Translated from Shonen Sunday #24, 1991 Original story/art by Takahashi Rumiko Translation copyright (C) 1991 Amatran Publishing Ranma 1/2: Jyusenkyo^ kara kita akuma ... no maki (The demon that came from Jyusenkyo^ ... episode) -------------------------------------------------------------------------- In the distance, a mountain range is the background for a cliff that overlooks a group of water pools with bamboo sticks placed vertically within each pool. Caption: Jyusenkyo^, Chinhai province, China. Numerous tragic legends have been born of cursed Jyusenkyo^. Not far from the pools... Caption: (pointing) Guide's office Looking inside, books and other papers litter the small hut. Lying face down on the floor with cloven hoofmarks all over him (evidently after being beaten) is the... Caption: (pointing) Guide Suddenly, the guide awakens. Guide: (looking up) Ha. (smiling and sitting up) I slept well, didn't I? The guide looks in a small mirror and is startled to see the imprint of a hoofmark centered squarely on his face. Guide: (shocked) Ha. He puts the mirror down and looks around to see the hoofmarks all over, as well as the damage... Guide: (dismayed) I didn't go to sleep. I was attacked by a robber. High above the hut, a cloaked and hooded figure listens to the Chinese guide's wail of panic... Caption: (pointing) Guide's office Guide: (inside hut) Aiya--the client register for Cho^chuanshian is gone. The cloaked figure chuckles, holding a register marked "Client Register" as the pantyhose wrapped around his neck waves in the wind... Caption: (dripping) Once again it was the beginning of a new tragedy. The background changes to the residential area of a city. Caption: Japan, many days later-- Shampoo is riding her bike, with her noodle delivery carrying case behind her. She spots something up ahead... Shampoo: Hm? On closer inspection, it turns out to be a badly-beaten duck, with cracked glasses and some material wrapped around its neck. Shampoo instantly recognizes... Shampoo: Mousse. (concerned) What's the matter, Mousse? Shampoo brakes to stop a few steps past Mousse as the hapless duck collapses. Shampoo: (picking the duck up) Mousse!! Shampoo looks at the material around Mousse's neck... Shampoo: (examining material) Hm? Pantyhose, isn't it? Elsewhere, storm clouds gather and rumble as a familar figure walks down the street... Ryo^ga: (walking and breathing heavily) I finally made it back... The town where Akane is... Ryo^ga suddenly notices some water being thrown at him... Ryo^ga: (surprised) Ha! (opening parasol to fend off water) Who the hell--!! Looking up, Ryo^ga sees a sinister cloaked figure standing on the fence, bucket still in hand. As rain begins to fall, Ryo^ga, protected by his parasol, joins his adversary on the fence... Ryo^ga: Is this outrage because you know me to be Hibiki Ryo^ga? The cloaked figure chuckles, then pulls off the cloak, still chuckling. Ryo^ga: (surprised) !? With a flash of light, the scenery changes to the Tendo^ household... Akane: (concerned) P-chan!? Akane worriedly cradles a beaten P-chan, wrapped up in pantyhose. Akane: What happened, P-chan? How terrible! Who would do such a thing... As Akane tearfully continues to care for the stricken P-chan, Ranma examines the pantyhose. Happosai happens to be present. Ranma: (baffled) Pantyhose wrapped around him after he was beaten? Happosai: (glancing at pantyhose) Ho^. Happosai examines the pantyhose. Happosai: Ho^. Happosai examines the pantyhose closely. Happosai: Ho^. Ranma hits Happosai on the head. Ranma: (annoyed) You don't have to bring it up to your chest. Genma appears, in his panda form, somewhat troubled. He holds up a sign that says: Sign: Um. Genma is sporting a lump on the back of his head, and is wearing pantyhose around his neck. He holds up another sign... Sign: Same culprit? Ranma: (taken aback) Dad... Akane: (concerned) You've also got pantyhose...? Later that night, at the Neko-Hanten... Ranma: Jyusenkyo^'s client register was stolen? Cologne balances on her walking stick as Genma, Akane (holding a partially-recovered P-chan), Ranma and Happosai have dinner, with Shampoo serving... Cologne: Um, there was a message from the guide. Ranma: Hmm, that means... Ranma contemplates the situation over noodles. Ranma: (bemused) The pantyhose bastard and the register thief are probably the same culprit. Akane: (incredulous) It can't be, that's strange. Akane tries to explain her objection... Akane: But, P-chan was also attacked. He's an ordinary pig though, why... As P-chan worries about this seeming anomaly, Ranma tries to be helpful... Ranma: (pointing to P-chan) That's Ryo... ...and gets bitten on the finger by P-chan for his trouble. Cologne: Anyway now, about the matter of understanding this culprit... Happosai: After the battle we will get pantyhose for sure... He'll probably turn out to be a nice guy. Cologne beats Happosai off the table, leaving him face down on the floor with a lump on his head, as she continues... Cologne: Anyway now, about the matter of understanding this culprit... Cologne reconstructs the scene of the sinister cloaked stranger confronting the Chinese guide in Jyusenkyo^ for everyone... Cloaked figure: (threatening guide) I'm searching for a certain guy. Cologne: (to the group) ...are the words he asked with. Ranma: (delighted) Interesting, if he's talking about guys in this part of town who returned from Jyusenkyo^ ... after this there's no one left except me, is there? Ranma sits on the roof consulting with Ryo^ga... Ryo^ga: Be as careful as you can, Ranma. Ranma: Hm? What's the matter Ryo^ga? Making such a serious face. Ryo^ga: I'll only give you one word of advice. That pantyhose bastard... is a demon. Ranma: A demon...? Some time later, Ranma and Akane are walking as the skies thunder with imminent rain... Akane: Well Ranma, is it really going to be alright? Ranma: (walking along fence) What... Akane: Well, your father and Mousse are strong aren't they? Ranma: Ryo^ga too. Akane: (concerned) I wonder if the pantyhose fellow isn't horribly strong. Ranma suddenly looks up to see a dark shape hurtling at him. The shape is holding a bucket of water which it hurls at Ranma. Ranma: (leaping backwards) Ha. Ranma lands to face the cloaked figure as Akane, stunned, looks on. Ranma: (exultant) You came out, pantyhose bastard! Ranma flexes his fingers in anticipation of the battle to come... Ranma: (smiling) At every moment I've been waiting for you. I'm different from the sparring partners you've had until now... Ranma hurls his schoolbag away and rushes the cloaked figure, who also runs forward... Ranma: You won't beat me up so easily. Ranma drives the cloaked figure back with a series of vicious kicks. As the cloaked figure is driven back, he hurls his cloak at Ranma and kicks through it. Ranma narrowly avoids the kick, and responds with a swipe of the leg at the mysterious figure's feet. The figure counters by leaping back. As the cloak settles to the ground, the figure stands revealed-- a youth, not unlike Ranma, but more exotic, wearing earrings, and what appears to be scaled wristbands and shirt. Some pantyhose is tied around his waist. The youth speaks: Youth: (confidently smiling) You fool... You don't understand. Ranma: (annoyed) Wha... Akane: (surprised) Thi, this is the guy that beat Ranma's father and Mousse...!? Ranma: (angry) What are you babbling about? You jerk, what the hell is this? Rain begins to fall, as the youth chuckles menacingly. Ranma charges the youth once again... Akane: (worried) Ranma, be careful. It's raining!! Ranma: (determined) ...isn't it. The conditions are that this match goes on... (to youth) ...as you'll get to know. As the rain pours, Ranma begins to change into his female form. He launches a flying kick at the immobile youth, who also begins to change... Ranma: (surprised) !? Ranma is struck by a powerful blow that knocks him almost senseless at Akane's feet. Akane: (alarmed) Ranma!! Where the youth stood is now a monstrous creature possessing wings like a crane, a body like a yeti, a head like a cow and a tail like an eel's head. Ranma and Akane stare at the huge monstrosity in horror... Akane: (shocked) Wha... Ranma: (realizing something) This guy's a demon. -------------------------------------------------------------------------- Next: Akuma no sho^tai ... no maki