"Since everyone's here, come on in. We're about to start training."
. . .
The girls filed in one after another. Kasumi felt it was rude, but Nabiki and Akane were already eagerly stepping into Ryuji's house, so she could only sigh and offer a small bow to Ryuji.
"Sorry for the intrusion, Mr. Ryuji."
Ryuji glanced at Kasumi, who carried an odd air of matronliness despite being unmarried; it piqued his curiosity. His instincts told him she was undoubtedly a virgin, yet something about her gave off a housewife's scent.
Ryuji cleared his throat.
"It's nothing. I'm just glad girls like you would visit my place."
Her cheeks flushed at the compliment and she thanked him again before entering. A golden-haired figure appeared in the doorway and Ryuji suddenly realized Minako Aino hadn't rushed in with Usagi and the others; she'd stayed behind until the end.
"You're definitely scheming something with Usagi and the others, aren't you?" Minako snapped, teeth clenched as she glared at Ryuji. The other three weren't perceptive, but as the first of them to transform into a Sailor Moon, Minako noticed everything... she'd seen the way the four foolish girls seemed to have fallen in love with Ryuji.
To be fair, after being saved twice by him, if Ryuji hadn't acted so lecherous every time, Minako would have developed feelings for him too. In fact, even with his obvious lustfulness, she still held some affection for him now. But!
"I won't allow you to hurt them! Whatever you want, come at me! As long as you let them go, I'll do anything! But on the condition that you help me get stronger!"
Minako Aino's voice trembled as she spoke. She had always felt responsible for protecting these girls who became Sailor Moons after her; she was even the one who came up with the name 'Sailor Moon'.
But in these recent battles, her performance as the senior member had been lagging behind even Rei's. When team members got hurt, she felt utterly helpless, sometimes even becoming a burden!
She couldn't stand this situation any longer, nor would she accept it. As the senior member, she should act the part!
Although she usually acted carefree, this was one area where she refused to fall behind!
Feeling Ryuji's wolf-like gaze scanning her body, Minako couldn't help but tremble, she felt a mix of strange excitement and unknown fear. But the thought that doing this could protect the other Sailor Moons and Usagi made her fearless.
And besides...
When this guy isn't being a pervert, he's actually pretty reliable.
Remembering how Ryuji was during battle, Minako couldn't help but blush.
However, from Ryuji's perspective...
"I've sampled enough already. Why are all you Sailor Moons like this?"
He finally couldn't help but remark bluntly.
"Usagi was like this, Ami was like this, Makoto outright wanted to sleep with me, Rei has a complete martyr complex... and now you're like this too..."
He helplessly placed his hands on Minako's shoulders. While part of him rationally thought it might be better not to tell her about the 'deals' the other four Sailor Moons had made with him, his instincts told him this was the right approach.
So he chose to trust his instincts.
"W-what?!"
Minako gasped softly. She knew the five of them were close, but she never expected all four of them to have... Without thinking, she urgently grabbed Ryuji's collar and questioned him in a low voice.
"Which one did you sleep with?!"
Seeing the usually 'playful big sister' type Minako acting like this, Ryuji couldn't resist teasing her.
"None of them, though I've taken advantage of a fair few opportunities."
"You...!"
Minako instinctively wanted to give Ryuji a shoulder throw, but she knew making such a scene now would be too much.
"Don't lay a hand on them, understand?" she said firmly.
Ryuji shrugged.
"Easier said than done. But if they seduce me themselves... You know me, I'm a harem lover. If they offer themselves to me, and I'm in the mood, how could I not make a move..."
"I said absolutely not!"
Minako stated bluntly.
"Hey now, are you expecting a mature man with strong desires to keep a promise like that?"
Ryuji pointed toward his lower body.
"Up to now, the time I've spent thinking with my lower half has surpassed most of my normal thinking time!"
Minako was going crazy. Strictly speaking, this wasn't entirely his fault, because upon reflection, her companions would indeed do such things. But seeing Ryuji shamelessly declare himself a 'harem lover' really her angry.
"Could you act like a gentleman for once?!" she demanded.
Ryuji looked at Minako seriously.
"Can a gentleman build a harem?"
Minako was taken aback, then answered decisively.
"No."
"Then why should I be a gentleman?"
"Can't you have some other pursuits?!"
Minako was truly about to lose it.
"Nope. All I need in life are ways to get stronger, beautiful women, meat, and family."
Ryuji answered seriously, but Minako was barely holding back her voice and emotions.
"Then is Miss Katsuragi your family?! Isn't she your friend?"
"Nah, but she didn't let me have sex with her, so we can only be ordinary friends. But your friends are willing to sleep with me!"
He replied with absolute confidence, making Minako feel like finding a knife and ending Ryuji right then and there.
"A pervert like you only serves to drive up the price of rice in this world, you know?!"
Minako took a deep breath, then sighed.
"You want to have sex, right? Fine. I'll satisfy all your desires. As long as you're satisfied, you won't be tempted by the other girls, right?!"
Minako grabbed Ryuji's collar and declared her decision.
She could tell the others about Ryuji's true nature, but knowing her friends, they would still choose to sacrifice themselves.
Especially Rei and Usagi. Their situations were different, but...
Just thinking about what she had just said made even Minako feel dizzy and speechless.
So impulsive!
How could I say something like that just out of anger!
"Hey now, my desires are as strong my strength. You can't handle it."
Ryuji glanced at Minako . Honestly, it wasn't that he looked down on her, but judging by Usagi's performance, every single one of these five Sailor Moons were noobs.
Minako took a deep breath, stubbornly enduring her embarrassment, ready to argue with Ryuji. She knew it was stupid, but...
But at this moment, Rei appeared. Believing she had been entrusted to Ryuji by her father, effectively becoming his mistress or rather, his wife in Japan Rei stepped forward. Seeing the two lingering at the door for so long, she asked with some concern.
"What are you two doing?"
Not wanting the others to know about the 'deal' she was about to make with Ryuji, Minako snapped back angrily. She was genuinely worried her other companions would make such sacrifices for the team this was something she, as the leader, should do!
"Nothing! I just wanted to know what he's done to all of you!"
With that, Minako shot Ryuji an angry glare and quickly hurried into his house.
Rei watched the fuming Minako and couldn't help but shake her head. In her eyes, although Minako was the most senior Sailor Moon and considerably more mature than the other three, she was still an immature girl at heart... someone who still idolized pop stars. So, despite being the leader, she wasn't fully mature yet.
But Rei also knew Minako genuinely cared for them. Thus, Rei simply assumed Minako was angry because of her actions. After all, in the minds of these young girls who romanticized love, the idea of tying marriage or relationships to something as cold as "duty" or "family interest" was unthinkable.
And what she had done...
In their eyes, her actions probably amounted to a betrayal.
Choosing to marry someone she didn't know well, someone for whom she only felt a vague fondness rather than love, all for the sake of her family, her friends, and their safety.... this was likely something these immature children couldn't understand.
To girls who still believed in pure, ideal love, that must have seemed unforgivable.
Thinking this, Rei walked over to Ryuji, linked her arm with his, pressed her ample bosom against him, and spoke to him in a calm, wifely tone.
"Don't take it to heart. We share a deep bond, one where we'd even sacrifice ourselves for each other… Minako just isn't ready to accept that yet. But don't worry, you're an excellent husband. They will understand in time."
Her tone and gesture made Ryuji sigh.
"She wanted to offer herself in exchange for me not bothering the rest of you," he muttered. "Honestly, you Sailor Moons..."
"No."
Rei interrupted firmly before he could continue. She reached up, touched his face, and looked into his eyes with quiet determination.
"Although I may likely never have an official title, we are indeed husband and wife. I will satisfy your desires by myself. If you can vent all your... urges... on me, then you won't have such thoughts about the others anymore, right? And as your wife, that is my duty, Ryuji... no, my dear husband. Besides..."
Rei bit her lip, then continued.
"Any more women, and your body wouldn't be able to handle it, right?"
She believed that Misato Katsuragi, Ran Mouri, that girl Ranma from earlier, and Princess Mira were all part of Ryuji's harem. No matter how strong he was, how could he possibly handle any more?
So she felt that if she just put in enough effort, she could drain Ryuji dry herself, stopping him from looking for other women, thus keeping her companions safe.
As for her own happiness?
Her companions' happiness was her happiness. And judging by Ryuji's behavior, he wasn't the type to abandon responsibility.
"You all really are... The problem is, you might not be able to satisfy my desires," Ryuji couldn't help but sigh again
So far, aside from being overpowered by women when he was still weak, he had only ever lost to the Red Dragon Queen once since he started practicing his Blood Qi secret arts!
Although that one time did leave some psychological scars...
"That is a matter of my own confidence."
Rei let out a chuckle. She had a good figure and excellent stamina. She had even learned things like bedroom arts from certain married ladies... That's right, as the beautiful daughter of a politician, from a family with aristocratic lineage and former Kazoku status,[1] these things were part of her basic upbringing. In fact, her background was precisely why she was the first to decide that marrying Ryuji was the optimal solution!
Looking at the confident Rei, Ryuji wasn't sure what to say.
"Suit yourself. Just so we're clear, I haven't agreed to any of your conditions, you know."
Ryuji stated this bluntly.
If I don't agree, I wouldn't be bound!
"My, it seems you're very confident."
Rei chuckled softly. As the most mature Sailor Moon, she thought this young man Ryuji was simply overestimating his own stamina!
"I run a harem," Ryuji replied flatly. "So being strong in that area is just a basic skill... Ah, forget it. No point arguing. Don't believe me? Fine."
Ryuji shook his head and quickly entered the house. Rei followed, closing the door behind her with the air of a hostess, then trailed after Ryuji like a dutiful wife.
This attitude infuriated Makoto, who was watching from the side. Usagi also grew visibly displeased. Ami held her chest, unsure what to even say about Ryuji. And Minako glared at Ryuji, gnashing her teeth, knowing full well this scoundrel still intended to have his harem.
Thus, the atmosphere grew distinctly awkward, prompting Misato, an observer who knew Ryuji's nature all too well, couldn't help but laugh out loud.
The sudden laughter made everyone turn to look at Misato, who was awkwardly sipping from a bottle of chilled beer. She was, after all, the only other adult present besides Ryuji, and here she was drinking.
"Nothing, nothing! Uh, Akane, weren't you going to spar with Ryuji? Can we watch from here?"
Hearing the word "spar," Akane immediately perked up and nodded eagerly.
"Of course!"
Their Anything-Goes Martial Arts school wasn't afraid of secret techniques being leaked, as their strength lay primarily in training methods; knowing the moves alone was useless.
Ryuji, eager to escape the awkward situation, naturally agreed and walked straight into the yard.
"My place doesn't have a dojo, so we'll have to use the yard. Is that okay, Miss Akane?"
Looking at Ryuji's spacious yard, Akane nodded, indicating it was fine. She directly took off her school uniform, revealing the martial arts gi underneath.
"Of course, no problem."
Jumping into the center of the yard, she assumed an Anything-Goes fighting stance and spoke seriously.
"Anything-Goes Tendo School! Akane Tendo! Pleased to meet you! Please advise me!"
She was very polite. Ryuji observed her posture and footwork and raised an eyebrow. Although Akane was considered pathetically weak in both Ranma's and his own eyes, there was no doubt that letting the Sailor Moons watch a proper martial artist's fight would be beneficial for them.
After all, these Sailor Moons weren't lacking in power, but in combat technique.
Hmm… my style?
Ryuji thought for a moment. Claiming to be from Roger's school didn't make sense. Saying he was from a Chinese school... he didn't really have a particular favorite style. His own fighting style was closer to Jeet Kune Do, but he'd never formally learned it. In the end, he could only attribute his style to Mai Shiranui.
"Shiranui-ryū, Ryuji. Pleased to spar with you."
Ryuji also adopted a standard Shiranui-ryū stance. Akane, seeing that he was ready, let out a sharp kiai and threw a punch straight at him.
Ryuji sidestepped, delivering a mid-level elbow strike to Akane's arm. Akane reacted instantly, switching forms and driving her knee toward his liver.
Without any hesitation, Ryuji raised his leg to block the knee strike. Akane stepped back and swung again, flowing into her next combo.
He had to admit, Akane's fundamentals were solid. Her transitions between moves and her overall actions were agile and fast, even quite impressive.
But…
Her speed, power, awareness, and reaction time were all lacking. If Ryuji was serious, he could end the fight with a single punch.
However, he had no intention of instantly defeating Akane. Instead, he continuously guided her strikes and kicks, allowing Akane to repeatedly demonstrate attack patterns and intentions that even ordinary people could understand, for the benefit of the watching Sailor Moons.
But Ryuji wasn't just using Akane as a lab rat for free. During their fight, he constantly demonstrated variations of techniques and attacking concepts, allowing Akane to learn quite a few moves and become aware of several of her own weaknesses.
She herself, however, didn't realize she was being used in a teaching match. She was completely immersed in the intense fight, growing more and more excited. After she successfully grasped another technique, Ryuji allowed her fist to stop right in front of his face, then raised his hands in surrender.
"Looks like Miss Akane's martial arts are quite impressive," Ryuji said with a light chuckle.
Usagi Tsukino, standing to the side, wanted to speak up. She didn't know why, but while watching Ryuji and Akane fight, she could clearly feel that Ryuji was using Akane to teach them methods of attack. Strangely, she had even miraculously grasped these concepts herself during the observation, which felt odd to her.
After all, I'm just an ordinary high school girl. How could I learn to fight so quickly?
But looking at being Ryuji "defeated" by Akane, she couldn't help wanting to say something.
Because in her eyes, that final punch was completely set up by Ryuji, who essentially manipulated Akane into defeating him!
Before she could speak, Rei quickly covered Usagi's mouth, stopping her from speaking.
Akane's face was currently lit up with excitement. Though her body was drenched in sweat, she was beaming.
"Not at all! Mr. Ryuji is also a very skilled martial artist! I learned so much from fighting you!"
That said, the joy and pride of having defeated a powerful, seemingly evenly-matched opponent for the first time made Akane unable to resist adding boastfully:
"But I guess I'm just a bit stronger after all! You really need to train harder, Mr. Ryuji! The gap between us isn't huge! If you put in the effort, you're sure to catch up to me!"
Glistening sweat dripped down Akane's face, complementing her happy, triumphant smile. She looked so adorable that Ryuji couldn't help but reach out and pat her head.
"No problem, I'll definitely work hard," Ryuji replied with a light chuckle.
Akane pouted. "Hey, what's the big idea, patting my head like that! I'm the victor here! You're the loser! I should be the one patting your head!"
Akane said this laughingly, without any intent to humiliate Ryuji. She was genuinely happy and even jumped up, trying to reach Ryuji's head herself. This prompted Kasumi to step forward and restrain her playful younger sister.
"Akane, don't be so rude," Kasumi said, offering a slight bow to Ryuji before leading her reluctant sisters away. Aside from herself, her two younger sisters were in high spirits.
One had spotted a potential wealthy husband, while Akane was simply happy about having a good fight.
But just as she was happily heading home, Ranma who had returned at some point, still draped with strands of waterweed suddenly appeared and spoke up.
"You were terrible," Ranma said flatly, looking at Akane with exasperation.
"He was teaching you the whole time."
~~~~~~~~~~
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[1] ("kazoku status" generally refers to the historical, now-abolished, aristocratic class of Japan.)