Monday evenings were always bustling in Kawasaki City. Merchants flooded the streets, receiving shipment from across Japan and distributing goods to local convenience stores. Cities like Osaka, Tokyo, Kyoto and more had supplies delivered through this hub.
That evening, Jake was deep in training, welding the blade his teacher had given him after his victory over the Bear King. His technique has sharpened greatly, each move slicing through the wind graceful precision. He glided across the grass like a bird in mid-dance, swift and elegant.
High above the window of a nearby building, Yon watched in silence. Her eyes glowed as she took the beauty of Jake's swordplay. A gentle tugged at her lips. He didn't know she was there. Just then, Tanpopo passed by and noticed Yon peering over the edge. She crept up behind and hugged her from behind.
"Shhh!" Yon hushed her quickly, motioning downward. Tanpopo peeked over the edge. Her eyes lit up as she saw Jake in motion. A mischievous grin spread across her face as she leaned closer to Yon and whispered.
"Do you have a crush on Jake?" Yon jerked slightly, cheeks warming. "What are you saying? Jake is just.... a friend." "Just a friend?" Tanpopo smirked. "Are you sure?" Yon's face turned bright red."Okay, he's more like a close friend." She admitted, her voice softening.
"Jake is.... different. He's kind, honest and always puts others before himself. I think.... I like that about him." Tanpopo laughed quietly. "Wow, look at you, liking a boy's personality. Didn't you cry the day he went to rescue those people at the market? Don't you think it's more than personality?"
Yon turned crimson. "Stop it, Tanpopo! " Their giggles grew louder. Jake looked up and called out from below,"Yon! ," Startled, she ducked quickly beneath the window frame, leaving Tanpopo standing in plain view. Tanpopo waved cheerfully back at Jake and shut the window.
"Why are you hiding? He's been greeting you for three months now. And you ducked the moment he called you! Yon hesitated, placing a hand at her chest.
"My heart started beating fast....the moment I heard his voice." Tanpopo nodded knowingly. "Yep. That's called having a crush." She smiled brightly. I saw it in your eyes the day you came back from the U.K. You can lie to everyone else, Yon but not to your heart."
With that, she gave Yon a playful wink and stepped out of the room, leaving her sister quietly smiling. A few moments later, Jake finished his training and walked into the house. It was unusually quiet. As he stood in the hallway, wondering what is going on, Miss Taiku passed by.
She paused and looked at him. "Jake you look a little lost. Need help with something ?" Jake sighed. "Miss Taiku, have you seen Yon or Nicolas by any chance?" Miss Taiku chuckled softly. "Ah, so that's what has you wandering around. Yon is helping me in the kitchen, and Nicolas mentioned he's catching up with his family." She then added with a warm smile," Have you heard from your family?"
Jake's expression brightened." Yeah. My mother called me yesterday." Miss Taiku smiled back. "That's lovely to hear. If she calls again, send her my warmest regards." Jake nodded." I will." Miss Taiku tilted her head." Jake, are you free right now? " "Yeah, I am. Do you need something?" "I need a few things from the convenient store. We're running low on supplies, and I was hoping you could pick them up."
Just then, Yon entered the hall. "Hey Jake. Sorry I didn't answer earlier. Did you need something? " Before Jake could respond, Miss Taiku cut in. "Sorry Yon, Jake's heading to the convenience store to pick up some items, we're out of stock." Yon asked hopefully." Can I tag along with you, Jake?"
Miss Taiku smiled playfully." Not this time. You'll be helping me in the kitchen. " Yon chuckled and gave Jake a small wave. Her smile faded silently as she turned and headed back to the kitchen. Jake went to his room. Nicolas was on a video call with his mum. Jake leaned in and greeted her with a warm "Hi." "Nicolas, I'll be running a few errands for Miss Taiku. So if you don't see me around, I've stepped out." Nicolas nodded and replied.
" Alright, just be careful out there." He gave Jake a playful wink. As Jake was about to leave, a strange feeling hit him, something heavy at his tugged at his thoughts. " I've been having a bad feeling since morning..... Maybe I should take my helmet with me. Who knows what could happen." He rushed back to the room, grabbed his helmet, and tucked it into a separate backpack before heading to the kitchen.
Standing by the door, he called out. "I'm off! " Both Miss Taiku and Yon responded in unison. "Okay! "Jake stepped out of the house. Yon watched him go, her heart sinking. She tried to stay composed, but her mood dropped.
Miss Taiku, noticing her quietness while she chopped the vegetables very slowly, gently held her daughter's hand. " You look a little down. Are you feeling unwell ? Or..." She paused, then smiled knowingly "Wait a minute, is this because of Jake?"
Yon blushed, caught off guard, but couldn't deny it. She gave a small nod. Miss Taiku pulled her into a warm embrace." If you really like him, tell him how you feel before someone else does." Yon pulled away slightly, a bit flustered. "I thought you were going to encourage me, not tease me..." Miss Taiku laughed softly." But it's true. Don't let someone else take what could be your happiness." Yon smiled, cheeks still warm but heart a little lighter. She turned back to her work, her motivation quite reignited.
Jake took a bus to the city. The city was alive, with energy, crowded streets, towering skyscrapers and luminous lights reflecting off every glass surface. The hustle of the evening painted a typical Kawasaki vibe. He arrived at the convenience store just in time. It was packed with goods, from children's snacks to household items and tools.
With a sheet in hand, Jake moved swiftly through the aisles, picking up every item on the list. Once done, he went to the counter and paid the bill. Just as he stepped out.... A thunderous explosion shook the ground. Two buildings across the street erupted in flames, collapsing into the road fiery mess. Fortunately, no civilians were inside. Chaos followed. People screamed and scattered, running in all directions, desperate for safety.
Jake's eyes widened. Instinct took over. He ducked into a quiet alley where no one could see him. With urgency, he opened his backpack and pulled out the helmet. He placed it on his head. In an instant, a surge of blue energy enveloped his body, forming his suit and the Japanese characters-lined cape with a burst of light.
The Kawasaki Ninja had returned. With a sharp gust, he launched into the sky, soaring above the cityscape, his eyes scanning the horizon. The hunt for the enemy had begun. Jake dashed across several locations, scanning every corner for a nearby suspect, but nothing.
Just as he was about to move to switch zones, another building began to crumble. A little boy was walking across the streets, directly in it's path. Without hesitation , Jake surged forward and activates the cape's power: "照明エネルギー" (lighting Energy). Then he followed quickly with, "ライトニングエネルギー,ライトニングブリッツ!("lighting Energy, lighting blitz!" )
In a flash, lighting sparked through his suit. He shot forward at a super speed, launching the energy at the collapsing building and snatching the boy from harm's way, placing him safely on the sidewalk. Suddenly, Jake noticed movement, shadows flickering just beyond the rubble.
Through his visor, he caught a glimpse of several figures standing on a bridge above the crash site. Dressed in uniform, they stood still, watching. Jake moved in silently behind the crushed building. Then he raised his hand and drew glowing symbols in the air. "デュアルカタナ! " (Dual Katana). Two radiant katana blades materialized in his hands, as he stepped forward cautiously. "Who are you? " Jake's voice echoed, deep, calm but with weight. One of them began clapping, slowly, his voice dripping with sarcasm.
" Wow.... I'm impressed. The legendary hero has risen again to protect his people. The way you summoned those blades, impossible by ordinary means. And blasting a building with lightning? Without even a power source? Remarkable." Jake gritted his teeth and lowered into a fighting stance." I'll ask again, who are you people?" The man chuckled. "We are CODE VISION, the only force, destined to erase you and reshape the world. Each of our names represent a part of VISION ." Then, in a solemn tone, they all spoke their name in unison: "Vecna, Ibol, Sylvia, Iruka, Onell, Nia." "We are VISION."
Jake narrowed his eyes. "If you're Code Vision, then why does your logo look like an upside down 'A'?" The speaker grinned "Smart observation. The 'A' upside down...stands for the name of our leader, Aota.
Jake's eyes widened behind the helmet. Aota? The shock hit him like thunder. The stranger continued." But we have a way to help you out." Jake narrowed his eyes. "And that is?" "By accepting to follow us with General Kuto as our supreme lord." Jake paused, taken aback. "General Kuto is behind this plot?" "Yes," the stranger replied." And if you don't believe me, I have a message for you, from him."
He projected a hologram. General Kuto appeared, his expression calm but sinister. "Hello legendary hero" Kuto said ." I am General Kuto, join me and together we can rule this world. We can avoid unnecessary bloodshed." Jake stared him down." I would rather die than follow your twisted ideals."
General Kuto's smirk faded. "Then we will do this the hard way." The call ended abruptly. Ibol raised his hand, signaling the attack. In an instant, Sylvia and Nia leapt from the bridge and charged at Jake with blinding speed. Sylvia wielded her signature twin short guns, while Nia carried a specialized spear glowing with energy. They launched into a synchronized assault.
Sylvia opened fire, the bullets zipping faster than the naked eye could follow. But Jake deflected them all with precise swipe of his right blade. Nia followed with a flurry of spear strikes, but Jake skillfully repelled each with a swift spin and counter. His feet skidded across the asphalt as sparks flew around him. The rest of the elite unit stood on the bridge , watching Jake's speed and technique.
Onell stepped forward. "You're fast," he said with a smirk. "But you will never outrun my scythe." Onell's weapon was one of the rarest in Japan, a deceptively small dagger with button. When pressed, it unfolded into a full-sized scythe, perfect for surprise attack. Onell uses that form for surprise attacks.
Without a warning, he leapt from the bridge, swinging it with an incredible speed he jumped off the bridge. Jake evaded his strikes with calculated precision. Just as Onell pressed the button to extend the scythe in mid-swing, trying to catch him off guard, Jake leapt to the rooftop.
"That's a clever move," Onell muttered, preparing to strike again, but Ibol raised a hand. "Stop rushing in," he commanded." If we fight him one by one, he will learn our techniques. We attack together." Iruka frowned. "Is that wise? " "I don't know," Ibol replied." But it's better than getting wiped one by one. Let's go!"
They charged in like mad dogs unleashed. Ibol led the assault with his twin blades, clashing against Jake in a blur of high-speed strikes. Suddenly, Onell's scythe whipped past Jake's head. He ducked, only for Sylvia to unleash a hail of bullets. Jake deflected them with his right blade and kicked a nearby block toward her, forcing her to dodge.
Iruka, Vecna and Nia closed in, surrounding him. Vecna wielded thirty small daggers, each deadly, while Iruka moved in with a polished katana. Their clashes sent out shockwaves that blew debris into the air. Onlookers started to gather as fierce battle lit up the skyline. The Kawasaki Ninja had returned, and he wasn't alone. Meanwhile.... back at home, Yon and Miss Taiku was increasingly worried.
Jake hadn't returned after two hours. Miss Taiku called the convenience store manager to confirm if Jake was still there, but he said Jake had already left hours ago. Nicolas, drained from his call with his parents, switched on the TV, and froze. "Breaking news, the Kawasaki Ninja is back! He's battling an unknown group, suspected to be behind the recent city destruction."
The news struck Yon lightning. Without hesitation, she dashed out of the house. Miss Taiku couldn't stopped her. She turned to Nicolas. "Follow her, make sure she's safe" "Yon, wait! " Nicolas called, chasing after her. They jumped into a taxi and sped toward the city. They arrived quickly. The city was in chaos, crowds gathered, watching in fear and awe. Yon stepped out of the taxi and gasped. She saw Jake, fighting for his life, and peace. Yon screamed his name and tried to run to him, but Nicolas grabbed her.
"If you run out now, you'll only distract him and that could get him killed." Yon trembled, then collapsed into Nicolas's arms, crying. and that would be our end. The combined assault started to overwhelm Jake. Their number gave them the upper hand. Ibol saw an opening and struck Jake in the gut with a brutal kick, launching him across several blocks.
Jake caught himself in mid-air, landing hard."Heh.... they're strong. Too many at once...time to change gears." He formed hand signs and whispered: "6人のクローン人間が起動" ( "Activate six human clones.")
Instantly, six duplicates of Jake materialized. He handed his cape to one of them, the most advanced, keeping its full power reserved. The elite team looked stunned. " He can clone himself. What is he? " Iruka asked, eyes wide. Jake's clones rushed forward engaging the team.
The real Jake burst to Ibol. "Back for revenge? " Ibol taunted. Jake's punches came fast, too fast. Ibol blocked at first, but soon he couldn't keep up. Jake activated the symbols on his wrist, and a katana launched to him from the cape.
With a thunderous slash, he shattered Ibol's dual blades and delivered a crushing kick, launching him through fifteen buildings. The rest of the team froze. Jake's clones vanished in a flash, and his cape returned. In a streak of lighting, he dashed forward launching a fearsome force at Sylvia, sending her flying.
His fists cracked with power, and nearby buildings shook from the force. He kicked Onell at a perfect angle, sending him skidding 100° across the ground. Nia crushed in a nearby warehouse. Iruka and Vecna smashed into concrete walls.
Jake panted, his breath heavily." You really thought you could challenge a legendary hero?" In a hall distance Ibol managed to come back to Jake's neutral ground. "Oh, we were eager to see your power, hero. But it's a shame we'll be the ones to end you."
Jake looked up, they were all still standing, bloodied and bruised but smiling. "You survived that? " Iruka grinned. "You've seen nothing yet." Jake smirked. "You're strong... but foolish." Nia stepped forward "Let's end this." They all replied in solemn unison."Yeah."Jake tightened his grip on the katana. " Alright then...prepare yourselves. Playtime is over."