Jackie wheeled Ryu into a lab room where Vega and Balrog were located. "We're heeeeeeeeeere!" Jackie said in a singsong voice.
"Long time, no see, chump!" Balrog said to Ryu.
"You guys," Ryu growled. "Why are you here?"
"That is none of your concern," Vega shot back. "By the way, we have someone who would love to see you." At that moment, a man in red military clothing and a black cape walked up to the bound Ryu. He had a vicious smile on his face.
"Bison!" Ryu exclaimed.
"Greetings, Ryu," Bison greeted. "How many years has it been? Bah, it matters not. I heard you're a finalist in a tournament taking place here."
"What's it to ya?" Ryu queried. Jackie wheeled him over to a bunch of coils, which she then attached to his face, chest, and arms.
"Johnny had a feeling you'd be a finalist," Jackie explained, "and he wants you to be as strong as you can be when fighting against your potential opponent. That's why M. Bison's here."
"Yes. I had to sacrifice a bit of my power into that machine," Bison added, "but Mr. Ginger insisted it would be worth it in the end. I hope he's right."
After Jackie turned on the machine (causing Ryu to feel much pain as Psycho Power entered his bloodstream), she left to join John, who was on his way to the balcony Belial (and the Sphere of Wonders) is at.
Ryu struggled to not let this power overcome him for a few minutes. Bison noticed this, as he walked up to Ryu. "Having a hard time, are you?" he asked Ryu as his fist became engulfed with Psycho Power energy. "Here, I'll make this easier for you." After he punched Ryu through the chest, he let out a bloodcurdling scream that could be heard all throughout the castle.
Meanwhile, Belial was ordering demons who followed him from hell into positions in order to combat the invaders. "I want all troops posted in the foyer, the halls, and indoor garden," Belial said. "MOVE!" The demons ran to their positions at once. "Quan Chi! Quan Chi, where are you?!"
"Dead," John said from the doorway. Belial turned around to see where that voice came from.
"Ah, so you were the one who got disqualified from the tournament," Belial said with an unusual calmness.
"Yep." John started to walk towards Belial, his knife in hand. "We have important matters to discuss: the Sphere of Wonders."
"You're not touching it! In fact, you shouldn't even be up here! How the hell did you even get past my army of Grackalors and Zvarraniks?"
"Oh, they work for me now. A little benefit for killing their former trainer." John walked closer to Belial, who summoned his trident, Nequitius.
"Stand back! I know how to use this!" After Belial says this, John cut off his hands, thus dropping Nequitius onto the ground.
"And I know how to use this," John shot back. "Now I'm not gonna ask again; give me the fucking Sphere of Wonders."
"You can forget about it, psycho! As long as I breathe, that Sphere's staying with me!"
"Okay then. You just made it worse for yourself." John then sliced a hole in Belial's stomach with his knife, followed by him pulling out intestines as Belial screams. Once he was done, John tossed the mutilated but still breathing Belial off to the side. From there, John walked towards the Sphere of Wonders, used the hilt of his knife to break open a section, then stick his hand in it to feel the power. After taking his hand out, John slit one of his wrists, allowing the power to be sucked into the cut.
While this was happening, Belial crawled towards John. "You... idiot," he groaned. "You have no idea how powerful the energy from the Sphere of Won-"
"Man, you're annoying," Jackie said to Belial before shooting him in the head, resulting in instant death. After that happened, she, along with the Tarkatans and Spawn, witnessed a transformation that involved flames circling around John and his eyes glowing red. With a yell, he unleashed dark energy into the sky.
As Cassie and her team walked back to the hotel, they heard a disturbing wind. They looked up to see that dark grey storm clouds had appeared as the sky turned blood red.
"Uh, what's happening," Jacqui asked.
"If there's any indication about the sky turning red again," Cassie explained. "I'd say the world's goin' to hell... again."
At the Special Forces base, Sonya, Johnny, and a handful of troops noticed this and immediately sensed danger happening at Fighter's Island. Worried about the safety of Cassie and her team, Sonya got out a walkie-talkie. "This is General Sonya Blade!" she yelled. "I need troops on a chopper en route to Fighter's Island! NOW!"
Back in the castle, the transformation was complete, and John is now more powerful than ever. He is also somewhat physically different; his hair is in flames, his skin is light orange, flames surrounded him, and his eyes are black with red irises. "Finally," John said in a deep, echoing voice. "I can now reshape the entire universe... in my image." This was followed by a maniacal laugh as he floated in the air triumphantly.
to be continued...