The Valkyrie Arc is the fourth arc of History's Strongest Disciple Kenichi.
Plot
Kenichi Vs. Tsuji (Rematch)
At Ryōzanpaku, the masters discuss Kenichi's training and agree to start teaching him more advanced techniques, but Kenichi doubts he can handle even harder training. The next day during garden club, Izumi tries to ask Kenichi what his relationship with Miu is only to be interrupted by Takeda, who reveals he's officially started boxing again and even joined the school's boxing club. Kenichi is worried that Takeda still has to face the quitter's punishment for leaving Ragnarök, but Takeda reveals his punishment has been delayed because Ragnarök is busy with internal matters since his former superior Kisara got promoted. After Takeda leaves, Izumi tries to resume asking Kenichi about Miu, only to be interrupted again by Niijima this time. Niijima reveals to Kenichi that Kisara is a taekwondo expert who is charge of the faction always going after him and has obtained the nickname Valkyrie because of her methods of recruiting those she defeats. He also reveals Kisara has the seven fists of Ragnarök, the top members of the organization who are its strongest fighters that rule over the other members. Niijima blames Kenichi for not defeating Kisara sooner and letting her gain power, which is messing up his secret plans. He tries to get Kenichi to fight Tsuji again, revealing his position in Ragnarök was weakened when Kisara got promoted into the Fists, and that he has spread rumors to make his underlings abandon him and further weaken him, but this only makes Kenichi pity Tsuji for having to deal with Niijima's schemes. Niijima adds that Tsuji is in charge of dealing Takeda's quitting punishment and if he beats him, the punishment may be forgotten about. While walking to back Ryōzanpaku, Kenichi and Miu discuss the latter's increased courage after their adventure on Furinji island, but his newfound bravery is put to the test when he sees Tsuji threatening Kisara (whose identity Kenichi and Miu are unaware of). Tsuji refuses to acknowledge Kisara getting into the Seven (technically now Eight) Fists, believing he is the stronger one, but Kisara just mocks Tsuji for losing most of gang members (courtesy of Niijima). Before the two can fight, Kenichi strikes Tsuji from behind with a sneak attack for attacking a girl, defeating him and his underlings with one blow each. However, Kisara then reveals her identity as one of the Eight Fists.
Kisara is eager to fight Kenichi since he was able to defeat the technique trio and Miu warns the latter that the former is no ordinary fighter. However, Kenichi refuses to fight since Kisara is a girl and he refuses to hit women, though Miu takes issue with and thinks that Kenichi doesn't see her as a girl since he spars with her, but Kenichi argues that Miu is never going to let him get a hit on her anyway. Kisara is angered by Kenichi's refusal to fight and warns him not to get cocky just because he took out Tsuji with a sneak attack, causing Kenichi to realize he knocked Tsuji out cold. While Kenichi tries to wake up Tsuji, Kisara is surprised by his concern for his enemy and decides to leave without a fight because she has other business to deal with. Before she leaves, Kisara warns she'll be gunning for Kenichi and Takeda, and if the former wants to protect the latter, he'll have to defeat her. Miu tells Kenichi that if he had fought Kisara, he would have lost, and he'll need to start technique training if he is going to stand a chance, but he still refuses since he can barely survive his current level of training. That night, Niijima spies on a gang war between gang of 50 delinquents and eight members of Ragnarök, who Niijima discovers are the Eight Fists from their numbered gloves. The opposing gang is insulted that Ragnarök brought only eight people to fight, but the Fist's Leader declares they only came to test out their newest member's abilities and has Kisara fight with only, the Fourth Fist Loki, and the Sixth Fist Hermit assisting her. Despite their overwhelming numbers, the opposing gang is completely crushed by the three Fists.
On the way to school, Miu and Kenichi talk about the latter undergoing technique training. Kenichi admits that he is afraid to start not only because of the difficulty, but also because he has no talent and he's afraid of disappointing his masters if he still doesn't improve. Miu tells Kenichi that being disappointed in someone means giving up on them and assures him the masters will never give up on him. Suddenly, the two are interrupted by Niijima, who warns them Tsuji is waiting for them down the street. Niijima reveals Tsuji's holding a grudge after Kenichi defeated him with a sneak attack, and that he made it worse by exaggerating his lose in the school paper causing all but two of his underlings to abandon him. Kenichi decides to confront Tsuji and Niijima tries to stop him from throwing away his win and messing with his plans, only for Kenichi to literally walk all over him with hesitation. When Kenichi reaches Tsuji, he demands a rematch, which Kenichi accepts, and he effortlessly defeats Tsuji with a single blow. Miu takes this as a sign of Kenichi's improvement and tells him he this is why the masters think he is ready for technique training. Tsuji accepts his loss is undeniable this time and tells his remaining two followers to leave and join another gang, believing he has nothing now that all his other underlings have abandoned him. However, Kenichi tells Tsuji his remaining followers are still loyal because they are his real friends, something he considers far more valuable than a hundred underlings. Touched by his follower's loyalty, Tsuji declares they are cutting ties with Ragnarök and he warns Kenichi that since his faction is disbanded, Kisara will be in charge of Takeda's punishment. He also warns Kenichi that Hermit will also be participating in the punishment, with Niijima adding he and two other Fists defeated a gang of 50 thugs. Faced with this new threat, Kenichi finally decides to start his technique training.
Valkyrie vs. Miu
Kenichi warns Takeda his punishment could happen at any time, but he is interrupted by Miu who shows him that Niijima has drastically exaggerated his win over Tsuji and is spreading it around. After school, he starts his technique training, beginning with learning the Crane’s Neck blow from Shio Sakaki, who tells him he will have to start preparing to face multiple opponents at once. Next is Apachai’s training, but since the master can't hold back, Akisame takes Kenichi's place in the demonstration of the Spinning Elbow. After that, Akisame teaches him his Four Killing Blow Combo, but the masters decide to have Kenichi perfect the techniques they've already shown before he starts training with Kensei Ma and Shigure (to the latter's disappointment). Takeda comes in for an appointment at Akisame’s clinic for checkup and Akisame notices something is bothering him. Takeda admits is contemplating that for all the work he went through to heal his arm, he's risking breaking it again by continuing martial arts. Akisame advises him that the point of living is what you accomplish while you're alive and that Takeda shouldn't go into a fight thinking he'll lose. Takeda argues that he doesn't care if he breaks his body boxing, but he's afraid of what will happen when Ragnarök punishes him and Akisame has no idea how ruthless Ragnarök is. Akisame decides to bring Takeda to Kenichi's training and shows him how determined Kenichi is to overcome his lack of talent to help him. He tells Takeda that when it appears Kenichi is cowardly, he suddenly becomes brave and that he figured out Kenichi's character; his real strength shows itself when he's fighting to protect those he cares about.
After finishing his training for the day, Kenichi gives Takeda his phone number and tells him to call for help if Ragnarök attacks him. On the way back from Ryōzanpaku, Takeda is ambushed by Ragnarök thugs lead by Kisara, Ukita, and Koga. Ukita says he'll be the first one to punish Takeda, and the latter considers calling Kenichi, but ultimately decides not to and throws his phone aside. However, Ukita sides with Takeda and throws Koga over a fence before declaring his resignation from Ragnarök. Takeda apologizes to Ukita for getting him involved, but Ukita tells him he's decides to stop being a delinquent and practice Judo again. Kisara orders her thugs to attack and during the chaos, Takeda's speed dial is accidentally activated. Kenichi answers the call, but all he can hear is fighting. Kensei Ma manages to find Takeda's location when he hears subway noise in the background and Kenichi and Miu rush to his aid. When Takeda and Ukita manage to fend off her thugs, Kisara decides to enter the battle herself.
Kenichi and Miu search the train tracks for Takeda and Miu manages to spot them from high up. Meanwhile, Ukita tries to throw Kisara, but she rebounds off a wall and knocks him out with a kick to the face and Takeda fights her next. However, his punch gets blocked by Valkyrie’s kick and the latter boasts that the strength of a leg is three times that of an arm. Even though he manages to dodge Kisara's kick, Takeda is defeated when Kisara changes the direction of her attack mid-swing and hits him in the back of the head. Koga recovers from being thrown and takes his revenge by having Kisara's underlings continue beating Ukita and Takade even though they're already defeat. He has the underlings hold Ukitae down while he prepares to jump from a wall and throw a kick to break his arm, but the Ukita is saved when Kenichi punches him from behind the fence. Kenichi sees Takeda and Ukita injured and furiously begins defeating the rest of Valkyrie’s men, while elsewhere Niijima is preparing to execute his plan.
After seeing Kenichi defeating her underlings Kisara prepares to fight him, but Miu steps in since Kenichi refuses to hit girls. Kisara immediately hates Miu when she sees her more developed figure and mocks her by calling her "dairy cow." She starts throwing kicks at an insulted Miu who dodges all of them easily. While furiously plowing throw Kisara's forces, Kenichi accidentally gets his hand trapped in a chain link fence, but he manages to defend himself with the Crane Neck Blow Sasaki taught him. Miu gets distracted when she sees Kenichi is trapped and Kisara takes the opportunity to attack, only for Miu to disappear in a blur of speed. Kisara thinks Miu is going to attack from above, only for her to sweep her legs from behind, though Miu catches her head with her foot to protect her from a fatal injury. Meanwhile, one of Kisara's thugs pulls a knife and tries to stab Kenichi, but he is suddenly knocked out from behind by Niijima, who has formed his own gang called the Shinpaku Alliance. With Kisara knocked out from the fall and facing more enemies, Kisara's forces retreat. After getting free, Kenichi checks on Takeda who shows him his left hand is unharmed. Kenichi asks Takeda why he didn't call when he was attacked, and Takeda explains that Kenichi got hurt like he did when he went to rescue his friend, but he assures Kenichi this time it was a complete victory. With everyone safe, Kenichi asks Niijima what his new gang is about while Miu remembers that there was supposed to be another of the Eight Fists present, unaware Hermit is watching from a distance.
Major Fights
- Kenichi Vs. Tsuji Round 2 - Kenichi wins
- Miu Vs. Valkyrie - Miu wins
Story Impact
- The Eight Fists, the leaders and most powerful members of Ragnarök, are introduced
- The Shinpaku Alliance is formed.
- Ukita quits Ragnarök and sides with Kenichi.
References
| Disciple Plans Arc | Valkyrie Arc | Hermit Arc |
| ← | Chapters | → |
| 47 | 48 | 49 | 50 | 51 | 52 | 53 | ||
| ← | Episodes | → |
| 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | ||