Ranmatech
Introduction: This is basically a total revamp of the original
Ranma Project story. It was pointed out to me that the technology
that rebuilt the crippled Ranma did seem a bit too advanced, even
for Japanese anime. It looked like only someone of Washu's genius
(the mad intergalactic scientist from Tenchi Muyo) could come up
with something like that. So I decided to keep the basic idea of a
bionic Ranma, but totally rewrite his origins.
This story takes place after Genma had become dissatisfied with
the rate in which Ranma was training in the Cat Fist and threw him
to the lions. In the manga, Ranma was trained in this dreaded (and
stupid technique) at the age of 10, so I decided to use that age in
this story as a starting point. Some of the ideas were inspired by
Gregg Sharp, the Dragon Bard and countless other fanfic writers. I
was also given new inspiration from the Bet Series, A Source of
Pride, A Private Bet #10, Mirrors Multiplied and countless
science-fiction anime tapes.
<>: Thoughts
[ ]: Alien language
(* *) Computer response
<" "> Chinese Language
Chapter 1
Reconstruction
Somewhere outside of Earth stratosphere, a small, unobtrusive
space cruiser was orbiting the planet and was currently using its
cloaking field to mask its presence from the primitive, long-range
sensor technology of the world below. On board the bridge of the
ship, two beings of extraterrestrial origin were busy looking at a
monitor that depicted a map of the area of the planet's surface that
they were currently scanning.
The first alien was a bipedal reptilian and wore a bulky, black
armor. He snorted in disgust as he looked at the sensor readouts
that were coming from the exploratory probe they had launched five
hours ago. [Damn! Hasn't that probe found at least one miserable
subject on this whole stinking planet?!]
The second being was insectlike and looked like a cross between
a praying mantis and a scarab beetle. [Patience Oruk! It takes a while
to scan more than six billion sentient life forms!]
[Bah! I don't see what difference it makes! The dominant race on
this whole mud ball is pretty pathetic! They're all basically the
same, so why we don't we just pick one and get it over with? I don't
want to spend any more time near this backwater planet than we have
to!]
[You think I like being here Oruk? I don't want to waste my time
in the boonies either! But we were paid good credits to find
someone who'd fit Dr. Shero's criteria. Since we can't snatch
anyone within the boundaries of the Interplanetary Frontier
Alliance, we have to look for our subject outside the quadrant!
That's why we're here! Even though the humans of this world look
the same in appearance, our scanners indicate that a handful of these
lesser beings possess the right genetic sequences for Dr. Shero's
experiments. Be patient Oruk. We'll soon find�] The alien stopped
as an insistent beeping was heard coming from the console. [Wait a
moment!]
[What is it Seyon?]
[The probe has found something!]
[Is it what we're looking for?]
There was a long pause as Seyon checked the readouts. [Yes!
This is what we've been waiting for! One subject meets all the
genetic criteria that we've been given!]
[Just one? Out of over six billion? What's the condition of the
subject?]
[Hmmm� the being is immature and not an adolescent yet. It has
some extensive physical damage and barely measurable vital
readings. The subject is dying.]
[Then forget about it! It would be too much trouble to bring him
aboard and keep him onlife-support.]
[I don't think we have a choice Oruk. According to the probe, our
initial scan of the planet was in error. Of all the beings on this
miserable world, only this subject is a perfect match to what Dr.
Shero requires. You also have to remember that we have a deadline
to keep if we want to get that other half of that twenty million
credits! If we don't take this one, we'll be forced to go onto the next
system and judging from our remaining power reserves, we can't
afford it. You also recall what he told us if we didn't bring him back
a subject and ran with the ten million credits we have now.]
[Damn that @#*$!!! If he didn't implant those implosion devices
in our brains�] Oruk let off disgusted sigh and nodded his head.
[Commence retrieval procedures. Dr. Shero didn't specify what
condition his guinea pig had to be in, as long as we brought it back
alive.]
Seyon nodded as he began pressing a few buttons. [Initiating
long-range teleporter. Coordinates locked on and ready to beam the
subject directly into the stasis pod.]
[Do it.]
A small, tight beam of white light was emitted from the ship and
sent toward the surface of the planet. When the beam struck its
target, there was brief moment of absolute silence. Seyon then
looked at his console and said. [Subject has been transported to the
stasis pod. Mission accomplished."]
[And the probe?]
[Its self-destruct sequence had already been activated and it
destroyed itself. No trace of it has been left and any witnesses near
the probe were probably destroyed along with it.]
[Engage the warp drive and lets get going then.]
On Earth, in some region near the Bayankala Mountain Range in
China, Genma Saotome crawled out of the smoking crater. He was
sorry sight to behold as he sported several burns and his gi had been
reduced to a tattered ruin. He had a dazed and confused look about
him as he began looking for his crippled son. He didn't know what
had just occurred but one thing was for sure. Nodoka was going to
kill him.
It had just been a mere week since he had stolen his son from the
intensive care ward at a hospital in Japan and escaped from the
country. The law was after him for throwing Ranma to the lions, due
to Genma's dissatisfaction at how slow the boy was learning the Cat
Fist. After three failed attempts, the stupid disciple of Happosai had
thought that bigger cats were required. He had used his job as a
zookeeper to throw Ranma into the pit of lions with steaks strapped
to his back.
Unfortunately for Ranma, the cats had mauled him to the point in
which his right arm had to be amputated. He had also lost his right
eye and ear. The rest of his body had been badly savaged and was
covered in suture lines. In short, Ranma was a mangled mess of a
human being. Genma was soon a wanted man and had to flee the
country.
After stealing his son from the hospital, Genma had thought to
continue the boy's training in China, but that was when they
encountered strange-looking machine. The device was shaped like a
Frisbee and was the size of a manhole cover. However, before
Genma could get a better look at it, his ten-year old son suddenly
disappeared in a flash of light and the weird contraption went off
like a bomb. The explosion was equivalent to five sticks of dynamite
and unfortunately, Genma was at the center of the explosion. It was
just by sheer luck that he survived. But with his son gone, Genma
found himself in big trouble.
<Ranma's gone! I'm dead!>
In a galaxy, far, far away�
Dr. Shero chortled with glee at his new project. He looked to be
a humanoid of about fifty or so standard years, but his eyes were
solid red and he had green hair that was beginning to thin near his
receding hairline. He wore a white body suit and had a strange
device that resembled a monocle over his right eye. Oruk and Seyon
had done well. The subject they had brought him was perfect. It
didn't matter that Ranma was a bit young and his body was a
shredded mess. The latest techniques in accelerating aging were
available and his new nanite technology would restore the boy to
full operational status. No it was Ranma's genetic makeup that he
was most concerned with.
[Interesting.] A tech commented as he looked at the readouts on
his console.
[What is?] Dr. Shero asked.
[According to what the scanner is telling us, the subject is
emitting relatively high amounts of bio-energy. In fact, he is
generating more power than an individual of his physical and mental
development is supposed to be able to do. The fact that he's doing it
despite the heavy structural damage is nothing short of remarkable.]
[So you think he'll be able to survive the reconstruction?]
The technician paused as he gauged the readouts. [Yes. He has
the right genetic combinations in which the nanites will be able to
fuse with his damaged tissue and begin bioregeneration. Not only
that, but also this particular specimen's genetic makeup is on the
verge of completing the next stage of evolution of its race. With the
nanites augmenting his cells, he'll be able to evolve to meet any new
situation he encounters.]
[Excellent! That fits in with the project quite nicely. Oh by the
way, did you take care of that little detail with those mercenaries?]
[Yes sir. I had activated the implosion devices in their cerebral
cortexes the moment they left the system. The credits have already
been retrieved and deposited back into your account.]
[Good. Now let's get started. So what was the reading on his bio-
energy output?]
[Nine thousand.]
[Nine thousand? Are you sure?]
[Yes sir.]
[How old is this kid?]
[He's approximately ten standard years according to most
humanoid references.]
[Well now. That is a bonus! I have no doubt that this person will
indeed survive the nanite implantation. He certainly possesses
enough cyster.]
[Cyster?]
[That's the Bimekron word for bio-energy. On Ninedar III, it is
called tekari. On Saldor, it is she'lla.]
[What do the inhabitants of his world call it?]
[I believe they call it� ki.]
A month later�
[The subject is responding well to the aging drugs Dr. Shero.] A
lab assistant told him as he handed him a data pad.
[Yes. I thought that the subject should be matured a bit more
before we start implantation of the new type of biotech nanites.
How is the regeneration coming along?]
The assistant began checking off the list of things that had
already been done. [The subject has already regenerated his missing
arm, eye and ear and all damage done to the rest of his body has
been corrected. The nanites are following their programming and
have begun enhancement of his physical capabilities. Strength,
speed, reflexes and cognitive abilities have now increased by a
factor of five. And as you requested, we have already done a full
mind-wipe of the boy's previous memories. He won't remember
anything about his past life other than his name.]
[Good. And what about those energy converters I created?]
[They have already been implanted and the nanites have begun
fusing them into his systems. He'll be able to convert his bio-
energy or ki into any form that he wants. Lasers, particle beams,
photon bolts, sonic waves, the works! He will be able to fire these
blasts at will from his hands and eyes, either in their converted
forms or as pure ki itself. Their destructive potential is equivalent
to a Mark IV Anti-Proton Cannon.]
[His senses?]
[The nanites have formed an extensive sensor array that has
augmented his physical senses to beyond normal ranges. His eyes
are now able to see across the entire electromagnetic spectrum.
Hearing can pick up sounds that are less than one trillionth of a
decibel.]
[Very good. Keep me posted on his progress.]
Another month later�
[Doctor? Are you sure you want to let him have that?]
[Are you questioning me?] Dr. Shero asked in a menacing tone.
[N-N-No sir! I was just�]
[Spare me your feeble explanations and give me a rundown on the
prototype's status.]
[Y-Yes sir.] The lab technician held up a data pad and began
reading off the list. [The nanites have completed construction of the
dimensional hole generator and are now transporting the arsenal that
you had created for him into the subspace pocket, including�] The
lab tech shuddered. [The Annihilator.]
[Very good. And what about his physical abilities?]
[He's so far performed beyond our greatest expectations.
Strength level is rated at forty tons and gradually increasing. Speed
and reflexes are operating at about forty times faster than normal.
He seems to have a natural aptitude for hand to hand combat. He's
already mastered more than twenty styles and thanks to the nanite
web matrix computer in his brain, he retains everything that he sees
and hears. Cognitive and analytical skills have also increased.]
[What about that side effect you were talking about last week?]
[The aging drugs had acted a bit differently than we expected. We
managed to accelerate him to his current age of sixteen standard
years, but the drugs then caused his body to go into a form of
suspended aging once the desired age was reached. I guess were just
going to have to wait until his body readjusts to the new chemical
imbalance and flushes out the drugs.]
[How long will that be?]
[Well you how the effects of those drugs tend to linger even
after the substance is gone so I'd estimate that it would take another
four years before he starts to age normally again.]
[Four years?! You mean that for the next four years, he's not
going to age any further?]
[Yes.]
[I see. Oh well, that's only a minor detail. He's already at the age
that we want him to be so it's nothing. So what about the other
additives I have planned for him?"
[Already operational sir. The nanites have created anti-graviton
generators, which allows for flight capabilities. The dimensional
hole generator allows him to store and retrieve the weapons and
equipment he needs from subspace, including that� ahem, addition
to his arsenal. He's packing enough firepower to totally destroy a
Dimallian Dreadnought single-handedly and can duplicate any
fighting maneuver used against him a few seconds after seeing it.
We've also added a cyberweave body suit to give his organic tissue
added protection. Although his flesh can now withstand extreme
temperatures and high impacts, the new cyberweave armor will
increase protection by tenfold and even allow him to operate in the
vacuum of space. The suit also contains reconfiguring circuits so
that he can change its shape and appearance when he needs to.]
[Excellent! And the cloaking devices?]
[It is fully operational. He can easily evade most conventional
scanners and sensor equipment and can adapt to anything new that is
used against him.]
[Good. Everything is going according to plan. How about his
energy source?]
[The subject will be able to survive on minimal amounts of food
and rest. His cells have now been evolved to the point in which he
can absorb outside energy sources such as solar power and ambient
power like electricity and convert them into that bio-energy of his.
The meson/antimeson thermoelectric batteries that are within him
will act, as secondary backups should his primary sources of power
fail. Of course the nanites are constantly improving and maintaining
his body.]
Dr. Shero smiled, as his dream of conquest was about to become
a reality. Once this new nanotech soldier had passed the final testing
stages and received the proper programming, then he would clone
and mass-produce this model by the thousands. One Ranma alone
was destructive, but an entire army of them would assure the
downfall of the Intergalactic Council and establish himself as
supreme ruler of the cosmos! Nothing could stop him now.
Unknown to him, the Council had already been aware of Dr.
Shero's plans but had only now been able to track him down to the
asteroid that contained his secret lab. Outside the asteroid, a crack
unit of their best commandos was about to stage a daring raid on the
complex. Once the leader of the group gave the go ahead, the twelve
men in high-tech body armor ignited their flight packs and charged
into the installation.
Alarms and defense systems were activated as sensors picked up
the intruders. Laser turrets popped out of their hidden
emplacements and started firing. The invaders skillfully maneuvered
their way around the crisscrossing beams of lethal light and
returned fire with their plasma rifles and hyper-velocity rail canons.
Destruction and chaos reigned as the asteroid rocked with
explosions.
One of the commandos had managed to get past the outer
defenses and into the complex. There he met stiff resistance as he
fought his way through enemy defense drones and heavily armed
guards. He was barely able to make it to the center of the complex
and found the main reactor. Placing a proton thermal detonator on
it, he then communicated to the rest of his group to clear out.
Setting the timer for two minutes, the soldier turned and screamed
as a guard appeared from behind and fired his plasma rifle. The shot
plowed though the commando's armor in the chest. As a reflex, the
dying man squeezed the trigger of his own weapon, which
discharged and burned the guard's head off.
Dr. Shero smiled as he saw on the monitor of the retreating
attack group. Confident that no one had gotten through his defenses,
he decided to initiate the final programming procedures for his
masterpiece. This would turn the boy into the perfect killing
machine, obedient only to him. Ranma would become the perfect
weapon in his bid to conquer the galaxy. Not knowing that his life
was about to end, the scientist headed down the hallway to where his
creation was resting in stasis. It was then that the timer on the
detonator reached 0.
The asteroid was rocked again by a series of chain reactions as
the small explosion caused by the detonator ignited the main
reactor. After the last of the smaller explosions went off, the entire
chunk of space rock exploded in a gigantic blast and space debris
went flying off in all directions. The surviving members of the
raiding party held on for dear life as their ship was rocked by the
shockwave and pelted with pieces of the asteroid. The navigator of
the craft was able to pilot the ship out of the danger zone as Dr.
Shero and his legacy was reduced to cosmic dust. The crew all
agreed that nothing could have survived that explosion.
Nothing, except a small, armored stasis pod that had been blown
clear of the blast and was now tumbling through space.
Six Standard Years later�
It was a peaceful night in the village of the Nieuchiezu, as the
Amazons prepared to settle down for the evening. In a small area
outside the village gates, two girls were sparring with each other,
when suddenly, one of the combatants stopped and pointed up
toward the sky. The second girl stopped as well and looked up in the
direction that the first one was indicating.
<"Look up there! A shooting star!">
<"That could be a good sign Shampoo.">
<"I hope so Mint. Tomorrow, those bad men will come again.
The scouts say that they bringing those war machines this time.">
<"Yes, we must be ready to fight them.">
<"Mint, I'm worried.">
<"I'm worried too Shampoo. Those machines of the Chinese
army are terrible and they've already destroyed or conquered the
other villages. We're the only Amazon village left that's still
holding out and�"> Mint's voice trailed off as thought of the
upcoming battle. For the past several weeks, the warrior women had
been getting into a few skirmishes with members of the Chinese
Army as their leaders tried to impose their will upon them. So far,
the soldiers have been using small arms against them, but the village
had survived their assaults. Now, things had started to become
serious. She didn't think that they had much of a chance against the
tanks and heavy artillery of the Chinese government, but they were
Amazons and it was their way to fight to the death, even against
overwhelming odds.
A few miles away, the light that Shampoo had spotted landed
gently in the midst of a dense forest near the Bayankala Mountain
range. The light, was in fact the glow of the impulse engines of a
small, star cruiser. The otherworldly ship was sleek and had an
impressive armored skin that covered its hull. The firepower it
contained was enough to level a level a small city within twenty
minutes. However, it was its sole occupant that was of greatest
concern.
The hatch of the ship opened up and a figure stepped out into the
night. The person was tall and wore a tight-fitting, black body suit
that covered everything except his head. The man had raven hair,
which was done in a small ponytail. His eyes were blue and they
seemed to radiate a sense of overwhelming power and control as
they scanned the area. His vision swept the forest as his bio-
computer took in the data from the infrared, microwave and other
wavelengths that his eyes were sensing. Finally, the scanning
procedure was complete and Ranma mentally asked the computer in
his brain.
<Computer, are you certain that this is my planet of origin?>
(*Affirmative Ranma. All the available data that we have
accumulated confirms this.*)
Ranma nodded as he took a deep breath. After spending six long
years wandering the galaxies, he had finally come home. The serum
that had been used to accelerate his age, then stopped his aging
process had finally worn off two years ago. He was aging normally
again, but he now had the body of a nineteen-year old, instead of his
expected age of sixteen. While wandering the cosmos, the
cybernetic martial artist had visited many worlds and gained an
incredible amount of knowledge, including clues as to where he
came from. He eventually came across information about the planet
that he was stolen from six-years ago and after a little bit of friendly
'persuasion' he was able to get the coordinates of his home world.
However, this did not get him any of his missing memories back.
Dr. Shero's mindwipe had been quite extensive and the memories of
his past before he was kidnapped were trickling back at an
unbearably slow rate. He had thought that coming back to Earth
might stimulate his recall faster, but he still could not remember
much more than his own name.
Sighing again, he decided to consult the biocomputer in his head.
<Computer, any suggestions as to our current situation?>
(*Unable to comply, due to the limited amount of data. As you
would put it, I haven't the foggiest idea. Suggest scouting the area
and questioning the natives until new data is presented. Also suggest
that you keep a low profile, as this is a backwater world.*)
Ranma nodded as he went back inside his ship to prepare for the
next day. The hatch closed with a quiet hiss and then the whole ship
began to shimmer as the cloaking devices activated themselves. In
an instant, the ship faded from view and nothing was left to indicate
that it even existed.
The very next day, Ranma was soaring above the treetops at a
relatively slow speed as he scouted the area. Although it would have
been easier to remain inside his ship and send out probes, he had
felt confined within his craft and wanted to experience the outside
world. As of now, he was flying at an altitude of three thousand feet
and was enjoying the scenery below. Just as he was about to
approach the Bayankala Mountain range, his telescopic vision had
spotted a series of explosions in the distance. Focusing his eyesight
on the disturbance, he saw a scene of chaos and destruction.
Primitive war machines (by his standards) were spearheading an
attack on a small village. Soldiers were firing crude projectile
weapons at the defenders, who were retaliating with swords, clubs
and all sorts of sharp or blunt hand to hand instruments. Landing on
a cliff that overlooked the battlefield, Ranma engaged his
computer's tactical mode. As his computer analyzed the situation,
Ranma watched with fascination as the female warriors of the
village inflicted considerable damage to their attackers. He
witnessed several impressive displays of martial arts and every now
and then, an Amazon would demonstrate a ki attack. The foot
soldiers that were foolish enough to get close to one of them would
learn the error of their mistake a few seconds before their lives
ended. However, the rest of the troops were smart enough to stay
back and lay down withering machine gunfire and to let the tanks do
their job. The armored behemoths let loose with deafening volleys
of death from their turrets that shot over the heads of the Amazons
and blasted away at the village behind them. It was quite apparent
what the eventual outcome would be.
(*Native village on the verge of being overwhelmed by superior
forces. Enemy outnumbers defenders by twenty to one. Weapons
used against defenders consist of high-explosive projectile shells,
heavy armor units and firearms. Estimate total annihilation within
five minutes.*)
<They'll be massacred! We have to help them!>
(*Decision to interfere with the affairs of the locals not within
mission to retrieve lost data on your past existence.*)
<I don't care! I can't just stand by and let this happen when I have
the power to stop it!>
(*Direct involvement may result in unforeseen consequences.
Preservation of this unit is of highest priority.*)
<Computer� please, you know I'm right. Let me do this.>
There was a long pause as the computer considered Ranma's
request. Although it would have been a simple matter to immobilize
Ranma and prevent him from interfering, the biotechnological
wonder had undergone some changes since its activation six years
ago. As it was merged with Ranma's brain, it had begun to pick up
some humanistic qualities. Although its primary function was to act
as an information source and defend its host, it had started to
exhibit some sensations all on its own. Things that would have
meant nothing to a purely logical computer were now starting to
show value to the nanites. Concepts such as compassion, mercy,
honor and loyalty now had an effect on it. Throughout their travels
through the cosmos, Ranma had aided hundreds of beings and gotten
into situations that endangered his life, when it would have been
more logical to not get involved. Ranma had made a lot of enemies
because of his interference. Then again, he had made some powerful
allies as well. If Ranma could help, then he would. It was that
humanity, which defined him and the computer, had just recently
begun to appreciate that part of him. In some cases, they had
survived only because of it. In any case, wasn't it the computer's job
to aid its host? That was its purpose. That was the reason it was
created in the first place.
(*Will comply with request to aid defenders.*)
<Thanks computer.>
Ranma took a deep breath while powering up his energies, then
dived down toward the battle. Remembering his computer's
suggestion to keep a low profile, he gave a mental command to the
microcircuits in his cyberweave suit, and the fabric became like a
thing alive as it moved to cover his head into a mask of the black
material. The only feature was a stylish red visor that covered his
eyes. Now that no one could visually identify him, Ranma eagerly
flew toward the village. <I've been itching for some action,
computer. Let's go kick some butt!>
(*Affirmative.*)
<"AIIIIYEEEEEE!"> Shampoo felt a sharp pain in her side as
several bullets hit her. She fell to the ground with a profuse gunshot
wound in her right flank. She dropped her bonbori and clutched at
the bleeding hole, hoping to stem the flow of crimson that was now
dripping down to the ground. Shampoo knew that she was dying, but
she would not give up. If she was going to die, then she was going to
do it on her feet and fighting the enemy. She tried to get up, but her
legs just wouldn't respond. The bullets had shot through her
midsection and one of them hit her vertebrae, severing her spinal
cord. She had been crippled by the cowardly attack and as she
looked up, she saw a tank rumbling its way toward her. It seemed
that she would soon join her ancestors. She shut her eyes and waited
for the end.
The end never came. She heard startled cries coming from the
soldiers and her sister Amazons alike. The clanking noises of the
tank's wheels could still be heard, but they seemed to be coming
from� above? She cautiously opened her eyes and looked up. Her
eyes became the size of saucers (the flying kind) as she beheld the
sight before her.
The stranger was tall, about 6'4" at least. He had a lean, muscular
frame and was wearing a black, skintight, full body suit and boots
that covered him from head to toe. The headmask had no features
save for a red strip of semitransparent material across the eyes that
resembled a visor. The being was radiating ki energy on a scale that
no one of her tribe had ever encountered before. His power was
enormous! The fact that he was holding up a forty-ton tank over his
head demonstrated this point. The war machine's treads were still
rolling in their futile attempt to get traction.
One of the occupants came out of the hatch at the top of the
turret and looked down. His eyes bugged out when he saw why his
vehicle wasn't going anywhere. He screamed down to his
compatriots inside the tank and in less than a minute, four members
of the Chinese Army were scrambling out of the armored vehicle
and leaping away.
<"W-W-Who are you?">
Ranma looked down at the injured girl with a bit of confusion.
<Computer, do you have any idea what's she's saying?>
(*Dialect is currently unknown. Translation program already in
progress in deciphering her language. Will be able to comprehend
in thirty seconds.*)
<Never mind that now computer. Give me a tactical assessment
of the situation.> Ranma's eyes began scanning the battlefield, his
eyes analyzing the numbers of enemy soldiers and their weapons.
(*Analysis complete. Main strength of attacking force is their
battle machines. Neutralization of these elements will diminish the
attacking force's ability to fight by seventy-five percent.*)
Ranma nodded as he reared back and threw the tank at another
one that was nearby. Soldiers were barely able to get out of their
vehicle when the heavy projectile came crashing down on top of it.
Ranma turned and raised one arm, pointing the index finger at the
smashed tanks.
<Laser beam.> Ranma mentally commanded as he focused some
of his ki into the digit. The energy converters within his body
transformed his power into an intense beam of focused light, which
shot out and struck the two tanks. The superheated beam pierced the
thick armor and ignited the ammunition and explosive shells within
them, transforming the hulks into fireballs of exploding shrapnel
and mangled parts.
Some of the soldiers finally got over their moment of shock
when they saw this nearly effortless destruction of two of their
tanks. The ones that were nearest to Ranma took a dozen steps back
and began shooting at him with their assault rifles. However, this
proved to be a mistake.
Ranma turned around and saw the bullets streak at him. Although
he knew that the primitive arms the soldiers were carrying wouldn't
even scratch his skin, let alone his cyberweave armor, he still had
the innocent behind him to think about. So instead of just standing
there and let them ricochet off his body, his arms and hands became
a blur, catching each and every bullet of the lethal salvo. The
Amazons and Shampoo especially were rendered speechless. Their
own speed technique, the Katchu Tenshin Amaguriken, was fast but
it didn't have anywhere close to the speed of this newcomer. It
certainly wasn't fast enough to catch bullets!
Ranma smirked from behind his mask as the soldiers continued
to fire their weapons. For twenty seconds, the sounds of nonstop
gunfire hammered away. Finally, the assault rifles clicked on empty,
as their magazines were depleted. The troops were astounded when
they saw that their foe did not even have a scratch. Their horror was
increased by tenfold when they saw the stranger casually open his
hands and showed their spent shots. He had caught them all! He then
proceeded to crush the contents of his hands and a moment later; he
brushed away t