Above the hotel, the sky churned with ominous clouds. A massive magic circle composed of data streams slowly rotated, emanating an overwhelming pressure.
Countless fighters lifted their heads in confusion.
"What the... who's unleashing an ultimate move?"
"That's not right—this energy signature doesn't feel like it belongs to our world's aesthetic?"
"Could it be... Mr. Norton testing some new opening ceremony special effects?"
At the center of the magic circle, the light blazed intensely, and two distinctly different figures descended slowly amid a shower of luminous feathers.
The light faded.
Two additional people now stood in Cloud's room.
On the left was a girl who appeared to be around seventeen or eighteen.
She wore a fiery red combat outfit and wielded a silver spear, its tip burning with an undying flame.
Beneath her neat red short hair was a face full of vitality—pretty and adorable.
Her big eyes sparkled with curiosity about this strange new world, and a carefree smile hung at the corner of her lips.
On the right was another girl.
She seemed even younger, dressed in a shrine maiden's garment blending natural elements—blue and white, pure and sacred.
She had long black hair, snow-white skin, and delicate features that made her look almost like a doll. Her eyes were as clear as a mountain spring, carrying a timid, innocent quality untouched by worldly matters. In her arms, she cradled a magnificent falcon that was alertly surveying its surroundings.
Cloud's brain instantly overheated.
He recognized these two.
On the left was the most spirited troublemaker of Chang'an from the Honor of Kings world—the "Flame-Chasing Divine Spear," Yun Ying!
On the right was the Ainu priestess who protected nature from the Samurai Shodown world—Nakoruru!
Holy crap! The system just rolled me a dream crossover between the "SNK Universe" and "Tencent Universe"!
Before Cloud could recover from his shock, the red-haired girl had already started chattering like a little firecracker.
"Wow! Where is this? What a weird building! The walls actually glow!" She pointed at the TV. "And that square box blows wind!" She pointed at the air conditioner. "Huh? Who are you? Did you summon me here? You don't look like those demons and monsters my master mentioned. I'm Yun Ying, from Chang'an. My master is... ah, that's not important! What's your name? Where are we? I was just chasing a mechanical bird that stole Senior Brother Li Bai's wine gourd! That thing was so fast..."
A barrage of questions rattled off like machine-gun fire, peppering Cloud so rapidly he didn't know which to answer first.
This Yun Ying was exactly like her game counterpart—an absolute chatterbox. Her defining traits: "bursting with energy" and "instant best friend."
By comparison, the other girl was much quieter.
She simply stood in place, cradling her falcon, using those pure, large eyes to study Cloud with a mixture of curiosity and wariness, saying nothing. If the falcon—Mamahaha—hadn't let out a chirp, Cloud might have mistaken her for an exquisite life-sized figure.
"Hello." Cloud decided to start with the quiet one. He made his voice as gentle and non-threatening as possible. "My name is Cloud. Welcome to my world. If I may ask—you are Miss Nakoruru, correct?"
The girl's eyes widened in surprise at hearing her name, then she nodded gently, her voice barely above a whisper: "...Yes. How... how do you know my name?"
Mamahaha in her arms also cocked its head, regarding Cloud curiously.
"That's a long story." Cloud smiled wryly, then turned to Yun Ying, who was currently investigating the various beverages in the hotel minibar. "And you, Miss Yun Ying—please calm down for a moment and let me explain."
"Oh, okay okay!" Yun Ying picked up a can of cola, shook it curiously, then asked Cloud, "You go first, I'm listening! But what's this metal can for? Is it some kind of weapon? It doesn't look very sturdy."
Cloud took a deep breath, feeling that his blood pressure was going to be chronically elevated for the foreseeable future.
He spent a full half hour using the simplest possible language (omitting all complex concepts about systems, transmigration, and game settings) to explain the current situation to his two otherworldly guests.
"...So, in simple terms, you were summoned to this world by a mysterious force to serve as my temporary teammates for a fighting tournament called King of Fighters. Once the tournament ends, you can return to your own worlds."
After hearing Cloud's explanation, the two girls reacted very differently.
Nakoruru's brow furrowed slightly. She stroked Mamahaha's feathers, asking softly, "A fighting tournament? Is it... a contest where people must hurt each other? Nature... does not like pointless conflict."
Her voice was full of reverence for life and aversion to battle. This was a pure-hearted priestess who was innately kind and peace-loving.
"Don't worry," Cloud immediately explained. "This tournament has special technology to protect everyone—no one will be seriously hurt. Think of it as... a large-scale sparring match, or a festival."
Hearing that there would be no danger to life, Nakoruru's furrowed brow finally relaxed somewhat. She nodded gently: "...I understand. If this is fate's guidance, Nakoruru... will do her best to help you."
She accepted it quickly and calmly, as if simply receiving a mission from nature itself.
Meanwhile, Yun Ying was painting an entirely different picture.
...
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