The Moment of Truth
Weeks and months had passed.
That Sunday morning at the Ryozanpaku dojo, the air was filled with a controlled tension and an almost palpable gravitas.
It was as if the solemnity of the moment, intuitively understood and accepted by everyone present, reverberated through the surroundings.
As if showing mercy, the weather was splendid for early March. The sky was clear, the wind gently caressed the skin, and the sun warmed the earth a few degrees above average.
Seated on a series of cushions under the porch, kneeling in the seiza position, was a diverse group of people—some of whom were not accustomed to being there.
The most striking example was Nodoka Saotome, Ranma's mother, who held a sheathed katana under one arm and wore a light blanket over her shoulders. She sipped tea.
Miu, Kenichi, and Renka were kneeling in the same posture beside her, dressed in their everyday clothes.
Next to them were Ranma's closest allies among the students: Ryoga, Mousse, and Kuno. To avoid overcrowding, the Shimpaku Alliance had not been permitted to attend, save for one significant exception.
Kisara knelt like the others, slightly embarrassed and with an expression that betrayed her discomfort.
In the garden, standing against the wall, loomed the Elder, Hayato Furinji, more solemn than ever in his role as the dojo's leader.
To his left, standing in an orderly line, the Ryozanpaku Masters presented an imposing sight, gazing at their guests seated a few meters away.
Finally, the person everyone was waiting for emerged from the building.
Ranma Saotome crossed the distance to the Masters with long, measured strides, calm yet purposeful. A fierce but controlled determination was evident in his eyes.
As he passed Kisara, he paused briefly.
"Oh, so you came. I wasn't sure," he remarked.
"Tsk!" Kisara brushed it off, embarrassed. "SHE asked me to come directly, that's all."
Kisara recalled her conversation from a few days prior with her Master.
[FLASHBACK]
"And anyway…I don't understand all this secrecy," Kisara had said. "It's one thing for you, Master, to want me to witness such an important moment for Ranma, but why aren't YOU coming yourself, then?
After all, we're talking about your twin brother!
And then…you're saying your mother will be there as well?
But I shouldn't talk to her as if I know her daughter? I'm not supposed to mention you at all? Why?"
"Shh! Why did I bother asking you then?" her Master had replied.
"Let's just say that…Mom and I aren't on the best of terms right now. As I told you, I'm a rebel. That's all you need to know.
But don't worry; we still…love each other very much," she added, lowering her gaze to hide her blush.
"As for the rest…like I said, it'll be an enlightening show for your training. But be sure of one thing: whether you see me or not, I'll be watching everything that happens down there."
[END OF THE FLASHBACK]
Ranma smiled sincerely as he passed Kisara.
"Well, but i'm still glad you came. Keep your eyes open—it'll be a show worth seeing."
"Tsk! I hope they take you down," she shot back with one of her trademark jabs, "but not too far—stay alive so one day you can give me a rematch for that one time."
Ranma smirked. "By the time you're ready for a rematch," he teased, "I might be too old and already be walking on a crouch."
Walking past Kenichi and Miu, Ranma gave them steady, calm looks. Miu returned his gaze with a mix of worry and encouragement. When he reached his mother, he gave her a slight bow.
Finally, as he passed Kuno, Mousse, and Ryoga, words weren't necessary—their glances said it all. Nonetheless, they exchanged fist-bump salutes.
Stopping a few meters from the Elder, positioned squarely between the seated guests and the standing Masters—who seemed unusually excited—Ranma stood tall. The breeze tousled his bangs as he clenched his fists lightly.
"Ranma Saotome," Hayato began, "over the past six months, you have trained with us Masters at Ryozanpaku nearly every day. We have all witnessed your growth—physical, technical, and martial.
And, if I may add, your personal development as well, though I suspect that also stems from external factors. After consulting among ourselves, we are unanimous in our assessment.
Your physical attributes have reached Master-level!"
Though everyone present had expected this, the announcement hit them like a bolt of lightning.
Ranma merely smirked in satisfaction.
"However," Hayato continued, "this alone is not enough to be considered a true Master.
While high-level practitioners generally don't need certification—their fists speak for them—due to the importance of this occasion, we have decided to verify your technical and mental level through an Examination.
If you succeed, we will recognize you as a full-fledged Master, proclaimed as such by the Heroes of Ryozanpaku!"
Again, the significance of the moment left everyone breathless. Kenichi and Kisara both broke out in nervous sweat, while Miu's heart pounded loudly. The silence was so absolute that a mosquito could have been heard buzzing.
"Since all your instructors are Grand Masters—a level beyond Master—we've decided to go easy on you for this exam. Now, Ranma Saotome, choose.
Who among them do you want to fight?"
A collective gasp arose from the porch. For anyone familiar with the Ryozanpaku Masters (excluding Nodoka), the notion of fighting one of them would seem like a drunken fantasy.
Ranma closed his eyes briefly before speaking.
"Well, I don't want to slight anyone…and all of them intrigue me for different reasons. But…the person I want to actually fight…is you.
Step forward, Shio Sakaki!"
The karateka's face lit up. The other Masters displayed mild disappointment, as if saying,
"Well, that was predictable," and slowly stepped aside.
"Miu-san," Kenichi whispered, "do you think Ranma chose Sakaki to settle the score from that time? When he first got here and Sakaki crushed him?"
Miu blushed deeply, as if watching the scene physically pained her.
"Yes," she finally replied. "Knowing him, that's exactly why. And despite—or perhaps exactly because of—the bond they've formed since then, I believe…for both of them, this is a moment of destiny."
With only Ranma and Sakaki left in the center of the garden, Akisame, Shigure, and Apachai moved to sit behind the guests, while Hayato and Kensei remained standing off to the side.
"Ranma-kun," Hayato resumed, "as we said, this will NOT be a full-power fight for them.
This is a friendly match, a kind of examination.
At the Grand Master level, it's possible to perfectly control one's combat strength and avoid being carried away in the heat of battle.
This applies even to Sakaki, despite his use of the Ki of Dou.
Sakaki, begin releasing your Ki. Kensei, inform Ranma of the percentage of power being used."
As Sakaki began to radiate Ki, a visible aura seemed to form around him, causing the hair of all the non-Masters (except Nodoka, who couldn't sense it) to stand on end.
"Fifteen…twenty…twenty-five percent," Kensei intoned slowly.
"More," Ranma said calmly.
"35... 40... 45%..."
"Keep going."
Kenichi let out a gasp.
"Whoa! He's already surpassed the power level that landed him in the hospital on the second day! Is Ranma really planning to fight Master Sakaki at an even higher level?"
"50... 55... 60%."
"That's enough."
This time, the Masters' faces lit up as one. They were proud.
"Incredible! He wants to face Sakaki at 60%!" Renka exclaimed.
"But... hey, Mousse," Ryoga interjected, beads of sweat running down his temples, "don't you think... Ranma's overdoing it a little?"
Mousse lowered his face with a faint smile, his gaze shadowed. "Well, it's his own skin on the line, not ours. If he made this choice, he must have considered it carefully. Ranma knows what he's doing... or does he?" he concluded, provoking him.
"Y-you jerk! You never change!"
Kuno, however, was absorbed in the spectacle, sincerely curious.
Ranma Saotome, show me what you're capable of.
Sakaki seemed to swell with pride that his student wanted to face him at that level, but he halted the Ki increase exactly as requested.
Miu was impressed.
Could a Dou-type fighter deliberately limit himself with such precision?
It was definitely a skill she needed to learn. Her grandfather shot her a knowing glance.
At the same time, she was genuinely anxious.
Ranma, I hope you know what you're doing.
At that point, Ranma began to expand his own Ki, at first slowly, then with greater intensity, until it exploded outward, fully infusing him with a bluish aura that flared around him. He went 100% to match Sakaki's 60%.
"They're... they're nearly on par," Renka observed, astonished.
Immediately after, however, Ranma's Ki seemed to cool: he was channeling the power of the Sei.
He assumed a Chinese martial arts guard and declared, "Come at me whenever you're ready."
Sakaki's eyes lit up. "Here I come!"
He seemed to vanish from sight.
The next scene was Ranma blocking a strike from the karate master, though he was nearly lifted off the ground by the impact.
A collective "OOH" rose from the row of spectators.
"Ah, everyone, one thing," Akisame interjected. "If you don't activate your Ki and concentrate it in your eyes, it's highly likely you won't be able to follow the fight."
And that was precisely the case.
In no time, the two fighters began appearing and disappearing across the lawn, leaving behind flashes of their forms attempting to strike each other, always unsuccessful. Every attack seemed to be blocked or deflected.
"Extra-extraordinary!" Kisara was forced to admit. Then she turned to Kenichi and Miu.
And yet, those two don't seem that shocked. Focused, maybe. Surprised that Ranma's at this level. But not stunned by the fight itself.
What kind of other duels have they witnessed in the past?
As that initial phase proceeded with rapid attacks and counters, which failed to land, the spectators began commenting.
"Wow... it's amazing that Ranma... hasn't been hit by Sakaki-sensei even once," Kenichi remarked.
"The pace, however, is... increasing," Shigure observed.
Indeed it was. Instead of leaping from point to point for single strikes, the two combatants were slowly, inexorably, beginning to stay in place, exchanging several consecutive blows.
By that point, the spectators' eyes were starting to adjust enough to see them.
Sakaki unleashed a flurry of blows—mostly punches but often adding in elbows, knees, or kicks to mix things up. Ranma stood his ground, avoiding every hit and trying to counter.
"Did you notice?" Kensei asked with a grin. "Ranma-kun is deflecting all of Sakaki's strikes... using the Kakei technique I taught him."
Indeed, Ranma's forearms rotated frenetically, intercepting and redirecting the karateka's attacks rather than blocking them (which would have left him battered and bruised).
"However... Sakaki has found a good rhythm... Ranma can't counterattack," Renka observed.
At that moment, Ranma decided he'd had enough and disappeared from view. He reappeared to Sakaki's right—or rather, several Ranmas appeared side by side.
"What?! Ranma's already mastered using residual images? And at such a level!" Miu exclaimed, very surprised.
"Not bad," Hayato conceded.
"That too is all thanks to me," Kensei confirmed, puffing himself up.
Sakaki seemed pleased. With a grin, he began striking at the four Ranmas at super-speed. It was like popping balloons: as Ranma moved, the images disappeared one by one.
However, continuing the attack brought the karateka dangerously close.
Ranma soon found his path blocked by... six residual images of Sakaki. The karate master had also begun moving at super-speed to confuse his true location.
"Tsk!"
Modified Chestnuts Roasting on an Open Fire Technique!
The young fighter unleashed dozens of strikes against the images, making them vanish one after another.
In an instant, the battlefield was flooded with a dozen pairs of Ranma and Sakaki locked in combat. Each pair froze in different poses—attacking or defending against various techniques. Each illusion represented a moment just passed, not the current reality.
Then, just as suddenly as they had multiplied, all the pairs of images disappeared.
A sharp CRACK echoed through the air, and Ranma and Sakaki were seen sliding backward across the lawn, as if they had struck and blocked each other simultaneously, causing them to be repelled. Both wore expressions of immense enjoyment.
"Incredible! I have to admit this is a high-level fight," Kuno conceded.
"And we've probably seen nothing yet," Mousse added.
"Not bad, Ranma... not bad at all," Sakaki acknowledged. "But unfortunately for you, you'll have to do better than this."
In a flash, he closed the distance, attacking with a barrage of strikes.
But, to everyone's astonishment, Ranma began deflecting or narrowly dodging every single one, moving with remarkable fluidity. He wasn't hit even once.
"Is this what you meant?" Ranma asked, sarcastically, enjoying Sakaki's surprise.
"OOOH. I can't believe it. Sure, Sakaki is holding back, but Ranma... he's avoiding ALL his strikes!" Kenichi exclaimed.
"This is absolutely insane," Miu thought, stunned.
"Hmm... not bad, but... this won't be enough. And Ranma has to know that," Kensei commented.
"Exactly," Hayato confirmed. "In this state, he has no chance to counterattack. But I believe he has a plan."
Indeed, after dodging the last strike, Ranma performed a backward somersault in midair, pretending to counter with a kick but actually creating some distance.
And then, he vanished from sight.
Kenichi, Miu, Renka, and even Ryoga, Mousse, and Kuno lost track of him.
Then, a resounding THUD! echoed loudly.
Ranma had reappeared in front of Sakaki, delivering a punch to his side. The Karateka seemed to have felt the impact.
"Oh, but..."
"What...?"
"What the heck...?"
"Did he disappear?"
"But... but Ranma isn't supposed to be this fast! Are you telling me… his speed… even surpasses Sakaki's at 60%?" exclaimed Ryoga.
"A good idea," Kensei conceded, "even though it won't be enough."
"What do you mean?"
"What you're witnessing is a trick Ranma is using… let's call it a new technique of his," Akisame explained.
"Basically, what he's doing is burning a portion of his Ki, like fuel for a car, to gain an instantaneous burst of speed."
"Really?"
"Absolutely. Since Sakaki agreed to fight on almost equal footing with him, Ranma can exploit this method to take advantage of the terms. But on the flip side, if he uses this tactic too often, he'll burn through his Ki too quickly."
Ranma didn't seem worried about that.
He darted around Sakaki from every direction, maintaining his distance before suddenly vanishing in a bluish flash and reappearing to strike his opponent.
The trick had already succeeded four or five times, each time attacking from a different side.
Sakaki looked disoriented.
"So, what do you think, Shio?" Ranma teased him. "Not bad, huh? My new technique?"
Ranma vanished again, but this time…
…he ran straight into a wall.
A wall made of punches, kicks, knees, and forearms, striking in every direction, covering a full 360.
Sakaki shouted the name of the technique before halting his spinning motion.
JINSON JION REPPA
Ranma was sent flying, battered, and landed on the ground five meters away.
A collective "OOOH" rose from the spectators' section.
As the pigtail-haired boy struggled to his feet, Sakaki scolded him, "And you call that a technique? That's just a cheap trick. A technique is a tool designed for a specific situation but adaptable to circumstances.
This sequence, for example, is meant for fighting multiple opponents attacking from all sides. But if I don't know where you'll strike from, it works just the same.
You need to think more about your tactics. You were burning through a ton of Ki for nothing."
Ranma, who got up with some difficulty, felt stung by the reprimand.
It was as if Shio was teaching him even during the duel.
"Basically," Mousse analyzed, "Sakaki attacked blindly in every direction, knowing Ranma would come at him without thinking, too fast to avoid the counter, like a car speeding into a wall."
Sakaki wasn't finished.
"Watch carefully, boy! THIS is a real technique!"
He leaped into the air, bounced off the house, changed direction mid-flight at a sharp angle, continued straight towards a tree, rebounded off that too, forming a triangle in the air, then delivered a powerful flying kick to a disoriented Ranma.
KUCHUU SANKAKU TOBI
The pigtail-haired boy crossed his arms to block, but he was still sent flying backward, hitting the dirt once more.
The boys from Nerima were dumbfounded.
It was rare to see Ranma get thrashed like this.
Still, the heir of the Saotome school stood up again, wiping sweat off his forehead with one arm.
Meanwhile, his opponent was approaching him with long strides.
"You know, Sakaki… I thought I told you already…"
Ranma launched himself at him with an unexpected burst of speed.
"…not to call me BOY!"
He spun twice on himself, delivering two heel kicks—one horizontally and the other vertically upward—leaving trails in the air that formed a cross, as he struck Sakaki both times in the same spot, in his right flank.
DOUMAWASHI JUJI GERI
"What the…?" Kensei exclaimed.
"He hit Sakaki with one of HIS own techniques!" Akisame's eyes widened in disbelief.
Ranma smirked before leaping high into the air, reaching eye level with his opponent, who was caught off guard for a brief moment.
"If you think only YOUR techniques are any good, try tasting this! And here's another one… as a courtesy from me!"
Ranma performed an impossible mid-air twist, spinning as though he were grounded, and delivered a third spinning heel kick to Sakaki, hitting him squarely on the cheekbone and making his head snap to the side.
Kenichi: "Incredible!"
Miu: "He hit Sakaki in the face!"
Renka: "Since when was Ranma this strong?"
The boy with the pigtail landed with the look of someone who had just achieved great satisfaction.
"Ranma has definitely been waiting for this moment since day one," Akisame mused. "Ever since he unleashed a barrage of kicks at Sakaki and couldn't land a single one."
"Yeah, he was definitely invested," Kensei agreed. "Still, I was right to say this kid isn't just any martial artist."
"You mean…his aerial…combat style?" Shigure asked.
"No, something else. Ranma Saotome is…a TECHNIQUE THIEF. He can quickly learn anyone's moves and perform them flawlessly.
And we just spent six months training someone like that. He's undoubtedly aiming to defeat each of us, one by one, perhaps using our own techniques to do it."
"Though surely," Hayato interjected, "he won't stop there."
Indeed, Ranma had closed the gap with Sakaki and was charging his fists.
A flurry of hundreds of punches rained down on the Karateka, who could only defend by raising his arms to shield his face and body, neutralizing their effectiveness.
"Wait a second… that's the technique he used against me? But it seems… different!"
Kenichi noted.
"I assure you, that's the true Chestnuts Roasting Technique," Mousse confirmed. "Trust me, every one of us has been on the receiving end of it more than once."
Ryoga and Kuno nodded in unison.
Suddenly, though, Sakaki counterattacked.
He timed it perfectly, striking not once but twice amidst the torrent of blows.
The first was a knife-hand strike aimed at the eyes.
The second was a knee strike aimed at the groin.
Both were feints.
But instinctively, Ranma withdrew his hands to cover his vital points.
Now neither of his arms were attacking.
Sakaki extended his right arm, shaped his fingers into a beak, and struck downwards at Ranma's hand, forcing it downward. Then, with a sharp upward motion, he struck Ranma's chin with his wrist.
CRANE CHIN STRIKE
Ranma was lifted off the ground, his arms no longer in a defensive stance. Sakaki clenched his fists and struck simultaneously at both of Ranma's kidneys like hammers. Then, he unleashed a front kick aimed upward, hitting Ranma between the chest and face, sending him flying back ten meters.
MOROTE SEIKEN HASAMIGERI
Silence fell over the spectators. "Of course, it's obvious," Renka reflected. "If Sakaki gets serious, he's on another level."
"What an incredible fight," Kisara muttered, dumbfounded. "I see now why my Master insisted I watch this."
"But it's strange…" Miu pondered, glancing at Nodoka. "She's not even a martial artist, yet she hasn't flinched once seeing her son get pummeled like this. Is it because…she understands that men sometimes have to fight? Is it because she's the wife of a martial arts master?"
Indeed, Nodoka watched intently, her expression calm but intensely focused. Ranma got back up once more, now sporting a few bruises.
"Do you understand the difference between knowing techniques and knowing when to use them?" Sakaki asked.
"Tsk! I don't need you to tell me that… I wasn't born yesterday!" Ranma launched himself into another attack, but to everyone watching, it seemed reckless. Once again, he tried to use a technique he had learned from Sakaki against him.
He executed a triangle jump in midair like the Kuchu Sankakutobi, bouncing off the trees, but this time emerged behind Sakaki from above, aiming to strike him with a downward elbow blow.
SANKAKU TOBI EMPI UCHI
Sakaki's eyes were shaded, and he seemed annoyed. "Do you really think you can hit me TWICE with my own technique? IDIOT!"
FUDOU SAJINBAKU
The karate master released an upward vertical punch, intercepting Ranma mid-air and landing a brutal strike to his stomach. The impact sent a shockwave through Ranma, completely disrupting his attack. But Sakaki wasn't finished.
As the pigtailed boy plummeted to the ground, clutching his stomach, Sakaki attempted to strike again before Ranma could land. He leaped, aiming to intercept Ranma mid-air, pulling his arms back for a devastating double punch—an *Yamatzuki*—targeting both Ranma's face and solar plexus.
Ranma, still falling, saw it coming and knew he had to act quickly. With a herculean effort, he stopped clutching his stomach, pulled his arms back, and gathered his Ki. Then, he thrust them forward.
DOUBLE MOKO TAKABISHA!
Two azure energy spheres, each the size of a soccer ball, materialized in Ranma's hands.
The Ryozanpaku crowd erupted in pure astonishment.
"Is that…energy? He can do that? I've only ever seen the Elder pull off something like that!"
"Bof! To us, it's nothing special," Ryoga commented dismissively.
"Really?"
Sakaki had to decide quickly. He could have pressed forward, but instead, he chose to have some fun.
He abandoned his attack and spread his arms, opening his hands. He intercepted Ranma's energy spheres precisely, catching them in his large hands. It was as if they were solid objects.
Kisara felt like she was watching a sci-fi movie, and everyone else was equally awestruck.
The two fighters were locked in a standoff, their legs firmly planted. Whichever of the two could overpower the other would drive the energy spheres into their opponent.
Instead, Ranma increased the amount of energy he emitted, but rather than overpower Sakaki, he ended up propelling himself backward, like a rocket. It was as if he had performed a backward leap of seven or eight meters, ending with a controlled slide on the grass.
He had done it intentionally to gain distance and escape the danger zone. Sakaki still held the energy spheres but spread his arms wide, sending one hurtling into the sky and the other against a wall, both exploding on impact.
"Hmm…well played. I suppose you did all that primarily because you wanted to gain some breathing room," Sakaki remarked.
"But how will you handle THIS?" he continued, shifting into a southpaw stance and radiating a red aura of Ki. It was evident that he intended to close the distance in a single strike.
"What? He's already going to use that technique?" Kensei sounded alarmed.
"Hmph… Sakaki is bringing out the heavy artillery quite early," Akisame observed.
"Of course," Hayato weighed in.
"He's doing it to see if Ranma can react. Master-level opponents don't pull punches. Ranma must be ready for anything."
Strangely, Ranma seemed calm—almost serene.
He appeared to be expecting this move. Taking deep breaths, he assumed an unusual stance, his Ki turning ice-cold. The air around both fighters seemed to distort.
Then Sakaki charged, unleashing a ferocious left punch.
DOTSUI SAJIN THRUST
Time seemed to freeze. Ranma stood with his feet in a V-shape. A millisecond before Sakaki's strike landed, he spun on his axis.
He performed a pirouette like a dancer, exposing his back momentarily.
Completing the rotation, he intercepted Sakaki's extended arm with his left arm, bent at the elbow, from the outside, deviating it and causing the punch to miss completely.
But something happened upon impact. In that instant, the collision of their left arms seemed to accelerate Ranma's rotation instead of stopping it.
Completing the 360 turn, Ranma struck Sakaki in the face with his right fist. At first, it looked like an ordinary punch.
Then it became clear it was devastating.
A clash of opposing Ki erupted, the shockwave ripping through Sakaki's face like a cannon blast, forcing his head to rotate violently to the right.
Both fighters froze in that position: Sakaki with his left punch extended, Ranma standing to the side, his right fist pressed against Sakaki's cheekbone.
For a long moment, a deafening silence hung over the battlefield. No one fully understood what they had just witnessed.
"Incredible!" Kensei exclaimed. "Ranma has surpassed our expectations!"
"He created a new technique," Akisame explained, equally stunned. "A technique using *Sei* Ki, specialized for countering *Dou*-type opponents."
"How so, Master?" Kenichi and Miu asked in unison.
"In essence, the spin avoids a decisive blow—though executing it without getting hit requires god-like reflexes.
But instead of merely neutralizing the attack, it harnesses the opponent's energy, accelerating the user's rotation. That energy is then redirected into a counterstrike.
Right now, Sakaki has been struck by the combined force of Ranma's punch PLUS his own energy!"
"Unbelievable!"
"To think that Ranma… agonized over creating a secret technique… and ended up developing something of this caliber," Kensei concluded.
"Well done, Ranma Saotome," Hayato reflected. "You've fully grasped the essence of being a *Sei* fighter."
Ryoga, drenched in sweat, broke the silence by shouting: "But that… THAT TECHNIQUE! That's the same one he used to defeat me a year and a half ago! When I was in Ashura mode!"
"Uh? Really, Ryoga?"
"So that means…that time Ranma had ALREADY developed a new technique, but only INSTINCTIVELY… He didn't even remember it. And now he's rediscovered it—or reinvented it, so to speak."
Damn you, Ranma Saotome, thought Mousse, outwardly impassive. Just how far do you plan to go?
"However," Akisame continued, "unfortunately for him, Ranma cannot defeat Sakaki with this technique."
"WHAT?" all the younger fighters shouted in unison.
For long moments, the two opponents remained frozen in place. Then Sakaki seemed to snap out of it, spinning in place to try and strike Ranma with a backward elbow.
Ranma felt the blow graze his hair and tumbled forward in a series of somersaults, narrowly avoiding it. He then got back to his feet, adopting a defensive stance.
"Heh… Not bad, Ranma," Sakaki admitted. "I'll admit you stunned me for a few seconds there. Even so, channeling all that energy kept you from moving and delivering a finishing blow. Truly an extraordinary technique. As your master, I'm proud of you. What's it called?"
"HANGEKI SORA NO ZETTAI*"
"Hmm… That Ranma. The name of the technique says it all," Kensei commented.
"What do you mean?" Miu asked.
"In essence, this technique is void—it's formless. It doesn't have a predefined appearance. It can be used to counterattack any strike—well, any blow—using any counter technique, as long as the rotation is utilized.
For example, instead of countering a punch with another punch, he could respond to a kick with an elbow strike. The rotation remains the same, but the rest adapts to the circumstances."
"A technique… with maximum flexibility?" Kenichi wondered aloud.
"Hmm, I see," Sakaki said. "Now it all makes sense. But let me tell you something: you won't get another chance."
"What does he mean? If Ranma executes that technique again, he'll surely win!" Kuno exclaimed, perplexed.
"That's not entirely accurate," Hayato interjected. "You youngsters need to consider three factors.
First: even though Sakaki is limiting his strength and speed to 60%, his resilience to blows remains as usual. So, while I have no doubt that even at Master level, no one could withstand such a counterattack, against a Grand Master like Sakaki, it's not enough to land a decisive blow."
"But then…" Miu thought, discouraged. "Ranma has no hope of winning at all?"
"Second, that also applies to Sakaki's intelligence and battle experience, which far exceed Ranma's. Against him, the same technique doesn't work twice. He's surely already thought of a countermeasure," Kensei added.
"Third and finally," Akisame concluded, "if you've noticed, that technique only—or rather, works best—against frontal and straight strikes, like most karate techniques. It doesn't work against lateral or circular strikes, as you risk being counterattacked yourself."
And it was true. Sakaki went on the offensive without fear. Ranma tried to execute the technique again but quickly realized…
…he couldn't. Sakaki followed up a second attack with the other arm as soon as Ranma blocked the first, forcing him to withdraw instinctively to avoid being hit, interrupting his counterattack.
He knew he was playing with fire and couldn't take risks.
After four such combinations, each performed on different attacks, Ranma resigned himself, frustration evident in his expression, to the fact that he wouldn't be able to use his Special Technique again for the rest of the fight.
"Oh, Master Sakaki is using… the Meotoude," Kenichi observed. "The traditional karate method of attacking and defending with both arms simultaneously.
To think that… such a sophisticated technique… could be neutralized so simply."
Damn… A battle of this caliber, where even a technique like Ranma's is neutralized so quickly… Kenichi reflected.
Ryoga seemed agitated. He couldn't stand seeing Ranma looked down upon because, by extension, it reflected on all of them as well.
Sakaki wore the look of someone enjoying himself.
"This is a good fight, Ranma. I'm grateful. Around here, we often don't know how to combat boredom. But you won't last much longer."
"Tsk! I wouldn't be so sure if I were you."
"You think so? Try this!"
Ranma found himself on the defensive. Both were beginning to tire slightly, but he soon realized… instinctively, he was dodging Sakaki's lateral attacks… only to end up facing him again. It didn't make sense.
He crossed his arms to block what seemed like a punch but was instead hit with a front kick to the stomach, sending him sprawling to the ground.
"Hmm… Sakaki's having fun," Kensei remarked. "He's using KI FEINTS, manipulating Ranma with his Ki to make him believe he's attacking from one side while actually striking from the opposite."
"Yes, but i think he's also forced to," Akisame replied. "Haven't you noticed? Lately, he's been attacking more with his left arm."
"Ah! But… of course! Ranma struck him several times on his right side earlier, with the Speed Burst punch and the two cross kicks. So, maybe… he's struggling to hit with full power from that side of the body," Kensei observed.
"And that would also explain why Sakaki used the Dotsui Sajin Thrust with his left hand. And how Ranma anticipated it, preparing to counter from that side," Hayato confirmed.
"Uh? But then…?" Mousse wondered.
"I'm starting to recognize a pattern," Kensei began to say quietly.
Sakaki wanted to end it. He had noticed Ranma was deliberately delaying getting up, hiding the fact that he was accumulating Ki in his hands.
"Tsk! I'm not letting you do that!"
As soon as Ranma was back on his feet, Sakaki rushed him, striking simultaneously with a knee to the sternum and a double elbow to the sides of his head.
MOROTE EMPI TOBI HIZAGERI
For a moment, the entire audience flinched. Even Nodoka let out a faint gasp.
Ranma seemed to have been seriously hit. Instead…
…his body dissolved into thin air. Sakaki's pupils widened.
What? A Body Substitution Technique? Did he use his Ki to create a copy of himself, like a Residual Image?
He felt the air sizzle behind him. Turning his head, he saw… Ranma, wearing a sardonic grin, charging an energy sphere in his hands.
"Nice feinting, huh, Sakaki? But that's a game two can play."
Damn…
Ranma thrust his arms forward, shouting:
MOKO TAKABISHA!
The energy sphere expanded into a dome, engulfing the karateka completely.
The audience erupted in sounds of amazement.
"But… Ranma… hit him… directly," Shigure observed, speaking for the first time.
"APA! Ranma won! Let's celebrate!" Apachai exclaimed.
"But… but… WHAT IS THAT THING?" Kenichi yelled.
"I told you, it's his technique. I can do something similar!" Ryoga explained. "Actually, I even know a stronger version."
"WHAT? REALLY? But then…"
Then... when you fought against me, Ranma, you were holding back that much?
Both Miu and Renka were speechless.
"Ranma-san... is truly amazing," the blonde girl murmured.
Kisara seemed the most bewildered. Her hair looked as though it had been struck by lightning. A whole new world was unfolding before her eyes.
Only Nodoka appeared calm. Proud, relieved, even.
"Uh... good boy! So, he can do it too, huh? Even if it's not as powerful as my Ryozan Blast," Hayato said cheerfully.
"I told you the boy had a thousand tricks up his sleeve," Kensei gloated, pleased to have been right.
"Uh... he can even use internal energy in this way," Akisame reflected. "And Ryoga can do it too, he said? More interesting than I thought."
Sakaki, charred like a cartoon character after an explosion, was still standing.
Ranma waited for the smoke to clear, confirming his opponent's resilience, then leaped back into a defensive stance. He didn't expect to defeat him, but hitting him directly had to have weakened him significantly.
"Nice technique... truly," Sakaki admitted through gritted teeth, his expression both embarrassed and furious. "And a clever idea, but now...
...NO MORE GAMES!"
He surged forward, delivering a powerful palm strike to Ranma's solar plexus, knocking him back to the ground.
Then, Sakaki started leaping around, rebounding off trees to form a triangular path, before descending on Ranma with an elbow strike aimed at his head.
"This is the true Sankaku Tobi Empi Uchi!"
Ranma got back on his feet, a gleam lighting up in his eyes.
Now.
He crouched low, coiling himself like a spring, then launched upward.
As Sakaki brought his elbow down in a vertical strike, his tricep was exposed for an instant.
Ranma intercepted it, striking the arm with his palm and knocking him upward again.
TENNO TAKUTO
What the—?
"Oh, that's my technique!" Kensei exclaimed.
Sakaki fell back toward the ground.
Ranma was ready to attack him from below while he was midair.
Instinctively, Sakaki covered his chin, crossing his arms. He wasn't afraid of body blows.
Ranma, however, targeted precisely that.
Drawing his arms back, he thrust them forward in rapid succession. Both arms began moving so fast they were invisible, leaving curved trails as they struck Sakaki's torso on both sides.
Sakaki was hit on both sides of his body, feeling the impact.
As soon as his feet touched the ground, though, he retaliated, pushing Ranma away with a backhanded strike.
The pigtailed boy, hit squarely, reflexively counterattacked with a front kick to Sakaki's abdomen as he was flung away.
He tumbled to the ground five meters away.
The sequence had been incredible. For a long moment, no one spoke.
"But... Ranma... used that technique on me once!" Ryoga exclaimed. "It's a variant of the Chestnuts Roasting on an Open Fire technique. But instead of striking multiple targets, it concentrates all the punches on a single point to amplify destructive power! And now he did it with both arms!"
Extraordinary... was all Kenichi could think.
Miu was torn between admiration, envy and concern for the pigtailed boy.
"Both... have taken quite a few hits by now, haven't they?" Kensei observed seriously.
"Yes, they can't trade many more blows. It's about to end," Akisame confirmed.
"Certainly rare, isn't it, Mousse?" Kuno spoke suddenly. "How many times has Ranma... ended up on the ground? It's a rare sight."
Ranma struggled to get up. Sakaki was like a wall. You could hit him, but then you'd rebound and end up on the ground yourself. The karate master had taken the worst blows so far, yet he was thrashing Ranma with ordinary strikes. Even at 60%, he remained a wall.
At that very moment, that wall collapsed.
Sakaki made a strange expression, then clutched his abdomen with his arms, doubled over, spat out a mouthful of blood, and fell to his knees.
It was as if an electric shock had passed through everyone present, even the Masters, as stunned as the others.
"What the..."
"Heh... in the end, it worked," Ranma chuckled weakly, exhausted.
"But that... that..." Kensei stammered, terrified. "That move is my brother Sogetsu's Kyousa!"
"WHAT?!"
"There's no doubt. He modified its execution to disguise it, but it's unmistakable. Both the double Chestnut technique from earlier and that seemingly casual kick... they actually contained Ki. And the shockwaves that passed through Sakaki's body in three different directions intersected with each other... increasing the destructive power!"
"That's absurd!" Mousse exclaimed, dropping his composed facade. "How does Ranma know a move like that?"
"Moreover, such a dangerous one," Akisame noted. "A technique typically used to kill."
The Elder furrowed his brows.
"I... don't understand. But maybe... Ah! Is that it?"
"Yes, that's it," Ranma confirmed, sitting up, almost out of breath and unable to stand. "At the fight at the port, Hermit tried to use that move on me, but I avoided the last part and survived. Then Sogetsu confirmed to me that it was extremely dangerous.
I thought it would be a good idea against a Grandmaster-level opponent... I figured he wouldn't suffer lethal damage, anyway. But I modified it, hiding its execution within a different moves so he wouldn't recognize it."
"Incredible..." the Chinese Master muttered. "He grasped the correct way to infuse Ki and shockwaves into his strikes and was able to use the technique employing a different kind of strike than the original-a front kick rather then a wrist strike, but it's still the same move, nonetheless."
"Ranma... has truly reached this level?" Miu wondered aloud.
"It's as we thought. Ranma... has learned to use strategy in battle," Akisame declared. "In truth, nearly every move we've seen... was part of a plan. To maneuver Sakaki into using certain moves instead of others, allowing Ranma to respond most effectively.
For example, he used the Sankaku Tobi Empi Uchi to provoke Sakaki, anticipating this way he tricked him, into behaving that way...that he'd retaliate sooner or later, using THAT VERY SAME technique.
And all of it served to set up this decisive technique, which he could only execute if his opponent was lifted off the ground. The entire fight... was one long preparation for this single moment!"
"Is that... possible?" Ryoga exclaimed.
"Unbelievable," Kenichi murmured.
"So basically," Renka concluded, "the whole time, Sakaki... was ensnared in Ranma's strategy... like a fly in a web?"
Akisame thought again. At that only time, two weeks ago, after thousands of defeats...that Ranma bested him at chess.
Uhm...so he's finally learned to plan in advance, eh?
Hayato grew increasingly focused.
Ranma Saotome... Kensei was right... I can't see your limits... but your lack of scruples worries me more and more. The coin was tossed in the air…whare will it land?
Ranma was still sitting on the grass, unable to stand.
But then, Sakaki stirred, like a ferocious beast, and unleashed a devastating punch into the air, roaring like a madman.
A blast of air shot from his fist, tearing through space like a cannonball.
Ranma's heart skipped a beat.
He didn't even know how he instinctively dove to his left, avoiding the air strike that carved a trench in the ground and SHATTERED the perimeter wall.
"RANMA!" shouted Miu and Nodoka in unison.
Sakaki was breathing heavily, his chest rising and falling.
Ranma stared at the round hole in the wall, trembling.
He was paralyzed with terror, unable to move rationally.
And then Sakaki began advancing.
His legs couldn't move, so he grabbed at the grass with his hands, dragging himself forward, pulling himself inch by inch, inexorably closer.
His face was that of a feral beast, a homicidal maniac, twisted with rage.
"RANMAAAAAAAAAAA!"
"AAAAH!"
Ranma instinctively took a defensive stance, curling up protectively.
As soon as he got close enough, Sakaki tried to strike with two Shuto-uchi — one chop from the right and one from the left.
Ranma blocked one with his right arm.
But Ranma's left arm was weaker than Sakaki's right.
Sakaki's chop pushed through relentlessly… until it landed.
Pif!
The edge of Sakaki's hand gently rested against Ranma's neck, as soft as stroking a newborn.
Ranma, still dazed, turned to look at his teacher. The feral expression was gone.
Sakaki was smiling, like a child given a lollipop.
"Eheh, sorry, Ranma, but…"
"The match is over!" declared Akisame, standing tall.
"IT'S A DRAW!" shouted Hayato.
"EEEEEH?"
Ranma and Sakaki shouted in unison. Then Sakaki noticed.
Ranma did not. He didn't even realize he had done it.
It had been pure instinct.
As Sakaki attacked, Ranma had lifted a leg.
And now Ranma's foot was aimed at Sakaki's neck.
They were BOTH threatening each other's vital points.
Sakaki looked surprised, then took a deep breath and burst into a hearty, liberating laugh.
"Haha, looks like things didn't go as I thought, huh?"
He got up, a little unsteadily, to his feet.
"Well done, Ranma," he said sincerely. "Now enjoy your moment."
The pigtailed boy didn't quite understand. Tears welled in his eyes, and he still seemed lost in his thoughts. He turned his gaze toward the porch.
Everyone — Masters, students, Nodoka, and even Kisara — had leapt to their feet and were running toward him, creating a deafening uproar.
They seemed filled with joy, relief, even admiration.
In the cacophony, Ranma couldn't make out what they were saying.
He stood up — or rather, was pulled to his feet.
Everyone smothered him with hugs, handshakes, promises of future duels, pats on the back, and compliments… but Ranma heard none of it.
Background noise.
It was like he had the ringing in his ears of someone who'd just heard an explosion.
He shook free from them, gasping for air.
And staggered toward the dojo.
The voices quieted, and a series of bewildered glances were exchanged among the group.
Akisame glanced at Sakaki.
"Pff… Fine, I'll talk to him," declared the karate master.
"But, Sakaki-sensei, aren't you injured?" Kenichi asked.
"Not as much as you think," Kensei reassured him. "Before being hit by Ranma's modified Kyousa, Sakaki had already raised his internal organs into his chest cavity using Naizouage, the ancient breathing technique of traditional karate... so the impact of that technique was much less severe than expected."
Sakaki found Ranma in the dojo, panting and sweating.
"Hey, you okay?"
The boy with the pigtail turned around.
"Yeah, it's just that... I was a bit shaken. I'm feeling better now."
FEAR. I was utterly terrified and couldn't move. How shameful.
I'm disgusted with myself. The Heir to the Saotome School? A Master?
When I think about how I tied by sheer luck... I don't feel like I deserve it.
"Hey, do you want to tell me what the hell is going on with you?"
"It's just that I… I don't know. I didn't think it would happen like this. I... I imagined this as a great achievement... one I worked so hard to reach for so long. I pictured it as... something different.
Maybe it would have been more satisfying, more glorious? Or maybe it's just because... I really wanted to win this time."
Sakaki waited a moment, then turned his head to one side and let out an "Eh!" with a sigh.
"Ranma, I'll be frank with you: On one hand, your determination, your motivation, and your effort are admirable; BUT your obsession with winning at all costs... it's toxic.
I don't know if this stems from your father's teachings—I imagine it does—or from the life you've lived up until now, but... part of being mature is recognizing that there are things greater than us and that there's no shame in that.
You don't need to torture yourself. You're stronger than you were even just a week ago. What you can't do today, you'll learn to do tomorrow.
What's the rush? Why obsess over what you can't do, instead of focusing on what you can do? If you keep this up, you'll never even enjoy the good things."
"To be honest, Sakaki-shishou, I didn't expect such a speech from you. Of course, it's essential to always win. In many cases… winning can mean the difference between life and death."
"And you think I don't know that? Here at Ryozanpaku, we regularly face assassins from the Killing Fist... and I assure you, they're not people you can afford to take lightly."
Ranma bitterly recalled his battle with Saffron at Jusenkyo, the cursed springs, and the moment he held Akane in his arms, thinking she was lifeless.
Of course winning was crucial, dammit.
"At the same time," Sakaki continued, "as you know, not all fights are life-or-death. And the ones that aren't should not be approached with the same mindset. Instead, they should be seen as opportunities for growth."
"Growth?"
"Exactly. I bet that with all your experience in martial arts, you've been defeated quite a few times, haven't you? Now tell me, Ranma, honestly… do you think the fights that taught you the most, that forced you to improve, that allowed you to level up, were the ones you won or the ones you lost?"
Ranma was forced to think about it.
Picolet Chardin. Ryoga, when he learned the Shishi Hokodan. Herb, the first time. Ryu Kumon. And many others.
Cold sweat trickled down his forehead as he lowered his gaze, frustrated. "Tch!"
"That's right, isn't it? So why be obsessed with always winning? Why does losing make you feel so bad?
Don't you think all your opponents feel the same way when you defeat them? Exactly the same. So what's the difference?"
"The difference... the difference is that—" Ranma looked deeply conflicted, "—is that it seems to me like I can't do anything else in life! That I don't have anything else but this! That the MEANING of my life depends on being the best at what I do! Because it's all I have!"
Having let it out, the boy started taking deep breaths.
Sakaki watched him, stern but understanding at the same time.
"You don't actually believe that. Think about it carefully. If you truly reflect on your life… on the relationships you've built… on the experiences you've had… can you honestly say… that you have-or have had at various point-nothing else besides martial arts?"
Ranma felt like his entire life flashed before his eyes. The people of Nerima. Akane, of course, but also his mother and father, despite everything. Then Ukyo, Kasumi, Ryoga, Mousse, Renka, Kisara, the Masters of Ryozanpaku, Kenichi, and… Miu.
He raised his head after a long moment, tears welling in his eyes.
"No! I really couldn't say that!"
Sakaki offered a faint smile.
"Now I understand your doubts when you arrived here.
After your life fell apart, all you had left was martial arts… which, in any case, are what you've always done.
So, on one hand, you clung to them as a lifeline; on the other, you ended up hating them because they became an obsession, and you doubted whether to continue or give up... but neither of those options was right.
Martial arts ARE central to your life, but they're not the ONLY thing in it. Instead, we can say that even the bonds you've forged with people… have martial arts as a common thread. Martial arts are what brought you together."
Ranma looked relieved and filled with renewed clarity.
"Thank you, Sakaki-shishou. You're right. Maybe I... have always been too influenced by what others told me. And I still need... to find a way to think for myself. I thought I was doing it, but... I'm still influenced by the past without even realizing it.
And also... martial arts are a useful tool… to protect the people I care about."
"Exactly. And now, let's hurry up. You wouldn't want to keep everyone waiting for your celebration."
"It's just that—" Ranma began, regretting it immediately, "—I don't know… I don't feel like I really earned it. Receiving… a promotion after a tie. Moreover, I know that, in reality—that tie…was…"
"Ranma," Sakaki began, slightly disappointed, "I assure you that no one in the world can PROMOTE someone else to the rank of Master. Let's say that the fight allowed us to VERIFY without any doubt that you've already reached that level.
Additionally, the condition for the promotion was that you demonstrate proficiency at the technical level of a Master, not that you win.
Sure, I understand it might feel less satisfying than a victory, but—"
The boy looked at him, wondering where he was going with this.
"No, it's just that..." Sakaki now seemed hesitant to say more, "…have I ever told you how… I became a Grand Master?"
"Uh? No, you haven't."
"Well, it was about a dozen years ago…"
Sakaki began recounting how he and his eternal rival, Akira Hongo, faced each other repeatedly in continuous duels to determine who was the best, observed and judged by their friend, Tsuzuki Hajime.
"And by the end of ten days, we were tied, with 125 victories each."
"WOW. I'm speechless."
The young man also grasped the second meaning of the story: even someone like Sakaki, in friendly yet serious duels against an evenly matched rival, couldn't gain a decisive advantage and had been defeated just as many times.
"And… what happened next?" The Master's expression boded nothing good.
"We were all summoned to an old castle—me, Hongo, and Hajime..."
Sakaki continued, recounting how Yami, the organization comprised of the members of One Shadow, Nine Fists—the strongest unarmed fighters in the world—had summoned the three greatest karateka to battle each other to the death to decide who could earn the privilege of joining their ranks, if they so desired.
"That's... monstrous!"
"The worst part is yet to come. Both Hajime and Hongo agreed to this method of selection. Hajime had severe health issues and wouldn't have lived much longer if he continued fighting. But that was his dream.
He preferred a short, glorious life over a long one that, to him, felt meaningless. Hongo understood his feelings, and they fought each other... and he killed him."
Ranma was speechless. What would he have done if he had witnessed something like that?
"Needless to say, I was FURIOUS. I fought Hongo one final time, with everything I had... no, that's not quite accurate.
Because in that very moment... I rejected their logic and decided that, for the rest of my life, I would be a member of the Saving Fist... and I did not fight with the intent to kill."
"But Hongo did," Ranma whispered.
"Of course, and we struck each other with our secret techniques. That's how I got this scar, and he has one on his face that I gave him.
To cut it short, he left me for dead. Moreover, the castle had caught fire and collapsed. He left with his new companions from One Shadow, Nine Fists, and I… was left buried underneath. But I survived, obviously."
Ranma shivered.
"Naturally, when he found out, he couldn't have been happy about it. He had fought to kill, which for him means fighting at full strength, while I hadn't, which for him meant I was holding back... Winning under those conditions wouldn't have been satisfying. Imagine discovering he hadn't even managed to kill me."
That twisted logic gave Ranma a headache.
"So, that's the story. Since we were both deemed strong enough to join Yami, we were recognized as Grand Master level… Me, with a loss; him, with a victory full of shadows and regrets.
So you, who were recognized as a Master after a draw, do not have THE RIGHT to complain about the circumstances. Do you understand? You must realize there are people who had it worse than you… but everyone follows their own path in life and must accept what fate gives them, making the best of it."
There was nothing more to say. Sakaki turned and headed toward the exit.
But he was stopped by an abrupt shout, another spontaneous instinct.
"Master Sakaki!"
Ranma bowed deeply, moved.
"Thank you so much for everything!"
The karateka smirked crookedly and let out a small scoff as he resumed walking.
"Tsk! It's rare to see you act so respectfully. You're starting to remind me of Kenichi."
Glossary
Kakei: A Chinese martial arts method for deflecting strikes by rotating the forearms.
SPEED BURST: Literally, "explosion of speed."
JINSON JION REPPA: From this point forward, Sakaki's techniques written in uppercase are the same as those in the Kenichi manga. I won't provide individual translations in Italian. If you want to see images and translations, you can check the English Kenichi: History's Strongest Disciple Wiki.
HANGEKI SORA NO ZETTAI: Literally, if I didn't mistranslate, "Counterattack of the Absolute Void."
SAKUGANKI DOJI: "Simultaneous JackHammers."
Author's Note
Well, what a rush. Nothing speaks "i love martial arts manga" like this chapter. Hope you enjoyed it.
I LIVE for moments like this. Where it all comes together. Everything Ranma has learned up until now, every lesson they transmitted him, every person that has become important to him gathered to see it.
And yet...not everything goes as you want, right? Much like in real life.
Ranma has TWO HUGE problems to overcome. His toxic obsession with victory, and, despite everything, his fears.
It's an important moment that Sakaki shares his tragic past with him to help overcome the latter. As for the former...everybody fears many things, and the Masters of Ryozanpaku are nothing to scoff at. But Ranma tends to beat himself for being any less than perfect
Now, i will make next chapter the immediate follow up to this, with the promotion party.
And then, i think i will change something to the original fiction, because i realized there's something missing. A better and more developed relationship with the two groups, the boys from Nerima and those from Ryozanpaku.
Therefore, i will add one more chapter. This could lead to short delays in publishing.
Also, SORRY if i haven't posted elsewhere the uncensored chapter 16, i've been really busy (or i could simply add that version here, but...i fear repercussions from the site, due to their policy)
PS: a better enjoyment of this chapter will come by searching the Kenichi wiki so that you can see pictures of the techniques, those of Sakaki at least, in real time. Thank me later ;)