A/N: Thank you, GlaringEyes, for pointing out the mistake I overlooked during the Sektor vs. Matrik match in the last chapter. Apparently, I was too focused on the dramatics of that scene to notice, lol! Anyway, it's been corrected.

Also a very important notice: Some of you were aware that I was working two jobs, which was one of the major factors for slow updates these last few years. The good news is that I was finally able to quit one of them, which now leaves me with more time than I've had in quite a while. However, despite this, updates will remain slow just a little bit longer since this summer is going to be a busy one for me. That includes traveling for my sister's wedding. I'll try to update once or twice during that time, but it's not guaranteed. Once September is over, however, I should be in the clear and will be able to update more often. Thank you for your patience and understanding.

Until then, enjoy this next chapter, which features the latest Chosen Ones meeting!


Chapter Forty-Three

Later in the day at the end of Round Three of the Shikoken Tournament…

Mishima Forest

With the tournament in between rounds, the time came once again for Liu Kang and Zafina's Chosen Ones to unite for their next evening dinner meet-up. As always, various offerings of food were provided. The lanterns that hung off the tree branches were lit, though the sun had not quite set completely just yet, so the lights were not as illuminating as they would be in complete darkness.

Ivy Valentine purposely arrived late when she was certain that everyone arrived. She kept herself within the shadows, but was still close enough to keep her eyes on the meeting. She already ate a meal beforehand, so the chance of getting hungry while she waited for the gathering to end was minimal.

It's for the best anyway, she thought to herself.

It was then that she heard footsteps to her right. Ivy slightly turned her head and soon spotted Scorpion, who chose to lean one side of his body against the tree that was opposite of her. He then gave a single nod to Ivy, who returned the gesture, before they both brought their attention back to the gathering a few yards in front of them.

"I take it you're not a fan of crowds either," Ivy guessed.

Scorpion didn't answer her right away, but the spectre did shift a little so that he could fold his arms in front of his chest while he still leaned on his side against the tree. Ivy nearly wanted to do the same, but she instead grasped her right forearm with her left hand and let it rest in front of her.

"Has anyone come after you since the last attempt on your life?" Scorpion suddenly asked.

"No," Ivy replied. "Liu Kang's suggested relocation seems to have done the trick so far. Though I doubt that'll last for very long. Reiko, Skarlet, and Kunimitsu will follow me again eventually. If not them, then someone else who serves under Quan Chi will."

"...You're right. It won't last for long. If Quan Chi is anything, it's persistent. It would take a lot for someone to stop him from achieving what he wants."

A small frown came over Ivy's lips. "They were out to assassinate you, too."

Scorpion chose that moment to turn his head to Ivy. "How do you know that?" he asked, his voice even.

"Right after your arrival that day, I heard Skarlet mention, 'two birds with one stone.' Being from Keisei and not Earthrealm, that's the first time I ever heard that saying, but I quickly realized what it meant when she said it.

"I am not surprised," Scorpion answered. He returned his attention to the group meeting in front of them. "But it would be a waste of their time. Remember, I'm a spectre. I cannot die."

"...Then, assuming they know what you are from Quan Chi, they weren't there to assassinate you after all."

"...No. They're out to capture me."

Ivy drew in a breath as she averted her eyes and looked out over the gathering. "Something tells me that's easier said than done."

"Indeed," Scorpion said - and Ivy could've sworn there was a hint of hubris in that single word…

While that was going on, Leo Kliesen was the first of the four newly recruited Chosen Ones to arrive. They appeared almost opposite of where Ivy and Scorpion were and kept themselves hidden for the moment. Leo was at least thankful to spot Makoto and her friends, but the Baji Quan fighter still felt quite out of place at the meet-up.

I know I am worthy to join them, Leo reminded themselves. They're here for the same reasons I am. There is nothing to fear. Besides, this is my next chance to get close to G-Corporation… and the answers I'm looking for.

"Hi Leo!" a young woman's voice suddenly called out from behind.

It took all of Leo's energy to not shout out with fright and draw attention from the gathering. They quickly turned around and were soon face to face with the familiar face - and pink hair - that belonged to Alisa.

"Please don't do that!" Leo called out a little frantically. From there, they took a few breaths in order to calm themselves down.

"I am sorry," Alisa said as she gave Leo a reassuring smile. "It was not my intention to startle you."

"Yeah, I, eh… heard about what happened the other day when you wanted to prove that you're an android," Leo mentioned. "You gave our new friends quite the fright."

"Yes, but thankfully I have been forgiven for that, as you recall when we first met," Alisa mentioned. "That was on the same day I offered to buy everyone lunch."

"Eh, yes, I remember," Leo said. The young warrior then gestured a hand at their surroundings. "This is my first time at this meeting. What is it usually like?"

"Actually, this will be my first time at this meeting as well," Alisa answered. "I am certain that we will be learning much about our new role in fighting against this war."

That was when they both heard footsteps nearby. Alisa and Leo turned their heads, and Alisa recognized both Lars and Lee as they both arrived on the scene. "Hello," Alisa greeted the duo.

"Ah, so this is the Chosen Ones gang," said Lee as he noted the gathering. "Cyrax wasn't kidding about the group size."

"Close to eighty of us if I recall," mentioned Lars.

"Wow…" Leo uttered. "That's… a lot."

"No bigger than your average sized company in most armies," Lee pointed out.

That was when Lars noticed Liu Kang approaching them. Lee gave the Fire God a quick wave of his hand. "Hi."

"Good evening," Liu Kang greeted. "I'm glad all four of you can make it. The meeting is about to get underway, and I'd like to start off by introducing you all to everyone, if that's all right."

"Sounds good," Lars said.

"Certainly," Lee agreed.

Liu Kang nodded before he waved an arm and began to walk towards the gathering. "Follow me."

From there, the four newcomers walked behind Liu Kang and over between the two long picnic tables. Lee noted a few familiar faces from the past King of Iron Fist tournaments, notably Paul and Marshall. No doubt they would recognize him - and recall his connection to the Mishima family.

Once they stopped walking, Liu Kang unleashed a loud whistle in order to get everyone's attention. As everyone began to quiet down, Zafina stood up from her seat and joined her comrade by his side.

"Let us begin," Liu Kang started once everyone was quiet and their attention was on him. "First, I'd like to introduce everyone to four of our newest Chosen Ones - Leo, Lee, Lars, and Alisa. Leo was Makoto's tag team partner and Lee is Cyrax's tag team partner. It is through Lee that I discovered Lars and Alisa and saw them worthy enough to join us. And yes, all of them are caught up on what this mission is all about."

"Wait a sec!" Lei Wulong suddenly shouted. "Lee Chaolan is joining us?!"

"That is correct," Lee confirmed. "And hello to you too, detective. You sound surprised to see me."

"Well, I know you've been doing well for yourself lately from what I heard during the last King of Iron Fist tournament. I'm just a little surprised that someone with very close connections to the Mishima family ended up amongst us."

It took barely a second for the murmurs to start amongst the group. Lee - who somewhat expected this - quickly gazed over at Liu Kang. "If I may, I'd like to speak up for a moment before you continue with the meeting."

The God of Fire nodded to the Violet Systems CEO. "Go ahead."

Lee took a moment to clear his throat before he spoke loud enough for everyone to hear him. "Obviously, a few of you know who I am from when I participated in a few King of Iron Fist Tournaments going back more than twenty years. For many of those who don't, I'll be frank - I have a long-standing connection with the infamous Mishima family. Heihachi himself took me in at a young age to raise himself, as hard as that is to believe. Initially, I thought it was from the goodness of his heart… but let's just say I've learned better since then. I've since earned my way to success and became the CEO and founder of Violet Systems, a company which specializes in robotics technology with the purpose of improving the future of humanity, big or small. Despite the passing years, I still keep tabs on the goings of the Mishima family when I can, which includes being a shareholder to G-Corporation. I can offer any kind of unique insight to any questions you may have about the Mishima family."

"You'll have to forgive my confusion," started Ken. "But I have to ask - you have your hands in the cookie jar of G-Corporation despite a war going on?"

"Let me explain," Lee began. "I've been a shareholder for quite a few years, more so to spite Heihachi. It was only after G-Corporation took military action against the Mishima Zaibatsu that I began to do my own investigation. Beforehand, G-Corporation was simply a biotech company that focused on revolutionary advances in the field of bio-genetics research. Every investor and shareholder was not aware of their sudden shift into military development until they declared war on the Mishima Zaibatsu. During my investigation, I discovered a secret within the company - there was a complete change in the chairboard that I wasn't aware of. Worse, their new CEO was Kazuya - Heihachi's son… my adoptive 'brother,' if you will."

Unknown to anyone, Leo took a deep breath as they clenched their fists tightly at their sides. Just hearing the name 'Kazuya' alone stirred some anger within their heart. After all, he was the reason their mother was dead…

"As soon as I made that discovery," Lee continued. "I knew right away that I was not going to choose either side. Jin's war is ruthless and pointless, but Kazuya… I don't have a definitive answer, but I can tell you right now that he definitely has a reason for his actions - and it's highly likely that it's not good. One of my plans while I'm here for the tournament is to figure out G-Corp's true motives behind their 'savior' veil."

"That's one of our end goals in our mission as well," Liu Kang reminded him.

"Yes, you did mention that earlier," Lee said. "That and this… 'Outworld' he sided with. From what I've been hearing, it sounds very complicated."

"That it is."

Lee then chose that moment to turn his head to Lars. "Then, I was hearing word about a potential coup brewing within the military branch of the Mishima Zaibatsu, particularly against Jin's war. Let's just say that I was rooting for them as soon as they received a generous donation that inspired them to slash the Tekken Force in half and become 'Yggdrasil.'"

"What does 'Yggdrasil' mean?" asked Kilik.

"Some of our Chosen Ones are from worlds other than Earthrealm," Liu Kang reminded the newcomers.

That was when Lars chose to speak up. "In our world's Norse Mythology, a Yggdrasil is a very large ash tree - one that connects to the nine worlds known in the mentioned mythology. The tree is considered sacred as it is the very thing that unites people of different origins together. This idea inspired the name for the coup in which more than thirty thousand troops joined to fight against Jin and his war on the world."

"And that amounts to half of the original Tekken Force?!" called out a surprised Lei Wulong. "Whoever led the initial coup must've been a very well-liked person."

Lars couldn't help but give the group a ghost of a smile. "You're looking at him."

From where he sat, Guile unleashed a low whistle. "You must have a lot of charisma and excellent leadership skills if you can rally that many to your side. The only other leader I can think of who can rally so many to his side is Yoshimitsu."

"Well, to be fair," Yoshimitsu started. "We're more of a clan than an army. But I appreciate the sentiment nevertheless."

"Time to up your recruiting game, Liu Kang," Kung Lao joked.

"Haha, real funny," Liu Kang grumbled. "Besides, I'm working on that as we speak."

"Hey, we can always recruit the entirety of Yggdrasil if need be," suggested Kai.

"They'll help when they can, I'm sure," Lars said. "I should mention that I very recently regained my memories after suffering from amnesia the last few weeks. That occurred just a few days ago. Yggdrasil knew of the issue, and I plan to meet back with them soon. Either way, even if I ultimately lose the tournament, I plan to help this team as much as I can. I'm certain we can work out an alliance as Yoshimitsu has with his Manji Clan in the past."

"Oh!" Liu Kang called out. "Before I forget, our newcomer, Alisa, is fully and one-hundred percent an android. Her data collecting and tech will be very useful to our cause."

"Cool," said Forest with a thumb's up.

"What's an android?" Talim suddenly asked.

"I'll explain later," Cassandra promised. "Or at least I'll try to."

"If I may," Alisa started. "I am admittingly still learning what it is to be human. I am also aware that I… gave a few of you quite the shock when I showed off my ability to remove my head."

"Wagner can definitely attest to that," Hwoarang jested with a sly grin.

"Yeah, real funny, Hoe-Rang," the air force pilot grumbled, though he grinned right after he purposely mispronounced the Taekwondo practitioner's name. Wagner knew it'd been an annoyance to him since the tournament started.

Hwoarang gave his own mischievous grin. "Remind me again which one of us is still in this tournament."

Wagner rolled his eyes. "Ah shut up," he grumbled.

"Hey, we said we forgave you, Alisa," Sakura quickly cut in. "It was just, eh… very, very unexpected."

"I don't know, you were all pretty freaked out when you all ran out of your rooms the way you did," Seong Mi-na pointed out.

"You can remove your head?" Steve suddenly asked while he sounded baffled.

"Yes," Alisa replied. She then smiled and started to reach for her head with both hands. "I can demonstrate if you like-"

"NO!" half the crowd shouted quickly.

"...Let me know if any of you change your mind," Alisa said as she dropped her arms back to her side.

"Um… and with that, the four of you can sit anywhere," Liu Kang offered after a brief pause. "And once more, welcome to our group."

As the newcomers went to find a place to sit, Lars happened to gaze over at one spot and noticed a small group of young women who Lars knew were Alisa's new friends. Most of them were looking straight at him - and almost all of them had big smiles on their faces while their eyes seemed to sparkle. A couple of them also giggled as soon as he noticed them staring.

Lars quickly turned his head away. "Why are they staring at me like that?" he ended up asking more to himself than anything.

Alisa ended up hearing him and responded. "According to my previous interactions, the girls in question came to the earlier conclusion that your magnetism is a personage that warrants an observation."

Lars gave her a perplexed gaze. "And… that means…?"

"...They think you are hot."

Lars's eyes went wide over that.

"Hey, should we, eh… mention your 'connection' to the Mishimas?" Lee asked low enough so that only his adoptive brother could hear.

"...Maybe later," Lars suggested. "They don't need to know everything in one go, especially if my planned, eh… observation of the group tonight ends up revealing so-so morale. The last thing they need is to take more of their morale away."

"Fair enough." A smirk suddenly came over Lee's face. "The word 'observation' won't be the same to you after this meeting, isn't it?"

"...Nope."

As soon as the newcomers were settled, Liu Kang proceeded. "Now then, before we begin the remainder of this meeting, I would like to take the time to acknowledge the tag teams who were eliminated from the tournament during Round Three…

"Dan and Blanka… Alex Walker and Scott Wagner… Karin and Lili… Sonya and Cammy… Smoke and Matrik… Lei Wulong and Chun-Li… and Abel and Forest. As mentioned before in our last meeting, all of you fought valiantly and I expected no less. Do not dwell on your loss for that all of you, regardless of the outcome of your respective matches, are still strong and capable warriors."

"Thank you, Liu Kang," Dan spoke up.

"You are welcome. At this time, I'd like to call upon Sonya Blade to speak as she made a potential discovery of a particular pattern."

Sonya briefly checked over her handheld tablet to make sure her notes were in order before she stood up and joined Liu Kang and Zafina. She then used the same tablet to scroll through her notes before she gazed up at the group in front of her.

"Three days ago, during our last tournament match," Sonya started. "Agent Cammy White and I noticed a potential pattern, though we likely need more information before we can one-hundred percent confirm anything. A lot of you know my history with Kano - one of the three criminals whose Interpol files were pulled up by the Mishima Zaibatsu. For those who don't, the gist of it is that he was responsible for leading my squad into an ambush that resulted in many deaths, including that of my partner. Needless to say, we've been at each other's throats ever since."

"Or rather trying to cut each other's throats," pointed out Johnny Cage.

Sonya ignored him as she proceeded. "With that history lesson out of the way, another thing I'm sure you've all noticed is the fact that Kano and I faced each other in this tournament three days ago. Now, one could shrug it off as a mere coincidence and that would be understandable. But given the Zaibatsu's interest in Kano, researching his past history as well as his criminal records would be inevitable. I'm certain that my name has popped up in those records plenty of times."

"So what you're saying is that there's a chance that Jin set up this match to give Kano the opportunity to face you…" guessed Zafina.

"That would be the assumption, yes…" Sonya replied with a small sigh.

"That is sick!" Maki suddenly growled. "And what makes it worse is, with that in mind, Jin set up a match between Yang and I back in Round Two when he was fully aware of the fact that we're romantically together! It wouldn't surprise me at all if he was doing this for kicks!"

"Would that be the same reason he pitted my son and I against each other earlier today?" Marshall questioned with concern.

"I can see why you would both think that," Cammy suddenly spoke up as she stood up from her seat. She continued to talk as she walked over to join Sonya. "And perhaps if… something else hadn't popped up in that same match Sonya and I had three days ago, that would be the logical conclusion to come to."

By then, Cammy stood in front of the ground and she took a moment to turn to face them. "However, there are two factors that likely point to another idea. First - and I'm aware that it will sound like I'm defending him with this statement… Jin is not the type to do something 'for kicks.' I even dare say that the man doesn't possess anything that resembles a sense of humor."

"Yeah, come to think of it, does anyone even remember him smiling these past two years?" questioned Maxi.

"I do," Xiaoyu suddenly spoke up as she raised her hand up. "It was a very small smile, but it was there. But then again, that wasn't in the last two years. That was when we were both still in high school."

"Actually," began R. Mika. "I recall, during our stay in Yakushima last year, where there was some teasing going on, and some of us actually caught Jin smiling a little. As soon as I called him out on it, he immediately wiped it away. That was the one and only time I saw him smile."

"I remember that," said Seong Mi-na with her own grin. "He was laughing at Hwoarang's expense at the time."

"Ugh, must you tell everyone that?" grumbled Hwoarang as he rolled his eyes.

"Anyway," Cammy continued before the group went completely off the subject. She was also trying not to remember those very few times he shared his smile with her less than two years ago. "The second thing that came up - and this will involve the second factor - was where mine and Sonya's match took place three days ago - Northumberland in the UK. It took place at Fraserburgh Castle, which overlooks a small village in the countryside. This village just happens to be the home of the UK's Intelligence Headquarters. It's also the place where my old Delta Red team and I used to have many of our meetings. The thing is… aside from knowing I'm part of MI-6, Jin knew nothing more beyond my Delta Red team members who were with me during the Blood Tournament. I can understand why he would pick that spot for a tournament match in general - it has a strikingly beautiful view no matter what time of day. But the fact that I, of every fighter still in this tournament, ended up with a match there? I honestly think that's not a coincidence."

"And I don't think it's a coincidence that he set up a match between us and Kano and his partner," Sonya brought up. "I also find it interesting that he chose Doctrine Dark to be his tag team partner."

"Well they did escape from San Quentin together," Chun-Li reminded her. "It doesn't surprise me that they chose to stick together while working under the Mishima Zaibatsu."

"Which I find interesting considering Dark's lone wolf persona," mentioned Guile with a small sigh. "Unless something's changed long since the… incident."

"Even a lone wolf occasionally desires companionship," stated Liu Kang.

"Which reminds me," Zafina started as she turned her attention to the MI-6 agent. "Are you okay after…" She didn't finish the sentence, but did gesture to her neck with her finger to indicate what she was talking about.

"I've had worse," Cammy answered. She touched the tip of her fingers to the part of her neck that was still healing after Doctrine Dark nearly choked her to death with a wire. "But thank you for asking."

"I think I know what you're implying when you mentioned the coincidences in your match," Matrik spoke up. "I never really got to know Jin these last two years, but I know that he's aware of my background as far back as the Blood Tournament. He knew I used to 'serve' the Tekunin, which is still being led by Sektor, who as you know, joined with the Zaibatsu. So once more, we ask… coincidence? Or done with the intention of giving one of us the chance to win a match against the other? It also makes me wonder about my match against the two Tekunin cyborgs during the first round."

"Jin and I both attended the last King of Iron Fist tournament," Asuka began to mention. "He knew I defeated Lili then and how much of a big stink she made about it after the fact."

Lili rolled her eyes over that. "I didn't make that big of a stink about it."

"Ugh, can we NOT start this again?" groaned R. Mika.

Lili, for once, remained silent as Asuka continued. "Now I wonder… Did he set up our match in Round Three as a chance for us to have a 'rematch'? And for whose benefit? And what of Sakura and Karin?"

"I think that part is actually a coincidence," Sakura mentioned. "I don't think he ever found out about mine and Karin's old rivalry."

"I agree," said Karin. "And I spent almost the entirety of the Universal War with Jin. Not once did I ever bring the subject up to him."

"It does make you think, does it?" Haggar began to say. "After all, my crusade against the Mad Gear gang is well-known, even more so since my attempt to become US President prior to this tournament. I lost in Round Two against Hugo and Poison - two former members of Mad Gear. I even defeated Hugo during my previous crusade. He wanted a rematch for a long time after… and finally got it in this tournament. Coincidence? Or did Jin make the connection somehow?"

"And we're certain they're not part of the Zaibatsu or G-Corp?" asked Fei Long.

"I don't think so," replied King. "From my observation, Hugo and Poison seem to want to stand on their own and not rely on anyone. They seem to be only focused on winning this tournament."

"Or picking random fights with gym-goers," brought up Forest.

"Hey, they did apologize for the confusion," Marshall reminded him.

"Um, what happened now?" asked the wrestler Alex with a little perplexity.

Abel chose to reply. "Long story short, they showed up while some of us were training, Hugo misunderstood something Paul said, and it resulted in an all-out brawl that Poison tried to stop. Haggar only stopped the mess just by showing up."

"Yeeaah that was a long day…" Cody grumbled.

"I didn't have a coincidental match, per say," brought up Xiaoyu. "But I did wonder about the setting of my last match. It was at a carnival grounds. I always had this dream of owning my own carnival. I talked about this dream a lot, so Jin knew about it, of course. I admit, I couldn't help but wonder if it was his way of remembering…"

"Anyone else have a 'coincidence' like that whether it's about matches or 'arenas'?" Liu Kang asked the group. Everyone thought about it for a few moments, but none could recall any similar patterns.

"Closest we have is fighting a tarkatan and some crazy woman with the craziest set of teeth I've ever seen," Marduk mentioned. "...Now that I think about it, that was probably just an actual coincidence. Forget what I said."

Kitana raised a brow at that. "Crazy teeth? Her name wouldn't happen to be Mileena, would it?"

"Yeah, it was! How do you know her?"

Kitana closed her eyes out of mild vexation. "It's a very complicated story for another time but… she's my 'clone.' Some of you may not know this, but I grew up under Shao Kahn from infancy after he merged my realm of Edenia with Outworld. Mileena was 'cloned' in the event that I learned the truth about my past and turned my back on him."

King snapped his fingers as he realized something from the match in question. "I was wondering why she seemed somewhat familiar. I'm… sorry you two are related. And what you went through."

"Thank you," Kitana sighed. She gestured a hand to Sonya. "Proceed."

"In my opinion," Sonya continued. "I don't think the matches are coincidences at all. I think these patterns mean two things; either Jin is giving his minions a chance to get what they want, or… he's giving us the chance to get what we want."

"I have to admit," said Cyrax. "If it happens to be the latter, that really flips things on their heads."

"Even if you're right," Cammy began to ask. "Then why start this war? That's the real question all of us need an answer to."

Upon hearing that, a thought came to Lili's mind. "I do not know much about military strategy, but I thought it wouldn't hurt to ask; what if… there's a way to get close to someone currently connected to the Zaibatsu instead of Jin himself? It's possible that they may have the answer we want, and it would be much easier to contact them instead of Jin, who is very much likely in hiding. Not to mention faster."

"It is an idea, but it's a very dangerous one at this time," replied Sonya. "Not only would it be a huge gamble since even they may not know about Jin's motives as much as we do, but they may use the attempt against us as they please. That includes killing. If we were to use this idea, we need a hell of a lot more information before we strategize a plan. The last thing you want to do is go in blind."

"I see," Lili said with a small nod. "Then… I suppose that's something we can go back on once we know more about who we're facing against."

"It is a good idea," Sonya admitted. "Depending on how everything goes after this meeting, we can revisit it later on." The Special Forces Major returned her attention to her comrades. "If anyone else recalls similar events, or if it happens after today's meeting, report it to me directly and as soon as possible. I'll be keeping a record on these 'coincidences.'"

From there, Sonya turned to Liu Kang and Zafina. "That's all I have to share."

"Thank you, Major," Liu Kang answered. Sonya gave him and Zafina a nod before she and Cammy returned to their respective seats. Once that was done, the God of Fire proceeded. "At this time, I'd like to call upon Jax Briggs to speak. He… very recently learned something regarding G-Corp and Outworld Forces through his informant."

"Ah!" Lee exclaimed. "You have a mole of your own within G-Corporation and the Outworld Forces?" He then gave Jax a thumb's up. "Excellent!"

"Have you planted a mole within the Zaibatsu, too?" Lars asked with curiosity.

"No, and honestly, I wish we had," Jax admitted. "But at this point, it would be too little, too late." The Special Forces Colonel took a moment to clear his throat before he began his report. "Last night, my informant called me in for an emergency meeting. No, they're not in danger, but they did report some… unfortunate news from a meeting he bugged.

"For those new to this group, Quan Chi is the current Emperor of Outworld who is working alongside Kazuya in this war. We can easily guess that Quan Chi has his reasons and it's likely connected to the Majin Seiryu Ki legend - or Azazel if you will. Long before he became Emperor, Quan Chi was the founder of the Brotherhood of Shadow, a cult group based in the Netherrealm who worshiped a fallen Elder God named Shinnok. They had initially achieved their goal of bringing Shinnok himself back from the depths of the Netherrealm - you may know that time as the Netherrealm War. Anyway, that clearly didn't go over well, and Quan Chi has since began his own path. From what we know at this point, the Brotherhood still follow him, including Noob Saibot; the seemingly current leader.

"With all that mentioned, my informant made a discovery; since the start of the forces' alliance with G-Corp, Quan Chi has planted Noob Saibot and a couple of other Brotherhood members into the Mishima Zaibatsu. Not only that, but he also has other Brotherhood members spying on activities in and around this island."

"Let me assure all of you," Liu Kang quickly cut in. "That this was something I prepared for since the very beginning. I have an invisible force field surrounding this area within a half mile radius whenever a meeting occurs here. The force field completely surrounds us and we are unseen by anyone outside of it."

"Why didn't you mention this sooner?" questioned Ruby Heart.

"Element of surprise," Liu Kang replied.

"You mean you forgot to tell us," Kung Lao guessed with a hint of mirth.

"...I did not," Liu Kang said as he glared at his old friend.

"Anyway," Jax proceeded. "In this same meeting, my informant also found out that it's not just the Brotherhood who are spying on island activities. G-Corporation have spies on the island as well."

"It makes me wonder how long this has been going on," said Siegfried. "Since the beginning of the tournament? Or since the attempt on Ivy's life?"

"It wouldn't surprise me if it was the latter," brought up Chun-Li.

"And now we have to deal with the headache of spies surrounding us thanks to her presence," Jade groaned.

"I'm standing right here, Jade," Ivy said evenly and just from a few feet away.

"I'm aware of that," Jade seethed.

"Ah, so you're the infamous Ivy," Lee suddenly cut in. "Yoshimitsu told me a little bit about you. I have to ask; how did you go from being an Outworld Empress who oversaw the Universal War, to becoming a Chosen One?"

"Lucky for you, since you're now a Chosen One, I can answer that," Ivy said. "Fate ultimately decided that I was destined to be one of The Four. It was I who dealt the final blow on Shao Kahn on the last day of the Universal War."

"Oooh! You're one of The Four? That is fascinating! Very, very fascinating! And now I have A LOT of questions."

That was when Jax decided to drop a bomb on Lee. "You'd be 'fascinated' to know that Jin himself was also one of The Four."

Lee's eyes went wide at that. "...Are you serious?"

"I find that hard to believe," Lars agreed. "Especially since he was the one who started this war."

"Trust me, we're all in shock over it," said Ryu.

"As far as available records go," Alisa began to inform. "Jin has no known criminal past prior to this war."

"Speaking of Jin," Jax continued. "The probability of the Zaibatsu having their own spies on this island is very high. After all, the island is owned by the Mishima Zaibatsu."

"Then there's also a good chance that they're busy trying to fish out the G-Corp and Brotherhood spies that are planted here," Lei figured. "As long as that continues, they'll be distracted by each other. Thus, it's possible that they may not pay any attention to us at all."

"I'll look more into it within the next few days," Liu Kang assured the group. "Hopefully, Lei's assumption is the case. If any of you discover anything regarding the spies, let me know right away. This is something we can't risk sliding by us for the sake of everyone's safety."

"My soldiers may be able to help in this case," Lars spoke up. "After I began to suffer from amnesia, some of them, including my XO, came to this island to spy on Zaibatsu activities. About a week ago, they had to leave the island on an unknown mission according to Raven, who was tasked with keeping an eye on me. They're expected to return soon. Once they do, I'll coordinate with them and explain the situation without giving too much away. If possible, I'll see if I can bring in more soldiers to help. This way, Yggdrasil can keep the Zaibatsu, G-Corp, and the Brotherhood off of your backs."

"That's a great idea," Yoshimitsu agreed. "And I'll do the same with my clan and have them head here as soon as possible."

"The more, the better," said Liu Kang. "Update me as soon as it's all settled." He then turned to the Special Forces Colonel. "Is there anything else?"

"Just one last thing," Jax proceeded. "A quick update on Kabal, who we figured revived the Black Dragon during our last meeting. Well, my informant… did some research and found out that Kabal is, in fact, working alongside the Zaibatsu. Which means his tag team partner, Havik, is very likely with them, too."

"And we know that Havik was working with the Outworld Forces during the Universal War," mentioned Cammy. "With all in mind…"

"This also means that Kano, with the Black Dragon revival on Kabal's part, is very likely with the Zaibatsu as well," Sonya guessed with a hint of bitterness.

"Same with Doctrine Dark," added Guile.

"And Juri," mentioned Chun-Li. "But even if we're all certain of it, we need to confirm it somehow. All we can do right now is pay attention to who they're associated with and, hopefully, make the connection from there."

"Anything else?" Zafina asked Jax after a brief pause amongst the group.

"Otherwise, that's all I have to report for now," the Colonel said. Jax then chose that moment to return to his seat within the gathering.

"Thank you, Jax," Liu Kang said. He then gazed at the rest of the group. "At this point, I must inform all of you that we recently discovered that there is an assassin who is targeting one of our own - Ashrah. This assassin is a female who is working solo on the island. That is all the relevant information I can give without giving too much away and spooking her in case she becomes suspicious that we're on to her. Myself and the few in-the-know have taken the necessary precautions. Otherwise, the only thing I ask is to watch Ashrah's back whenever you see her around the island."

"That must be fun for you," said Lucia with a hint of sarcasm.

"I've once had a group of demons the size of an Earthrealm platoon come after me at once when I was alone," Ashrah mentioned. "Let's just say that none of them lived to tell the tale."

"In other words, this is nothing to you," guessed Lita.

Ashrah nodded as she gave a small smile. "Any help is appreciated if it calls for it, but I'll otherwise be alright."

"So," started Yun-seong. "Any updates on this Azazel guy since the last group meeting?"

"As of now, all is quiet," Zafina replied. "None of my astrology sessions have revealed anything new. I've also not heard from my guardians or my Guru."

"Nor have I heard from my clan stationed nearby," Yoshimitsu added.

"In other words… no news is good news. For now at least."

"If there is nothing else," Liu Kang said. "That will be all at this time."


A few minutes after the meeting ended, Zafina approached Liu Kang as a question was on her mind. She spoke just low enough so that only the Fire God heard her; "I suppose it was best to not discuss the… suspicions a few had regarding Jin and his war actions?"

"It's better if no one else around overheard it and jumped to their own conclusions," Liu Kang explained. "Not until we have a better understanding. With the subject being a sensitive matter, I think it's best if we had the discussion just between us, the remaining three of The Four, Cammy, and Siegfried. Yes, it would've been best to have it done before this evening, but there was no time to coordinate it these last couple of days. For now, let them enjoy the between-rounds rest period. Afterwards, I'll arrange a meeting between all of us after a day or two."

Zafina nodded. "All right."'

Nearby, Lee happened to turn his head when he spotted Jade and Ivy about to pass each other. He noted how the two beautiful women practically snapped at each other during the meeting - and he admittingly couldn't help but wonder what it was all about. He thought for certain they were going to get into a battle right then and there.

However, the woman in green simply glared at Ivy, who gave her a neutral gaze. She then turned away when she finished walking by her. From where he was standing, Lee was certain that he could cut the tension between them with a blazing hot saw.

Curiosity got the best of him, and the Violet Systems CEO began to walk towards the Keiseian. Lee immediately noticed the apprehensive gaze in Ivy's eyes as he approached her. He gave her a friendly smile and raised both hands up. "Greetings, I come in peace," he said.

Ivy raised a brow at his words. "O…kay…"

"I couldn't help but notice the animosity between you and the woman in green during the meeting - and just now."

"You mean Jade?"

"Is that what she's called?" Lee asked as he turned to where Jade walked away to. "She certainly lives up to her name."

"I'm sorry, was there something you needed?" Ivy asked with a hint of annoyance.

"Not necessarily," Lee admitted. "I was just curious as to what was going on between you two. My friend Lars was hoping to observe everyone to get an idea of group morale, and well… if the tension between you two is a representation of group morale, I'd say we're in big trouble."

Ivy's face relaxed at his words, but not long after, she frowned a little before she spoke again. "I promise you, it's not that bad, group-wise. However, let's just say that her hatred towards me, as well as from many others here, is… well deserved considering my previous role in the last war. I prefer not to discuss it further at this time. I'm sure the others here will be more than happy to 'discuss' their opinion of me if you ask them."

"Well… I'll just say then that I hope you two are able to work things out sooner than later."

The woman slightly shook her head. "I highly doubt that."

Meanwhile, a few seats away, Matrik was sitting alone - a moment she was glad for considering the kind of day she experienced hours ago. When the meeting ended, she couldn't help but think of the name 'Mujina.' After she pressed a few commands on her arm panel, some information popped up in her personal database system…

The mujina is said to be a raccoon-faced creature in its natural form, with the main body being that of a Japanese badger. In some parts of Japan, they are incorrectly referred to as the tanuki, with whom they are closely related to in terms of appearance as well as actions- even though the tanuki are biologically related to the fox and dog.

It was what Matrik thought - Mujina was a codename. And like the name Genbu, it was connected to the Yokai of Japanese folklore…

A realization suddenly hit her right then and there, and she found herself in shock once more… Genbu… he said Mujina was his sister. Which means… he's my brother!

And for the first time since escaping the Tekunin, Matrik became aware that she had an existing family after all - she had a brother. And he was married - she had a sister-in-law who was codenamed Hainu. That was more than enough for her to finally know she had at least one family member from her past, and one who remembered her. It was news that should've elated her… but there were other facts that stopped her from letting herself feel the joy of finally receiving clues of her past.

First, Matrik knew for a fact that she couldn't prove to Genbu who she really was. After all, he was told that she was killed during a recon mission - her head cut off by Sektor himself when she attempted to assassinate him. Obviously, he 'put her back together' when he created her in cyborg form.

More realization came to her - from the sound of it, it was likely that Matrik was a recon scout. A part of her also wondered if she was also a medic - that expertise seemed to come naturally to her since she was freed from the Tekunin. Otherwise, there were no other details of what she did exactly for the Tengu Clan… it should've made her happy to know that she once belonged somewhere, but one thought stopped her…

The Tengu Clan were enemies of the Lin Kuei - the clan she currently served and with honor…

Genbu at least understood why she joined the Lin Kuei. But would his tune change once he learned what truly happened to his sister?

And how would Grandmaster Sub-Zero react to the truth? Or Smoke? Or Sareena? Or any other member of the Lin Kuei? Would they accept her still, or would they banish her despite her solemn pledge she made to the clan over a year ago?

Matrik was only certain of one thing - she needed time to comprehend what she learned, and figure out how to confront what she learned of her past to Genbu and her Lin Kuei allies. Of course, she would continue to participate in anything related to being a Chosen One - but other than that, it was best to remain isolated until she was ready…

A few yards away, Leo was feeling tired and decided it was best to depart the meeting grounds and head back to their hotel room. They weren't sure if it was because they were genuinely tired, or due to what they learned tonight regarding Kazuya and G-Corporation.

Either way, there was much to think about this evening…

With their mind distracted, Leo didn't notice that they were in the path of one of the other Chosen Ones - not until they ran right into each other. Leo nearly bumped their forehead on the person's shoulder, but managed to throw their head back slightly before it made impact.

"Ah! Sorry!" they both said nearly at the same time.

Leo gazed up and noticed the male stranger - blonde hair swooped back and falling just an inch past his ears, average height and built, and was wearing a button down long sleeve shirt patterned with British shield symbols on the chest, shoulders, and back, red jeans, blue finger cut gloves, and white sneakers.

"Ah, you're one of the new Chosen Ones," the man said cheerfully. He pointed an index finger at himself. "I'm Steve Fox.

"Leo Kliesen."

Immediately, Leo noticed the way Steve's eyebrows furrowed slightly as he tilted his head slightly and pursed his lips. Unsure of what to think of that, Leo couldn't help but ask, "Is something wrong?"

Steve quickly shook his head. "No, sorry. I, eh… I have to admit that you seem awfully familiar to me. I know we've never met before, but there's something about your face - like I've seen you before."

Leo wasn't sure what to make of that information. "Maybe you've met something with a similar face to mine before?"

"Maybe," Steve replied. He reached his right hand to his left arm to briefly scratch at his bicep before he chuckled slightly. "Yeah… it's been quite a year, as you can imagine."

"From what I've heard before and after this meeting, it certainly sounds like it."

"What happened to you during the last war?" the boxer inquired.

"I was lucky," Leo admitted with a small frown. "I live in the countryside, so I didn't see as much… carnage as the cities have. There were stragglers here and there, but our country's military took care of them." Their frown grew bigger. "I wish I could've done more, but our military was strict about who was let in and out of mine and the surrounding villages. It also didn't help that my mother… died a few months before the invasion, so… it was a lot to take in."

"I'm sorry to hear that," Steve said. "But what matters is that you're helping now against this war."

Leo lowered their blue eyes to look at the ground before they slightly nodded. "That is true…"

A few feet away, Christie Monteiro was about to begin heading back to her hotel room when she heard a familiar voice call out her name. She quickly turned around and saw Chun-Li run over to catch up with her.

"Hey, Chun-Li," Christie greeted with a small smile and a wave of her hand. "Some meeting tonight, huh?"

"Yeah, it's a lot to take in," Chun-Li replied with her own smile. "But while things are still a little slow, I might as well take a few people's advice and have a little… what do they call it… R and R? At least that's what Sonya calls it."

"What do you have planned?"

"I'll start that with a question - what are your plans for tomorrow evening?"

Christie shrugged. "Not much. I know I plan to re-look over all the evidence we have so far regarding the search for my grandfather and Eddy - see if there's anything that might've been missed in the investigation."

Chun-Li couldn't help but feel amused. "I think you're starting to pick up the habits of a detective. It's not a bad thing, of course, but you also want to take a break for your own sake. You want to strain yourself trying to find something that may not even be there at all. Trust me… I learned that the hard way while investigating Shadaloo…"

Christie nodded in agreement. "I can only imagine. So what do you have in mind for tomorrow?"

Chun-Li seemed to check their surroundings briefly before she took a step closer and lowered her voice at her next words. "This was all Johnny Cage's idea, but… he was hoping us three, Lei, Sonya, and Fei Long go on what he called a…" She lifted both hands to air quote with her fingers. "A triple date. Basically, it's Lei and I, Sonya and Cage, and you and Fei Long. Of course, you personally don't have to see it as a 'date.' You can just see it as a group of friends just having a good time. We're going to have dinner at Tek-ken Steakhouse at around seven o'clock, then we'll see what happens from there."

Christie thought it over momentarily - she at least knew that Chun-Li was looking out for her morale considering their circumstances. Still, she couldn't help but wonder about the 'date' chosen for her. "Is Fei Long okay with the arrangement?"

"He was in the room when Cage came up with the idea," the detective mentioned. "And if you're worried about how he is because he's a world famous celebrity, don't be. I've known him for many years. He's very much a humbled gentleman - no air of snobbery or superiority despite his fame. He's the same person he was before he became an actor."

Christie chuckled at that. "Well, I'll take your word for it. All right, I'll go."

"Great!" Chun-Li called out with some enthusiasm. "This will be fun."

"Well, of course it will since your 'date' is your own husband," Christie teased. "No worries about impressing. How is Sonya feeling about the arrangement?"

"As skeptical as you can imagine."

The Capoeira fight laughed. "I thought so. Poor Sonya. At least we'll be there for moral support."

"Hopefully, she at least appreciates the thought."


G-Corp Headquarters

Before he entered Kazuya Mishima's office, Bruce Irwin tried all he could to keep a straight face as he swiped his card through the door lock. Kazuya was already expecting him, so he didn't bother to knock on the door. As soon as the lock buzzed, Bruce entered the office.

Kazuya raised an eyebrow the second he noticed how amused his XO looked, even when he tried to hide it. "What is so funny?" he asked with only a hint of annoyance.

Bruce shook his head. This time, he didn't bother to hide his grin, one more out of disbelief than amusement. "You wouldn't believe what two guards just mentioned to me on my way over here. It's nothing short of ridiculous."

Kazuya didn't really care about the going ons of his employees under normal circumstances, unless it affected G-Corps' main objectives. However, he decided to go ahead and let his XO amuse himself. "What did they say?"

Bruce shook his head with humor etched on his face. "I'm going to take a wild guess here and assume these two idiots have been seeing more of Quan Chi and less of you around lately - and only gather bits and pieces of what's been going on instead of paying full attention to anything. They actually assumed that you were no longer running G-Corp and had this wild idea that the Netherrealm demon - current Emperor of Outworld since Shao Kahn's death - is the new ruler of G-Corporation." Now Bruce began to chuckle over the mere thought. "Clearly, they're not very bright."

"Clearly," Kazuya grumbled with a roll of his eyes. "As if I would let him take over my corporation, even over my dead body."

"And here I was just thinking how the Outworld Guards were idiots. From what Kira told me-"

"Never mind them," Kazuya suggested. "Send this verbal notice to all the guards in this facility; as a reminder, The Outworlder Forces are only here because we made a deal with Quan Chi - they help us with our war against Kazama, and we help them find a way to unlock Azazel's temple. And they're only using our facility here in Nepal to make this alliance go more smoothly. Nothing more, nothing less. And when you're done sending that message, have those two guards vetted as soon as possible. They… may need to be sent to the front lines, even if it only turns out they were… what's the word kids use these days… oh, right. 'Trolling.'"

"I'll be on it ASAP," Bruce promised. "Until then, you called me here for something?"

"Yes," Kazuya confirmed as he leaned forward at his desk. He pressed a few commands on his laptop before a 3D display glowed in between the two men. The display showed off an emblem of a roaring lion. "Do you remember that rebel army we've been keeping an eye on these last few months?"

"Yggdrasil?" Bruce guessed. "How could I forget? They're the reason the Tekken Force broke in half. The media called it 'one of the biggest military coups in human history.' Last we heard, we wiped out a small unit of them at the Bosconovitch facility a few weeks back, including 'Alpha Leader.' I assume something came up."

Before he answered, Kazuya quickly swiped the screen of his laptop until he reached a picture, which showed on the 3D display in front of Bruce. This time, the display showed a facility which contained the logo for the Mishima Zaibatsu.

"One of our spies reported that they raided a Mishima Zaibatsu facility a couple of days ago," Kazuya informed. "They called it an 'in, out, done' deal. They remained undetected until just after they retreated. Some of our soldiers followed them after the raid. I just received the report that they figured out where they're going - Mishima Island. They'll be there within the next couple of days or so."

"Huh," Bruce hummed. "So they are participating in the tournament."

"No," Kazuya quickly deconfirmed. "At least not these soldiers. But I did catch on to one thing - a conversation between the soldiers mentioned the urgent need to return to 'Alpha Leader.'"

That got a raised eyebrow from Bruce. "Unless 'Alpha Leader' is a replacement, I thought he was killed in that raid."

"I thought so as well… but I personally went through the Shikoken Tournament's fighter database right after and… noticed something interesting. In the official registration, I found a name - Lars Alexandersson. He only goes by 'Lars' in official tournament announcements. He… seems to not exist in any official records, however."

"Then why is there an interest in him?"

"...His tag team partner is officially registered as Alisa Bosconovitch."

…Bruce's eyebrows immediately shot up at that name. "...The facility we raided belonged to Bosconovitch. That can't be a coincidence."

"My thoughts exactly," Kazuya agreed.

"What do you want to do?"

"...Wait until the Yggdrasil soldiers return to the island - we need to confirm if Lars is 'Alpha Leader' with one-hundred percent certainty. Also, find out who 'Alisa' is. Once we've gathered more information, we'll go from there."

"Understood," Bruce said. "Anything else before I leave?"

"...Make sure those two idiots are put on the front lines in our next mission."

"Got it," Bruce replied. He then turned on his heel before he made his exit.

Once his XO was gone, Kazuya leaned back in his chair before he rested the side of his face on his fist, his expression one of boredom. Another step closer to taking out Kazama and ending his little war…


CEO Office - Mishima Zaibatsu Headquarters

With both Nina and Eddy guarding either side of his desk, Jin Kazama was doing some work on his computer. Mainly, he was looking over what the next round of the Shikoken Tournament was going to look like - who was still in the competition, what locations around the world were still being used, and other small updates in order to keep things going.

Naturally, Jin paid extra attention to his former allies and which one of them were still in the competition. He was especially not surprised to notice that the three he fought alongside with against Shao Kahn at the end of the Universal War - Ryu, Kenshi, and Ivy - were still on the list.

It wouldn't surprise me if all three teams made it to the final rounds, the CEO thought. All three had teammates - Ken, Ermac, and Yoshimitsu respectively - who were formidable in their own rights. In other words, their chances of facing him in the final round were very high.

Jin quickly shook the thoughts from his head and he refocused on his task - at least until the intercom at his desk suddenly went off. "Sir, one of the Outworld rebels is requesting your audience." The voice belonged to the guard standing just outside the office door.

That got Nina and Eddy's attention as they both turned their heads to Jin. Nina noticed the slight raise of his left eyebrow as he was seemingly curious by the request. Otherwise, he had no other reaction, nor did he look up at his two bodyguards. Jin reached for the intercom and pressed the speak button to ask, "Which one?"

"The one called Reptile," the speaker informed.

It was only then that Jin gazed up at his two bodyguards. Ever since he let the Outworld Rebellion set up shop at his headquarters, Jin usually only met with them when he needed something from them. Even that was rare in itself. This was the first time one of them requested to speak to him.

"It must be important," Eddy guessed. "Otherwise, I can't imagine why any of them would approach your office. Unless he's here to assassinate you."

"What do you want us to do?" Nina asked curtly.

The answer soon came to Jin. "Leave us some room, but don't go too far. Just in case."

Both bodyguards knew what that meant. Without another word, they both turned their backs to Jin and walked away from his desk until they were fifteen feet away. They then turned to face their boss's desk, prepared to jump in if needed.

Jin soon reached for the intercom button. "Send him in."

Almost immediately, one of the double doors opened and Reptile stepped through. He began to walk the twenty seconds it took to get to Jin's desk right after. He finally stopped once he was five feet away from the desk.

"What can I do for you?" Jin asked, his voice void of emotion.

"A few of usss were talking," Reptile began. "And we were reminded of sssomething that exissst here on Earthrealm. Asss a token of gratitude for letting usss ssstay with you while we hunt our foesss, we wisssh to ssshare it with you… it may benefit both your Zaibatsssu and my rebelsss."

Admittingly, in his mind, Jin was curious. Of course, he didn't show that to Reptile outwardly. "What is it?"

"...There isss a long ssstanding rumor of a temple… a temple that holdsss the lifeforccce of Earthrealm. Have you heard of sssuch a thing?"

Jin shook his head. "No. I never have. Where did you hear this from?"

"I persssonally firssst heard about it during the Netherrealm War from my former massster, Shinnok. Shinnok isss-"

"A former Elder God who was banished to the Netherrealm after he attempted to betray his fellow comrades," Jin finished for him. "Yes, I've heard of him before. I assume he was trying to find out if the existence of this temple is a true rumor."

"It wasssn't jussst a rumor to him," Reptile explained. "He really believed it exisssted. Assside from merging all the realms into one, asss he tried millenia ago, he wanted to find thisss lifeforccce to corrupt Earthrealm before he ssset out for hisss true goal. Thossse of us who were there during the war forgot about it until now. Mileena wasss the one who reminded usss of that time recccently."

One thing about the conversation left Jin perplexed. "Why are you telling me this? And what makes you think this 'lifeforce' will benefit the Mishima Zaibatsu?"

"If we're able to find it," Reptile began to explain. "It would be quite the weapon to ussse to ssstir more chaosss for your war. At the sssame time, the resssissstanccce could use it to enhanccce our power against Quan Chi and hisss Outworld Forcccesss."

Jin raised an eyebrow as something occurred to him. "Sooo… if there's supposedly an Earthrealm lifeforce, then wouldn't there be a lifeforce in Outworld?"

Reptile shook his head. "There'sss none that we know of asss of now. Though I imagine if there wasss one, the former Shao Kahn would've found it long ago."

"...That makes sense," Jin figured. He mulled over the information he received before he made a decision. "If you and your rebellion wish to find this 'lifeforce,' my suggestion is to not." Reptile was about to speak up, but Jin quickly raised a hand to quiet him before he proceeded. "I'm not going to have anyone try to find something based simply on a 'rumor,' especially one started by a fallen Elder God." He put his hand down back on top of his desk before he took a deep breath. "However… if you or any of your rebels can somehow prove that this 'lifeforce' actually exists, then we'll discuss it again."

A thought came over Jin. Fujin would know of its existence. I doubt he'd share that information freely though, especially since… He didn't bother to finish the sentence in his head.

Reptile let out a breath before he finally nodded. "Fair enough, Kazama. I'll inform the other rebelsss of your decisssion."

"In that case, you're dismissed."

Reptile nodded to him before he turned around and began to head out the door. However, he only got within five feet before Jin suddenly spoke to him again…

"I've never seen your kind before, at least until I first visited Outworld," the Zaibatsu CEO mentioned. The words made Reptile stop in his tracks. "What are you, and where do you come from?"

Curious over Jin's inquiry, especially since no human had ever asked him that question before, Reptile turned back to face him. "My kind are called sauriansss. We are from a realm called Zaterra. Shao Kahn, like many realmsss before and after, merged it with Outworld when our kind lossst their own Mortal Kombat tournament. I wasss not born until cccenturiesss later. By then, there were very few of usss left. Asss far asss I know, I am the lassst of my kind."

"And yet despite all of this, you served Shao Kahn willingly," Jin mentioned. "Why?"

"Becaussse ssserving the Emperor wasss all I had to live for," Reptile answered. "It wasss alssso a meansss of biding my time until I found a way to bring back my fellow sauriansss. It'sss the sssame reason I briefly joined Shinnok'sss cause."

"I see," Jin said simply. "And I assume you're still biding your time."

"The Outworld Resssissstance are my alliesss, human," Reptile replied. "But you would not be wrong, either."

"...What is your name?"

That question confused the saurian. "Reptile. But you already know that-"

"No. I meant your real name. I get the feeling that 'Reptile' is merely a pseudonym whether made up by you, or someone else."

For the first time in what felt like ages, Reptile was stunned by the statement. He had been so used to being called by 'Reptile' that he pretty much never thought about his birth name anymore. No one had ever bothered to refer to him by his real name in many years.

"Syzoth."

Jin gave him a single nod, his face impassive. "You're dismissed, Syzoth."

Reptile simply bowed his head to him before he made his way out of his office. As soon as he was in the elevator, there was only one feeling that Reptile felt after that exchange - confusion.


Lounge Room - Mishima Zaibatsu Headquarters

Within the lounge room, the small crowd within was loud and rowdy. Most of them had at least one drink in their hand as they surrounded a single round table. At that table sat Sheeva, who was using one of her four arms to arm wrestle one of the Mishima Zaibatsu guards, who was struggling to overpower her.

On the sideline, Tira had a scowl on her face as she gazed at the scene in front of her. "What is the point of this 'game?'" she asked in a grumpy tone.

Kano overheard her and decided to respond. "That's easy, girlie. Whoever is the strongest is the winner, and the loser has to drink a full pint. Good thing none of us are working tonight or else we'd be in a heap of trouble."

"Unless a raid happens," mentioned Doctrine Dark.

Kano rolled his single eye. "Good job, mate. Now you likely just jinxed it."

Tira rolled her eyes. "How boring. Can't we involve drawing blood somehow?"

"You really have a thing for blood and killing, don't you?" asked a nearby soldier. "Seriously, don't you have any other hobbies?"

"I think she's got the right idea!" called out Havik, who was lying on his back on the bar table, his head twisted in half.

"...Of course you do. And I'm shocked you haven't seen a chiropractor yet the way you're always twisting your neck like that."

"A what now?" Havik asked with confusion.

It was then that a loud crash was heard as Sheeva won yet another round of arm wrestling. The majority of the group cheered on as the soldier sighed and began to drink a pint of beer while he walked away in defeat.

Sheeva raised her arms up in victory. "Whoever said humans couldn't have fun never played this game before!" she called out. "Now then… who's next?!"

"I'll go next!" called out Kabal as he stepped forward.

"Who wants to make bets?!" yelled out Kano.

"Pfft yeah that's hardly fair for Kabal," Juri teased.

Kabal glared at the Taekwondo practitioner as he sat down in front of Sheeva. "You'll be putting your foot where your mouth is soon enough."

Juri chuckled as she stretched her leg out to reach her foot as close to Kabal's face as possible from the bar stool she sat on. "You have a foot fetish, don't ya?" she joked.

"Ugh! Get that away from me!" Kabal called out as she slightly pushed Juri's ankle away from his masked face.

Juri chuckled with amusement, as did a few others in the room, as she pulled her leg away. "You know you secretly love it, pal!"

"Only in your dreams, sunshine," Kabal replied with a laugh of his own. He then faced Sheeva before he planted his elbow on the table. He then stretched his fingers in preparation. "Bring it on."

Sheeva sneered at him as she grabbed hold of his hand. "You're gonna regret this."

Neither of them hesitated as they began the arm wrestling match. The room became loud and rowdy once more as Kabal and Sheeva fought to overtake the other. At first, it looked as though Sheeva would win, but Kabal would suddenly gain some strength and he began to get the upper hand. This went on like this for a few moments.

Meanwhile, Sektor and Noob Saibot were watching from the corner of the room. The red cyborg in particular slightly shook his head at the display. "The old Lin Kuei Grandmaster would have never tolerated such… drivel."

"You're father wasn't much for recreational time," Noob Saibot replied.

"As it should be," Sektor agreed. "But even he swayed from the path after a while. Old age was his downfall. With cyberization being as successful as it was, it was why I chose to kill him and take over the Lin Kuei myself… of course, that was right before your dear brother meddled in and took over the clan for himself."

"That will be rectified in due time," the Brotherhood leader promised. "We may share blood-"

"But he's not your brother. You've said that before - at least three times."

"It bears repeating."

While they talked, Bryan Fury was standing not too far from them. He was watching the arm wrestling match nearby, but he was also listening to the conversation between Sektor and Noob Saibot at the same time. Ever since he went along with joining the Mishima Zaibatsu after Sektor brought him back to life, Bryan noted the quiet alliance between the Tekunin leader and the Brotherhood of Shadow leader. Normally, he wouldn't care, but he figured he might as well amuse himself. And who knows - maybe he could get some kind of dirt on them to use against them for his own benefit at a later date.

He doubted that, however. Both the red cyborg and the wraith were too smart for that.

"By the way," Noob Saibot began. "I saw your earlier match in the tournament. You and Matrik seemed to have shared a conversation that the drones didn't catch. What was that about?"

If he could smirk with amusement, Sektor would in that moment. "I revealed the truth to her - who she is, where she came from, and why I recruited her when I did."

Noob Saibot narrowed his eyes at the red cyborg. "What was the purpose of that?"

"I simply bided my time after all these years until it was the right moment - specifically long after her alliance with Sub-Zero and his Lin Kuei became more solidified. I can only envision her conflict - after all, she was once a loyal member of the Tengu."

"...The Lin Kuei's lifelong rival clan," Noob Saibot remembered. "That history goes even further back than the rivalry with the Shirai Ryu."

"Precisely. And if I recall, didn't Sub-Zero's best friend have a secret affair with a member of the Tengu when he was still not old enough to earn his codename?"

Overhearing this, Bryan's eyebrows furrowed with annoyance. Don't tell me they're 'gossiping' like a pair of old maids. How fucking boring…

"He did," Noob Saibot recalled. "What was her name again?"

"It was a code name that started with a Y," Sektor remembered. "Otherwise, I do not remember. But it's not Matrik. Her old codename was 'Mujina.' Tengu clan members only refer to themselves by their code names to outsiders, just as we did."

"Unless she shared her real name with Smoke at the time."

"Then she's just as dishonorable as he was back then. Smoke was weak-minded. He improved tenfold after he was put through the cybernization process and was under our control. But now he follows a weak leader. And last I heard, that leader is 'bonded' with a certain demon. A demon who once helped you-"

"That's in the past," Noob Saibot reminded him firmly. "And it was only for a moment. It means nothing."

"Good. Now then… about the fusion process-"

Before Sektor could continue, a loud bang was heard, which was followed by screaming and cheering. Both Kabal and Sheeva stood up from the table at the same time. While Sheeva raised all four of her arms in victory, Kabal shook his right hand in the air as though he was trying to get rid of some pain.

"Dayum!" Kabal shouted as he rubbed his sore hand. "I was so fucking close, too."

"I have to admit, Kabal," Sheeva mentioned. "For a human, you held on for quite a while. I'm impressed."

"That's high praise coming from you," Kabal replied. He then turned to the crowd. "Someone, pass me a straw!"

"Why? Can't drink from the glass alone?" teased Juri.

"Unless you want to watch me choke to death on air, gimme a damn straw!"

"Oh fine, ya big baby!" shouted Juri as she moved to go behind the bar area to find a straw.

"Thank you, sunshine," Kabal called out sarcastically.

"You're welcome, Tusken Raider wannabe!"

"You could at least try to be original! That's not the first time I've heard that!"

"I'll go next!" Baraka suddenly announced. That got the rest of the group rowdy again.

"Get her, Baraka!" cheered Mileena.

"This should be good!" shouted Kano. "Whoever wins, I'm going next!"

As the next match was set up, Noob Saibot turned to Sektor. "We'll talk about it later."

"Fine," Sektor agreed. The two fell silent afterwards.

Bryan furrowed his eyebrows over that. What the fuck is a 'fusion process?' A part of him was curious, but at the same time, as long as it didn't affect him personally, it didn't matter. With the conversation no longer in process, Bryan decided to move over to the other side of the lounge room for a smoke just as the arm wrestling match between Baraka and Sheeva began…


Hilltop - Mishima Island

Hours after the sun had set for the evening, Liu Kang sat underneath the torii in a lotus position, his glowing eyes closed and his hands resting on his knees. In deep meditation, his mind was completely cleared of all thoughts. His only focus was on his slow and even breaths.

The Protector of Earthrealm wasn't sure how long he was meditating before a sudden gust of wind caught his attention. His long, jet black locks were swept from underneath and swayed to his right. The leaves on the countless trees rustled in near-unison as though they were creating their own symphony. Otherwise, he had no other reason to pay any further attention to his surroundings.

"I see all is well so far," someone suddenly greeted with a hint of elation.

Upon immediately recognizing the voice, Liu Kang opened his eyes and gazed up at the person who approached him. A smile was on the visitor's face, his eyes glowing white and making them stand out in the near-darkness of the hilltop. His long white hair was loosely braided behind him, and it too swayed in the gust of wind that surrounded the two men.

Of course… who else was behind the strong winds at that moment?

"Fujin," Liu Kang greeted, a small smile on his face as he stood up on his feet. Briefly, he placed a palm over a fist in front of his chest before he bowed to the Wind God with respect. "I wasn't expecting to see you this soon."

Fujin returned the gesture before he proceeded. "I just wanted to check in to see how everything is going. After all, I've worked with the Chosen Ones before, specifically during the Universal War."

"As well as can be, so far," Liu Kang answered quickly. "Many of the Chosen Ones are moving forward to the fourth round of this tournament, which starts two mornings from now. Some haven't advanced to the next round, but they remain here to support their allies and standby for our cause, regardless." A small frown appeared on the Earthrealm God's face. "Despite that, however, after tonight's group meeting, I have concerns regarding their morale."

"What makes you concerned?" Fujin asked with a hint of apprehension.

Liu Kang began to pace a little as he began to share his thoughts with the Wind God. "I noticed it early on… before the tournament began, in fact. At first, I thought it was because our primary mission has been moving at a snail's pace. That, and the fact that Jin - their friend and ally - betrayed them the way he did. But then, I recalled what you told me about their time at the Blood Tournament, back when Raiden and Rose were leading them. The mission seemed to be going nowhere, and yet morale was almost upbeat. Granted, it was tested when the death of their ally, Ibuki, occurred, but they still stood strong despite the tragedy, even for those closest to her. They all worked together for the common cause. Even those who didn't get along were able to put their differences aside when it mattered most.

"I thought I noticed it in the last meeting… but tonight's meeting truly opened my eyes to what's happening. Some are still affected by the events of the Universal War, especially the ones who were brainwashed by Shao Kahn. I also have Chosen Ones bickering at each other. Tonight, it was between Ivy and Jade. I understand Jade's position given what she'd been through last year, but Ivy has so far proven herself. I trust her as much as I trust Jade. I wish they found a way to resolve the issue between them."

"Sometimes, we must intervene when it calls for it," Fujin said. He unleashed a small huff of amusement. "I know the Elder Gods are very picky about that sort of thing, but at least in this case, Liu Kang, despite merely being Earthrealm's Protector, you have that power to make things right between them. The last thing you want is for their 'bickering' to turn into an all out brawl that could lead to an intergalactic headache. I jest, of course."

"...I wouldn't be surprised if their rivalry got that far given that they're from different realms," Liu Kang half joked. "But in all seriousness, I'm trying not to get involved just yet. We still have a long way to go in this tournament… unless Azazel awakens tomorrow…"

"It's likely best to let the two hash it out for a short while," Fujin suggested. "Jade seems like she needs to especially get her anger out of her system. Give it until, maybe, the fifth round of the tournament. If nothing changes between them, then I suggest it would be time for you to intervene. At the very least, they need to find a way to put their hatred for each other aside just long enough to take out their common enemies.

"As for those who were brainwashed by Shao Kahn - the best thing in general would be for them to face their past and forgive themselves for the things they could not control. However, for mortals, it is, as they say, easier said than done. Some may already have faced what they needed to face. Others may be hesitant. And others may not be so willing and would rather 'bury it.' The latter is especially not… advised. If you can, Liu Kang, see where their mind is at. Figure out what they need. The sooner it's dealt with, the better they'll be when the time comes to face our enemies in this war. The last thing we need is for them to lose their focus… or worse, their lives."

"Agreed," Liu Kang said. "And your advice is sound. I'm just not sure exactly what's the best course of action for each person… As you said, all of them are dealing in their own way."

"Just follow your heart," Fujin suggested. "The answer will come to you, perhaps when you least expect it."

Liu Kang soon nodded. "Thank you, Fujin."

"Of course," the Wind God said. "By the way, I've been curious - how have things been since you reunited with Princess Kitana?"

Liu Kang frowned slightly. "I knew it wouldn't be quite the same after my 'demise.' We did take a while back, but… she said she needed time to think. Aside from our group meetings, we haven't spoken one-on-one since that day."

"I'm sure it'll work out somehow," Fujin answered. "I can't imagine it wouldn't, not after everything you both faced together in your mortal days. As you said, she just needs time."

"I'm sure." The Fire God decided to change the subject. "How are Daichi and the other Elder Gods?"

"Advising and observing as always," Fujin replied. "But as a reminder, this mission we have you and the Chosen Ones on wouldn't be possible without their approval. After the Universal War, they're a lot more… cautious on potential 'end-of-the-world' events. Well… Hinote isn't as much, but you know how impatient he can be."

"Of course," Liu Kang replied as he resisted the urge to roll his eyes. "Hopefully, he didn't hear you say that from here."

"I'll likely hear a lecture from him as soon as I return to the Heavens," Fujin said with a slight chuckle. He then took a deep breath before he bowed to Liu Kang. "May your mission continue on the path to success. I'll return to check on progress at a later time."

"I look forward to it," Liu Kang answered.

From there, another gust of wind hit the area, and Fujin was surrounded by a thick fog that was not too different from a cyclone. Almost as soon as it appeared, it vanished along with the Wind God himself.

As soon as Fujin was gone, Liu Kang sat back down in his lotus position and attempted to meditate once more. However, this time, he couldn't quite clear his mind. All he could think about for a while after was figuring out how he was going to set things right for the mortals - for the sake of everyone's morale, but more importantly, for the sake of the future.