Here's the second chapter. I hope you enjoy it, i had so much fun writing it. And yeah, can i just say how much i love Juri? She's just so charismatic and memorable with her femme fatale personality, not to mention just how absolutely sexy she looks with her hairstyle, eyes and white, black and purple outfit. And she's actually very strong! If the Street Fighter 4 OVA made just to promote her is anything to go by, then very few characters in Street Fighter can match her…..One of those being Ryu XD.


Chapter 2: Along Came A Spider

Ryu had finally returned to the place he called home: Suzaku Castle, a relic of the Feudal Era of Japan and the place that once was the home of his master, Gouken, where he once took an orphaned child, who, for some strange reason, had no memories of his parents. He raised the child as though he was his own son and trained him in the ways of Ansatsuken, a martial art once intended as an art of assassination, but whom Gouken sought to change with his peaceful and honorable ways. That child was Ryu and now, 20 years later, he had become renowned all around the world as "The Wandering Warrior", after his many battles and triumphs. Yet, in spite of that, he lived a life mostly of solitude, despite the many friends he had made ever since he left the place he was raised in for the first time, seven years ago.

As he came to a stop before the majestic waterfall that stood before the temple that was his home, duffel bag with his personal items on his right shoulder, Ryu remarked as he once again admired the waterfall "This place hasn't changed." before closing his eyes and reminiscing all the battles he fought…. And all the friends he made in his travels.

"In my travels, i have fought many formidable opponents….." he looked back fondly at some of his most precious memories….. His life-long friendship with Ken, whom he had known and trained with under the same master since they were kids due to his father being a friend of Gouken, and the profound bond they shared, almost as if they were brothers….. His victory over Sagat, who had changed the once cold and merciless warrior into the honorable and kind man he was today…. And finally, his bond with Sakura, who in spite of her young age, selflessly risked her life to protect him from Bison when he had been defeated by him the first time he fought the warlord and again, when she was able to break him out of the influence of the Satsui No Hado after giving in to it upon witnessing Cammy being tortured mercilessly by Crimson Viper….

"I'm curious…. Have i become stronger thanks to them?" he wondered before quickly opening his eyes, cupping his hands at his side, channeling blue energy before firing his signature attack "Hadoken!" with a gust of wind, the sphere of blue energy pierced the waterfall diagonally before dissappearing into the beautiful blue sky. Chuckling and smiling in satisfaction, Ryu remarked "Heh….Till next time then, friends." before picking his bag and resuming walking to the Castle.

Upon setting foot in it, he was greeted by the nine elderly monks, garbed in brown robes, that now inhabited it, who soon gathered all around him "Master Ryu, you have returned!" they cheered, to Ryu's contentment. They were all friends of Gouken's father, Goutetsu, who in turn, had been taught in the ways of Ansatsuken by his own father and by the ancestors before. This huge Castle once belonging to a powerful Feudal Lord during the Tokugawa Shogunate, now served as the home of these elderly men, where they would have continued to live their peaceful lives, now near their twilight since most of them were roughly 80 years old.

"Hehe…. Please, i'm not quite a master yet. I still have a long way to go before i can call myself one." Ryu chuckled as he gave one of them his bag, while another replied "Nonsense! You have mastered everything Gouken was able to teach you. And i trust that your control over the Satsui No Hado is now complete." referring to the dark energy derived from the darkness within all men, one that practitioners of Ansatsuken could harness due to its original purpose as an assassion art, but whom those warriors constantly had to struggle with in order to not succumb to it.

"For the most part, yes. Resisting it's temptation though can still be quite challenging." Ryu replied before looking at his left hand for a few seconds before clenching it "But if i have come this far, i only have the friends i have met in all my journeys to thank. They not only helped me grow as a fighter, but also as a person." smiling fondly as he did so.

"Speaking of which." another monk chimed in, adjusing his long beard "From what i have heard, Master Ken has decided to permanently settle down in America, now that he is expecting a child." causing Ryu to remember everything he and his best friend had gone through. He and Ken met when they were both 12, when his father sent him to train under Gouken. At first very hesitant to learn from him, the experience and his profound friendship with Ryu would change him into a somewhat cocky but kindhearted man who valued honor and most of all, his bond with Ryu. That was of course, before he met Eliza, the beautiful woman that would not only become his wife, but the mother of his son, when he fought and won in a US Martial Arts Tournament at around the same time Ryu went to Thailand to fight in the same tournament in which he would emerge victorious against Sagat and give him his scar. Their paths continued to cross time and time again ever since they both left to explore the world, eventually ending up in the conflicts against Shadaloo and Bison from which they ultimately emerged victorious. But then Eliza was kidnapped by S.I.N. and held hostage in exchange for none other than Ryu, in their twisted plans to use him and the Satsui No Hado within him to create an army of overwhelmingly powerful assassins they would have used to plunge the world in chaos thanks to the BLECE bioweapon they had created, which could drain the energy from fighters and process it into something that could be infused in their soldiers to empower them. Ryu felt that it was all his fault for what had happened and it was from that day that he fully realised that he and Ken needed to part ways, for theirs and Eliza and her child's good. He didn't want to see more of his friends hurt because of the darkness he held within, so he began to train even harder to master it.

Smiling, he remarked "Yes. And i coudn't be happier for him. He's finally found what he was looking for. Hard to believe he used to be a spoiled, rebellious kid before we met. He even offered me to come with him, even to get me a job."

"And why haven't you?" another monk asked, which caused the Wandering Warrior to look at him in surprise "You have journeyed through the world, Master Ryu, seen all its wonders, yet you've chosen to return here, a place that will soon fade away from history, along with us." he then came closer and placed a hand on Ryu's left shoulder "You are still young, Master Ryu. You need not linger in this place, soon to be-"

Ryu smiled kindly at the onld man's worries before placing a hand on his own, frail shoulder and reassuring "It's alright, Abe. No matter where i go, i will always return here. This is where i was raised, where my best memories lie and where i should stay." the other monks likewise smiled at his humility and kindness before a growl suddenly came. Right from Ryu's stomach.

After an awkwards silence settled in, Ryu sheepishly put a hand behind his head and remarked "And well, hummmm… I suppose i could continue telling all of you about my travels over a nice pot of rice…." causing all the monks to laugh in amusement before they all gathered around the wandering warrior and with him, walked over to the the dining room "That's our boy, Ryu! No matter how much he grows up, the one thing that never changes is his BIIIIG appetite!" Abe remarked, causing Ryu to join in their jolly laughter.


Ryu had forgotten how sometimes, the simplest of things were indeed, the most enjoyable. He had tasted many different and unique foods and flavors in his journeys around the world but nothing brought him as much happiness as a good old pot of rice with herbs. They were always Gouken's favorite and, in the man's words "Could purify a man's body with their warmth and flavor" and Ryu coudn't help but agree with him since rice had quickly become his favorite food ever since he tasted it for the first time.

After having lunch with all the kind, elderly monks, he was now inside the Dojo of the castle, looking at the steel deities that stood before him in the chamber. The afternoon quickly gave away to the night and now the light of the moon, which went through one of the open windows, shone brightly on the deity in the middle, where Gouken stood on and watched as Ryu and Ken meditated in order to summon their KI for the first time. The wandering warrior still remembered that day very well, how Ken got so cocky and enthusiastic when he was able to form the blue orb that he would use one day to perform his first Hadoken before Ryu did.

He put his thoughts aside as he began to throw punches and kicks in the air, remembering everything Gouken taught him once more. To never be overcome by anger or hatred, to always believe in yourself no matter the odds, in the will of your heart and to never use power for evil, but rather for good. Those were the thoughts in Ryu's mind as he once again performed his signature attacks in between his punches and kicks.

"Shoryuken!" he jumped and spun around in the air as he performed the uppercut he used to defeat Sagat for the first time, once again.

"Tatsumaki Senpukyaku!"he jumped and spun in the air with his left leg outstretched, performing a series of spinning roundhouse kicks, an attack very useful when fighting multiple enemies at the same time.

Finally after what seemed like an hour, he held his right hand upwards and after pressing his fingers, the familiar blue sphere of energy which he would often fire as the Hadoken appeared once again, crackling with streams of electricity. In their adolescence, he and Ken often playfully challenged each other to see who could maintain the orb longer than the other before it would inevitably fade away. Now, Ryu could keep it active for more than 30 minutes, which he did.

And when he made it dissappear, Ryu called his dayly training over. Still, he coudn't help but feel somewhat of a void in his heart that he coudn't quite describe. He had indeed grown stronger, that he was certain: through countless street fights, a handful of fighting tournaments, playing the hero quite a few times, not to mention the friendships he forged and strenghtened through those experiences. He had managed to overcome the Satsui No Hado that lurked within him, at least he thought he had: ever since he defeated Sagat for the first time with a Shoryuken filled with an intense yet at the same time obsessive desire to win, he realised there were aspects of himself he wasn't aware of, aspects he quickly learned he had to cleanse not only to become a stronger and better fighter…..

But also to avoid ending up on the same path the man that killed his master took. His own younger brother, a man once called Gouki but who had forsaken his humanity to become a demon.

"Your humanity will always hold you back from realising your true potential. Transcend it, boy, and you will finally be complete!"

Akuma's words from their last encounter still haunted Ryu for in part, the Dark Warrior was right: as much as he hated to admit it, he coudn't deny the darkness in his heart, the result of his drive to improve himself and win at all costs, which the Satsui No Hado both took form in and expressed it whenever Ryu would give in to it. And with it came a bloodlust and a savage enjoyment of battle that threatened to consume him, the same way it consumed Akuma. But Ryu knew that he was wrong, for it was the bonds he made with all the people he met that saved him from ultimately taking the same path: they were the proof of the good the human heart was capable of. This became even more apparent to him when he momentarily succumbed to the Satsui No Hado upon witnessing Cammy being so brutally tortured by Crimson Viper, then wiping the floor with the S.I.N. assassin, before going on a rampage and ultimately breaking out of it thanks to Sakura and Ken's embrace.

Yet, no matter how far he had come, Ryu still felt an empty void in his heart. Perhaps it was what Ken had found. A purpose, a reason for fighting more profound than just fighting for the pure enjoyment of it, something to protect and cherish. Could it really be that in spite of having become stronger, of having saved the world several times…..

He had in fact, nothing, despite all the power he gained?

"Ken. In a way, i envy you. Eliza gave you everything. You've always fought for her sake, along with mine's and others's, but most of all, for hers. That's what has allowed you to become stronger, to finally find the meaning of your existence in this world, while i journeyed far and wide to grow my own power…." Ryu thought as he looked at the palm of his left hand, with a melancholy he never felt before in his life "And what do i have to show for it? Loneliness?"

Ryu's eyes suddenly snapped open in surprise as soon as he felt a very strong Ki approaching the Castle, along with the loud sounds of many birds rushing away into the air, as if they had been scared by it. A Ki that felt….sinister, perverse, malicious. The last time he had felt such evil and twisted power was from none other than Bison himself and much like the unhinged warlord, it unnerved him.

"What is this power i'm sensing? It feels strong, yet…. So evil…. And it's coming this way…." Ryu thought before resolutedly deciding to come and meet it, having a feeling that whoever wielded it, did not come here in peace. Thus he quickly came out of the Castle and headed over to the waterfall "Whatever it is, i must face it head on…. So be it, then. Either way, this battle will only serve to further my growth as a warrior."

Little did Ryu know how he would be proven right as he sat and closed his eyes, meditating in front of the waterfall in order to prepare himself for the impending battle. Minutes of silence went by until two words pierced through the quiet of the night and the gentle sounds of the water.

"Found you…."

That alluring, provocative, feminine voice caused Ryu's eyes to snap open in astonishment and in a split-second turned around to where it came from. What greeted his eyes was a tall and beautiful woman who stood at the top of a rocky formation, several dozens meters high near the waterfall, with a hand on her hip, her body illuminated by the full moon behind her. Ryu quickly took notice of how her body was curvaceous and alluring yet at the same time strongly built, with broad shoulders, slender yet well-muscled arms, well toned abs complementing her large breasts, covered by a purple and black reverse heart-shaped breastplate connected by eight straps that connected each other on her back, two on each shulder and two on each side of her breasts which, coupled with her purple armbands, pink gloves, light purple thights underneath white long and baggy sweatpants held by a black and purple belt and matching foot wraps made him realise that she was a fighter, much like him "Been looking for you. Took me four whole days to come here and track you down but i'll be damned if it wasn't worth it."

(OST: "Awakened Alma Theme" = Ninja Gaiden Soundtrack)

Having recognised her as the source of the monstrously powerful Ki he sensed, Ryu asked "Who are you?" trying as much as he could to keep a serious, emotionless face….

Which quickly filled itself with unease as soon as the woman's lips curled into the most psychotic and sadistic grin he had ever seen on a woman, perfectly complementing her pink eyes and long black hair stylized into two horn-like buns "Oh, i'm just a girl who took quite the interest towards you." while at the same time, her left eye, for reasons Ryu coudn't understand, lit up and glowed in a bright pink light that pierced through the dark of the night "But, if you really need to know…. Juri." the woman finally introduced herself as the glow in her eye dissappeared before crouching down and leaping off the rock with an agility far above that of a normal human, spinning in circles and flipping several times in mid-air before landing fifteen meters behind Ryu, her arms crossed over her chest and with her back facing him.

The Wandering Warrior watched as Juri slowly rose up and turned towards him, putting her right index finger on her lower lip and humming seductively "Mmmmmm…. You look even more delicious in person….." while she stared at him, with unhinged hunger and lust, admiring his incredibly muscular phisique, stern and battle-hardened facial features and clothing, truly befitting that of a warrior "I only hope that you're really as tough as you look. Woudn't be fun if you were to break too soon, now woudn't it?" she licked her lips as she took a stance, outstretching her left arm and hand, her fingers curling backwards, almost daring him to come towards her.

Never before had a woman ever managed to unnerve Ryu so much. He had never seen such bloodlust, such hunger for violence and such wickedness in one. In a way, this woman reminded him a lot of Bison himself, not just from her twisted personality, but also from the nature of the KI she radiated…. It was filled with nothing but pure, unadulterated malice, not at all different from the leader of Shadaloo's monstrous Psycho Power. It even matched the vile warlord's in color. Nevertheless, Ryu, trustful of himself and his resolve, that had allowed him to overcome many opponents, tightened his headband and got into his fighting stance while declaring "I don't know why or how you know me but if a battle is what you want, then i'll gladly give you that!"

Downright aroused by his fightint spirit, Juri cackled "KYAHAHAHAHAHAAA! Yessss…..I like men like you, who let me have everything my way….." before spreading her arms and declaring "I'M GONNA ENJOY BREAKING YOU!" as she made the first move, closing the distance between them in less than two seconds and releasing multiple kicks on Ryu, which he blocked with his arms, albeit not without some difficulty as, they were quite powerful, much more powerful than what he was expecting. He countered with his own punches and kicks and for a while, they both seemed equally matched. But no matter how many punches Ryu threw at her, she effortlessly avoided them by bending her body in graceful and enticing movements, all the while following up with her equally graceful but powerful kicks. Eventually Ryu, deciding to switch tactics, intercepted Juri's last kick with a kick of his own "She fights just like Chun-Li…. But not even her kicks are this aggressive…." he thought as another endless barrage of kicks came. This time, he countered by taking hold of Juri's right lower leg just as she delivered the last kick, spun her around and attempted to throw her into a nearby tree….

But before he knew it, the moment he released her, she twisted her body backwards and her left elbow found its mark on the back of his head, the blow causing him to double over for a second, leaving him wide open to Juri,who launch herself back towards him after recovering her balance and using the tree instead as leverage for her next attack, a double spinning kick. Ryu managed to block the first one…..

But that left him wide open for the second, which struck his jaw directly and sent him flying backwards. He managed to regain control of himself and slid to a halt with a hand but as soon as he clutched his jaw he realised that blood was coming out of his mouth "Such power…. And that fighting style…..Taekwondo. I had no idea it could be this ferocious…." he then looked up and saw, to his shock that Juri wasn't in front of him.

Having correctly guessed in the split-second window he got, he spun backwards just in time to parry her next kick, aimed at his head. Then he jumped off the ground and spun his right leg "Tatsumaki Senpukyaku!" striking Juri twice in the abdomen before following up with a swift uppercut to the chin and finally spinning around once more and slamming a reverse thrust kick at her face. The woman flew five meters backwards but quickly halted herself by placing her left hand on the ground.

Both combatants's faces were bruised and their lips bleeding. However, as Juri looked at her newest opponent once more, she smiled provocatively once more and licked her lips, tasting the blood that stained them "Oh yeah, baby…. Not even the Kitten and the Sergeant could make me bleed. You're just as strong as i thought." which left Ryu quite puzzled on top of being unnerved. Who was she referring to?

He was quickly pulled out of his thoughts by Juri declaring "But i'm through playing around!" she spread her arms and her Feng Shui Alpha activated, shining in a blinding purple light as her whole body became enveloped in a purple aura and all of a sudden Ryu realised in shock that she was holding back since the start of the fight "LET'S SEE HOW YOU DEAL WITH THIS! FUHAJIN!" she roared as she swiftly swung her left leg in the air, firing a purple crescent shaped projectile towards him.

Reacting quickly, Ryu shot his Hadoken to counter her attack and both projectiles exploded as they collided. To his shock, Juri came out of the puff of smoke created by both projectiles and before he could even react, she slammed her left elbow in his abdomen, knocking out the wind out of him and causing him to gasp before following up with a kick to his chin before spinning around and kicking him in the stomach again. This time, she had infused her legs with Ki energy, courtesy of the Feng Shui Alpha and, as a result, the last kick was so powerful it not only shook Ryu's internal organs, but sent him flying within the forest nearby, crashing into two trees and causing them to fall before somehow managing to stop himself.

He doubled over and coughed up blood as a result of the last blow, shocked at her newfound speed and strength "Such overwhelming power…. Is it related to that left eye of hers?"

His eyes widened upon seeing a purple mirage and a trail of purple Ki moving from tree to tree. He looked at his surroundings. A path cut through the forest and four different small statues were nearby, this was the sign that would indicate to travellers that Suzaku Castle was nearby. Tree after tree surrounded him and at once Ryu realised that he was trapped, trapped like an animal in a cage. Except he wasn't the animal.

He was the food.

"Awwww…. Poor guy….. Did i frighten you?" Juri's taunting voice echoed through the forest, feigning concern, making Ryu anxious because although he could sense her, she was moving too fast for him to properly track her down.

"Over here!" she suddenly called out and Ryu turned just in time to receive a punch in the face before he could even react, causing him to stagger backwards. Juri promptly vanished in a split-second, leaving only a trail of Ki from her left eye.

"Where are you looking?" She taunted as once more, she dashed towards him from one tree and slammed her elbow on Ryu's back, making him wince in pain.

But as she swiftly vanished from sight again, the Wandering Warrior this time closed his eyes and focused, trying to predict where she would strike next. He looked for anything from the surrounding environment, any movement of the wind or sound of grass that would give away her position. Three seconds later, he heard a current of air blowing opposite where it should on his right, thus he snapped his eyes open, spun around and threw his left fist forward "Got you!" he exclaimed….

Only for his wrist to be effortlessly caught by Juri, stopping the attack in its tracks. Ryu's eyes widened as he was suddenly pulled forward and spun around until Juri seized his other arm from behind with her left hand and pulled it across his back in the direction of his right arm, threatening to dislocate it while at the same time, she wrapped her right arm around his neck, immobilizing him. He attempted to struggle to free himself but to no avail, the grip was too strong. Then Juri pulled Ryu closer and softly spoke, as she put her soft lips close to his left ear "Look, handsome, as fun as this has been, why don't you just cut to the chase and start using your true power? You'll never beat me like this and i know this isn't your best." making him gasp in shock. She coudn't possibly know about that power, that he so feared.

"You mean…..The Satsui No Hado?! How did you-" Ryu asked with shaking wide eyes, not believing that this woman was also aware of it.

"Oh, that's how it's called?" Juri interrupted him, chuckling maliciously as she did "Fufufufu….. I like the sound of that name. But either way, you're gonna have to use it if you want to win, wheter you like it or not. Besides…." she paused as she seductively licked Ryu's left cheek from behind, revelling in the taste "I don't like breaking my toys when they aren't at their best." and making Ryu begin to shake in fear, not just of her.

But once again, of giving into that dark power. Yet, he felt that temptation, now stronger than ever. This woman was so powerful. No doubt she had fully embraced whatever dark power she had. And her words, filled with seductive and unhinged bloodlust had caused that dark power to stir within him, once more. A voice that wasn't his own screamed in his head, urging him to embrace that overwhelming force and use it to destroy her, to ravage her, to put her in her place.

"No." Ryu closed his eyes and shook his head, refusing to give in to the Satsui No Hado's temptation "I will not succumb to it!" before suddenly kicking Juri in her left knee, making her grunt in pain at the sudden attack which caused her to release him and give the Wandering Warrior the chance to spin around and strike Juri in the chin with his Shoryuken, sending her flying several meters in the air before she quickly regained control and landed gracefully on her feet. To Ryu's dismay, she was barely hurt by his signature attack, the same he had used to scar Sagat's chest, apart from a small trickle of blood falling out of the left corner of her mouth.

(Soundtrack Ends)

"Fine, have it your way then." Juri's left eye glowed brighter, granting her more power which allowed her to go from stationary to the speed of sound in a split-second. Ryu tried to defend himself as he best as he could, to no avail as Juri leapt into the air and, after breaking his guard with a single kick proceeded to slam her left fist into his face, strike his left shin with her right foot, spin around and slam her left elbow in his stomach, following up with a right roundhouse kick in the same area, strike his chin with her right foot before slamming its heel back on the top of his head before finally delivering a double cartwheel kick that sent him flying in the air. All of this in the span of just three seconds.

Juri wasn't done however. She dashed past where Ryu's body was going to fall and the Wandering Warrior could only cry out in pain as the psychotic woman spun around and slammed her left foot into his back with a reverse kick. Ryu could feel the vertebrae from his spine cracking and his body went limp, both halves slumping downwards: it was almost like he had been impaled on a stake and the only reason his spine didn't shatter was because he was much more durable than a normal human. He gasped as he felt Juri caress his right cheek with her left hand as she brought him close to her face by tilting the foot she had embedded into his back "Oh, that felt good, didn't it?" she hummed lustfully in his ear and Ryu could only look at her in helplessness as her lips curled once more in her psychotic grin before she violently slammed his body on the ground head-first with an axe kick.

Ryu's body went limp as soon as he struck the ground. After looking at him for several seconds as the wind blew by, blowing his white gi and red headband, Juri sighed in dissappointment "Heh, i guess i really overdid it this time. That or this new Feng Shui really is that much more powerful than the last one i had. Still though, for one who was able to not only go toe to toe with that psychopath but also beat him, i kinda expected more. Oh well, serves him right for refusing to use that hidden power of his." she turned around and clenched her left fist, flexing her arm as her eye glowed once more….

And with that, Juri finally understood just how strong she had become. She folded her arms beneath her breasts and chuckled darkly as her purple aura surrounded her again "Hehehehehehehehe…. AAAAAAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!" her chuckle turned into a maniacal cackle as she spread her arms, bent her back backwards and lifted her head towards the sky as her aura flared in all directions "I NEVER THOUGHT I'D FEEL SO GOOD! THIS POWER…..THIS STRENGTH….. I CAN ACCOMPLISH EVERYTHING WITH IT! NOW I CAN FINALLY MAKE HIM SUFFER AS I HAVE SUFFERED! I'LL SEE HIM GROVEL BEFORE MY FEET, BEGGING FOR HIS MISERABLE LIFE AS I'LL TEAR HIS FUCKING HEA-"

She broke herself out out her rapture upon hearing several pained grunts which caused her to gasp in surprise. She turned around to see Ryu, bloodied and bruised, with a black right eye and blood coming out of his mouth, but nonetheless back in his fighting stance "I…..I'm not through yet! I can still f-fight…." not willing to give up against someone who, in his eyes, was no different from Bison and Akuma.

But his body shaking and looking like it was barely holding him on his feet told the opposite. Still, Juri coudn't help but admire him for that "How cute. You still wanna fight me even with that broken body of yours?" she told him with a smile "Have to hand it to you, that's pretty admirable. But if i were you, i'd-" Ryu didn't even give her a chance as he charged towards her, throwing his right fist towards her…..

Only for Juri to effortlessly catch it with her left hand, shocking the Wandering Warrior "Told Ya. Should have stayed down when you had the chance." she then kicked him in the chin with her left foot, causing him to stumble backwards before finally roaring "BUT NOW'S TOO LATE FOR THAT!" as she spun around and as her left eye glowed brighter, the aura around her legs amplified itself, empowering them and as a result it turned her foot into a knife as it struck Ryu's chest diagonally from from his left upper abs to his right pectoral muscle, cutting the right side of his white Gi as well. He could only gasp in utter agony as the flesh in his chest was cut open, the same way a knife would. Blood soon erupted from the large diagonal wound as he fell back on the ground, this time on his back, unmoving. And just like that, he had been scarred the same way he scarred Sagat's chest with his Shoryuken.

"S-She's so strong….. I never stood a chance against her….." was all Ryu could think as he layed on the grass, his chest drenched in blood, now only being able to twitch his fingers. He had fought many strong opponents in his life, but this woman was something else entirely. The sheer power and ferocity her attacks had, the pleasure she took in inflicting pain to him and the way she revelled in the overwhelming power she wielded….. Not only was she by far, the strongest woman he had ever fought in his life but the only two persons he had fought who could even rival her power were none other than Bison and Akuma.

He then felt a sudden heavy weight on his chest followed by a now familiar chuckle "Hehehe….." and as soon as he lifted his head up, he was rewarded with the sight of that psychotic smile and pair of purple eyes, now only inches apart from his own eyes "Still alive even after that? I'm impressed. That being said, i still find it hard to believe that even Seth lost to you. He sure wasn't wrong in calling you stubborn." Juri remarked tauntingly, her aura now gone as she comfortably laid down on top of him, her hands beneath her chin, as if he was some kind of mattress.

Ryu's left eye, relatively undamaged compared to his right, snapped open in shock "Seth?! How do you know him?!" he demanded, his flashbacks from the fights against the android and his followers coming back "Wait….You're…..!"

"With S.I.N.? Yeah. Or rather, i used to be." Juri got off Ryu and rose on her feet, wiping the blood off the corner of her mouth as she began to monologue, pacing back and forth "But now it's gone and either way, i was about to cut my ties with them soon. I only joined forces with that piece of junk because he and i just so happened to share the same enemy." she paused and chuckled as she told him, her back facing him "But you know what's really ironic? For all his speeches about power and desire for free-will, he was no more than a change of clothes in Bison's wardrobe. Still, i can't deny that i feel bad for him, poor baby just wanted to keep his own identity and individuality just like all the other people in this world."

At once many questions pounded Ryu's mind. Who was this woman really? Was the enemy she was referring to none other than Bison himself? How did she get these powers?

There was only one certainty though, this woman was evil. Of the same evil Bison and Seth were and no matter how much she ridiculed the latter, it could never change that. He cound't afford to lose against someone who fully embraced the wickedness of their soul "I must….Keep fighting!" he thought as grunted in pain and clenched his fists, his fingers digging into the soil in an attempt to stand up….

Only to Juri to violently pin him back down by his left shoulder with her right foot, making him groan in pain once more "And he was right about one thing: those who are afraid to put their power into action do not deserve power at all." Juri proclaimed as she stood triumphant above Ryu, right palm held upwards and with the moonlight shining brightly behind her. Her psychotic smile made its way on her lips once more and her left eye lightened up again as she told him "It's been fun fighting you, Ryu but all good things come to an end, sooner or later. And if you're really that scared to use that power within you….." she lifted her right foot, preparing to finish him off by bashing his skull to pieces with it "THEN YOU CAN JUST DIE LIKE THE COWARD YOU ARE!"

Time itself slowed to a crawl as Juri proceeded to bring her foot down on his head with an axe kick during which Ryu's life flashed before his eyes "No It can't end like this!…..Power….." his desire to win, to live was answered and all of a sudden, Ryu felt a burning dark flame exploding from the deepest depths of his soul which began to fill him up…..

"I NEED MORE POWER!"

Until it consumed him completely.

His eyes suddenly turned blood red as they snapped open and before Juri's foot could connect with his head, Ryu's left hand shot forward and seized her ankle, halting her attack immediately. At the same time, a red and purple aura began to surround Ryu's left arm.

(OST: "Need To Be Strong" = Naruto Soundtrack)

"What?!" was all Juri could utter in disbelief and less than a second after she spoke that word, Ryu's right arm shot forward and snatched her by the neck as he got back on his feet, lifting her off the ground and pinning her on one of the many trees around them "W-What the hell is going on?!" she thought as she put her hands around Ryu's wrist in an attempt to free herself, her purple eyes wide open in shock as she looked into Ryu's face…..

And saw it twisted in primal fury and hatred, hardly resembling who he was just a few seconds ago. And before she knew it Ryu pulled her whole body backwards before slamming it effortlessly back to the trunk of the tree, three times, with the third, breaking in tree in half and causing Juri to be sent flying a good 10 meters back before managing to stop herself by placing a hand on the ground. But when she raised her head to look at Ryu again, her jaw dropped and she gulped in astonishment, her purple eyes shaking, upon seeing the red and purple energy now covering his whole body and flaring wildly in all directions.

"W-What is that energy?! It's not the one i saw in the footage!" Juri sputtered out in shock and anxiety but then as the red energy intensified even more, to the point it was causing rocks and dirt all around Ryu to rise up in the air and sending gusts of wind towards her, which actually forced her to shield herself with her arms "It's strong! And it's completely unlike what he had before!" she exclaimed, but then her anxiety turned into fear upon realising something else.

"His body… It's healing and changing….." she gasped in dread upon noticing not only all the bruises and wounds she gave him close back up, with the exception of the one in his chest that remained as a scar, but also as his body's appearance changed before her own eyes, becoming more menacing: his skin began to turn darker in color, his canines began to turn into fangs, his hair began to spike upwards and assume a reddish tint and most notably, what looked like a burning gaping hole began to slowly appear in the middle of his chest along with a similar scar on his back that resembled a sun. His white Gi also began to turn black and Juri began to shake in fear upon seeing the red, malicious aura around the barely recognizable Ryu converge several meters above him and take the shape of glowing blood-red "Ten" Kanji.

And upon seeing this, Juri finally understood everything "Is this…...The Satsui No Hado?!"

The instant after the last word left her mouth, Ryu's red eyes snapped open and with a guttural growl, he launched himself towards Juri with unadulteraded savagery and with a speed far surpassing the one he had before. In a split-second he covered ten meters of distance between him and his opponent and before Juri knew it, he slammed his left knee in her abdomen, making her gasp in shock and cough up blood as many of her internal organs shook and took damage by the monstrous force. The Wandering Warrior, now seemingly taken over by his inner darkness was far from done however, so as he soon as he removed his knee from Juri's abdomen and let her double over, he kicked her in the left cheek with a roundhouse kick, snapping her head on the left with a loud crack. He didn't even give her the luxury of being sent flying by it as his left hand shot forward, snatched her by the face and with a swift movement, Ryu spun around and threw her towards several trees. Her body, flew through three of them, breaking them and making them fall down before she regained control and stopped herself by placing her feet on the trunk of a fourth tree. However, Ryu caught up to her with such ease it looked like she was moving in slom-motion to him, startling her and causing her to throw a roundhouse kick aimed at his face….

Only for the Wandering Warrior to stop it with little to no effort by seizing Juri's ankle inches away from her face. She yelped as she was suddenly and effortlessly lifted off the ground by him with just one hand before Ryu, growled like a wild animal and slammed her on the ground like a ragdoll three times. He let her go after the third slam, causing her body to bounce off the ground, thus allowing Ryu to raise his left fist and slam it on her left cheek, smashing her back on the ground with so much force to crater it down several meters.

Juri grunted in pain as her face was pressed hard on the ground by Ryu, who tightened his hold and bared his teeth in even more rage towards her, the pain of the injuries she had given him echoing through his entire body: it now cried out with a sadistic passion, craving for violence and despair "There was no reason for me to hold back. This Hado….. It grants me power, incredible power! Never in my wildest dreams would i have imagined that it would feel so good!" his voice was now distorted and deepened to such an extent that it now sounded like that of a demon. And it was filled with inhuman rage and bloodlust towards this woman who had dared to challenge him, believing she was his equal "Pitiful woman…." he mockingly stated as he raised his other hand, preparing to finish Juri off "I SHALL FEAST ON YOUR SOUL TONIGHT!"

But as then, Juri's body sprang to life, the purple energy appearing once more as her left leg suddenly bent backwards and her foot struck his face, causing him to stagger backwards and releasing her. She flipped over back to her feet and after focusing enough energy on her legs, she swung her right leg in the air, releasing a Fuhajin that struck Ryu in the chest and propelled him backwards. Believing she could take a few seconds of respite, Juri clutched her forehead and to her shock, she was bleeding from it.

"I can't believe it….. He made me bleed so much with just one punch?!" she mused to herself in astonishment which soon turned into dread when she saw that her Fuhajin had only pushed Ryu back by five meters, not even lifting him off his feet "PATHETIC! Is that the best you can do?! SUCH WEAKNESS DEMANDS A PAINFUL DEATH!" he roared spitefully as he raised his right leg and slammed it on the ground, spreading his arms and taking a stance.

It was then that Juri's purple eyes saw it all: the unbridled fury, the savage bloodlust, the longing for violence, all in those blood red, demonic eyes piercing right through her own, regarding her with utter nonchalance, like no more than a nuisance. Before her, no longer stood a human being…. It was something demonic, uncontrollable, savage…..Violence itself personified. She could feel it not only by how nonchalantly his eyes were regarding her, as if she was nothing but an ant to be stepped on, but also by how his aura, which flared in all direction, felt as it came in contact with her body. There was nothing but animalistic, seething fury in it…..

And that sight deeply aroused her, more so than everything she had in her entire life.

Juri's lips twisted themselves in a delighted, ecstatic and utterly psycotic smile, the biggest one she had in the entire battle "Hehehehehehe….KYAAAAAAHAHAHAHAHAHAAAAAAAA!" she held herself by her sides as she shook in a dark chuckle before erupting in a maniacal laughter, spreading her arms and lifting her head upwards "THAT'S MORE LIKE IT, BABY! Had i known that all i had to do to turn your killing switch on was to beat you to an inch of your life, i'd have done that sooner rather than playing around with you!" she exclaimed as she activated the full power of the Feng Shui Alpha, the left eye shining to its brightest and causing her purple aura to intensify to such an extent that a pillar of energy rose up in the air, surrounding her and sending gusts of wind towards Ryu.

What once was the Wandering Warrior, now taken over by the darkness within his soul, grinned savagely "Such wicked madness. But you're a fool if you think you're my equal!" he mocked her before slamming his right foot on the ground and likewise spreading his arms, powering his aura up and likewise causing a pillar of red and purple Dark Hado energy to rise up in the air, towering even the trees, daring the twisted woman to come towards him and hold nothing back anymore.


The energies could be seen all the way up from Suzaku Castle and the monks immediately got anxious upon seeing the red and purple pillar of Dark Hado emerge from the forest, towering over the many trees. They thought the Raging Demon had returned back to the place he once called home, before he succumbed to the Satsui No Hado and set off in his selfish and destructive quest to find a worthy opponent that would finally best him and bring his path to an end.

"It can't be….. Could it be that he's returned?" Abe muttered out in dread and disbelief as he looked in horror at the dark energy rising up from the forest and piercing through the dark of the night before turning to his fellow monks and asking "Where is Master Ryu?!" fearing the worst.

"We searched the whole castle! He's not here!" another monk exclaimed in panic before a third one went to Abe's side and asked him "Do you think it's really him?"

"Who else can it be? Look at that aura. It's the Satsui No Hado in shape." Abe grimly remarked before turning towards his fellow monks and stating "For all his might, even Master Ryu is no match for him. We must all prepare for the worst."


The Satsui No Hado's darkness had now taken Ryu over almost completely. Never before had the bloodlust and temptation for violence and slaughter ever felt so powerful. This woman's madness and wickedness had aroused them for she was no different from the darkness that had now taken over the his soul, which now craved for her blood. And with the enormous, monstrous power she possessed, Ryu was now certain that she would have given him a most gratifying fight, one that would have surely satisfied the bloodlust of the Satsui No Hado within himself "COME, WOMAN! I WILL BATHE IN YOUR PUTRID BLOOD ONCE I'M DONE WITH YOU!" he finally roared as he charged towards her, leaving a trail of red and purple energy behind him, hell-bent on slaughtering her.

"NOT IF I EAT YOU FIRST!" Juri likewise roared lustfully as she launched herself towards Ryu, likewise assured that this was shaping up to be the greatest fight in her entire life.

(Soundtrack Ends)