#627 The In-Laws Have a Rematch

How did things turn out like this?!

In this last bout—the musubi-no-ichiban—of the sumo tournament facilitated by the Mermaid Kingdom...

The rikishis just had to be Mr. Nagus and me, of all people! 

I’m fighting the previous Mermaid King, who is also Platy’s father and my father-in-law!

And for some reason, he’s incredibly pumped up for our fight! 

“Ahemahemahemahemahem!!!”

“Oh, Darling. You’re way past your prime already, so don’t overexert yourself, okay?”

Lady Mahi massages her husband’s shoulders to loosen him up.

Is his ideal battle mode, where he’s both calm and zealous, activated when all the tension from his shoulders is released?! 

As his opponent, I don’t think they have to go that far...!

Meanwhile, beside me is my wife, Platy...

“Dad’s got some guts to challenge Dear not once but twice! Dear, you know what to do! Show them who’s boss!”

...Must you really provoke your father like that?!

Look! Your unnecessary remark reached Mr. Nagus’ ears, and he’s redder than ever with indignation!

“Ahemmmmmmmmmmm!”

Hey, can’t we call this match off?!

We’ve already had enough of this in-law feud the year before last at the Martial Swimming Competition, right?!

Why are we reusing the same plot?!

“You’re too naïve, dearie. There is no end to the battle between in-laws, you know,” intervenes Lady Mahi. “For parents, the person who took away the child they brought to this world and took care of with all their hearts is their eternal enemy. Therefore, it’s common for in-laws to fight and show their superiority whenever the opportunity arises. In fact, I fight with Puffer every day, and it bothers Arowana and Zossy!”

Please learn to get along a little more! 

Not to mention, Zoth Syra is receiving collateral damage from this!

Her position as the current Mermaid Queen's foster parent and the previous queen's protegee is causing her maximum damage!

“As a parent, Darling can’t keep displaying a shameful sight forever! Ever since you made him suffer a regrettable defeat in the Martial Swimming Competition, he’s been training as he did during his golden age just to exact his revenge! If anything, he wanted to concentrate on training, so he passed the throne to Arowana!”

“What?!”

Who knew such a backstory regarding the throne succession in the Mermaid Kingdom existed? 

Are you saying I was involved in the transfer of power?!

“Your opportunity to vindicate your honor has come after two years, Darling! It may be a convenient arena for your opponent, but you can’t back down, lest you sully your name as the former Mermaid King! Go! Today’s your day to show the results of your training!”

“Aheeeeeeeeeeeeeeem!”

Mr. Nagus and Lady Mahi are as spirited as a little boy about to unleash a giant mech! 

Do I really have to clash with them?!

This clearly isn’t something the likes of me can handle!

“We don’t intend to lose, either! Go, Dear! Mow down all the obstacles in your way!”

Could you not emulate your parents’ energy and expect me to act like a giant mech for you, too, Platy?!

But I can’t run away; I have no choice but to step into the ring!

* * *

Musubi-no-ichiban.

Merfolk on land and the guests sitting on the bleachers have their eyes glued to me and Mr. Nagus in the ring. 

“To the west, we have Nagusss. To the east, we have the Saintttt.”

Just for this bout, the gyoji is Mermaid King Arowana.

Since his bout is over, this must be the Mermaid King expressing his willingness to witness this final match up close.

Tension grows intense by the second.

“Miatte, miatte. Hakkeyoi, nokotta!”

“Ahemmmmmmmm!!!”

Mr. Nagus rushes forward!

With his colossal body, he perfectly represents a sumo-tori!

“Ngahhhhh!”

The feeling of male flesh transmits throughout my body!

It’s firm! But also soft?!

It’s sticky but also warm?!

Such sensations are pushing me away...!

“Nghh!”

He managed to push me all the way to the edge of the ring in one go!

I can already feel the dividing straw on my heel!

“Guoh! Guoooooooooh!”

I was so bent over that my spine could snap at any moment, but I managed to hold my ground. Yet, the way my muscle-man of an opponent pushes me with his torso is like a bulldozer!

If I let my guard down, he could force me out of the ring in a heartbeat!

“You’re doing fantastic, Darling! Keep pushing him out of the ring!!!”

“What are you doing, Dear?! You’ll lose! Push baaaaaaaaaack!!!”

Easy for you to say!

Can’t you see Mr. Nagus is overpowering me here?! 

I’m like a child fighting an adult; there’s no way I can beat him through normal means! 

But if there’s even a sliver of a chance for me, it’s through my ability, the Hand of Supremacy. 

With this ability to maximize the potential of anything I touch with my hand, I should be able to turn myself into a veteran rikishi in the ring, ward off incoming attacks, and claim victory!

Yes, the power of the Hand of Supremacy fills my palm...

If only I could grab my opponent’s mawashi...!

...Hm?!

I can’t!

No! My hand can’t reach Mr. Nagus’ mawashi!

This happens a lot in bouts—taking the opponent’s mawashi means you are ready to hurl him, and the fierce struggle for this initiative is equal to the struggle for the mawashi!

No matter how versatile and invincible the Hand of Supremacy may be, it’s pointless if my hand can’t touch the target!

Why must its downside show up now?!

What should I do?

Without the Hand of Supremacy, I am just a shabby modern man. There’s no way I can compete with the strong people in this world!

“Ahemmmmmmmm!!!”

Mr. Nagus puts his pride as a father on the line!

Will he keep pushing me with all his might? Will I be forced out of the ring and lose?!

No!

I can’t afford to lose!

Mr. Nagus is a father, but so am I!

A father of two sons—Junior and Norito! I can’t look pathetic in front of my kids!

“Uooooooooooooh!!!”

The full force from my limbs could only push back Mr. Nagus’ huge body slightly.

“Ahem...?!”

I am no longer a poor modern man.

A new power resides in my body that’s different from the Hand of Supremacy.

As someone who has built a family, I can exert my abilities beyond limits to protect theeeeeeeeeem!!!

This is the very power of the pillar of the family.

The power of a father—I call it: Papapa Power!!!

“Oryaaaaaaaaaaah!!!”

To my surprise, with my meager, lanky physique, I managed to push back Mr. Nagus, who has the power equivalent of a yokozuna wrestler. 

“Ahem? Ahemahemahem?!”

Mr. Nagus looks puzzled himself.

If I can take advantage of that gap and grab his mawashi, I can activate the Hand of Supremacy and turn the tables on him in one fell swoop!

I’ll show him my willpower as a father!

“Aheeeeeem!!!”

“Whaaaaaaaaat?!”

But then, here he is, regaining his strength!

I thought Mr. Nagus was already going all out, but he has yet to unleash his final form!

...Huh? Wait a minute...

I pushed back by relying on the fact that I’m a father, but that title isn’t limited to me.

My opponent is a father too.

Moreover, compared to me, whose first child was born only two years ago, Mr. Nagus has had nine children, including Platy and Arowana, and has raised several of them to be full-fledged adults.

Today, Mr. Nagus is challenging me, his son-in-law, with his honor as their father on the line.

This situation is where he can fully demonstrate his power.

This power that a father of nine exudes is...

Papapapapapapapapa Papa Power!!!

To be continued!

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yokozuna-the top rank in sumo, usually translated as Grand Champion