Surpassing Your Limits
Summary:
Hayato is fighting Isshinsai Ogata of Yami; their fight damaged the ship, and the crew has abandoned it
Ranma is fighting Mihail, Grand Master of the Scythe.
Kenichi is facing Berserker.
Miu and Renka challenge three Disciples of the Blades.
Kisara is facing Kimiko Ropponji, the Disciple of Naginata
The Shimpaku Alliance kids must face the Yami guards.
Ranma was fighting. Against an insurmountable obstacle.
Yet, this was nothing new for him.
As far back as he could remember, he had done nothing but this his whole life.
Fight. Against opponents stronger than him.
And then beat them anyway, somehow.
He remembered when he was a child.
And his father Genma made him fight adults.
To accustom him to a harsh reality of life.
That, generally, battles... aren't fought on equal terms.
The tekkou (metal forearm protectors) that Shigure, Akisame, and Mousse had made for him gleamed like stars as Mihail Stirbey's gigantic scythe, from the Eight Executioner Blades, bounced off them.
Ranma had activated the Ki of Sei and noticed that his opponent, accidentally wounded on the side a few minutes before, avoided using both arms to wield it, so as not to rotate his torso and reopen the wound.
He used it with just one hand, the left, despite clearly not being left-handed, making all the movements from the shoulder.
And still, he managed to keep him busy.
Tch… so this is what a Master-level battle feels like, huh?
Doesn't matter... I'll win anyway. As always. I have a reason why I can't afford to lose.
The faces of the Shimpaku Alliance kids flashed through his mind, one by one.
Ikki Takeda, brash and cheerful.
Kaname Kugatachi (Freya), wise and determined.
Kozo Ukita, generous and loyal.
Chiaki Yuma (Thor), passionate and strict.
Hibiki Kugenin (Siegfried), spaced out and romantic.
And then Renka Ma. Curious and enthusiastic.
Needing to heal a recently broken heart.
And of course, Kisara Nanjo.
His Kisara.
His first student.
How could he describe her? You could spend a month and still give an inaccurate portrait.
Proud, arrogant, disdainful.
Yet shy, insecure, melancholic.
Determined, stubborn, unyielding. But surprisingly tender (especially with cats), outspoken, sociable.
He was fighting for them. To save them from a terrible fate.
They, who in those months had made him feel like a normal person, since he started hanging out with Miu and Kenichi.
Who had welcomed him into their little world, after a rough start, making him understand that there's a lot to be grateful for in the world.
That it's always possible to start over.
No, it didn't matter who was in front of him. He would save them all.
He was Ranma Saotome and he would win somehow, as always.
A groan escaped him when his enemy's weapon scraped his shoulder.
He took a brief pause to notice the assassin throwing a provoking look, and then the attack resumed.
Ranma was surprised he was able to withstand the assault so well, all things considered.
He was blocking almost every blow and starting to get used to the rhythm and attack patterns.
The old me would've rushed forward and gotten killed.
Yet, the new me, more aware of my limits and how there are (for now) many things superior to me in this world, wouldn't have fought with the necessary conviction.
I was lucky my opponent got wounded by accident.
But it's a sign of fate.
I need to become an intermediate version of the old and new me: aware of the danger, but still having the absolute confidence that I can make it.
Only then can I...
At that moment, he started getting wounded much more often.
Mihail's weapon was not a normal scythe. In fact, such a weapon, properly speaking, never existed in Europe.
It was actually a kind of halberd, with a spear-like point, a crescent blade on one side, and that absurdly large scythe mounted on the other.
This gave the assassin a big advantage: by simply rotating the shaft with his hand, extending or retracting the weapon, transforming slashes into thrusts to strike with the point after a side parry, he could change his attack pattern in an instant, evading Ranma's guard.
He blocked the scythe and got grazed by a thrust from the spear.
He avoided it, only to be cut by the blade as the shaft was pulled back.
He dodged the blade, and the weapon was rotated, throwing the scythe at him.
And it worked even better now that the young man thought he had gotten used to blocking.
In reality, he hadn't gotten used to it. Mihail had allowed him to, so he could trap him better later.
Finally, he pushed the blade away and both of them took a brief pause.
Ranma realized he had half a dozen cuts all over his body, generally superficial scratches, barely reddened with blood, but evenly spread across his chest, legs, and arms.
His nice new outfit made by Renka was getting ruined.
The young man was breathing a little harder and looked at himself in shame.
"Damn, this outfit was a gift..."
"And so what? They'll put another one on you when they lower you into a coffin. Don't act like a girl."
Ranma's vein swelled at those words. Alright, he shouldn't lose his temper. But he still had many cards to play.
He had all the promotional gifts from Ryozampaku with him.
He pulled out one of the smoke bombs Mousse had given him and detonated it between himself and Mihail.
Then, in a flash, he threw three of the throwing knives Shigure had given him.
From within the smoke cloud, there wasn't even a tremor.
At that moment, Mihail sprang out of the smoke like a demon, holding the scythe with both hands and performing a pirouette to gather power for the strike.
He slammed the scythe directly onto the crossed Tekko of the young man, who had to bend his legs to avoid being pushed backward.
"Let's say that for an appetizer, this will be enough, Ranma Saotome... but for the main course, you'll have to do better."
He began to deliver a series of blows to Ranma's protection, pushing him back step by step. Then he used the weapon's handle to perform a sideways sweep to Ranma's legs, sending him crashing to the ground.
Laughing maniacally, Mihail brought the scythe down like a miner would strike with a pickaxe, but the young man began rolling away, narrowly avoiding each blow, while Mihail relentlessly followed, hammering the floor with his scythe where Ranma had just been moments before.
Finally, Ranma got back on his feet, and his opponent extended a bit further, once again crossing the scythe with his steel-covered forearms.
Mihail stood over him, and Ranma felt the foul stench of his breath as he said:
"It seems that after all, you don't have what it takes… to make this fun."
From that close distance, the pressure was overwhelming. The blade kept inching closer, centimeter by centimeter.
Ranma shifted the scythe leftward, pushing it with his left leg.
Then, with his right, he kicked Mihail square in the stomach, followed by an upward kick to his chin, sending him staggering backward.
He then sprang to his feet with a snap of his back and lunged at his opponent, who had turned away, seemingly worn out, with his back exposed.
But it was a feint.
With his long coat, Mihail had hidden the presence of his scythe from Ranma.
In a flash, he slid the weapon's handle under his armpit, making it appear as though by magic, and struck Ranma squarely in the stomach, knocking the wind out of him and sending him flying three meters backward.
The young man found himself clutching his stomach in pain.
The assassin got back up and turned to look at him.
"Well, it was brief, but not bad, all things considered."
Ranma realized that he had underestimated the challenge.
"Damn, what was I thinking? I can't face an opponent of this level as if it were just any fight in the dojo."
"I need to do better. But how? Most of my techniques… both the usual ones and the ones I've recently used with Sakaki… aren't suited to an opponent armed with such a weapon."
"It doesn't matter. The basic approach is wrong. I'm not fighting for glory. I need to save the others from him. Otherwise, once he's finished with me, he'll go back to them, and they'll have no chance."
"Up until now, I've been playing for time so they could escape. But by exposing myself too much, I've risked getting killed, so I've had to take it slow."
"But all this makes no sense."
"Fighting for the sake of fighting makes no sense."
"Surviving for the sake of surviving makes no sense."
"I have to WIN!"
"I won't be able to save them... if I don't win."*
"Heh… It seems like… the new and the old me have finally come to an agreement."
He stood up, closed his eyes for a moment, and took a deep breath to calm himself.
"Tch… Master Sakaki pointed out that I was obsessed with winning, even when there was nothing at stake… and that it was ruining my life…
but, Master, I'm sure you'd agree… that this is one of those fights… that we can't afford to lose, right?"
When he opened his eyes again, his gaze was that of someone who was ready for anything. He raised his hands into guard for the umpteenth time.
"It's the complete opposite, Mihail Stirbey… now, let's get serious."
Miu and Renka, besides having found the right coordination, were trying their best to prevent their opponents from using theirs.
While Annabeth, the archer, had climbed down from the railing and was wandering through the rubble of the laboratory to retrieve her arrows, the two girls from Ryozampaku had a bit of breathing room and could focus solely on the opponents before them, the two disciples of the Kodachi, or short sword, Hyogo (against Miu) and Yui (against Renka).
Both young women were blocking the enemy weapon strikes with their armguard (the left one for Miu, the right one for Renka) and finally had the space to counterattack using their martial arts.
They were beginning to expand their respective auras, Miu's orange Dou and Renka's green Sei. Their opponents, who had been cocky just moments before, were now struggling.
Hyogo: "Annabeth! Hurry up and give us a hand!"
Annabeth: "One moment! It's not that easy."
Renka: "Tsk! Just a little while ago, you were mocking us… yet, in a fair fight, you seem to be in trouble."
Yui: "Don't fool yourself… we'll manage, with or without help."
Miu: "That is, if we don't defeat you first."
Hyogo: "Oh, how confident! And yet, do you really think you can afford to relax, Miss Granddaughter of the Invincible Superman?
Or perhaps you're in such a rush because… you're worried about the two men in your life?"
Yui: "Is that it? Worried that they might die… before you've chosen one of them? Well, maybe our companions can remove that doubt for you… perhaps by killing them both!"
Renka: "BITCH! Don't listen to them, Miu, they're trying to distract us."
Miu: "I KNOW THAT PERFECTLY WELL! And this proves that they're feeling the pressure."
Hyogo: "Are we sure about that? Maybe… or perhaps you're in a hurry to get rid of us so you can go help them… because you know we're right?
That they have the toughest battles? Do you really want me to believe… you're not even a little bit worried?"
Yui: "Well, she should be. After all… if we managed to kidnap everyone so easily… it was because of their rivalry for your heart, Furinji Miu… or for your body, whatever it may be.
Too bad Renka Ma's daughter isn't as popular…"
Renka: "THAT'S IT!" and she shoved her away with a kick.
But just as she was about to deliver the finishing blow, two arrows whizzed toward her.
She turned, caught them in midair, and broke them between her hands, then shot Annabeth a fiery glare, as if to say that the next things to break could be her arms… or her neck…
Miu: "Your provocations are truly low-level, disciples of Yomi!
Ranma is better than you even at this… getting into the enemy's head. You're just parroting things your spies told you."
Hyogo: "Then enlighten us on the situation, Furinji Miu. Do you really think those two can make it?
Actually, even if they do… do you think everything will go back to the way it was, and you'll all live happily ever after?
I don't think so… in fact, I think that, in the worst case… they might finish our job, killing each other.
The truth is, those two… are too different. They've never been compatible, not from the start. There's no room for both of them at Ryozampaku, and you know it!
Otherwise… your heart would be more at ease! But you're a Dou fighter, and I can read your emotions like an open book! ISN'T THAT RIGHT?"
Miu seemed irritated, then calmed herself, refusing to fall for the provocation. Renka turned toward her, saddened by the words spoken to her friend and by the effect they might have.
"Miu…"
Miu: "It's all right, Renka-san. Hyogo of the Kodachi, let me tell you something. In recent months, I've learned much better how to control my Dou Ki, to avoid becoming a murderous beast.
Which, in a way, is lucky for you; otherwise, by now, you'd be minced meat. On the other hand, you can't distract me with provocations of this level.
But there's more. I've learned that… emotions, even negative ones… should be expressed, not denied.
That it's better to declare one's feelings than to hide them. That openness, sincerity… are always the best path forward."
Hyogo: "Tsk! And what does that have to do with anything?"
Miu: "That what is openly declared cannot cause you shame, and therefore cannot disturb you.
On the contrary, embracing one's emotions, living them… can make you immensely stronger.
And I have no intention of denying my feelings: it's true, I have feelings for both Kenichi Shirahama and Ranma Saotome… though… I don't feel the same way about both of them… and I think… it's the same for them.
So I can tell you, without a doubt… that you're wrong, Hyogo! They're not incompatible at all, but complementary… and they can get along.
Precisely because I know them both… precisely because I love them both… I'm sure that they… have a lot to learn from each other!"
Ranma took his stance again like a ghost, preparing to execute the Umisen Ken again.
Mihail scoffed at the sight. That technique had surprised him once, but he had already neutralized it.
Heh… he wants to go all out… I know that to attack me with that technique, he has to get behind me… as soon as I see him disappear…
Ranma vanished. Mihail moved his right arm with the scythe behind his back to defend himself.
Instead, Ranma didn't appear there. He reappeared right in front of him.
He had predicted his reactions and set a trap for him. Mihail's torso was exposed.
"Peekaboo."
Ranma stepped forward, his palms extended vertically along his opponent's torso.
He surged ahead and struck with his palms, producing a shockwave that passed through his enemy's body with enormous force.
SOUTENSHOU!
It was Kensei Ma's ultimate technique. He had taught it to him as a simpler and less lethal alternative to Sogetsu's Kyousa.
Mihail, however, was not defeated.
He moved his scythe-wielding hand forward to strike his attacker, and… Ranma vanished again with the Umisen Ken.
He reappeared to his opponent's left, on the safe side, with bent knees.
Sorry, Kenichi, but it looks like I'll have to use YOUR technique now…
Kenichi was standing against Berserker, with a newfound determination.
The blonde colossus laughed like a madman at his statements about the importance of tradition and passing down martial arts.
"Then PROVE IT, Shirahama! Show me something I've never seen before!"
Kenichi: "I fully intend to. Though… it's a shame. This is a technique that… I was saving for someone else."
Berserker charged at him to attack.
"Watch closely, Berserker! This isn't just any technique… it's the result of millennia of tradition… it's certainly not something your improvisation can replicate or avoid!"
Kenichi drew back his fists to his sides, recalling his special training with Kensei.
Sorry, Ranma, but it looks like I'll have to use YOUR technique now…
Ranma unleashed a jumping side kick towards Mihail's left side.
He struck him right between the hip and the side, hitting him so hard that he lifted him off the ground.
KOROI NUKI!
The assassin, lifted into the air, received such a backlash that it reopened the wound on his right side; a spray of blood erupted out.
However, he had the presence of mind to counterattack, whipping out with the handle of his scythe.
He extended it towards Ranma, on his left, still stretched out from the strike, and smashed the wooden handle with all his strength into his ribs, on the left side.
Ranma had the presence of mind not to resist the blow but to relax and let himself be flung away, yet he started bouncing like a crazed ragdoll against the metal walls of the corridor: two-three-four times before coming to a stop.
Kenichi exploded forward with his fists at the opponent leaping at him.
Hundreds of punches seemed to appear in front of Berserker at super speed.
And in fact, hundreds of punches overwhelmed him.
MODIFIED VERSION OF THE CHESTNUTS TECHNIQUE!
Berserker was struck in every part of his body, his face contorted by the blows.
And he was sent flying far away.
Kisara was having fun, but she knew she couldn't afford to get distracted.
Kimiko was spinning her Naginata in every direction, trying to hit him, alternating surprisingly fluidly between curved slashes and thrusts to react to his movements.
So all she could do was keep moving constantly, changing rhythm, looking for an opening.
"Not bad, Kimiko! But didn't you claim you could defeat me in a single strike?" she taunted.
"Uhmpf! I haven't hit you yet, I believe... but when I do… one strike will be more than enough."
"IF you hit me. At this rate, we'll be here all night. Meanwhile…"
Kisara leaped, bounced off one wall, then the opposite one, then another, and let herself drop onto her opponent from above.
"…you won't mind if I start first!"
Kisara unleashed a flurry of kicks as she descended onto Kimiko.
However, Kimiko spun the shaft of her weapon at super speed, blocking them all.
As the impact faded, Kisara used the shaft for support and propelled herself into a wide backward somersault, avoiding the disciple's counter-thrust and landing on her feet with a cocky grin.
"Not bad. That weapon is better suited for keeping enemies at a distance rather than blocking, but you manage just fine."
"Tsk! Of course, I do! I am a disciple of the Blades!"
"Don't get too full of yourself," Kisara declared, starting to move in a zigzag pattern before dropping to the ground to land upward kicks at Kimiko's legs to make her fall.
She then rolled on the ground to dodge counterattacks and strike from another angle.
"I also had a good teacher… who made sure my attack patterns would be unpredictable."
As she chased her with effort, Kimiko commented,
"So that's how it is. That young Master is really your teacher. Too bad… that soon, he'll be dead too."
"Ranma won't die," Kisara snarled, but in doing so, she realized she had left herself open.
Kimiko extended her weapon, and the tip of the blade barely grazed Kisara's side, who jumped back to avoid worse damage.
Kimiko: "First blood is mine."
Kisara: "And yet, I'm still standing. Didn't you boast that you'd defeat me in one strike?"
The kimono-clad girl looked annoyed.
Seriously… I can't stand this person… Of all people, I had to end up with her…
Kimiko sighed, putting on a mockingly disappointed expression, and said:
"Aah, I would have preferred to fight Kenichi Shirahama, the First Disciple of Ryozampaku.
Unfortunately, I won't get the chance because he too will die today. Truly my unlucky day."
Kisara: "You're delusional. Kenichi has defeated opponents far more dangerous than Berserker."
The woman with glasses looked at her, her expression turning serious again.
Kimiko: "It seems you don't fully grasp the situation, Miss Nanjo Kisara. Neither Berserker… nor, much less, Mihail Stirbey of the Eight Shining Execution Blades, are ordinary opponents.
They were sent here SPECIFICALLY to ensure the mission's success. And even we Yomi Disciples feared them.
If you think your friends have a chance against them… well, you're in for a huge disappointment."
Kenichi stared at Berserker's seemingly lifeless body atop a pile of carpets in the warehouse.
Then he saw him move and heard an "OW!" almost more of a complaint than of pain.
"What? You're still conscious after taking that technique?"
"But of course," the blond stated, getting back on his feet. "Don't think Isshinsai Ogata neglects his Disciples' training.
Since he doesn't teach me martial arts, he focuses heavily on my physical attributes… and to get me used to taking hits, he often hits ME… at 40 or 50% of his power… until my body gets sturdier."
Kenichi was astonished.
What a monstrous method. And yet… it's true, he's getting back up.
Berserker was back on his feet, cracking his neck.
This is absurd… No, maybe this is the effect? Fighting against someone… like me, or like Ryoga… with a resistance to blows beyond their normal level?
Damn it, to think that the training with Kensei Ma would turn out to be ineffective…
[ A FEW MONTHS EARLIER.
Kenichi had asked Kensei if he could teach him Ranma's Chestnuts technique. The small Chinese man didn't know it but had heard of it, so he could imagine the underlying principle. He had forced him, for weeks, to pull out stones from a jar filled with boiling water until he managed to do it without getting burned. ]
Berserker spoke: "Shirahama, I admit you were half right. I wouldn't be able to replicate such a technique. Nor avoid it, being caught off guard.
However… since I wasn't defeated by it, I think I can come up with countermeasures!"
And with that, he leaped towards Kenichi and began spinning in the air like a top, performing somersaults, curling up into a ball.
Kenichi tried to hit him again, but he realized that… in that position, his torso was constantly covered by his arms, raised as a shield, and his knees, with his face hidden behind his fists, leaving only his eyes and forehead exposed.
If he tried to punch him… he would break his fingers against the much harder bones of the forearms, shins, knees, or elbows.
He dodged two or three of those absurd charges, then Berserker started increasing his speed and began hitting him: either by extending kicks at the last moment or by crashing into him with his entire body, turned into a rotating ball of bones and muscles.
Three times Kenichi failed to avoid him and was sent flying, each time in a different way.
Damn it… he actually found a countermeasure. I need to come up with something else.
Ranma slowly got back on his feet, just like his opponent.
Both were a bit battered and breathing more heavily.
Mihail began: "Heh… you surprised me, I'll give you that… and you messed me up, not once, but twice… but you didn't come out unscathed either… two broken ribs?
No, three… too bad, if I had hit harder, one of those bones would have punctured a lung… and by now, you'd be drowning in your own blood…"
Tch… this little bastard shouldn't be underestimated… between the initial accident and his attacks, I've taken four nasty hits… it's time to get serious and finish this.
Ranma was quickly assessing his own body.
It was incredible that his opponent had counterattacked from that position. Or that he had inflicted so much damage with a single, simple strike with the handle.
He had certainly managed to weaken him a lot, but… he couldn't take any more risks either.
Mihail began expanding his aura. His Dou Ki had the color of blood.
He heard Ranma breathing strangely, but he didn't pay attention to it at the moment. He gripped his scythe with both hands.
Ranma stopped his breathing exercise and closed his eyes. When he reopened them, they seemed empty, as if looking beyond space.
Hayato and Ogata had returned to the grand hall where their battle had begun and were going at each other fiercely.
As usual, Ogata did not miss the chance to taunt his former Master.
"AHAHAH! So, Hayato, what do you think? By now, will your precious Disciples and their friends still be alive? Or have they already been slaughtered by our Disciples?"
Hayato: "Tsk! I won't fall for your cheap provocations, Ogata!
Let me remind you that Kenichi has always managed to defeat your Disciples! And Ranma is a talent that appears only once in a lifetime.
After training them all this time… I'm sure they'll make it! And so will the others!"
"Uhmpf! Are we really sure about that? Under other circumstances, I might believe it… but on this ship, there's Mihail Stirbey, of the Eight Execution Blades… he's the most ruthless of them all, a bloodthirsty maniac… even if the others defeat the Disciples—and as for Kenichi beating Berserker, I sincerely doubt it—sooner or later, Mihail will defeat that Ranma… and then he'll come back to finish the job."
Hayato: "And you'd be fine with that outcome, Ogata? After all, you wanted to capture those kids to rebuild an 'Ombra, Nine Fists.' Instead, the Blades, in case of your failure, prefer to get rid of them to make the armed division prevail.
Right now, you should be the one opposing them. The scenario you describe… is the worst possible one for you.
If we win, we'll escape from this ship. If they win, all your precious… research tools will be killed, and you won't be able to use them anymore.
No matter who wins… you will lose."
"Uhmpf! Yes, and that's why I propose a deal, Hayato Furinji."
"I'd rather make a deal with a rattlesnake."
"Listen to me before refusing. You care about saving the kids too. If I keep you here too long, soon they'll all be dead. So let's stop fighting, and let me go.
I promise that I WILL PERSONALLY KILL the Yomi Disciples and even Stirbey himself… then I'll leave with the prisoners, sure, but without harming a single hair on their heads."
"If you really think I'd accept such a proposal, you're even crazier than I thought, Ogata."
"THINK! It's in your best interest too. Maybe the others have a chance, but from the auras I sense, Kenichi and that Ranma are facing Berserker and Mihail.
Those two aren't like the others. They're real monsters.
They will undoubtedly win their fights and kill their opponents.
In fact… the first of the two to win will come back and slaughter the wounded Disciples in their respective battles.
And then, winning this duel wouldn't help you at all: even if you defeated me, all that would be left for you would be to mourn them, Hayato.
Rather than losing those kids, you should prefer knowing they're alive but under my control."
Hayato burst out laughing. The other looked at him quizzically, as if he were insane.
"You really are something, Isshinsai Ogata. Quite the silver tongue.
In another life, you could have been a preacher… or a door-to-door vacuum cleaner salesman.
Anyway, my answer is NO; and for a simple reason: unlike you, I don't believe I have control over the lives of others. I can't choose for them.
And I know that's not what they would want.
They would rather fight and maybe die on their own terms… than be stripped of their freedom."
"But this way, they'll die! It's not a matter of IF, but WHEN."
"Uhmpf! Are we really sure about that? According to you, everything depends on Kenichi and Ranma's fights… if those two win, we'll all live happily ever after."
"And you really think they can pull it off?"
"One of a good Master's duties is to have FAITH in his Disciples, Ogata. I had taught that to you once.
But since faith alone is not enough… one must prepare… and over these months, I have prepared them well."
Ogata flinched: "You've taught them… some of your 108 Secret Techniques?
But… you had never taught them to anyone! Not even your son Saiga!"
Hayato snorted: "Saiga didn't need them, he's already strong enough and has even created his own secret techniques… besides, I had already made an exception in the past with Kenichi, teaching him the Ryusui Seikuken.
Anyway, yes, I've taught those two boys some special techniques.
And in both cases… I gave each of them exactly what they needed most!"
Kenichi focused and remembered Hayato's teachings.
[A FEW MONTHS EARLIER.
Remember, Kenichi—the Elder had told him—now that you've improved at integrating martial arts, you're not only better at attacking but also at defending.
Because this way, you expose yourself much less and don't leave openings for counterattacks.
If you ever need to defend yourself from an opponent too strong, there's always the Ryusui Seikuken.
However, there are also opponents who are hard to hit and can't be defeated with ordinary techniques.
You have the Mubyoshi and the Koroi Nuki as special techniques, but they can only be used in certain circumstances.
You need a new ATTACK technique.
For this reason, I believe it's time to teach you a certain technique I've only taught to two men in my life: the first one died, and the second turned to evil and killed the first.*
Maybe the third time I'll be luckier…]
He focused on predicting Berserker's movements.
Meanwhile, he tensed the muscles in his forearms and stiffened his fingers into a knife-hand stance, like in karate.
Berserker kept spinning like a top in the air. He was closing in to strike him.
Kenichi focused again. He managed to pinpoint the exact moment when, while spinning, Berserker turned his back on him.
FURINJI STYLE: KAZOE NUKITE
FIVE FINGERS!
And he delivered a pinpoint strike to his opponent's back.
Berserker seemed shocked and loosened the tension in his muscles. He missed his target, but then continued bouncing and spinning.
As he was about to strike Kenichi again, the latter stepped forward, almost exposing himself, and the blond fighter tried to anticipate him by delivering a jumping knee strike.
Kenichi bent his thumb, leaving only four fingers extended, dodged the attack, and struck his exposed thigh.
FOUR FINGERS!
This time, Berserker landed on his feet but realized he was struggling to continue with those absurd movements.
He then turned toward Kenichi and charged at him, still covering his torso with his arms as a shield, exposing his elbows.
Kenichi bent his pinkies on both hands and executed a double strike with the remaining fingers against his opponent's forearms.
THREE FINGERS!
This time, Berserker noticed he could no longer keep his arms raised—they dropped limply.
"What kind of... No, actually, I think I've seen this before... That's... a technique from Master Ogata! But..."
"Yes, but before it was his, it was a technique of the Elder!- Kenichi clarified - And again, it's not just any technique.
It's not something you can overcome with improvisation, Berserker!"
"Damn you!"
The blond fighter lunged at him, aiming to deliver a headbutt, but Kenichi ducked, dodged it, bent his ring fingers, and with only two fingers per hand, executed a double strike—one to Berserker's abdomen and one to his upper pectoral, near the clavicle.
TWO FINGERS!
This time, the giant shuddered as if he was losing control of his own movements.
Kenichi began explaining: "Basically, as you know, this is a miraculous technique that concentrates the power of one's strikes, paradoxically producing MORE power the FEWER fingers are used.
At the same time, each combination has a different meaning because pinpoint strikes can be used for various purposes—weakening the opponent, opening their guard, disabling limbs and muscles, etc.
And now... it's time for the grand finale!"
Berserker went all in. He still had one good leg.
He launched a devastating front kick.
Kenichi dodged it and lunged forward, his index finger extended.
ONE FINGER
Berserker was struck right in the sternum.
For a moment, he stood frozen, then he gagged as if about to vomit and was thrown backward, as if pushed by a mysterious force.
He remained on the ground, gasping for air.
Kenichi stood up again, looking at his hand, satisfied.
I've always known that... the time I spent at Ryozampaku... was not wasted time.
Mihail Stirbey couldn't believe his eyes.
The boy who, just moments ago, couldn't even dodge ordinary attacks was now effectively blocking all his strikes, moving extremely fluidly around his scythe, as if reading his mind.
His movements were graceful, like a dancer, as if he knew exactly what to do in advance.
A thin layer of light blue Ki surrounded his body. His eyes appeared wide open, staring at some undefined point in space, behind him.
[SOME MONTHS EARLIER.]
"Listen to me, Ranma," the Elder had told him. "You have ascended to the level of Master, and without a doubt, those who do not surpass you in physical attributes will always struggle to fight against you.
You possess sharp intuition, strategy, and warrior instincts.
Moreover, you have an excellent balance between defensive capabilities (whether you dodge or block, your reflexes are outstanding) and offensive ones: if you fail to strike an opponent with ordinary attacks, you can rely on your secret techniques, which, if necessary, can damage a superior-level opponent.
And here lies the problem."
"What do you mean?" Ranma had asked.
"That if, offensively, you can damage even superior opponents, you might be tempted to face enemies above... your weight class, so to speak.
But against them, conversely, you wouldn't be able to defend yourself as effectively. You are a fighter who relies on speed, on dodging enemy attacks and counterattacking.
However, if you face someone FASTER than you, your defensive structure will crumble...
For this reason, paradoxically, you need to learn superior DEFENSIVE techniques...
I will teach you a special move—the same one Kenichi successfully used against you... but you must promise to use it only against opponents superior to you."]
RYUSUI SEIKUKEN: DAI NI*
Those were the words the young fighter had spoken moments ago.
Stirbey had heard of it as a legendary technique... He never believed it could actually exist... or that this young man could have learned it.
Yet, it was real. Ranma seemed possessed, as if he wasn't thinking at all about what was happening, yet he effortlessly avoided all of Stirbey's high-speed attacks and complex combinations.
He did so moving in a relaxed and fluid manner, making the smallest possible movements.
It's working-thought the pigtailed fighter-now I just need to wear him down a little and then... I'll find an opening to counterattack. This technique is truly amazing; I understand how Kenichi managed to use it against me.
Mihail, however, was not as pleased with the situation.
I need to change tactics... tch... I never thought I'd have to do this against a kid, but... I'll use THAT technique.
The five Commanders of the Shimpaku Alliance were struggling, each engaged in battle against six guards.
Each guard wore armored vests and helmets similar to those of police riot units.
Moreover, they were trained to fight with two weapons—special batons that discharged electric shocks upon contact.
On top of that, they were accustomed to fighting in teams in a way that prevented them from obstructing each other.
So it's easy to understand why, despite the progress they had made in the past months, the young fighters were facing difficulties.
Each had taken down one or two opponents, but now they couldn't find the openings they needed to counterattack and had to focus all their efforts on defending themselves.
Even from different hallways, they were all thinking the same thing.
Takeda: Damn it, they're used to fighting as a group...
Freya: On top of that, they've been trained to adapt to changes; now that they're down to four, they're using different attack patterns than when they were six...
Ukita: And with those electrified weapons, getting hit even once could mean the end...
Thor: Because even if one hit doesn't paralyze me, the slightest hesitation would let the others dogpile me...
Siegfried: Hmm... This desperate situation is giving me an idea for a new melody... I'll just note it down in my mind for now and wait until I can write it down... But I need to wrap this up quickly.
(Siegfried doesn't think like everyone else.)
Suddenly, one of Ukita's enemies tried to attack him from behind.
Having trained for months at Ryozanpaku under Akisame, the young man managed to turn around and intercept the blow with his metal forearms.
As expected, however, all the others immediately swarmed him.
A scream was heard: "AAH!"
From the other corridors, all his friends became worried.
Takeda: "UKITA! Are you okay?"
Freya: "KOZO! How are you?"
But then, another yell was heard: "UOOOOOH!"
Ukita had indeed been struck by one of the electrified batons, but only grazed, as he grabbed the first enemy and spun him around like an improvised club, hitting the others and pushing them back. Then he threw him far away, unconscious.
"DON'T WORRY ABOUT ME! I'M FINE! JUST DON'T GET DISTRACTED!"
And indeed, at that moment, in all the other corridors, the guards attacked the students, who had let their guard down out of concern.
It was as if someone had given a signal.
Yet, Ukita's voice could still be heard, shouting to encourage them.
"FINALLY, I… CAN FIGHT ALONGSIDE YOU AS AN EQUAL… SO I DON'T WANT OUR DAYS TO END HERE… KEEP FIGHTING AS YOU KNOW AND LET'S GET OUT OF HERE TOGETHER! IF NECESSARY… LET'S DO WHAT WE'VE ALWAYS DONE… AND SURPASS OUR LIMITS!"
Dodging an attack from one of his opponents, Takeda thought:
Phew! Well done, Ukita! After training for months at Ryozanpaku with Koetsuji-dono, he can even talk like that… well then, we can't fall behind!
One of the guards flinched. Takeda had activated the Ryusui Seikuken and began dancing among their attacks, dodging them all.
Freya also focused now that she was no longer worried about her boyfriend.
She grabbed her staff with both hands and started spinning it like helicopter blades while twirling herself, deflecting attacks from all directions.
KUGATACHI RYU! SECOND TECHNIQUE: O KEN!
When the enemies were sufficiently distanced, she faced them one by one.
She struck backward blindly, knocking out an enemy with a blow to the sternum.
KUGATACHI RYU! THIRD TECHNIQUE: YAMIZUKI!
Then she grabbed her staff with both hands again and slammed it forward at the farthest opponent, smashing his helmet.
KUGATACHI RYU! FIRST TECHNIQUE: REI MEI!
The last opponent lunged at her from behind, but Kaname had the presence of mind to split her staff (composed of two smaller, detachable sticks) into two and used one to deflect the enemy's attack, then slammed the second between his shoulder and neck.
Thor, on the other hand, used a different technique. Just before everyone struck him, he delivered a terrifying two-handed blow to the steel floor.
THOR'S HAMMER!
The shockwave sent everyone around him crashing to the ground. As they got up one by one, he took them down with powerful palm strikes.
He crushed the first with a body blow, the second with a strike to the sternum, but then the fourth tried to attack him from behind.
He grabbed the third by the arm and pulled him back, using him as a human shield, so that he got electrified by his comrade's attack.
As soon as his view was cleared, a hand as big as his head smashed the opponent's helmet.
Siegfried was… doing something in typical Siegfried fashion.
He started spinning like a top while singing, and practically ALL his opponents were sucked into the vortex, ending up accidentally hitting the comrade to their right and electrocuting them.
They all fell to the ground together, while Siegfried stood tall among them, unscathed.
Takeda was having fun knocking down all his poor opponents, slipping through them like a ghost, landing right and left punches, occasionally shouting
Illusionary Left! (a left so fast its trajectory is unreadable),
Warp Punch! (a feint using Ki to trick the opponent into expecting a high strike while actually striking low),
Cross Counter (a right punch thrown towards the opponent's face at the same moment they attack, grazing their arm and landing first), and
Bolo Punch (an uppercut thrown while bending at the knees and then jumping up like a frog), knocking them all out.
Finally, Ukita, left alone against three opponents, had a bit more room to move.
The first guard who lunged at him was intercepted by the wrist, then Ukita spun and executed a classic Judo throw, a Seoi Nage, sending him flying through the air and crashing onto his back.
The second tried to strike him with both batons from the left and right, but Ukita ducked, dodged them, grabbed his legs with a Morote Gari (a now-banned Judo move, lifting the opponent by the legs), and sent him tumbling backward onto his head.
The last one attempted to stab him from above, but Ukita stood up underneath him, hoisted him onto his shoulder with his signature Kata Guruma, and then slammed him to the ground.
"Hey, guys! You all good?"
The echo of four "Yes!" answers from as many corridors made him sigh in relief.
Now, however, each of them could only move towards the central hall, the laboratory, to witness the final clash between Miu, Renka, and the Disciples of Yomi.
Until it was over, they couldn't leave. They would watch their comrades fight.
Miu and Renka were in a much better mood than a few minutes ago.
They were rapidly increasing the level of their auras, countering the attack of the Short Sword Disciples, Hyogo and Yui, while striking back at the same time.
Annabeth had retrieved several arrows and was shooting them at the two girls to assist her teammates, but it was as if the two Ryozanpaku disciples had already adapted to this attack pattern.
Displaying enviable teamwork, they spun around, parried enemy strikes, caught arrows aimed at them or their partner, and counterattacked the foe in front of them.
Like a dance, like a preordained choreography.
Annabeth, the archer, couldn't believe her eyes.
It looks… like they've been doing this forever.
Hyogo and Yui tried to apply pressure, but, in a flash of sparks, their Kodachi met only the Tekkou of the two girls.
As they got more accustomed, without even speaking, Miu and Renka began doing one of these three things with the arrows they caught mid-air:
-Breaking them so they couldn't be reused.
-Using them as melee weapons against the opponents in front of them.
-Throwing them back by hand at the Archer in the distance.
They kept spinning yet remained back-to-back, moving steadily in a specific direction.
It seemed like they were communicating without words.
Hyogo: Damn… this must be one of their techniques. We need to figure out how they're doing it before—
Indeed, Renka was using the same trick Hermit and Kokin had used against Ranma, which he had taught her to improve her martial synergy with Kenichi.
The Chinese girl was sending out Ki pulses to Miu, like a radio signal, to indicate her position and what to do.
After so much practice, and as a testament to her talent, she could do this despite them using opposite types of Ki: Renka used Sei, while Miu used Dou.
Annabeth, while retreating, realized she was trapped.
In moving and returning her own arrows, the Ryozanpaku girls had guided her exactly where they wanted: a dead-end among the wreckage of the laboratory.
What? They even calculated this?
Hyogo: "Damn it! Yui!"
Yui: "Yes."
But it was too late.
Miu and Renka kept spinning on themselves, back to back, as they moved laterally, relentlessly closing in on the archer.
Annabeth, as they approached, saw their auras merge. It seemed to her as if she was seeing the symbol of Yin and Yang.
The two short sword disciples attacked the girls with a simultaneous lunge.
Which was blocked by their armguards.
However, both had their free arm extended in one direction, with their hand clenched into a fist.
Miu's right fist had struck Annabeth's right cheek, and Renka's left fist had hit her left cheek. The Archer stood frozen for a moment, then collapsed to the ground, unconscious.
Exchanging a look of understanding, the two girls pushed back their respective opponents.
Renka: "Surprised? And yet it should have been obvious that our first goal was to take out that nuisance."
Miu: "Now this fight will cease to be a battle... and will split into two one-on-one duels... and in this format, YOU WON'T BEAT US!"
Hyogo: "Tsk! We'll see about that!"
Kisara had realized that Kimiko Ropponji truly deserved to be a Disciple of the Blades. She attacked and defended at super speed in every direction.
Therefore, to put her in difficulty, she used every trick in her repertoire, everything she had learned from her Master… or her Mistress, whatever they were.
Suddenly changing her strategy, she began walking straight toward her, arms hanging by her sides.
Baffled by this shift in pace after such an intense and dynamic fight, Kimiko started attacking her with rapid thrusts and lunges, always varying them.
Kisara waited until the very last moment and dodged with the least possible movement, continuing to advance.
"What… what the hell is she doing?"
"I'm putting my training to use. I was taught to defend myself against weapons and to fight at different distances… in addition to doing what I normally wouldn't… for example…"
After the last dodge, she was close enough. Kisara looked down at Kimiko, being ten centimeters taller. She firmly grabbed the shaft of the Naginata.
"…disarming an opponent by force."
The two women started struggling for control of the weapon, twisting in various directions, but Kisara was stronger.
She even tried to land frontal kicks at her opponent, but incredibly, Kimiko dodged them.
They fell to the ground, Kisara rolled backward and ended up on top of Kimiko, still wrestling for the weapon.
At this point, Kimiko blushed, arched her back, and kicked her legs up, wrapping them around Kisara's arms that held the weapon.
Then, with a sudden twist, she spun twice to get away.
She recovered the weapon, holding it between her knees, and then gripped it again, looking embarrassed.
"Woah! I wasn't expecting that! Well done!" Kisara said, unfazed.
"Then let's change tactics…" Her eyes narrowed, and her pupils became thin slits, like those of a feline, as she began walking on all fours.
She was glowing with Dou Ki.
Kimiko had never seen anything like it.
Kisara leaped from one side of the room to the other, shouting MEEEEOOOUUUWWW, with no apparent logic, making her completely unpredictable.
She tried to counterattack but realized she would be more exposed than anything else.
So she tried to find a pattern.
Just when it seemed like the cat-girl always kept her distance, she suddenly closed in.
With her hands stretched like feline claws, glowing with Ki, she slashed at Kimiko's left leg, leaving four marks, then jumped away.
"She really fights like an animal! Actually, that suits her well… at this point, nothing surprises me anymore…"
Still meowing and bouncing around, Kisara-cat closed in on Kimiko three more times from different angles, scratching her other leg, her right arm, and then her left arm.
The young assassin's beautiful kimono was getting ruined.
Is she trying to weaken me by targeting my limbs?
Then a fifth slash damaged the fingers of her right hand, which was gripping the weapon's shaft.
"That's enough!" Seeing her opponent vanish behind her, she swung an arcing strike blindly with the shaft, hitting Kisara's back hard and sending her crashing to the ground.
Kisara seemed back to normal.
"Damn… still, that was good enough for now."
"You really think you can win? These tricks won't work on me!" Kimiko declared, spinning her Naginata like a majorette's baton.
"Maybe…" Kisara said, taking off her shoes and leaping three times to climb onto a railing.
From there, she let herself fall onto her opponent from above.
Kimiko spun the Naginata like helicopter blades to defend herself.
I can see it… since she's injured, her rotation is slower… I can see the openings where I can strike… now I'll use that technique…
As she fell, she tucked her knees to her chest, then extended her legs forward, delivering hundreds of rapid front kicks.
ENHANCED CHESTNUT TECHNIQUE! A THOUSAND KICKS!
Kimiko was stunned. Yet Kisara's kicks struck at blinding speed, slipping through the gaps in her defense, hitting her, and then retreating with perfect timing.
She was overwhelmed by a barrage of blows and pushed backward.
Kisara landed on the ground, satisfied, and approached her opponent.
"YES! I knew it would work!"
But she got too close.
A horizontal slash, from left to right, was delivered from the ground.
The curved blade cut across her abdomen, just above her navel, not too deep but enough to draw blood.
The girl let out a cry and fell backward, leaving a spray of blood in the air.
Kimiko struggled to her feet, annoyed and with her outfit in tatters.
"Don't think… that this is over."
Now standing, she was the one looking down at her opponent.
"I acknowledge… that you are a worthy foe, Nanjo Kisara.
Worthy of fighting a Disciple of the Blades.
But soon, this story will end. For you… and your companions."
Kisara glared at her, almost growling.
It would end, huh? No way! I haven't trained for all those months with Ranko… or Ranma… or whoever they are… for nothing.
First of all, I have to prove… to myself, more than anyone, that I can do this, that I'm not just a side character.
Second, I want to save my friends.
Third, I want to see my parents again.
Fourth, I need to have a serious talk with Ranma, so he better not get himself killed, because he owes me a ton of explanations.
And fifth…
She felt foolish, lowered her gaze, and sighed.
What an idiot I am… that's not really the truth. He's right… whatever the explanation is… it doesn't matter… it doesn't matter if my Master is a man or a woman.
...the only thing that matters is that he said...
...that HE TRUSTS ME! And I will not betray that trust.
She stood up.
Kimiko started executing circular attacks, as feints, before launching a thrust.
But Kisara was no longer there. She had leaped into the air.
With Ranko, she had learned to fly. And now she was doing it.
She bounced off a wall to gain momentum, then performed multiple somersaults in the air, landing heavily toward her opponent.
Kimiko raised the handle to defend herself.
An axe kick came down from above, breaking the already damaged handle in two.
A second axe kick struck her forehead.
But... that's impossible
The girl collapsed to the ground without a cry.
Kisara landed, breathing heavily.
Then, once she had caught her breath, she let out a primal victory cry.
She cast one last glance at her opponent, frozen in an expression of pure shock, lying face down in the middle of the two broken halves of her weapon.
Hmph... Kimiko Ropponji... thank you for being... my wall to overcome
Then she turned in the opposite direction, looking worried.
Ranma... whatever the situation is... I have something important to tell you... so... make sure you come back alive
Kenichi was convinced he had won and had relaxed, but as he approached to hoist Berserker's unconscious body onto his shoulders and carry him away, something happened.
He sensed something in the air, and his instincts made him freeze on the spot, then jump backward. He was sweating cold.
From where Berserker lay on the ground, a scorching red aura emanated.
Dou Ki.
Slowly, inexorably, like a zombie, with jerky and unnatural movements, Berserker got back on his feet.
His eyes were wild, instead of speaking he let out a low growl and guttural sounds, and smoke escaped from his mouth.
Kenichi shuddered.
"No! It can't be… not now… this is why they call him Berserker, after all… he's entered Ashura mode… he has completely surrendered to Dou Ki and become a mindless, bloodthirsty beast…"
And yet… he still shouldn't be able to do this… I'm sure I hit him in a way that he shouldn't be able to move anymore… does this mean… he's pushing beyond his body's limits?
That he's willing… to break himself apart just to try and defeat me?
As if in response, Berserker let out a roar that made him flinch.
Then, in a flash, he closed in on him and struck—a kind of whiplash—with his right arm.
Since he couldn't move his forearm independently, he flung that part of his body at him, dislocated, as if it were a blunt weapon.
Kenichi partially blocked, but part of the forearm still hit his temple.
At that moment, Berserker lunged forward and, in doing so, drove his left knee into Kenichi's stomach, lifting him into the air along with him.
As Kenichi tried to recover, his opponent bit his right shoulder.
Kenichi screamed. He had never encountered anyone who fought like this.
He landed on his back and, in doing so, performed a half-backflip, kicking Berserker away.
Berserker somersaulted in the air and landed farther away, on all fours, growling viciously.
Kenichi turned, clutching his bleeding shoulder—he had torn a piece of skin off with his teeth.
Damn it… he really is a monster… how do I stop him… without killing him?
Mihail Stirbey had decided to increase the pace.
DANSUL CELOR SUTE DE LAME UCIGASSE
Instantly, the scythe, maneuvered at super speed, seemed to split into two dozen copies, attacking Ranma from every direction.
It was as if there were two dozen Mihails targeting Ranma from every possible angle.
And yet, Ranma managed to keep up.
RYUSUI SEIKUKEN: DAI SAN
Still letting himself be guided by his Sei Ki, the young man was able to use the Elder's technique to predict his opponent's attack pattern and block every strike, without missing a single one.
It seemed as if he too was moving so fast that he split into two dozen Ranmas, each blocking every single attack differently.
Mihail was astonished. One of his ultimate techniques wasn't working against a mere Master-level opponent.
Then he noticed something.
Between one block and the next, Ranma was looking him in the eyes and synchronizing his breathing with his. But each time, after a few moments, he looked away.
It was as if he was trying to find an opening to counterattack, but something was distracting him.
Ah… so that's it… thought the Yami assassin.
At a certain point, luck seemed to turn in Ranma's favor.
One of Mihail's attacks was coming right behind his back. He was pulling the scythe towards himself, aiming to catch him in between and slice his head off.
For Ranma, it was instinctive: he extended his arms backward, protected by his armguards, let the blade impact them, and allowed himself to be pushed forward by the recoil.
As he flew toward Mihail, propelled by his own force, Ranma extended into a flying kick, already savoring the end of the fight…
And then it happened.
It took him a moment to realize it.
It was like watching a movie and someone had removed the central frames.
He suddenly found himself in a new situation.
Mihail was in front of him, grinning.
Ranma felt as if he were suspended in mid-air, not touching the ground.
He gagged and spat something… it was BLOOD?
He looked down and saw it.
Mihail's scythe was no longer behind him… but right in front of his body, held horizontally.
And he had impaled himself on it.
The scythe had pierced deep into his abdomen, at stomach level, emerging from his back on the right side, between his ribs.
An ominous bloodstain was rapidly spreading from the wound.
He looked up again, not understanding what had happened.
All he found was the mocking, satisfied gaze of the Yami member.
"This is truly the end, Ranma Saotome."
Author's Note:
Am i bad for leaving you on this cliffhanger? Yes, perhaps…
This chapter had the intent of showing everybody's growth, not last the Shinpaku alliance members (who were led in this occasion by Ukita, a character with much potential in my opinion who had an arc to close), and have us enjoy the fights.
Ranma and Kenichi, as Miu states, have learned from each other…i liked the idea of making a parallel of them using each other's techniques, even thought their growth goes much beyond the techniques: Ranma has learned to trust people and be part of something, and Kenichi to be more sure of himself.
Hayato ha salso taught each of them some special techniques, as we see: Ranma mentioning he "had trouble learning Seikuken" in the fight against Kenichi and Miu and Kenichi being psyched at the idea was referring to this: he WAS learning it.
Kisara wins and has accepted that sex doesn't change things…but can she tell her Master before it's too late?
Glossary:
…Nothing will change…if i don't win: it's a direct quote from Ichigo Kurosaki when he fought Grimmjow in Hueco Mundo
Perhaps the third time i'd be luckier: in fact, Hayato taught (as we saw in Kenichi manga) Kazoe Nukite to OGATA himself and to the Master of the Tenchi Mushin Style, Kai Mido, who taught it to Tanaka Tsutomu, Ogata's sworn enemy in the manga. Ogata killed old man Mido and his daughter, Tanakas wife, with that very technique.
Ryusui Seikuken Dai Ni and dai San: Flowing Water Technique, Second Level and Third Level; that's Hayato's technique, taught to Kenichi; it allows to dodge enemie's attacks fluidly, with minimal movements and then to even counter by exploiting their thoughts to predict their patterns
DANSUL CELOR SUTE DE LAME UCIGASSE: (Romanian language) Dance of the Hundred Assassin Blades