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King of Fighters II
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King of Fighters '00
Airport...A lone man (Seth) boards a plane bound for China...He checks the seat number on his ticket and arrives in first class.
"Thank you for riding JAR today. This is flight 149...."
The "Fasten Your Seatbelts" sign flashes on with the announcement, and the plane takes off for China.
Shortly after, a stewardess comes over and talks to Seth.
"Excuse me. Sir, would you like to watch a video?"
Seth contemplates turning her offer down but takes the video when he notices a picture of his dog, Chinchilla, engraved on the video she holds in her hand.
He thanks the stewardess and immediately pops the video into the player. A man appears on the screen.
The man's face is digitally blurred out.
"Your mission is to take custody of the individual known as ÔRon.' Naturally I want you to lead him here without him catching on. The fighting tournament known as ÔKOF' will soon begin. Since we have learned NESTS is likely to appear in this tournament and is probably involved, we want you to get inside. Two entry tickets have been prepared for you. The envelope is wedged under your seat."
Looking around to check no one is watching, he reaches down under the seat and pulls out a white envelope.
Seth opens the envelope to find two tickets and a wad of bills. He shoves it into the inner pocket of his suit.
"You are completely free to use any measures and methods you see fit. Should you make any mistakes, this agency will take no responsibility for you. This tape will destroy itself automatically."
The screen goes black, the video begins to smoke, and is destroyed.
China. The Hebei province. Two ninjas streak through the forest like a pair of falcons.
"At last...information about the inner sanctum of the Flying Brigands...!! If we strike them now...!"
The ninja in front drips with sweat and runs at full speed. A pig-tailed ninja with a black band around his arm pursues him. The ninja in front then turns back to toss a dirk at his pursuer. He senses that it hit its mark. Something crashes down in the forest behind.
"Yes...Gah...!!!"
The instant he turns back around he sees the ninja with the black band he thought he had just brought down seconds before standing in front of him.
His black band now covers his hand and glows with a ghostly aura. He lunges but the pursued ninja manages to narrowly avoid the attack. The wound is not lethal, but it leaves a wound on his chest. The ninja tosses down a smoke bomb and flees. The ninja with the black band does not chase him.
Seth walks around asking the locals the way to Hebei province.
But the people turn silent and appear to quake with fear at the mention of Hebei. Seth runs into a kindly old man, and succeeds in learning the way to Hebei. As he follows the road per the old man instructions, he finds himself in a remote area where not a soul stirs.
As he presses further on, he reaches the foot of a large waterfall. Here he finally runs into another human. But the figure totters from side to side. Seth senses something is afoot, and as he closes in while remaining unnoticed, he's able to see that the figure is a ninja. His wound looks shallow, but his face is pallid, drool runs from his mouth, and his eyes stare off into nowhere at nothing in particular.
As Seth looks on behind a boulder, a gush of blood suddenly issues from the ninja's mouth along with a scream.
"!!!...What in blazes...is going on...?!"
The ninja collapses into an unrecognizable mass. When Seth runs to check out the ninja, he notices him breathing slightly and his mouth is gasping for air.
"...P...Poison...Flying...Brigands...Bwaaaagh!"
As he finishes, the ninja heaves up another torrent of blood and expires.
"Flying Brigands! ...I knew it...!!!"
At that instant the man with the pig tail and the black band appears.
"You, too, know the name of the Flying Brigands and thus must die..."
The man, without warning, attacks.
"Hoo, hoo, hoo...You are as fast as they say.... Very well...let's dispense with the pleasantries, eh?"
For a while, the two exchange fierce blows. Seth lets his guard down for a second, looses his balance, and falls flat on his back.
"It's over...."
A magical aura issues from his band and the man aims at Seth's chest.
"It ends here!"
Seth makes a special move of his own and barely manages to evade the attack.
"Hoo, hoo, hoo...So that was the Poison Punch of ÔLin,' one of Four Devas of the Flying Brigands, was it...?"
"...Why? ...Why do you...know my name...?"
"Hoo, hoo. I know of your code, too. All who know anything of the ÔFlying Brigands' must die-that's why no one knows anything of your inner sanctum and the name "Flying Brigands" remains unknown to the rest of the world. You're a real crack band of assassins, you are. It appears that your Four Devas are quite a force to be reckoned with."
Lin is confused by the inquisitive Seth. He cannot fathom how this man knows so many details concerning the inner sanctum of the Flying Brigands.
"...I will not let you live...."
"Just why do you think I know so much about you and your group anyway?"
Lin attacks Seth, ignoring the question, but Seth, unfazed, continues his story.
"Just where is your chief ÔRon' now, anyway?!!!"
Lin's attacking hand stops.
"...How? ...How do you know of Ron, too...?!!! Just who are you...?!!!"
"Wouldn't you like to know?"
"...Enough to wait until I kill you...."
"Very well...You're chief is now missing, isn't he...? I know exactly where your chief Ron is right now."
"...Where...?"
"...Ah, ah, ah. First I want you to agree to a few conditions of mine."
"...Don't mess with me! ...If you don't tell me quickly, you shall die...very slowly."
"Tut, tut, tut...Kill me, and you'll never find out where Ron is. Can you live with that?"
"...Why, you...."
Lin must resign himself to the fact that the inner sanctum of the Flying Brigands is on the brink of total collapse. Just who is this ÔRon' person anyway...?"
"I want you to enter the fighting tournament called KOF with me. Then if we go on to win, you will find out just who Ron is. You'll be able to see with your own eyes."
"...Impossible. ...I will kill you...!"
A few days later, in an abandoned baseball field...there is no sign of anyone and steel girders are strewn all about.
"He should be arriving soon...."
Benimaru glances at his wristwatch as he mutters this.
"Benimaru! Why did you ask me to meet me in this creepy place? This place...gives me the heebie-jeebies!"
"...I've summoned someone for whom a place like this is appropriate."
Benimaru bruskly replies as he lights his cigarette.
"Benimaru...I've been meaning to ask you this, but...is the reason you called me here...could it be?"
Benimaru produces two tickets to KOF and passes one to Shingo.
"So they did come, did they...?!!! But just why are you waiting for K' in a place like this?"
Benimaru exhales a puff of smoke and answers,
"We're not joining up with those clowns this time around...."
"Huh? Then who are the other two members...? Kusanagi still missing, and...."
"This time I'm going to choose the members I want. One of them is an old comrade of mine, and the other is a rather touchy type it seems.... He's the reason why we're meeting here. He seems to prefer...out of the way places."
Benimaru has a bad feeling that something wicked is about to happen.
Crashing scrap metal clatters in the distance. Shingo shrinks back in fear. The figures of two men suddenly appear from behind a steel column.
"Hey, Benimaru...Long time, no see, eh? ...I'm honored to be invited to join your team. Looks like we're going to bust some heads together again!"
Seth extends his right hand, giving Benimaru a firm handshake. Lin stands behind him.
"So this is the guy...?"
Benimaru asks Seth, trying to keep the question out of Lin's earshot.
"...You should keep your distance from him...I told you about him before, but this guy's necessary to find Kyo Kusanagi and crush NESTS...."
"What about Kyo...? Have you come up with any leads?"
"...All I've been able to come up with is that he's probably going to enter KOF as usual...but everything will become apparent once we enter, I guess...."
"I guess so...."
Benimaru shoots a glance at Lin. Just at that moment, Shingo innocently approaches Lin to greet him-he shouldn't have done this.
"Uh...My name's Shingo Yabuki!!! Nice to meet you. What's that band for?"
The moment Shingo tries to touch Lin's band, Lin's eyes begin to glare brightly and he motions to attack Shingo.
"Cut that out...!"
Benimaru quickly snags Lin's attacking hand in the nick of time.
"...Let go...."
u"They call me Benimaru.... Don't be messing with my team. ...Do you got me?"
Seeing Lin all worked up over his interrupted attack, Benimaru senses that he won't be able to avoid a showdown with this clown.
As predicted, a strange aura bursts from his hand and Lin attempts to run Benimaru through.
In an instant, Benimaru zaps Lin with his Electrigger move, rendering him temporarily paralyzed.
"...!!!..."
"...Never get any strange ideas like that again, got me?"
"That was magnificent, Benimaru!"
Seth is impressed at the speed of Benimaru's lightning swift judgment.
"But...a few ticks later or if my Electrigger move was late, I would have been dead. It seems that he wasn't that serious. To take a full-force Electrigger move and still be alive... You sure brought one tough cookie to our little party, Seth...."
As a matter of fact, this is the first time Lin has tasted defeat outside his band of Flying Brigands.
Along with Lin's animus toward him going up a notch, so too does his respect for Benimaru's moves.
"...Hmph...fascinating...."
Lin lets out an audacious laugh.
It looks like this year's KOF is going to be another doozy. An it's about to begin.
...Meanwhile, Shingo, the reason fro all this commotion, stands petrified, alone in the middle of the abandoned baseball field.
"Mr. Benimaaaaaaaru! Help me! I'm scared!"
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King of Fighters '01
Late in the night, three figures appear at an installation that seems to be some sort of research lab.
"Nuts. This place is empty, too."
A blond-haired man dressed in black rasps. A red protector is attached to the man's right hand.
"We were seconds too late."
A woman gently stroking the whip in her hand mutters.
"This just goes on forever.... Well, I guess I'll look around. ...It doesn't seem like anything dangerous is nearby."
A large man of roughly two meters in height responds while surveying the premises.
To be honest, the three were impatient. Up till now, these three had destroyed quite a bit of NESTS branches.
But recently someone appears to be equipped to anticipate their every action.
All facilities related to NESTS that they have raided have come up empty.
"How do you suppose they anticipate our every move, Whip?"
The mammoth male wonders out loud...and Maxima cannot suppress his irritation in his query as he ventures an answer.
"I haven't the faintest idea. But we don't know for certain that all of our intel is fresh. So if someone beats us to the punch, we may just have to live with it...."
"...No, I'm sorry. It's not that I don't trust you. But...hey, K', don't you think there are a bit too many mysteries this time around?"
"What are you getting at?"
The blond-haired K' mutters incredulously.
"They're holding another KOF this year, right? Nothing strange about that, happens all the time. But did you check out the roster this time? There's a NESTS team! A NESTS team! Think about it. Why would a secret syndicate that tried so hard to keep itself hidden all of a sudden make such a point of using their name in public?"
"Only a privileged few know about NESTS. It looks like they've surfaced at last."
"Why would it be necessary for those clowns that destroyed an entire city want the world to know their name? Wouldn't it be in their best interests to stay behind the veil...?"
"There's no point trying to reason this out. ...I'm out of here, to our next objective!!"
"?!"
All three assume a combat position. K' asks Maxima in a whisper.
"...Maxima, can you see it?"
"Yeah...I don't know how it concealed itself, but my heat sensors caught them."
The moment Maxima mumbles his answer, the figure moves into action.
"Wh-What speed!"
The figure slips by Maxima's side and appears for an instant in front of K'.
Then the figure aims at K' and brings his arm down.
Almost simultaneously, K' jams his fists forward, flame shooting from it.
A violent roar rips through the darkness, but misses the figure. The fist the form swung at K' is stopped by Whip's bullwhip.
"Tsh, looked like I got a little carried away...."
"Sorry, K'. But you really should try to avoid unnecessary conflict. Well, let's hear your story."
The three bind the man to a chair near the center of the room that's illuminated by the moonlight seeping in from the window. All three know this man with the pig-tail. He's their "old pal" Lin.
"...Is this, perhaps, the reason for you tailing us?"
Whip sticks a picture in front of Lin's eyes. Lin is clearly affected by it.
"...I thought as much. If you're going to follow us, one day you're bound to meet up with this guy, right?"
"..."
"One of those tight-jawed types, eh? ...Ah, whatever. ...How about it? K', shall we make Lin a teammate and enter the tournament?"
"Do as you like."
"Hey, hey, K', Whip, are you serious? You'll never know when this guy's going to screw us over."
Maxima, clearly rattled, urges his colleagues to reconsider.
"...If you're worried about that, I'd find something else to worry about...."
Lin murmurs dryly.
"Ungh. This guy's quite the hardcase. Well, if K' and Whip are all right with this, I guess I can play along. Well, in the spirit of friendship, let's shake on it..."
As he turns to look back at Lin, he sees that their captive's already long gone.
"What a crud! It's the rules to leave with at least a salutation!"
"Walk it off, Maxima. With Lin as our teammate, the tournament will be a breeze. Don't you think, K'?"
"...."
Without answering, K' takes his leave of the place. Alone, K' looks up at the night sky.
My past...my future...they took them both...NESTS...the root of my abilities...Krizalid...Zero...the powers that oppose me...Kula....
"That K' looks like he's got a lot to chew on."
"Yeah, but we've got to bring this to an end at any cost. For all those who have fallen victim to those scum..."
"Yeah, you're right...And for my own sake...I must destroy NESTS!"
"...You said a mouthful."
The two look up at the night sky. The light from the countless stars in the sky pours onto this trio.
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King of Fighters '03
It is early in the afternoon of a weekday and empty seats are prominent in this first-class car of the bullet train.
Athena Asamiya is sitting in a window seat, heading for her next concert venue in Fukuoka. Her manager has been directed to meet up with her at Hakodate. Now, she travels alone.
The train slows and comes to a leisurely stop.
"Kyoto. This stop is Kyoto."
The announcement echoes over the platform.
When the door opens, a familiar face is smiling in Athena's direction.
"Long time no see, Athena."
The attractive blonde is dressed in the sprucely designed uniform of a girl's high school. She is Hinako Shijo, one-fourth Russian and the daughter of a model upper-class family.
"So, Hinako, how have you been? Forgive me for calling you here."
"Oh, it's no bother - as luck would have it our family has villas in Kyoto and Kobe."
Without giving second thought to her blatantly bourgeois remark, Hinako shoves the backpack she had strapped to her shoulders onto the luggage rack above.
CREEEEAK.
The luggage rack squeals ominously. The backpack is loaded with weights of ten kilograms or more. Judging by the groan of the rack, Hinako's lugging more weight than usual.
Appearance, bearing, word and deed - all are what the dreamy-eyed Hinako is about, but because her dream is starting a sumo team at her girl's school, one cannot resist feeling that this young lady comes from a different cookie cutter.
In the meantime, Hinako has plopped down in the seat next to Athena. The first thing she says,
"Please accept my condolences."
A closer look reveals that Hinako conscientiously wears a symbol of mourning on her uniform. Athena, who is obligated in her line of work as a pop idol to remain unfazed by most things, finds herself flustered by this current situation.
"Y-your...condolences??"
The flustered Athena hesitantly takes the condolence gift Hinako extends to her.
"Master Chin did pass away, didn't he? Just how old was he anyway?"
"U-uh, no, the Master is still fit as a fiddle, in a manner of speaking."
"Athena, I know being in denial is part of the grieving process, but if you don't accept reality..."
"Uh, I don't know what impression you're under, but the Master is in the pink. He still drinks a gallon of alcohol a day, naps, trains Kensou, and watches after Pao."
"Oh, really? I am so sorry. I just assumed the reason for you asking me to join you in KOF had to be because the Master had died and you needed an extra team member."
"No, that's not it at all. Anyway, let me return this to you."
Athena meekly tries to return Hinako's condolence gift.
"Ah, please keep it. You can always hang on to it until you need it again."
(Until I need it again...?)
There is no malice to Hinako's statement. Athena understands this, but....
"Wow. So Kensou isn't entering the tournament this time either...?
"As a matter of fact, he isn't. He's got a lot of other stuff on his plate..."
Athena casts her eyes downward. Yes, this time things are different.
"Then who will be our other member? I rather think that Chang Koehan would be a most excellent choice."
"I-I'm not too sure about him."
"Ah, you're probably right. He can't really manage a sumo wrestler's butterfly coiffure, can he?"
"U-uh, you do have a point there. Do you have anyone else in mind?"
"Hmm. I can't come up with anyone who's suited for sumo, though..."
"That's okay. That's okay. It doesn't have to be a sumo wrestler type."
Athena can't bring herself to say she'd prefer someone other than a sumo-type.
Of course Athena too has considered prospective teammates, but....
"Hey, you're Athena Asamiya, aren't you?"
"Huh? Oh, you want an autograph, right? Just a second. My pen...."
"No, that's not it. You're entering KOF, aren't you?"
Athena and Hinako both blink and do a double take at their new acquaintance.
She's a rather spunky-looking teenager, a bit shorter than Hinako. Her face and manner seem feline. She sports a miniskirt, blazer and bunched up socks - in short, she's a typical Japanese high school student.
"Yes, I'll be in it, but...how does that concern you?"
"Your team's short a member, isn't it?"
The girl helps herself to the seat next to Hinako.
"Uh, I suppose it may be."
"Hmm. I guess our organization's info is sometimes useful after all."
"I beg your pardon?"
"Oh, nothing. By the way, have you considered me for your team?"
"J-Just like that? Who are you anyway?"
"Oh, I'm sorry. Allow me to introduce myself. The name's 'Malin.'"
"So you're name is Malin, is it? I'm Hinako Shijo. That's an unusual name you have there; your family name's "Ma" and your given name is "Lin," I gather. What Chinese character do you use for "Ma?" Maybe the character for magic? Or is it the "ma" for "manuke" - you know, the word that means "bonehead"?
"......"
"U-Uh, don't let her offend you. Hinako didn't mean anything bad by that. Words just flow out of her like...well, no need to get yucky here."
"No, the name's just one word, 'Malin.' Works on its own, don't you think? So, are you going to put me on your team, or not? I'm getting off at Osaka, so you got to decide quick."
And as if on cue, the announcement is heard throughout the train: "Shin-Osaka. We will soon be stopping at Shin-Osaka."
The time for decision instantly arrives, but there is no need to mull over an answer.
"We appreciate the offer, but no."
"What? Why? Tell me, why?"
"The KOF tournament is the peak of fighting competitions. Though I do say so myself, Hinako and I are exceptional fighters. I appreciate the sentiment, but..."
"You doubt my abilities?"
"Doubt? I don't even know your abilities. We've just met!"
"...Shoot. Okay, you don't need to hit me with a hammer. I'm out of here!"
The train slides to a stop at the platform of Shin-Osaka Station.
Malin bolts up with a bang as if she has kicked her seat and abruptly exits.
"Uh, Athena, are you sure you made the right decision?"
"Yeah. I had no choice. This isn't some high school athletic event."
BAM. BAM.
Appearing out of nowhere, Malin is now outside, rapping on the bullet train's window.
In her hands (?), she holds two ribbons of different colors that flutter in the breeze.
"??...Hey, those are...!!"
In a panic, Athena and Hinako run their hands through their hair.
Gone.
One of the ribbons that tied Hinako's long blonde hair and the ribbon used to gather Athena's hair together to conceal her identity are gone.
(When did she...?)
Athena springs from her seat. She looks as if she intends to catch up with Malin.
At the same time, however, the bullet train has pulled out from the platform.
The train begins to accelerate.
The form of Malin smiling ear to ear and waving her trophies in the air slowly recedes.
"Oh, fudge...how stupid could I have been?"
Hinako consoles Athena who is slumped down in her seat.
"Cheer up. We can still find another team member."
"But...Huh? Hinako, under your ribbon!"
A small scrap of paper is secured under Hinako's remaining ribbon.
Athena quickly removes the paper and checks its contents.
"If you change your mind, give me a call. Malin. 090-XXXX-XXXX."
After reading the note, Hinako and Athena press their faces to the glass of the train as if to look for Malin.
The sight from the window, however, is no longer that of the platform but the buildings and streets of Osaka's north side.
Nevertheless, the two feel as if they can catch sight of Malin in the landscape streaming by, and they continue peering out the window for some time thereafter.
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King of Fighters XI
The ultimate defeat of the Kyokugen school.
In pursuit of this goal, Eiji Kisaragi imposed extremely harsh training on himself.
He had withdrawn from civilization, raced across the fields and climbed mountains, and inflicted untold suffering on himself in the process.
None could say how long this training had lasted.
Eventually, Eiji felt the time was right, and left the mountains.
KOF was the only place where he could regain his lost honor.
In order to participate, however, he would need to find two others of like mind.
(Yes, they must believe as I do.)
Though he was confident in his own abilities, KOF was only for teams... and that would require that his teammates also be enemies of the Kyokugen dogs.
In other words, his efforts would come to nothing if his comrades didn't hate the Kyokugen school as much as he did.
(Perhaps others suffered defeat at their hands...)
At that, one sprang to mind instantly. Kasumi, the daughter of the Todo Style-user, Ryuhaku Todo.
Eiji immediately set off in search of her, and upon finding her, explained his goals in an attempt to win her over.
"If you were to win the KOF tournament... or rather, if you were to shame the Kyokugen School, you could rest assured that the boost to your reputation would reach Sir Ryuhaku's ears."
"You're right! All right, you can count me in!"
And so, since her purpose had been the same as it ever was, Kasumi joined KOF quite willingly.
"If we're going to do this, there's something that I want to be sure of first."
"What is that, Lady Kasumi?"
"I heard a rumor that Takuma Sakazaki was beaten up by some mysterious thugs, and I want to find out if it's true."
"Hmph, that can't be..."
Eiji was initially disinclined to believe such tales, but he had to admit, he had been out of touch, while Kasumi had been living a more normal life, and had heard the rumor over and over again.
Kasumi went to the area around the Kyokugen dojo to get more information.
"Yes, Mister Takuma was assaulted by some thugs and put in the hospital."
The truth of the situation quickly made itself evident.
After hearing this from the housewife next door, Kasumi rushed to the hospital.
***
"I'm sorry, Yuri... if only I were in better health..."
"You don't need to worry about that, Dad."
"I have only one regret... that I never got to see the third generation of the Kyokugen School's family..." He broke into a fit of coughing.
"Master, you really should take it easy," said Robert.
(H-how could this be?!)
Kasumi hid in the shadows of the nurse station and slowly absorbed the shock of the situation. Takuma Sakazaki could very well never see tomorrow morning.
"Oh no, what should I do...? Father won't be pleased to hear about this."
"He's faking it."
"Yes, his fake must be in critical--, huh? Faking it?"
"Sssshhh! You're being too loud!"
Unlike Kasumi, whose clumsy attempt at concealing herself in shadows could be described as "unsteady" at best, the girl who spoke was as lithe as a cat, molding her slim body to the wall and remaining remarkably inconspicuous.
Kasumi received all sorts of strange looks from nurses and patients alike, but this other girl had escaped their notice entirely.
Kasumi didn't really understand what the difference was.
"You're the girl who was teamed with Athena and Hinako in last year's KOF, right?"
"Yep, the name's Malin. Nice to meet you, Miss Kasumi."
***
"Lady Malin! You would agree to assist us, then?"
"Yeah. I've also been looking for others to take on the Kyokugen twerps."
And so Eiji, Kasumi and Malin left the hospital to congregate at a nearby coffee house and discuss the situation. Moreover, it was Malin who proposed that they join forces, and register as the "Anti-Kyokugen Team."
"That sounds fine to me, but are you sure about that whole faking being sick thing?"
"Huh? Yeah, I'm really sure."
Could this girl really have fallen for such blatant trickery? One had to wonder if she was completely right in the head.
Malin was obviously a very forthright individual, but her mannerisms were a bit brusque, to put it mildly.
"I did plenty of investigating. I'm sure of my facts."
Malin picked up a paper from the nearby magazine rack, and as she looked over it, a crease marred her smooth forehead.
On the first page was a compilation of photographs of the teams who were expected to participate in this year's KOF tournament.
"So then, why would Takuma do such a thing...?
"I have no idea."
Malin produced a ball-point pen and began writing here and there all over the magazine.
"Oh yeah, Malin... why is it that you hate the Kyokugen school?"
"Because they complained about my fighting style, since I use concealed weapons."
"Hmph, how pathetic," said Eiji.
A glance at Eiji's half-covered face revealed that he was smiling.
"I cannot speak on about the validity of using heavy weapons, but the use of weapons in general is part of the essence of combat. Ryo Sakazaki certainly never showed any aptitude in that regard."
"Oh, it wasn't him. It was his little sister."
As she spoke, Malin continued scribbling furiously.
On the magazine's picture of Yuri, she had added a cross-shaped scar on her cheek and some greatly-exaggerated nostril hair, which had arranged itself into a fairly spectacular pattern.
"Y-yes, well, we all have our own reasons to fight.
At any rate, we shall be as one force until the tournament is over. Agreed?"
"Agreed. For the honor of the Todo School!"
"Okay. You can count me in."
And that is how the Anti-Kyokugen team was formed, with surprisingly little effort.
Just as with the last time Eiji Kisaragi had participated, he found himself teamed up with others who were hardly worthy, but for now, he was satisfied.
The other two would suffice, as they were ultimately unimportant.
He was fully prepared to take all of his enemies down on his own.
"Heh heh heh... get ready, Kyokugen dogs... you're in for a surprise of mammoth proportions."
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