Young Samurai_ The Way of the Sword - Chris Bradford [15]
‘Kazuki-kun, you’re up first. You can show them how it’s done.’
Kazuki snapped to his feet and took up position on his teacher’s right-hand side.
‘Now your opponent will be…’ considered Sensei Kyuzo, pulling wistfully at the tuft of moustache beneath his pudgy nose, ‘Jack-kun.’
Jack knew it. He wasn’t going to be given any time to recover. Usually he enjoyed randori since it was exciting and challenging. But Kazuki was vindictive. In free-sparring, punches were supposed to be ‘pulled’, kicks held back, throws executed with due care, and locks released immediately an opponent tapped for submission. But given the slightest chance, Kazuki would apply his techniques with full force and ignore any calls for submission.
With little choice in the matter, Jack got up and stood on Sensei Kyuzo’s left-hand side.
‘Rei!’ said Sensei Kyuzo and they both bowed to him.
‘Rei!’ repeated Sensei Kyuzo, and Jack and Kazuki bowed to one another as was required etiquette.
‘Hajime!’ announced the sensei, and the randori began.
They each darted in to get their grip, grabbing at the lapels and sleeves of each other’s gi in an attempt to gain the upper hand.
Like a dazzling but violent dance, they tussled for domination. They pulled and pushed, whirled and zigzagged, trying to unbalance one another, looking for an opportunity for a throw or a leg reap.
The other students watched eagerly, Yamato and Saburo clenching their fists in silent support, Akiko tugging anxiously at the folds of her gi.
Jack, spotting his chance, twisted his body in towards Kazuki for seoi nage, but Kazuki was quick to counter, shifting his hips out of the way and throwing his leg behind Jack’s for a valley drop throw.
The move would have been successful if Jack had been off-balance, but he was still grounded so drove his weight into Kazuki, countering with an inner leg reap.
Kazuki almost fell, but somehow managed to untangle his leg from behind Jack’s. Kazuki stumbled backwards and Jack pressed forward with his attack.
Too late… Jack realized he’d been tricked.
Kazuki’s loss of balance had been a ploy to get Jack to over-commit to his own attack. He was now the target of a sacrifice throw.
Kazuki rolled backwards, pulling Jack on top of him. At the same time, he thrust his foot into Jack’s stomach, flipping Jack in a large arc over his head.
Jack had no chance of avoiding Kazuki’s tomoe nage stomach throw. Landing hard upon his back on the dojo floor, he had the wind knocked out of him for the second time that day. Before he could even snatch a breath, Kazuki had rolled on top and locked down on him in a neck hold.
‘Very impressive, Kazuki!’ commended Sensei Kyuzo from the sidelines. ‘See if you can hold him down for a count of ten.’
Kazuki clamped on to Jack, his right forearm wrapping tightly round the back of Jack’s neck, while restraining Jack’s right arm under his armpit. He spread his legs out to the side and now dropped all his weight on to Jack’s ribcage, digging his head in tight beside Jack’s.
Jack was pinned to the ground.
‘ONE!’ called the sensei.
Jack rolled into Kazuki, trying to dislodge him, his free hand scrabbling to find purchase on Kazuki’s gi.
‘Forget it, gaijin,’ rasped Kazuki into Jack’s ear, ‘there’s no way on earth I’m letting you up!’
‘TWO!’
Jack flung himself the other way to turn Kazuki over. He used every ounce of strength he possessed, but Kazuki’s legs were spread too wide and his weight prevented Jack rolling him.
‘THREE!’
Jack lay helpless, his energy spent.
‘Pathetic!’ taunted Kazuki.
‘FOUR!’
Incensed, Jack renewed his efforts. He shuffled his feet round towards Kazuki’s outstretched legs, drawing his body close to his rival. He tried to trap his rear leg and turn him over. Feeling the movement, Kazuki shifted his legs out of the way.
‘You’ll have to try harder than that!’
‘FIVE!’
Jack arched his back, pushing with the balls of his feet to form a bridge with his body. He managed to