He didn't hesitate any longer. Cloud immediately merged his spiritual power with the system's Plunder ability, weaving them into an invisible net that descended ruthlessly upon Iori Yagami's completely defenseless consciousness.
[Plunder assessment in progress... Target's mental defenses critically low... Plunder success rate: 99.99%!]
[Plunder... Successful!]
[Congratulations, Host! You have obtained:]
Special Bloodline: Blood of the Yasakani—Azure Flame
Skill Book: Yagami-Style Ancient Martial Arts (Complete)
Special Item: Yasakani Magatama (Fragment) x1
In that instant, a frigid surge of purple flame energy—brimming with violence and destruction—flooded into Cloud's mind, accompanied by countless exquisite techniques and profound insights from the Yagami-Style martial arts. The torrent crashed through his consciousness like a tsunami.
Meanwhile, Iori collapsed as though his spine had been ripped out. His entire body shuddered, and that rampaging aura miraculously... calmed.
He slowly raised his head. Those blood-red eyes regained a sliver of clarity.
And then—
BOOM!!!
An aura even more condensed, more terrifying, and more saturated with pure killing intent than anything before erupted from within him!
That power had broken through and rebuilt itself—transcending his previous limits!
He had reached... an astonishing Absolute Domain 52%!
"Ling... Yun..."
He rose slowly from the ground, those crimson eyes locked onto Cloud with an expression of infinite complexity.
There was rage. There was defiance. But above all else, there was the cold battle-hunger of a man who had finally found his destined rival.
Iori Yagami had conquered his inner demons.
And discovered the eternal nemesis fate had written into his blood.
Without a backward glance, he walked off the stage.
That proud, solitary silhouette radiated endless desolation and rare restraint.
...
Amid an atmosphere thick with shock and bewilderment, the semifinals drew to a close.
The finals would begin in one hour!
The matchup—
Beautiful Girl Squad VS Japan Team!
"Inaugural King of Fighters" Cloud VS "The Flame Prince" Kyo Kusanagi!
This clash between "brothers"—steeped in melodrama and destiny since KOF 94—would finally reach its ultimate conclusion on KOF 95's grandest stage!
...
One hour later, the finals began!
The atmosphere in the Tokyo Dome had reached an unprecedented fever pitch!
"Kyo! Kyo! Kyo!"
"Cloud! Cloud! Cloud!"
Fans on both sides screamed their idol's name with abandon, the sound waves threatening to tear the stadium's roof clean off!
"Ready, little brother?"
Kyo Kusanagi wore his trademark confident, sunny grin.
But in his eyes burned a fighting spirit more intense than ever before!
Iori Yagami's terrifying power and his ultimate defeat had both cut deep into this "Child of Destiny."
He knew that if he didn't bring everything he had, his title of "protagonist" might just... change hands permanently!
"Anytime, Kyo!"
Cloud smiled back.
Neither called upon their teammates.
Because they both knew this final belonged to... the two of them alone.
The moment the referee declared the match begun—
BOOM!!!
BOOM!!!
Two equally scorching, equally domineering domains—each threatening to burn the entire world to ash—collided head-on!
On one side: Kyo Kusanagi's pure "Flames of Kusanagi," blazing at Absolute Domain 48%!
On the other: Cloud's far more mysterious and overbearing "Battle God Golden Flames" at Absolute Domain 50%!
Yet just as the two domains were about to crash together—
A flash of desperate resolve crossed Kyo's eyes!
"Break... throughhhhh—!!!"
He roared toward the heavens, forcibly igniting his bloodline power mid-battle and shattering his own limits once more!
That crimson flame domain exploded to several times its former size!
It reached... a level that made even Iori Yagami take notice...
Absolute Domain 53%!
"Holy shit?! Mid-fight power-ups are a thing?!"
Cloud stared at his "convenient big brother" whose aura had just gone full Super Saiyan mode, completely dumbfounded.
As expected of the "Child of Destiny"!
That "clutch comeback" passive was seriously broken!
"Come on, Cloud!"
The newly-evolved Kyo overflowed with confidence!
"Let's settle this with the purest flames of the Kusanagi clan—and see which of us is truly the strongest!"
He held nothing back! Opening with his ultimate attack!
"Orochinagi!"
A world-splitting crimson flame—beyond any description mere words could capture—erupted from his fingertips!
The power was sacred, overwhelming!
Facing this strike capable of making gods and demons tremble alike, Cloud's expression turned deadly serious.
He knew that holding back now might actually... get him killed.
"In that case..."
A gleam of madness—and mischief—flickered in his eyes.
"Let me show you what a real surprise looks like!"
He drew a deep breath and assumed the Orochinagi stance.
Except...
He raised both hands!
His right hand blazed with golden flames—sacred and domineering—the Battle God Golden Flames!
While his left hand ignited with...
Purple flames—ominous and destructive...
...Yagami Azure Flames?!
"Heavenscorch Scripture: Yin-Yang Unity..."
"...Twin Dragons Orochinagi!!!"
With a thunderous roar, he forcibly merged those two diametrically opposed—even mutually suppressive—powers into a single impossibly brutal fusion!
Half-gold, half-purple—the "Yin-Yang Flame" slash tore forth!
BOOOOOOM!!!
...
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