#625 Musubi-no-ichiban

After the bout, Arowana came to our side to greet us.

“I sincerely apologize for the trouble this has caused you.”

Rather, he came to apologize.

“It pains me that the tournament structure, which was supposed to entertain you and the Demon King, has turned into an interracial rivalry. I want to reassure you that we hold no ill will.”

“Of course we know that. We’re friends, aren’t we?”

We’ve become so close that we could almost use telepathy with each other.

And as Platy’s brother, he’s my brother-in-law, so there’s no need to be overly modest.

“Father’s outburst this time was quite remarkable... He never took such aggressive measures even before he retired, so this a first...”

“Perhaps he couldn’t stand the idea that merfolk would be seen as weak?”

Appearance-wise, he’s a muscular king.

It could be that he’s fixated on being the strongest.

“I hope the remaining two bouts...will end on peaceful terms.”

“Speaking of which, who’s your next rikishi?”

The name on the list was utterly unfamiliar to me.

I even asked Platy earlier, but she said she doesn’t know either.

‘‘I’m not surprised Platy doesn’t know him. That man is indifferent toward mermen fights in the first place, and he’s also long past his heyday.”

Of course, this man we’re referring to is the rikishi in the next bout... 

“His name is Gurnard. He was originally one of the leading warriors of our nation. His gyrating martial arts are said to be among the best in the world, and he has made his mark in the Martial Swimming Competition, participating every year. Alas, Gurnard never won a single championship.”

That’s because...

“That was during my father Nagus’ winning streak. No matter how rare a warrior he was, my father’s herculean strength was in a different dimension. Try as hard as he did, he still struggled to reach his goals.”

“You know a lot about him, huh?”

It’s as if you’ve witnessed everything in person...!

“I did hear everything from him earlier, after all.”

“You mean you asked him yourself?!”

Was he waiting for his moment to tell someone all about his story?!

All right then, let’s narrate things under the guise of an interview with the person in question in the next section.

* * *

For decades, the warrior Gurnard was away from the public gaze.

We asked him directly how he had been doing.

“...My life as a merwarrior was like being overshadowed by a great king,” shares Gurnard. “It was as if King Nagus’ strength wasn’t human... Huh? He’s no longer king? You’re right. My apologies. I haven’t been up to date with worldly affairs. For me, getting stronger is everything.”

He smiles sarcastically.

“But as long as King Nagus is around, I can’t be the strongest. Times were rough when things wouldn’t go my way back then. I have made it my life’s purpose to challenge King Nagus in the annual sport, but I couldn’t even do that—I failed to qualify because of one careless mistake. From there, it was one misfortune after another.”

Uncontented that he couldn’t fight King Nagus, he rushed into the palace alone to challenge the (former) king.

Gurnard was apprehended only after dozens of guards were seriously wounded, and he was charged with attempted murder of his lord.

“At the time, the humanizing potion was just beginning to be put to practical use. I think I was the first merman to be forcibly converted into a terrestrial being and sentenced to banishment on land. Even so, it’s fair to say it was only a light punishment. The king must’ve been soft on me.”

For a major crime, such as attempting to kill the king, the death penalty is usually issued. 

Despite that, Gurnard’s sentence was commuted, and he was sent to the land.

Being on land, a foreign area to merfolk, would’ve made him lose his mind, but a born warrior is a warrior, no matter where he is.

Here, Gurnard spent all his time training.

“When I became a land-dweller and got two legs for my tail fin, I realized its potential as a powerful weapon. Merfolk’s lower bodies were designed to swim at high speeds in the sea and gain propulsion. When transformed into legs and used as weapons for kicking, they produce immense destructive power!”

Almost all of Gurnard’s life on land was devoted to training.

A merman who gained human legs. To turn his legs into a deadly weapon, he practiced kicking day in and day out.

There was even a time when he became so engrossed in kicking that by the time he realized it, it was already nightfall.

It has been more than a decade since Gurnard was banished to land.

During that time, God knows how many millions of kicks he has done.

After tireless training, he attained enlightenment and named his founded technique the Mermaid Kickboxer.

His tail, which has ceased swimming, became vicious legs that rip its enemies!

“I perfected my technique to the point where it can handle any situation and have achieved first-class perfection. Lo and behold, I was summoned by King Nagus at the right time and was called back to the sea. That’s when I heard the throne had been passed on to his successor, but it matters not to me."

His goal is to always be at the top.

“I will defeat Nagus, and his son, the new king. I will crush all renowned warriors with my kicks and prove that the Mermaid Kickboxer is the most powerful in the world! That’s why I came back!”

Merwarrior Gurnard returned with bigger achievements and overflowing confidence.

Can he create a whirlwind of kicking in the Mermaid Kingdom with the technique he has developed?

* * *

That ends our “interview” with Gurnard.

“There’s no doubt Gurnard is a highly ambitious warrior. His strength is beyond that of many mermen who have lived in the ocean all their lives. Depending on how this bout flows, it may bring about a new upheaval in the three races...”

Tension rises as I listen to the explanation.

Gurnard will be participating in the fourth bout with Orkubo as his opponent.

The two fierce competitors glare at each other in the ring.

“...An orc is an unexpected opponent, but I won’t underestimate you. You’ll be the first sacrifice to my kickboxing technique shown before the people of my motherland.”

“Um, before we begin, I’d just like to let you know that...” intervenes the gyoji. “Kicking is against the rules, so please don’t use it. Hakkeyoi, nokotta!”

“What?!”

* * *

Orkubo won by a landslide.

The bout was decided in an instant.

With Gurnard’s prized kick banned by the rules, he could only struggle for dear life in the ring. One hit from Orkubo wrapped things up immediately.

The move Gurnard had spent a decade honing on land was of no use to him.

Cheer up, there’s always next time for you to be rewarded for your efforts!

“Alllllll right! Way to go, my Orkubo!!! My gauge is fully charged, thanks to your fights! I’m so glad we organized this event!!!”

With Zoth Syra pleased as punch, let’s take this time to review the results. 

Mermaid Union Human-Demon Union

1. Tetra ○-● Gobukichi

2. Arowana ●-○ Mamoru

3. Hendra ○-● Demon King Zedan

4. Gurnard ○-● Orkubo

Our team secured three wins before the final bout! 

Victory is ours!

We did it! Whooooo!

I didn’t expect such an overwhelming victory!

Ah, but this means I’ll be deprived of my chance to show Junior and Norito how cool their father is!

After all, I’m the last rikishi on the Human-Demon Alliance team.

I would’ve preferred a position with less responsibility, but everyone flattered me and made me go last! 

But now that the overall victory has been decided, I don’t have to play anymore!

I’m happy about our win, but I also want to wrestle in the ring! What a dilemma this is!

“That won’t be a problem, dearie.”

It’s the former Mermaid Queen, Mahi!

My mother-in-law!

“You know we can’t let it end like this. After all, the real fun starts here.”

‘‘Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahem!”

A huge body appears from behind Queen Mahi.

It’s the former Mermaid King Nagus, also my father-in-law.

“Darling has been waiting for this day for a long time, the day he can formally fight his son-in-law again. You’re the only person he has ever lost to in his entire life. Darling was determined to get his revenge, but you never showed up in the Martial Swimming Competition.”

“That’s...!”

Are they referring to the time I participated in the Martial Swimming Competition last minute?

If I remember, I grappled with my father-in-law in the semi-finals...

“When he heard that you were going to participate in the sumo tournament, he knew it would be the perfect chance. And so, he decided to participate, even if it meant forcing his way in. His wish was granted at last.”

“Ahemahemahem!”

“...and there you have it, dearie.”

Whaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaat?!

So even if our team wins, I can’t avoid a fight?

Not to mention, my opponent is my father-in-law.

The brutal battle once fought on the ocean floor will happen on land this time?!

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title explanation-final bout of the day

rikishi-literally, 'powerful man'. The most common term for a professional sumo wrestler. (both definitions courtesy of Wikipedia's sumo glossary)