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!

9. Old Weak Points and New Acquaintances

Chapter 9: Old Weak Points and New Acquaintances

For a moment, they were all shocked. It wasn't a normal sight, and it was certainly not what they had expected. Then, cries erupted, all at once.

Honoka: "KITTIES! You've come back to me!" She leaped forward to cuddle them, completely ignoring the boy beneath them.

Miu: "Ranma-kun! Are you okay?"

Kenichi: "But… but what happened? Ranma… was he defeated by someone? And then… did the cats try to eat him alive?"

He began to imagine the worst scenarios, like stray cats picking apart homeless people's corpses, like a kind of urban legend scenario, or a creepypasta.

But just as Miu started to tend to the "injured," they got their answer.

The moment Ranma was separated from the cats, his head resting on the blonde's lap, he seemed to regain consciousness, though he was only muttering disconnected words.

Then, as one of the kittens purred at Honoka, it let out a "MEOW" louder than the others, and the boy with the pigtail suddenly bolted upright, practically jumping into Miu's arms, shouting, "No! Keep it away from me!"

For one single, long moment, a chill fell over them.

Kenichi: "Ranma, do you… happen to be afraid of cats?"

If the boy with the pigtail had learned a secret technique to sink into the ground, he would've done it right then.

"Hahaha! That's hilarious!" Kenichi laughed heartily as they all walked home, with his sister a few meters ahead, transformed into a Christmas tree with all the kittens she was carrying in her arms.

The three of them trailed behind, with Ranma keeping a safe distance from the "beasts," hiding behind Miu.

"There's absolutely NOTHING funny about this," the boy with the pigtail grumbled (but his meeky behaviour contradicted the tone of his words).

It bothered him terribly, for his pride, that his weakness had been discovered by these new people he had just met and had so far made a good impression on.

He had always been ashamed of having such a ridiculous weakness, but at that moment, he couldn't decide what was worse: that Kenichi now had something to look down on him for, or that he appeared weak in front of Miu.

Did it matter so much to him in general, or was there a particular reason?

The girl, for her part, was actually quite understanding (and maybe a little amused) but mostly surprised and genuinely curious.

"But, Ranma-kun… how did it happen? How is it possible that you suffer from ailurophobia*?"

"Umpf! I'd like to see you in my place."

And so, Ranma began to recount the whole story of how, at ten years old, his father, after finding the secret Cat Claw technique in an old book, tried to teach it to him by repeatedly throwing him into a pit filled with hungry cats, after diligently tying fish of all kinds to his body.
The repeated attacks by the ravenous creatures eventually caused the poor boy to develop post-traumatic stress.

(Ranma conveniently left out that the Neko Ken training had been successful, as the trauma was so severe that, at the height of his terror, he would enter a trance where he believed himself to be a cat and fought ferociously, leaping on all fours and clawing at enemies so fast that he could cut anything with air pressure. He felt he had confessed enough shameful and ridiculous stuff for one day.)
By the end of the story, Kenichi was no longer laughing; in fact, he was utterly terrified.

Now I get it. His father's another maniac like the Masters of Ryozanpaku. No wonder he got so strong if he had to survive that. I absolutely need to make sure my Masters don't find out about this story, or they'll get some crazy ideas…

Miu, on the other hand, seemed both surprised and moved, as if the extremes to which poor Ranma had been pushed made her reconsider the concept of "evolving at any cost" on which also Ryozanpaku was based. That made her reconsider a whole lot of things, to be honest.

Hadn't she lived a life at the edge too? Hadn't her grandfather dragged her around the world, facing terrible dangers while she was still in elementary school, as he fought human traffickers, terrorists, drug smugglers, and professional assassins?

Sure, what Ranma's father had done was unforgivable and idiotic; but Ranma hadn't actually been in mortal danger. For once, she couldn't help but wonder how close she herself had come to death at an age when she didn't even fully understand the concept of "death."

As she grew up, she realized that other people didn't live like that, but until she heard Ranma's story, she had never reflected on what it meant to look at someone from the outside and think, "Hey, that person has lived a really absurd life."

Is that how others saw her? Was that the effect she had?
And Ranma… was he the only one who truly understood how it felt?

"Anyway," the boy with the pigtail resumed after a long and sulky silence, "I'd really appreciate it if you didn't tell the Masters of Ryozanpaku what you've just seen, for obvious reasons.
That goes for you too, kid," he added, raising his voice to make sure Honoka heard him.

"My name is Honoka, not 'kid,'" Kenichi's sister replied, annoyed. "And as for the rest… let's just say I'll think about it," she continued with a wicked smile that Kenichi had seen directed at poor Natsu Tanimoto many times. "I might need a favor or two in the future, and I'm sure you wouldn't want to deny poor little Kohai's* sister, right?"

"What the…? Kenichi, is your sister blackmailing me?"

"Haha! No, no, Honoka's just joking, isn't that right? And anyway, Ranma," Kenichi added, looking at him with a goofy grin, the kind of grin someone has when they're enjoying themselves a little too much, "you don't have to worry, everyone has a weak spot or two… but you can trust us…"

Ranma didn't feel very trusting. Suddenly, Kenichi was starting to look a lot like Gosunkugi.

Bah! As if things could ever go smoothly! It feels like I'm back in Nerima…

"Oh! I didn't think of that!" Miu suddenly burst out, as if snapping out of her thoughts.

"Huh? What's up?" the two boys asked in unison.

"Ranma-kun, if you hate cats, does that mean… our plan to create a shelter for stray cats at Ryozanpaku… HAS TO END BEFORE IT EVEN BEGINS?"

She had said the last words with tears already welling up in her eyes, like a little girl. Her pleading eyes would move a dead man.

Ranma found himself extremely embarrassed and started to mutter incoherently, "But… maybe… no… well… on the other side of the yard… in the morning, the cats are asleep… mumble…"

"Oh, very well, then it's settled!" the girl perked up, suddenly flashing her brightest smile.

Kenichi and Ranma were equally shocked by the quick change in demeanor. Kenichi noticed a novelty in his companion and crush.

Since when did Miu-san learn to manipulate people? Is she spending too much time with Nijima? Is she starting to handle us men like a grown woman? Should I watch out for her too?
Does she want to be around the cats that badly, even knowing the effect they have on Ranma? Scary… it's the first time I've seen how in some ways she's like her grandfather…

Ranma let out a big sigh, resigned. He had definitely had enough trouble from girls for one afternoon. And he hadn't expected the latest ones.

Being blackmailed by a nutcase like Kodachi or exploited by someone like Nabiki was one thing, but there was something subtly wrong about it coming from a fourteen-year-old like Honoka.

And he definitely hadn't expected to be manipulated by Miu.

The blonde, as if in response to his thoughts, just before entering the gates of Ryozanpaku, took advantage of a moment when Kenichi was helping Honoka with the kittens, turned her head toward him, looked at him for a bit, then smiled and winked at him, innocently.

"Thanks," he heard her whisper.

The heir to the Saotome School was a little surprised. He wasn't thanked often, much less so when he deserved it or felt he needed it.

Maybe not everything's like Nerima after all…

The rest of the day went by quickly enough. Ranma spent the afternoon idly watching Kenichi's training, taking only a few notes, and when evening came, he helped Miu in the kitchen. As usual, her training sessions had been held behind closed doors.

The boy with the pigtail felt mixed emotions being around her, especially after the recent developments.

She now knew his weak point, something he was ashamed of, and apparently, she was jealous of the attention Renka was giving Kenichi. Yet, throughout the preparation of dinner, they didn't speak, both eager to finish the task so they could head to the meeting with the Shimpaku Alliance.

When the time came, the three of them set off—after duly informing the Masters—on the road to the Alliance's headquarters. They were in civilian clothes, and since it was mid-September, Miu and Kenichi wore light sweaters, while Ranma stuck to his usual attire.

"So this Shimpaku Alliance... who are they made up of?" Ranma asked, breaking the ice, careful not to reveal anything about his afternoon excursion at their high school, nor of all the mess that happened afterward.

"Oh, quite a few people, actually," Miu responded, "but maybe Kenichi should explain."

"Uh, well, yeah, there's not much to tell. The main thing is that most of them are former delinquents who've turned over a new leaf, former members of Ragnarok."

"Ragnarok? I think you've mentioned them before, but what exactly were they?"

"Ragnarok was a criminal organization founded by Ryuto Asamiya, who, as fate would have it, was a childhood friend of mine who took a wrong path."

Kenichi's eyes grew sad.

He hadn't seen Ryuto in a while… he could only hope he was okay.

Noticing this, Miu continued the explanation: "Ryuto was a disciple of Isshinsai Ogata, one of the members of the Shadow Nine Fists, the Yami's unarmed martial arts division. In fact, it was Ogata who selected all the kids who were supposed to join, choosing those with exceptional martial arts talent.

It's possible that Ogata originally planned to stage a coup within the Yami by having Ragnarok members fight against the Yomi students… but Kenichi defeated them all before that could happen, and one by one, nearly all of them switched to the right side.

Even Ryuto himself switched sides, though he remained Ogata's disciple for another year before leaving more recently, helping us win a crucial fight."

"I see. It sounds like the plot of an action manga, but then again, I've seen stranger things in my life," commented the boy with the pigtail.

"So, in short, all or most of the current Shimpaku Alliance members are former Ragnarok members, meaning people chosen for their great martial arts talent?"

"Exactly," Kenichi confirmed, "but the most important thing is that they… are my dearest friends," he concluded with a warm smile.

Within ten minutes, those "dearest friends" were fiercely fighting against them.

There wasn't even time to ask what was happening, only to raise their guard and defend.

Sure, it had seemed strange when the Shimpaku Alliance building (which had greatly surprised Ranma with how large and luxurious it was) appeared empty.

And even stranger that the door was open, the hallway lit, and all the traps deactivated.

But for the lights to suddenly turn on in the main hall, blinding the three Ryozampaku disciples, only to see the Alliance Generals jump out and attack only Ranma… well, no one expected that.

"Guys! What are you doing?" Kenichi shouted, still stunned, but before he could do more, like ninjas in an old movie, he was surrounded by eight beautiful girls wielding traditional wooden weapons: the Valkyries serving Freya!

"Kenichi!" Miu screamed, knowing full well her friend was at a disadvantage because of his belief in never hitting girls.

But before she could step in, none other than Renka jumped down from the ceiling, blocking her path.

"Your opponent is me, Miu!"

"What? What's going on?"

Meanwhile, chaos had erupted in the dojo.

Takeda, Kisara, Thor, and Ukita were attacking Ranma from four sides, darting at him like madmen.

The boy with the pigtail, though alerted by the state of the base, hadn't expected a surprise assault from Kenichi's "friends." But being used to hitting first and asking questions later, he switched into combat mode without hesitation.

In truth, he was curious: he'd heard about these people, so now he was going to take his time studying their abilities.

He barely gave a sideways glance at Kisara, recognizing her as the girl from that afternoon (and indeed, she bore visible bandages and patches, but they didn't seem to slow her down), though he trusted she wouldn't recognize him in his male form.

She had met "Ranko": one of the rare times his curse actually came in handy.

The Taekwondo user launched a barrage of kicks at Ranma, while Takeda closed in, studying his reactions with quick hooks and uppercuts.

It was clear their role was to close the distance, to push him into the grasp of the other two, more skilled in grappling.

Ranma recalled what the Elder had told him two weeks prior, during his first training session.

"Ranma, your one-on-one dueling skills are nearly flawless. However, a duel isn't the only type of fight you might face. I bet your teachers have scolded you for struggling in battles where you're outnumbered, like in a brawl." "That's true," he had replied, "though it was they who trained me that way. I have no problem taking on many weak opponents, thanks to my speed, but I can have trouble with 4-5 mid-level fighters who coordinate their attacks." "When you're in such a situation," the Elder had said, "the first thing to do is break the enemy's formation, disrupt their plans. Keep moving, don't give them any fixed points to target. Do something unexpected, throw off their pattern. Use their numbers against them. And then…"

Ranma was practically dancing between the enemies' strikes, preventing them from completely surrounding him, forcing them to constantly reposition.

What's more, the boy with the pigtail didn't seem in any rush to counterattack, instead critically observing the strikes coming his way.

"Tsk! He's even worse than they said! He's really strong! We haven't even hit him once yet!" Takeda noted, clearly having a blast.

"Yeah, right! It's just a matter of time!" Kisara retorted.

Still, this wasn't enough. This guy wasn't like HER.

Though... do they look similar? Is there a connection between them? I'll kick the truth out of him if there is!

"Hmm... not bad," Ranma remarked, addressing Takeda's punches. "Your form on those hooks and uppercuts is solid, and you manage to combine fluidity with power. You… unlike the others, have a good teacher?"

What? Did he figure that out from such a brief exchange?

"Hey, you, with the pigtail! DON'T UNDERESTIMATE ME!" the Taekwondo girl yelled.

Ranma shot her an amused look. Provoking opponents was his specialty, after all.

"Oh, but there's no need. I'm assessing you EXACTLY at your level.

Your kicks are decent, but nothing I couldn't dodge with my eyes closed. To be precise, your fighting is repetitive and boring."

"WHAT?!" Kisara shouted, red with anger.

"Kisara! He's provoking you! Stay calm!" Ukita warned, who was repeatedly trying to grab Ranma to throw him, but it was like trying to grab a ghost: he was never where he appeared to be a moment before.

"And who are you, some kind of mascot?" the boy with the pigtail asked, casting a sidelong glance at him.

What? I won't let him humiliate me in front of Kisara!

He tried a different grip, one of those taught to him by Chikage Kushinada, though he wasn't aware of it.

"Oh! Not bad!" Ranma admitted, dodging it anyway.

"How dare you insult our friends? It's our bond that makes us stronger!" Thor declared loudly, planting his feet in a solid shikodachi* and charging his arms at his sides.

Then he unleashed a devastating barrage of palm strikes.

"FOR ALL THE FAT MEN IN THE WORLD!" he declared, as his battle cry.

"Guys, what are you doing? Stop, this is… this is crazy!" Kenichi tried to shout, while frantically dodging the attacks of all the Valkyries, who kept changing combinations and patterns to prevent him from getting used to them.

"Tsk! You can tell he's the First Disciple of Ryozampaku," remarked Ayazaki, the leader who wielded the tonfas. "He's barely managing to avoid the most dangerous hits. He's definitely the disciple of that Weapon Master… KEEP GOING! DON'T GIVE HIM A BREAK!"

Meanwhile, Miu was trading high-speed blows with Renka, who seemed to be having the time of her life.

BAKE RENKANGEKI SUJIN

echoed through the space as the Chinese girl unleashed kicks in every direction, moving in a circle around Furinji to prevent her from escaping.

"Renka! We need to stop this madness before someone gets hurt!"

"Oh, come on, Miu, don't tell me you're not having fun? You know, come to think of it… "You and I have never fought before," she said, with a challenging look.

"Tell me the truth, aren't you curious? To find out who would win between us?"

Miu blushed and seemed upset. For a moment, her instincts had taken over, and she actually thought she just wanted to let herself go and enjoy the fight.

"That's... that's not the point! If you want to challenge me, you can do it at Ryozampaku whenever you like! But I don't understand why everyone else got involved! Confess! What's the truth? Why did you set up this ambush? It's all Nijima's plan, isn't it? What's his goal?"

"Uh... does there need to be a goal to fight? You know as well as I do that there are things you can only communicate through fighting.

For example, look at them," she added, nodding toward the four who were up against Ranma, "they seem to be having a blast, don't they? For people like us, this is the proper way to say good morning."

What? So, the purpose of this ambush...

At that moment, a wicked laugh echoed through the room.

Nijima appeared from a balcony overlooking the gym. He held one hand behind his back, wore a long villainous cape, and with his other hand, he held a glass of wine.

Behind him, the remaining members of the Shimpaku Alliance were filming all the fights with high-definition cameras, paying special attention to Ranma's battle.

"MUAHAHAHA! Good, keep going, my pawns! Show all the Ryozampaku students the strength of the Shimpaku Alliance! Sacrifice yourselves, if necessary, for the glory of the great Nijima!"

Kenichi noticed him immediately.

Nijima? What's his objective this time?

Even Ranma, despite being busy, glanced up for a moment.

It's that weirdo from this afternoon. And they're filming everything... right, I get it.

If that crazy American chick hadn't interfered, I would've uncovered this little surprise and ruined it.

Instead, I'll have to return the favor... one day. For now, I just need to finish playing.

Just then, Ukita shouted, drowning out the noise, still trying to grab his opponent: "Cut it out, alien! No one here is fighting for you, only for their own pride!"

Kisara, on the other hand, was still fuming over Ranma's words and decided to change strategy.

So, you don't want to get bored, huh? I'll make sure you don't.

She leaped into the air, performing spins similar to the ones Miu usually did, preparing for a double kick from above.

Ranma noticed and got momentarily distracted. Takeda thought: "NOW!"

Instead, almost blindly, Ranma swept him, while staying just out of range of his punches, and the boxer fell to the ground.

"Takeda!" Ukita shouted, launching himself at the boy with the pigtail.

And then, when they least expect it—the Elder had said—take out the weakest of them first.

Ranma spun like lightning, did a half-turn, and struck Ukita in the chest with an elbow, making him double over. Then, with his other hand, he blindly grabbed him by the collar, and with one arm...

"No, Ukita!" Kisara screamed, realizing the danger but unable to stop her fall.

...he flung the judoka forward, legs in the air, using him as a human shield to intercept Kisara's kicks, and finally he continued his momentum until he crashed him into Thor, like dead weight.

Even the sumo wrestler, who had tried to catch his comrade to cushion the fall, was shaken by the force of the throw and crashed to the ground, flat on his back.

Kisara, who hadn't found the support she expected, didn't land as hoped but managed to roll on the ground to absorb the impact. She shot Ranma a glare full of rage.

All four Generals were down at the same time. Ranma stood tall in the middle of them, surveying the scene with audacity, as if he were a landlord on a surprise inspection. Not a single drop of sweat on him.

"Woah! He's really strong!" Renka commented.

"What... what incredible power!" Thor thought.

"Even the Honorable Thor was knocked to the ground?" Ayazaki marveled.

"Ranma! Don't hurt them too much! It's all Nijima's fault!" Kenichi shouted, still blocking the strikes with his weapons, without finding an opening to counterattack.

"Tsk! Who's hurting who? We're not even warmed up!"

Miu turned directly to Nijima. "You have to stop this madness! Do you want the Shimpaku Alliance members to get killed for your ambition?"

"Muahahah! It's only natural for subordinates to sacrifice themselves for their Commander's plan."

Ranma shot a moderately annoyed glance at the Supreme Commander who was several feet higher, on the balcony.

"You must be Nijima," he said, pretending not to know him. "I've heard about you, but I must say you're WORSE than they described."

"OHOHO! Don't shower me with too many compliments, or I'll end up blushing!"

"However, in one respect, they overestimated you. Far from a great strategist... not even a child would fall for this cheap ambush."

He's also really good at provoking his enemies, Renka thought.

For a moment, Nijima looked annoyed and stopped smiling. He remained silent.

"Well, you know... every respectable strategist must also..."

At that moment, Ranma saw a locker door open, and from it sprang a guy dressed in traditional Tyrolean attire, spinning rapidly like a top. The guy was singing.

"...devise a diversion! MUAHAHAHAH! You thought it was over? Poor fool, I still have plenty of resources at my disposal!"

Tsk! And who the hell is this?

"LALALALALA! Sigfried, the Immortal Composer, is here to aid his comrades! The Melody of Friendship will play once again!"

Takeda had gotten back on his feet and raised his guard.

"You didn't think it would be that easy, did you?"

"Oh, in that case, I'd be sorely disappointed," Ranma replied.

Thor was trying to lift the unconscious body of Ukita off him, laying him down gently to return to the fight. "Sorry, Ukita... but I have to go back and defeat that guy... for all the fat men in the world!"

But the strangest of all was Kisara. As she stood up, her eyes bloodshot, it seemed like she was... growling and hissing?

However, the most pressing issue was the new guy. He moved wildly and unpredictably, and his movements made no sense.

Or did they?

For the first time, Ranma tried to attack and realized that...

"Oh? You're specialized in counterattacks? I've never seen a fighter create a personal style based solely on that! Unusual!"

"LALALA! You're as sharp as your reputation suggests, to have noticed so quickly! But the real strength of our combination is something else entirely, and now you'll see it."

Sigfried began circling Ranma at high speed, like a small tornado, alternately approaching and retreating without any clear pattern.

Takeda changed styles, starting to use jabs and straight punches to keep Ranma at a distance, and when Ranma attempted a half-hearted counter with a backhand...

...the boxer slipped away with fluid motion.

Kenichi's very own special technique?

Takeda began to dance around Ranma, landing quick and precise blows, seemingly carefree, and easily dodging all of Ranma's rare attempts to counter.

Komioka, one of Nijima's subordinates, commented while recording: "Ooh, look! General Takeda is using Ryusui Seikuken, the technique he learned by copying Assault Commander Shirahama! It's... incredible, even with the camera, it's hard to distinguish his movements!"

Nijima, for his part, thought: "They're all taking this seriously..."

Ranma suddenly dodged something that lunged at him... trying to scratch him?

The figure landed after him and turned, fierce: it was Kisara, but she was fighting on all fours, like a wildcat, and she seemed to have forgotten how to speak.

The boy with the pigtail swallowed, but kept his cool.

What's happening? That's... like my Neko Ken? And that girl... she doesn't seem conscious of what she's doing?

Like Miu the day I met her?

Is that the Ki of Dou?

The blonde girl, for her part, was just as surprised as he was. "I hadn't seen her use that technique since the day of the D of D Tournament on Fortuna Island!"

Renka, for the first time, realized the potential of the Shimpaku Alliance. "Extraordinary..."

"Ranma, be careful!" Kenichi shouted.

"Heh! Who do you think I am? Attacks like these..."

THOR'S HAMMER!

Young Saotome moved forward just in time to dodge Thor's clasped-hand strike, which left a crack in the floor where it had missed him.

"I'm here too! I'll uphold the banner for all fat men!"

"I'm fighting to avenge Ukita!" Takeda declared.

Kisara growled eloquently.

"Do you see now? This is our... Melody of Friendship!" proclaimed Sigfried.

Ranma glanced at each of them with a hint of respect.

Now he understood what Miu meant when she said each of them had talent in martial arts.

Maybe he could start having fun.

The battle resumed, more furious than before.

All four were attacking without any clear pattern, making it harder for Ranma to predict their movements.

And each of them fought in a completely different way.

Kisara's wild charges, bouncing around the gym like a spring, Takeda's fluid movements and straight punches, Sigfried's spinning tornado attacks and counters, and Thor's occasional slow but incredibly powerful strikes, landing just near Ranma when he least expected, focused as he was on dodging the others.

"Very well, my subjects! Your king is pleased! Keep going until the ultimate victory!" Nijima proclaimed, placing a golden crown on his head.

"But, Supreme Commander... are you sure?" Komioka asked.

"Why, what's wrong?"

"Well, uh... have you noticed that Ranma's movements?"

Indeed, Ranma was continuously dodging everyone's attacks, moving lightly and never stopping. In doing so, he was getting closer and closer to all the gym equipment—benches, training machines—that were being destroyed one by one by the enemy's furious blows aimed at him.

Nijima flinched and broke into a cold sweat.

Ranma found time to shoot him an amused glance and wink.

This guy… he's already started finding a way to get back at me… tch, I'll have to play my cards right later...

Miu kept fighting with Renka, constantly raising the pace, though she occasionally glanced worriedly at both Kenichi and Ranma. But something didn't add up.

It's strange. Everyone's here, except... that one person?

Dodging everyone's attacks, Ranma ended up in the center of the gym.

From the ceiling beams, a shadow suddenly jumped down.

Bingo! Nijima thought. Just as planned!

She spun through the air, knees tucked in, and then...

KOUGATACHI RYU; OUGI: GOKUI SEN UN!*

Freya combined her two collapsible sticks into one, using the fall to increase her speed, coming down with a powerful strike aimed directly at Ranma's shoulder...

But he noticed at the last second and swiftly sidestepped.

The strike meant for him hit the ground, leaving a long crack in the floor. But the stick was flexible and didn't break on impact, bouncing back.

"Woah! Gotta admit, nice trap. You ALMOST got me."

Freya slowly stood up, watching him carefully. It was clear she wasn't underestimating him.

Nijima almost cursed. Even the final strategy had failed. Now he could only rely on numbers.

"You seem a bit different from the others. May I know who I'm dealing with...?"

The leader of the Valkyries met his gaze. Then, unexpectedly, she gave a short, polite, bow.

"Kaname Kugatachi, also known as Freya, of the Kugatachi School of Sojutsu*. A pleasure."

"Ranma Saotome, of the Saotome School of Anything-Goes Martial Arts. The pleasure's mine."

"What are they doing?" Kenichi wondered. "Now they're even following duel etiquette? But Freya-sama just did a surprise attack! Ugh, I don't get it anymore!"

"Ranma-kun!" Miu called out. "She's really the last one. There are no other hidden people. Fight without fear, but try not to go overboard!"

Still—she pondered—now that the Shimpaku Alliance is complete, Ranma should be at a disadvantage… or maybe not?

"I have to step in," she declared, trying to disengage from her fight with Renka.

"Hey, I'm your opponent!" Renka protested.

TANPA! was heard.

Miu was pushed back by a double palm strike.

Then, looking up at Renka, her expression shifted.

"Now I'm a little angry."

Freya quickly reassembled her collapsible sticks into one and began twirling it rapidly to test for damage.

Ranma watched her with interest, raising his fists in guard for the first time and bouncing on his feet.

He glanced around, noticing that he and the new arrival were alone in the center, while the boxer, the sumo wrestler, the strange guy dressed in Tyrolean clothes, and even cat-like Kisara had formed a circle around them to prevent any escape.

Basically, this new tactic relied on the staff-user as the main attacker, while the others performed distractions, taking advantage of any small opportunity to strike.

This meant they had practiced this maneuver many times, had great trust in one another, and that Freya was recognized as the most skilled to challenge him. They also wanted to prevent him from using his agility to make them clash with each other, like before.

Good, good.

"So, baby... care to dance?" he said, gesturing with his hand for her to come forward.

Freya, usually composed, didn't need to be told twice. She charged at him, unleashing a lightning-fast series of staff combos, spinning it like helicopter blades.

KUGATACHI RYU; SECOND TECHNIQUE: O KEN!

"Oh, like the boxer, you have a good master, unlike the others."

Ranma deftly dodged all the blows, moving backward and sideways, while simultaneously avoiding showing his back to the others, who tried, one by one, to close in on him, but to no avail.

No one had so much scratched him since the start of the fight, and they could tell Ranma wasn't even fighting at full power, but actually holding back a lot to test their skills.

"Tsk! Is this what they call… the sixth sense?" Takeda wondered.

He thought back to what his master, James Shiba, had advised for these kinds of situations.

Remember, Ikki. If you meet an opponent who dodges without looking, don't play by their rules. Force them to use all five senses anyway, then deceive those very senses.

Takeda then began using Ryusui Seikuken, not on Ranma, but on Freya. Staring into the eyes of the girl, who had been training with him for months (and secretly hanging out with him outside the dojo, or so he believed), he synchronized with her breathing and attack rhythm even better than he could with Ranma.

At that point, he no longer needed to chase the pigtail boy: knowing in advance where she would strike, he could anticipate and position himself in Ranma's path.

And so, he was able to look him in the eyes again.

ILLUSIONARY LEFT!

Ranma didn't fall for it.

"You're boring," said the pigtail fighter, counterattacking with a right straight.

But Ikki had already started his second blind technique, based precisely on that assumption.

HAIR'S BREADTH CROSS COUNTER!

His right arm practically slid along Ranma's, dodging it by a hair's breadth, to counter his counterattack right where Ranma's head should be.

Except it wasn't.

Ikki found himself taking a left counterpunch to the solar plexus, while his own cross-counter had been solidly blocked by a high guard... performed with the right hand, which Ranma, bent forward, had just used, seemingly, to counterattack.

But... it's impossible.

"A good idea... but I mastered Sen Sen No Sen* when you were still in elementary school."

"Ikki!" Freya shouted, separating her staff into two and crossing her arms to strike Ranma from both sides.

The boy with the pigtail was faster.

He shot behind Takeda, making Freya's attack miss (nearly hitting her own partner), then executed a leg sweep, sending the boxer crashing to the ground and finished him off with an axe kick from the same leg.

Freya hadn't had time to react.

Ranma firmly grabbed her staffs, one in each hand, spun her around, and forced her to shift her weight in a half-turn, as if they were dancing a waltz.

This placed her right in front of Thor, charging like a bull, though he managed to stop a mere inch before trampling her.

"LALALA! Things are going south!" declared Sigfried, attempting to intervene.

"FREYA-SAMAAA!" shrieked Kisara, leaping like a tiger.

Kenichi and Miu sensed the fight was escalating and wanted to intervene before someone got seriously hurt. Both thought of a strategy to disengage.

Miu had been surrounded by a flaming red aura for a while now and was clearly began outclassing Renka, both in speed and power.

But... that's impossible. Is she really that advanced in controlling the Ki of the Dou? Yet I... I constantly train in real battles. There shouldn't be such a difference.

As for Kenichi, he had found a solution but hesitated to use it.

Damn it... I have no choice but to use that technique. Sensei Ma, give me strength.

The two struck at the same time.

Kenichi, surprising the Valkyries, didn't attack any of them but aimed his palm at the steel floor.

SOUTENSHOU!

Miu, on the other hand, delivered a powerful roundhouse kick to Renka's ribs.

FURINJI DANKOU YOKUDAN GERI!

The blonde's strike swept the Chinese girl off her feet, slamming her to the ground, but it hurt her pride even more. By the time she looked up, Miu had disappeared from her sight.

Kenichi's attack, on the other hand, created a shockwave that lifted the air around them from the ground upward.

The eight Valkyries, dressed in their usual costumes, found their skirts blown up, à la Marilyn Monroe, exposing their white underwear.

They all screamed together, mortified, dropped their weapons in unison, and knelt down to cover themselves.

Kenichi took advantage of the opening and dashed away.

But the fight below ended first.

Kisara's flying kick was easily dodged by Ranma, who ducked his head but instantly raised an arm, grabbing her boot while she was suspended mid-air.

From there, he pivoted on his feet and performed a half-turn, changing her direction and using the girl as an improvised weapon.

Sigfried could have dodged her.

IF he knew where the attack was coming from.

Or countered it. IF the attack had come from Ranma.

Instead, Kisara's back struck him square in the face as he ran toward her, knocking him to the ground.

Ranma softened the movement slightly, then let go, sending the Valkyrie flying into one of the few remaining intact benches, shattering it.

"Kisara!" Kaname exclaimed.

"Freya, move out of here!" Thor pleaded, stepping over her and charging up his most powerful palm strike.

"Thor, NO!"

Ranma dodged the blow at the last second, spun around, turning his back to his enemy, raised his arms, grabbed Thor's wrist from the still-extended arm used in the attack, and in one smooth motion, redirected his momentum, executing a perfect judo throw, sending Thor flying over his head and slamming him onto the ground on his back.

Then the dust settled, and the ponytailed boy turned to look at the girl with the staff.

With one foot, he kicked up a metal pipe that must have belonged to one of the destroyed pieces of equipment, caught it in his hand, and spun it like a juggler.

"Do you want to continue with your rules?"

Freya looked at the collapsible staffs she was holding.

Then she shook her head and sighed.

"No, it's pointless. I could never win."

The girl knelt on one knee, with dignity.

"It's our complete defeat, Ranma Saotome of the School of Indiscriminate Martial Arts. Today, the Shimpaku Alliance has lost, and you've won."

"Pff!" snorted the boy with the pigtail, tossing the iron pipe aside.

"Too bad, I was just starting to have fun."

At that moment, two figures materialized on the floor, moving at super speed. Freiya was ablazed.

What? Since when are Miu and Kenichi this fast?

"Guys! Are you all okay?"

"Ranma! You didn't hit them too hard, did you?"

"Don't worry. I didn't follow the saying about a lion fighting with full strength even when hunting a rabbit.
Besides..." he added, turning his gaze to the balcony, "... my prey is someone else."

The people on the balcony didn't notice.

Komioka, who was recording, saw Ranma's figure suddenly disappear from the video.

Others saw a red blur bouncing off different points, climbing the wall.

They found him suddenly in their midst, like in a horror movie.

Nijima, with his Martian senses, sensed him before anyone else, behind him, his face distorted in pure terror, but no sound came from his mouth, like a living Picasso.

All the other Shimpaku members broke into a cold sweat, but then they jolted as all the cameras exploded into a thousand pieces at once.

There was a distinct sound of knuckles cracking.

"Well, mister supreme commander, maybe it's time we had a little chat, don't you think?"

Nijima was kneeling among them, in the middle of the gym, arms tied behind his back with his own belt, so his pants had fallen, leaving him in his underwear. He had a couple of big lumps, a black eye, some teeth missing, and the inside of his mouth was swollen.

"I'm... innocent... for once..." he groaned.

"Man, you guys are reckless!" Kenichi commented, somewhat relieved but still scolding.

"What were you thinking, doing something like this?" Miu asked, concerned.

"Don't... don't blame Nijima. For once, it really isn't his fault. It was us," Freya confessed honestly, being the only one able to stand on her own.

Thor had sat up and wasn't too badly hurt. Ukita was awake, nothing broken, but he had to remain lying down, tended to by some of the Valkyries.

Miu noticed the worried looks on both Kisara's and Kaname's faces and didn't know what to think. Takeda was clutching his stomach but remained standing out of sheer pride, while both Kisara and Renka leaned on some debris as makeshift crutches. Sigfried, however, seemed unharmed.

"What do you mean? Explain yourselves," Miu demanded, baffled.

"Well, Honey, we've known Kenichi for a while now," Takeda explained. "During the holidays, we noticed he was acting a bit evasive, and we figured something new was going on at Ryozampaku."

"But we didn't know what yet," Freya clarified, raising an eyebrow at that "Honey" aimed at Miu, "until Nijima came back to base one day, telling us he'd offered some hamburgers to Apachai—" here Kenichi shook his head, "and that he had told him there was a new student at Ryozampaku."

"And not just any student," Thor added, "but one so strong he could help train Miu and beat Kenichi to a pulp in an official duel."

Kenichi dropped to his knees, depressed.

"He didn't... beat me to... a pulp... I just... lost... but... only by a little..." he whined.

"Try to understand us," Takeda continued, "we're all martial artists, and we constantly strive to improve. Of course, when someone this strong suddenly appeared, we were all excited."

"We wanted to test ourselves against him to gauge our current level," Freya explained. "We didn't intend to hurt anyone."

"And you all agreed to this?" Miu asked, shocked.

It wasn't the first reckless thing they'd done, like when they showed up at the D of D Tournament, but it seemed that Ryozampaku's mentality was infecting them too, even from a distance.

"Yes, that's right. To be honest, it's also a lot my fault," Renka said, stepping forward. "What I said was true. I spoke with Uncle Hakubi and learned about Ranma, so when Nijima asked for information, I confirmed his suspicions.

And I also gave my opinion that it would have been an excellent idea to have a small real fight to check our level, especially since the Yomi has given us a break for a while. This would help avoiding being caught off guard when they attack us again."

Kenichi stood up and sighed.

Typical Renka. Just like when she had proposed he duel Ikki for the same reason. The twisted mentality of someone who has lived in the martial arts world their entire life.

The girl gave him a pleading look, as if asking for his understanding and forgiveness, but Shirahama ignored her.

Even Miu's kick hadn't hurt as much.

"You were reckless. Ranma-kun is our guest and our friend, and you attacked him before even getting to know him, just because of your ambition. You should be grateful that he decided not to hurt you too much."

At that statement, everyone lowered their gaze in shame. It was rare to hear Kenichi speak so sternly.

They were also humiliated by how easily they had been defeated, so what they had done served little purpose.

Shirahama turned to Ranma and gave him a deep bow.

"Ranma-san, I beg you to forgive my friends' foolish behavior. They're not bad people; they're just impulsive and reckless. I had really hoped that your first meeting would happen under better circumstances. But maybe that wasn't possible, considering that alien over there is in charge."
"But, I... I'm innochent..." Nijima stammered.

"Thanks, Kenichi, but that's not necessary," replied Ranma, who had been silent until that moment. "As for you, Martian," he added, turning to the prisoner, "I can believe you went along with your troops' wishes, for once, but then, why were you also filming the fight?

I bet even they didn't know about that. Were you planning to study the videos? Sell them for a good price? Or both?"

Everyone flinched.

"What? Nijima was filming us? Now that I think about it, that's just like him..." Thor blurted out.

"Just to... watch... and improve on... our flaws..." Nijima tried to justify himself.

"Yeah, and maybe sell the footage online as an action movie, huh, Alien?" Ukita chimed in, struggling to sit up. "It wouldn't be the first time you've tried to profit off our efforts. But I'll—"

Miu pinched the bridge of her nose and shook her head.

Here we go again.

"And they had even organized it well," Kenichi reflected. "The Valkyrie to block me, knowing I don't hit women and am afraid of weapons, and Renka to hold off Miu. They wanted to prevent any interference."

"Anyway," Ranma continued, alternating his gaze between the members of the Shimpaku Alliance, "now that everything's cleared up, I want you to know I don't hold a grudge for this little surprise.

After all, neither I nor Miu and Kenichi got hurt—not that you could have hurt me, really—and honestly, I don't mind a good fight every now and then. I'm not entirely against your basic idea: to improve, you need to challenge strong opponents. But you bit off more than you could chew."

Kenichi's eyes filled with tears. "For a moment, I had hoped Ranma would show some sense, but of course, he agrees with this madness."

"However, since you've gone to all this trouble," Ranma continued with a smirk, "and you gave me a bit of fun, I'll repay you with some advice.

Each of you has potential, but if you don't use it properly and keep acting impulsively, you'll just get yourselves killed. It's the same thing I told Kenichi."

"You," he said, turning to Takeda first, "are training well, and you have good techniques, but you rely too much on them and on the element of surprise from your flashy moves.

Focus on practicality and don't get hit. Since you copied Kenichi's Ryusui Seikuken, you're on the right track, but you don't use the technique with the same effectiveness as him.

Overall, I'd say you're at 70% of Kenichi's level at best, and no one in this Alliance is above you; at most, they're your equal. Remember, your worst flaw is your show-off personality."

Ikki seemed very struck by these words, and certainly not in a positive way.

"Tch! I'm still only at 70% of Kenichi? After all this time?"

"As for you," Ranma continued, turning to Thor, "you use sumo moves well and don't expose yourself too much, but you need to vary your techniques somehow; otherwise, your attack patterns become predictable.

Since you can't be very fast, you should rely on positioning and combinations to make your attacks unstoppable."

"You're probably the best in the group," he said, addressing Freya, "for balance between physical, mental, and strategic abilities, but it often seems like your heart isn't really in it, as if you're not convinced about what you're doing or your personal emotions are hampering you. Your friends getting hurt distracts you too much, too. You should resolve your personal doubts to focus on the fight, whatever they may be."

As he spoke, the girl cast a glance in Takeda's and Ukita's direction.

"And since you use the staff, the most versatile weapon, take full advantage of its potential. With a staff, there's no difference between attack and defense—they're one and the same. Don't limit yourself. Earlier, you were worried about accidentally hitting your comrades and therefore weren't giving 100%.

Choose once and for all whether you prefer to lead a group or learn to duel solo, then train accordingly."

"You," Ranma said with a puzzled look at Siegfried, "are a bit odd, and so is your fighting style.

But you've created a new and very effective martial art on your own.

You have talent, but you've trapped yourself in your own creation. You're obsessed with counterattacking, to the point where you constantly expose yourself and never initiate an attack. Against a stronger opponent, you might lose anyway.

"Also, remember that if I know what you're doing, I can avoid your counters because I can already predict where they might come from, or I can fake you out.

And this style makes fights drag on really long, which can be a disadvantage in some situations. Sometimes, the goddess of victory only favors those who have the audacity to attack first." Sieg seemed inspired by this for a new song, even moreso than the rest.

"And as for you," he said, turning to Kisara and pretending not to know her, "your basic techniques are good, but predictable. You need to vary your attack patterns.

"When you do, though, whether you're copying Miu's aerial moves or turning into a wildcat, you don't really have control over what you're doing.

Staying airborne exposes you to counters, and losing control... well, it doesn't help you stay clear-headed. You need a Master to develop your own coherent fighting style. As you are now, you're neither here nor there, and your potential remains untapped."

Kisara shot him a fiery look, as if she had a lot to say to him, but for the moment, she held back.

"Hey, what about me?" Ukita protested, seeing that Ranma had fallen silent and was turning away, as if forgetting him.

"Oh, right, you're here too," the boy with the pigtail replied nonchalantly. "Actually, I was wondering what you were doing in the middle of all the others. Your level is clearly below theirs."

Ukita probably expected it, but it still hit him hard.
However, all his companions shot resentful glances at Ranma, hearing those harsh words.

"Don't get me wrong, you've got guts. It's clear that you try not to get in the others' way, to take advantage of the right opportunities, and if necessary, sacrifice yourself for them, just to be useful. But... as I told Kenichi, the martyrdom attitude doesn't sit well with me.

You think that by taking hits, you'll still help them? That this will make you worthy of being among them?"

"Your friends will keep seeing you get seriously injured just to join them in battle. I don't think that's what they want either, you know. Am I right?"

Ukita was shocked.

It was true. That's what he had always done, but he never considered how the others felt, seeing him hurt.

"And maybe... you have some potential. You've pulled off one or two moves... I can't quite place them within your overall level."

Only Miu and Kenichi nodded, as they knew how Kushinada had, on occasion, manipulated him like a puppet, making him perform more advanced techniques.

"But if you want to keep fighting alongside them, you'll need to train more.
You practice Judo, right? At Ryozampaku, there's a Jujitsu Master... you could try coming to train there."

Everyone in the building was stunned. Talking about training at Ryozampaku as if it were a casual Sunday outing, and not the hellish place Kenichi had always warned them about and carefully kept them away from.

Ukita was considering everything in his mind, as if his life were at a turning point.

"Training at Ryozampaku? Me? Why... why had I never really... considered the possibility?

Maybe... was I scared? Scared I wouldn't be up to it?

But... I'm also scared of not being able to stay with my friends. I'm also scared of dying in the next Yomi attack...

So... what am I really more afraid of?

Or what should scare me more?"

After a while, the silence settled, and Ranma turned and began to walk slowly towards the exit.

A voice called out to him.

"Hey, you! Arrogant jerk! Now it's my turn to say a few things!"

It was Kisara, furious for a myriad of different reasons.

Ranma stopped and turned his head, wearing a neutral expression.

"Well, I'm certainly no expert at making friends, but it looks like you're not exactly ready for a diplomatic career either."

"Cut the crap! Yeah, we challenged you and lost! But that doesn't give you the right... doesn't give you the right to talk to us like that!"

Everyone was looking down, lost in thought.

"Yes, no one gave me that right. I just have it. We live in a free country, last I checked.
And what I said is the truth, and you know it too. Martial arts are a path of self-improvement.
If you don't acknowledge your flaws, you'll never become stronger. If you had a Master, they would've already explained that to you."

Kisara's face was red, trembling with anger, even more so because she knew it was all true.

"Bah! You act so high and mighty! But you're not all that great! I saw a girl... a woman, just this afternoon... who is much stronger than you!"

Everyone else shot her questioning looks.

To Ranma, though, that statement brought a half-smile.

Oh, would you look at that…

"Ah, really? And who would this phenomenon be? Let me guess: besides being strong, she's also quite pretty, isn't she?" he teased.

"Wait... could it be...?"

Kenichi flinched a little and was about to say something, but then he remembered that Miu didn't know the truth about Ranma.

Kisara blushed even more, if that was possible.

"Well... yes, actually... not that it matters to me, but... I think someone might even call her beautiful... but THAT'S NOT THE POINT!

What I mean is that this girl looks EXACTLY LIKE YOU! She has the same appearance, wears the same kind of clothes, even has the same Chinese-style pigtail!

She says... she says her name is Ranko. Even the name is similar to yours.
You... you know who she is, don't you? Maybe you're even related... maybe she's your sister or cousin... Come on, spill it!"

For once, Ranma was enjoying the scene. It was nice, for once, that his secret, instead of causing him trouble, gave him a small advantage.

He shot a quick look at Kenichi, signaling him to stay silent, then continued.

"Oh, yeah? And why should I tell you? Maybe as penance for losing the fight? Or as thanks for all the delightful kindness you're showing me?
Ah, no, right..."

Kisara flinched, biting her lip. Her usual big mouth.

"And even if I do decide to tell you, why do you care? Are you planning to challenge her?
I assure you that girl is NOT stronger than me, but if you were to fight her one-on-one, she'd crush you with one hand while eating dango* with the other."

"Ranma-kun, there's no need to be so direct..." thought Kenichi, sweat-dropping.

Miu, on the other hand, was perplexed, troubled, even.

What's happening? Who are they talking about?

A girl with a pigtail? Similar to Ranma? Very strong?

It reminds me of something... it's like... like the girl from my vision?

Does she really exist?

She started holding her head in her hands. She was getting a headache.

Kisara, humiliated, lowered her gaze.

"No, well, it's just... actually, I...
...I want to meet her to ASK HER TO BE MY MASTER!"

Everyone turned to look at Kisara.

It was rare for her to admit any kind of weakness, which revealed how desperate she was.

She continued, almost in tears, releasing all her pent-up tension.

"WHAT YOU SAID BEFORE IS TRUE! I DON'T HAVE A MASTER! AND I KNOW THAT WITHOUT ONE, I'LL STRUGGLE TO PROGRESS ANY FURTHER, BUT I... BUT I...
I really want to become stronger! I really want to improve!

And above all, I want to prove that women can fight on equal terms with men! That's why it's so important to me that my Master is a woman and one that has a style similar to mine!"

Ranma was astonished.

Kenichi's mind was racing with a thousand thoughts.

Everyone watched Kisara, pitying her, despite their own worries.

Her screams echoed through the large warehouse.

By now, tears were streaming down her cheeks.

"PLEASE, RANMA SAOTOME! YOU'RE RIGHT; I HAVE NO RIGHT TO ASK YOU THIS! BUT... I REALLY NEED TO MEET THAT GIRL. I HAVE TO AT LEAST ASK HER; I HAVE TO TRY. TELL ME WHERE I CAN FIND HER."

Ranma remained silent for an indefinite period.

At one point, he closed his eyes and took a deep breath.

"I'm sorry," he began, "but I can't help you.
It's true, I KNOW that girl, very well.

But I also know for a fact that she has no intention of taking on students.
I think... she wouldn't feel up to the task, in any case."

His gaze grew distant and vaguely sad.

Kenichi flinched.

"Furthermore," continued the boy with the pigtail, "don't think she'd be a good Master, even if she changed her mind.

She's... brash and... foul-mouthed and... elusive and... unreliable.
I don't think she's ever made a commitment and followed through on it in her entire life.
That's probably why even her personal life is a mess..."

"Anyway, all of this doesn't make sense. I myself have no idea where she is now, she could be anywhere.
You might even never see her again. If I were you, I'd give up and look for someone else."

And with that, he headed for the exit.

Kisara had collapsed to her knees, no longer even trying to hold back her tears of frustration, even though her friends were watching.

"Damn it..."

Kenichi and Miu looked at their friends with sad expressions, then gave a nod of farewell and followed Ranma toward the exit.

Each of them was lost in their own gloomy thoughts.

Takeda
"So... everything I've done still isn't enough."

Renka
"What have I done... now Kenichi hates me... and I never thought... I'd lose so badly to Miu... how humiliating..."

Ukita
"Could I... really go to Ryozampaku? Me? Someone like me?"

Freya
"I need... I need to sort out my heart. It's necessary for my martial arts growth as well."

Kisara
"I don't care what he says... I have to find that girl... I have to at least try..."

Suddenly, the same thought crossed all their minds, simultaneously:

"I HAVE TO BECOME STRONGER!"

The heavy doors of the building closed with a dull thud.

Then, silence.

Glossary

Ailurophobia : the scientific term for the fear of cats (yes, it really exists); from the Greek ailuros = cat.

Kohai: In Japanese, it refers to the "Younger Companion," for example, a younger schoolmate or fellow athlete, or someone who has practiced for less time. It's often used in the hierarchical world of martial arts. Opposed to Senpai, meaning "Older Companion." Here, Honoka refers to the fact that Kenichi is younger than Ranma, even though the latter just joined Ryozampaku, so technically the relationship would be reversed.

Shikodachi: a leg stance typical of Sumo, but also used in other martial arts. The legs are spread, with knees bent and feet pointed at 45-degree angles. It's usually used before a charge or to receive an opponent's charge.

KOUGATACHI RYU; OUGI: GOKUI SEN UN = Kugatachi Style, Ultimate Technique; Final Move: Brilliant Cloud.

SoJutsu: "So" is the Staff, so it refers to the technique of fighting with a staff.

Sen Sen No Sen: In Japanese martial arts, there are several concepts regarding attack, counterattack, and anticipation.
Sen means initiative or attacking first.
Go No Sen is to block and counterattack.
Tai No Sen is to attack simultaneously.
Sen No Sen is to anticipate the enemy's attack.
Finally, Sen Sen No Sen is a supreme condition where one anticipates the opponent before they even show the intent to attack.

Dango: Typical Japanese sweet dumplings made from glutinous rice flour. They're often eaten three or four skewered on a stick, as a snack.

Author's Note:

Another crucial chapter.

I've notice how many of you guys are asking for Neko Ken left and right, but we only see clues here and there…for now. As you might've noticed, Kisara, since the D tournament, is able to do something similar…and this will play a role.

Instead, the following fight was just an excuse to introduce everyone at the Shimpaku, and their quirks…but this encounter motivates them all to improve. And the mental and emotional hits are sometimes worse than the physical ones, as we have seen…lots of consequences will come from this event, i assure you.

Ranma might've seemed a little cold here, but it's just his usual nonchalance about speaking, not real asshoolery.

Furthermore, you now begin to get WHY Ranma's secret had to stay that way. Not just for Miu, but for some other characters. This will have consequences, too.

Never did Ranma truly interact with people who thought his other persona to be a separate entity, save for Kuno and Kodachi. This can lead to fresh interactions.

Next chapter, a huge surprise will come…an unexpected return