Halloween Eve ×, Eve of the Honkai's Arrival √

"Uncle Jackie, don't be like that… Hmm, where's Tohru?" Jade quickly tried to change the subject as she noticed Uncle Jackie getting frustrated.

Jackie let out a deep sigh, feeling utterly defeated. "Tohru is in the next room piecing together a stone tablet we found at Shendu's palace. Apparently, it contains clues about the Shadowkhan masks."

"Whoa, cool! So, we've got a new mission, right?" Jade excitedly exclaimed.

"Ah… Jade, this is really dangerous. And that guy, Leiva, said there are nine masks… Oh, dear. I hope he's wrong. This is too much for me." Jackie rubbed his temples, feeling overwhelmed by the sheer scale of the task ahead.

But Jade was undeterred. She jumped in the air, beaming with excitement. "Wow! Nine masks, nine demons! Uncle Jackie, let's go beat them up!"

Just then, Tohru pushed open the door to the study. "Sensei, I've deciphered the information on the stone tablet!"

He carried the assembled stone tablet into the already cramped room, making the space feel even more crowded. Setting the tablet on the floor, Tohru explained, "That guy Leiva wasn't lying."

"The tablet says that Tarakudo once ruled ancient Japan with the help of his trusted generals. Each general led their own army, forming the different clans of the Shadowkhan. There are nine clans, nine generals, and nine masks."

"Oh no... this is one time I wish he had been lying." Jackie covered his face with one hand, feeling like the world was conspiring against him. He had simply wanted to live the quiet life of an archaeologist, yet he was now further entangled in the role of a demon hunter.

"Uh… Sensei, there's more. The tablet also says that if all nine masks are gathered, they will unleash ultimate darkness upon the world." Tohru continued.

"Ultimate darkness?" Uncle raised his hands to his head, deep in thought.

After a long moment, Uncle let out a heavy sigh and said gravely, "For some reason, Uncle has a bad feeling about this... Let's hope I'm wrong…"

"Here's the plan: Jackie, Tohru, you two will search for the masks. I need to study the magic circle left behind by the Immortals."

With that, Uncle began shooing everyone out of the study. "Go, go! Uncle needs to work!" He shut the door behind them with a click as it locked.

"Uncle…" Jackie wanted to say something more, but knowing the task was urgent, he turned to Tohru instead. "Let's start researching the ancient Japanese texts. We need to find those other eight masks as soon as possible."

"What about me? What do I get to do, Uncle Jackie?" Jade asked eagerly, looking up at him with bright eyes.

"Officer Black, I'm really sorry, but could I ask you to keep an eye on Jade?" Without waiting for an answer, Jackie grabbed Tohru and hurried off, leaving Black and Jade staring at each other in dismay.

"Oh no…" Officer Black muttered as he exchanged a glance with Jade. They both realized they were stuck with the most challenging task of all: keeping Jade under control.

...

Somewhere in Tokyo, Japan.

"I hope you don't disappoint me again." Tarakudo used his telekinesis to drag the Dark Hand gang members toward him, his yellow eyes narrowing.

"We won't! We promise!" All four—Finn, Ratso, Chow, and Hak Foo—quickly bowed and apologized in unison.

Despite their failure, Tarakudo didn't seem too angry. Instead, he offered some encouragement. "Very well. Don't be discouraged. What happened last time was merely a minor setback."

The gang members sighed in relief. "Oh, awesome!" "Our new boss is actually pretty nice!"

Compared to their previous bosses, who were quick to anger and often resorted to physical punishment, Tarakudo was much more lenient. He had never laid a hand on them.

"Remember, our mission has just begun," Tarakudo added, his eyes narrowing further as he turned to leave. "Let's go find the next mask."

"Oh man… just the beginning?"

"Here we go again."

"I hope we get lucky this time."

As the Dark Hand gang lamented their fate, Tarakudo's expression turned more sinister. He wasn't truly concerned with the masks themselves.

In fact, it didn't matter who collected all nine masks. Once they were gathered, the generals sealed within them would break free and return to the real world. Tarakudo's goal was simply to mislead others into bringing the masks together.

But what he did care about was the insult he had suffered from Leiva. "Just you wait..." Tarakudo seethed. "We'll see who the true ruler of the Shadowkhan army is."

...

Two weeks later, at a high-rise hotel not far from Uncle's antique shop.

"So, this is where those trying to collect the Shadowkhan masks are staying?" Leiva stood at the floor-to-ceiling window of his suite, gazing down at the antique shop in the distance.

After finding the Razor Warriors' mask at a mask-themed inn in Tokyo, Leiva followed Selene's instructions and began observing Uncle's group.

In the past two weeks, with the help of the Ninja Warriors, Leiva had already collected the Squid Warriors', Crab Warriors', and Mantis Warriors' masks.

During his surveillance, Leiva had also learned that the other group possessed the Bat Warriors', Sumo Warriors', and Samurai Warriors' masks, which were currently stored at Section 13.

Leiva had already located their exact position using the resonance between the masks.

As he looked down at the streets below, decorated with jack-o'-lanterns for Halloween, Leiva muttered to himself, "It seems like they call this holiday… Halloween?"

"Whatever. It's none of my concern." Turning back to the various Shadowkhan masks stored in a crystalline box, he murmured, "Now, only the Mini Warriors' mask remains… Soon, the mistress will descend!"

...

Meanwhile, inside Uncle's antique shop.

"Uncle?"

"Magic circle, magic circle, magic circle…"

"Uncle?"

"Magic circle, magic circle, magic circle…"

"UNCLE!!!"

"Aiyah! Jade, you're trying to scare Uncle to death?!" Uncle nearly dropped the magic book he was holding, startled by Jade's sudden outburst.

"Come on, Uncle! It's the night before Halloween. Scaring people is perfectly normal!" Jade, her face painted like a green-skinned demon, shrugged in exasperation.

"You all go have fun. Uncle has important work to do…" Uncle clutched his magic book tighter and made his way back toward the study.

Seeing how Uncle hadn't left his study in over two weeks, both Jackie and Jade exchanged worried glances.

"Uncle, today's Halloween. Maybe you should take a break?" Jackie tried to suggest gently.

"Aiya... I already told you, Uncle doesn't have time! This is important!"

This scene had played out countless times over the past month. After the initial tension, as time passed with no sign of the impending catastrophe, Jackie, Jade, and even Captain Black had gradually lowered their guard.

After all, the calamity Uncle spoke of had shown no signs of manifesting. Instead, the mask demons were the ones causing havoc across the world. Naturally, the group began associating the magic circle's warning with Tarakudo and his Shadowkhan army.

Surely, disaster wouldn't just fall from the sky, right?