In the midst of the chaos that unfolded in the cave, Akio was losing control of his powers, while Ken was facing a fake version of Cirrus and fighting it. Meanwhile, Viko finished killing the monster that was threatening Akio by using his shuriken, thus overcoming his fears of becoming a coward and weak.

Viko: “Akio-senpai, you need to calm down, you’re strong, and you can control your powers!”

Ken (shouting while fighting Seeroos’ fake version): “You’re not Cirrus! You’re just an illusion!!”

Akio (shivering, his eyes blurred): “I can’t control myself… I can’t stop the lightning! How can I control this… it’s exploding inside my head!”

Viko (taking a deep breath, then looking at Akio with confidence): “Akio, remember that your power doesn’t come from the lightning, it comes from your will. You have the ability to overcome all this… you need to believe in yourself!”

Ken (thinking): “If I can’t defeat this illusion, how will I face the truth?! I can’t let this fear disrupt us!”

Akio (his facial expression turning to anger, then shouting with glowing eyes): “Enough! I will never give up! A samurai who can’t control his powers can’t become the future shogun!”

Akio closes his eyes, then opens them. Electricity begins to gather around him more steadily, and his front hair starts to flutter, revealing a symbol on his forehead—a yellow lightning mark. It quickly becomes luminous as his powers activate, and then he starts striking the fake version of Cirrus with lightning, causing it to disappear.

Akio (in a deep voice): “Now I’m ready.”

Ken (annoyed): “Why didn’t you leave him to me?!”

Suddenly, Ken realized the situation and looked at Akio, whose appearance was completely different and stronger than before. The anger was clear on his face, and the lightning symbol on his forehead was still glowing. This was the first time Ken and Viko had seen this mark.

Ken (in amazement): “Well, it seems I really underestimated you..”

Viko walked toward Akio, who was starting to regain his composure and natural state, placing his hand on the lightning mark on Akio’s forehead and feeling it.

Viko: “What is this? Is it some kind of glowing tattoo?”

Akio (laughing): “Don’t be silly, I was born with this mark, and it lights up whenever I use my power.”

Ken: “That’s strange, but why don’t I have a mark for my Vakin?”

Akio: “I don’t know, I’m also surprised. Before I discovered my Vakin, I never understood this mark either!”

Ken lit his cigarette with his finger and took a puff. Viko stared at him.

Viko (in surprise and annoyance): “Look at this guy, he doesn’t even need a lighter to light his cigarette! I wish I had a vakin…”

Akio (encouraging): “You don’t need a Vakin to be strong, Viko. You’re a ninja! We can’t use your amazing techniques.”

Viko (smiling): “You’re right!”

Suddenly, the ground began to shake like an earthquake, and it started to collapse.

Viko (nervously): “What’s happening?!”

Seconds later, they fell down, screaming, while Ken remained calm and closed his eyes.

After a while, Ken began to open his eyes. His vision was blurry at first, and when he woke up, he found himself alone without Akio and Viko. He began to feel pain from his injury again after the fall, but he quickly stood up, ignoring the pain. He was panting heavily, struggling to walk.

Ken (tiredly): “It seems I have a fever… I’ve lost so much blood.”

Ken continued walking ahead, not knowing where he was going. But suddenly, he heard the angry screams of a girl behind a door. He walked faster and reached the door, opening it. When he entered, he found a girl with short purple hair and purple eyes. She looked like she was in her teenage years, resembling Viko a lot. Ken realized that this was Viko’s sister, Ann. Ann was chained, and a cloth was in her mouth to prevent her from speaking. But she wasn’t scared; she looked angry and could scream, though she was sweating. Surrounding her were many strange rock soldiers, who were encircling her in a circle. Behind them was a throne-like chair, where a green transparent ghost was sitting. He looked human but was a ghost. His hair was medium-length and black, and it appeared to be in its thirties. This was the Black Ghost himself. When Ken entered the room, everyone looked at him, panting and clearly tired.

Black Ghost: “Look who graces us today, it’s Yukaji Ken himself!”

Ken (struggling to speak from the pain): “H…h…how do you know my name?”

Black Ghost (laughing): “Hahahaha, you’re very famous, whether in the human world or in ours. You’re the child who managed to face Seeroos without any fear! We know everything about you.”

Ann looked at Ken, screaming for him to save her.

Ken: “So, that girl is Ann. Since you don’t want to hand her over to us or her brother, I’ll take her by force! And I’ll take the forbidden scroll as well!”

The Black Ghost laughed loudly for a long time, then looked at Ken.

Black Ghost: “Are you playing the hero now, Yukaji Ken?”

Ken (calmly lighting his cigarette): “Not really, it’s just a job I have to do for my team.”

Ann (thinking): “Oh… my God… who is this handsome guy?! His hair is red, and his eyes are shiny gray. His features have captivated me!”

Ken took a puff from his cigarette and began walking calmly toward Ann, while the short rock army soldiers stared at him, ready to fight. Ken looked at the rocks disdainfully, then lifted one and threw it away as it screamed childishly. Ken laughed and looked at the Black Ghost.

Ken (mockingly): “You’re going to fight me with your pathetic soldiers?”

Black Ghost (calmly): “Since you’re injured, you can’t fight at all, so surrender. I know you’re resisting the pain, and you’re about to scream.”

Ken (angrily): “Nonsense! I’m at full strength!”

Ann (thinking with her cheeks blushing): “Will this handsome guy save me?! It feels like I’m dreaming! He’s my future husband… his name is Ken-san!!”

Ken drew his sword from his back and began cutting through the rock soldiers quickly and easily until he reached Ann. When he was about to free her, he was surprised to see the Black Ghost in front of him.

Black Ghost: “Do you think I’m playing with you, Yukaji Ken? Now that you’ve finished off my soldiers, you’ll face me! I’m a ghost, and I can’t die!”

Ken: “Alright then, show me what you have.”

Black Ghost: “You asked for it!”

As the Black Ghost finished speaking, he disappeared entirely and suddenly appeared behind Ken, delivering a punch to his back. Ken fell to the ground but quickly stood up, starting to understand the Black Ghost’s fighting style, where he celebrates and then reappears in another direction to land a punch. At first, the Black Ghost’s attacks succeeded because Ken was unaware, but then Ken began using his mind. When the Black Ghost disappeared from his sight, Ken closed his eyes and began focusing to use his hearing and sense of smell to locate him.

Ken (thinking): “Focus, Ken… you can’t see him, but you can focus with your other senses. I have to find him by listening and smelling!”

The scene then shifts to Akio, who was also walking alone and calling out for “Viko” and “Ken.”

Akio (anxiously): “Ken, Viko, where are you?!”

As he walked while continuing to call, Akio stepped on a mysterious button on the ground. As soon as he did, a large gate opened in front of him. Akio walked toward the gate, and there he found the forbidden ninja scroll, placed inside a solid glass container, surrounded by lasers in every direction.

Akio: “It seems like I’m in the middle of a crime movie scene! I finally found the scroll!”

Akio advanced toward the first laser point. The situation seemed impossible to pass through, but he found a button at the far end of the room.

Akio (smiling confidently): “This is easy!”

Akio pointed his finger toward the distant button and discharged some electricity, disabling the lasers completely. He then started laughing and moved toward the scroll.

Akio: “Now, I’ll have to break this glass!”

Akio drew his sword and aimed it at the glass, piercing it. As soon as he did, a hole opened beneath him, and he fell, screaming, unable to grab the scroll.

To be continued…