Ten minutes into the battle.
The battle between the two dark horses gradually reached its climax.
"Amaterasu!"
Ishigami raised his right hand again, spreading his fingers. The shuriken-patterned Mangekyo in his palm shed tears of blood.
The black flames didn't erupt from the eye itself.
Instead, the point where the eye's focus landed directly ignited into black flames!
Whoosh-
'Andy's' right arm instantly burst into intense black flames, rapidly spreading from his arm to 'Andy's' shoulder.
"It's appeared! The inextinguishable flames!"
Kyo, his right arm still bandaged, exclaimed.
That move was quite troublesome!
'I had only barely countered it by using the Orochinagi to burn my own right hand as a price.'
'Does that Andy Bogard have a way?'
"He's done for."
Sasuke commented.
Although he was furious that Ishigami stole his prey, he also acknowledged Amaterasu's power.
He believed that 'Andy' had no way to counter Amaterasu.
Many skilled fighters on-site were also curious how 'Andy' would get away from the black flames.
The next instant, they saw 'Andy' form his left hand into a hand blade.
He directly chopped down vertically on his right shoulder, where the black flames hadn't reached yet.
Tear-
The entire right arm burning with black flames fell off.
It landed on the ring and was burned to ashes in mere seconds.
"Andy, you, you, you-"
"Bro! That's not necessary! It's just a tournament, we don't need to go that far!"
His teammates Joe and Terry immediately jumped up, about to charge onto the ring.
Although they both wanted to prove their strength to the entire universe through this KOF Tournament-
But, but there's no need to go that hard.
Even Yagami Iori, who had previously looked down on Andy, was shocked.
'So decisive?'
But in less than five seconds, everyone was stunned by the next scene.
From the stump of 'Andy's' severed right arm, a new arm grew out directly from the severed end, like a lizard's tail!
Krillin, Yamcha, Tien, and others on Earth instantly recalled Piccolo demonstrating this ability during the last World Martial Arts Tournament!
"R-Regeneration?"
His nominal fiancée, Shiranui Mai, turned pale.
The expressions of Kagura Chizuru and King standing nearby weren't much better.
The ability to regenerate wasn't actually rare in the Universe Chat Room.
Earth's Piccolo, the Hollows from the Planet Shinigami, even some monsters on Planet Terra-
There were quite a few with limb regeneration abilities.
But it was absolutely a rare thing on the Planet King of Fighters.
At the very least, Andy, as a normal human, couldn't possibly possess this ability!
"You... you're not Andy, are you?"
At this point, Terry, standing behind him, was the first to realize the truth.
Thinking back carefully, ever since they reunited a month ago-
He had felt that this younger brother felt completely different from the person he used to be.
However, 'Andy' on the stage didn't answer his older brother's question at all.
He twisted his newly grown right arm and said casually:
"Took long enough."
"It was plenty fast already!"
The next second, the voice of the New Faces Team's member, Nanakase Yashiro, reached everyone's ears.
Everyone turned to look.
They saw him carrying a high school girl in a JK uniform on his shoulder.
"Yuki!?"
Kyo, ignoring the throbbing pain in his right arm, jumped up from his seat.
That person was his girlfriend, Yuki!
Shermie, standing next to Yashiro, slightly raised an eyebrow beneath her bangs and said, pursing her lips:
"We're still a bit short on energy~"
"That's simple."
'Andy' disdainfully raised his hand. The next instant, his arms shook, erupting with Ki far beyond the comprehension of the fighters on the Planet King of Fighters.
In an instant, the entire planet began to tremble.
"Th-This guy!?"
The previously unconvinced Yagami Iori was truly dumbfounded this time.
He was just arrogant, not stupid.
Of course he could sense that this energy far surpassed his own, even exceeding what anyone on this planet should possess!
"Enough."
Yashiro, though shocked, suddenly spoke up. Then, carrying Yuki on his left shoulder, he snapped the fingers of his right hand.
Instantly, the ground of the arena shook violently.
It actually transformed into an altar filled with an eerie atmosphere!
Power of the Earth!
"The power of Orochi! You are!?"
Kagura Chizuru's expression changed dramatically.
Chris said with a smile: "The energy field collecting the fighters' power has gathered enough energy. The perfect sacrifice is here now. The ritual to revive Orochi can begin."
Upon hearing this, the fighters on-site were stunned speechless.
As early as the last King of Fighters Tournament, they had heard the name 'Orochi' from that monster, Goenitz.
'S-So... New Faces Team and Goenitz share the same identity!?'
"You're also one of the Four Heavenly Kings!?"
Kagura Chizuru's mind flashed with a possibility as she shouted the question at 'Andy'.
Just now, this 'Andy' had provided a massive amount of energy for Orochi's revival.
Since the New Faces Team were Four Heavenly Kings like Goenitz, it wasn't strange if this fake Andy was also one of them transformed.
However, when Kagura Chizuru said this-
Yashiro, Shermie, and Chris also looked utterly confused.
Actually, they didn't know who this fake Andy was either.
But the other party had proactively proposed to assist them in reviving Orochi, even offering to hold off the fighters himself to buy the three time to capture Yuki.
So, although puzzled, Yashiro and the others had agreed.
"Give Yuki back to me!"
Kyo roared, charging at Yashiro.
"Get lost."
Yashiro, carrying Yuki on his left shoulder, gathered Orochi's power in his right fist and met the charging Kyo head-on with a mountain-splitting punch.
Bang!
The blow landed, sending Kyo flying backward.
He crashed hard into a giant pillar of the altar behind him, directly creating a spherical crater.
If Kyo were at his peak, even Yashiro in his Dry Earth Mode would only have a 60-40 chance at best.
But who told Kyo was injured now?
"Who are you, really?"
Shermie turned to look at 'Andy'.
Although everything was ready, she was still curious.
She's mainly afraid he might stab them in the back.
"Just do your thing. My identity isn't important. Or... do you want to give up this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity?"
'Andy' sneered and retorted.
The three thought about it and felt it made sense.
No matter what, if they missed this opportunity, there wouldn't be another.
"Vile beast, aren't you going to show your true form?"
A sudden, teasing voice.
The effect it had varied depending on the listener.
The previously arrogant 'Andy' shuddered all over. After a few seconds, he said:
"I'll give you Android 18. Just don't stop me, deal?"