KOF: Rise of the King of Fighters

Day after day of cultivation, before she knew it, Yan Yue was already eight years old.

Yan Yue sat cross-legged on a cliff face atop Wudang Mountain, the afterglow of the setting sun casting a hazy golden glow upon her. Then, Yan Yue withdrew her spiritual energy and slowly opened her eyes. If anyone were watching at that moment, they would surely exclaim in astonishment—golden pupils!

Yan Yue sighed helplessly, "Although my eyes no longer hurt and I can open them, I still can't see anything." He felt very confused and helpless.

Then, he muttered to himself, "Let's go back first. I wonder if the old man has returned yet? He went down the mountain yesterday morning, and according to usual practice, he should be back today. Let's prepare dinner first."

After saying that, he got up and left the cliff alone. If anyone else were to walk down such a precipitous cliff, it would be an impossible feat, and even those with acrophobia would be terrified. However, Yan Yue remained calm and composed, his steps steady and firm, as if he were walking on flat ground, as he descended the mountain step by step.

Not long after, Yan Yue returned to the sect. He looked around and, finding no one nearby, used his spiritual energy to control his body and entered the kitchen. At this moment, Yan Yue's limbs were still not very agile, and he could only move them slightly, requiring the assistance of his spiritual energy to move normally.

Upon entering the kitchen, Yan Yue quickly grabbed a sharp cleaver and began to work. His movements were skillful, unlike anything a disabled blind man could do. He held the ingredients firmly in his left hand while wielding the cleaver with practiced ease, chopping and slicing with great force, seemingly without the slightest fear of injuring himself.

Having lived alone in his previous life, he was very skilled in Chinese cuisine. After chopping all the ingredients, he began to cook rice. Wudang Mountain was located in Hubei Province, somewhat similar to where he lived in his previous life, and the dietary habits were also quite alike. However, in this world, technology was not advanced. It was only similar to the 1990s. There were hardly any electrical appliances on Wudang Mountain except for light bulbs.

As she was rinsing the rice, Yan Yue paused, a slight smile playing on her lips.

Grandpa came back, carrying a little boy on his back. Yan Yue put down what she was doing and went outside. She saw Tang Fulu carrying various things in his hands, with a two-year-old boy on his back.

"grandfather……"

"Yan Yue, come help me with these things."

"Who is this child?" Yan Yue asked as she picked up her luggage. The little boy was fast asleep, perhaps from exhaustion.

“This child, like you, possesses extraordinary abilities. He has the special power to control illusions. When I met him, his abilities had already gone berserk, and the surrounding area was all ruins.” Tang Fulu recalled the scene and told Yan Yue what he knew. “From now on, he will be your junior brother. Please take good care of him for me these next few days.”

Tang Fulu had long since discovered that although Yan Yue was only eight years old, his thoughts and behavior were almost like those of an adult, so he trusted him completely and entrusted him with this task.

"Does he have a name?" Yan Yue asked curiously.

"Of course, I've already given him a name, just like I did with you before, it's called Shunying." Tang Fulu patted Yan Yue's head affectionately and said slowly.

“Shunying…” Yan Yue looked at the cute little kid sleeping soundly in front of her and couldn’t help but think of the chuunibyou (delusional) young man who would represent the Chinese team in the future. A strange sense of amusement welled up in her heart and she couldn’t help but burst into laughter.

For the next few days, Yan Yue stayed by Shun Ying's side, teaching him simple reading, writing, and some basic life skills. Shun Ying was bright and quick-witted, with a strong learning ability; despite being only two or three years old, he quickly mastered these basic skills. At the same time, Yan Yue gradually adapted to his role as the older brother, beginning to care for and look after Shun Ying's daily life. Their relationship grew increasingly close, like that of real brothers. Wherever Yan Yue went, Shun Ying was always there, happily following behind.

Two years later, five-year-old Shunying began learning Bajiquan martial arts. In the same year, another five-year-old boy also became a disciple of Wudang Bajiquan. This was the last disciple that Tang Fulu decided to accept.

Tomorrow-kun is a little boy with a very special constitution. He spends all his time eating and sleeping, and he can sleep while eating, walking, listening to lectures, and even playing with Shunying Yanyue. Yanyue is already used to it; after all, there's no one normal on Wudang Mountain. After that, wherever Yanyue goes, he always has two little followers: one wandering around aimlessly, and the other sleeping behind him.

"Senior brother, why do you always have to go to such high places to meditate and cultivate?" Shunying looked at Yanyue sitting cross-legged on the top of the cliff. The cold wind blew and Shunying's face shivered. He was still quite flustered and afraid.

"This way I can perceive the world better. Didn't I teach you the mind-body technique you've always wanted?"

"But the Qi cultivation method is really hard to learn. It seems even Grandpa isn't very proficient in it. Only someone like you, Senior Brother, who is blind and has severed meridians, can actually practice it," Shunying complained.

Because Tang Fulu is almost a hundred years old, Yan Yue has always called him Grandpa, so his two junior brothers also call him Grandpa.

"Hey, can't you speak properly? What do you mean by saying that only someone like me can learn this? Xiao Shun, you must continue learning the Nen technique so that you can properly control your abilities and prevent this power from harming the people around you."

"Okay, senior brother, you're so long-winded."

"You're the one who's being long-winded. You should learn from Xiaoming. He hasn't said a word yet. The first principle of the Mindfulness Qi Cultivation Method is to keep your mind still like water and perceive all things."

"Martial arts are generally divided into internal cultivation and external cultivation. Internal cultivation, also known as Qi cultivation, focuses on cultivating one's own internal strength, while external cultivation, also known as martial arts cultivation, focuses on strengthening one's own bones and body, specializing in physical techniques. Those who cultivate both internal and external aspects can balance their own strength and achieve mastery of martial arts." Yan Yue explained earnestly to Shun Ying and Ming Tianjun.

“But Tomorrow-kun isn’t here. I don’t think he came.” Shun-ying scratched his head in confusion.

“How could that be? He arrived a long time ago, Xiao Ming, Xiao Ming, Ming Tianjun…” Yan Yue said, looking around as she tried to find Ming Tianjun.

"Is it possible that tomorrow, while you're asleep, you'll fall down..." Shun'ei muttered to himself.

Upon hearing this, Yan Yue was stunned for a moment, then suddenly realized, "Oh right, how come I didn't think of that?" Then, she hurriedly shouted, "Then what are we waiting for? Hurry up and go find it, see which tree it's hanging on. Hurry, hurry!" After saying that, Yan Yue hurriedly walked down the mountain.

"Is it possible that it wasn't hanging in the tree..." Shunying whispered.

"Shut up!" Yan Yue opened her eyes and glared fiercely at Shun Ying, whose golden pupils startled Shun Ying into quickly shutting his mouth. Then, he joined Yan Yue in searching for Ming Tian Jun, whose whereabouts were unknown.

……

Later, a pair of blond, blue-eyed foreign brothers came up the mountain. They were a few years older than Yan Yue and had come specifically to find Tang Fulu. The boys cried and told Tang Fulu many things, which filled him with grief and indignation. Afterwards, Tang Fulu made an exception and accepted the older brother as his disciple, teaching him Bajiquan, while the younger brother went down the mountain that same day.

The boy was physically strong and learned quickly. Yan Yue hadn't interacted with him, only bringing him meals during training. The boy focused solely on his training, never uttering a word. Tang Fulu was unusually stern and silent as well. Yan Yue often sensed the boy fainting from exhaustion, so she would call upon Shunying Mingtianjun to help him rest, which Tang Fulu tacitly agreed to. Yan Yue also frequently sensed the boy's killing intent growing increasingly intense…

"Blonde hair, blue eyes, Bajiquan... Terry and Andy, huh..."

……

Three months later, the boy prepared to go down the mountain.

That night, the boy packed his bags, walked out of the sect's gate, turned around and gently knelt down, his eyes filled with indescribable complexity...

The path the boy took down the mountain was exceptionally quiet, as if he were the only person left in the world. Only the soft sound of his footsteps and the occasional chirping of insects prevented the night from becoming eerily quiet.

"Walking alone so late at night, aren't you going to say goodbye to the old man?" Suddenly, a voice broke the silence. Yan Yue's eyes were closed, and she controlled her body with her spiritual energy, slowly walking in front of the big boy like a ghost.

"Junior Brother Yan Yue?" A hint of surprise flashed in the boy's eyes.

“Senior brother, it’s me,” Yan Yue replied with a smile.

"Master said you can't see..." The boy looked at Yan Yue with some regret, but he was also secretly glad that at least this junior brother had come to see him off.

"Yes, but it's okay. I've gotten used to it, and I should be able to see again in the future." Yan Yue's tone was relaxed, as if she didn't care about her blindness.

The boy nodded slightly and then said, "I have grasped the core of Bajiquan's orthodox style. The rest requires me to continue practicing on my own. I am not used to staying on the mountain all the time. I have many things to do. My brother and I have a promise."

"Revenge?" Yan Yue asked softly, her voice tinged with heaviness.

The boy was silent for a moment, then nodded: "Yes, my brother and I were murdered, and now I must avenge him!"

"Did your master tell you?" The boy's tone was slightly sad, clearly indicating that this memory was very painful for him.

"No, I didn't learn about this from my master. Instead, I sensed a strong killing intent emanating from you," Yan Yue explained.

"So your perception is that strong?" The boy couldn't help but feel a surge of admiration.

"After all, I can't see..." Yan Yue smiled helplessly.

Both understood the unwavering resolve and persistence deep within each other's hearts. The boy continued on his way, while Yan Yue silently stood still, extending her right hand. The boy also extended his right hand, and under the moonlight, they high-fived.

“My name is Terry Bogard. It’s a pleasure to meet you, junior brother. I’m truly grateful for your care before.” Terry smiled and looked at the mysterious junior brother in front of him, who was a few years younger than him but whose mind was not like that of a child, and said sincerely. Then he suddenly felt something in his hand.

"Take care on the road. This is your travel money from the old man." Yan Yue said, opening her right hand to reveal a credit card, which she handed to Terry with a high five.

Terry accepted the credit card, his heart filled with gratitude and warmth. He knew it wasn't just about travel expenses, but also about trust and support. In this unfamiliar world, he felt no longer alone, but had a family he could rely on.

"Thank you..." Terry said softly, tears welling in his eyes.

Yan Yue gently patted Terry's shoulder and comforted him, "Senior brother, have a safe journey."

Terry nodded vigorously, then turned and left. His steps were firm and powerful, filled with anticipation and hope for the future.

Yan Yue silently watched Terry's departing figure until he disappeared from his perception range. He knew that Terry would face many challenges and difficulties, but he believed in Terry's ability to become a true fighter, the legendary Hungry Wolf—Terry Bogard.

"You are the legendary wolf..." Yan Yue thought to herself.

Yan Yue silently returned to his room, preparing to rest. He knew he still had his training to complete tomorrow. Meanwhile, in the distance, Terry was embarking on his own adventure, carrying with him thoughts of his master and junior brother, heading towards the unknown future.