Terry Bogard

South Town Scuffle: Two Wolves (Terry Bogard VS Broken Promise)

Gotcha! Thanks, man!

Yeah, can’t believe we’ve been doing this for 4 months lol. It’s been nothing but fun writing with you.

And don’t worry! If I got something to ask, I’ll hit you up. My next one’s probably coming right after I post Ryu on Lug’s WoL 👍🏻

World of Light: the Endless Now (The Ultimate Videogame Crossover)

Level 10 Terry Bogard

_{EXP : 34/100 (+4 pts.)
Location : The Pools, Esaka
Word Count : 3,731}

After finishing his lunch and paying his debt to the prior Quick Rise waitress, Terry decided to take an elevator to the Pools alongside his team before they were late for their second match. If the billboard that Terry found nearby Pao Pao Café was to go by, the subsequent bout was scheduled to take place at K-32. Fortunately, upon arriving and following the direction provided to them by the nearby map, it didn’t take a while until the Seekers located the exact stage they were looking for.

As it turned out, K-32 was a spacious traditional sailing ship guarded by two unnamed villagers donning paddy hats. Given its weather-beaten state and fractured railings, he could only guess that whoever owned the ship most likely hadn’t maintained it for so long. However, considering its impressively sturdy frame, he had hopes that the ship would’ve still been able to load and withstand both his team and their opponents throughout the bout.

Alright, here goes…

Leaping onto the ship and steadied himself, the brawny blonde was immediately greeted by one of the guarding villagers handing him and his partners a tablet to allow them to “select your order.” Across from them were the Breakers who’d already arrived at the stage for roughly half an hour in advance, approached and instructed to do the same by the other villager.

After both teams had determined their numbers, the villagers retreated back to the corners of the ship to give the competing fighters some space, loudly announcing who was fighting who. As expected, Terry was pitted against the leader of Team Breakers himself, Sho Kamui. From the first glance, the FIST champion looked a hell lot like a fusion between Ryo and Kyo, which gave Terry a silly idea to tease Sho as they approached each other.

“Hey, I think I know you,” Terry claimed jokingly. “Aren’t you supposed to be Kyo? Oh, wait, Kyo doesn’t wear orange gi. Then, you gotta be the second Mr. Katera himself, huh?”

Sho huffed, frowned, then placed both of his gloved hands over his hips. He looked more irritated than he was amused. “The name is Sho. Sho Kamui. And it’s ‘karate,’ not ‘katera,’” he elaborated, his voice flat and factual.

Little did the Breaker know, Terry was only goofing around, pretending to mistake him for somebody else. “Oh, silly me! Of course, you’re that Sho Kamui guy from the Pocket Bravery Dojo! How can I forget that?” Terry quipped, feigning realization as he smacked his forehead. Around the same time, the monkey on his shoulder jabbed his cheek in amusement, eliciting a flinch and an “ouch!” from his best friend.

Sho, meanwhile, was even more unimpressed by Terry’s exaggerated attempt to make himself look goofy. Glaring glass-eyed at the erstwhile King of Fighters, he began to muse. Is this really my next opponent? The same man who won the King of Fighters tournament thrice?? Then, a louder smack to the forehead by the Breaker, followed by a weak headshake and a sigh. “You’re not taking this so seriously, are you?” he asked, crossed his arms, then gestured at Terry with his hand. “How did you even win the tournament with this mentality? No wonder nobody is taking Team Fatal Fury seriously anymore.”

At Sho’s blunt criticism, Terry gasped and placed a hand over his parting lips, feigning offense. Hilariously, Ukee did the exact same gesture, his face mirroring his best friend’s. “Ouch! Really? So, me and the boys are jobbers now, huh? Just ’cause we’re silly goobers?” he asked dramatically, snorted, then waved a dismissive hand. “Nah, kid, I think you’re taking this way too seriously. It’s just a harmless joke. Gotta lighten the mood every now and then, don’t you think? Especially knowin’ that one of us is gonna have to give the other a can of ass-whoopin’.”

Sho grunted and gnashed his teeth, even more irritated by Terry’s goofy wide smile. Thankfully, as were most Shotos, he was trained to keep himself level-headed at all times, not quite minding the silly, little quips. “You’re so unbelievable,” the stoic Breaker remarked with a shaking head. “You can’t be helped, can you? I hope you’re ready because I’ve been training for this moment.” He took a deep, controlled breath, then formed an X-sign over his front with his arms, slamming them against the air vigorously.

“Okay! It’s Sho-time!” Terry exclaimed happily, then dropped the duffle bag on his shoulder, prompting Ukee to hop out of his shoulder and join one of the guarding villagers by the sidelines. He whistled aloud, readjusted his gaudy red hat, then motioned at Sho with a beckoning gesture as he shouted: “Hey, c’mon, c’mon!”

DING!

DING!

Spectators began to fill the makeshift stage, as the metaphysical bell rang. Terry could already hear cheers coming from both sides of the ship, especially from children and women. Also among them were the obvious jeers coming from a bunch of heckling fighters, already spouting “Sloppy Bogard!” and “Terry sucks!” aloud before the bout even started. While KOF had the least spectators, surprisingly, they were loud enough that they could occupy the nearest vicinity with their noises.

Then, from the barest hints of gaps on the wooden deck, a golden light surfaced, swirling out of its cage. Lines were drawn, and the ship was divided into three sections, separating a pair of competing fighters from another. A fraction of light then regrouped to form letters of gold between Terry and Sho, displaying the following announcement:

---

_{TERRY BOGARD VS. SHO KAMUI
READY… GO!}

---

And so, the fight began! The letters of gold soon dispersed and transformed into a timer, a pair of overlooking health bars, and a pair of empty power gauges floating close to each fighter’s feet. Once the cue was given, Terry and Sho began circling each other, guards high and ready stances assumed. While they seemed to be trying to get into each other’s head, it was clear that both the King of Fighters and the Breaker knew exactly why they picked the same order: they shared similar tools, although with different approaches. While Sho was more of a boxer-puncher, Terry was a unique blend between swarmer and slugger, constantly pressuring his opponents with hard-hitting flails while putting less emphasis on defense. And it showed.

Before Sho could do a thing, Terry had already closed the distance with a series of physical strikes, throwing alternating jabs and a crouching kick. Sho—having a better defensive approach—automatically drew himself back and blocked every jab hurled in his direction, only succumbing to the crouching kick when he failed to block in time. Thankfully, before the three-time KOF champion could punish him, Sho had already managed to steady himself, swarming Terry with an even crazier combo comprising a left hand, an axe kick, a right hand, and eventually, a high-angled roundhouse kick. Thanks to his incredible reflexes, though, Terry managed to duck and slip out of harm’s way from left to right, letting the flails and the axe kick lunge past his head. When the roundhouse kick was delivered, he quickly caught Sho’s flinging leg with both hands, his bare heel close to his face. The wise-cracking King of Fighters waved his finger ‘no’ and smirked.

“Nuh–uh… Dunno there’s more than one line ’round here, do you?”

At the quip, the Breaker gave his more seasoned opponent a quizzical look, his eyebrow arching. The next thing he knew, the three-time KOF champion had already bashed his scarred face with a jab, releasing his grip on the Breaker’s raised leg. Sho was instantly jolted back, his strides wobbling as he covered his nose. He could’ve sworn that small drops of red were close to leaving his nostrils, though the jabbing knuckles weren’t strong enough to restructure his nose.

“Ungh–!!”

“Bingo!”

Not wasting any chance, Terry connected his prior attack with an alternating jab, working on Sho’s midriff with a harsh pow! Once successful, the King of Fighters lifted and ran his knee across his opponent’s torso, propelling both of them out of the deck. As a follow-up, he swiftly tilted his cap back, then smacked the Breaker’s ribs with a fiery, downward fist, dunking the latter back across the deck upon impact.

KA–POW!

“POWER… DUNK!!”

The tactic worked then, and it worked now. It’d been a hot minute since he used the exact ‘two jabs and a Power Dunk’ combo against his opponents. Right after Sho’s back kissed the deck, Terry landed on both of his feet, immediately maintaining an upright posture. He tightened and playfully toyed with each of his biker gloves, glancing up to find that the combo had depleted a quarter of his opponent’s health bar. Meanwhile, his own health bar remained intact.

“Hah! How about that? Still unserious?” Terry quipped, then whistled and tilted his cap back to the front, taunting at the reclining Sho with a waving, beckoning hand. “Hey, c’mon, c’mon!” It was a deliberate move since the taunt could help the King of Fighters build his own power gauge.

Refusing to be punished again, Sho instantly reeled back, then stood out of his prior position, distancing himself from the more seasoned competitor. It was a deliberate move from the Breaker, as well. Once a gap was maintained, he drew and propelled his fiery hand forth, casting a blue fireball onto his opponent.

FWOOSH!

“REKKOU HA!!”

As the fireball travelled closely in the sky, Terry instinctively ducked and flailed the deck, creating an energy shockwave that travelled the ground, instead. The auric shockwave crawled just as fast as the blue fireball flew.

WHAM!

“POWER WAVE!!”

Both projectiles drew closely to each other as if there was an invisible magnet gluing them together. Before they even collided, both Terry and Sho had already left the deck, leaping towards each other past the clashing projectiles to deliver their respective diving kicks. Not only did they share similar tools, it appeared that they shared a brain cell, too. Boot meeting padded foot, none of the kicks seemed to be overcoming one another, as they jolted both competitors back with a light hitspark. Both the King of Fighters and the Breaker curled their toned frames and reeled down, safely and simultaneously descending atop the deck on both feet. They steadied themselves, then took their stances, eyes locking and fists over temples.

“Well, well… Look who’s beaten my mighty kick and despair! I was only warmin’ up, y’see.”

“Can you just stop talking?”

Exasperated, the ever-concentrating Breaker ran forth, then ambushed the wise-cracking King of Fighters with a series of bombarding flails, intending to work on all parts of the latter’s toned frame. His battle cry was spewed, loud and furious.

“SHIPPU SEIKEN TSUKI!!”

In anticipation, Terry placed both of his forearms over his front, letting the bombarding flails work on his forearms and forearms only. Oftentimes, he moved them alternately alongside the motion of the hammering fist, catching each and every flail thrown in his direction.

“Well, that’s a cute special move!” Terry commended with a stifled yet sarcastic grin. “Jeez, I wonder who you got that from. Borrowed it from a certain Kyokugen guy?”

The blonde hotshot was so thrilled that he didn’t quite pay attention to his surroundings, only noticing by then that both the cheers and the jeers had only gotten louder and noisier by the second. Sadly, even though his hardcore fans had started to flock to the ship, their noises were still drowned by the louder bunch of grown men heckling at the erstwhile KOF champion with all kinds of insults, ranging from the mild “boooring!” to the crude “screw you, Terry!” Even random names such as ‘Kyo,’ ‘Iori,’ and even ‘Geese’ were chanted every now and then, despite their absences on the stage. As it was the prior bout, some admirers and hecklers were more thoughtful and pronounced than the rest.

“Let’s go, Terry!” shouted a winged girl clad in rubber armor and broad red skirt.

“Terry sucks!” mocked a mohawked man in a peculiar tattered shirt, his squealing voice overcoming Honey’s gentler one.

“Hey, you take that back!” a goggle-wearing delinquent retorted, nudging Schot’s shoulder with a gloved fist. “Terry doesn’t suck! He’s the champ!”

“Meh… Who cares, lil’ bro? None of that means a damn thing when you’re just another Ken wannabe,” a bandana-wearing blonde man remarked, then rolled his eyes, letting out an unimpressed yawn. “Oh, great, what’s this? Another not-Ryu versus not-Ken snoozefest? Suuure…!! I bet somebody or anybody would watch KOF for this, yeah…”

“Yeah, right, who shoots fireballs like that, anyway? You blast ’em outta your hands, not by punchin’ the ground. It’s so impractical!” a rather fashionable blonde man with a backward cap and sunglasses assessed before informing: “Besides, I heard Ryu’s fightin’ some Ken wannabe back at C-134, and guess what? He bet the livin’ snot outta that chump for good! Really, we don’t need another punk goin’ around and pretendin’ like he’s our boy Ken. That’s just shamelessly disgusting!”

Oh, really? ‘Shameless,’ huh?

Terry could only muse inwardly, as the hecklers went on to list the many reasons to dislike him as if they were writing essays. To think that his similarities with Ken were one of the most prevalent reasons was a little shallow to say the least. He just looked like the Street Fighter Dojo’s resident blonde, not that he fought like him, either. And sure enough, his racing thoughts got the best of him, as his guard began to falter, allowing Sho’s final two consecutive flails to breach through his defense. In an instant, the brunette karateka cancelled the last of the Shippu Seiken Tsuki into Hiji 3 Dan Kougeki, pummeling the King of Fighters with alternating elbows and a rising uppercut.

WHAM!

“Gwahh–!!”

And the Shoryuken-like flail sent the blonde flying to the back, his star-decked back kissing the brim of the higher rear deck. For a moment, Terry sat still, attempting to stand out of his vulnerable position. Thankfully, though, his little guard gauge hadn’t been drained just yet, so he was yet to be stunned.

As he held onto to the upper deck’s precipice to prop himself up, Terry could hear the crowd urging him to stand up and fight back—some saying things as encouraging as “fight, Terry, fight!” while others went as far as saying “whiff him up, baka!” Whether encouraging or discouraging, the crowd’s resounding noises did help the King of Fighters put himself on high alert when the Breaker closed the gap that he’d formerly created with a…

“KURENAI SANDAN GERI!!”

He could already feel the heat of his opponent’s fiery rising kicks even from afar, his widening blue eyes glimmering at the scorching sight. In a blink of an eye, Terry lowered and curled himself, reeling forth to let the series of kicks collide with the whiffling wind. He thought Sho would’ve recovered long enough from that move, considering just how high he leaped past his opponent’s reeling form.

“Whiffed!” Terry playfully shouted, as if informing some rude spectators that he’d heard their suggestions loud and clear. It took Sho a while to descend even after his kicks hit nothing but air, only moments after Terry had stood just behind him. The wise-cracking King of Fighters poked his shoulder with a finger, stifling a giggle.

“Look here~”

And Sho did just as Terry expected. Alerted, he shifted around with a hop, only to find his opponent waving a ‘you can’t see me’ gesture over his face. The theatrical King of Fighters then kneed the oh-so-serious Breaker on the guts, leaving the latter wide-eyed and gasping. While Sho still hunched his shoulders and covered his midriff, Terry grasped him by the collar of his gi, shifted the opposite direction, then brought his entire weight over his shoulder, executing a Buster Throw.

The back throw immediately sent the Breaker tumbling across the deck, causing the ship to rock momentarily. Thankfully, it didn’t take long until he sprung out of his laying position, but considering how much of his health bar had been depleted from his opponent’s collective attacks, he started to hesitate if he was going to last that long in the battle. Knee on the deck, Sho tried to steady himself, tensing and panting. Meanwhile, Terry had just taunted him again with the same old “hey, c’mon, c’mon!” gesture, maintaining a bright exterior amidst the spiteful crowd. That smile, that corny one-liner, they started to look more intimidating now than they were exasperating.

I can’t believe it… This guy has been talking and joking a lot throughout the match. How come his energy is mostly intact, while mine is running out?

But perhaps, he now knew why Terry was dubbed ‘The Legendary Wolf’ by his peers—whether his fellow Esakans liked him or not. Sho soon broke out of his reverie when his more seasoned opponent closed in with a “CRACK SHOOT,” performing a leaping, acrobatic axe kick onto the Breaker. Applying the same tactic that his opponent formerly used, the Breaker quickly reeled forth beneath the King of Fighters’ leaping form, evading the slamming calf entirely. Upon standing up, he noticed that he’d obtained a gauge stock when he glanced down (which was earned through taking hits and building power gauge). Without further ado, he activated the gauge stock, engulfing himself in a flickering flare of pinkish energy. Like a meteor rain, he leaped, then launched himself in Terry’s direction with a downward diving kick, a great fire coating his padded foot.

“KURENAI GANSAI SHUU!!!”

Fortunately for Terry, he had also been equipped with the same amount of gauge stock that Sho activated to execute his ultimate technique. Instantly shifting to face the besieging Breaker, the King of Fighters activated his own stock, his flaring, leading fist raised over his head. He flailed the ground to create a quake that—while not so enormous in size—was capable of rocking the ship uncontrollably, leading some of the jeering spectators to topple out of the makeshift stage. This soon led to the eruption of a fiery torrent tall enough to reach and trap his opponent in mid-air.

KRA–KOOM!

“POWER… GEYSER!!!”

“GWAAHHH–!!”

Thanks to the perfect timing, the Power Geyser immediately connected with the Breaker, the fire around his kicking foot vanishing. The geyser’s mouth flailed his opponent by the torso, forcing massive drops of red to escape his mouth. At the exact same time, their nearest vicinity began to flash red and white, obscuring everything in their paths momentarily.

Sho quickly dropped on the deck, his orange back kissing its brownish surface with a harsh thud! Panting, Terry drew a deep, deep breath before pulling his smoke-covered fist out of the deck, glancing up to find that his opponent’s health bar had been drained completely. As per tradition, the metaphysical bell was rung.

DING!

DING!

Then, the bars and the timer dispersed and merged themselves in the form of floating golden letters that read:

---

_{K.O.
WINNER IS TERRY!}

---

Upon reading the announcement, Terry excitedly tossed the gaudy red cap worn over his golden head, letting it land near Sho’s reclining form. He shouted victoriously.

“Okay–!!”

Cheers and jeers soon exploded, louder than ever before. Some were happy that Terry had triumphed, while others expressed their discontent with the outcome. Not quite minding all the deafening hecklings obviously directed to him, the three-time KOF champion reached out to the FIST champion, finding that he’d already lifted himself up on one knee. Sho was a little wry, Terry could tell, as much as he tried to maintain a nonchalant look.

“Hey, man, you okay?” he asked his defeated opponent, holding out a helping hand. “Sorry about roughin’ you up. I didn’t mean to break you like that.”

Although hesitating at first, Sho accepted the helping hand, allowing Terry to lift him to his feet. “No, it’s fine. I just…” He stifled his mouth, huffing and dropping his face. “This is it, huh? I guess now I know, no matter how hard I tried to bring the Breakers Dojo to its former glory, nothing will ever bring us back to the middle tier.”

“Aww, c’mon, now! Take that back!” Terry encouraged with a wide grin, nudging Sho’s shoulder with his knuckles. “That was a sick ass fight, alright. You should feel proud. Now, repeat after me. I am legendary. L-E-G-E-N-D-A-R-Y. Legendary!”

“I am legendary,” Sho repeated with a dry voice, then snorted wryly, feeling a little silly after doing what Terry told him.

“Okay! Now, keep that in mind, and I bet you’ll do awesome in your next match,” Terry added, giving Sho a friendly shoulder pat. “And besides, who knows? Maybe one day, you’ll be the greatest fighter of all time. I mean, I can already see it. You sound like you can be the next Ryo, the way you fight. You just gotta learn to time your moves right and put all those tools to good use. Being a Shoto is already a great start, though. That makes you the jack-of-all-trades. You have just about everything you need to tackle your opponents.”

Sho grinned, flattered. “You’re only exaggerating this, aren’t you?” he asked. “But thank you, Terry. I’ll keep that in mind. So, all I need to do is just time my moves better and use my—what do you say?—‘tools’ properly, right?”

“Exactly!” Terry confirmed with a nod. “And… sorry if I’ve been jokin’ a hell lot, though. I didn’t mean to make fun of you. Just wanted to melt the tension a bit, is all.” Then, a shrug and a pair of lifted open hands.

“It’s fine. I understand,” Sho reassured, then bowed in front of Terry respectfully. “No hard feelings. You’ve told me everything I needed to hear for my next battles. I guess I start to see why some people are drawn to you, Terry. You really are a legendary kind.” His eyes then glanced sidelong over the children and women celebrating Terry’s victory by the sidelines, as if gesturing to them.

“Likewise,” Terry said, while bumping his knuckles and palm together, bowing in reciprocation. “And remember, say your prayers, eat your veggies, and never ever give up! Your journey’s just getting started, kid, and you better get stronger the next time we meet.”

Sho smiled. “I can promise you that.”

The King of Fighters could feel the heckling spectators beginning to throw all sorts of rubbish in his direction, including toilet papers and a bunch of rotten Wumpa fruits. It couldn’t help when his side of the stage was next to one of the sidelines. Thankfully, both of his partners were likely close to concluding their respective bouts simultaneously, so he didn’t have to endure the deafening “this is ass!” and “same old trash!” much longer. For now on, he could only look around and sigh, smiling wryly at the hecklers.

God, I love my life…

FIN.

World of Light: the Endless Now (The Ultimate Videogame Crossover)

Level 7 Ryu

_{EXP : 6/70 (+14 pts.)
Location : The Pools, Esaka
Word Count : 3,014}

While on his trip out of Beautiful Bay, Ryu had been contemplating what Skullo told him earlier in their bout. The notion of ‘great power, greater responsibility’ had been weighing on him lately, especially after witnessing the hardships that people outside of Esaka had to endure everyday. While he’d always led a fairly modest life, he couldn’t help but feel that he might’ve just been spoiled with the attention and glory that most Esakans willingly gave him. He knew that not all the people out there were fortunate enough to be gifted with the ability to fend for themselves, which led the street fighter to believe…

What if my purpose isn’t just to fight for the sake of fighting, but rather… to fight for the weak?

Ryu clenched and tightened his gloved hand, raising it just beneath his pensive eyes. He’d never felt so conflicted since the aftermath of his first tournament victory against Sagat. Unlike fellow street fighters like Guile and Chun-Li, Ryu was hardly the one with the strongest sense of justice, so why did he want to play ‘hero’ all of a sudden? What was it that made him feel so… attracted to the notion of fighting beyond fighting? Was he really that tired of competition or was there something else?

No matter! As long as I reach the top of the ladder, I will find the answer to those questions.

Perhaps, he needed to focus more on the bout ahead, instead of his so-called newfound purpose. Thankfully, the break between matches for the World Warrior tournament was slimmer than the rest, so he could just move straight to the next challenge without having to bore himself to death waiting for the next bout to come. Not long after, the gondola brought Ryu to his eventual stop.

▶︎• ၊၊||၊|။||||။‌‌‌၊|• 15:01
_{Theme of Northern River (Extended) – Marvel vs. Capcom 2}

Enter C-134, a spacious raft loading a number of barrels and an anchor attached to a pier pole by its right. Overlooked by towering cliffs, the raft was the makeshift stage where Ryu was scheduled to compete against Tiger according to the billboard that he came across earlier. Funnily enough, despite being an early resident of Esaka, Ryu had never heard of that name before. He thought Tiger could be one of those gaijins flocking to the city lately. However, he had heard a glimpse of what Martial Masters—the middle tier dojo where Tiger hailed from—was all about, knowing how their fighters were the supposed experts of raw, physical strikes that made them more suitable for the Tekken tournament, instead.

Upon stepping out of the gondola, Ryu was immediately welcomed by the sight of a burly, blonde man in a clergy uniform baptizing and immersing a chubby dwarf in the water. Surrounding him seemed to be his dedicated followers praying along (or simply the fighters that the blonde had baptized, judging by their soaked state), alongside a blue-eyed nun with peculiar paws.

At first glance, the evangelist seemed to resemble Ken (blue irises, dark eyebrows, peak physicality, and long golden hair). However, as the street fighter closed in and took a thorough look, he noticed that the man’s hair was glaringly longer than his best friend’s—even more evident that his hair was kept in a ponytail. It wasn’t to mention that Ken had never done any missionary work in the past. Given the hairstyle, it was possible that this man was, instead, a different blonde gaijin—a friend he’d known for a long time.

“Terry, is that you?”

The prayers halted, as Ryu’s questioning voice drew the attention of the people around him. Hopefully, they didn’t find him ridiculous for assuming that each and every Caucasian man in the city with blue eyes and long blonde hair was either Ken or Terry. The evangelist didn’t immediately answer the street fighter’s question, though. It was only after he finished baptizing and whispering the words “repent to Jesus” to Donvalve when he finally approached Ryu, greeting him with a peaceful smile.

“No, brother Ryu, I’m Tiger of the Martial Masters Dojo,” the evangelist revealed, then brought his knuckles and palm together, bowing respectfully. “It’s a pleasure meeting you. Suppose you’re my next opponent, yes?”

Ryu bowed back. “That you are, indeed,” he confirmed, while straightening his posture. It was a coincidence that the man whom he thought to be the erstwhile King of Fighters was, in reality, his second opponent. “I’m sorry if I just disrupted you.”

“It’s fine, brother Ryu. I’ve been expecting you, actually,” Tiger reassured, his voice as soothing as his smile. “I’ve heard a lot of stories about you. They said you’re the best that the Street Fighter Dojo has to offer. It’d be an honor to challenge and fight the man himself.”

Ryu snorted, grinning at his opponent flattering him. “You’re only overselling it. I’m still on a journey to self improvement,” he claimed out of humility. Then, the street fighter looked around him, reciprocating the curious glances that some of Tiger’s followers had been giving the two. “I see, you have a lot of admirers. You must be the best of the Martial Masters Dojo, I assume?”

Tiger grinned, flattered, close to snickering. He reciprocated their glances, as well. “Oh, these people?” he asked with a gesturing thumb, then shifted his gaze back around the street fighter in front of him. “They’re not my admirers, frankly. They’re the admirers of God. These people are the lost sheep that God has told me to save from the influence of evil. After all, brother Ryu, I’m a servant of God, first and foremost. I don’t wish to participate for the sake of winning a championship. My goal has always been to spread the word of God through these tournaments. I feel that even the toughest of us still needs salvation more than anything, especially in these end times.”

Ryu nodded—more of a sign of understanding than anything. “Well, I suppose that’s pretty admirable, Tiger,” he told the martial master, then cast a glance over his own clenched hand. Once again, as the silence broke, he began contemplating. For some reason, his first two opponents had to remind him of his renewed purpose—the final piece of puzzle that he hoped to find through the World Warrior tournament. He drew a deep breath, then looked Tiger in the eyes, a hint of determination present.

“Frankly, although our beliefs are different, I share the same sentiment with you. As somebody who’s formerly blinded by what you might call ‘evil spirits,’ I can sense that the dark energy has been spiraling wildly around this city, especially lately,” Ryu admitted, then gestured and fixated on his clenched fist. “And that convinces me that these fists aren’t solely for competition anymore. There are people to be saved—some we have failed.” He closed his eyes and let out a stifled exhale, the recent incidents still lingering in his mind.

“I know, brother Ryu,” Tiger reassured with a pat on the shoulder, his hand still a little wet from baptizing Donvalve. “The world has grown colder and darker lately. It’s been burdening you, hasn’t it?”

Ryu opened his eyes wide. “Wait, how did you—”

“God’s wisdom has never been untrue, brother Ryu,” Tiger simply answered, the soft beam on his face still intact. “I can see it in your eyes. You’re hesitating. You’ve been unsure if the path you took is the right one. You just haven’t found your calling just yet.”

Ryu listened and pondered, raising an eyebrow slightly. “You… think so?”

“Mhm… I’m certain of it,” Tiger confirmed, only nodding once. “And just like all the fighters I met today, I hope that I can help you find the purpose that God wants you to pursue…” As his voice trailed off, the evangelist grasped the silky fabric of his clergy shirt, removing it in a blink of an eye to reveal his iconic look, comprising a long-sleeved shirt that was partly unbuttoned, a pair of red suspenders, and a golden cross necklace around his neck. He rolled each of the sleeves just below his elbows, more out of habit than practicality. “...Through the heart of battle, that is, as God wills it! You said it best, brother Ryu.”

“The answer lies in the heart of battle,” Ryu reiterated his iconic line, grinning almost to himself. He loosened then released his grip on the string of his duffle bag, letting it drop flat near his toes. His headband was tightened, his face stern and his karate stance taken. “Fine, as long as I can learn something from this battle. Koi!”

DING!

DING!

The metaphysical bell rang, and as they roared in anticipation, the nearby spectators flocked the prior gondola to give both competing fighters some space. A golden streak emerged out of the water, travelling towards the raft to display the following cue:

---

_{RYU VS. TIGER
ROUND 1 – FIGHT!}

---

Then, the glittering gold dispersed into a timer and a pair of health bars floating above both competitors, as well as a pair of power meters lingering close to their feet. The street fighter and the martial master began to circle each other, gauging eyes locking as they waited for the right moment to score the first attack. Eventually, it was Tiger who broke out of his kung fu stance, dashing forth to deliver a light blow, then a heavier one, followed by an axe kick. In anticipation, Ryu dashed back, maintaining distance separating him from Tiger. Since the raft had been rocking uncontrollably, he might want to keep himself steady and avoid getting tossed into the water.

The more Ryu distanced himself, though, the more Tiger closed in with a dash to pressure his opponent. For somebody who preached ‘love thy neighbor as thyself,’ he was surprisingly ferocious in the ring. Like an actual tiger, so to speak. As he managed to corner Ryu, the martial master hurled a downward flail that was sure to bend his opponent down, a yellowish streak accentuating the motion of his slamming fist.

BAM!

CLASH!

Fortunately, Ryu managed to parry the downward fist with his forearm, resulting in a blueish hitspark. Swiftly, the original World Warrior champion retaliated with a three-hit combo comprising a body blow, a low kick, then a spinning sidekick, working on the martial master’s midriff and shin. It was the spinning sidekick which eventually knocked Tiger several feet to the back, close to plunging him into the water. When his back hit the ligneous ground, Tiger instantly reeled back, halting on all fours as if mimicking the stance of a tiger. He took a moment to glance skywards, noticing that his health bar had been depleted slightly, while Ryu’s remained whole.

“Heh. Impressive. I guess now I know why you were the champion. You always have an answer to anything.”

“Focus!”

A sudden burst of light radiated out of Ryu, as he charged himself with energy and lightning. He brought his palms together, drew them back, then thrust them forth once a blue energy sphere was created. An amplified fireball was unleashed, his battle cry exclaimed.

“HADOUKEN!!”

Thankfully for Tiger, he’d already anticipated the Hadouken, rising out of his kneeling position to evade the fireball with a dash. When it reached its range limit, the fireball dispersed into miniscule particles, hitting nothing but air just inches from the martial master’s position. He had now stood eerily close to the raft’s precipice, but not to worry, since he already had a plan in mind for when Ryu closed the distance. And it did happen. As the street fighter closed in with a downward, diving kick, Tiger ambushed him with a flying shoulder tackle, leaping out of the threatening position.

WHAM!

“CROUCHING TIGER!!”

“Gwahh–!!”

The shoulder tackle immediately connected with his torso, sending Ryu toppling across the shaky platform. The street fighter landed on his back rather harshly, both of his gloved hands thrown back just above the crown of his head. Surely, he was yet to be knocked out since the special move only depleted a quarter of his health bar. While still in mid-air, Tiger swiftly cancelled the Crouching Tiger into a heavy foot stomp, aiming to land just atop of Ryu’s front on both of his boots.

THUMP!

Unfortunately for Tiger, the foot stomp was immediately whiffed when Ryu reeled out of harm’s way, connecting with the shaky platform, instead. Although teetering at first, the martial master quickly bombarded him with blows and kicks, just seconds after the street fighter picked himself up. Oftentimes, he mixed them up with several clawing attacks, unleashing his inner tiger.

Ryu—having a better defensive approach—was quick to react to each and every attack with his blocking forearm, still receiving the barest hints of chip damage despite his effort. After clawing and attacking the street fighter with a flip kick, Tiger went on to swing his fist upward, delivering an energy-laced uppercut.

POW!

Then another one with an alternating fist.

BAM!

“TIGER… CLAW!!”

Yet both attacks still hit the forearm. Despite being blocked, the impact was enough to trigger a hitspark upon collision, faltering the street fighter’s defensive stance. Once the Tiger Claw was executed, the martial master quickly canceled it into a devastating body blow, jolting his opponent back and bending him down. He stomped the ground vigorously, his hand curling and raising.

THUMP!

“Hah!”

POW!

POW!

POW!

After a small pause, Tiger followed the body blow up with a quick succession of kung fu punches, his fists alternately working on Ryu’s torso and midriff. Eventually, he concluded the bombardment by propelling both of his fists forth akin to Sagat’s Tiger Shot, blasting the street fighter back upon contact.

KA–POW!

“Gahahhh–!!”

The impact of the last flail sent Ryu colliding with the anchor with a loud clank, prompting him to bounce forth then lay on his midriff. As he lifted himself on all fours, the street fighter placed a hand over his torso and coughed drops of red, noticing that the flails had formed fist-shaped bruises across his partly concealed torso. Seeing a chance to exploit his opponent’s vulnerability, Tiger didn’t wait a moment to close the gap with a…

“TIGER ATTACK!!”

…which saw the martial master shifting against the street fighter, then hurled himself forth with a multi-hitting shoulder tackle. Sure enough, before the ramming special move could connect, Ryu had already leaped out of his prior position, assuming his karate stance once again. He did have to swallow the Tiger Attack eventually, even though fortunately, he didn’t have to absorb the full impact. Why so, you asked? Because by the time Tiger’s shoulder collided with his front, Ryu had already executed the Kaze no Kobushi, gaining Super Armor through both the dark ink-like aura and the flickering light that surrounded him.

While withstanding his opponent’s lunging shoulder, the street fighter spread his legs and lowered his shoulders, charging and drawing his leading fist back. Once the light surrounding him began to flash yellow (and his opponent shifted to face him), Ryu thrust an ink-trailed fist onto the martial master’s barely concealed torso, the arduous impact creating an enormous hitspark separating the two.

KA–POW!

“Urghh–!!”

The Focus Attack was so powerful it immediately brought the martial master down on his knees, his health bar greatly drained. But before he could peacefully topple on his midriff…

“I’ll shatter you!”

After taking another quick Denjin Charge, Ryu brought his palms together to create an amplified energy sphere, bashing his opponent’s cranium with the short-ranged Hashogeki. The Hadouken-esque palm strike was enough to draw the stunned Tiger out of the ground, launching him far away from his initial position. He flew past the shore, then eventually, plunged himself deep into the water with an audible…

SPLOOSH!

…which caused splashes of water to spray wildly around the nearest vicinity, reaching out to a yo-yo wielding nun and some other spectators watching from the gondola. The martial master’s absence within the designated stage prompted the metaphysical bell to ring the second time, declaring that the first round had been concluded.

DING!

DING!

After the Heavenly Principles had decided to drain what was left of Tiger’s health bar, the metaphysical widgets dispersed and reunited to form floating golden letters that read:

---

_{RING OUT
ROUND 1 – RYU WINS!}

---

“Your range is one fist short.”

As a huge portion of the crowd roared in celebration, Ryu flailed the air once, then raised an arm, facing in the direction of the spectators. Another battle, another victory for the original World Warrior champion, even though he still had one round left to win the entire match. When he looked ahead, he noticed that Tiger had emerged out of the surface of the water, his hair disheveled and his clothes dampened. Climbing back onto the raft, he was immediately approached by some of his supporters, including Felicia, Bridget, and a certain village girl clad in green and pink. Before they could make sure of his well-being, the martial master held out a raised hand in front of the girls, reassuring them that “it was only a small graze.” Ryu, equally concerned, decided to approach his opponent, forming the softest hints of a smile on his face.

“Looks like somebody has been ‘immersed,’ hasn’t he?” the street fighter joked with a smirk.

At the dry humor, Tiger snorted, close to snickering along. He shook his head, a gentle hand on the golden crown. “Ironic, isn’t it?” he asked. “Moments ago, I was the one immersing people in the water, and now here I am.” He spread his arms almost to gesture to his soaked state before bowing in front of Ryu. “Jokes aside, it appears that Father in Heaven has decided that you are the victor, brother Ryu. I’m not surprised with the outcome. You have Samson’s strength and David’s resilience. Surely, you’re the better fighter between us.”

In reciprocation, Ryu bowed back, amazed by his opponent’s humility. “You’re way too humble, you know that, Tiger,” he told him. “You’re not so bad. I can go as far as saying that you have the potential to be vouched for the Street Fighter Dojo. Besides, this is only the first round. You still have a chance to prove yourself in the next one.”

“Perhaps. Or should I say Amen to that?” Tiger agreed with a grin. “It’s not like I want to let God and His believers down, either. Hopefully, I’ll be able to perform better in the next round.”

“That you have and you will, my friend,” Ryu reassured his opponent. “So, ready for Round Two?”

FIN.

Terry’s Training Room

Spoiler for Ryu (2).

Worlds Collide: A Merged Universe Superhero Roleplay

Kudos, @Cyrania! I’m happy for you. I bet you’ll do awesome.

And it’s great that we’re gonna have X-Men pretty soon! I almost thought of dropping the idea of Wolverine joining the X-Men immediately, instead of joining any other group first.

But anyway, I’ll be working on Wolverine’s next one pretty soon. God, it’s been awfully hectic lately 😅

South Town Scuffle: Two Wolves (Terry Bogard VS Broken Promise)

Posted! Sorry to keep you waiting for almost a month

South Town Scuffle: Two Wolves (Terry Bogard VS Broken Promise)

_{“Which Marvel are you talking about? The comics or the cinematic universe? Either way, they suck bricks these days. Also, let’s just pray that the next phase doesn’t flop like my newest game.”
– Terry Bogard}

Chinatown, South Town
_{1:40 PM}

▶︎• ၊၊||၊|။||||။‌‌‌၊|• 3:33
_{Osaka Jo Koen ~Kyobashi~ – Real Bout Fatal Fury 2}

“What in the name of ice cream maker are you talking about!?”

Faceless non-patron-champions? NPCs? What is this all about? These were all new to her ears, given that Xiangfei had zero medium awareness at all. And it showed. Her face was puzzled, though part of that earlier irritation was still present.

“You’re sooo unbearable! Of course, I know who those guys are! They’re the Lillien Knights, Jenet’s pirate faction and our regular customers. Do I really have to name every single one of them to prove that they matter?” Xiangfei asked with a raised voice that could even reach the top floor of Geese Tower. She began with the humongous man Terry defeated earlier, her finger pointing in the direction of Ms. Lee’s Pawn Shop. “That big guy you see over there? Yeah, his name’s Lao, okay? He might be huge, but he can be a bit of a jobber sometimes. And that small, elderly guy right there? He’s, um… huh??” She blinked her eyes a few times at the rest of the battered pirates upon realizing that she couldn’t name anybody past Lao. She scratched her brown temple quizzically. “Weird… I swear I know these guys. H– How can I forget their names?”

Though, it didn’t matter, Xiangfei thought. All that mattered was that she and her uncle had been robbed of both their regular and potential customers, and she required Oros to take accountability for the damages caused upon their vicinity. So when Oros offered her a debit card, the kung fu practitioner forcefully seized it, her frown and pout still intact.

“Hmph! Fine! I’ll take that,” she curtly replied, then gave the debit card in her hand a prudent examination, flipping it back and forth. “Still, doesn’t mean you can just get away with anything that you just did back there. You either have to fight me or—”

CRASH!

A solid collision between the spectral wolf and the parked truck’s side was enough to disrupt the exchange of words between both women, prompting Xiangfei to jerk her shoulders up. Perhaps, Oros might want to put her fantastic date with the exasperated Xiangfei on hold because the bout between Terry and Mika seemed to be swarming towards the spectators’ side—and it only got spicier than ever!

Thankfully, the three-time KOF champion successfully evaded what appeared to be an attempt on his life, reflexively slipping out of harm’s way. The way Mika spitted on his helping hand was rude, but the fact that she even attempted to claim his life at all wasn’t to be taken lightly. Though, he wasn’t new to anybody coming after his soul to begin with.

While his guard remained high, Terry took a moment to watch the lunging wolf hurling itself past him, the latter magically transforming into an adorable domestic kitten just sitting there and watching the spectacle despite the sharp, shattering glass surrounding it. At the stark change of scenery, he let out a relieved exhale, still deciding whether he should be pissed off or grateful.

“Whew… Jesus Christ, lady!” he bellowed, then shifted to face his opponent head on, an exasperated frown present. “The fuck did you think you just did!? Did Geese send you here?”

If there was anybody who was so eager to see his death, look no further than the CEO of Howard Connection himself, Geese Howard. Considering their not-so-pleasant history together, Terry wouldn’t have been surprised if the kingpin placed a bounty on himself. Geese was so powerful that he could—at one point—influence the entire city to turn their backs on his rivals. And if it was true that Mika was one of Geese’s loyal stooges, he might as well want to take this battle more seriously, given that his life could be at stake.

“Well, I dunno where you came from or who sent you here, but if you’re one of Geese’s guys…” Terry subconsciously charged himself, a fiery blue energy appearing around his hardening fist. “Rest assured that I’m gonna beat the livin’ snot outta you like there’s no tomorrow!” Without further ado, the brawny blonde hurled his fiery fist forth, closing the distance separating them with a dash.

“BURN KNUCKLE!!”

God knows how long he’d been itching to execute one of his special maneuvers onto his opponent. If it wasn’t for him holding himself back most of the time, he would’ve gone all out with spamming special moves like he tended to do in an official KOF match. The Burning Knuckle was meant to hammer that pretty face of hers, but if it just so happened to be whiffed, he’d halt himself instantly and assume a defensive stance, his guard high on both temples.

FIN.

TNT - The Nameless Tavern. (Always Open)

Are canon characters okay, or is this OCs only?

@zygardian

Both are ok. As you can tell, I’m writing Spidey and Terry from King of Fighters. Both are canons.

World of Light: the Endless Now (The Ultimate Videogame Crossover)

Level 7 Ryu

_{EXP : 0/70 (+6 pts.)
Location : The Pools, Esaka
Word Count : 5,291}

▶︎• ၊၊||၊|။||||။‌‌‌၊|• 30:00
_{Theme of Beautiful Bay (Extended) – Street Fighter IV}

“Ryu! Ryu! Ryu!”

It was that time of the year again. As usual, every fellow fighter gathering around the makeshift arena had been nothing but perfect to him. They chanted his name and cheered on him, making it loud and clear that they were rooting for the erstwhile World Warrior champion simultaneously. It was no wonder when it’d been a year since Ryu ever graced the World Warrior tournament with his presence. Not only was he a fan favorite, Ryu was also the original champion and the tournament’s biggest attraction, so his return was surely anticipated.

Tightening his grip around the string of his duffle bag, Ryu made his glorious entrance to the spacious traditional boat, his bare strides combing through the sea of combatants. While he wasn’t quite bothered by the roar of the crowd, he still smiled and gave the nearby spectators a gentle wave, appreciating their support. His attention, however, soon shifted towards his first opponent: the masked figure clad in skeleton spandex, a red scarf worn around his neck. Said gimmicky masked man stood right across from him, gloved knuckles on both hips as a theatrical laugh escaped his mouth.

“Ryu,” the masked man called, “we meet again, my fellow seeker of justice!”

Even Ryu couldn’t help, but cackle along. He knew who Skullomania was. Once upon a time, the comical vigilante was part of the Street Fighter Dojo alongside Ryu and the likes. Well, that was, until a Street Fighter alumnus named Garuda opened the Fighting EX Layer Dojo by the city’s middle tier, attracting the likes of Skullo, Kairi, Hokuto, and several other street fighters with similar fighting styles to apply for the dojo. Unlike others, however, Skullo’s reason in leaving the Street Fighter Dojo was more to do with pursuing the very man he deemed to be an evil-doer, reassuring that the Fighting EX Layer Dojo would be rid of Garuda’s influence once and forever.

“Yosh! And it sure has been a while, my friend,” Ryu agreed with a nod and a smile. “How is your training going, so far?”

“Spectacular, of course! Amazing even!” Skullo reciprocated, his cheery voice muffled by the dark fabric of his mask. “It’s been fun kicking evil-doers’ butts and keeping the city safe. And I assume you’ve been training as hard, yes?”

“Well, you can say that again,” Ryu simply confirmed, then added: “I don’t recall seeing you in the World Warrior tournament two years ago. Suppose there is a criminal you’re chasing after?”

“Why, of course!” Skullo confirmed, his expression one of determination. “I’ve made a vow, fellow Ryu. I can’t just rest while evil is still around the corner. Especially this past week. Haven’t you checked the news lately? Banishing Flats were bombed. Dozens of innocent people were killed! And it’s not to mention the missing King of Fighters participants yet to be found in recent years. If what Sharon told me is to go by…” The masked hero hummed, thoughtfully caressing his mandible. “...Then, perhaps, one of those vile Kings has to be the culprit!”

Speaking of the devil, as Skullo gestured towards the towers overlooking the area, the swirling energy streaks had knocked and brought each tower to life, drawing all the Four Kings out of their hideouts. Gazing up, Ryu could only pay attention, as the Kings made their respective announcements with Heihachi bringing up the recent explosion incident taking place at the Banishing Flats. Knowing what happened, it made Ryu feel horrible about himself that he chose to spend the entire night at the lower tier, instead of doing what needed to be done.

However, it was Bison who Ryu paid more attention to than all the other Kings—not only because he was the sponsor of the World Warrior tournament, but also due to his claim. An attempt had been made on his life, apparently, and while he was left unscathed, the news was enough to make nearly the entire area gasp in horror. If only they knew that Bison had a collection of empty vessels ready to be used for this exact occasion—the fact that part of the Street Fighter Dojo was already aware of.

“I see… It seems like this city has been having a bad year while I left,” Ryu remarked, then lowered his gaze back to glance over the masked vigilante across from him. “I’m sorry, Skullo, but did you… happen to be the person Bison was talking about?” He made sure to drop his voice slightly below a whisper to avoid nearby fighters from eavesdropping.

“Nope. Not at all!” Skullo reciprocated with a shaking head. “Do not mistake a costumed crime-fighter for a menace, fellow Ryu, for true heroes know that great power comes with greater responsibility. Although, I must admit, I do look forward to locking M. Bison behind the prison bars if and when I win this tournament.”

“Hmm… Well, I believe you, but that certainly is odd, isn’t it?” Ryu mumbled almost to himself, as he caressed his mandible. “Not that I accused you, though, but if it wasn’t you or anyone like you, then… who might it be? Some tourists?”

Questions aside, Ryu was convinced that somebody as morally righteous as one Skullomania would, indeed, use his fighting prowess responsibly, instead of committing the unthinkable. Not that he pitied Bison, either, but it certainly was off-putting that both incidents took place back-to-back, as if they were orchestrated by the same individuals. It wasn’t even to mention the fact that—in nature—the incidents seemed to work against everything that the Heavenly Principles dictated. However, before Ryu could get an answer as to who the culprits might be, a streak of glittering gold surrounded him and his opponent overhead, only to halt between both street fighters to display…

---

_{RYU VS. SKULLOMANIA
ROUND 1 – FIGHT!}

---

At the cue, Ryu dropped the duffle bag on his shoulder almost automatically, tightening his headband then sparring gloves. The floating letters reverted back to their glittering form, only to spread and transform into a timer, a pair of health bars, and a pair of empty power meters, each measuring the duration of the round and both competitors’ well-being and stamina respectively.

“Well, then. May the strongest win,” the original World Warrior champion wished, subsequently entering his karate stance. “Koi!”

At the beckoning gesture, Skullo didn’t waste a chance. Shortly after assuming his own stance, the masked vigilante launched himself head first in Ryu’s direction, vaulting and drilling forth.

“SKULLO CRASHER!!”

Reflexively, Ryu leaped back, his gallant frame curling. Just as he unfurled his frame and landed on his feet, the headbanded warrior summoned a sphere of energy between his strapped palms, thrusting his arms out and firing a blue fireball towards the diving Skullo.

“HADOUKEN!!”

Just like that, Ryu managed his first attack. Skullo’s crown was only inches away from connecting with Ryu when the latter executed his iconic special move. The collision between cranium and flying projectile managed to push Skullo several feet to the back, depleting a small fraction of his health bar. Once he halted by the cabin behind, the masked crime-fighter shook his head, then sprung up, quickly entering his stance and striking his clawing hands out.

“Nice one, fellow Ryu!” Skullo complimented before adding: “But I cannot lose just yet. Not when—”

Before Skullo could repeat his earlier statement, Ryu had already leaped in his direction, ambushing him with a flying, downward kick. Imaginary eyes going wide, the goofy crime-fighter had to, unfortunately, swallow the kick, allowing the erstwhile champion’s bare foot to connect with his veiled face.

“Oof!”

The kick instantly jolted Skullo back, forcing him to lower his guard. As his bare feet touched the deck again, Ryu slightly shifted around, then swung his leg overhead, delivering a high-angled roundhouse kick onto his opponent. This time, however, Skullo was quick to place his forearms over his own face, preventing the slamming foot from knocking his temple. He continued to maintain the exact defensive approach when Ryu delivered a firm jab and a short uppercut, each alternating strike still managing to deplete his health bar through the barest hints of chip damage.

“Keep it up, fellow Ryu! If you think you can breach through my mighty block, that is…”

“Talk is cheap, my friend.”

As fast as the wind, Ryu surprised Skullo with an axe kick, bringing his leg upwards. The impact of the upward kick was so strong it began to falter his opponent’s defense, forcing him to jolt back with a hit spark. After a heel drop, the headbanded warrior instantly cancelled his attack into a Joudan Sokutogeri that was sure to close the gap separating both street fighters.

WHAM!

The heavy side kick managed to break through the crime-fighter’s defense, shoving him towards the boat’s cabin again. Eyes wide, Skullo was forced to collide with the cabin’s wall on his back, the harsh impact rocking the boat and rendering the roaring spectators unsteady. He eventually bounced forth, landing harshly on his front.

THUD!

“Ungh!”

Despite the grueling beat down, thankfully, his power meter continuously charged itself whenever he received an attack, now close to entering Level 1. The same could be said about Ryu since he was only a moment away from filling up his power meter completely. While Skullo still attempted to steady himself, Ryu wasted no chance and closed the distance with a leaping, spinning kick, executing a heavy…

“TATSUMAKI SENPUUKYAKU!!”

Like a hurricane, Ryu was close to drawing and launching his opponent towards a nearby crate box, nearly depleting the latter’s health bar tremendously. Unfortunately, before the hurricane kick could connect, Skullo had already anticipated it with his own special move—not to counter Ryu’s Tatsumaki Senpuukyaku, but to slide beneath his spinning form with his leading leg striking out. His battle cry was shouted.

“SKULLO SLIDER!!”

Ryu was slightly taken aback. In an instant, he cancelled the ramming hurricane kick altogether, safely descending on both feet. With the erstwhile champion now standing against him, Skullo seized the moment and closed in on Ryu with a dash, ambushing him using a special move similar to Shoryuken with a miniscule twist. Instead of using his fist, Skullo utilized his head to perform a spiraling mock uppercut, managing to catch Ryu off guard as his cranium met his back. The leaping uppercut propelled the costumed crime-fighter out of the ground, prompting him to follow up the special move with a diving headbutt.

“SKULLO HEAD DIVE!!”

BAM!

“Gwahh–!!”

At long last, the masked hero managed to topple the once undisputed champion on his front, the impact depleting a quarter part of his once loaded health bar. As he landed and steadied himself before the laying Ryu, Skullo taunted him with a laugh and an exaggerated akimbo pose, triggering the power meter at his heels to fill itself completely.

“Ho ho ho, fellow Ryu! At long last, you’ve learned the greatness that is the power of one Skullomania!” he boasted, lifting a finger close to his dark temple. “And now that you’ve witnessed such greatness, allow me to show you my ultimate technique!”

Ryu, seemingly unfazed, carefully picked himself out of the deck, turning against the cabin to face the comical crime-fighter in front of him. A smirk was shot, albeit slightly.

“Oh, is that so?” the headbanded warrior asked, gradually assuming his ready stance. “I’m surely interested to know. Show me your strength!”

Simultaneously, both street fighters were shrouded by flickering lights, activating their respective power bars. While Ryu brought his palms together to retract a massive wave of inner force, Skullo, on the other hand, hurled himself head first towards his opponent, executing a multi-hitting, diving headbutt.

“SUPER SKULLO CRASHER!!!”

“SHINKUU… HADOUKEN!!!”

BAM!

BAM!

BAM!

BAM!

WHAM!

Stupidly enough, by lunging head first towards the more seasoned street fighter, Skullo had allowed himself to be caught by the swarm of multi-hitting fireballs Ryu had just unleashed out of his palms. The Level 1 super move was strong enough to drain what was left of the crime-fighter’s thinning health bar, sending him flying towards the boat’s precipice. As Skullo laid flat on the deck unconscious, a metaphysical bell rang aloud, its echo prompting both the pairs of bars and the timer to regroup and form the following message:

---

_{K. O.
ROUND 1 – RYU WINS!}

---

As the spectators roared in joy, Ryu closed his eyes and folded his toned arms together, the tails of his headband whiffling along the wind. It wasn’t too shabby for his first match in a year, he thought to himself.

“Now that’s what I called a street fight!”

By the time he opened his eyes and turned his face towards the boat’s precipice ahead of him, Ryu was welcomed by the sight of Skullo raising his thumb up, his laying form maintained (at least, for the time being).

“Y– Yes, yes, I’m good! Just a little dizzy. Don’t worry about me, fellow Ryu!”

Once he started to recover, the crime-fighter performed a rather theatrical spin-a-roonie to bring himself back on his boots, standing out of his prior laying position.

“That was, indeed, an entertaining battle. Just not the one where I showed you my true capabilities,” Skullo admitted, then rubbed the nape of his neck, both his face and voice subsequently sinking. Fortunately, it didn’t take long until he managed an optimistic exterior again. “But don’t you worry, fellow Ryu! Because I, Skullomania, an emissary from Esaka, will not fail you in our second round!” Then, a series of dynamic, perhaps hero-like poses, which elicited a grin from Ryu. Even the spectators giggled along at the gimmicky sight, equally amused.

“Well, I believe you. I, too, expect you to fight better in the next round, Skullo,” Ryu encouraged, tightening his black belt before assuming his karate stance again, small hops taken. “C’mon… Fight!”

DING!

DING!

The metaphysical bell rang again, bringing the glittering streak of gold back to life. It floated and swirled around the boat before gathering between the readying competitors, shifting into another announcement that read:

---

_{RYU VS. SKULLOMANIA
ROUND 2 – FIGHT!}

---

Both the bars and the timer returned to accompany both competing street fighters, now with a V-sign emblem appearing next to Ryu’s health bar to symbolize his victory in the first round. Just as it was the first round, Skullo refused to take a moment to size his opponent up and try to read his mind. He quickly leaped into action, launching and hurling himself towards Ryu with the prior spiraling headbutt.

“SKULLO HEAD!!”

Ryu, ever so calculating, had already anticipated Skullo’s reckless tendency and over-reliance on special moves. Bare feet leaving the ground, the original World Warrior champion leaped and lunged forth with a flying uppercut, closing the gap separating them.

“SHORYUKEN!!”

POW!

Head met fist, as their special moves collided, erupting an abrupt hit spark that managed to separate the two. The impact left both the headbanded warrior and the masked crime-fighter jolting, quickly sending them back on top of the boat’s deck, albeit a little unsteadily. It surprised Ryu how Skullo hadn’t suffered from a concussion just yet after abusing and injuring his head the way he did.

Once they stood back on their feet steadily, the two—once again—closed the gap that their respective special moves had created, exchanging rounds after rounds of flails and kicks. This was one of the best parts in any tournament match, some hysterical spectators believed, as the two competing fighters demonstrated their respective combo maneuvers—each one gradually charging up the power meters hovering at the bottom. Surprisingly, though, Skullo managed to overwhelm Ryu with his latter set of normal attacks, comprising double flails, a front kick, and a high-angled side kick. Seeing that he managed to knock Ryu back by his dark temple, the crime-fighter followed up said string of attacks with a sliding kick, hoping to falter and crumple his opponent.

WHAM!

“SKULLO SLIDER!!”

If there was one advantage that Skullo had over Ryu, he was—in several respects—faster and more acrobatic than the far more methodical street fighter. However, Ryu’s reflexes and agility weren’t to be underestimated, either. Instead of connecting with his lower limbs, the Skullo Slider, instead, was greeted by the headbanded warrior’s perfectly timed low parry, his flickering forearm clashing against the crime-fighter’s leading leg with a distinctive noise. The special move was foiled.

“Nani!?”

By the time both competitors rose out of their lowered forms, Ryu quickly turned the table by shoving the wide-eyed Skullo back with a short “HADOUKEN,” the impact surprisingly lighter than his prior attacks. Once a space was maintained, the original World Warrior champion closed in with a leaping, downward kick, connecting the sole of his foot with his opponent’s cranium.

THWACK!

“Oof!”

A hit spark surged, jolting the crime-fighter back rather dramatically. When he reached the deck again, Ryu bombarded his barely recovered opponent with a combo of his own, starting with a crouching kick then followed by a left hook, a roundhouse kick, and finally, a stiff Joudan Sokutogeri to the torso. The latter successfully launched Skullo several feet to the back once more, sending him towards one of the spectators sitting by the boat’s precipice.

“Nani!?”

“Hey!”

SPLOOSH!

While Skullo was only close to getting thrown out of the boat, the same couldn’t be said about the elderly Vietnamese man who so happened to be the owner of the boat. Thankfully, it only took seconds until his paddy hat came to view, signifying that he was already out of the water’s surface. Soaking from head to toe, the elderly man climbed back onto the boat, subsequently snatching the hat around his crown to smack the stunned Skullo with it.

WHACK!

“Oww–!!”

“Idiot!”

Fortunately, the smacking hat did absolutely no damage to the crime-fighter since it came from a spectator, instead of the other street fighter. He could feel imaginary stars and cupids spiraling around his head, as he caressed his cheek, still struggling to stand on his boots. The sight of Ryu was blurred from beyond the boat’s corner, only showing a pixelated concoction of black, red, and dull white. As far as he could tell from beyond the center of the stage, it was jarringly apparent that most spectators sided with Ryu throughout the bout, with some of the most notable chants being “Fight, Ryu, fight!” and “Beat him up, Ryu!” which further discouraged Skullo. Certainly, some were more elaborate than the others.

“Dude… he’s sooo cooked!” said a blonde, spike-haired boy with a can of ‘Java Tea’ in his hand, clearly referring to Skullo.

“I know right?” asked a verdant woodpecker sporting a red, cowboy-like neck scarf.

“He’s everything I wish to be,” said a headbanded girl sporting a traditional judo uniform, obviously referring to Ryu.

“Likewise,” said a dark-haired lad who looked like he could pass as Ryu’s long lost brother. “First Terry, and hopefully, Ryu is next.”

“Mhm… I can sense stronger inner force radiating from this very arena,” claimed a silver-haired man donning a visage-like mask and a traditional silat uniform, pensively caressing his mandible. “Perhaps, it is much stronger than the one I encountered back at the Teahouse. Soon, my fellow fighters, I, the ‘Village Champion,’ shall challenge the ‘World Warrior’ to a match. Our battle will be legendary!”

“Not bad. I have to admit he’s come a long way,” a cross-handed fighting game developer assessed, his fractured glasses shimmering at the sight of Ryu being enveloped in a burst of energy and lightning triggered by his Denjin Charge. “It appears that he fights better than I remember. Though, still, I’m yet to understand what makes him so appealing. Not only does he move like a stiff board, he’s not even the best Shoto in all of Esaka. Even when compared to other, flashier top-tier fighters like Jin Kazama, Kyo Kusanagi, and Sol Badguy, Ryu just always strikes me as the most—should I say—basic of the fighting champions. If you need a precise definition of ‘vanilla,’ then look no further than the man in front of you.”

“Hold on a minute… Aren’t you the same guy at the K-64 arena?” asked an eccentric punk with a rising blonde hair, standing right next to the geeky man.

In reciprocation, S-Kill frowned at the punkish brute named J, his glasses emitting a furious shimmer. “Yeah, so what? Do you have a problem with it?”

“Nah, mate, but seriously, why do you always whine about everything?” J asked back, throwing his open hands to gesture at the geeky man beside him. “Who cares about having gimmicky moves and flashy combos? Ryu’s still the best fighter there is. Just stop over-analyzing and watch the bloody match like a normal person would!”

S-Kill clicked his tongue. “Oh, yeah, is that so? Who’s whining here? It’s called giving an objective assessment, you uneducated plebe!” he argued, his voice raising. “Say that one last time, and you’ll be banned from entering the Divekick Dojo forever!”

As it was the prior round, Ryu didn’t seem to be bothered by the makeshift commentary and, instead, focused on the masked fighter ahead, his glaring eyes yet to leave him. However, to say that Skullo barely had his own supporters (or, at least, anybody reacting to his action at all) was an understatement since some of the members of the Fighting EX Layer Dojo were present to watch the showdown.

“C’mon, Skullo, you can do it!” said an exotic Middle Eastern girl in a blue, sleeveless vest and baggy pants, dancing and cheerleading in support.

“Yeaahhh!! That’s right, Skullo! Get ’im, boy!” said a ginger man in a blue karate gi and red undershirt.

“C’mon, buddy, don’t just stand there! Rough ’im up and make yourself famous!” said a fedora wearing brunette, as he swung his fists and shadowboxed.

“Go, Skullo, go! Go, Skullo, go!” chanted his female counterpart, cheerleading alongside Pullum.

Just knowing that a few people were still behind him uplifted Skullo, even though he didn’t want the cheers and (especially) jeers to distract him from the street fighter ahead. Especially not when Ryu had already closed the distance with a leaping roundhouse kick.

“Seiya!”

In mid-air, Ryu assumed a spinning form, aiming to knock Skullo’s temple with his ankle. Unfortunately, before it managed to connect, the crime-fighter had already crouched underneath his leaping form, reflexively whiffing the hard-kicking leg. Already having a similar move whiffed in the prior round, Ryu instantly drew his leg back and descended once the kick hit nothing but air, only a foot away from pushing the boat’s owner back into the water. If Skullo was quick-witted enough, he could’ve utilized this moment to punish Ryu with his own maneuver (even though, given the final half of the prior round, he wasn’t exactly easy to punish).

While Ryu still stood against him, Skullo jokingly poked his shoulder from behind, already noticing that he’d gained access to his Level 1 super move. The same could be said about Ryu, and fortunately, it might be a matter of time until both street fighters loaded their power meters for the second time.

“He he… Behind you~”

Already on high alert, Ryu was swift to turn and face his opponent again, his face and posture hardening. Instead of executing Shinkuu Hadouken for the second time, however, the more technical street fighter attempted a different approach. After having charged himself with the Power of Nothingness, Ryu didn’t wait further to bring his hands together and create an amplified Hadouken between his palms. Skullo, meanwhile, went all out and activated his Level 1 super move immediately, running towards Ryu just in time to execute…

“SKULLO DREAM!!!”

“Gwahh–!?”

POP!

Hilariously, his ‘New Skullo Dream’ technique instantly teleported them back to the center of the stage upon execution. To say that it was a martial arts technique might not be entirely true in a conventional sense, as it felt more like a collection of scenarios combining elements of action and humor. Two of the most notable scenes included Skullo shooting a comically large heart at Ryu and… what was that again? Both street fighters having breakfast in the middle of a bout?? Even funnier that a tea table and a small fridge had been summoned for the occasion. It appeared that Skullo understood Ryu’s love for food.

“So, fellow Ryu, what would you like to eat?” Skullo asked, sitting cross-legged just across from Ryu at the tea table.

Then, Ryu caressed his mandible and cocked his head to a side pensively, quietly humming. “Let’s see, uh… Do you happen to have Mizuyokan or stale bread in there?” he asked, gesturing at the fridge next to them with his thumb.

“Oh, sorry, I’m afraid not,” Skullo instantly denied. “However, I can think of a better meal that I can offer you for this occasion. So, just sit back and sip your tea, will you? I guarantee you’re going to love this!”

“Well… Thank you, I think?”

Despite his initial hesitation, the puzzled Ryu ended up taking the small cup of tea provided in front of him. It really couldn’t help when he was still in the middle of getting bombarded by an unusual super move, making him even more uneasy. As Ryu had already expected, this particular scene was all just an illusion to give him a false sense of security. When the tea was barely sipped, Skullo held the tea table by its rounded edge, flipping it right in front of the other street fighter. The scene immediately transitioned before Ryu could anticipate, depicting Skullo locking him in a modified Sharpshooter where he held and squeezed his opponent’s leg tight around his arm.

“How about this, fellow Ryu? Do you like what I’m cooking?”

“Huh??”

Thankfully, it didn’t take long until the scene transitioned again, now showing Skullo striking a pose with his curling hand raised to the sky, while Ryu found himself launching back several feet behind the larger-than-life persona.

“Gahahhh–!!”

If only the initial attack didn’t connect, Ryu would’ve been able to prevent the entire ordeal with ease (if this oddity of a super move could be considered an ordeal, anyway). Stupidly enough, it was the lightest variant of New Skullo Dream that Skullo had just executed, so the best it could do was depleting Ryu’s health bar by roughly less than a half.

Seeing that the headbanded warrior had started to stand on his feet, the masked crime-fighter ran forth with his balled hand extending, imagining himself hovering forth like one of those comic book caped heroes. Once close, he attempted to tackle Ryu with his shoulder, hoping to fully load his power meter again.

BAM!

“Hah! Nani!?”

Unfortunately for Skullo, Ryu had, once again, anticipated his attack upon recovery, letting his parrying, flickering forearm connect with his tackling shoulder. With the Skullo Tackle now foiled, the masked crime-fighter cancelled said special move into a back-flipping kick, only for Ryu to prevent its impact with a high parry for the second time. Thankfully, both interconnecting special moves were all he needed to obtain access to his Level 1 super move again. A gathering blue light was drawn around Skullo, as he activated and concentrated his remaining inner force into performing his second super move. However, upon execution…

“Kono kobushi de...”

From beneath his mask, Skullo was left wide-eyed and swallowing hard at the sight of Ryu gathering and charging swirls of ki-energy into his hands, activating his Level 2 super move when the crime-fighter least expected. Once concentrated, the original World Warrior champion formed circles with his hands, then drew them back, converting the swirling energy streak into a sizable fireball. Not giving Skullo a moment to carry on with whatever the ultimate technique he had in mind to execute next, Ryu thrusted his clawing hands forth to jolt Skullo with a short-ranged yet devastating Shin Hashogeki, an enormous energy spark shoving his opponent towards the farthest corner.

“HADOUKEN!!!”

DING!

DING!

By the time Skullo laid flat on his back, his health bar had been completely drained, meaning that the Shin Hashogeki had effectively knocked him out cold. At the ringing cue given by the invisible bell, both the bars and the timer regrouped and reverted back into letters of gold hovering overhead, displaying the following announcement:

---

_{K. O.
ROUND 2 – RYU WINS!}

---

“Mada tachiagaru no ka?”

As expected, no response was given. At least, not yet. After the latter beat down that he gave his opponent, Ryu wasn’t even sure if Skullo could still stand up with ease. As the crowd rejoiced, the original World Warrior champion raised his balled hand triumphantly, facing and smiling at each and every spectator by the sidelines. But then, before he could carry on with the celebration, he sensed something—the barest hints of movement from afar, perhaps. As it turned out, once he shifted his gaze towards the source, he found that Skullo had regained his consciousness, clumsily sitting on one leg by the other end of the boat. The defeated street fighter forcefully snatched the red scarf around his neck, then tossed it on the deck, his frustration evidenced.

“This can’t be real. Not when the city needs a hero,” Skullo mumbled to himself, then as he hammered the deck with his fists, yelled: “I’ve failed! I’ve failed! I’ve failed!”

Perhaps, it was only a matter of time until Skullo broke down in tears, evoking a strong sense of sympathy within his opponent’s heart. Seeing how the masked fighter had been crashing out, Ryu decided to approach, his face smiling and softening. He halted and held out a helping hand, dark eyes locking upon the hero’s veiled visage.

“Don’t be discouraged,” Ryu emboldened, his voice calm and reassuring. “You still have one more chance in the Losers Bracket.”

Skullo sighed, then weakly shook his head. “I was so close. I thought it would’ve ended differently, but alas, my ‘Nishikoyama Luck’ had struck again,” he said, then lifted his gaze, eventually reciprocating Ryu’s helping hand. “Apologies if I haven’t lived up to your expectations, fellow Ryu. I thought you deserved a better first opponent.”

“Ah, don’t say that,” Ryu told Skullo, still with an encouraging smile as he drew and helped the masked fighter back on his feet. “You’ve fought well. I feel honored. Let’s do it again some day, should we? Once you get better and stronger, that is…”

Even when Skullo didn’t quite give his best (at least, what he convinced himself), Ryu didn’t judge. Instead, the more seasoned fighter lifted him up and gave him the much needed advice. It wasn’t everyday he met somebody from a top-tier dojo as humble as Ryu was. Still holding on to his hand, the masked hero shook hands with the headbanded warrior, their grips firm on each other.

“Well, thank you, fellow Ryu,” Skullo told the other street fighter. “I’ll keep that in mind for my latter match.”

Ryu simply nodded, smiled wholeheartedly, then joked: “And thank you for the tea, too. I might like to eat with you someday, just not in the middle of a fight.”

Skullo snorted in a snicker, which prompted Ryu to do the same, as well. “You fell for it, didn’t you? Frankly, I didn’t expect the tactic to go accordingly,” he admitted. “So, I suppose, this is it, huh?”

“Perhaps,” Ryu simply answered with a nod, releasing his firm grip on Skullo’s hand. He then picked the duffle bag laying across the deck by its string, loading the bag on his shoulder. “Here’s hoping that our paths cross again, my friend. Whenever that may be.”

Patting his shoulder, Ryu began strolling past Skullo, strengthening his grip on the string of his duffle bag. Once the boat’s farther end was reached, he stopped a passing gondola next to the sizable boat, stepping onto the former to leave Skullo and the celebrating spectators behind. Even as the gondola became more and more distant from view, he could still hear the spectators cheering and chanting his name, their joyous noises spreading across the vicinity. Eventually, they showed Skullo the equal amount of attention—not only out of adoration, but also out of sympathy.

“Ho ho ho… Don’t worry, my fellow seekers of justice, for I, Skullomania, the hero who fights for the sake of justice, will continue my crusade against evil!” Skullo proudly stated, as he absorbed the growing cheers, puffing his chest out and pressing his fists against his hips. “Whether it’ll be in the Losers Bracket or outside of the tournament. For I am a hero! And true heroes never give up!”

FIN.

Terry’s Training Room

Spoiler for Ryu.