Shinji slowly regained consciousness, his head throbbing and his vision blurry. He blinked a few times, trying to make sense of his surroundings. As his senses sharpened, he realized he was suspended upside down, his wrists and ankles tightly bound. The room was shrouded in darkness, with only faint, eerie glimmers of light filtering through cracks in the walls.
Panic set in as he began to struggle against the restraints, but his efforts were futile; the ropes held fast. He tried to scream for help, but his mouth was sealed shut with duct tape, reducing his cries to desperate, muffled sounds.
His eyes darted around the room, searching for any sign of escape or help. In the dim light, he noticed a shadowy figure standing in the corner. The figure wore a half-face hannya mask, its demonic features partially obscured but still menacing.
The figure's hand moved rhythmically, and Shinji's heart skipped a beat as he saw the glint of a cleaver being twirled with casual expertise. The sinister sight intensified his struggles, but the ropes only dug deeper into his skin, the room filled with the sound of his frantic, muffled pleas.
As Shinji's eyes adjusted further to the dim light, he noticed more details about the figure. The person was wearing an apron and a chef's hat. A jolt of realization hit Shinji as he recalled the note in the letter: "The Chef did it."
The memory ignited a new wave of panic, and he struggled even more violently against his restraints. The figure noticed his agitation and stood up, moving with deliberate, menacing slowness.
"Shh," the figure said softly, stepping closer. The cleaver glinted in the dim light as it trailed down Shinji's cheek, leaving a cold, terrifying line. "Now, I'm going to remove the duct tape. If you scream, you're going to wish you didn't have vocal cords."
Shinji's heart pounded in his chest, and he nodded shakily, too terrified to do anything else.
With a swift, rough motion, the figure ripped the duct tape from Shinji's mouth, leaving a raw, red mark on his lips.
"Why did you kidnap me? Who are you?" Shinji demanded as soon as the duct tape was removed, his voice hoarse and desperate.
The figure paused, the cleaver still in hand. "I kidnapped you because I believe you're behind a strange envelope I received yesterday. And as for who I am? I'm only telling you this because I knew your dad. I am—"
"Arata, I'm headed out to get some more ingredients. Do you want anything?" a voice called out, interrupting the tension-filled moment. Harumi stood at the doorway, looking impatient.
Arata sighed, dropping the cleaver. "Just get the usual, Harumi," he replied, his voice irritated but controlled.
As Harumi left, Arata turned back to Shinji. "Where was I? Ah, yes. I am Arata Takumaki, and your father and I go way back." He leaned in closer, his eyes boring into Shinji's. "Now, you're going to tell me everything you know about that envelope."
The blaring alarms in Shinji's head intensified as he pieced together the connection between Arata and his father. "Why did you kill my father?!" Shinji's voice thundered with rage, his struggles becoming more frantic and desperate. Arata sighed heavily, running a hand over his face in exasperation. "Listen, kid, your father's death was an accident. Right now, you need to calm down," Arata urged, his eyes fixed on Shinji's increasingly erratic movements.
"NO, I'M GOING TO KILL YOU! YOU'RE THE REASON I LIVE IN AN EMPTY HOUSE WITH NO FAMILY! THE REASON I GREW UP..." Shinji's voice cracked with emotion, his fury reaching a boiling point as he yelled. "WITHOUT A LOVING FAMILY!" In a sudden burst of strength and adrenaline, the rope binding him snapped, sending Shinji crashing to the ground.
"Shit, is he dead?" Arata muttered anxiously to himself, quickly kneeling beside Shinji and gently nudging him. "Kid, wake up," he urged, concern lacing his voice. Glancing around, he noticed his cleaver was missing. "Where's my knife?" he muttered, his senses on high alert.
In a swift, unexpected motion, Arata dodged as the blade of the cleaver narrowly missed his neck. His eyes widened in shock as he looked up to see Shinji standing before him, clutching the knife. Shinji's gaze was icy cold, his entire demeanor transformed, exuding a dangerous aura. This was the same chilling presence Shinji had exhibited when fighting Daichi.
In a blur of motion, Shinji lunged at Arata, who instinctively raised his guard, barely deflecting Shinji's jumping back kick that sent him tumbling out of the room and into the dining area of the restaurant.
"What the hell?! That was his kick, exact form and everything. I get he's his son, but just now the kid was a wimpy crybaby. How is he suddenly channeling Shinbo like this?" Arata's mind raced with alarm as he watched Shinji approach, a dangerous aura surrounding him, his features obscured by the dimly lit surroundings.
"I don't fight anymore! Why did Harumi have to leave?" Arata inwardly lamented, bracing himself as Shinji seized his shirt and executed a shoulder throw. "Shit!" Arata exclaimed, using his hands to break his fall and swiftly countering by wrapping his legs around Shinji's waist, throwing him into a stack of boxes with a forceful impact.
Shinji stood up and cracked his joints, glaring at Arata with eyes devoid of any light. A cold, menacing aura surrounded him, and his entire demeanor had changed.
Arata's eyes widened as realization struck him. "That's {Legacy Mode}," he thought, stunned. "A rare state some martial artists attain when they're descendants of someone exceptionally powerful, it puts the martial artist in an unconscious state. Usually, the offspring gains just one enhanced trait—flexibility, speed, strength. But Shinbo was so formidable, Shinji must've inherited everything. I've never seen it before, but that means if that strong bastard has more than one child and if they all possess {Legacy Mode}, then nobody stands a chance." A mixture of fear and awe washed over him as he contemplated the implications.
"I know I swore an oath to never fight again, but," Arata said, settling into a fighting stance. Though Shinji wasn't himself at the moment, his eyes narrowed, recognizing the danger in Arata's posture. "I can't die. Not until I figure out who sent the envelope and when I kill 'him'."
With a sudden burst of speed, Shinji launched himself at Arata. But before he could make contact, Harumi appeared out of nowhere, delivering a swift, powerful kick to Shinji's head, slamming him into the ground and rendering him unconscious.
"Jeez, what'd you say to this kid?" Harumi asked, her arms full of grocery bags. She then noticed Arata's surprised gaze. "Why are you looking at me like that?"
Arata lowered his hands and grinned. "Oh yeah, he's not the only offspring of a strong bastard." he thought to himself and smiled, feeling a mix of irony and resolve.