Chapter 5

**The Final Blow** is the fifth chapter of *Tenkaichi Nihon Saikyo Bugeisha Ketteisen* and the second chapter of Volume 2.

## Summary

As Honda Tadakatsu stands with **Brilliant Hardened Body** activated, Miyamoto Musashi questions if he got bigger. Hattori Hanzo declares Honda has finally shown off his true power while Chosokabe Motochika questions what this is. Honda promises to give Musashi a proper burial in Otaki so he tells him to die in peace. Laughing, Musashi can't believe Honda can still kick it into high gear despite his age and at that moment, the energy between the two contenders reached its very peak. Everyone who was watching could sense it: the final blow was near.

Honda admits fighting Musashi has been fun and Musashi says the same back. Because of Honda, Musashi claims he's become stronger. Honda says that's true but that ends here as he rushes forward. Musashi is surprised Honda got faster as the Nio performs **Tempest Strike**, jabbing his Tonbokiri four times in a row. As he barely parries the attacks, Musashi questions how much faster Honda can go and inwardly exclaims his swords can't handle all this. As he skids back, Musashi thinks about how he gets pushed back just as he thought he caught up. Looking down, Musashi believes Honda is too strong.

In the air above, Honda criticises Musashi for hanging his head on the battlefield. With both hands on the polearm, Honda swings Tonbokiri down, unleashing **Boulder Strike**. Shinmen Munisai realises this isn't good as Musashi can't dodge or guard at that angle. Crossing his swords, Musashi just about manages to block the attack but its weight forces him to fall to the ground. Musashi is then able to redirect the strike into the ground.

As Musashi thinks about how inhuman Honda's power is, Tokugawa Ieyasu, Mori Ranmaru and Yagyu Munenori are impressed that Musashi managed to parry the attack. Moreover, at the same time, Honda has left himself open with that massive swing. Seeing this as his chance, Musashi swings his swords, only for Honda to seemingly disappear. It's revealed Honda leaned back to dodge and he notes how Musashi's inexperience and eagerness to win really showed with that big swing of his. Honda then proceeds to stab Musashi through the right side of his chest.

As Musashi flies back, something is flung towards Munisai. After he catches it, Honda brings up how he intended to pierce Musashi through the centre but of course, he dodged it. Chosokabe questions what Munisai caught and he identifies it as flesh and bone, revealing Honda tore out a part of Musashi's ribs. As both Ieyasu and Hanzo look pleased, Yagyu licks his lips over the true power of the Nio. On the other hand, he recognises it'll be difficult for Musashi to move with the agility he had before with his ribs broken. Because of the injury he received, the audience began to believe Musashi no longer had any chance to win. As Musashi huffs, Honda says he's young and has got talent.

He offers Musashi the chance to surrender since if he does, he'll survive and have plenty of opportunities to make a name for himself. As Musashi repeats how Honda wants him to give up, Chosokabe laments over how Musashi will lose while Munisai closes his eyes. Musashi questions if Honda is messing with him and admits he may be stronger now. If Musashi ran away now and lived a full life, he guesses he'd eventually become stronger than he is now but fighting Honda here will make Musashi even more strong. Musashi declares he will not run away – rather, he will take the shortest and most quickest route to becoming the strongest. If he can't put his life on the line here, he isn't worthy of being the Tenkaichi.

Honda calls that a good point before noting it's time he puts Ieyasu at ease. Promising to send Musashi to the depths of Hell, Honda begins a sutra, silencing the audience. After finishing his prayer to Musashi, Honda assumed his final stance. Musashi also changed his stance. Ranmaru is confused when he sees the stance Musashi has taken while Oda proclaims he can smell the scent of death. The stance Musashi took was a bizarre one, that could not be found in any other martial art. As Musashi mutters about beating Honda, everyone questions the stance he took. Sweating, Ieyasu inwardly warns Honda not to let his guard down.

He wants Honda to win at any cost and come back alive. Honda questions what Musashi is planning to do in the end and thinks about how he really is a fun guy. But since he wants to win this country for Ieyasu, Honda refuses to give up the title of Tenkaichi to any other. A bird flies overhead and before one of its feathers could reach the ground, Musashi moved a moment sooner than Honda. His stance was similar to the crouching used in modern-day track and field. By converting gravity into a propulsive force to achieve the greatest initial velocity possible, Musashi took the fastest first step in mankind's history.

As Musashi charges in, Honda not only notes his quickness but the fact that Musashi has made himself so small. But Honda isn't worried as his spear can pierce even birds in flight and he jabs it forward. Musashi takes this chance to leap over the attack, towards Honda, leaving Hanzo to realise Musashi deliberately limited where Honda could aim to lure him into a reflexive and easy-to-read attack. As his wound sends throbs of pain throughout his body, Musashi tells his body to hang on a bit longer as he raises his swords. With Honda seemingly open, Musashi believes this will be the final blow and that he will win this. Blowing steam out of his mouth, Honda flicks his left wrist and switches the Tonbokiri from his left hand to his right.

Musashi can't believe Honda drew back his spear with just a flick of his wrist. At that moment, in the minds of both the Genius and the Nio, it was clear that this was the end of the fight. The two scream at each other as they attack at the same time. Ieyasu shouts for Honda while Munisai shouts for Musashi. As Oda Nobunaga smirks, a large amount of blood is spilled.

## Appearing Characters

* Chosokabe Motochika
* Hattori Hanzo
* Honda Tadakatsu
* Miyamoto Musashi
* Mori Ranmaru
* Oda Nobunaga
* Shinmen Munisai
* Tokugawa Ieyasu
* Yagyu Munenori