Tekken Fan Fiction ❯ The King of Iron Fist Tournament 6 ❯ Tactical Strike ( Chapter 32 )

Tokyo Tower: the world's tallest self-supporting tower at 333 meters. In the postwar boom of the 1950s, Japan was looking for a monument to symbolize its ascendancy as a global economic powerhouse. Looking to the Occident for inspiration, the Tokyo Government decided to erect its own Eiffel Tower. It was completed by the Takenaka Corporation in 1958 at a total cost of ¥2.8 billion. Although it chiefly functions as a radio and television broadcasting antenna, the Tower is best known as a tourist destination, though it is decried by some as overpriced and inconveniently located, and as having poor amenities.

Overpriced for some, perhaps, but for a King of Iron Fist Tournament competitor, admission was on the house.

Parking his van near the tower entrance, Jean looked at the radar screen in the back of the van. It looked like his target was leaving the Special Observation Deck and was heading back down to the ground. Is it because the bait I set for her has faded away with the young Kazama lady's defeat…or is it because…she knows that I am here?

Looking at the radar screen intently, he watched the blip on the screen descended to ground level…and heading right to his location. It wasn't a retreat she was doing: it was a challenge. He watched as the blip on the screen moved closer and closer to him…two-hundred yards away…one-hundred seventy-five yards away…

Turning off his vehicle and equipment as there was no longer any need for it, Jean stepped out of the van and immediately spotted his quarry: a woman dressed in a white trenchcoat with a dark purple tie and black undershirt. The hands were covered with a pair of purple gloves, and the feet were covered with formal black shoes. With a pair of shades covering her eyes and a white derby covering her head, she seemed to levitate towards Jean's location. I'll say this for her, Jean thought as his quarry's feet descended onto the ground, she certainly has a flair for the dramatic…

“Jun Kazama…the Devil charmer herself,” Jean lowered the upper half of his body in an exaggerated bow, “I am truly privileged. We haven't been formally introduced: my name is Jean Paul Sorel, champion de la G-Corporation.” With a cruel grin adorning his face, Jean righted himself and crossed his arms. “I am told that you are psychic…you know what I am here for, correct?”

“…your soul…”

“Hm?” Jean raised an eyebrow as he heard a feminine voice emerge from his target's lips so quiet that he could barely hear her, “What are you saying…?”

“…your soul…it is just like his…” The elder woman seemed to glow with a dark purple aura as she tilted her glasses. Slowly assuming her Kazama-ryu fighting stance, the air around her went frozen as she continued, “I cannot let you see him…I will stop you here and now.”

“…what a creepy lady you are,” Jean said quietly as he drew his rapier, “it seems that you have regained a good portion of your memories, but that shall not avail you. Jun Kazama…you are coming with me…WHETHER YOU WANT TO OR NOT!”

Lunging at his adversary with violent intent burning in his light blue eyes, Jean's rapier shot out and narrowly missed Jun's ear. Now left wide open, the French martial artist was knocked into the air with an open-palmed uppercut and sent sprawling backwards with a lunging elbow strike, his rapier going with him. Landing on one hand, the swordsman flipped back onto his feet and got his rapier back into preparation.

Dodging a high kick, Jean countered with one of his own, kicking his female adversary's chest and then sending her sprawling to the ground with a roundhouse kick. Landing face-first on the ground, Jun quickly rolled away from a stab of Jean's rapier and grabbed on to the man's leg, then pulled the footing from him, and mounted the man in her Vale Tudo Mount. Punching the man's face numerous times, Jun finally got off his body when she felt a great pain in her back: Jean had dug his gauntlets through her trenchcoat and began to pierce the skin and cloth underneath.

I almost forgot that she can create an exact duplicate of any fighting style she sees, Jean thought as he scrambled back up and licked the blood off his lips, which means I can't guess her techniques as well as I could for the other competitors…because at this point she has so many styles to choose from! Maybe I should have brought Jack with me…fortunatelywhile was in the vanI tipped my gauntlets with a much more potent version of the drug that I used on the other Kazama…let's hope that she doesn't have immunity.

Quickly realizing that there was no use worrying about coming unprepared now that he had actually confronted his target, Jean got back into a preparation and poked Jun in the pressure point in her kneecap, causing her to bend over and lose her footing. But before she could fall down, Jean punched her in the face with his free hand and shattered her sunglasses, then kicked her in the temple to send her spinning uncontrollably to the ground.

Rising back up with an elbow to her opponent's stomach, Jun once again changed her fighting stance. Grabbing onto Jean's shoulder, she rammed her knee into his abdomen, then repeated the technique again before grabbing onto Jean's neck and tossing him away over her shoulder. Landing on his feet gracefully, Jean turned around onto to get sent flying backwards with a Phoenix Smasher.

…I shall not accept this, Jean clenched his fist as he got back up, I have ruined far too many lives for this to go up in smoke now…Jane…I promise you…I shall emerge victorious!

”…Jane…”

Raising an eyebrow upon hearing his girlfriend's name, Jean quickly assumed a fighting stance, “…how…did you read my thoughts!?”

“You should go to her,” Jun said as she took off her hat and tossed it aside, “there is no need to foolishly toss her aside for vengeance…”

“What th-how dare you,” Jean sputtered in his reply. “If you can truly read my mind, you would know I am doing this for her! Kazuya must fall…and YOU are going to be the bait!”

“…it does not matter,” Jun's eyes began to glow as she spoke in that soft voice, “…he will continue to go further into the darkness…until I save him…until I defeat him…” Unbuttoning her trenchcoat, she took it off and tossed it behind her, revealing her black knit shirt and purple tie, as she issued a warning, “and you…do NOT…want to get in my way…”

“…insolent little minx…” Jean growled, his handsome face now adorned with a scowl so sinister than it rivaled that of even Kazuya, “…you dare think that you can defeat me…after how much I've gone through just to get you to come out into the open…such arrogance shall be your downfall!”

His green ki started to crackle across his blade as the bloodlust within him began to once again take effect. He did not try to stop it: there was no need to stop it. This woman had the gall to bring up his beloved Jane, and then tell him that he was neglecting her. He had no intention of letting her get away with that unscathed. “It shall rain blood today! COME ON!”

Assuming a new fighting stance, Jun resumed her assault by jumping over Jean's head and landing behind him, shooting out both her legs behind her and kicking the man in his back. THIS STYLE AGAIN!? Jean thought as he turned around. More Chinese arts…just my lucky day! Shooting out her palms, Jun prepared to send her opponent flying backwards, but Jean blocked the blow and grabbed onto her neck with his free hand, then thrust his knee into her chest a couple of times before kicking her away.

Not giving her any respite, Jean lunged out at Jun with his rapier, nicking her across the side of her neck. Continuing his assault, he punched her in the face with his free hand, then opened his palm and attempted to slash her across her chest…but it was a snare. Catching the swipe, Jun tossed Jean over her shoulder with a Vacuum throw, sending Jean to land on his head.

…she's definitely stronger than I am…perhaps even stronger than her son, Jean thought as he got back up and rubbed the spot on his head that he landed on, but it matters not! Think, Jean, THINK…how can youbeat her?

As if in answer to Jean's question, Jun began to lose her footing slightly and was shaking her head, as if something was making her dizzy. Yes! The drug must FINALLY be taking effect!

Seeing his opportunity at last, Jean began his assault anew with renewed vigor, his thirst for victory surpassed only by his thirst for his opponent's blood. Stabbing the stumbling woman in the leg and leaving his blade sitting in her leg. With both his hands free, Jean pummeled Jun in the stomach with a series of punches before pulling his rapier out of her leg. Then he began to stab her, again and again, slowly at first, but soon beginning to pick up speed. With her wounds continuing to bleed and the effects of the drug pulsing through her veins, Jun began to crumple to the ground.

Picking her up by her neck, Jean glared at her yellow eyes that were beginning to lose their eerie glow. “You should've come quietly, Madam Kazama,” Jean murmured as he smiled cruelly while Jun faded into unconsciousness in his stranglehold, “there is nothing sharper in this world than a blade a Sorel…except maybe his wit! RAHAHA!!” As Jean let loose a maniacal cackle, the woman lay motionless in his hand.

When he stopped laughing and his smile faded, Jean dropped the unconscious Jun and caught his breath. …what was that sensation!? It was just like what I felt when I fought the other swordsman not too long ago…like my entire body just screamed to bleed her dry, even though I knew that I needed her alive.

“Well, it doesn't matter,” Jean said as he put his rapier back in his sheath, “I have…WON! JEAN SOREL FOR THE WIN, BABY!!” Jean jumped in the air and pumped his fist in air in his triumph. Through cunning, deviousness, and determination, his elaborate plan had succeeded and he had successfully captured a target more powerful than he was…and it felt good.

“Now then,” he said to no one in particular as he walked over to where Jun's trenchcoat and hat landed and put them on his body, “I think it's time we moseyed on out of here.” Picking up Jun in his arms and tossing her into the back of the van, Jean slammed the door and walked to the driver's side of the van. The drug that he gave Jun would knock out a normal person for at least twenty hours, but given Jun's new genetically enhanced recuperative abilities, Jean would be surprised if it lasted for more than fifteen…which was more than enough time for Jean to do what he wanted to do.

Kazuya, Jean thought to himself as he turned on his vehicle and drove to his next destination, can you feel it in the air? The winds that foretell…your defeat!?