#627 Bow-Twirling Ceremony

“Gnghhhhhhhhh!”

Uh-oh, I’m being pushed back!

I, a second-time father, can’t possibly resist Mr. Nagus’ Papapapapapapapapa Power!

“Ahemmmm!”

I’m on the verge of losing my footing under this tempestuous gaburi-yori attack! 

My spine is starting to make cracking sounds!

As I thought, Mr. Nagus is terrifying, far ahead of me as a man and as a father providing for his family.

Is it really inevitable that I’d lose to him, who’s much older and wise with the ways of the world after overcoming countless hardships?

But just when I was starting to welcome defeat in my heart...

“Not yet, Dear!”

The voice coming from outside the ring was Platy!

“Sure, Dad is strong, but that doesn’t mean he’s invincible! Take advantage of that aspect that’s neither about being neither a man nor a father!!!”

What do you mean?!

Before I could make guesses, Platy lifted someone...

“...Norito?!”

Our newborn second son!

...Man, he’s so cute.

My baby boy is so cute!

Woah, focus, me! I'll lose instantly if I let my guard down in this bout!

Especially since I’m up against the men of all men, my father-in-law!

I felt chills down my spine the moment I realized my end was nigh for letting my guard down, but... 

I was fine.

Surprisingly, my opponent is loosening up!

“Aheeeeeem...!”

Where did his overwhelming vigor go?

His eyes are starting to lose their piercing gaze!

Is it all thanks to Norito?

To Mr. Nagus, Platy is the apple of his eye, so it’s no doubt that her child, Norito, is even more adorable.

“Yes, Dad let his guard down as planned! Junior, your turn!”

“Wuv you, gwampsss!”

Even Norito’s older brother came out to sway Mr. Nagus!

The man swoons for his adorable grandsons’ double attack!  

“Ahem, ahemahem, aheeeeeeeem...!”

The bloodthirsty warrior in the ring has now become a sweet grandfather who swoons for his grandkids!

...Ah, I see now!

Is this Platy’s strategy?! 

No matter how formidable of a man who has been through the most harrowing ordeals in life, he can’t help but be enchanted and fawn over his grandkids.

The warrior’s power is extinguished by his grandkids’ charm.

...In short, extin-gramps!

“Dad should be vulnerable now! This is your chance, Dear; push him back with all your might!” 

“The left hand is only for supporttt!”

Platy and Junior’s cheers reverberate in the air.

This is my chance!

If I am to beat Mr. Nagus, who far surpasses me as a father, I have to unleash my full power now or never!

While he’s infatuated with his grandchildren, I’ll grab his mawashi and activate the Hand of Supremacy! 

But at the moment, I...

“Ughhh, you’re both so cute...!”

I was as obsessed with my children as Mr. Nagus.

They’re my adorable kids, after all! 

Two and zero years old!

Why bother wrestling right now when my children are this cute?!

The kids’ offense affected not only Mr. Nagus but me as well!

In short, exting-pops!

“Ahh...! So cute...!”

“Ahemee, ahemee...!”

Mr. Nagus and I are too invested in fawning over the kids and have forgotten all about the sumo match. 

“...”

Then Junior, my oldest son, came crawling into the ring!

Junior, watch out!

This is a serious match between two men!

This is no place for kids like y- ahhhhhh, so cute!!!

“Hakkeyoiii, hakkeyoiii...”

Aww, Junior!

You want to play sumo? That’s my boy!

“Ahemahem, ahem...!”

Oh, please step back, father-in-law! My son’s opponent is me, his father!

Look, he’s trying to do a harite! Ahhh, so cute, my heart! 

Looking strong, Junior!

Aww, the way he comes at my knees with his tiny little hands is the cutest thing!

I gotta play along and pretend his hits are working!

“Oh noooo, I’m being pusheeeeed!”

“Ahemsheeed.”

While Junior’s hitting me with his left hand, similarly, Mr. Nagus is being hit with his right. 

His force is like a gentle breeze compared to when Mr. Nagus and I were pushing each other, but my son’s (his grandson’s) cuteness is enough to make us fall back. 

“Oh nooo, I’m done forrr. You’re so strong, Junior!”

“Ahemahemmm!”

Soon after, I was pushed all the way to the outside of the ring.

That includes Mr. Nagus, too.

The winner of the bout was Junior.

“...Uh, it seems both sides have gone outside the right, so it’s a tie,” says Arowana, the gyoji.

Wait a minute! No matter how you look at it, Junior was clearly the winner!

I object to this decision! Please referee better!

“Ahemahem! Ahemahemahemahem!!!”

“Come to your senses, Father, Lord Saint! This was supposed to be a bout between you two!”

Oh, really?

Well, it doesn’t matter; my kids are too cute.

* * *

Thus, the Sumo Tournament hosted by the Mermaid Kingdom ended peacefully.

Wow, after regaining my composure, I think things were crazy for a moment back there.

At one point, the races on land and sea were so divided that it could’ve ended with races holding ill will towards one another, but Junior saved the day.

Even though it was technically a legitimate victory for the Human-Demon Union team with three wins, one loss, and one draw, everyone stopped caring about winning or losing after that anticlimactic final match. 

“Nghhhhh! I messed up! I didn’t think of Dear going all mushy over our kids!”

“You were too short-sighted, Platy. You’ve got plenty of room to improve in the art of manipulating your husband.”

“Nghhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!”

Platy feels bitter.

But again, because of the anticlimactic finale, both the audience and the wrestlers are exhausted. Nevertheless, our spectators understood the wonderfulness of sumo.

I hope this sport will become known as something that can be shared and enjoyed by all races, including mermaids, demons, and humans, and serve as a bridge to their friendship.

Lastly, a yumitori is held at the end of the Sumo Tournament.

It’s a bow twirling ceremony where a rikishi dances with a bow, and then, after the leg raising and stomping, they wish the guests a safe trip home.

Since this ceremony is still alien to the people of this world, humble, foolish me, after producing that pathetic result at the musubi-no-ichiban...

Will do the honor of performing the ceremonial dance. 

Twirl the bow...

Do the ceremonial leg raising and stomping...

Dosukoi!

Let’s all enjoy sumo!

----------

'left hand is only for support' is a line from slam dunk. accdg to search results, its a famous quote among slam dunk fans.

gaburi-yori-sumo move that involves pushing your opponent using your torso

the... extin-gramps and exting-pops are almost nonsensical, even to me (lol). but theyre basically made up of the characters for extinguish/delete (消）and grandfather/father respectively (爺/父). tried my darndest to look it up on the internet if its another reference to something, but it was futile

lastly, i have exams around the end of the month and my thesis synopsis before that. i apologize in advance if updates become sporadic again. ill equally make up for any backlog at a later time when things have calmed down!