Compared to Genos, who had just arrived on the Shinigami Planet, Ishigami had arrived on the Planet King of Fighters earlier.
The chaotic situation of the three-way struggle on the Planet Shinigami was, to be honest, more conducive to training.
But Ishigami didn't go, because he also knew that his level wasn't high enough for a battlefield of that caliber.
After much deliberation, he could only choose the Planet King of Fighters, where the tournament was about to be held.
After several days of observation, Ishigami found that the average combat power of the Planet King of Fighters was on par with that of his home planet, Terra.
Of course, Ishigami was referring to Terra before Lott's identity was exposed, before monsters like Cooler arrived.
But he was still a step too late.
The place where Ishigami landed was the outskirts of a city in China on the Planet King of Fighters.
When he entered the city, he happened to see a large screen in a square introducing the participating teams for this year's King of Fighters tournament.
The Japan Team, the defending champions, composed of Kusanagi Kyo, Nikaido Benimaru, and Daimon Goro.
The Fatal Fury Team, the favorites to win, composed of Terry Bogard, Andy Bogard, and Higashi Joe.
The New Women Fighters Team, composed of Kagura Chizuru, Shiranui Mai, and King.
Although not highly favored, they became the most watched team due to their outstanding looks.
…
But Ishigami wasn't concerned with any of that.
The key point was that according to the news report, the invitations had already been sent out. He was too late.
"Can't participate anymore? What should I do... Should I start hunting those fighters?"
Ishigami muttered to himself.
He originally wanted to officially participate in the tournament to temper his skills, but now that he had missed his chance, he definitely couldn't just go back empty-handed!
How could he continue under Lott if he did?!
After some thought, Ishigami came up with an idea-
Fighter Hunting!
To be specific, instead of participating in the tournament, he would directly find the fighters mentioned in the report and start fighting them!
Ishigami looked up to continue watching the news report, intending to memorize the faces of these participants, especially the popular ones.
Just then, a voice came from beside him:
"Athena, are you planning to participate in this tournament?"
'Athena?'
Hearing this name, Ishigami turned to look at the speaker.
'I remembered that when the report introduced the participating teams earlier, there was a [Psycho Soldier Team], and one of its members was 'Asamiya Athena', right?'
Ishigami turned to look.
He saw a cute girl in a JK uniform walking with a young man who had a center-parted hairstyle, also seemingly young, with a somewhat boyish temperament.
Facing the young man's question, the girl called 'Athena' nodded gently and said:
"I received a letter from a girl. She said she was greatly inspired after seeing my performance in the last tournament and wants to come see me compete live this time. I want to use this method to encourage more people like her who are troubled by hardships."
"Since Athena is participating, I'll join too. I'll call Master as well..."
The young man said with a somewhat simp expression.
Ishigami recognized them now.
'It was them, the two members of the Psycho Soldier Team-'
'Asamiya Athena and Kensou Sie!'
'Which meant... they had invitation letters!'
Thud!
Because his attention was completely focused on Athena's face, Kensou Sie wasn't watching where he was going and bumped into Ishigami.
He fell flat on his back.
"Who is it!? Not watching where you're going?!"
Kensou Sie grumbled angrily.
Normally, it would be fine, but making him lose his dignity in front of Athena was a crime punishable by death!
"Kensou, you were the one who bumped into him..."
Athena bowed apologetically to Ishigami, "I'm sorry, we..."
The next second, both of them froze.
This man, with bandages wrapped around his eyes and right hand, looked somewhat familiar.
Ishigami remained silent, reaching out directly to grab Kensou Sie.
Kensou Sie was startled. Although his brain didn't process it in time, his body, as a fighter, instinctively performed a mid-air backflip, avoiding Ishigami's grasping hand.
"What are you doing!? You bandaged freak!"
Kensou Sie shouted again after landing.
'Not only did he make me lose my dignity in front of Athena, but now he's trying to get handsy!?'
"Give me the invitation."
Ishigami said in a monotone voice.
"Hah?"
Kensou Sie's expression grew even more displeased.
"You... you're... Ishigami Yu?!"
At this moment, Athena recognized the newcomer.
She thought he looked different from his appearance in the videos before, as right hand wasn't bandaged before, but she still remembered!
"Lott's lackey?"
Kensou Sie blurted out instinctively.
"Give me the invitation. I won't say it a third time."
Ishigami said indifferently.
"You bastard... you want to steal my spot? Don't joke around! I'm going to participate in this tournament with Athena!"
Kensou Sie had already made up his mind. After winning the championship, he would formally ask Athena out.
If Lott knew about Kensou Sie's thoughts, he would definitely be speechless.
'No wonder you never succeeded even by the time the KOF plot reached over a dozen installments.'
Ishigami took a step forward, his bandaged right hand striking fiercely towards Kensou Sie.
"Super Ball Attack!"
Kensou Sie crossed his hands, releasing a spherical energy bullet the next instant.
"Far too weak."
Ishigami coldly gave a three-word evaluation.
Bang!
The next moment, Ishigami's bandaged right hand directly pierced through the energy bullet.
Kensou Sie behind it shot out like a cannonball.
He crashed into the large electronic screen in the square that had been broadcasting the tournament report earlier.
The glass screen shattered into pieces from the impact of Kensou Sie's body, dust and electrical sparks flying everywhere.
Pedestrians on the street around them screamed in terror, fleeing in panic in opposite directions.
"Kensou!"
Athena looked up and cried out in shock.
Actually, Athena could have provided support earlier, but she was distracted.
Because she had been looking for that man's figure.
After all, if he came, then the trouble would be huge!
"So this is the invitation? If I can participate like this, then there's no need for fighter hunting."
Ishigami looked at the envelope in his hand, its cover bearing the large letters [KOF].
Thump!
At this moment, the bloodied Kensou Sie fell from the screen, his face full of anger, "Y-You bastard!!"
"Kensou! Calm down, don't act recklessly!"
Athena quickly raised her hand to stop Kensou Sie's irrational behavior.
That single punch was enough to show the difference in strength between the two.
She felt that among all the participants, probably only Terry, Sakazaki Ryo, and that handful of people like Kyo and Iori could handle him.
Moreover, they still didn't know if that man was here or not!
Ishigami completely ignored the cannon fodder Kensou Sie, turning his gaze to Athena instead:
"The Psycho Soldier Team ceases to exist today. From now on, our team will be called the [Lott Team]!"
Athena's beautiful eyes widened immediately.
'L-Lott Team!?'
'Is... is that man really here!?'
…
While Ishigami was stealing Kensou Sie's participation spot.
On the other side of the Planet King of Fighters, across the ocean in South Town, USA.
A similar scene was unfolding.
"Y-You bastard... wh-who are you!?"
Andy Bogard, one of the members of the Fatal Fury Team, struggled to speak.
At this moment, Andy's face was pale, saliva dripping from the corner of his mouth, clearly in a state of near suffocation.
He had originally planned to meet up with his brother Terry, who lived in South Town, and their friend Higashi Joe to form a team for the tournament, but he was attacked just before the final step.
If the camera pulled back slightly, one could see a thick, spotted green tail tightly wrapped around Andy's throat, making it increasingly difficult for him to breathe.
"Hmm... according to the data provided by Dr. Gero, trash like you isn't even worth absorbing for me. But for the sake of disguise, you'll barely suffice."
The insect-like monster spoke in a human voice.
The moment it finished speaking, the sharp tip at the end of the tail wrapped around Andy suddenly drilled into his forehead.
Feeling the intense pain flooding from the back of his head, Andy's mouth gaped open, his whitening eyeballs seeming ready to pop out of their sockets at any moment.
"Strange, why hasn't Andy arrived yet?"
Just then, Andy heard his friend, Joe's voice.
"Did he train outside for so long that he forgot the way home?"
His older brother, Terry's voice followed closely behind.
"B-Big bro... J-Joe... I-I'm here..."
Andy, gradually being drained into a desiccated corpse, spoke with difficulty.
However, the next second, he witnessed the last and most incredible scene of his life-
The insect-like monster before him transformed into his own appearance in a matter of seconds!
"The cells from that Ditto come in handy now."
The 'new Andy' looked at his body with satisfaction, said nothing, only showed a mocking smile to the collapsed Andy on the ground, then turned and walked towards the two.
"Everyone! Let's go participate in the tournament."
In the dark alley, the desiccated original Andy stared in shock at this scene, but he could do nothing to stop death's approach.
Except for the mice foraging on a nearby trash can, no one knew about this incident.