el.the miko-第121部分

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　〃You　knew　it　well　enough　with　Tanya；〃　Nicholas　observed。
　〃Yah；〃　Croaker　said；　〃I　did　at　that。〃
　There　was　a　shadow　beyond　the　last　shoji。　It　could　have　been　a　human　figure。
　〃Sensei？〃　Nicholas　called。　There　was　no　answer。　He　reached　out　and　slid　aside　the　shoji。
　〃Oh；　Jesus　Christ！〃　Croaker　said；　staring。
　Kenzo；　the　sensei　of　this　dojo；　was　strung　up　from　the　ceiling；　a　length　of　nylon　cord　lashed　around　his　ankles。　His　legs　were　white　as　bone；　his　face　the　color　of　a　ruddy　sunset。　His　blackened　tongue　protruded　from　between　his　engorged　lips。
　Nicholas　saw　the　slash　through　Kenzo's　heart；　neat　as　an　incision；　and　knew　instantly　what　weapon　had　been　used　to　kill　him。
　〃Goddamn！〃　Croaker　cried。　〃I　told　you　I　felt　naked　without　my　piece！〃　He　turned；　running　back　through　the　path　of　the　open　shoji　toward　the　staircase　and　the　locker　room　where　his　gun　was　locked　up；　thinking；　A　cop's　what　I　am；　it's　what　I'll　always　be。　The　beat　of　my　heart。
　〃No！〃　Nicholas　cried；　spinning。　〃Lew；　stop！〃　Running　after　his　friend。
　But　Croaker　did　not　hear　him。　He　was　in　a　foreign　land　and　he　felt　terribly　vulnerable　without　his　gun。　He　was　in　the　second　room。　Nicholas　increased　his　speed；　lunging　forward　just　as　Croaker　sprinted　through　into　the　first　room。
　Grabbed　at　his　cotton　blouse；　pulling　backward　and　down。
　But　there　was　already　a　whirring　in　the　air；　a　dazzling　blur；　the　brief　wind　of　an　insect　passing　close　by。
　〃Ah；　God！〃　It　was　Croaker's　voice；　full　of　surprise　and　pain。
　There　was　blood　and　a　flurry　of　bodies　rolling。　Nicholas　was　up　in　a　crouch。　Only　an　expertly　wielded　katana　could　have　made　that　lethal　cut　in　Kenzo；　and　that　was　what　he　had　feared。　The　strike　he　was　trying　to　protect　Croaker　from　had　been　meant　for　him。
　He　saw　his　friend　kneeling　on　the　tatami；　his　right　hand　gripping　his　left。　Blood　poured　out　of　the　wound　at　the　open　wrist　that　had　abruptly　bee　a　stump。　Fearful　shades　of　steel　had　sliced　through　flesh　and　bone　alike。
　That　peculiar　silvery　tone　was　in　the　air；　a　lethal　shimmer；　an　oning　rush　of　wind　that　would　slice　him　open　if　he　let　it。　Used　tobi　ashi；　the　flying　step；　launching　himself　upward　and　over　the　oning　strike。
　Koten　laughed　harshly。　〃All　your　ninja　acrobatics　will　avail　you　nothing。　I　have　the　dai…katana。〃
　And　indeed　it　was　as　Nicholas　had　feared　the　moment　he　saw　the　expert　incision　through　Kenzo's　heart。　Koten　was　wielding　Nicholas'　own　sword；　Iss…Hogai。　Fleetingly；　Nicholas　found　himself　wondering　how　a　yokozuna…a　sumo　grand　champion…such　as　Koten　had　had　time　to　learn　kenjutsu。
　He　was　wearing　montsuki　and　hakama　just　as　if　he　were　about　to　step　into　the　dohyo　to　begin　a　match。　His　gleaming　black　hair　was　immaculately　coiffed　in　ichomage。　Even　the　dai…katana　with　its　thirty…inch　blade　appeared　thin　and　puny　so　near　his　great　girth。　He　was　an　enormously　powerful　man；　and　Nicholas　had　to　be　constantly　aware　of　the　discipline　in　which　he　was　sensei。
　Sumo　was　a　bit　more　limited　in　range　than　many　other　martial　arts。　Perhaps　just　over　two　hundred　binations　were　possible；　stemming　from　thirty…two　key　techniques　based　on　pushing　with　the　hands…tsuki；　with　the　entire　body…oshi；　and　clinching…　yon。
　But　Koten　was　also　a　sumai　sensei。　All　contact　with　such　a　sumo　could　be　instantaneously　dangerous　since　their　size　bined　with　their　huge　hara　gave　them　leverage　normally　unheard　of　for　a　human　being　unaided　by　mechanical　means。　Unarmed；　Koten　was　decidedly　lethal。
　Koten　extended　the　blade　and　moved　forward　in　quick　crablike　steps。　He　was　close　to　the　ground…almost　squatting…where　he　was　most　fortable　and　the　strongest。
　Nicholas　burst　backward　through　the　last　of　the　shoji；　found　himself　in　the　dojo　proper。　He　looked　for　the　katana；　but　their　ceremonial　spot　was　empty。
　Koten　slashed　downward　in　an　oblique　strike；　the　dai…katana　piercing　wood　and　rice　paper；　ripping　up　the　shoji　only　centimeters　from　Nicholas'　retreating　leg。
　〃I'll　cut　into　your　ankles　first；〃　Koten　said；　〃and　make　you　scream。〃　He　came　crashing　through　the　rent　shoji　like　a　wild　boar。　〃I　made　sumo　scream；　too。　In　the　dohyo。〃　Iss…Hogai　swept　through　the　air　left　to　right；　then　abruptly　reversing　course；　swiping　at　Nicholas'　feet。　〃You　thought　ozeki　made　no　noise　during　a　match。　The　audience　figures　they　grunt　like　territorial　animals。〃　Blur　of　blade　again。　〃That　is　the　secret　of　sumo's　popularity。　Beneath　the　formal　rituals；　the　veneer　of　dignity　and　civilization；　the　audience　is　excited　by　what　they　believe　they　are　seeing。　Antlered　stag　going　at　it　with　instantaneous　savagery。〃
　Koten's　bead　eyes　were　bright　as　his　massive　legs　powered　him　forward；　as　his　bare　soles　beat　the　floor　in　a　thunderous　tattoo。　〃But　within　that　space　of　time…thirty　seconds；　no　more…I　learned　to　make　my　opponents　scream。　The　thunder　of　the　crowd　was　such　that　only　I　heard；　locked　against　his　sweating　body。〃
　Nicholas　feinted　right；　then　came　in　beneath　Koten's　guard。　But　the　sumo　let　go　of　the　blade　with　his　left　hand；　slamming　the　forearm　into　Nicholas'　chest。　Nicholas　hit　the　floor　hard。
　Koten　laughed　again。　〃I　didn't　hear　you　scream　that　time；　barbarian；　but　you　will　soon。〃　The　dai…katana　swooped　down；　its　finely　honed　tip　splintering　the　polished　wooden　boards　at　Nicholas'　feet。
　Nicholas　knew　what　all　this　bantering　was　in　aid　of。　It　was　Koten's　aim　to　make　Nicholas　e　against　him；　to　make　Nicholas　use　whatever　he　might　know　of　oshi；　drawing　Nicholas　into　his　own　strength。
　I　might　as　well　give　him　what　he　wants；　Nicholas　thought。　It　is　time　To　Pass　On　to　Koten　that　which　he　wants　most。
　Koten　laughed　as　Nicholas　came　at　him；　a　human　mountain　attacked　by　an　insect　who　possibly　could　sting；　but　nothing　more。
　He　countered　Nicholas'　oshi；　using　the　hilt　of　the　sword　instead　of；　as　Nicholas　had　expected；　returning　oshi　for　oshi。　Nicholas　felt　the　crushing　blow　on　the　point　of　his　shoulder；　felt　the　resulting　grinding　of　bone　and　the　audible　pop　of　dislocation。　Pain　ran　like　fire　down　his　arm；　rendering　his　right　side　totally　useless。
　〃This　is　what　Musashi　called　Injuring　the　Corners；　barbarian；〃　Koten　gloated。　〃I'll　beat　you　down　in　small　strokes。　I'll　make　you　scream　yet。〃
　He　ran　at　Nicholas；　feinting　with　the　long　sword；　employing　oshi　now　to　throw　Nicholas　hard　onto　the　floor。　He　knelt　over　him　on　one　knee。　The　blade　sizzled　downward；　cutting　a　vicious　arc　through　the　air。
　Desperately　Nicholas　twisted；　raising　his　left　arm　upward　so　that　it　broke　inside　Koten's　upraised　arm；　deflected　the　blow　out　and　away　from　him。　But　because　of　the　injuries　to　shoulder　and　fingers　he　was　unable　to　plete　the　suwari　waza　move　as　he　would　have　wanted　to。
　Instead　he　was　obliged　to　release　Koten's　arm　prematurely　to　deliver　an　atemi；　a　percussive　strike；　with　his　left　elbow。　Heard　the　answering　crack　as　ribs　caved　in　beneath　the　blow。
　Koten　cried　out；　twisting　his　body　up　and　away；　at　the　same　time　slashing　back　toward　Nicholas'　body　with　the　dai…katana。
　Two　attacks　at　once　and　Nicholas　was　able　to　handle　only　one　at　a　time。　The　steel　blade　was　his　first　priority。　He　made　contact　with　Koten's　forearm；　gliding　his　left　hand　along　the　flesh。　At　the　point　of　the　bone　protrusion　along　the　bottom　side　of　the　wrist；　he　broke　inward；　twisting　with　the　fingers　of　his　left　hand。　Because　it　was　aikido；　he　was　bining　his　own　strength　with　that　of　Koten's　own　momentum。　It　was　power　enough　to　snap　the　bone。
　Now　they　were　even　in　a　way；　Koten　was　obliged　to　drop　the　two…handed　grip　on　the　sword；　his　right　arm　hanging　loose　at　his　side　as　the　broken　joint　began　to　swell。
　But　his　second　attack　could　not　be　stopped；　and　he　used　a　shoulder　throw　to　Nicholas'　right　side。　This　time　Nicholas　cried　out　with　the　pain　directed　at　his　dislocated　shoulder。
　He　rolled　away；　scrambling。　He　knew　that　he　would　be　done　for　if　he　allowed　Koten's　bulk　to　dominate　him　while　he　was　off　his　feet。　This　was　the　danger　with　sumai；　and　it　was　enormous。　Their　territory　was　bringing　their　weight　and　strength　to　bear　in　an　area　close　to　the　ground。
　Nicholas　was　moving　away　when　he　felt　the　presence　of　the　blade　swooping　after　him。　He　leaped　aside；　directly　into　a　powerful　tsuki　that　forced　all　the　air　from　his　lungs。　His　head　went　down　and　he　began　to　wheeze　reflexively　as　his　lungs　tried　desperately　to　regain　the　oxygen　denied　them。
　A　second　vicious　tsuki　to　his　sternum　rocked　him　backward　awkwardly　so　that　he　sprawled　on　the　floor。　In　an　instant　Koten　was　over　him；　his　weight　pressing　oppressively　on　Nicholas'　chest；　further　denying　him　air。　Nicholas　began　to　cough；　bile　rising　into　his　throat。
　Koten　brought　long；　gleaming　Iss…Hogai　crosswise　along　Nicholas'　chest；　drawing　a　horizontal　line；　peeling　back　his　black　cotton　blouse。
　〃The　next　stroke　will　pierce　skin；　drawing　blood；〃　Koten　said；　his　voice　silky。　〃Stupid　iteki　Protorov　wouldn't　let　me　at　you　in　Hokkaido。　Lucky　for　you；　unlucky　for　him。　But　now　I　have　you。　Unlucky　for　you；　lucky　for　me。〃　Koten　leaned　forward；　bringing　more　pressure　down　on　Nicholas'　chest。　〃Next　this　katana　of　yours　will　slice　through　flesh。　Finally；　bone　and　organs。〃　He　grinned　fiercely。　〃Tell　me；　barbarian；　how　does　it　feel　to　know　that　you　are　going　to　die　by　your　own　dai…katana？〃
　Beginning　the　first　cut；　skin　rupturing；　peeling　back　like　the　rind　of　a　fruit。　Blood　welling；　dark　and　hot。
　Nicholas'　mind　was　screaming　for　surcease。　Reaching　back　for　the　〃no　mind〃　of　the　Void；　he　allowed　the　organism　to　work　on　its　own。　His　left　arm　shot　straight　up；　the　fingers　together　and　as　rigid　as　any　swordblade　ever　forged。　Into　the　soft　spot　of　flesh　joining　Koten's　chin　with　throat。
　Nicholas　struck　as　he　had　been　taught　kenjutsu；　as　he　would　have　done　a　sword　strike：　with　all　his　muscle；　mind；　and　spirit。　He　thought　not　of　Koten's　flesh　but　rather　of　what　lay　beyond　it。
　The　kite　struck　through　flesh　and　cartilage；　ripping　through　Koten's　larynx；　his　mouth　and　sinuses。
　The　sumo's　eyes　opened　wide；　more　with　shock　than　with　fear。　There　was　no　time　for　anything　else。　He　was　dead　before　sensation　could　reach　the　brain　and　register。
　Sirens　screaming。　Inside　the　ambulance；　Lew　Croaker　lay　on　a　stretcher　unconscious；　in　mild　shock。　The　paramedics　had　kept　the　makeshift　tourniquet　he　had　fashioned；　a