Forgive me if it seems rushed, or not overly verbose, or maybe even a total freaking mess, but I'm ready to be done with fighting for a minute. I want to get to some post-round adventures, so... we're gonna finish this thing. No flowery words. No big setup. This is the conclusion to Act 1.

"Shion is a weapons expert." Benimaru brought Chizuru and Saisyu up to speed. "I figured he didn't have a chance in hell against Adelheid in hand-to-hand combat, but now that he's brought THAT thing out... this could be bad."

"That spear is his primary weapon?" Chizuru inquired.

"You bet your uptight ass it is!" Benimaru didn't sugarcoat. "He's a f***ing surgeon with that spear, and he fights with intent to kill. Just ask Magaki... he threw the thing through his f***ing HEART!"

Although full-blown panic had yet to manifest, Chizuru and Saisyu were feeling the nerves slowly sharpen beneath their skin... the fight was still going on, and now a clock was ticking: if Adelheid were to die on live television, in front of 75,000 of his own people... the worldwide reception would be-

...Chizuru immediately solved it. "OH NO! Shion is going to try and kill him and throw the country into a wildfire! We've got to warn Rose about this!"

"Let's just go out there and stop it!" Saisyu jumped, igniting his fists.

"Hold it, hothead." Benimaru was surprisingly the coolest of the bunch. "If we all go out there, then we'll be disqualified. Then who's gonna take on the Hakkeshu? We've got to get to Rose, and explain the situation before doing anything else. Now come on."


In the combat zone, the tide of battle had begun to shift dramatically. Shion was backing him up with a vastly superior range; Adelheid could only launch his Reppukens in defense, because he couldn't get within yards of his opponent.

Shion used his spear as a pole vault and leaped over the ground projectiles, landing closer to Adelheid and swiveling the tip back forward to lunge with a deep stab. Adelheid threw his body out of the way of the attack, but Shion twirled with a pinpoint radius... Adelheid simply couldn't escape the perimeter of the razor-tipped weapon, and he howled as he felt it slash across his waist, opening the flesh with ease and expelling a greater torrent of red down his abdomen.

Shion grinned evilly; his body spun through the motions, and his spear danced gracefully in his hands as he spun back around and transitioned to southpaw.

"Like the sight of your blood, Bernstein?" Shion mocked. "Your blood will be the catalyst to the awakening of the Alpha and Omega... and I will be his prophet, his chosen messiah, to carve the red trail as he walks among this planet once more!"

Adelheid, still utterly lost and confused, slightly beyond rational capacity at the sight of his blood, desperately blurted. "Y-you're insane! This tournament... it's an invitation to lunacy!"

Shion brandished his spear and inched forward. "You're a part of it, whether you like it or not... just as your father was! Everything is a pawn in Orochi's game. EVERYTHING!"

Shion held the base of the spear and began to rapidly churn; this caused the head of the spear to have a rotating effect, as it rolled counter-clockwise and filled the tip with momentum and power. He inched forward, backing Adelheid up with the rapid spinning tip... it was hopeless for Adel to get close. There was no opening...!

Finally, Shion struck. He went low, attempting to catch the feet. Adelheid had to act fast; he quickly backpedaled his feet in succession as Shion constantly stabbed left, right, left, right... if there was even one step out of place, the spear would pierce him, and put him out of this fight.

But Shion had him right where he wanted him: focused on his feet. Thus, Adelheid had no defense prepared when Shion suddenly jabbed the tip upwards at an obtuse angle, catching Adelheid across the chest and opening up a fine gash.

"Aghh!" he grimaced as he felt more warmth begin to trickle; he was scared to look down, lest his entire torso be painted with red.

Shion showed masterful work of the spear, mixing his attacks low and high. He twirled his body, and the spear sailed downwards towards the legs; Adelheid leaped and dodged it, and Shion came back around and the spear went high. Adelheid ducked, avoiding decapitation, and Shion spun around a THIRD time... the spear twirled beautifully in his arms as he brought his body all the way back around and struck a third time; this time, he lunged and thrust, instead of trying to slash.

Adelheid wasn't ready for it; he tried to take a step back, but juke left at the same time, and the end result was an awkward half-step, half-dodge... the tip of the spear managed to catch the side of his head, and he winced in pain as he felt it drag across his temple, easily tearing the skin like paper. He felt it flow freely down his head... he began to feel a dizziness onset...


"Rose. This has to end NOW!" Chizuru commanded.

The trio had at last confronted the hostess in her VIP booth, where she looked more indecisive than at any other given point thus far. Her eyes seemed aimlessly, almost super-consciously focused on Adelheid, to the point that her rational though was frozen within the confines of her burdened mind.

"Rose, listen to me. Rose... ROSE!" Chizuru screamed.

"I-I... I have this handled!" Rose fired back, clearly showing a faux confidence. "A-Adelheid can beat this guy! He... he can-"

"Girl, open your eyes!" Benimaru snapped. "He's getting tore up by that spear!"

"This shouldn't even be up for consideration." Chizuru pursued. "STOP THE FIGHT."

Rose just continued to stare out... she looked utterly lost. Tears began to form on her eyelids.

"B-b-but if I stop the... the... the people will be..."

"It's time to cut our losses!" Saisyu stressed. "Things are out of our hands at the moment, but we can regroup. The important thing is getting your brother out alive! Don't tell me your brother's life is less important than the tournament!"

"I...I...'

"Rose, he's running out of time!" Chizuru pointed out to the combat.

"I NEED TIME TO THINK!"

She was full on sobbing now; things had clearly overpowered her, and the toilsome weight of the proceedings proved to be too much for her to handle. She collapsed to her knees, face in her hands, rocking unsteadily as she cried:

"Father... please help me..."

Chizuru sighed loudly. "Oh screw this. I'm going out there!"

...But as Chizuru Kagura began to take a step... she too froze. It seemed even she could be halted by indecisiveness. Thoughts of much larger stakes flooded her mind... the Hakkeshu, the other team that were organizing their efforts to sow chaos and negativity and break the seal she swore to protect. If she were to go out there now, and suffer a penalty such as disqualification... she would be unable to combat them in the tournament.

"Damn..." she hissed under her breath, as her unsteady legs fought a silent battle of dilemma.


In the combat zone, Adelheid fared worse by the second. Suffering multiple lacerations, he began to slow, as inflamed nerves weighed down his limbs with cries of disrepair... tried as he did to fight back, Shion's Crimson Spear proved too versatile. He attempted a kick to Shion's leg, only for the blunt of the polearm to parry his kick, and Shion brought the weapon upside his forehead, stunning him backwards in time for Shion to dance a graceful pirouette, sending the weapon into a rending spiral that nearly clipped his shoulder, but Adelheid swayed backwards and avoided it at the last second.

But Shion's movements, too graceful and heavy in volume, provided a deceitful mixup, as Shion twirled around and send the spear dipping low, slicing a fine gash in Adelheid's thigh... and the young Bernstein was felled.

"Agggghhhh...!" he grimaced as he tried to put weight on the appendage... tried as he did, getting up had officially become impossible. His ranged attacks were useless without function of his legs. This was it... no way to fight back.

Upon seeing her brother go down, Rose's most base instincts kicked in: preservation of life. She leaped up, tears flying from her ducts, and her phone was out in seconds. "SECURITY! GUARDS! ARREST THAT MAN!"

...But no response came. Seconds and seconds ticked by, but no response from the chief of staff.

Finally, someone from the control room picked up. "Miss Bernstein!"

"Where are the guards?!" Rose demanded.

"Our security staff was wiped out by a guy in purple! They're too banged up!"

"Purple..." Rose muttered. Quickly deciding that detail was irrelevant, she hung up.

"GAAAAAH! Silber, you have to go out there and save him!"

Silber shook his head. "My place is at your side. I'm not getting paid to rescue him."

"You're getting paid... TO DO WHAT I TELL YOU!" Rose found some fire in her voice, and she got authoritative.

"Your brother was clear. My duty is to protect you, nothing else." Silber folded his arms, not backing down.

"Rose, let us go out there!" Chizuru urged.

The Bernstein girl showed a slightest reserve of hesitation still lingering, her head bobbing back and forth between the booth, the combat zone, Chizuru and her posse... finally, she closed her eyes and nodded-

"AHHHghhhhhhhhhhhkkkk...?!"

Chizuru, Saisyu and Benimaru would never get the chance; before their skyrocketing eyes, an enemy assailant had appeared out of thin air, with a wide, goofy smile on his red-painted lips, and had shoved Rose against the wall with a comically oversized playing card pressed to her neck. It was Joker!

Silber almost jumped him at that moment, but the pressure Joker added against her neck stopped him in his tracks. "Come on big guy, make a move! I dare you! HYAHYAHYAHYAHOOHOHOHOHOHO!"

"Damn... where'd he come from?!" Saisyu cursed.

"Oh shit... this is bad..." Benimaru mumbled.

Chizuru was frozen stiff; to call this situation "bad" was an understatement. Both Bernsteins were now being held with their life on a thread: Rose in her VIP booth, courtesy of Joker, and Adelheid in the combat zone, Shion's spear pressed to his neck. The situation had easily just jumped from bad, to dire, to... the fate of the world...

"Aghh... cough cough...aghghkkk...A-Adel...ghhkkkghcoughcoughcough!" Rose strained to choke out his name, but obviously it fell on deaf ears.

Adelheid cut his eyes towards the booth and saw her, and any ounce of composure he had left was cast aside. "ROSE! LET HER GO, YOU BASTARD! WHAT DO YOU WANT?!"

Shion pressed the tip of the spear to his neck and cackled. "Hahahahahaha! What do I want? I want it ALL, Bernstein! I am fulfilling Saiki's ambition!"

That name struck familiar. "S...Saiki...?"

Shion's smile grew wider. "You probably don't know him. I bet you're real familiar with one of his cohorts, though... oh how she had fun playing your sister like a little dress-up doll-"

"SHUT UP!" the words spat from Adelheid's mouth, so forcefully he fell over from his kneeling position.

Shion chuckled with amusement, as he now aimed the spear at the floored Adelheid. "Heh heh heh... good. Curse me. Loathe me. Now listen up! If you move from this spot... your sister dies. See?"

Shion grabbed him by the hair and jerked his head up, towards the VIP booth: Joker, who was now holding the giant playing card against her neck with one hand, used the other hand to produce his deadly hammer.

"Sorry to do this to a pretty gal, but the Looly Po Po are gonna make some dough!" Joker grinned. "Just one little crack on the head, like a chocolate candy... that's all it takes. Keep that in mind before any of you idiots try to rush me! Hyahyahyahohohohohohoho!"

"Bastard! I'll roast you alive!" Saisyu threatened.

"Maybe I could... I could sneak up on him...?" Chizuru suggested, but her voice bore no confidence.

"Just don't move for a second, guys." Benimaru halted them. "We gotta find an opening, a mistake, a slip-up. Or... we just gotta pray."

"L...Leave her alone..." Adelheid grunted through a wincing face.

"Don't worry. You're the only one I need." Shion uttered that dark reassurance. "Accept your fate like a man... and she will be spared. But don't test me. It could easily be her instead of you, or it could simply be BOTH."

Adelheid grunted weakly from his downed position... but his voice had lost any roaring defiance. He looked... neutered.

"At least tell me why." he calmly pleaded. "Why are you doing this? What end do you seek?"

Shion warily kept his spear brandished, as he began to speak. "Ha ha ha... it's so unfortunate for you two. This is nothing personal. Not at all... if you want to blame anything, blame your noble bloodline. Blame your father, for being such a figure of fame and notoriety. Blame him for bringing you into this world, and dying to leave you to raise yourselves, to become Germany's treasured children. You two... you're too good. The people adore you. That's why your death will bring woe upon the world, and weaken the Orochi seal, so I may finish what Mukai, Magaki, and Saiki started. My organization may be scattered to the winds, but it doesn't matter. I'm here... and with my Crimson Spear, I'll pierce your heart and spill your blood, to welcome God back to this world."

His heart started to beat faster... his skin grew hot, fearful chemicals flooding his bloodstream, heightening his desperation. He suddenly felt strong enough to stand... he wanted to rise up and end this right now. But his sister... damn!

The threat of death... it was very real. To say one was unafraid would be a lie. Adelheid wasn't ready to die. He wasn't ready to see his sister die. But to protect her, he would pay any price. He had to find some way to drag this out... prolong it, and pray for a miracle...

"I hate people like you." Adelheid cursed. "My father was no saint, but at least he bore enough integrity to follow the principle of honest competition. He hosted King of Fighters to this end... never to seek megalomaniacal ideals like the destruction of all human life. But YOU, and all the ones before you... you... you come to this noble tournament, spreading your filth, your DISEASE... you abuse the purity of the sport for your disgusting ambitions! I'VE HAD IT!"

Anger and testosterone boiled in his blood in a vicious jacuzzi; he found himself leaping to his feet, swinging his fist in anger. "I swear if it's the last thing I'll do, even with my dying breath, I'LL TAKE YOU ALL OUT ONE BY ONE! ANYONE WHO EVER TAINTS THIS COMPETITION, WHO THREATENS MY FAMILY... I'LL KILL YOU ALL!"

Rose's face twisted, seeing her brother rise up like that, screaming... he'd never been so loud before. She always scolded him if he raised his voice, always encouraging him to speak like a gentleman. But this... this wasn't Adelheid. H-he would never say... such things! He was scaring her.

...She could have sworn his red eyes were glowing, just like Father's eye used to do.

Chizuru's nervous eyes scanned the audience, then fell back to him... she let out a sigh. "Damn it, Adelheid... you can't lose yourself..."

Joker, meanwhile, still had complete control of the situation, pressing his prop card against Rose's neck and holding his hammer to her dome, threatening any of them to move against him. "Huh? Whoozat? Wha? Were you about to step forward? Huh? How bout you? Huh? I saw your leg twitch! HYEEHYEEHYEEHAAAHAAHAAHOOOHOO! Nobody can touch me here! NOBODY! This VIP booth offers no vantage point that you can ambush me! Even a sniper couldn't touch me from this position. LITTLE MISS ROSIE IS ALL MINE! HYEEEHYEEHAAAAA!"

Shion gasped when he saw Adelheid rise up so violently... he was coming forward, disregarding his wounds! Shion looked closely: a thin veil of red aura was engulfing the boy. Something felt different... very different about him!

"S-stay back... I SAID GET DOWN!" Shion hissed as he jammed the butt of his spear into Adelheid's leg wound. Immediately, Adelheid winced in agony and buckled once again, dropping to his hands and knees. The red aura began to slowly fade away... the situation was restored.

"Agghghlkkk Adel..heid...!" Rose's gargled voice cried out his name.

"ENOUGH OF THIS!" Shion's exploding voice shook the Coliseum. "This is OVER, you hear me? It's OVER!"

"Ungh..." Adelheid groaned, as the spear was presented to his neck once more. That was it... his chance, lost. Dammit! He... he had no other options... at this point all he could do was protect-

"You're going to die now, Adelheid." Shion announced. "It's nothing personal. I'm sorry it has to be you... but you're the key to all of this. Your time has come."

Tears began to flood Rose's eyes. Fear flooded her insides with hormones, giving her hysterical strength, and she pried Joker's grasp loose of her neck long enough to scream:

"NOOOO! DON'T-gghk! D-DON'T KI-KiLLhhhkkk.. MY BROTHER! TAKE ME! TAKE ME INSTEAD! PLEASE!"

Meanwhile, the four fighters trapped in this deadliest of standoffs could only continue to watch on, as the seconds ticked by...

"This is getting bad!" Benimaru muttered to them with loud, hushed words. "Someone's gotta have the balls to just step up and make a move. Cmon big guy, what the hell's she paying you for?!"

"There's no angle to get behind the clown from here, you fool." Silber shot him down.

"Chizuru... you've got to get behind him." Saisyu urged her. "I know you can do it."

Chizuru clenched her fists... but her legs wavered. "I..I... I'm afraid I'll screw up..."

Joker, who was still fighting amidst Rose's deafening wails, took time to make sure he had the situation commanded. "I see you getting jittery over there, lady! I mean it! One hit is all it'll take to crack her coconut!"

"TAKE ME!" Rose screamed. "IF YOU KILL MY BROTHER I MIGHT AS WELL BE DEAD ANYWAY! SO JUST TAKE ME! YOU HEAR ME? PLEASE, I'M BEGGING YOU, JUST-"

"Rose, SHUT UP!" Adelheid's voice once again reached an unprecedented level of volume... and Rose immediately froze up. Joker had his hammer drawn back, ready to unleash it, but her tear-streaming eyes could only look at Adel... as they began to flow more strongly.

"Sniff...sniff... you... you bastard brother!" she sobbed. "You don't ever tell me to shut up! You hear me?! I...I hate you Adelheid! I hate you! I'm trying to save your life, and all you can do is be a-"

"ROSE." Adelheid's sharp voice cut her off again, and she meekly retracted her words. Silence filled the arena for fifteen paralyzing, daunting seconds... before only three more words would be said.

"...I love you." he muttered softly, as his eyes closed, the final acceptance of fate.

Shion's sickening grin crept wide as he raised the spear and brought it down, aiming for Adelheid's heart. His thrust was fast and true, and the might of the Crimson Spear would penetrate him even easier than it did Magak-

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAUUUUUUUUUUUUGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!"

The scream that rang out and shook the Coliseum, as well as the audience's core... was NOT the death cry of Adelheid Bernstein. In the VIP booth, Joker had suddenly lost composure and was flailing about aimlessly, not even tending to Rose. On his back was... some unidentified black blur.

"GET THIS THING OFF OF ME! AHHH! AHHHHHHHHH!"

Silber's eyes spread with intense focus; not a single move was wasted as he rushed in, drew his hand back into a curled palm, took a deep lunge to maximize his thrust... and let his hand loose into Joker's stomach.

His kiai roared with explosive, terrifying volume. "ZORYAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!"

Joker's face froze in shock as he felt his entire body smash against the back wall of the VIP booth, courtesy of Silber's palm burrowing into him. The force of the attack was so powerful, it left a pattern of several fine cracks in the wall behind him. His traumatized lungs couldn't even utter a squeak as he slowly peeled off the wall... and hit the ground, completely limp.

Rose's face lit with joy as she immediately recognized the identity of her rescuer: a young black panther, the successor to the one her father had bred, raised, and cared for so many years.

"RODEM JR!" she squealed as she ran out, scooped up her kitty in her arms, and twirled him around in a loving embrace.

"...Great. So a baby cat has more balls than the rest of us." Benimaru deadpanned.

Shion watched this go down with utter horror on his face... the terror of a plan going awry, when he always prided himself on his stratagem. "N-no...!"

Adelheid jumped into action; the opportunity had presented itself too perfect. "HYAH!"

He leaped up and went airborne, sending his leg upwards in that trademark arc, his chi deadly and keen. But his aura... it wasn't his standard silver. Blood red was the pigment of his temperament, his selfish desire to punish the evildoer who DARED threaten his family and attempt to ruin his sister's contest. One might as well call it... Genocide Cutter.

Shion's spear flew from his hands, far out of reach, as the kick carried it to an unreachable distance. His trademark weapon, his ace in the hole: gone! Now he was left unarmed, still battered... and the vengeful Adelheid came towards him with a fist glowing red.

"Stay back!" Shion threatened. "I... I can still kill her! I mean it!"

The threat fell on deaf ears; Adelheid's eyes glowed even BRIGHTER.

Shion was panicking. Everything fell apart... he couldn't kill two stupid children?! Adelheid was coming near him, prepared to kill... no! He wouldn't let Botan or the Hakkeshu get all the glory! Orochi would look upon HIM only! Only one of them has to die... he can still nail Rose from here!

Unarmed, Shion presented one last trick up his sleeve... literally. With a whoosh of his hand, three wooden dart projectiles flew from his shirt sleeve with eagle accuracy, and started flying towards the VIP booth, aimed at Rose's throat. Even from his faraway position, Shion's aim was enough to drop even a housefly.

"ROSE, DUCK!" Chizuru screamed.

"Eeek!" Rose squealed, recoiling in terror as the darts flew towards her, threatening to pierce her windpipe. They would have surely struck her, if not for...

Silber jumped in front of her at the last second, shielding her small frame with his large one. He extended his bare arm to stop the darts...

FWIPFWIPFWIP! The darts lodged in his arm only faintly, as the tips struggled to stay embedded in his rough, calloused skin. Even as they slightly broke the surface, not a droplet of blood was drawn.

With a mocking grunt, Silber reached up his other hand and casually flicked the pestilent projectiles free of his arm, and they hit the ground like discarded toothpicks.

"God damn it..." Shion cursed his fortune... but he only had time to self-loathe for a mere second, as he turned and realized: Adelheid was on him.

"S-sto-urrrfffhhh!" Adelheid's hand grabbed his face, squeezed tight, nearly crushing his jaw in the strong grip. Adel's body soared forward to gain speed and momentum, to make the strength required to lift even easier than it already was.

"HaaaaAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHGH!" Adelheid screamed with all the fury and vengeance in his lungs until they burned like fire, and he lifted Shion by the face with one hand, high above his head with the ease of a trash bag. He brought Shion crashing down to the ground with a SLAM!

Shion cried out in agony as his body was enveloped in a red pillar of chi, shooting up to the sky like a geyser... and within the tempest bore the faint image of a red skull, a testament to the lethality and intent behind the attack.

Shion lay helpless, breathing shallow breaths, his muscles too aching to even attempt to escape from whatever fate come next. But he could still move enough to shiver in fear as Adelheid loomed over him... his eyes glowing just like Rugal's.

"You... you..." Shion spat out defiant words. "You... father-loving, pompous, pure-blooded, inbreeding albino FREAKS! I'll kill you if it's the last thing I do! You hear me? I'll KILL-"

Adelheid drew his fist back. Shion winced in fear... but the attack never came. Shion opened his eyes again... Adel was just standing there, fist drawn, red aura glowing... but something was changing. The red was slowly fading... brighter, more transparent it seemed to glow, like some kind of transition... until finally, no red remained, and only silver radiated from Adelheid's body.

Shion's fearful expression slowly faded... his lips began to curve to a smile. "Hehehe...hahaha! HAHAHAHAHA! Even now, you can't do it? You can't kill to protect what's yours?! You're disgustingly good, Adelheid Bernstein! You're the hero your people deserve!"

"Shut up." Adelheid lowered his fist. "I'm not blind to your game. You want me to cross that line. You want me to stain my honor, and end up like my father. As BAD as I want to... there will be no killing today. Not to a fallen opponent, at least. And I doubt you have the strength to get back up and attack me again. So lay there... and wallow in your defeat."

WINNER: ADELHEID BERNSTEIN


"Whew... I need to change my boxers, and probably the next pair of boxers after that." Benimaru sighed.

"Get out of here, Beni." Chizuru put a consoling hand on him. "Me and Saisyu will stick around a bit longer."

"Right. Yeah, I've had enough for today. See ya."

Rose was out there immediately, with a few security personnel that at least still had the strength to hold a gun. Joker was already in custody.

"Arrest that man immediately! He tried to murder my brother!"

As the security guards scooped up Shion and carried him away... the two siblings were at last given the chance to be within each other again. Red eyes fell on equal reds... their weary selves still had the strength to run towards each other, and their bodies became one. Rodem Jr. the panther, darted up Adelheid's torso and nestled on his shoulder, and started nuzzling his cheek.

Rose started crying into his shirt immediately, without restraint. "Ohh brother! Sniff sniff... I'm sorry. I'm so sorry. You must hate me... you must curse me for bringing us back to this. You tried to warn me. But I was so blinded by pride and the desire for glory that I... I... I put us in danger. I nearly got you killed! I..."

Adelheid gently kissed her temple, as his hand dotingly rubbed her head. "Rose... it's okay. You didn't mean it. Nobody ever means for it to happen. It's the fate of this cursed contest, King of Fighters, to breed malice, hatred, and madness. But we few noble human beings don't have to accept this... we can FIGHT it. And I'm going to do that, Rose. I swear, with every breath I have, that I'll fight to the very end to preserve the honesty and purity of this tournament you've bestowed upon us."

Rose's grip tightened against him. "Brother... oh brother, I love you. I love you. Please don't ever die and leave me alone. Please..."

"I'm not going anywhere, Rose. I swear." Adelheid whispered to her. "We're going to get through this."

In the aftermath, things calmed down. The audience was quelled and satisfied, and most of them proceeded to go home for the day, while some lingered around for any last-minute excitement, and rumors of a "Dark Bout" happening to determine who would take Andy and Robert's place in Round 2.

Chizuru and Saisyu stood side by side, watching the crowd from afar with vigilant eyes... for both of them a spirit resided in them that compelled them to ensure order and safety for the crowded masses. Both of them knew better than the rest what price would be paid, should the population fall into despair...

"So we made it past this. Somehow." Saisyu spoke to her, without even turning his head. His eyes remained focused, arms folded.

"Yes." Chizuru nodded. "We defeated one villain, at least. I can only hope that the Hakkeshu are our only remaining concern."

"So where do we go from here?"

"We'll have to forge an alliance with Rose. Get her to listen to us. If we can get her to manipulate the brackets in our favor, we can take the fight directly to the Hakkeshu, and knock them out of the contest, so they can't complete their twisted goal."

"...So where do WE go from here?"

"Huh?"

"I was thinking dinner for two. Maybe some wine?"

"...I could eat."

A hand found her shoulder. "Then let's go, Miss Kagura. I don't think there's anymore danger to be had this evening."

The two walked into the distance, as the orange hue of the sunset sky slowly faded to dark blue...

And THAT. IS. THAT. Whew. It's been a rough go in Round 1, and I struggled pretty hard in the second half, but we finally got here. I think I'm in a place where I can finally regain the fire and passion I've been lacking for a while. Round 2 is upon us... and I warn you, things are going to get turned up. People you care about are going to lose. The stakes will be higher than ever. But don't worry! In the deepest darkness, a tiny crack of light will shine through. So just wait for that bit of light before you count your chickens, okay? Just be patient, and my grand design will present itself.

NEXT CHAPTER: Post-round adventures! I'm only going to limit this to two chapters, because we have to keep moving. But for now... your favorite part of the chapter. Also, contestants will be listed below:

BONUS SCENE

"Hey, where'd you park?"

"Ungh... I can't remember. I think I had Liam park it."

"Hehe, Liam? The janitor? Suddenly he's a valet now?"

"I dunno, the guy says yes to f***ing everything. He's too damn gullible and trusting. So, I just took advantage."

"That's cruel, dude."

The two security guards searched the parking area for their vehicle, while holding a weakened Shion on their back. Since it was a HUGE lot... finding their designated car was difficult.

"So this tournament got pretty crazy, huh?"

"Yeah... I thought someone was gonna die for a second. Maybe even me!"

"Yeah, that purple f***er came out of nowhere. I'm still aching...ugh..."

"I wonder if we'll see him aga-"

At that moment, a purple blur converged on them, swiftly kicking one guard to the face, while a backhanded chop laid out the other guy. Their guns were kicked away from reach, before the figure turned his attention to the downed Shion.

Eiji Kisaragi scooped up Shion and fled the scene, escaping into the solitude of the night.

ART OF FIGHTING VETS: King, Ryo

FATAL FURY REGULARS: Terry, Mai, Krauser, Yamazaki

MARK OF THE WOLVES: Hotaru, Gato, Tizoc

KOF ITSELF: Hinako, Clark, Angel, Shingo, Kensou, Chris, Shermie, Kula, Chizuru, Saisyu, Mature/Vice, Benimaru, Iori, Adelheid

WORLD HEROES: NONE! HAHAHAHA!

WHO WILL TAKE ROBERT AND ANDY'S PLACE? FIND OUT IN THE DARK BOUT!