A/N: For every start of a new sequence, Jason will recap some of the events he has experienced in his life. However, the story will remain in 3rd person.

That is all.

Sequence 2: Chapter 1

'It has been three months since my arrival into this new reality. Knowing that I have no resources and allies, I've waited in the shadows to study those that may be sympathetic to the people of Academy City. But I don't know if they are willing to give up their morals of taking lives to save many. And even if they are willing to, can they be trusted? I will have to wait and see.

Other than that, I've already hacked into the Bank – which took a lot longer than I thought it would – and implemented fake records as a Level 0 to keep the city's rulers and authorities off my backs for now. For allies, I have found a lead on who: an Esper targeting secret outposts without any knowledge of who the Templars are. I've already begun investigating this matter and hope to meet whoever this person is.

As for this journal, I've learned that it once belonged to an Assassin who led the Japanese Brotherhood before the worldwide purge in '53. In his writings mentions of a Piece of Eden beneath Academy City, but there's no further information about it as some of the pages are missing. It looks like he must've teared them out and burned them to prevent the Templars from ever learning about the artifact. However, his writings also mentions a key to gain access to the hidden temple but is in pieces that are now scattered all over Japan, and the vaguest of clues Hideo left behind could lead to their whereabouts. Only time, skill, and a bit of luck will tell.'

School District 15

10 April, 2023

5:13 P.M.

Jason stands on the streets of 15's marketplaces looking for the Esper he's tracking down. The outfit he wears was crafted discreetly - per request - at a tailor shop that resembles an outlaw but with the appearance of an Assassin (Jacob Frye's Gunslinger Coat from AC Syndicate) but more of a 21st century look with the color mainly raven black with the secondary color being Assassin red. He wears black leather gloves and an Assassin Gauntlet (Black Leather variation) that somehow Hideo Saten was given to as a gift by the British Brotherhood. While his right hidden blade is inside his right sleeve, his left one bears the gauntlet that also includes another hidden blade and an Assassin insignia-shaped grappling hook (rope launcher). It also features brass-colored armor plating that completely covers the glove, as well as embedded brass knuckles and a dart gun on the back of the forearm, which now uses both poison and knockout darts at unsuspecting targets. As for weapons, that was a little tricky due to the laws Academy City have in place. He was able to meet with a weapons dealer in the black market and was able get a cane-sword (Adept Cane-sword, with the exception that it's blade can extend longer like a normal one-handed sword) hanging on his left hip that his Assassin coat conceals, a six-shot revolver on his right hip (same place where the cane-sword is hidden), throwing knives inside one of his pouches, and even a kukri knife also hidden in his coat. In other words, he looks like Jacob Frye minus the gangs and openly drawing attention to himself, of course.

As his hood is still up, Jason uses Eagle Vision to locate the vigilante Esper. His surroundings are all black and white as certain people are in color. For example, Anti-Skill or Judgement officers are highlighted as blue, green for allies, white for certain hiding spots, red as enemies, and gold as targets or points of interest. His variation of Eagle Vision is different, however, because he can tag targets and see them highlighted when out of the ability or not, even through walls or other obstacles.

Suddenly, he notices someone highlighted in gold and exits out of Eagle Vision, deducing that the person is the one Jason is looking for.

"There you are." He says to himself as the person walks in a different direction.

Tailing the Esper without getting too close, Jason blends in with the crowd who are busy going about their business through shopping or talking to each other.

"I still can't believe most of the city's population consists of people my age or younger. Just what were the Templars thinking?"

A few minutes after tailing the target to an alleyway, Jason runs after the person who started running. Unfortunately, the Assassin lost him at a dead end only to hear a gun clicking from behind.

"Don't even think about it." The person warns him. "Why the hell were you following me?"

"I'm not here to kill you if that's what you're asking." Jason answers with a calm tone in his voice. "You've been targeting outposts from what I've heard, and you seemed to only piss them off so far."

"How'd you-?!"

"Word gets out quickly when you've tried to raid them without knowing who you're dealing with."

"And I should believe you why?" The Esper questions him with a raised eyebrow.

"You got my attention and I want to help you. That's all you need to know." Jason assures the one pointing a gun at the former.

Turning around slowly, Jason got a look of who this person is. He is around 17-years-old and has brown hair with green eyes. He wears a dark green hoodie jacket and holds a five-seven pistol, already trained on the Assassin.

Sighing, the Esper puts his weapon away but remains on guard. "Fine. I'll take you to the hideout and fill you in on the details when we get there."

Jason then follows him as the older boy brings him back to his home which is close by in the 15th district. However, the Esper was a bit more cautious when looking left and right, catching the young Assassin's attention.

"You seemed trouble. Why so cautious all of a sudden?" He asks before being silenced.

"Shhh! Quiet!" He whispers to Jason. "They might hear us?"

"Who's they?" The Assassin asks, already knowing the answer.

"I can't tell you yet. Not until we're away from prying eyes." The Esper shakes his head but Jason grabs his arm, not letting go.

"Listen, I don't have all day. You know something. If you can't tell me what it is, I can't help you. So spit it out." He demands, already losing his patience as he let's go of the boy's arm.

Taking a deep breath, the Esper spills the beans. "A few months ago, people have been taken off the street from a shadowy organization in Academy City's Underworld. I know little about them except that they have been controlling this city from the very start of its foundation."

"And how did you get this sort of information?"

"I-I've been eavesdropping them and tried to expose them with the evidence I gathered, but they somehow knew what I was up to and attempted to kill me at my dorms. Without the evidence, I couldn't even go back to my old life now since they know everything about me!"

Looking around, Jason has a bad feeling they are being watched. "We should keep moving. I have a feeling that we're being watched."

(Time Skip)

A little while later, they are already inside the Esper's rented apartment. The older teen brought out a USB drive and hand it over to him.

"What's this?" Jason asks.

"This flash drive contains everything I've gathered as best I could about the people responsible for making people disappear."

"But why would they do that?" The Assassin further asks.

"I believe it was because they found out who they truly are either by accident or by sheer curiosity."

"Seems that didn't go well for them. But why were you attacking certain locations?"

"I was already out of options! What was I supposed to do?! Let them continue their reign on this city?!"

"But by attacking them without knowing who you're up against is stupid and reckless." Jason lectures. "And you think by destroying their safehouses will be the end of them? They control over almost every branch of society and a head on attack isn't the way to stop them."

"You know more about them than I do. Who are you really? And who exactly are these people?"

"It doesn't matter now. I need to get you out of here and bring you back to my place."

"I'm not going anywhere. I'm already a dead man anyways." He refused with a shameful look on his face.

"Don't be stupid! If you stay, they are coming for you and will kill you." He attempts to persuade him but the Esper will not listen.

"Then you must finish what I couldn't. Get this drive away from them and do whatever it takes to stop-."

Suddenly a shot was heard outside as a bullet went through a window and shot through the poor Esper's head and he collapses on the floor blood spilling everywhere, catching Jason off guard.

"Damn!" He curses before running to the window and looks downward at a sniper on an opposite rooftop. The sniper who assassinated the witness got up and started running. "I need to catch him before he escapes. He's going to pay for killing an innocent."

Jason jumps out of the window and fires his rope launcher, ziplining down to the position the sniper took and lands with a roll before chasing after him. The killer jumps down to an emergency exit and enters another building as the Assassin follows him inside. The chase didn't last long, and Jason was able to catch up to him where the killer fails to open another emergency exit when the Assassin's throwing knife pierces through his hand and he cries out in agony, gripping his bleeding hand. Turning around he was met with a sucker punch to the face, breaking his nose as it too, bleeds. He collapses on the floor as Jason grabs him by the collar.

"Why did you kill him?" He demands, wanting to end his life.

"So it's true. An Assassin lives." He answers, much to Jason's shock. "Doesn't that surprise you? We have eyes and ears everywhere. Academy City is not yours to take. We have achieved our dream of a utopia that has been yearned for so long. We've already won."

"Killing an innocent says otherwise, Templar. He and others before him have seen who you truly are, and that will only arouse suspicion to the people in this city. It will be your downfall."

The Templar sniper laughs. "Perhaps. You can kill me, but you can NEVER destroy the Templar Order. With the disappearance of Aliester Crowley, we now control this city without him holding us back on our full potential and bring TRUE peace that the Father of Understanding has intended for us."

"What are you talking about? Who's this Aliester you speak of?"

"Ah, I thought you would know. Oh wait, you don't since we've hunted your kind down in less than a few weeks and have been ruling the world through Academy City for the last 70 years."

"Then I will make sure I hunt every last one of you and liberate this city from your hands."

"I doubt it, given that I've already called backup before you stopped me from escaping."

Jason then hears sirens and a chopper outside of the building and turns his head to see Anti-Skill forming a perimeter outside the building.

"You should've known about the uniform I wear, Assassin. I wonder how Anti-Skill will feel about one of their own is attacked." He gloats as he laughs.

"ARGH!" Jason cries out in anger before flicking his left hidden blade out and stabs the Templar in his throat, killing him. The blade then sheathes back with another flick of his wrist and throws the dead body on the floor.

"Requiescat in pace, you bastard." He says in a malicious tone.

Outside of the building, a woman in her late 30s holds out a megaphone and speaks through it.

"We have the place surrounded! You are under arrest for the murder of a student and for attacking a fellow member of Anti-Skill!" The woman known as Aiho Yomikawa says with authority.

Back inside the building, Jason paces back and forth as he doesn't have a lot of ideas to escape from the authorities.

"They've got the whole building surrounded. No way past them without being spotted, so going outside isn't the best idea. Not with that chopper they have with them." He plans as he activates Eagle Vision and sees that some of Anti-Skill are preparing to breach and clear. However, the ones that are making a move on the Assassin from downstairs are highlighted red, meaning they must be undercover Templar agents ready to either kill or capture him. The Assassin could take them out, but this would only make the situation worse as this would only draw attention to himself, therefore he'd break the second tenet of the creed: hiding in plain sight, which gives the Brotherhood strength.

Searching for a way out, Jason notices a wall highlighted in gold, meaning that it could be a secret entrance to the abandoned tunnels the Assassins once used. Knowing that there's no other way to fully avoid violating the second tenet, Jason hides behind cover as the door to downstairs explodes and the Templars in their Anti-Skill guise sweep to secure the area.

"Check his vitals!" One says to another as he points the already dead body of the killer, also in Anti-Skill uniform.

When the second agent puts his fingers on the body's neck for a pulse, he found none.

"He's dead, sir." He informs the squad leader.

"Damn." The squad leader curses. "Spread out and find the son of a bitch! He must still be in the building!"

Before they could do anything else, a grenade is thrown from another room, catching them off guard.

"Shit, grenade!"

But it was already too late as it detonates, creating a blinding flash of light that momentarily blinds them. This was Jason's chance as he charges in and use his hidden blades to take them out quickly as the Templars are distracted. With the squad eliminated, the Assassin dashes down the stairs and enters the room where the wall has been highlighted. Already on the clock before the rest of Anti-Skill comes in, Jason find an Assassin insignia marked behind the books on one of the shelves and sees a slot that's meant to open the hidden door with a hidden blade. Flicking his left blade out with his wrist, he puts it in the slot and turns the lock mechanism before pulling the blade out and sheathes it back in just as the wall opens up. Hearing that they are already inside the building, Jason makes his escape but not before closing the hidden entrance and locking it shut so it is not discovered.

(Time Skip)

Assassin Sanctuary (beneath the old church)

School District 10

9:04 P.M.

After finding his way back to the hideout (now with his food and supplies stored there, along with an isolated network and power supply over the months he spent renovating the place) in the tunnels, Jason is currently decrypting the copied files he was given on the data drive. To be honest, hacking is exactly his strong suit and can only bypass some security but not ones with bigger firewalls as he barely got past the first set. When the decryption process finished, the Assassin takes a look at what he's seeing on his laptop screen.

"This must be a list of names for every high-ranking Templar in charge of this city. Unfortunately, the list makes no mention of their Grandmaster and the inner sanctum members." He deduces before looking over the next copied file. "These emails… How is this possible? Only Hideo knows about the existence of the artifact beneath Academy City and he died protecting the information! Damn! This is getting me nowhere! If I'd only got him to safety, he would've been helpful. He's dead because I didn't make him leave. And his death is on now me."

Looking at the small chest that holds the Apple, Jason sighs. "What if I'm truly stuck here? What then if all my efforts of returning home is for nothing? What then?"

A little while later, Jason is already in his bed in another room inside the hidden sanctuary.

"If the Templars are already in search of the Piece of Eden, then I need to find it before they do. But that'll have to wait. Because tomorrow is my first official day of school her in this city."

To be Continued…