[Creative Award 2024 Entry] Marshall 4 Season #17

[Title]
If You Don't Know, Let Me Tell You/B-BOYism

M4S Recap

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July 28, 2024.

35 degrees 10 minutes 07.35 seconds North Latitude
136 degrees 54 minutes 30.18 seconds East Longitude
--The very center of Japan.

Nagoya City, Sakae Yaba-cho, Wakamiya Park Special Stage.
The main venue for the good old block party style music festival
"Yaba Sugiru Skill".

In that moment, it wasn't Japan,
it was the center of the world.

　　　　　　　　　　*

"Uh... uh-uh..."

"KJ, it's making a high-pitched noise!"

"Idiot, you're too close. It's feedback."

"Ah, oops. Sorry, sorry. Right, that's it."

"...Okay, starting now."

--Duku-duku duku-duku

As a greeting.
Starting with DJ June's scratch,
the atmosphere of the place changes completely.

The counterattack of the old guys, the old guys, and the old guys

[Verse 1: Chobi]
Area code | 052 from AREA to AREA
Welcome to the guerrilla and the media, you know?
Japanese Central, hello, my name is
Front, back, left, right, up, down, vertical, horizontal, and diagonal, Showa, Heisei, Reiwa
(Direct access to the cerebral central nervous system synapse, cultural heritage)
From the past to the future, and now I'm drilling it into your head
Footwork in all directions, a dual-wielding style of muscle tears and frozen shoulder
Winning, I tie my helmet and shoelaces, I am C.H.O.B.I, please
Chilling more than a doctor's pill, I'm ill, showtime, manic type
Playing live on the scene, the rhyming of those who have passed
Do you think I'd say "R.I.P." so easily? (You idiot, you fool)
My signature is my way of life, this is the real deal
Skills with attitude, like Komeda's Shiro-Noir
Style wars mindset, or rather, nine days before my physical exam
A 50-something winning a physical and technical brain battle
Power moves using linguistics, spraying Air Salonpas
In an era without love, inhaling the negative and exhaling the positive, Ryukakusan over AI
Born in the streets, a crazy old man crazier than a weirdo

[Verse 2: KJ]
Under the scorching sun, endorphin secretion overload
Complaining won't change anything on social media
Incidents happen on the scene, that's the live version
A revolution more real than some urban legend
There's a reason for this big attitude (I'm Pioneer)
The lyricist from the West vs. the assassin from the East
The seven letters that pierce through them
Meaning R.E.S.P.E.C.T, as the raw essence and as an active MC
Plus BRAKE BEATS on the battle set
DJ June, states of "Namu Amida" (always the second man)
Landing from the South, Prayers' Prayer
Deep underground in the North, a rhymer polishing his skills
Welcome, gentlemen, it seems there isn't just one "best"
Omnidirectional, too dangerous, a sense of wonder
Area code "Yaba Sugiru Skill"
Cutting through Buddha, here I appear

[Hook]
Young people these days are just something else
That thing, that thing, yeah that, that
To put it mildly, isn't it the best?
Let us in too, "Team Friends"
There used to be morning wood
Now it's gout-born, glucosamine-raised
Those who look like they have bad knees are mostly the same age
Bluetooth wasn't "Brutus"
A good day to start a journey, the blues is what you feel after being betrayed
Thanks for the Super Chat, don't call me a legend
Parent gacha, power harassment, lookism, KidZania
Baby food, monja, "if you give up, that's the end," what's that worth?
I'm sick of the mask quota, you guys are definitely not bad
Even that Karma says "let's dance," Karamucho
(What's a cat meme? Canceling Netflix is hard)
Memories and licenses are worth updating
If we're all fools, it's a loss not to dance, don't be made to dance, dance yourself
(If you don't know, let me tell you, ah, that, that)
And one more thing I want you to remember today
The face of the parent of "Check it out" and its heart

　　　　　　　　　　　*

A perfect opening act.

They proved beyond a doubt that this event was the hottest place on the planet right now, and with a single strike, they shook the city, saying, "Here you go, one order served."They completely locked the eyes, ears, and hearts of not only the audience and performers but also the people passing through the downtown area.The living legends, Buddha Brain.Men in their 50s who aren't swallowed by the times, but rather swallow and chew them up.Beyond the beyond of learning from the past to create the new. Way before breakfast.The greatest group Marshall ever created.

No further explanation was needed.

──Not bad, you old guys.
Emerald eyes shimmered even more in the heat haze.Marshall, having forgotten he was planning to be jealous, stared at the stage with the same state of mind as when gazing at a starry sky, or encountering something overwhelmingly mysterious.

　　　　　　　　　　*

"Man, we old guys are already suffering from summer heat...""The rest is up to you young people, you're the stars of today!""Everyone, have a great time today!""Marshall, Tokona! Ishida-san! You guys watch over us from above the clouds too."

Applause and cheers echoed from Wakamiya Odori, Otsu Dori, Honmachi Dori, and Hisaya Odori around the venue.

Major companies like sponsor Red Monster, as well as adidaz, N1KE, and G-SHICC, were also beaming with pride.

On YouTube, there were over 150,000 concurrent viewers.
Reporters from terrestrial information programs were also running around interviewing young rap fans enjoying cyphers and B-BOYs checking their moves. The city was bustling. People were smiling.(*Cypher... A culture where people form a circle and show off each other's skills.)

　　　　　　　　　　　*

The previous day, the 27th, featured the preliminaries for the breaking (breakdance) battle and MC battle, and today, the 28th, was the big day with the semifinals and finals for each battle ahead.

Noob had entered the preliminaries as part of his training. Or rather, he was made to enter.
"Don't give me any excuses!" Marshall had threatened him, so he entered reluctantly.And,by some twist of fate, he had won through the preliminaries and the quarterfinals.According to him, he had lost 3 kilograms over these two days.Yuuki and the rest of the Sunny (Sunny the Genetics) breaking team also passed the preliminaries and would be participating in the semifinals today.Yuri and Shizuku were eating pear-flavored Gari-Gari-kun in the cooling booth, and Marshall was cooling off with Noob's mother, Miyoko."Must be nice to be so carefree."Noob truly felt that way, and it accidentally spilled out of his mouth.Noob's opponent was the strongest man who represented the local Nagoya and was said to be invincible in the world of MC battles now.(*Represent... To represent that region or community.)

Hosen Karma.

Having won one national-scale MC battle after another,
"Punchline Manufacturing Machine""Cool Core""The Weight of Words Old Man""Absolute Champion"and various other things, he was the favorite to win this tournament.The entire venue had an atmosphere of letting Hosen Karma win.

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And even if he somehow managed to defeat him, the opponent in the finals would be Chinza Dopeman or a mysterious female rapper from Sendai called |Mama-ma|.

Chinza Dopeman possessed both name value and ability as a battle MC, and was a one-of-a-kind existence who used his ever-changing flow (singing style and vocal inflection) as a weapon.

His live performances and the quality of his music were also excellent, and songs he participated in were all attracting attention as killer tunes.He was an MC representing the Kanto region.Noob had several Chinza Dopeman songs in his playlist.The person called Mama-ma was, to be honest, an unknown, but she was the dark horse of this tournament, having completely crushed and buried the tough guys from the Kansai and Kyushu regions.Judging by the preliminaries, she was an all-round type of MC who combined high-speed flow and solid rhyming techniques with skillful storytelling (a highly advanced technique of improvising a story with a beginning, middle, and end for each bar, and finishing with a proper punchline).

If you dissed her for being a "woman," you would definitely be hit with a counter-answer fully armed with gender theory, and you would be defeated by your own words. And that would be the end of it.

With her mysterious identity and flawless ability, some were saying that maybe, just maybe, she might actually do it.

Noob had won his first round by default because his opponent didn't show up.
In the second round, his opponent was disqualified for making physical contact.

In the quarterfinals, his opponent had a severe cat allergy, so he had an attack and withdrew midway through.

Every way he wins is miraculously uncool, but because of the path he's taken to get this far, he's been saddled with unwanted nicknames like "Assassin" or "Real Jujutsu Sorcerer."

"I just want to die already. I want to go home and relax."
Noob was cowering in the tent area where the rest station was located.

　　　　　　　　　　*

At the venue, artists with ties to Nagoya—such as Campanruler, C.000.S.A, ¥ellow bugz, Swing William, S(T∪T)S, Jay-Jay, Senninken, Kid Funoshino, as well as DJ RYU and DJ Katou—along with guest performers who have appeared on their tracks, are performing on stage. To put it in one word: magnificent. To add to that: a miracle.

So-called big names like AKX-69 and equa1 are setting up cooling booths and going around providing water to the performers and the audience.

Everything is progressing toward the battle event that follows.

And finally, the MC acting as the moderator makes an announcement.

"Alright, it's finally time! The moment has finally arrived."

The backing track is, of course, that song.

"『Yaba Sugiru Skill Vol.2』
While dark news continues with the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and rising prices,
today is a festival!
To the wonderful artists gathered from all over the country,
and to everyone in Nagoya, as well as all our sponsors,
thank you so much!
Man, it's hot.
And it's hot! (temperature-wise)
Please be careful of heatstroke.
Please also make use of the cooling booths and the frozen experience corner provided by Osu Skating Rink!"

"Now, from here on, it's finally today's main event,
the 『Yaba Sugiru Skill』 battle semifinals start now!"

First up is the breaking battle.
Right after this, Sunny and Yuki and the others will fight.

"The opposing team is... surprisingly, assassins from overseas.
From France!
Breaking has been certified as a new event at the Paris Olympics currently being held.
Taking advantage of that trend of the times,
they are currently the #1 most watched in the world!!
In terms of ability, they are world-class, both now and in the past!
So, let's have them come out.

Introducing the dream team, 'Wanted'!"

Their entrance song is Nas's 'HIP HOP IS DEAD'.

It's as if they're saying they're going to blow the hip-hop dreams you Japanese people hold to smithereens.

*

"It's okay. We won't lose."

Yuki, Miho, Gottsun, and all the members of Sunny the Genetics are in the backstage area, bracing their hearts that feel like they might be crushed.

"We're not just going to not lose. We're going to win."

It doesn't matter who the opponent is.
Perhaps that is the nature of true B-BOYs and B-GIRLs.

*

July 28, 2024, 13:10.

It's finally starting.
With their own thoughts in their hearts.
Their heartbeats accelerate into a rhythm.

DJ Katou, Blink da Beats.

──Duku-duku duku-duku

"Now, coming out without a moment's hesitation, representing the local Nagoya! It's B-BOY Yuki!"

Usually, in both dance battles and rap battles, the theory for winning is to wait and see how the opponent moves before launching a counter.
In other words, this entry by Yuki is extremely reckless.
However, the conventional way of considering the opponent's mistakes or circumstances in order to win... was an eyesore to Yuki at that moment.

"Because it's effeminate, isn't it?"

He remembers Noob saying that when they discussed battles before.

The complexion of Yuki's face, projected on the large monitor, was deathly pale. His movements were stiff. His shoulders were tense. But

He is smiling.

Noob couldn't help but shout toward the stage.

"Go for it! You can do it, Yuki! Go, Sunny! Go!"

Satellite monitors were set up outside the venue as well, and the battle was being broadcast live in busy areas like Oasis 21 in Sakae and in front of the Taiko-dori exit at Nagoya Station.

The local people of Nagoya were sending passionate cheers to Yuki, for his very courage.

"Go!"

Yuki's body, having gradually begun to regain its intuition, started to trace beautiful arcs.

Like a ceaselessly flowing river or the murmuring of stars, each particle of sound began to synchronize and link with Yuki's heart, technique, and body.

The more delicate the movement, the more it accelerated, creating a dynamic quality to his motion.

The sharp glint in his eyes he showed for an instant, the white teeth when he smiled, the distribution of rhythm traced by his toes.

It felt as if every single thing was calculated.

But this was all improvisation.

How much blood and sweat must one spend to be able to express themselves in this realm?

From supple, sharp steps to a sudden change in the wind,
he drops onto the floor in one go.

"Now, a spinning move from brilliant footwork! Whoa, that's fast, fast, fast, fast! The killer baby windmill has exploded!"

Then the song reached the 16th bar, and the percussion stopped. It was a rhythm break.

In that instant, a decision made in a fraction of a second.

With his back to the audience, he used the momentum from his ultra-high-speed spin to stand up in one motion.

"|Don't Sweat the technique"

The punchline from Eric B. & Rakim, which DJ Katou had played as the first track of this battle, rang out. He hit the beat perfectly—the breakbeat style, the tempo, everything—without a hair's breadth of error, a heroic figure of a man speaking with his back. The finishing touch was the subtle brilliance of his silhouette, with only the pinky finger of his right hand casually raised.

"Hey Yuki, have you seen the movie 'Elvis'?
The Elvis Presley in that
was super cool.
Like, he was being watched by the FBI or something,
but he still sang on stage.
And at the end, he goes 'tap-tap' with his pinky!
That was just the coolest thing ever.
You should watch it sometime, Yuki!"

Yuki remembered what Noob had said before summer vacation began.

Pinky swear.
I made a promise to myself.
That I would never run away.

"It reached me, loud and clear."
The emotions inside Noob overflowed into tears before he could stop them.

The venue explodes and boils over.
"Wooooo!!!" The soul-stirring cheers and roars pierce the blue sky like a giant bullet.

"He nailed it!!!"

A warrior worth a thousand. This is a true B-BOY.
The young Japanese warrior has brilliantly cut down the Black Ship fleet.

　　　　　　　　　　*

──Thump-thump, thump-thump

The music changes here.

Modulations and song changes in dance battles are dizzying.

That is entirely due to the sense of speed.

Now, what will they do next? How will they come at us?

Such offensive and defensive battles unfold every single second.

"Whoa, a routine here. Wanted is showing off a routine!"

Team France's specialty, the 'Routine'.

The coordinated techniques they weave are artistic and original, and teams and crews all over the world scramble to imitate them.

That said, it is a feat that can only be pulled off after each team member possesses physical abilities on par with Olympic athletes or Cirque du Soleil performers, and has undergone grueling training. Imitation is simply impossible.

"What is this... The Eiffel Tower? A TV tower? ...Wait, what! That's high! That's dangerous!"

It's no wonder the MC is screaming.
After all, the sight of Europeans, who are nearly two meters tall, building a human tower two or three levels high is something you would almost never see in Japan.

Moreover, it took only a few seconds to build.

It's not a human pyramid or a talent show act; it's happening at the speed of dance music, so it's becoming completely incomprehensible.

Even the Sagrada Familia would be surprised.

“Whoa, from there... no way, no way! No, that's bad, that's really bad! B-BOY Junior is actually diving from a handstand position!!!”

A human in a handstand position falls headfirst from a height of over five meters.

He lands on his hands.

Without arms as thick as legs and well-trained wrists and elbows, he would break his arms and shoulders the moment he landed.

If he's not careful, he could hit his head hard and suffer fatal injuries to his neck or skull.
It can only be called crazy.
You can even hear screams of “Ah!”

“And from here, he continues the move! B-BOY Junior flashes a fearless smile!”

Shortly after his dynamic entry, Junior starts dancing solo just like that.

That said, he hasn't touched his feet to the ground at all yet. He is using only his well-developed upper body muscles as an axis to keep his entire lower body floating in the air.

And then, his legs, which are floating and swaying, begin to rotate.

“The charismatic man with prosthetic legs! I mean, I don't even know what's going on anymore!” The MC is about to give up.

The potential humans possess and the indomitable spirit that makes the impossible possible. The move that demonstrated these to the fullest is truly worthy of the name 'world's strongest'.

Everyone present was glued to the 'zero gravity' he wove.

　　　　　　　　　　　*

From there, it was a one-sided affair for Team France.

Miho and Gottsun's well-coordinated routine, Sunny's signature seasoned footwork, and sharp power moves and acrobatic high-difficulty tricks.

Although they gave it their all, everything they did was countered at an even higher level.

The wall of the world stood thick and high before Sunny and the others.

The world of competition is truly cruel.

No matter how wonderful they were, one side is always destined to face defeat.

　　　　　　　　　　　*
　　　　　　　　　　　*
　　　　　　　　　　　*
　　　　　　　　　　　*

The winner was 'WANTED' from France.
The runner-up was 'Body Carnival' from Kyoto.
Third place went to 'Jinjo Crew' from South Korea.
And fourth place was 'Sunny the Genetics'.

*

Miho was crying.
Gottsun was looking down, staring at a single point.
Yuki was,

lying spread-eagled on the floor, gazing up at the sky.

──That's enough. You were cool enough.

I just couldn't bring myself to say those words.
Because they were genuinely frustrated.
And because I, watching them, felt frustrated too.

Noob, Shizuku, and Yuri could only watch over their brave figures until the very end.

With a light step, Marshall walked toward the stage.

"Hey Mom! Look at that!"
A child's voice could be heard from the audience.

"Hey, look at that," "Hahaha! How cute."

Indescribable voices began to comment on something.
And everyone pointed toward the giant monitor.

To everyone's surprise, a cat was licking the face of Yuki, who was lying on the stage.

──Your brave figures. They were magnificent.
Marshall spoke for them like that.

And then, applause was heard once again.

It sounded like a gentle harmony enveloping the warriors, in a tone different from the earlier frenzy.

The cheers would not stop, on and on.

*

"Noob, I'm leaving the rest to you."
A while later, a LINE message arrived from Yuki.
An attached video was also sent.

It showed Kotaro desperately playing the guitar.

"I wanted to win."
"I wanted to win and make Kotaro-san happy."

"Noob, you can do it."
"You're strong, after all."
"So I'm sure you won't lose."

　　　　　　　　　　　*

July 28, 2024, 17:03.

It is still bright outside.

The hustle and bustle of the city.
The smell of water-soaked asphalt.
──It illuminates everything.

Surely this sun will not set.
Burning bright red, it will not set.

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