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Chapter 13 – The Blood Talon Promise
Jin watched his opponent carefully. He had seen his fight with the giant man, so he had a small advantaged over the Korean, but he could feel a certain aura in the red-haired guy that was disturbing him.
Hwoarang was also studying Jin. He wasn't challenged very often because he was a strong fighter, known in the streets of Seoul. His master, Baek Doo-San had taught him well, and Hwoarang had always been his best pupil. He wasn't the most obedient one, but he was definitely the most talented. He knew his technique like the palm of his hands; Tae-Kwon-Do had no secrets to him. But that outsider was so damn sure of himself.
-'Look, Jin…maybe you shouldn't do this!'-Ling said feeling suddenly worried.
-'I can beat him. I know I can. Don't worry.'
-'It's not that. I know that you're strong and capable of fighting this guy…but what if Heihachi finds out? What if the cops arrive?'
-'So, Japanese…are you scared?'-Hwoarang provoked.
-'You wish…red.'
-'If you're going to call me names, call me Blood Talon, because that's the name everyone calls me around.'
-'Blood Talon?'-Ling inquired.
-'What's wrong, pigtails? Is it too scaring for you?'
-'No…'-Ling answered.-'Maybe I should fight him myself. I hate when he calls me pigtails.'
-'No, I'll do it. I'll make him regret that!'-Jin announced stepping forward.
-'You're going to wish you were never born, Japanese.'-Hwoarang announced.
-'The name is Kazama.'-Jin said clenching his fists.
And the fight began. Jin hit Hwoarang with his right fist in his face, but he soon realised that Hwoarang hadn't felt it. He tried a kick on the ribs but Hwoarang didn't even step back.
-'You're better than I thought.'-Jin confessed.-'But I saw your moves earlier…I know how you'll defend yourself…'
-'Really? You call that a fight?'-Hwoarang asked with a smirk.-'I won in three, maybe four minutes…you haven't seen anything!'
It was Hwoarang's turn to attack, so he came at Jin with all his strengths. A high kick, then a low one and a flamingo kick to end. Jin managed to block all the attacks, which infuriated Hwoarang a bit. He wasn't used to have worthily opponents.
-'Your Tae-Kwon-Do is predictable…you need to learn new tricks.'
-'As far as I can tell, you're not winning either, spiky kid.'
-'I'm not a kid.'
-'Well…you sure fight like one. Maybe your girlfriend can fight better than you.'
-'Shut up asshole!'
The fight continued and Ling could see determination in their faces. She had never seen Jin fighting like that. Usually Jin wouldn't put all his strengths in a fight because his opponents were always weaker than him, but this time was different. Hwoarang was keeping him busy and Jin was starting to believe that he wasn't human.
-'What the hell do you eat?'-Jin asked, having a break to regain his breath.
-'Spinaches…'
-'You're starting to annoy me…next time I won't be this soft.'
-'Give me all you got…I can handle it. You're not that good.'
-'We'll see about that.'
As time went by, Ling was starting to feel more worried. They were fighting for fifteen minutes already and she couldn't possibly guess who was going to win. Actually they were both at the same level, it was impossible to have a winner. Jin had managed to hit Hwoarang with a left roundhouse making him fall into the ground. When he got up his nose was bleeding.
In the meantime, a black car was parked right in front of the alley. Heihachi and Dr. Abel were watching the fight carefully.
-'I can't believe Jin is fighting with a mere thug…'-Dr. Abel said shaking his head in disbelief.-'I thought Jin never gave in to emotions.'
-'Yeah me too…until she arrived.'
-'Xiaoyu?'
-'Yes.'
-'So…can you tell me now what's your plan?'
-'My plan? You know exactly what my plan is.'
-'I know that you want to steal the devil gene from your grandson. We're doing all we can in the labs. But I can't figure out how you're going to do that.'
-'Jin is starting to feel suspicious about me. He knows that there's something inside of him…he knows he's different from everyone else around him.'
-'Do you think he knows about the devil gene?'
-'I think he might have heard me talking about that, but he doesn't know the whole thing. That's why I need to drive his attention away from me. That's why she's here.'
-'You brought Xiaoyu from China so she could confuse Jin?'
-'Yes. Jin needs to focus on someone else. He's not as stupid as I thought he was.'
-'But…a girl? I mean…Jin never showed any interest for girls in school, the only thing he wants is to win against you and to revenge his mother.'
-'Exactly…I realised that Jin's weak point was her…Jun Kazama. She still lives inside of Jin's memories and so, when I met young Xiaoyu, I saw a part of Jun in her. If there's a girl able to win Jin's trust is Xiaoyu…though I had thought about a plan B, of course.'
-'Plan B?'
Heihachi gave Dr. Abel a piece of paper with a photo of a young girl.
-'Julia Chang…18 years old…Wait a second…is this Michelle's adoptive daughter?'
-'Yes. She's quite beautiful, isn't she? She's about Jin's age. And she wants me dead.'
-'And your plan was?'
-'Even if Jin didn't like her…he wouldn't be able to say no to her when she asked him his help to find her mother. Jin's heart is soft and he would help her…therefore he would forget about his obsession of fighting me and he would concentrate his efforts in finding Michelle.'
-'Is Julia as good as her mother?'
-'Yes, she's an awesome fighter…that's what my sources told me. But don't worry, she won't find Michelle, unless I allow her to.'
-'Is she coming?'
-'Yes, I've sent her the invitation already.'
-'So…and what the hell are we doing here, in Seoul watching your grandson fighting in an alley with a punk?'
-'He's not a mere punk, you know? You should pay attention…that kid knows how to fight. Usually Jin takes about two minutes to finish an opponent. They're fighting for over twenty minutes now.'
-'Do you think this redhead is a match for the unbeatable Jin Kazama?'
-'Maybe…but I have to thank him, because now Jin will have another problem on his hands…I have to send an invitation to that kid too.'
-'So, I guess you don't need Xiaoyu anymore.'
-'Perhaps, but as long as I'm in control of her life, I'll have Jin wrapped around my finger.'
-'Sometimes you remind me an old lunatic…do you really like to control people's lives like that?'
-'Of course, that's my true power…'
-'But you failed miserably with Kazuya…'
-'I don't want to talk about that bastard son of mine. I hope he's burning in hell right now.'
In the alley, Jin and Hwoarang were now dead tired. Ling approached Jin, hoping to make him stop.
-'Just quit this nonsense…'-she said.-'You're both strong and it seems to me that none of you will win. It's a draw.'
-'A draw?'-Hwoarang shouted.-'The Blood Talon never draws! I always win!'
-'Well, not this time.'-Ling continued.-'Jin isn't just a weakling opponent like you're used to.'
-'Shut up, pigtails. You know nothing about my life! I won many fighters better than your boyfriend!'
-'You wish, red!'
-'Stop with the red thing!'
-'Only if you stop calling me pigtails…jackass.'
-'Pigtails is nice…it suits you well!'-Hwoarang laughed.
-'Hey! Watch your mouth asshole!'-Jin warned.
-'I'm so scared…'-Hwoarang joked.
Hwoarang and Jin were going to continue the fight when they heard the police cars coming.
-'Shit.'-Hwoarang cursed.
-'We've got to leave, Jin! If we go to jail Heihachi will kill us!'
-'You're right…lets go!'-Jin grabbed Ling's hand and left the alley.
-'What about our fight?'-Hwoarang shouted.
-'We'll finish it some other time.'-Jin said back.
-'When?'
-'Well, if you're that eager to lose, I'll be in Japan waiting for you.'
-'We'll meet again…Kazama…I promise!'
Jin nodded and left with Ling right behind him.
-'Why did you call the police? Why didn't you let Jin finish his fight?'-Abel asked Heihachi when they were both leaving.
-'The fight wasn't going anywhere and I can't risk that Jin injures himself in a street fight.'
-'What are you going to do now?'
-'Now…I'm going to try to make a deal with Michelle…and after that I'll just wait until the Iron Fist.'
-'I meant about Jin.'
-'Jin has many things to think about now. Finally he'll be off guard for a while. In the end of this Iron Fist…the devil gene will be mine…no matter how.'
Back at Seoul's streets, Hwoarang had found some of his friends.
-'Where were you?'- Juu-Song Ha asked.
-'I was busy.'-Hwoarang answered in a bad humour.
-'What the hell happened to you?'
-'How much is a trip to Japan?'-Hwoarang asked.
His friend shrugged.
-'You're bleeding…'
-'I think I might go there soon.'
-'What?'-Juu-Song Ha asked surprised. Hwoarang had many stupid ideas, but none involved leaving the country so far. That was strange, even coming from him.
-'Why are you going to Japan?'
-'I have things to settle there…anyway…I have nothing here…and I'm a free man.'
-'You're weird ever since Baek is missing…'
-'Fuck you…and all this crap! I need a drink…'
Hwoarang left to the nearest pub.
-'I will find Kazama…and I will kick his ass…I'll make sure I'll win! It's a promise!'
