"For 700 years," the elder spoke as he examined the treasure chest, "this item has been kept secret from the knowledge of the human civilization. Nobody realizes the true potency behind this prized treasure, thus it is feared as a cursed arsenal."
"Then why are you going to take it out, mentor?" the young boy asked.
"The time has arrived," the elder spoke and unlocked the wooden storage box. The boy watched in amazement as the elder took out a belt from inside the chest. He blinked in bafflement, as the belt was given to him.
"Zofeah," the elder pronounced, "the council has wholly agreed to entrust this Sacred Belt to you. Take this, and it's yours."
"But mentor, I cannot accept this treasure," the boy declined. "I don't know why everyone wants me to have it, but I can't."
"Zofeah, you are destined to awaken the sleeping dragon and restore the world to its proper state," the elder said. "Whether you want to accept it or not, this is the task you cannot avoid." He took the boy's hands and put the belt on it and closed it. "This is also your parents' wish before they passed away. they wanted you to continue the legacy of your family. You may ignore the council, Zofeah, but please think of your parents."
The boy reluctantly stared at the belt and looked back at the elder. "Then what about my twin brother? Will he know about this? Will he be involved, too?"
"Your brother does not know about this." The elder put a hand on his shoulder and stared at his auburn eyes. "You don't have to worry about him."
The boy was hesitant for a while, not sure of the decision he should take. All sorts of memories emerged in his head, and he winced in dismay. Tightly he took a hold on the belt and nodded. "If this is my destiny, then I don't have any reason to avoid it. For the sake of my family, I will have this task accomplished, however long it may take."
x-x-x-x-x
"Lone Wolf-san!" Hibiki whined. "Why do I have to be with her? She always teases me with this and that!" she demanded and pointed at Cassandra.
"But Wolfie, she doesn't like me in the first place!" Cassandra insisted. "I just want to be with you, and she demands me to stay away from you! That's so mean of her!"
"You two, please," Lone Wolf SIX sighed and put hands on their shoulders. "Stop fighting like kindergarten kids." Both Hibiki and Cassandra continued to complain, while their eyes threateningly glared at each other. "Should I explain again? Hibiki, Cassandra is my long time friend, so please respect her as your own friend. Cassandra, I know you're overprotective of me, but don't until Hibiki's pissed off. Now shake your hands."
The iaijitsu woman and the Greek warrior glared at each other's face before they stared back at Lone Wolf SIX. "YADA!" they declared and stepped away from each other. Lone Wolf SIX could only sigh and proceeded to Kuradoberi Restaurant. The similar high-pitched voice greeted his arrival and he guessed it would be none other than the restaurant owner herself.
"It's been a while, Lone Wolf," happily Jam greeted. "Please, have a seat."
"Why, sure." Lone Wolf SIX said and took a seat not far from the main entrance. "Seems that you've modified this restaurant a lot since I last came here."
"Yes, it is," Jam answered as she put the menu on the table. "You know what? I've got myself a new friend. Oh, it was such great time to know him. He's just too cute for me, too."
"Wow, I didn't even know that," Lone Wolf SIX remarked. Jam just giggled and inquired him for order. "Well, let's see… I'd like to have iced lemon tea and-"
"LONE WOLF-SAN/WOLFIE!" both Hibiki and Cassandra stormed in the restaurant. "We're arguing and you just sit here and ignore us!?"
Lone Wolf SIX looked at the two warrior girls and sweatdropped. "Ayuh… I almost forgot them…"
As Lone Wolf SIX served himself with the ordered meal, and Hibiki continued to argue with Cassandra, the area outside the restaurant suddenly trembled with a shock so strong that a skyscraper could collapse under its own weight by it. Immediately all the visitors, as well as Jam and Lee rushed to the outside and saw a police officer lying on the ground, motionless.
"Officer Kevin!" Lone Wolf SIX uttered in surprise. Quickly he approached Kevin and knelt beside him. "How the hell did you end up like this! Who did this to you!? Tell me!"
Kevin struggled to reach Lone Wolf SIX's hand and managed to get a grip on it. "It's him…" he could barely have the strength to speak. "It's him…"
"Him? Who is he? Officer Kevin, tell me! Please!" Lone Wolf SIX demanded. Kevin, instead, closed his eyes and collapsed on his lap, unconscious. Lone Wolf SIX was startled and put a finger on his neck, as to check his pulse. "He's still fine. Somebody calls the ambulance. We need to get him to the nearest hospital."
The sky above him suddenly darkened. Lone Wolf SIX looked up and saw a doctor descending from the heaven ala Mary Poppin's entry. "Just when I needed help, though…"
"WHATA SAIKO!" exclaimed Faust as he landed in front of them. "To survive those cannibals is the greatest success I have ever behold in my life as a doctor! Behold!"
"Uh, doc," Lone Wolf SIX called, "I need your help actually. A patient needs medical attention, and-"
Faust looked at Kevin and exclaimed out loud. "There's nothing a doctor cannot do! WALAH! I'll give him the best medical treatment he'll ever remember in his whole life!"
"If he could survive those treatment…"
x-x-x-x-x
He walked down the empty street of South Town with no clear objective. The presence of street punks and pauper alike were nothing but a pack of mouse in his eyes. Even prostitutes failed to neither impress his desire, nor halt his movement. He cared less of the additional actors. He simply did not need them.
His steps halted. He suddenly had a grin - a very confident yet mocking grin, to be exact - when he discovered who stood before his eyes. "The Legendary Wolf, Terry Bogard," he pronounced. The owner of both the name and the nickname turned around as to respond to the call.
"What do you want from me, stranger?" Terry asked. "And who are you? How did you know my name?"
"Who am I, and how did I know you, it isn't important," he spoke and pulled the dragon-shaped belt from his waist and had it transformed into a wakizashi, and opened an iaido stance. "What important is, I request a battle from you."
Terry couldn't help himself but to laugh. "A battle you say?" he asked and ran his fingers through his hair. "I'll let you battle me, stranger. Bit I'll tell you: this Legendary Wolf won't be giving any chance."
"We'll see about that, Terry Bogard," he spoke and suddenly teleported behind Terry.
"What the…!?" Terry exclaimed and rolled out before the iaijitsu man landed a horizontal slash on his body. Terry retaliated with his Power Dunk, yet the man briefly avoided the overhead attack and counter-attacked with a knock from the sheath. Terry was knocked off his foot and fell flat on his face, yet the wolf quickly recovered and fired a Power Wave at the man. The man jumped over the projectile and landed behind Terry.
"A potential fighter," the man spoke and retracted the wakizashi a little from its scabbard, "but in my eyes, you're a mere amateur." Terry was startled because the technique was awfully similar to Johnny's Baccuss Sigh and could not avoid contact with the mist. The man quickly retracted the blade from its sheath and made a lightning-fast slash onto Terry's torso. Again, it was similar to Mist Finer, only with a different name.
"Shinkuu Cutter."
Terry was tossed to the air and crashed on the ground. He struggled to stand up and looked at the man, who waited in his stance. "Just who the heck are you? You have the same fighting style as the pirate, and you even have that speed as him," he spoke between his breaths.
"I am different from the pirate," the man replied.
"Oh, really?" Terry responded and grinned. "If you're not him, then I doubt you know this."
"As of?" the man replied.
Terry braced himself for a moment and channeled his energy to his fist. Then…
"Are you okay?"
Terry's fist was charged and he hurled toward the man. The man's eyes widened in surprise and quickly executed another Shinkuu Cutter to counteract it. It proved useless.
"BUSTER WOLF!"
The man got hit by Terry's most powerful move, Buster Wolf, and crashed on the building wall. He fell back to the floor and groaned in pain. Terry approached the man and looked down at him. "See? I've told you. The wolf spirit inside of me can never be defeated."
"No one in this world is invincible." The man insisted and had the wakizashi to transform. Terry was caught in surprise and stepped backwards when he saw the weapon began transforming into the figure of a dragon. The man, as he saw later, stood up and pointed his palm at the lone wolf.
"This battle should end now." The man announced with the look of death emerging from his eyes, as his palm began to be filled with energy force. Terry was caught in horror when he felt the tremendous force coming from the orb forming around his hand.
"HEAVENLY DRAGON FLASH."
Silence. Nothing but debris and dust flying in the air.
The man looked at Terry, now stuck on the concrete wall. He loosened his stance and let the dragon figure to transform back into its first form, wrapping around his waist. He approached Terry and looked at him. "I wish not to continue this battle. A task is awaiting me," he spoke. "However, if your intention is to have a rematch against me, then it's welcomed." He covered his body with a robe and proceeded to walk down the street, but his steps halted again.
"Who… who on earth are you?" Terry demanded under his breath.
"Zofeah," the man declared, "remember this name always." He returned his steps, leaving Terry in the lone street of South Town.