole years after he had first started his meditation, Kurando appeared since he heard Kamiizumi was training here and asked him to come down from the edge since he was worried about his state of health. Kamiizumi said he would, in a little bit, and mumbled about how the gate is just up ahead. Kurando questioned him as to what he meant before he noticed something and ran towards Kamiizumi. At that moment, as Kamiizumi Ise-no-Kami stood upright, his heart stopped beating. Kurando was initially worried but then became amazed by the beautiful sight in front of him: the perfect composure that Kamiizumi was displaying. In that instant, for the first time, Kamiizumi's mind and body reached a state where the Gods' voices had reached him.

Kamiizumi envisioned space opening up and found himself in a heavenly-like place. Kamiizumi then snapped back to reality with glowing eyes and collapsed to his knees, coughing. Kurando thought his heart had stopped beating before he noticed something about him. Kamiizumi said the gate had opened and recalled how he was able to feel the power of the Gods. Striking a pose that Buddha made, Kamiizumi declared it was the laws of the universe, which give way to the essence of martial arts.

In the present, Shibata can't believe Kamiizumi died and came back to life. Kurando says that, according to Kamiizumi, the **Gate of Celestial Awakening** is the point which seperates the realms of God and man. Once he opens it, Kamiizumi can even control the beating of his heart, of his own volition. Shibata wonders if that's really possible and Kurando insists they're speaking of a realm which even he fails to grasp. However, this much is clear: that he effortlessly tossed aside Choko's massive frame before their very eyes and that no sort of extraordinary strength, no sort of technique, no sort of human feat can affect Kamiizumi now. Kotaro admits he reminds her of Toda Seigen while Musashi exclaims he's gotten goosebumps.

Ito Ittosai notes to himself about how this is the **Gate of Celestial Awakening** while Yagyu tells Kamiizumi that he's been waiting for the moment he reveals his power. Kamiizumi laughs about how Choko flies further for how strong he is before guessing it didn't really do much in the end. With his stomach only slightly bruised, Choko insists that isn't true and claims this is the worst he's been hurt since he got shot by Oda Nobunaga's gunmen. Choko guesses this means there's some kind of principle for sending his own power back at him and Kamiizumi confirms it.

He asserts that manipulating the flow of power is the law of martial arts. Repeating how it's the law, Choko says it sounds like fun and admits he's never really cared about martial arts and laws since they never really had anything on him. In basic terms, Choko recounts how Kamiizumi senses the "flow of power" and gets into the flow when the timing is right. That means all Choko has to do is give it a little boost and change it.

Just as Choko decides to give it a spin, Kamiizumi wags his finger and tells him that it may seem simple when he does it but in reality, it's actually really hard to pull off. As he stands up, Choko confirms he can't do it exactly like Kamiizumi can but he warns the Bushin not to knock him since they call him a God too. Choko proceeds to get into a stance where he leans forward and has his right leg bent backwards. Bracing the ground with his left foot, Choko proceeds to whip his right leg forward with so much force that he flips his whole body around. In doing so, he fires a blade of pure air called **Kamaitachi**.

As it blows past a surprised Kamiizumi, the attack ends up splitting open the sheath of the sword that Kamiizumi is holding. Choko says that you could say that is his version of a katana before remarking on how, now, they'll have a real swordfight.

## Appearing Characters

* ***Aisu Ikosai*** (flashback)
* ⁶ᵗʰFuma Kotaro
* Hashiba Hideyoshi
* Hayashizaki Jinsuke
* Hino Choko
* Hozoin In'ei
* Hozoin Inshun
* Ito Ittosai
* Kamiizumi Ise-no-Kami
* Marume Kurando
* Miyamoto Musashi
* Mori Ranmaru
* Oda Nobunaga
* Sasaki Kojiro
* Shibata Katsuie
* Shinmen Munisai
* Yagyu Munenori