Record of the Mōri Martial Arts Tournament

With another relatively short battle finished, representatives of the Ryūzōji and Aotsuki Clans cleared the field in order to allow the next competitors to descend. On the eastern side, this meant two members of the Date Clan. Namely, the Daimyō himself, Date⚔Masamune, and his girlfriend, Katakura Kojūrō. Opposing them were Musashibō Benkei and Shōta, representing the Hashinara Clan. The disappearance of Shōta’s body and the subtle change in his behavior upon reappearing were known to several in the crowd at this point. Mōri Motonari and Maxim, in particular, paid close attention to the lanky boy standing alongside Benkei.

It was only mid-afternoon when the final clan match of the day commenced. Akechi Mitsuhide and Shibata Katsuie took up position on the western side of the field to represent the Oda Clan. Meanwhile, their opponents, Steffi Schawngau and the demonic Ketzi’ah of Sancta Sedes, alighted to the east. Few in the stands knew the full capabilities of either side, although Mitsuhide had been a thorn in the side of all good and rational people for some time.

Dawn rose on the third day of the Mōri Aspirant Tournament, with the matches beginning at their characteristically punctual break of dawn. Mostly familiar faces dotted the crowd, with some missing and a few newcomers present. Of particular interest was a sour-faced, dour woman in reddish robes sharing the box right beside Shogun Ashikaga Yoshiaki who hadn't been there on days previous.   A fair number of other events occurred simultaneously with the matches, but for details on each battle that took place, see: Mōri Matches: Day 3

In addition to the crimson-stained petals of Hashinara Yoshitakatomo's illusory flower field, a large stained-glass cube now squatted in the northwestern corner of the arena, a relic from the previous match. The cube's southern side displayed an inviting chasm leading inside, but neither Honda Tadakatsu nor Kōtenbō showed any inclination to make use of the new facet as they took to the field. Tadakatsu commented that Kōtenbō had some skill, a rare compliment from the "Strongest Warrior in Japan." The other cryptically stated that his strength was only a byproduct of his training, not the goal of it. Many in the audience who had seen Tadakatsu in battle before knew what was to happen next. That strength was about to be broken.

When the two fighters from the previous match either staggered off or were carried back to the stands, a new pair descended to the flowered sands to replace them. Gotō Mototsugu, ghostly victim of Honda Tadakatsu and a Spear Pillar in her own right, was to face against Tsutsui Junkei of the Oda Clan. Mototsugu was a seasoned warrior, and a wraith to boot. However, Junkei had performed exceptionally well in the preliminaries. This had potential to be a close fight, although the crowd's cheers seemed to favor the former over the latter.

A somber pall had fallen over the audience at the conclusion of last match. What's more, this coming battle showed little promise of dispelling that gloom. Hōjō Ujiteru descended from the stands, silent and expressionless as a doll. Many had seen her in her previous fight and the preliminaries, aided by some enormous unseen creature. Hashinara Yoshitakatomo was able to mystically detect a powerful undead looming over the girl, and Aotsuki Tsukamoto beheld in Kagami's mirror a gargantuan skeleton, crouched on all fours like a beast. To everyone else, even those with eyes able to pierce the mystical, nothing hinted at the presence of the monster save for its actions in combat. Even the flowery sand in the base of the arena remained undisturbed.   To face this unnerving opponent came Kobayakawa Takakage. She seemed tense, angry, and ready to avenge the loss her elder sister, Mōri Takamoto, had suffered earlier that morning. That this opponent had nothing to do with that loss did not seem to matter to her. Takakage was searching for an outlet.

Maxim and Ryūzaki Sanosuke arrived back at their seats in the tournament stands just in time to see the first two clans take to the field. These next matches were to make up the semifinals and determine which clan teams would be competing for the title of champion. For this match, Ryūzōji Kagetada and Yagyū Jūbei represented the Silver Meteor Storm, or Ryūzaki Clan, on the left. Across from them, brothers Yamada Arinaga and Yamada Arinobu stood for the Shimazu Clan. Both were known to be onmyōji and had previously brought their familiars onto the field with them. The two Wani standing behind those siblings were not, however, quite the same team which had accompanied them the first time.   This discrepancy didn't go unnoticed by either of the Cardinal Generals watching from different spots in the stands. Hadn't there been some kind of enormous, jellyfish-style yōkai hiding in the canal when the Shimazu brothers fought yesterday? Sanosuke was informed by perceptive Motoyama Tsugutoshi, while Maxim relied on his own senses to look for the creature. Indeed, there it was, lurking as a dark spot under the water of the northern canal. The Silver Meteor Storm team received a mental warning that they would be facing a total of five combatants, but since the jellyfish had not seemed too important a force in yesterday's match, little more came of it before the match began.

With a minor incident in the stands resolved, the collected faces in the arena were free to focus their attention back on the next match. Both fighters had already taken to the field. On the left: Ono Shigeyuki, Twin Wall of the Tachibana Clan and a known potent force on the battlefield. Opposite her: Honda Tadakatsu, the so-called Invincible Warrior, formerly of the Tokugawa Clan, now operating independently. For all of Shigeyuki's strength, none had ever yet seen Honda Tadakatsu so much as scratched by a single attack. The odds therefore swung heavily in the demoness' favor.

The last match of that morning was, perhaps, the most unknown of the four. In previous battles, watchers had a pretty strong idea of which competitor would walk away the victor. Between Hōjō Ujiteru and Momo, however, the odds seemed a lot more even. Both fighters were fairly unknown. Indeed, it was a bit of a surprise either had made it this far. At the same time, they had both displayed unique fighting prowess that made them opponents to be respected; Ujiteru with her great invisible protector, and Momo with a kick that could shatter oni bones.   From above, Mōri Motonari and Kikkawa no Myōkyū welcomed the competitors to the field. Ujiteru took up position on the left, with Momo stretching and bouncing in place to the right. The crowd hushed until Myōkyū bid the fighters to begin their match.

Mōri Tournament

Day 5

Match 1

Notes

The second match of the morning, which will determine Fubuki's opponent in the Independent Finals. I expect it to be Maxim. All the data points to him being far more powerful (and maybe a Demon???). But Momo has been the underdog for every match and she's made it this far, so...