image [https://static.wikia.nocookie.net/swordbound-the-heros-journey-to-silence-the-seven/images/0/0f/Seiryu_Sweep.png] image [https://static.wikia.nocookie.net/swordbound-the-heros-journey-to-silence-the-seven/images/9/98/Slide_Dodge.png] image [https://static.wikia.nocookie.net/swordbound-the-heros-journey-to-silence-the-seven/images/1/14/Home_Run_Swing.png]
"Show me, Slugger!" Osamu taunted in broken English, and without warning, initiated their duel with a Seiryu Sweep, a move designed to undercut Jake’s stance by sweeping at his legs. But Jake, embodying resilience and agility, deployed a Slide Dodge with expert timing, evading the low strike. Seizing the moment, with Osamu still in a squat position from his sweeping move, Jake retaliated with a Home Run Swing, aimed with precision at Osamu's back, hitting him cleanly.
image [https://static.wikia.nocookie.net/swordbound-the-heros-journey-to-silence-the-seven/images/6/6d/Wild_Fury.png]
Taken aback by being struck so early in the fight, Osamu sneered angrily. "You sneaky bastard!" he shouted in Japanese, his voice filled with vengeful frustration. Unhappy about being hit so early on, Osamu immediately sought to return the favor. He unleashed Wild Fury, his metal pole dancing with dangerous intent in an all-out assault that combined swings, jabs, and spinning moves. The chaotic nature of the attack made Osamu confident that at least one strike would land.
image [https://static.wikia.nocookie.net/swordbound-the-heros-journey-to-silence-the-seven/images/0/01/Fielder%27s_Choice.png] image [https://static.wikia.nocookie.net/swordbound-the-heros-journey-to-silence-the-seven/images/f/fb/Jake_Harada_performing_Batter%27s_Intuition%2C_allowing_him_to_read_his_opponents%27_movements%2C_giving_him_the_ability_to_react_swiftly_and_strike_with_precision.png]
Jake's mind raced. Stay focused. Watch his movements. He decided to combine two of his strategic moves into one fluid defense. Employing Fielder’s Choice, he made split-second decisions to adapt his strategy, while Batter’s Intuition sharpened his perception of Osamu’s attacks. Each time the pole swung close, Jake was already a step ahead, dodging and weaving with precision. The crowd watched in awe as none of Osamu's strikes found their mark.
image [https://static.wikia.nocookie.net/swordbound-the-heros-journey-to-silence-the-seven/images/1/1e/Jake_performing_Fastball_Flick%2C_sending_a_barrage_of_small_objects_flying_at_high_speed_towards_his_enemies.png]
Osamu's frustration boiled over. "Aahhh!" he growled, the veins in his neck bulging. His attacks became wilder, more reckless. Sensing an opportunity, Jake quickly scooped up a handful of small pebbles from the ground. With a swift motion, he executed Fastball Flick, sending the pebbles hurtling towards Osamu at high speed. Each pebble struck its target, causing Osamu to flinch.
Though the pebbles did little physical damage, the psychological impact was profound. Osamu's confidence wavered as he realized his intimidation tactics were failing. How is he outmaneuvering me? he thought, a bead of sweat trickling down his forehead.
image [https://static.wikia.nocookie.net/swordbound-the-heros-journey-to-silence-the-seven/images/6/6e/Osamu%27s_Strike.png] image [https://static.wikia.nocookie.net/swordbound-the-heros-journey-to-silence-the-seven/images/6/62/Bunt_Block.png] image [https://static.wikia.nocookie.net/swordbound-the-heros-journey-to-silence-the-seven/images/9/91/Stealing_Bases.png] image [https://static.wikia.nocookie.net/swordbound-the-heros-journey-to-silence-the-seven/images/c/c4/Jake_Harada_performing_Home_Run_Swing%2C_swinging_his_baseball_bat_with_exceptional_power%2C_aiming_to_knock_out_opponents_or_send_projectiles_back.png]
Irrational with anger, Osamu just wanted to land a hit. He went for a straightforward Osamu's Strike, a powerful, sweeping blow toward Jake. But Jake, ever precise, held his bat like a shield and executed a Bunt Block, deflecting the incoming attack with ease. Quick on his feet, Jake immediately made a stealthy move, slipping behind Osamu with the agility of Stealing Bases. With a powerful Home Run Swing, Jake struck Osamu’s back again, this time sending him sprawling onto the floor.
Suddenly, the crowd of students and staff erupted into cheers. For the first time, Osamu—the figure they had feared and believed to be invincible—was knocked down. It was an unexpected, exhilarating moment for everyone witnessing the fight.
image [https://static.wikia.nocookie.net/swordbound-the-heros-journey-to-silence-the-seven/images/7/79/Bully%27s_Bluff.png] image [https://static.wikia.nocookie.net/swordbound-the-heros-journey-to-silence-the-seven/images/6/61/Jake_Harada_performs_Curveball_Confound_as_he_throws_an_object_that_curves_unpredictably%2C_disorienting_his_opponent..png]
But Osamu refused to concede. His grip on the steel pole remained firm, though the cheers for Jake wounded his pride deeply. The continuous hits from Jake clouded his judgment, pushing him to act out of desperation. In a final, reckless move, Osamu tried Bully's Bluff, pretending to launch a full attack in hopes of catching Jake off guard. But Jake was ready. Picking up another pebble, he employed Curveball Confound, throwing it with an unpredictable curve, hitting Osamu’s head and disorienting him.
image [https://static.wikia.nocookie.net/swordbound-the-heros-journey-to-silence-the-seven/images/1/1c/Grand_Slam.png]
Sensing the perfect opening in the crescendo of their duel, Jake raised his bat with everything at stake, initiating Grand Slam. His bat became an extension of his will as he leaped into the air, cutting through the tension-filled atmosphere, aiming for a decisive blow to end the fight.
In an unexpected twist, Pimiko suddenly stepped between Jake and Osamu, placing herself directly in the path of Jake's attack. With her arms spread wide, she used her own body as a barrier of flesh and bone against the impending strike. Jake, realizing this just in time, halted mid-air, stopping his bat before it could land on Pimiko, who was never meant to be part of the conflict. The intervention brought the battle to an abrupt halt.
Osamu, refusing to accept defeat, picked himself up, his grip on the metal pole unyielding. "I haven't lost! Let me continue!" he demanded angrily in Japanese, torn between his pride and the reality of the fight. He tried to push himself forward to continue, but Pimiko stepped in, holding him back.
With a more assertive and commanding tone, Pimiko spoke, "Enough damage has been done. I saw you making bad decisions throughout the fight—where were your Dominance Parry and Osamu's Guard? You were just blindly attacking," she pointed out, her words hitting home. Osamu, listening to her, realized there was truth in her critique. During the fight, he had been too focused on landing a hit on Jake, completely neglecting his defensive moves and always opting for the offensive.
"Let’s step back for now," Pimiko declared, pushing Osamu back, trying to de-escalate the situation.
Osamu, however, was not someone who forgave easily. With a final, threatening glare, he looked at Akane, knowing she understood Japanese. "You and your allies, consider this a summons to the school car park after classes!" he shouted, his voice laced with an ominous warning. "Evade this confrontation, and the consequences will be dire."
"Let’s just move," Pimiko said firmly, continuing to push Osamu away as he kept ranting. "HELP me rally PROUD in the club room," Osamu barked, ordering Pimiko as they both disappeared from sight, leaving the crowd behind.
As the crowd began to disperse, Jake put down his baseball bat and ran toward Akane. "Akane, are you alright?" Jake asked, his voice full of concern.
Akane smiled softly and whispered, "Jake, I’m alright. You did great!"
Curious about Osamu’s final outburst, Jake asked, "What was Osamu shouting at you about?"
Akane replied gently, "He said something about meeting at the car park after school..."
Jake, unfazed, responded, "We can talk about this later. Let’s go to the sick bay and check on Carter, Yoko, and Luna." With that, Jake and Akane headed to the sick bay to reunite with their friends.
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In the club room, Osamu and Pimiko were alone. Osamu was throwing a tantrum like a child, still in denial and furious about the result of the fight. He kept ranting, repeating the same story about how he should have won, while using his steel pole to randomly strike stationary objects—from walls to tables—venting his frustration. Pimiko let him be for a while.
"Those outsiders are ruining our reputation!" Osamu scorned. "We need to do something as a group to regain our footing. Have you called PROUD already?"
Pimiko, in her usual high-pitched, cute voice, replied, "Yes, yes, Big Boss, are you happy now?" But halfway through, she shifted to a more assertive, commanding tone. "So can you stop throwing your tantrum and stop messing up this room?" Pimiko’s frustration was evident, as the room was their hideout, and she knew it would fall on her and the others to clean it up.
Osamu, not wanting to anger Pimiko further, stopped his outburst.
image [https://static.wikia.nocookie.net/swordbound-the-heros-journey-to-silence-the-seven/images/6/69/Ushio_Tanaka%2C_equipped_with_his_signature_dumbbell_with_his_muscular_build%2C_distinct_grey_bald_haircut%2C_and_the_intimidating_aura.png]
Just then, the door creaked open, and the first to appear was Ushio Tanaka, his massive frame nearly filling the doorway like a gorilla. "Osamu! I heard you lost! Is it true?" Ushio asked, unknowingly rubbing salt on Osamu's wound, reigniting the anger Pimiko had just alleviated.
"I did not lose!" Osamu snapped, his frustration boiling over again. "I beat the sai-wielding girl you lost to, and the hockey guy you claimed was the strongest! Why didn’t you mention anything about the baseball bat guy?" Osamu swung his steel pole at random objects in the room, venting his frustration again.
Pimiko quickly intervened, stepping between Osamu and his outburst. "Hey, gorilla, can you stop asking stupid questions?" she said, using her body as a shield to halt his temper.
Ushio, slow-witted as ever, blinked in confusion. "What question? You mean the one about Osamu losing?" he asked innocently.
"I did not lose!" Osamu roared. "The fight ended because Pimiko stepped in! If she hadn't, I would've crushed that guy!"
"Ushio, keep your mouth shut now, can you?" Pimiko commanded assertively, her sharp glare silencing Ushio as he finally understood what she meant.
The door opened silently, accompanied by an eerie, ghastly wind that seemed to blow in with it. A figure stepped inside, clad in a traditional black Japanese long-sleeve school uniform and black pants. His white punch-perm hairstyle, sunken, weary eyes, and pale, almost ghostly skin tone created an unsettling, spectral appearance. His very presence amplified the chilling aura that surrounded him, even causing Pimiko—an ally—to instinctively hide behind Osamu.
image [https://static.wikia.nocookie.net/swordbound-the-heros-journey-to-silence-the-seven/images/b/b2/Reiji_Haruka_in_a_classroom_setting.png]
This was Reiji Haruka, an enigmatic force who exuded an aura of mystery and danger. With a voice that sounded sleepy yet carried an eerie resonance, he spoke. "Chaos and destruction?" he asked Osamu, unaware of why he had been summoned.
"Just be ready at the car park later this evening when school lets out," Osamu ordered curtly, giving no further explanation. Reiji, uninterested in the details, nodded and followed, knowing it would likely bring some fun.
image [https://static.wikia.nocookie.net/swordbound-the-heros-journey-to-silence-the-seven/images/1/12/Daika_Tsuyoshi_within_a_school_setting%2C_standing_confidently_in_the_school_courtyard.png]
Close on Reiji’s heels was Daika Tsuyoshi, exuding a serious yet rebellious demeanor. Her dark brown wavy short hair framed her face, while black eyeshadow and red lipstick added an edge to her appearance. Her uniform, worn over a red tank top and paired with a black skirt, was a purposeful reflection of her nonconformity to school traditions.
Seeing Osamu’s sulking expression, Daika asked with genuine concern, "What's our bad boy’s issue? Something went wrong?" Her tone was soft but caring.
Osamu stood up on a table, assuming his role as the group's leader. With a commanding voice, he declared, "Everyone! I need your help!" His tone wasn’t pleading, but demanding. "Our position in the school is being threatened! I rally you all to the car park after school dismissal to face a group of intruders!"
Osamu’s words were firm and resolute. "There will be students, teachers, and staff watching. We must win this fight to send a clear message to the whole school: PROUD is still the law here!"
image [https://static.wikia.nocookie.net/swordbound-the-heros-journey-to-silence-the-seven/images/d/d4/Pimiko_Nyanko_Profile.png] image [https://static.wikia.nocookie.net/swordbound-the-heros-journey-to-silence-the-seven/images/b/bc/Reiji_Haruka_Profile.png] image [https://static.wikia.nocookie.net/swordbound-the-heros-journey-to-silence-the-seven/images/b/b8/Osamu_Uchida_Profile.png] image [https://static.wikia.nocookie.net/swordbound-the-heros-journey-to-silence-the-seven/images/1/1f/Ushio_Tanaka_Profile.png] image [https://static.wikia.nocookie.net/swordbound-the-heros-journey-to-silence-the-seven/images/2/27/Daika_Tsuyoshi_Profile.png]
The gang, PROUD, founded by Osamu, took its name from the initials of its members: P for Pimiko, R for Reiji, O for Osamu, U for Ushio, and D for Daika. Together, they were PROUD, united by their shared desire for power within the school’s social hierarchy, commanding both respect and fear. Jake and his friends were unaware that a storm was brewing. Later, a confrontation would unfold at the school, where they would face off against PROUD in a battle that could determine the fate of all of Seiryu High.
Jake and Akane arrived at the sick bay, reuniting with Yoko, Luna, and Carter. Carter, who had passed out earlier from the pain caused by Osamu's beating, was now awake. He sat upright on the bed, his back exposed and covered in bruises, while the school nurse applied ointment to his wounds.
"Ah!" Carter winced slightly as the nurse applied the ointment.
"Don't move," the nurse instructed in Japanese, focused on treating his injuries properly.
"Bro, are you alright?" Jake asked, concerned as he looked at Carter's badly bruised back.
"I'm alright, bro!" Carter replied, flexing his bicep. "I’ve got a strong body!" he boasted, trying to reassure his friends. But in their minds, they still remembered him passing out from the pain.
The school nurse, sensitive to injuries, noticed Akane's arm and its large bruise. "Little girl, I think you’re hurt too. Are you injured anywhere?" she asked in Japanese. Akane quietly shook her head, avoiding attention.
Yoko, who knew Akane had fought Osamu earlier, stepped in. "School nurse, could you examine her too? She was in a fight," Yoko requested, worried about Akane since the confrontation had started because of her.
The school nurse gently guided Akane to another bed, pulling the privacy curtain to examine her injuries. After a few minutes, she emerged and spoke in Japanese, "I’ve examined your friend. Her arm and back are bruised too, but not as badly as the boy’s." Yoko's eyes brimmed with tears, and Akane immediately comforted her, whispering, "I’m okay."
Jake, Luna, and Carter, unable to understand the exchange in Japanese, turned to Yoko. "What’s going on?" they asked.
"Akane got injured too because of me. I don’t want any of you to get hurt because of my problem with the school bullies," Yoko said, blaming herself.
Jake patted his cousin on the back. "Yoko, it’s alright. I’ve dealt with that Osamu guy," he reassured her.
Yoko, Luna, and Carter looked at him, confused by what he meant. "Well, not exactly—I didn’t fully beat him. The girl with cat ears stepped in to protect him when I was about to land the finishing blow," Jake explained, describing what had happened between Akane, Osamu, and his fight.
When Jake finished his story, Yoko was surprised to learn that he had nearly defeated Osamu if not for Pimiko's intervention—the supposedly invincible figure of Seiryu High who had been undefeated for years. She also learned from Jake that Osamu had mentioned meeting at the car park after classes and had rallied PROUD, his gang of allies. This only meant one thing: a big showdown was coming.
"Jake, Osamu has challenged you to a gang fight later when he mentioned PROUD," Yoko explained in a worried tone. "PROUD is a five-member gang, and with Carter and Akane in their current condition, he might be counting on the numbers advantage to overpower you all," she said, clearly concerned.
"No worries, Yoko. Even if there are ten of them, I can take them," Jake replied optimistically.
"You don't understand what PROUD is capable of when they’re together!" Akane scolded him, but her tone was more of a concern than anger.
"Hey, Yoko, if it’s a gang fight, I’m still in!" Carter chimed in. Despite his injuries, he assured Yoko he could fight, and Akane nodded in agreement, showing she was ready too.
"Don’t forget I’m here as well," Luna reminded them, making it clear she was ready to stand by their side.
The unity between Jake and his friends was infectious. Yoko could sense that there was no way to persuade them to avoid the confrontation with PROUD—their determination and morale were too high. Touched by their solidarity and unwilling to let her cousin and friends fight her battle alone, she sighed. "Guess there’s no way I can stop you all," Yoko said, drawing out her tanto as a symbol of her resolve. "PROUD is a five-member gang. If we want a fair fight, I'm joining you. I can’t let you all fight my battle for me!"
Everyone in the room felt Yoko's determination. "Yoko!" Jake smiled, knowing he would now be fighting alongside his cousin.
"Before we go into this fight without a plan, let’s strategize first," Yoko suggested. "I want you all to meet someone in my class who can assist us with this."
"Absolutely! We’ll take on PROUD and make Seiryu High a better place!" The group agreed, leaving the sick bay and following Yoko to her classroom, ready to plan their strategy for the upcoming battle with PROUD.