Chapter 16: Masters
Walking down the Street was usually relaxing. But walking next to the grandmaster of Aikido, who you just challenged to a fight was nerve-racking. Eda did not feel like she had time to worry about Raine, a monster of unprecedented proportions was right next to her, it was like a vicious predator was calmly walking right there, ready to slice her throat open any second.
Shibukawa was as calm and joyful as he always has been.
"You seem tense fukurou-dono"
"OH, man, I wonder why?"
"I suggest you try to relax; nervousness will only hinder your mind. Martial arts are all about logic used to destroy the body, and Aiki is the greatest demonstration of that logic. A blurry mind will not allow you to use your true skills. And I would be heavily disappointed if you didn't give me your all in this fight."
EASIER SAID THAN DONE
"Or is it that you do not trust the skills I have taught you?"
"Of course I trust what you taught me, but YOU taught me everything I know! What chance do I stand?"
Shibukawa stopped walking all of the sudden and sighed.
"Fukurou-dono, the arsenal of skills you possess is greater than just what I have shown you. Martial arts are not things of one person, but of countless generations building on top of each other, growing into newer and unseen forms as the ages pass. I do not want you to show me what I have taught you, I want you to show me what YOU can bring to Aiki. The fact that a child much younger than you saw this truth in sumo easier than you did disappoints me."
…
…
…
…
Alright then, let's try.
It took a second, and Raine's arm was already dislocated.
By the time they pulled away from the handshake, Jyaku had already pulled and struck right in the joint of the shoulder, dislocating Raine's arm.
They knew it would be fast, but this was fast and ruthless.
Jyaku immediately tried to jump at them, and they had to think fast. So they summoned a violin in mid-air to distract him, and as soon as he jolted, kicked him in the gut.
It only served to push him back slightly, but his momentum was cut off. Thinking quickly, Raine slammed into a nearby wall and forced their arm back into place. After pulling the bow for the violin, they stood ready at last.
Raine had to admit, they had taken too long to be ready for the fight. Jyaku was even as kind as to warn that the handshake was an attack, there was every reason to keep a tight guard, but his tone, the way he spoke, his demeanor, it was all so… soothing. Their mind refused to put the threat alongside that image, and it cost dearly, Raine's arm hurt badly, and they could barely move it properly. Palying a decent tune like this would not be possible.
Options were not plentiful… if this was a year ago.
Jyaku became wary.
"… You relocated your shoulder using the wall, that is brilliant!... and unexpected. If my understanding is correct, physical combat is not very common here, and you are a magic specialist. So where does this logic come from?... Your arsenal hides more tools than you let show, doesn't it?"
SHIT, he figured it out.
And the, HE PUT HIS HAND OUT AGAIN.
"Raine whispers, will you shake my hand? I wish to see what other secrets you are hiding."
He started walking calmly. Forward. Calmly and steadily. Like a mid-day stroll.
Raine did not realize their guard dropped, and and soon as that happened, Jyaku leaped forward and got a hold of them, locked them into a hold with his legs, and after a few seconds of applying pressure…
CLACK
Their arm was no longer working. It was ungodly painful.
Jyaku got back up and waited.
"There, your music can no longer be played. You are out of magical options"
Raine was struggling to get back up with one arm. He played them like a fiddle, it was infuriating. Everything he did messed with their head and pulled them right into his rhythm. He controlled the flow of everything that happened.
He was clearly a master of psychological warfare, he could put Belos to shame with this kind of manipulation skill.
… So why didn't he finish the fight right then and there?
The only chance left was to try to step into his territory.
"…heh! That is disappointing."
"hmm? Interesting response! What is?"
"I would have thought you were a fighter! But you don't seem to want to deal with me at full capacity. Are you that scared of my music? KAIO?"
Humans with titles like those have a tendency to be prideful, this should work.
Jyaku thought for a moment… and smiled.
"… Not a bad attempt, I must say! The title of Kaio bears a lot of pride and honor in China, so it's a good concept to use it to attack my pride! I knew your logic went beyond that of other witches! But there are 3 misconceptions of yours here that I should let you know of: 1) You think the title is important to me as a person, I assure you, it is not; 2) You think I am not aware of the greater skill you hide from me, in fact, I wish to see it more than anything else! And 3) you misunderstand the principle of my martial art."
"I am not a fighter for sport like the others, my dream is that of the future generations. What I teach is Self-defense. And for me…"
"So long was I survive the fight, I win!"
…
Raine was shocked.
But it made sense. Clearly, presumptions based on other human fighters would not work with this man. He did not think or act the way they did.
…
(You think too much about the wrong things, brat.)
(Winning? Losing? Who gives a crap! You have to stay alive! That's martial arts!)
(How'd you think I made it to 150? KHEHEHE!)
…
Raine got up and started to walk slowly towards Jyaku. The aura around them shifted somehow.
Jyaku stood as calm as ever.
They kept coming closer, closer, closer…
Closer…
Until they stood right in front of Jyuaku.
And raised a fist.
Slowly.
Very, very slowly.
All of the sudden, Jyaku leaped backwards, terrified.
"What's wrong?"
"… I knew it! I KNEW IT! I KNEW IT WAS YOU!"
…Pardon?
"I heard stories of someone from this world who became his disciple! Many people, other Kaios included, didn't believe it, but I did! I knew it was you! As soon as I saw the way you walked, you reminded me of him! And unprecedented genius who achieved the unthinkable in this world of magic? Who else would be fit to be his disciple but you?"
"Well… I guess that out already."
Deciding to cut the crap, Raine stood straight and bowed.
"I haven't been training for all that long, but I hope I can impress my elder, Jyaku Kaio"
"I can assure you I am most impressed already! That was Xiao-lee, wasn't it?"
[XIAO-LEE]
[The power that comes from the greatest relaxation to the greatest tension]
[It is the known by very few in the world, and it is said to be the greatest martial arts technique in existence.]
[The only living master who has mastered Xiao-Lee is none other than the greatest living master of Chinese Martial arts. Some even call him "Martial Arts incarnate"]
[His name is Kaku Kaioh]
[The greatest offensive technique, the greatest defensive technique. This is what was passed down to Raine.]
[But why them?]
[Kaku has rejected countless students. People who have dedicated their lives to becoming stronger like he did were turned away. And yet a stranger from another world who never even knew of martial arts became his student. The rest of world may never know.]
[But Raine does.]
("Because of… muscle? Master Kaku, with all due respect, the thing I have the least of in my body is muscle."
"Exactly"
"Huh?"
"Raine, do you know how old I am? I'm over 150 years old. There was a time where I used to worship muscle and brute force and would dismiss martial arts. I was the strongest in all of Asia, my body was covered in unbreakable steel, and time and time again I would humiliate martial arts… until a man over 90 years old humiliated me with martial arts. That day changed my life. I threw away all that I had built and devoted myself to the logic of martial arts."
"But compared to how fast my body was built; the training of martial arts was slow. So slow. So slow my mind was breaking. I had to lose all the muscle that I once worshipped, and it took so long. It wasn't until I passed 100 years that I finally attained the logic that was looking for…"
"So much time wasted in letting go of my body… How many decades did I have to sacrifice for my foolishness? How faster would I have attained that logic had I never worshipped muscle like that?... I have lived with that regret for as long as I can remember."
"All of those fools that have come to me, begging to inherit my legacy, they were all too far gone already. Bodies made of iron flesh. Minds that worship strength and power. They could never attain the logic of martial arts! There are not enough centuries in their stupid lives that will suffice for them! OH HOW LOW CHINA HAS FALLEN!"
"You, on the other hand, have never been fooled by the temptations of power. You don't care about power for power's sake, and you have the mind that can understand the logic of martial arts better than anyone! Very few geniuses like you have been born for as long as I have lived… just three as a matter of fact. One of them was never interested in my teachings, he just wanted to be stronger than his father, anything else didn't really matter. Another was… Retsu… who was taken from us all too soon. And the other one already learns from me."
"This is my chance to pass my true legacy to the next generation, Raine. I may never live long enough to see it, but I wish to see the day you two surpass me…"
"Although, I may actually live long enough anyways, after all…"
"I still have a rematch pending!"