Chap 3: Duel

"HENSHIN!" the Inzecter roared.

Shadowcobra watched as the golden armor encased Ranma. When the transformation was complete, the green visor of Ranma's helmet glowed briefly.

"Impressive," Shadowcobra complimented, "the Inzecters seems to have taken to you and the armor seems to fit you quite appropriately, Mr. Saotome."

"Thanks," Ranma said, not used to being complimented by an opponent, even in a sparring match.

"But," Shadowcobra began, "do you even know how to use the armor effectively?"

"Just watch me!" Ranma said as he charged at Shadowcobra. He threw a punch but Shadowcobra easily sidestepped it. Ranma then did a roundhouse kick but Shadowcobra evaded by jumping high into the air. He then plunged down with his spiked gauntlet pointing down on Ranma. Ranma grabbed the spike of the weapon before throwing Shadowcobra onto the ground. The purple clad executive rolled away to avoid a viscious heel slam aimed for his head before he flipped back to his feet.

"Very, very good, Mr. Saotome!" Shadowcobra said sincerely.

"You ain't seen nothin' yet!" Ranma shouted, clearly enjoying this sparring session. His opponents back in Nerima were starting to get too easy for him to defeat and Ranma Saotome loved a good challenge. He shouted out, "KACHU TENSHIN AMAGURIKEN!" and unleashed his rapid punch attack, throwing punches like a machinegun that was shooting bullets. Shadowcobra blocked with his silver rhino styled gauntlet the best he could, parrying each one of Ranma's punches with ease. However,a few were able to slip past his defenses and managed to hit his armor. When Ranma was done, the Metal Strike Horn gauntlet Shadowcobra had been wearing was reduced to shattered pieces. Shadowcobra looked shocked but then clapped.

"Well now, you seem to be getting the hang of this, Mr. Saotome," Shadowcobra said.

"Are we going to talk or fight?" Ranma said, gripping and un-gripping his fists while he flexed his armored fingers. "I ain't through yet!"

"Your patience, however, is less than admirable," Shadowcobra muttered as he summoned his staff and then struck at Ranma. Ranma backed away and dodged from side to side as Shadowcobra continued to jab at him at a rapid pace! Shadowcobra then kneeled down and used his staff to sweep Ranma off his feet and then when Ranma began to fall he did a spinning sweep kick with one hand on the floor while his legs slammed Ranma away. Ranma bounced against the metal floor with several 'clangs' echoing in the large training chamber. Shadowcobra walked towards Ranma, steadily tapping his staff upon the floor.

Ranma pushed himself up onto his hands and knees. He was used to heavy weights but his armor was weighing him down.

"Get up," Shadowcobra said, tapping his staff over and over again on the floor. "Get up, now."

Ranma got back to his feet and then charged at Shadowcobra. The purple armor clad CEO then drew a card in response and slid it into his staff. "Trap Vent!" Shadowcobra then unleashed several chains at Ranma, which caught the armored martial artist off guard, and then starting binding around his armored forearms, shins and around his body. Ranma struggled against the chains as Shadowcobra drew another card and slid it into his staff.

"Vampire Vent!"

Up in the control room, Hagemoto and Yuriko lowered their heads. Akane looked at them and down into the training chamber.

"He's a goner," Hagemoto said.

"What are you talking about?" Akane demanded angrily.

"Whenever the boss uses that card, not many of his opponents last long. They always end up drained and then in the infirmary. This is no different from those times," Yuriko explained.

"You're wrong!" Akane said to them.

"What makes you so sure, Miss Tendo?" Yuriko said to her, eyes assessing the short haired and even shorter tempered girl.

"Because he's Ranma," Akane said confidently, "And Ranma never gives up without a fight."

Ranma felt as the chains were sapping his energy, his ki. He started feeling disoriented and his vision was getting blurry. He was forced onto his knees.

"I had such high hopes for you, Mr. Saotome," Shadowcobra said with a tone of disappointment. "Maybe you aren't really worthy for that power."

Ranma, hearing the condescending tone, got mad and I mean really mad as a red aura began rising from his body. "No…" he said, growling. "No way…" he started getting back up to his feet much to Akane's joy, Hagemoto and Yuriko's shock, and Shadowcobra's amusement. "Am I…GIVING UP!" He struggled against the chains that were binding him and sapping his energy and he reached down to the Inzecter on his belt. Shadowcobra knew what was going to happen as Ranma's finger touched the primary horn of the Caucasus Inzecter and unlocking it causing the thick outer armor to expand outwards with electricity traveling through his body and steam escaping through the gaps. Shadowcobra drew a new card to prepare himself for this. Ranma then pulled the horn, struggling, all the way back over the Inzecter's body as the two secondary horns followed.

"CAST OFF!" the Inzecter called out.

"Guard Vent!"

The armor came flying off Ranma in pieces, shattering the chains binding him. The pieces flew in all directions and the ones headed towards Shadowcobra were easily blocked and deflected when a purple shield designed to look like the back of a cobra hood materialized in front of him.

The three horns hidden under the previously thick armor folded themselves onto Ranma's helmet, the middle one splitting the visor into two eyes. "CHANGE CAUCASUS BEETLE!" the Inzecter announced. Ranma stood proudly in his golden Caucaus Beetle armor. This was the first time Shadowcobra ever saw the armor Cast Off but the reports he got of the first time it was utilized in the field by Ranma gave him an idea of its capabilities.

Ranma flexed his shoulders to get the stiffness out and cracked his neck from side to side before rubbing it. He rubbed his wrists too. He then took a fighting stance. "Now it gets serious!"

"Good, I was hoping you would say that," Shadowcobra said as he threw his shield and staff to the side, discarding them. He took a fighting stance to, the Snake Style stance.

"Oh boy," Hagemoto said anxiously. "The boss is gonna use his Snake Style on Ranma!"

"How strong is it?" Akane asked. She guessed that the armors both Ranma and Shadowcobra were wearing somehow enhanced their strength but she wasn't sure by how much.

"Let's just say some of the people he used it on needed to stay 2 months in the hospital, and those were the minor cases!" Akane paled but then realized that some of their opponents that were able to do that always ended up defeated by Ranma. She was confident. However, she did not know that Shadowcobra was really holding back on Ranma.

Shadowcobra and Ranma ran towards each other and began to fight again. Ranma threw punch after punch while Shadowcobra jabbed at Ranma with his hands, held flat, to stab at Ranma using numerous spear strikes. They were able to dodge one another with incredible speed. They almost seemed like…equals.

Shadowcobra and Ranma then threw powerful punches that slammed into each other, the force pushing them back, flying in opposite directions. Shadowcobra landed on his feet and Ranma did the same.

"I'm not even breaking a sweat," Ranma said, smirking cockily under his helmet.

"Me neither, Mr. Saotome," Shadowcobra agreed. They then charged at each other again. The Snake Knight alternated to using his legs, kicking at Ranma with jumping forward kicks which Ranma blocked with his hands and arms before Shadowcobra performed a tornado kick that slammed into the side of Ranma's helmet, sending Ranma staggering to the side. Shadowcobra jumped up, used his legs to grab the sides of Ranma's helmet covered head and then did a back flip, launching Ranma over him. Shadowcobra landed on his hands before he got back to his feet, turning around to see Ranma who was recovering.

"You got to show me that move one day," Ranma said.

"I promise to show you a few if you are able to stand after this," Shadowcobra said as he took a deep breath of air and then cupped his hands. A small black ball of energy began to form. Ranma, seeing this, knew that Shadowocbra was going to use an energy based attack so he began preparing his own. Shadowcobra's body glowed with a black aura while Ranma's aura was red. They began to collect the energy they were about to unleash.

"MOUKO TAKABISHA!" Ranma shouted out.

"SHADOW FANG!" Shadowcobra cried out, hissing at the end.

Ranma's attack was a blast of red energy he fired from his hands. It didn't have a form. Shadowcobra's energy blast was black and in the form of a serpent exposing its sharp fangs from its open jaw. The attacks slammed into one another, pushing against each other as their users strained against one another.

The spectators up in the control room merely watched as this was happening. The energy attacks were pushing against one another, threatening to overpower the other to attain victory. Both Ranma and Shadowcobra continued to push and then there was an explosion of black and red energy.

"GET DOWN!" Hagemoto shouted as he grabbed Akane and pushed her down with him. Prof. Murata hit the dirt as soon as the viewing window started to crack before shattering from the force of the explosion. Glass was flying everywhere. When the explosion subsided they all looked up carefully over the console and then peered down to see what had happened to Shadowcobra and Ranma.

They were both still standing.

The armor clad warriors' bodies were smoking, obviously because of the powerful enemy discharge. Shadowcobra nodded and said, "You're very talented, Mr. Saotome, very talented. However, you have only scratched the surface of the Inzecter's true power."

"What do you mean?" Ranma asked. Shadowocobra just drew a card and slid it into his staff.

"XL-Vent!" Shadowcobra's black bodysuit began to form purple patterns in the form of linking hexagons on his legs and sleeves. Ranma raised an eyebrow at this.

"You just changed the appearance of your suit," was Ranma's response. "What is that supposed to do?" His time was not condescending. After seeing and facing opponents with outrageous, yet dangerous, fighting techniques he was not going to start underestimating Shadowcobra. He had observed that the cards Shadowcobra had been using from the beginning of their little match were the source of his power as he had used them to summon his weapons. This card couldn't be any different.

"Mr. Saotome, how fast can you go?" Shadowcobra asked, "Please tell me."

"Pretty fast, I guess," Ranma shrugged.

"Have you ever moved at the speed of light?"

Ranma said, "No one can move that fast!" He then added, "Well maybe the Flash can."

"Mr. Saotome, the form you attained when you activated the transformation was known as the Strong Mode since it focused more on strength and defense. The form you are in now after you Cast Off your outer armor is known as Speed Mode because it gave more emphasis on speed," Shadowcobra explained.

Ranma nodded in understanding. "Alright, Strong Mode and Speed Mode. So?"

He then asked "Do you know why?" Ranma only shrugged in response. "This suit now is in Excel Mode, activated by the XL-Vent card I used before. My Excel Mode and your Speed Mode have something in common."

"What is that?" Ranma asked but he had the feeling he was about to find out.

"Clock Up," Shadowcobra said as he pressed a button on a watch he had been wearing on his left wrist. The watch responded and shouted out, "CLOCK UP!" Shadowcobra then vanished.

Ranma was on his back in less than a second before an announcement of Clock Over came through and Shadowocobra reappeared.

"What was that?" Ranma said as he got back up.

"Figure it out for yourself," Shadowcobra said.

"Alright!" Ranma threw a punch but Shadowcobra just pressed the same button on his watch.

"CLOCK UP!"

Ranma only hit air as he felt several super fast hits on his side before he was sent flying.

"CLOCK OVER!"

Shadowcobra reappeared, tapping his foot and with arms crossed. Ranma picked himself up and then ran at Shadowcobra. "KACHU TENSHIN AMAGURIKEN!"

"CLOCK UP!"

Shadowcobra vanished again. Actually, he was moving so fast that Ranma looked like he was standing still.

Up in the control room, Akane was seeing a slow motion replay of when Shadowcobra used Clock Up and was shocked. While Ranma was moving in slow motion, Shadowcobra was moving at normal speed.

"How is that possible?" Akane asked in disbelief.

"A lot of research, development and testing," Yuriko listed calmly. "Months of it."

"Not to mention money," Hagemoto added, "And lots of it."

Akane looked down to see Ranma getting the crap beat out of him by an opponent moving too fast for the eye could see. Normal opponents, well normal for them, were capable of amazing speeds too but nothing of this level. She was afraid to admit it but it would seem that Ranma just might loose.

"CLOCK OVER!" Shadowcobra's watch announced just as he used an open palmed strike and hit Ranma in the centre of his chest. Ranma's armor had dents in it and there were a few scratches on the body suit underneath. His green eyes peered up at Shadowcobra who condescendingly looked down upon his with his six black slits.

"Have you figured it out yet?" Shadowcobra asked. "There's a feature of your armor that allows you to do the same thing but you just haven't figured it out yet."

"SHUT UP!" Ranma said, pressing the legs buttons on his Inzecter.

"1, 2, 3," the Inzecter spoke up as the buttons were pressed in an order before Ranma reset the horn. Shadowcobra took a step back. He wanted to judge the power. Ranma pulled the horn back. "CAUCASUS POWER!" the Inzecter roared. Electricity traveled all over Ranma's body.

"RAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHH!!" Ranma shouted as he threw a charged punch at Shadowcobra's face. Shadowcobra grabbed the fist as it was an inch away from his faceplate. He then twisted Ranma's arm and kicked him, sending him sailing. The Inzecter was detached from Ranma's belt and then Shadowcobra caught it. He walked over to the unarmored Ranma and presented him with the Inzecter.

"Here," he said while extending a hand to Ranma. Ranma looked away but swallowed his pride a bit to take Shadowcobra's hand. The Knight of Invisibility then pulled him up and deposited the Inzecter into Ranma's open palm. Shadowcobra's armor then shattered off his body to reveal Ichijyo looking at Ranma with a frown. Ichijyo said, "You have a lot to learn about the Inzecter, Mr. Saotome. Though it has power but ignorance in using that power will lead to your downfall, remember that." He then walked away.

"Wait!" Ranma shouted out to him and Ichijyo stopped in his tracks. Ranma pointed at him with his forefinger while challenging, "When I've already mastered this Inzecter, armor and Clock Up, I'm coming back for a rematch! You can count on it!"

Ichijyo looked over his shoulder at Ranma and smiled. He then said, "You've got spirit. I like that. Very well. When you're ready, give me a call and we'll have our rematch." He picked up his previously discarded coat and pulled it on. The door leading to the outside of the chamber slid open. Hagemoto and Akane rushed out, passing Ichijyo, and towards Ranma.

"Ranma, are you okay?" Akane asked.

"Yeah, I'm fine, just a bit sore," Ranma said with a smile.

"Ranma," Akane looked worried. "You just lost and you're smiling? I thought you'd be pissed off right now. I know I would've."

"Well, some people usually cheat when they fight me or don't have a good reason. That Amakusa guy is one of the best fighters I've ever met."

"His own father trained him," Hagemoto said. "And I can see he was holding back."

Akane and Ranma looked at him, "Holding back?" they said in unison.

"The boss is a Zodiac Knight and has the power of invisibility. If he had used his full power I doubt Ranma would be standing with us right now." Hagemoto then said, "Come on, you should get cleaned up and into some clean clothes."

"Right," Ranma said, nodding.

Ichijyo made his way back to his office, passing a few of his employees who bowed in response. He began thinking, 'Ranma has quite a lot of potential. He has to for the Inzecter to have chosen him. The Inzecters were programmed to see the potential in people and help them unlock it. Let's see if you are up to my expectations, Mr. Saotome.'

He took the elevator back to his office and walked out, going past his secretary who he gave curt nod before entering his office.

He sat down at his desk and opened up a file. Inside were printed the words: PROJECT INZECTER. Inside the file were various diagrams of Inzecters designed based on several other known insects. Three Inzecters were marked to already to have users. Ranma's Caucasus Inzecter had also been marked to have a user, Ranma himself. There were several Inzecters left unmarked. He picked up the receiver of his phone and dialed a number. He placed the receiver to his ear.

"Hello. Has the Black Beetle been dispatched?" A pause. "Excellent. What about the status of Hercules and Centaurus?" Another pause and followed by a grin. "Excellent. Goodbye." He then opened up Ranma's file and said, "You just might make a good Operative but only time will tell when you are ready. For now you are merely a candidate, my young friend." He heard a beeping noise and reached into his pocket, pulling something out. He flipped it open, looking at a beautiful violet haired young woman on the screen.

"Hello, my little blackbird," he said affectionately.

Meanwhile, news traveled fast. In Nerima, news of Ranma and Akane leaving to Tokyo had reached the ears of several people:

The Kuno residence:

"What, the evil sorcerer Ranma Saotome has whisked my beloved Akane Tendo to Tokyo? I will not stand for this!" Kuno shouted out.

"My Ranma is in Tokyo? Then I will go and take him to proclaim him as mine once and for all!" Kodachi proclaimed before laughing psychotically.

Ucchan's:

Ukyo was packing in her room. "I got to go to Tokyo now. A lot of people will love my okonomiyaki plus I get to see Ranchan."

The Nekohanten:

"Granddaughter, are you sure you want to go to Tokyo? It is quite a large city. Do you think you can find him?"

"Yes, grandmother," Shampoo answered. "Shampoo has tracked airen before so Shampoo know where to find him. Grandmother no need to worry."

"I shall go with you, Shampoo!" Mousse burst in but was splashed with water and was then turned into a duck, quacking and flapping his arms.

Tendo Residence:

Nabiki was counting the bills she had gotten for selling the information.

A/N: Ranma needs some training before he can master the Inzecter. The Nerima Wrecking Crew is coming to Tokyo. Let's just hope a city is still even standing after this. Sorry that Ranma had to loose but he has very little experience with the Inzecter while Shadowcobra knows all about its secrets. Ranma has considered Shadowcobra an equal rival. Let's hope that Shadowocbra can help Ranma out when the Wrecking Crew arrives.

Also, who liked the fight? Was it good or bad? Your choice would be to review and tell me all about it.

In the next chapter, Ranma finds out about the monsters as well get enrolled in Red Horse with Akane. Hopefully this school isn't as crazy as their last one.

Two words: FAT CHANCE!