Ranma 1/2 Fan Fiction ❯ Umbra Aureola ❯ Chapter 11 - Storm of Stone ( Chapter 11 )

[ T - Teen: Not suitable for readers under 13 ]

CHAPTER XI : STORM OF STONE


"Thunk" Came the sound of Ryouga's fist hitting an innocent boulder. This time however, the boulder didn't explode. Instead the rope reverberated with the blow, the force, the energy of the attack traveling like lightning through the corded path. There the wave dumped into a second rock where it ricocheted like an echo over the whole of the interior. A moment latter just enough power collected in exactly the right place on the rock. At that moment the second boulder shattered in a storm of shards. All said and done the entire process took only a fraction of a second.

"About time." The arch-mage said in annoyance. Not that mastering the technique as quickly as Ryouga did wasn't impressive. No the real problem was that despite Ryouga's talent the lost boy somehow always managed to make things harder than they had to be.

Ryouga paid Anito very little heed. Seeing his success the lost boy was now laughing madly. "Ranma Saotome, prepare yourself for today is the day you die!" Ryouga shouted, and then began to walk off in a random direction.

"Hey idiot."

"Who are you calling an idiot." Ryouga said angrily, grabbing the arch-mage's shirt. Well at least he tried to, but Anito promptly shadow stepped just out of reach and pounded Ryouga strait into the ground for the effort.

"You." Anito said promptly in annoyance. The arch-mage then crouched and handed the lost boy a note, which Ryouga lifted his face out of the dirt to read.

"I Ryouga Hibiki challenge Ranma Saotome to a duel at Furinken High at noon, Tuesday." Ryouga said reading the note out loud. Looking at Anito Ryouga said, "I didn't write this!"

"Slam!" Anito pounded the lost boy's head into the ground once again. With a sigh the arch-mage said, "Of course you didn't write the note, I did. Now is it acceptable?"

Ryouga looked confused until it dawned on him that Anito was arranging the challenge for him. "Of course, Saotome must suffer for what he did to Akane Tendo!"

Anito nodded taking back the letter. "Well then I will deliver the letter to Ranma so that you can hold your fight five days from now." Anito said standing up.

"Of course, Ranma Saotome shall be defeated!"

"That's nice." Anito said walking off toward the Tendo Dojo.

Ryouga started to leave as well then suddenly he stopped. "Wait!"

Anito sighed, "What is it?"

"Where is Furinken High?"


*******************


Ranma looked at the white piece of paper that Anito had handed to him just moments before. "What is this?"

"A challenge letter." Anito replied.

"Eh, if you want to fight you could've just asked."

Anito raised an eyebrow. "If I wanted to issue a challenge I would whack you with my staff. No this is from Ryouga."

Ranma looked curiously at Anito. "I didn't know that you knew P-chan."

"Its a business relationship." Anito said with a grin.

"What kind of business?"

"My business."

"So what have you been plotting with pig boy?" Ranma asked, if there was one thing Ranma knew, it was that Anito always had a plan. Unfortunately most of his recent plans had involved Ranma in one way or another, and Ranma hadn't any reason throughout his entire life to suspect this would be any different.

"Me plot? Would I do such a thing?" Anito replied innocently.

"In a heart beat."

"You have me pegged." Anito said with a grin.

"What are you two talking about?" Akane asked walking into the room. She gave Anito a dirty look. Akane was really starting to not like the crazy Arch-mage. Actually, she hadn't liked him since he had implied Kasumi's murder. The fact that he latter kidnapped her sister, and this was during one of his supposedly sane periods, had not done much to help.

"Eh, Ryouga is challenging me again." Ranma answered.

"Well if you would stop picking on him maybe he would leave you alone."

"Somehow a doubt that." Anito said quietly enough that it wasn't caught by Akane.

"Hey, he is the one that is challenging me!" Ranma said defensively.

"Well, don't beat him too badly Ranma." Akane said annoyed at her fiancé's endless desire to do battle.

"Actually, I don't think there is any other way to beat someone like Ryouga." Anito pointed out. A fact he had become well acquainted to in the past few days. Luckily, while Anito's old attacks didn't work well these days against the swift Ranma, Ryouga didn't stand a chance against the wily arch-mage. "Besides Ryouga will probably be fairly capable this time. He was training for the fight after all."

"Heh, I can beat Ryouga any day." Ranma said waving the lost boy's challenge off.

"I don't know Ranma, Ryouga can be pretty good when he puts his mind to it." Akane said.

"Yeesh, unless he has gotten some new technique there ain't no real way Ryouga can beat me. Heck, he never beats me unless he has gotten a new technique, and even then he usually loses."

Anito grinned, "Well then I think that answers the seriousness of this challenge."

Ranma scratched his head, Anito had to be up to something, Ranma just didn't know what. "Well of course, I'm the best!"

"If I remember right our record 2 to 3 in my favor."

"It is the one that wins in the end that matters!" Ranma retorted in annoyance. One thing that Ranma could not tolerate was an attack on his pride.

"Well, well, perhaps there is truth in that. I'll just have to put you in your place next time." Anito said with a grin.

"I hope you do, this baka needs to have his head deflated." Akane added.

"Humph, Anito can try it, but he ain't goina win. The same old tricks won't work on me twice." Ranma replied.

Anito grinned evilly. "Who says I would use the same tricks? Here is some food for thought, every technique you have seen thus far was developed at least in part by me." Anito stood up as to leave. "Well, I have some things to take care of, chow!" Anito gave a quick wink and disappeared as he was want to do.

As soon as he left Akane gave a snort of distaste. "I don't know why my dad lets that man stay."

"Eh? Anito isn't that bad once you get used to him." Ranma replied.

"He kidnapped my sister!"

"Hey, Kasumi wasn't complaining. Besides he's better than most of the people I know. Mousse tries to kill me every time I see him. Shampoo wants to marry me, and apparently any means to achieve this is ethical. Happosai is the world's biggest pervert, and only the god's know what he has done that lets Shinto wards seal him. My dad probably could be arrested for more crimes than I can count. Ryouga has tried to kill me ever since I was a kid..., as well as other things. I mean, compared to all that Anito is down right friendly."

"Humph, well I still don't like him." Akane said.

"Well that is up to you, I don't think he really cares what you think though." Ranma said with a shrug.

"You saying I don't matter!"

"No, no, no I was just saying that your opinions don't matter to-"

"Ranma no baka!" Akane yelled kicking Ranma out into the yard. The nerve of her fiancé saying that she didn't matter.

Ranma hopped up to his position on the roof and thought about what Anito had said. If Anito had truly developed all those techniques there was no telling what he may have created in the span of time between their last fight and their next one. Given the past situation related to Anito's techniques Ranma, unlike against Ryouga, would probably lose to any new techniques Anito deployed. More importantly, if Anito made his own techniques he would have the same advantage Ranma had for their third fight. That is the ability to create or find techniques suitable for a specific opponent.

This led Ranma to a startling and frightening conclusion. Where as Ranma just had to jump ahead every time Ryouga caught up with him, Anito was not such a challenge. He unlike Ranma's other rival already sat near Ranma's ability, and it would only take a small measure to push the arch-mage into the lead. For Ranma this only left him with one choice and that was to make sure he learned more, faster than Anito did. The question was how.


******************


The Neko Haten's door opened and Anito walked in. Shampoo took note of his entrance with a touch of uncertainty. Her Great-grandmother had forbidden Shampoo from fighting the arch-mage. Normally, this would be a blow the the Amazon's pride, but Shampoo was quite sure that she didn't want to fight a man that could beat her Husband and her Great-grandmother, even if her husband won the in the last fight. On the other hand, Shampoo couldn't see why Great-grandmother wouldn't want this man in the tribe. As such she was quite suspicious that this man must be evil. "What you want?" Shampoo demanded.

Anito grinned at the Amazon. Then he pulled out a scroll tossing it to the girl he said. "Take this to Elder Cologne, tell her if she wants to see it in action that she should show up at noon, Tuesday, Furinken High."

Shampoo looked at Anito dubiously. "Great-grandmother no trust you."

Anito chuckled, "I don't trust me, I would hardly expect her to. However, the no fight order is because after I defeated you in battle I would kill you to prevent your claims of marriage. My, association, with the council would prevent retribution." Anito smiled and turned to leave. "See you around."

"How dare you threaten my darling Shampoo!" Mousse yelled flinging some weapons at the arch-mage.

Anito appeared behind Mousse easily. Dumping a glass of water on the duck's head Anito considered the Amazon carefully. "Interesting, I have never seen so many Jusenkyo curses in one places before." Anito said with a grin. He paused for a moment longer in thought, then as if finally deciding something Anito grabbed the duck by the neck and vanished.

Shampoo looked startled and prepared to pursue before being stopped by Cologne. "Don't worry grand-daughter, Anito will not harm Mousse."

"He say he kill challenger."

Cologne chuckled, "One thing to learn when dealing with Anito is what he says, and what he means are only loosely related. However, my order still stands. Anito would not kill you in the literal sense, but he would force me to cast you from the tribe, which is a death in a sense." Cologne paused and took a lighter note. "Let me see what Anito brought."

Shampoo handed over the scroll to Cologne and asked. "If he so dangerous, why deal with him."

Cologne didn't look up from the scroll, "Because the council makes a terrible enemy, and a powerful ally." Cologne cackled looking up from the scroll and promptly rolling it back up. "As you shall see when Ryouga uses the new technique Anito has just gifted our tribe with."


******************


Ranma stood once again just outside Furinken waiting for Ryouga to start the fight. If anything Ranma looked a bit bored lacking the intensity he had the last time he was here. For a brief moment Ranma wondered why his big fights with Ryouga always ended up here. It didn't take a second for his question to answer itself.

"Place your bets here, place your bets." Nabiki called out all business.

Yep, there was the reason for the fight to be at Furinken. A large audience allowed Nabiki to plumb them for money with bets, and today even a concession stand for those that came early to get the good positions. Ranma was surprised to spot Cologne and Shampoo at the fight though. At this his eyes narrowed, Cologne wouldn't show up unless she knew something special would happen.

"Put 20,000 yen on Ryouga." Anito called as he suddenly appeared on the scene ready to watch the fight. Like usual the arch-mage was grinning like mad.

"Oooh? That is an awfully lot of money what makes you so sure?" Nabiki asked lazily.

"Lets just say that I have taught a few tricks to the two, and thus already know who is going to win this fight." Anito said playfully.

"You hear that Saotome? Today is the day you will die." Ryouga said cracking his knuckles. Ranma still didn't know how the lost boy got here in time, but given what Anito just said he had a fair idea of who was responsible.

Ranma though, just put on a cocky smile. "Hey pig boy, I am surprised that you made it on time. Did someone show you the way so you wouldn't get lost?"

"Die Ranma!" Ryouga shouted launching himself into an attack without even thinking. Ranma smiled dodging the attack. Training or no Ryouga was predictable when he was angry. As Ryouga flew past Ranma aided the lost boy's trajectory with an easy round house.

"Come on P-chan you haven't been training for nothing have you." Ranma taunted as Ryouga recovered from meeting a tree that probably shouldn't have gotten in the lost boy's way.

Shaking off the wood splinters Ryouga let out a low laugh. "You nearly tricked me there Ranma, but you will not beat me that easily this time. Face the wrath of the earth Saotome. Jishinha Bakusai Tenketsu!" Ryouga punched the ground near his feet with his fist cracking the earth.

"Hey bacon breath I'm-" Ranma never finished as the ground beneath him exploded in what could only be a point blank bakusai tenketsu. The explosion knocked Ranma off his feet, but the Saotome Ryu was a aerial art and a bakusai tenketsu was not the world's most powerful assault technique. Recovering quickly Ranma landed easily on his feet. Though still shocked by the surprise attack.

"Jishinha Bakusai Tenketsu!" Ryouga yelled punching the earth again.

Ranma flipped to his left dodging the center of the explosion, but getting pelted by the shrapnel anyway. "What the heck kind of technique is that!" Ranma shouted startled.

"The Jishinha Bakusai Tenketsu is basically a ki enhanced shock wave that flows then recollects with a strong energy at the breaking point of the intended target. Thus allows the triggering of a breaking point at a fair distance. Its primary weakness is its inability to travel through living material or travel great distances. The Jishinha Bakusai Tenketsu can also be used to trigger multiple breaking points at the same time. You should be thankful that Ryouga hasn't figured that part out yet, or this fight would be far nastier." Anito explained happily answering Ranma's question.

"Jishinha Bakusai Tenketsu! Jishinha Bakusai Tenketsu! Jishinha Bakusai Tenketsu!" Ryouga shouted, not bothering to slow down for Anito's explanation. Ranma dodged desperately gaining a slow feel for how the attack would come by sensing the ki with his newly improved aura sight.

"Hey, how did you know about all that." Ranma said barely dodging another explosion as Ryouga threw punches at the ground like crazy.

"I invented the technique of course." Anito replied watching the fight lazily.

Right then Ryouga's technique exploded right under Ranma's feet, tossing the pigtailed martial artist into the air. Flying through the sky Ranma pondered how to close distance with the lost boy without getting nailed by a storm of rock and earth attack. From his high perspective Ranma grinned. "Eat this pig boy, Moko Takabisha Double!" Ranma quickly fired off two Moko Takabishas at the lost boy one from each hand.

Ryouga dodged the first and then stomped his foot on the ground shouting "Jishinha Bakusai Tenketsu!" The ground in front of Ryouga exploded strait up in a huge sheet of dirt and earth. The second blast hit this weak wall emptying its energy onto the earth. The wall though wasn't enough, the energy blast made it through and knocked Ryouga off balance slowing his assault.

Ranma didn't waste a second and charged into battle. Taking a page from Anito's tactics Ranma called his ki again. "Moko Takabisha!" He yelled unleashing the ki blast at Ryouga. As expected the lost boy blocked the attack with another wall of earth. Ranma took advantage of his opponent's partial blindness sweeping in from the side. "I ain't going down that easily P-chan!" Ranma yelled nailing the lost boy cleanly with a side kick.

Ryouga grunted and flew into a wall. Recovering quickly Ryouga laughed. "Ha ha ha, you have no hope of defeating me Ranma. You cannot even get close enough to fight! The earth itself shall rip you to shreds! Jishinha Bakusai Tenketsu!" Ryouga yelled kicking the wall he was so recently hit into and thus causing the ground underneath Ranma to explode again knocking the pig tailed martial artist back.

Ranma cursed under his breath. Stupid Ryouga was getting better with the technique as they fought. While the Jishinha Bakusai Tenketsu wasn't particularly strong it didn't require hardly any energy. In comparison Ranma's Moko Takabisha's where astoundingly inefficient. Sticking with Moko Takabishas would suck Ranma dry of his ki before the fight was won. Suddenly grinning Ranma found his solution.

Dodging a quick explosion Ranma jumped up onto the wall, and then flipped up riding Ryouga's second, "Jishinha Bakusai Tenketsu," up into the air to land directly next to the lost boy. Grinning Ranma said, "Nice pig boy, but you can't make the air explode." Then Ranma promptly attacked with a storm of punches and kicks.

"I will not lose!" Ryouga shouted vengefully and threw a powerful punch. For once he managed to hit his hated rival knocking Ranma back several meters. "Now die! Jishinha Bakusai Tenketsu!"

Ranma dodged out of the the way of the explosive area attacks, gasping in pain from Ryouga's punch. "Yeesh, since when did Ryouga hit that hard?" Ranma thoughtlessly said out loud.

Anito grinned and immediately took up the explanation. "I see you have noticed the second horror of the dreaded Jishinha Bakusai Tenketsu technique. You see those that master it become so good at sending shock waves through materials they can do it without thinking, allowing them to send deadly shock waves through even the human body! Of course, the breaking point doesn't work, but hey, you can't have everything."

"Why the heck did you teach him a crazy technique anyway." Ranma demanded dodging the explosions.

Anito raised an eyebrow. "I don't see what your problem with it is, I already taught you how to defend against it."

Ranma didn't get a chance to ask as three more explosions sent Ranma back flipping away. Anito though continued on with a conversation he was having with a certain old ghoul. "So what do you think?"

"Quite impressive, It seems Ryouga has son-in-law on the run." Cologne commented. "Though I suspect from what you said, that won't last for long."

Anito smiled mysteriously. "Didn't I say I already knew who was going to win?"

"Oh ho ho, playing your games already I see." Cologne replied.

Ranma in the meanwhile was munching on what Anito said while dodging Ryouga's explosive attacks. Unfortunately, to rush in would mean being pounded by the storm of stone that was flying about. While at a range these attacks where easier to dodge, and weaker, once Ranma got close he would take the pounding of his life from all the rocks. More importantly the damage from the attacks would leave Ranma vulnerable to Ryouga's devastating hand to hand attacks.

Annoyed Ranma thought, "A technique he taught me! Humph, he didn't teach me anything. Well he did teach me that digging technique of his, but what good would that do."

Suddenly Ranma blinked in surprise. "Wait, that technique powdered rock and stone, while it wasn't as fast as the Bakusai Tenketsu, nor as efficient it did work in a preset area near the user." Frowning Ranma tried to figure out how to use the technique, then suddenly he smiled.

"Hey P-chan lets finish this!" Ranma yelled flaring his battle aura to fill the space around him, but not too far out. With control built from practice Ranma filled his ki with resonance and charged Ryouga head on.

"Jishinha Bakusai Tenketsu!" Ryouga yelled causing to the ground to explode in front of Ranma. Ryouga looked startled when Ranma burst through the area not slowed, nor injured in the least. The deadly rock and earth chunks generated from Ryouga's attack had been turned to dust and powder before even touching the pig tailed martial artist.

"Ha, that won't work any more bacon breath!" Actually it probably would, the chunks of dirt still slowed Ranma down, it was just that now they broke up enough so that they didn't really hurt. Secondly, Ranma's shield was eating ki like there was no tomorrow. Ryouga didn't need to know that though. Grinning and feeling confident Ranma yelled his own attack. "Moko Takabisha!"

Ryouga slammed his foot into the ground and created a dirt wall to weaken the blast. While doing so he yelled his own technique. "Jishinha Bakusai Tenketsu!" Despite this the blast leaked through sending Ryouga stumbling back.

Closing the distance with a jump Ranma round housed Ryouga into the stone wall again, and then Ranma immediately used his speed earned with many fierce battles and sparing matches with the elusive Anito. Like lightning Ranma closed the distance to punching range before the lost boy's body even finished bouncing off the stone wall. In position for his finishing blow while the still dazed Ryouga could not defend himself Ranma grinned viciously. Then Ranma let loose pounding a hundred punches into Ryouga while the lost boy was trapped between Ranma's storm of fists and the nice hard stone wall.

The force shot Ryouga clean through the stone and into a fountain just outside the school grounds. An unconscious P-chan floated up out of the water. "He, he, I win again pig boy." Ranma said before flopping down on the ground himself. Laying there Ranma relaxed. "I think I used to much ki."

Nabiki walked over glanced at the unconscious pig and the looked at Ranma. "You still awake?"

"Yeah." Ranma muttered from his position on the ground.

"Ranma wins!" Nabiki shouted to the crowd.


*****************


Anito turned to face Nabiki as she walked into his underground den. Grinning he asked, "How did it go."

"Quite well actually, here is your cut." Nabiki said putting down some money. "You know, they are going to figure out eventually that you set the whole thing up."

Anito shrugged. "Doesn't matter I won't be able to pull that trick again anyway. What does matters is that it pushed bets up much higher than otherwise." Anito grinned while looking at his collection of the bets.

Nabiki raised an eyebrow. "Ever consider going into business?"

"Not my style."

"If you do, look me up. I have a feeling competition between the two of us would hurt more than it would help."

"I'll take that as a compliment." Anito said lazily.

"Good, because it is one." Nabiki said with a smile.