2:30 PM
Goji Rikidou was the kind of man who stood out in a crowd, standing at 8 '1 and built like a boulder of iron ore. He was one of the few people in history to be a contender for the title [God of Sumo] a title given only 3 times in the over 3000 year history of Edoland; the most recent being Raijin Sukune who lived over 250 years ago and participated in the legendary final tournament of Kashmir.
Goji himself weighed in at just over 1200 lbs, his arms were 36 inches around, thicker than most men's waist. He could pick a 300lbs Yokozuna up with a single hand and throw him over the Shikona as if he were a sack of leaves. His hands, thick and calloused, could crush cured bamboo as if an eggshell. His fingers, as big around as some mens wrist could pick up a Sacagawea coin and curl it into a smooth faced ball. Using his finger tips alone he could tear a chunk out of a deck of 52 cards. He was once asked to perform a Kimarite technique on a top quality punching bag for an advertisement to prove their quality and his palm caused the bag to explode with sand.
All of these feats and his reputation earned Goji Rikidou the title [Man of Steel] a title which he held with pride. His task was simple, during the Edoland Liberation movement he would aid in the destruction of the tunnels under Tousen. Collapsing them beyond repair, forcing internal collapses and cave-ins. So far it had gone without a hitch.
Of course along the way there had been Toumeikan who attacked him, those ranked Geto to Hikari leaping at the chance to take his head and earn some credit were instead rewarded with broken bones. Those who came at him with metal bats or Kanabo found the weapons to bend when they hit him. Katanas bounced off his flesh and the blade snapped apart by his finger as if it was a cracker. Those few who managed to own a revolver found the bullets to bounce off him leaving a painful bleeding welts rather than pierce him. In return he paid them with his thick meaty fists. Crushing bone, bending figures into pretzels and rupturing tendons with a grip. In his wake he left a path of carnage.
Everyone who he’d faced so far he merely swatted away like a fly, beaten them with a single blow. Frowning Goji rotated his shoulders with a click. It wasn’t that he wanted to fight someone who could challenge him. It was more so that he couldn’t even remember what that felt like.
How many times had he been drafted by his promoters into a sumo match without being told, given interviews, done advertisements, signed papers and autographs at before parties. Been told this would be the biggest fight of his career only to send the other man out of the ring in under two seconds with a single move. How long had he been forced to bow his head and accept their praise and shake their hand. Patting their sand covered back as if they’d deserved any such thing! How long had it been since Goji Rikidou shook the ground as he barely stomped his foot down before being thrown from the ring!?
Reaching into the pocket of his cargo shorts Goji unraveled the small note of paper, a single line sheet from a notebook with various addresses on it of where tunnel openings were. Many already crossed out; he traced his index finger across the page until he saw the next place on the list.
[Kairiki Gym], just up a head a little further was his next location. A gym meant for celebrities and pro athletes to flaunt in for advertisements campaigns and press tours. Folding the piece of paper- which looked more like a sticky note in his hand into his pocket he pressed forwards.
It wasn’t long at all before he came upon the gym, a monster of modern architecture made of steel, glass and concrete with various posters showing movie stars, idols, singers and the like across the front windows. Entering the building he was greeted immediately by the obnoxiousness of the setting. Tall vaulted ceilings held up by thick marble pillars, the place lit by drooping calendars made of gold and quartz. The front desk, a smooth long cut of Agarwood with obsidian highlights.
“Usless.” Goji muttered, shaking his head softly. A gym was a place to train and work your body. To push past your limits and feel yourself grow stronger, to rip yourself apart, heal and then rip that wound open again in search of growing beyond. Not somewhere to reveal wealth and riches. Now that he thought about it he might have been offered a photo shoot here sometime before that he reclined. He had his own gym at his private estate. All he needed were rocks to throw and trees to tackle. With that he had more than enough to grow stronger.
Walking down the hallway he stopped and turned into a room which had a marble plate above the doorway with a toilet carved into it. What greeted him inside was a generic looking locker room. Rows of dark blue lockers matched with benches, sinks and even a shower which had clouds of steam snaking out from the entrance and the sound of whistling coming from it.
“Is someone here!?” Goji called out, his voice deep and booming.
“...”
There was no response, only the continued sound of whistling and water splashing. Frowning Goji strode over to the showers quietly as he could. Surprisingly for his size he managed to pull it off fairly well. Light taps replaced thunderous stomps as he creeped up to the showers and peeked his head inside. Would it just be some old man who wasn’t paying attention? A celebrity who thought he didn’t need to answer to anyone else or-
WHAM!
A fist covered in thick coarse hair smashed itself square into the nose of Goji. The power absurd it flung his entire frame which weighed over half a ton backwards and crashed through the lockers. Each row crumpled like tissue paper under the impact and he only came to a stop when he crashed against the polished andesite wall which sent tremors across the buildings as he slammed into it.
Feeling a warm sensation from his nose and the taste of metal on his tongue Goji rubbed his fingers across his upper lip to find fresh blood dripping down.
“What the hell man? Tryna see me naked or some shit?” A crude voice called out, its owner walking out of the shower butt naked with only a small white towel being used to ruffle the dark brown hair atop his head.
Goji grinned as he stood up, if he was to face any Joshin, then this would be the one who might give him a challenge, who might be able to dirty his back- Kintoki Masaru, Joshin under Chiba Iwainu!
The man was tall standing 6 '6 with a muscular frame, long arms corded with dense muscle and a face looking somewhat ape-like with a flat broad nose and a prominent brow. Even the way the hair atop his head was styled up into a sagittal crest-like shape made the comparison obvious.
Without warning Goji leapt at the man, bringing his first back and throwing it forwards he put his full weight into the throw- seeing this Kintoki let out a grunt and barely managed to dodge the punch as it roared past him. Goji's fist smashing straight into the andesite wall and embedding his entire arm all the way up to the shoulder. The entire building shook as if hit by an earthquake.
“You wanna fight then bro!?” Masaru asked with a wide grin, putting his hands up to block his face and put his legs shoulder width apart not caring that he was completely naked.
Grunting Goji ripped his arm from the wall, bits of dust and crumbs coming off as he did so. “Have you ever played Sumo?” Pulling at his collar Goji ripped his shirt clean off, the threads snapping as easy as spider silk he then unfastened his belt and ripped his pants. Revealing the black Sundoshi he wore for underwear
It took a moment for Kintoki to answer the question, the size of Goji truly settling in. At first you might have thought him fat, obese even with how large his frame was and the puffiness of his skin. Now he realized that was not the case at all. His thick powerful arms had a few veins rippling across the biceps and brachialis. Thighs like tree trunks and feet calloused to the pink he could walk on broken glass as if it were fresh snow. Any fat the man had was more like thick armor than blubber.
Kintoki's thick lips curled upwards and his cheeks rounded. “You think just’ because you’re bigger than me you’ll win huh? Fine, I'll play Sumo with you, and I’ll prove just how much above my weight I can punch!”
“I’ve seen Rikishi the size of a child throw a quarter ton Yokozuna out of the ring, so don’t think I can’t recognize your strength!” Goji laughed.
BOOM!
In a flash both men charged forwards, tackling the other. The sound was like that of two trains colliding at full speed, but meatier. More wet sounding, less cold and hard. The ground below them trembled as both men had the other in their grasp. Kintoki had blood begin to drip out of his nose as veins spread across the reddening surface of his face. With haggard breaths he clenched his arms firmly around the wide frame of Goji's waist, Something he could only do because of his long arm. Unable to interlock his hands he instead collapsed his own wrist firmly.
Goji on the other hand had his hands alone interlocked around Kintoki's waist, thumb to thumb and finger to finger. If he pushed his palms together in a clap he might just have shattered the spine and burst the organs of the Joshin.
“Gurrrah!”
“Reeee!”
Both men with all of their might lifted the other. Muscles rippling with tension and veins wiggling as blood pumped they felt their tendons tighten. And for just a split second with nothing but their own bodie strength and determination they managed to defy gravity and lift the other's foot from the ground at the same time so they were both mid air.
The one to lose this grappling battle however… was Goji. Having leaned forwast himself ever so slightly it gave Kintoki enough leverage to let gravity do the heavy lifting. Veins spawning across his arms in curling patterns like spaghetti noodles and the verd fibers of his muscle insertions visible he managed to suplex Goji.
PAT…
However, at the last possible moment as he was being flung backwards Goji threw his right arm down, using that as an anchor point he stopped the flat of his back from slamming into the ground. Now his entire weight resting on a single limb proved no easy feat. Muscles cramped and bones settled uneasily- veins writhing and turning pink as if ready to burst through his skin with a spray of blood.
“Tch!” Blood dripping from his nose into a puddle on the floor beneath him Masaru found himself pinned under the weight of Goji, both men stuck in a stale mate. If he released the Rikishi he would fall down and crush him- something even Kintoki knew he wouldn’t be able to walk off easily. Instead he twisted his torso, letting his muscles burn and snap with power he flung himself around Goji in a flash like a hamster on a wheel he now straddled the man's back. Pulling his first back he slammed it into the square of Goji's nose with a wet splash and crunch.
“Gurrrrah!”
Kintoki let out a cry as his hand splintered, fingers bending in unnatural directions and and his tendons snapping like shoe laces he hollered out in pain.
Goji felt the pain as well, his own forehead throbbing he couldn’t help but to grin. Pushing his chin into his chest at the last moment he managed to turn the tide back to his favor if only for a moment. He’d spent years worth of time training his forehead and neck against the most ferocious of mountain rams, their heads clashing with sounds that shook the valleys of Edoland itself. Not even the thick calcified knuckles of Kintoki could shake that.
His right hand held up whole body with the now added weight of Kintoki atop it- his elbow felt as if it would snap at any moment. Pulling back his left arm he swung it in a clockwise motion upwards at Kintoki, keeping his elbow straight the side of his fist slammed cleanly into the side of Kintoki's face.
BANG!
Kintoki flew through the air, his jaw shattered and eye swollen shut he slammed through the andesite wall creating a human shaped hole as he continued into the weight room next door. Slamming into a rack of 200kg metal plates which he bounced off of and fell down to the mats below. “Blegt!” He gagged, his jaw hanging loose, he could taste the fountain of blood which gushed from his crushed nose. His molars broken to pieces fell out of his mouth in bits of white and yellow. His brain rattled inside his head, banging against the side of his skull with dull yet heavy pain making him unable to think clearly.
Twisting his torso, Goji popped off the floor and to his feet, sweat dripping down his brow, he took deep heavy breaths. He’s better than I expected! To think I almost fell onto my back- he is worthy of challenging me!
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Pulling his plump lips into a grin Goji turned around and walked out of the locker room, making his way down the hallways to the weight room. His heart pumping in his chest and butterflies in his stomach when he entered the weight room he saw Kintoki kneeling on the ground still, his face only partially healed. His orbital socket no longer pulverized; it was now only partially swollen shut with deep black and purple bruising. His jaw popped back into my place though now with an underbite.
So he can heal himself? Goji frowned, even if he can only do it a little since I can't. This will be an uphill battle, but that only makes it better!
Charging forwards with a tackle this time he met the defense of Kintoki who threw his hand out- the same one which had been broken before now healed but noticeably disfigured and grabbed onto one of the 200kg weights which he tossed at Goji as if it were a frisbee.
“!”
Ducking down just as the weight nearly smashed into his eyes, Goji heard the loud crack as it smashed into one of the concrete balls behind him- one used for lifting competitions broke it into four pieces. Still moving forwards Goji went for the lower mass of Kintoki who ripped a barbell bar up and brought it overhead like a bat. Swinging it straight down into the giant man's left back side right as he came upon him with a snap.
The weight at the end of the bar smashed into Goji's side, caving it in as his ribs bent he slammed into the glass mirror wall to his right. The glass shattering rained down like bits of razor sharp snow flakes through the air and onto the mats below.
Dropping the bar Kintoki jumped forwards, grabbing onto the squat rack next to Goji he brought himself around it like a pole, his legs sticking outwards slammed into Goji once more, his heels digging into the man's shoulder and neck.
“KEH!” Goji coughed, his hands trembling as his nose poured blood Kintoki furthered his assault. Forcing the ravenous currents of aura which filled his body into a single route- forcing all of that aura into his left hand which glowed with power.
[金剛: Kongo Beat!]
Hips flicking, and shoulder rotating Kintoku intended for the attack to finish Goji, to crush his skull, make his brains spray out across the fitness mats painting the room red with gore.
DONG!
However he was only with an awful yet familiar pain, his knuckles recoiling against what felt like steel he felt his tendon be forced apart, bones crunching and blood swelling into his hand turning it purple. “Gurrrrah!” He screamed, not only one but now both of his hands had been damaged to the point of deformation.
[鋼鎧姿: Man of Steel] the main spell of Goji Rikidou, one that coated his body with an imaginary element, the Zenith of Elementalism it weighted next to nothing yet was far more durable than even the greatest steel alloys. “I didn’t want to use it this early ya know.” Goji frowned, wiping the blood from his nose. “But I guess you’re worth fighting with all I have.”
“So you don’t wanna fight natty then huh?” Kintoki growled- his eyes furrowed and lips curled into a nervous grin.
“I wouldn’t go that far- I had to eat a lot of Chankonabe to get to this size!” Roaring with laughter Goji stood up, his figure now shining brightly. He looked down at the man over a foot and a half shorter than him and half as thin. “Round 2?” He asked, lowering his body.
Kintoki winced as his hand healed, bones popping back into place loudly as Tendons were forced straight; it was far from perfect. He never was a good healer, so in the end while far from perfect his hand could still do what it needed- to make a fist.. “Come at then bro, I’ll show you how natural beats artificial!"
I never said I wasn’t natural. Goji thought with a frown.
“!”
With a sudden burst of speed, speed so fast you’d think it impossible for his size Goji sprung forwards. Almost as if having teleported he now appeared before Kintoki, his left hand pulled back and glistening under the overhead light.
[鋼拊手: Kouharite!]
The sound barrier cracked as Goji thrust his palm forwards, Kintoki having expected a tackle of some kind was unprepared to defend against the dinner plate sized hand of Goji which smashed straight into his face with a pop. The man being flung backwards and spinning through the air like a dreidel. Still bare naked he slammed into a dumbbell rack which collapsed on top of him burying him in the weights.
“That hurt more than I thought it would…” Goji grunted, looking down at his hand which swelled up with blood as a lesion formed. The stronger the opponent the more damage [鋼拊手: Kouharite] delt, however the recoil was also stronger. But the burning ache in his hand- even the crinkling of his wrist wasn’t enough to stop him. Not even close. Leaping forwards and raising his leg up Goji came down upon the dumbbell pile with his heel.
However what met his heel was not what he’d expected, grasping his Achilles tendon was Kintoki, jumping forwards and tackling Goji's leg he dug his fingers as hard as he could into the muscle until he felt the-
SNAP!
Goji instantly fell forwards, face first into the pile of weights. His face smashing into the metal it wasn’t hard to imagine the pain that caused. But that paled in comparison to the waves of agony shooting up his spine and across his entire flesh from his ruptured achilles tendon. The heel being one of the most sensitive and important parts of the body to have it snapped was kin to having a testicle crushed.
“Gurrrrahhhh!” With a howl that shook the room itself Goji writhed on the floor. Tears coming from his eyes- pain surged through him. Pain he couldn’t mend or replace. As Goji has no healing magic at all. While Kanashi could only heal superficial scrapes and cuts- even those leaving marks. Though with his enhancement he could dull the pain and it made sense- healing magic was simply an advanced form of enhancement. A difficult one to understand let alone master it took years of experience, medical knowledge or talent. Yet for some reason despite having all three of those Goji was simply incapable of using healing magic to any extent- not even to dull the pain. And so he felt every single throb, sting and burn which shot through his body with every breath.
“You’re hard as hell I’ll give you that- but I told you natural prevails over artificial!” Kintoki laughed.
Though Goji didn’t hear a single word- his ears rang out with pain that scorched his whole body, pain so great he wanted to die. In his 50 years of life he’d never before felt such an awful sensation. Not when he’d ruptured a disk in his back, not when his arm snapped in half as a child when he fell from a tree- nothing had ever felt like this.
Kintoki frowned at Goji's lack of a response and scratched his underarm. “Well, guess this means it’s over huh? I’ll just put ya outta your misery.” He nodded. Walking over to the rack of stone balls used for power lifting he picked the heaviest he could find- a half ton orb of pure concrete he grabbed it. His muscles strained and he grunted with each step but he held the ball to his chest and managed to carry it over to Goji. His face painted tomato red he huffed as he lifted the ball overhead. “Seeya, cheater.”
The ball dropped down fast. You'd think gravity itself hated the thing, aiming straight for the chest of Goji, it would cave in his rips and squish his heart flat. He could only see it out of the corner of his eyes where the tears had not yet reached.
[反則拳: Hanzokuken!]
“!?”
Kintokis eyes widened as Goji swung his left hand upwards, balled into a fist it shined like metal and slammed into the ball which crumbled as if made of sand.
“Wha-!?”
Before Kintoki could finish Goji reached upwards and grabbed him around his neck firmly. With a grip that could snap cured bamboo like a twig Kintoki was-
SLAM!
CRASH!
BANG!
Stars filled the Joshins vision as he felt his body slam into… how many things and how many times? How long had Goji swung Kintoki around like a rag doll, destroying everything in sight with him as if he was a sledge hammer?
Kintoki only felt his conscious return when the sun burned his eyes and his back felt hot asphalt burn his bare flesh.
“Ha-ha-ha.” Panting as he dripped with sweat and veins squirming along his body was Goji Rikidou, one foot on the ground while the other was lifted just above the ground limply.
Kintoki struggled to stand, his entire body sore and now covered in bruises which refused to heal. He wiped the blood from covering his nose and chin, his eyes both bruised and nearly swollen shit he grinned widely. “Round 3?” He asked, letting his body fall loose. He was no longer flexed, his pose- perfect! He simply let himself flop forwards until his knuckles nearly dragged across the floor, his back arched and gasps of air coming from his mouth.
Goji nodded with his own devilish smile- a pained one, but a smile none the less. Splitting his legs shoulder width apart he lifted his left over head. His heel laying limp he took in a deep breath. Kintoki raised his brow at the show, the dance of all Rikishi, the Shiko. Kintoki looking as if he was doing the splits on the air itself Goji grunted and stomped his foot down.
DOOM!
The ground shook, the pain was severe, painful, so painful but it didn’t matter anymore. Goji’s left foot embedded itself ankle deep into the asphalt road. “Let’s.” He said with a struggle, sweat and tears rolling down his face which was hard as stone.
BANG!
BOOM!
CRASH!
CRACK!
RIP!
THUMP!
DOOM!
SNAP!
SPLAT!
How many times had they exchanged blows? Neither knew, but it felt like hundreds, they stopped counting after the 50th bout. They only grunted like beasts, and continued to fight. Cars were flipped, buildings crumbled, street signs snapped. Both fighting with all their might, fists slamming into each other, palms slapping, knuckles crunching against steel and might swings on fresh bruised flesh breaking bone.
Screams, grunts, cries both men yelled until it felt like their vocal cord would rip.
At some point there was a voice overhead, one which came from the intercom system of Shibuchu ward. But the words didn’t register with men, neither did the smell of burning gasoline and the slipperiness of their sweat covered bodies slamming against each other.
“!?”
Kintoki slid under Goji’s legs, sliding across the bloody floor and jumping up behind Goji. His arms wrapped around the man's waist he was ready to end this. To prove he was the stronger of the two, even if he couldn’t beat Iwainu- he could beat Goji Rikidou, he could claim that title!
Veins spread out across his entire body, curled and knotted, looking as if they were about to burst through flesh. His muscles likewise strained, growing bigger than they ever had before, deformed and oddshaped from the tension. Leaning back he filled his chest with air as his spine curved.
Goji felt his feet left the ground and his body begin to tilt back when-
[金剛: KONGO ACCORDION!]
It was a suplex, a beautiful one at that. A perfect arch, Goji felt himself be thrown backwards. If the attack was successful he would lose, without a doubt his title and fifty years worth of work gone. That boy- Taima Suinin, long before being given the Shikona Goji Rikidou, the boy who swore he would be Edoland 4th God of Sumo would not lose here!
With a grunt Goji forced his body further backwards, fighting against his own weight and gravity itself he threw his two legs above and flipped mid air, his leg arm wrapping around Kintoki’s thick neck he landed with his one the floor- Kintoki's suplex failed.
[覇崩勝: Hakuhōshō!]
A double reverse suplex, his left arm wrapped around Kintoki’s neck and his right hand grabbing into the man's ribcage like the lip on the surface of a bookshelf Goji heaved himself back, Kintoki flung from the air his feet flying overhead-
CRACK!
The sound was awful, that of Kintoki Masaru's head splitting open against the bare asphalt. The sutures of his skull coming apart his brain burst from the flesh across the street. Shining red and pink under the sunlight.
Goji stumbled forwards- the bone of his heel exposed, blood gushed from it into a puddle below. Muscle fibers shooting out of his leg like cables from a cut wire.
“REEEEEEEEEE!”
Screeching at the top of his lungs, like a beast he pounded one his chest. Veins and muscles bulging, blood and sweat, missing teeth and broken bones. Tendons ruptured and orangs bruised he’d still won. Goji Rikidou, the one who would later be known in history as the 4th God of Sumo had defeated Kintoki Masaru Joshin of the Hachibuto Chiba Iwainu.
“Masaru lost…”
That victory however would only be short lived.
Goji spun around, his first raised and coated in steel whatever it was that had appeared behind him was wild. More beast than human like a demon given form. The image of a wolf the side of an elephant with razor sharp teeth that came from a maw which dripped saliva filled his head so clearly you’d assume he saw it with his eyes rather then his mind.
THWACK!
Goji didn’t know what hit him- he was flying through the air before he knew it. Yes, Goji Rikidou, the man who weighed 1200 lbs was soaring through the air as if weightless. Spinning in a circle like a feather caught by a quick breeze. He couldn’t feel his legs, his body bent unnaturally as if his spine was missing. No, it wasn’t missing. It was still there, but to call it a spine would be a far stretch. Dust, it was dust now, crumbs small enough to fit through the finest of sieves.
His spine shattered and ribs likewise turned to mush as if they had only been made of stale taffy. His eyes turned black as blood swelled inside his sclera. His pants had even become soiled, his body trying its best to keep him sane, to ignore the feeling of pain and fear which assaulted his very soul. Pain akin to many more times then his achilles heel being snapped, fear greater than anything he’d felt in his whole life. But Goji Rikidou didn't feel the pain- not he didn’t feel anything anymore. His brain giving out- shutting down to preserve his life he went limp mid air. Slamming through multiple buildings, walls crumbling under his weight and the velocity of which he was thrown, he landed nearly 60 meters away in a pile of rubble. Lungs full of dust grasping for air as his pitch black eyes were rolled into the back of his head.
The one to perform such a feat- to send Goji Rikidou flying and nearly kill him with a single strike was a Hachibuto of the Toumeikan. The avatar of the Inujin Wolf God, Chiba Iwainu.
“Hina send out message… me finish job.”
2:46 PM
[金得偉: Kintoki Masaru] - The first two Kanji are Kintoki for his surname and mean “Earn Gold / Money” basically, while the 3rd Kanji for his surname means “Great, Big, terrible,magnificent.” and so on. I like his name.
[金剛: Kongo] - An indestrucatblae substance
[鋼鎧姿: Man of Steel] - read Koukaishi the Kanji mean “Steel, Armor, Figure”
[鋼拊手: Kouharite] - Kanji are “Steel hand strike” a pun on a Harite slap meant for the face in sumo.
[反則拳: Hanzokuken] - Means “Rule breaking punch.” a pun on the fact you’re not allowed to punch in Sumo.
[太馬帥仁: Taima Suinin] - The first two Kanji mean “Thick Horse.” while the 2nd means "Virtuous commander.” It’s Goji's birth name, Sumo wrestlers normally get a “Shikona” or stage name when they become a Sumo wrestler that they are known by professionally. Think about how music artists are often called by their stage name. The name is based on Emperor Suinin who is said to have set up the match between Nomi No Suknune and Taima no Keheya, the first sumo match in history according to the Nihon Shoki.
[剛姿仂胴: Goji Rikidou] - The kanji mean “Strong Build.” and “Torso Surplus."
[覇崩勝: Hakuhōshō] - The kanji means "Supreme Demolishing Victory.” and is a pun on the real life sumo wrestler Hakuhō-Shō who is considered the greatest sumo wrestler of all time.
