Metro Labyrinth - CH 42

At the same time that Kaike swings up the fan with a strange tension, a goo punch flies normally instead of a par tensioner. Cut the sky a few centimeters next to your cheeks.

“Wai– (Immediately?!)” (Shuu)

“Don’t look away from the ring!” (Kaike)

She leaps into the air energetically. She dived into my reach, sent a right hook, and then elbowed me. I evade and block it, only to receive a knee thrust. Unable to block, I backstepped.

“Oh! Safe, safe!?” (Kaike) [T/N: Yep, it’s English but now a sumo term.]

I step on the line. Kaike the referee swung her fan and urged me with a deadpan, “Nokota, nokota”. It seems safe as long as I don’t cross the line completely. However, this ring is a little too narrow.

“Ha!” (Aomoto)

Aomoto, taking advantage of a momentary lapse in my guard, unleashes a jumping spinning kick. I had to raise my arm to guard. A slight sidestep dampens the force, but it’s still powerful enough to numb my arm.

“There’s still more!” (Aomoto)

Aomoto follows up. She tries to evade my counterattack, a quick jab from close range.

I can tell by looking at her bloodshot eyes, that she’s completely serious. She’s seriously aiming for a knockout. I’m scared of this woman who misunderstands the meaning of Sumo.

“Woah, nope!” (Shuu)

(――well that’s it!) (Shuu)

In terms of level difference, I am more than just a level higher than her. The difference in physical ability is greater than I expected.

Still, as might be expected, her experience in fighting against other people and her skills in hand-to-hand combat compensate for this. Kaike’s “Nokota, nokota”, shows she was very good at positioning herself in the ring and pushing her opponents into a corner.

She uses the round ring as one of her weapons, restricting her opponent’s movement while making herself look as if she moving faster. Her footwork is worthy of Yokozuna, the top-ranked fighter in the Sugamo ring.

“Fuhaha! What’s wrong with that level 68!? Don’t hesitate in hitting back! Sumo is where fighting spirits collide!” (Aomoto)

This muscle-brain woman is clearly drunk on fighting. She completely forgot the purpose of this being a part of the interview. I had been aware of it for a while, but that’s the kind of person she is, this human disaster.

“Hah, hah…” (Aomoto)

Once the distance widens, the two of us adjust our breathing. Kaike saying “Nokota, nokota”. Unlike Aomoto, who was gasping for air and clearing her throat, I haven’t been able to land a single hit and was hit multiple times, but still had plenty of energy to spare.

“*Wheeze* *wheeze* …What’s the matter, Abe-Seki, you just keep running away. …The ring gods don’t smile on those who don’t come forward.” (Aomoto) [T/N: Seki means seat as if Shuu is some higher ranked sumo wrestler. She’s probably using a term wrong again.]

“What do you mean Abe-Seki…?” (Shuu)

“What is it? Do you not have the fist to wield against a woman? That’s an insult to a Yokozuna!” (Aomoto)

“No, well…” (Shuu)

(Well… What do I do?) (Shuu)

It feels like I’ve been stalling for some time, and since I’m prepared to be hit, I’ll probably need to be overwhelmed. It doesn’t matter if I receive an injury as long as [Immortality] is not exposed.

Also—I don’t have the motivation to win. If I can pass the interview safely, that is the biggest win.

The other party is the interviewer, and she is going to be my superior. I want to keep it peaceful somehow.

Even if it was a mock battle, I didn’t feel comfortable beating up a woman.

“Nokota, Nokota.” (Kaike)

After handling the onslaught so well, I was sure I had shown that I was as good as my level. So, is it a good idea to lose on purpose?

However, if it were to be discovered that I had skipped a move, I was afraid that I would be frowned upon by the intuitive, brain-muscled woman.

I think it would be a good idea to fight back somehow and lose by accidentally getting out of the ring.

(Okay, the next time she charges in, I’ll be out of the ring!) (Shuu)

“Let’s go! Abe-seki!” (Aomoto)

“Yeah!” (Shuu)

The fist I received was heavy, and she pushed the palm of her gloves and aimed for my face. She punched me by the chin.

“Ngu!” (Shuu)

It’s heavier than ever before. He folded his arms and tightened his guard, but the rain of fists hitting him randomly still had a weight to it that he had never felt before.

“This is me being serious! I’ll decide it immediately!” (Aomoto)

(She finally used it, this bastard.) (Shuu)

(A buff-like skill called [Herculean Strength]) (Shuu)

“The ring is a battlefield! Strength is justice! Sumo is about strength!” (Aomoto)

Aomoto rushes forward, foaming in the mouth. She is so excited that she has forgotten herself.

A moment’s lapse of guard caught me off guard, and a knee jabbed me from the side. “Ugh!” Aomoto’s knee smacked the side of my head. A combination uppercut grazes the tip of my chin.

I moved out of the way of another fist from the side, and she closes the distance again.

(――Damn it. Fine!) (Shuu)

I’m hurting all over the place, and I’m getting angry. It was becoming too much trouble to think. Kaike’s “Nokota, nokota” was getting kind of annoying, too.

I’m sorry Noa and everyone—but it has come to this.

I bend down. Ready to move forward.

I’m going to show this Yokozuna Berserker woman a real sumo match.

“—I will win against the Yokozuna!” (Shuu)

Is this an interview? No, this is a ring.

My history of fighting goes back to my kindergarten days. I had a few fights with friends over minor misunderstandings, but nothing serious.

I had never gotten into a serious fistfight with anyone. Until I woke up in New Tokyo.

Thinking back, the bandit boss was strong. He was sharp, cunning, and undeterred.

Aomoto, who was swinging her fist madly in front of me, was not as strong as the boss, but she was still physically stronger than him.

But on this level, he might still be stronger than her (including her fungus ability).

–Crack!

A sound explodes in front of Aomoto’s eyes.

Perhaps because she had lost her composure, her barrage of attacks and footwork had become obvious and monotonous. In contrast to the persistent and cunning boss who is like a snake, the fists that are unleashed like a storm are predictable. In the space between the fists, I swung both hands and clapped them in front of her eyes. A trick I used with all my might.

“Taaaa!” (Shuu)

I admired her for not even blinking, but still, she stiffened for a moment. Taking advantage of this opportunity, I dived into reach and grabbed her mawashi [A/N:  loincloth]. I shrugged off any thoughts about her unexpectedly large bosom or the fact that she was very lean. This is a ring, a sacred place where the gods reside.

“Guh!” (Aomoto)

“-aake, this!” (Shuu)

Placing my foot forward and I threw her forcefully.

I thought I had it completely in the bag.

Aomoto stepped forward forcefully with one foot, then leaped forward and landed in front of me.

Aomoto immediately pulled her body back and swung her foot back. This, too, missed as I kicked her knee. “Gah!” Aomoto moves away from me.

“Hey! You’re done as Yokozuna!” (Shuu)

“Keh! You’re going down! Okay, take this!” (Aomoto)

A voice murmured in the corner of my head that I was here for a job interview as a hunter, but I didn’t care.

From there, it was a complete turnaround from blows fighting head-to-head and limb-to-limb. Both of us exchanged throws to see who would kneel in the ring.  A majestic and beautiful sumo wrestling. It seems that me throwing her was a thorn pricking her pride as Yokozuna.

Our bodies collided with a dull thud. Sweat splattered on the ground. The room trembled with the sound of a war cry.

The hunter’s physical prowess enabled us to execute a number of powerful throws. We endured using our excellent sense of balance, stomping the floor as if it were about to shatter. I received the opponent’s full power and throws it back at her with all my might.

“Shah!” (Aomoto)

“There’s still more!” (Shuu)

It was me who was on the offensive.

Even with Aomoto’s [Herculean Strength], the total power between us two, mine is slightly higher. The speed of my reflexes is clearly superior to Aomoto’s. Inevitably, I would have to attack boldly.

Even so, Aomoto was indeed a great Yokozuna with a hundred battles under her belt. Aomoto used all of her skills to defeat my strength. Like a beast hiding in the darkness, Aomoto watches for a moment, a window of opportunity, to strike out on the offensive.

Fighting spirits are clashing. Souls are laid bare to each other. That is sumo.

Perhaps the heat between the two of us has been passed, as the squirrel girl raises herself up and gazes intently into us. Kaike shouting, “Nokota, nokota.”

“Oooooooo!” (Aomoto)

“Aaaaaaah!” (Shuu)

I had never been in a fight before.

So, I guess that’s why I was not that passionate about martial arts, but I was a watcher of fighters.

I was not very passionate, but I watched mixed martial arts and kickboxing on the TV without fail. During the holiday evenings, I would enjoy a grand time with beer and snacks while watching NHK on the air. I have also read many fighting mangas.

I have longed to imitate the otherworldly special techniques that I could never imitate, and I have been so excited by them that my heart was left burning.

Now, now I can do it.

Bam.

“Uh!?” (Shuu)

My focus is momentarily diverted from the opponent in front of me. The Yokozuna did not miss that.

Dismantling the stance of her opponent with her technique, she pulled me back with all her remaining strength.

Aomoto is planning a full-body throw. “Arrrrrgh!” I clenched my teeth and struggled to right my balance.

“You‘re… really strong…!” (Shuu)

I pushed my opponent’s waist from below, lifting her up, and I lift my arms raising her head above mine.

“Demon Wheeeeeel!” (Shuu)

Aomoto’s body floats in the air and falls head first behind me.

Bam! The room shakes. Dust flutters down from the ceiling.

Aomoto, who has fallen on her back, grits her teeth. She must have noticed that I loosened my grip at the end of the throw.

“…It was a good match… It was my complete defeat…” (Aomoto)

“…thank you very much…!” (Shuu)

Kaike fan points to me, the victor. Exhausted and shaking, but still clutching to my pride as the winner, I raised my right hand high to the sky. I turned back to my partner, who has witnessed my victory.

Tamiko’s eyes are white.

I’m sorry, you’re not familiar with sumo at all.