Letting out a big puff of air, Clifton allowed the tension to drain from his shoulders. He appeared to have been on edge about bringing Kukuri back, and that excess tension would’ve prevented him from doing well in the ring. If you’re prepared to win or lose and let the heavens decide the outcome, you’ll be able to move unexpectedly well in the bout—for sumo is done with spirit.
Clifton climbed the dohyō, his impatience a thing of the past. Kukuri climbed the dohyō as well. With clarity in his eyes, Clifton gazed at her.
“Please don’t look at me.”
“Why not?”
“I am...an ugly monster, and a traitor... Don’t look at me with such clear eyes...”
“Don’t say that. You’re beautiful, and you didn’t betray anyone.”
“That’s not true...”
“It is. Your figure is well proportioned and gorgeous, and your center of mass is low. It’s the best form for making use of the fighting style Arachne has taught us. I don’t see any problems with it.”
“I’m a monster who pretended to be a human to get into your stable and steal your techniques.”
“Techniques are nobody’s property. You haven’t betrayed anyone.”
“But...”
“You were sincere about sumo, weren’t you? You trained earnestly and spared no effort trying to become the strongest. You never betrayed sumo.”
“Coach...”
As Kukuri continued to look sorrowful, Clifton smiled at her.
“Let us settle this through sumo. If I win, you’ll become my bride.”
Kukuri’s cheeks instantly flushed bright red.
“B-But...”
“And if you win, I’ll become your groom.”
“B-But that’s the same thing!”
“Do you not like my offer?”
“W-Well... I...don’t dislike it...”
Wow, what a crazy way to propose—even I’m starting to feel awkward!
“I noticed my feelings for the first time when you disappeared. I love you. I need you. I want to spend my life pursuing sumo together with you.”
“Ah...”
Kukuri was left speechless, her face beet red. It was every girl’s heartfelt desire to hear such words from the person she loved. And a proposal made on a dohyō was a scene straight out of a dream.
At last, she spoke. “L-Let us do sumo!”
“Yeah, let’s!”
“I-I’m not good at expressing myself, so I can’t convey my feelings for you very well verbally. But I can through sumo!”
“You can indeed!”
“So, uh... It’s time for sumo!”
“Wouldn’t have it any other way!”
“Um, may we finally begin?” asked the gray referee, his face a little red.
“Oh, yes, sorry!” replied Kukuri.
“Let us go all out, putting out feelings into our techniques, and make this one a splendid bout.”
“Yes, Coach!” replied Kukuri with a bright smile on her face. She seemed to have cast her worries away at last.
“Face each other.”
The two rikishi in love faced each other from across the lines in the ground. Though their gazes were sweet, the tension was nonetheless palpable. The sweet mood did little to hide the fierceness hanging in the air. They weren’t a species-transcending sumo couple for nothing.
As their breathing synchronized, the two touched the ground with their fists and got up, both carrying themselves in the spider stance taught in the Clifton stable—a stance that involves keeping your body very low to the ground. Their unreserved smash of love was a sight to behold. Neither of them gave an inch, fighting in absolute earnest.
Kukuri in her arachne form was heavier than Clifton, and her six legs made her extremely steady on her feet. Clifton relied on his own high proficiency in sumo to block Kukuri’s attempts at grabbing his mawashi.
I wondered who would be victorious. Regardless of who won, we would no doubt see a wedding in the fall. Would they like the idea of reserving the entire Aryakan Sumo Hall for a grand wedding? I was looking forward to it already.
The two lovebirds grappled each other. Their reddened cheeks made it hard to tell whether this was sumo or an act of love. Though there was sweetness in the air, it didn’t feel like a love scene because of the ferocity which flowed behind it, like a sound of very low frequency. What a curious bout, I thought.
Kukuri had more weight, but Clifton was stronger. And their love for each other was about the same. Neither of them showed any signs of hesitation or worry.
Clifton lowered his stance and endured Kukuri’s advance, but was getting pushed nonetheless, until Kukuri’s leg hit upon the white part of the ring, bringing them to a stop. The debuff you got from being in your opponent’s side of the ring was pretty massive.
Kukuri pulled on Clifton’s mawashi, threw him off-balance, and used her front left leg to perform an underarm throw. It was amazing how using her leg for a technique didn’t have a significant impact on her balance because she had five more to stand on.
Clifton lowered his center of mass and stood his ground. He had grown strong through his training. Kukuri smiled at him, and he smiled in return.
“I’ll bring you to the demonic realm no matter what!”
“I’ll bring you back to Aryagard, and to Grand Sumo!”
I couldn’t really tell anymore whether their love was pure or wicked.
Since two wrestlers from the same stable were going against each other, they both had a good understanding of how their opponent moved and what techniques they favored, allowing for quick reactions. As they moved around the ring with low stances, their bout looked like a dance. It was almost like the mating dance of a peacock spider.
I caught sight of a thread as it reflected light. Watch out!
“Air Sumo Form!” shouted Clifton, donning an armor of wind and blowing the threads away.
Good thing I had taught him that ability on our way here, especially considering the prince had lost because of those threads.
With an armor of wind around his body, Clifton had gained speed. In an instant he moved within range and grabbed the right side of Kukuri’s mawashi, lifted her left thigh, tripped the inside of her right thigh, and pressed his head against her. A triple attack force out! Indeed, with a Maglev Triple Attack Force Out it doesn’t matter how many legs the opponent has, because the maglev tracks of light eliminate friction!
“Not so fast!” spoke Kukuri, dodging to the side to avoid the tracks that had appeared.
The prince had used this technique to bring Uta down the other day. That might’ve been why Kukuri saw it coming. Without the maglev effect, the technique wasn’t enough to throw the arachne off-balance, and she used the window of opportunity to trip Clifton’s right leg with her front left and middle left legs. He endured with all he had, relying on his natural sense of balance and his great strength. Gears manifested behind him and began to rotate at high speed, allowing him to push aside Kukuri’s two attacking legs and hoist her by her mawashi! He actually managed to lift her enormous body. However, she grabbed his mawashi as well and started trying to lift him in turn! Behind her was a rapidly rotating phantom spinning wheel.
They were both so incredibly stubborn. This bout was a splendid lead-in to their becoming a couple. They competed in strength, technique, and spirit.
“I’ll bring you back to Aryagard!”
“I’ll take you with me to the demonic realm!”
“I love you!”
“I love you too!”
Look at these two... They just had to keep making me feel awkward.
The way they tried to hoist each other by the mawashi looked sublime, as if they were martyrs of love. In plainer terms, though, they looked like a regular sickeningly sweet couple. With their faces beet red as neither was willing to give an inch, they continued trying to lift each other, relying on nothing but strength and the buffs of their sumo spirits.