Spawn opened a door and dragged Cassie inside a room with an arena similar to that found on the island. The only difference was that there were no spectators. After Spawn walked Cassie over to the arena, he unbound her.

"So... was it necessary to tie me up then?" Cassie quipped.

"Shut that mouth of yours, you saucy bitch," Spawn shot back. "You're lucky I don't kill you where you stand." Spawn then walked to the center of the arena. "And now the finals shall officially start. Cassie Cage..."

"Yeah, yeah, just get it over with," Cassie remarked rather impatiently.

"...vs Ryu." When he heard his name get called, he stepped out from the shadows. Cassie was shocked to see a man who resembled Ryu, only with red spkiy hair, red eyes, a torn purple gi, yellow gloves, a gaping hole in his chest, and a red aura surrounding him walk onto the arena across from her.

"Ryu?" Cassie said with a pained tone of voice.

"Long have I sought this," Ryu said in a gruff, echoing voice. "Your blood will satisfy my rage."

"FIGHT!" Spawn shouted. Ryu rushed toward Cassie with a flaming Shoryuken, which Cassie dodged and countered with a Glow Kick. Ryu immediately recovered when he landed and unleashed a purple Hadoken. Cassie used a dashing kick to plow right through and make contact with Ryu, only for him to block it and unleash a barrage of punches, kicks, elbows, and knees at her, the final kick knocking her on the ground.

Cassie got up and shook it off before doing an upward Bicycle Kick. Ryu blocked this attack and countered with a left axe kick that went into a stomp. He stepped on Cassie's head and pressed down, further damaging her.

It took a long time for Cassie to get up, but when she did, she was dizzy and disoriented. She flung a feeble arm thrust at Ryu, only for him to swipe it away, grab her, and shoulder toss her in front of him, adding a stomp in the chest shortly after while Cassie screams in pain.

Ryu then hopped into the air, gathered dark energy onto his palm, and with a scream of "DEATH'S EMBRACE AWAITS!", descended onto a jade glowing Cassie with a punch. When the smoke cleared, however, Cassie sustained no further injuries, surprising Ryu.

"No. That's not possible," Ryu said in shock. "How can this be?!"

"It's a little somethin' I like to call an 'Emergency Blanket'," Cassie explained as she got up. "It's a power us pure of heart can utilize, and you are no longer that. Now it's time fo' you to get KNOCKED THE FUCK OUT!" Cassie bombarded Ryu with a bunch of physical strikes, then did a baton swipe, a forward cartwheel, and a close range flamethrower attack. She then did a full split to punch Ryu in the crotch, seemingly destroying his testicles, slam the butts of her pistols on both sides of his head (cracking the skull), and shoot bullets into the skull but going through the brain. This made Ryu get knocked onto the ground, unable to continue the battle.

"Winner: Cassie Cage... unfortunately," Spawn said.

Cassie was kneeling towards Ryu, holding a hand out. "C'mon, Ryu," she said quickly and comfortingly. "I know this isn't you! They must've did something to you that made you like.

"C'mon, Ryu, c'mon. I know you're stronger than this." Cassie's eyes started to tear up. "You gotta beat this power! Don't let it overcome you! Don't it be you!"

Soon enough, Ryu's eyes began to glow a light blue color, and the aura around him started to turn pure. Second later, Ryu let out a very loyd scream, and a blue field surrounded him. When it cleared, Ryu returned to his former self, albiet exhausted.

"Cassie..." Ryu started to say.

"Don't speak," Cassie replied quickly. "Save your breath."

"I'll live," Ryu reassured, talking while catching his breath "The benefactor's... in the room with a balcony... on the second floor. It's the room where Shao Kahn's throne used to be.

"Go get whoever's responsible for this mess... and destroy that son of a bitch." After Cassie hugged Ryu, she ran out of the room to find the throne room. Meanwhile, Spawn teleported to the throne room to alert John of this.

to be continued...