The Mark of the Gods

Shinpi no kenin (神秘の拳印) is the 142nd chapter of the manga and the first chapter of the Mark of the Gods Arc.

While wandering through the forests late one night Ryoga comes across a strange old man. Ryoga gives him some ramen and as thanks the man bestows the "Mark of the Battling God" upon him. The man tells Ryoga that the mark will make him the greatest martial artist in the world. Ryoga now has the means to defeat Ranma!

Mark of the Gods
During a calm dark night, Ryoga finds himself yet again lost in the vast forests of Japan. As Ryoga wonders where he is, he hears a rustling in the some nearby bushes when suddenly a shadowy figure jumps out and rushes in to attack Ryoga in an attempt to steal some food. Ryoga, however, easily defeats the attacker and sees that it was an old man who attacked him.

Some time passes and Ryoga decides to give the old man some instant. As the old man has his fill he tells Ryoga that he's the master of the Kimen School of Martial Arts Calligraphy. Curious, Ryoga asks the old man just what exactly "Martial Arts Calligraphy" is, but receives no answer.

With the man finally fed again he proceeds to lift up Ryoga's shirt, but Ryoga immediately hits the old man for this act before asking him just what he thinks he's doing. The old man explains that in return of giving him the food he was going to bestow his martial arts calligraphy onto Ryoga. He then continues by telling Ryoga that a person's power comes from the abdomen and in martial arts it's important to concentrate your chi in your abdomen.

As a wind roles past the man also informs Ryoga that in martial arts calligraphy there's a special technique which marks a person's abdomen with a special symbol that will allow them to draw incredible strength. Despite listening to the old man, Ryoga decides not to take his offer and starts to leave before the old man asks him if he doesn't want to become the strongest man in the world. This statement forces Ryoga to stop and turn back around, by which time the old man starts charging at Ryoga with a large brush with the specially prepared ink on it.

Realising that with his he may finally be able to defeat Ranma, Ryoga exposes his abdomen for the old man to bestow the "Mark of the Battling God" upon him, leaving Ryoga shocked at the sight of the mark on his abdomen...

Ryoga's New Strength
Several days later and Ranma waits for Ryoga to arrive at the vacant lot where Ryoga's challenge letter told him to meet each other there. As Ranma thinks about he's been waiting for over a week for Ryoga to arrive, he notices that Ryoga has managed to get to Furinkan, but is struggling to find the vacant lot which is right behind him.

After finally getting Ryoga to vacant lot, Ranma notices that Ryoga is carrying multiple dojo signs with him and questions him about it, but Ryoga just tells Ranma that he challenged a few dojos. Seeing this Ranma wastes no more time in finding out how much Ryoga's improved, but when Ranma runs up to Ryoga he's easily sent flying into the nearest wall by Ryoga simply moving his hand.

As Ranma stumbles out of the wreckage of the wall, Ryoga warns Ranma that he better fight seriously as otherwise he'll get hurt. This irritates Ranma who yet again goes rushing head-on at Ryoga who somehow reads all of Ranma's moves before using only his to sent Ranma flying into the floor.

With Ranma defeated, Ryoga bids farewell to his rival before telling him he has no use for him anymore. But just before Ryoga leaves he mutters that he thought if anyone could defeat him it would be Ranma. Having heard what Ryoga just said, Ranma convinces him to stay so that he can learn what happened.

Ryoga tells Ranma about what the old man told him about becoming the strongest man in the world and, while Ryoga did become the strongest in the world, he also became the most tragic man as well. He then proceeds to lift up his shirt and reveal the childish drawing which the old man placed on his abdomen.

Removing the Mark
Having seen the mark, Ranma takes out a towel and attempts to rub off the mark, but Ryoga tells Ranma that it isn't something that can just "rub off". This doesn't stop Ranma, however, who takes out a wire brush and tries using that instead, forcing Ryoga to send Ranma flying into the air for hurting him with the brush.

Once Ranma returns, Ryoga explains that he did everything he could to remove the mark, but the old man eventually revealed that the mark won't come off until he's defeated in combat, by which time the mark will disappear on it's own. As Ranma realises that's why Ryoga fought all of the dojos, Ryoga notes that he seems to have reached a level of greatness which even his rival could never hope to achieve before bidding Ranma farewell for a second time.

Ranma, however, stops Ryoga and assures him he'll get rid of the mark. Despite Ryoga half-heartedly reminding Ranma the only way to remove the mark if for him to lose, Ranma tells Ryoga that he's the only man whom he considers a rival and that as he came to him for help he'll make sure to remove the mark. Overcome with thanks, Ryoga closes his eyes and gives Ranma a punch of gratitude, but wonders where Ranma disappeared to after he opens his eyes again.

As Ryoga curses Ranma for running away on him, Ranma (who landed head-first on a nearby building after getting hit) tells himself that will defeat Ryoga...

Cast in Order of Appearance

 * Ryoga Hibiki (human)
 * Kimen School of Martial Arts Calligraphy Teacher (debut)
 * Ranma Saotome (male)

Trivia

 * "Kimen" the name of the martial arts calligraphy school is written with the kanji for "rejoice or take pleasure" and "face", similar to the "happy face" drawn on Ryoga's abdomen.
 * The jogger shown when the calligrapher is explaining his technique is the mascot for.
 * Similarly, the face drawn on Ryoga's abdomen is based on that of "" from the "Milky" candy.