KOF: Rise of the King of Fighters

Inside the late-night snack shop, Yan Yue was calmly eating noodles, her consciousness occasionally sensing the man not far away, secretly guessing his identity.

"With a cold, evil aura and a hint of murderous intent, who could he be?"

However, just as Yan Yue was pondering, the man had already quickly finished his noodles, stood up, and prepared to leave. At that moment, Yan Yue was startled when she suddenly sensed the man standing there.

"Iori Yagami!? How could it be him? Why is he here?"

Yan Yue frowned, looking surprised. Because Yan Yue couldn't perceive color, she couldn't figure it out for the moment.

His signature red hair, coupled with his unique attire—a black cropped jacket over a white long shirt, and slim-fitting red jeans with ribbons tied around his legs—made him look incredibly stylish and avant-garde. The moon emblem on his back was particularly striking, seemingly telling a story of his mysterious origins and extraordinary power.

Yan Yue stared blankly at Iori Yagami's departing figure, her curiosity growing stronger, determined to find out why he was here.

"Hopefully, I'm not going to go fight Kyo Kusanagi..."

So Yan Yue quickly finished her noodles and hurriedly followed him out.

[Perception Domain] Open!

Yan Yue activated his wide-range perception and quietly followed behind Iori Yagami. He walked cautiously, maintaining a considerable distance, trying his best not to make any noise so as not to be noticed by Iori Yagami.

After all, Engetsu remembered Iori Yagami's personality, and if he were to accidentally discover this, the consequences could be severe. Therefore, Engetsu remained vigilant, always prepared to deal with any unexpected situations.

Yan Yue followed for a while and felt that Iori Yagami was getting further and further away from Kusanagi Castle.

But just then, Yan Yue suddenly sensed a powerful aura rapidly approaching. This aura made Yan Yue tense, and he immediately stopped and focused on sensing his surroundings.

Upon sensing again, Yan Yue was surprised to find a woman suddenly appearing behind her. This woman wore a long black robe, her figure alluring and graceful, and she appeared quite mysterious. A faint smile graced her face, but a hint of coldness lingered in her eyes.

"Are you following him?" The woman's voice was soft but carried a hint of coldness, as if it could penetrate one's soul.

Yan Yue was startled; his prized perception had failed him in front of this woman. He didn't know who she was, or why she was there. But the aura emanating from her remained malevolent.

Yan Yue turned around, wanting to see who this woman was. However, when he sensed her again, he found that she had vanished in an instant.

Just as Yan Yue was puzzled, he suddenly felt someone gently breathe on his ear. Startled, Yan Yue quickly turned around and backed away, only to find that the woman had appeared in front of him at some point.

"Don't be nervous, little one. I just want to talk to you," the woman said with a smile, her eyes gleaming with a mysterious light.

"Phew... So fast!" Yan Yue was quite frightened and gasped for breath.

"Haha...little guy," the woman mocked, "you think you can escape?"

Yan Yue was so nervous that he couldn't speak. He had never experienced a loss of perception before, and this moment made him feel insecure. He sensed that the evil aura emanating from the woman was far greater than that of Iori Yagami.

Is it the Eight Heroes?

Yan Yue quickly recovered, calmed her nerves, and asked calmly, "Beautiful lady, who are you?"

“My name is Mai Zhuo,” the woman said softly, her voice gentle and low. “What’s your purpose in following that guy?”

Yan Yue was startled, and her face turned pale.

As expected, it's one of the Eight Heroes, Mature? I didn't expect to run into her so soon.

How to do?

Yan Yue took a deep breath, trying to remain calm. "I'm just curious why the Yagami clan is here, after all, this is the territory of his mortal enemy, the Kusanagi clan." He sensed Mature's gaze, trying to glean some clues from her eyes.

"So you know the legend of the Three Divine Artifacts. It seems you're no ordinary person." Mai Zhuo glanced at Yan Yue, her sharp gaze seemingly able to pierce through one's heart.

She paused for a moment, seemingly judging whether Yan Yue was telling the truth. Then, she smiled slightly: "Alright, since that's the case, then I'll tell you, he just happened to be passing by."

After saying that, Mai Zhuo disappeared from Yan Yue's perception range once again, as if she had never appeared at all.

Yan Yue stared wide-eyed in surprise, her heart filled with shock. "Disappeared again?" Yan Yue was utterly astonished by Mai Zhuo's abilities. In Mai Zhuo's presence, her senses were completely useless, and she had essentially become a true blind person.

Just then, before Yan Yue could react, she suddenly felt a pair of soft hands gently remove her hat. This sudden action startled Yan Yue, sending a chill down her spine.

He whirled around and saw Mai Zhuo standing behind him, a mocking smile on her face. Her deep eyes sparkled, revealing an indescribable charm.

Yan Yue was taken aback and didn't know how to react for a moment. Mai Zhuo, however, didn't seem to care. The corners of her mouth turned up slightly, and she chuckled softly, "Oh? He's quite a handsome young man."

Yan Yue remained silent, concentrating intently on preparing to unleash her spiritual energy, not daring to relax in the slightest.

Noticing Yan Yue's serious expression, Mai Zhuo continued in her gentle and charming voice, "Although this is our first meeting, for some reason, I feel like you know me. Usually, people aren't this wary when they see me~"

Yan Yue couldn't help but marvel at Mai Zhuo's keen intuition, a bitter feeling rising in her heart, but she still tried to remain calm and replied with a wry smile:

"Beautiful lady, I can't see. Your sudden appearance has indeed frightened me a bit."

"really?"

Before she finished speaking, Mai Zhuo rushed towards Yan Yue like lightning. Her fingernails instantly transformed into sharp blades, attacking with fierce momentum.

[Steel Massacre]!

Yan Yue was startled: "Damn it! There's murderous intent!" He quickly realized what was happening, but he couldn't sense Mai Zhuo's figure. He could only feel a powerful evil and murderous intent approaching.

[Mind Barrier]!

Yan Yue immediately mobilized her internal energy to block Mai Zhuo's attack.

Immediately afterward, a crisp sound rang out. Mature's attack was successfully blocked by the Nen barrier, and she was bounced back, a hint of surprise flashing in her eyes. But she danced gracefully in the air, skillfully controlling her body, and then landed lightly back on the ground.

Her left hand still gripped Yan Yue's hat tightly, and that mysterious smile remained on her face as she quietly watched Yan Yue.

"Not bad, young man!"

Yan Yue keenly sensed that the murderous aura emanating from Mai Zhuo vanished in an instant, and a hint of doubt welled up in her heart. However, Yan Yue did not lower her guard, but calmly replied, "If you want to continue fighting, the Kusanagi clan will arrive here soon. Are you sure you want to continue?"

Upon hearing Yan Yue's words, Mai Zhuo's lips curled into a faint smile. She seemed unconcerned by Yan Yue's warning, instead pulling out an exquisite dressing box from her bosom and examining it closely in the mirror, completely ignoring Yan Yue for a moment.

Then, her lips moved slightly, and she slowly uttered a sentence: "That's true, handsome young man."

After a while, Mai Zhuo put away the mirror in her hand and turned her gaze back to Yan Yue. An elusive light flickered in her eyes, and that mysterious smile still lingered on her lips.

"Since you are so polite..." After saying this, her body instantly turned into a black shadow. Yan Yue tried to track her figure with his mental power, but in the blink of an eye, Mai Zhuo reappeared in front of him.

Yan Yue sensed that Mai Zhuo had not released any killing intent, so she stopped paying attention to her, but she was still prepared to deal with any unexpected situations at any time.

Mai Zhuo slowly approached Yan Yue, carefully observing his dull golden pupils. She was somewhat surprised, and with a slight smile, she said softly, "Young man, your eyes are truly rare, so beautiful."

Then, she reached out her hand.

"Hey!" Yan Yue immediately tried to stop her.

"Don't move~"

Mai Zhuo gently touched Yan Yue's hair and cheek, then tenderly put the hat back on his head, whispering, "Okay, now let me help you cover your eyes~"

"Handsome boy, let's enjoy this night again next time~" As soon as she finished speaking, Mai Zhuo disappeared from Yan Yue's perception, along with her aura.

Yan Yue breathed a sigh of relief when she realized that Mai Zhuo had really left, but she was also filled with doubt.

"That was close..."

Yan Yue couldn't help but fall into deep thought.

"Why are the Eight Orochi here too? Shouldn't Mature be with Rugal or Goenitz right now? But Mature might also be secretly monitoring Iori Yagami."

"Is it because she is one of the Eight Heroes that I can't sense her?"

"It seems the Orochi clan is quite troublesome..."

……

At dawn, Yan Yue entered Kusanagi Castle.

Kusanagi Castle is actually a town in the Osaka Castle area. After hundreds of years of development and changes, the environment here is not much different from that of an ordinary town. Moreover, only a small part of the population of Kusanagi Castle is the Kusanagi clan, and most of them are ordinary residents.

After making some inquiries, Yan Yue learned where Kusanagi Kyo lived and arrived at his doorstep.

Kyo Kusanagi's house is a spacious Japanese residence that blends modern and traditional styles. It features white exterior walls and an internal garden, giving it a dignified and grand appearance. A plaque hangs at the entrance, bearing the large characters "Kusanagi".

Yan Yue walked to the door and gently knocked. A moment later, a very mature and beautiful woman opened the door. She was wearing a kimono, and her face had a gentle and refined smile that gave people a sense of warmth.

Upon seeing the door open, Yan Yue immediately stepped forward to greet her, saying, "Hello, my name is Yan Yue, and I'm a friend from Jing."

However, Kusanagi Shizuka seemed to know something about Engetsu, and replied with a smile, "Engetsu, from China, right? I often hear Kyo mention you. I am his mother, Kusanagi Shizuka."

Yan Yue replied politely, "Hello, Auntie."

Kusanagi Shizuka warmly invited, "Come, come, Engetsu, come in and sit down. Kyo should be training at the training ground right now; he didn't go home last night."

Yan Yue quickly waved her hand to refuse, "No need to trouble yourself, Auntie. I want to go find Jing first; I have some important things to discuss with him."

Kusanagi Shizuka said in a friendly manner, "What's the matter? You must be tired from coming all the way from China. Come in and rest for a while."

Yan Yue scratched her head, then gave a bright smile and said, "Haha, it's nothing really. I just wanted to check on Jing's training progress as soon as possible. I heard he's already the Japanese fighting champion!"

Kusanagi Shizuka smiled and nodded, saying, "Yes, Kyo has indeed achieved remarkable results in martial arts. However, it is also the result of a lot of hard work."

"Oh! Can I go find him now?"

Kusanagi Shizuka smiled and nodded, indicating that he could do as he pleased. Engetsu then eagerly left his house and ran towards Kusanagi's training ground.