As Takemichi leaves the place, Mikey watches him with a mixture of sadness and longing, carrying Izana home on his back.
Emma rushes towards them, her face etched with concern.
Emma: "What happened, Mikey? Who did this to you?"
Mikey's voice trembles slightly as he responds, "It was South and Senju again, but this time, Takemichi intervened..."
Emma's eyes widen with surprise and worry, "Takemichi? He's here? I want to meet him! Where is he?"
Mikey's gaze shifts, clouded with uncertainty, "I don't think he has any plans to come back."
Emma's expression falls, mirroring Mikey's disappointment, "What?"
As Mikey gently lays Izana on the sofa, he catches his grandpa's meaningful glance, silently urging him to come to his room.
Entering his grandpa's room, Mikey is blindsided by a sudden attack, sending him crashing to the ground.
Mansako's voice carries a tone of superiority, "Now, how does it feel to lose, Mikey?"
Mikey's voice quivers with regret, "I'm sorry... I just wanted to take him back with me..."
Mansako's stern tone softens briefly, revealing a hint of empathy, "Nonsense! You're not giving me any right answers. I asked how it feels! Anyway, if he doesn't want to come, then it's not our problem. Just leave him..."
Mikey's heart feels heavy as Mansako exits the room, leaving him alone with his tumultuous thoughts.
** Meanwhile takemichi with tanaka and Suzuki **
Suzuki's brow furrows with concern, "Shinjuku? Why the sudden urge to go there?"
Takemichi's eyes reflect a mixture of resolve and uncertainty, "There's something there, something I need to confront... It's personal."
Tanaka's voice carries a note of loyalty, "If you need backup, we've got your back."
Takemichi shakes his head gently, his voice carrying a sense of solitary determination, "No... This is something I must face alone. There's someone waiting for me, someone strong .
A silent tension fills the air as Takemichi's words hang heavy with meaning. Suzuki and Tanaka exchange understanding glance .
**In Shinjuku...**
Takemichi, after days of relentless brawling, finally stumbled upon the designated barber shop.
Takemichi: "They sent me here... Are they messing with me?"
He eyed the barber's sign, realizing it was his next destination.
Takemichi: "A barber shop... Time for a fresh cut."
Inside, he faced a guy with pink hair and piercing green eyes behind a mask.
Barber: "Welcome, sir!"
Takemichi sized him up, suspicious.
Takemichi: "What's with the grin?" (Thought)
As the barber worked, Takemichi caught his smirk.
Takemichi: "Why the smirk?"
Barber: "Just a familiar vibe. You remind me of someone." (smirks)
Takemichi: "Is that so... Just here for a cut."
Barber: "A cut to remember, coming right up!"
After the transformation, Takemichi resembled Shinichiro, but with piercing blue eyes.
Barber: "Like the new look, Sano? Your brother's been here too." (smirks)
Takemichi: "So, you're the Shinjuku King, huh?" (smirks) "You made me roam around, you little punk!"
Takemichi confronted Haru.
Haru: "You're not wrong. Knew a Sano would come eventually. But why now ?
Takemichi - "To conquer Shinjuku!"
Their confrontation turned intense, Takemichi landing a punch on Haru.
Haru - argh ! Really ?!
Haru: "If you're serious about Shinjuku, let's go all out!"
Takemichi: "I'll crush you with my PEE PEE!"
Haru: And "I'll crush you with my dICK !"
**Meanwhile, with Izana and Mansako...**
Mansako sat in his study, a stoic figure amidst the serenity, as Izana stepped into the room, his presence a tumultuous ripple in the calm.
Mansako: "..."
Izana's voice quivered with determination, a plea wrapped in urgency.
Izana: "Grandpa, I need your guidance."
Mansako's eyes, pools of wisdom and shadow, remained fixed on the teacup in his hand.
Mansako: "...Speak."
Izana's words hung in the air, heavy with the weight of his resolve.
Izana: "I implore you, Grandpa. Train me. I cannot abide weakness any longer."
Mansako's silence was a palpable force, a barrier between the world and his thoughts.
Mansako: "Nonsense."
Izana's breath caught in his throat, a torrent of frustration and longing.
Izana: "Takemichi... He rendered me powerless. I refuse to be helpless any longer."
Izana's confession echoed in the chamber, a cry for salvation.
Mansako's gaze, an ocean of memories and regrets, softened ever so slightly.
Mansako: "Truth?"
Izana's nod was resolute, a vow etched in the depths of his soul.
Mansako's countenance shifted, the veil of indifference momentarily lifted.
Mansako: "Shinichiro... burdened us with his legacy."
Mansako rose from his seat, a titan stirred from slumber, his resolve burning like a beacon in the darkness.
Izana watched, transfixed by the metamorphosis unfolding before him.
Izana: "Where do we go from here?"
Mansako's voice, a whisper of destiny, carried the weight of generations past.
Mansako: "Prepare yourself. Our journey begins anew."
Izana, bewildered yet emboldened by his grandfather's decree, dared to question the unknown.
Izana: "But why now?"
Mansako's lips curled into a knowing smile, a harbinger of trials yet to come.
Mansako: "For you, my child, are the harbinger of change."
Izana's heart swelled with the gravity of his newfound purpose.
Izana: "Ahaha..."
Their odyssey toward strength and understanding had only just begun.
**Inside the Barber Shop...**
Takemichi and Haru engage in a swift and enigmatic altercation, their movements fluid and elusive, each anticipating the other's next move with calculated precision.
The atmosphere crackles with tension as Takemichi's resolve clashes against Haru's silent menace, their conflict veiled in shadows and obscured by uncertainty.
In a brief flurry of motion, the confrontation reaches its zenith before abruptly subsiding, leaving behind an aura of unresolved tension hanging in the air.
Takemichi and Haru stand apart, their gazes locked in a silent exchange fraught with unspoken truths, each harboring secrets known only to themselves.
END of this chapter..
