Akuma
Backstory:
Akuma and his brother Gouken were students of Goutetsu. Goutetsu taught a nameless life-threatening martial art, which incorporates elements of Karate, Judo, and Kempo. He also taught the Shun Goku Satsu (literally Instant Hell Murder), a lethal technique which, although incredibly powerful, puts the user in considerable danger.
As the brothers progressed under Goutetsu's tutelage, a dispute arose on the true nature of their fighting style and the path to master it. Gouken, unable to accept the violent nature and the Satsui no Hado of his fighting style, left Goutetsu to begin his own dojo, which Goutetsu did not oppose. Akuma continued Goutetsu's teachings, and vowed to use their fighting style as it was intended.
In order to learn Shun Goku Satsu, Akuma embraced the principle of Satsui no Hado, and was forced to give up any compassion he held towards other human beings. In addition, Akuma realized his limits as a martial artist could be expanded, and left Goutetsu's guidance of enlightenment to train alone to gain more power. However, due to embracing the Satsui no Hado to its fullest extent, he developed a lust to fight to the death, unlike Goutetsu, who had been able to use the Satsui no Hado without giving in to its dark side.
After coming back from his island, Akuma went back to Goutetsu, and fought him in a death match to prove that he had surpassed him. Akuma killed his master with the Shun Goku Satsu, who died happy to see his student surpass him, and Akuma, believing that he was the true master of the Art, took the prayer beads of his dead master and placed it on his neck.
Many years later, Akuma came to Gouken's dojo and fought him in battle, using the Shun Goku Satsu on him. Akuma believed him dead, not knowing that Gouken had somehow lived through the attack by emptying his soul, and was only in a coma. Akuma disappeared without a trace.
Powers and Abilities:
Superhuman Physical Characteristics,
Master of Ansatsuken,
Acrobatics,
Genius Intelligence,
Chi Manipulation and Projection (Master of Satsui no Hadou [Surge of Murderous Intent] an innate Ki which increases his fighting capabilities and can be projected as energy attacks),
Aura,
Extrasensory Perception (Can sense ki),
Transformation (Into Shin Akuma),
Fire Manipulation (Via Sekia Goshoha and Sekia Kuretsuha),
Limited Air Manipulation and Pseudo-Flight (Via Demon Armageddon),
Limited Vibration Manipulation (Via Hyakki Gosai),
Statistics Amplification (Via Dohatsu Shoten and Shiretsu Hasshi),
Intangibility (Via Ashura Senku),
Death and Pain Manipulation (Via Shun Goku Satsu/Raging Demon. This technique brings death to its victim through the weight of their own sins, and not by Akuma's fist. The eviler the victim is, the more they suffer in death),
Limited Damage Reduction (Via Rakan, which weakens the opponent's blows),
Limited Power Nullification (Via Kiai, which cancels out normal projectiles),
Damage Boost (Can perform enhanced versions of his Special Attacks),
Status Effect Inducement (By hitting the opponent repeatedly, without them being able to recover, he can cause them to enter the "Stun" status, which leaves them unable to react. His Focus Attack causes the opponent to enter a "crumpling" status)
Resistance to Soul Absorption (Via Mudo Tensho; Necalli couldn't devour his soul),
Corruption,
Berserk Mode (Has perfect control over the Satsui no Hado, preventing it from consuming him. Is the first person to hold full control over the Shun Goku Satsu, as all of his predecessors were taken over by the Satsui no Hado and driven berserk until their last breath),
Precognition (Limited: Reading the future of fighters such as him is difficult, because they always fight against it)
Weaknesses: He goes easy on opponents often, as most of his fights are done with the bulk of his power sealed. He desires to actually see an opponent to surpass and kill him. Also, he is very easy to anger.
Rugal Bernstein
Backstory:
Feared throughout the political and fighting world, Rugal was an influential arms dealer who operated aboard his aircraft carrier, the Black Noah. To those who would oppose him, he would defeat them and later preserve their bodies in liquid metal to add to his grisly trophy room. He used to work with his younger brother, but they separated over conflicting interests.
When Rugal was about 25 years old, an 18-year-old Goenitz took out his eye with one strike and gave him a small portion of Orochi's power for surviving the attack. Since then, he has a bionic eye to replace the one he lost. At some point, he had a son and a daughter with an unnamed woman, as well as a panther named Rodem.
Sometime in 1986, Rugal wanted to demonstrate his power in a base at Brazil and murdered everyone he found inside. The sole survivor of the fifty man massacre was Heidern, who lost his right eye during the attack. At the time, he was too displeased with his victim to add him to his "collection" so he deprived the man of his wife and child as compensation. Heidern would spend nearly a decade filled with hatred and rage against Rugal.
Before 1994, he recruited two secretaries: Mature and Vice (both of who were secretly assigned by Goenitz to observe Rugal, believing that he could be a suitable host for Orochi). Rugal, wanting to expand his "collection", decides to host The King of Fighters in 1994, with an additional twist; fighters must form a team of 3 to compete and represent a country. Now he awaits on his battleship, the Black Noah, waiting to see the teams that will participate.
During the invitation phase, Saisyu Kusanagi came to the Black Noah and challenged Rugal. Although Rugal won the battle, he did not subject him to his metal bath. The winner of the tournament was Saisyu's son, Kyo Kusanagi, and his two teammates, Benimaru Nikaido and Goro Daimon, who arrived shortly after Saishu's defeat.
Rugal is happy that the Hero Team won, as they can be added to his "collection", which are former fighters turned into living trophies, with Rugal pointing out that he did not turn Saisyu into a trophy because he felt that he was unfitting. Kyo and his teammates fight Rugal, who would end up being one of the hardest fight of their lives. Unwilling to accept defeat, Rugal attempted to blow up his ship along with the Hero Team. While the Hero Team escaped, Rugal's fate was unknown.
Powers and Abilities:
Superhuman Physical Characteristics,
Barrier Creation,
Elemental Manipulation,
Energy Manipulation,
Power and Energy Absorption,
Power Mimicry
As Omega Rugal: All previous abilities to a greater extent, Gravity Manipulation,
Light Manipulation (via his cybernetic eye),
minor Levitation
Weaknesses: Highly overconfident Using the Orochi power can consume him. However, it is unknown if he still has this weakness as of XV.
Song: King of the Fist
Pre-fight:
Rugal sat in the top floor of his building, waiting in his evil lair. He waited patiently for the winner of his King of Fighters champion, eager to test his power against them. He wouldn't let anyone else take his title as King of Fighters, and he was willing to fight for it. The King of Fighters would have to fight him, and only one of them would come out on top.
Rugal's doors were violently burst open by a muscular man in a dark gi, his fists clenched. The man's eyes burned with hatred, and Rugal knew it was a dangerous opponent, though one he was certain he'd beat, as he quickly stood up from his seat. An evil grin crossed the man's lips, as he looked toward Akuma, a fire in his eyes. Akuma had come for Rugal, and he didn't plan to hold back.
Rugal looked at Akuma with a cold stare, and the man's expression turned to one of mock politeness. The host of the tournament said,
"Ah, welcome. I am the host of this tournament, Rugal. What a wonderful day today is. I have been waiting for someone as strong as you." Akuma felt Rugal's power, and wasn't fooled by the host's politeness. Akuma's expression remained unchanging, as he looked towards the man that would be his current challenge.
Rugal chuckled as Akuma said nothing, and the man's facial expression didn't change. The host of the tournament continued, saying,
"Not much of a talker, eh? That's fine. At least tell me your name, so that I know who I will beat with my own fist". Rugal clenched his fist, his knuckles popping, as he waited for a response from Akuma. Akuma responded with a boast,
"Just call me Akuma. And I wouldn't be so hasty in saying you can beat me with your own fist, Rugal. I am the Master of the Fist, and I will show you the meaning of pain." Akuma said, his voice steady, but dripping with an air of confidence. Rugal wasn't intimidated, however, and he responded with a defiant grin.
"Master of the Fist? Let's test that claim. Let the battle commence." Akuma didn't falter at Rugal's taunt, and the man's tone became serious as Rugal became the same. The host of the tournament took a deep breath, steeling himself to battle the Raging Demon. Both fighters were ready, and they knew it was time to let the fight begin. Rugal was eager to claim victory, and Akuma was ready to show his opponent that his name was more than just a title.
Akuma was the one to make the first move, leaping into the air forward to land the first punch. His speed was lightning fast, and Rugal barely managed to avoid the sudden thrust. The host of the tournament knew Akuma was fast, and quick on his feet, but Rugal was more than ready to fight back. He dodged the first attack, and threw a punch of his own, hitting the Raging Demon as he approached.
Akuma flinched slightly to the blow against his face, but he didn't let the hit keep him down for long. Akuma quickly recovered as he counterattacked with his right knee towards Rugal's stomach. Rugal was hit by the blow, and it managed to catch him off guard. Both fighters were evenly matched, taking each other's attacks head-on and firing back quickly.
Both fighters tried to deliver an upper kick towards the other, Akuma using his Rakan Gokyaku, and Rugal with his Genocide Cutter. As the two attacks came together, an aura of energy burst from the points of impact, the two aura energies colliding as the fighters tried to overpower each other.
Akuma proved to be the stronger of the two, pushing through Rugal's attack with pure strength, and landing an elbow on the host's sternum. The hit sent Rugal tumbling backwards, trying to regain his bearings as Akuma followed up with another Rakan Gokyaku, which sent Rugal into the air with a powerful blow.
While Rugal landed on his back after Akuma's blow, he quickly pushed himself back onto his feet with a flip, rubbing his jaw with his left hand. Despite the immense pain he felt, his lips were set into a defiant grin, as Akuma had made the mistake of assuming the King of Fighters was defeated after a single blow. Now it was time to turn the tide in his favor.
"Reppuken!" He unleashed a fast wave of ki riding along the ground, heading towards the Raging Demon. But Akuma managed to leap over the attack.
"Gohadoken!" The Raging Demon then launched a ball of purple ki, one he called the Gohadoken. Rugal managed to erect a ki barrier to rebound the attack towards Akuma, but the man yelled with a kiai, his aura dispelling the very attack he tried to use against him. Rugal and Akuma both knew that this battle was getting more intense with every move, and each attack was becoming more dangerous as time went on.
"Kaiser Wave!"
Rugal fired off a powerful blast named the Kaiser Wave, but Akuma phased through it, using the Ashura Senku technique, managing to negate the attack without any harm. This shocked Rugal, who didn't expect the Raging Demon to nullify his attack this quickly. As Akuma approached with a few steps, he launched an uppercut with the Goshoryuken, sending the King of Fighters up high and back down to the floor with a devastating blow to the stomach. Akuma was gaining the upper hand in this fight.
Rugal wasn't defenseless though, as he managed to grab onto Akuma's throat and fill the Raging Demon in his own elemental ki, shocking Akuma in the process. Akuma was pushed away from the grip, giving the time Rugal needed to regain his own footing. Akuma could see that even under his fist, this little "host" would not stay down. They circled as they continued their back and forth battle, each looking for a way to gain the upper hand.
Rugal charged forward with a God Press, the King of Fighters grabbing the Raging Demon and crashing him into the metal wall, which bent and dented from the force of the attack. Akuma was stunned for a moment, but he was able to shake off the blow with a deep breath and a loud growl.
Rugal tried to get the upper hand by launching a reverse roundhouse kick towards the head, only for Akuma to catch the attack and counter attack with one of his own. The attacks both managed to connect, but Akuma's counter attack landed hard, as he delivered a powerful roundhouse kick to Rugal's head, which knocked him onto the floor. The raging demon was beginning to make the battle a little more difficult for Rugal, as he looked down at the stunned tournament host.
"I'm not even amused. You are just a waste of dust." Akuma then raised his fist, filling it with the Satsui no Hado, before letting it loose on the floor, which unleashed an explosive shockwave that sent Rugal flying. He crashed against the opposite wall, falling to the floor in a crumple. The tournament host couldn't believe that Akuma had that much power at his disposal, but now it was time for him to show the Raging Demon something new, since the fight was clearly escalating. Rugal staggered onto his feet.
"You... you think you've won? I'll... I'll show you that I'm not just a god. I'm a superstar!" Ripping off his fancy red jacket, Rugal Bernstein yelled as he let the latent power of Orochi augment his body. Rugal's skin darkened and his blond hair turned a stark white as Orochi's power flowed throughout his body, revealing his true power. He became Omega Rugal. Now, the King of Fighters was ready to turn this battle around, and show Akuma exactly why he was the King of Fighters.
Akuma leapt back and attempted to use the Tatsumaki Zankuyaku, only for Omega Rugal to create a Dark Barrier to repel him. The King of Fighters then mimicked Akuma's move by spinning around in the air, using the Genocide Cutter to deliver four spinning kicks to his opponent.
"Genocide Cyclone!" Akuma grunted from Omega's strength as the battle continued, and the intensity of the fight was beginning to reach a fever pitch. Omega Rugal laughed as he boasted,
"Feel the power of Orochi!" He planted a hand over Akuma's chest, injecting electrifying Orochi Venom into his body, which caused the Raging Demon's entire body to overload in an electrifying blue light. Akuma began to shake violently as the venom began to work its way into his body, his body becoming unstable from the amount of energy now flowing through it.
Akuma gritted his teeth to try to bear the pain, but it was clear that the Orochi venom was taking its toll on his body.
"This battle is not over yet! Witness the power of the Satsui no Hado!" Akuma let out a yell as his aura exploded out, causing Omega Rugal to stumble away from the attack. Akuma was now dark blue, and his hair glowed cyan, as Akuma had transformed into an Oni, who was filled with rage and a desire to not just defeat the tournament host, but do so in the most brutal, savage way possible.
Omega Rugal went on the attack, launching a powerful punch, but Oni caught it, and threw the host of the tournament down onto the floor, causing a loud thud to fill the air. The Raging Demon then grabbed Rugal by the ankles, swinging him onto his back the other side of Oni with immense force, the metal flooring dented from the force of the blow, which caused the tournament host to yell out in pain.
Just as Oni was going to stomp his foot straight through Omega Rugal's chest, Rugal made a last-minute move and blasted Oni away from him with the Kaiser Wave. Rugal then struck Oni with a hard-hitting Genocide Cutter kick, landing a direct blow to Oni's chest, finalizing the attack with a laser blast from his cybernetic eye to Oni's chest. It appeared that the tournament host had managed to regain the upper hand in this battle, as he was able to knock Oni off the floor. Oni fell to the floor, seeming to be surprised at this, but he was far from done. Oni shouted out,
"I've had enough of this!" The Raging Demon then prepared another Kongou Kokuretsuzan, before punching the floor, the very ground that they were fighting on. The building shook as the structure that held up the skyscraper began to weaken, and it was becoming clear that the fight was taking a turn for the worse. The Raging Demon wasn't prepared to back down in this battle, and it seemed like he was going to do anything he could to destroy his opponent.
Realizing his building was going to collapse below him, Omega Rugal did something that would take a confident man to do. The tournament host ran to a window, one that was completely broken from the fight, and jumped out of it, planning to land on the ground far below. The top of the skyscraper collapsed onto itself, the building crumbling beneath the fight between the two fighters. It looked like Omega was making his escape from this dangerous situation he had put himself into, which would have been the smart thing to do.
Oni yelled with murderous intent as he charged after Omega Rugal, who was now attempting to do escape from the collapsing building. The Raging Demon couldn't let the host of the tournament get away so quickly, so he charged after him, colliding with the man's back. Both men fell together towards the ground, fighting each other while heading towards the ground at a dangerous speed. It was a fight for survival, as both men tried to defeat each other to come out on top.
Oni and Omega Rugal both crashed into the ground hard, hard enough to create a crater. Both fighters were panting, as they had both endured plenty of damage from this extremely intense fight. The tournament host and the Raging Demon both got up, with the skyscraper beside them completely collapsed. It was clear that both had taken plenty of damage, and it was a matter of who had the strength left to keep fighting for the win.
The Raging Demon shouted out as he charged up a Geido Gohado, using the purple ki orb to fire from his palms,
"Ashes to ashes! The gates of Hell await!" Omega Rugal tried to block the Geido Gohado with another Dark Barrier, but it was instead shattered in the process, shocking the tournament host. The Gohado was struck square in the chest, the ki orb exploding upon impact. Rugal's voice was heard in the explosion, crying out in pain.
When the smoke cleared, a scene unfolded before Oni's eyes. Omega Rugal was on his knees, his body slowly self-destructing as the Orochi power fueling him couldn't sustain him anymore. The tournament host had taken too much damage, and his body was becoming incapable of handling the immense power, and now he was on the edge of defeat.
"Even with my power, I still lost. To meet such a fate. But I'll be back, you-"
"Shut up! Die 1000 deaths!" Oni cut off Rugal as he prepared to use the Shun Goku Satsu. The Raging Demon had no intention of letting the tournament host make any speeches, and was prepared to deal the final blow with his ultimate attack.
Oni zoomed towards Rugal, hitting him with strikes that flashed with purple ki. But it wasn't Oni's fists that were hurting the tournament host's body, but instead his spirit, as all of Rugal's sins were beginning to weigh him down. As his soul was being destroyed, Omega Rugal screamed out in torment, the weight of his very sins crushing him from the inside out. It was a brutal way to go out, ending this battle.
When all was said and done, Oni stood tall, with his back against the corpse of Omega Rugal. The raging demon now bore a kanji in the shape of "天" on his back, an image of the heavens, which was fitting for the winner. Oni had defeated his opponent, and now he was ready to claim his title as the new King of Fighters.
"I am the one true Master of the Fist!"
Strength: Both of these big bads certainly boasted power, but Oni had the strength to match the heavens. Now, while scaling King of Fighters characters are dubious, being granted Orochi's power does let him stand on similar ground to Goenitz, who was powerful enough to create a 5 Megaton storm. However, even in base form, Akuma is strong enough with the Satsui no Hado to destroy an island, needing 415 Megatons worth of it. And his Oni form is much, much stronger than that, being able to punch a volcano into violently erupting, which is worth 145 Gigatons. Really, what really held Akuma back from instantly beating Rugal was his tendency to hold back, hoping for a good fight.
Speed: As for speed, Akuma was able to tag M. Bison before he could react, who once tagged a laser traveling at Mach 5633.59. Rugal meanwhile scales to Kyo, who can dodge a light attack from Orochi from 4 meters away. Such a reaction would require to move up to 24% light speed, which is 40X faster than Akuma's scaled feat. Even if we high balled Akuma's superior speed to be 1% the speed of light, it would still be 24X slower.
Skill: Akuma is a master martial artist, who is capable of fighting those on par with his power, and those with much more experience than him, like Gotetsu, Gen and Oro. He also mastered the corrupting nature of the Satsui no Hado, so that he controls it, instead of the other way around. Rugal meanwhile is a very gifted fighter, capable of learning and mimicking other's fighting styles, but he's lost to equally skilled fighters like Kyo more than once, and he can't handle the strain of Orochi's augmentation if he takes too much damage.
Experience: Akuma fights all kinds of people, many of which have abilities that King of Fighters don't really have that Akuma hasn't already experienced. And while Rugal has fought his fair share of fights, he treats them as a means to an end for his goals, while Akuma has spent decades refining his martial skill to become the strongest in the world, never even needing an external power boost like Rugal has with a portion of Orochi's power.
Powers: Akuma and Rugal possess similar abilities, almost being one for one of each other. However, there were a couple of things that the King of Fighters couldn't have been able to counter, such as Akuma's momentary intangibility, or him attacking his soul directly, bypassing his defenses even if they were on par with his offensive power.
The winner is Akuma
Next time:
"Don't kill if you can wound, don't wound if you can subdue, don't subdue if you can pacify, and don't raise your hand at all until you've first extended it."
"The hands of death could not defeat me. The Sisters of Fate could not hold me. And you will not see the end of this day. I will have my revenge!"