Ranma of Ryozampaku

by Ranma789

What if Ranma came to Ryozampaku, the dojo of Kenichi's crazy masters from Kenichi the Mightiest Disciple, to train? And why does he lives abroad, with no contact whatsoever with the Tendos, his father and, more importantly, Akane? Will he get along with Kenichi and...what relatioship will he develop with Miu? Get ready for a lore dense crossover, with lots of action!

6. Ranma, the Instructor?

Chapter 6: Ranma the Instructor?

It felt strange not to have any more students at Ryozampaku. All the Masters had long grown accustomed to the bright presence of Miu and Kenichi, which undeniably lifted everyone's spirits. But even on the most solitary days, the Ryozampaku had rarely known such an absolute silence, though it was heavy with restrained tension.

In the main hall, Ranma sat in seiza stance on a cushion, facing Hayato several meters away. All the other Masters were seated in the same way, either to his right or left. Behind him was a sort of blackboard, and beside him lay a large rolled-up sheet of paper. The solemnity of the moment was underscored by the fact that even Shigure was sitting among the others, rather than perched on a ceiling beam. It seemed to Ranma that she was glancing at him from the corner of her eye, as if she trusted him less than the others.

Rarely had young Saotome felt such tension and, in some ways, such uncertainty. The situation was new to him, and he would have to rely on skills he had never cultivated to win this particular challenge: the ability to speak convincingly and the art of persuasion.

Kami, help me, he thought. But then he added, well, after all, a challenge is a challenge, even if it's verbal and not physical .

At a certain point, like a student about to be examined, he broke the silence and began to speak.

"Ehm! I believe you all know why the Elder has called you here, but I still want to personally thank you for coming. I realize this procedure is a bit irregular, and that you are not obligated to listen to what I have to say."

"Tsk! Don't make pompous speeches," Sakaki exclaimed, cracking open a beer in his usual way by chopping the neck off with the edge of his hand. "Get to the point and present your theory."

Ranma swallowed and started to speak, realizing he was breaking into a cold sweat.

"In the past month, I've had the opportunity to observe both Miu, during our meetings, and Kenichi, first during his daily training and then during our duel. I noticed something odd, and to verify it, I had Miu tell me her entire story, and then I studied Kenichi's training at Ryozampaku over the past two years with the help of Master Koetsuji. The conclusion I've come to is…"

Six pairs of eyes fixed on him simultaneously.

"…that Kenichi is training below his potential."

Five pairs of eyes seemed to gleam in the dark, like hunters sharpening their senses before pouncing on their prey. The air seemed to thin.

"What I mean is, in fact— damn, Ranma thought, I've fallen into the trap again. This is harder than I expected—is that, despite Kenichi's lack of talent, he has been responding well to the training you've given him so far. He's become strong in a short time. And he's also…intelligent. He's learned many different techniques and remembers them all. Miu says it's probably because he wants to be a writer, so he tends to have a good memory. And he's even managed to learn the very difficult special moves that the Elder taught him, which surprised even me. Though," he added, "they didn't work to beat me…"

"Not only that," he continued with more confidence, noticing the Masters softening, "from what I hear, Kenichi has even defeated enemies who have practiced martial arts their entire lives and fought to kill. And he's even developed a move like the Mubyoshi on his own."

"We're a bit surprised to hear you talk like this, I confess," Akisame interjected. "It seemed from your quarrel that you didn't like Kenichi very much."

"To tell the truth… I respect Kenichi. And I'm also worried about him. With his naïve and idealistic attitude, and his willingness to fight until he's destroyed, relying on his superhuman endurance, sooner or later he'll get himself killed. And I know that would sadden all of you here greatly."

The Masters lowered their gazes, contemplating that possibility.

"But in fact, what bothers me is also his lack of respect for martial arts. He uses them as a tool without understanding them, like a blacksmith would use a hammer. No, more like a child would use a blacksmith's hammer to play."

"Ranma-kun, we understand how you feel," Kensei interjected. "We are aware that Kenichi, for now, doesn't love martial arts as much as we do… or as much as you do. He only appreciates the practical aspect. But for us, it's more important that his heart is in the right place, that he uses them to follow his ideals of justice. There are far too many practitioners in the world who do indeed love martial arts, but use them to kill for profit. Compared to them, we would choose Kenichi any day. Besides, by practicing martial arts every day, he will eventually come to appreciate them too, sooner or later."

"I understand," replied the boy with the pigtail, "and that's precisely why I have a proposal for you."

Sakaki eyed him with curiosity.

"I believe that for Kenichi, the time has come to learn more advanced techniques from each style. He needs to dedicate much more time to studying and deepening each martial art since he has already mastered the basics. At the moment, there is a… well, a huge gap between his physical abilities and his technical skills. It's a gap that needs to be bridged to prevent his opponents from interfering and taking advantage. Since he is competent enough to learn the Elder's special moves, there's no reason not to teach him high-level regular techniques. And another thing: he needs to do as much sparring as possible here at the dojo to experiment with combining the various martial arts he learns. If he has to improvise how to do this only during real combat, he exposes himself to much greater risks. He needs to become much more fluid."

All the masters remained silent for some time, reflecting on what the Saotome heir had just said.

"Uhm… we hadn't considered the situation from this perspective," admitted Koetsuji—probably because, unlike you, Ranma-kun, we are so far removed from Kenichi that we observe him as if from the top of a mountain…"

"Apa! And since Kenichi has always won against his opponents, there was no reason to change so far," squeaked Apachai.

"But… if we were to follow your advice…" Sakaki considered, interested but conflicted – "the training we've made him do up to today would need to be completely revised. The programming would have to be redone from scratch. The time dedicated to each training… wouldn't be enough anymore."

"And not only that," continued Kensei – noticing the softened masters – "we should dedicate quite a bit of time to his physical and mental flexibility to facilitate switching from one martial art to another."

Uhm, so this is Ranma Saotome? One surprise after another. He's even getting interested in the practical aspects of training. Increasingly interesting…

"And then Kenichi… should fight… more often" added Shigure. It was so rare to hear her speak that Ranma gave her a curious look. She responded with her usual absent expression.

"Training Kenichi's basics was a deliberate choice," intervened the Elder, who had remained silent until that moment. "With higher physical characteristics, he would have saved time when it came time to train more the technical side. In this sense, I don't believe that Ranma-kun – whom I thank for his interest and keen analysis – is telling us that we were wrong and advising us to overhaul everything. On the contrary, he is reminding us that THIS SHOULD HAVE BEEN the plan from the beginning, but over time we lost sight of the goal, and that in reality, that moment has already arrived."

Ranma could only appreciate with his gaze that effective summary operation, which seemed to halve the masters' remaining doubts. Apparently, the old man wasn't just strong. He was beginning to understand why he was their patriarch.

All the members of Ryozampaku stopped talking and began to mutter a series of " yes/ well/ maybe/ indeed…"

However, Sakaki took the floor decisively after another sip of beer (Ranma couldn't remember how many he had already drunk; it was at least the third or fourth).

"Let's say for a moment that you're right, kid. What do you suggest we do? Because I imagine you didn't come here just to give good advice. You must have A PLAN. A PRACTICAL training program."

Ranma swallowed. The moment of truth had arrived. Alright, he thought, in a way, the hardest part was done. He stood up, hesitantly, and said:

"No, of course. I've prepared a project that I intend to present to you. Koetsuji-sensei has a general idea of what it's about but doesn't know the details," and he moved toward the tripod, holding the long roll he had kept by his side under his arm.

He hung it up, unrolled it, and revealed a large sheet divided into two parts, with "Kenichi" on the left and "Miu" on the right, along with a detailed schedule for each day of the week for both. Below, there were additional notes.

Ranma took the floor.

"I want to inform you that the program includes training for both Kenichi and Miu and plans to have them spar periodically to monitor their progress. It's true that Miu is stronger than Kenichi, but they're already sparring against each other every now and then, so what will change is only the frequency and intensity of their matches. Furthermore, this is not just a training program; it's a holistic development program that ensures both of them dedicate appropriate time to rest, school, family, and other interests. This means that Miu should be assisted in doing the household chores at Ryozampaku to avoid sacrificing too much time for training, as the Elder has already arranged."

The boy paused to see if he was getting any disapproving looks, but overall, he expected much worse.

"Having said that, not only do we need to plan the training for those two – and the program is based on the school months, during which there won't be mornings and early afternoons available – but also to ensure that at Ryozampaku, each of the Masters will dedicate time to: • their own training; • household chores; • training other students, if any arrive; • and finally, carrying out their existing work activities or new ones to contribute to the common budget."

More than one eyebrow was raised, but no one spoke.

"And uh, of course, this wouldn't be possible with the current time distribution, so I'll quickly move on to outline the new proposal for Miu and Kenichi, and I've also added one for myself, since I haven't officially started working with any of you yet, but that's where we want to go. The main novelty is that Kenichi must train with each Master throughout the whole day."

Kenichi:

· New dietary regimen, specific to his needs, designed by Koetsuji

Daily Time Division:

· 8:00-13:00 School

· 13:00-14:00 Lunch

· 14:00-15:00 Botany Club

· 15:00-16:00 Physical Training (different and specific for each martial art)

· 16:00-18:00 Technical Training (with a single Master each day for the entire time)

· 18:00-19:00 Recovery with Stretching and Shower

· 19:00 onwards Dinner and free evening

Trains for two consecutive months, then has an entire week off

Out of four Sundays a month:

· Two are for training

· Two remain free

· One can be spent with family, if desired

· One can be spent with Miu and his friends, if desired

Monday: Koetsuji; Jujutsu
Tuesday: Sakaki; Karate
Wednesday: Kensei; Wushu
Thursday: Kensei; Wushu
Friday: Apachai; Muay Thai
Saturday: Shigure; Weapon Defense

The two Sunday training per month:

· On the first, special training with the Elder

· On the second, a serious duel against Miu

Miu:

· 8:00-13:00 School

· 13:00-14:00 Lunch

· 14:00-15:00 Artistic Gymnastics Club

· 15:00-16:00 Household Chores, assisted by one of the Masters

· 16:00-18:00 Technical Training (always with Hayato)

· 18:00-19:00 Recovery with Stretching and Shower

· 19:00 onwards Dinner and free evening

Trains every day with her grandfather, except on Fridays, when she trains with Shigure in weapon defense.

· Rests or works on Saturdays, if necessary

· Otherwise, follows the same training and rest schedule as Kenichi, but when he has Sunday with family, she also spends it with her father (if so desired)

· Can spend the entire free week with whoever she prefers

Ranma:

· Monday: Kensei

· Tuesday: Koetsuji

· Wednesday: Sakaki

· Thursday: Shigure

· Friday: Hayato

Unlike Kenichi and Miu, trains in the morning, from 9 to 12

· In the afternoons, during the week, observes trainings; collaborates in defining Kenichi's physical training

· Returns home for lunch and dinner

· Saturday and Sunday: Free (but can choose to stay and observe others' trainings and meetings)

When Ranma finished patiently and slowly presenting everything, he fell silent to allow the Masters to process what they had just heard and read. And there was certainly a lot to process. For some, for what seemed like interminable minutes, contorted faces, cross-eyed glances, various grimaces, and unintelligible mutterings emerged from the cushions—a combination Ranma expected, but which didn't worry him as much as…

"Hey, wait a minute!"

Gotcha!

"Listen here , kid," Sakaki began, emphasizing the last word in a way Ranma didn't like, "maybe I'm not as sharp as Akisame, or maybe I'm just getting old and my eyesight's going bad since I just turned 30, but... it looks like Kensei has TWO training days with Kenichi! TWO, while everyone else only has ONE! What's the deal with that?"

"Well, you see, the thing is…"

"APA! Apachai has trouble reading Japanese because it's full of difficult symbols, but he knows his own name, and Apachai's name isn't listed as one of Ranma's trainers! RANMA DOESN'T WANT TO BE FRIENDS WITH APACHAI!" The giant slumped into a corner, overwhelmed by deep depression.

"What are you saying, Apachai? It's just that…"

"U-Um... so, the physical training I've been doing with Kenichi so far isn't good enough? Does each master need to give our First Disciple a different physical training every day? And Ranma is supposed to help too? Uhuhuhu…" Koetsuji chuckled passive-aggressively, rubbing his chin. "I'd like to see that... left to them, our disciple will turn into an amoeba within a week."

"HOW DARE YOU, AKISAME! I know more about physical training than the five of you put together!" Kensei retorted vehemently. "I remind you that I was the leader of the 100,000 warriors of the Phoenix Alliance! I could train Kenichi better than you, in half the time and with my eyes closed!"

"But… gentlemen, please, let's not fight…" ( Kensei was the leader of 100,000 warriors? Really?) Ranma was getting more and more embarrassed. He hadn't expected a bouquet of flowers, but things were going even worse than he feared.

"Bold... of you... to assume... that I trust... you... enough to... train you..." the ninja woman hissed coldly, leaning her head closer like a snake preparing to strike.

"S-Shigure, but… why?"

" ENOUGH!"

The voice that echoed through the room like a burglar alarm, sending a cold shiver down everyone's spine, belonged, of course, to Hayato. As Ranma expected, the old man could be terrifying when he wanted to be.

Silence fell, and the Furinji patriarch took a long breath to steady himself.

"As usual, you're behaving like children. There are a lot of things to understand here, of course, but if you start arguing with Ranma and among yourselves, we'll never get anywhere. Speak again, Ranma Saotome, and try to be persuasive."

Ranma nodded with a slight bow to show his gratitude. "E-Ehm, okay, let's start from the beginning, with Sakaki's question. It's a legitimate question; I expected you to bring it up. I assure you, this is not a matter of… personal preference ." He shot a look at Kensei, who quickly hid a bucket of water and a camera behind his back, starting to whistle, innocently. "Nor is it a bias towards any particular martial art: I've practiced a fair bit of Wushu and appreciate various styles, but not particularly more than other arts. As you know, there are countless styles of Kung Fu, and Kensei specializes in all the 's oft' styles, those that utilize the harmonious movement of the whole body and circular motions rather than physical strength and straight-line strikes, and that's the point."

Everyone watched him with interest.

"Kenichi… needs to spend a bit more time learning these techniques because, between Karate, Jujutsu, and Muay Thai, he already fights in a very rigid and muscular way. Kung Fu, for him, can also be a sort of glue… a unifying factor between martial arts that are otherwise very different, something that doesn't specialize in strikes or grapples but encompasses a bit of everything."

The masters remained silent, thoughtful. Hayato chuckled.

"And… and then, Koetsuji-san… I didn't mean to question your expertise... but I think that out of an hour, only half should be dedicated to basic physical skills (strength, speed, coordination, etc.), and the other half should be directly managed by the Master of the day… maybe using traditional training methods of that art...like holding up sand jars in Okinawan Karate or kicking trees in Muay Thai... so Kenichi gets the correct conditioning needed for the following technical training"

"Hmm... yes, that could work."

"Now I have a question, Ranma," Kensei interjected with a sly look on his face. "Go ahead." "Is it just me, or does Miu not have a physical training program?"

"Oh, well, I gathered that Miu hasn't been doing physical training because she's already reached the peak of her physical abilities for her age and weight. Until she grows a bit more, further physical conditioning would be unnecessary or even counterproductive. In the meantime, she'll train after spending time in her gymnastics club, which she attends every day, so she'll stay toned and flexible."

"Hmm, very good," the little Chinese man declared with satisfaction.

Ranma raised an eyebrow.
Did he already know the answer? Did he ask just to see if it made sense? Or… to allow me to make a good impression in front of the others? Could that be?

At a glance from Shigure, Ranma turned towards her. "And… Shigure-san, I'm not sure I understand why you're… distrustful of me… I mean, even moreso than your usual…" At this, most of the others chuckled, "I'm a martial artist from the tips of my toes to the ends of my hair. Even though I don't use them often, I know a fair bit about weapons… more Chinese ones, to be honest, and… I'd really appreciate it if you would do me the honor of training me."

Shigure gave him a sidelong look, but she seemed appeased. Or had she just postponed the issue for another time?

"And finally, Apachai…-" Ranma began, flashing his best smile at the giant still slumped in the shadowy corner. "Come on, big guy, how could you think I don't want to be your friend?"

"Apachai doesn't care. Apachai will stay here until death takes him and the birds pick his bones clean," the giant replied, even more depressed.

"What are you saying? Come on! It's not that I don't like you; it's just that… how can I put this…i've seen how you DON'T hold back, and…I'm not ready to die yet."

Everyone else found themselves with sweat drops on their temples. The boy seemed to have improved in diplomacy, but here he was back to being brutally honest.

Which, with Apachai, was perhaps the best approach. Plus, they couldn't really blame him...

Apachai turned around, his gaze fixed. "APA! Really? I see! Apachai's master always said, ' Apachai, Muay Thai is for killing!' Go, Kill, Kill! And he also said, ' Apachai, remember: dying=bad; staying alive=good.' Maybe Ranma knew Apachai's master too, right?"

"Heh, yeah, maybe, who knows!" The boy replied, drenched in sweat. "But here—I've got it!—you could help me with something else! You know... those acrobatics you do… when you juggle bowling balls, bricks, and anvils? Could you… teach me that, please?"

"APA! Of course, Apachai will teach you! Ranma will get so good he can go work at the Barnum Circus!" and he hugged him, squeezing a bit.

"UHFF! Yes, well... if I ever want to change jobs, I'll—cough! cough!—let you know…"

Hayato watched the scene, satisfied.

Ranma Saotome… managed to convince five of the most stubborn people on the planet… no small feat… but… uh-oh!

It only took a moment: as soon as Ranma looked away, Sakaki and Kensei were back at it, arguing about the training schedule. Kensei was already plotting to " convince" Ranma to let him take full control of the training, possibly by making him try some of his inventions, and Shigure was preparing her Kusari Gama* to capture the ponytailed boy and interrogate him immediately…

Hayato moved swiftly: in a flash, he was on Ranma, grabbed him by the collar, dragged him out of the room, and slammed the door shut behind them.

"Wha—what just happened?"

"Oh, nothing unusual," the Elder reassured him. "They just need… some time to clear their heads, Ryozampaku-style."

From behind the door came strange noises, shouts, and arguments that didn't seem to have much to do with the topics they were just discussing. As the commotion grew louder, the hairs on Ranma's neck stood on end, just imagining what might be going on inside.

Meanwhile, Hayato calmly smoked a pipe, admiring some ancient watercolor paintings of animals, which were his great passion. After about an hour, the noise and shouting ceased.

"Oh! That was quick!" the patriarch Furinji said in surprise.

The doors opened, and the five masters emerged, all looking a bit worse for wear—dusty, with tattered clothes. Kensei had one of Shigure's chains wrapped around his neck, a kunai protruded from Sakaki's shoulder, Apachai was calmly folding origami with a piece of paper torn from Ranma's training schedule, Koetsuji had a black eye, and Shigure was drenched in beer, water, and fruit juice. Ranma did his best not to stare at her now-transparent outfit.

But… how exactly did they fight? Who was on whose side? And why? No, better not ask. Any questions. Ever.

Koetsuji cleared his throat, stepping forward as the spokesperson for the group. They all stood with their arms crossed, looking in different directions, still offended with each other like sulking children, but they seemed to have calmed down.

"Ahem, well, Ranma, the Masters of Ryozampaku have… uh, debated the proposals you made, and we've come to the conclusion…"

Ranma's eyes lit up with anticipation.

"…that they're worth trying! Congratulations, we'll follow the program you've prepared for the next year!"

"What? Really? Thank you! Thank you so much, everyone!"

Hayato chuckled a bit more, his brow now relaxed.

"EXCELLENT!" he proclaimed in his strong, warm voice. "However, we can't carry out Ranma's program in this old dojo that's falling apart. After all, you wouldn't want to embarrass me in front of our First Disciple, would you? I told him we needed to do some renovations… and by the time those two return, this place will be as good as new! With everyone's help, of course!"

For once, that day, Ranma and the Masters had the same expression and spoke the same word in unison:

"EEEEEEEEEHHH?"

The following three weeks were very busy. The Elder had actually been planning the renovation for a long time, partly because it was necessary, partly to make Ryozampaku safer against potential attacks or espionage from Yami. Akisame (whom Ranma had just discovered was something of a Leonardo da Vinci, mastering any type of art and science) had designed a complex system of alarms, traps, and emergency power generators. These would be added to the existing systems, which apparently operated without the need for utility bills, thanks to some sort of exemption the dojo enjoyed due to unspecified services rendered to the Japanese government.

The materials were purchased on credit with a twenty-year lease from some craftsmen who owed Sakaki a favor—he had saved them from some racket (Ranma so discovered that the karateka, whom Miu had told him was a bounty hunter, also worked as a detective and bodyguard)—but they had to provide the labor themselves. And trying to work while Apachai caused trouble like an eight-year-old was, predictably, not easy.

Ranma found himself sighing: " And to think I paid to be a disciple here. "

But since he was the one who proposed a revolution in the training, as the Elder reminded him, he couldn't refuse to help with the work.

What exactly the connection was between the two, Ranma couldn't quite say, but he figured it wasn't worth arguing.

Let's just put it this way: I'll console myself by thinking that learning how to run a dojo is part of my training, as it should have been from the start when i came at the Tendo's. Although, if I think about those two having fun in the meantime…

Kenichi sneezed.

"Bless you, onii-chan*. Try not to catch a cold."

"Oh, thanks, Honoka, don't worry."

Kenichi realized, as he was marching towards the mountain peak with his parents and sister for a three-day trekking trip that his father had organized to celebrate " the return of his beloved firstborn"—who, in fact, hadn't seen his family in quite some time. And the strange thing was, for a long time, he hadn't cared.

The training at Ryozampaku, spending time with Miu, experiencing friendship with the Shimpaku Alliance members… these were all experiences that had distracted him from them. But as he noticed his little sister's concern and genuine joy, he wondered if he had been a bit rude and cold to her lately. Sure, he had saved her life when she was attacked by sharks and kidnapped by Loki of Ragnarok (which felt like a lifetime ago…), but under normal circumstances, he didn't often show her his affection.

Now more than ever, the girl needed it, because the disappearance of Hermit, Natsu Tanimoto, who had gone off to train who knows where with his Master, had made her very sad.

Kenichi wasn't used to thinking of himself as a selfish person; he usually went out of his way to help others. And yet, suddenly, he realized two things: that even he could fail to treat everyone well every single time, and that sometimes it's okay to rest, let go of your duties, and spend time with those who care about you. Remember why and for whom you fight.

Had the Elder foreseen this too?

On another, much higher mountain, Miu suddenly turned around.

"Is something wrong, Miu?" asked the imposing blonde man ahead of her—her father, Furinji Saiga.

The girl looked into the valley they had just crossed, deep in thought. Then she said, "No, nothing serious. It's just… I think someone was thinking about me. Is this what they call… the sixth sense ?"

The man sighed, half amused and half resigned.

"Are you already feeling homesick for your friends? I understand, but I hoped you'd want to spend some time with your old man… we have a lot to catch up on."

The girl looked earnestly at the man who was her father, whom she had only reunited with a few months ago. Then, walking slowly, she approached him and gently placed a hand on his arm.

"Trust me, tou-san*. There's nowhere else I'd rather be right now."

The renovation work was progressing well, and Ranma, wearing a tank top with a towel draped around his neck, stood observing the dojo. He was leaning his elbows on the outer wall, his legs suspended in the air, supported only by the strength of his arms. Even in that moment, he was training.

He was soon joined by Sakaki, shirtless, who leaned back similarly, but with his back to the yard, propped up by a single elbow as if he were leaning against a bar counter.

"Hey, kid, a yen for your thoughts."

Ranma glanced at him sideways.

"You know, Sakaki, I have a first and last name, and I've recently turned twenty. You don't need to call me ' kid.'"

"UAHAHAH, sure, you're right! You're so small I keep forgetting you're older than Kenichi and Miu. Well, RANMA, since you're a grown man... I just came by to see if you wanted one of these to enjoy during the break." He produced two bottles of beer like a magician, offering one to the young fighter with a wink.

Ranma thought about it for a second. He didn't usually drink, but Sakaki was trying to be friendly, and it was so hot...

"Why not? I'm trying to do things differently lately..."

"That's the spirit! If you work hard, you should play just as hard, that's what I say."

The karateka opened his bottle in his usual way and started chugging it down, while Ranma popped the cap off his with a snap of his fingers and began sipping it calmly.

It might have been the first beer he ever drank. He had tried stronger alcohol in China to learn the Drunken Master Technique, but this was the first time he was drinking just for pleasure. He found it good, and especially refreshing.

"We're almost done, huh," Sakaki began, clearly wanting to make conversation. "It'll be strange having a new Ryozanpaku after living here for so many years. And it'll be strange having a new student, too. I was just getting used to Kenichi..."

"Everything changes, I guess," Ranma responded thoughtfully, "but some things stay the same, despite appearances—they take long detours and come back to the starting point. If someone had told me a few months ago that I'd be helping to fix up someone else's dojo after refusing the responsibility of running my own, I would've said they were crazy... and yet, here I am."

"I've noticed you're pretty reserved about your past... No, don't look at me like that, I wasn't about to ask anything. All of us Ryozanpaku masters have, more or less, our own unique stories... and if there's one absolute rule, it's respecting the privacy of those who live with us."

Ranma looked at him neutrally for a bit longer, then turned his gaze back to the courtyard and took another sip.

"The thing is... I've spent my whole life training to become a great martial artist... but I never really thought of myself as a teacher... even though, in fact, that was the goal all along... teaching would become my way of making a living. As we finish up the renovations, the time when Kenichi and Miu will return is getting closer... and everything will change. We'll be fellow students, but at the same time, Kenichi will be training with a program I developed... even though, in reality, you all will continue training him... and I'll be able to see if what I've planned turns out to be effective. It'll be a sort of rehearsal or general test for my future, if I decide to continue down this path. I'll be able to see... if I'm really capable of taking on that career. And it'll be strange," he added after a brief pause, "I quarreled with Kenichi before he left, but when he returns, he'll be training with my program. I'm not sure how he'll take it, honestly."

Sakaki studied him for a long moment.

"You've never had this kind of responsibility before... I understand, but you don't need to overthink it. None of us, except for Kensei, had ever trained anyone before Kenichi arrived... you could say that, in a way, he was our guinea pig . Yet, things turned out well. Your project wouldn't have been approved if we didn't think it was solid, so it will work. And besides, Kenichi is a kind person—some would say too kind. He'll understand you were just concerned for him back then."

Ranma looked at him, puzzled. "You know, Sakaki, I've actually been meaning to tell you all... I'm not entirely convinced by the whole " guinea pig" idea. I get that drastic methods are needed to teach that thickhead, but you shouldn't damage him too much. Not everyone is like you or me."

"Hmm... who knows. Coal under pressure becomes a diamond, after all. The Elder often says Kenichi reminds him of his younger self."

He resembles the Elder as a young man? Could that be possible?

"Tell me, Ranma... what does Kenichi represent to you? A younger training partner to protect? An annoying person? A rival? Or... are you thinking that... he might become a worthy rival if he gets stronger? And you're eager to discover that?"

"Mmhh... who knows," the boy replied thoughtfully, taking another sip.

After a moment of silence, Sakaki burst out laughing and gave him one of his usual hearty slaps on the back.

"Muahahah, but even you can't afford to rest on your laurels! During the same period, you'll start training with us, and your training will be much tougher than his."

Ranma turned and looked him in the eyes with a particular smile.

"I can't wait!"

No further words were needed. They clinked their beer bottles together and finished them in one gulp.

The following week, Kenichi arrived at the beach resort where he had been invited. The invitation from the Shinpaku Alliance had seemed strange to him, but he couldn't refuse such an opportunity.

It was the third week of his four-week vacation, and he had already planned to spend the last one back home with his family. He had decided to spend some time practicing writing and then doing some gardening with his classmate Yuka Izumi—who had been strangely insistent about it—so he felt no guilt about leaving his family for a while to spend time with his friends.

Besides, Honoka would be spending a week at the summer tennis camp she attended. His father had tried to follow her with his rifle "to make sure there were no perverts over there" but his mother had knocked him out with a frying pan.

"Yu-huuu, Kenichi! We're over here!"

"That voice... Renka-san?"

It was indeed her. Master Kensei's daughter was running toward him in a two-piece swimsuit that left little to the imagination, but behind her was the whole crew.

Takeda, as always tanned and more at ease than ever with his blonde ponytail, Freya, who was suspiciously close to him and also looked stunning in her swimsuit, Ukita, with his inevitable sunglasses, who was holding... Nijima under his arm, tied up and gagged?

But there was also Kisara, accompanied by Shiratori, Sigfried, and all the other members of Shinpaku—Kamioka, Matsui, Kimoto, Mizunuma—and then Thor, surrounded by all the Valkyries (Kenichi couldn't help but be happy for him and envious at the same time), and finally Renka's companions, Genson and Shokatsu. Even Shinnosuke Tsuji was there, shouting like a madman as usual, with his subordinates.

"Guys! You're all here?"

They were indeed at a tourist village on a beautiful beach that also featured a large water park. The hotel where they would be staying had four stars.

"Of course!" Takeda began to explain while Renka threw her arms around Kenichi's neck. "We all needed a vacation, and when a little bird from Ryozanpaku informed us that you'd be free..."

"We decided to take advantage of it," Ukita continued, giving Nijima a shake as he tried to break free, "and we pooled our money, using the funds this guy secretly raised by selling sports merchandise under our names behind our backs, and from the ads on the Shinpaku Alliance website, to treat ourselves to some well-deserved rest."

"This is fantastic..." Kenichi continued, greeting everyone in turn, ignoring Nijima's protests while still holding Renka with her arms around his neck. "It'll be amazing to spend a week all together."

If only Miu were here...

Ranma woke up slowly. He was drenched in sweat. As he regained consciousness, he wasn't sure what was real and what was imaginary. The first thing he realized was that he was in a completely dark room. The second thing he noticed was that he was suspended, spread-eagle, facing downward.

His arms and legs were tied with ropes attached to hooks on the walls. For some reason, this didn't cause him any pain or discomfort.

The third thing he realized was that he was only wearing boxers.

The fourth was that his body was covered in acupuncture needles, which he barely noticed.

The fifth was that his entire body felt warm, as if it had been... reshaped, and he felt like he was physically experiencing the sensations from his dreams.

The sixth thing he noticed was an indescribable feeling of well-being, almost relief.

But... what happened? Let's try to remember...

"Uhm! I'm glad I've finished the work! My shoulders feel a bit stiff," he had said, cracking them. "That's a consequence of doing something you're not used to, Ranma-kun," Akisame had explained. "After all, we completed in a few weeks what normal people would have done in a year, and you almost kept up with our pace. Also, I've observed that over the past year, you've undergone significant mental stress. Even though you seem to have recovered well and achieved a certain level of peace, you still have unresolved issues. Am I right?"

As usual, Ranma found the masters' analytical and intuitive abilities terrifying, especially that of the mustached one.

"Uh... yes, that's pretty accurate," he admitted, annoyed. "It wouldn't be advisable to start the heavy training at Ryozampaku with such joint stiffness. Emotional issues also cause stress that affects the muscles, tightening them. I could suggest a complete osteopathic treatment, to which I can add a rare form of full-body massage that specializes in relieving stress. However, I must warn you that the process works both ways: resolving the physical issue might... release repressed emotional problems, causing you to relive, in a sort of trance or delirium, unpleasant moments from your past.

In the end, though, bringing these emotions to light instead of repressing them can only lead to significant overall improvement. Would you like to try it?"

Ranma swallowed. The idea of reliving all the unpleasant events of recent times didn't fully satisfy him, but it was also true that he preferred to face them rather than hide. He thought he heard his father's voice in his head.

Tsk! Are you scared? Wimp!

"I'll do it."

Heat. Cold. The sensation of falling into a void. Fear? No, it wasn't fear. It was more like... bewilderment? The terrifying sensation of not knowing what to do. Then, faces, blurred. One face would dissolve to form the next. Herb. He looked at him defiantly. Then... Ukyo? She smiled as she prepared an Okonomiyaki. Then someone else. Boys, seen from behind, entering a school. Then the school became a confusing entity, a cluster of skyscrapers. He reaches out.

He can't reach the boys. He can't go where they are going. He's pulled to the left. The smiling face of Shampoo. Next to her, Mousse seems cheerful as he offers him a bowl of ramen. Behind them, the old Obaba is cooking something.

He's pulled to the right. A woman's figure, she looks sad. Alone, in the dark, illuminated by a light, she looks down. She has a sword in her arms.

Mom?

He flies forward, toward the light. It looks like... China? The mountains of China? I'm marching somewhere.

The Panda talks to me. Not with signs, he's actually talking. I respond. I don't hear what I'm saying, but I know it's not something nice. We start arguing. But he's not fighting normally. He's fierce, like a real animal. He bites my shoulder. I scream.

I open my eyes. Kasumi is caring for me, gently. She's very sweet. Suddenly, I think I should be somewhere else.

I wander through the house. I open all the rooms.

They're empty. Why are they empty?

One of them, in particular, fills me with anguish.

I'm sinking. Downward. There's no floor.

It's all dark again. The old Happosai is eating a sandwich in front of a small campfire. He doesn't seem to have a care in the world.

Tsk, what are you so cheerful about? Don't you think you still have something to do? I try to tell him, I know I'm speaking the words, but no sound comes out.

I'm pulled back. A field. A sunset, reddish, blazing.

On it stands a boy, on all fours, like an animal, growling at the sky. He makes me angry. He also makes me feel pity, but mostly anger. My chest burns.

I'm pulled to the right.

In a small house, a girl with short dark hair looks out the window. Outside, it's pouring rain.

The girl looks sad.

Why is she sad? I should be able to do something to stop her from being sad. I reach out my hand, I want to talk to her.

She hasn't noticed me.

I fall into the void again. I see my hand stumbling upward, trying to grasp something. I catch a glimpse of something, for an instant.

A... blonde braid? For a while, I feel nothing.

I spend some time as if suspended, underwater, upside down. I'm still breathing.

Then, from the depths, I see a face, smiling maliciously at me, with cruel satisfaction.

It's Safulan.

I reach out my hands, and this time I have control over them. I place them around his neck.

And squeeze. Then everything dissolves again. Just darkness.

Then more darkness, yet it's not the same darkness as before. It's a room. Where am I?"

A light. It hurts his eyes.

A figure stands in the middle of it and approaches.

"Oh, you're awake, Ranma-kun. I hope you're feeling well."

"Ke-Kensei? What are you doing here?" the voice he heard was a murmur, but it was his.

Suddenly, he remembered everything. Akisame, his proposal, the osteopathic treatment, and the anti-stress massage. Damn.

It's as if his emotions had turned liquid and he could feel them floating in his body. In fact, his muscles felt relaxed like never before.

He was breathing normally. Had bringing those emotions to the surface done him good? Had expressing them allowed him to handle them better?

But—wait! "Wh-why do I have these needles all over my body? This... this has nothing to do with Akisame."

"That's correct, Ranma-kun. In fact, it was me. I observed your body during Koetsuji's treatment, and I realized you have a problem with your Ki circulatory system."

"What? The... the Ki has a... circulatory system?" He was no longer surprised by anything.

"Of course it does. And you have a good basic command of it... one could even say that you've already reached the level of Ki no Shoaku, although you have less control over it compared to Ki no Kaiho*. I can say that you've learned to knead Ki, to dilute it to make it more usable... but recently, you've used it with excessive force, exceeding your body's limits, haven't you?"

The battle against his father. The final blow. "Y... yes." "I thought so. This has caused a small damage to your Ki circulatory system. Nothing serious, mind you. But now, whenever you use it, you'll be able to use a smaller amount, because it escapes with less control, and if you exceed the limit again, you risk more serious damage. You've learned to control it with meditation, but perhaps you don't know that it's a process that's better repeated every month... even every week, if necessary."

"I... understand."

"Anyway, it's not a big problem. My acupuncture needles are positioned precisely on the meridians of the Ki circulatory system. Another twelve hours in this position and the damage will be repaired. You could take this opportunity to further practice kneading your Ki. Imagine each of the meridians as a small sphere, and make it spin in the right direction. ...there, just like that... with control... refine your perception... feel them in a relaxed, spontaneous way... that's why I took advantage of the moment, because you're completely emptied emotionally and therefore more in touch with your inner self... yes, keep going like that." Noticing Ranma, with a distant look, practicing the kneading of Ki, abandoned limply in that absurd position, Kensei sighed.

The boy had been through a lot, but he was coping well.

He walked to the door and then turned around. "When the twelve hours are up, we'll bring you down. You can wash up, eat, and rest. Akisame called the number you had in your pocket to let them know you'll "to let them know that you'll be staying here tonight. Then you'll have three days off before Kenichi and Miu return. Spend them as you wish."

"Al…right."

Kensei adjusted his hat and left.

This is getting more and more interesting.

Glossary:

Kusari Gankiri: An ancient ninja tool similar to the Kusari-Gama. However, while the Kusari-Gama is a sickle with a chain, the Kusari-Gankiri is just a chain with weights at both ends, used as a throwing weapon to capture someone by wrapping around them like bolas or like the Chinese Liu Xing Chui, which is attached to a cord or silk strip. In the manga, Shigure often uses the Kusari Gankiri on Kenichi when he tries to escape from Ryozampaku.

Onii-chan : Big brother (by now, even rocks probably know this term).

Tou-san : A term used to say "father" in Japanese. It's a respectful form that can only be used for one's own father, but it's less formal than "Otou-san," which can also be used for someone else's father. Miu respects her father and is happy to be with him, but she's not yet at the point of using the highest honorific when speaking to him.

Ki no Shoaku: "Restrain the Ki," is the third and most advanced level of Ki usage, where one can manipulate Ki inside and outside their body and control the Ki of others.

Ki no Kaiho : "Release of Ki," is the second, intermediate level of Ki usage, where one releases Ki from their body to enhance themselves or use it in combat against enemies.

Author's Note:

I start from the finish, and i wanted to give you all a small anticipation, through Ranma's oniric sequence, of what happened to him and his mental state. We will discover the details further ahead, but here we see how he feels towards each of the people of his past life.

Ranma ISN'T a Master YET, so he cannot instruct Kenichi. But i thought his interest could have sparked by analyzing and modifying somebody's program, until he's able to produce a new one. Later on, he WILL become an actual teacher, although i won't spoil…

Miu and Kenichi needed time with their loved ones. Actually, the feelings of the main characters at Ryozampaku will become an important theme over the chapters. We're getting near where we'll see the Shimpaku more often.

Saiga and Honoka appear here for a cameo only, but they will be back later.

Next chapter will feature the protagonists training together and then the real fun will begin…keep following!