Chapter 464 DUEL! (Yu-Gi-Oh! style)
Supernatural Bloodline Inheritance — Blood of Iori, Blood of Yashiro, Blood of Chris, Blood of Shermie, Blood of Leona, (5/10).
Blood of Kagura. (Extra).
Cheng has already collected half of the blood of the Orochi Hakkesshu himself, and there's also the Blood of Iori, which can theoretically substitute for the blood of the other Hakkesshu.
At this rate, he feels like he could personally craft a mixed-blood Orochi vessel.
After all, no matter how pure Chris is, could he be purer than a freshly cloned body?
But upon seeing the bloodline entries on the panel, Cheng Tian suddenly realized something: in the orthodox King of Fighters '97 storyline, the only remaining Orochi Hakkesshu bloodline owner he could contact was Ryuji Yamazaki.
Mature, Vice, and most importantly, Goenitz, had all been eliminated or destroyed in various forms during the 1996 timeframe.
However, since the Space gave him a corresponding mission, it meant there must be a way to complete it.
Considering Leona inherited the Blood of Orochi through her father, it's highly probable that these three Hakkesshu, who are theoretically no longer alive, also passed down their bloodlines in a similar fashion.
After all, before they were Hakkesshu, their bodies were still within the human realm; they weren't silicon-based lifeforms that sprang from rocks. They would always have blood relatives like parents, relatives, or even children... or perhaps they just followed Geese Howard's route and simply faked their deaths.
If it's the latter, then the variables would be too great.
Almost simultaneously with the host announcing that the Japan Team had defeated the New Faces Team and advanced, Chizuru Kagura also awoke from her coma.
On one hand, the physiques of fighters are generally abnormal; common injuries would heal on their own after a while with just a bit of spit and a wipe. Only severe injuries, like those caused by Orochi's power, would have prolonged effects on a fighter.
On the other hand, Izayoi's attacks, while visually terrifying, inflicted far less actual damage, mostly muscle lacerations that didn't harm internal organs.
Although it would cause her excruciating pain throughout her body with even a slight movement, it was not unbearable.
All the Hakkesshu were defeated, but none were truly lost. At the same time, the government departments in this MUGEN derivative world-view almost exclusively focused on ordinary civilian life. These super-powered fighters were completely outside their control, and they couldn't control them.
Look, Iori killed Mature and Vice, and he did it in front of countless spectators and fighters, yet it still ended up unresolved, didn't it?
Even closer, one could trace it back to Cheng Tian.
From a more rational perspective, directly choosing to kill the Hakkesshu and eliminate them root and branch would be the wisest choice. However, precisely because of Kagura's special position, she couldn't, at least not at this time when public opinion was still very high, make such a decision.
Furthermore, she was also somewhat afraid that rashly killing the Hakkesshu might trigger a breakthrough in Orochi's seal. So, in the end, she could only temporarily imprison the three by using the Yata Mirror to seal their powers, and deal with them after everything was over.
Regarding this, Cheng's assessment was 'hesitant and human nature'.
After all, the Three Sacred Treasures inheritors here aren't like him, who comes with full walkthrough data. They don't know that the most crucial part here is actually Chris; as long as he can be killed before being sacrificed, it can theoretically directly seal off Orochi's potential advent.
But Cheng Tian would not directly reveal this information.
Summoning the goddess projection, the sacred treasure Black Pearl, and diverting human malice, were merely suppression methods, to ensure as much as possible that no unexpected problems arose during his challenge. As for after a successful challenge... Cheng Tian believed he might need a definite goal to test the breakthrough of his mental extreme.
The big screen had already switched back to the main arena stage. After the lukewarm battle between the Japan Team and the New Faces Team, the audience members all seemed somewhat unsatisfied, and even the teams for the originally scheduled third match displayed a considerable degree of impatience.
And so, after a somewhat lengthy lunch break, the fourth main match arrived as scheduled.
Cheng Tian, who had already returned the Yata Mirror to Chizuru Kagura, also took the girl back to his team's rest area.
In a way, the team for this match was the one he was most interested in among all the teams participating this year.
"Let's welcome the Resilient! Invincible! Strongest!!!! Team, and the Demon Team to the stage!"
"Due to special reasons, the Resilient! Invincible! Strongest! Team consists of only one member, Seto Kaiba, so he will participate in this match by challenging everyone on the opposing team in a one-on-one format!"
As one of the top figures in the two-dimensional world, a special existence who rose from an initially unpopular supporting character to almost a male lead with screen time comparable to the protagonist, Seto Kaiba strode onto the stage with an air of confidence.
In KaibaCorp's exclusive viewing room, his younger brother, Mokuba Kaiba, whose thick hair was enviable, was watching his older brother.
Seto Kaiba had no teammates, nor did he need any. He already had his most reliable companion by his side at all times.
As for the three members of the Demon Team... from the audience's perspective, the relationship between these three was quite subtle, as if complete strangers who had never met before were forcibly thrown together.
The only female member of the team, 'Tiki,' who had both angel and demon wings behind her, tried hard to be the team's lubricant, a bridge for communication among the team members.
However, one hid himself in a black robe and rarely initiated conversation, while the other was almost a pseudo-human, barely speaking human language. This greatly troubled Tiki, who was only three years old but possessed the body and mind of an adult.
"Demon Team, please send out your vanguard."
As the host's words fell, among the Demon Team, Devil Jin Kazama, whose body and personality were affected by the devil bloodline within him, roared towards the sky.
Seeing this situation, Dimitri, clad in a black robe, and three-year-old Tiki very 'sensibly' retreated from the arena.
"Hmph~ Just a mere mortal demon. The goddess of victory will always smile upon me."
He slightly raised his left hand, and a standard Duel Disk successfully unfolded.
In his original world, it was an essential tool for the Yu-Gi-Oh! card game, but here, it was the crucial item Seto Kaiba used to summon his companions and servants.
Responding to Seto Kaiba was only Devil Jin Kazama's cruel gaze, which still retained some rationality amidst his frenzy.
Perhaps because Kaiba Corporation was also one of the sponsors, the exceptionally dedicated host also changed his lines accordingly.
"Seto Kaiba! Versus! Devil Jin Kazama!"
"DUEL! Start!"