The tournament commenced soon after Jin’s arrival in Japan. There was more hype this time around than last with more of the matches being televised and having spectators allowed.

Jin picked out a solitary hotel room in which to stay and kept to it as much as reasonably possible, avoiding contact with other people.

He only showed up when required. Despite all the excitement, only bits and pieces of information seeped through about who was where in the brackets and what was to be in a televised match. By no accident, none of Jin’s matches were televised at all.

He watched a few of the televised matches, merely curious to see about future opponents. Among them, he saw Nina Williams. That woman still had a killer ice cold stare.

Jin’s matches were not the only ones that were conveniently not televised. Heihachi kept all traces of Kazuya’s participation under wraps, figuring he could use the little secret to throw off a few others within the tournament upon their shock of seeing a man back from the dead.

Kazuya figured as much, but like his son, kept a low profile by preference anyway.

Heihachi had his Tekken Force on alert to observe both Jin and Kazuya closely and report on their progress. The reports only told Heihachi what he already knew. Both of them were clearly on the path to the finals to face each other.

Soon, the tournament was nearing its end. Jin was slightly annoyed when learning that his next opponent was Hwoarang. He really didn’t feel like dealing with that guy now of all times. Hwoarang was a distraction. A few years ago, a good, challenging opponent was a welcome thing, but not now. He would only get in the way.

Then he felt guilty when Hwoarang did not show up and forfeited their match, to Jin’s own convenience. He was quite certain the fiery rival would not have gone quietly and something must have happened in order for him to actually miss their fight. For a moment, he pondered if Heihachi had a hand in it to ensure that Jin would make it that far into the tournament.

He recalled watching Paul Phoenix on TV shortly after the last tournament, fervently claiming that he was the one who had defeated Ogre. Although many doubted Paul, Jin did not. It all fell in line with Heihachi having used them both and explained why Ogre had initially appeared defeated when Jin found the fallen being in the temple.

Still, it was not likely Heihachi knew much about Jin’s confrontations with Hwoarang. Jin had never told his grandfather about them openly. Between his thoughts, the tournament official explained that Hwoarang was arrested by the Korean military for desertion. Jin nodded in acknowledgment and decided not to concern himself with the matter any longer. He needed to focus on reaching the old man.

The next match in the tournament would determine Jin’s next opponent before the final match against Heihachi. He decided it would be wise to observe the match to see who his prospective opponents would be.

This particular match was not televised, however, it was taking place in a stadium made especially for the tournament with a caged arena and had numerous excited spectators.

Hidden amidst the crowd in his hooded jacket, Jin looked up at the large screen to see the names of the fighters.

Lee Chaolan VS Kazuya Mishima.

His eyes widened in shock. He froze. No, that couldn’t be right. After all, his father was supposed to be dead. That’s what his mother told him. That’s what his grandfather told him. That’s what everyone within the Mishima Zaibatsu had told him. They couldn’t all be wrong. Was there some kind of mistake? Maybe there was another man named Kazuya Mishima…maybe it was just a terrible coincidence.

First, he saw Lee Chaolan appear on the screen. The man had short, silver hair, and he dressed in black pants with a flamboyant purple shirt. He made a couple of kick quick motions.

Then Kazuya appeared on the screen, it was painfully clear that everyone had indeed been wrong. He even wore gloves similar to the ones Jun had passed to Jin. They were shorter, covering only his hands, not his wrists. His attire was a pair of white pants and purple belt with a storm cloud and streak of lightning on one of the pant legs. His father’s expression was stern and serious.

Hate and anger flooded Jin’s heart and mind, and he rushed out of the stadium in his confusion and shock.

In the stadium, Jin was not the only one shaken up at seeing Kazuya. Lee had been Heihachi’s adoptive son and Kazuya’s adoptive brother but had been outcast twenty years ago when Kazuya was presumably killed. Lee had expected to find Heihachi, of course, at this tournament but not Kazuya.

“You’re supposed to be dead!” he exclaimed. His expression twisted into confused anger.

With folded arms, Kazuya eyed Lee closely, his face serious as ever. Then he smirked. “Looks like you had it wrong.”

Their match was over quickly, as Lee had been caught off guard and was too overwhelmed with shock to do much else.

After his victory, a tournament official came to Kazuya and informed him that the name of his next opponent was Jin Kazama the following day. The winner of that match would then immediately proceed to confront Heihachi.

“What did you say the name was?” he asked the tournament official suspiciously.

The official repeated it, clearly serious.

Kazuya gazed back quietly at the official. “I see,” he noted quietly. “‘Kazama’? You are certain of that?” The official nodded. This news needed further thought alone and a little investigation if his hunch was right. A vision of a woman with straight dark hair that fell to her shoulders in white headband flashed into his mind. Jun Kazama. Had their time together…?

As if in answer to his contemplation, Kazuya heard a girl cry out his name. “Mr. Kazuya! Mr. Kazuya! I want to talk to you about Jin!”

He stood still and then slowly turned to the source. A young Chinese girl in pigtails was fighting her way through the crowd in order to reach him. She eventually broke through and ran up to him out of breath. She wore white pants with two black lines running down each side, a black top that exposed her stomach, and a red jacket with black and white trim. “Thank you for waiting,” she said between her panted breaths.

“What is it? What do you know about Jin Kazama?” he asked as if to accuse her of committing some wrong by saying the name. Xiaoyu took no offense, not recognizing the severity of his tone.

“He’s my friend,” she explained. She pulled out a picture of her and Jin in school uniforms, both evidently caught unaware as neither was smiling but simply had turned their heads in the direction of the camera. Upon seeing Jin, Kazuya knew his instincts were right. The young man was most certainly his and Jun Kazama’s son. “See? You definitely look the part of his father.” Xiaoyu smiled sweetly at him.

Kazuya only looked back at her, almost frowning, with his dual-colored eyes and didn’t say anything, uncertain of how to react to her cheeriness. She didn’t seem the least bit fazed or worried by his appearance.

Xiaoyu had only vaguely heard that he had died. That Kazuya turned up alive hardly made her fluster. She was focused on Jin at the moment, but even if he weren’t at the forefront of her thoughts, not knowing the circumstances surrounding the Mishimas, she would have been happy for all their sakes at the news of Kazuya being alive. To her, such a thing symbolized a family re-united.

“Would you help me find him?” Xiaoyu asked her friend’s father.

Kazuya continued looking blankly at her for a few moments. Then he shook his head quietly and began to walk away. “You’re on your own for that,” he muttered in a low voice as he left.

Xiaoyu bowed her head for a moment in disappointment. Then she took a deep breath and raised her head, her eyes brimming with hope. If she were on her own, so be it.

* * *

After the shock had sunk in for a bit, Jin sat alone in his hotel room. In his lap were the red gloves he’d carried with him for the past six years. He didn’t know why he pulled them out in his fury. He had wanted to tear them apart initially but upon remembering why he kept them, he’d stopped.

He furrowed his brow. Kazuya Mishima was alive. That man was supposed to be dead-that’s what everyone had told him. His eyes narrowed, and he grimaced. It was necessary for him to end the evil Mishima bloodline. He would have to kill his father too.

He was not surprised the next day when the tournament officials informed him that Kazuya was to be his opponent. Again, another of his matches was to be in an area with no witnesses, at the top of a city building. Afterwards, the winner would immediately head to confront Heihachi. He was given instructions and began his way to the location.

However, he was soon met with the sight of numerous Tekken Force soldiers closing in on him. One of them shot at him, and Jin looked down to see a tranquilizer dart in his chest. Infuriated, he gritted his teeth and charged at them. One after the other, he kicked, threw, punched, and knocked several of them out. He took scores of the soldiers down. However, he was terribly outnumbered, and the growing amount of tranquilizers were too much for his body. The little devil in him tried to call out and offer aid, but the weakening Jin was unable and unwilling to hear it.

He lost consciousness. The swarm of soldiers stayed around him and watched him closely. They had been warned not let their guard down despite appearances. They waited for a nearby helicopter to come and pick up their newly acquired captive.

A nearby Xiaoyu ventured closer to the mass of Tekken Force soldiers, curious and nervous at what they were doing though she had actually been on her search for Jin. She had not seen Jin fight them off and could not see his unconscious body amidst them. Some of the soldiers turned their heads in her direction.

“Ms. Xiaoyu,” said one of the soldiers. “Won’t you come with me? You shouldn’t be out here. It’s dangerous.”

Xiaoyu looked at him wearily, thinking of the e-mail she had received. She couldn’t fathom why Grandpa Heihachi would do anything bad to her, but then, there was something fishy about the presence of these soldiers out in the middle of the city streets. If Jin really had sent the warning to her, she should heed it.

She shook her head. “No, I’m fine.”

“Come with me.” The soldier pointed his gun at her seriously.

She frowned and sensing that perhaps she was indeed in danger, from them of all people, and recognizing that there too many of them to take on alone, she darted away.

“After her!” The soldier ordered. The soldiers began their pursuit, but after she rounded a corner, she had disappeared.

At the top of a building, Xiaoyu stood in the arms of a strange…man? She wasn’t sure. He looked very odd. He had insect-like wings in his armor and skull-like face with glowing yellow eyes. He’d used his wings to lift her out of the soldier’s path.

“Thank you Mr…” she said as she pulled out of his embrace

“‘Yoshimutsu’ is what I’m called,” he explained. “You don’t know what you’re dealing with among the Mishimas, do you, child?”

She frowned.

“It’s alright, I’ll explain everything.”

* * *

Meanwhile, with folded arms, Kazuya waited patiently at the top of a different building for his son. After awhile, he began to grow suspicious. Soon, he was told Jin Kazama was disqualified for not showing up to the match. Kazuya smirked. The young man had conveniently disappeared, hadn’t he? Certainly, Heihachi had played a hand in it.

He was asked to proceed to the final stage to fight Heihachi straight away.

* * *

Once again in the cage at the stadium, amidst the mass of spectators, Kazuya waited as Heihachi made a dramatic entrance.

Kazuya unfolded his arms to prepare his stance. “What did you do with Jin Kazama?” he asked his father.

“Ha…I’ll tell you after the fight,” Heihachi replied.

The audience was not disappointed and watched in awe at the skills of both men. Electricity would sometimes emit from their movements against each other. They put up an impressive fight with each other.

In the end, Heihachi emerged victorious.

“Come with me if you want to see your son,” Heihachi said and led the defeated Kazuya out of the arena. He smirked over his victory. Kazuya merely grimaced without saying a word as he followed.