TEKKEN: BLOOD FEUD
Chapter 25: Mysterious Me
Somewhere in the Japanese countryside
The night was descending upon Japan, but it wasn't so much lights as it was in the countryside. Not far from Tokyo, a certain individual was roaming the woods. This was none other than the cultist calling himself Revenant. Heihachi and his cronies may have assumed that he died in the strike upon the Millennium Tower, but Revenant had actually survived, albeit narrowly. After the entire place of the wreckage had been deserted, he had emerged out of hiding and had since then been headed out of Tokyo in order to seek refuge in the wilds.
But based upon the way he kept moving and taking breaths, Revenant had been gravely injured by this surprise attack from the Mishima Zaibatsu. He had been so focused on his fight against Kazuya that he had almost died in that blast. But by using his mystical powers, Revenant could slowly manage to reduce the pain he was feeling. However, he was feeling his power getting weaker, so he couldn't afford to waste more energy on such. He would have to rest easy for now.
Finding himself a stump to sit on, Revenant slowly reached for his gas mask and removed it. He threw it on the nearby leafy ground. His face was never seen, yet the voice could be heard more clearly now that the mask was off. Still, Revenant was a mysterious man, whose identity was yet to be revealed. Nobody knew who he truly was, save perhaps for his loyal followers.
"Damnit all! How could I let this happen to me!? My fight against Kazuya Mishima interrupted by schemes of that old fool Heihachi! And to think that he survived my attack!" Revenant was not holding back in voicing his dismay of this situation.
True, before coming to Kazuya, Revenant had fought Heihachi in the Mishima Dojo outside Tokyo. By unleashing his powerful blast upon Heihachi, the cultist had assumed that the Mishima Patriarch had died in the explosion. But apparently, an explosion alone wasn't enough to kill THE Heihachi Mishima. Revenant was beginning to see what his mistakes had cost him.
"It appears to me that I foolishly underestimated you, Heihachi Mishima. To think you survived the blast I fired upon you at the dojo. But then again, it's not surprising, considering how you survived the explosion on Hon-Maru. You really do live up to your title of King of the Iron Fist" Revenant was speaking, while at the same time starting to speak more favorably about the old man.
As he sat on the stump, Revenant began thinking about the opponent he had been fighting before the blast had almost obliterated them to dust. He recalled what he had seen from Kazuya, specifically the power of his Devil Gene. Kazuya's monstrous power had intrigued the cultist.
"Kazuya Mishima…you are a destructive man indeed. That power you demonstrated to me was breathtaking. And to think you are capable of commanding it without any problems. It makes me wonder whether you are superior to your son or not" Revenant thought, having also knowledge about the fact that Jin possessed the Devil Gene. "It's a shame that Jin Kazama has disappeared from the face of the Earth. Otherwise, I would have gladly be willing to test his demonic power" the cultist added while thinking about Kazuya's son.
But even as he was thinking about Kazuya and Jin, there was something else that Revenant had in mind. And he even made an illusion with one of his metallic hands. It was as if he was trying to create a picture of someone with the help of his dark energy. The image was that of a monster with the face of a bird. He resembled the Egyptian god named Horus. But this was not the case here. Who was this creature?
"Mighty and powerful Azazel. Your power was indeed monstrous. But to think that you fell in battle before a mere child. Perhaps I gave you too much credit for being the so-called "Rectifier of All Things". Nevertheless, Jin Kazama only fought you because he believed that defeating you would end the Devil Gene. Such a poor and confused boy. He was wrong. Defeating you would not end the curse running in his bloodline. While you may share the same powers, the Devil's is different from yours, Azazel" Revenant was speaking of the evil entity that was a threat to the world during the previous King of Iron Fist Tournament.
During its conclusion, Jin had taken the ultimate risk and sacrifice by fighting Azazel all by himself. Apparently, this had been his intention all along. To create so much negativity with the worldwide war he began so that Azazel would grow stronger. From what he had learned, only a man with the powers of the Devil Gene could battle and kill Azazel. The battle between them was harsh and titanic, as they fought in the depths of the world itself. But in the end, Jin surprisingly prevailed over the demon, but at a great cost.
Revenant kept looking at the illusion of Azazel on his metallic hand. "No matter how powerful you were, Azazel, you failed. But not only you. The Hachijo clan failed. Jinpachi Mishima failed. They too were blinded by weakness and pride. But the Acolytes of Pluton will not repeat the same mistakes they did. The Gods of Old will return under our watch. No one can deny our destiny, not even filthy spawns of the Devil himself!" the cultist was still feeling as proud as he could be.
As he was still sitting on the stump, several people emerged out of the shadows in the woods. But Revenant paid not heed, as he knew who they were. These were his fellow cultists in the Acolytes of Pluton. They all wore similar attires to him, with dark-hooded coats being most visible. When they approached their leader, the cultists kneeled before him as if he was their savior or prophet. As they looked at him, Revenant had already put his gas mask back on, as well lifted up his hood.
"Well met, brothers and sisters. I was wondering when you would show up" Revenant told his followers.
"Master. We are relieved to see you making out of that disaster alive. Admittedly, we were worried if you had perished" one of the cultists uttered.
Revenant rose up from the stump. "Bah! A naive assumption on your part. I would never die until I had fulfilled the goal of our order. No cheap tricks were going to be the end of me" he berated the disciple, who lowered his head in shame.
"You are right. I take it back. Please excuse my insolence, master" the follower replied.
The leader of the Acolytes of Pluton couldn't help but to look up, as if he was facing the dark skies, although the trees and leaves were quite thick for him to get a clear view. "The attack that interrupted my fight, I am certain that it was not magic" Revenant remarked, recalling back to the moment the beam had hit the Millennium Tower.
"According to our data back at HQ, the blast came from above the Millennium Tower. It goes on to explain that there is a satellite floating above Earth under the Mishima Zaibatsu's control" a female cultist came forward with some clues.
"Is that so? Well, that would explain how a cunning fox such as Heihachi Mishima was able to pull an attack like that. I should've paid more attention to him and his cowardly machinations" Revenant noted, feeling irritated that Heihachi had managed to fool him. "Speaking of which, have any of you gotten updates about Kazuya and his allies? Powerful as it may have been, I know for a fact that he didn't die in that blast. He is no weakling" the cultist then asked his followers about his other hated enemy.
One of them nodded his head at Revenant. "Of course. From what our scouts can confirm, Kazuya and his accomplices were seen leaving Japan. We don't know where specifically they are headed, but our sources say that it must be somewhere in Southeast Asia" the cultist informed his leader.
"Well, it looks to me that the G Corporation is making a retreat, for now. That being said, the Zaibatsu will without a doubt be declared heroes of this ongoing war. But I know for certain that Kazuya and his servants will be seeking retaliation for this humiliation" Revenant started to puzzle the pieces together, and he was starting to come up with a brilliant idea.
"What is our next course of action, master?" one of the cultists asked their leader.
"I suggest that we use this situation to our advantage. It may take some time before my powers are fully restored, so we will let the G Corp deal with the Zaibatsu and weaken them for us. Right now, that old fool Heihachi must be celebrating, foolishly thinking that he has achieved total victory in this war. That only gives Kazuya an opportunity to strike him now that his father's arrogance is at its peak" Revenant revealed their next move.
Knowing better than to question or disagree with their master's idea, the cultists bowed to Revenant with nothing but respect for his plans. As his fanatical followers, they would do as he said without question.
"As you wish, master. We are yours to command" the female cultist spoke up with admiration of her leader.
Although his face couldn't be seen, Revenant was likely smiling in satisfaction. "Good. Now then, let us seek refuge in the shadows. I have longed their comfort for a while" he said, his eyes on the gas mask glowing purple. He then began moving with his fellow cultists tagging along. As he walked, Revenant couldn't help but to think about his hated enemies. "They may start assuming that I have died, but I am not out of the game just yet. What I am doing now is merely a tactical retreat. But I will be back to fulfill our order's destiny. Therefore, I will let these Mishima fools and their allies enjoy their short-lived victory for now. It will be the last memories they will have of their lives" he thought about his hated enemies.
Revenant lead his followers through the woods, hoping to find refuge from all the pain he had gone through in trying to fight both Heihachi and Kazuya. But he would come back for them. And this time, he would not spare them anything at all. They would both die, their corpses reduced to nothing but ashes. Such were the uttermost desires of Revenant.
In the district of Gion, Kyoto, Japan
The traffic in the city of Kyoto was busy as usual. But a white Toyota HiAce SLWB Van 2017 was driving away from the busy center and towards the district of Gion. Nina Williams had been hired by Sebastian to drive Lili and the group of fighters she had made friends with to Kyoto. Having "saved" them from a pursuing Tekken Force squadron, Nina drove them to the city. But some of her passengers were curious to why they would have to specifically stop in Gion instead of the central Kyoto.
"Is there any particular reason for why we must stop in Gion? I mean, there are better and easier alternatives" Asuka questioned Nina, who kept facing forward instead of paying attention to her.
"Where we stop, is irrelevant. I just want you out of this vehicle and collect my payment so I can continue with my other contracts. Bear in mind that I only do things like this for coins, not causes" Nina sternly replied. Most of her passengers were not in the least surprised by the Irishwoman's cold-hearted attitude and different way of seeing life.
Michelle crossed her arms while looking at her with a smug expression. "Other contracts, you say? Oh, I get it! One of them must involve around becoming Jin Kazama's sugar babe" the middle-aged woman started to insult the assassin.
Some of the fighters such as Hwoarang, Bob, Asuka and Lili had to laugh in hearing Michelle's taunt. They seemed to find it funny.
"Woah! That was a good one, right there! I couldn't have said anything better myself!" Hwoarang lost himself to laughing out loud.
"Exactly! Maybe not the best term to use, but still funny!" Bob joined in, not holding back his laughter.
But others were taken aback by what Michelle said, even her daughter Julia. "Mom, why in the world are you saying such things?" she questioned her mother in disbelief.
Xiaoyu was also upset with what Michelle said. "Yeah, there's no way Jin would've done something like that!" the Chinese girl snapped.
But Michelle was undeterred. "What are you girls so worked up for? Jin did in fact hire her to be his bodyguard when he ruled the Zaibatsu, didn't he?" the brunette pointed out, only to take a glance at the blonde-haired assassin once again. "Or had he perhaps some other motives in mind? Care to explain it, Nina?" she started taunting her once again.
The blonde-haired woman did not respond to that with words, yet she did something else. Without hesitating, Nina stopped the vehicle, pulling the brakes quickly. It caused almost every passenger to lose balance and they fell upon each other.
"Woah! What's the big idea!?" Bob demanded as he was slammed into the backdoors.
"Yeah, you trying to kill us or something!?" Hwoarang joined in on getting agitated by Nina's move.
Julia glanced at her mother with a slight irritated look. "Honestly, mom. Couldn't you have kept your mouth shut for a while instead of insulting her? That's the reason why she just…..." the brunette was interrupted by the stern voice of Nina.
"I didn't stop because of that. I stopped because we're here now. It's time for you to get out" Nina said blankly, much to the surprise of her passengers. She sighed in irritation by seeing their reactions. "Well? I thought you wanted to come to Kyoto. We have reached your destination" she then revealed to them, hoping to get her passengers out as soon as possible.
Lili was quick to jump up and forma gleeful smile. "Already? Wonderful! And just when I was getting tired by standing in this crowded space" she exclaimed in a delightful mood.
The doors of the van opened and one by one, the fighters exited the vehicle. They found themselves in what appeared to be a narrow alleyway. From the looks of it, there was nobody else to be seen. Still, there were lights shining from both ways, all the more reason to consider this safe. In a way, it also was kind of bewitching, since it was night.
Xiaoyu let out a deep sigh as she stood in the street. "Well, there's still a way to go to reach home. But at least it's good to know that I'm back in Kyoto" the Chinese girl remarked, having grown tired of traveling for almost the entire day.
Sebastian and Lili approached Nina, both of them more than willing to let the assassin get her payment. "We thank you so much for contributing to our journey, Nina Williams. On behalf of Madame Lili and the Rochefort Family, I award you this paycheck. Just go to the nearest bank and you can deposit it in any currency that you want. That a fair compensation, yes?" the butler told Nina while handing her the paycheck.
Nina grabbed it and looked at it for a brief moment, smirking in the process. "Hmm…...you kept your end of the bargain well, butler. It's not so often that I get paid handsomely these days" she remarked, although people were not sure about whether Nina was appreciative of the reward or not.
"So, where will you be going now? Don't you wanna accompany us in finding Jin Kazama?" Lili questioned Nina smugly.
Being asked about this caused to Nina to glare at the young girl disapprovingly. "I thought I made myself clear to you earlier. I have no interest in joining you on this silly treasure hunt of yours. But if you wanna keep searching for him, then do as you wish" she told her, although the others were listening to her answer as well, not just Lili and Sebastian.
While most of the fighters were unsure of what to do, Steve felt like he really needed to do it. The British man no wanted to confront this woman and demand some answers out of her. After all these years of waiting, Steve would have the answers he always desired. Just as Nina was about to take off, Steve stopped her.
"Hold it right there!" Steve spoke up, thus forcing Nina to stop and look at her. So far, they were watching as if they were glaring at one another. "You're not getting away so easily!" the British man added, his eyes never leaving sight of Nina.
The other fighters didn't know what was going on right now, but they could feel the animosity brewing between them. "Hold on, what's up with them? Do they know each other?" Michelle asked her daughter and some of the other fighters.
Nina felt her time being wasted. "What is it now? Speak quickly and be done about it" she asked Steve out of annoyance.
But just as Steve could continue this interrogation, something loud could be heard coming from both ends of the alleyway. The group of fighters looked to both sides and could see that they were being blocked by trucks. And out from them appeared mobs of thugs dressed in all kinds of clothes from leather jackets to being shirtless. And not only that, there were many ethnicities in this large army of thugs, not just Asian people. Caucasians, Africans, Arabs, Latinos and many others could also be seen in the crowd. Who in the world were they?
"Well, lookie here, guys! It seems that there are some bootlickers from the Mishima Zaibatsu skulking around our turf!" a man of Japanese ethnicity spoke up while blowing some smoke from his mouth.
The group of fighters were confused. "Bootlickers from the Mishima Zaibatsu? What are you talking about?" Hwoarang asked while raising his only eyebrow.
"You guys got the wrong people! We're not with anybody!" Bob spoke up, trying to defuse the situation by being civil was possible.
A guy among the crowd, who seemed to be an American man stepped forward and pointed a finger at Bob. "Bullshit! I saw you on the containership in the Pacific! You were one of those assholes the Tekken Force rescued! Yeah! You and those two bitches" he spat out, pointing to not just Bob, but to Michelle and Julia as well.
Hearing this made Bob confused. "Huh? The containership in the tournament? I don't get why…" the chubby man was starting to be given a realization.
"All of you guys…...I take it you were in the tournament as well…during the first phase on the containership" Julia spoke up.
"And not only that, some of them were actually on a passenger ship as well" Hwoarang admitted to what he was seeing.
A Chinese woman who was chewing some bubblegum stepped forward with a baseball bat in her hands. "Damn right we are! But unlike you, we didn't make it to the next round. We, who traveled from Eurasia, was left to die a watery grave! We barley managed to survive thanks to the Chinese navy rescuing us!" she snapped in rage.
Nina, Lili and Hwoarang couldn't believe that there actually survivors from the wreckage of the passenger ship they used to travel the South China Sea. They all assumed that they had drowned to their deaths after a giant rogue wave had capsized the ship. The fact that they had managed to escape a watery grave was a miracle. But how exactly could they recognize the fighters, let alone who managed to proceed to the next round? Something was definitely not making sense.
"Well, what do you guys want with us, anyway?" Asuka asked the two groups who were blocking their way.
The Japanese guy seemed to have the answer. "You know what we want! Those bastards at the Mishima Zaibatsu had the nerve to actually call off the tournament! And after everything we put ourselves through in hopes of making it to the next round, he suddenly throws away the arrangement! We all foolishly believed that Heihachi would make our dreams come true. But it was nothing but lies!" he yelled at them.
"That's why we've formed ourselves our own international militia that will dismantle the Zaibatsu and their fucked-up leader! We don't need the international community's help, and the United Nations for that matter! Because we're this world's underdogs, so we rely on our own strength! We're the Resistance!" the American man was vocal in telling the group of fighters who they were.
"And since some of you guys managed to make it to the next round, it only confirms our suspicions that Heihachi favored you the most!" the Chinese woman spat out.
"Then what are we waiting for!? Let's get those fucking cunts!" an Englishman suddenly joined in on the mob.
With that being said, the two mobs of the Resistance began moving towards the group of fighters, intending on actually beating them to pulps. They carried various weapons, from baseball bats to knives. Clearly, they were not a friendly bunch
"The Resistance? Since when did such group even exist?" Ganryu was in disbelief with what he was seeing.
"I heard rumors of an international movement that were made up of people resentful against both the Zaibatsu and the G Corp. This Resistance may be that organization. From what I've heard, it's a group that leans towards anarchist ideals and guerilla tactics, which only explains why they are antagonistic towards almost everyone except for people like them" Michelle started recalling some rumors she heard heard about this movement.
As Steve got a closer look at his foes, he recognized something with these people. "Honestly, I'm not surprised by the existence of such group. I mean, just look at them" the British man pointed out to his friends. "It's obvious that all these guys have been badly affected by the ongoing war, both emotionally and financially. They were hoping that the tournament would help them from this misery, maybe give them careers or something. But like us, they were lied to by Heihachi. I can honestly relate to them when it comes to the pain of being unemployed" he added to his observation, starting to have a little sympathy towards these people.
"I see. And it's true that the warfare between the Zaibatsu and the G Corp has only increased the crime rate throughout the world! No wonder these guys are so aggressive and violent" Julia exclaimed in shock, yet she stood her guard when watching the two mobs approaching the group from each side.
Bob also stood in his fighting stance. "Can't say I disagree with these guys. Their anger is justified. But still, we're not to blame from a war none of us had a hand in" the blonde-haired man noted.
"Exactly! But I don't think they will listen to reason anymore. I can tell that they are out for blood" Xiaoyu remarked by studying the behavior of these people.
Lili, while she was slightly feeling tired, couldn't help but to look forward to being able to fight once again. "Well, I could really use a workout. Are you guys up for a little friendly competition?" she asked some of her friends.
Asuka glanced at her with a raised eyebrow. "We barley manage to escape from getting hunted by the Tekken Force and you're still up for more fighting?" she was in disbelief of what Lili said. Nevertheless, the Japanese girl returned her attention to the mobs. "And not only that, I thought we were supposed to find a hospital or something. We still can't be sure if we're 100 % uninjured" se added.
"I get your point. But to my understanding, this Lee Chaolan has a medical facility in the Violet System's HQ. If we could get there, then we'll be safe for sure" Michelle told Asuka, although she said this so that everyone listened to her. "How about you, Nina? Don't tell me that you plan on running away when you have the chance to hone your skills in…." Michelle spoke to Nina, yet she could see the Irish assassin standing on top of the van with a grapple hook in her hand.
She fired it on one of the building's rooftops, although it specifically hit a pipe. "Goodbye" she told them bluntly before being dragged up to where she had fired the grabble hook. Nina eventually began her run by using the rooftops.
Everyone in the group couldn't believe what Nina had just done, and some of the fighters were furious with how rude the assassin was. "That bitch! How dares she!" Hwoarang cursed out in anger.
"Yeah! Why did she run off from us like that!?" Xiaoyu was also baffled by Nina's decision to run off.
"Why are you guys so upset with her? It's not like she was hired to assist us with these guys, anyway" Asuka asked the two about the reason they were getting all worked up.
"She has a point. Needless to say, I am not surprised that the assassin would abandon us like this. As she told us herself, it was all about money" Ganryu spoke up his mind, only to see that the mobs were coming towards them from both sides. The Sumo wrestler surprisingly stood his ground while facing them. "But let's not talk about Nina Williams. These people here will not let us pass willingly. And I can tell that they are seeking to beat us up until we're bleeding like pigs" he then added, seeing the two crowds beginning their march towards the group.
"Then that means we have no choice but to fight this "Resistance". I know that all of you are experienced fighters, but let us not try to injure these people seriously. After all, they are only civilians that has gone crazy because of the war" Michelle told every fighter, urging them not to go hard on them.
Hwoarang snorted in return. "Tch, easier said than done. Besides, I've taken out thugs like them before. As a matter of fact, these guys remind me of the bullying gangs I used to beat up back in Seoul" he said, not seeming to care about the fact that he was battling civilians. "And may I remind you that these people carry knives, bats, bottles and even brass knuckles! That doesn't say these people are unarmed, nor are they innocent civilians" he added, trying to make a point to Michelle.
"True. But they don't appear to have any firearms. So that makes them less dangerous than soldiers of the G Corp or the Zaibatsu" Bob reassured the Korean man, feeling slightly excited in getting to battle. "Come on, guys! I bet each of you are up for a little workout, aren't you?" the chubby man was feeling more than happy to trade punches with these thugs.
Xiaoyu was feeling annoyed by being dragged into this fight. But if she was to make it out alive, then she would have to deal with these thugs first. "Alright then! Let's show these guys that we're not to be messed with!" the Chinese girl told her friends, and they all agreed with her, even Asuka.
"Hell yeah! They'll be sorry once we've broken their jaws!" Asuka exclaimed, the Japanese brunette feeling more than fired up for this upcoming fight.
Not wanting to delay anything further, the two mobs charged towards the group of fighters, thus beginning a nasty brawl in the alleyway. At first, the thugs had assumed that they could corner the group and overpower them. But even though they were many, they fell easily before the fighters. The thugs were not particularly as resilient as they claimed to be, something which the fighters seemed to take to their advantage. But even as some thugs fell,
Amidst this fighting, Steve was beginning to realize that something was not right. His only chance of getting to know more about his past was getting away. Steve knew that Nina somewhat had the answers he was looking for. That's why he could not let that happen. Using his strength, let alone his newfound power, Steve punched his way through the messy crowd of Resistance members. Tough as they were, they were no match for Steve's punches.
"I'm not done with you just yet! You have something that I really want" Steve thought as he began running for a ladder. But along the way, Steve was confronted by more members of the Resistance. And they were not letting him pass so easily. Feeling frustrated, Steve charged towards them with all his anger. "Out of my way, wankers!" he cursed as he dodged getting slammed by a baseball bat before punching the guy in his jaw. He then climbed up the ladder that was hidden amongst the wall, in hopes of reaching the rooftop and catching up to Nina.
Back in the alleyway, Hwoarang had noticed the fact that Steve was not with them anymore. But he did in fact spot him climbing up the ladder in order to get to the rooftop. "Hold on! Where do you think you're going, Steve!?" he loudly asked, yet Steve didn't answer. Steve continued climbing to the rooftop and then proceeded to move, not so much as saying goodbye to his friends. "STEVE!" Hwoarang asked once again.
Julia was having her hands full, yet still managed to reply to Hwoarang. "I think he went to chase after Nina. Apparently, he and her must have some unfinished business. I don't know what it is, but perhaps it's best if we let him go after her" the brunette told him, only to dodge an attack from an enemy. But she managed to take him out easily. "Damnit! These people just won't give up! Why are they so hesitant to attack us!?" she felt stressed.
"Perhaps we can find the answer after we have taken out these fiends" Lili told her, with Sebastian standing by her side. He was trying his best to defend his young mistress. "Everything okay with you, Sebastian?" the rich girl asked her butler.
Sebastian felt somewhat embarrassed when she asked him that. "Goodness. How embarrassing this is" he thought, unable to say a word to the young blondie.
"Once we've dealt with these thugs, we have to find away out of her now that they've blocked the alleyway with those trucks! But the only question is how we do that" Bob spoke up, perfectly managing fine with his opponents.
Xiaoyu seemed to have an idea. "We could use that ladder Steve used to get up to the rooftops! Up there, we'll probably have a better perspective of Gion, as well as where to find Violet System's HQ!" she suggested to everyone.
Ganryu was in favor of it. "A splendid idea! We better take that option. These people have blocked both ways with those trucks of theirs!" the Sumo wrestler agreed with Xiaoyu's suggestion. But Ganryu could already see someone charge towards him with a brass knuckle. He punched the middle-aged man in the stomach, yet Ganryu withstood it. The Sumo wrestler retaliated by landing a powerful attack upon his foe, thus sending him flying. "Hah! Never underestimate the strength of a Yokozuna!" he boasted proudly.
Julia was confused by how boastful Ganryu was, yet the four-eyed girl soon turned her attention towards some of her foes, who were already planning on attacking her with chain whips. This only made her more than willing to defend herself.
"While I can sympathize with your plight, I still can't forgive the fact you have chosen this kind of lifestyle. There are so many better things you could do to end this war" Julia expressed her dismay with what she was seeing.
"Shut up, bitch! You don't know a damn thing about us!" an African-American man was seen shouting towards her.
"Aye! We're naht lestenin to you!" a red-haired Irishman said in his thick dialect. "Now prepared to get yooehr arse whooped!" he added, with him and his partner more than willing to attack at any minute.
Hwoarang was growing tired of battling the members of the Resistance. To him, these guys were relatively easy to beat. "Tch, is that the best you guys can come up!? Please, the gangs back in Seoul fight better than you! All you do is scream while waving your weapons! How low humanity has fallen!" the Taekwondo fighter expressed his disappointment with his foes.
Some of the thugs were enraged by hearing Hwoarang mock them, so they charged at him with everything they had. But they were soon beaten up by Bob, who had used his speed and weight to his advantage. As a result, the thugs were beaten by him. He only smirked while watching the reaction of his foes.
"Heh. Not what you guys expected, huh? Well, you may as well want to take back the statement about making me your punching bag!" Bob taunted them
While the brawl continued in the alleyway, Nina had succeeded in using the rooftops as a means of getting out of the most crowded streets in Gion. But she soon returned to street level, finding herself in Ishibe Valley. Looking back, Nina realized that she was now all by herself, which was perfect, by her account.
"Finally, I'm out of this mess. No way I was going to waste my time on battling common thugs" Nina expressed her satisfaction, mindfully watching her surroundings for anything suspicious. Everything seemed clear so far and nobody seemed to have followed her. "Well, best get to the modern districts. Being stuck in this labyrinth is nothing but a nuisance" she then said to herself.
Not wanting to be stuck in Gion further, Nina ran towards the only way, hoping to reach the modern districts of Kyoto soon enough. All she had to do was to follow that way. But once she turned that corner, the assassin was in for a surprise to see none other than Steve standing there, thus blocking her passage. She couldn't believe it. How did he manage to get out of the brawl so quickly? Even so, Nina felt annoyed by his presence.
"You again? Tch, what is it you want from me? If it's nothing, then be a dear and step aside for a minute" she rudely requested him.
Steve was undeterred from the tone in her voice, and he didn't move a muscle. "No. I won't let you pass" he told her.
Nina's eyes narrowed further. "Listen, boy. I'm not known for empty threats. So I'm gonna ask you this one more time. Step aside and let me pass! Otherwise, I'll….." Nina was interrupted by the voice of Steve.
"I already told you! I won't let you do that!" Steve retorted back at him.
Feeling angered, Nina decided to move anyway. Given her incredible reflexes and acrobatics, she was confident about getting past Steve. He was nothing but a boxer, so he was slow. Or that's what Nina had assumed at first. Without delay, Steve used his arms to prevent her from escaping. And not only that, yellow electricity was sparkling around him. This caught Nina completely by surprise, and she backed off.
"What in the world happened just now? This kid…his arms just had electricity appearing around his arms…." Nina herself couldn't believe to what she was seeing. "This is completely unusual…where have I seen this before?" the Irishwoman asked herself, slowly starting to get intrigued with the young man.
Even as the assassin didn't want to waste time with him, Steve tried to talk to Nina. "Listen, miss. You can play dumb as much as you like, but it doesn't matter. I know all about you. As a matter of fact, you and I are somewhat connected to one another" Steve informed the woman before him.
Nina quickly reverted back to her serious demeanor. "Just what the hell are you babbling about? There's no way you and I are connected. Did one of those thugs back there hit your head or something?" she rudely asked him.
"Bollocks! I've done my fair of research of you, Nina Williams! During the King of Iron Fist Tournament 4, you were hired by the criminal organization called the Syndicate to assassinate me!" Steve spoke up, causing Nina to widen her eyes in shock. She perfectly remembered that name.
"How do you know that!?" she fiercely demanded an answer out of him.
Steve remained unfazed by hearing Nina's demand. "Lei Wulong, an agent of Interpol and a friend of mine. He was following you during that tournament and was kind enough to warn me about your plan. And you know what happened with the Syndicate. Lei found their whereabouts and every member was arrested" the British man explained how he knew about the assassination plot during that time. But Steve was not yet finished. "That being said, I myself infiltrated the Mishima Zaibatsu's data room and found the assassination plot. But not only that, it also revealed something about me personally. It showed me that you and I were somewhat…connected to one another" he then went on explaining his story.
Still, Nina was not buying his story. "So what if I was hired by the Syndicate? I simply accepted the job. But like you said, its members were arrested before I could carry out the assassination. I knew that Interpol would look into every details of people they had been hiring, so I severed ties with the Syndicate, in hopes of getting Interpol off my hook" Nina told him, yet she felt like she needed to tell him more about herself. "But other than that, I've absolutely no idea what you're speaking of. You and I are not connected. Get it through your thick skull, punk!" the assassin rudely told him.
Steve was angered by Nina's repeated denials, so he decided to get more tougher with her. "All I'm asking, is that you tell me about this connection we share! Is that so much to ask for!?" he said, still refusing to give up.
"Like I said, you're in over your head! I have nothing to say to you! Now beat it, before I really assassinate you!" she coldly threatened the young man, not having an ounce of regret in doing that.
As horrible was it was for Steve to hear such threats, the British boxer refused to back down. Standing in his fighting position, Steve was preparing himself to actually face Nina in combat. The youthful-looking woman sneered at him as a result.
"I'm not letting you pass until you tell me the truth. You will talk to me, even if I have to make you!" Steve told her, stubbornly refusing to let this woman out of his sight.
The assassin was growing agitated by Steve's persistence. However, a part of her wanted to test out Steve's fighting capabilities. Nevertheless, she felt like the only way out there was through him. "Fine by me. I'll be more than happy to beat you up. Do your worst, boy!" she dared him while standing in her fighting position.
And with that, an intense fighting had begun between Nina and Steve. At first, Nina had assumed that she would have the upper hand, given her experience in combat. However, Steve was actually not as inexperienced as she had originally thought. Then again, she was fighting a rookie in the Boxing championship. And it was this new power of Steve that really caught Nina's attention. Because of her being too distracted, the young man managed to uppercut her, thus sending her into the air. Fortunately, Nina landed on the ground, only to spit out blood afterwards. Truth be told, she was furious of the fact that he had just given her a bloody lip.
"Tch, you're definitely a headache!" Nina muttered beneath her breath. She could see that Steve was still not willing to let her go. She sighed in defeat. "Alright! What is it you really want with me?" she then conceded to his demands.
Steve, who felt like he needed to show Nina how serious he was, removed his hooded jacket, thus exposing not only his torso, but the large scar on his left arm as well. The sight of that really caught Nina's attention. She had never seen something like that before. Steve held onto his scarred arm as Nina watched.
"I know very little about my birth, as well as how my life really began. But my earliest memory is of a Mishima Zaibatsu laboratory in the UK. I don't even know who my parents are. The only grown-up whom I could consider such was Dr. Emma Kliesen. She was always nice to me compared to the other researchers" Steve began recalling the story of his life he barley knew. To his surprise, Nina was actually listening. This only encouraged Steve to continue. "As I said earlier, I infiltrated the Zaibatsu for several years and dug out intel. But unfortunately, none of it really led me anywhere…but your name did come up, time and time again! So tell me, what's your connection to the lab? To me?" he finished with a direct question aimed at Nina.
After hearing what Steve had said, Nina had slowly come to a realization. This laboratory Steve spoke of was not unfamiliar to her. In fact, she had been there before. Standing up, Nina decided to tell her side of the story, yet she was unsure about whether the young man before he would believe in her or not.
"Those labs, like the one you just described, were used by the Zaibatsu to create superpowered soldiers. Their goal was to physically and genetically engineer the ultimate soldier for the Tekken Force. The program was ordered by Heihachi Mishima, but the one supervising it was his top scientific advisor at that time: Dr. Abel" Nina began answering what Steve had been looking for. He himself had begun to realize what she was trying to say, yet he still felt like he needed more info. Of course, the program ended in failure. But judging by your left arm, you must be one of the survivors" she then said while looking at the scar on Steve's arm.
Steve also did the same thing, watching how this scar was only a symbol of him being a test subject at the lab as a child. He could slowly recall back to his traumatizing childhood. Those days were something Steve wished he could forget. But he couldn't especially now that he was beginning to learn more about himself.
Nina felt like she was growing annoyed by this explanation, yet she still continued. At the same time, she was also starting to try and puzzle things together. "At the time of the program, the Zaibatsu had captured me and forced me into cryosleep. It's only recently that I discovered my genes were used in their experiments. But I have yet to find out what exactly they were being used for" she went on explaining her story, admitting that she understood what had transpired while she was in the cryosleep.
Steve had slowly come to a realization. He had to ask her this. As absurd as it may was, Steve felt like he needed to ask Nina. "Wait, so does that mean you are my mother?" he asked, feeling slightly surprised as he asked that question.
But Nina quickly reverted back to her stern demeanor. "Don't get the wrong idea. You'll never be my son. I couldn't care less about you. If anything, you're a thorn in my side" she ruthlessly told the young man, still not having an ounce of regret for the tone she spoke with.
But still, Steve was not broken by such. "Well excuse me, Lady Tremaine! I'm only stating the obvious. If the Zaibatsu did indeed use your genes for one of their experiments, then we're clearly related by blood!" he pointed out to her.
"So what? I never asked for a son, let alone getting impregnated!" Nina hit back, yet she felt like she had to ask Steve about something related to him. "Now that reminds me, this power of yours. How long have you been having it?" she demanded an answer.
Steve looked at the scar on his arm, even seeing small tints of yellow electricity sparkle around it. "Truth is, I only unlocked this power recently. It was during a workout in a gym. I was training until I could feel the pain inside my arm. From the way I see it, it's the result of many years I was injected with drugs by those researches. After fighting the horror of being labeled NT01, this power emerged. But I don't know where I've gotten it from" the young Boxer explained the story.
"I see. But do you know which people have such ability to master electricity as you do? From my viewpoint, this is not something that is the result of you being injected with drugs" Nina asked him seriously.
"Yes, I know who can do this. The members of the Mishima family" Steve replied.
Nina nodded her head in agreement. "Correct answer. Which leads me to wonder: are you in some way connected with the Mishima clan?" she then asked him.
Steve was taken aback by such question. "What kind of question is that!? I've no idea! But I now know the fact that you…...are my biological mother. Look, I don't like your attitude and all, but you're still my mother" he told her while expressing his feelings. "I know that I was conceived through invitro fertilization and that you were the woman who birthed me" Steve added, slightly getting emotional about this subject.
But Nina didn't seem to care much for how Steve was feeling. "Well, too bad for you. Because I don't know how the hell one can get pregnant while being stuck in cryosleep! It's not like someone can just come inside and jump my bones off!" she was explaining how unrealistic it was for her to even get pregnant.
"I also think the same thing. But if you would please stop being such a smartarse and help me think this through, then perhaps we can find out how you became pregnant, as well as find out who my father really is" Steve advised her, yet Nina didn't seem to take kindly to it.
"And just who are you to command me, punk?" she coldly asked him.
Despite hearing the tone, Steve shrugged it off with a cocky smirk. "Well, I'm your son, of course" he answered, much to Nina's irritation.
"I swear, this discussion is goddamn pointless. There's no way that…" Nina was about to speak up against Steve, until something else happened.
Just as they were continuing this conversation, a noise could be heard close to them. Behind Steve, several members of the Resistance appeared, geared with all kinds of weaponry. Two of them were seen carrying pipes while the another was carrying a crowbar. From the looks of it, they were looking for someone to beat up without mercy.
"We finally found you!" one of them, a Latino man said, who presumably was the leader of this group. "Come on, guys! We're gonna kick their sorry asses to the curb!" he added while encouraging his partners to follow his commands.
Steve felt irritated by this interruption. "Tch, more of these guys? Why can't they just mind their own business!?" he complained while observing the thugs.
Nina was growing agitated by seeing this. "And just when I thought things couldn't possibly get worse" the assassin lamented in boredom. But Steve did suddenly the unthinkable, when he stood before Nina, as if he was trying to shield her. This caught the blondie by surprise. "Just what are you doing?" she questioned her.
"Go! I'll handle these guys!" Steve told her, yet Nina was not buying what he was saying. "I'm doing this because of the fact I need you at my side! So run now while I'm handling them!" the Boxer informed his mother.
As annoyed as Nina was, she was amused by Steve's gentleman-like personality. And not only that, she was more than happy to let Steve deal with those thugs so that she could be left on her own. Not wanting to waste time being in Gion, Nina quickly began her move, but not before "thanking" her son.
"Can't believe I'm saying this...but thanks" Nina surprisingly said as she took off without saying anymore words.
Looking over his shoulder, Steve watched as his mother ran away. While it was hard for him to accept the fact that an assassin like her was his biological mother, Steve knew that he would need Nina's help in recovering more clues of his past. But he doubted that Nina would ever grow to love him as any mother would. He had already witnessed her cold attitude and rude persona.
With that taken care of, Steve returned his focus on the thugs before him. He stood in his fighting stance. "I hope you know what you're getting yourselves into, mates! Because when I'm through with you, you're all gonna wish you never found me!" the British man said, while he was trying to taunt them at the same time. The thugs responded by charging towards him, yet this only made Steve more than happy to respond harshly to their aggression.
Back in the alleyway, the group that had been engaged in a brawl with members of the Resistance had emerged victorious. Yes, despite the fact that they were many, the thugs had no chance against the fighters. As their foes laid on the asphalt, the group had to decide what to do now.
"Alright! This wasn't so hard. I knew those guys were piece of cake!" Bob smugly exclaimed. "But then again, I salute their efforts. It's was admirable to watch, I must admit" the chubby man admitted.
"Maybe you're taking this joy a little too far" Hwoarang said, unable to understand why Bob could be so proud of what he had accomplished.
Michelle stepped in the middle, making sure that she had everyone's attention. "Okay, everyone. Surprisingly, these mobs didn't seem as tough as he thought they were. But now that they're defeated, it would be best if we got out of this alley" the middle-aged woman informed them.
"Then what are we waiting for? Let's climb up that ladder and see if we can find a way out by using the rooftops" Xiaoyu said while pointing her thumb at the ladder stuck into the wall.
"Good idea" Lili agreed with the Chinese girl.
As they were about to start climbing up one by one, the fighters failed to notice three grenades being thrown in the alleyway. But these weren't just ordinary grenades. The moment they popped, smoke came out. The smoke was incredibly thick. It didn't take long before the fighters started to cough while standing in the smoke.
"What the…! What is this toxicity!?" Ganryu exclaimed while coughing.
"Someone threw smoke grenades at us! But how!? Are there more bandits nearby!?" Asuka angrily wondered, yet she soon found herself unable to see clearly.
She was not the only one. "Damnit! I'm starting to lose my consciousness! It's as if this is a combination of smoke grenades and tear gas!" Julia exclaimed, feeling the pressure heaping up on her.
"Maybe it's because it IS a combination of both!" Hwoarang exclaimed, slowly falling onto the asphalt. "Fuck! I can't take much more of this!" he then groaned in frustration.
Soon the rest of the group followed the Korean man into losing their consciousness. The thick smoke was simply too much for them to handle. But amidst it, several people emerged in. They were dressed just like any members of the Resistance, except for the fact they wore gas masks. Apparently, they had been the ones to throw the smoke grenades at the fighters in hopes of making them fall into unconsciousness.
"Finally! Those guys are done. I swear, they really gave us much trouble just now! Good thing we were saved for the last" one of the Resistance-fighters said through his gas mask.
"Yeah, but two of them got away from the alley before we came. But our partners are already searching for them throughout the streets. They can't have gone too far. After all, we know Gion better than anyone" a female member of the Resistance pointed out.
One of the members began moving his feet on Julia's unconscious body. "What do we do with them? Should we bring them to the Shadow Coliseum?" a third member asked them.
"Of course, we do! What else did you think we were gonna do with them? We'll capture them and use them as punching bags for our training. The next battle against the Zaibatsu or the G Corp demands that we toughen ourselves!" the leading member told them. "Besides, our leaders would be more than happy to have them in the Shadow Coliseum" he added.
That being said, more members of the Resistance wearing gas masks suddenly appeared in the alleyway. The smoke soon vanished, yet they still wore them on. One by one, the unconscious fighters were carried out of the alleyway and into the nearest truck. Where they would be taken, was yet to be determined. Even so, the Resistance seemed to have more than ideas for them as well as everyone who was in the King of Iron Fist Tournament 7.
Near a Manji Party outpost, near the mountain of Sakiyama, Japan
Because of the Tekken Force making their move in Kamida, the ninjas of the Manji Party had been forced to retreat into the shadows. While Yoshimitsu had made sure that Xiaoyu and the other fighters he knew could escape, he realized that he and his men were no match for an entire squadron of the Tekken Force. And more importantly, Yoshimitsu had witnessed Nina rescue the group, she he trusted that she would take them to safety.
Since the incident at Kamida, Yoshimitsu and his ninjas had returned to the Manji Party outpost at Sakiyama, in hopes of recuperating from their recent clash. But given the caring leader he was, Yoshimitsu checked on his fellow ninjas to see if they were alright. In other words, he was following his instincts as a leader.
One of them bowed his head before him with the uttermost respect for their leader. "We are fine, master. A mere bullet from the Tekken Force is not enough to put an end to us" he replied.
"But why were they even in Kamida?" a kunoichi asked. "Whatever reason they have, it appears that we must be careful here in Gifu from now on" she added.
Yoshimitsu, who was listening to what the kunoichi was saying, had his attention directed towards the nearby trees. While he was confident that he and his followers were safe at this outpost, there was something lurking beyond that forest. Drawing his sword, Yoshimitsu decided to make a move, much to the confusion of his followers.
"Master, where are you going?" one of the ninjas asked him.
This made Yoshimitsu stop, and he looked over his shoulder to face him. "I am going to do a little scouting. Something tells me that there are foes sneaking around Sakiyama. You all stay here at the outpost. Do not follow me, is that clear?" the swordsman questioned them, to which the ninjas made respective bows to him in return.
With that taken care of, Yoshimitsu entered the forest by using the branches as a way of getting through the woods. Being a skillful ninja, Yoshimitsu could use this to his advantage. But right now, he was feeling slightly anxious about whoever could be sneaking around Sakiyama.
"This is not possible. Is the Mishima Zaibatsu or the G Corporation searching for us? If so, then who in the right mind would share intel of the Manji Party with them?" Yoshimitsu wondered, yet something else hit in the swordsman's head. "Wait. It may not even be one of them! That could only mean one thing" he remarked as he continued to jump from branch to branch.
When he neared the end of the forest, Yoshimitsu made sure that he hid himself well among the leaves on the trees. He realized that he was nearing the Matsuda Dam. Fortunately, there were trees surrounding that area. He could use them to hide while at the same time get a look at the people who were standing by the road. Once he did that and got a perfect glimpse of what he was seeing, Yoshimitsu's fear became a reality.
Parked near the fields were two monster trucks driven by this alliance calling itself L'ordine. The swordsman could see every member sitting by a table out on the fields. Claudio Serafino, Bryan Fury, Feng Wei, Sergei Dragunov, Armor King and Kunimitsu were having some kind of meeting, as there were lights on the table. But Yoshimitsu was horrified of seeing two of his worst enemies not far from the outpost. Then again, he decided to eavesdrop on them. But he had to conceal himself and make sure Bryan wouldn't detect his appearance. He was a cyborg after all. In addition to that, they were being guarded by several exorcists from the Archers of Sirius.
"I am sorry for what happened back in Kamida, my friends. Never would I have imagined that the Tekken Force would appear and interfere with our plans. Therefore, I have decided we shall have some relaxation for now. After all, we barley managed to escape them" Claudio spoke up while holding up a glass of red wine in his hand.
His compatriots were also holding alcoholic beverages. Kunimitsu held up a cup of sake, Feng held up a bottle of baijiu, Bryan held up a can of beer, Dragunov held up a glass of vodka and Armor King held up a bottle of tequila. It was apparent that they were now having some kind of drinking.
"Cheers to us and our accomplishments!" Claudio spoke up.
"CHEERS!" his compatriots minus Dragunov replied and they all drank what they had.
Armor King, who privately enjoyed drinking liquor, was the first to finish his drink. It felt refreshing. Truth be told, he and his late older brother would often drink liquor together after a round of sparring. But those days were long gone, something Armor King resented.
"Ah, there is nothing like a cold drink in the evening. We deserve this, especially with what we went through" Armor King spoke up.
Bryan snorted in return. "Heh. This day would've been much better if those damn Mishima-lapdogs would've interfered! And just when I thought I would get my hands on that irritating swordsman" the pale-skinned man lamented not being able to kill Yoshimitsu.
Kunimitsu smirked with her crimson lips. "I can fully sympathize with your distaste for Yoshimitsu. Having been his subordinate once, I know the kind of man he really is" the kunoichi told him, yet se was slightly facing the mountain that could be seen. "Speaking of which, I've only heard rumors, but there is a chance that the Manji Party has an outpost somewhere near Sakiyama. I met Yoshimitsu in Nakatsugawa, so it could be true" Kunimitsu then noted.
"You don't say…" Bryan noted with a smug look.
"Even so, a mere outpost is of no interest to the rest of us. The same goes for that swordsman" Feng spoke up, facing both Bryan and Kunimitsu with his dragon-like eyes. He then faced Claudio. "Now then, exorcist. I take it you have not heard the news, but Heihachi Mishima has now declared himself the winner of this ongoing war. How does that make you feel?" the Chinese Kenpo master asked Claudio.
The moment he was asked this, Claudio's narrowed with disgust at the mentioning of that name. "I have indeed heard the news, let alone read his announcement. Still, it does not change my opinion of him nor any of his family. A Mishima is still a Mishima" he replied to Feng's question.
"But aren't you planning on attending the Mishima Zaibatsu Victory Celebration Banquet tomorrow? Maybe he will appreciate it and seek to rekindle his relationship with you and your order" Kunimitsu asked him.
"Assurdo! That fiend merely used our alliance to legitimize his war effort. The Archers of Sirius will not repeat the same mistake by allying itself with a power-hungry man such as Heihachi" Claudio hit back at her, yet he calmed himself. "That being said, there is a much better cause for me to follow. And that is to hunt the demons that remain on this world" he added before taking a sip from his red wine.
"Yeah, so why bother chasing after those brats?" Bryan asked about Xiaoyu, Asuka and Hwoarang. "If it's the Kazama punk you're after, then I doubt those three will be of ever good use to you. He's been MIA since that incident above Tokyo skyline" the cyborg added.
Armor King felt the need to speak his mind, given that he was reminded about something. "I do recall something. The Tekken Force squadron that attacked us in Kamida said they were after informants of the rebels. By that, I assume it could have been those three. But it is too early to come up with a conclusion" the masked luchador said.
"Or maybe they thought we were those so-called informants" Feng pointed out. "But I have heard rumors about a breakaway faction of the Tekken Force. Sadly, I have no idea where their hideout is" the Chinese man revealed to his compatriots.
This made Claudio intrigued. "Fascinating. To think that there is someone who did defy Heihachi" the Italian man mused to himself.
"You don't suppose that those Tekken Force rebels could know where Jin is" Kunimitsu spoke to him.
"It may be too early to find the answer, signora. But I admit, that is a possibility" Claudio replied to the kunoichi. "Not to mention, I have heard that there is a lot of things happening in Kyoto lately. Now I even hear rumors that there is an international movement of people called the Resistance lurking in the city's streets and beyond. Perhaps we should visit Kyoto after we finished here" the exorcist suggested to his compatriots.
Bryan grunted in reply. "Whatever. As long as I get my fun of beating up people, I'll tag along" he told Claudio with little enthusiasm.
"Then Kyoto it is" Armor King said in agreement of going to Kyoto.
Dragunov, who had not spoken since this meeting had commenced, simply nodded his head as a yes to Claudio's suggestion. Even in events such as this, the Russian soldier was as antisocial as one like him could be. Unsurprisingly, he had not drinken much vodka.
When he realized that Feng and Kunimitsu also were in favor of heading to Kyoto, Claudio smirked. He raised his glass of wine once again, encouraging his compatriots to do the same with their drinks. "Then it's decided! We will head to Kyoto in the morning. But until then, let us enjoy this peace for now. We have all earned it. Cheers to our cause!
"CHEERS!" everyone minus Dragunov said as they continued drinking their beverages.
But while they had been enjoying themselves, Yoshimitsu had managed to hear everything they said by the table. Knowing that there was nothing left for him to do, the swordsman silently retreated to the outpost at Sakiyama, carefully making sure that he wasn't followed. He could now breath a sight of relief, knowing that neither Bryan nor Kunimitsu would bother him…for now. But Yoshimitsu still knew how things were not back to normal, even after Heihachi had announced his victory. Yes, the swordsman knew that there was more to come that would put the world in constant risk. Only time would tell when.
To be continued…