KOF: Rise of the King of Fighters

Time flies, and half a year has passed in the blink of an eye.

At dawn, as the first rays of sunlight touched the earth, Yan Yue set off from home, full of energy, to begin his daily morning run.

Throughout the journey, Yan Yue kept her Nen aura off, traversing bustling streets and quiet alleys, speeding towards the city's outskirts. For Yan Yue, this was a test and challenge to her physical abilities.

After a long three-hour run, Yan Yue arrived at the foot of the steep cliff. Standing on the huge reef, facing the surging sea, he took a deep breath and then quickly began a series of high-intensity training exercises.

First, there are 100 standard push-ups, with each flexion and extension of the arms accompanied by muscle tension and power release; then there are 100 sit-ups, where the core abdominal muscles are fully exercised through continuous contraction and extension; finally, there are 100 squats, where leg strength gradually increases with each squat and stand.

However, just as Yan Yue was concentrating on his training, wave after wave of huge waves relentlessly crashed against him. But Yan Yue remained unaffected, continuing to complete each movement according to his predetermined rhythm.

After completing these basic warm-up exercises, Yan Yue rested briefly, adjusted her breathing, and then began the more crucial advanced training of the Flowing Water Rock Shattering Fist.

As time went on, Yan Yue became increasingly accustomed to this arduous training method, to the point that he could calmly cope with both howling winds and torrential rain, feeling not only no fear but also a sense of excitement. After all, the more severe the weather conditions, the more ferocious the waves, which was an excellent opportunity to improve one's strength.

Normally, Yan Yue would spend the entire morning cultivating. Occasionally, she would spar with Sakazaki Ryo and Terry. When the time came, Yan Yue would use the [Ladder Cloud Leap] to quickly return home.

The first thing I did when I got home was to quickly wash up, change into clean clothes, and then head to the barbecue restaurant to help out. Of course, I would occasionally take leave and sneak off to the music company to hand over my latest compositions to the manager.

In the evenings, Yan Yue would help Terry look after Locke, teaching him some basic fighting techniques. Or she would continue practicing her Qi cultivation method to further enhance her mental and internal strength.

At this moment, Yan Yue's nerves were on edge, and she dared not relax even for a moment.

Although he and his companions had knocked Geese to the ground, deep down he couldn't be sure if the man was truly dead. Meanwhile, Billy's sudden disappearance shrouded the entire incident in mystery, undoubtedly concealing untold conspiracies and secrets.

The situation in South Town was like the oppressive, gloomy sky before a storm—seemingly calm, but turbulent beneath. Tensions were high between the various gangs, and the slightest misstep could ignite a far more brutal conflict. At the heart of this vortex, Yan Yue, Ryo Sakazaki, and Terry undoubtedly became the focus of everyone's attention.

However, what truly made Yan Yue feel uneasy was Rugal. Yan Yue knew that, given Rugal's vengeful nature, he would come looking for trouble sooner or later.

There's also the Orochi clan and the NESTS organization. Although Yan Yue only had brief contact with them, she was already involved to some extent, deeply entangled in the situation, and could no longer remain a bystander.

During this time, although Yan Yue acted discreetly, news of his defeat of Rugal still spread throughout the entire South Town underworld. This brought him some fame, but also attracted countless potential dangers. Faced with a series of unknown crises, Yan Yue could only rely on himself to resolve them one by one.

……

One day, in the morning.

Inside the barbecue restaurant.

With the shop closed, everyone decided to take a few days off. At that moment, Yan Yue was leaning over the counter, writing a letter, clearly addressed to her grandfather, Tang Fulu.

Yan Yue wrote down all the recent events in the letter, and after finishing it, she handed it to Locke again, asking him to help send it to the international post office.

"Locke, the usual, send these to the international post office," Yan Yue called out to Locke, who was standing beside her, as she sorted through the letters and packages on the table. However, Locke seemed completely absorbed in his own thoughts and did not respond to Yan Yue's call.

"Locke!" Seeing that Locke did not move, Yan Yue raised her voice and called again.

"Oh dear, big brother..." Rock was jolted back to his senses by Yan Yue's call, a hint of apology on his face.

"What are you thinking about? You seem so engrossed." Yan Yue picked up the envelope, walked up to Locke, and asked curiously.

Locke scratched his head, a little embarrassed, and replied, "I was just thinking about that... I successfully used [Energy Wave] yesterday." His eyes sparkled with excitement, but it quickly dimmed.

"Isn't this a good thing? It's really remarkable that you've learned my senior brother's skills at such a young age," Yan Yue encouraged with a smile.

Hearing Yan Yue's words, Locke's expression became even more dejected. He sighed and said, "But for some reason, no matter how I try today, I can no longer use [Energy Wave]..."

"What did my senior brother say?"

“Terry doesn’t know either, he finds it strange too. But I clearly remember how I released it…”

Yan Yue frowned upon hearing this, lost in thought. After a while, he slowly spoke, "I see... This situation is indeed a bit strange. But don't worry, let's think of a solution together. First, deliver this letter for me, and I'll look into it for you after work."

“Okay, Brother Yan Yue.” Locke nodded, obediently picked up the envelope full of letters and some pocket money to pay for postage from the table, and then turned and walked towards the door of the shop.

……

Evening, in the suburbs.

Yan Yue led Locke to an open space.

"Locke, show me the [Energy Wave]." Yan Yue said, arms crossed, her eyes fixed on Locke.

Locke seemed hesitant, muttering, "But... I'm not very good at it yet."

Yan Yue smiled slightly and encouraged, "It's okay. Even if you can't use it, it doesn't matter. The important thing is that I can observe your movements and the flow of your breath."

Hearing this, Locke took a deep breath and nodded to indicate that he understood. He slowly raised his right hand, concentrated his mind, and tried to condense the power within his body into a stream of energy.

"Drink—!" With a low growl, Locke tried his best to control the power, but at that moment, something amazing happened.

A faint blue light appeared on the palm of his hand, as if a powerful energy was about to burst forth.

"This is..." Yan Yue frowned slightly, a strange feeling suddenly welling up inside him. He keenly sensed a familiar yet powerful energy fluctuation permeating the surrounding space. After careful discernment, he couldn't help but blurt out, "Gis's power..."

Locke watched with anticipation as the energy gradually coalesced, his eyes gleaming with excitement. He clenched his fists nervously, silently praying that the power would be released successfully and display its astonishing might.

However, things didn't go as planned. Just as Locke was happily waiting for a miracle to happen, he raised his hand and waved it gently. The energy that was about to solidify vanished without a trace, like a night-blooming cereus blooming in the night sky.

"Sigh, it's happening again..." Locke stared blankly at his palm, a look of disappointment and frustration on his face. He let his arm fall limply, sighed heavily, then turned to Yan Yue with pleading eyes, saying pitifully, "Brother Yan Yue, what should I do...? Why does it always happen like this? I've already tried so hard!"

Yan Yue stepped forward and patted Locke on the shoulder in comfort. He gazed into Locke's deep red, flame-like eyes, lost in thought.

After a moment, Yan Yue slowly spoke, "Locke, based on my observation and speculation, I think the problem might lie in your own power. The power you possess seems to be fundamentally different from that of ordinary people."

"Huh?" Upon hearing this, Locke's eyes widened in astonishment, and he was momentarily at a loss for words.

"Could it be his power..." Locke murmured to himself, a look of unconcealed sorrow instantly appearing on his face. Although he was extremely unwilling to admit this fact deep down, as the son of Geese, he could not avoid the fact that he had a bloodline as dark as a demon flowing through his veins.

“Locke, don’t worry too much…” At this moment, Yan Yue gently stepped forward and softly comforted Locke: “Even if this really is his power, you can still use it for what you believe is right.”

Hearing this, Locke looked up at Yan Yue with a puzzled expression and asked, "Why? Can I really do it?"

Yan Yue smiled slightly and patiently explained, "Actually, the principle is very simple. Power itself is not scary. What is truly frightening are those who possess great power but harbor ill intentions."

"Just like the story about 'Kamen Rider' that I told you before, Kamen Rider is essentially a weirdo, but he always holds onto a kind and righteous heart. So, the key is how we wield this power, rather than being controlled by it."

"Kamen Rider?" Locke couldn't help but repeat the name. He always loved hearing En Yue tell stories of Kamen Rider's heroic deeds.

Whenever Yan Yue vividly described the thrilling battle scenes and the indomitable spirit of Kamen Rider, Locke would listen intently, filled with admiration for this superhero.

“So…” Locke nodded thoughtfully, as if he was beginning to understand what Yan Yue had said, “What should I do next?”

"You need to control your internal energy first. I can't teach you that, and my physique isn't normal either... Only your senior brother can guide you."

"However, I recently learned a new taijutsu technique in Kyokugenryu, which you can use to build a solid foundation in your taijutsu."

"Wow! Big brother is awesome!" Locke looked at Yan Yue with admiration.

"The techniques of Kyokugenryu are very simple and easy to understand, but they require a high level of speed and strength." After saying that, Yan Yue took a few steps back, creating distance between herself and Locke.

After Yan Yue stood still, he slightly parted his feet, bent his knees, and lowered his center of gravity. His gaze was piercing, fixed on the air in front of him, as if there were an invisible enemy there.

"Watch closely! It's oyster oil!" Yan Yue shouted in a low voice.

The ultimate finishing move: Rising Dragon Fist!

Yan Yue suddenly pushed off the ground, his leg muscles tensing instantly and unleashing astonishing power. At the same time, his waist twisted rapidly, causing his upper body to rotate, and his right fist slammed out from his waist. This punch sent a whistling wind through the air, faintly carrying the sound of a dragon's roar, and the surrounding air exploded outwards as if being sliced ​​by a sharp blade.

"Wow!" Locke exclaimed in amazement. His already bright eyes now shone like stars, and his face revealed undisguised admiration and longing.

After landing lightly on the ground, Yan Yue turned to look at Locke and smiled encouragingly, "Why don't you give it a try and push your strength and speed to their limits?"

"Mastering this move, the Rising Dragon Fist, means your current physical skills are up to standard."

Upon hearing this, Locke involuntarily swallowed. His eyes burned with excitement.

Locke then took a deep breath, composed himself, and stepped under the streetlight.

The dim light shone on him, as if draping him in a soft glow. Locke assumed his stance and began to practice his martial arts with complete concentration.

With Yan Yue's prompting, every movement was filled with power, creating a slight gust of wind.