"This really is a good plan. It could even boost local employment too."
Ryuji nodded as he listened, genuinely impressed. The idea wasn't just clever—it was practical. Not only would it create jobs in this remote region, but it would also generate staggering amounts of money. On top of that, the global publicity would be enormous. Sure, some people might worry about scams—men turning into women just to deceive others—but as long as there was a proper disclaimer, it would be fine.
And beyond business, the impact on human society itself would be extremely-huge. Anime was full of characters who looked like girls but were written as boys, or boys forced to grow up as girls despite their bodies.
With Jusenkyo's springs, all of that could change. People could finally live as who they wanted to be and even start families without the barriers they once faced.
From one perspective, this is indeed a good approach.
Of course, there was one downside—for playboys, at least. With the Spring of Drowned Girl, even a gorilla or a tiger could become a beautiful young woman with just one splash. In other words: a "mass-produced beauty" plan.
And if the person was already attractive to begin with? They would become breathtaking. Ranma was the perfect example—handsome as a man, but stunningly beautiful as a girl. Stunning enough that whenever "Ranko" appeared alongside other heroines, people's eyes would instinctively drift to her rather than anyone else.
She was, in truth, a beauty who outshone them all.
But that also led to a terrifying mental image—one-night stands turning surreal. Imagine sleeping with a gorgeous girl, then while you're lighting up a cigarette, she pours some hot water over herself… and suddenly, she's a he.
Ryuji shivered at the thought. "That's… horrifying."
Still, he had to admit: Misato's idea had real merit. The societal shockwaves would be beyond imagination.
Even thinking about pop culture—take Cardcaptor Sakura. Sakura's brother Touya and his best friend Yukito had a relationship that was always… ambiguous. But if Yukito or Touya had access to the Spring of Drowned Girl, things would get… unspeakably complicated.
Or all those "traps" and effeminate side characters—give them a splash of cursed water, and suddenly the entire plot of their shows would change overnight.
"Yes… that's a very insightful idea." Ryuji rubbed his chin, already calculating.
"If we set up a company locally, the first step would be getting investment. Thankfully, in this era, that won't be a problem. Pose as a Hong Kong businessman, push the right levers, grease the right palms, and the money will flow in. After that, it's just advertising and distribution."
His thoughts were racing now, spinning faster and faster. "We'll need tests too—exactly what temperature water reverses the curse? How much water is required? Can a fine spray change someone back, or do they need a full dousing? Once we know, we can sell safety devices—spray bottles, portable hot water thermoses, even specialty flasks. All of it can be monetized."
Ryuji's eyes gleamed as he envisioned entire product lines.
Misato, meanwhile, scratched her cheek, feeling uneasy. She hadn't expected him to take her distraction tactic this seriously. She'd only suggested it to stop him from flirting with Shampoo any further. Otherwise, she had been worried he'd drag the poor girl into the nearest house right and have sex with her.
Although it was someone else's business, to her modern sensibilities, that was just too much. Too reckless. Too… disturbing.
And if Ryuji could so easily get sidetracked by a pretty face, what would happen to their mission? They were supposed to be dealing with monsters. How could he afford to be this careless?
But Misato also understood. She didn't know the "plot" of this world the way he did. From her perspective, his actions seemed chaotic and irresponsible. From his, they were part of a bigger picture.
That was why Ryuji never got angry at her doubts. He simply didn't accept them.
"Excellent," he said firmly. "Once we reach Hong Kong, we can register the company there and handle trade from that base. Later, when we return to Japan, we can expand operations there as well."
Misato gave an awkward laugh, still scratching at her cheek. "You're… actually serious about this?"
"Of course. We're talking about technology that could reshape the world!"
"But… what about ethics? Morality? Public order?"
Ryuji just chuckled softly. "Humanity isn't that fragile, Miss Katsuragi. I don't know what your world is like, but here? People's nerves are ridiculously tough."
After all, he'd seen it with his own eyes—Stephen Chow, Ranma, Jackie Chan. In this world, people could be smacked around in the most outrageous ways and still get up, dust themselves off, and carry on as though nothing had happened.
If they didn't have iron hearts, half the population would've died of heart attacks already.
This wasn't a normal world at all.
This was a parody world.
Yes, a comedy world—one destined to be a relic of its era. Even the so-called "Young and Dangerous" gangsters lived lives that, when you looked closely, were nothing more than black-humor absurdity.
"Ah… I see…" Misato rubbed her temple. She suddenly had the sinking feeling that when Ryuji said "management," what he actually meant was dumping all the paperwork onto her. He didn't look like someone who could sit quietly at a desk and review files.
And the worst part? Unlike him, she actually could.
"W-well, let's talk about it later then," she muttered, scratching her cheek awkwardly.
Just then, the ox-cart lurched to a halt. They had arrived at Jusenkyo.
Standing nearby was a man in an old-fashioned military uniform. A red armband on his arm bore the word Guide. His expression twisted into pure exasperation the moment his eyes fell on Ranma and Genma. With a look that said he'd seen far too much nonsense already, he strode quickly toward them.
"Shampoo, girl, why did you bring these two idiot Japanese along?"
The slightly portly middle-aged guide gave a helpless look, pointing at Ranma and Genma.
"They hired me to take them on a tour of Jusenkyo, but they just wouldn't listen. Day in and day out, it was nothing but fighting. I told them to be careful, but sure enough, they fell into the Spring of Drowned Girl and the Spring of Drowned Panda."
The guide sighed in frustration.
Listening to their conversation, Ryuji finally understood how Ranma and Genma ended up this way.
To keep tourists from accidentally falling in, every spring was fenced off, with bamboo poles planted in the middle of the waters. But those two idiots ignored all that and actually balanced on the poles to fight each other.
Of course, they both fell in—one turning into a woman, the other into a panda.
Worse, when they later fought over the water from the Spring of Drowned Man, they ended up destroying it. Afraid of being fined, they ran away.
When they realized there was no penalty, they sneaked back. Their plan was to stay in the area until the spring recovered so they could return to normal.
But being martial artists, they insisted they needed training. To avoid damaging more springs, they decided to head into the nearby mountains instead. The guide urged them to at least take their luggage and a map, but the two declared they had to "temper body and spirit."
And then… they disappeared. Clearly lost.
Ryuji didn't know what to say. All he could think was: this is exactly the kind of nonsense you'd see in a comedic manga.
When Ranma and Genma finally collected their luggage and thanked the guide, Ryuji turned his gaze toward Jusenkyo.
The place was vast. As far as the eye could see, it was filled with countless pits of water, each one clear and glimmering.
At first glance, they all looked the same. But when Ryuji closed his eyes and extended his Observation Haki, he sensed something very different.
Magic but not quite magic.
Resentment but not exactly resentment.
A strange, unique force lingered within, faintly tinged with the essence of world power, it was very subtle, almost nonexistent yet undeniably there.
"This thing… it's actually a rule-bound artifact?"
Watching the rippling, sunlit waters, Ryuji rubbed his chin, deep in thought.
His Observation Haki had long since evolved beyond its original form, letting him perceive the emotions etched into the springs—memories, grudges, yearnings—so clearly that he could tell exactly what form someone would take if they fell in.
But there was something else.
"Is this power… infinite? Does it come from the land? No… from the water itself?"
He couldn't sense the true source, only that the springs drew from the earth itself.
Some pools were pure, blank untainted by memory or curse. Those had no bamboo markers. Their waters were safe, even beneficial for health.
But the marked springs… each one seethed with grudges and lingering will.
"So it's the grudges, the imprints of emotion, that twist the water into curses…"
Ryuji felt he had grasped the secret, yet looking at the densely packed pits made his skin crawl.
Because he could tell even he…couldn't resist the power of cursed springs.
It wasn't a matter of strength. It was closer to… authority.
Like in a game—no matter how powerful a paying player was, if an admin wanted to ban their account, it was just one click. Different leagues entirely.
He could maybe influence the springs with tools or rituals crafted from Jusenkyo's own power, but to directly resist the curse? Impossible without matching authority.
"Is this… divine power? Or just rules at play?"
He didn't know. But one thing was certain: he wasn't about to test it recklessly.
"Something that was just a background piece in the story turns out to be this dangerous."
With that thought, Ryuji stepped a little farther from the cursed springs.
But then another thought came to him, and he turned toward the guide.
"Say, Mr. Guide are you interested in opening a factory to sell this spring water?"
Since the man seemed to be in charge, Ryuji decided to test the waters.
"Not possible," the guide replied at once. "This is state-owned property. You can take a little for yourself, but setting up a factory is forbidden. And foreigners aren't allowed to exploit local resources anyway not even people from Hong Kong."
Clearly expecting this kind of question, the guide shut him down flatly.
Ryuji let out a disappointed sigh. Misato, on the other hand, looked relieved. The last thing she wanted was to be complicit in something like that.
"Shame. I was planning to make the whole world realize how powerful this stuff is."
"No helping it, guest," the guide said with a shrug. "If you were a local, maybe."
Ryuji almost choked on his own frustration. He was Chinese back in his real world. But here? He was basically a ghost in the system. Everything looked familiar, but the culture was different, history diverged, even controlled nuclear fusion hadn't been achieved in this world.
"What a waste…"
He truly regretted it.
Just as disappointment set in, the guide chuckled and handed him a product list.
"Don't worry, guest. We do have overseas distributor slots available. Take a look."
Ryuji scanned the sheet. Jusenkyo spring water already for sale. Even concentrated extracts, though their effects only lasted a few uses. Clearly, the locals had long since begun exploiting the springs.
And the list didn't stop there. It was packed with bizarre items:
• Kunlun Peaches – Heal most internal injuries and make childbirth easier.
• Dragonfire Spout – A device that breathes fire, provided you supply fuel.
• Hundredfold Strength Bun – Grants the strength of a hundred men, but also their appetite. Comes with antidote. Warning: women may grow beards.
• First Set of Inner Force Calisthenics – A radio exercise routine capable of cultivating top-tier qi.
• Kitchen God Statue – Slightly enhances the flavor of food when placed in the home.
• Pillar of Heaven Pill – Temporarily increases size, hardness, and stamina but also doubles sensitivity and drains physical energy.
• Passion Elixir – Drives the user to uncontrollably pursue intimacy with their beloved. Without mutual feelings, the side effects are disastrous.
• Blazing Tinder Powder – Induces overwhelming desire for one's crush, but causes sudden clarity the moment things escalate.
• Shoddy Taoist Talismans – Effective at driving away minor spirits, but useless against strong grudges.
• Box of Storms – Unleashes a typhoon-level gale for up to two hours when opened.
And many more: rare herbs, martial manuals, strange pills, odd weapons. Ryuji's eyes went wide. The craziest part? None of it was even that expensive.
The Hong Kong cash he had could easily buy most of the list. But…
As he read the time limits, side effects, and hidden catches, instinct screamed at him: Don't buy these. Don't even think about it.
Trouble. Nothing but trouble.
But Ryuji being Ryuji.
He draped an arm casually over the guide's shoulder, steering him aside. With a polite but mischievous smile, he whispered:
"…Do you have any Passion Elixir, Pillar of Heaven Pills, or Blazing Tinder Powder in stock?"
He knew very well—those items only worked on people with genuine feelings. And that was exactly what he wanted.
Sure, using aphrodisiacs sounded cheap for a would-be harem king. But they weren't for him. Oh no.
He planned to combine them with the Spring of Drowned Girl.
For enemies he couldn't kill outright gang bosses with loyal underlings, leaders surrounded by followers he had the perfect combo ready. First, a splash of Spring of Drowned Girl. Then a dose of Passion Elixir, Blazing Tinder Powder, and finally, a Pillar of Heaven Pill.
One devastating chain reaction later, his enemies would destroy themselves without him lifting a finger.
From the inside out—psychologically, socially, utterly broken. By the time they faced him again, they'd be mindless wrecks, ripe for defeat.
"Heh… guest really knows his stuff," the guide chuckled, his eyes curling into sly crescents.
Ryuji grinned back. The two of them together looked downright sinister.
Still, there was one item that gnawed at him. One he wanted to use—but also couldn't bring himself to.
The Pillar of Heaven Pill.
Because deep down…
Ryuji wanted to conquer the Red Dragon Queen Alexstrasza.
Her depth, her strength, her heat, her will, her experience she crushed him in every way. If he wanted to defeat her, he'd need every ounce of his being.
He was not willing to lose.
Not willing at all.
Because he was still unwilling to accept things as they were, Ryuji decided that, at least for now, these items would remain as his trump cards his absolute last resort.
"Heh… these are all my secret weapons, my keys to victory. Of course I'll use them when the time comes."
"Of course, sir. I have exactly what you need right here."
The guide grinned as he pulled out a bag, deftly snatched the Hong Kong dollars from Ryuji's hand, and passed him an overseas distributor application form. Once approved, Ryuji could obtain official distributor status able to place unlimited monthly orders straight from the domestic market.
The only catch: no advertising.
That single restriction soured his mood. His grand plan to change the world had been strangled before it even drew its first breath!
Still… if this world's rules held him back, he could always look to other worlds. Someday, this plan would find its chance.
Ryuji stared down at the pill in his palm—the Pillar of Heaven. And in that moment, a voice of conscience echoed in his mind.
"If you take this, there's no going back. Ahead of you lies only disgrace and hell!"
His jaw clenched tight. The shame and shadow left by Alexstrasza weighed on him like chains. He ignored that inner voice of righteousness and quietly tucked the pill away.
Sometimes… revenge is the only option.
When he finally turned back to check on his companions, he found Ranma and Genma sprawled beside the dried-up Spring of Drowned Man, frantically digging into the dirt, desperate to uncover even a drop of its water.
Ryuji couldn't help but ask,
"So, anyone who's transformed into something strange can be restored just by bathing in the Spring of Drowned Woman or Drowned Man, right?"
It was a question that had nagged at him for some time.
"In theory, yes. But if someone comes to accept their transformed identity too much… then it won't work."
The guide took out his long pipe and took a puff before continuing.
"After all, the mind changes with the body. Jusenkyo's waters are mysterious they may look like accidents, but often, falling into a particular spring was already fated. Still, the cursed springs do respect personal choice."
His voice carried a weary, almost nostalgic weight. It was clear that behind this seemingly ordinary guide lay a man with many untold stories.
"Whether a spring has water or not depends on fate and on the choices you hold in your heart. If you truly have no connection to a spring, then you'll never be cursed by it… or blessed by it."
He chuckled softly, glancing at Ranma and Genma.
"So it seems those two were just very unlucky."
Ryuji tilted his head. To his senses, the Spring of Drowned Man wasn't fated at all it was simply blocked by a rock. Nothing more. No lofty talk of destiny.
And yet… a faint unease stirred in him.
"Fate, huh… what an irritating idea."
But the guide shook his head once more.
"Not fate..... choice. If your heart is truly firm, Jusenkyo cannot curse you."
Ryuji found it hard to believe.
After all, Ranma clearly rejected the idea of being a girl.
But just as he thought this, a realization struck him.
For Ranma… maybe being a girl really was better.
Not because he liked men or anything like that, but because of his upbringing.
His father, Genma Saotome , had abandoned his wife just to raise his son into the ultimate martial artist—"a man among men." Ranma's childhood had been nothing but a gauntlet of hunger, fear, and brushes with death, all in the name of becoming that "manly man."
Ranma could not possibly be without resentment. It showed in so many ways not just in how he constantly beat and berated his father without the slightest respect, but also in the way he grew sad whenever he saw other children with mothers.
Even his reconciliation with Akane stemmed in part from that shared absence neither of them had truly known a mother's love.
At this thought, Ryuji fell silent.
Because if Ranma had been born a girl from the start, then Genma likely wouldn't have dragged him through endless wanderings and near-death trials. Most likely, his father would have held a steady job, stayed with his wife, and built a happy family fulfilling his duties as husband and father rather than clinging so desperately to the idea of "raising a man among men."
In that case, Ranma would never have had to suffer. He wouldn't have been separated from his mother at all.
So perhaps, deep in his heart, Ranma really had wished at some point: If only I were a girl…
But if that was true…
A ridiculous thought surfaced in Ryuji's mind.
Wouldn't that mean every man beaten down by modern society secretly wished to be a girl too?
The notion left him silent. And yet, because of his trust in and yearning for other worlds, he found himself half-accepting the guide's explanation.
"..."
"This world values fate more than you think," the guide spoke up at that moment.
Ryuji, watching Ranma and Genma still frantically digging into the dried-up Spring of Drowned Man, allowed a faint smile to tug at his lips.
"If you mean that one's inner desires draw them to certain springs… then let's see. Let's test whether my heart still has any weakness left."
He strode forward. He wasn't about to pick a spring for himself but if the guide's words were true, then…
"Move!"
Ryuji planted himself beside the Spring of Drowned Man, lowering into a firm stance. With full force he began channeling his water manipulation. Ranma and Genma ignored him completely, refusing to move aside, so Ryuji didn't hold back.
With Observation Haki spread wide, he sensed the underground currents. The veins of water spiraled under his command, surging into a vortex that slammed against the massive stone blocking the spring.
The instant he felt the rock shift, he drove the spiraling torrent forward with a shout.
"Break!"
The raging waters blasted upward, carrying the boulder high into the sky. Ranma and Genma, caught directly in the Spring of Drowned Man's rebirth, were the first to reap its effects bathing in the cool waters that secured their identities as men once more.
Their faces barely had time to light with joy before terror replaced it. For as they were hurled into the air by the erupting geyser, they were instantly engulfed again this time by the waters of the Spring of Drowned Woman and the Spring of Drowned Panda.
Their cries overlapped.
"Nooooo!"
And when they landed, they were once again cursed—Ranma a girl, Genma a panda. No escape.
Ryuji blinked, then hastily drew a portion of the Spring of Drowned Man's water toward himself with a sweep of his hand. But before he could use it, fresh torrents from the other springs surged in, colliding violently.
He had no choice but to abandon control of the Drowned Man's spring, raising a barrier of water to shield himself. But Misato and Shampoo… there was no time to save them.
All he could do was watch as the two girls were swallowed by the unleashed waters. Gritting his teeth, Ryuji seized a large amount of the Spring of Drowned Woman's water and pulled it to his side for later.
When the chaos finally subsided, he surveyed the aftermath: two small cats trembling on the ground, a furious panda pounding the tiles, and a distraught woman clawing at the earth beside the once-again dried-up Spring of Drowned Man.
"…This place really is terrifying."
So the guide had been right, there was some strange resonance at work. Even though Shampoo had been doused by multiple springs at once, she still transformed exactly as in the original story into a cat.
And Misato…
Ryuji stared at the peculiar creature before him.
Shampoo had become a beautiful, snowy-white kitten. But Misato had turned into something entirely different an odd, almost nonsensical cat. A "logical cat," if such a thing could exist.
It made him wonder: did one's personality shape the form they took after transformation?
But Misato herself wasn't pondering philosophy. Wrongly cursed into a cat and burning with fury, she leapt straight at Ryuji, claws bared, intent on tearing into him.
With a casual flick of his hand, Ryuji caught her midair, raised an ice wall to block the others' view, and tossed the little cat into the water ball of Drowned Woman's water.
A moment later, Misato strode out of the sphere, human once more and utterly unclothed. She didn't even care about her nudity—snatching up her clothes from the ground, she rounded on Ryuji with blazing eyes.
"Ryuji! What the hell do you think you're doing?!"
She hadn't even realized she'd been caught up in the chaos until it was too late!
Ryuji, however, remained perfectly calm. He had already been manipulating the waters of the Spring of Drowned Woman when Shampoo and Misato were engulfed, so he was never worried.
"It was just an experiment," he said with a faint smile. "But Miss Katsuragi, your heart… it's proud, yet fragile."
Misato's only answer was to flip him the middle finger before hastily pulling her clothes back on. Meanwhile, the kitten that Shampoo had become leapt onto Ryuji, scrambling up his shirt to perch on his shoulder, rubbing her soft fur against his neck and cheek. The fluffy warmth almost tempted Ryuji to keep her as she was.
But reason prevailed. He gently lifted the little cat down and placed her into the sphere of the spring's water.
In the blink of an eye, Shampoo was herself again. She didn't bother with modesty. Instead, she threw herself into Ryuji's arms, pressing her face against his chest.
"Ryuji! Thank you for saving me from that cursed cat form! To show my gratitude, let's spend tonight together as husband and wife! We can worry about the wedding feast after I've given you a child!"
Her voice was painfully earnest. She even trailed her hand across his chest, her breath hot against his neck, clearly intent on having her way with him right then and there.
Ryuji responded by subtly controlling the water within her discarded clothes, drying them. As he began dressing her piece by piece, his hands lingered where they pleased.
"Not now," he said seriously, one hand slipping across the soft curve of her chest as he helped her with her undergarments. "You mustn't expose yourself in front of others. You know I'd get jealous."
Shampoo's face lit red with joy.
"Ahhh! I'm so happy, Darling! Then let's do it right away!"
Her heart raced as she clung to him, blushing furiously yet making no attempt to resist. Instead, she held tighter, biting down playfully on a strand of her own hair.
"I told you," Ryuji chuckled softly, fastening her clothes and sliding a hand down to guide her into her panties, "there are outsiders here."
In the process, he couldn't help but notice her bare pussy the smoothness unmarred by hair, the way she instinctively shifted to give him a clearer view.
Far from embarrassed, Shampoo gently caressed her stomach and parted her thighs just enough for him to see more. Then she leaned close to his ear, her voice sultry.
"Ryuji, are you examining my martial arts skills? Shampoo's splits are perfect, you know…"
She lifted one long leg, ready to demonstrate even here.
Thanks to the thick ice wall Ryuji had raised, only he and Misato could see. Ranma and the others outside remained completely unaware.
Even so, Ryuji tugged the underwear into place, shaking his head.
"Not here, Shampoo. Not with an audience."
If they'd had a private room instead of an ice barrier, he might not have been so restrained.
"An audience…"
As he helped her dress and cheekily patted her butt, Shampoo glanced toward Misato. The gentle glow in her eyes hardened to icy killing intent.
"Husband, by 'outsider,' do you mean Miss Katsuragi?"
Her hand slipped to a concealed dagger. That woman had ruined her dates with Ryuji too many times. Patience had its limits and Shampoo was done enduring.
She would make Misato regret ever being born.
~~~~~~~~~~
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