They all knew why they were here.

From all corners, they came. They came in all shapes and sizes, affiliations and allegiances, styles and heart. Hundreds and hundreds of warriors, all versed in diverse and extraordinary styles of combat, all here for one purpose: to answer the call. They seemed endless; from the main square of Southtown, to the malls, to the restaurants, to anywhere that a television monitor resided. Not a single one of them would dare miss out on this one golden opportunity... for it would be the greatest of their lives.

For a moment, the whole world seemed to fall silent as each fighter eagerly awaited the nation-wide broadcast... a single message, to any and all practitioners of martial arts out there willing to step up and prove to the universe that they reign supreme.

MILAN, ITALY

From a television station 5000 miles away, a dark haired woman was applying a few last facial touches. A little eyeliner here, a fresh coat of ruby lipstick... not a single strand of hair could be out of place for this important broadcast. Was she nervous? Perhaps a little, given her intended audience being no doubt the most glorious collection of warriors gathered that the world has ever known. She had to nail this on the first try, and it had to be perfect. There was no going back after this.

"We're on in 5, Ms. Kagura." a crew member generously announced as he poked his head in her dressing room.

"Thank you." was her simple response, followed by a polite bow.

The woman took one last look in the mirror as she ran her hand through her long black mane. She adjusted her white hairband one last time; was it an inch out of place? Maybe she's just imagining things... before she knew it, 4 minutes had blown by.

"We need you out here now, Ms. Kagura! We're on in T minus one minute!"

A deep nasal breath, followed by an exhale from her mouth. She looked into the mirror: it was time.

Emerging from the dressing room, her black high-heeled pumps clacked on the solid floor as her elegant white shirt flowed with each step. She gave a tiny, nervous swallow as she stood in front of the camera crew, looking over at the teleprompter to make sure she had every word of the speech she wrote memorized. This was it; time to deliver the message that the world has long awaited.

"Okay, quiet on set please! We're on in 10...9...8..."

She cleared her throat one time, taking one last deep breath to calm her nerves.

"5...4...3...2..."

The cameraman thrust his finger and the station started rolling.

"Attention! Fighters from Southtown, and the rest of the globe! Please, lend an ear to this important broadcast!" the woman's voice resonated clearly and with authority.

"I ask you now... why do we fight? There are many reasons, light and dark, but above all, there is one that binds us all together... because fighting is our religion. Fighting is how we communicate, how we express ourselves, how we forge bonds, how we strive to achieve greatness... for people like you and I, combat is what we live for. It's our purpose, to choose this life of strength, spirit, pain, will, and physical prowess, to compete with one another and test our limits, to see how far we can go and what we can strive to improve."

She swung her arm dramatically. "I bring you this message today to offer you all this chance! The chance to bring us all together; all the strongest fighters under the same banner, in the spirit of friendly competition. I give you the chance today to once again prove yourselves, to face the most daunting odds in your quest of achieving glory and the coveted title of 'King of Fighters'. My goal for this competition is to bring together all the greatest fighting styles of the world, for one grand competition that will crown only 1 winner above all."

Stepping a bit closer, she pointed directly at the camera as if to address the people face-to-face.

"This will no doubt be the biggest test of your lives. Now I ask you... who will step up, and join me here in Milan, Italy to enter what will be recorded in the annals of history as the most prestigious and legendary martial arts tournament ever assembled? I extend this invitation to all who believe in their fists, and even those who don't fight but share the same passion for blood sport as your fellow man. Whether it's to fight or simply to watch it live, I invite you all to come here to the beautiful city and take part in what will be a grand celebration of martial arts and true fighting spirit."

As she spoke these words, it was hard to stifle the smile on her lips. It was a powerful moment, sending this message... Chizuru Kagura felt truly honored to be not only a part of this... but to actually play a part in its fruition.

"To those of you bold enough to enter this tournament, only the first 80 to arrive will be eligible to compete. So FIGHTERS! I give you one final message! If you truly believe in your fighting spirit, then you have nothing to fear! Steel yourselves, harden your resolve! Step forth, and claim immortality! I offer it to you now... all you need do is come and FIGHT FOR IT! All the glory, honor, and respect is yours for the taking! COME... AND BE A PART OF KING OF FIGHTERS: ULTIMATE GRAND DREAM KUMITE!"

"...And cut! Okay, we are clear! Excellent work, Ms. Kagura!" the director exclaimed with a smile.

The set began to break out in a flurry of cheers and applause. Chizuru herself couldn't help but beam with pride, as the huge weight was lifted off her shoulders. She felt like collapsing to the floor, after delivering such an impactful broadcast.

"Drink, ma'am?" one of the assistants offered her a bottle of water.

"Yes... thank you." Chizuru accepted it with a bow. She immediately unscrewed the cap and took a long gulp of the cool, clear purified water. After regaining herself, she gave a bow to the tv crew.

"That concludes our business, gentlemen. Thank you all. I take my leave now... to prepare for what's to come."

With those last words, Chizuru's face intensified as she exited the building. For only the briefest of moments did she allow herself respite; already her mind was racing, readying for the next step. Pretty soon they would arrive; all the strongest warriors of the world, gathering to claim it all in this ultimate contest of might.

"The wheels are in motion..." Chizuru narrated to herself. "Now we wait. Come forth, fighters... come and unleash your fury. Show me the extent of your warrior souls."

I mean this with no exaggeration. This WILL be the greatest congregation of SNK fighters ever gathered under one roof. 80 beloved SNK characters will be fighting in this tournament, from 90s to mid 2000s. You're gonna see old faces, newer faces, loved faces, hated faces... even the faces of some people you probably forgot existed. There will also be plenty of other appearances as well, from those not in the competition. There's not JUST 80 characters in my fic.

Now, I don't want a bunch of PMs or comments requesting characters because I already have all 80 of them. And furthermore, I'm sure there's going to be some displeased folks when I leave out their particular favorite, but I'm sorry. So go ahead and send me reviews saying "f*** you for leaving out Rock Howard" but that's just the way it's gonna be. It's my fic, and I'm picking the 80 contestants : )

So, without further ado, let's get this party started! Up next: the fighters arrive in Italy!