Only Kyo Kusanagi, watching from below as his rival vanished in the teleportation light, wore a complicated, knowing smile.
He knew...
That was absolutely not the madman's own will.
His gaze drifted imperceptibly toward the man on the high platform, casually putting his sunglasses back on as if nothing had happened.
...
"Now it's your turn, Kyo Kusanagi."
Demon An'un turned slowly.
Those ink-black eyes regarded the final opponent about to take the stage like he was already dead.
But Kyo completely ignored him.
He simply raised his head.
Those eyes—equally blazing with fighting spirit—looked toward the true "boss" on the high platform.
After being ignored by both men for several seconds, Demon An'un finally caught on.
He too raised his head.
Those killing-intent-filled, provocative eyes locked onto the man who'd humiliated him!
"CLOUD—!!!"
He howled at the sky!
Voice full of resentment and endless fury!
"Stop hiding up there like a coward!"
"Get down here!"
"FIGHT ME!"
He'd just publicly challenged... the Final Boss!
Cloud heard that chuuni declaration and let a kind, cruel smile spread across his face.
He slowly rose from the sofa.
Then, amid a chorus of shocked, frenzied screams, he leaped from the platform dozens of meters high like a descending god!
With a thunderous impact, he landed firmly at the center of the ring!
He gazed at the fully-demonified An'un, slowly removing his sunglasses.
Then beckoned with one finger.
"Since you're so eager to die."
"I'll grant your wish."
The entire Tokyo Dome exploded!
The tsunami of cheers and screams nearly shattered the Yata Mirror Barrier itself!
"IT'S HERE! THE REAL SHOWSTOPPER!"
"CLOUD! CLOUD! CLOUD!"
"Crush that monster! Show him who's the strongest man on Earth!"
KOF 96 World Fighting Tournament—FINALS!
"Two-Time Champion" Cloud VS "Demon Prince" An'un!
This ultimate showdown—staking the dignity of "humanity" versus "demon," laden with personal grudges—finally began under the world's gaze!
...
"Cloud... you finally deigned to come down."
Demon An'un stared at this man radiating an aura that made him "intensely uncomfortable," those ink-black eyes burning with hatred that could melt steel!
"I thought you'd keep hiding like a turtle until the tournament ended."
"Can't help it." Cloud made a show of adjusting his spotless casual jacket. "It's just... the ground under your feet is too dirty."
"Needs... a good cleaning."
"YOU'RE DEAD—!!!"
Cloud's contemptuous words drove An'un into absolute fury!
He roared, pushing his Absolute Domain 83% to its maximum!
"Let me make you pay for your arrogance in endless pain and despair!"
His massive demon wings beat once!
His silhouette became a black lightning bolt of death, carrying enough force to level a city, hurtling toward Cloud!
But facing this lethal strike that would make gods and demons pale—
Our protagonist Cloud...
...didn't even shift his feet.
He actually put his left hand behind his back.
Then simply extended... his right hand.
He was going to face this fully-demonified monster... with one hand?!
"OH MY GOD!"
"Isn't that too reckless?!"
"As expected of the King of Fighters—supreme skill breeds supreme confidence!"
In the stands, Terry, Ryo, and other top fighters couldn't help crying out!
They too were furious at An'un's brutality.
But they had to admit...
That "monster" was genuinely strong! Despairingly so!
Cloud was being way too cavalier!
But what happened next... completely shattered their decades of martial understanding.
...
Facing the terrifying black silhouette rushing at him like a reaper—
Cloud casually raised his right hand.
Then, with a trajectory full of "four ounces deflecting a thousand pounds" profundity, gently pushed forward.
"Scram."
A single word, dripping with annoyance.
BOOM!!!
An invisible force field—imperceptible to the eye yet capable of warping space—swept outward like a tsunami!
That "Demon Prince" who'd been so aggressive a second ago, seemingly about to destroy heaven and earth...
...flew backward like a ragdoll hit head-on by a speeding truck!
He didn't even have time to scream as he spun 720 degrees in midair, then hurtled away at three times his approach speed!
CRASH! He slammed into the Yata Mirror Barrier behind him!
Cracking even that supposedly indestructible barrier into a web of fine fractures!
Dead... silence.
...
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