Chapter 18

**A Godly Physique** is the eighteenth chapter of *Tenkaichi Nihon Saikyo Bugeisha Ketteisen* and the third chapter of Volume 5.

## Summary

Hino Choko takes off his sumo belt as both he and Kamiizumi Ise-no-Kami stand on opposite sides, outside the Twin-Dragon Cage. Oda Nobunaga gives the command to start and both fighters enter the cage. Kamiizumi notes how "Twin-Dragon Cage" is a cool name for this cage and asks Choko if he agrees.

As Choko only hisses, Oda Nobutada observes how the difference in their stature will be hard to make up for and Fuma Kotaro adds on the fact that Kamiizumi looks even feebler than Toda Seigen did. Hashiba Hideyoshi mockingly yells at Shibata Katsuie that he won't be losing here, prompting Shibata to consider him a bothersome ape. Kamiizumi admits this is his first time fighting a rikishi and asks to see as many different moves from him as possible. Kamiizumi promises to go easy on him at first so he encourages Choko to come at him.

As Choko growls, Mori Ranmaru thinks about how there's nowhere to run inside the cage, meaning Kamiizumi's godly technique and Choko's godly strength will be coming at each other head-on. Excited to see who comes out on top, Ranmaru announces the start of Tenkaichi, Round One – Match Four but before he can officially tell them to begin, Choko leaps forward and aims to crush Kamiizumi under the sole of his right foot. The audience believe Kamiizumi has been caught off-guard before Choko completes his attack and seemingly grazes his head. The audience initially believe Kamiizumi was hit but Yagyu Munenori points out he dodged it. Kamiizumi laughs about how wild that was but Yagyu says he won't stop yet. Choko raises his palms and Kamiizumi gets ecstatic over how this is sumo.

The sumo of this era was far removed from the modern era. Sumo began life as proxy combat over the rights to water between rivaling villages. Kicking, joint locks, holds, biting and every possible form of attack was permitted, with matches only ending with the loser's death. Water is the spring of life. Without it, people suffer from famine and with it, they revel in good harvest. Thus, rikishi offered their lives for the protection of their villages. In a sense, they were guardian deities, meaning, for Choko, this battle for survival – the Tenkaichi – was a mere part of his routine life.

Choko performs a barrage of palm strikes that Kamiizumi continually dodges, resulting in Choko only hitting the side of the Twin-Dragon Cage. Hozoin Inshun exclaims every single strike from Choko is strong enough to break some bones and Kotaro asserts he's fast too, meaning he knows how to work his massive frame well. Ranmaru thinks about how this is the power of Choko's godly physique. As Miyamoto Musashi looks carefully, Shinmen Munisai asks him what's wrong. Musashi admits Choko is good but he thinks that something is weird. He points out how Kamiizumi has been staying under a lot of fire without any way to get an edge in yet he hasn't even tried drawing his sword.

Complimenting Musashi's good eye, Munisai says the legends were true: Kamiizumi drawing his sword is a Kinjite – Forbidden Art. In the Edo Period of the history that we know, Raiden Tameemon, a rikishi who boasted unrivaled strength, was forbidden to use Harite, Teppo, Kannuki and Sabaori. In that same vein, Kamiizumi was forbidden to draw his sword.

Inshun notices that Kamiizumi stopped moving and questions if he's really going to try and catch Choko's palm strike. Raising his hand, Kamiizumi says he's gotten bored of this before Choko's palm strike connects. Smirking, Ittosai realises this is it. To the surprise of everyone, Kamiizumi catches Choko's palm strike before twisting his arm around, causing Choko to fall to the ground.

Kamiizumi's prohibition had not been broken for over fifty years.

Kamiizumi tells Choko that this is what you call martial arts. The audience can't believe what they're seeing and Ranmaru calls it impossible. Gripping onto the Fifth's hair, Kotaro comments on how that's not very pleasant and Sasaki Kojiro admits he's stumped as this stuff is far too out of his league to be of any use to him. Both Munisai and Yagyu recognise the ability as **Muto-dori**. Yagyu goes over how Kamiizumi used his languidity and control over his body to deflect Choko's power and got the better of him by throwing off his posture.

**Muto-dori** is a technique that effectively negates physical strength and could very well be called the ultimate form of martial arts. Struggling to control his smirk, Yagyu believes no-one other than he could ever defeat Kamiizumi. Before such an overwhelming technique, muscles are nothing but excess flab. Kamiizumi takes this time to recite a haiku: "Both burly muscles, and young maidens' soft titties, are, by nature, meat." Getting up, Choko lets out a huge roar. Covering his ears, Ranmaru exclaims Choko's snapped as Kamiizumi chuckles over how upset he is.

Choko lunges in to try and grab Kamiizumi. Disappointed since he thought he could do more, Kamiizumi flips over Choko's outstretched right arm before spinning to get on his back. Before finishing him off, Kamiizumi decides to get a good look at Choko's face and takes off his mask while throwing him forward. Choko falls face-flat on the ground while Kamiizumi lands. Kanemaki Jisai insists there has to be some limit to a technique that allows you to increase your power by using your opponent's power while Inshun states that Kamiizumi crushed him: Choko no longer stands any chance at winning. Kamiizumi says he wants to see how ugly Choko looks, for him to have hidden his face behind a mask, only to look at the inside of the mask and notice a long needle that would go through the forehead. Kamiizumi questions what this is before feeling a chill, causing him to turn around.

At that moment, as Kamiizumi's instincts sensed an unknown pressure and those powerful men who had gathered there all felt a similar unease, Kamiizumi turned to face it and then understood. Smiling, Kamiizumi says he thought there was something off and realises Choko has been asleep this whole time. Likewise, Choko, having just awoken, turned to face an unknown aura.

Looking at Kamiizumi, with an unexpectedly pretty face, Choko greets him. At this very instant, two Gods crossed paths.

## Appearing Characters

* ⁵ᵗʰFuma Kotaro
* ⁶ᵗʰFuma Kotaro
* Hashiba Hideyoshi
* Hino Choko
* Hozoin In'ei
* Hozoin Inshun
* Ito Ittosai
* Kamiizumi Isenokami
* Kanemaki Jisai
* Marume Kurando
* Miyamoto Musashi
* Mori Ranmaru
* Oda Nobunaga
* Oda Nobutada
* Sasaki Kojiro
* Shibata Katsuie
* Shinmen Munisai
* Yagyu Munenori