Gonna show a bit of mercy with a smaller chap this time. This is a very necessary chapter, building up to something BIG going down at the end of the Quarterfinals. How do I describe it? Well... remember The Clone War from the previous Kumite? This will be its equivalent. I've been teasing it with the Lien scenes and "winter is coming"... but yeah, I am stoked for this. SO STOKED. We're almost there!

heii-lin, there is no need to apologize, my friend. I am incredibly grateful for you continuing to pop in every once in a while, despite your personal life. Thank you, from the bottom of my heart.

Without further ado, let's begin the prelude to the chaos.

In the dark of night, a black crow flies over the city, commanding the skies, possessing an almost omniscient point of view over the proceedings in Munich, Germany...

Nobody knows his purpose. What his goal is... he just flies around aimlessly, bouncing from rooftop to rooftop... seeking some desire that is known far beyond the rationale of man-

"AHHH! Goddamn bird!"

The bespectacled, modern-day hipster ninja Nagase was the unfortunate recipient of this bird's interaction, as she flailed her arms angrily in displeasure, scaring the thing off in a hail of black feathers.


Lien ignored her rival/stalker as usual, resuming her relaxed position against a nearby closed building, sipping what had to be her fourth iced coffee of the day. She'd been throwing them back religiously.. probably on account of her constant nightwork.

Today had once again been uneventful... the Stadium was sold out for the fourth day in a row, barring her entry into the blasted thing. Furthermore, the Bernsteins were constantly traveling with tight security now. It was a clear-cut case of Lien arriving late to the party; just a few days sooner, her chances would have been vastly increased.

"Any luck today?"

Lien jumped ever slightly at the new presence, which saw fit to land on the ground directly beside her. She tensed up... but when she recognized the sickly skin, long, dark Chinese braid, and matching attire... she slightly eased up.

"Not even a nibble." Lien explained to her fellow-employ. "The rich brats are hosting a dinner party on their ship, and all the finalists were allowed to attend... very clever of them, to surround themselves with tough fighters."

Lin nodded at her words, before assuming a stance against the building, very similar to her own. Eventually, he folded his arms, miming her own standing position.

A slight silence was shared between them, the only immediate sounds the lingering life in the city, and Lien's occasional slurps of her cup. Finally, the silence was broken, with an interesting question:

"...Have you stopped to think about who we're supposed to be killing?"

Lin's attention was captured upon hearing the blonde's question, and he turned his head towards her. "What do you mean?"

Lien continued between sips. "The hosts of the world's most premiere fighting tournament... and in the middle of it, no less. Just seems like strange timing for a job like this. King of Fighters has always been known to breed events of... world-altering proportions. Makes me wonder what the cosmic repercussions would be."

"Would that stop you?"

...A tiny smirk. "Heh. No. At the end of the day, it's money. A huge amount. Enough to set me for life."

Lin's eyes narrowed, as his hand found his chin. "On that, we share common ground. I've lived in... squalor... for far too long. In exile, alone... not even a pot to piss in... but it's the choice I made for myself. A sacrifice... to right the wrongs a certain someone committed."

"Revenge story?" Lien spoke with slight sarcasm. "Riveting."

Lin grew more fierce. "To destroy this man, I left behind everything I ever had... the world won't even remember me for it. But I'll do it, because it's the right thing to do. After that, I'll have nowhere to go, and no direction... so maybe this payday will help me start fresh. A new life, new name... maybe start a family."

"Dangerous thinking for our type." Lien continued to show half-interest. She was more focused on her coffee, which had at last descended below the rocky layers of ice, making slurping a more strenuous feat. Finally, she finished the thing, pouring out the excess ice and setting the empty cup at her feet.

"Well, you've given a penny for my thoughts." Lin spoke again. "Let's hear your story. Is there a certain someone in your life too?"

With nothing else to distract her... Lien actually committed to the talk. "There is."

"Man?"

A nod. "A complicated... man. At times I wanted to kill him. Sometimes he was like a father to me. Other times, I wanted to fuck him."

Lin's eyes opened a bit upon hearing that last statement. "...And which one came to pass?"

A smirk. "None of them. I'm following my own path now... and I want a life for myself too. A couple million dollars will pave the road quite nicely."

"...I don't suppose there's any way we could agree to split it?"

Lin's eyes cut to her.

...Lien's eyes cut back. "...If it comes down to us, ONE of us is getting that money. I don't do 50/50."

Lin nodded humbly, looking back away from her. His position on the building relaxed slightly. "Very well then... we'll cross that bridge when we get there."

"HEY! SLUT! CHINAMAN!"

Lien and Lin's eyes went upwards, to capture the voice shouting down at them. Of course, it was the pigtailed pain-in-the-ass herself, who dropped down to their rooftop to address them.

"You guys might wanna see this! Something big going down a couple blocks away!"

"And I'm supposed to care... why?" Lien asked with increasing disinterest.

"BECAAAAUSE, it's the guys that hired us! And they're not alone!" Nagase stressed.

Without another word on the matter, Nagase had already abandoned them, to go roof-hopping. Lien and Lin turned, locking eyes... admittedly, some curiosity restored.

"Guess we'd better check it out. Maybe we'll learn something." Lien advised.


The trip was brief; Nagase's intel was no exaggeration, as the meeting had taken place just a small ways from where Lien and Lin had been chilling. Having the advantage of stealth on their side, the unlikely duo opted to take the high ground, and observe the proceedings from a well-hidden, clear-sight vantage point.

Nagase was also scoping it out, the ninja girl afforded a much higher plane thanks to her ninja abilities, and more sophisticated ways of recon, thanks to her tech.

"How many are there?" Lin whispered to the blonde. "I count 16, not including our clients. You?"

Lien squinted her eyes and scanned carefully: the black of night impaired vision, but she was still able to make out the solid objects well enough. Shion was there. Botan was at his side. Behind them, flanked two more: one tall blonde man, one short, black-haired girl. Shroom and Rimelo.

On the other side, standing at attention, was a much more colorful, lively gathering of rogues... no doubt, the ones who came to answer the call of the 2.5 million bounty.

There were some familiar faces, including the clown on roller skates, a short, green creature with metal claws, a swordswoman in pink. They were Joker, Genan, Sinclair: three already-failed attempts on the Bernsteins' lives. The purple-clad ninja Eiji Kisaragi was also at their side, his mullet looking as brown and unkempt as usual.

A punk-looking man from the UK, with a red mohawk... and also wielding a pair of dangerous, shredding claws. He had appeared briefly in the previous Kumite... under the alias of a historically famous serial killer. Whether that was him or not, was unknown.

The member of the vengeful Mochizuki clan, bearing a personal hatred of Mai, was also present among the bodies. Why he was there, as an assassin no less, was a mystery: perhaps he had been exiled from his clan, and sought opportunity in the criminal underworld.

Lien recognized Abobo, the beefy wrestler in blue spandex that tried to have a go at her before... but she didn't recognize the man standing immediately to his left. This man was much fatter, sporting a blonde mohawk, a red mask, red shoulder pads... a partner, perhaps? A rival?

There was a Chinese spearman in green armor. A giant, fat bald guy with pink pants and a tattered pink vest, sporting blue face paint, wielding a kusarigama. A disturbed, hunching, inhuman-looking being with wild blue hair, wielding a three-bladed shuriken with a chain. A violent-looking white-haired man with two long knives. A towering man of great brawn, with a mane of red hair, a large carving knife holstered on his back waist.

A man shrouded in all black, his hood over a face so dark... only a black abyss could be seen. The only thing on his person in contrast was a long, white braid. Standing to his side was a well-built, military-looking man with blonde hair. A textbook soldier, it seemed. The only feature that was definitely odd and out of place... was the weird metal mask on his face. It looked almost like... welding gear?

The last man among them was an intimidating-looking samurai, whose very air exuded that of bloodlust. A huge, red ponytail hung out the back, almost reaching below his waist. The only feature more impressive: the steel hanging at his hip.

"I guess you were right." Lien whispered. "The competition rolled into town."

"Any big hitters among them, you think?"

"I don't see anything too impressive... save for a few." Lien's eyes seemed to linger on that samurai as she spoke those words.

"...I do hope you're not talking about that army man with the ridiculous mask."

"Nah. He'll be the first to go down."

Back on the street, Shion paced back and forth, scanning the 16 figures before him, spear on his back... his face at first bore ferocity, before slowly curving into a smirk.

"ATTENTION!" he yelled out, addressing them all. "You all know why you're here. You're here because your special talents have been recognized-"

"WOOO YEAAAAH!" the masked soldier, going by the unorthodox alias of "Nick Commando" interrupted, pumping his fist wildly. "I'M THE MOTHERF***ING BEST! 'MURICA IS HERE TO KICK ASS! F*** YEEEAHH!"

Shion shot a stink eye at Botan, then back to the group. "As I was saying...you're all here because I'm done hiding in the shadows. I'm done, sitting around, WAITING for opportunity. We finally have the standing force we need, to confront the Bernstein siblings head to head, and destroy them!"

With a grandiose twirl of his spear, Shion brandished it to all of them. "You're all here, because I'm offering a very special prize to the one who takes their heads. I'm giving 1.25 million dollars per head. And if one of you takes BOTH heads... the money's all yours. Is that a just cause worth fighting for? Hmmm? Do you want to keep living a poor, miserable existence as cutthroats for quarters? Or do you want the easy life? One more job, and you'll be set for the rest of your years. Now, your instructions are clear... KILL... THOSE... BERNSTEINS. And kill anyone fool enough to stand in your way. Am I clear?!"

...None of them responded, for multiple reasons. The most basic reason, being... Botan had sank her strings into them from the start. Thus, for all intents and purposes, she had the power to either make them stand silent and subservient... or express themselves, like the doofus soldier.

"You will all strike tomorrow at nightfall, after the Quarterfinals! Adelheid will be weary from battle, and an easy target. Remember my words! Whoever kills him gets the money! Work together, work separately, I don't care... just make sure he ends up dead, and his sister along with him! DISMISSED! GET OUT OF HERE!"

One by one, the assassins, mercenaries, bounty hunters, all started to trickle away... eventually, the congregation was completely broken up, and they had all gone their separate ways.

...Save for one. Even now, his feet remained firmly planted, the breeze gently blowing his large, red ponytail back and forth. Despite the slight nip in the air on his shirtless torso, the man's eyes remained firm, focused... coldly resting on the eyes of Shion.

"...I'm sorry, did we have any further business?!" Shion rudely dismissed the man.

In a flash, the samurai stepped forward, clutching the handle of his katana. A brilliant flash, as the blade was drawn...

WHOOOOSH!

Shion's hair rustled from the force of the draw. With a gasp, he backpedaled, to see what had happened... the blade was out, resting just inches away from where his head had been.

Shion's face twitched as he looked down at the ground... to see two severed halves of a flying insect, sliced with perfect symmetry.

On that violent note, the samurai smoothly slid his blade along the hilt, before the tip inserted back inside, and he sheathed his weapon. With a slight, sadistic grin... the samurai turned his back to them, and walked off.

Botan smiled. "He's an interesting one... I wasn't able to take over his mind, like the rest of them. I think I like him already."

...Shion shot her the fiercest of frowns, recognizing that parallel from an encounter days ago. "Don't be too proud of this little army you've created... they're all just meat shields. A pointless diversion, for me to get in close and finally finish this."

Botan smirked. "You sure you up to it? That boy trounced you once before."

A growl. "Things will be different this time... I've healed completely, while he has been through a slog of gruesome battles. This time, I'll put my spear in his heart, and end this once and for all."

"If not... you've always got your ace in the hole." Shroom spoke up from behind.

Shion's eyes narrowed. "...Let's just hope we don't have to use him. If we succeed, I'll take great pleasure in killing him a second time."


"Seems like we're being used for something." Lin concluded.

Lien scoffed. "How is that any different from our job description in the first place? At the end of the day, we're here for that big score. Moths to flame. Whatever purpose it serves THEM.. doesn't really matter."

The two of them rose from their vantage point, safe to come out. "So what's the plan then? Do we join them tomorrow?" Lin asked.

"Might as well." Lien responded. "Our chances will be better if we infiltrate the battle. Those weak-minded fools can serve their purpose... while we go for the real score."

...At that moment their conversation was interrupted by the fluttering of wings. The two looked up, Lien immediately grunting in disgust when the saw the winged beast above them.

"It's that damned bird again..."

Lin scanned it carefully... but his eyes narrowed with suspicion, with each passing second.

"Wait a minute. "

"What?"

Lin pointed. "The one that's been flying around is a black crow. This is a..."

"Hawk?" Lien corrected herself, finally seeing the truth as her eyes adjusted.

The hawk commenced a hasty retreat, leaving behind a trail of feathers... Lien and Lin persistently followed its movements... until it landed on a strange perch...

...Not a perch. A human arm.

"Gasp!" a younger female voice rang out in the distance.

"WE'VE BEEN MADE!" Nagase leapt into action, drawing a shuriken and letting it fly towards the figure...

Despite being initially started, the girl was quick to react, drawing a short blade from her rear scabbard and deflecting the projectile with a flash of sparks. As soon as she saw the three figures closing in, she turned tail and ran.

"Don't lose her!" Lien commanded.

"Yeah yeah, keep your tits in your jumpsuit!" Nagase grunted as she persevered in her pursuit of the girl, who was quite nimble in her own right... but no ninja, like she was. Nagase's spectacles shimmered with delight, her smile growing wide, as she got closer and closer... the race across the rooftops finally narrowed down to one, as the ninja got in close enough to assert some offense.

"SAY GNITE GIRLY!" Nagase leaped down on her with a draw of her blade. The raven-haired girl, wearing white and red, drew her own sword and parried the blow, leaving the two at a stalemate, before Nagase broke away and tried to come down with a spinning slash. The girl recognized this, and dipped her defense low, again blocking the strike. She kept their blades together, as she brought her wrist up and rolled it aside, sending Nagase into a slight stumble, but Nagase regained her balance and swiftly backhanded her weapon, attempting to come back across with a retaliation. The raven-haired girl again was able to block the blade...

...The next thing Nagase received was a facefull of feathers. "AHHHHH! GODDAMN F***ING BIRDS I'VE HAD IT WITH ALL OF THEM!"

By the time Nagase's flailing fit was over, and the feathers were clear... the stranger was gone.

"Nuh..no way!" Nagase leaped across rooftops, looking in all directions...there's no way she escaped that fast!

...Finally, with a defeated sigh, Nagase abandoned her high perch, and dropped down to street level, where Lien and Lin were waiting.

"You lost her, didn't you?" Lien snidely remarked.

Nagase hissed as she sheathed her blade. "Why don't you shut the fuck up, before I slice those 2-gallon milk jugs off?"

And that's the end of the post-round stuff! Now, I'm sure you have a lot of questions about who the f*** all those heels are LOL. Well, you can either do three things: do SNK homework (YUCK), boldly guess their identities in the review section, which I would LOVE... or you can just wait until the end of the Quarterfinals, which is when this huge battle will take place. Do what you want. You're the reader ; D

NEXT CHAPTER: Day... 6? I'm starting to lose track. Anyways, the Quarterfinals have arrived! Four fights, four people advancing. We're almost at the end of this thing, people!

But first... two cool BONUS SCENES for you!


BONUS SCENE 1

"Huff...huff...huff...huff..."

The poor girl panted so hard, her chest looked like rising dough. It hadn't been easy; that girl with the glasses was clearly some type of ninja, to be able to keep up with her so well. If it wasn't for Mamahaha...

"That was a close one." Nakoruru finally regained her breath enough to speak. With a warm smile, she nuzzled the face of her protector, "Thank you, Mamahaha~!"

The girl was at last treated to a blissful respite... or so she thought. It was but 20 seconds later that she once again sensed a presence.

"Ah!" with a gasp, she spun around, drawing her short blade. "Wh-who are you?!"

...The grinning mug of Mr. Big is who greeted her. "Someone who's bored and curious."


BONUS SCENE 2

The black crow swoops through the skies, with blood red eyes observing all that goes on below. It circles a few times... before finally finding a rooftop to land on.

The crow lands.

...From the skies, two figures drop, landing in perfect symmetry with the bird. One wearing red, one wearing blue. Their faces are obscured... but the ominous shimmer of their silver masks glows in the moonlight... along with the blades on their wrists.