Many years had passed since Ichiro defeated Masao, ending the coming war between them. For a time, there was peace and prosperity; no foreign enemies came to disturb the Mishima's. The time did come, however, when Ichiro's father had finally passed on, leaving him to carry the title as ruler for as long as he should live. But such tranquility within Ichiro's life was not meant to be. Something had awakened during his time as emperor, it had come to existence very far from his realm, but its influence could be seen very close to home. There were whispers of a demon that had razed villages across the country, leaving nothing alive in its wake. The reports, however, were inconsistent. Some would claim that the creature took on an appearance similar to that of a man, while others would insist that the beast resembled a massive chimera. Unfortunately, the talk of this monster didn't stay as mere whispers for long. Soon enough, it became well known and very real to everyone, everywhere in the country. Allied cities fell victim to the beast's wrath and close friends and family members were lost to Ichiro and his people. The time for action was eminent; Ichiro and other lords and their kingdoms could no longer remain idle while the threat was at large.

There was a meeting of the lords that was held in an effort to come to a solution to the threat at hand. Ichiro sat in attendance with seven other emperors, coming to agree on the simple fact that the demon had to be slain. The eight rulers had formed an alliance, setting the destruction of the mysterious demon as their objective. And so, with a new formed power to repel the monsters advance the lords set out with their chosen soldiers to find and crush it before anymore lives could be lost. The journey, however, was a doomed attempt, and no one had a chance to see what was coming.

The alliance of lords, otherwise known as the True Order of Fists, had come to the River country in search of the beast. They had reason to believe that the River was the next to be assaulted by the demon, as his pattern of attack had revealed that the River's ruler may have been the next to die. Apparently the rulers that had lost their lives to the monster had something in common, something that suggested that Ichiro and the other seven lords were potential targets; they were all accomplished fighters in their respective arts, they were the best. It had seemed that this monster was actively hunting down the greatest fighters it could find in the given area, its pattern of attack being the weakest to the strongest. Kage of the River country, the last ruler and legendary fighter in his region, was unquestionably the next target. This gave the True Order every reason to come to him, explaining their reasons for visiting, and ask permission to take refuge in his village until the time had come to make an end of the coming threat. Their request was approved and so they waited for the demonic creature to come. They had prepared a great deal for this confrontation, for four months they trained. They thought they were ready, they thought for sure that victory for them was inevitable.

It was hell. There was fire, and death, everywhere, all of which seemed to have come as suddenly as a passing breeze. Screams of terror, cries of despair, the atmosphere was filled with pain and misery. It was different to hear about these things and imagine them as best as the mind could allow, but to actually bear witness to it all, that was something entirely of its own. Ichiro was now spectator to the surrounding carnage. His focus was failing him; the scene of destruction had a hold on his composure. He struggled to regain himself, for he had to stop it before it was too late.

This is…unbelievable…

"We can't…we can't win…"

The familiar voice was that of Shinra Kato, a member of the True Order of Fists. He was covered in severe burns accounting for the majority of his visible flesh, and his right arm was severed completely, as if it had been torn off.

"Shinra…don't move. Don't try to move."

Ichiro held his comrade close to him, tucking his arm under Shinra's head as support.

"You have to tell me…tell me where to find him. The one responsible for all this."

"You should run…leave now before he comes…to you…"

His eyes fell back as his head did. Ichiro slowly shut his eye lids, setting him down to rest on the ravaged earth. The screams where still all around, as loud as ever and yet, Ichiro could barely hear them at all. His senses had faded out when his eyes made contact with a creature bearing an appearance similar to descriptions of the demon. It was humanoid, but possessed bright red eyes that pierced through the night. It had hair that stretched and curved to its waist, and it wore a great shield and gold armor. The creature held a young boy in its grip, and raised its fist towards the child's chest before completely removing his heart. The scene grizzled and pained Ichiro, but he knew without a doubt that this was the same monster that had razed so many other villages in its wake.

"You! This ends tonight! I'll see you dead!"

Ichiro charged forward, determined to end the madness, the slaughter, the agony. With all his might he dashed forward ducking slightly and then raised his fist with all the strength of a rising dragon. But then, as swiftly as a flash of lightning, there was blood. Ichiro was silent as death, he felt it but could not understand it, and so he turned his gaze downwards towards his chest and it was there that he saw a hand that was punctured straight through him, covered in his blood. The monster had dodged his strike with an unnatural swiftness, and it had landed its fatal blow right through Ichiro's lungs.

Damn.

He didn't quite understand it; why he was countered by a technique fast enough to catch him off guard, a technique that he had seen once before, deployed by his own father as his ultimate counter strike. His father had created it, perfected it, and used it only once in battle. So why? Why was this creature able to use a technique only his father was capable of deploying? Why did he fail to stop the demon? Why did he have to die here? These questions were all that consumed him.

Damn it!...

And why was his strength not enough, his training of no use? Was it because he was careless, or fearful? Was it because he had lost faith in himself? And if he could not stop it, then who could? Who could save his family, his kingdom, his people?...

Damn it!...

The creature looked down upon his bloody figure, and as if it had lost all interest, slowly walked away.

"C-come back here!...I'm not finished yet!...I'm not done!..."

He struggled to get up but his body was failing him, his sight was darkening all around, and the creature slowly disappeared in the darkness that consumed his vision. It was over.

I-I, can't move…everything's gone dark… Is this it, the end? No, it can't be…not yet, I can't die here! Not like this, not until its dead! I won't allow it…I won't…not like this…

Somewhere in the dark, Ichiro could here a voice that called out to him, a voice that scoulded him for his weakness.

You're failure will be the cause of your families' undoing, and the deaths of countless others. You couldn't stop it; your power was useless against it. But perhaps there may be a way to change that all. If you wish to save everyone you failed to protect then give yourself fully to my unending powers. Through me you will triumph, and conquer all battles, because it is in my will, and strength that you, Ichiro Mishima, emperor of the Iron Fist, it is my will that you will gain…everything.

If you wish to regain your power and obtain one far greater, accept my invitation, embrace my doing. Only then will you be able to save everyone you love from certain death…

There was blackness everywhere, and no signs of life were present other than the two men who stood face to face.

"I have heard your cries, and I feel your strong desire to live. You wish to destroy the monster that killed you, you wish to return to your family and embrace them. I have come to help that desire of yours, that desire to exist."

The man who faced Ichiro took on his exact appearance but his eyes; they were yellow and black, like a demon's.

"I know those eyes. My mother use to read me stories of a being with such eyes, as yellow as the sun, but the eyes she spoke of only existed on one, the one who we all referred to as the demon Azazel. I know what you are, and I know what you represent. I would sooner die before I let you into me."

"You are well informed Ichiro. You are wise to be cautious of me, but I assure you that I only wish to help you."

"And why would you want to help a mere mortal like me?"

Azazel revealed an evil grin that was otherwise impossible to imitate.

"Because only you can give to me a gift far greater than you could ever hope to understand."

Ichiro suddenly realized where this was all going.

"You want form…the legends say that in order for you to enact your will, you need form."

"And the legends are true. I need form to carry out my purpose. I'm sure you know what that purpose is, do you not?"

He felt unease at the thought of it.

"To destroy all human life…and you think I would help you to achieve that?"

"There are other, far less noble men who would gladly take my offer greedily and swiftly. You are replaceable, but…as I said before, only you can give to me something the others cannot. I am offering you the chance to benefit from what's coming. My purpose is inevitable, it cannot be escaped, but you can reap my rewards before that time comes. I could even spare your life, as well as the lives of your loved ones, but in return you must be the one to bring forth a conflict great enough to give me form."

There was a pause in his thoughts as he glared at Ichiro's neck.

"However, that stain could become a slight hindrance. It appears that the beast has left his mark on you, I cannot yet tell what effects that would have on you if you were to accept my power."

"The creature…it…marked me?"

Ichiro grew confused at the purpose of such a mark. Did the beast not wish to leave him for dead?

"That is the mark of the True Ogre. You may not know this but the creature is of an Aztec origin, a fighting god. It marks its most promising victim so that if it should ever perish, it would return through the one who bore its mark. That would be you."

"So you mean that, in time, I will become that monster?"

"Don't misunderstand. If it ever dies it will merely use you as a vessel, a host. It's similar to what I intend to make you."

"You want my body as a vessel?"

"I won't take your freedom. I'll just be using you as a temporary host until I can have my own form."

Ichiro understood that if he refused Azazel, then the creature would just seek someone willing to do his bidding. That would mean that Azazel would still eliminate all life, and no one would survive. But if he accepted Azazel's proposal than he and his loved ones would survive, and he would have the power to crush the Ogre. But this was all so sudden, and random to him.

"Why now?"

Azazel was caught unawares to the question.

"What is the reason that you decided to just reveal yourself after so many years? And why do you seek to erase humankind from existence?"

"It takes more than just mere conflicts to bring me fourth. Ogre's awakening was a key ingredient to my resurrection. If you were to clash with him than my revival would be assured. And the reason as to why I seek to erase mankind from the equation is quite simple. Judgment."

"Judgment?"

"The human race has committed horrendous sins; you are a violent race that must be cleansed."

"So why spare my life? What would be the point?"

"It is because I cannot extinguish all human life, just enough of it. You see, my purpose can only be fulfilled as long as there is someone who can bring me into the physical realm of existence. And I can only exist as long as my purpose is unfulfilled; my purpose is to ratify humanity. The cycle must continue in order for me to remain. Whoever aids my return will live on so that humans can return to repopulate the planet until their sins reach a critical point in which my abilities would be necessary. I have erased entire civilizations numerous times in the past, and I will continue to do just that."

"The cycle must continue?"

"Yes, and with your help, if you so wish it. Remember, the ratification of humanity is unavoidable. It's not a question of if it can happen, but when. Why not gain something from it all? Why not save your beloved family from the coming scourge? You can be the one to put an end to the Ogre before he destroys everyone you love. Accept me, Ichiro. Accept…the inevitable."