Cassie walked up the stairs and found a door all the way in the back. When she got close enough to the door, she saw a dead Liu Kang hanging by a rope tied to a chandelier. On his chest was a note that read, "If you are the winner of the tournament, come on in!" below this was an XOXO. Cassie shook her head and opened the door. She was gravely surprised at who was sitting on the throne.

"Ah, Cassie," John said in an echoing voice. "A pleasant surprise. I didn't expect you to beat Ryu at all, despite his... enhancements."

"Ginger..." Cassie said with a shaky voice. "What are you doing?"

"Isn't it obvious, bitch? I'm finally fulfilling what I've wanted to do ever since I killed that two timing cunt of an ex-girlfriend."

"You don't think everyone knows that?"

"Hey, I'm very well known around these parts. Not my fault if the newspapers keep houndin' my every move. But enough of that." Jackie, Vega, Balrog, Bison, Spawn, and Baraka approached the throne as John got up from it. "A little birdie told me that you and a bunch of the other contestants in this godforsaken tournament teamed up to try an' take me out. I had him for allowing that to happen. Besides that, Quan Chi and Belial were simply weak chaff that needed to be disposed of, leaving room for the one true master of this universe: me!"

"Why would you even do something like this? Was it because of your disqualification?"

John simply laughed like a maniac. "You must be really nutso if ya really think that! I've always had this plan when I first heard about the damn tournament! And now that the winner of the tournament shows her face, she'll have to face a fitting end, her victory short-lived, her celebration dance cut off, all while this universe suffers." With that, a bunch of Grackalors, Zvarraniks, Tarkatans, and Heartless inched towards her.

When a Tarkatan got too close for comfort, a mini rocket flew forward and blasted its head clean off. Cassie turned to find her team at the doorway.

"You guys couldn't've come at a more perfect time," Cassie quipped.

"Not a problem," Kung Jin replied. "I'm guessin' Ginger's the one responsible for all this?"

"Good guess," John said as he walked forward a bit.

Yandere-Chan, attracted by John's new bod, emerged from the group in awe, much to John's dismay. "Oh..." Yandere-Chan moaned. "You look absolutely fabulous. You'll definitely be the perfect senpai!"

As Yandere-Chan got to her knees, John was at the verge of his breaking point with her. "For the last time," John said threateningly, "I AM NOT YOUR SENPAI!" He then slapped Yandere-Chan extremely hard in the cheek, leaving a red hand mark. Feeling rejected, Yandere-Chan walked back to her position in the team, close to tears.

"Dude, harsh," Ogoleithus commented.

"That... was unnecessary," Cassie told John.

"As was your invasion of my castle," John shot back.

"Your castle?" Ivy said with a shocked tone.

"You are a threat to this planet and need to be eradicated!" Kisara shouted. "Our 'unwanted' presence is necessary for the survival of the universe!"

"Yeah, what she said," Naomi chimed in. "What do ya say to that, huh?"

"Just this," John said before he snapped his fingers, prompting Spawn to use his chains to round up Kung Jin, Kisara, Takeda, Jacqui, Ken, Minerva, Felis, Wulf, Snake, Ivy, Gareth, Ogoleithus, Lilith, Samus, Yandere-Chan, Murdock, Shantel, Kotal Kahn, Ermac, Reptile, Ferra, Torr, Erron Black, Naomi, and Yandere-Chan in one sitting. These chains had the added ability to immobilize them while gradually causing them pain.

The Tarkatans, Grackalors, Zvarraniks, and Heartless surrounded the group while Baraka, Balrog, Vega, Bison, Spawn, and Jackie approached them, ready to kill. Distraught, Cassie blindly rushed towards John, and he blocked every single one of Cassie's attacks. There were some that hit him, but had no effect. He countered by grabbing her by the neck, using power to harm her, then tossed her aside.

"So that's how you want to play, huh?" John said. "So be it! The true final match of the tournament shall now begin; Cassie Cage vs John Ginger, in the ultimate battle to decide the fate of the universe!"

to be continued...