The key to a balanced universe was as old as time itself: equal light, and equal darkness. Those who attempted to disrupt the scales and pervert the cosmic makeup had no right to declare themselves with piety. And yet... a cult who dedicated themselves to leading the world to darkness truly felt righteously compelled by their actions. They called it "fate" or "destiny", words that suggested the god of destruction in Orochi was bound by a celestial playbook to rise from the seal and perform his unholy task.

The beautiful thing about the world, and nature, is how it always attempted to sort itself out. A god declares an end to humanity? Humans rise up and seal him. From natural disasters, wars, economic strife, life always found a way to bounce back and maintain stability, if nothing else than to preserve a livable future.

This is what had to happen now. While the Hakkeshu bet on their negative biases and the presence of unfavorable heels to unwittingly help further their ambitions, the same could also be done for heroes. With saints like Chizuru Kagura at the helm, she too could count on basic human decency and upstanding people, purely on base nature alone, to combat the negative forces and uplift the riven souls... to restore balance, as has been done for millennia.

It was time to fight back.


OPENING ROUND FIGHT #10: RALF JONES VS TERRY BOGARD

"No need to let the toxic assholes get us down." Ralf proclaimed, fist brandished. "We're the best at what we do, Bogard. So let's just shut up and do it!"

The Wild Wolf tightened his glove with a smile. "You and I are some of the good ones, Ralf. We know what's it about. Let's put on a show."

FIGHT!

Ralf charged forward like a rolling tank, unleashing his monster right had towards the head of Terry, to end it in one decisive blow. Terry obviously was too savvy to let it end that way, and he raised his forearm high to absorb the tremendous blow. He stumbled backwards nonetheless, and Ralf pressed the action, mixing well with a body let to a mean right hook high once again. Terry blocked the massive punches, but he knew he couldn't keep playing matador to a nasty power puncher, who preferred to put people to sleep a different way than his Ikari partner.

Thus, it was time to turn the tables. Terry sensed the next advance... and caught Ralf clean on the chin with a short uppercut. The strike stumbled Ralf, as Terry himself was heralded for legendary power in his fists.

If Ralf had any inclination to press forward after that shot... a humdinger of a straight left sent his feet in the opposite direction.

"Damn, Terry caught him good there." Benimaru complimented. "Surprised Ralf's still upright."

"We all know it'd take a bunker buster to crack Ralf's noggin." King noted. "The few times I've kicked him in my career, I had to ice my shin."

Ralf was slightly disoriented, and worse, in Terry's kicking range. He foolishly tried to come forward in a straight line, and Terry made him pay: the Wild Wolf spun 180 with fluid technique, putting him on his butt with a reverse kick.

Clark, who was perfectly healthy, coached ringside. "CIRCLE HIM, YOU IDIOT! ANGLE RIGHT! RIGHT!"

Ralf shook the cobwebs and followed his partner's advice. He closed in from the right and swung on Terry with a left: Terry ducked, and Ralf went to the body with a right, but Terry blocked it and Ralf tried a wild spinning backfist in a final effort to tag the Wolf. But Terry backpedaled with the smoothest technique... and launched a swift, brutal counter.

"CRACK SHOT!" He came forward faster than the spinning chamber of a firing revolver, unleashing a somersault into a smashing heel strike, crushing Ralf's bandana-clad crown and dropping him to his knees.

"Attaboy, Terry! Piece him up!" Ryo cheered, showing his bias for a fellow KOF superstar.

Ralf was down, but he made the most of it: he was at Terry's feet. Taking a page from Clark's book, Ralf shot for a double-leg, scooping Terry up into his arms and lifting the man so high, he was draped over his back.

SLAM! Terry's thick body produced a substantial dust cloud upon impacting in the dirt. Ralf took advantage of his addled state and got a full mount; he was more interested in pounding than submitting.

"Get up, Terry! Up up up! Buck and jive!" Mary coached Terry in similar fashion to Clark.

"Damn, he hits hard...!" Terry cursed in between taking shots to his partially blocked face, the punches powerful enough to break through his guard. But Ralf was far too reckless; he didn't balance himself, thus Terry was able to time the next swing and throw him off. They returned to their feet...

"POWER WAVE!" Terry switched to a tried and true maneuver, planting his fist on the ground to call forth a mighty yellow stream of sliding chi.

Ralf smiled; he had the perfect counter for that one. Going airborne, he was safe from the projectile zone... and he extended his fist and dive-bombed Terry like a fighter jet.

"Damn!" Terry rolled out of the way, but was still blown into a tumble, from the way Ralf's Dynamite Punch caused a straight up explosion, like a live grenade had gone off. Ralf Jones was living artillery!

"KEEP PUSHING RALF! SUFFOCATE HIM!" Clark urged.

Right next to him, Mary sang the opposite. "FEINT! FEINT! MAKE HIM SECOND-GUESS!" It was sounding like Clark vs Mary II in the sidelines.

They were back up, and closing fast. Terry beat him, letting loose a jab that popped his nose and sent his head astray. Ralf blinked a few times, fired forward with a wild right, only to get stunned by another jab.

Terry cocked back a left hand. Ralf saw it, and ducked... and Terry smiled. Bait taken.

Terry's feint opened up a knee strike, which he brought upside Ralf's cheek just as the soldier had dipped his head. Ralf's lip split open instantly, and in moments, his mouth was pouring red. Aside from spitting blood, Ralf wasn't quite sure which way was forward, as his feet veered side to side, trying to stay up...

Terry decided to help cease that struggle. "BURN KNUCKLE!"

He shot forward, fist extended, glowing blue, a living bullet propelling into Ralf's face and sending the man down for the second time. At this point, Ralf's fortitude had to be brought into question... the man had endured the most hellish of warfare, but was Terry Bogard more dangerous than armed assailants? Undoubtedly so.

"THAT'S IT, BABY!" Mary jumped up. "FINISH HIM!"

Clark leaped up as well, to match her enthusiasm. "DESPERATION MOVE! NOW! KNOCK HIS HEAD FROM HIS SHOULDERS!"

Ralf got back up, wiping drizzling blood; Terry was closing fast. Ralf knew he had one chance... and he took it!

Terry's intuition told him it was coming. The Wild Wolf refused to be denied... if Ralf was to show off the epitome of his power, SO WOULD HE!

The ensuing struggle was a spectacular clash of opposing powers.

"GALACTICA..."

"ARE YOU..."

"PHANTOM!"

"OKAY?!"

They clashed like asteroids, producing a grandiose rumble in the Stadium, two incredibly strong forces becoming one. Everyone watching planted their butts firmly, lest they be accidentally blown backwards by the chaotic shockwave of their connecting fists.

In this showdown of raw power, neither one would back down easily... but everyone knew, in the end, only one could stand... and the victor of this test of might would be he.

The stalemate was long and enduring... but Ralf found that he simply could not match the ferocity of Terry's advancing fist. He felt his legs wobbling, the scale slowly start to tip downwards on his end... tried as he did to plant his feet, they only dragged in the dirt, producing two deep skid marks, a testament to his failure to stand his ground against the legendary Wolf's true mettle.

Terry's teeth hissed with aggression; he felt his muscles tensing, begging to unleash their fury! This was it... Ralf couldn't cut it! Time to FINISH!

"BUSTER... WOLFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFF!"

The second blow came, and rang true, obliterating Ralf with one final explosion of chi-fueled blunt force. Ralf Jones went flying away, so far that only the wall of the Stadium could halt his body.

WINNER: TERRY BOGARD


"TER-RY! TER-RY! TER-RY! TER-RY! TER-RY! TER-RY! TER-RY! TER-RY!"

Yang turned to Yin like the flip of a coin: the once-toxic crowd was now chanting Terry's name, their heads afloat on nirvana clouds having witnessed the splendor of his fighting talent. This man was their idol. Their hero. He was the true KING of King of Fighters, in their starstruck eyes.

As Terry celebrated with Joe, his brother, Mary... a group of hateful figures watched with sneers.

"The people love Bogard..." Mature snorted with disgust.

"Hero of King of Fighters, they call him." Vice seconded behind her partner. "Many credit him for bringing the tournament to mainstream appeal, after ending Billy's pathetic tenure..."

"Even these Germans idolize him, the man who struck down one of their own... how disgusting."

"Kukukukuku... maybe it'd help our cause if Bogard had a little-"

"Accident~?"

Yamazaki, who stood beside them, let out a condescending chuckle. "Oh don't flatter yourselves, DoubleCunt Twins. Bogard would run through both of you faster than it takes to put on lipstick. Trust me, I KNOW."

Mature curled her nose at him. "No need to be a dick about it, Ryuji."

"Yeah, no need to be a dick about it." Vice echoed.

Yamazaki rolled his eyes. "That's not me being a dick, that's me giving helpful advice to save your collective tits."

"Ryuji speaks the truth, much as it vexes me to say it." Yashiro defended. "We needn't worry about Bogard. His time will come, just like the rest of them. For now, you guys go prepare for your fights. We all need to win to make this thing work."

"Don't tell me what to do." Yamazaki snarled, pocketing his favorite hand and stomping away.

"Yeah, we're not your trained monkeys like those other two, YASHIRO." Mature spat. "Cmon Vice."

"Coming, Mature~"

Yashiro watched with a mixture of anxiety and disdain as they walked away. Those three... always the odd ones out. The ones he could barely, if at all, count on to cooperate. It made him appreciate Shermie and Chris that much more.

"You okay?" Shermie asked, clinging to him from behind with an affectionate hug.

Yashiro's agitated nerves were quelled by her presence. "Yeah... I just can't stand those guys. Not sure I can trust em."

"We've always had a splintered group." Shermie smiled. "But we three... we're the ones who made it happen. Never forget that."

Yashiro felt himself more at ease by her words. "Thanks Shermie... god, I don't know what I'd do without you."

A kiss on his cheek, and she broke away. "Well it's a good thing I'm here then, heeheehee. I'm gonna go grab a shower. "


OPENING ROUND FIGHT #11: KULA DIAMOND VS HWA JAI

Not much of a fight, admittedly: Jai was the only zealous one of the two, as Kula was far too despondent from current circumstances to have her heart in the fight. The ensuing result was, well...

Hwa Jai fired aggressive combinations, 1-2 slashing elbows, firing a low kick afterwards. He missed, and was forced to spin completely around to maintain balance, and came back around with a WILD spinning elbow.

Kula propelled her feet with ice enhancements, allowing her the mobility to skid out of the way of each strike with ease. Hwa Jai didn't quit, pressing forward with a flying knee to crack her in the chin, but Kula made herself a small target and slid underneath his leaping attack, emerging behind him as his feet touched the ground again.

Hwa Jai spun back around to face her, and met two quick jabs to the nose. They came out incredibly fast and tapped him twice in succession, with almost no delay between them.

Hwa Jai shook them off, took a deep step, and LUNGED with a front kick towards her liver; Kula rocketed forward, sliding past him, and the man struck air and stumbled forward from the massive whiff. Kula did a graceful pirouette, her foot nailing Hwa Jai in the back of the head and flooring him.

Hwa Jai was understandably upset, being an aggressive Muay Thai practitioner, who could rival Joe Higashi himself... but unable to hit the most harmless-looking girl he'd ever laid eyes on.

As if his pride hadn't felt stripped enough... he tried to get up, only to feel a weight press down on his back and plop him back down.

"Argh! Wh-what?!"

Hwa Jai couldn't see what was happening, but the rest of the viewing world could.. and they got a kick out of it. Mass laughter shook the Stadium as Kula sat atop his back, her face as desolate and static as usual, and casually sucked on a lollipop, the ultimate insult to an opponent who was actively trying to cleave her face open with elbows. Mean-spirited as it was, seeing Kula of all people do it presented a truly adorable sight to millions of fans watching.

"RRRRR! GET OFF ME!" Hwa Jai roared as he exploded up, Kula sensing his emergence and returning to her feet. He tried to catch her with a roundhouse on wakeup, but she easily rocketed to safe distance.

"NO! THIS IS NOT HAPPENING!" Jai stomped furiously. "You're just a little girl! You're just a stupid, insignificant, weak little girl! You're not a real fighter! I'm not going to be humiliated, you hear me?! I'M NOT GOING TO BE-"

Kula, with no emotion, extended her free hand, gently blew... and a concentrated ice blast struck Jai in the face, flooring him a second time.

"Don't let your emotions get the best of you, Jai!" Kim scolded. "You're getting too worked up, like that dolt Raiden!"

Pure as Kim's intentions were, hearing himself get compared to the likes of Raiden only made Jai ANGRIER. Now he would undoubtedly fight with an even less sense of cool, if the perpetually-cool Kula didn't go ahead and put him on ice. Which... was thankfully the case for him.

"Alright little girl..." Jai hissed, fumbling around in his shorts. "Let's see how you compete against thi-?!"

But upon reaching into his trunks and pulling out his trusty bottle of power juice, his ace in the hole which had, in countless battles, given him the physical and spiritual edge to overcome adversity... two razor-sharp icicles pierced the bottle, shattering it within his grasp.

Jai's hand trembled with anguish as he watched the contents of his bottle leak from his palm, raining liquid and glass shards all over the floor, into one big dejected puddle.

"...Aw shit."

Kula shoved her lollipop into her mouth. Her eyes glowed bright red, her blue hair floating upwards as her hands raised high and came down upon the Earth with tremendous exertion. From her tiny body produced a considerable outburst of icy chi, sending a row of towering ice pillars sprouting along a straight path, carving a route straight to her shaken opponent.. upon which they reached him, and launched him into the stratosphere.

"HYAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAuuuuuuuuuuuuuuhhhhhhhhhhhh...!"

Kula turned her back and walked away, once again happily sucking away on her sweet treat. Almost a minute later, Hwa Jai's body landed.

WINNER: KULA DIAMOND


"Kula destroyed him like he was nothing." Joe teased to Kim. "Dude, I think you might need to return those disciples to the market, haha!"

Kim, ever-quick to defend his honor, balled up a fist. "Maybe YOU need some re-education, Higashi!"

"Hahahaha! Alright, alright, chill. I was just messing. If anyone needs to set Jai straight, it's me. This makes me look bad too!"

Great a victory as it was, Kula did no favors for herself or the overlying situation by celebrating or attempting to win the crowd over. She solemnly exited the combat zone, bypassing the sidelines, to which she immediately rejoined her beloved guardians in the stands. Luckily, the the clever cameras followed her... and the viewing world was greeted to the heartwarming sight of Foxy and Diana sandwiching her between them in a doting embrace, their cheeks nuzzling against each side of her face, making a small stride in easing her grief.

"You did so well, Kula. I'm so proud of you." Diana beamed with a smile.

Kula managed a weak one... but they could tell she was willing her lips to stay curved.

"I went down in the first round last year, didn't I? Ehehe... K' was so disappointed in me."

They knew it was trouble as soon as his name was mentioned.

"Kula..." Foxy softly spoke her name.

"I wish... he could've been here to see this." Kula continued. "Even if he's far away, watching me on some television screen... he should've been here to share this moment. It doesn't feel the same."

"We're here for you." Diana tried her best to console. "Don't worry about K'. Cmon, let's us three take you out for something special!"

"Okay..."

But the guardian knew, no matter how many times she said it... their Kula would never look at them in the same light as she did that boy. That rude, edgy, insufferable boy... who'd stolen her heart.


OPENING ROUND FIGHT #12: CHIZURU KAGURA VS MOMOKO

"So, are we ready to do this?"

That simple query was followed by a return to her goofy, unconventional fighting stance that could only be threatening to the few who knew better.

Athena was not one. "Mignon... must we? I've got other things to worry about."

A giant, comical throbbing vein floated atop Mignon's head in a pink bubble. "You've been preaching to Mignon about the inevitability of evil and all that pastrami, but methinks you're just trying to distract from the situation in front of you. Mignon's not falling for it! Uhhhh... any more than I already have!"

"Ugh, Mignon..." Athena was starting to regret her dramatic running out of the Stadium. Right now, confronting Kensou definitely felt like the lesser of two evils. There was a certain limit to how much Mignon she could take in one day, and that quota had already been well-filled. Should she just fight her? No... gotta save strength for her match, whoever it may be. She might actually have a chance of winning now. There had to be SOMETHING to get her away from this nuisance...

...That's when it hit her. The glorious psychic connection slapped her brain like sweet sunlight from an open door. She knew who was fighting next, and she had to go be there for her. NOW.

"Ah! The kids!"

With only that exposition to go on, Athena sprinted away, fleeing the "epic confrontation" between these two rivals... and leaving Mignon astonished.

"H-hey! Do not run from Mignon! HEY! STOOOOOP!"

"Sorry Mignon!" Athena called out. "Master Chin and Kensou would never forgive me if I wasn't there to cheer them on. We'll have our fight later!"

"B-but I..."

Chance missed. Athena was too far from her voice frequency to be halted at this point. Mignon was left alone, with naught but a bellyful of utter disappointment... and she unleashed it in violent anger, assaulting the concrete ground with a silly stomping tantrum, while her fists flailed in all directions air could flow. As her rage erupted, so to did varying pink clouds of wondrously random symbols and emoticons sprout from her person.

"NYAAAAAAAAAAAGH! Don't think you're off the hook, Asamiya! MIGNON IS AN ELEPHANT! I-I mean- oh I just called myself fat... MIGNON DOESN'T MEAN SHE'S FAT! SHE JUST NEVER FORGETS!"


Back in the Stadium, the fight was already underway. The tall, proud stature of Chizuru Kagura was challenged by the bouncy, perky unpredictability that Momoko presented to any fight. She kept Chizuru ever-guessing with her modified Ginga stance, swaying her feet back and forth in a constant metronome-like dance. But Chizuru, the epitome of cool under pressure, stood firm and let her make the first move.

"Here I come, Chizuru-sama! I'll give you my best!"

Momoko came forward with a passionate wheel kick, upon whiffing which she spun around and unleashed a second one, still maintaining an awesome balance. On the third spin, she went low with a sweep, but still Chizuru successfully gauged her distance. The shorter girl was struggling to hit a woman of Chizuru's height.

Still not deterred, she dipped into a handstand and flailed her feet, bicycle-kicking Chizuru towards her midsection, but only managing to strike Chizuru's forearm as the woman extended it to block. Chizuru, deciding not to give Momoko that one for free, tried to trip her up with a low kick... but Momoko's retreat was smooth, with two rapid backflips transitioning into a smooth backwards somersault.

"You're pretty fast, Momo-chan." Chizuru smiled. "But I have a few tricks of my own."

Momoko cartwheeled forward to gain momentum, then came FLYING at Chizuru with both feet, effectively negating her height disadvantage. This one was sure to hit!

...That's when Chizuru officially sprang into action.

"Ah?!" Momoko gave a surprised shriek when her kick not only passed through Chizuru... but she was greeted to the strange feeling of Chizuru's body zooming THROUGH her, and emerging from the other end, somehow ignoring the statues of bone, flesh, and scientific laws of matter.

Naturally, the perplexed Momoko's first inclination was to spin around and lock eyes with the newly reformed Chizuru... but she failed to see that an afterimage was still remaining from the earlier shift. That translucent Chizuru image shot forward, plowing into her backside, sending Momoko stumbling forward into the waiting hand of the real Chizuru, who ping-ponged her with a strike to the chest, putting the dancer on her butt.

"Chizuru, tricky as always." King muttered, her thumb amusingly between her teeth as she spectated. Something about seeing the two-time member of her legendary Women's Team piqued her interest utterly. Maybe a small, insecure part of her felt threatened by Chizuru, who was potentially a better fighter than her, the leader.

"...You could use a nail clipper too, bb." Mary joked.

Flushed cheeks sprouted in response. "I'm just paying close attention! Go celebrate with your boytoy."

"Nah, I wanna watch Chizuru fight too. She's awesome."

"...She's not THAT special...hmph..."

Back in the combat zone, Momoko was back up, fully recovered from that hit she suffered. Despite being jarred, she took it in good spirit. "Great hit, Chizuru-sama~!"

Chizuru bowed politely in response. "Thank you, Momo-chan! Let's see you try and give it back to me, kay?"

"Kay~!"

Momoko got a leaping start and went 180, going low with a wide sweep kick that spun her body so rapidly, she was forced to keep spinning and transition into another move. She used her hands to maintain her body balance as she spun her feet like a breakdancer, attempting to go mid to Chizuru's stomach with the second kick. Chizuru's guard held up, as she parried Momoko's foot with her hand and backed away to safe distance.

The little bundle of energy kept coming. She frontflipped forward and came flying at Chizuru with a drop kick, both feet presenting equal power, and the surprised Chizuru had to bring her arms to her chest to absorb the impact of that zealous blow... and she actually stumbled back a bit.

"Wow, did you see that?!" Yuri pointed. "Little Momo-chan is giving it her all!"

"...She's never going to win this way." King shook her head with pessimism.

"K-King-san! Why do you have to be such a bummer?" Yuri whined.

"I'm just stating the facts. Look at her." King pointed.

Yuri took off her hype goggles and let logic prevail... and the truth became clear.

Momoko looked a bit winded, her mouth open as her teeny chest visibly retracted and protruded with heaving breaths. She was caught between trying to maintain her Ginga and catch her air; every so often, she looked like she wanted to lean over and put her hands on her knees.

"...She's a horrendous stylistic matchup for Chizuru." King analyzed. "Momoko's wearing herself out, throwing herself at Chiz, and our girl is letting it all play out. Capoeristas exert a staggering amount of energy. Between maintaining their tiring stance, the explosiveness of their attacks, being forced to use extra footwork to keep their bodies balanced... Chizuru could essentially win this fight without even throwing a punch."

"Wow..." Yuri's voice was calmer now, having been effectively shot down. "Poor Momo-chan."

King, realizing she was being a downer, tried to perk it back up. "Ahhhh she's doing fine! Ehehehe! She just needs an opponent that's not so damn hard to hit."

Momoko tried a leaping wheel kick towards Chizuru's head; the woman gracefully spun backwards, her shirt sleeves flowing through the air like a swan's wings in an elegant dance.

Momoko returned to her feet, spinning around to balance herself out, and she once again went low, using her hands for stability, and thrust her legs out in an attempt to trip up Chizuru.

...She hit her target. Unfortunately, they were not the legs of a solid figure, but the phantasmic leavings of an astral projection.

Momoko looked up, and the real Chizuru rained down on top of her, pinning her to the ground with a hand on her face.

"Gotcha again~" the older woman winked.

Momoko struggled helplessly under her weight. "Ungh! Unngh! You're too much for me, Chizuru-sama!"

"Well if it makes you feel better, I'll let you up and you can try again." Chizuru taunted, a hint of cheekiness in her tone. Being a good sportsman and understandably trying to drag out this fight for the enjoyment of the crowd, Chizuru made good on her word, and removed herself from her downed opponent.

Momoko did a sweet backwards roll, then sprang up to her feet, but not before sticking the landing on an awesome windmill. But upon returning to her feet... the fatigue spread out evenly across her body. Her legs rocked with less fluidity, her arms swayed more sluggish. It was harder to maintain her Ginga.

"Huff...huff... getting kinda pooped... agh, I just can't hit Chizuru-sama... ohh Athena-nee would be so disappointed..."

It was looking hopeless for Momoko, and she knew it. Chizuru stood there, so tall, so proud, so confident. She was amazing... Momoko only wished she could grow up to be so strong and beautiful. Well, nothing else to do... but throw in the towel...

That's when she heard her voice.

"MO-MO-CHAN! MO-MO-CHAN! MO-MO-CHAN! MO-MO-CHAN!"

"Huh?" she looked up from her defeated state and peered into the sidelines... ah! There she was!

"H-hahh...?!"

Athena was on her feet, a huge smile on her face, her fist proudly pumping in the air, as she kept chanting. "MO-MO-CHAN! MO-MO-CHAN! MO-MO-CHAN! MO-MO-CHAN!"

The idol looked down at Kensou... who was sitting there, hand in his cheek, still sulking. With an annoyed grunt, she snatched him up and allowed him to lean on her.

"Cmon Kensou, cheer for her!"

"B-but I... how can I when I feel so..." Kensou sighed.

"I feel like crap too!" Athena urged. "But I'm putting it aside for something important! Now cmon! Momo-chan needs our support!"

"I-I'll try..."

"DO IT!"

"Agh! Uhhh... Mo-Mo-Chan... Mo-Mo-Chan...! MO-MO-CHAN!"

...Her big brother and sister figures, cheering her name? The two people she loved, respected, idolized... they were here. They were her strength, her foundation, her everything she aspired for! Momoko felt herself welling with newfound energy... she felt such power, her skin tingled! Every time her name passed their galvanized lungs, it was like sending a jolt of energy into her bloodstream. They were feeding her!

Momoko tightened her bandana, and shot Chizuru a determined look. "Alright, Chizuru-sama! I'm about to show you what makes me a Psycho Soldier! I learned this move from Athena-nee, my hero and role model! She taught me to manifest all my Psycho Power into one gathering, and unleash it all at once! READY?!"

Chizuru wasn't sure what to expect: Momoko had only been in one tournament, in which she herself wasn't present. Whatever special power Momoko had, she was about to unleash...!

It certainly looked impressive: the entirety of Momoko's body glowed with a pink hue, the whites of her eyes replaced by a sparkle, her pupils pouring out energy. A gargantuan pillar of pink engulfed her... and then swallowed into her palms all at once like a snuffed out flame.

"READY? SPECIAL PSYCHO POWER... ESPER~!"

Momoko thrust her hands forward... and let loose a cannon blast of Psycho Power, focused into a wide pulsing beam of destruction, determined to demolish anything in its line of fire. The beam blazed forward, tearing through Chizuru and swallowing the woman within its exuberant light.

King, Mary, and Yuri were on their feet.

"Whoa."

"Holy."

"Shiitake."

Rose was upright in her booth as well. "Oh my god! She just roasted Madame Kagura!"

Everyone in the Stadium sucked air with a collective gasp of suspense. Their eyes were all focused on the impact point, where Chizuru once stood. There was nothing there... as if the woman was vaporized, removed from existence. That couldn't be! Momoko should have known better! Surely she didn't launch an attack that would wipe somebody from the face of the Earth...?!

...Momoko didn't seem to register this at the moment. She was too high on herself from the mere fact she blasted Chizuru in the first place. She looked at her own fingertips, at the power she just produced... how they tingled! She... she did it! Athena-nee taught her to believe in her Psycho Power, and she was able to manifest it into an awesome attack!

...A tap on her shoulder from behind, and reality came back.

"Eh?"

She turned around, and Chizuru gently shoved her with one hand. Momoko, her body stricken with exhaustion, was helpless to stay upright, and she fell over like a domino in front of an air conditioner.

WINNER: CHIZURU KAGURA


"...Well, that was anticlimactic." Yuri frowned.

"Told you not to get your hopes up." King shook.

"You're just a veritable spring of positivity, babe." Mary jabbed with a smile.

Momoko took it all in, as she laid there: her body shutdown, the sting of defeat... but also the joy of knowing she gave it her all. At least Athena, Kensou, Chin were there to root for her. She got to have her moment in the limelight, just as she did that one year by Athena and Kensou's side. It was a glorious moment... and that alone far outshined this defeat.

"Here. Let me help you up." Chizuru politely offered, taking Momoko by the arms and lifting her easily, returning her to her feet.

...With a huge smile, Momoko ambushed Chizuru, tackling the woman and hugging her neck. "CHIZURU-SAMAAAAAAAA! Thank you for the awesome fight! You were great~!"

Chizuru laughed heartily, wrapping her arms around Momoko to keep the petite girl fastened around her. "Hahahahaha! You were great too, Momoko. That last attack was really something special. You've got such power!"

Momoko picked her head up from Chizuru's chest, looking into her eyes. "You think I'll ever be as tall and powerful as you one day~?"

"Of course you will, Momo-chan. But you don't want to be like me, hahaha... try and be like Athena instead."

"Kay! Hee hee hee!"

Chizuru gently set Momoko down on her feet, and the dancer immediately sprinted to the sidelines, to have her reunion with her old Psycho Soldiers team. Athena rose to her feet to meet her, while Kensou chose to sit down because of his leg.

"YOU GUYS!" Momoko squealed, burying herself in Athena's torso. "I had so much fun!"

"You looked great out there, Momo-chan." Athena smiled wide, stroking her hair. "I'm proud of you! RIGHT... KENSOU?"

Kensou sweat a bit. "Uh, ah, y-yeah! You uh... you were really great, Momo-chan. Agh, my leg hurts..."


MEANWHILE, IN THE LOCKER ROOMS...

"That was a pretty bad loss you took. How's it feel to be a big, fat loser?"

Hwa Jai angrily picked himself up, spinning around to defiantly meet the voice. "I'M NOT A LOSER! And I'll clobber anyone who calls me one."

The shadowy figure stayed obscured in darkness... but his teeth shone wide, glistening almost as brightly as the natural sheen of his bald head.

"Hey, it's okay to show humility. I've been a loser too. The first step is to come to grips with it."

Hwa Jai folded his arms. "First... step?"

The grin grew wider. "Yesssss... and only when you accept your losses can you get stronger and turn them into wins. A little opportunity doesn't hurt, either."

"...I'm listening?"

"How would you like to be a winner again?"

"Sure. What do I have to do?"

"...Join me. There's an open seat just for you in Big's Burly Badasses."

Whew... boy I struggled with this one. A few things:

I wish I'd put this chapter out earlier to celebrate Terry's arrival in Smash, since our boy had a good victory here. But you'll forgive me for being just SLIGHTLY late to the party ; )

I had to throw a "bb" in there just for illy. A little shoutout to the architect of the complex Kingverse ; )

NEXT CHAPTER: I'm going to offend you all greatly. We're officially halfway through Round 1!