Chapter 309

Chapter 309
Name
Japanese	火車王の挑戦
Romanized	Kashao no chosen
English	The King of Poverty's Challenge
Information
Chapter	309
Volume	27 (Viz Media) 29 (Tankōbon/Shinsoban)
Chronology
Previous:	← Chapter 308
Next:	Chapter 310 →

The King of Poverty's Challenge (火車王の挑戦, Kashao no chosen^?) is the 309th chapter of the Ranma ½ manga and the first chapter of the Kinnosuke Kashao Arc.

Summary

Nabiki meets a man who is just as stingy as she is and seeks to beat him.

Plot Overview

In the busy streets, the scene closes in on Nabiki, 17 years old and in her prime. She meets up with her date, a poor love-stricken fellow about to fall victim to her cruelty. They first go to a restaurant, where Nabiki takes advantage of her date's generosity to order as much food as she wants. Unfortunately he is so charmed by her that he doesn't mind her lavish spending. Next they visit the movie theater. Nabiki's date watches the movie and places his hand on her, unaware that her hand had been replaced by that of the elderly lady next to her. Next, they visit the jewelry shop, where the date is again willing to buy whatever she wants.

At the end of the day, he asks for a second date but is immediately shot down. Determined to win her heart, he frantically tells her that it's okay to use him solely for money whereupon Nabiki produces an envelope containing the love letter he sent her. She informs him that she made several copies of it and offers to sell them back to him, implying she may distribute the letter if he does not purchase them from her. He immediately buys them, and with this final act, her date becomes just another one of Nabiki's victim as walks away with his money and pride.

Watching from a distance.

As she walks away with another victory she get a sudden feeling that someone may be watching her. Next day, she consults Ranma in a restaurant for his help in catching the possible perpetrator. As a thank you, she is willing to pay him not in money, but in candid pictures of his girl form. Ranma is bewildered by her payment method, but before he can say anything she senses something again and rushes out of the diner without paying. Ranma doesn't have the same luxury, and is forced to stay and pay the full bill. On the other side of the restaurant, a mysterious man in shadow was watching the entire scene. He determines Nabiki to be his adversary and talks to his servant April before leaving.

In school, everybody is surprised when Nabiki receives a challenge letter, since she's not known to be a fighter. Akane asks if there is anybody that might hold a grudge on her, but her sister denies this notion. As a daughter of the Tendo Dojo, Nabiki is determined to answer the challenge and face it head on. This, according to her, simply means sending Ranma as a body double to fight. The challenge location is in a fancy restaurant, so Ranma makes sure to dress appropriately by putting on a cheongsam.

Kinnosuke arrives for the date.

At the restaurant, Nabiki and Akane sit nearby to watch the fight unfold. Akane is worried because they are in a very expensive restaurant, but Nabiki assures her that the bill can be paid by the opponent. After Ranma sits down, her opponent greets her as Nabiki. She turns to see a handsome boy in a suit admitting that the challenge was actually to ask her on a date. Nabiki pushes Ranma aside as he approaches her and takes her rightful place as the date.

The date reveals himself to be Kinnosuke Kashao, seventh in line of the Kashao School of Martial Arts. The school is unfamiliar to Ranma and Akane, but Akane is more concerned with how the bill is going to be paid. Meanwhile, Nabiki senses Kinnosuke's wealth and preemptively determines this to be an easy victory. When the waiter comes for the check, Kinnosuke calls upon his assistant, April. Unfortunately, his butler turns out to be nothing but a hand puppet voiced by him. Through April, Kinnosuke informs Nabiki that he forgot to bring the credit card. Nabiki is unfazed by his ventriloquism and informs him that she doesn't bring purses on date. Kinnosuke is astonished by this response and decides to take Nabiki out on a better date. As they leave the restaurant, their bill is shoved to Ranma and Akane instead.

They visit a clothes shop and start picking out the things they like. When they are both satisfied, Kinnosuke excuses himself to the bathroom. Nabiki finds Ranma and Akane hiding and takes this opportunity to push the bill unto them once more. She shoves Ranma into the changing room and walks away with her clothes, assuring the employees that they will pay for her as well. When she leaves, she goes to the side of the building where Kinnosuke was sneaking out through the bathroom.

Next, they go to an amusement park and spend the rest of their day there. At the end of the day, she thanks him for the wonderful time and leaves. Nabiki believes that she has finally found a good source of money, but come to find her home in a dilapidated condition.

When she enters, she finds everything repossessed, and the whole family sitting solemnly around the table with a single candle lighting the whole dojo. Her father is laying down with an ice pack on his head. He turns to her and asks for a clarification on her date with the man from Kashao school. His ghostly aura informs her that all the bills from their lavish spending had been sent to the dojo. Kasumi elaborates this by telling her that their savings have run dry as well. It is then that Nabiki discovers Kashao school's specialty: living off of other people's money. She burns with anger and begins plotting her revenge for their next date, while Soun tearfully tells Ranma that he does not wish her to go on any more dates.

Meanwhile, walking home with his own collection of goods, Shinnosuke looks somber. When his puppet inquires as to why he is feeling this way, he admits that the day's battle was a defeat because he could not force Nabiki to use any of her own money. For the sake of his school, he determines that their next date will be sure to bankrupt her.

Kinnosuke realizes Nabiki didn't spend any of her own money

Characters in Order of Appearance

• Nabiki Tendo
• Ranma Saotome
• Akane Tendo
• Kinnosuke Kashao
• April
• Genma Saotome
• Kasumi Tendo
• Soun Tendo

Quotes

To be added

Trivia

• The beginning section covering Nabiki's date is done in the style of a reality TV show complete with a sarcastic narrator and Nabiki's date having his face pixellated for his dignity.