As Jake and his friends approached his family’s residence in the late hours of the night, the familiar warmth of home greeted them. Standing at the front door were Fumio and Elizabeth Harada, their faces etched with worry, and their tense posture betraying the hours they had spent anxiously waiting for the teenagers’ safe return. The moment they saw Jake pulling into the driveway, their expressions shifted from concern to immense relief, their shoulders relaxing as the fear and tension dissolved from their hearts.

As soon as Jake and his friends stepped out of the car, Elizabeth wasted no time in expressing her relief and love. She immediately swept her son into a tight embrace, her arms wrapped around him protectively. "Jake! I was so worried about all of you!" she confessed, her voice a mixture of anxiety and relief. "I saw the news about Professor Elden's arrest—I couldn’t believe he was the mastermind. Did any of you get hurt?" she finished, her hands gently holding Jake's face, inspecting him from head to toe as if he were still her little boy, searching for any signs of injury.

Jake glanced at his friends, who stood nearby offering teasing grins, amused by the tender display and full of respect for the warmth and love that surrounded him. His mother’s hands still held his face, and while Jake was a teenager now, caught in the awkward balance of adolescent embarrassment and gratitude for his mother’s concern, he couldn’t help but blush. “Mum, my friends are watching,” he whispered, a sheepish grin creeping across his face as his cheeks flushed with embarrassment.

Elizabeth, however, showed no sign of being fazed. “What’s there to be embarrassed about? You’re still my little boy!” she declared, her maternal affection unabashed. Jake’s friends burst into laughter at his expense, only to be silenced by a sharp, playful glance from Elizabeth. "What’s so funny? Come here, all of you! I’m giving you hugs too!" she announced, gathering them all in a warm embrace. Despite the lighthearted embarrassment, Carter, Luna, and Akane felt a deep sense of gratitude, touched by the maternal love and care Elizabeth extended to them.

Standing with his arms folded, Fumio observed the scene with a cool demeanor, his lips curled into a playful grin. "Dear, I told you not to worry," he said to Elizabeth with a teasing undertone. "I missed a good part of the baseball game when you made me switch the channel to the news!" His words carried an unserious, joking tone. "I knew Jake and his friends would be fine. See? I told you so!" He patted his son’s back, showing his laid-back attitude, as if he'd had complete faith in their abilities all along.

Elizabeth, however, wasn’t having any of Fumio’s relaxed attitude. With a mock-serious tone, she turned to him and shot back, "Fumio Harada! They’re just teenagers. You should’ve been worried." Her mock sternness, though playful, carried a subtle seriousness. "And as for your baseball game—you're on house chores duty this week, Mr. Harada!" Her declaration, said with an air of governance over the Harada household, left Fumio with an exaggerated look of regret.

"Oops! What did I just say?" Fumio sighed dramatically, while the group of teenagers erupted into laughter, enjoying the playful banter between the older couple.

Jake, still grinning from the light-hearted scene, quickly sobered up and broke the moment of family joy. "Dad, I need to ask you about the sword," he said, his voice filled with curiosity and a hint of urgency.

Elizabeth, catching the shift in tone, softened. "Jake, I know you’ve got a lot of questions for your dad," she said, her expression knowing, as if she was aware of more than she let on. "And I’m sure you all want some answers too." She smiled warmly at Jake’s friends. "Let’s not stand out here. Come inside to the living room where we can all sit down and talk." With that, she led the group into the comforting space of the Harada household, promising the revelations they’d been waiting for.

As they gathered in the Harada household living room, the atmosphere had shifted from lighthearted to serious. Jake, Luna, Carter, Akane, and Elizabeth sat together on the soft carpet, forming a circle, while Fumio reclined in his personal couch—his "throne"—where he usually watched baseball with a laid-back air. He leaned back comfortably, as though the fact that Jake now wielded the Sword of Flame was just a regular occurrence.

"Feel free to ask any questions. I'll try my best to answer," Fumio offered casually, his voice relaxed. "But it’s late, so I’ll answer as much as I can tonight. Remember, I have a baseball game to play tomorrow." His nonchalant attitude made it clear that, to him, baseball was still a priority even in the midst of such pressing matters.

Elizabeth, not allowing his laid-back demeanor to dismiss the importance of the moment, shot him a mock stern glance. "Don’t worry about him. I’ll make sure he answers all your questions before he goes to bed," she assured the teenagers, her authoritative presence filling the room.

"Okay, fine! I’ll answer all the questions," Fumio sighed, giving in to his wife’s insistence, clearly understanding who held the real authority in the house.

The teenagers, feeling a sense of relief with Elizabeth on their side, knew they would finally get the answers they had been seeking.

Luna was the first to break the silence, her voice filled with urgency as her mission came full circle. The truth of the Sword of Flames was right in front of her. "Mr. Harada, can you tell us why you own the Sword of Flames and passed it to Jake?" she asked eagerly, her eyes focused on Fumio, searching for answers.

Fumio touched his chin, his gaze distant as he reminisced about the past. "The sword has always been with my family, entrusted from generation to generation," he began, his tone carrying the weight of history. "The Harada family has been the guardian of the Sword of Flames for centuries. Our duty is to protect it and ensure it does not fall into the wrong hands."

Jake, startled by the revelation, glanced at his father, confusion clear on his face. "Dad... Mum... Why are you only telling me about this now?" he asked, his voice carrying a mix of curiosity and frustration. All his life, he had been unaware of his family's lineage and the sacred trust they had been guarding.

Fumio then looked towards his wife, holding her hand and intertwining their fingers, a gesture that showed both love and unity from their shared life journey. He looked at the teenagers and began explaining, "When the duty of the Sword of Flames was passed to me, I was uninterested. My dream was always baseball!" he added with a hint of nostalgia. "During my younger days, as the heir of the Sword of Flames, I led a group of samurais, including your uncle, Kenjiro Nomura. We were tasked with guarding its secret from the world and seeking out other swords to prove our sword's superiority. It was an adventurous yet hectic life, far from normal."

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"Uncle Nomura is involved too? That's so cool! Does he have a legendary sword as well?" Jake asked excitedly, recalling that he hadn’t seen his uncle in years.

"No, Jake, your uncle doesn’t own any legendary sword. Now, let me finish my story!" Fumio said, slightly disgruntled at being interrupted, eager to continue his tale. "As I was saying, I hated the responsibility of being the guardian of the Sword of Flames, fighting without purpose just to prove it was the strongest." He continued with a sigh. "Even trying to find the owners of the other legendary swords felt like a wild goose chase. The owners stay hidden, wanting to avoid unwanted attention," Fumio explained. "So, I decided to leave that duty behind and chase my dream of playing baseball in America." He spoke proudly, his tone lightening.

"It was one fateful day when I went to a baseball game alone, and your mother just happened to be sitting next to me," Fumio recounted, beginning the story of how he met Jake’s mother. "We didn’t talk at all, even though we were cheering for the same team. We treated each other like strangers."

Elisabeth chimed in, smiling at the memory. "But fate had other plans! The Kiss Cam zoomed in on both of us, and we kept waving our hands, signaling that we weren’t a couple!"

Fumio chuckled at the memory. "The commentators even said we looked cute together, even though we weren’t."

Elisabeth blushed as she added, "Your father was the one who took the initiative."

"Yes, and so I asked for your mother’s number, and the rest is history!" Fumio said proudly, still delighted by the story. Then, with a chuckle, he shifted back to the serious conversation. "Alright, back to the topic. But I’m just so happy to have met your mother!" Fumio grinned, transitioning back. "I decided to marry her here in America and chase my baseball dream, and she supported me all the way." He added, "I told her the truth about my samurai heritage and how I was the guardian of the Sword of Flames. But for her and baseball, I was willing to leave that life behind. I stored the sword away and tried to forget about it."

Fumio’s tone softened as he turned to Jake. "And when you were born, I wanted to give you the most normal life I could, without the burden of the sword. But when Luna showed up and shared her mission, I knew it was time for you to take up that responsibility." He said, his eyes full of both pride and concern for his son.

Elisabeth’s voice, soft but steady, added weight to the moment. "Your father and I talked about it at length, Jake. We always wanted what was best for you. He never wanted you to carry the weight of the sword’s guardianship. But sometimes, fate finds you no matter how far you run from it." She glanced meaningfully at Luna as she finished, her words resonating with wisdom and understanding.

Jake looked at his parents with trust and respect as they entrusted him with the responsibility of the Sword of Flames. "Thanks, Mum and Dad. I promise to use it only when necessary, so no one will ever find out about it."

"Yes, Jake, but carrying the Sword of Flames comes with the danger of people not understanding the power it holds, even if they aren't the chosen one," Fumio cautioned, explaining the risks that came with wielding such a legendary weapon.

Carter, curious about Fumio's mention of the "chosen one," asked for clarification. "Mr. Harada, what do you mean by 'chosen one by the sword'?" he asked, wanting to understand the deeper meaning.

Fumio smiled and offered a practical demonstration. "It's better if I show you. Jake, pass the sword to Carter." Obediently, Jake handed the Sword of Flames to Carter, who took it with a mixture of excitement and awe at holding such a legendary weapon.

"Unsheathe the sword," Fumio instructed. Carter complied, drawing the blade with anticipation, but it remained just an ordinary sword. He swung it a few times, looking for any sign of its legendary power. "Careful, please!" Akane whispered, concerned about Carter's eager testing. Carter chuckled, "Just seeing if it reacts to a strong swing." But no flames appeared; the sword stayed dormant.

"Now, pass the sword back to Jake," Fumio continued, hinting that there was more to be revealed. The moment Jake took the sword back, the flames ignited along the blade, its fiery power instantly reawakening. It was clear—the sword had chosen Jake as its true wielder, granting him its pyrokinetic abilities.

Fumio then revealed the secret. "What I'm trying to say," he began, "is that a person doesn’t choose the sword—the sword chooses its master. It's all about affinity. While the Harada family may have an affinity with the Sword of Flames, that doesn't mean other legendary swords would align with our bloodline. Each sword seeks out the one with whom it shares a deeper connection."

The teenagers began to understand. "This explains it," Carter said, relieved. "No wonder Officer Ethan didn’t notice anything during the inspection. That was a close call."

Carter, ever the optimist about his chances of owning a legendary sword, leaned forward, his eyes sparkling with hope and excitement. "Mr. Harada, are you saying there's a chance I could be the owner of a legendary sword myself?" he asked, his voice filled with earnestness and curiosity.

Fumio's lips curled into a teasing smile, his eyes gleaming with playful mischief. "Maybe," he said, pausing dramatically for effect. "But looking at you, I’d say your chances are pretty slim." His words, though light-hearted, sent a wave of laughter through the room. Carter, though mildly disappointed, couldn’t help but laugh along with the others. However, Luna didn’t join in the laughter. She remained focused, her mind set on finding the remaining swords, hoping Fumio could provide any clue to aid her mission.

Luna, her gaze steady and serious, broke through the lighthearted atmosphere with a direct question. "Mr. Harada, do you have any clues about where we might start looking for the other swords?"

Fumio leaned back in his couch, touching his chin as he considered Luna’s words. "Unfortunately, I have no clue," he admitted, a hint of regret in his tone. "I've led a normal life for too long. And, Luna, forgive me, but I don’t believe the seven swords would all choose the same owner."

Luna responded with quiet certainty. "But it’s the truth. In the future, the Overlord held all seven swords."

Fumio furrowed his brow, thinking deeply before gently challenging her claim. "Did you actually see the Overlord use all seven swords with your own eyes?"

Luna hesitated before softly replying, "No."

Fumio nodded. "I believe the Overlord might be creating an illusion, making it seem like he holds all seven swords to intimidate the public. But I’m not convinced he’s truly a carrier of all of them."

Jake, concerned for Luna, turned to his father. "Dad, is there anything you can do to help her?"

Fumio pondered for a moment. "Perhaps a visit to Japan to seek out your Uncle Nomura might help. He may have some knowledge about the other swords."

Luna's eyes lit up with hope. "Thank you, Mr. Harada. I’ll go to Japan and ask for his help."

"Hold on, Luna," Fumio interjected, his voice protective. "Elisabeth and I have talked about it, and we’ve decided to let Jake accompany you."

Elizabeth, with her nurturing concern, added, "It’s not safe for a girl from the future to travel alone. And since summer break is coming up, Jake’s studies won’t be affected. He’ll go with you."

Luna’s eyes shimmered with gratitude. "Thank you, Mr. and Mrs. Harada," she said softly. Jake smiled at his parents. "Thanks, Dad. It’s been a while since I saw Uncle Nomura."

Carter, always eager for adventure, jumped in. "Wait a minute! If you’re going to Japan, I’m coming too!" Akane, without saying a word, nodded, signaling her intention to join as well.

Elizabeth, with a mix of pride and concern, concluded, "Looks like all of you are going together! Just be careful, okay?" Jake’s voice brimmed with excitement. "We will, Mum! Japan, here we come!"

And so, the stage was set for the next chapter of their adventure, as the America Arc drew to a close, leaving the promise of new discoveries and challenges waiting in the land of the rising sun.