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THE EVOLUTION
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1994. The modern age is now in it's total fulfillment. The world has
suffered various changes, and technology has advanced as well. However, in the
fighting world, a more dramatic outbreak was to take place...
This year, the man known as Rugal Bernstein began to make waves in the
world. His reputation as a black market leader and expert in weapon and drug
trafficing were unsurpassed, and known by many as one of the more wealthy men in
the world. Aboard the Blacknoah, his private air carrier, from where he receives
and delivers his stocks, Rugal cruised the seas of the world, without being able
to be stopped by the world governments. And not only was Rugal feared and
respected in the crime world. He was also known to be quite a formidable
fighter, and it is known that anybody who has faced him aboard the Blacknoah,
has not escaped alive.
Rugal, bored by the lack of competition, had an ominous idea. He ordered
one of his personal secretaries, Mature, to go around the world, and give eight
invitations to certain people around the world. These invitations were enclosed
in white envelopes, with red seals marked the "Rugal" sign. He was to retake the
old King of Fighters tournament, and take it in his own hands. However, he was
going to create some new rules this year. Instead of one-on-one fights, the new
competition system was to include battles between teams of three people. Fights
will take place between these teams, in a tag-team fashion. If one of the
members were to be defeated by one of the other team's members, the next member
will come in to fight the winner, and will go on until all three members of one
team would be defeated. However, before the tournament was to be commenced, a
man stood before Rugal...ready to fight him to the end and finish his stupid
ambition. Of course, Rugal was not the one to be intimidated...
Days later, the new King of Fighters tournament began. Eight teams had
entered, representing eight different countries. Japan, with the newest breed of
Asian heroes. Italy, having no other than the legendary Lonely Wolves. Mexico,
showing the power of Kyokugenryo Karate. Brazil, represented by Ikari
mercenaries. China, combining both old and new generations. Korea, sporting some
weird combination of justice and crime. England, the only all-female team. USA,
and the three most important country sports. Thus, the battles began. Emotive
encounters took place, and the passion and fury of battle once again raged on,
with more emotion than ever before. So many different fighters, so many
different styles. It was a delight to see so many fighting skills facing one
another, in a battle not presenting hatred, just the satisfaction and honor of
winning. The battles were long and winded, and the winners were only defined by
short instances.
At the end, it was not the Lonely Wolves, but the Japan Team which came
out the winner. This team had two young fighters and one experienced warrior.
One of the young ones was Kyo Kusanagi, latest descendant of the Kusanag clan,
reknown for their crimson flames. The other was Benimaru Nikaido, a brash and
arrogant fighter, expert in shooting karate (a variation of Muetai kickboxing),
and also having the power of lightning. The experienced one was Goro Daimon, the
large Judo champion, who's impressive strength made the earth itself tremble.
All three were defined by a national martial arts championship which took place
in Japan: Kyo came out on top, beating Benimaru in the finals; Daimon was third,
after being beaten by Kyo in the semifinals.
Mature, Rugal's personal secretary, invited the Japan Team atop a
helicopter, which was to transfer them to the Blacknoah: their final battle was
about to begin. Rugal saluted the team as they came in the Blacknoah, aside his
pet panther and a glass of wine. He laughed and honestly thought they wouldn't
come this far. Shocked at this statement, the three fighters were paralyzed at
the sight around them: groups and groups of statues of fighters extended
everywhere. With another evil laughter, Rugal admits that all those fighters
were alive once, and that he had defeated them all, and bathed their bodies in
steel so that they would be inmortalized. And the Japan Team was the next in the
eerie collection...
Rugal fought the three fighters. Benimaru and Daimon fought well, but they
only managed to make Rugal a lot more angrier, obligating him to use his best
techniques. He confesses that he never had to reach to such instances, but the
circumstances so applied for it. Using his full power, Rugal even took the best
techniques of Geese and Krauser, past hosts of the tournament! After defeating
Benimaru and Daimon, Kyo was the last one standing. Although Kyo fought with all
his might, Rugal turned out to be a ruthless fighter, and began to make Kyo feel
the heat of the battle. Almost on his knees, Kyo, with sore eyes, saw a body
lying in a corner of the room. With disbelief, he saw that it was no other than
his own father, Saisyu Kusanagi. He had turned out to face Rugal prior to the
tournament, but had been defeated...perhaps even killed. Kyo couldn't take it
anymore. He bursted in rage, and in sheer fury, attacked Rugal like a crimson
tornado. Unable to avoid the rage of the Kusanagi, Rugal fell in defeat. With
his voice paused by the pain, Rugal silently condemns the Japan Team to a swift
death...crazy of revenge, and a poor loser, Rugal took a strange device, and
pressed the button. The Blacknoah was now to autodestroy itself! Kyo, Benimaru,
and Daimon barely made it out alive, as the Blacknoah, engulfed in flames, sank
to the bottom of the ocean. Thus, the King of Fighters tournament ended yet
again, and as the same as the past two years, nobody was seen to be able to take
hand of the tournament.
A year passes. It's 1995. All the fighters of the past tournament remember
the competition with fond memories, but now know that now that Rugal is dead,
the tournament would die with him. That was, until seven of the eight teams
began to receive invitations once again...
This time, the envelopes were signed by some "R" fellow. Who was he, and
what was that he wanted? Nobody knew, and many didn't even care, as the fighting
will take place yet again...in 1995! All the teams gathered again, except
one...the USA team was nowhere to be seen. This year, the teams were no longer
affiliated to no country, but it was strange not to see or hear from them.
However, one team did show up in their place...and, for some of the fighters, it
wasn't a very grateful team at all. The team was formed by: Billy Kane, ex-
champion of the tournament, and with a grundge against the Lonely Wolves. Eiji
Kisaragi, a ruthless ninja with unfinished business with the Sakazaki family.
And, the captain of the team, a lonely, but yet, incredibly strong fighter, whom
used similiar techniques to Kyo, but with the difference that he wielded purple
flames! The mysterious young man was known no other as Iori Yagami, a descendant
of the Yagami family, eternal rivals of the Kusanagi family. Now, the tournament
would be filled of personal interests, giving way to more passionate fights than
last year!
With this frame of hatred, emotion, and excitement, the battle began once
again. Warriors once again took one another, now with one year of experience,
and some new techniques, making the battles more intriguing and exciting. This
time, the results of the battle were decided in some times in the last fighter
of each team, and the winner was nowhere to be defined. Not even the current
champion, the Japan/Hero Team had an easy path. Revitalized warriors, combined
with the new blood, made this tournament much more emotive and skillful than the
last one.
As the Hero Team was about to enter one of the last battles, they
concentrated in the locker room. However, all of a sudden, a green smoke began
to surround them. The trio noticed that they were losing their senses, and
suddenly, all became black. Sleeping gas...
Kyo woke up in a dark place. He could barely see his fainted companions
next to him. He was received with a certain familiar laugh. It was no other than
Rugal! Kyo, Benimaru, and Daimon were skeptical, but it was indeed him! He had
something new about him...besides his cybernetic arm, he had a lot more power
than before! How could this be? It seems that Rugal is also in terrible need of
revenge! Rugal beckoned for the Hero Team, but he had a new partner up his
sleeve...His other secretary, Vice, let way to a familiar man. Benimaru and
Daimon were surprised, but Kyo was speechless...It was Saisyu Kusanagi, his own
father! Kyo was filled with joy and happiness, but was stopped cold when his
father challenged him to a fight. His eyes indicated that he was not himself.
Rugal had brainwashed him, and ordered him to kill his own son! Kyo was so
confused in fighting his own father...but Benimaru and Daimon fought the battle
for him. Saisyu was a formidable opponent, being the father and master of Kyo,
but he couldn't fight at his whole potential, due to his resistance to the
brainwash. He was finally defeated, but both Benimaru and Daimon were exhausted
and couldn't fight anymore. Saisyu regained his senses, and summoned Kyo. He bid
his son to defeat Rugal, and avenge him. Then, Saisyu loses consciousness. Kyo
slowly gets up, and faces Rugal once again. However, facing Kyo's rage, was
Rugal's hatred! He suddenly began to emit a previously undetected aura, and his
power began to rise to unexpected heights! His appearance took a different form,
now with a demon look! It was the fury of Omega Rugal!
The last battle began in the missile platform of Rugal's hidden
underground base. Even though Kyo fought with the same entusiasm as last year,
the new power acquired by Rugal was far too much for Kyo to handle. His power
and speed had now been doubled, and along with his feelings of hatred and
revenge, things began to become bleak for Kyo. However, at the same time, he was
aided by his friends, Terry, Ryo, Athena, between others. They all gave him
strength to go on. Kyo got up once and once again. However, the tide had began
to turn in Kyo's favor. And to boot, Rugal was beginning to lose control of his
own body. Kyo forced Rugal to go all out, but that was his own downfall: the
power in his body began to go out of control, and his body began to twitch and
begin exploding. During his suffering, a deep voice could be heard in a far
place: "You fool! Only those of the bloodline can control such power! You didn't
have a chance!" Rugal vowed vengeance, and a pillar of light consumed Rugal,
blinding Kyo. When he turned around, both Rugal and Iori had vanished. Taking
Benimaru and Daimon with him, Kyo escapes from the base. Now, even though Rugal
was gone for sure, nobody could tell if the tournament was dead or not.
And nobody could tell what horror lied behind the power Rugal had...
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