Daisuki~: It's been over two years since the last chapter and for that we're sorry but even for this chapter I couldn't wait any longer myself. The majority of this chapter was written by me but guided by Facer's summary which I even made some changes. He also edited this chapter so it fits with his style!
I think that's something that needs to be said, both Facer and I have greatly contributed or helped one another with this story. I have even been the one to write the majority of the ending fight scenes. But since chapter 16 it's been hard for me to want to write fanfiction anymore because the engagement with my own audience has gone down.
The only story that has gone above and beyond is this one and I just couldn't let it go without this maybe final chapter. I hope this helps and maybe one day Facer can feel good enough to continue one day so please show him some love in the reviews, he always reads and has even responded to people.
Disclaimer: We don't own Ranma ½, Ranma ½ is owned by Rumiko Takahashi and Viz Media. Please support the official release and retelling on Netflix.
An eerie wind followed outside Ebiten's castle gate. The ones to bear witness to this unsettling scene were lost on the fang-toothed boyfriend. Jurojin was all but a painful reminder that The Seven Lucky Gods could be at the brink of defeat from two unknowns. Although proud of what they had accomplished and shown what they were capable of, this was a sore reminder to the brunette carrying his unconscious sleeping beauty.
"It's as I feared…" Jurojin groaned as his eyes followed the dust clouds as they whistled past them and off to the ledges.
"I was hoping I'd come across my Ranko fighting so I could cheer her on, but I'll admit, I'm still proud of her…" Ryoga commented as they crossed the chasm his redhead had.
"She truly is strong. She'd have to be to take on Ebiten and Monlon. I can only imagine you two have been training with each other for a long time…" the unofficial Lucky God commended, closing his eyes and bowing his head a little as Ryoga walked by his side.
"Well, you'd think that, b-but I guess you could say it's more like we just sorta clicked when we met, and even then it took a while to win her over…" Ryoga revealed what he thought would happen as he scratched his cheek with his pointer finger.
"Y-You're kidding! You two look like you've known each other for years!" Jurojin half-shouted with wide eyes, his hair whipping around from how fast he did so.
"Sometimes it feels like that, that's for sure…" Ryoga's voice trailed off as he blushed, smiling with an almost giddy-looking expression.
"Perhaps in a different life, you have, if you believe that sorta thing…" the gently smiling shadow hand mentioned, looking up as he could see the same thing happening between him and Monlon.
"If that's true, I'd bet it was the reverse then…" Ryoga joked that he could imagine himself being a wife in a past life to a male Ranko.
"Your girlfriend is that much of a tomboy, huh?" he asked while chuckling, as if forgetting that this man had just been his enemy moments ago.
"I guess so, except for her, it just works…" Ryoga scoffed and chuckled as he thought back to his and Ranko's first encounter and how crude she was then as opposed to recently.
"I understand. Because of how cold Monlon's had to become, she often gives others the impression that she's an ice queen, but that couldn't be further from the truth…" Jurojin said. When he spoke, he started calmly but smiled as his voice took on a much lighter tone near the end before trailing off.
"We've got something in common then. Our girls do what they know they've got to, and so do we," Ryoga added as they continued to walk.
"It would seem so." Jurojin smiled, then chuckled, although immediately after, his grin flipped upside down when he saw the aftermath of Ebiten's battle.
Ebiten's world was a swirling vortex of drowsiness, except now he could sense his body. He struggled to tense his muscles enough to move, and eventually, he found the strength to sit up, pushing himself up with one arm and then rubbing his head as he got himself to a shaky stand before he noticed his fishing pole nearby.
"Lord Ebiten!" Jurojin cried out in concern as he hurried over as best he could.
"Where's Ranko?" Ryoga inquired as he looked around, noticing some small redhead-sized indents scattered about the area, a crack, and some damage around the railings of the castle gate.
"J-Jurojin? A-aren't you supposed to be away training?" Ebiten questioned loudly enough for Jurojin to hear, as his right shoulder twitched in pain, no doubt feeling some whiplash from Ranko's come-from-behind win.
"I've returned because there's something special I needed to do! That's not important now, though! What happened to you, Lord Ebiten!?" Jurojin asked, despite having a good idea, as he got within talking distance of his fellow Nekonronian.
"That infuriating woman was more clever than I thought, she managed to find a weakness in my special technique just by…" Ebiten muttered to himself in annoyance, but his words dragged out as the visual of Ranko surprising him flashed in his mind. Suddenly, a superimposed image of Monlon entered his mind, launching herself off a red pillar. "Though Monlon could not defeat her, the intruder used her skill to defeat me, how degrading…" the diminutive man said in disbelief when a realization struck him, much like how he'd been smashed into those railings. His eyes went flat as a deep shame filled him.
"She won! That's my girl!" Ryoga exclaimed with a pump of his fist.
"Why is one of the intruders following you, Jurojin?" Ebiten inquired, an irked expression across his face.
"I promised if he defeated me I'd lead him to-" Jurojin began, but paused as Monlon started to stir in her sleep.
"Urgh, Jurojin…" Monlon muttered, squinting her eyes.
"Yes! It's me! Jurojin! Monlon! Are you awake?" Her boyfriend worriedly shook her while speaking, in hopes of truly waking her. Still, however, she drifted back into the abyss of unconsciousness.
"I'm curious, though, before we go, why do you need to lead him? It's just ahead of us and at the top…"
"That's actually… huh…" Jurojin paused and thought. Yeah, he had said he'd personally make sure that Ryoga could get to where he wanted to be, but the fact that his promise didn't require much besides just knowing where to go, which in hindsight was kind of obvious to him.
"Y-Yeah! I just wanted to be nice, since, ya know, we aren't as bad as you Lucky Gods make us out to be…" Ryoga defended, averting his eyes as he crossed his arms. To demonstrate this, he began walking ahead in the opposite direction.
"You have no sense of direction, do you, child?" Ebiten remarked with a blank look, surprised that this could be the boyfriend of the redhead who had caused them such trouble.
As if on cue, Ryoga froze in place after only taking three steps. He then looked down the spiraling downward path he now faced.
Both Jurojin's and Ebiten's expressions mirrored each other as they looked at one another.
"Let's proceed to the tower…" Ebiten suggested as he looked over his shoulder. "This way…"
Ryoga sighed and lowered his head.
Ryoga hated it when people could pinpoint his flaws. Honestly, it made him realize how much of a miracle it was that Ranko hadn't spotted it and had instead assumed he was joking.
Meanwhile…
"Both of you do your best! But please don't get carried away!" Lychee shouted as she placed her hands to the sides of her mouth, then lowered them with uncertainty.
It was silent, like the calm before the storm. Though neither spoke, the tension emitting from their person was enough to pierce the stillness. Sizing up her opponent, the redhead cracked her neck to one side, then popped her knuckles as she pursed her lips before furrowing her brow.
Kirin knew he would be a fool to take this woman lightly. This was his chance to restore their honor. Now, on the faith of his fallen comrades, he stood; he had to do well, and not just well, but enough that he didn't threaten his budding relationship with his future Queen. Although Ranko did not know it, he was honoring her by casting aside his normal chopsticks and revealing his chopsticks meant for combat, his eyes narrowing to dangerously thin slits. 'Though she's small, her form is near flawless. Her defense will be strong, but mine will be stronger!' Kirin thought, then bared his fangs.
"Oh, I've never seen him so…" Lychee said in an alarmed way, leaning back in fear from Kirin's display.
"Lady Lychee, please allow Master Kirin to focus on his fight. Though you don't know it, what our lord is doing is quite the honor," Yu Nuo advised as she reached a hand out, seeing that Lychee had tensed.
"How so?" Lychee asked over her shoulder, her eyes glistening in wonder.
"For he only uses those chopsticks for those he's deemed especially worthy. He sees that your friend is truly a superb fighter," the tranquil maid said, closing her eyes before clasping her hands together at her waist.
"Ranko 'really' is something…" Lychee remarked, but then looked to her nobleman. 'My Prince is 'really' something too!' she thought while blushing, as she couldn't help but still see the gentle eyes of the man she had come to admire.
"Aye, much like our Prince…" the other maid spoke very calmly.
"Alright then, I won't interrupt, so I'll just cheer for both my Prince and my friend silently from here. I hope they don't seriously hurt one another, though…" Lychee resolved, nodding her head with her eyes closed, more so to ready herself mentally for any worry that might become apparent.
The two maids who accompanied her hummed in confirmation before also nodding their heads, turning their gaze to watch in silence. The maid next to Yu Nuo cast her gaze at Kirin as her warm smile faded soon after, her eyes piercing and icy as her pupils trembled.
To the untrained eye, or even that of a normal person, Kirin's radiant turquoise aura was out for the world to see, expanding to show his concentration but also to let Ranko know his sheer power.
"Well, whaddya know?" Ranko remarked as she smirked ever so lightly in anticipation. 'I don't remember feeling something this strong since Ryo blasted that smug bastard Taro with his Shishi Hokodan. I can't take this guy lightly then. Still, if I go for weak spots with the Amaguriken, he's done for!' She flared her blue aura in return.
Kirin tilted his head backward a little, smiling now, as if he were saying that he wasn't impressed. That didn't go unnoticed by Ranko as she narrowed her eyes in annoyance before immediately disbursing her aura like a popping bubble and dashing toward the arrogant Prince, who didn't so much as take a step as Ranko unleashed wave after wave of fists, aiming for all his weak points.
"Got-" Ranko shouted before the tips of Kirin's chopsticks struck her in the gut, sending her skidding on her heels.
"Got what, me?" Kirin asked mockingly as he put his chopsticks close to his bottom lip as though they were a hand rubbing his chin in speculation.
"You're kidding…" Ranko's voice trailed off as she regretted that strike to her gut, wincing, although out of the corner of her eye, she noticed her hands and fingers twitching. More pain became apparent to her when she did; light bruises quickly formed around her wrists before covering her hands.
"I hope you're merely warming up, because I'm certain you didn't land a single hit," Kirin commented as he threw his arm out as if daring her to try again when his guard was supposedly down.
"Not even one, but how…?" Ranko muttered beneath her breath, so low that Kirin couldn't hear her. Looking down at her hands, she noticed the length of the bruises matched her enemy's weapon.
"You're quite fast, but it would seem not fast enough to get through my defenses," Prince Kirin remarked as he straightened his posture again, once again bidding her to do her worst.
"Big talk! I'll find a way! I always do!" Ranko roared as she once again closed the distance. This time, she went as blindingly fast as she could, so fast that she even traded some of her precision, firing more wildly than ever before.
"Still much too slow!" Kirin declared as he stopped Ranko's traveling fist with his chopsticks by pinching her wrist and then letting it go, effectively blocking and attacking simultaneously.
"I'll show you!" Ranko declared before going in for another high-speed punch, only for her to scoff mid-punch and feint with her right arm. Using her blinding speed, she appeared as a red blur before using her left leg to sweep the astonished Prince's legs.
"Yet again-" Kirin began to exclaim, but his words were cut short as Ranko's sudden sweep forced him to leap into the air. Surprised by her maneuver, his eyes went wide; he barely had any time to react, hovering momentarily in midair. Ranko, however, was already ready for him when she finished her rotation.
Unleashing an intense burst of agility, she fell backward and then pushed herself off the ground with her arms, launching both legs upward in a powerful rising kick. Her feet landed squarely on Kirin's chest as he descended, hurling the prince backward. He tumbled painfully to the ground, twisting and contorting his body in time to avoid spilling the precious rice clutched in his hand.
"Not bad, perhaps I'll 'actually' be having some fun this time around…" Kirin muttered with a grunt.
Trying to keep him from catching his breath, he saw that Ranko was doing a backward somersault before landing back on her feet. Though when she did, he spotted her flinching noticeably; her hands shook when she used them to cushion her fall.
"I ain't done yet!" she screamed out, clearly pushing past her pain by suppressing her pained shrieks in her declaration.
Ranko charged in, fist ready to strike as Kirin seemed momentarily vulnerable. But just before her punch was about to connect, his expression shifted, his eyes gleaming with quick calculation.
Wordlessly, he tossed his bowl of rice and chopsticks high into the air, distracting Ranko for the briefest of seconds.
In that instant, Kirin's body dropped low. His left arm hit the ground as his left leg swept out toward his right heel in one swift motion. He kicked his right leg up hard, leaning into his left arm for balance as it held him steady. With perfect timing, Kirin switched his weight; the left leg that had just swiped under his right heel now swung up toward the sky. His right hand was planted firmly on the ground, bracing himself as he leaned back, his legs continuing their powerful arc around his body in a smooth, rapid spin.
Ranko had no choice but to retreat, dodging the whirlwind of legs that threatened to strike her down. The relentless rotations came infused with ki, much like how she remembered Bishamonten's and Wu's techniques; visuals of them flashing briefly entered the redhead's mind.
Kirin spun around with controlled ki winds and pushed off the ground with his right hand, his body transitioning effortlessly. He flipped out of the spin, landing in a low crouch, one knee to the ground, his body coiled tightly like a predator ready to spring on its target. Then, in a single graceful move, he rose to his feet, hands shooting up to catch his bowl of rice and chopsticks as they descended without spilling so much as a single grain of rice.
Kirin felt the sting of the impact radiate like a pulsating vein throughout his chest. 'She managed to hurt me, I'm even having trouble breathing!' he thought as he took a deep, haggard breath.
"I can see how some of my fellow Lucky Gods could fall, considering how strong and skilled you'd have to be to counter me like that," Kirin remarked, earning a scoff and a smirk from his confident adversary.
"About time you wised up!" Ranko exclaimed, running toward Kirin as he ran toward her too. 'Looks like we're gonna trade blows. I just gotta stay faster than him to get under his defenses!' Ranko quickly formulated her battle plan.
"Up you go!" Kirin shouted as he caught Ranko by the wrist before she could land a right hook, redirecting the flow of energy needed for her punch, but also using his strength and training with his chopsticks to fling her behind him and into the air.
"What the!?" Ranko screamed, suddenly airborne.
Showing no hesitation, the Nekonronian noble plucked three grains of rice from his rice bowl as he watched Ranko twirl in the air.
Tap! Tap!
Ranko's ballet flats hit the ground as she landed hunched over, though as she was straightening her back, she felt herself get struck twice on both the left and right sides of her torso, while the third hit her beneath the left side of her collarbone.
Ranko staggered backward as she grabbed her collar, and her other hand grabbed her torso where she had been hit. 'H-how? W-when!? Did the jerk even make a move!?' she thought in rapid succession as she squinted her eyes in pain, correcting her posture while fighting the pain of the bruises caused somehow by Kirin.
"Wind pressure?" Ranko muttered questioningly through her slightly agape mouth, imagining Kirin somehow using his chopsticks to slice the wind with ki in a controlled way.
Not given much time to dwell on the exact reason, she saw Kirin was already on the move again. Her eyes focused on his hands, and her pupils dilated to pinpricks as her adrenaline rush allowed her to see him picking out a few grains of rice from his bowl.
Instinctively, she knew to dodge, her mind processing things a mile a minute as she avoided the rice bullets aimed at her as best she could.
Riiippppp!
Ranko winced painfully, although she managed to avoid getting hit above her waistline. Kirin still managed to graze her legs about three times, while the other rice grains left holes in the loose fabric of her pants. 'Gah! What gives!? I can't hurt him if I don't get up close! Damn, his stupid defense! As long as he's got those rice bullets, I can't get close unless the bastard wants me to! Argh! Come on, think Ranko, and make it quick, or he's just going to wear me down!' Ranko thought desperately.
The winds whistled as Ebiten led the others. The eldest Lucky God narrowed his eyes as he saw that they were reaching a point where the plateau they were entering was flattening out.
"Not much longer," Ebiten muttered slowly, carrying himself with as much dignity as he could, given his pained expression.
Humming in confirmation, the unofficial Lucky God's mind flashed back to the others, all standing proudly: his twin brothers standing side by side, Bishamonten with his weapon plopped against his shoulder, and Wu standing behind them all with his usual vacant expression.
He looked down at his girlfriend and then narrowed his eyes with a pained look, lifting his head before looking behind him, and in the far distance, he could see his brothers' faint silhouettes, and further beyond that, he saw Wu carrying an injured Bishamonten.
At the sight of his two brothers, he appeared sad at first but was ultimately thankful they were both still alive. Beyond that, he looked at Bishamonten and narrowed his eyes. Then he turned to Ryoga and knew that the fierce beating his comrade had received was from his enemy.
Ryoga saw from the corner of his eye the look Jurojin was giving him, but knew that it must've been because he, along with his girlfriend, had bested his enemy's trusted allies. He looked away and ignored him. 'Don't blame him, I'd probably still be a little sour after someone hurt my friends or family,' the fanged man thought.
"It appears my brothers, Bishamonten, and Wu are on their way to the tower," Jurojin remarked calmly, returning his gaze back to his little brothers.
"If we wait for them, we'll take far too long to be of any help to our Master Kirin," Ebiten warned their shadow agent, doing his best not to slow down despite limping.
"I can't risk waiting anymore!" Ryoga roared out, his eyes going wild as if he were an animal looking out for his mate.
Both of the conscious guardians' eyes widened in panic. Wasting no time, they gave Ryoga chase, despite Ebiten still being hurt and Jurojin carrying his precious girlfriend.
"He appears manic!" Ebiten shouted as best he could through squinted eyes.
"He could try to assault our Lord!" Jurojin added, glancing at his older ally.
Regardless of their best efforts, the Lost Man still managed to outrun them. His determination was so fierce that he reached a corner where they lost sight of him.
"Cease and desist!" Ebiten demanded as loudly as he could muster.
Shortly after, their efforts paid off, for when they were finally able to see Ryoga again, they saw that he was standing before several armed soldiers, despite them clearly being scared by the malicious aura emitting from the enraged wanderer.
"Let me through, or I'll beat you all into paste!" Ryoga's voice showed no hesitation, punching his hand into his fist with enough force not to hurt himself, but enough to let them know the caliber of strength they'd be up against.
"W-we would die for our loving Lord!" the commander among them declared.
"Our lives are nothing in the wake of our Lord Kirin's!" another defended, thrusting his spear toward Ryoga threateningly.
Ebiten stopped suddenly, closing his eyes and pursing his lips. He fought off tears at the bravery of their fellow Nekonronians.
"Your pride and love for our Lord Kirin is admirable! But please don't throw away your lives or well-being!" Jurojin gave praise, but his warning was dire.
Ebiten looked at Jurojin and narrowed his eyes in determination, his focus returning as he wiped his tears and clanked the bottom of his fishing rod onto the ground.
"Let the man pass! Only if he agrees not to bring any of you harm!" Ebiten announced, grabbing his men's attention and Ryoga's.
With a low, growl-like hum, Ryoga relaxed his posture and dropped his fists to his sides. With a disgruntled look, he walked past them angrily.
The guards appeared hesitant at first. With a scoff, the bearded man who first said their lives were worth giving up for their Lord's also clanked the bottom of his weapon. Shortly after, they allowed him to go past them without a fight.
Being the first to reach the top, Ryoga could already see the fight underway, although what hit him hardest was watching Ranko getting pelted by grains of rice, of all things. His first instinct was to interrupt, but it was almost like Ranko's thoughts invaded his head, telling him to back off!
"Dammit…" Ryoga lowered his head and grit his teeth, his hands at his sides as they trembled.
Knowing it was now or never, as well as not having many options, Ranko followed her instincts and rushed Kirin so he couldn't practically gun her down with rice grains of all things.
"Hahhhhh…!"
Luckily for her, she immediately closed the gap, managing to dodge a food bullet, but even as it grazed her cheek, she felt it sting, though not enough to distract her or leave any cuts. Starting with a feint, she looked as though she was about to punch Kirin with a swing of her right arm.
Anticipating this, Prince Kirin zeroed in on her feint and predicted it, dodging the kick to his side by jumping back.
"Damn!" Ranko cursed her luck, following her attack with another ruse.
"Rinse and repeat!" Kirin mocked, seeing that Ranko had just done another feint, but in reverse.
"Huh!?" Ranko screamed as her enemy painfully pinched her wrist and threw her flying backward.
During her flight backward, Ranko remembered Ryoga's midair landing. Spinning while in the air, she contorted herself so that, despite landing and skidding back on her knees and hands, she avoided worse injury.
"The hell am I–" Ranko muttered, gripping the dirt beneath her in frustration. 'Huh!? Wait!' the redheaded warrior thought with wide eyes, looking down at the loose pebbles between her fingers.
An image of when she was messing around with those pebbles that almost hit Ryoga filled her mind's eye.
"Ever the persistent one!" Kirin brought his chopsticks back over his bowl, attempting to unleash another torrent of grains.
With her dominant hand, Ranko made it hover over her other hand and clenched the small rocks into her palm just as her idea hit her. The fierce redhead adapted and used her own version of Kirin's rice bullets!
"Kachū Tenshin Amaguriken!" Ranko called out her attack, pinching every pebble with her pointer finger and thumb before launching them at the insane speed of her technique.
"Copying my technique!?" Kirin exclaimed, not expecting Ranko to mimic his barrage.
Kirin cursed internally as he was forced to deflect the onslaught of tiny stones headed his way. He had allowed himself to pause while waiting for Ranko to land; his mercy hadn't rewarded him, and now he was left scrambling to fend off the small stones, which, although harder than his high-speed rice, came with such sheer force and rapidity that Kirin didn't have enough time to reverse the tide of battle.
Wham!
The first cast stone hit him square on the shoulder he was using to launch his rice bullets. The impact was enough to cave in his shoulder a bit, making him flinch, allowing another to strike him on the forehead and cause him to bleed a little.
"H-how!?" He got as far as saying before he let out a series of grunts and groans as the rest of Ranko's attacks acquainted themselves with the Nekonronian Prince's chest.
Throughout it all, Kirin refused to drop his food-themed weapons, even as he fell backward and onto his back.
"Dammit! I'm out!" Ranko immediately scooped up another pile of pebbles.
It was too late, though…
Kirin had once again thrown his chopsticks and bowl of rice into the air, spinning his legs around with ki-infused wind energy. Even though Ranko hadn't wasted that much time, her stones stopped just short and were then flung back at her at crazy speeds.
"To be caught off guard!" Kirin begrudgingly remarked, catching his bowl and chopsticks at the end of his defensive technique. 'Mustn't lose my focus, I don't wish for her to think I'm being needlessly cruel,' he thought.
"What the!?" Ranko cried out, dropping her pebbles and evading the returning projectiles by dashing off to the side, but while thinking she was in the clear, one of her own rocks hit her in her side, making the fleeing martial artist grab it in pain.
"Ranko!" Lychee exclaimed.
Ryoga's eyes trembled as he grit his teeth, resembling a wild lion about to lose control, leading to Ebiten and Jurojin becoming nervous as they watched him with tense expressions.
"The longer this fight continues," Kirin remarked with a frown during his small reprieve. 'I must end this fight swiftly and decisively; a wave of ki should be best to avoid any major damage!' the Prince reasoned before igniting his turquoise aura as deeply as he could.
Gritting her teeth with one eye squinted shut, Ranko slammed her free hand on the ground beneath her to help motivate herself to stand up. Although, when she had gathered herself enough to stand properly, she noticed Kirin's aura coming to life just like when they had first started their fight. 'Figures this guy's got some sorta ultimate attack, maybe, just maybe I gotta use Ryo's Hiryu Shoten Ha somehow, but this guy ain't using any hot ki I can work with, his style's so damn defensive! Still! I don't wanna lose, I can't lose! Not in front of my Ryoga!' she thought, allowing herself to sink into despair.
Ryoga's eyes widened in fear when he noticed Ranko's arms flopping to her sides, her head dropping down. 'Wait! Is she planning on using the Lion's Roar Shot!? She's not the kind of person to use that!' he thought, his mouth going agape.
"Ranko! You know you shouldn't bet it all on that–" Ryoga tried to get her to stop, reaching his hand out in worry.
"Shut it! Now let me win this fight!" Ranko exclaimed, hearing Ryoga behind her, throwing her hands out to her sides and then crossing her arms swiftly.
Kirin closed his eyes. The power from his aura spread out like it did when he used his deflective leg whirlwinds. The loose stones around him rode his power, ascending to the sky as he held his bowl in front of him.
"Hyakuuuuu…" Kirin began his technique chant.
"Shi-shiiiii…" Ranko began, her fiery locks floating around her form.
"Hashiii…" The Prince of Nekonron muttered deeply as he then lifted his chopsticks, which he let go of as they floated over his rice bowl before crossing each other in an 'X' formation and spinning around.
"Hoookoooo…!" Ranko muttered deeply, opening her eyes as they took on the same green color Ryoga's would.
"Zaaashiiiii…!"
"Daaannnnn...!"
Both fired intense ki beams, Ranko's green blast launching with a force she had never mustered until now, focusing on the frustration she had built up dealing with an enemy who was the closest thing to her direct counter.
The Prince's turquoise beam sprang forth from his rotating chopsticks, clashing against Ranko's Lion's Roar Shot.
"Rankooooo!" Ryoga screamed in worry, shutting his eyes.
Boom!
The instant their ki blasts met in the middle, the air between them split and released a gust of wind so powerful that everyone save for Kirin and Ranko was sent a good foot or two back.
Lychee looked terrified, feeling the gales of wind between her best friend's and future lover's skills push her back hard enough to make her cover her eyes from any debris.
Although before she could actually fall on her back and hurt herself, the maid who had been watching so intently heard Lychee grunting loudly and stepped in to keep her safe.
Lychee opened her eyes when she saw this, then closed them again, thankful that this humble worker would keep her safe.
Both combatants continued to scream. It hadn't lasted as long as it could have, as at first the beams clashing combined the turquoise and green colors to tint the battlefield.
Whoosh!
The explosive force of Kirin's attack stubbornly pushed back until it overcame Ranko's green beam, changing the color of the field to Kirin's powerful aura color.
"Ahhhhh!" Ranko screamed as her beam was split and deprived, smashing directly into her torso and sending her flying back hard.
"Nooooo!" Ryoga tried to catch her by dashing forward, holding both his arms out. The wanderer tried to catch her until he heard her body thudding and hitting the ground in front of him before she skidded backward, only to stop in front of him.
The formerly lonely wanderer's voice quaked as he saw his girlfriend on her back, one limp hand across her stomach while the other was above it, her palm facing the sky.
"Ranko! Ranko!" he exclaimed, tears in his eyes, as he kneeled down and cradled Ranko's beaten form. 'Please! Please! I can't! Not without you! Not without you! Dammittttt…!' he thought, pleading for the heavens not to take the one who made his life worth living.
Kirin's chopsticks stopped rotating, coming to a slow halt. Before they landed on his bowl, he caught them mid-fall and then brought his weapons back down to their usual places by his sides.
Grinding his teeth together, the Lost Man's aura exploded with green and black energy as he held Ranko close to his chest, her head resting on his shoulder. He made gasping and choking sounds, but to those with the sight to see, his form was at first a green lion roaring in anger before it became twisted with the black aura that surrounded it.
Ryoga's pain sent shockwaves throughout the entire field. The aura creature shifted into a twisted version of the prideful creature it had been. Its fangs extended like those of a creature born of nightmares that writhed in agony and hate.
Its green eyes looked to be burning in eternal pain, the dual-colored energies that had formed it melding into each other. Its outer edges looked like darkened vines.
Everyone took a second to pause in fear; even the mighty Prince Kirin took a moment to quake in fear before returning to his composure. 'I couldn't have taken her life with that!' he thought, dreading that he had unleashed something he couldn't contain and had also taken a life in the process.
Lychee, after being protected by the maid, peeked out from behind her and noticed that Ranko wasn't moving much. Her eyes watered as she feared the worst; unable to bear the sight and the thought of losing her friend, she tried her best not to cry.
Gasp!
Ranko started breathing again, her breath haggard but clearly alive. Instantly, the aura that had brought them all fear died down, fading away like a drowned flame.
"She's alright!" Ryoga commented and sighed in relief.
"Lady Lychee, your friend is alright! She's merely unconscious!" Yu Nuo reassured the Queen-to-be.
"Ranko!" Lychee exclaimed as she ran past the two royal tower workers, making them chase after her in worry.
"Please look after Ranko," Ryoga spoke calmly, a frown on his face as he stood back up and lifted Ranko.
Yu Nuo and the other maid, although having been behind Lychee, waited for the Princess to stop. Her fellow redhead stopped and smiled as she saw that Ranko's breathing was better than when she had first heard it struggling.
"Of course," Lychee nodded, wiping away tears.
Ryoga walked over to Kirin with a seriously pissed-off expression.
"I'll continue Ranko's fight. Someone needs to show you not to hurt women," Ryoga affirmed, his voice clearly holding back his inner rage from how contained he sounded.
"I didn't intend on killing her," Kirin interjected, now that he was more composed.
Ryoga bared his fangs.
"Ryoga and my Prince! Before you continue your fight, allow me and the maids a moment to take Ranko to the tower so she can be placed somewhere safe!" Lychee said with some urgency in her voice, holding out a cautious hand toward Ranko. 'I know this will help Hóng fā, but perhaps this will also allow my dear Prince a few precious moments to breathe,' the Princess thought.
The bandanna-wearing martial artist relaxed his face, closing his eyes and letting out a quick sigh.
"Thanks, Lychee, for being such a good friend. Besides, I want this Prince Kirin guy at his best when we fight," Ryoga answered softly at first, but when he opened his eyes, he stared directly into his opponent's.
By the time Ryoga had answered, Lychee had immediately turned around with a sigh of relief that she could slyly buy Kirin a bit more time, or so she had thought, given what Ryoga had followed his words with.
Both Yu Nuo and her fellow maid seemed to be on the same wavelength and tensed for the briefest of seconds. Though it wasn't enough for Ryoga to notice; it didn't seem that he'd care that much either way.
Wordlessly, the silent wanderer followed his friend and the unknown maids. The shadow of his hair obscured his eyes as they went toward the tower.
"Before we go," Lychee quickly dashed away, not caring if she was in a pretty royal dress.
"M-my Princess! You needn't worry-" Kirin began, doing his best to appear as strong as he could.
"I won't have you lying! Rest as much as you can, my sweet Prince…" Lychee said sternly before softening her expression with a dusting of pink on her cheeks.
During the time Lychee had interrupted, Jurojin made his way over while carrying his girlfriend Monlon.
"Kirin, please be very careful with that one," he whispered after Lychee had turned around to join Ryoga in leading Ranko to the tower.
Once Lychee had turned around, Kirin looked at Jurojin for a moment, at first noticing Monlon and narrowing his eyes.
The Prince silently nodded.
The silent agent shortly after followed the maids and their Queen-to-be inside.
Inside the infirmary was a humble nurse behind a desk. In front of her was a checklist of various supplies she needed for future patients. Next to her paper forms was a small cup filled with green tea.
All of a sudden, the phone opposite where her teacup was sitting rang. The nurse's eyes perked up and she picked up the phone.
"Hello?" she asked, hearing the words on the other end and simply nodding.
"I'll prepare beds for them right now," she muttered and hung up.
Moments later, the girls, along with Ryoga, opened the doors to the infirmary. The maids stood to each side of the double doors as Ryoga, carrying Ranko, was the first to enter. Jurojin followed right after. Lychee trailed behind them.
"Please make sure Monlon is well cared for," Jurojin advised.
"She is one of The Seven. You have my word that I'll do all that I can," she responded without wasting any time as she gestured to the bed Monlon would occupy.
"Thank you," Jurojin said, going to deposit Monlon onto said bed. 'I need a word with Lord Kirin, my first warning didn't feel like it was enough,' he thought quietly.
"I think this bed is good," Lychee commented as she spotted a bed near Monlon's.
"That should do," Ryoga replied, heading over to the bed Lychee picked out.
In the background, the doors to the infirmary could be heard opening as Jurojin stepped out.
The determined wanderer slowly placed the love of his life down onto the bed. His expression softened as he reached his hand out to move one of Ranko's hair strands away from her eyes.
Lychee merely watched, smiling softly at Ryoga's expression of love. Not saying anything, she looked over to the two maids and, with a flick of her head, gestured for them to follow her out as she started walking toward the double doors near which they stood.
Ryoga looked over his shoulder, hearing the sounds of the doors creaking. He spotted the nurse inspecting Monlon's condition.
"I promise you, I will win," Ryoga whispered as he turned back to Ranko, leaning down and kissing her forehead gently.
"I love you…" His voice trailed softly before he stood up and followed the maids and Lychee back out the doors.
Outside…
Back outside, Ebiten stood before the soldiers, no doubt commending them for their willingness to protect their people and its royalty. After he finished speaking, he bowed in appreciation; they all returned it right after.
"Kirin!" Jurojin called out as he saw his old friend looking out into the distance, his eyes closed.
"Jurojin! It's good to see you! I had thought you were away!" The Prince of Nekonron greeted him, smiling warmly.
"I was, but there was something left unsaid, so I had to return," Jurojin replied with an equally soft smile.
"Forgive me for not greeting you earlier," the Prince apologized, giving an uneasy chuckle.
"It's alright. I know there were pressing matters to attend to," Juro remarked, crossing his arms.
"You've found yourself quite the beauty," Jurojin remarked.
"Alas, the day has finally come, old friend," Kirin added, lowering his head with a look of gratitude.
"If only this day could be filled with more celebration," Jurojin said, looking in the direction of the tower.
"Yes. Quite unfortunate, yet at the same time, I found her during this threat," Kirin elaborated, his warm expression faltering as he joined Jurojin in looking in the direction of the tower.
"I see. My Prince, I fear that my warning earlier wasn't enough to say how dangerous your next opponent can be. He is by far the strongest man I've ever met in battle."
"Even in comparison to me?" Kirin questioned.
"Without a doubt in my mind, I had to wonder if he was a man or a beast…" Jurojin remarked, remembering how time and time again Ryoga kept coming back for more.
"The moment I felt that incredible aura emitting from him, I understood your words. Hopefully, I'm victorious and we can set things aside for some celebrations, dear friend…" Kirin replied, his voice trailing in uncertainty.
"Is that a promise?" Jurojin smiled widely in hopes of easing the tension.
"That's a pro-" Kirin only got so far.
The heavy swinging of the tower doors echoed loudly, and then, as if to speak of the devil himself, Ryoga emerged at the forefront of the other girls.
Like a fearless warrior marching toward the gates of hell, Ryoga strode over, ready for anything the world had to throw at him. He stopped once he stood at the center of the plateau, locking eyes with the one who dared hurt his beloved Ranko.
"Are you ready to get this over with?" Ryoga asked sternly, all business now.
Kirin simply nodded and then looked to his friend for a moment, nodding once to him as Jurojin stopped looking at Ryoga and returned his friend's nod of confirmation.
"I have yet to restore the honor of the Lucky Gods. That cannot be until I've defeated you," Kirin stated coldly.
Lychee, behind the two maids, sighed, her eyes glistening in worry. "Ryoga is so very strong, my dear Prince, please be careful," she mumbled to herself.
Letting out a war cry, Ryoga charged forward. During his run, his right arm reached behind his head and grabbed his bandanna.
Kirin didn't waste a moment and also charged forward. He narrowed his eyes, wondering what he could be trying by reaching for his headwear.
Instead of stopping at just one headband, the fang-toothed combatant started throwing two more, one right after the other!
Seeing this, Kirin caught them one by one. While encircling each other, he threw them back as they came toward him. Despite this, Ryoga was all too familiar with the trajectory of his own headbands and evaded them while they essentially traded sides.
After the second one was thrown back at Ryoga, he leaped forward and duck-rolled before immediately getting up and jumping backward to avoid the third one Kirin had thrown at him.
"Haaaa…!" the Lost Man roared as, the moment his jump backward landed, he used the same technique he had used back then, and the instant his foot was in the proper position, he launched himself forward with his fist reeled back.
"Now you're–" Kirin began, catching Ryoga's wrist with his chopsticks, only for Ryoga's might to overpower them and slip past them.
Whammmmm…!
Parting the winds like a force of nature, the unaware Prince was sent hurling backward so hard that the gale caused everyone to cover their faces.
Kirin's cape fluttered in the wind before his back smashed into the wall of the tower near the entrance.
Scatter!
Fighting with everything in him, Kirin managed to hold onto his bowl and chopsticks, but before he fell from the wall, he even, like a cat, managed to land on his feet.
Crumble…
Bits and pieces of the tower wall fell around the hurt Nekonronian.
Kirin seethed with his eyes shut, his hand that had tried to catch Ryoga's fist shaking in protest. 'N-Never have I met someone so absurdly strong, close-quarters combat is not the way to victory!' the Prince thought to himself.
Ryoga's fist hurt because, for once, he had swung so hard that he had hurt his hand, but still, that wasn't enough to stop him. Once his punch landed, he had to wait for the debris to settle and for himself to land. Once he did, he still charged onward!
Despite his lack of mercy, that didn't mean his enemy was out of options, and when Kirin was able to, he glared and unleashed a wave of ki-infused grains.
"Cease, you beast!" Kirin roared.
"Like that'll do any–" Ryoga's eyes widened as he got pelted with painful grains of rice smashing into his form like concentrated points of pain.
Gasp!
Monlon suddenly awakened in the infirmary in the tower. Groaning with her eyes shut, she felt a stinging pain in her head.
The musical Lucky God shook her head, trying to clear it. Once she stopped, she noticed that her wrist had been banged and that she felt numbing agents on other parts of her body.
At the corner of her eye, she spotted a bandage. "What the?"
"Here!" a voice next to her said. "This should take care of any residual pain," the nurse beside her said.
"Huh?" Monlon said in a groggy voice, taking the pills and the cup of water handed to her.
"Ugh, Ryoga… I…"
The teal-haired musician stopped just as she was about to throw the pills into her mouth, hearing a familiar voice off to the side.
Her eyes widened when she saw that it was that insufferable redhead who had bested her coming to.
Skillfully leaping between tree branches was Chervil; to the untrained eye, she appeared as though she were faint lines in the air. However, a persistent sound followed her as her leaps between the foliage began to slow down and her presence became more noticeable.
If there had been anyone other than the birds and the bugs there to witness her heavy panting. Finally, Lychee landed on a branch overlooking a stream. She placed her left hand on the trunk of a tree, supporting herself as her forearm wiped some sweat from her brow.
"A stream!" she exclaimed. 'I ought to make a good impression on those two herbalists,' she thought.
Taking her time to land properly, Chervil landed on all fours before straightening her back and walking toward the flowing body of water. She dropped onto her knees and cupped her hands together, washing off any sweat she had on her face with the water.
On her third scoop, she looked down at her reflection in her hands.
"I'm supposed to be the future Queen of the Musk Dynasty, and here I am still trying to fix my mess… if only I hadn't…" Chervil said before closing her eyes and splashing her face clean again.
Chervil went up the steps toward the royal castle, escorted by two royal guards. Once reaching the gates, the two Musk guards clanked their weapons onto the ground.
The light from inside bled out until it spread fully. On the other end, at another set of stairs, stood Sumac, his hands in his sleeves as he stood proudly, a smile gracing his face as he looked at the worthy victor.
"Oh, favored daughter of the Musk! You have risen above expectations, from humble beginnings to the future Queen of our dynasty!" he spoke, congratulating her for a victory well earned.
"I-I'm truly honored to be here!" Chervil dropped down to one knee, bowing her head and quivering her lips as tears leaked from her eyes.
"Rise. Knowing that you're worthy of your duties should be a moment of splendorous pride!" Sumac said as he walked over to her and held out his hand.
Chervil lifted her head and sniffled, smiling warmly and wiping away her tears with her sleeve. "Y-yes! A thousand pardons!" she apologized, taking his hand and coming to a stand.
Once she was on her feet, the Musk official gestured for her to follow with a tilt of his head. Chervil walked with her head held high.
So many relics adorned the walls, all of which she remembered studying throughout her years. Pillars that supported the entire castle lined the halls. Pictures of kings and queens of the past also filled the walls.
"Though you've earned your rightful place by our Lord's side, there are still classes you have to take to be considered part of the Royal Family. Rest easy for now, though. I will see to it that the castle's governess begins her instructions for you at her earliest convenience!" the wolf Musk official assured Chervil.
"T-tell me, will I be meeting with Lord Herb?" the feline Musk clan member asked, sounding both excited and a tad bit nervous.
"We are on our way to see him as we speak," Sumac answered with his eyes closed and a smile on his face, glad to know that the one they had chosen was more than willing to fulfill her role.
Ascending a flight of stairs to the second floor, at the end was a pair of Musk-themed double doors. Each door at the center was adorned with the heads of dragons that looked as mighty as the lineage that had created them.
Chervil gasped in awe. The floor before this one had left her speechless; this room, however, was the picture of elegance. Treasures lined the walls; golden statues and mystical dragons were on display.
"Am I dreaming?" Chervil asked herself, losing herself in the decor as she held both her hands close to her chest, wanting to burst out in laughter but containing how giddy she felt inside.
"This room here holds many royal heirlooms. It is only proper for the new princesses to meet the current prince here," Sumac explained as he gestured toward them.
Chervil marveled at the sight of it all, walking past Sumac and twirling around quickly enough to take in everything.
"I shall go fetch our Lord. Please take in our rich history, for it may soon be yours as well…" Sumac's voice trailed kindly as he did a half bow with his arms at his sides.
Chervil turned to Sumac, seeing him open the double door and step out of the room. Once alone, she spent time looking at everything around her. Everything was mostly contained within glass displays, she noticed.
Walking slowly, she looked for anything else she could recall having learned about, but from what she could see, much of it was more personal treasures. What drew her attention the most was a beautiful wedding dress, one befitting a future Queen of the Musk. On it were shoulder pads that looked to be of golden scales, reminding her of the ones she had seen on Herb, but smaller and more curved to fit a feminine form. The rest was white with gold trimming and a beautiful headdress, with a lovely veil reaching all the way down to the chest.
"What's this?" Chervil asked, looking down at a note as it read:
Royal wedding dress
Only to be worn by those Musk women deemed worthy
The fang-toothed female Musk smiled warmly at this note, looking back to the royal wedding dress. In her mind, she couldn't help but imagine herself pressing up against Herb in her dress while Herb himself wore what he always did.
"My king…" she whispered, with her eyes closed and hands clasped together.
She was snapped out of her thoughts when she heard the doors to the room open. Her eyes shot open, her chest pounding, as even from the steps she heard, she knew this wasn't the soft, methodical pace she remembered from Sumac.
For Chervil, it was as if it were a fairytale scene, for when she saw her King, her mouth fell agape. He stopped a few feet in front of her, a suave look on his face as he came to a sudden but slightly jerky stop.
"I-I see–" Herb cleared his throat. "You've become interested in the royal dress. Just know that it's not very important. What should hold your attention is the Royal Ring, for without it, I, your prince, can't be crowned King." Herb clarified, pointing at what he found most important.
The redhead couldn't find the words to speak. She couldn't even tell how stiff or awkward he was because, to her, she might as well have been wearing rose-tinted glasses.
"I'm just glad to be within your presence, my Prince. I've worked so, so hard to win the tournament! So hard that at times I felt–" Chervil started, remembering how much dedication and time she had put into just being there.
Herb remained silent, absorbing everything she had to say until he closed his eyes and decided that he'd heard enough. "I'm thankful for all your hard work, but that's no longer your concern. I'm more than strong enough for the two of us," Herb said, holding a hand up to keep her from talking anymore.
Chervil's mouth went agape again, this time not in charm but as if someone had just shattered her house window and then treated it as if it were nothing to scoff at. 'I-I always imagined my Prince more appreciative than this…' she thought timidly.
"Now, with that out of the way," Herb paused, lowering his gaze down to Chervil's lovely bosom as he tilted his head.
"Huh?" Chervil blushed a little, recovering slightly from her sudden shock.
"Show me your breasts. I need to confirm that you're a woman," Herb spoke plainly. From what he could see, if Chervil's outfit wasn't compensating, she was roughly a modest C-cup size.
The feline Musk member's face turned a shade of red that, if she could see it herself, she'd think she was terribly sick. "W-what!? Before our wedding day? W-why so all of a sudden?" Chervil stammered, now understanding where he was looking.
"Huh?" He raised an inquisitive brow. "You should obey me, I'm your prince, after all…" Herb remarked, casually reaching for his future bride's shirt.
Much like a frightened cat, Chervil instinctively took a step back, seemingly about to leap toward the ceiling before she crossed her arms over her chest.
"M-my Prince, can't you wait until our wedding night!? We-we haven't even had our first kiss yet!" she defended, closing her eyes and looking away.
"I don't know what a kiss is, but I need to confirm that you have breasts. I'm telling you this on my authority as Prince," Herb spoke calmly but seriously.
"O-on my authority as as-as future Princess! You're not touching my breasts until our wedding night, and not, especially not, until we've kissed!" Chervil stammered in response, stomping her foot in front of her when she finished speaking.
"Stubborn cat! I don't want to touch your breasts, I only want to see them for confirmation!" a frustrated Herb said, taking a step forward like a pissed-off canine.
"Well I do want you to do more than just seeing them! I just want you to do it in a roman–" Chervil started, only to stop when she heard something else.
"Lord Herb! Mint and Lime have returned from their mission at the silver deposits in the mountains!" a servant called out loudly.
"The report is in!" Prince Herb smiled at this, glad for something other than frustration. "Wait here, and while I'm gone, consider not being such a stubborn cat over such a menial request!" Herb said calmly before turning away from her and exiting the room.
After Herb spoke to her like that, it seemed that all the fire in her head died down. She looked down with a saddened expression, and when he left, she reached for her sash. With lifeless eyes, she undid it and allowed it to fall to the ground.
Chervil's shirt expanded from her midsection, and she undid the choker that held her cloak on, letting that fall as well. She sniffled as that dropped to the ground too.
Once that was done, she grabbed her shirt and lifted it over her head; it too joined the other pieces of her clothes. All that was left was the white binding she wore that resembled a strapless bra.
Images of the nights she spent training—not just her body, but her heart and soul for him—filled her mind. Tears welled up in the corners of her eyes, baring her fangs as she felt them fall from her face and onto the bosom her future King only wanted to see.
"After all I've been through…" Chervil's voice trailed, lowering her head. "Just to have my efforts and feelings all dismissed! Just because I wanted the romance I've dreamed about for sooo long!" the warrior redhead said in pained whispers.
"It shouldn't be like this! He-he needs to-to…" Her voice quaked in pain as she then raised her head and decided a lesson was in order.
Immediately, she put her clothing back on, and when she finished with her sash, she grabbed the most convenient thing she could: the ring.
Shutting the glass display gently and as quietly as she could, she looked for the nearest window and proceeded to open it before jumping out. Moving so fast she appeared as faint afterimages, she kept going until she reached the women's side of the citadel.
"I told you chicken is too strong for breakfast!" Vanille declared as she sat on a bench next to the Tiger Musk woman.
"If you're weak!" Papri argued in return.
"Papri! Vanille! I need to get out of the citadel! No questions asked!" Chervil said quickly and sternly, landing on a wall behind the two.
"Uh, how about the canal that goes under the walls? That should do it," Vanille suggested, looking up and then back down at Chervil in confusion.
Papri tilted her head, unsure of what was going on, but closed her eyes and crossed her arms.
Moments later…
Reaching the canals and being stopped by a pair of bars, the two weaker girls looked to their physically stronger friend as Papri cracked her knuckles and reached for the iron bars, grabbing them and closing her eyes, grunting with intense effort before the bars bent and creaked and then broke apart.
Thunk!
"I get that you don't want any questions," Vanille began, looking off to the side.
"Yeah! Wasn't this what you wanted? All that time you spent training for?" Papri added, looking behind her and stepping aside.
Chervil looked down before taking a moment to try and think of what to say, only for an alarm to start blaring from the men's side of the citadel.
"All available Musk Men! Be on the lookout for a missing redhead!"
"I'm sorry! I don't have time to explain anymore!" Chervil exclaimed, shutting her eyes and dashing past Papri and Vanille.
Vanille reached her hand out to her friend and, with a saddened expression, looked down. Papri sighed heavily and crossed her arms, watching as she disappeared into the darkness ahead of them.
Chervil closed her eyes, replaying the events of her escape. She squinted before splashing herself in the face again.
"I should have been more understanding with my Prince Herb. I should have kept trying to talk to him before anything, reminding him that girls are different and need the right mood to see their breasts…" Her voice trailed, admitting that she had acted foolishly.
She sighed heavily as she allowed the water on her face to drip before opening her eyes.
"I will fix this, I promise…" she whispered her vow, rising onto her foot and looking in the direction of Yakusai.
Ryoga felt like a cornered wild animal being shot at with sticks and stones; his actions and mobility were limited. 'This is the hell he put Ranko through! I'll make him pay for this!' he thought.
The Prince remained cautious. Any chance Ryoga took to close the gap, he kept shooting and maintaining his distance. 'I'm aware of what you can do now!' Kirin thought, making sure to follow his enemy's footwork.
Taking everything into account, Ryoga knew he had to change things up, so he did what he did best and endured again, getting hit once on his right pec, a second time on his left shoulder, and a third on his right hip.
"Not this time!" Kirin shouted, sidestepping swiftly.
The hell-driven martial artist's eyes honed in on Kirin's evasion. Instead of propelling himself with the sole of his foot, he jumped forward. With a frightened look, Kirin was able to dodge at the last second.
Unable to stop his forward momentum, Ryoga was forced to duck and roll, during which Kirin took a page from Ryoga's book and launched himself in the same manner he had used against him.
"Hahhh…!" the Nekonronian Prince bellowed as he kicked Ryoga as hard as he could.
"Huh!?" Ryoga gasped in a panicked voice once he rolled back to a standing position, only to get kicked in the back.
Kirin gritted his teeth as his foot trembled in pain when he landed from his attack, bending his knees to maintain his balance. 'It felt as though I struck an enormous piece of stone!' he thought, shutting his eyes.
The fang-toothed man wasn't about to let up, not after what this had done to his woman. Quickly turning back around, Ryoga dropped to his knees and stuck his index finger out.
The world around him went black, his vision focused on the tiny breaking points that littered the ground like a vast night sky filled with stars.
"Bakusai Tenketsu!" he called out his technique by name and struck the ground.
Kirin finally composed himself enough to open his eyes, only to see Ryoga's hunched-over form. His eyes noticed the pattern of shattering earth far too late, for when he traced it, it was already beneath him, faster than his eyes could anticipate.
Booooom!
Everyone outside of the fight was in awe as their leader was sent flying backward in a hail of blinding white light and stones. Kirin's cape flapped in the wind before he landed on his side shortly after. Once again, he defiantly refused to release his bowl of rice and chopsticks.
Ryoga felt like this was a golden opportunity to ensure his victory. 'Fool took more damage just to keep his stupid rice from spilling!' he thought, planning to make him pay for such a blunder.
"It's over!" Ranko's seriously focused boyfriend declared while closing the gap between them again.
"Not yet!" Kirin rebuked before Ryoga could grab him by the shoulder, clamping his chopsticks onto Ryoga's ankle.
"What the!?" Ryoga said before finding himself landing on his side, hitting the ground hard enough to make the ground beneath him crack.
Once again throwing his kitchen utensils into the air, and using that window of time, he got onto his back and flipped himself into a standing position. The moment he was upright, his weapons landed in his hands. 'I've had to push myself to new levels for this fight!' the worried prince thought to himself.
Ryoga had to take a second to adjust, his side stinging from the sudden, powerful impact. 'He used so much strength making me fall that I felt that!' the determined wanderer thought.
"You're far stronger than I could have expected! But still! I will defeat you! Not just for the sake of the honor of the Seven, but for my dear friends and future!" Kirin declared, glaring at Ryoga with the same fury he had been given.
It was then that time slowed down for Kirin; his fallen partners' sacrifices and willingness to give it their all came to him all at once.
There wasn't much time to spare, and Ryoga knew that, so he immediately scrambled back to his feet. He wanted to use this opportunity to strike his enemy while they were vulnerable. Even though it was against his nature, he knew that his Ranko would want that.
"Hyakuuu…" Kirin began again, his aura flaring to life once more.
"Come on!" Ryoga shouted, finally getting to his feet and charging.
"Hashiiii…" the proud Prince continued his chant as he raised his bowl.
"I can make it!" Ryoga roared as he then tried launching himself again to close the distance.
"Zashiii…!" Kirin screamed as his chopsticks spun around and immediately fired out his ki attack.
"Gahhh…!" the fang-toothed man screamed as he was slammed with the ki attack just as he was within striking distance.
Lychee cringed when she watched Ryoga's body flailing around like a rag doll. As the energy died down, eventually her friend landed on his back, his arms out to his sides. His body twitched while he gritted his teeth in frustration.
"It's finally over…" the redhead remarked, looking relieved.
"I've won," Kirin muttered, lowering his weapons.
Suddenly, the doors to the tower were kicked open. On the other side was Ranko, and behind her was Monlon. Her eyes widened before she gritted her teeth in anger, then shook her head and clenched her fists at her sides.
"Ryoga! Get off your fat ass or I'll never forgive you!" Ranko insulted him, the hurt in her voice clearly noticeable.
"Monlon!" Jurojin exclaimed as he ran over to his girlfriend.
"Ranko?" Ryoga looked up from his fallen position, and with all his might, he rose to his feet again.
"Impressive! This will be the first time I've ever needed to use my Hyaku Hashi Zashi for a second time," Kirin commented, smiling as he still believed that he had the upper hand.
"And you'd be the second person who's ever forced me to use the Shishi Hokodan…" Ryoga's voice trailed as he straightened his posture and crossed his arms.
Haunting images of seeing Ranko defeated filled his mind. The anguish built in him as he gathered his ki. His aura exploded and once again caused a burst of wind to make his clothes flutter. 'This is like that first time, the pain that made me cry,' Ryoga thought, remembering how strong his first blast had been when Dan Lo showed him the technique.
Kirin leaned back and covered his face with his forearm. His eyes widened as he had never seen anyone focusing so intensely that the sheer force of their energy was enough to make his cape flap in the wind. 'I can't let him fire that!' Kirin thought.
"Shishi…" Ryoga muttered as he closed his eyes, tears flying up into the air.
Kirin immediately held his bowl out in front of him, his chopsticks spinning as he prepared his ki attack. "Hyaku Hashi…!"
"Hokooooo…!" the severely pissed-off wanderer continued.
"Zashiiiii…!"
"Daaannnnn!"
Everyone marveled at such a display of raw power as the two beams collided at the center. Both struggled for dominance. At first, Kirin's beam pushed closer to Ryoga, but that didn't last long as the Shishi Hokodan began to push back.
Kirin gritted his teeth, fighting with everything he had to keep going. For the first time, he appeared as angry as Ryoga. He couldn't fail. The veins on his head bulged as he forced more energy out. The pain was intense, but for him, it was more than worth it.
Ryoga couldn't believe this was happening. The anguish of losing in front of his girlfriend, after all the trials they had endured together—'I can't lose! I haven't gotten to propose yet! How would it look if I lost! Dig deeper! Dammit me! Ahhhhh!'—ran through his mind as the veins in his hands and face bulged.
"Whoa…" Ranko gawked at the insane power Ryoga was outputting. "Don't stop! Ryogaaaaa…!" she exclaimed as the tides shifted, her boyfriend's Lion's Roar Shot now pushing against and meeting Kirin's attack in the middle.
No one could get any closer. The gales that shoved them back were far too strong.
"I can't lose! I won't! Ahhhhh…!" Ryoga screamed as loudly as he could, his eyes going into a blind rage as that dangerous inky black aura surrounded his form again.
"Nooooo! This can't be!" Kirin screamed as Ryoga's blast slowly advanced beyond his control.
A loud booming sound erupted from Ryoga's body. The inky black aura engulfed him and his beam as it took on a deep fusion of green with heavy black tinting.
Boooooommmmmm…!
The Prince of Nekonron wailed as his beam dispersed, fully overpowered by Ryoga's ki blast, slamming into him as hard as it could. Kirin screamed in agony as he was shot back so hard he slammed into a rock behind him that shattered from the force, and he even lost his bowl of rice and chopsticks.
Crack!
His bowl landed after he was already on his back, bits and pieces of rock and rice littering the area where he had fallen.
"My Prince!" Lychee cried, tears at the corners of her eyes as she ran over to him.
Ranko wanted to cheer for her boyfriend as hard as she could, but when she saw that her best friend was so frantically worried about her future boyfriend-slash-husband, she couldn't bring herself to cheer.
The redheaded martial artist's boyfriend, however, was too busy panting heavily from the release of so much ki. Black aura smoke wafted off his form while he caught his breath.
Checking on her Prince, Lychee cradled his head on her lap. She inspected him, and when she heard him gasp for air and open his eyes, she breathed a sigh of relief.
"My Princess, f-forgive me," the Nekonronian Prince began, his eyes watering as he looked into her eyes.
"You fought so well, my Prince. The honor of The Seven has more than been restored! N-no body would judge you after fighting so hard!" she exclaimed with tears in her eyes before leaning in and kissing him softly on his forehead.
"Now is my chance!" the maid next to Yu Nuo exclaimed as she dashed toward Kirin.
"Chu-Hua!" Yu Nuo exclaimed as she watched her fellow maid leave her side.
Jurojin's eyes focused on Chu-Hua, his instincts screaming at him to act. Monlon watched as her boyfriend ran away from her. Her heart pounded in her chest as she held her hand out to him, then flinched as her body begged for rest.
"You will pay for the sins of your fathers!" Chu-Hua exclaimed as she didn't hold back. She remembered what she saw from the yellow-clad man and forced her body to continue.
Images of her brother's death filled her mind, the man who twisted his neck while she was hiding in a bush.
"The Phantom Claw will end this accursed reign!" she exclaimed, launching herself, trying to mimic what she saw Ryoga do.
"She's got a bomb!" Ranko announced that the maid revealed a bomb hidden in her sleeve.
Jurojin's life flashed before his eyes: his happy days with his brothers, standing proudly while practicing their katas; meeting Monlon when he was little; the times he spent talking with Bishamonten and his wife Ai Fang.
All the sparring matches he'd had against Kirin, the time they had both ended their match in a draw when they were younger.
"Shadow containment!" Jurojin exclaimed, throwing his arms out as his black aura shot out in a circle.
"Jurojin!" Monlon cried out as the hand-grenade-sized bomb was launched toward her boyfriend.
'My country, my friends, my brothers, my dearest friend and sweetest love! Forgive me…!' Jurojin thought as he stood in the path of the bomb, thinking about those closest to him, their faces appearing in his mind in the order he spoke, ending on the last smile he saw from Monlon when she got back to him.
"Juro!" Kirin exclaimed, holding a hand out as he watched his friend's aura create a black sphere trying to contain the explosion, only to see him flinch before he could stop it.
"Noooooo…!" Monlon cried out as she watched her love's barrier shatter and the fiery pieces from the explosion fly out, creating a dust cloud where the shadow agent had just been.
Kirin and Lychee both had to cover their eyes as the explosion went off very close to them; all they lost was their hearing as the blast made their ears ring.
Thud!
Jurojin fell on his back as the explosion left him severely damaged. His arms were burned up to his forearms, his chest and hips were scorched and bleeding. The right side of his face also resembled the rest of his scarred body.
"Dammit! No!" The maid screamed, tears in the corners of her eyes, but before she could react further, she was tackled after becoming stunned from her failure.
"You vile vermin!" Monlon exclaimed, raising her fist and bringing it down on the double agent's face.
"Monlon!" Kirin exclaimed, and although he was struggling to hear, he could still see that Monlon was acting on her own.
"This demon took the man I love! This monster tried to kill you! Why should I show her any mercy!" Monlon screamed as she kept pounding away at Chu-Hua's face.
"Because that's what she wants!" Kirin exclaimed. Despite his ringing ears, he could still vaguely hear Monlon.
Monlon continued to pound away at Chu-Hua's face until she saw that she was smiling after her last punch. Monlon finally looked past her blinding rage and saw that the double agent was gladly accepting her fate.
"Dammit!" Monlon cried out in agony as her last punch to Chu-Hua's beaten and bloody face stopped.
The maid's eyes opened as she saw that Monlon had stopped. The violent beating ceased as the teal-haired woman broke down crying. Monlon needed something to help, and she immediately ran toward Jurojin.
Ranko couldn't believe what she was seeing, but her mind reminded her that she had her own lover boy to deal with. The instant she saw Ryoga, she knew something was wrong. He hadn't moved the entire time. Ranko could see that her boyfriend was covered in black aura.
"Ryoga!" Ranko exclaimed, dropping to her knees as she held him.
"I'm worthless, I'm not good enough for you…" Ryoga spoke to her as if he had lost his soul or very essence.
"Stop saying that bullshit! You're more than enough for me! I'm the one who doesn't deserve you!" Ranko screamed.
"But I'm so lost," Ryoga continued, his mouth slightly agape.
"We're all lost! But I'd be lost without you!" Ranko countered, her eyes watering.
"Ranko! I love you, but you should know that—that!" Ryoga began, a blackened aura filling him as he flinched in pain.
"I don't need to know everything! Even if you're lost! I should have said this back sooner! I don't know what's wrong with me! I wanted to say this when I knew for sure that I had all my memories back! But I can't hold it back anymore! I can't stand the thought of you ending up with someone else! I'll leave anyone I'm with so we can be together! Ryoga! Be-because! I love you!" Ranko declared, unable to hold back her feelings anymore.
Every word, every feeling Ranko expressed—he couldn't hold it back anymore. "Ranko…" he started, then looked down.
"W-what?" Ranko asked, choking up.
"Will you marry me?" Ryoga asked with no hesitation in his voice.
A sudden flood of emotion filled Ranko. Her heartbeat went wild; she couldn't believe what she was hearing. Despite everything, the man she loved was saying what she had secretly yearned to hear.
"Y-you want to marry me?" Ranko asked, choking up.
"Even if you were with anyone before us, I can't see my life without you…" His voice trailed softly as he closed his eyes, speaking his truth.
"Even if I was! I can't see myself without you either! I-I love you too!" Ranko declared, closing her eyes before she grabbed Ryoga and brought him close to her lips.
Mmmm!
Ranko and Ryoga couldn't fight it any longer; their love for each other was too strong. They kissed as passionately as they could. The black tendrils of misery aura began to fade away as all of Ryoga's amplified pain receded from the depths of despair inside him.
When they finally pulled apart, they looked into each other's eyes.
"Ryoga, I'm an amnesiac tomboy with a fear of cats and bad reactions to hot water, but as long as you'll have me, I'll be your fiancée…" Ranko assured, tears in her eyes.
Ryoga couldn't say anything as his heart was filled with the love of the woman he had gotten to know so well. 'Mom, Dad, Grandma, Grandpa… I found the woman I want to spend the rest of my life with…' he thought.
Ryoga found his strength, and with Ranko's help, he rose to his feet again.
Inside the infirmary, Monlon sat on a chair next to her people's beloved agent. The medical equipment hummed in the background as she sat patiently there. Jurojin lay there, his breathing uneven, his one free hand being held by Monlon.
"Honored member of The Seven, you have not moved since this man has arrived. Please refrain from letting yourself fall into des–" the medical attendant began.
"This man is far more than you know, so please, leave me be…" Her voice trailed in pain.
The medical attendant froze in place, then offered a bow and went back to whatever they were doing.
Within the royal chambers…
"Forgive me, my Princess. I was planning on taking you back to Bao upon learning about your possession of the scroll. Still, I've gotten enough time with you to know that you're more than a destined ruler, but someone truly worthy of what fate has bestowed upon you."
"Does that mean my Prince is more than ready to start dating?" Lychee inquired, blushing deeply, then looking at her friend, who merely smiled and nodded.
"Yes. And although I wish the circumstances had been better, I know where my heart lies…" Kirin looked down, then after a brief pause, looked into Lychee's beautiful eyes.
Her eyes trembled as she then looked away and placed her hands on her cheeks.
"I-I'm looking forward to getting to know you better!" the future Queen of Nekonron replied bashfully, but she was clearly smitten.
"Honestly, I'm just glad this is all over…" Ryoga's voice trailed with a tired smile.
"Wasn't all bad, because out of all of this, Lychee ain't the only one with a happy ending," Ranko said equally bashfully, looking away, but since she was standing next to Ryoga, she took his hand in hers.
"That's true. H-honey…" Ryoga muttered, blushing while scratching his cheek with his index finger.
Ranko's eyes widened, her pigtail raising, but instead of recoiling in a way that would make Ryoga nervous, she instead squeezed her boyfriend's hand a little.
"And now that my name's been cleared, we ain't gotta be involved with the Lucky Gods no more, so maybe we can focus on other things…" Ranko added. 'Maybe we can finally have our first date,' she thought.
Later…
On Kirin's airship, on the deck, were Ranko and Ryoga, overlooking the entire journey they had taken to get there. The Lost Man had placed his hand on Ranko's hip, while Ranko's head leaned on her lover's shoulder.
"The view sure is nice," Ranko commented, her eyes going half-lidded.
"There's just a better one right here," Ryoga said, turning to look at her.
"Oh, you," Ranko replied, meeting his gaze, then rolling her eyes.
"S-sorry! That was corny!" Ryoga apologized, closing his eyes and offering a gentle chuckle.
Taking this as her chance, Ranko leaned in quickly and kissed Ryoga softly on the lips, making Ryoga open his eyes for a split second before he leaned into the kiss as well.
The last thing he saw before closing his eyes was Ranko's puckered lips, gently swaying hair, and pigtail.
Eventually, the airship that had first kidnapped Lychee returned and dropped anchor until the side doors could open safely enough for them to get down. Throughout the landing, Lychee's parents came out from their home and gawked in awe as it was the same airship that had taken their daughter. However, their worries melted away when they saw Lychee and Ranko waving to them happily.
Once they got off, Lychee ran to her parents and hugged her mother. Her father hugged them both.
"Lychee! Your friend came through!" Han exclaimed, tears welling up at the corners of his eyes.
"I was worried sick, sweetie!" Lychee's mother exclaimed, leaning her head on top of her daughter's.
"Greetings! Please forgive my fellow Lucky Gods for taking your daughter!" Kirin began, immediately bowing while still holding his bowl and chopsticks.
"So you're the one who–" Han began with a scowl on his face.
"Please don't be angry!" Lychee pulled back from their embrace. "Because you see! H-he's my prince I've said would come one day!"
"Y-yes! And I was hoping you'd allow me the honor of dating her!" Kirin exclaimed, standing back up straight.
"Wait! You mean that scroll wasn't just a scam! O-of course! Dear! A Prince wants to be with our little Lychee!" the blonde woman said, happily taken aback.
"I'm just glad our little girl is safe," Han added, not against his daughter having someone courting her.
Jasmine made a happy noise, closing her eyes as she got closer to her reunited family.
"I promise I will do my best to make Lychee as happy as possible," Kirin added.
"At the end of the day, it'll be Lychee's choice whether or not she wants to be happy with you," Han replied as he took a step away from his wife and daughter.
"Whatever she decides is fine with me. Though forgive me, I must get going. There is an important matter I must deal with."
"But you just got here, could you at least have something to eat?"
"My diet is strictly rice and pickled vegetables, so unless you have any on hand, I'm afraid not."
"Of course we've got rice, but we're actually out of pickled vegetables. Still, though, he's already holding what he'd eat anyway," Lychee's mother pondered.
"Just make sure you haven't eaten anything when we meet again," Han offered.
"Will do. Thank you both for understanding." Kirin smiled warmly, then looked at his Princess.
Silently, they parted, Kirin being the last to board his ship. However, he stopped and turned around, seeing Lychee closest to him, while Ranko and Ryoga stood next to each other, seeing him off.
"My sweet Lychee, know that I will cover for Ranko with Herb and the Musk. Hopefully I can persuade him without anything bad happening," the Prince of Nekonron offered, giving a slightly wary smile.
"Thank you so much. I know this'll be a big risk and a lot to ask…" Lychee's voice trailed.
"My Princess, I'd do more for you if I could," Prince Kirin assured, his wary smile growing into a genuine one.
He turned to depart, but before he could go any further, Lychee embraced him from behind, doing so in a way that would keep him from dropping his utensils.
"I hope you come back soon," Lychee said, nuzzling her head against his back.
"I will return, of that you can be sure." He answered, feeling his future Queen and current girlfriend pull away. Once Master Kirin had boarded the airship, it ascended with beating drums following their departure.
Inside the airship…
Seated with her arms tied in front of her was the would-be assassin, seated on a wooden bench, while Ebiten stood nearby with his arms crossed.
"Had we been the ones to pass judgment, you'd be considerably more lucky, but we've decided that taking you to the Musk is a more befitting punishment than a life in the dungeon," the wise fisherman explained to the dead-inside-looking double agent.
The strawberry blonde watched with worry in her eyes, her gaze fixed on the airship her Prince had departed on. She clasped her hands together and looked down.
"Hey! He's got this. Trust your Prince Charming, would ya?" Ranko said as she placed her hand on her friend's shoulder.
"You're right. He's strong," Lychee spoke calmly but nodded. "Thank you."
Han and his wife watched this exchange, then both looked at each other before smiling warmly with their eyes closed. With their silent exchange, Lychee's father led them both over to their daughter's saviors.
"Hey, you two," Han caught Ranko and Ryoga's attention.
"Would you two care to spend the night?" Lychee's mom asked.
"R-really? Are you sure?" Ryoga asked, looking over his shoulder with his arms crossed over his chest.
"We insist! Think of it as our thanks for saving our Lychee!" Han offered, one hand on his hip while the other rested on his wife's shoulder.
The End…
For now?
Daisuki~: There you have it after so long! I have to admit, I'm really going to miss working on this story but I've got my own original story I'm making into a webtoon comic called "Natsu's Life." Please check that out on Webtoons when it's out! It'll be released within the next month or so, considering how fast our artist Symptom99 can get it done!
That being said! The next chapter was more than likely going to have Ranko and Ryoga's first date and so much more! We're also glad we finally answered the question about why Chervil wanted to leave and how she got into her whole mess! I wish we could have gotten Pink and Link with Mint and Lime together but sadly it wasn't in the cards.
What about you? What scene did you want to see most and why? Was it one of the ones I mentioned? Or an entirely different one, like how Ryoga and Ranko tackled Herb? Or maybe how Ranma inside of Ranko's head would have gone?
Or maybe you just want to know why this took so long? I can answer that. Something happened to Facer, and he's been recovering, but times are tough financially too. I even struggle to get donations on my fanfictions, I think I got like two bucks about two months ago, so fanfiction hasn't been as sustainable and even Ryoga's Girlfriend hasn't been doing as well as expected so I've been sticking to my own original writing more. Also! I can't make my dreams of becoming a writer come true that way, sadly, so again I'm sticking to my own original story and betting on that.
It's similar to Ranma ½, but if the story were more focused on a RyoRan angle. Please consider checking it out on Webnovel, DeviantArt, RoyalRoad, and Archiveofourown. Any support would really be appreciated and could even help me hire or help support Facer so maybe he can have more time to work with me. If that's too much to ask, we hope that you all at least consider just reading and reviewing! I'd love for Facer to become my editor for Natsu's Life too. I think his help would make Natsu's Life shine more. lolz
Again show your love for Facer because I'm sure despite this being on my account, he's the one who's won you all over.
And to all those fans of mine that are no longer showing their support for me, I hope you're all doing well and taking care of yourself!
-Bows as low as Daisuki~ can-
Facer: Hello, Facer here.
I want to thank you all for staying with this story up to this point. I apologize but real life circumstances for the last two years have not been ideal, and I had to sit this one out. The reason why you were able to read this chapter and the end of this season of the story, it's all Dai. He took my notes for my scenes and all we agreed upon for the chapter, never gave up on the story and never gave up on me either, always reaching out and being a good friend. He's been the emotional core of Lost Together, and without his involvement this wouldn't have been even half as good as it ended up being. He has my full appreciation, and I'm sure you've been able to see how hard he's worked on this.
All I can say to him is a big thank you, and I really can't thank him enough for all he did to keep the story alive.
And thank you all for reading, I hope you had a blast with this chapter.
Thank you for staying.
Lost Together with us~