The next morning, as the sun rose, Kenjiro had still not returned. Yoko had barely slept through the night, her sleep interrupted by every small sound that made her hope it was the front door opening and her father coming home, only to be disappointed each time.
"Morning, Yoko! Did you sleep well?" Carter greeted her with concern.
"Not really," Yoko responded, her voice heavy with worry. "Oto-san still hasn’t come back, and I’m starting to worry that something bad might’ve happened to him."
"Let’s not jump to conclusions," Jake chimed in, trying to lift her spirits. "Let’s stick to the plan. We’ll head to Seiryu High, meet Kaito, and get the sword back. Then we can all figure out the best way to find your father."
Jake’s optimism brought Yoko some comfort. "I’m sure Kaito will have a plan to help us," Jake continued, his confidence in their friend clear.
Yoko could only hope for the best, taking solace in their plan as they prepared to head to Seiryu High. Together, they took the train, their minds set on finding Kaito first and hoping for answers.
As they arrived at Seiryu High, the group's first action was to head straight to Yoko's classroom to look for Kaito, who they had entrusted with the Sword of Flame. He had promised to meet them at school today. Kaito, known for his punctuality, should have been at his desk by now. However, to their dismay, his desk was empty—no bag, no sign of him.
Yoko, growing anxious, approached her classmates, asking if anyone had seen Kaito around the school grounds. But each inquiry was met with the same disappointing answer—no one had seen him all day.
Jake, though worried, tried to stay composed. "Let’s split up and check the school. Maybe he's hiding somewhere to avoid getting detected," he suggested, hoping Kaito was laying low for a reason. "We'll meet back here in 20 minutes, whether we find him or not."
The group nodded in agreement and scattered, searching every corner of the school for their missing friend. But after 20 minutes of searching, they regrouped in Yoko's classroom with the same disappointing result—no sign of Kaito anywhere. Anxiety and frustration began to set in.
"I think the Yakuza caught him!" Yoko exclaimed, her voice trembling with panic. "They must have taken both Oto-san and Kaito!"
"Calm down, Yoko," Jake urged, maintaining his own composure despite the growing worry about the fate of the sword, his uncle, and their friend. "We need to stay focused and think this through. Let's look for clues—anything that might help us figure out where Kaito and your dad could be."
Turning to Luna, Jake asked, "Luna, can your futuristic gadgets help us locate them somehow?"
Luna, looking apologetic, shook her head. "Jake, I'm sorry. My skill, Digital Blade, can manipulate and interact with digital systems, but I don’t have any tracking capabilities. I can’t locate them with the tools I have," she explained, frustration evident in her voice.
Carter, equally frustrated, slammed his hockey stick against the floor. "What should we do now? This is bad!" he shouted, clearly upset that they seemed to be running out of options.
Out of nowhere, a soft whisper cut through the tense air—it was Akane, the usually quiet one among them. Her voice, usually reserved, mentioned a name. "Osamu..."
The group paused, staring at her, surprised at the mention of the formidable school bully and leader of PROUD, whom they had beaten and humiliated recently.
"Akane! You’re a genius!" Carter's eyes lit up as Akane’s suggestion suddenly opened a path forward. "He’s got connections with the Yakuza, and he might be able to help us find where Kaito and Kenjiro are!" Carter said, his optimism clear despite the tenuous hope that Osamu, of all people, would help.
However, doubt lingered among the group. "But I’m not sure if he’d be willing to help us after what happened. We embarrassed him," Yoko pointed out, expressing the hesitancy they all felt about seeking aid from someone they had so publicly defeated.
Jake, taking in the moment, decided this was the best option they had. "Let’s just approach him and see how it goes," he said, his tone firm and decisive. They needed answers, and Osamu might be the only lead to finding Kaito and Kenjiro.
With that, Yoko led them to where Osamu and his group usually hung out in the school, hoping for a miracle—that Osamu would let bygones be bygones and help them.
At the cafeteria of Seiryu High School, the atmosphere buzzed with students enjoying their meals, but one table stood apart, surrounded by an invisible barrier as students maintained a safe distance. Sitting at the table were Osamu and Pimiko, the two members of PROUD whose recent defeat had cast a long shadow over them. Osamu, still grappling with the sting of his loss to Jake and his friends, sat with his arm resting on his cheek, elbow propped on the table, staring blankly ahead. His pride, once unshakeable, had been deeply bruised, and despite their authority slipping, the students and staff still kept their distance, not wanting any trouble with the remnants of PROUD.
Pimiko, who hated the dreary silence between them, decided to break the mood. She playfully poked at her food with chopsticks, her eyes glancing toward Osamu as she tried to lighten the situation. "So, Osamu," she said with a mischievous grin, her high-pitched voice playful but laced with subtle sharpness, "what's your next big plan? Now that the whole school knows you're not as tough as you pretend."
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Her words were designed to tease him, but carefully so, walking the fine line between provoking a reaction and not further bruising his already wounded pride.
"Me, not tough? Look at the school," Osamu leaned back, scoffing lightly but with a subdued confidence. "No one dares come near us. Sure, our authority has faded a little, but once the samurai girl and her foreigner friends leave, there won’t be anyone to stop us. We just need to keep clear of her," he added, recalling the stern warning from Kaito, the Yakuza horseman from Kurokaze-kai, who had backed him up with strict orders not to harm Yoko or face consequences.
Pimiko flicked her burnt orange pigtails dismissively, raising an eyebrow. "Scared of the samurai girl now, are we?"
Osamu shot her a sharp look, though his lips twitched with a hint of amusement. "Me, scared? Hardly. It’s more complicated than that. She’s got powerful backup."
Pimiko, curiosity piqued, rolled her eyes. "And who might be backing her up? Someone from school? Our fearless leader tangled in a mess he can’t handle?"
Osamu waved his hand dismissively, not wanting to dive deeper into the conversation. "Just so you know, the person backing her is more powerful than PROUD can handle. We’d better steer clear of her if we want to keep our status."
Before Pimiko could probe further, their conversation was abruptly interrupted. Yoko, Jake, and the rest of the group burst into the cafeteria, their expressions anxious and determined as they quickly approached Osamu's table. The sudden arrival startled Osamu, a sharp reminder of Kaito’s warning not to mess with Yoko, sending a ripple of tension through him.
Yoko, her voice filled with urgency, stepped forward. "Osamu, we need your help!" she exclaimed in Japanese, pleading. "Please, you have to tell us where we can find the yakuza, Takeshi—the one backing you up." Her tone softened, hoping the gravity of the situation might outweigh their past conflicts. She was desperate to find her father and Kaito, knowing they didn’t have much time.
Osamu Uchida’s face twisted with a mixture of skepticism and confusion. He eyed the group warily, his posture tense as he responded under his breath, "Why should I help you?" His eyes flickered between the faces before him, remembering Kaito’s warning not to cross Yoko. Despite this, his doubt lingered, his wariness evident in the way he weighed his words.
Yoko, sensing his reluctance, pushed further. "My father and Kaito are missing. I believe they’ve been taken by the yakuza, the same group you’re associated with. We need to find Takeshi—he might know where they are. Please, Osamu," she pleaded, her voice breaking slightly with emotion.
But Osamu’s response was as cold as stone. He spat dismissively to the side, his expression hardened. "Your problems aren’t my concern," he said bluntly, his tone devoid of empathy. He wanted no part in whatever conflict had ensnared Yoko and her friends—stepping into a mess involving Kurokaze-kai and risking more entanglement was the last thing on his mind. Helping them wasn’t worth the trouble.
Beside him, Pimiko Nyanko leaned back in her chair, watching the exchange unfold with a glint of curiosity and mild amusement in her eyes. She found the drama before her fascinating, but offered no input as Osamu brushed Yoko aside.
Seeing the rejection and Osamu’s lack of concern, Yoko’s face fell, tears welling up in her eyes despite her best efforts to hold them back. Her disappointment was raw, her hope fading with each passing moment.
Jake, not understanding the conversation but fully grasping Osamu’s reluctance, stepped forward with determination. Bowing deeply, he apologized, "Osamu, please, we desperately need your help. If there's any misunderstanding, let it be forgotten. We're begging you to guide us to Takeshi Ono." His friends mirrored the gesture, bowing in unison to show their earnestness, hoping to sway Osamu’s mind.
Osamu, though unable to understand English, recognized their gesture and scoffed. "This is absurd," he muttered under his breath, preparing to leave. With a dismissive wave to Pimiko, the two stood and began to walk out of the cafeteria, heading for the door.
image [https://static.wikia.nocookie.net/swordbound-the-heros-journey-to-silence-the-seven/images/0/0d/Mega_Cat_Gundam.png]
Just as they were about to exit, a loud voice pierced through the cafeteria noise. "Limited edition Mega Cat Gundam! It's yours if you help!" Carter blurted, playing his final card—offering up his prized collectible from Harajuku, willing to part with it for the sake of his friends.
image [https://static.wikia.nocookie.net/swordbound-the-heros-journey-to-silence-the-seven/images/7/75/Pimiko_Nyanko_with_an_innocent_look_exuding_a_sense_of_purity_and_naivety_that_contrasts_with_her_typically_more_cunning_nature.png]
Osamu paused, confused, but Pimiko’s reaction was immediate. She tugged at his shirt urgently, her eyes wide with excitement. "Osamu, can we help them? I really want that Mega Cat Gundam," she implored with her most innocent expression, a tactic Osamu found difficult to ignore.
Osamu, baffled by her sudden enthusiasm, asked, "Why do you want a toy?" His lack of understanding of collectibles was clear.
Pimiko didn’t waver. "Just help them, okay? It’s worth it!" she said, her tone sweet and convincing. With a reluctant sigh, Osamu conceded and turned back toward the group. "I don’t know Takeshi’s exact location," he admitted, watching as their faces fell in disappointment. "But if you’re looking for leads, try the Midnight Mirage Cabaret Club in Kabukichō, Tokyo. Ask for Hana Amaya. She might know something."
"Thank you, Osamu!" Yoko said gratefully, the relief clear in her voice. Though it wasn’t much, it was something—enough to give them a new direction.
Meanwhile, Pimiko, focused solely on her prize, turned to Carter, her hand gestures adding emphasis as she asked in broken English, "Mega Cat Gundam where?"
Carter, gesturing toward Yoko, replied, "I didn’t bring it with me. I’ll give it to Yoko, and she’ll make sure you get it before I leave Japan."
Pimiko’s expression grew firm as she locked eyes with Yoko. "You better keep your promise, or there will be consequences from PROUD," she warned.
"Thank you both so much for your help," Yoko added warmly. "I promise you’ll get the Mega Cat Gundam from Carter."
Before they could leave, Osamu added a cryptic statement. "As for your friend Kaito, you don’t have to worry. He should be safe and untouchable," his words leaving Yoko puzzled but still appreciative.
Without wasting any more time, the group thanked their reluctant allies once again and hurried out of the school. Their next stop was the Midnight Mirage Cabaret Club in Kabukichō, a place that held the potential to uncover more about the fate of Kaito and Kenjiro. With a sense of urgency, they set off, hoping to find Hana Amaya and the answers they so desperately sought.