The tournament was scheduled to continue with the next round of battles immediately, Shao Kahn put Shang Tsung in charge as he went to attend a meeting with the king of the Shokan, King Gorback.

"Don't screw things up again, sorcerer." Shao Kahn warned.

"I will keep things under control, I promise." Tsung said confidently, moving to sit in the emperor's throne.

"WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU'RE DOING?!" Kahn's voice boomed throughout the coliseum as his head turned around to see Shang Tsung who was mid squat, the sorcerer quickly stood straight and apologized.

"S-so our next fight will be: Johnny Cage VS Karbrac!" Shang Tsung announced, frightened by his master who was still glancing at him, even on his way out the coliseum.

"Oh c'mon, not one of those things!" Cage whined after seeing his Tarkatan opponent.

Karbrac replied with various insults in his own language, Cage was intimidated by his voice and the ominousness of what he was saying was frightening.

"Enough chit-chat." Shang Tsung interrupted, "Fight!"

Shao Kahn entered the throne room of his good ally, King Gorback. The King was sat on his throne, communicating with a tiger-striped Shokan.

"Shao Kahn!" He greeted as he looked past the Shokan's massive frame.

"I am here to retrieve my new champion." Kahn explained.

"Then he stands before you." Gorback informed, "His name is Kintaro, I consider him my son's equal."

"That is a high demand to meet." Kahn said doubtfully as he shook Kintaro's lower right arm.

"I will seek vengeance on the human who ended Prince Goro's run as champion." Kintaro informed with a fiery passion.

"Speaking of which, where is my son?!" King Gorback stood from his throne after asking, moving in front of Kintaro.

"I have my men locating him as we speak." Shao Kahn assured, "If he is dead then Shang Tsung will pay with his life for his foolishness."

"Shang Tsung has gifted my son plenty." Gorback surprisingly disagreed, getting in Shao Kahn's face, "If he is dead, I will hold YOU responsible."

The emperor couldn't help but laugh at the threat, "I look forward to our continued partnership, Gorback. It will continue."

"We'll see." Gorback muttered, turning back to his throne.

"I will summon Kintaro when he is needed." Shao Kahn informed.

"I look forward to it myself!" Kintaro commented as Kahn walked out.

Kahn returned and was glad to see Johnny Cage on the receiving end of a beating, scurrying away from Karbrac's blade after being floored, he was also pleased that his throne was empty.

Johnny rolled to the side, precisely dodging an overhead strike and performing a leg sweep, knocking over the ruthless nomad. As Karbrac tried to get to his feet, Johnny showed off with a back flip, his foot connecting with Jade's jaw.

"To think people say I don't perform my own stunts." He complained to himself, charging his energy to his right fist for the final blow which he landed in the form of a jumping uppercut, catching Karbrac's chin as he leapt in the air.

"Johnny Cage wins." Shao Kahn announced as he reclaimed his seat, his frustration becoming blatant.

"Wins again." Cage added, finding humour in his sudden success in his fights.

"It's mere luck!" Retorted Shao Kahn.

"Luck? I know karate dammit!" Cage said, he himself finding frustrations in being underestimated by his fellow competitors and even allies.

"Father?" Mileena called for Kahn's attention quietly, as she and Kitana had returned to the stage.

"Yes, Mileena?"

"It's about my... err..."

"Her mouth, it's Tarkatan." Kitana finished.

"Oh." Shao Kahn reacted, blatantly unsurprised.

"Just 'oh'?" Kitana stood up for her sister, "How did this happen?!"

"I figured your Tarkatan features had manifested lately, always cowering behind a mask over the past few years." Kahn commented, insulting her for not revealing it sooner.

"H-how did you know?" Mileena asked.

"Your natural genetics made me expect it." Kahn explained.

"Natural?" Mileena was still confused. "Our mother was Tarkatan?"

"Why don't I have these features then?" Kitana was now confused herself.

"I knew you'd grow suspicious, eventually." Kahn commented. "I didn't realize you'd try turning Mileena against me though."

"Wha-" Kitana quickly got cut off.

"Mileena is my REAL daughter." Kahn lied to try to keep Mileena swayed to his side. "You should be lucky that I took you in! Your mother abandoned you by taking her own life."

Kitana was shocked, she remained silent with no idea on what to say. Mileena decided it was her turn to comfort Kitana and gently placed a hand on her shoulder, only for Kahn to stand up and walk in-between the two.

"You would've been a mere orphan if it weren't for me!" Kahn furiously yelled, "And now you confront me and now you have the nerve to accuse your own sister to be a monstrosity!"

"Sorry." Kitana quickly apologized to her sister, less so her father. "I didn't mean it like that."

"This is treason, Kitana." Kahn pointed out.

"No! I didn't mean to accuse you, father..." Kitana attempted to explain herself.

"I am not your father!" Kahn finally snapped, "Guards, take her away!"

A couple of Kahn's personal guards stepped forward, one grabbing Kitana's left arm and the other holding the right.

"The Cobalt Mines await you, Kitana." Kahn yelled as she was dragged away.

"What are you doing?!" Jade called out. "What wrong has she done?"

"It's none of your business, Jade." Kahn said, attempting to dismiss her.

"She's my friend." Jade came back. "I have a right to know!"

"If you disagree with my decision, Jade, then I will have you join her in the mines." Kahn threatened.

"Very well then." Jade muttered bitterly, walking away to collect her thoughts.

"Father..." Mileena again called out, this time her voice was shakier.

"Leave me be, daughter." Kahn ordered; his tone now calmer. "The next fight will be: Jackson Briggs versus Baraka!"

The group of Tarkatans on the back side of the coliseum cheered the loudest to support their leader.

"You were the one with that girl." Baraka recalled, "The ones who cost me from facing and eliminating Liu Kang."

"You were tryna kill good people." Jax also remembered.

"FIGHT!"

Baraka began the fight by swinging rapidly at Jax, running at him as he struck out his blades. Jax got caught up in a couple slashes but came through with a counter, grabbing one of Baraka's arm blades before quickly snapping it, its bone material being easily breakable once Jax got a hold of it.

Baraka threw himself away, enraged by his natural blade being ripped from him.

"That is the last thing you take from me, human." Baraka promised, charging at him with his remaining blade, angrier than ever.

Jax grabbed his remaining blade but this time Baraka retracted the blade, causing it to slip through Jax's fingertips and cutting his hand in the process. Jax struck his arm up in reaction to the sudden injury he received on his hand, leaving him vulnerable for Baraka who swung his blade upwards, cutting through the flesh and bone by his shoulder.

Jax's arm had been dismembered.

"Jax!" Sonya cried out from the side-lines.

"I hope you learnt your lesson, now that I'm your amputee." Baraka continued you to threaten amongst the screams from his victim.

Baraka's arm was still raised above his head, not only was he signifying his victory but more so he was seeking another limb to target on Jax's body. Finally, Baraka swung his blade down, cutting through his other arm.

"Stop!" Sonya pleaded as she ran to Jax, blasting energy rings from the technology attached to her wrists to stop the blood from spilling out any more. Jax's fellow Earthrealmers came over also to check on him. "I need to get him back to base. Is there a portal or something?!"

"I will transport you to a hospital." Raiden assured, seeing this as a more than exceptional moment to utilize his teleportation abilities, "Grab on."

Lightning emerged from Raiden's hand and once the lightning strike was no longer visible, so was Raiden, Jax and Sonya, leaving Kung Lao, Liu Kang and somehow, Johnny Cage were now the final three representatives for Earthrealm.