Whew. Nothing much to say, this is just a tough one. This is perhaps the most fast-pace, high-volume fight I've ever written. This chapter is just powerful, everywhere. Brace yourselves.
Also, I missed Adelheid's birthday by a few hours. Bleh. Happy B Day, my dude.
"You okay big guy? Uuuup ya go."
Mary spoke consoling words to Terry post-defeat, helping the man up to his feet. Terry, despite the beating, didn't look too worse for wear; His skin was suffering some first-degree burns and his face was swollen... but in terms of the beatings he'd suffered in his life, this wasn't the worst. Maybe.
"Urrgh... he really got me good." Terry chuckled.
Mary frowned, looking at the unconscious man. "He was out of control. I don't want that freakjob near us ever again."
Terry, in a surprisingly forgiving move, simply threw an arm over Mary's shoulder and laughed it off. "Hahahaha, cmon Mare. Iori would never do anything REALLY bad... dude's just got some inner issues he needs to pound out sometimes. That's all that was."
Joe, Mary, Andy and Mai all did a collective double take.
"What?!" Joe grumbled.
"How can you forgive a guy that clearly tried to KILL you?!" Andy complained.
"Mary, knock some sense into your man." Mai suggested.
Terry just put his hands up. "Guys, guys... it's IORI. Cmon. We've known him for years. Has he ever killed any of us?"
"Well, he killed two people." Joe raised his hand with a valid point.
"...They deserved it."
QUARTERFINALS FIGHT #3: ADELHEID BERNSTEIN VS SAISYU KUSANAGI
Nobody was sure how Adelheid was even walking right now. The man had taken an unbelievable assortment of bodily injuries over the course of this hellish week... but even now, that seemed the least of his problems.
As Adelheid, hunching, gripping his body in anguish, slowly sauntered to the ring... it seemed like something entirely different was wrong with him. Sweat drizzling from his hair, his eyes shut tight, face wincing so hard, the teeth seemed ready to break against each other... he looked less capable of fighting now than when he had taken all manner of wounds from Shion and Freeman.
"Jesus, what is Rose thinking letting him fight?" Mary criticized. "She's gonna kill her brother."
"What's wrong with him?" Robert inquired. "He looks like he has a bad stomach bug... it doesn't look like the injuries are taking a toll on him."
"...It's something entirely different~"
"In the most delightful way possible~"
Everyone in the area jumped. The LAST voices they were expecting to hear near the fighter stands were... those two.
"What makes you think you specters are welcome here?!" King growled, balling her fist. Ryo placed a quelling hand on her shoulder.
"Hey now, don't be racist. Uhhh... ghostist." Mature snickered.
"We're just here for the climax." Vice added. "We're here to see Saisyu get what's coming to him... and open the door to a whole new world."
"...What are you blabbering about?" Shen Woo grunted.
The two just rolled their eyes.
"Oh, don't worry about it little boy."
"Go back to your letter blocks and shiny ball. Let us grownups worry about the real issues."
Shen's eyebrows menacingly raised. "Bitch, I will curb stomp..."
"Let it go, Shen." Athena eased. "They're just trying to get under our skin. Make us mad. Don't play into it."
"JUST GET OUT OF HERE!" King swung her arm angrily. "Nobody likes you! Nobody wants you here! Just GO!"
Mature and Vice shared this simultaneous face of hurt, putting hands on their chests dramatically.
"Well, I never!"
"Fine! We know when we're not wanted."
"We'll just go."
With that, the ghostly bitches took their leave, walking away... of course, when they escaped earshot, their faces curved with maniacal grins.
"Hehehe... oh we're not the ones that are going to go."
"When Adelheid unleashes that demonic energy inside him, and splatters poor little Saisyu all over the walls..."
"...Our lord will be awakened."
"Then YOU'LL be the ones going."
"Straight to-"
"-HELL!"
In the ring, Saisyu was the first to arrive, decently ahead of his opponent. This granted him the opportunity to sit... and stare... as the boy arrived. He observed it all: the labored steps, the strenuous expression on his face... every second, the hatred for Rugal burned brighter and brighter in him. Before long, he felt his lips opening, revealing bared teeth, growling with malice...
...But that wasn't him. He was a Kusanagi. His duty was to dispel evil, not seek personal gratification. But this WAS dispelling evil... wasn't it? He was destroying the sickness gripping this boy's heart. So what if he... enjoyed... it a bit? Was that against the rules?
He felt his demeanor ease off. He took a deep breath, closed his eyes... he looked to the sky, for some kind of outside guidance.
"Kyo... my boy... you're a much better man than I. Tell me, what would YOU be thinking? If the man who ruined your life was still alive, in some form or another, and you had the opportunity to strike at him... would you bear these feelings? Am I... fighting for the right cause?"
...But Saisyu soon realized his time for self-reflection was up. His eyes opened... next thing he knew, Adelheid was in the ring. Standing before him. The boy's eyes were at last open... and he saw something different in them.
The Kusanagi elder rose to his feet... his face stern, condemning, as he took his stance.
"Son of Rugal... I sense darkness in you, boy! Tell me, are you still yourself? Or has that bastard's taint changed you completely?"
Adelheid grunted, gurgled, struggling to get out words. "Guhh.. guhghhh..SHUT UP! Don't even think of taking high ground with me, you petty piece of trash! You could never deal with the real thing, so now you're taking it out on his son... some man you are!"
Saisyu was undeterred. "This is about more than the mere revenge fantasy I started out with.. things got more complicated than I could have imagined. I never expected you to...stand before me... the way you are now. But I see it as a boon, not a curse, because now I get ALL the satisfaction."
"You want to... buhh.. beat on me with morality on your side?" Adelheid spat.
"I'm going to SAVE you, boy." Saisyu answered. "I promised your sister I would. But that doesn't mean it has to be gentle. It's not my finest moment but... there are things I feel... that can't be quenched... until I've settled my score with the Bernstein bloodline. So now, I'm going to beat you silly. I'm going to see his face, with every strike. And by the time this is over, and you're laying before me, no longer under his grip... everyone will win."
...A chuckle.
"H-huh?!"
Adelheid's lips curved with a demeaning grin. "Sorry to ruin your perfect fantasy... but I'm not going to let you have your way. This is MY power, and nobody is going to take it from me. This is ME. Nobody else. Not my father. Not "Orochi". It's ME. You're about to see for yourself."
Saisyu shook his head with pity. "Poor boy... he truly has cast his shadow on you. You're blind. Deluded. On my honor as a Kusanagi... I'll illuminate you."
FIGHT!
Adelheid came forward, pivoting with his right foot, slamming left side kicks into the Kusanagi elder. Saisyu's forearm was there to absorb all three shots, before he stepped forward to lead the dance, pumping a body kick, firing a 1-2, backing Adelheid up, the blonde barely able to parry the shots. Saisyu threw a second body kick, also blocked, and he stepped in deep with a left hand. Adelheid's footwork proved superior, as he sidestepped it, and Saisyu tried to catch him with a back chop. Adel caught the hand and flung it away, and Saisyu, STILL firing, swung another left. Adelheid bounced it off his wrist and Saisyu stepped forward, flames imbued in his hands, with a swiping two fingers. Adel dodged backwards, and Saisyu, leading the dance again, stepped forward and grazed his foot across the ground, trying to trip him up. Adelheid avoided it, and Saisyu concluded the first stanza with another spinning back chop. It struck only forearms.
Adelheid matched his pace. Now it was HIS turn to step forward, lashing a left kick that struck Saisyu's leg. He brought that same foot up high, whipping at Saisyu's head twice, missing both times, but backing Saisyu up so he could continue his forward offense. He stepped forward again with a body kick; upon it being blocked, he didn't return his foot to the ground, but brought it high with a head kick. Missed.
"HAAI!" Adelheid's foot kicked up dirt, as he launched a blood-red Reppuken.
"HYAAAH!" Saisyu met his chi with chi, launching his Dark Thrust.
The two sailing projectiles collided, snuffing each other out.
"These two are putting on an insane pace." Ralf commented. "I can barely keep up!"
"I can't even count the number of strikes that have already been thrown." Clark replied.
Adelheid led the dance again. He soared his left leg into Saisyu's calf, buckling him hard... and he brought that same foot upwards, cocking it forward, like a catapult... and sailing it backwards into Saisyu's stomach. The first clean hit of the fight.
"Urrfff..." Saisyu felt his wind temporarily leave him, as he hit the ground... he looked up, and saw Adel attempting to come down on him with a heel drop... Saisyu wasn't having that, and he rolled out of the way, just in time for the huge CRASH! that left a crater where he once lay.
Saisyu took advantage of the whiff and tried his classic Kusanagi anti-air; it missed, but it got him on his feet and got him close, as he swung hard with a flaming backhanded chop. He missed, and he went to the body, which was blocked... but he brought that same fist up high and in reverse, coming backwards into Adelheid's face, but Adelheid caught the wrist before it could connect.
Their bodies against each other, Saisyu hooked a leg around Adel's calf, and tried to trip him... this proved to be impossible. As he stood there, struggling, Adelheid just stared at him and his vain efforts... his leg was as firm as a stump, unable to be uprooted.
Saisyu's failure cost him, as Adelheid leaped into his stomach with a ramming knee, putting the Kusanagi elder on roller skates... and a beautiful reverse crescent kick cut a swath through the air, catching him clean on the chin, dropping him once again.
Rose, despite Adel's early success, wasn't even able to cheer... she had far too much on her mind, and her eyes just focused, trying to lose herself in the moment temporarily...
Saisyu shot back up, fuming mad. He brought his leg across the ground, whipping up a flaming trail that soared towards Adelheid, but he didn't stop there: he brought a leg up high as well, sending another concentration of flame at the boy...
Adelheid was ready. A Reppuken soared and snuffed out the ground flames, and the boy stepped forward, throwing a keen spinning kick, his leg coursing with red chi... and he destroyed the air flames.
"This is suffocating." Yuri exclaimed. "Neither of them are stopping... I can't believe Saisyu can move like this at his age."
"Because he's got a rage-on." Mary explained. "Don't underestimate what the power of wrath can do to someone..."
...Kasumi looked down at her feet, like those words were directed at her.
They ran at each other without stop. Adelheid went airborne, crashing down with an axe kick. Saisyu backpedaled, and Adelheid continued the kicking onslaught with a spinning roundhouse, a low kick... all missed. He stepped in closer with a right body kick, and Saisyu caught the leg!
Saisyu tried to capitalize with a spinning left backhand, but Adelheid caught his wrist. However, as their stances were opposite, Saisyu's left foot was free to assault Adelheid's right... thus, he kicked the leg out, tripping Adelheid to the ground.
"HYAAAAAH!" he rained down, with his entire body weight, into Adelheid's stomach with a downwards chop. Adelheid clearly felt it, wincing in pain. Saisyu tried to follow up with a ground punch to the face, but Adelheid's majestic legs swooped up, locking around his arm in a pseudo-armbar, and flinging Saisyu away.
They both got up... and perhaps the first few seconds ticked by that they weren't swinging at each other. A moment for Saisyu to stare with vengeance in the boy's eyes... and see sickness and turmoil staring back.
The moment broke almost instantly. Saisyu dipped low, as if with a right body shot... but it was a feint, and Adelheid took the bait. This opened Adelheid's chin up for a clean left hand, which struck him hard.
Saisyu was pushing it now. Loud, booming kiais from his lungs, as he ripped a right hand into Adel's ribs... before bringing that same hand up high, cocking it back, and slamming into Adel's jaw with a backhand chop.
Adelheid went stumbling backwards, and Saisyu tried a leg kick to knock him down; this proved a mistake, as Adelheid easily checked it, and then twirled with a spinning back kick to the body. The kick landed in.. strange fashion... as Saisyu had halfway dodged it, but not all the way. The end result was Adelheid's leg landing flat across Saisyu's torso, and the two plummeting to the ground.
Saisyu, although he took some pain there, tried to scramble and turn this to his advantage, seizing Adel's foot and twisting with some kind of heel hook... but Adel kicked him in the back of the head with his free foot, sending Saisyu rolling forward, and separating the two.
"HYAAH! HAA! TAAAAH!"
Saisyu made no attempt to mask his strikes. He just came forward, relentless... he threw a 3-hit combination, testing Adel's hand speed as the boy struggled to block all three, and Saisyu followed up with a fourth strike, spinning with a backhand chop. Adel refused to let Saisyu come any further forward; he countered with a reverse crescent kick, a right roundhouse behind it... those two got Saisyu backing up, even though they failed to connect.
Saisyu stepped in again, with a right hook, that missed... but he was a master of rebounding his punches, as he opened his hand and curved it in the opposite direction, popping Adel in the face with a stiff backhand. He curved forward with a left knifehand, which Adel blocked...
...But Saisyu showed more mastery, switching FLUIDLY from southpaw to orthodox... he slapped Adel's hand away, and rammed the tip of his elbow into the boy's stomach.
"Hrrrgnnnn...!" Adelheid sucked in groans.
...But the second hit was even more damaging, as Saisyu brought that same elbow upwards, cracking Adelheid between the eyes.
Adelheid was on wobbly legs. He was helpless to prevent the next left that caught him flush in the face. This put him on ice cubes.
Saisyu continued the onslaught; grazing his foot across the dirt, he sent a small concentration of flames creeping at Adel's feet... the resulting impact tripped Adelheid forward... right into the waiting hand of Saisyu, who caught him by the neck and SLAMMED him backwards.
"THIS IS THE PART I CAN'T HELP BUT ENJOY!" Saisyu roared as he balled his hand, summoning a flaming fist... and he rammed down into Adelheid's stomach, with all the pent-up vengeance in his heart.
"GURRGH! GRRAAAAHhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!" Adelheid cried in pain as his body folded inwards.
"ADELHEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEID!" Rose wailed.
Saisyu was on a roll, and he wasn't done. He snatched the boy back to his feet, holding his shirt... flames summoned on his arm, as he curved an elbow into his body, knocking him right back down where he lay. The impact of the elbow produced a small explosion, like a miniature grenade.
"HOW DOES IT FEEL, RUGAL?!" Saisyu spat. "CAN YOU FEEL IT IN THERE?!"
"This... I've never seen old man Kusanagi like this." Kensou shook his head. "This is... hatred. Pure hatred."
"It's old scars." Athena added. "Old, nasty scars."
Adelheid was still on the ground, convulsing, seizing... he looked in no shape to stand up and throw a punch, much less take one. Rose, somewhere deep in her conscience, wanted to put an end to this: to stand up and call the match. But... her brother... her unbeatable brother... she couldn't do that to him. There was a way. There was ALWAYS a way.
Meanwhile, Mature and Vice were standing together, fingers interlaced, cheek to cheek, just watching... waiting... as if anticipating some big climactic scene to a movie.
"Almost there, Mature."
"I know, Vice."
"It's going to be glorious."
"Get up boy..."
"...Get up and show the world what a monster you are."
Adelheid returned to his feet a moment later... looking much different, and not in a good way. A malevolent red aura was basting his body from head to toe... his eye sockets were enveloped in red, enough that his eyeballs were like living Christmas lights. He was still twitching, his face still straining, like he was fighting the ultimate battle... inside him.
"You're losing it, boy. Get in fucking gear!"
A jolt; Adelheid's body sprang into action, charging at Saisyu. His legs showed their fluidity, as he fired a left leg kick, bouncing into a right leg kick, both buckling Saisyu at the knees... and in the same motion, without stopping, that same leg flew up and kicked Saisyu across the chest, knocking him down.
...A grimacing Saisyu looked above, to see the sun blocked out: a dark figure raining down on him.
"ARRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRhhhhhhh!" Saisyu growled in pain as Adelheid's shinbone dropped down on his stomach from up high.
"Rrrgh! RRRAGH!" Adelheid, not finished, reached with both hands, pulled the man's head up, cocked back his fist... he slammed into Saisyu's face, right below the eye. Saisyu's head hit the ground, and the swelling immediately took effect.
They returned to the feet. Saisyu got up... there was already a huge mouse under his left eye, bulging out so much, it nearly reached his bottom eyelid. Despite this, he returned to stance and growled.
Adelheid was also back up... the man pounded his chest three times, like a primate, before returning to his own fighting stance.
They stared each other down, challenging the other to make the first move... finally, Adelheid obliged.
"Drrh... DIE! HAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!"
Adelheid fired a quick leg kick, to get Saisyu rattled... and his other leg cut an unholy arc through the air.
SLASH!
Saisyu grunted hard, as he retreated; Adelheid had fired off a Genocide Cutter... without even leaving the ground! His leg had moved with unnatural motion, tracing the entire circumference of a clock, as a blood-red trail of slashing chi coursed behind his foot.
Saisyu looked down. Saw his gi torn through. Saw blood... the boy had nicked him.
With a scowl, he watched as the boy returned his foot to the ground. He spoke:
"You've lost yourself, boy! I can see it... the longer this fight's gone on, the less YOU you've become. Are you even still the same person?!"
"Don't listen to him, boy. This is a fist fight, not a debate! Put him down!"
Adelheid's face twisted with anguish for a moment, as he clutched his stomach... but seconds later, he got over it and pressed forward. He fired a left body kick, then followed up with the right... Saisyu blocked them easily and smacked him with two openhanded jabs. Adelheid backed up, and Saisyu pressed forward, his foot grazing the dirt with a sweep... but only a feint, as he instead spun around with a back chop. Adelheid caught the wrist in his hand, putting them in a stalemate...
...But Saisyu wasn't quitting. Even now, with their bodies against each other, he brought his left hand in and started drilling Adelhed's kidney with short punches. One, two, three... despite not having arm length to generate power, they still HURT.
"Ngh! Nnng! AHHH!" Adelheid howled in pain and broke the stalemate... which is what Saisyu wanted, as he thrust his palm into Adelheid's face, knocking the boy back several steps.
With proper range to move, Saisyu's body coursed with fire, he spun around... and a fireball spouted from his palm, hitting Adelheid square in the chest.
Everyone in the audience and fighter stands alike gasped, as they all sensed a change of tide in the fight. The margin was starting to get wider and wider... it looked like a winner would be determined.
"Oh my god!" Malin gasped.
"Saisyu's laying into him!" Shingo blurted.
"I think this fight's about to be over..." Vanessa predicted.
Adelheid got back up... ROARING, so loud, saliva dripped from his lips. He shot forward, SPAMMING slash kicks, twirling his body rapidly. One, two, three, four, five... each kick carried the crimson trail behind it, powerful enough to cleave a body in two.
"You've lost your discipline!" Saisyu admonished as he timed an opening, stepped in, and decked Adelheid clean in the face. Adelheid stumbled drunkenly, barely on his legs, but still shot forward with an attempt to punch, Saisyu parried, stepping past his body, and raining a chop into his spine. Adelheid seized up... and Saisyu grabbed his arm, wrenching it, sending the boy's body weight where he commanded, and he slung Adelheid to the ground.
Having taken the boy down and now had control of his arm, Saisyu held him there, raining two chops into his face. Adelheid could do nothing to defend it. He tried to scramble to his feet... but Saisyu controlled the arm and brought him back down.
The third chop came... directly into his throat.
"Ghhgkkkkkkkkkkkkkk...!"
A fourth chop came, to his nose. Adelheid was busted open; his nose started pouring blood.
"This isn't even close anymore." Xiangfei analyzed. "Saisyu-Xiānshēng is having his way, hitting Adelheid as much as he pleases."
"I'm sure he DOES please." Kensou added in.
On the sideline, Rose stood... her hand trembling... holding a white piece of cloth. Her hand twitched, as if fighting an urge... but every time the arm seemed to want to go up, it would only remain where it lay.
Saisyu took a deep breath, wary of not burning out his energy. He backed away, allowing the boy up... and it wasn't pretty.
Adelheid's eyes looked DEAD. No longer red... just completely white. Blood poured from his nose, while welts and bruises began to show their color on his fair skin. His body just.. rose and fell with breaths, showing visible exhaustion.
Despite this, Adelheid trudged forward... suddenly, his body went red AGAIN, and his feet glided across the ground! His hand drew back, crimson swirling in his palm... he was attempting Gigantic Pressure!
...Saisyu saw it coming, and he was ready. Just as Adel's body pressed into him and started to carry him, Saisyu flopped to the ground and used Adel's momentum against him, whipping the boy over his head and sending Adelheid into a hard tumble.
His desperation attack whiffing was damning... and Adelheid, having used the last of his energy, was helpless, as Saisyu snatched him up by the shirt... and had his way with him.
"THIS IS FOR TURNING ME INTO A STATUE!"
A flaming palm, into Adelheid's stomach.
"THIS IS FOR RESURRECTING ME INTO A MINDLESS MONSTER!"
A flaming elbow, to Adel's face.
"AND THIS... IS FOR TURNING ME AGAINST MY OWN SON!"
Saisyu shoved him away, got a spinning start... his foot trailed fire as it soared into Adelheid's stomach, folding the boy inwards like a chair... Adel went limp and dropped to the ground.
...Tears began streaming down Rose's face, as she lifted the white cloth, drew her hand back...
Adelheid, somehow, some way, rose back to his feet... but he looked truly incapable of fighting back. His arms were at his sides. His legs were struggling to stay up. His clothes were burnt.
"It's time... I love you, son. Take care of your sister."
...That's when his heart pounded, and his eyes opened.
"URRRGH! Urrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrghhhhhhhhh...!"
Rose's hand stopped at the last second from releasing the white cloth, and she gasped. "A-Adel?!"
...From Adelheid's body, the red chi began POURING, shooting to the sky like a geyser. Adelheid's body faded from view, as the torrent of hellish red chi was too extreme to see flesh. One could look close enough and see the faint outline of a skull, embedded within the tempest...
Mature and Vice's eyes brightened with the glee of finality. "YES! THIS IS IT!"
"THIS!"
"IS!"
"IT!"
Saisyu's body glowed with the sacred fire all at once. "You're out of control! I'M GOING TO END THIS! ON MY HONOR AS A KUSANAGI... PREPARE TO BE ANNIHILATED!"
Saisyu charged his ultimate attack, Orochinagi...
THE NIGHT BEFORE, ON THE SKY NOAH...
Was he crazy?
He wondered how he got to this point: talking to a painting. But as badly, as BADLY as he wanted to believe it... there was no denying the presence, the POWER that filled this room. Thus, as he sat there, staring deep into the colors of the canvas that stared back... the inanimate object before him felt too human.
"I know you're there, father."
He spoke clearly and concisely to the object in front of him, as if talking to a human being directly. "I wanted to chalk this up to a fever, or some kind of... pipe dream... but I can't deny what I'm feeling right now. It's real... and it's you."
Silence. He sat there, watching, waiting... wondering if there was even a voice to speak back.
Suddenly, his skin went cold; his ears were not denied, as he heard, too clear to dismiss... the voice calling back to him.
"You've come a long way, boy. Wish I was here to see it."
It was hard to wrap his head around what was happening. Right here, right now... who was talking to him. Any sane person would blink their eyes, slap themselves... anything to WILL themselves awake, to be free of this twisted dream.
...But Adel knew the only way forward, the only way past this, was to accept the reality in front of him. And so, he spoke back.
"Father... why are you still here? Why are you lingering?"
The voice of Rugal Bernstein, once again, responded back:
"The powers loaned to me offer me a few commodities above the limitations of man... but I'm no 'chosen one'. I merely adopted Orochi power. I'm not even powerful enough to remain on Earth in a visible form... so this is the best I could do. I'm here to guide you, Adelheid... to help you face your destiny. But most importantly... I'm here to give you what's rightfully yours."
Adelheid leaned forward, his voice picking up. "You're lying! I know what I'm feeling... and it feels like you want to take me completely! That's what you're really up to, right father?! You were known as a power-hungry, selfish, narcissistic figure when you were still alive... but I never thought you'd go as far as to use your own flesh and blood!"
"SHUT YOUR MOUTH, BOY!"
It was uncanny how, even beyond the grave, his father's voice carried such... authority. The booming response froze Adelheid where he sat, silencing him.
...The voice carried on, calmer:
"My boy... I can't believe you'd think that. I know I'm no saint... maybe I was even an inhuman monster. But one thing I always, ALWAYS held dear to my heart... were my beloved children. Never doubt that."
Adel's demeanor calmed... even a little remorse trickled in for his earlier outburst.
"Sorry... father. But you can't exactly blame me; it's not like I asked you to burrow your ethereal remains into my body, and turn me... into what i'm starting to become."
"Hahaha... don't pin the blame on me, boy. I told you, I'm just leaving you what's yours, by right. A father should always have things to pass onto his son. What you do with it, however... that's YOUR choice."
"My choice? MY CHOICE?!" Adelheid's voice was back up. "I've nearly killed people! All week! Do you think I WANT to unleash such violence? This was supposed to be a friendly competition!"
"Maybe you realized the necessity of it. You're fighting to protect yourself, boy. You and your sister."
"Then tell me, father... what happens tomorrow? I have a terrible, sinking feeling that tomorrow, during my next fight... I'm going to snap. Someone's going to get hurt. Someone that doesn't deserve it. What'll your excuse be then?! Are you gonna say it was MY choice, and not the person who's taking over my body?!"
"...Even now, you don't understand."
"Then explain!" Adelheid demanded.
A small silence filled the room, perhaps to build up the importance of the next words spoken. Then, finally... Rugal spoke again.
"Son... I'm going to cease to exist soon. My time here is, and has always been, borrowed. THAT'S why I had to transfer my power to you in such an... excessive way. I know it's hard on you. It might even be too much for you to take. But it's yours, Adelheid... it's YOURS. My soul will never rest in peace if I don't do this, my son. Do you understand? I have to pass on, knowing that I gave you the power... to be all you can be. To protect yourself, and your sister. You're all she has in the world, Adelheid. You know that, right?"
"I don't want the power to hurt and kill people..." Adelheid spoke softly in light of his father baring his heart.
"Then make it yours."
Adelheid leaned back, taking in the meaning of four simple words. 'Make it his'... maybe it really was that simple. Rugal wasn't trying to take him over... he was passing on his heirloom. An heirloom that didn't have to be defined by how it was used by his predecessor. When it belongs to HIM... he could command it however he wished.
"I... I understand now, father. And I... I just want to thank you. F-for everything."
A small wetness began to form in his eyelids, as Adelheid spoke to his father... for perhaps the last time.
"Father I... I never felt like we were... c-close...!"
"Your life was better for it. Trust me."
"Father!" Adelheid's voice slightly broke. "I... I'm not sure I can do it..."
"Hahahahaha... you're already doing it, my boy. You're already doing it. Just keep being you. Be a great fighter and champion. Uphold the family name. Always love and protect your sister, no matter HOW she is... and don't crash the Sky Noah."
He sniffled, despite his deep efforts not to show such a sensitive side. "I... I will. Sniff... I will. Father... I'm not an underworld boss like you are. I'm never going to lead myself or my sister down that road. But I'll... I'll bring greatness to the Bernstein name. I'm going to do it MY way."
"Good. That's what I expect from you. Nothing more, nothing less. Now... I'm going to transfer the last of me into you. When this happens, your body is going to go through the hardest ordeal... it's up to you to overcome the Orochi power. Place your hand on the painting."
Adelheid's body showed hesitation, both from the injuries... and the gravity of what was about to happen. He was about to accept all that remained of Rugal into him. It was going to be a fight... an inner struggle that could tear his heart from his chest.
...But this was his destiny. There was no running from it. This was the price he paid for being the son of Bernstein. The heir to the family name.
With a deep breath, Adel rose from his chair... approached the painting... and placed his hand on his father's face.
...Rugal's eye glowed blood red, and Adelheid was hit with a MASSIVE force of energy.
"URRGH!"
His body began shuddering against his will, his limbs wobbling with such force, it felt like an earthquake inside him!
"Ghghhhghhhh...grrrr...ahhhh... F-Father... I... can't... TAKE IT! AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!
Just as Saisyu tried to step forward... the most majestic, BLINDING silver light engulfed his eyes.
"Ahh! What the...?"
He rubbed his eyes, tried to look forward... even now, it burned, and he had to all but close his eyes to see it...
...A silver light. Where the red once resided... a pure, dazzling pillar of...
Rose's mouth dropped. "A...Adel...heid?"
From the invigoration, a single leg stepped forward... then another... a torso came into view... and finally...
...It was his face. Adelheid Bernstein. His eyes were no longer red with the demonic struggle of his predecessor... they bore the same angelic gleam as the silver aura that surrounded him.
Saisyu was dumbstruck. His attack was halted, as the man struggled just to maintain his stance. "I...impossible! I don't... I don't feel HIM anymore He's...!"
Adelheid's eyes became his own again... and tears streamed down each one, as his body broke down all at once. "He... he did it... he actually did it..."
It was also, of course, Mature and Vice's turns to be dumbfounded. Both looked ready to fall over, as the appearance of their special little project... was far from what they had expected... or hoped for.
"Th-this isn't right! Why hasn't he turned?!"
"He... I don't feel Rugal's presence anymore!"
"Don't tell me that boy...?!"
Saisyu wasn't sure what to think. As far as he was concerned, he was one attack away from victory... and now his opponent, whom he had bore prejudice towards... stood before him in an unrecognizable light.
Thus, he turned off his brain, reverted to his base fighter instincts... and sought victory.
Adelheid was the epitome of calm as Saisyu closed back in, to resume his assault... the punches started coming again, one, two, three: Adelheid smoothly weaved the first two, and parried the third.
That alone was enough to put shock and disbelief in Saisyu's heart. After the beating he was pouring on... he could move so well even now...?!
Saisyu rushed in with two more strikes; Adelheid parried both, and Saisyu stepped in with a deep left..
...Adelheid's leg flew up, presenting his shin, to block the hit.
"Wha...?!" Saisyu was amazed at the boy's flexibility.
Adelheid flung Saisyu's hand aside and swiftly countered: a left body kick, a right behind it, both drilling hard into Saisyu's ribs... and Adelheid got a spinning start, before dipping low and gliding his leg across the ground, taking out both Saisyu's feet at the same time with a powerful low. Saisyu's butt hit the ground, and the man shook his head...bewildered.
"He's moving like a new man!" Beni exclaimed. "Like he was perfectly healthy!"
"B-Brother..." Rose's voice had no shortage of surprise. "Is that... you...?"
Adelheid's silver aura continued to surround him... but it was no raging tempest. It was a calming water, cascading over him... bringing his soul to peace. Bringing his body and spirit perfect balance. Giving him strength, courage, insight... he was a new warrior, shedding old skin.
Saisyu stepped forward pumping two jabs, but Adelheid's head was out of range. He continued to press forward, with a flame-fueled left chop, stepping in with a right after it... his target was still not there, and Saisyu continued to press forward with a spinning elbow, trailing Kusanagi fire through the air...
...All he saw was Adelheid fold his arms, and become a silver blur.
WHOOOSH!
Saisyu's opponent was gone. The man's first instinct was to spin around, and check his rear... the next thing he saw was a foot ramming into his face.
"URRGH!" Saisyu's lights flickered as he fell backwards... the last thing his eyes saw before the sky, was the tranquil eyes of Adelheid... eyes that contained no turmoil, no inner struggle... eyes of perfect harmony.
Adelheid continued to hold his leg up, even after that kick: an extra flair.
"This fight changed VEEEEEERY fast." Joe commented.
"Like the flip of a coin, eh?" Robert smirked. For extra emphasis, he dug his lucky coin out of his pocket and flipped it, catching it all sexy-like.
Saisyu was back up, mouth drizzling blood out of the left corner. He trudged forward with heavier legs...
He threw a leg kick. Adelheid's own leg checked it. A punch: Adel's leg went higher and parried it. Another punch; Adelheid brought his leg up again, with insane flexibility, and kicked his punch out of mid-flight!
"His arms are at his sides... he's not even using them." King exclaimed. "This guy's nuts!"
Adelheid's punishing counter was a body kick, folding Saisyu inwards... and before he returned his leg, he brought it BEHIND Saisyu's head, cocked it back... and let it fly in reverse, cracking the back of his head, and planting Saisyu facefirst in the dirt.
Rose was a believer again. She had long abandoned the white piece of cloth she'd considered throwing. Joyous tears flew from her eyes, as she bounced up and down, feeling a fire like the one that had led her to commence this tournament in the first place.
THIS is what it was about. From the beginning. It was about him. This was HIS week. This was the grand stage, for her to demonstrate to the world... the perfection of her brother. And the godliness of the Bernstein bloodline.
"ADELHEID! MY DARLING, HANDSOME, PERFECT BROTHER! FIGHT! WINNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNN!"
Saisyu looked like he wanted to stay down for a moment... but the man bedded those suggestions, as he rose up a moment later. His hands blazed with flame as he crossed his chest, before bringing his fists back to his sides, spewing embers as he returned to stance.
He stepped in deep with a side kick. Adelheid took the blow, readying himself for a follow-up strike... sure enough, a punch came.
..At this point, Adelheid demonstrated just how amazingly superior his legwork was to all, as he not only parried the punch with his leg... he proceeded to wrap his leg around the arm, fling the arm aside, and, without even returning his leg to the ground for a MOMENT... he brought it crashing across Saisyu's jaw, plummeting the man back into the dirt he had just risen from.
"Oh my god!" Jenet moaned. "That boy's got gams!"
"Is this even reality right now?" Beni questioned. "I didn't think anyone in the world could do this to Old Man Kusanagi...except..."
"Like father, like son, it seems." Chin spoke with a stroke of his chin.
"...No. Adelheid is nothing like him." Ralf corrected. "That kid's a whole 'nother package."
Slow, weary steps. Vision blurring between blinks. Mouth open, heaving... Saisyu carried himself towards the shimmering figure as best he could, returning to stance...
Even now, with his spirit CRUSHED, Saisyu stepped forth and took his best swing.
...What happened next was clockwork.
Just as the fist approached Adel's body, the boy phase-shifted through it in a silver blur, immediately plowing into Saisyu with his Body Press, carrying him across the field... he slammed Saisyu into the wall... and a devastating attack commenced.
"FINAL SALVATION!"
One. Two. Three. Four. Five. Six. The kicks all came out in a vicious flurry, rattling Saisyu's head to body, body to head... each kick carrying a strengthening stream of silver chi behind it.
Finally, after the seventh kick... Adelheid backflipped twice, to gain distance. His entire body flashed brightly, the light so powerful, it shone through his eyes, as he drew his hands back... and unleashed them forward, launching a silver Kaiser Wave.
The blast of intense energy soared into the wall where Saisyu's body resided.
BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM!
The explosion rocked the Stadium, maybe even destroying the wall completely. It was unclear until the dust cleared up... 30 seconds later, things were finally back into view. The wall was still partially intact... but Saisyu Kusanagi was down for the count.
WINNER: ADELHEID BERNSTEIN
Rose's knees buckled as she fell, humbled in the presence of her victorious brother, standing tall, glowing... SHIMMERING with a godlike aura. She was, at last, reminded of what this had all been about from the beginning... THIS moment. The crowd, the whole country, shouting Adelheid's name, as he stood proud and brought glory to their name. At this moment... there was never less doubt in her mind.
Her brother would be the champion of this tournament. The champion she bred, promoted, and unleashed unto the world. Her Adelheid. HER champion.
"Brother! BROTHERRRR!"
She waved him over, to throw herself against him in a celebratory hug. He barely got in her vicinity before her body plowed into him, arms wrapping around him tight. "You were amazing! Phenomenal! Unstoppable! Nobody can stop you! Y-you're God! You're a living, walking...!"
"...He's gone, Rose."
Her hysterical gushing was silenced by those solemn words. She straightened up, bringing her face back a bit so she could look into his eyes... eyes that bore a bittersweet reflection.
"H-he... you mean...?"
Adelheid nodded. "He's passed on. But it's okay... because I'm here."
He took Rose's hand in his own, bringing it to his lips... he then planted a slow, tender kiss on her dainty skin. "I'll always be here for you, Rose... and I'll never let anything happen to you."
Rose was reduced to a blushing mess all at once. Her knees were threatening to buckle again. Lost in her powerful affection, she giggled rather embarrassingly. "H-haah...hahahaha... B-brother stoooooooop... if you don't stop, I'll...haaaah~"
The girl had no more coherent words for him; just unintelligible, woo-stricken sighs. Adelheid chuckled, gently cupping her cheek, before turning and retreating to the locker room, to enjoy a hard-earned victory.
Rose never even got a chance to tell him about the warning letter.
"Easy, Saisyu, easy..."
Chizuru, Beni, and Shingo were all surrounding the elder Kusanagi, helping the man to get his feet back under him. It was a miracle he was even conscious, much less capable of forming words.
"Urg...cough cough..." his first words, beyond the grunts of pain, were of humility. "Miss Kagura... forgive me. I fought with... malice in my heart... I deserved to lose. What an old fool I am... my son is probably shaking his head in shame."
"Are you kidding?" Shingo questioned. "Kyo is probably ecstatic watching his dad! You were great out there!"
Saisyu shook his head. "Not the point..."
Chizuru presented a hand to his chest, gently rubbing his sternum in a circular motion. "It's okay, Saisyu-sama. This was healthy for you. Those emotions you were carrying... they were eating away at you, but you got them out. Now they're gone... right?"
Another groan, followed by a nod. "Yeah... I feel... at ease now. I feel... like I destroyed Rugal for good. I can't explain it but... when I was fighting that boy... I felt all the negativity, all the hate I carried inside me... float away. After that, I wasn't even seeing Rugal anymore... I was just seeing... a stranger."
Beni patted his shoulder. "Sounds like closure to me. Maybe not just for you."
Saisyu smiled weakly. "You're right, Beni... you're very right."
And another epic fight in the books! So... notes. This is a Kumite first: I invented a super move for someone! Yes, Final Salvation is something I totally thought of myself for Adelheid. It's a counter super: he phase-shifts through the attack, into a Body Press that carries them across the screen. An unholy assault of kicks, followed by two backflips, and the coup de grace... a Kaiser Wave to seal the deal. Cool, yeah? Thank you, thank you : )
NEXT CHAPTER: It's the Main Event of the Quarterfinals! This time, it's not revenge being served cold; it's a heaping plate of chilly justice. But will Gato succumb to Kula's icy wrath? Find out next time!
But first... I couldn't leave you without a BONUS SCENE, because we have a lot of ground to cover.
BONUS SCENE
"Sorry, we're sold out."
The ticket vendor, whose job at this point was to chase people away, confided to the tall, well-built black man standing before him.
The man in question angrily clutched his suspenders. "I'm here on official business. Rose Bernstein called me in."
"Sir, I'll need to verify that."
"What's there to verify?!" the larger man argued, his purple tie fluttering with his angry movements. "Who do I look like to you, a f***ing cotton candy peddler?"
"S-sir, it's the biggest sports event in the world. People would say or do anything to get insi-"
"LOOK... I'm this close... see my finger and thumb? THIS CLOSE... to losing my patience. I didn't even want to come to KOF this year. In fact, I'm missing out on snuggling on my couch with the wife, binge-watching season 4 of House. So I suggest you let me in here and let me do my job... before I break your goddamn fibula."
"...Go right inside, sir."
"Thank you. Jackass..."