The World's Weakest Man

Saijaku no otoko (最弱の男) is the 126th chapter of the manga and the second chapter of the Ultimate Weakness Moxibustion Arc.

Gosunkugi arrives to help Ranma out, at least that's what Ranma thinks. He is led outside where the Principal, Mousse, and Kuno are all waiting to take their revenge on him. Even Gosunkugi gets a few shots in. Unable to watch the weak get picked on Ryoga arrives and saves Ranma from the others.

Dealing with Happosai
As Happosai irons some underwear, Akane attempts to hit him with a mallet, but the old lecher manages to avoid her attack. Happosai asks Akane what she thinks she's doing, to which Akane demands Happosai turn Ranma back to normal since, as he's the one who performed the Ultimate Weakness Moxibustion, he must know the cure. When Akane attempts to attack Happosai again, which he dodges, Soun and Kasumi appearing, asking what's going on.

Akane tells them what Happosai did to Ranma, which infuriates Soun who starts strangling Happosai for doing something like that to the heir of the Tendo Dojo. After Kasumi calmly tells her father to stop before he kills Happosai, Soun also demands the old lecher cure Ranma, but Happosai asks Soun if he's ever in his life learned a technique to actually help someone. Akane then asks Happosai what this means about the Moxibustion cure, which Happosai openly admits he doesn't know. Infuriated, Akane sends Happosai flying through the Dojo roof.

Ranma's Rivals
Meanwhile, Ranma lies tied up in a dark equipment closet remembering Akane telling him to stay hidden until they find a cure to the Moxibustion. Just then Gosunkugi appears and helps un-tie Ranma. Ranma is confused by this as he thought Gosunkugi was one of the people who had a grudge against him, to which Gosunkugi replies that he is, but will wait until everyone else is finished with him first.

Gosunkugi then pushes Ranma out of the closet, where he's immediately attacked by the Principal. Ranma quickly kicks the Principal's face, but of course the Principal doesn't feel any pain from it at all. As the Principal moves in to give Ranma a buzz cut, Mousse appears and ties Ranma in multiple projectiles. Mousse then launches a flurry of kicks which Ranma narrowly avoids when Kuno arrives and hits Ranma squarely on the head with his.

As Ranma lies on the ground, Kuno takes out the Happy Gram he received and tells Ranma he shouldn't spread lies like this and just admit he lost to him. Angered at Kuno's stupidity, Ranma tries to fight him again, but is quickly overpowered and attacked by Mousse and then Gosunkugi. Ranma then prepares himself as the group all move in to deal the finishing blow. Suddenly the group are sent flying and Ranma sees that Ryoga protected him.

Ranma thanks Ryoga for saving him, but Ryoga tells Ranma not to insult him and adds that he just can't stand people who pick on the weak. This comments annoys Ranma who goes to punch Ryoga, however, when Ranma makes contact, Ryoga begins crying before telling Ranma that his punches used to be like lightning bolts, but now are only a shadow of what they once were. As Ryoga continues crying, Ranma tells him to cheer up as he's the one who should be upset. However, as Ryoga dries his eyes, he tells Ranma he can't bear to see him like this. Ryoga then proceeds to punch Ranma into the air whilst demanding Ranma spare him the pain for seeing him this way.

Ranma and... Ukyo?!
At the same time at Dr. Tofu's Clinic, Akane learns from Dr. Tofu that there may be a cure for Ranma as the old texts talk of a chart found somewhere in a remote hiding place which shows the point of the Ultimate Weakness Moxibustion, meaning there's no reason to believe the chart won't list the cure as well. Akane wastes no time in searching for Ranma in order to tell him the news.

Elsewhere, Ukyo has just finished cleaning up the entrance to Okonomiyaki Ucchan's when she notices something in her garbage can. Ukyo is then shocked to find that the odd object was actually Ranma.

A little while later and Ranma has started dreaming about how he'll never defeat anyone ever again. Just then he feels his body heating up and wakes up to find himself atop Ukyo's hotplate. After noting how glad she is that Ranma's finally awake, Ukyo asks if the rumours are true, but before she gets an answer Ukyo tells Ranma not to worry as she'll take care of anything. Ranma takes this as Ukyo knowing the cure to the Moxibustion, but soon realises what Ukyo really means when she declares she can take care of him for the rest of his life whilst all he has to do is watch over the children.

When Ranma questions Ukyo about what she's talking about, Ukyo reminds him that they are engaged and adds that as he's gotten weak nobody will care about his engagement to Akane as he'll be too weak to take over the Tendo Dojo. Ranma, however, declares that he only cares about getting his strength back and not the Tendo Dojo or Akane. However, Ranma soon regrets these words as Akane appears next to him and explains that she was going to tell him about a cure but just see if she tells him now.

After Akane hits Ranma for his earlier comment, Ranma tries sucking up to her by rubbing Akane's shoulders, but she still refuses to tell him. Ukyo, meanwhile, looks on and notes that it appears Ranma's strength wasn't the only thing he lost...

Cast in Order of Appearance

 * Happosai
 * Akane Tendo
 * Soun Tendo
 * Kasumi Tendo
 * Ranma Saotome (male)
 * Hikaru Gosunkugi
 * Principal Kuno
 * Mousse (human)
 * Tatewaki Kuno
 * Ryoga Hibiki (human)
 * Genma Saotome (panda)
 * Tofu Ono
 * Ukyo Kuonji

Trivia

 * When Ukyo imagines herself living with the weakened Ranma, Ranma is seen wearing a shirt and "Pacchi" trousers.
 * This outfit has a connotation of lazy men in Japan, as wearing a shirt and Pacchi means that you're not working in the day time.