KOF: Rise of the King of Fighters

The next day, in the morning.

seaside.

This is where Iori Yagami usually practices his piano and writes songs. At this moment, he stands there, his face solemn as he gazes at the boundless sea. A gentle breeze makes the place exceptionally tranquil, but the inner turmoil within him grows even stronger.

He recalled his memories of this port city, but then he remembered the serpent bloodline within him that would occasionally flare up, and how his recent urges to act up seemed to be growing stronger. He knew he should leave.

As Iori Yagami struggled internally, a girl's voice interrupted his thoughts.

"Mr. An?"

Iori Yagami turned his head and saw that the person who had come was Kikuri Tanima.

Yesterday, Kikuri Tani was out of danger, so she was discharged from the hospital the following morning. At this time, Kikuri Tani was still as gentle as ever with a slight smile, but at the same time, her delicate and weak temperament, coupled with her long hair flowing in the wind, made her look somewhat desolate.

Iori Yagami looked at Kikuri Tani with a mixture of worry and surprise, "You..."

"Great! Mr. Iori is here after all!" Kikuri Tani's face lit up with undisguised joy, her beautiful eyes sparkling as she stared intently at Iori Yagami before her.

At this moment, Iori Yagami remained expressionless, his cold face seemingly covered by a layer of frost, making people hesitant to approach him.

However, when he heard Kikuri Tanima's voice, he turned his head slightly and asked in an extremely cold tone, "What are you doing here at this time?"

Kikuri Tanima did not seem to be intimidated by Iori Yagami's cold attitude. She took a deep breath and mustered her courage to say, "Um... Mr. Iori, there is something I would like to ask you."

Iori Yagami frowned, a hint of doubt flashing in his eyes: "You're asking me to do this?"

Kikuri Tanima nodded and continued, "The lyrics I wrote should have been delivered to you yesterday, right?"

Iori Yagami was silent for a moment, then responded faintly, "Hmm, what's up?"

Kikuri Tani bites her lip, hesitates for a moment before speaking, "I hoped that Mr. Ian could sing this song with my sister, but you refused. Is there really no room for discussion?"

Iori Yagami sneered and said disdainfully, "Is that even a question? Besides, those lyrics are completely unsuitable for me."

Kikuri Tani quickly shook her head and explained, "That's not how it is, Mr. Ian. Actually, you've always been a very gentle person."

"Is that the same thing again?" Iori Yagami interrupted her impatiently. "Hmph, boring. Gentleness has nothing to do with me."

Kikuri Tanima sighed softly, a hint of disappointment in her eyes, but she still refused to give up and continued, "Is that really so? Mr. Iori, humans, no matter how much nonsense they spout, will never lie to themselves..."

Upon hearing this, Iori Yagami seemed to have his secret exposed. He took a deep breath and said coldly, "You... you're just as stubborn as your sister!"

Kikuto Tanima replied sadly, "This is the first time I've heard someone say that my sister and I are alike..." "If my sister is the sun, then I'm like..."

"moon?"

“No, Mr. Iori is more like the moon in the night sky, bright, serene, and radiating a soft light,” Kikuri Tanima said gently, her gaze fixed on Iori Yagami.

"And I, in comparison, seem as insignificant as a star. The light I emit is so faint, as if it will disappear completely in the next second." The girl lowered her head slightly, her tone revealing a trace of loneliness and helplessness.

"Boring." Iori Yagami said this expressionlessly, then turned and left without hesitation, without lingering at all.

"Mr. An! Please wait a moment!" the girl cried out urgently, her voice trembling with tears.

Seeing that Iori Yagami had no reaction, she gritted her teeth and mustered her courage to continue shouting, "Actually, I'm going to have surgery soon. Although my sister has been acting nonchalant in front of me, I know in my heart that the chances of this surgery being successful are extremely slim. I feel like I'll really disappear from this world forever afterward."

Kikuri Tanima took a deep breath and continued, "But even if it's just a little bit, I really want to leave some trace of my existence in this world."

"The song 'Sunset and Moon' was written especially for my sister and Mr. An. Even if not now, even after I'm gone, please sing it with me... I beg you..." At the end, Kikuri Taniyama bowed deeply, her voice breaking with sobs.

However, Iori Yagami remained unmoved. With his back to Kikuri Tanima, he coldly replied, "I refuse! No matter how many times you make me say it, it will be the same. You don't understand the real me at all..."

Yagami paused, then said in a heavy tone, "I'm fine on my own..."

After saying that, Iori Yagami quickened his pace and disappeared from the girl's sight, leaving Kikuri Tanima alone, heartbroken and dejected.

……

In the afternoon, at the band's performance venue.

Konoe Tanima was completely absorbed in rehearsing the songs for tonight's performance. Her fair, jade-like hands skillfully strummed the strings of her electric guitar, producing one beautiful melody after another, each with its own unique style.

Not long after, Konoe Taniyama stopped playing and carefully took out the sheet music for "Sunset and Moon" given to her by Iori Yagami from her bosom. When she saw the sheet music, a look of embarrassment appeared on her face.

Recalling the lyrics her sister had given her the previous night, and after parting ways with Engetsu, Konoe Tanima rushed to find Iori Yagami, filled with hope that she could persuade him. However, Iori Yagami rejected her request without hesitation.

This morning, my younger sister, Kikuri Tanima, also went to visit Iori Yagami. Unfortunately, no matter how hard she tried, the result remained the same. In the end, Iori Yagami turned and left without any mercy.

"Yagami has really left..."

Just as Konoe Tani was lost in thought, a soft sound of footsteps approached. She instinctively looked up and saw Engetsu enter the rehearsal room. Following closely behind Engetsu were the graceful Mature and the honest and kind Uncle Kuwabara.

At this moment, Yan Yue was wearing a stylish coat. Beside her, Mai Zhuo wore a well-tailored, elegant business suit that perfectly accentuated her graceful figure. Her every move exuded a sexy and elegant charm, making her seem like Yan Yue's personal secretary.

With a look of surprise on his face, Gu Jian'e couldn't help but blurt out, "Mr. Engetsu!? What are you doing here all of a sudden?"

With a smile, Yan Yue nodded slightly to Gu Jian Konoe and said politely, "Hello, Miss Konoe."

Immediately afterwards, Yan Yue stepped to the side and gently pulled Mature to the front, introducing her to the guards in the valley: "This is my good friend, Miss Mature."

In fact, Yan Yue came alone, but Wei Si seemed to have something to do and hadn't returned to the villa, leaving Mai Zhuo alone at home. Feeling bored, she insisted on coming along and even dressed up as a secretary.

Mature smiled and greeted Konoe, "Hello, Konoe-san. It's a pleasure to meet you."

Gu Jian Konoe then came to his senses and, suppressing his sadness and disappointment, quickly bowed and said, "Hello, welcome to both of you."

At this moment, Yan Yue asked, "We just heard that Iori Yagami has left this place. Is that true?"

Konoe's eyes dimmed, and she seemed somewhat dejected. She nodded slowly and replied softly, "Yes, that's true... He left in a hurry without even saying goodbye." After saying that, she sighed softly.

Seeing this, Yan Yue was puzzled, thinking, "That shouldn't be the case. Shouldn't Yagami still help? Is his character really that bad?"

Yan Yue immediately comforted her, "Miss Konoe, don't be too sad. Perhaps Iori Yagami has his own things to do. Please focus on your performance from now on, and I will help you resolve the issues with Princess Hime."

Gu Jian Konoe looked up at Yan Yue with gratitude in her eyes and said gently, "Thank you so much."

Uncle Kuwahara, standing to the side, smiled and nodded, equally grateful.

……

As night fell and the stage lights began to flash, the crowd began to gather, with many spectators waiting in the audience for Konoe Tanima's final performance here.

Yan Yue and Mai Zhuo sat in the front row of the audience, with Tanima Kikuri and Uncle Kuwabara sitting next to them.

Kikuri Tanima is feeling down because of Iori Yagami's departure, but this is her sister's last performance, and she will also be singing "Sunset and Moon". So Kikuri Tanima is still cheering and looking forward to her sister's performance.

As the music started, Konoe Tanima, holding an electric guitar and setting up the microphone, began his performance.

Her voice was clear, beautiful, and captivating. The audience's enthusiasm was ignited by the energetic rhythm, and they waved their arms in time with the music.

The stage lights flashed, creating a vibrant atmosphere. Konoe Tanima poured his heart and soul into his performance, every lyric brimming with emotion.

However, among the crowd, there was a pair of eyes that, like venomous snakes in the darkness, were fixed on her from beginning to end—that was Himegami. He stood quietly in a corner, expressionless, silently watching the spectacular performance of the Valley Guard, but his eyes revealed an undisguised disdain and sinister glint.

Himegami originally had a plan in mind: to use the Tanaka sisters as leverage to force Iori Yagami to renew his contract.

But to everyone's surprise, Iori Yagami was truly ruthless. Faced with Himegami's threat to use the Tani sisters as leverage, he actually turned and left, completely disregarding the sisters' fate. In this way, all the threats Himegami had previously made instantly became meaningless.

At this moment, thinking about how his carefully planned scheme had failed, not only had he failed to reach a cooperation agreement with Iori Yagami, but he had also ended up in such a miserable situation.

As time passed, the fire of anger burned ever brighter in Himegami's heart, making him increasingly ruthless. He had already devised a plan to torment the Valley Sisters to vent the deep-seated hatred within him.

However, Engetsu clearly sensed all of Himegami's malice.

……

After Konoe Tanima finished performing all of the band's previous songs, he received enthusiastic applause from the audience.

Amid cheers from the crowd, she paused briefly, picked up the microphone, took a deep breath, and said earnestly, "Thank you all for coming. Next up is the last song of the day—'Sunset and Moon'."

"Wow..." Before the words were even finished, a thunderous burst of enthusiastic applause erupted from the audience, surging like a tidal wave.

Konoe Tanima paused slightly, cleared his throat, and slowly said, "Actually, I didn't originally plan to sing this song."

"Huh?" A chorus of exclamations, a mixture of surprise and confusion, immediately rose from the audience.

Konoe Tani took a deep breath, a hint of sadness flashing in her eyes, and continued, "This song was originally a duet with Yagami. But as you all know, Yagami has already left..."

Upon hearing this news, the entire scene instantly fell silent.

"This song, however, features lyrics meticulously written by my younger sister, with the melody composed by Iori Yagami himself... Therefore, I've decided to present it to you all in its entirety today. But after singing this song, my sister and I will leave this place and embark on a new journey..."

As Konoe Tanima finished speaking, his words filled with sorrow, the scene fell silent as if by magic, and the air seemed to freeze.

A moment later, the stage lights gradually dimmed, leaving only a few soft beams of light falling on Taniguchi Konoe. She gently plucked the strings of her harp, and clear, melodious notes poured out like flowing water.

Immediately afterwards, a melodious and gentle accompaniment began to play, and as the prelude ended, Konoe Tanizama's beautiful, lyrical, and deeply emotional voice followed:

"The sky is dyed the color of reeds, so why can I feel warmth?"

"No matter who it is, a precious person can always ignite the fire in his heart and envelop him in the afterglow of the setting sun."

Even as night falls, the deep darkness engulfs the streets and the crowds.

"Yes, but that can't erase the warmth in my heart..."

Accompanied by the melodious yet slightly melancholic singing, it flowed gently into the hearts of every listener like a clear spring, as if an invisible thread was gently plucking the softest strings of their hearts, making them intoxicated and unable to extricate themselves.

At this moment, everyone was immersed in their own memories. Those beautiful times spent with their loved ones, those warm and sweet moments of interaction, flashed through their minds like scenes from a movie.

However, intertwined with this are the heart-wrenching scenes of sorrowful farewells, which cannot help but bring tears to one's eyes.

Gu Jianju sat there quietly, listening to the heartfelt song. Her eyes were already closed, and a single tear silently slid down her cheek. Those glistening tears seemed to be the embodiment of her endless longing and sorrow.

Mai Zhuo also looked dejected. She glanced at Yan Yue, seemingly having some deep-seated memories stirred up by the song, and was now lost in thought.

Yan Yue, meanwhile, couldn't help but recall the gentle and kind Xiaolong sister. Memories of their past interactions flooded his mind; though brief, they filled him with emotion and stirred his thoughts.

Just then, a strange intuition suddenly welled up in Yan Yue's mind, and he keenly sensed that something was amiss. So, without hesitation, he activated his [Perception Domain] and began to carefully examine the people around him.

When Yan Yue's senses extended beyond the walls of the arena, he spotted a tall figure. The moment he sensed this figure, the corners of Yan Yue's mouth turned up slightly, revealing a barely perceptible smile.

Iori Yagami leaned against the outer wall of the music venue, his deep, magnetic voice, accompanied by the faint accompaniment coming from inside the venue, making his singing sound particularly profound and melancholic.

"The lonely moon blooms, swaying in the darkness. Yes, one person is enough. Flames are fragments of the night moon..."