The tournament proceeded with Johnny Cage versus Baraka, whom still had a broken arm blade.
"There is nobody left to save you now." Baraka said with an arm blade pointed at Johnny.
"You'll be sorry for what you did to Jax." Cage's serious side was making its rare appearance.
Baraka laughed. "You'll be joining him in one of your 'hospitals'."
"FIGHT!"
Baraka charged Cage but got kicked back. "Iwillbe calling that one the Shadow Kick!" Johnny declared.
Baraka tried the same attack again and the same result occurred, Baraka was becoming even more agitated. "I will feed my followers your flesh!" He bellowed.
"I'd rather that not happen..." He said right before the warrior ran at him with a flying boot, smashing into his chest.
Baraka was done making threats, it was time for actions. TheTarkatanbegan punching at Johnny's face, breaking the sunglasses that lay loosely over his eyes before mixing up his attack by trying to draw his blade into Cage's head however Johnny bobbed his head to the side and fell to the floor, punching Baraka down low.
"I felt some spikes down there." Cage joked, somehowangeringBaraka further. "By the way, I'm charging you for breaking these sunglasses."
Baraka dived at Cage once more, stabbing his remaining arm blade into the actor's stomach. "Enough of your cockiness!" He demanded as he twisted the blade around, causing Cage even more pain which finally stopped once the blade snapped off of Baraka but still remained impaled into Johnny.
"We demand to see Shang Tsung!" Interrupted Scorpion, who was accompanied by Smoke and Tundra.
"Step side,demon," Baraka threatened, distracted by the spectre. "The tournament is in session."
"You're too late!" Shao Kahn informed. "He just left."
"Where to?" Tundra asked, stepping forth.
"You think you can demand answers from me?!" Shao Kahn stood from his throne, summoning his hammer.
"Settle down emperor," Quan Chi requested. "I will handle it."
"Quan Chi!" Scorpion recognized his short time 'master'.
"I brought you back from hell," Quan Chi reminded. "Granted you with your revenge."
"Bi Han was not the culprit," Scorpion explained. "It was a shapeshifter."
"And I only know of one shapeshifter..." Smoke chimed in.
"You still betrayed me." Quan Chi said glumly.
"I won't be a puppet!" Scorpion raised his voice.
"I considered it a friendship," Lied the sorcerer. "I helped you so you could also help me."
"I owe you nothing." Scorpion disagreed.
"Selfish." Quan Chi accused Scorpion of being such a thing, he muttered it while drawing a pair of swords which Scorpion repeated the action.
"Do not try attacking us," Scorpion warned "You will not stop us."
The sorcerer halted after seeing two robotic figures suddenly wander into the coliseum, Scorpion, Smoke and Tundra soon turning to face the fellow intruders.
"Cyborgs!" Smoke and Tundra both yelled, immediately recognizing them as threats.
Quan Chi broke the sudden moment where the three allies stood still by stabbing one of his swords into the back of Scorpion.
"You betrayed me, Scorpion!" Quan Chi cried out in anger; Smoke quickly kicked the sorcerer away from Scorpion before a yellow coloured cyborg grabbed him only for Tundra to then aid his friend.
There appeared to be another stalemate between the six fighters, Baraka and Johnny Cage meanwhile, had continued their fight after Johnny took advantage of the distraction to take control of the fight.
"Where are the others?" Smoke questioned the two cyborgs, knowing that they wouldn't have come alone.
"Company is unnecessary." The red cyborg assessed, "We are all that is needed."
"Then who are you?!" Tundra queried.
"I am Lin Kuei Unit L-K-9-T-9," The red cyborg introduced himself before also introducing his ally. "This is Unit L-K-4-D-4."
"Wait... Sektor?!" Tundra became weary that the cyborg in red armour was The Grandmaster's son.
"If that is what I was referred to as before my evolution then yes, Tundra." Sektor clarified.
"Does that mean," Smoke paused as he pointed a finger at the yellow cyborg. "C-Cyrax?"
The machine nodded once.
"Then I'm sorry for what they did to you." Smoke apologised,reluctant now in striking down the cyborg.
"You're both required for assimilation." Cyrax explained, a saw blade striking out of an attachment to his now metallic forearm.
"We will not comply." Tundra refused.
"Kombat Mode: Engaged." Sektor input the command aloud and a flamethrower now poked out of his forearm, similar to Cyrax with his saw.
Quan Chi and Scorpion continued to fight, both waving swords at one another. The cyborgs,meanwhile,closed in on the two former Lin Kuei assassins. Sektor burst his flamethrower at the two friends, causing them to split apart as the flames kept them apart.
"Target Smoke, LK 4D4." Sektor ordered, clearlytaking leadership between the two. Cyrax complied and blasted a net of green energy from an opening in his chest, the net caught Smoke but Tundra broke the flaming barrier by blasting a line of ice through the fire, sliding on the ice to get to his friend before Cyrax abducted him. Sektor quickly got involved by batting Tundra away again.
The quick interruption of Tundra bought Smoke enough time to escape the net and begin fighting back on Cyrax, despite his hesitation to hurt his former friend. Cyrax made calculated attacks with hissaw bladewhereas Smoke was making calculated counters, parrying Cyrax by kicking at the cyborg which didn't do much damage to Cyrax and was more damaging to Smoke's legs.
Tundra was having an easier time combating Sektor, mainly because his arsenal of tools was more effective for these cyborgs that were entirely coated in metal plating for not only could he freeze and stiffen the cyborg but he could also create a variety of weapons rather than having to risk his own body as a weapon.
Tundra blasted another ray of ice, this one directed at Sektor's lower legs. The cyborg slowed down, to prevent slippingandthe crevices between the plating over his feet being frozen. Cyrax dashed a bomb over to Tundra in the middle of him striking at Smoke. Cyraxknockedover Smoke, hepicked up the human with his saw still at the ready and grabbed him with the left arm that was the one unoccupied with carrying a weapon.
"The Grandmaster needs you alive," Cyrax informed. "In one or more pieces was unspecified."
"I'm your friend, Cyrax!" Smoke yelled, trying to get Cyrax to remember.
"You're a mere statistic." Cyrax corrected, raising his saw only for it to be frozen by another sudden ice ball by Tundra. Smoke shattered the saw by smashing his palm into the frozen arm.
"Twice now, eh?" Smoke joked regarding Cyrax losing his arm for a second time now.
Cyrax staggered back, Sektor stepping in front of him. "I have underestimated your level of power," He reassessed. "Record these coordinates, we will return."
The two cyborgs teleported away, leaving what looked like trails of coding as they did so. Tundra and Smoke quickly regrouped with Scorpion to aid him with defeating Quan Chi.
"Needing an alliance to defeat me?" Quan Chi mocked as Smoke and Tundra now stood by the sides of Scorpion.
"We need to defeat Shang Tsung, not you." Scorpion dismissed.
"Then why are you still here?" Quan Chi asked, secretly summoning some energy behind his back amongst the small talk.
"For answers." Tundra answered.
"We know someone has them." Scorpion added.
"You say that like you can trust me." Quan Chi snickered, he went to blast his sorcery at Scorpion only for Baraka to boot him aside, his magic missing the three and instead leaving a major crack in the coliseum wall to their left.
"Out of my way,sorcerer." Baraka ordered after already throwing him aside. He ran at Johnny Cage but ended up running into a second nut punch and performing a familiar jumping uppercut to finish off the leader.
"Such a wretched creature..." Quan Chi muttered, struggling to get to his feet, and this task became much more difficult when Scorpion booted him in the side of his head.
"Shao Kahn, give us the location of Shang Tsung!" Scorpion ordered. "Or else..."
"Are you that arrogant?!" Shao Kahn was shocked, the mighty emperor of Outworld just received an order.
"Three of us and one of you." Scorpion noted.
"I like our chances." Smoke said as he drew one of his daggers.
The emperor laughed. "Fools, do you seriously think I stand alone? TARKATANS!"
The horde of Tarkatans turned to face the emperor, all their heads eyeing at Scorpion, Smoke and Tundra now,and a few drew their arm blades.
During this, a crack of lightning hit close behind Scorpion and co. Raiden had returned and just in time to defuse things.
"Here to save more of your Earthrealmers from their crimes?" Shao Kahn asked rhetorically.
"They haven't intervened the ongoing match," Raiden acknowledged, seeing as Johnny Cage was celebrating. "You cannot harm them."
"If you want them spared,then remove them from my coliseum!" He ordered.
"They are not associated with me." Raiden informed.
"Do you know where Shang Tsung is?" Tundra now asked the question to Raiden.
"He was here previously." Raiden responded truthfully. "Would youhappen tobe the brother of Sub Zero?"
"How did you know?!" Tundra asked with caution of the gods knowledge.
"The way you are dressed, it is to honour your brother, yes?"
Tundra nodded. "You knew my brother?"
"I met him after he retrieved a dangerous artefact for Shang Tsung," Raiden explained. "I hope you aren't seeking further business with that sorcerer."
"We seek vengeance." Tundra clarified.
"Revenge is a fool's game." Raiden said, disappointed in hearing the motive for their mission.
"That's subjective." Tundra disagreed.
"Return to your homes," Raiden advised. "This task isn't worth completing."
"Our home has been turned into a hub for mindless beings." Smoke explained.
"Ah yes, the cyber initiative." Raiden correctly recalled. "Then you need protection, I will offer you this."
"Tundra, please consider this." Smoke pleaded.
"Very well,then." Tundra accepted the offer, shaking Raiden's hand.
"And Scorpion?"
"I don't need protection!" Scorpion declined. "I need revenge."
"Your anger blurs out other paths that benefit you." Raiden said wisely. "Your straight road for vengeance is not held back by my aid; it is in fact steadied."
"Does that mean you will help me kill Shang Tsung?" Scorpion asked, buying into Raiden's offermore.
"No, but I will not prevent you from seeking him out." Raiden explained, which was enough to receive a handshake from the spectre.
"I accept." Scorpion confirmed.
"Then its settled," Raiden turned to face the emperor. "These three are under my protection, Shao Kahn. They will merely spectate by my side for the tournaments remainder."
"Fine," Kahn complied with Raiden's terms, either way those assassins were out of his way now. "The tournament will continue!"