In the last 30 days of training, Jake had learned meditation, swordsmanship and martial arts. He had also started learning how to write in Japanese, though he wasn't perfect yet. On his 85th day, Jake was deep training, practicing with a wooden sword. Facing his master was no easy task, the man had once served as a martial arts trainer in the military.
They sparred for about 30 minutes. Jake managed to keep going, thanks to the intense training he had undergone in the mountains. He attempted a few quick moves with the wooden sword, but ended up tripping and falling. His teacher said, "Jake, your skills are different and you have proven to be a promising student despite your lack of formal training. You don't need to push yourself so hard." Jake grinned sheepishly. "But sir, I have no time to wait. These last 15 days I need to become a sword master."
His teacher's face turned serious, "Very well, I have been teaching you ever since Miss Taiku brought you to me. We've worked hard for the past 15 days. As of today, your time with me is completed." He paused, then added. "Now the rest of the training is in your hands. Prove to me and to yourself that you can become a sword master in the next 15 days. For now we're done."
With that, the teacher gathered his equipment and began to leave Miss Taiku's courtyard. He left only with the wooden sword. Later that evening at the dining table, everyone was happily enjoying their meal. It was Jake's favorite curry and rice with soup. Jake hadn't taken a single bite.
He seemed lost in his thoughts, sitting quietly and alone, reflecting on his final days of training. Yon, sitting beside him, watched him closely. Worried, she gently pulled his elbow and whispered, "You haven't touched your food?". Jake sighed and gave a frustrated grin.
Then he suddenly stood and raised his voice "Please, can I have your attention!" The entire table went quiet and turned towards him. "I've made a decision concerning my training... I'll be staying in the mountains for the next 15 days." The whole family was puzzled. Miss Taiku stood up, her voice filled with concern. "Why are you doing this to yourself? We've seen how hard you've been training, why go into the mountains?" Jake's expression grew serious." Miss Taiku, I'm really sorry but the training I've received from Mr. Reyou isn't enough to make me a sword master. He has agreed to let me train on my own. I need to be fully ready for any obstacles that come in the future."
The room felt silent. Nothing they could say would change Jake's mind. Yon sat still beside him. She thought Jake was happy with his progress , but she never realized he was holding quite a grudge against himself.
The next morning, Jake prepared himself to begin his journey to the mountains. Yon had spent the whole night trying to persuade him to stay, but his mind was made up. Miss Taiku handed him enough food and water bottles to last two weeks. The entire family gathered at the front of the house, watching Jake as he was about to leave.
Nicolas, who hadn't tried to stop him until now, suddenly called out, "Jake, you said you're going to the mountains alone, then what's my importance in this expedition?"
Jake turned and smiled." I knew you'd ask that question. I've actually been waiting for it. I've been trying to write a report for our expedition. I've left behind traces of some vital information. Your job is to find them and piece it all together before the 15 days are up."
Nicolas groaned, "What the hell!, I knew you had something.....but this? This is a huge task." Jake chuckled," I know. If I were here, we'd finish it in less than that, but on an average expedition, it takes about 15 days to complete a report. Good luck, Nicolas I hope to see it done when I return".
Yon folded her arms and asked awkwardly," And what about my project work? You promise to do it for me." Jake smiled." I already did it two days after we landed here." Yon and Nicolas gasped in shock," You're done?!" The whole family burst into laughter, lightening the mood despite Jake's departure. "Don't worry guys," Jake said with a smile ."I will learn my Japanese and I'll train hard. "
With a wave, he stepped into the taxi, smiling as it pulled away. The taxi reached the base of the mountains. Jake stepped out, grabbed his gear and headed deep into the forested heights. After hours of hiking, he found a perfect clearing to settle. He dropped his bag and sighed, "Where do I even start? I acted like I didn't care about them...That was lame. Alright, let me go deeper into the mountains, find food sources before mine runs out."
By sunset, Jake had marked key survival spots across the mountain, ranging fruit-bearing trees, a freshwater stream teaming with fish and a potential hunting zone. The next morning, his swordsmanship training began. He practiced fast and focused swings with his wooden sword, sprinting from the mountaintop to the base, sharpening his reflexes.
Mornings were for sword drills, afternoon for meals and Japanese lessons, and evening for meditation. A week in, Jake intensified his routine. He built fifteen wooden dummies to practice attack angles and precision. His moves have become sharper and he moves swiftly when he holds his wooden sword. He tied heavy rocks to a rope and ran daily with the weight dragging behind him.
His body hardened; his movements became swift and deadly. In the final four days, Jake met again with Zaki in a mental flash, training his mind with the techniques linked to the Kawasaki helmet. His language studies now served only for activating his skills.
He had destroyed every wooden dummy. His willpower to become a sword master is beginning to bear fruit. But Jake's food supply is running. "I better hunt something...." He muttered. He moved through his marked zones, but found no animals. "Wield. Everything is gone? I think I need to explore deeper."
While trekking farther into the mountains, he spotted a strange cave in the distance. Birds fled the trees around it. Jake stopped, alert. "What's this presence....?" He moved cautiously toward the cave. A deep growl echoed from the shadows. Sharp eyes emerged. An 8-foot tall bear stepped into the light. It's eyes locked on Jake. Hungry. Lurking.
Jake froze. "It's huge... and fast. What do I do." The bear roared and charged. Jake barely dodged running in circles, heart pounding. Before he could react, the bear swiped, Jake blocked it with his arms but he was thrown backward, sliding towards a cliff's edge.
He spat blood. His hand was torn. "Can I win this? No...this is too much for me." Then in a flashback, he heard the voice of his teacher," In swordsmanship, if you show weakness when you're hurt, you become a prey."
His eyes snapped open. Focus returned. As the bear lunched again, Jake rolled away, eyes burning with resolve. He grabbed his wooden sword, moving with purpose. He dodged the next strike, leaped onto the bear's back, and hammered it hard. The beast roared. Jake sprang left, aimed, and delivered a dual strike across its face, splinters flew as his wooden sword cracked in half. He retreated panting.
Then he dashed towards a nearby tree, run along it's log, and launched himself high into the air, striking the bear's left eye mid-flight. Landing, Jake gasped. "Sensei, told me the Kawasaki Ninjas could kill bears with a katana... but a wooden sword? Now that's funny? He chuckled.
The bear howled, blinded in one eye. Jake seized his moment, one more jump this time targeting the other eye. He landed the hit, but the bear lashed out, clawing Jake's chest and flinging him across the ground.
Bleeding, buttered, Jake watched the Bear tear the sticks from its eyes, but it staggered, vision ruined. Jake saw the bear was vulnerable, he grabbed the broken sword halves, robbing the two surfaces together with intense force until turns point sharp edges. Then charged in. He slides low, slicing the bear's leg. The beast dropped to one knee. Jake saw the opening, his chance.
With a war cry, he sprinted forward and swung both sharpened sticks across the bear's neck, clean and fast. Blood sprayed. The bear's head and neck splits into two. The massive beast collapsed. Jake went down to his knees, crying, laughing, victorious. "Finally...I'm a sword master!"
On Jake's 100th day, he didn't do any physical training. Instead, he focused on Japanese writing and deep meditation. His last battle with the beast had taught him the importance of staying calm and focused during combat.
Later that afternoon, Yon and Nicolas, having completed their 15 day expedition report, were eager to see Jake after his time away in the mountains. Yon cooked one of Jake's favorite meals: rice and sushi with soup.
They booked a private taxi and set off to bring him back home. Yon was visibly excited, sitting in the taxi, Nicolas noticed her smiling brightly. He leaned in and asked," hey Yon, can I ask you something?" Yon turned to him with a curious tilt, "What is it ?" Nicolas chuckled softly, "Do you like.... Jake?" Yon immediately blushed. "What...What are you talking about? I just like his personality, that's all." "Okay, if you say so." Nicolas replied with a smirk. As he turned his face towards the window, he thought to himself," I know you have feelings for Jake." He smiled quietly.
When they arrived at the mountains, they stepped out with their belongings and followed the trail. As they moved through the dense path, they suddenly paused, shocked. All around them were shattered dummies, broken clean half.
" Did Jake do this?" Yon asked, wide-eyed. Nicolas nodded." It doesn't scare me, if someone wants to become a Kawasaki Ninja, they need to push their limits". They kept walking and began calling Jake's name. His voice echoed back in response, and they followed the sound to his camp.
When they saw him, they were stunned. Jake looked different, taller, more muscular and calmer. "Hey, guys," Jake greeted them with a smile. " I sensed you coming from miles away" .Nicolas laughed awkwardly, "Staying in the mountains for just two weeks turned you into a wild animal ". They all burst into laughter. Yon raised an eyebrow. "What's this new outfit you're wearing?"
Jake chuckled "Bear's skin. I used it to make clothes, cushions and Pillows". Yon and Nicolas were speechless. "You.... killed a bear? And it was big enough to make clothes and cushions? Yon gasped.
Jake nodded, "It was about eight-foot . And I killed it with a wooden sword." "You killed an eight-foot bear with a wooden sword? Nicolas repeated, stunned Jake.... you've really changed from archeologist to a full blown ninja." Yon asked," where did you find this so-called monster you slayed? Jake replied," I think it was in the deepest cave within the mountains. Why is something wrong Yon?" Yon gasped." If what you're saying it's true, then you slayed the legendary bear king, The shadow lurker ." Jake raised an eyebrow "the shadow lurker?"
"Yes," Yon continued. "The height and your description match it perfectly. According to my clan's history, when they used to train Kawasaki Ninjas, part of their final test was to face a bear alone. Slaying it means you'd earned a place as a true Kawasaki Ninja."
"But among those bears, their king, the Shadow Lurker was the most feared. Zaki's father was the last known person to slay a bear King. After that, a new one rose, smarter deadlier. It was said to have mystical abilities that could fool the elite ninjas. Many young ninjas tried and died. Even Zaki couldn't defeat it. Rumor had it, the new bear king could manipulate shadow and evade the sharpest senses."
Jake stared in awe for a moment , then grinned. "Well, I guess I passed without knowing." They laughed together, then sat down to enjoy the meal Yon had prepared. After some time, they packed Jake's belongings, ready to take him back home. They arrived in the evening, where Yon's family had prepared a surprise feast for Jake's arrival. As the taxi came to a halt and the door screeched open, the entire family erupted in cheers.
Miss Taiku and her mother approached Jake and performed a short welcoming ritual. "Jake, you've changed so much in just two weeks" she giggled. "Come and sit down, we've been waiting for you ". Jake smiled warmly as he was about to take his seat when he heard the blare of the television from the living room.
A breaking news broadcast caught his attention. "Militech robots have gone rogue. General Kuto has urged all civilians to evacuate immediately. He claims the cause is a network disturbance interfering with the robots control Systems."
The rest of the family gathered around the screen. A tense silence fell over the room. Jake's eyes narrowed with intensity. Without a word, he rushed to his room and Yon chased after him. Jake removed the helmet from the bag.
Jake stepped out of the house and placed the helmet on his head ."Oh gods of the Kawasaki clan, grant me the power to slay my enemies". He recited. Nothing happened. "Jake, please.... don't force it," Yon said, her voice trembling. Tears welled up in her eyes and rolled down her cheeks. "I'm scared.....I don't want to lose you ," she whispered. Jake paused.
The weight of her words and tears hit him deeper than he expected. He turned back, walked up to her slowly and gently wiped the tears from her eyes. Looking into her gaze, he leaned in close and whispered," I will be alright."
Yon nodded slowly, though her heart still raced. Jake took a deep breath and turned back towards the sky." I think I've been saying the incarnation wrong this whole time." "But.... Zaki gave it to you, didn't he? She asked softly.
"Yeah, but even he made a mistake in it," Jake replied, closing his eyes to remember Zaki's words clearly. "Oh gods of my predecessors, grant me the strength to slay the enemies of your people."
Suddenly, blue energy surged through the helmet. This time, it didn't burn him, it embraced him. The war outfit wove itself over his body, piece by piece.
His armor shimmered. His cape unfurled behind him, etched with ancient Japanese scripts, Kanji, Hiragana and Katana. He watched how amazing the suit is on him. The Cape was the source through which he channeled his energy based abilities.
He activated the cape. The characters floated into the air as he chanted:. "ウルトラフライト ", ("ultra flight.") The letters glowed, then dissolved into his body, unlocking internal flight ability. Jake turned to Yon one last time, and gently said, "I will be back soon." Then, with a flash of blue light, he launched into the sky, leaving Yon staring upward, her heart pounding, as his glowing trail vanished into the clouds.
Miss Taiku saw Yon looking at the clouds. She approached her," Yon, I know how hard it is to let someone you care about leave you, for the sake of our people. This is the path he has chosen, we need to support him." She hugged her and placed her head on her chest. Moving at a super speed, Jake used the helmet's vision to locate the rogue militech units. He spotted a group attacking civilians below.
A woman clutching her baby was moments away from death. He landed on top of a building just in time. He calls out , "刀の刃",("Katana blade.") A glowing Japanese word appeared before him and materialized into a gleaming katana.
Grabbing it, Jake dived downward with a breathtaking speed, slicing through the enemy robots from the end of the road to the next market block. His cuts were clean and precise, every move fueled by determination. The citizens looked up in awe, shouting in unison: "Kawasaki Ninja!, Kawasaki Ninja!, Kawasaki Ninja!" Cameras flashed as journalists captured photos of the mysterious new warrior. Jake, floating above the crowd, looked down for a moment, then disappeared into the sky, leaving only a streak of blue in his wake.
Jake soared above the clouds, taking a route high enough so no one could spot him. The wind rushed past him as he cut through the sky like a blade, focused and determined. Suddenly, a static hum echoed from inside the helmet.
"Hey, hey." Jake's eyes narrowed. "Who's there?" He asked ."You seem to have forgotten your predecessor's voice," the familiar voice replied. Jake late out a soft chuckle. "Oh, now I remember. Old man Zaki. I thought you'd stopped bothering me." Zaki answered in a playful tone
" You're a big fish in a small pond now. Try showing a little respect." "Okay sir," Jake responded with a grin. But Zaki's tone shifted, serious and grave. "Jake...the robots attacking civilians? That's only the beginning. The real war is yet to
come, and it's closer than you think ."
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