Chapter 18: The Devil and The Exorcist
Claudio shoots the energy arrow shot in point blank range and Rhima sees this. She soon utilized her power by changing her eyes from brown to blue and using telekinesis to hold off the shot using her right hand, much to his surprise.
"Great job, milady! You hold my shot!" Claudio excitedly smiles while congratulated her and finally tells her. "These energy arrows that I made is from my pure blue flames. You can disperse it if you want."
Rhima smiles and she disperse the shot in one swipe and Claudio claps her to congratulate.
"You finally mastered your powers, milady. Congrats..."
"You're welcome..." Rhima said nicely to him and Claudio compliments her.
"Since you can hold off my shot. You can also do this to my targets who were trying to fire with beams on their forehead or a more powerful one. You may able to deflect it back to them."
Despite the mastery she had learned from Claudio, she was still saddened and upset because of relationship problems.
Outside of Duomo di Sirio, Jin arrives in time after he got off the helicopter manned by Lars, Roderick and one of his rebel forces. He sensed Rhima's presence and her power which he was very concerned for. Knowing that their signal from their cellphones were jammed because of their territory. And seeing the exorcists who were guarding the area as he thought while clenching his fists with red lightning are unleashing itself.
Rhima-san... Just stay there, and I'm going to save you from Claudio.
Back at the hallway, Rhima was resting by sitting on the ground and Claudio gave her some bottled water after their spar. He looked at her who remained upset after mastering to control her powers which were uncontrollable for her.
"You should be happy and proud, milady. A smart person like yourself has to honed their abilities quickly. And you finally mastered to control your powers just for a day." Claudio said nicely to her and soon wants to know her problems. "What is your problem since I've seen your sad look on your face."
"It was Jin, Claudio." Rhima said admitting she has problems with Jin when it comes to relationships which Claudio was curious to know more and decided to take a sit on the ground beside her.
"You mean one of my targets as well as Xiaoyu's man that she had been looking for. Why do you have problems with him?"
"It's okay between him and me. It became more complicated when Xiaoyu was here because she also has feelings for him. She'll do what it takes to protect Jin because of her love to him. But since my relationship with him is in the past and we got separated for another three months, I was initially brokenhearted but I still think of him as a friend than a relationship." Rhima said finally answered Claudio's question and noticed the problem she has been through.
"You were right about your problems with both of them. It really caused you some pain. But luckily, you have been friends with another Asian guy you meant about. I would expect that Krelian would even convincing you to go with him rather than my target."
"However, I deceived Kyun-bin to think I was travelling around the globe to show my educational teaching. But not knowing that I travelled to your world for the mission to restore the balance between my world and yours due to my dad's asking." Rhima said sadly while facing Claudio because of her deceptions and he comforts her by patting.
"That's all right, milady. It was your duty to restore the balance between our worlds. It's best to tell him the truth about it."
"..."
"So who is the real key to your mission, milady?" Claudio asked about who is the real key to her mission to which Rhima confirms.
"The truth is... Jin is the real key to my mission. And currently he needs to find a different location to clear my mission. It's because of his enemies in your world, I became their main target instead. I decided not to repair my relationship with him for the time being because it's my best choice to keep away from him so that Xiaoyu would be with him."
Claudio realizes her pain until one of his men showed up to inform him about the bad news.
"Claudio, we have a problem. We tried so hard to fight him and he's too agile for us."
"You already knew who's behind the outside infiltration, milady. It was none other than Jin Kazama himself." Claudio said confirming to Rhima that it was Jin who had begun his infiltration alone outside of their headquarters and soon stand up and decided to confront him. "You can stay freely here in my main headquarters or you may free to leave here to escape. Seems like I have to deal with him."
As Claudio leaves the hallway, Rhima grins after learning that Jin was here and knowing that Lars was the one who located her whereabouts as she thought while she finally standing up.
I just can't believe them. They think I was rather kidnapped or being used by them. I was rescued... A brainiac like myself who usually deals against a less-educated brawn.
As Claudio arrives outside and to see some of his men who were all knocked unconscious. He checked on one of his men who is down and he can see the parts of black feathers are embedded with a reddish hue, confirming it was Jin who was behind the infiltration. He eventually sensed his presence by dodging the latter's Leaping Side Kick with black feathers are embedded on his back and disappears after executing the move.
"It seems that your devil powers have improved within your control, Jin Kazama. Now wonder why milady decided to avoid you." Claudio said sarcastically to him in Italian language as Jin faces him.
"Where's Rhima-san... I knew she was there in your main base!"
"Yes, she is... But she does not want to go with you." Claudio said confirming that Rhima was inside their headquarters as Jin angrily barks at him.
"You liar... I knew you're gonna kidnapped her and used her as a tool to stop me."
"I'm not lying." Claudio said and finally clarifies him "Didn't you hear what she had told me? She hates becoming a third wheel from your whim. Remember when Xiaoyu keeps searching for you most of her time, so that you will be reunited with her. In your case, you're just like her who keeps following milady all the time and believing I kidnapped her with my men on purpose. In fact that we rescued her from the soldiers that my other target had been planning to recapture her."
Jin became disappointed upon learning that Rhima was avoiding him all the time because of Xiaoyu and their long-time reunion which led her decision not to repair their current relationship for the time being.
"You see... your friend Xiaoyu when I fought her in an actual fight. I knew that all she wants is to protect you, nothing else. This is why milady decided to keep away from you." Claudio said trying to remind him that Xiaoyu wants was him nothing less and soon response.
"I haven't reciprocate my feelings to Xiao because I was reluctant to do what she wants. I know she was excited to see me, but I can't forget Rhima-san... because she was the person who made my whole life changed and to strengthen my human side."
"...I understand your reasoning. But you're just making up your excuse so that you can take her." Claudio sarcastically remarks about Jin, much to his horrible surprise.
"!"
Meanwhile, Rhima decided to check some room where most exorcists are trying to study any methods used for exorcism as well as weapons used to kill demons. As she looked at the window, she sees two men and Jin was normally provoked from Claudio's remarks as she put earphones on her ears to listen the music.
"You got surprised because she was actually telling the truth. You'd just want to go with her for the protection against my other target which is your own father." Claudio said with a sinister tone only for Jin to scowled at him.
"Damn you? How did you know that?"
"Can't you look at the window? Which is why you're being short-sighted because milady has been watching us." Claudio shows Jin that Rhima was in their headquarters as she had been watching them.
"Rhima-san..." Jin said while calling his name, only to be ambushed by Claudio by knocking him with one kick and one knee using Pollux causing him to raise his brow in a fury.
"You see... milady has her reasons why she was avoiding you and how the pain she had felt right now. It's because of your friend, Xiaoyu. Just because she had loved you and she was willing to protect you from anyone else including me. But you also broke milady's heart."
"I need to reason with her. I know she was so upset because of me. We had been separated for long and now we had met each other again. I already told you, I was just became reluctant when Xiao was happy to see me and not noticing her strong feelings with me. I already had my vow to protect her from Kazuya during her stay here in our world." Jin said in a more serious tone and wants to reason with Rhima until Claudio sighs over his words.
"...You're very persistant to see milady, do you? If you want to find her inside of my headquarters, be my guest. But you'd better use your eyes and..."
With the song "Bodyshaking" was finally played, Claudio eventually pointed his head with his right index finger towards Jin, taunting him that he needs to use his head. That taunt causes Jin to get angrier even further while immediately clenches both of his fists and swears in Japanese.
"Matteiru... (I'll get you...)"
With that both men had a fist-fight while exchanging their blows and Claudio finally demonstrates all of his moves including the new ones to repel all of Jin's special attacks including his Heat moves. While they are having a brutal fight between him and Claudio, Rhima still listens to the music until she had stopped as she removes her earphones and keeps on her pocket as she dances the chorus of the song and soon exits the scene.
Claudio perfectly defeats Jin by unleashing his Heat Smash which is the Stella Cadente to knock him out which Jin tries to block the energy arrow shot with both of his arms.
"Just look at you now. You're all badly bruised."
"..."
Claudio smiles to see that Rhima is already ready and prepared and knowing of her decision to escape his headquarters.
"Because of your persistence over milady, she's leaving."
Jin was shocked to hear what he had said and soon sees Rhima who now carries a grappling hook as the instrumental Korean trot song was briefly played. She shoots through the other side of the building complex as she quickly moves similar to the zipline causing Jin to chase after her. Claudio flicks his hair as he thought.
Have a safe trip, milady. Don't let yourself be caught by him.
Back in the real world, Nathaniel explains to Brian, Ibrahim, Rick, Mariana and Kim about the entire incident about the murders of the Taekwondo students and he soon reveals that his father Adolfo Samaniego was suffering colon cancer and he has less months to live.
"I know you had a grudge over my father, Mr. Navarro... While he was at large by the authorities by trying to hide and escape all over here in the Philippines, he finally had conscience for his crimes he had committed. But when he learns he had a colon cancer, he knows that he won't live any longer."
"So where he lives now... After all the damages he put me through." Brian asked which Nathaniel answers.
"He now lives in Talim Island."
"Talim Island was the largest lake island here in the Laguna Lake and it was the southwest rim of the Laguna Caldera." Kim said telling them about the location and Brian decided to visit him once their mission is over.
"We'll visit him once we're done to take out the bomb from the Laguna Caldera. Do you know how to get through the Laguna Caldera?"
"There was a boat service leads in Binangonan that makes a trip to Talim Island. But why did you decided to go there."
"We came here to stop the nefarious plan from the Korean bomb terrorist and we're gonna neutralize his threat by taking out the bomb." Brian said seriously and makes Nathaniel decided to accompany him.
"I'll help you go to the Laguna Caldera and stop the threat. Actually the caldera itself was a very long dormant volcano."
Brian finally accepts Nathaniel to accompany them to the Laguna Caldera and their mission continues.
Trivia:
*The love triangle between the two Tekken characters were mentioned when Rhima was sad and upset because she hates becoming a third wheel.
*Claudio finally demonstrates his moves seen from his reveal and gameplay trailer when he fought Jin.
*Jin's angrier look on his face when Claudio taunts him to use his head, it was his look during his special interaction between him and his father Kazuya in the game.
*When Jin got dirt and bruises after a long fight with Claudio which occurs from the game itself in Tekken 8 during rounds.
*When Rhima uses a grappling hook in the manner as how Ada Wong from Resident Evil series uses to move and jump through another places.
*The Korean trot song where Rhima makes her escape to avoid Jin it was the song "Lovesick" being performed by former Super Junior member Lee Sungmin since the latter was inactive to the group itself.
