KOF: Rise of the King of Fighters

Inside the bar, the lights were dim and the air thick with smoke. Gang members, dressed in black suits, huddled in small groups, smoking, drinking, and laughing. Their eyes were cold and fierce, revealing a sense of unruliness and arrogance.

Some henchmen stood guard at the entrance, vigilantly watching the surroundings. A row of bikers sat on their motorcycles, recklessly revving their engines, creating a deafening roar. Others were secretly trading in the corners, their hands holding cash and guns.

The atmosphere on the street was tense and oppressive. People hurried past, not daring to glance at this dangerous place.

However, at that moment, two people walked straight towards them. One of them was burly and aggressive, wearing an orange karate uniform, which made him look very imposing. The other was thinner, wearing sunglasses, blue jeans, and a black sleeveless vest, and was holding a brick in his right hand.

[Perception Domain] Open!

With this ability, he could perceive the situation of everyone around him in detail. Soon, Yan Yue understood the current situation and relayed the information to Sakazaki Ryo.

"There are five thugs at the gate, three biker gang members, and two other guards who are armed," Yan Yue whispered to Sakazaki Ryo.

Next, Yan Yue continued to explore the situation inside the bar using her [Perception Domain], and then said to Sakazaki Ryo, "Their boss seems to be inside the bar; he's a big bald guy wearing sunglasses. Also, there's another very powerful expert inside."

Upon hearing this, Ryo Sakazaki's eyes turned fierce, and he said without hesitation, "I'll go straight inside and deal with their experts and leader."

Yan Yue responded decisively, "Then we don't need to negotiate. I'll take care of the guys with guns at the door first, and then I'll come and help you."

After saying that, the two of them walked together toward the gang members.

As the gang members saw them approaching, they immediately stretched out their hands to block their path and shouted, "Halt! Who are you?"

Out of politeness, Yan Yue patiently explained, but did not stop walking: "I want to ask your boss about some things."

The gang members' faces darkened instantly as they looked at the brick in Yan Yue's hand, sensing a provocation. One of them grabbed Yan Yue's arm tightly, glaring at her angrily: "What do you want a brick from our boss for?"

At this moment, Ryo Sakazaki's mood was at its lowest point, and he was on the verge of exploding. However, Engetsu gently patted Ryo's shoulder, signaling him to calm down and wait patiently for a while.

Yan Yue gently placed the brick on the ground, turned to the gang member, and calmly said, "Let him in. I'll wait at the door. Is that alright?"

The gang member glared at Yan Yue, then carefully examined Sakazaki Ryo, pondering to himself. They believed that one person entering the bar wouldn't pose much of a threat, since it would be difficult to perform any tricks in such a confined space.

After hesitating for a moment, the gang member finally relented and said, "Let him in."

Ryo Sakazaki silently walked into the bar, then walked to the center of the bar, where he made eye contact with the gang leader sitting at the top. The gang leader sensed something was wrong and immediately called more than a dozen gangsters to surround Ryo Sakazaki.

This was all within Yan Yue's perception range, so Yan Yue didn't need to worry at all. He knew that at this moment, Sakazaki Ryo had been completely unleashed and was about to erupt.

Sensing that Ryo Sakazaki was about to make a move, Engetsu also prepared himself. Simultaneously, both Ryo and Engetsu began to gather powerful streams of energy in their hands.

[Overlord Roaring Fist]!

[Nature Flow] Open!

With a deafening roar, the central area of ​​the bar was instantly blown apart, the immense shockwave sending debris flying everywhere. This sudden turn of events terrified the customers inside, who fled in panic.

The instant Yan Yue heard the explosion, she acted without hesitation, instantly knocking down the two armed gang members at the door. Before her other henchmen could react, Yan Yue swiftly moved forward, knocking them unconscious one by one while carefully controlling her strength.

After finishing, I walked to the door and picked up the brick I had just used.

Surrounded by enemies, Ryo Sakazaki showed no fear. He charged towards them with lightning speed, each punch imbued with boundless power. His attacks were like a storm, forcing his opponents to retreat repeatedly.

The gang leader, wearing sunglasses and smoking, was tall and slightly overweight, dressed in a long coat. The henchman, in a gentlemanly waistcoat and top hat, obscured his face. They quietly observed Ryo Sakazaki.

Tiger Emperor Fist, Extreme Flowing Dance Fist

At this tense moment, Ryo Sakazaki suddenly unleashed his power, employing his ultimate technique. This attack was incredibly powerful, instantly sending all the enemies flying. The expert who witnessed Ryo Sakazaki's overwhelming strength was secretly astonished.

As the smoke and dust gradually dissipated, the entire bar was a mess. Ryo Sakazaki and the gangsters stood amidst the ruins, staring at each other in an extremely tense atmosphere. Just then, Engetsu slowly walked in, carrying a brick. He approached Ryo Sakazaki, his gaze piercing, and coldly asked the gangster boss, "Do you know where Yuri Sakazaki is?"

"Do you even know that my sister is missing?!" Ryo Sakazaki roared, his eyes wide with rage.

However, the gang leader didn't answer their questions. Instead, he pulled two sharp steel rods from his pocket, his eyes flashing with a fierce light. At the same time, the skilled fighter beside him assumed a fighting stance, ready to launch an attack at any moment.

Yan Yue keenly sensed the figure of this expert, and a faint smile appeared on his lips. Then, he turned to look at Sakazaki Ryo and said softly, "Let me handle the one with the weapon; she's yours." With that, he gripped the brick in his hand and walked towards the gang leader.

The gang leader was equally defiant, charging directly at Yan Yue. Yan Yue easily dodged the gang leader's attack with a swift movement, then raised a brick and smashed it down hard on the man's head.

Seeing this, the gang leader quickly blocked with his steel rod. With a thud, Yan Yue's brick didn't break, but the steel rod was left with a noticeable dent. Yan Yue didn't give her opponent a chance to breathe, launching a series of attacks that forced the gang leader to retreat steadily, leaving him only able to defend himself with the steel rod.

Meanwhile, the duel between Ryo Sakazaki and the expert was also intense. Ryo clenched his fists, took a deep breath, and gathered all his strength into his right palm. He then unleashed a burst of energy from his single hand, striking directly at the expert.

Tiger Emperor Fist

However, the expert displayed astonishing skill, easily dodging Ryo Sakazaki's attack. He then swiftly counterattacked, unleashing a similar energy blast at Ryo.

[Viper Strike]

Ryo Sakazaki reacted with lightning speed, leaping to avoid the opponent's energy blast. In mid-air, he used the rotational force of his body to slash downwards with one hand, like a tiger descending a mountain.

【Fierce Tiger Thunder God】

However, the expert did not give Sakazaki Ryo a chance to catch his breath. He blocked Sakazaki Ryo's attack with his superb Muay Thai skills and quickly launched a counterattack.

【Whirling Attack】

His leg muscles tensed, and he flipped backward to kick out with the speed and ferocity of a venomous snake, striking directly at Ryo Sakazaki's abdomen.

Ryo Sakazaki skillfully deflected the expert's attacks using karate techniques; his movements were fluid and natural, each strike brimming with power and speed. The expert, on the other hand, relied primarily on Muay Thai and straight kicks. The two exchanged blows, neither giving an inch, and for a time, it was impossible to determine a winner.

Yan Yue found the gang leader incredibly sleazy. This tall, imposing man fought so stealthily, constantly rolling behind Yan Yue to launch sneak attacks. Because of Yan Yue's superior perception, the gang leader couldn't ambush her, but Yan Yue hadn't gained any advantage either. Therefore, Yan Yue decided to finish him off in one fell swoop.

Yan Yue stopped her attack and distanced herself from her leader. Controlling her Nen energy, she prepared to unleash a powerful strike.

[Nan Qi Circulation] Open! [Nan Qi Protection] Open!

Yan Yue held the brick in her right hand and gathered her spiritual energy in her left.

[Aura Shock]! Yan Yue slammed his left hand on the ground, and a powerful aura emanated from him, spreading outwards like ripples, even causing visible waves to form in the air. Wherever the aura touched, the ground would shimmer with a faint blue light. This move was originally Yan Yue's signature technique against Duo Long, but after four years, he had improved and perfected it.

As the blue light spread to the gang leader's feet, he suddenly felt a tremor beneath his feet, as if the earth itself had begun to shake. The intense tremor caused him to lose his balance, his previously stable defensive stance crumbling. At that moment, Yan Yue sprang up like lightning, his right hand gathering all his mental energy to envelop the brick. Infused with this energy, the brick emitted a torrent of mental energy, shimmering with a faint blue halo.

Super Special Move: [Nen Brick]

With a roar from Yan Yue, the brick, carrying unparalleled momentum, hurtled towards the gang leader's chest. Like a meteor, the brick struck the gang leader squarely with a deafening thud. Immediately afterward, it shattered and exploded, sending countless fragments of rock flying like bullets, riddling the surrounding ruins with holes.

"Boom!" A deafening roar shook the entire bar. The boss was blasted away by the impact, crashing heavily to the ground. Smoke and blood billowed from his chest. Blood trickled from his mouth, his clothes were torn, and he was unable to move. Yan Yue hadn't actually gone all out; otherwise, she would have slapped him in the face.

Four years ago, when Yan Yue met Shen Wu, Shen Wu fought with bricks, and he was quite fierce. At the time, Yan Yue asked Shen Wu why he was so good with bricks. Shen Wu explained that although he was indeed very strong, his fists were not hard enough, so he found a substitute. He said that after he grew stronger, his iron fists would be harder than anything else, and he would no longer need bricks.

This gave Yan Yue an idea. Since her meridians hadn't fully recovered and her physical strength couldn't keep up, she could only use bricks for close-range damage for now. It just so happened that she could use them in the fight in Nan Town, and this was Yan Yue's first test. So far, it's been pretty good; indeed, the ultimate weapon is often the simplest and most unadorned.

"What...what kind of weapon is this? So...powerful." The gang leader asked weakly as he lay on the ground, unable to understand why he had been defeated by a brick.

"A brick," Yan Yue replied casually, as if she were talking about something perfectly ordinary.

"Then who...who did you learn from?" The gang leader still couldn't accept this fact. He still didn't understand why a brick could exert such terrifying power in Yan Yue's hands.

Yan Yue smiled slightly and said softly, "The Martial God of Shanghai, China." After saying this, Yan Yue ignored the gang leader.

After hearing this, the gang leader smiled with relief, stared blankly at the ceiling, and muttered to himself, "So that's how it is. I didn't lose unjustly."

At this moment, Yan Yue walked over, briefly checked the gang leader's injuries, and after confirming that he was alright, she dusted herself off and turned to leave.

Suddenly remembering something, he turned around and asked, "Do you know anything about Lily?"

Meanwhile, on the other side, Ryo Sakazaki's battle was also nearing its end.