TEKKEN: THE COLD AND THE WARM
ACT 10: Stormbringer
At a restaurant called Chanko Paradise, Honolulu, Hawaii, USA
Inside this fancy restaurant, business was going splendidly. This restaurant, along with a Sumo stable, had been started by the Sumo wrestler Ganryu as a way of enjoying this retirement from the Sumo industry. However, this retirement had not gone way he had expected, due to old flames and new ones catching his interest.
But after the events on Hawaii, Ganryu had finally decided to call it quits. Swimming in order to escape from the volcanic eruption on the island, Ganryu had been rescued by several fisherman. After telling them where he had been, the fishermen were kind enough to drive him to Oahu, the island where Honolulu lied.
In the Hawaiian capital, Ganryu had started his own restaurant that specialized in Sumo cuisine, particularly chankonabe. He named it "Chanko Paradise". Due to the fact that there was no restaurant in the city that served this kind of food, Chanko Paradise became a success. Every day was a busy day for Ganryu.
To attract more customers, Ganryu had started his own vlogging channel. And of course, his videos were all about his restaurant, as well as the type of food they served there. Despite the odd thing about a live streamer in his late 50s. Ganryu still attracted a large following.
This newly acquired fame on the Internet had convinced Ganryu to leave the fighting business behind and start living his retirement in peace.
Looking outside from what appeared to be his corner, Ganryu watched with pride as visitors enjoyed some delicious chankonabe or whatever meals Sumo wrestlers would eat. The waiters working at the restaurant were students at his Sumo dojo. The restaurant's Japanese interior gave everyone the fascinating experience they desired.
From the looks of it, very customer, from children to adults, enjoyed the food. Ganryu had also taken notice of the number of overweight customers visiting his place. But he didn't mind that at all, seeing as how Chanko Paradise had a zero-tolerance policy for fatphobia.
"Ah, now this is the life. A good career in the restaurant branch, Sumo branch and the social media. There's nothing more I possibly could ask for" Ganryu was satisfied with his current status.
As he surveyed the customers, Ganryu's eyes stopped once he caught a glimpse of what appeared to be two lovers. They were each laughing and giggling as they sat across each other while taking turns in eating from the chankonabe. The Yokozuna however snapped once he saw the lovers starting feeding each other, with the woman giving her man a piece of chicken for him to eat. This continued on as they ate.
Ganryu got up from his chair and moved into what appeared to be his restaurant's storage room. Once the door was shut, he felt so stressed out that he leaned against it and fell on his behind.
A painful reminder had just hit Ganryu in his heart. Indeed, he still recalled how he had fallen in love twice. First, it was Michelle Chang. The second time was with her adoptive daughter: Julia. Ganryu remembered how desperate he had been to gain their affections. But he had asked himself: had that really been healthy for him?
"While I do sometimes think about Michelle and Julia…I realize that…maybe this is not right for me" Ganryu admitted, facing the gap between his legs. "Neither of them has ever been able to see my feelings for them…and they most likely never will" he added to his own analysis.
That's right. No matter how much Ganryu had tried, neither Michelle nor Julia had taken any notice of him. Having gotten to know them better, the Japanese man realized that the Changs were more dedicated to restoring Arizona's rainforest than pursuing love. Perhaps that was what really made him admire them so much.
A sad smile was forming amidst Ganryu's bearded chin.
"Perhaps love is something that has outgrown me. It's time for me to give up on it. I may not never find someone to spend the rest of my life with…..but that doesn't mean that my story is over. That's for sure" he concluded.
Wiping whatever tears that came out of his eyes, Ganryu got up and exited the storage room. The retired Yokozuna could not afford to let things from the past distract him.
He got back to his corner and took his seat. But as he was about to do that, the nearby television caught his attention. From what he could see, it was the news. But what really caught his interest was the announcement written at the
"BREAKING NEWS: G CORPORATION CEO MAKES HIS ANNOUNCEMENT"
Knowing that this would be very important, Ganryu sat down and turned up the volume on the tv. He was keen on knowing what one of the main actors of this global war would do.
"Exactly what are you planning on doing now…Kazuya Mishima?" Ganryu asked himself as he kept his focus on the screen.
Inside the G Corporation HQ, Jakarta, Indonesia
Inside what appeared to be a large conference hall, journalists from across the globe and several delegates from international organizations were gathered. The reason for that was obvious.
After weeks of long silence, Kazuya Mishima was about to reveal the entire world about the G Corp's next move. Would he resume the conglomerate's war effort against the Mishima Zaibatsu? Or would he announce a call for ceasefire, let alone declare his victory? Whatever the answer was, everyone had been waiting for it.
The hall was packed with seats and cameras. Clearly, everyone was keen on having this press conference broadcasted on not just TV, but on social media as well.
Several representatives from the UN and the ICC sat there as well. This was rather ironic, seeing as they had once considered trying Kazuya for crimes against humanity given his past record. But ever since he had downed the Zaibatsu's satellite death ray, he and the G Corp had managed to keep public opinion's favor to their advantage.
Flanked by several soldiers of the G Corp, as well as Bruce and Anna from each side, Kazuya stood in the middle before a podium. With the entire world's eyes upon him, the Japanese man now had free reign to deliver his message.
All whisperings ebbed out and the conference was about to begin. There was not a sound in the hall as Kazuya leaned over to speak at the microphone.
"Greetings, ladies and gentlemen. I bid you all welcome to this vital press conference at the G Corporation's new HQ. As it's CEO, it is an honor to be given this opportunity to present this message on behalf of our conglomerate" Kazuya began the event by welcoming all.
There was no reaction to anyone form the crowd, except for the cameramen snapping their photos. As such, Kazuya proceeded speaking.
"When I assumed the mantle of CEO a year ago, things had changed for our organization. The world had thrown into chaos as a result of the Mishima Zaibatsu and its then leader: Jin Kazama. This did not bode well for not just us, but the international community as well" Kazuya explained, recalling back to the time of his takeover. "The Zaibatsu's aggression was surprising. If not opposed, more innocents would've suffered. As such, I answered the world's call for a savior to halt their crusade. Even to this day, I still stand by that decision. Hard as it was, the G Corp's war effort was done in good faith" he continued.
A lot of the journalists sitting in the hall were somewhat dumbfounded by Kazuya's statements. After all, Kazuya had at one time been the Zaibatsu's leader and done his fair share of misdeeds with the company's backing. To hear him describe his former company like this raised questions among them, not to mention how Kazuya was acting as if he had been a long-term employee at the G Corp.
"Eventually, Jin Kazama disappeared, leaving the Zaibatsu leaderless for a brief period. Sadly, Heihachi Mishima saw this as his chance of reclaiming leadership. With that, the G Corp was forced to continue its war effort against the Zaibatsu, for the sake of stopping him" Kazuya revealed the details. "But as the battle continued, Heihachi had the nerve to shoot down one of his many satellites. We all know what became the result. A great tragedy and loss of thousands of innocent human lives, from Europe to Asia. Sadly, such was to be expected from someone like Heihachi. He disregarded those lives who are beneath him" the Japanese man spoke with nothing but contempt while mentioning his father.
Some of the journalists were puzzled about the fact that Kazuya was skipping a very important detail. After all, Kazuya had battled Revenant at the Millennium Tower. The fight had been recorded thanks to Heihachi's machinations, thus being viewed more than million times on social media. But the most important detail was Kazuya's true form: his powers from the Devil Gene. This revelation had resulted in the international community turning against the G Corp, until the satellite downing incident. That incident was of course Kazuya's doing, yet he had done so in a way that made everyone point finger at Heihachi.
Since then, the international community had somewhat given Kazuya and his cronies a pass, believing that it was the Zaibatsu who were the bigger threat. But to Kazuya's defense, the Zaibatsu had started the war and thrown the world into chaos. The G Corp had simply stood against them.
"Given the tragedy, it was only fit for me to continue the war effort. But I realized that it didn't have to continue on the battlefields" Kazuya closed his eyes to remember what he had done. "When Heihachi challenged me to a duel to the death on Hawaii, I accepted it. Hard as it seemed to be, it was the only way for me to get close to Heihachi. And in the end…..I won" he smirked as he spoke of how satisfied he was over his victory.
No matter what new he learned about his family, defeating Heihachi was something Kazuya had always desired. And to know that his father's ashes was lying deep in bowels of Pu'u 'Ō'ō pleased him greatly. Still, one couldn't help but to wonder whether his hatred of Heihachi had…...lessened a little.
"Which brings me now to recent events. In the couple of weeks, things have gone quiet on the battlefields. Because of the stalemate, we at the G Corp have had enough time to reflect on what to make of this. That's why I think it would be best if you knew what our next move is" Kazuya brought up the most important part of the announcement.
All eyes were on him, the cameras still snapping endlessly. Even so, Kazuya and his associates didn't mind the blitz. Bruce remained stoic while Anna tried to wink and blow kisses towards the cameramen.
"Even now, there are calls for this war to end. That a ceasefire between us and the Zaibatsu is to be made. The list for demands goes on…...demands that sounds pretty reasonable and admirable" Kazuya leaned over the podium, a smirk creeping on his lips as he spoke. "Yet hopelessly stupid at the same time" he uttered out cynically.
Gasps of shock erupted throughout the hall, with the journalists immediately dropping their notepads and pencils. Even the cameramen were feeling uncomfortable with what Japanese man had just said before everyone.
"That being said, it's time that I deliver you my message. Hear me out, world! No, the G Corporation will not lay down their arms. We will continue warring against the Zaibatsu! But it doesn't stop there!" Kazuya said, stretching his arms towards opposing directions as if he was to show them something. "The rest of you! Japan! Indonesia! Russia! China! India! Brazil! France! South Africa! Britain! The USA! As well as the entire international community! All of you shall feel my wrath! The wrath of the Devil himself!" he exclaimed, bearing the mark of a deranged madman.
With that, there was nothing but horrified reactions to Kazuya's madness. Judging by his sadistic grin, he was taking great delight in waging a world upon the entire world from the smaller countries to the most powerful ones.
"If none of you dare submit yourselves to us, then we will make you! Resist us and you will all perish!" Kazuya continued.
In time, all those journalists and cameramen rose up from their seats. They shouted protests at Kazuya and his associates, chanting words like "fascist" or "warmonger". Still, Kazuya remained defiant in face of this.
"Now that I have delivered my message to you…IT IS TIME I DO SO TO THE ENTIRE WORLD!" Kazuya made gesture with his right hand.
Before everyone knew it, lines of soldiers stationed in the hall pointed their weapons at large gathering in the middle. Everyone shouted in fear, since they knew what this meant.
Kazuya smirked, having absolutely no remorse for whatever fate awaited these innocent journalists and cameramen.
"I thank you all for coming. Hopefully, you will contribute to this message I send to the international community" Kazuya said, only to give his soldiers the order. "KILL THEM ALL!" he commanded them.
And with it, screams and cries of despair could be heard as everyone in the hall was massacred. Blood flew in the air, yet the shooting continued as if nothing was done.
In time, everyone except for those affiliated with the G Corp lied died in a pile of corpses. A pool of blood was formed underneath it.
Despite this, neither Kazuya nor his associates seemed disturbed by this. They watched it with no sympathy.
Even so, both Bruce and Anna had their own individual thoughts.
"Ugh. Couldn't we have picked another way of killing those fools? It's getting so untidy in here!" Anna complained, suddenly noticing blood running towards one of her shoes. "Great. These shoes are very expensive. The blood will only stain on them" she thought as she raised her right foot.
On the other hand, Bruce had secretly started to question his own loyalty to Kazuya. With the war resuming, he was certain that children would be caught in the crossfire.
"This war…...has brought suffering to those who never deserved it…..including children" Bruce thought about them, especially those who lived in poverty.
Still, he found himself clenching his fists. It was clear that there was something Bruce resented with regards to the world.
"But what does it matter? Even during peacetime, people will still suffer. Those who are marginalized…...they will continue to suffer inequality and racial injustices….just like I did once" Bruce brushed away any concern, thinking about the international community. "No. The international community is rotten to the core. They don't care about us. That's why they must fall!" the Kickboxer gritted his teeth.
With that being thought through, Bruce looked at the pile of corpses. He watched as Anna approached Kazuya to his left.
"That was quite a mess you made here, Kazuya. The international community is bound to be outraged" the brunette sassily remarked.
The deep frown on Kazuya's lips turned upside down, hinting to how he had absolutely no regrets for what he just did.
"I know that…..and I'm counting on it" an evil grin was shown for the cameras that were still recording. "All of them know now the consequences of standing against us. And should they ever dare trying…we'll show them" Kazuya's lust for bloodshed was on display for the whole world to see.
But not everyone had been present inside the hall when the massacre itself happened. Hiding behind what appeared to be curtains, Lucky Chloe, the famous pop idol and poster girl for the G Corp's ads, was beyond mortified. It was obvious why.
The poor girl had been a witness to something so depraved and horrendous. And not only that, an enormous revelation had been revealed.
"Those soldiers….they shot….those people…" Chloe stammered, sitting against a crate while shivering with fear. "They…they shot….shot them…" she was breaking out in tears, trying to cover her face with the cat paw-like gloves.
Sadly, it was no use. Lucky Chloe sobbed and soon it she started losing control of her emotions. But could anyone blame her? Chloe just realized something. The G Corporation was not the kind of good-natured people as she had expected them to be. Kazuya's decision to resume the war was one thing, but this atrocious massacre of innocent journalists and cameramen was beyond crossing the line.
"That German shemale…she was right all along….." Chloe thought about Leo Kliesen and the words she had said to her. "The G Corp really is an evil conglomerate. They're no better than the Mishima Zaibatsu….." tears kept streaming from her eyes as she recalled those words.
All this time, Chloe had believed that she was representing a force of good in these troubled times. But all of it were just lies. She had been part of something so vicious, although Chloe herself had yet to know what it was.
Even so, there was something else the blonde-haired otaku had in mind. Something which was very personal.
"I have to get outta here. But where do I go? Back to mom and dad? I haven't seen them in a long time" Chloe struggled to plan her potential escape from the G Corp. "Either way, I must do something. Because I don't know long I'll last being stuck with them…." Chloe kept trying to compose herself.
But as she kept getting pictures of that pile of dead bodies, the young blondie couldn't contain her disgust. She literally ran up to a bucket crate and threw up in it. Being witness to this was just too much for the teenage idol.
Given what was just announced, the entire world would feel Kazuya's wrath.
Inside a skyrise building in La Défense, Paris, France
Lars Alexandersson, Lee Chaolan and Alisa Bosconovitch watched the giant screen in Lee's office in horror. They had just watched it all, from Kazuya announcing his refusal to enter a ceasefire….to the unspeakable crime happening in that hall.
The trio stood and watched a news anchor delivered the breaking news. And from the looks on her face, she was mortified and disturbed.
"No…..I can't believe he really did that" Alisa uttered in shock.
"Yes. But the worst part was not his announcement to continue the war" Lee stated, taking a deep breath before continuing. "The massacring of those journalists was beyond depraved. And to think that the G Corp would willingly go along with Kazuya to commit such heinous acts" even the usually laidback business tycoon was in disbelief of seeing it.
Lars clenched his gloved fists tightly. Both Alisa and Lee could feel the rage coming from the Swedish man. And he understandably was pissed off.
"That…rotten…BASTARD!" Lars roared as he slammed his right hand on a nearby table, creating a hole in it as a result. "Kazuya…you've crossed a line…...A VERY DANGEROUS LINE!" his anger was on full display.
Lee and Alisa were each worried about Lars, so they tried to ease his anger.
"Lars…." Alisa walked up to him. "Please don't lose yourself to anger…" she practically begged of him.
The Swedish man looked at her, his anger starting to lessen a little.
"She is right" Lars looked at Lee, who was eyeing him sympathetically. "Yes, we all agree that what Kazuya has done is beyond depraved. But that doesn't mean he will get away with it. He WILL face justice. For everything he's done" the silver-haired man assured him.
In time, Lars started to come back to his senses. His outburst was long forgotten, not to mention the weak smile that had taken shape on his lips.
"You're right. Thank you for helping me see that, Lee….Alisa…" he expressed his gratitude towards his closest friends.
They both smiled, feeling happy to know how much Lars valued them in this fight.
The trio suddenly directed their attention to the cityscape of Paris.
"With Kazuya's announcement, there is no question that the G Corp will be on the move. For all we know, they could strike at France anytime" Lee remarked.
"But we can't be sure whether that's true or not. If only we had a mole on the inside to know everything about their machinations" Lars expressed his slight frustration.
As Lars said that, something snapped into Alisa. She felt the need to raise this matter with Lars and Lee.
"Speaking of which, does this mean that we will abort our mission to rescue Xiaoyu and Asuka?" the pinkette asked her friends.
"Negative" Lars firmly responded. "Even as the G Corp continue their war effort, we can't be allowed to let other actors do as they please. The Archers of Sirius. The Acolytes of Pluton. Kometa. All of them will undoubtedly use the upcoming chaos to their advantage" he continued adding the details.
"Not to mention that Jin would've not liked it if we aborted the mission" Lee chimed in with a soft chuckle. "True. We will proceed as planned. Once Jin and the others have made their way over to Paris, we'll discuss on where to find those poor young ladies" he went on explaining.
Alisa smiled, feeling some sense of relief when hearing what her friends had in mind.
"That's good" the pinkette remarked before looking outside the window. "But I hope that the G Corp's armies don't make it to Britain before they leave. That would be catastrophic" Alisa then remarked.
"Yes, but we just have to hold out. Let's not forget, they could be coming for us at any minute now" Lars pointed out.
The trio continued to survey the cityscape, praying for Jin and his friends to make it to Paris before it was too late.
At a mansion near the town of Konstantin-Jeziorna, Warsaw, Poland
This town, situated just south of the Polish capital of Warsaw, was known for its historic villas and newly-built mansions. It was also a great place to visit if one wanted to escape the noisy atmosphere of Warsaw.
At one of these mansions lived former president: Leszek Sobieski. During his presidency, he experienced traumatic movements, from the failed attempt on his life to the loss of his son. After finishing his term, Leszek retired from politics. He settled somewhere quiet and peaceful, which is why he chose Konstantin-Jeziorna.
But there was another reason for why Leszek had decided to live there. He wanted to be close to one of the few living relatives he had left: his own granddaughter, Lidia Sobieska.
Ever since his son's death, Leszek had watched as Lidia had grown from a despairing young girl to a strong-willed woman. He had cried the day she won her election and became Poland's first female prime minister.
Right now, Lidia was visiting Leszek at this mansion. Due to her demanding duties as prime minister, as well as recent events, Lidia hadn't been able to visit her grandfather for a while. But after the failed assassination attempt on her at Belweder, she really felt like spending time with him.
She also wanted to inform him about what she had learned from this failed meeting.
Sitting outside in the mansion gardens, Lidia and Leszek were eating some żurek, which was actually Lidia's favorite food. The weather was nice and there seemed to be no one at the gardens besides them.
The platinum-haired woman looked at the elderly man sitting across the table. Ever since the incident many years ago, Leszek had been wheelchair bound due to the serious injuries he had sustained. Still, Lidia thought it had been a miracle that he had survived.
"Hmm. I can't believe how you're still able to make so good żurek after all these years" Lidia complimented her grandfather's cooking skills.
Leszek chuckled lightly at this. "Cooking is something I've always liked besides politics. After I moved here, I managed to dedicate more to my cooking skills" he explained. "That's why I prefer to cook my own meals rather than rely on the maids" he then mused to himself.
Lidia weakly shook his head at hearing him say that. "You really are something, dziadek. I see now where I get my stubbornness from" she remarked as she took a spoon from her żurek.
But as they continued eating, both Leszek and Lidia thought it would be a good time to discuss on what the young prime minister had been through.
"So tell me now, Lidia. What did you really learn at that meeting at Belweder?" the elderly man asked, this time sounding more serious than usual.
Putting her spoon down, Lidia sighed before replying to her grandfather's question.
"More than you can ever imagine, dziadek. After I beat those wannabe assassins, that sneaky bastard of a sugar baron dropped some valuable information" Lidia spoke of the failed assassination attempt on both her and her aide. "He alleged that the incident many years ago…...the day ojciec died…was orchestrated by him and his group" she revealed.
Leszek's eyes widened a little as he heard the young woman say that. He could tell from the look of Lidia's face that she was confused.
"Rozumiem. But how is it one can suddenly come out and make up such absurd claims? For me, it appears that his man was trying to mislead you…by exploiting your loss to his advantage" the elderly man suggested.
Lidia looked at her grandfather with curious eyes, wondering what he meant by saying that.
"Indeed, child. Some use whatever means necessary to lead people astray. Such individuals can be anyone, from con artists to politicians. That is why it's important to not yet fully believe the words of such madmen" Leszek continued explaining.
As Lidia heard this, her expression started softening a little. She even had to wipe out a small tear from her left eye. While doing that, she stroked over the scar running across her eye, which was her own injury from that fateful day.
"I…suppose you're right" Lidia stammered, the usually stern woman sounding quite emotional. "Thank you for reminding me how to be strong once again….dziadek…." she thanked her grandfather.
Leszek chuckled once again. "Anything for you, wnuczka. As the only child of my son, it's my responsibility to guide you, no matter how old I get" he chuckled, only to cough a little when he took it too far.
Lidia quickly rushed over to his side, yet he waved his right arm to assure her he was alright. This made the platinum-haired woman muse to herself.
"Stubborn old man…yet still lovable nonetheless" Lidia uttered out.
Just then, someone quickly entered the gardens. Both Lidia and her grandfather looked to see the prime minister's closest aide: Andrzej. He stopped to catch some breath.
"Andrzej….." Lidia uttered out, surprised to see him her.
"I beg your pardon, Pan Sobieski….Pani Premier…but there's bad news!" the aide called out to them.
Leszek sat and watched him bewildered, yet Lidia quickly got over to Andrzej's side.
He then started showing his superior something on a tablet computer. It was a picture from a news article. Lidia's eyes widened the moment she saw what the article was about.
THE G CORP'S WAR EFFORT CONTINUES: GREECE BEING INVADED
"Nie…they're actually doing it" Lidia uttered out, her expression changed from that of shock to anger. "KAZUYA MISHIMA! YOU SON OF A BITCH!" she didn't even hold back her anger.
Andrzej looked at Lidia grimly. "Yes. Just after that announcement, we received reports of G Corp launching attacks on the Greek Islands, and eventually the mainland itself" he told her. "Both NATO and EU have called for a crisis meeting together, given that Greece is a member of both entities" he then revealed.
Lidia nodded her head at him. "Rozumiem. I assume this crisis meeting is digital, right?" she asked her aide.
"It is. That said, we should be heading back to the Chancellery this instant. The Polish people will demand answers from you with regards to this attack" Andrzej suggested.
"And so we shall, Andrzej. Ready the transport. I'll be there soon!" she commanded and her aide quickly got moving.
Lidia looked to her grandfather, who had rolled over to her side. From the looks of his eyes, Leszek seemed quite understanding towards her. But on the other hand, a face of guilt took hold on Lidia.
"Przepraszam dziadek….but I really need to go now" the young woman informed him. "Still…..it was worth spending the available time with you" Lidia then told him.
"No need to apologize, Lidia. You have a duty now, a duty far more important than the one I had as president. Do what you must for the sake of Poland" the elderly man responded, his smile brightening as he looked at the prime minister. "Now go, wnuczka. Do not just our family….but the Polish people proud of having you lead us through these troubled times" he encouraged her.
Emboldened by Leszek's words of encouragement, Lidia quickly got a move and exited the gardens. At the mansion's driveway, she saw the car standing there, ready to pick her up. As soon as she entered the vehicle, it sped quickly out of Leszek's property and out to the roads of Konstantin-Jeziorna.
Whatever this upcoming digital summit would be, Lidia was fully aware of how grave this situation was.
Inside an apartment in Hong Kong, China
In this fancy skyrise apartment, Lei Wulong was on the couch watching some movies. Ever since being discharged from that hidden UN facility, Lei had returned home to relax.
Fortunately for him, Master Raven and Raven had lied to his superiors at Interpol about his recent misadventure in the Tai Tam Bay. They had informed them about Lei going undercover for them when it really wasn't true.
As such, Lei avoided getting reprimanded, much to his relief. He'd stayed at his apartment for the last days in hopes of recovering from his wounds.
Laying on the couch while drinking a can of Pepsi, Lei watched what appeared to be a boring movie. He lost interest and decided to stop watching it.
"Argh! Watching movies isn't like it used to be, especially with Netflix and Disney+ having all the monopoly. And boy was that Mulan remake horrible" Lei complained as he put the movie on pause.
Even as he sat there, Lei still couldn't get over the episode in the Tai Tam Bay. That night on the superyacht, he truly believed Lana Lai had loved him. He himself had been smitten by her, regardless of the different colors on her eyes. But in Lei's own opinion, he'd been a fool to fall victim to Lana's feminine charms.
"Damnit…..it still keeps coming! Is there anything that can help me get over Lana?" Lei wondered before throwing his empty can of Pepsi.
As soon as he did that, he opened another can and starting drinking it. Lei actually drank all the liquid inside. When he was finished, Lei let out a huge burp. There was no one inside besides himself, no it wasn't embarrassing for him at least.
"Gah, that felt good! Too bad I don't have any baijiu here!" Lei lamented, only for a reminder to hit himself in the head. "Ah, who am I kidding? I can't drink alcohol while I'm recovering from a wound, which caused by some heterochromatic bitch who preyed upon my kindness with her sexiness!" the bitterness was too much for Lei to take in.
He angrily threw the empty can, then resting his face on this handpalms. Clearly, Lei was more than distraught. The stab on his stomach still hurt him.
Facing the gap between his legs, Lei started pondering on whether his broken heart could ever move on from this betrayal.
"Come on, Lei. You've been through worse things than a psychotic woman breaking your heart, Yeah, that's right!" Lei slowly started to grasp things that really mattered to him. "And I shouldn't forget about what my job is! That report about the Mishimas. It's probably one of the few things that are capable of saving this world" he was building some self-confidence within himself.
True, Lei had never forgotten how important it was for him to finish it.
Having gotten his spirits lifted, Lei decided to pay attention to the news.
"Well, I hear there's a press meeting at the G Corp's HQ in Jakarta. So I might as well catch up and see what it results in" Lei said as he switched the channel on his flatscreen.
But once he got the picture of Hong Kong's local news channel on the line, he froze. He read through the breaking headline as he listened to the anchorwoman explain the details.
"In a shocking turn of events, G Corporation CEO Kazuya Mishima, has refused to lay down his weapons and end the ongoing war with the Mishima Zaibatsu. However, he also announced that G Corp forces would spread across the world, attacking all opposing nations as well" the words from the anchorwoman hit Lei hard. "But in addition to that, a brutal massacre happened in the G Corp's conference hall in Jakarta. Soldiers of the conglomerate fired upon all journalists and cameramen, thus killing anyone inside. Currently, it's unknown what the casualties are" the news about the massacre was suddenly brought up.
Hearing this made him actually drop the remote in his right hand. Lei was saddened and enraged at what he had heard from the tv.
"No….it can't be…" Lei stammered, only to angrily slam his fist on the table before him. "KAZUYA MISHIMA! YOU COLD-HEARTED PIECE OF SHIT!" he yelled, furious at seeing such a crime being committed.
As the anchorwoman kept delivering this grave news, Lei faced his lap, gripping his head with both hands. He seemed very distressed over the situation.
"Damnit! And just when I had started to have a little optimism!" Lei cursed himself. Still, the thought of innocent journalists being slaughtered weighed deeply on him. "It's one thing to be a sick bastard and all…but to slay those who don't even possess the power to oppose you!? You really are evil, Kazuya!" his distaste for the Mishima was expressed out in the open.
With that being said, something hit inside Lei's head. He quickly got out to the balcony of his apartment and looked outside to see the cityscape of Hong Kong. However, he specifically looked out to what was Victoria Harbor.
"Given that the G Corp's determined to battle everyone on the planet, it will only be a matter of time before they reach Hong Kong and the rest of China" Lei noted and reached out for his cellphone. "I best make a call to those agents and see what I'll be doing" he said and started dialing the number.
Lei realized that the upcoming war would perhaps be far worse than the one Jin had started. But he had yet to see the full extent of it.
Inside a computer room, secret location, Hong Kong, China
Dr. Lukas Hayes was still being held at this secret United Nations holdout as a prisoner. But ever since his interrogation from yesterday, the meekly scientist had been given some form of freedom. Still, he was not allowed to leave the place just yet. Both Master Raven and Raven wanted to make sure that he was fully cooperative with regards to his pledge on helping them against Kometa.
In the meantime, however, Lukas had starting doing some independent research for himself. After all, he still remembered how it had been the Kometa-executive, Shin Kamiya, who had indirectly helped him escape. But he had demanded some compensating from Lukas.
"Now what was this M-Cell Project, really?" Lukas wondered as he started tapping onto the keyboard of the computer.
Lukas had learned something about Shin which he'd never expected. That young Japanese man seemed to have a very troubled past. Those markings the scientist had witnessed on Shin's left arm had only shed a light on his origins.
Because of the UN wanting to know more about the background of Kometa's executives, Lukas had been given permission to do this research. They were also keen on wanting to know more about the kind of man Shin Kamiya was.
After digging some by hacking into the Mishima Zaibatsu's database, Lukas discovered something some surprising details about Shin. He was currently watching what appeared to be a class photo. Shin was in it, of course. But there was something else.
"Shin Kamiya attended the Mishima Polytechnic School…..the same alma mater as Jin Kazama….." Lukas read the text as its reflection hit back on his glasses. "And not only that, they were also classmates! That explains how he came to know Kazama so much…" the scientist continued.
He looked at the photo as he saw both Shin and Jin standing in it. Suddenly, Lukas found some very interesting details with regards to Shin.
"Ah, I see. Shin Kamiya is the grandson of Akinobu Kamiya, who is alleged to have trained at the Mishima Dojo alongside Heihachi when they were children. That would explain how this young man ended up at a school funded by the Zaibatsu" the scientist noted as he studied him further.
Lukas could see that given how the different paths they chose, neither Shin nor Jin seemed to have any contact with each other ever since.
"That's obvious. Kazama went on to become a supposed hero and later, a warmonger. But what of Kamiya?" Lukas adjusted his glasses as he continued searching.
Moving further, Lukas came to see what appeared to be an old news article. Browsing it up, he ready through what appeared to be an old case connected to Shin.
"After that class was graduated…..all those students went missing. They vanished from the face of the earth itself. But the only one who was found…..was Kamiya…" Lukas read through the old article.
It was at that moment the scientist realized that this M-Cell Project might have been a factor in the graduated students' disappearance. Searching through some links, Lukas came across what appeared to be the website of the Zaibatsu's Supersolider Program.
Lukas had read about it. Heihachi had started this program as a means of creating a generation of superhuman soldiers through genetic experimentation. That means children would from birth, be injected various drugs and serums. It was all part of Heihachi's desperate plan to counter the powers of the Devil Gene.
"To my knowledge, there existed facilities for this program in Europe. But it appears there was one in Japan as well" Lukas remarked as he looked at the files. "I can only assume that this was also overseen by Dr. Abel. Crazy bastard…..he and Heihachi were definitely two peas in a pod" he then noted.
As he looked at the files, Lukas was horrified to discover how this M-Cell Project worked. He had read some very disturbing details about it.
"My God…..this project…they used graduates from the Mishima Polytechnic School as test subjects!" Lukas uttered it out as he read through the details. "That explains it all! Those students never disappeared…..they died, as a result of the experimentation!" he went on completely flabbergasted.
It was true. Unlike the program Steve Fox had been a victim of, the M-Cell Project performed their experiments on adolescent men. But similar to its Western counterpart, most of those test subjects died as a result.
However, Shin Kamiya was the only one to emerge out of it alive. That had only made Lukas curious about one thing.
"Just what kind of drugs was he infected with? What was the purpose of this experimentation?" the scientist wondered.
With that said, Lukas continued to search for clues. He read through the files until he discovered something so atrocious. This revelation was so stunning that it almost made him fall off his chair.
"No…..that's impossible…is it really true? Is Kamiya, as a result of surviving this experiment…...immortal!?" he exclaimed out of disbelief.
Lukas understood that obtaining immortality was one of the main goals of Heihachi. But the late Mishima Patriarch had never succeeded. This made Lukas wonder: had the M-Cell Project been somewhat successful? If so, then how had Shin been able to escape the Zaibatsu's grasp. Something did not make sense.
"Whatever he is, I still can't understand why Kamiya would have me do this. For as far as I'm concerned, he's not any ordinary human. Heihachi's experimentation must have worked somehow" the scientist remarked as he tried puzzling the pieces together.
But just as he was about to continue on, the computer room's door opened wide. Lukas squealed, wondering whether someone had come to attack him or something.
"I-I S-SWEAR….I D-DID N-NOTHING TO…." Lukas stopped once he saw Raven standing by the doorway looking rather serious.
"Save your prayers, Dr. Hayes! The time has come for us to evacuate from this place" Raven told him.
This caught Lukas completely off guard. "E-Evacuate? From here?" he stammered.
"Correct! So pack up whatever stuff you have and let's get moving. Hong Kong is no longer a safe place" the man with the sunglasses told him.
"But why is that?" Lukas asked him.
This made Raven groan in irritation. "If you were smart enough, you'd pay attention to the news, let alone the current state of this world" he said, noticing the change of reaction on Lukas' face. "That's right. Kazuya has finally made his decision. He's declaring war against the entire world now. That means the rest of China will become a battlefield, not just Hong Kong" the agent continued.
"If so, then how do we…" Lukas didn't get to finish the question, since Raven approached him and grabbed his left arm.
"There's no time to explain! You will know everything soon enough. But for now, getting us all out of Hong Kong is our top priority. So hurry up!" he dragged Lukas out of the computer room.
While a part of Lukas lamented that he didn't get to finish his research, he knew that obeying the agents was for his best. He was in their custody after all, which meant that they would not let him go free just yet.
Somewhere hidden from this world
This dark underground complex served as the base of operations of a dark cult. For some reason, these Acolytes of Pluton had worked to bring shadows to life in wake of this ongoing world war. With all the suffering and despair that had taken root amongst the global population, it was easier for the cultists to spread their influence amidst their desperation.
Led by the mysterious individual calling himself Revenant, the Acolytes of Pluton sought to make preparations for the homecoming of the Gods of Old. To do that, they needed to get rid of potential and dangerous obstacles, specifically the Mishimas.
On Hawaii, Revenant had begun his move to eliminate both Heihachi and Kazuya while they had their final duel, only for one man to stand in his way: Wang Jinrei. Using this unfamiliar power he possessed, the elderly master had challenged Revenant, managing to fight on par with him.
Sadly, even the powerful Master Wang couldn't stand against the wicked cultist, so he fell before him. With him out of the way, Revenant had descended down to the crater of Puʻu ʻŌʻō, hoping to take care of Kazuya, who had managed to defeat Heihachi.
Unleashing their respective evil energies, Revenant and Kazuya had fought a colossal battle above the volcanic environment. But their clash had resulted in the crater beneath erupt with lava. It was thus safe to say that the fight between Kazuya and Revenant was a tie.
Ever since the incident on Hawaii, Revenant had retreated to the safety of this underground complex.
Right now, he and his followers were looking at a giant screen which showed them a digital map of the world. From the looks of it, it seemed to be helping the cultist gain some overview of this situation.
"It's just as Kazuya Mishima himself declared, master" one of the nearby cultists, who was a woman, informed her superior. "The G Corporation's forces have already started attacking certain countries of the world. Right now, it's Greece and South Africa. But those countries are only small fries. It won't be long before the world's powers are attacked" she added.
A deep chuckle could be heard from Revenant's mask. "How delightful. That foolish devil's child is only hastening his own downfall" the masked man remarked as he continued watching the events. "And what of the climatic changes?" he suddenly asked those around him.
"The iceberg's up in the Arctic are melting at a rather fast capacity. This is due to the ozone layer being destroyed as a result of that infernal satellite above the Earth" another cultist spoke up.
"Then it appears that Lana Lai and her ilk have already begun making their move" Revenant noted, chuckling as he thought about this induvial. "Deluded woman. Still thinks that her precious toy will be enough to sway me to her side. But once the Gods of Old return, she will be in for a surprise" he mused to himself.
Just then, a picture appeared on the giant screen before them. It contained pictures of several individuals that had somewhat aided Revenant in the past. These were the official leaders of the so-called Resistance.
"Taiga Miyagi, Rumi Kusakabe, Hu Yue and Isaak Lichtenfeld. The four of you did well with aiding my goals. A shame you were too unreliable on helping me achieve them" Revenant lamented, clenching his right metallic hand.
"Master, what is the current status of these individuals?" a cultist suddenly asked him.
Revenant looked at the screen. "Don't know, but I can only assume that Wang Jinrei used the last of his powers to restore their life sources. What happened with them I could care less. They proved themselves to be unfit to be my allies" he answered as he recalled back to what he'd done on Hawaii.
"Then that means we can discard those simpletons" a cultist spoke in favor of Revenant's suggestion. "But we still have other actors to contend with now that the world war will continue. Our scouts report that Jin Kazama was spotted somewhere in Europe. But we can't be sure of the exact details" he added.
This made Revenant devote his attention to the cultist. Somehow, the eyes of his mask glowed dark purplish, signifying his evil energy within him.
"And why does that even matter? Jin Kazama may be awake, but that cursed boy does not pose a threat to us. He is not a priority for the Acolytes of Pluton" Revenant insisted.
"WHAT DO YOU MEAN BY THAT, SERVANT?" a loud voice inside the dark complex caused all the cultist to bow down to their knees.
Revenant turned around, seeing something moving in the shadows. It had crimson eyes, yet the creature soon revealed himself for everyone to see. This was someone whom anyone had believed died during the King of Iron Fist Tournament 3. He wore golden armor while his natural was skin gray and silver. His long hair was black. Despite his appearance changing, he was still recognizable in everyone's eyes.
"Toshin…what brings you here?" Revenant spoke through his mask. "Or perhaps I should call you by your more famous name: Ogre" he mockingly suggested to the ancient being.
Ogre's red eyes narrowed down at him in return, clearly showing his displeasure with the cultist.
"Do not patronize me. As a God, you are bound to serve me" Ogre spoke in a language that only the cultists seemed to understand.
This time, it was Revenant's turn to feel displeased. "I am not your servant. All that I am is a devotee to the Gods of Old" he insisted.
Ogre was still displeased. "A useless devotee in my eyes" he replied.
The cultists around them could tell that their leader did not appreciate the words coming out of Ogre's lips. But for some obvious reasons, he had not attacked him. Still, there was signs of tensions building between the supposed allies.
"So far, I have kept my end of the bargain" Revenant pointed out, his metallic finger aimed at Ogre. "I expect you to do the same thing" he demanded.
Ogre was far from understanding towards Revenant. "No. You have not honored your vow to us. Because the world still has obstacles who stand in our way" he said, only to get a good look at Jin Kazama on the screen. "Especially…HIM!" his rage towards the young man was visible for everyone to see.
The dangerous deity had not forgotten how Jin had defeated him in his true form. Ever since his loss to a "cursed mortal", Ogre had loathed him and desired nothing but to see this man's head in his handpalm. But no one ever knows how Ogre managed to survive death.
"You worry too much about that brat. He's not much of a danger to us, let alone his own father" the masked cultist pointed out. "As for the Rectifier of All Things, he's currently sealed inside the hand of a woman. That is why he will not be a threat to us" Revenant assured him.
Instead of opening his mouth to answer, Ogre suddenly punched a hole into the screen, thus destroying it completely. However, the punch was so strong that the hole continued through the wall as well.
All the cultists, except for Revenant, cowered in fear. They all knew that the so-called God of Fighting could easily kill them, one after one. Yet for some reason, he had shown some extraordinary restraint with regards to this.
Moving his right fist out of the hole, Ogre turned his attention towards Revenant. There was nothing but silence between them.
"Remember who your superiors are, mortal. You would do well to not cross me!" he warned the master cultist. "The Gods of Old are demanding you get rid of the obstacles. Those damned Mishimas and that traitor Azazel must die. Fail me and your fate shall be worse than death!" his words rang through the hall like a bell.
After a few moments of silence, Revenant responded by bowing towards Ogre with respect. It was quite odd, seeing as the cultist had spoken rather casual towards him earlier.
"Of course, Ogre. With all due respect, Kazuya Mishima and Jin Kazama will be dealt with permanently. The same goes for Azazel" Revenant assured him.
Ogre didn't seem that much convinced with Revenant's words, yet he had not done anything to attack him.
"Good. Then I expect you to bring their heads to me when I return" the ancient being said before walking away all of a sudden.
"And where do you think you are going?" Revenant demanded.
Surprisingly, Ogre stopped when being asked about this. The other cultist wondered whether their leader had done a huge mistake by provoking him with such meaningless questions.
Still, Ogre looked over his left shoulder, facing Revenant with his crimson eyes.
"There are other dangerous foes that I need to dispose of. Even now, I can sense that foul woman and her guardian spirit slowly emerging out of hiding. That is why I must find them and eliminate them before they regroup" Ogre answered, beginning to make his move once again. "In the meantime, I expect you to hunt down those obstacles. Such is the command of the Gods of Old" those were the words he heard before disappearing into the shadows.
But as Ogre was gone from sight, the cultists began letting out sighs of relief. Clearly, they were all happy about any of them being alive for now.
"Master" a female cultist approached her superior. "Maybe we should follow his word. He is capable of…GAH!" she didn't get to finish her words as Revenant forcefully grabbed her throat with his left metallic hand.
Lifting her up, the hooded woman greeted to the sight of Revenant's dark energy filled with rage.
"WHO GAVE YOU THE PERMISSION TO QUESTION ME!?" he angrily asked, choking the cultist.
The woman didn't reply, seeing as Revenant's chokehold was too much for her to bear. With that said, the vicious cultist leader used his powers to drain the life out of that woman. When finished, she became nothing but a pale and withered corpse.
Letting go of her, she remained lying there as a testament to all those daring to question Revenant and his leadership.
"Is there anymore of you who has something to say!?" the masked man demanded as he looked around in the crowd.
So far, none of his followers had uttered out a single word, let alone whispered. They were too distraught by what their leader just did. This pleased, seeing as everyone was obeying him without question.
"Good. A wise choice in heeding my words" Revenant informed them, yet he knew how the cultists need to be convinced. "Remember, the Acolytes of Pluton serve no one, not even the almighty God of Fighting himself. We heed only to the pantheon which exists above him" he continued informing his subordinates.
A nearby cultist appeared before him with a respectful bow. "What do we do with Ogre, master? Should we let him wander around the world given how dangerous it will become?" he asked him.
"Yes. Let that arrogant fiend do as he wishes. If going on a desperate hunt for two measly women satisfies him most, then I say we leave him to his own devices" the cultist leader said, only to come up with a vicious plan. "That being said, I actually have a plan on making sure those pesky Mishimas and Azazel disappear. But not only them. Ogre was well" he then admitted.
The other cultists were speechless about what their leader was planning.
"What do you mean, my lord?" another cultist asked him.
Revenant chuckled, the eyes of his mask glowing purplish again. "It involved killing more birds with one stone. Or better yet, the birds die…and the rock is reduced to dust" he revealed.
Whatever plans Revenant had in mind, it was clear that he was planning on getting rid of not just Kazuya and Jin, but Azazel and Ogre was well. But in what way would that benefit the homecoming of the Gods of Old? Only the deranged cultist himself knew that.
Back at Chanko Paradise, Honolulu, Hawaii, USA
Ganryu had completely been horrified of witnessing the news on the tv at his restaurant. He had been sitting there for almost an hour. Nobody could blame him though.
"Kazuya…Anna….Bruce…..how could you…." Ganryu was utterly outraged at the kind of action his former superior and comrades had done.
True, the Sumo wrestler knew the trio to be ruthless in nature. But never had he imagined them going as far as to massacre innocents. And those journalists and camera crews had absolutely nothing with this world war to do.
"I see where this is headed" Ganryu was extremely troubled. "By massacring those people, everyone will come after the G Corp. But Kazuya is counting on it. He wants every nation to send their armies at him so that they can dispose of him" he continued picturing the events.
"Boss…..are you okay?" one of the waiters at the restaurant who had taken notice of Ganryu's behaviour asked him with worry.
"What are you standing here for?" Ganryu asked as if he was offended by the waiter's actions.
The young man was confused, unsure whether Ganryu was starting to have panic attacks.
But everyone inside the restaurant stopped with whatever they were doing once they heard loud noises. These were not just the noises of ordinary planes. It came from jet fighters!
"Oh no! Please! This must be a nightmare!" Ganryu cried, quickly getting outside the doors of his restaurant.
Once outside, Ganryu was treated to the sight of Honolulu's cityscape. Chanko Paradise was located in the center of the city, so it was always busy. Yet Ganryu was given a different picture of seeing screaming pedestrians get out of their vehicles.
And not only that, he heard the sound of jet fighters once again. But this time, sounds of bombs exploding could be heard, along with screams of people.
"It's too late…they've already begun their attack on Hawaii!" Ganryu was distressed, soon noticing customers running out of his restaurant.
More explosion could be heard around the city. From where Ganryu and his staff stood, they saw pillar of smoke rising up to the air. This only indicated at how much more serious this attack was. In time, the city's alarm siren was sounded.
This siren, combined with the attacking jet fighters, only made the situation inside Honolulu much worse.
"BOSS!? WHAT ARE WE GONNA DO NOW!?" one of the employees at the restaurant wanted some answers out of him.
Ganryu, seeing how distraught and desperate his staff was, looked at them with firm eyes.
"We head inside and hit in the basement for cover!" he declared, yet he needed to say more in order to persuade them. "You all know that we have no choice! We're on an island surrounded by sea. What ever way is there to avoid getting bombed by the G Corp!?" Ganryu went on.
The staff, seeing as how their boss had a point, decided to do as he said. Quickly, they got inside the restaurant, with Ganryu closing the doors behind him. They then all got down to the basement, hoping to be safe from all the bombs above. Still, there was no guarantee that the restaurant wouldn't get hit by one of them.
That didn't seem to be on the minds of Ganryu and his staff, though. They truly were desperate for a safe place from these bombs.
"D-Do you think t-that the attack will stop?" one of the young waiters asked.
Ganryu, feeling the need to reassure him, decided to answer.
"We can't say for sure. But all things considered, Honolulu is not the only place on Hawaii that is under G Corp attack" Ganryu replied, looking up to the ceiling. "It appears that Hawaii will fall easily due to the lack of US Army presence on the islands. Still, it's safe to say that it's the American mainland which is where the G Corp will dedicate their attacks upon" he then informed.
All of a sudden, an explosion could be felt nearby. It shook the entire building, forcing the group to fall down. This was a terrifying feeling, as they almost thought it was Chanko Paradise that had just been bombed.
"That was not us!" Ganryu spoke out. "It was likely one of the nearby buildings down the street. But that changes nothing! We're still staying here!" he remained firm and determined.
As the retired Sumo wrestler tried his best to lead his staff, he knew that he wasn't the only one being put to the test here. He wondered what how other fighters he knew would try to come to terms with this.
To be continued…
