KOF: Rise of the King of Fighters

Night fell, the stars twinkled, and the bright moon hung high in the sky. Yan Yue sat quietly cross-legged on the top floor of the lighthouse, motionless like a statue. After a long while, Yan Yue slowly opened her eyes.

His gaze drifted into the distance, taking in the ever-flashing neon lights of the port city, their vibrant colors shimmering and reflecting each other. On the other side, a tranquil sea stretched out, its surface sparkling, rippling gently in the breeze.

At this moment, the sea breeze whistling through the sky was like a stirring melody, blowing against Yan Yue's hair and the hem of her clothes. Yan Yue took a deep breath, letting the slightly salty air fill her chest, feeling this unique coolness and comfort.

In this environment, Yan Yue began to fall into deep thought, her mind flashing back to the various events that had recently occurred.

After an unknown amount of time, Yan Yue finally snapped out of his reverie. He gently shook his head, as if trying to shake off all his troubles, and then muttered to himself, "Let's stop practicing here for today..."

Before the words were even finished, Yan Yue jumped off the lighthouse. She quickly landed smoothly using her light-footed skills and then walked towards the villa.

Yan Yue tiptoed back to his room, as if afraid of disturbing something. He slowly sat down on the edge of the bed, took a deep breath, and began to carefully unwrap the bandages wrapped around his body. Once all the bandages were removed, he stood up and went to the bathroom for a quick wash.

After washing up, Yan Yue returned to the bedside, gently lay down, adjusted to a comfortable position, and quickly closed his eyes. His breathing gradually became steady and long, as if he were immersed in a peaceful dream.

Time slipped by unnoticed, and no one knew how much time had passed. Just then, Yan Yue, who had been fast asleep, suddenly opened his eyes as if sensing something unusual. His eyes revealed a hint of alertness and surprise, and his body reacted instantly, sitting up abruptly from the bed.

"Little Yan Yue~ Don't be so nervous..." Just as Yan Yue woke up with a start, a gentle yet slightly teasing voice entered his ears. Mai Zhuo had silently appeared beside Yan Yue's bed at some point. Judging from her appearance, she seemed to have just returned.

She was still wearing her signature black robe, the hem of which swayed slightly like a shadow in the night.

Mai Zhuo rested her chin on her hands, leaned forward, and lay on the edge of the bed, revealing her cleavage. Strands of her long golden hair cascaded down her side. Her beautiful eyes were fixed on Yan Yue, their gaze gleaming with an unfathomable light.

Faced with this sudden situation, Yan Yue did not let her guard down. She frowned and looked at Mai Zhuo with a serious expression, saying, "Sister Mai Zhuo, it's a bit much for you to appear by my bedside without saying a word!"

At this moment, Mai Zhuo remained calm and unhurried. She leisurely took out an extremely exquisite business card from her bosom, then gently placed it on her fingertips and played with it with great interest.

At the same time, she uttered a slightly admiring remark: "Oh my, it's all because our little Yan Yue is just too attractive!"

Upon hearing this, Yan Yue was slightly taken aback, then widened her eyes and asked, "Did you take this out of my pocket?"

Mai Zhuo smiled slightly and nodded gently, replying, "Yes, that's right. It was taken from your pocket, Xiao Yan Yue. And you really are so righteous, Xiao Yan Yue. You actually killed so many people for the sake of the Valley Sisters..." As she spoke, Mai Zhuo climbed onto the bed by herself.

Seeing Mai Zhuo's actions, Yan Yue panicked and reached out to defend herself, stammering, "You...you don't know that seducing a minor is illegal..."

However, despite Yan Yue's best efforts to stop her, it was clear that it was futile. Before long, Mai Zhuo easily wrapped her arms around Yan Yue's neck again.

"What do you think~" Just as Mai Zhuo stretched out her arms to hug Yan Yue tightly, her fingers inadvertently touched Yan Yue's left shoulder.

Mai Zhuo's movements abruptly stopped, and the charming smile that had been on her face vanished instantly, replaced by a look of concern. She asked softly, "Is your injury any better?"

"Huh?" Yan Yue was puzzled when she heard this sudden voice of concern.

However, before Yan Yue could react, Mai Zhuo pressed her luscious lips close to Yan Yue's ear without hesitation, her gentle breath bringing a slight tingling sensation.

All that could be heard was Mai Zhuo's extremely soft and caring voice as she gently asked, "I said, is your injury feeling better?"

"!" Yan Yue felt a tingling sensation throughout her body and suddenly trembled.

Yan Yue took a deep breath, trying to calm herself down, and then replied, "I... I only have some external injuries right now."

Looking at Yan Yue's expression, Mai Zhuo smiled slightly and said softly, "That's good. I might have to leave for a while. Take good care of yourself and don't worry me!"

As she spoke, Mai Zhuo reached out and gently stroked Yan Yue's face, as if she were cherishing a rare treasure.

"Leave?" Yan Yue asked curiously.

Mature said in a calm and composed tone, "Rugal has successfully resurrected, and this time he is stronger than ever before..."

Has he fully fused with Orochi's blood? Upon hearing this news, Yan Yue frowned and asked with a worried expression, "So, he's planning to launch a revenge operation?"

Mai Zhuo nodded slightly in agreement, then said softly, "That's right, as his secretary, I naturally need to go and assist him."

After speaking, Mai Zhuo leaned forward slightly, bringing her face only a few centimeters away from Yan Yue, and then carefully and earnestly examined Yan Yue's exquisite face.

A fleeting hint of tenderness and affection flashed in her eyes, and with a slight smile, she teased, "But seriously, I'd actually rather be your personal secretary, Little Flame Moon~"

Faced with Mai Zhuo's sudden intimate gesture, Yan Yue turned her head away shyly, not daring to meet Mai Zhuo's gaze, and replied, "Then I'll head to South Town first."

Upon hearing this, Mai Zhuo simply replied with a nonchalant, "Whatever you say."

"Great! We're finally rid of the Eight Heroes!" Yan Yue breathed a sigh of relief and then said, "I need to rest now."

Mai Zhuo smiled and nodded, saying softly, "Okay, you should go to sleep."

However, after waiting for a while, seeing that Mai Zhuo still showed no sign of leaving, Yan Yue couldn't help but urge her again, "Then why aren't you going down yet?"

At this moment, Mai Zhuo smiled mischievously and replied coquettishly, "Oh, I'm in a really good mood today, so I wanted to stay and take care of you~"

"You wicked woman...you said it yourself..."

Hearing this, Yan Yue still felt a little awkward, but she gave up resisting and simply ignored her. So Yan Yue lay down on her own, leaned against Mai Zhuo's chest, and quickly fell asleep.

……

Southtown, USA.

The glorious era led by Geese has come to an end. But as time goes by, the open and covert struggles between gangs have never stopped for a moment.

Just then, Yan Yue and the Gu sisters, weary from their journey, finally arrived safely in South Town. This bustling town was full of life and vitality, with its streets and alleys filled with unique atmospheres.

Shortly afterward, Yan Yue personally escorted the Gu sisters to the entrance of X Music Company. He smiled and watched the two sisters enter the company before turning to leave. He then entrusted the rest of the matter to the Gu sisters themselves.

After settling the Gu sisters in, Yan Yue immediately began searching for the building manager. After making some inquiries, he quickly found the manager's office. He gently knocked on the door, and upon hearing a "Come in," Yan Yue pushed the door open and went inside.

As soon as Yan Yue entered, the manager immediately stood up from his seat, his face beaming with a warm smile, and quickly stepped forward to greet him, saying, "Hello! Mr. Yan Yue! It's been a long time! We're so happy to see you back!"

As the manager spoke, he gripped Yan Yue's hand tightly and shook it up and down, as if afraid that the big star in front of him would suddenly disappear. He was secretly delighted, thinking that the subsidiary's cash cow had finally returned.

Faced with the manager's warm welcome, Yan Yue simply smiled faintly, without much formality. He cut straight to the point, saying, "Hello, manager. I plan to stay in Nanzhen for a few days this time. During this time, I will focus on preparing some new songs. As for the work arrangements with the Gu sisters, I'll have to trouble you to take care of them."

Upon hearing Yan Yue's words, the manager quickly nodded and replied, "No problem, Mr. Yan Yue! Rest assured, I will do my best to meet your requirements!" After saying this, the manager made another confident statement, which made Yan Yue very satisfied.

"Then I'll be going now..." With that, Yan Yue bid farewell to the manager. Yan Yue knew that the board of directors of X Music Company was led by a positive force, so they guaranteed the safety of the artists under the company when they traveled.

Afterwards, Yan Yue found the Gu Jian sisters, explained the area of ​​Nanzhen and the current situation, and then left the company alone, heading towards the Kyokugenryu Dojo.

……

In Nanzhen, amidst this turbulent situation, a new force is quietly rising.

The first to bear the brunt were the emerging gang led by Fate, who gradually gained prestige through their strength and righteous actions. This gang was frequently active in the South Town area, sparing no effort to maintain local peace and tranquility.

Whenever disputes arise, they always step forward and resolve conflicts with a fair and selfless attitude; when faced with impoverished people in distress, they generously donate money and lend a helping hand, becoming heroes in the hearts of many.

However, at the same time, another mysterious and chilling assassination organization—"Mephisto"—emerged. This organization operates in secrecy and remains hidden, like a shadow in the night, quietly controlling the life and death of many gang leaders.

The wanted poster for the Hungry Wolf Trio, which once caused a sensation in the South Town gangsters, was a masterpiece meticulously planned and issued by Geese at their behest.

Now that Geese is gone, Mephistopheles' influence has only grown stronger, leading to much speculation about his true motives and conspiracies.