-------------------------------------------------------------------------------- THE EVOLUTION -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1994. The modern age is now in it's total fulfillment. The world has suffered various changes, and technology has advanced as well. However, in the fighting world, a more dramatic outbreak was to take place... This year, the man known as Rugal Bernstein began to make waves in the world. His reputation as a black market leader and expert in weapon and drug trafficing were unsurpassed, and known by many as one of the more wealthy men in the world. Aboard the Blacknoah, his private air carrier, from where he receives and delivers his stocks, Rugal cruised the seas of the world, without being able to be stopped by the world governments. And not only was Rugal feared and respected in the crime world. He was also known to be quite a formidable fighter, and it is known that anybody who has faced him aboard the Blacknoah, has not escaped alive. Rugal, bored by the lack of competition, had an ominous idea. He ordered one of his personal secretaries, Mature, to go around the world, and give eight invitations to certain people around the world. These invitations were enclosed in white envelopes, with red seals marked the "Rugal" sign. He was to retake the old King of Fighters tournament, and take it in his own hands. However, he was going to create some new rules this year. Instead of one-on-one fights, the new competition system was to include battles between teams of three people. Fights will take place between these teams, in a tag-team fashion. If one of the members were to be defeated by one of the other team's members, the next member will come in to fight the winner, and will go on until all three members of one team would be defeated. However, before the tournament was to be commenced, a man stood before Rugal...ready to fight him to the end and finish his stupid ambition. Of course, Rugal was not the one to be intimidated... Days later, the new King of Fighters tournament began. Eight teams had entered, representing eight different countries. Japan, with the newest breed of Asian heroes. Italy, having no other than the legendary Lonely Wolves. Mexico, showing the power of Kyokugenryo Karate. Brazil, represented by Ikari mercenaries. China, combining both old and new generations. Korea, sporting some weird combination of justice and crime. England, the only all-female team. USA, and the three most important country sports. Thus, the battles began. Emotive encounters took place, and the passion and fury of battle once again raged on, with more emotion than ever before. So many different fighters, so many different styles. It was a delight to see so many fighting skills facing one another, in a battle not presenting hatred, just the satisfaction and honor of winning. The battles were long and winded, and the winners were only defined by short instances. At the end, it was not the Lonely Wolves, but the Japan Team which came out the winner. This team had two young fighters and one experienced warrior. One of the young ones was Kyo Kusanagi, latest descendant of the Kusanag clan, reknown for their crimson flames. The other was Benimaru Nikaido, a brash and arrogant fighter, expert in shooting karate (a variation of Muetai kickboxing), and also having the power of lightning. The experienced one was Goro Daimon, the large Judo champion, who's impressive strength made the earth itself tremble. All three were defined by a national martial arts championship which took place in Japan: Kyo came out on top, beating Benimaru in the finals; Daimon was third, after being beaten by Kyo in the semifinals. Mature, Rugal's personal secretary, invited the Japan Team atop a helicopter, which was to transfer them to the Blacknoah: their final battle was about to begin. Rugal saluted the team as they came in the Blacknoah, aside his pet panther and a glass of wine. He laughed and honestly thought they wouldn't come this far. Shocked at this statement, the three fighters were paralyzed at the sight around them: groups and groups of statues of fighters extended everywhere. With another evil laughter, Rugal admits that all those fighters were alive once, and that he had defeated them all, and bathed their bodies in steel so that they would be inmortalized. And the Japan Team was the next in the eerie collection... Rugal fought the three fighters. Benimaru and Daimon fought well, but they only managed to make Rugal a lot more angrier, obligating him to use his best techniques. He confesses that he never had to reach to such instances, but the circumstances so applied for it. Using his full power, Rugal even took the best techniques of Geese and Krauser, past hosts of the tournament! After defeating Benimaru and Daimon, Kyo was the last one standing. Although Kyo fought with all his might, Rugal turned out to be a ruthless fighter, and began to make Kyo feel the heat of the battle. Almost on his knees, Kyo, with sore eyes, saw a body lying in a corner of the room. With disbelief, he saw that it was no other than his own father, Saisyu Kusanagi. He had turned out to face Rugal prior to the tournament, but had been defeated...perhaps even killed. Kyo couldn't take it anymore. He bursted in rage, and in sheer fury, attacked Rugal like a crimson tornado. Unable to avoid the rage of the Kusanagi, Rugal fell in defeat. With his voice paused by the pain, Rugal silently condemns the Japan Team to a swift death...crazy of revenge, and a poor loser, Rugal took a strange device, and pressed the button. The Blacknoah was now to autodestroy itself! Kyo, Benimaru, and Daimon barely made it out alive, as the Blacknoah, engulfed in flames, sank to the bottom of the ocean. Thus, the King of Fighters tournament ended yet again, and as the same as the past two years, nobody was seen to be able to take hand of the tournament. A year passes. It's 1995. All the fighters of the past tournament remember the competition with fond memories, but now know that now that Rugal is dead, the tournament would die with him. That was, until seven of the eight teams began to receive invitations once again... This time, the envelopes were signed by some "R" fellow. Who was he, and what was that he wanted? Nobody knew, and many didn't even care, as the fighting will take place yet again...in 1995! All the teams gathered again, except one...the USA team was nowhere to be seen. This year, the teams were no longer affiliated to no country, but it was strange not to see or hear from them. However, one team did show up in their place...and, for some of the fighters, it wasn't a very grateful team at all. The team was formed by: Billy Kane, ex- champion of the tournament, and with a grundge against the Lonely Wolves. Eiji Kisaragi, a ruthless ninja with unfinished business with the Sakazaki family. And, the captain of the team, a lonely, but yet, incredibly strong fighter, whom used similiar techniques to Kyo, but with the difference that he wielded purple flames! The mysterious young man was known no other as Iori Yagami, a descendant of the Yagami family, eternal rivals of the Kusanagi family. Now, the tournament would be filled of personal interests, giving way to more passionate fights than last year! With this frame of hatred, emotion, and excitement, the battle began once again. Warriors once again took one another, now with one year of experience, and some new techniques, making the battles more intriguing and exciting. This time, the results of the battle were decided in some times in the last fighter of each team, and the winner was nowhere to be defined. Not even the current champion, the Japan/Hero Team had an easy path. Revitalized warriors, combined with the new blood, made this tournament much more emotive and skillful than the last one. As the Hero Team was about to enter one of the last battles, they concentrated in the locker room. However, all of a sudden, a green smoke began to surround them. The trio noticed that they were losing their senses, and suddenly, all became black. Sleeping gas... Kyo woke up in a dark place. He could barely see his fainted companions next to him. He was received with a certain familiar laugh. It was no other than Rugal! Kyo, Benimaru, and Daimon were skeptical, but it was indeed him! He had something new about him...besides his cybernetic arm, he had a lot more power than before! How could this be? It seems that Rugal is also in terrible need of revenge! Rugal beckoned for the Hero Team, but he had a new partner up his sleeve...His other secretary, Vice, let way to a familiar man. Benimaru and Daimon were surprised, but Kyo was speechless...It was Saisyu Kusanagi, his own father! Kyo was filled with joy and happiness, but was stopped cold when his father challenged him to a fight. His eyes indicated that he was not himself. Rugal had brainwashed him, and ordered him to kill his own son! Kyo was so confused in fighting his own father...but Benimaru and Daimon fought the battle for him. Saisyu was a formidable opponent, being the father and master of Kyo, but he couldn't fight at his whole potential, due to his resistance to the brainwash. He was finally defeated, but both Benimaru and Daimon were exhausted and couldn't fight anymore. Saisyu regained his senses, and summoned Kyo. He bid his son to defeat Rugal, and avenge him. Then, Saisyu loses consciousness. Kyo slowly gets up, and faces Rugal once again. However, facing Kyo's rage, was Rugal's hatred! He suddenly began to emit a previously undetected aura, and his power began to rise to unexpected heights! His appearance took a different form, now with a demon look! It was the fury of Omega Rugal! The last battle began in the missile platform of Rugal's hidden underground base. Even though Kyo fought with the same entusiasm as last year, the new power acquired by Rugal was far too much for Kyo to handle. His power and speed had now been doubled, and along with his feelings of hatred and revenge, things began to become bleak for Kyo. However, at the same time, he was aided by his friends, Terry, Ryo, Athena, between others. They all gave him strength to go on. Kyo got up once and once again. However, the tide had began to turn in Kyo's favor. And to boot, Rugal was beginning to lose control of his own body. Kyo forced Rugal to go all out, but that was his own downfall: the power in his body began to go out of control, and his body began to twitch and begin exploding. During his suffering, a deep voice could be heard in a far place: "You fool! Only those of the bloodline can control such power! You didn't have a chance!" Rugal vowed vengeance, and a pillar of light consumed Rugal, blinding Kyo. When he turned around, both Rugal and Iori had vanished. Taking Benimaru and Daimon with him, Kyo escapes from the base. Now, even though Rugal was gone for sure, nobody could tell if the tournament was dead or not. And nobody could tell what horror lied behind the power Rugal had...