Chapter Thirty-Three
The battle felt like it has lasted for days - whereas it had only been a few long minutes.
Ranma and Ryoga were both exhausted beyond belief. They had thrown everything they had in their respected arsenals at Xi'an, but without an once of success.
Even repeated pummeling's of their most devastating techniques - Ranma's "Pride of the Fierce Tiger" and Ryoga's "the Lion Roar Shot" - did nothing! It seemed the more "ki" they used, the more their actions weakened them beyond use of that much "ki". Using that much "ki" was basically a short-term use, but using it repeatedly was grounds for lowering their energy levels.
And then it occurred to them both and almost at the same instant - Xi'an was absorbing their "ki" with each shot, using his own dark powers to enhance his own defenses, thus giving the villain unlimited energy to tap and to use -
And he used it!
And with flicks of his wrists, he sent wave after wave of dark, psonic energy at the pair with intent to kill, holding nothing back. The house quaked with explosions and the ground around them it looked like a war zone. The fight had spilled out into the neighboring yards and debris was scattered with craters everywhere!
Oro Hiroshi appeared powerless against the overwhelming power of Xi'an that possessed him, despite being a master of martial artists - he must have been possessed for to long that Xi'an had drained all his will-power - so Oro Hiroshi could no longer fight him. And with over 2,000 years of dark energy - and the collective power of all his minions to fuel his powers - to fight against, it was no wonder Oro Hiroshi had lost. Such a thing would leave anyone at its whim.
And this is what Ryoga feared. For it he couldn't find a way to free his father's friend from Xi'an's influence, he would have to destroy him. And he wanted to explore every avenue before needing to go that far - which was why he was holding back and not using his full "ki" against Xi'an.
"We must use something else on him!" Ryoga urged.
"Like what?" Ranma protested. "We've thrown everything we have at him and it's doin' nuthin'!"
"Let's combine our shots and see what that does. But we only have one shot, he won't let us do it again!"
"Let's do it!" Ranma said without arguing.
They stood side-by-side, and despite it looking corny, they grasped hands and stretched out the other hand - each building their "ki's" to optimum levels, then they folded in, clasping the other (out-stretched) hand, and looking much like gallant gun, their bodies pressed together - they fired!
A huge blast of "ki" launched forth, hitting Xi'an directly in the chest. The blast was enough to knock him back a couple of meters, but not enough to knock him down.
Aghast, Ryoga said, "That's it!" He breathed heavily. "We just used…our best…shot!"
"And failed!" Xi'an laughed. "My powers are absolute! Not even the combined strength of your ki's can defeat me! Now that you have shown me you can't defeat me, all you hold dear will be destroyed!"
"NO!" Ryoga cried. "No one will die here, not today! There has been enough destruction today!"
Ranma and Ryoga had separated after the failed shot, but now Ranma looked upon his friend with a new sense of awe. "You have changed, man!"
"For the better, I hope."
"Not sure yet."
Then Ranma looked up and saw the development of a huge ball of negative, depressive energy forming above them, bigger than anything he had ever seen Ryoga grow from his "ki" before. It was so massive that it's shadow encompassed the entire house and those neighboring around it.
"Are you crazy?!" he shouted. "If that comes down, we're all goners! You'll be doin' Xi'an a favor!"
"Trust me! It's time to bring it out."
"What out?"
"Snake Fist of Depression!"
"What the hell is that?"
"Something I've been working on, and something that cost the life of a - "
He didn't finish, when Ranma gasped. "What-what the hell is that?"
A tentacle of energy erupted from the massive energy ball and slithered across its surface like a serpent, eventually forming fangs and roaring a war-cry into the sky. Lighting coursed and thunder crackled as if from an angry god.
This was Ryoga didn't want to unleash, but now that he had no choice - it was a technique he had developed deep in the forest at the price of someone who had died in his arms. He thought of person and the rage of what he had done and the depression from all its negative thought fuelled the Snake Fist of Depression.
"I need your help, Ranma. Feed the snake your energy, make it grow!"
"How-but then what?"
"We attack!"
"What about Xi'an?"
Mousse, Copy Cat Ken, and the others, all emerged from the house. "You let us worry about Xi'an," Genma said, finally gathering up courage. "We'll distract him while you build up the energy you need."
"Pop…" Ranma voiced, feeling very proud.
"We have faith in you."
Ranma nodded, then readied himself into a stance to gather up his "ki". As soon as he was ready, he fired bursts of it into the massive ball Ryoga had grown, and it continued to grow, with the serpent swirling around it, protecting it like a egg. Ryoga had to concentrate, so having the others distract Xi'an was perfect.
He saw all his friends gather in front like a shield, and he vowed not to let them down.
"You're pathetic if you think you can stop me!" Xi'an said. "I'll kill you all!"
And it was then all their friends attacked him -
But their onslaught was short-lived, as Xi'an blasted them all back with hand-blasts with dark energy. Each one soared back, hitting the ground hard. Including Akane.
Ryoga's eyes grew red with rage.
"It's now or never, Ryoga!" Ranma demanded.
Xi'an looked up at the massive energy ball with the serpent now looking down at him. "Do you really think that can stop me?!" Xi'an readied himself. "Do your worse, martial artist! When all is said and done, I will still be standing. Then I'll kill you all and finally release my ancestors from eternal damnation!"
"There are worse things than eternal damnation, Xi'an, there's living with your mistakes every day of your life!" Ryoga retorted, and raised his hand, and then dropped it, pointing at Xi'an for the snake to attack the designated target.
The snake soared towards Xi'an at tremendous velocity - the energy from the negative, depressive ball, crackling around its body, fueling it like a missile, or a fist about to strike hard at its enemy. Hence the name.
Xi'an raised his arms in clenched fists in an attempt to form some sort of energy barrier from its attack, but when the Snake Fist of Depression finally struck with explosive ferocity and impact, massive winds blasting out in every direction, Xi'an's defense was worthless against it - and in the end, his body - Oro Hiroshi's body - lain collapsed, motionless at the bottom of an massive crater.
What Ryoga had hoped to avoid was necessary. The Snake Fist of Depression had killed his father's friend. But he had no choice. A part of him regretted it, but a part of him did not. His friends were now safe, that that included Akane.
Then he saw her on the ground. He had been concentrating so massively on his attack, that he didn't realize they had come out of the house. "Oh my god, what have I done?" Had he killed her too?
It was then that she moved, moaned. Her father came to her side. Ranma explained what had happened, and he felt relieved that everyone was okay when they all started to get up from Xi'an's attack.
But then he felt something otherworldly and its power increasing.
Xi'an was not finished.
And a ghostly apparition appeared above Oro Hiroshi's body.
The ghost was Chinese in nationality of average-height, and thin. He donned ancient military fighting armor. This was Xi'an's true appearance. He looked like an atypical soldier - nothing special. But his power was surmounting even outside of Oro Hiroshi's body.
But Xi'an was no longer a threat, his power level a lot lower without Oro Hiroshi's body to use.
Oro Hiroshi had once told Ryoga that he had felt very guilty that he couldn't be at Ryoga's father's side when he died. They were best friends and that guilt was eating him inside, that he wasn't be there to say "good-bye", and this is what Xi'an had used to fuel his revenge - the depressive power of Oro Hiroshi.
Ryoga knew how powerful depression could be, especially then followed by anger and rage with emotional instability. Oro Hiroshi appeared emotionally stable whenever Ryoga had talked with him, but Xi'an was probably this "stability", using his own emotions to keep Oro Hiroshi's in check.
But now Xi'an didn't have that energy to tap, although he was not short on confidence or determination to avenge his fallen family and comrades.
"You really believe you've defeated me?" the ghost said. "I will just inhabit another body and rebuild my army and grown stronger! You can't kill me!"
"I agree, but death is merely the beginning to an enlightenment that we humans can't achieve until it's our time, a wandering monk once told me this. But we fight on, and on, and on - until that time comes. Whatever doesn't kill us, makes us stronger. However, as a great warrior once said: kill the spirit and the body dies. I accidentally killed a young piglet when practicing in the woods and I held it in my hands as it died. I will never forget that. My spirit weakened that day. To kill an innocent animal is - "
Xi'an laughed. "A piglet? You're joking! You're grief-stricken over a pathetic animal? Animals are for game, slaughtering and eating - not to cry over. They are food!"
"Maybe back in your time, Xi'an, but we've grown civilized!" Ranma retorted, especially when Ryoga was cursed with turning into a black piglet whenever splashed with cold water.
Ryoga nodded a thank-you.
Xi'an mused for a moment. "I do remember some animal along this line when I first inhabited Oro Hiroshi's body, engaging my new found powers, sharpening my skills in the forest. Oro Hiroshi was in the woods on sabbatical. Ah yes, now I remember. I used a small piglet for target practice. He was fast. But not fast enough."
"You what?!"
Ryoga's anger eclipsed that beyond anything he had ever felt before. This spirit - this man - had used a defenseless animal as target practice and then left it to die, only for Ryoga to think he had killed it? It was obviously still alive, but in a lot of pain when Ryoga was in the woods.
This was…this was…he was going to annihilate Xi'an with his full power now!
And he used all his rage, all his anger and malice ,and fed off the negative energy. He cupped his palms and sent a massive blast of "ki" directly at the ghost, enveloping Xi'an in its destructive brilliance.
Xi'an was powerless against it, and the last thing heard from the warrior that had caused them so much trouble was a faded cry of "Nooooooooooo…."
When the smoke and energy cleared, Xi'an was gone. Completely vanished. And Ryoga, and Ranma could no longer feel the ancient warrior's ghostly energy.
Ryoga had obliterated Xi'an into nothingness. Not only will his soul never rest, completely disintegrated, but his ancestors and warrior minions will forever exist and suffer in the Hell they deserve.
Ripped clothes, bloodied face - Ranma smiled at Ryoga. "Good work, man."
"We did it together. And now I no longer have that piglet on my conscious, I think I can rest easy."
After all injuries were attended to and the damage assessed, Soun Tendo began to cry. It knew he would cost him a lot of money to repair all the damage - and he was on the hook for everything.
But in a total act of charity, and in the light of Oro Hiroshi surviving Xi'an's brutality, despite it had looked like he had perished, that he assumed full responsibility for, Soun Tendo was soon off the hook - Oro Hiroshi paying for all the damages to his home and the neighborhood when construction efforts began.
No one knew really knew just how wealthy Oro Hiroshi was, and he had never told anyone, but he did have a lot of money from other family businesses. But in a decision that he felt was best for all, he had made the decision to leave Nerima and begin a new martial artist school someplace else, so Soun's Anything-Goes Martial Arts dojo can once again thrive. Oro Hiroshi gave Soun some extra money for added expenses for all the trouble he caused the family. More than enough money, in fact, for food for quite some time, for which Oro knew, because of his school in the area battling his for students, had severely cost Soun a lot.
Soun was so happy, he began to cry. Again.
Outside the main gate, Ryoga with his right arm in a sling and his head and face bandaged up, he smiled as his father's friend walked away down the street.
Not much had been said between them after the defeat of Xi'an, but nothing truly needed to be said. He knew he would see Oro Hiroshi again someday.
And as long as he was alive, so was the memory of Ryoga's father.
And for the first time in a very long time, Ryoga's heart was bursting with happiness.
Ranma came out to stand next to Ranma and slapped a hand on Ryoga's shoulder. Ryoga hissed and cringed in pain and growled at him, but did not retaliate.
"Oh, sorry man," Ranma apologized. He, too, was bandaged up heavily, much like Mousse, Shampoo, Copy Cat Ken and the rest. The family had invited Ken to stay for a few days to recuperate, and he didn't refuse. "Will you be okay?"
"Yeah," was all Ryoga said.
The sound of a party was beginning in the house with music and laughter. Everyone deserved a little rest and relaxation and to unwind after recent events. And with the money Oro Hiroshi gave them, they could afford it, many times over.
"So, are you gonna show me that Snake Fist whatach-ma-call-it technique, or what?"
"You can't handle it," Ryoga said with smugness.
"Whatcha mean I can't handle it? I can handle anythin' you got, man! What you can do, I can do. Even better!"
But Ryoga just laughed and headed in to the party.
"Hey, get back 'ere!"
And Ranma followed.
END