Chapter 8: The Purify of Hope: Jun Kazama
They later return to the Cashimiro residence which they formulate a plan in tracking down Jang-geum. Rei has detected the most targets are in Bonifacio Global City in Taguig City, Libis, Quezon City and in Manila.
"Since Hunyo had thwarted his attempt to bomb the entire Bureau of Corrections so that most dangerous inmates would escape into joining with him, Jang-geum has been targeting three cities. The Governement might mistook this as terrorists caused by either from a BIFF or the Jemaah Islamiyah had made a terrorism."
"Are you saying that we need to get separted into three groups to go to these two cities? It's going to be a risky job." Rolento said complaining which Hunyo informs them.
"Not just we need to deal with these, solely. If only our game partners are present to help us. But we can do this ourselves."
"Where is Panganiban? I thought she was with you, Rei?" Everyone noticed Rick visits to see him and alongside was Mariana.
"I'm sorry, Rick... Rhima is currently travelled to the World of Tekken with Hunyo's long-time friend who works at the Interpol. Because she can restore the broken link between our world and theirs if only if she can restore her friendship to her game partner." Rei said apologizing which Rick was surprised.
"Wow... Panganiban just went to the game world for this."
"Rei, I found where the bomb was implanted and located in Bonifacio Global City. It was on one of the city buildings."
"Looks like in Manila, there was an oil fields in Pandacan. Travelling by ferry boats was easy to go there despite the horrible stench within the Pasig River." Hunyo said and Rei had decided to separate in two teams.
"Let's take two teams to go to the three targeted cities. Both Mr. Valdez and Rick has to go in Libis, Quezon City which was in Eastwood City and I believe it was connected to Pasig City. Me and Mariana would go to the Bonifacio Global City since it is a little far from my place in Makati. Then both Mr. Panganiban and Mr. Navarro would go to Manila to find the bombs that Jang-geum had implanted."
"Just leave it to me to aid the six of you." Benzon arrives to visit them and Rick questions him.
"What brings you here and how come you're gonna help us?"
Behind Benzon it was Ibrahim who also visits to see them.
"Gamboa is now a master sergeant and he had a new group of police force to help us. They are known as Task Force Tamaraw."
"I'll call the bomb squads to aid all of you if you find the bomb on those targets. And that's my mission to prevent terrorism."
While walking on the forest where it was connected to the small creeks, a disguise Rhima was tired while carrying with her backpack filled with food she had been ransacked at the food store which Jin looked to see her who sighs.
"Let me carry these things. A man like myself should lifted this heavy."
"Thanks a lot..." Rhima said in a masculine voice and looking the surroundings. "We walk this long and how come it was connected through these creeks. It's like we are trekking mountains somewhere in my place."
"We're almost there... I can sense my mother's aura. She has been waiting for us to be here."
Upon arrival, Rhima discovers this creek becomes a small river which was guarded by huge trees filled with ropes adorned with different ornaments and animals as she had thought.
This is where Jin had been staying? It's pretty strange, I lived in the city life but for his mom, she's more open to nature life because she hates city life. That's why she and my dad are completely different.
Rhima noticed a white bird just perch on her right shoulder which Jin noticed that bird comes from his mother Jun as Rhima touches the bird it dissipates in a yellow light and noticed it was her ki as Jun appears to see them.
"You finally rescued her, Jin. I knew you can do it..."
"Mother, this person I rescued was a man while trying to ran away from me upon seeing me." Jin pointed out on the disguise Rhima which Jun easily recognizes her eyes while in her disguise.
"The way I looked at him, Jin. I sensed that this man you're saying is the same person. And that person was the one that you always spoken to me about it."
I can't believe this... Mrs. Kazama knows who I was... Despite I tried to disguise myself as a man so that I won't be recognized by anyone. I've sensed that she knows something...
While they eat lunch, it was Rhima who cooks for them since she had learned from Jin six months ago that his mother Jun was terrible at cooking. Jin was surprised that she makes one for them.
"When did you learn how to cook, Miro?"
"Just self learning... If I known if your mother was a horrible cook then I decided to do this the right way." Rhima answered while disguising as a man until Jun states.
"Did Hunyo had sent you here? I'm just curious because I'm able to focus my ki by making a spiritual projection."
"Mr. Panganiban...? When did you do that, mother?" Jin wondered in confusion as Jun tells him.
"I told him about the current status on the real world. I already received your message to him and I believe that his daughter was more upset and broken hearted since you got separated with her. Hunyo had already told me about this..."
Because of their conversation, Rhima was more upset because Jun had mentioning her father Hunyo and the reason why she recognizes her in the first place. As soon as the food is ready, they finally eat like a picnic.
"Mmm... this is good."
"Thanks for cooking for us... I've never seen you did this for us." Jun compliments her cooking which Rhima decided to leave because she became more distress upon seeing them.
"I need to go... It's been nice to see you as well as these beautiful nature surroundings. I need to find my friend somewhere far away." Rhima said while lowering her head in her masculine tone and decided to leave.
Jin became confused when Rhima leaves as Jun stands up because knowing she will be endangered if she goes off alone.
"Mother, are you going to follow him?"
"He must be distressed by the time he had cooked food for the three of us. I must put him back here." Jun said and soon follows her.
As the sun finally sets, Rhima was more upset because Jun had almost exposing her real identity as well as mentioning her father Hunyo as she carries the sphere owned by the late Keiya Cashimiro while she continued to walk back to where they landed on the boat. But it will take more minutes to trek this whole place.
"Uncle Kei... I need your help... I need to find Uncle Roddy. It's no use to be here... why would my dad had wanted to sent me here and ends up getting recognized by my disguise towards them."
"I know you're masquerading at my son, Rhima. And I recognized you with your eyes." Jun arrives to confront her which she continues to pretend while speaking manly to her as she continued to leave.
"You're quite mistaken... I just want to get out of here and I won't be bothered by someone else again."
"Stop pretending, Rhima... Hunyo had his reasons of sending you here. Just like what I had been doing to stop countless conflicts." Jun said in a serious tone which forces Rhima to speak in her normal voice.
"You already mentioned my dad, Mrs. Kazama... I masquerade myself because I don't want to be recognized by all of you including Jin. Something terrible happened at my world and why the link between our worlds are broken. I wanted to avoid Jin because of his broken promise of not seeing me again until I've learned the bombing incident in Silveria Corporation."
"So that explains it about the white light's disappearance was the cause of the bombing?"
"It is the right thing for me to be separated apart with Jin. My life was ruined for accursing me whenever I choose him in the game that I recently played. And now it's like both me and Jin are the ones to restore this broken link." Rhima said finally opens about her personal problems with Jin. "I was asked by my father to masquerade myself to someone else so that I won't be recognized by any of you because it would alter the whole game story."
While the two girls are continued to converse, Jin was watching while angrily clenching his fists, thinking that he betrays him for breaking his trust and friendship just by courting his mother Jun.
"Rhima... the visions that you've seen when you arrived here in our world was true. My son would tell you everything it happened. He really misses you so much."
"I feel broken upon mentioning Jin, Mrs. Kazama... because of him, I always ran away not to hear his voice anymore. That's why I learned that his calling to me when he felt left out or getting distressed knowing that he's in deep trouble." Rhima said sadly while showing how heartbroken she was until Jin personally confronts them.
"Jin... you've been hearing us all this time."
"Mother, keep away from him. He's been courting you!" Jin angrily points out on a disguised Rhima which he had mistook her for courting his mother which Rhima became dismayed over his accusations.
"Jin, I don't court your mom right here. She just want to speak to me personally."
With this in mind, Jin angrily attacks Rhima with a single Demon's Paw which she dodges as she angrily thought.
This guy's lost it... He thinks that I personally courted his mom. Mrs. Kazama just confronted me because she knows my disguise. That's why, you're a less-educated brawn.
Rhima eventually dodges most of Jin's moves as well as when he mixes with his devil powers until she ducks away from his Leaping Side Kick. Jun watches them fighting until she decided to defend Rhima from him.
"Jin, stop it!"
"Come on, mother! Don't try to protect him! It's your fault too! For speaking personally to Miro in the first place! Now get out of my way!" Jin angrily lashes out on his mother for protecting Rhima as he finally unleashes his Rage Art.
Jun immediately dodges his Thrusting Uppercut and Rhima discovers Jin is able to manifest his devil powers by forming tattoos and a third eye on his forehead and seeing his devil self. Just as he goes in his fighting stance with his right fist are embedded with a red powerful aura that glows brightly, he angrily hits Rhima with a powerful straight punch embedded with a red lightning which Rhima tries to block his punch defensively by crossing her arms. Since she is able to absorb any forms of evil entities like the Devil Gene, her eyes glowing in blue which Jun discovers her powers. Jin's power straight punch almost knocking Rhima down but instead sending her in a greater distance.
"Damn it, I almost got him!" Jin coldly raises his brow since Rhima was able to survive that move and Jun angrily warns him.
"Jin, that man you're saying about is your friend you've been longing to see her."
As Rhima stands up as both her dark blue bandanna and her necklace are burned from his Rage Art to reveal her short hair as the gold locket falls off into the ground, Jin angrily watches to see her standing up and to his horribly surprise, it was really Rhima all along in a disguise.
"No way... It was you... Rhima-san..."
Trivia:
*Ricardo "Rick" Marquez alongside both Jorge "Benzon" Gamboa and Ibrahim Abdul Jaranilla made their appearance for this chapter to aid Hunyo and his group.
*Benzon's task force group named Task Force Tamaraw is a play on Ricardo Dalisay's own group, Task Force Aguila in the longest running teleserye, Ang Probinsyano.
*The title of this chapter references Jun's moniker in Tekken 8 as the "Light of Hope".
*Jun is the third character to recognize Rhima's real identity in a disguise until her son Jin had exposed her by ruining her disguise making him the fourth character to recognize her real identity.
*The way Jin attacks a disguised Rhima while Jun defends her is the scene taken from Episode 35 in GTO where Kunio Murai was enraged when he mistook the manager of the wedding reception tries to marry his mother Julia Murai until it reveals that Julia was just modelling wedding dresses which resulted him getting heel drop on his head by Julia.
*For the first time, Jin executes his Rage Art in Tekken 8 but instead sending his opponent into a greater distance rather than striking the opponent that goes through similar to the Devil Fist move. This is due to Rhima defending herself from getting attacked with this powerful move while absorbing his devil powers for a limited of time.
