The Three Man squad of Valkyrie Arc is the second arc of History's Strongest Disciple Kenichi.
Plot[]
Three Man Army[]
One day, the way to school Kenichi notices the other students seem scared of him. He and Miu discover that Niijima has been spreading and embellishing news of Kenichi's win over Tsukuba using his position as a member of the newspaper club. When confronted by Kenichi, Niijima reveals Miu told him everything by bribing her with ramen. Suddenly, a group of three delinquents arrive and Niijima warns Kenichi to hide. The trio of delinquents discuss Tsukuba's defeat and decide to threaten him into leaving town for besmirching the reputation of their gang: Ragnarök. While secretly listening to the trio's conversation, Niijima reveals to Kenichi and Miu that Ragnarök is the strongest gang in the area and are currently hunting for Kenichi. After school, Kenichi races to Ryozanpaku to ask his masters for help on dealing with his crisis. However, the Elder's advise is simply for Kenichi to fight until he is the last man standing. The masters warn Kenichi that he can't stop a fight halfway through even if he doesn't to fight. The Elder tells Kenichi that he chosen his path and that he must prepare to see it through. He tells Kenichi a story about himself as a young martial artist who faced battle after battle and when it finally ended, he had become an old man, but this only furthers Kenichi's worries.
With Ragnarök coming after him, Kenichi decides to live at Ryozanpaku during the weekends, but he hides his reasons from his family when he tells them. Kenichi's family (mostly Honoka and his father) are worried and Honoka reveals she made a copy of Kenichi's map to Ryozanpaku. Mototsugu decides to check out the dojo with Honoka while secretly carrying his gun Sebastion, but Saori has other ideas. At Ryozanpaku, Kenichi thinks that he has been training at the dojo for over a month and noticed some things: all of the masters never go a day without training, Shigure occasionally disappears for days for unknown reasons, and that Akisame apparently is the one that cares the most for his safety, though this contridicted when he places Kenichi in a strange machine designed to help increase his flexibility quickly over 16 hours and intentionally mumbles the codeword to stop. Though the process is painful, Kenichi is able to endure it when Miu keep unintentionally pressing her chest on his back, but Miu mistakes his ecstasy for enthusiasm and pushes the felxibility training harder. Honoka (having gone to Ryozanpaku alone since Saori literally beat him some sense into Mototsugu) sees Kenichi's painful training and rushed into Ryozanpaku to rescue her brother just as Kenichi screams for mercy and falls down. By pure chance, Kenichi's screamed the codeword to stop the training and Akisame effortlessly corrects Kenichi's bones that were dislocated by the rushed training. Akisame explains he is a professional at bone resetting while Kensei Ma is an acupuncturist, so they will be able to fix any injury Kenichi has (though Kenichi does not like the irony that the very people breaking his body are the ones fixing it). Everyone then notices Honoka, who believes Mui is seducing Kenichi to stay at Ryozanpaku while Mui finds her adorable.
Honoka tries to get Kenichi out of Ryozanpaku but when Kenichi refuses to leave and quit his training, she runs off promising to come back. Honoka's visit makes Kenichi wonder where Mui's parents are, and Mui explains that her parents died when she was little, and the Elder is her only relative before leaving to make diner. Kenichi realizes Mui has a very different life than he realized and Akisame reveals that she traveled with the Elder when she was a child and trained in martial arts. Kenichi tries to go apologize to Mui for his tactlessness, but Akisame makes him finish the flexibility training and puts Apachai in charge (to Kenichi's distress). Later, Shigure returns from one of her mysterious trips to find Kenichi exhausted from finishing his flexibility training and the Elder observes that things have been livelier ever since Kenichi came to Ryozanpaku. During dinner, the masters steal Kenichi food claiming it is another part of his training, ending with him getting almost nothing to eat. Afterward, Kenichi tries to sleep in the dojo, but Mui brings up to the roof to give him some food on Akisame's orders so he can properly train. The two get to talking and Mui reveals one of her dreams was to find a friend to share the view of the stars from atop of Ryozanpaku. Kenichi reveals he wants to become an award-winning novelist and asks Mui what she wants to be when she graduates. Mui shyly refuses to answer, but Shigure is revealed to be on the other side of the roof and reads Mui's dream of becoming a bride from a school assignment out loud to Mui's embarrassment. After chasing off Shigure, Mui decides it's time to get to sleep and asks Kenichi to keep being her friend (unintentionally making Kenichi think he will never be able to date her).
Koga the Kicker[]
Niijima spies on the three Ragnarök members who were searching for Kenichi, known as the technique trio, as they fight another gang and easily defeat them. The trio is made up Taichi Koga who specializes in kicks, Kozo Ukita who uses Judo throws, and the boxer Ikki Takeda. Niijima thinks that if Kenichi wouldn't stand a chance against any of them and that Ragnarök is gaining power. The next day, Kenichi continues training with Sasaki, but Kenchi thinks that he won't be able to use the latter's moves due to the difference in their muscle size. Sasaki has Mui demonstrate it not the size of the muscles that give the strength to a punch, but the technique behind them. Kensei Ma takes over and has Kenichi do rotation exercises to build up his arm strength and makes him walk around the entire block while repeating the exercise. Mui joins him, but in the middle of the exercise, they are found by Koga and nine thugs who work for him who plan to take Kenichi to Kisara but when Koga sees Mui, he also plans to take her for himself. Outnumber and surrounded by armed thugs, it appears Kenichi fears he and Mui won't stand a chance, but suddenly Sasaki arrives on the way back from grocery shopping.
When one of Koga's thugs tries to attack Sasaki, the latter knocks him out with nothing but an intimidating glare. However, Sasaki only corrects Kenichi's stance and leaves him and Miu to fight Koga and his remaining thugs. With Sasaki gone, there is nothing to prevent Koga from attacking Kenichi while his thugs go after Mui. Kenichi tries to fight, but Koga proves to be too fast and dodges or blocks all of his attacks. When Koge goes in to deal the finishing blow, Kenichi has no choice but to try the rotation method he learned from Kensei Ma. At Ryozanpaku, Kensei Ma learns about the fight from Sasaki and believes Kenichi won't be able to win. Sasaki argues that as teachers they can't interfere with Kenichi's fight and that he believes Kenichi can win because he is their disciple. Back at the fight, Kenichi uses the rotation method to increase the speed of his punch and manages to graze his chin, but Koga lands a kick to Kenichi's face at the same time. However, it is Koga who falls to the ground, and he realizes Kenichi is far stronger than he thought if such a light hit had that kind of effect on him. He calls for his thugs to attack Kenichi all at once but discovers Mui has already single handedly defeated them all and runs in terror of her. When Kenichi and Mui return to Ryozanpaku, Sasaki is proud his training helped Kenichi win the fight (unaware that it was actually Kensei Ma's training that Kenichi used), but Apachai is now depressed because the fight with Koga took up all the time for his training.
Continuing Training[]
Kisara punishes Koga for his failure to bring Kenichi to her and sending all his subordinates to the hospital (courtesy of Miu) and forbids him and the rest of the technique trio from returning to Ragnarök for the time being. Meanwhile, Kenichi waters the plants at his schools gardening club (the only place he can get some peace) with the club's president and only other member, Izumi Yuuka. However, Kenichi's attempt to relax is ruined when Izumi reveals Niijima has been spreading for false rumors about him being the strongest delinquent in school and Niijima himself shows up. Fed up with Niijima, Kenichi kicks him out the club room, unaware Niijima was planning to warn him someone new was targeting him. Kenichi gets back to tending to the plants and discovers one started growing called a Snowman King hasn't been growing at all compared to the other plants and he comically relates it to his own lack of talent for martial arts. Later at Ryozanpaku, Kenichi struggles to make progress with his training and becomes depressed. The next day at school, Kenichi goes to the gardening club to clear his head but discovers it has been trashed by Daimonji and the karate club, who are holding Izumi hostage. Daimonji explains that he was humiliated by his previous defeat and when heard Kenichi defeated Tsukuba, he decided to beat Kenichi and gain the reputation needed to join Ragnarök. He also reveals he destroyed all the plants out of boredom waiting for Kenichi, except for his Snowman King which he then destroys to spite Kenichi before attacking. However, Kenichi is effortlessly able to dodge Daimonji's strikes and defeat him with a single punch, causing Kenichi to realize he has been improving after all. The rest of the karate club flees after seeing Daimonji be defeat and Kenichi and Izumi try to salvage as many plants as they can. The next day, Izumi shows Kenichi the Snowman King survived because it grew slow and strong unlike the other plants, and Kenichi thinks it is similar to his own progress.
While out shopping one day, Kenichi and Miu ambushed by a group of Ragnarök thugs led by Urugawa Takashi, who plans to take Kenichi to Kirasa and rise in rank. The ambush fails miserably when Mui easily defeats his allies while Kenichi gives him a bloody nose with a single punch. Angered, Takashi draws a knife and Kenichi freezes in fear when he sees it, forcing Mui to come to his rescue and disarm Takashi, allowing Kenichi to knock him out. Afterward, Kenichi becomes depressed about his cowardice when dealing with weapons and wonders what to do about it while Shigure tries to get his attention. Akisame realizes Shigure wants to train Kenichi about weapons and tells the disciple if he wants to learn how to dodge weapons, he must learn everything about them. Shigure's training gets off to a slow start when she tries to use real swords for the first lesson, forcing Mui to switch them out with spoons. However, even with just a spoon Shigure is still able slice up Kenichi and Mui's clothes, scaring the former and embarassing the latter. The Elder intervenes and explains to Kenichi that swords and spoons are nothing but hunks of metal if they are unable to hit anything and Kenichi resumes his training, this time with rolled up newspapers, where Shigure teaches Kenichi to protect his vital spots. After training for a few hours, Kenichi is asked by the Elder what the most important thing in a fight and Kenichi guesses it might be strength or technique, but the Elder declares the answer is courage. He tells Kenichi that without courage, strength and technique will fail, and that Kenichi must condition himself to get courage as Shigure resumes her training. The next day, an exhausted and traumatized Kenichi heads back from shopping again and is attacked by Takashi again. Takashi draws his knife again, but after facing Shigure's training, Kenichi finds Takashi's amateur use of weapons literally laughable. He easily disarms Takashi, knocks him out, and proceeds to berate and blame him while he's still unconscious for all he had to go through because of him.
During another day of training with Akisame, Kenichi asks his master when he will graduate from basic training, but Akisame declares that strength building never stops. He reveals that in the past, martial artists gained muscle from constant sparring, but that method can lead to injury and advises Kenichi that skill is more valuable than raw strength. The conversation leads Kenichi to wonder why Akisame has such a small frame compared to the other masters and how he would fight in a real battle. That night at Kenichi's house, Mototsuhu discovers Kenichi's improved strength when he is easily able to open a stuck jar of tomato he couldn't budge, though Kenichi is unaware how strong he's become because of a lack of muscle growth. The next day while helping Akisame bring back herb medicine from a store, Kenichi discovers Izumi and another girl from his school being harassed by the Yakuza Mui defeated when he first met her and are now hunting her. The Yakuza recognize Kenichi and leave the girls alone to confront him, but Akisame gets in their way and quickly terrifies them when he displays his ability by dislocating the hand of their member's hands through habit and instantly corrects it. Believing Akisame to be Mui's father, the Yakuza summon a giant former pro wrestler working for them to fight and get revenge. Akisame remains calm the entire time, even when the wrestler displays his incredible strength by bending a metal sign, but he makes it clear he will not stand for their actions.
Akisame reveals his own incredible strength by pushing the bent sign back to normal with a single finger and tells Kenichi he will demonstrate how to use Jujitsu in an actual fight while fighting the wrestler. He starts his lesson when the wrestler charges at him and explains that when facing an enemy bigger than yourself, one should never face them head on because they will lose in terms of power, only to stop the wrestler in his tracks while demonstrating the incorrect method. He then shows the correct by getting into the wrestler's blind spot, landing a blow to his head, and slamming him into the ground. With the wrestler defeat, the Yakuza resort to their guns, and Akisame responds by taking the fight into an alley and thoroughly and painfully incapacitate them. When Kenichi returns to Ryozanpaku, Sasaki explains the reason for Akisame's bodily strength despite his lack of visible muscle. He reveals there are three types of human muscle: white muscle that is strong but doesn't have much stamina, red muscle that has stamina but is weak, and the third is pink muscle which the body contains very little. It was believed that the distribution of those muscles doesn't change throughout a person's life, but Akisame defied that belief and spent twenty years of unorthodox training to change all his body's muscle into the pink type, meaning his small frame is made entirely out of refined muscle. Sasaki also admits that while Akisame isn't stronger than him, he's an opponent he definitely wouldn't want to fight.
Apachai's training[]
Late at night, Apachai trains himself to hold back by practicing on Akisame's stone statues, but he seemingly ends up destroying them all. However, Shigures discovers that one of the statues is still intact and Apachai believes it is proof he can start teaching Kenichi Muay Thai. The next day at Kenichi's school, the technique trio continue hunting for Kenichi and interrogate his classmates, but they don't know where Kenichi is either because he always disappears with Miu. Ukita suspects Kenichi is hiding in a nearby locker and throws it, only to discover it is empty except for a good luck charm Apachai made for him and for Takeda to laugh uncontrollably at his mistake. Meanwhile, Kenichi and Miu hid on the school's roof to eat lunch, but they're found by Niijima who reveals Ragnarök is expanding their search for him and will soon find them if they don't change hiding spots. Niijima also reveals that he's dug up information on Ukita and Takeda's fighting styles and after trying to make Kenichi beg for him information (which ends poorly) shares the information. Ukita was a member of the Judo club before he got kicked out while Takeda, the strongest of the trio, was a former upcoming boxer, but no one knows why he quit and joined Ragnarök. Kenichi rushed to Ryozanpaku for help and finds his master's competing in Rock-Paper-Scissors to decide who will train him next. After a brief but intense game, Apachai wins and Mui and Akisame agree that Muay Thai would a choice for fighting against a boxer. Kenichi decides to accept Apachai's training and Apachai assures Kenichi he will be fine since he didn't destroy the statue during practice (unaware its head just broke off from the delayed damage).
When Apachai starts his training, Akisame explains that Muay Thai is an old martial art originating from what is now known as Thailand and involves the use of knees and elbows unlike most modern martial arts since it is a dangerous and could kill someone. Kenichi worries about learning such a dangerous martial art, but the Elder assures him that the important thing is how that knowledge is used and assures Kenichi that someone like him who would never kill an opponent should not worry the risk. Meanwhile, Kisara meets with Tsuji Shinosuke, an executive member of Ragnarök, who complains that they have fight with another gang coming up and the technique trio have been failing to gather new members. Takeda explains they are getting close to finding Kenichi and asks for more time, provoking Tsuji and leading the two to brief exchange of blows, but all their arguing does is annoy Kisara. Back at Ryozanpaku, Kenichi's Muay Thai training progresses, but when it comes time to practicing hitting a mitt Apachai's holding, Kenichi chickens out for fear that Apachai won't hold back and hides behind Miu (leading her to reflexively throw him again). Apachai becomes depressed Kenichi doesn't trust him and the latter decides to give it a shot, only for Apachai to lose control and send him flying with a punch. The other masters berate Apachai for losing control and Akisame has to resuscitate Kenichi, who remembers nothing about his near-death experience.
The next day, Apachai gently plays with some children and birds and admits he feels guilty about his mistake with Kenichi's training while Sasaki secretly listens in. Meanwhile, Kenichi and Miu have switched their hiding place at school to an equipment shed and on the way to Ryozanpaku, Miu discovers Kenichi still doesn't remember almost dying. She talks to Akisame about Kenichi's amnesia, and he explains that it isn't uncommon in the worlds of martial arts to lose a few memories from a concussion and that Kenichi will be fine. Sasaki then shows Miu Apacahi is training with the Elder to control his fighter instincts, but Apachai still can't hold back his strength. Seeing how hard Apachai is trying, the Elder reminds Apachai he always holds back when he plays with the children in the park and suggests that when he trains Kenichi, he thinks of it like playing with the children. When it comes time for Apachai to train Kenichi, Sasaki expresses his worry that Apachai still won't be able to hold back, and the Elder explains that Apachai has always put his life on when he was fighting matches and that led to him becoming conditioned to using his full strength all the time, but at his core, Apachai is a kind person. Sasaki admits he knows that and the Elder shares with the other masters that Sasaki spoke to him about helping Apacahi, knowing Ryozanpaku wouldn't be the same with Apachai depressed. During Kenichi's training, Apachai's reflexes nearly cause him to punch Kenichi with his full strength, but he remembers the Elder's advice about thinking of playing with the children and manages to hold back and avoid hurting Kenichi.
Ukita the Thrower and Takeda the Puncher[]
After a month of searching for Kenichi, Ukita and Takeda find the spot on the roof they were hiding at, but discover they've already changed hiding spots. Ukita becomes frustrated that Kenichi always manages to hide from them and their position in Ragnarok will be jeopardy if they can't find him, but Takeda reveals he has a plan. Meanwhile, Kenichi is still learning Muay Thai and is sparring with Miu since the masters are too advanced, but he is hesitant to hit a girl. While Miu appreciates Kenichi's kindness and consideration, she still fights him even when he won't throw a punch. The Elder explains to Kenichi that in sparring, holding back against someone trying to help him improve is rude and Kenichi decides to give it his all, but he still isn't able to land a single hit on her even when she restrains herself. At school the next day, Kenichi and Miu hide in the equipment shed again, but their peaceful privacy is intruded upon by Niijima who has new information about Takeda. He reveals Takeda's signature move from when he was a boxer was a left straight that was so fast it couldn't even be seen in slow motion, though he still doesn't know why Takeda gave up such a promising career and became a delinquent. At Kenichi's classroom Shimayama and Tanaka conspire to befriend Kenichi so they can ask Miu on a date, but they are overheard by Ukita who believes they are actually friends with Kenichi. During class, Kenichi discovers a note at his desk that says two of his friends have been kidnapped and if he wants to save them, he must come to the roof. Kenichi can't think of any friends he has besides Miu and Niijima, but when Shimayama and Tanaka are absent, he realizes they must have been the ones taken. He considers not helping when he remembers the two bullied him, but ultimately decides to go save them. On the roof, Ukita asks Takeda if his plan to lure Kenichi with their captives will actually work, and when Shimayama and Tanka admit they were Kenichi's bullies and that Kenichi won't come to help them, Ukita grows furious and prepares to beat them. However, Kenichi arrives at that moment and Takeda reveals he knew someone like Kenichi would come no matter what.
Having finally found Kenichi, Ukita and Takeda let their captives flee. Ukita grabs Kenichi and plans to beat him up for wasting so much time looking for him before bringing him to Kisara. However, when Ukita tries to slam Kenichi, the latter grabs the former and refuses to let go. Unable to pull Kenichi off of him, Ukita tries to crash him into a fence, but he jumps off at the last second. Ukita makes a charge at Kenichi and the latter uses the Kao Loi technique he learned from Apachai to knock him out. With Ukita unconscious, Takeda steps up to fight and pulls out a clock and chalk. He uses the chalk to create the outline of a boxing ring and explains they will be fighting in a pseudo boxing match, with each round lasting 3 minutes with 1 minute to rest in between, a 10 count for a KO with the first person to be knocked down three times losing. Takeda also declares he will only fight with his right arm and mocks Kenichi as a fool for risking himself for people who immediately abandoned him. Kenichi retorts he would rather be a fool than a coward and the fight starts with Takeda immediately landing a punch and knocking Kenichi down. Kenichi pulls himself up before the count finished but is stunned at how fast Takeda was without even using his dominate hand. Takeda's speed lets him knock Kenichi down again and he taunts Kenichi about his decision to rescue his "friends." At Ryozanpaku, Sasaki wonders if Kenichi will be able to defeat Takeda and the Elder reveals Apachai has taught Kenichi a special technique for dealing with a boxer called the Te Lan (A low kick). Back at the right, Kenichi remembers from his training the weakness of a boxer is the lower body and lands the Te-Lan on Takeda's leg, and the injury throws off Takeda's speed. After Kenichi lands a second Te Lan, Takeda falls to the ground and is even slower when he gets up, giving Kenichi the advantage. Kenichi throws a Ti Kau Kon to Takeda's head but stops just before he hits when the clock rings and signals the end of the round, leaving Takeda confused that Kenichi would stop just when he was about to win.
During the 1 minute break between rounds, Takeda avoids sitting down to rest knowing he won't be able to get up after his leg was hit by the Te Lan and Kenichi asks Takeda why he quit boxing. Though Takeda is surprised by Kenichi's question and calls out his lack of tact, he decides to share his story so Kenichi won't face the same pain he did. When he was an upcoming boxer, Takeda had a close friend named Ikeshita who was working toward the same goal as him. On night, he got a call from Ikeshita begging for help after being surrounded by thugs at a convenient store. Takeda reveals he had a match the next the day but stops his story when the clock signals the start of the next round. During the round, Kenichi continues asking about what happened to Takeda after he got the call and Takeda reveals that he went to save his friend and the two managed to fend off the thugs. However, he was kicked out of his match for street fighting and his career as a boxer was ended because of an injury he got from the fight while Ikeshita abandoned him and kept progressing as a boxer. Takeda reveals that is why he doesn't believe in friends and hates people who do before landing a powerful punch to Kenichi's face. Kenichi manages to endure the punch and tells Takeda he's wrong because he came to fight for his own sake. Kenichi reveals he came not because he wanted gratitude, he came because didn't want to regret abandoning someone. He lands a Kao Loi on Takeda and crashes him into the roof's fence, causing it to break and Takeda to fall over the edge. Just before he falls, Kenichi narrowly manages to grab his arm by hanging on the edge of the roof. Meanwhile, Miu realizes Kenichi has been gone for too long before seeing him dangling over the edge of the roof trying to save Takeda and leaves to go help. Back on the roof, Kenichi tells Takeda to use his left arm to pull himself to safety, but Takeda reveals his arm is paralyzed.
Takeda explains that when he fought to protect Ikeshita, his arm was injured and hasn't moved since; he didn't quit boxing, he was physically incapable of doing it anymore. He tells Kenichi to let go of him or he will fall with him and end up in the same situation he did. Kenichi refuses to let go and summons all the strength he can to pull Takeda up with one arm. He manages to pull Takeda onto the edge of the roof, but nearly falls and has to be saved by Ukita, who regained consciousness and pulls them both up. Miu arrives just as they're all safe and when she sees Ukita and Takeda with an exhausted and beaten Kenichi, she thinks they beat him up and pummels them both before they can explain. Afterward, everyone goes to Ryozanpaku to get Kenichi, Ukita, and Takeda's injuries treated by Akisame, who notices Takeda's paralyzed arm. Akisame reveals the injury was improperly treated and has put strain on his spinal cord and nerves which resulted in the arm being unable to move. He uses his knowledge as a chiropractor to start treating the paralysis and allow Takeda to move his left arm again. Takeda asks Akisame if he can heal his arm entirely so he can resume his boxing career and the latter reveals Takeda's arm will be well enough to compete in the world arm wrestling championship when he's done.
Major Fights[]
Kenichi vs Koga -Kenichi wins
Kenichi vs Daimonji round 2 - Kenichi wins
Kenichi vs Ukita and Takeda - Kenichi wins
Arc Notes[]
- Faced with growing danger from Ragnarök, Kenichi begins living at Ryōzanpaku during weekends to continue his training.
- Kenichi starts learning Chinese Kenpo and Muay Thai.
- Honoka meets the Ryōzanpaku Master's.
- Kenichi fights Ikki Takeda and Kōzō Ukita and befriends the former after helping him heal his paralyzed arm.
References[]
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| Introduction Arc | The Three Man Squad of Valkyrie Arc | Disciple Plans Arc |
| ← | Chapters | → |
| 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | ||
| ← | Episodes | → |
| 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | ||