🔥🔥 You can find chapters ahead here
Support link: pat_reon.com/Redon1
Also other exciting fanfic available 🔥🔥
----------------------------------------------------------
King seemed to understand.
"So that scene earlier... you did it on purpose to provoke the two of them?"
Emiya nodded.
"Yeah. On one hand, it was to make Andy realize he's being loved and shouldn't take it for granted."
"On the other, it was to provoke Mai again. To make her look at her relationship with Andy more rationally."
"Whether she continues or gives up, at least she can avoid that worst future."
King smiled.
"You've really put a lot of thought into Mai."
Emiya gave a wry smile.
"It's not so much thought as it is making amends."
"I caused this situation in the first place."
"And even now, I'm not sure that future won't still happen."
King patted him on the shoulder.
"It won't. With you doing this much for her, Mai will definitely move forward."
Emiya let out a slow breath.
"I hope so."
After that brief interlude, the backstage returned to its usual calm.
At the same time, the opening ceremony was nearing its end.
A host entered the backstage area and told everyone to prepare to go on stage.
The teams stood up together, left the backstage, and walked through the corridor into the open-air arena.
The host was already on stage, hyping up the crowd.
"Now, let us welcome the world's top fighters!"
"Thank them for the incredible matches they are about to bring us!"
"The first team to appear-the Kusanagi Team!"
"Led by Kyo Kusanagi, Benimaru Nikaido, and Goro Daimon!"
"Next is the Yagami Team, commanded by Iori Yagami, Mature, and Vice!"
"Following them, the Fatal Fury Team!"
"Composed of Terry Bogard, Andy Bogard, and Joe Higashi!"
"Next, the masters of Kyokugenryu Karate!"
"The Art of Fighting Team, with Ryo Sakazaki, Yuri Sakazaki, and Robert Garcia!"
"After that, the Psycho Soldier Team!"
"Featuring martial arts legend Chin Gentsai, his disciple Sie Kensou, and our most charming Miss Athena Asamiya!"
"Next up, the Women Fighters Team!"
"King, Mai Shiranui, and Kasumi Todoh!"
"And following them, another all-female team that passed the preliminaries undefeated!"
"The Nen Team-Shizuka Hiratsuka, Robin, and Bikumo Kushinada!"
"Next is another undefeated team from the preliminaries!"
"The Hephaestus Team-Miss Tsubaki, Giyu Tomioka, and Gyomei Himejima!"
"The third-to-last team is the Loki Team!"
"Finn, Riveria, and Ais!"
"Let's see what kind of matches this team, named after the Norse trickster god, will bring us!"
In the front-row seats, Loki narrowed his eyes and stared at the host.
A trace of malice flickered.
He dared call me the Norse trickster god.
Fine. I'll deal with him after the tournament.
"The final two teams!"
"The Ryozanpaku Team-Hayato Fūrinji, Ma Kensuke, and Apachai!"
"And finally, the Heroic Spirit Team!"
"Emiya, Heracles, and Cú Chulainn!"
"The two members of this team bear the names of legendary demigods!"
"Let's see if they live up to those names!"
When Cú Chulainn stepped out of the corridor and into the arena, he heard the announcement and clicked his tongue.
"To be taken for a fake... that's a new experience."
Emiya replied calmly, "It's 1996. Thousands of years have passed since your era."
"No one would believe Cú Chulainn is still alive."
"Let alone believe we're from another world."
Cú Chulainn laughed.
"That's true, Master."
"But none of that matters."
"What matters is who my first opponent is."
"I hope they don't disappoint me."
Emiya casually surveyed the arena.
"Maybe it'll be one of our own."
"Hey, hey, that kills the mood," Cú Chulainn complained.
It wasn't that he looked down on them.
He'd already fought them.
He wanted new opponents.
Emiya smiled and ignored him, his gaze sweeping across the venue.
The massive arena could hold nearly a hundred thousand people.
Even though this was just the opening ceremony, the seats were almost completely filled.
Cheers surged like waves, endless and deafening.
At the center stood a huge ring.
Above it, four massive screens hung in the air, facing all directions.
Every movement in the ring would be broadcast clearly.
Not a single moment would be missed.
Emiya also noticed rows of cameras and reporters.
The matches would be broadcast live nationwide.
This KOF tournament was clearly a major event.
Once all teams finished their entrances, the host moved on swiftly.
A machine would randomly determine the matchups.
There were eleven teams in total.
That meant one team would receive a bye in the first round.
Who that lucky team would be, no one knew.
The host continued stirring the crowd.
The screen behind him displayed the names of all eleven teams.
They shuffled.
Rearranged.
Then stopped.
The matchups were revealed.
Kusanagi Team vs. Heroic Spirit Team.
Yagami Team vs. Ryozanpaku Team.
Loki Team vs. Art of Fighting Team.
Hephaestus Team vs. Women Fighters Team.
Psycho Soldier Team vs. Nen Team.
And the team that received the bye-
The Fatal Fury Team.
Many people were surprised.
Emiya was surprised too.
Not only was his team fighting first, but their opponent was the protagonist's team.
Kyo Kusanagi.
Still, he wasn't worried.
Heracles didn't care.
Only Cú Chulainn was visibly excited.
As someone familiar with KOF, he was thrilled at the chance to fight Kyo.
Once the schedule was announced, the opening ceremony officially ended.
After explaining the tournament rules, the host announced that the first match would begin tomorrow at 9:00 a.m.
He urged everyone not to miss it.
Athena Asamiya then took the stage and sang the closing song.
The ceremony concluded.
Emiya received a notification.
He was free for the rest of the day.
But if he was late tomorrow morning-
Disqualification.
The day passed quickly.
That night, Emiya's group stayed at the Shiranui Dojo.
They ate, talked, and discussed the matches ahead.
Meanwhile, at a certain hotel-
Boom!
With a violent explosion, a hotel room wall collapsed outward.
A figure was blasted into the corridor.
Guests rushed out in shock.
There, in the wreckage, stood KOF competitor Kyo Kusanagi, disheveled.
A few seconds later, a red-haired man stepped through the hole.
Another KOF competitor.
Iori Yagami.
"Fight me, Kyo Kusanagi."
Purple flames burned in his hands.
His crimson hair fluttered without wind.
His murderous gaze locked onto Kyo.
Kyo frowned.
He didn't want to fight Iori here.
"If you want to fight, wait for the KOF tournament."
Iori refused immediately.
"That won't happen."
"You won't make it past tomorrow."
"So I had to come tonight."
Kyo's anger flared.
"You think I'll lose to that unknown Heroic Spirit Team?"
"Yes," Iori replied without hesitation.
After being warned by Mature and Vice, he fully understood how terrifying that team was.
Especially Heracles.
A demigod monster.
Absolutely dangerous.
That was why Iori had come.
If Kyo was eliminated tomorrow, this chance would be gone.
"Iori Yagami!" Kyo roared.
"You underestimate me!"
Iori remained unmoved.
The purple flames intensified.
"Kyo!"
Benimaru Nikaido and Goro Daimon rushed over and stood beside him.
"Iori, what are you trying to do?" Benimaru asked coldly.
He ran a hand through his hair.
The blond spikes shot straight up.
Goro Daimon raised his arms into a fighting stance.
Iori smiled savagely.
"Do you want to stop me too?"
"If so, I'll deal with you first."
"Then I'll fight Kyo."
"Benimaru. Goro."
Kyo raised a hand.
"Step back."
"I'll handle this."
If Iori wanted a fight-
Then he'd give him one.
__________________________
🍊 Boost This Fanfic! 🍊
Every 350 Power Stones gets 2 bonus chapters! 🚀
Want faster updates? Show your support by dropping Power Stones, leaving reviews, and sharing your thoughts in the comments! Your engagement keeps the story going strong!