What?! Baki is-?!
Yeah.
The semifinals are about to start, but we can't find him anywhere.
We even checked the bathrooms and the medical room, but...
What is Baki thinking?
"Successors"
I heard from my master, Liu Kaio, on many occasions
of an incredibly evil demon that lived in Japan.
The strongest being on Earth...
I dreamt of the day I could fight him...
Good for you, then! Your dream came true...
Right now, my kid Baki is in the middle of a fight to warm up.
A fight?!
Retsu Kaio... A fight with you.
It's funny. The guy who's inherited the Kaio name-
the pinnacle of Chinese Kenpo- fears ol' Baki...
Me?! Fear?! Insolent fool!
Retsu Kaio... You're right to feel unease.
Ogre!
I wouldn't underestimate the Hanma history if I were you...
Very well. Time to see just what level the Hanma history is at!
--You find him?! --No, can't find him anywhere!
That dumbass! Where the hell did he go?!
The Best Four!
Four names have risen above the extraordinary thirty-eight names!
Only three matches remain now!
The first match of the semifinals will now take place!
In the Seiryu corner...
"Chinese Kenpo Retsu Kaio" Retsu Kaio!
"Chinese Kenpo Retsu Kaio"
He's won his previous matches with overwhelming strength to be here!
And his opponent, in the Byakko corner, Hanma Baki!
All that build-up, but...
The young champion of the underground arena!
Hanma Baki!
Y- Yujiro!
No, it's Baki!
"Total Fighting Hanma Baki" What is this?! Baki's entire body is covered in bruises and blood!
That was really intense, the 4000 years of China...
The fight never reached a conclusion, though...
What?!
Seems ol' Baki really had a tough fight...
It's completely obvious
how you fought against Retsu Kaio here, and how you suffered...
Just what the hell did you do?!
--Is he bein' kicked?! --By who?!
I intensely imagined high kicks of a top-ranked muay thai fighter.
He's gotta be kidding!
No, it's not as stupid as it sounds.
There is such a thing as "image training".
Even if their training is exactly the same,
a person who imagines his target physique will wind up with results
far greater than one who doesn't.
Take it even further and you get this!
His damage is increasing!
Baki is fighting all by himself!
B-but, what's this?!
I can see him! I can see Baki's opponent!
Vividly so, as if he truly exists!
A solo fight, huh?
I burned your fighting style during the first three rounds into my eyes.
On top of that, I fought with you yourself, until just a minute ago.
So that's why Baki was-
Assuming he's continually trained this way,
Baki's fighting career would be equivalent to thousands of matches!
He isn't outclassed by the 4000 years of Chinese history!
This is what Baki is all about!
But the fight never reached a conclusion.
It seems you still haven't used everything you got, you see...
Begin!
What's this?! It's Retsu Kaio's Tenrenge (Spinning Lotus)!
H-he connects!
He's down!
Retsu Kaio is knocked down for the first time in the tournament!
Damn! I didn't know Baki was that strong!
It appears your story about fighting me was not nonsense after all!
You seem to have a lot of faith in your 4000 years of history,
but there's still a place you can't reach like that!
Endorphins?!
--Chinese Kenpo moves?! --He's really stirring things up!
They're moving so fast that our eyes can't see what's happening!
When physical pain surpasses a certain level,
the pain actually changes into a sense of intoxication
and gives the body the endurance to recover from explosive damage.
What you displayed is known in ancient Chinese Kenpo as "fugen"!
Our training begins with daily fugen practice!
That's nice...
It's the "Sunkei"!
The ultra-short punch developed by ancient China!
He's up! Hanma Baki is incredibly tough!
Damn, he even anticipated that he had the Sunkei!
Eh?
The instant the Sunkei arrived, he jumped back to avoid the shock.
He flew a long way, but the damage was nothing much at all.
Now it's time to see how you fight when you're serious!
Do you remember what I said during my last match?
Where you are now, we passed 2000 years ago!
Those words were not directed at him alone.
It was directed at all martial artists outside of our Chinese Kenpo!
Those shoes ain't any normal weight!
He fought all this time with those things on?!
The act of removing these shoes
is similar to the act of a boxer removing his gloves and baring his fists.
That is how dangerous I am barefooted!
So now there are no handicaps, huh...
H-he's got something planned!
He caught his hair with his foot!
Next comes a knee!
Now he stops the low kick with his foot!
Now he intercepts with his iron elbow!
Retsu Kaio possesses terrifying foot techniques!
"Terrifying foot techniques"?!
A throat kick!
This is what a terrifying foot technique is like!
Feet as fists... Incredible!
Baki goes down!
The kick techniques of the shoe-less Retsu Kaio are sharp and varied!
This is the true ability of the successor to the Kaio name!
It was an unfortunate accident that happened during a match...
I took the life of one with the same ambition as I...
But oddly, there were no feelings of regret in my heart...
The desire to fight stronger people had only grown greater inside me!
Retsu Xiaolong...
Sir!
From this day forth, you may call yourself "Retsu Kaio".
M- Master?!
--You do not understand why? --No, sir!
I told you before. The Kaio name is not given for one's virtue.
It is given for ability alone...
Master...
It was his recommendation. He cannot possibly be mistaken.
It was in this way that I obtained the Kaio name...
But, at the same time, it was also a shackle that taught me restraint.
The shackles meant to curb my true strength made me grow this far!
Has Baki suffered critical damage?!
Retsu Kaio makes his move!
A finishing kick! But he dodges it!
He continues to attack!
Kick after kick after kick!
His throat!
That's gotta hurt!
Now I see... No wonder my fight with your shadow never ended!
Baki isn't dead!
H-he can still stand up?!
Where in the hell does he get his stamina from?!
Now then...
...Iet's finish this!
Hanma Baki has endured Retsu Kaio's many intense foot techniques!
The world's strongest kid was prepared for the worst!
Both remain absolutely motionless!
Who will be the first to make a move?!
Retsu steps forward!
S-such incredible speed! My commentary can't keep up!
Baki has stopped moving!
Baki!
That's a good boy...
Wake up!
Thugs...
Wild beasts...
Gangsters...
Soldiers...
Giants...
Wrestlers...
No opponent has ever been able to awaken the Hanma in him...
The wisdom of the 4000 years of Chinese history...
Awaken the Hanma in him!
D-did that finish him?!
Actin' all cocky...
M-my word! The obsidian Striking Rock!
Liu Kaio-sama! What on earth is this?!
An ill omen...
How can this kick be so heavy?!
Bring it on...
H-he's different! He's somehow a different Baki than before!
What on earth happened?! He almost looks like a different person!
What're you doing?! Come at me!
If you won't attack me, then I'll attack you!
T-that stance!
It's Yujiro!
--A Tenrenge?! --It's not!
T-that's enough! No more!
M-match over!
H-he did it...
W-what a gruesome finish! China's 4000 years of history is beaten!
The spectators cannot hide their bewilderment.
There is no applause for Baki as he exits the ring!
I thought he was gonna kill him...
H-how is he, Shinogi-kun?!
Chinese Kenpo truly is incredible...
The instant his head was twisted,
he unhinged his own skull from his spine to keep it from breaking.
S-so his neck isn't broken then?!
The only injury to his neck is a bruise.
Most likely from the roundhouse kick that finished him off.
Unhinging his skull from his spine?
How considerate of you...
When one more twist could've destroyed his spine altogether...
You're a complete lost cause of a kid...
A man who inherited a martial art passed down from antiquity.
A man who acquired absolute power by abandoning his own future.
The two now prepare for battle.
Only one seat remains...
Next Episode- "Master vs. Monster"