Level 0 Aikido – Prologue

Here I present the prologue to “The Strongest Level 0 Aikido Practitioner, Now, Here I Come to a Different World!” which shall now henceforth be known as “Level 0 Aikido”.

The synopsis and ToC can be seen here. Announcement post can be found here.

Hope you enjoy the serialized work of Sorachi Daidai-sensei.

 

Disclaimer: Much of the original syntax and sentence structure was heavily altered to preserve the mood. I also made some inferences, added clarifying adjectives, and even reworded certain sentences for them to make sense in English. Don’t take this as a 100% accurate direct translation.

 

 

Volume 1: The Aikido Practictioner Who Descended to a Different World Arc

Prologue

 

 

Kaminagi Nagare was an expert at Aiki-Jujutsu.
When he was just a babe, barely able to think for himself, he had already defeated his great-grandfather who was the founder^[1] of the God-Slaying Aiki-Jujutsu School^[2] by throwing him with a single finger. By the time he was in elementary school he had already fought against every genius martial artist throughout the entire world and obtained victory against them all.

 

He was born for the very purpose of practicing Aikido^[3]. Even though his body was now approaching the old age of 85, it showed no signs of frailty or physical decline.
The only things that were affected by the passage of time were the white hairs on his head and the faint wrinkles that sometimes showed on his face.

 

Of course, his mind remained clear. Just like his body which still kept it’s physical strength, his mind was still brimming with vitality even in his advanced age.
However―― Nagare had progressed this far by using the art of Aiki which takes in everything, molds it, and then releases it to defeat one’s foes. And yet, there was one thing in the back of his mind that still troubled him.

 

「Empty――」

 

He was not thinking about it during his daily routine of practicing Kumite^[4] by sparing with 10,000 people, but once he had settled down he muttered that word.
Right now he was in the middle of repeating 10 million different Kata^[5], but somewhere deep in his heart he could feel a small hole growing wider.

 

It has been over 80 years since he started practicing Aiki-Jujutsu. From his own point of view, he had yet to reach the pinnacle of strength, but he had begun to have thoughts that his current path might not be able to reach that peak.
Once you decide on your own limits, that is the moment when your path can no longer proceed onward.

 

However, despite saying that―― Nagare had already become too strong.
He had already fought against endless numbers of martial art masters. Not being satisfied with humans, he even fought against bears and abominable snowmen (Of course, the existence of snowmen is being kept as a national secret though).
He has also saved the Earth from disaster a countless number of times. One time, when he single-handedly invaded a terrorist headquarters to save a very important person, he faced up against tanks and combat helicopters and destroyed him by using his Aikido.

 

Amongst the times he had saved the Earth from peril, he had once used his Aikido to change the trajectory of an incoming meteorite, had once stopped Mt. Fuji from erupting, and had once sent a mistakenly fired nuclear missile soaring into space by throwing it.

 

For that reason―― Yes, for that reason, for that very reason, he felt Empty.
He never once did he think that his path was set in stone.
But at this point, even if the current Nagare decided to shift his path, the World was now too small for him.

 

（Oh no, I mustn’t, I mustn’t. For me of all people… to be thinking about such idle thoughts while in the middle of training）

 

Kaminagi Nagare shook his head, he returned his focus and centered it on himself.
The most important thing in Aikido is the heart and mind; a spirit that will not be shaken no matter what occurs.
That is why Nagare once again restarted the cycle of repeating 10 million Kata―― This is the path that Nagare chose; the path which dedicated his entire life to the ways of Aiki.

 

And thus―― In pursuit of improving, Nagare once again concentrated on himself. It was at that time, Nagare noticed something else.
A disturbance…… in his Japanese style home which spanned more than 3 million square meters^[6], in the courtyard, set right in the center.
That was the place where Nagare was conducting his training. From that spot, he felt some sort of strange energy leaking from it.

 

What exactly is this? No, there’s no need to think about it.
Nagare who could sense the flow of everything, since he had already grasped the essence of all things organic and inorganic in the world, he knew that this feeling did not come from this Earth. No, the feeling was similar but somewhat different; a strange and unknown power.

 

But He could tell what it was. And Nagare’s heart was dancing faster than it had been for decades.
Nagare’s Aikido was perfect. He could grasp the nature of any power the moment he encountered it, and mixing in his own power he could draw out infinite potential.

 

He focused his consciousness. He felt the waves of energy. Within every power lies a core.
For the God-Slaying School of Aiki-Jujutsu, being able to sense that core is both it’s most basic principle and also the most important technique.

 

And for Nagare who had been practicing this technique for more than 80 years, finding the core of this unknown power was simple child’s play to him.

 

「The Supreme Instructor of the God-Slaying School of Aiki-Jujutsu―― Kaminagi Nagare, Iza, Mairu!^[7]」

 

In that instant――Together with a spirit filled declaration, Nagare grasped “That” and wove it aside, thus, opening a door through space and time.
Afterwards, all he had to do was submit himself to that flow, like water being guided down a river’s stream. He rode one the waves of space-time, and then……

 

When he awoke, Nagare^[8] had arrived in a different world.

 

 

---

Footnotes:

1.

TL note: The original text said that Nagare’s great-grandfather was the founder of “the school”. It never specified that it was the God-Slaying School. I inferred that he was the founder of Nagare’s school of Aiki-jujutsu since Nagare is just “a practitioner”.

2.

TL note: The Kanji of “God-Slaying School” is actually said as Kami Nagi Ryuu. It is spelled exactly like the MC’s full name of “Kaminagi Nagare”. (The Kanji for Ryuu and Nagare are the same).

As a translation
Kami = God/Deity, Nagi = To mow down/kill, Nagare = To flow (TL: which is the essence of Aikido).

3.

TL note: Every instance of the word Aikido is actually just “Aiki” in the original text. The difference between Aikido and Aiki/Aiki-jujutsu comes from the “do” and “jujutsu” endings.

Aiki-“do” is more focused on “fighting against oneself” in order to improve. This is the “Sports” version.

Aiki-“Jujitsu” is more focused on “fighting your opponent (and killing them)”. This is the actual war-like art that soldiers/samurai use in combat.

As a note, Nagare focuses on the Aiki-Jujutsu part.

4.

TL note: Kumite is translated as “Grappling Hands” and is a form of practice where you “fight against an adversary”. Essentially it is a form of practice that involved both blocking and counter attacking.

5.

TL note: Kata is translated as “Form” and is a type of practice that can be performed solo by following pre-set movements that follow a certain Kata.

6.

TL note: The word used to describe the house is that it is 1 million “Tsubo” wide. A “tsubo” is a unit of measurement in Japan and is equal to about 3.3 m² or 35.58 ft².

In conversion, his house is about 1.276 square miles / 3.306 km² / 3,306,000 m² / 35,580,000 ft².

7.

TL note: Iza, Mairu! is part of the title and can be translated as “Here, Now I come!”. In context, that line is traditionally said when you are about to challenge someone to a duel. Essentially it is the same as saying “En Garde!”. He is basically “Challenging” whatever lies ahead (which is a different world).

8.

TL note: Throughout the entire chapter Nagare’s name is spelled as [流 (ながれ)], which I explained above is the Kanji for “School of Thought” as well as meaning “To Flow”. This very last “Nagare” is spelled as [ナガレ] which is kinda symbolical to show that he is now “a different Nagare”.

Past this chapter, all instances of the name “Nagare” are spelled as [ナガレ] (TL: Thank God since I would probably read it as Ryuu if it didn’t change)

 

 

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