NT: Chapter 97

As an opening, Nikaido launched a Chi-Powered Knee Strike at me that I backed away from. He didn't stop there, though, hopping onto one foot to lash out at me in a jumping back spin kick, which I also dodged away from. The third part of his combination, though, a back flip kick trailing a bolt of lightning upward into the sky slammed into my guard. The electricity splashed harmlessly against my Fourth Circle Protection From Electricity Spell, but the kick itself broke through my guard long enough for Nikaido to slam another electrified punch into my Solar Plexus, aiming to knock me out.

Instead, I was sent skidding backward, managing to keep my feet and straightening up just in time to avoid a jumping axe kick, dodging to the side as the blow came down, smashing through yet more tiles. Nikaido tried to spin and slam another Chi-powered knee strike into my stomach, or at least force me to make space, but I slammed my foot down, rippling Chi through my body and enacting the Kongoushin of the Ansatsuken Style, smashing yet more tiles in the process. It worked, though, as the Knee strike slammed into me with no effect, allowing me to counter with the Chained Fists of the Great Kung Lao, striking Nikaido in the mouth and stomach before rapidly hammering a series of short punches into his solar plexus that slammed him backward.

Now it was my turn to go on the offensive, launching myself at Nikaido with a single, powerful, Chi-enhanced, Arrow Punch that slammed into him as he skipped back to his feet, smashing him back a few feet. Nikaido skidded to a stop after only staggering back a couple feet or so before straightening.

"What the Hell was that?" Questioned Nikaido.

"I was trying to mimic a Fighter called Paul Pheonix there. I didn't quite get the same kind of distance he does when he tries that, though." I mused.

"I don't care who the Hell you were trying to mimic! How are you managing to stay on your feet? My lightning should've had you on your knees by now!" Scowled Nikaido.

"That? That's nothing." I taunted.

"Nothing?" Queried Nikaido.

"Well, maybe I might have felt a bit of a tickle." I hedged, trying to bait him.

"A tickle?" Asked Nikaido.

"Maybe a tickle. It's hard to tell." I shrugged, pressing my verbal attack.

"I'll show you a tickle!" Spat Nikaido.

"Will you now? It was so difficult trying to decide if I felt that last one." I continued to taunt.

"In mere moments, all you'll be feeling is pain!" Snarled Nikaido, as he began to gather energy.

"That or disappointment. You ready to roll the dice on that? I'm curious to see what you'll try." I grinned.

Nikaido didn't respond verbally, instead launching a bolt of gathered Chi into the sky. Suddenly, a localized dark cloud formed, as the ionized trail from the Chi Bolt caused a small, localized bolt of lightning to crash down onto his outstretched fist, which he used with his Electrokinesis to supercharge his fists as he began to gather the Chi to hit me with one of those electric punches from earlier. Then he charged toward me. I had to admit, that was a bold move. It might even be enough to collapse my Fourth Circle Protection From Electricity Spell if it hit. It wouldn't be enough to do more than that, though, so I could always reapply the spell if I had to afterward.

With that in mind, I prepared a counterattack. Gathering Chi of my own into my arm and condensing it down with the Geki Hou, the result was that my right arm bulked out with super dense Chi. It was a good thing I was wearing a tank top and had left my Jacket in the fighter's ready area because otherwise it likely wouldn't have survived. That wasn't the only thing I did, however, as I began to gather the Chi for a Dai Shou Ha. By the time, I was ready, so was Nikaido.

"I'm gonna wipe that smug look off your face! Take this! Raikouken!" Roared Nikaido as he shot forward faster than the eye could see for any Non-Chi Adepts.

"We'll see! Dai Shou Ha!" I shouted, answering his challenge with one of my own.

As the lance of dense, heavy Chi left my enlarged palm, Nikaido was only a few steps away from hitting me with that supercharged electric punch. My lance of Chi slammed into him like a truck, burning off his designer vest and jeans and leaving him shirtless in ratty, tattered, short pants. His chest, stomach, arms, and legs were burned badly by an attack that could burn through the armor of a Modern Infantry Fighting Vehicle to get at the crew inside. He still managed to hit me with his attack, though, slamming a fist into my face with enough force to break my nose and bruise my orbital bone. The electricity also managed to eat through my remaining protection.

Both of us fell to the ground after that, the simultaneous blows managing to blast each other off our feet. I was able to get back up fairly easily, but Nikaido wasn't. His body was a mass of third-degree burns and I realized I may have put a bit too much into that attack. As soon as the Referee began to count, I felt a telepathic knock on my mental defenses. It was Athena, and she wanted a word.

'I thought we said we wouldn't hit these guys hard enough they had to go to the hospital!' Demanded Athena Telepathically.

'I said we would try. Look, I need you to grab my coat, there's healing potions in the pockets. As soon as Nikaido is carted off the stage, I need you to bring them to him.' I responded, mentally.

'In your coat pocket? How many could there possibly be in there? It's a coat pocket!' Scoffed Athena in my mind.

'Magic, Athena. My coat pockets are bigger on the inside. Look just reach in there and think about a healing potion and you'll pull one out.' I sent back.

'Fine, but Kensou's the one who's going to hand it off to the guy. I don't want Nikaido to get any ideas.' Insisted Athena before breaking the Telepathic Link.

She went to do that just as the Official Counted to Ten and declared me the winner. No sooner had he done that, than two of Doc Minazuki's stretcher bearers made their way out to the ring to try and bear Nikaido back to the infirmary. Fortunately, Kensou was there with the promised Potion, though he had to force Nikaido to drink it by pinching his nose shut. Around a third of Nikaido's burns, the most serious ones vanished in the blink of an eye, and with two more potions, Nikaido was healed, though out of Chi. That was nothing a Chi replenisher couldn't fix.

As soon as he was back up, Kusanagi Kyo climbed into the Arena, the Attendants having managed to replace the comparatively few broken tiles from this bout. My match with Goro had been a lot harder on the Arena, but even so, they were still replacing a lot of tiles. I must have voiced that out loud because Kyo had an answer ready for me on that.

"Kagura Enterprises has a partnership with Tokugawa Construction on a few projects out in the rest of the country. Rebuilding Memorial Hospital in Osaka and on the DOATEC Building in Chiyoda Ward. They've probably footed most of the bill for Arena Tiles." Answered Kyo.

"Sounds about right. Corporations do tend to all be in bed with each other. Not sure why I expected Kagura Enterprises to just partner with the Mishima Zaibatsu on stuff." I shrugged.

"Look. . ." Began Kyo.

"Oh, so we're doing that part of the conversation now?" I questioned.

"I appreciate you helping fix up Goro and Benimaru like that, and I get that you want to be Champ, but I've got more at stake here. Yuki's been taken by the New Faces Team, and I can't let anything bad happen to her." Pressed Kyo.

"Yuki?" I queried.

"My Girlfriend." Nodded Kyo.

"So they kidnapped someone to use as a sacrifice in case of a Plan B." I mused.

"Wait, you know what's going on?" Asked Kyo.

"I do. I've been charged to stop it by Lord Raiden, among others." I answered.

"Then you have to know that I can help!" Insisted Kyo.

"I do, why do you think I've helped fix up your teammates? Do you have any clue as to what's about to go down today? Chris is already talking to the Yamata-No-Orochi in his head." I intoned.

"That's. . .bad." Frowned Kyo.

"It is. If you forfeit, though, you'll get to stick around for the rest of the tournament and can help when the shit hits the fan later today. We also won't have to go through all the rigamarole here." I tried.

"Wait, is something going to happen? Lord Raiden sent you a vision?" Questioned Kyo.

"Not me. Chizuru. We've been working together with Nightwolf, a Shaman of the Matoka Tribe and the Chosen of the Goddess Athena to try and stop this from happening." I responded.

"And how are you planning to do that?" Queried Kyo.

"By stopping Shermie and the Bruiser, Nanakase, from killing themselves to empower the Yamata-No-Orochi as it possesses Chris. Without their energy, it shouldn't be too powerful to overcome." I informed.

"What about Yuki?" Asked Kyo.

"You can't look for her, you're needed here to reseal the Yamata-No-Orochi. Nikaido and Goro, though, they absolutely can. I'll send my Teammate Kensou with them too. Together, they should be able to rescue your Girlfriend while we stop the Yamata-No-Orochi here." I explained.

"And what if I want to fight you anyway? I mean, you're pretty strong, and I do owe you for beating down Goro and Benimaru, even if you did fix them up again afterward." Demanded Kyo.

"If you do, and the plan gets screwed up, then we aren't going to be enough to stop the Yamata-No-Orochi and eleven million people die when the US Navy has to drop a nuke on Tokyo to stop the rampage." I intoned.

"Damn, well when you put it like that, I guess I don't really have a choice. I'm gonna have to forfeit, but you owe me an exhibition match later!" Grumbled Kyo.

"Noted." I nodded.

And with that, our team officially made it through to the next round. As Kyo walked off, presumably to send Nikaido and Goro off to deal with whatever lead they had on wherever Team New Faces was keeping Kyo's Girlfriend, and I sent Kensou to go with them. He cocked an eyebrow as if to ask if I was sure, I nodded back. I didn't expect this to last much longer, anyway. Especially as Chizuru seemed to have bribed Yagami Iori into also forfeiting in preparation for what was to come somehow. I didn't want to know what she bribed him with, because Yagami seemed sketchy, to say the least.

That left the match between Nightwolf's Team and Yabuki Shingo. Shingo stepped into the Ring and to my surprise, he was the Kid in the Denim with the Notepad. As he grinned, cracking jokes, I decided to get one more cigarette in before the inevitable happened and we were forced to deal with the Yamata-No-Orochi. I already knew that Nightwolf's Team would forfeit after this match, leaving us in the Finals against Team New Faces. I reached into my Coat Pocket and pulled out my lighter and packet of Red Apple Cigarettes, lighting up and taking a drag.

Surprisingly, the Yabuki Kid seemed to be winning his bout with the Girl, Michelle Chang, I think her name was. Michelle kept trying to rush in with Chi-Powered Combos only for Yabuki to manage to either dodge by the skin of his teeth, or in a few cases, grab Michelle, pull her in, and either toss her away with a shoulder throw or elbow her in the face, smashing her back. What really surprised me, however, was when he busted out a bootlegged version of the Senshippou of Master Tung Fu Rue. True, he was using a leaping motion instead of a gliding one, but he managed to knock Michelle out with a lucky hit to the throat that sent her sputtering to the ground, choking. She didn't manage to get back up again until just after the Official had counted to ten.

"Yosh! I win!" Cheered Yabuki.

"Not yet." Huffed the Large Native, T. Hawk, as he strode forward onto the stage.

"Just stay cool, Shingo." Muttered Yabuki to himself. I only heard it because my Goa'uld DNA gave me enhanced senses. It seemed T. Hawk heard it too, however, because he frowned at that.

"You will never defeat me with such flimsy willpower. It is only by fighting with Conviction that Victory can be attained!" Intoned T. Hawk.

"Fine! Try this on for size! Shingo Kick!" Shouted Yabuki.

As Yabuki shouted that, he leaped into the air in a Chi-Powered Flying Kick. It didn't wind up working out for him nearly as well as he'd hoped as T. Hawk made like his namesake and practically flew up into the air, smashing into Yabuki with a literal flying shoulder tackle. Yabuki hit the tiles, hard, cracking them. Then T.Hawk flipped around in mid-air and dove toward Yabuki just as Yabuki kipped up to his feet. He practically tackled Yabuki back into the tiles, cratering the floor of the arena as he did so. Picking Yabuki back up, T. Hawk suplexed the Kid back into the tiles behind them both, cratering them again, before standing up and folding his arms in front of him.

"Where is your conviction?" Demanded T. Hawk.

"Ugh, I can still fight!" Insisted Yabuki, struggling to his feet.

"Good. Now, we clash once again!" Roared T. Hawk.

"Fine by me! Burn Shingo!" Exclaimed Yabuki.

The pair of them had gathered Chi for a pair of attacks. In Yabuki's Case, it seemed to be some sort of rushing combination of Chi-Powered punches. In T. Hawk's case, it was another aerial move, leaping up into the air, flattening himself out horizontally, and Spinning Around like a drill to slam into Yabuki with the added power of rotational force alongside his Chi-powered leap. Yabuki clearly hadn't been expecting something like that, because his first two punches flashed by underneath T. Hawk just before he was blasted in the face by T. Hawk's odd, screw-shaped, Maneuver. Yabuki was slammed backward, body digging furrows into the tiles as he skidded along the arena floor, before coming to rest in a heap.

"Come on! One more time!" Called out T. Hawk.

Yabuki struggled back to his feet, only this time, he couldn't stay on them. Collapsing down to the Arena Floor. As the official counted to ten, T. Hawk was declared the Winner by Knockout. Yabuki was carted off the field by Doc Minazuki's Stretcher Bearers as more attendants came to replace the Arena tiles. T. Hawk hadn't been particularly gentle with the tiles, though that had been by design, likely giving Nightwolf and I a chance to talk.

"I will go forfeit, make certain you are prepared. I sense the moment of Fate is coming up next." Intoned Nightwolf.

"I'm as prepped as I'm going to be. What about you?" I nodded.

"I have prepared something special with the Spirits of my Tribe, just in case." Intoned Nightwolf.

"We already sent Kensou out to handle their backup plan." Informed Athena.

"What backup plan?" Questioned Chizuru from behind us.

I looked over and she was walking over alongside Yagami, who slouched casually along with her, his hands in his Jacket Pockets, and Kusanagi, who seemed none too pleased to be on a team with Yagami, even if temporarily.

"Oh? Did Kusanagi not tell you about his little Girlfriend?" Queried Yagami, sneering.

"You shut your damn mouth, Yagami!" Snarled Kyo.

"Please, we're supposed to be on the same side." Pleaded Athena.

"Yeah, for now at least." Sighed Chizuru.

"You hear that Yagamii? When this is over, it'll be back to business as usual!" Scowled Kyo.

"And I can't wait! I'll carve you to ribbons." Taunted Yagami.

"Enough, both of you! This is a serious matter!" I intoned, sharply.

"Indeed. One in which the only acceptable outcome is victory." Agreed Nightwolf.

"Yeah, I don't think anyone wants the alternative to happen." Insisted Chizuru.

"Right?" Asked Athena, backing Chizuru up.

I tuned out Yagami and Kusanagi grudgingly agreeing to put aside their differences for the sake of the upcoming ordeal in favor of taking one last drag of my cigarette and looking across the Arena to where Chris and his team were standing. The cheeky brat had the gall to smile and wave over at me as soon as my eyes fell on him. I frowned, breathing out a cloud of smoke and stubbing out my cigarette as Chris cheerfully made a finger gun and shot a fake bullet my way, all with a grin on his face. I stubbed and flicked my cigarette butt down into the floor, stamping on it with my foot.

Twenty minutes later, the Arena Tiles had been replaced. Nightwolf was already moving to the officials to announce he forfeited. The time would soon come for the showdown as the Finals of the King of Fighters Tournament were sure to see Chris taken over by the Yamata-No-Orochi. The only question was, could we prevent a full-powered possession from taking hold of him or not? Five minutes after that, the Officials announced the time for the Finals to begin, and I stepped into the Arena, I wasn't sure.

Surprisingly, it was Chris who stepped up for his own side. He nodded at me with all the cheerfulness of a playful kid. It was all just a veneer, however. Deep down, his connection to the Yamata-No-Orochi made him as psychotic and sadistic as they came. Anyone mistaking him for an ordinary kid was going to be badly disappointed and then probably killed in short order to boot.

"I hope you're ready. I've been looking forward to this day for a long time." Grinned Chris.

"I'll bet you have, you tiny Serial Killer in Training." I frowned.

"I appreciate the attempt at flattery, but I think I've graduated from training. Allow me to demonstrate! Shermie! Yashiro! Are you ready?" Called out Chris.

"About damn time!" Grumbled Nanakase.

"Hmph." Gunted Shermie.

Both pulled knives out of some hidden spot on their bodies as they stepped forward. Chris raised his hand into the air as if preparing to give a signal. Time slowed down for me as I tried to use my powers of analysis to figure out the best way through this situation. I realized that using Megakinesis might be enough to keep Shermie and Nanakase from using those knives on themselves while someone else knocked them out. I felt a mental knock on my defenses from Athena, who had already telepathically hooked everyone else into a telepathic conference call save for Yagami, who refused to be in a telepathic call with Kusanagi. I relayed the plan.

Then time sped up again as Chris snapped his fingers and I reached out with my Megakinesis as the arena went nuts. . .

XXXX

AN: All right, so here's the next chapter. Victory against Team Japan and a number of strategic forfeits have bulked up the number of fighters willing to help out in the endgame. That's a good thing, too, because due to Chris and Company kidnapping Kyo's Girlfriend Yuki to act as a sacrifice in a Plan B, they've had to split into two separate teams to ensure that doesn't happen. Meanwhile, Chris is about to unleash the Yamata-No-Orochi with Nanakase and Shermie preparing to sacrifice themselves to help power up the possession.

Other nineties stuff in this chapter includes mentions of Tokugawa Construction from Policenauts, the Goa'uld from Stargate, Red Apple Cigarettes from the works of Quentin Tarantino, T. Hawk and the Ansatsuken from Street Fighter, the Great Kung Lao and Nightwolf from Mortal Kombat, Michelle Chang, Paul Pheonix, and the Mishima Zaibatsu from Tekken, the Memorial Hospital of Osaka is from Clock Tower Two, DOATEC is from Dead or Alive, and Fourth Circle Spells and Megakinesis are from Second Edition Dungeons and Dragons. Everything else is from King of Fighters.

At any rate, the next chapter is going to be the start of the big clash with the Yamata-No-Orochi.

Stay tuned. . .