Prize Fighter ch.18
By CNASH


And so it was at long last revealed,the ninja fighter Darkfist was really Rugal Bernstein,one time crimelord and once a weilder of the Orochi,a myssterious and demonic power that was also weilded by several other fighters and hosts during the past Kof tournaments.

“You’ve certainly got me dead to rights detective.” Said Darkfist/Rugal. “But the trick is…to hold me.”
Rugal suddenly vanished into thin air. “What th--¿” said Lei in surprise. Suddenly,the ninja appeared right behind Lei and grabbed him in a cast-iron headlock. “LEI!” said
Leeds. “GAAAAKK!”choked Lei as he struggled. “NO!”said Fei as he was about to come to his friend’s aid.

“Stay back all of you!”shouted Rugal. “Or I’ll snap Wu-Long’s neck like a twig!”
“Man,it’s Rugal all right!” said Joe.
“Yeah,only someone as dishonarable and murderous as him could be none other during a tourney!”said Kim. “C’mon Joe!”

The two Kof fighters ran and jumped down from the bleechers and headed for the cage ring.Followed by a pair of security guards.

“NO WAIT!”shouted Fei. “Stop,I don’t think he’s bluffing!”
“Just….forget me and get him…Fei!”gasped Lei.
“I can’t do that Lei.”said Fei. “Honor and value of human life,you know how it is.”

“I wish to state my claim to combat!”said Rugal. “These are the grand finals and I was hired to fight a true champion! My demands are simple,allow me to fight Fei Long in the final match…or I shall kill Lei Wu-Long here and now!”

The tournament director Mr.Wang was livid and shocked about what was happening. “My lord….”he said. “…just what competitor have my contacts hired?”
“You’ve got to do something dear.”said Wang’s wife. “Lei Wu-Long is a great detective and good man.”
“I’m aware of that my dearest.”said Wang. “But I’ve heard about the infamous Rugal Bernstein. He was truly a vicious crimelord,he also held the Kof tournaments in’94 and ’95 for his own selfish reasons. I along with everyone else thought he was dead,but I guess some evils never truly die.”

The director arose and spoke.
“Very well Bernstein! You shall fight Fei Long. For only this condition,if you win you go free,but I will not promise that the police will not know about your activities here,they will know eventually. But if Fei wins,you turn yourself over.”

“Fine with me old man.”said Rugal. “I’ve been waiting for this ever since I got here. Oh and if I do win…I wish you to turn the prize money over to me…nothing else.”

“Very well.”said Wang. “Now let go of Mr.Wu-Long immediately!”
The villian let loose of Lei and the detective crashed to the floor.
Leeds rushed to his side. “Lei,you okay man?”

“Ughhh…crazy bastard!”gasped Lie trying to catch his breath. “I hope—Fei beats him---senseless!”
“Same here.”said Lei.

“Fei can’t do this.”said Joe. “He’s a World Warrior contestant and Rugal along with Kim and me are from the KOF circuit.”

“I’m, sorry fellas.”said one of the security guards. “But the official rules state that any fighter who hasn’t lost a round is allowed to still fight in the tourney.”

“Man,that just sucks!”said Joe.
“I’ll say.”said Kim. “Fei’s a brilliant fighter,but this is Rugal we’re talking about here.”
“Just as well boys.”said Rugal. “Neither of you or your teams could make it past my forces let alone go up against me in the past KOF’s I held.”

“You’ve been defeated before Rugal.”said Kim. “Your kind always meets with defeat!”
“Only two warriors were able to defeat me during the KOF’95 tournament.”said Rugal. “Too bad for any of you that they’re not here.”

Little did Rugal know,that up in the audience bleechers on the left side of the wall,someone dressed in a trenchcoat and hat was watching the battle unfold.

“I knew I’d find him here.”thought the stranger. “That thug from the jade dragon cartel told me he was in the employment of them for the past few months. And so he was in the guise of a ninja assassin…clever…gfor someone who had limited power over the Orochi.

Well…I know what I’ll have to do. If Fei Long there isn’t able to defeat Rugal in the final match. I’ll have to do it myself. Either way,Rugal Bernstein must be dealt with..permanantly!”

Rugal removed his ninja guise.
Removing his mask hood,he revealed his shoulder length blonde hair and sinister face of evil,black moustache and one whole eye while the other glowed a bright red.

He also removed his shirt top,revealling a bulk-muscled set of arms and torsoe,with a few scars on his arms and chest,as well as a right mechanical hand that he had gotten when he was Omega Rugal.

“Ugly and sinister as ever.”thought the stranger. “We should’ve made sure he was dead for keeps back there in ’95.”

“Be on your toes at all times Fei Long.”said Kim. “Rugal has his own fighting style and moves,but he also utilizes the killer techniques of other fighters like Geese Howard and Wolfgang Krauser.”

“And that’s just the tip of the iceburg of what else he can do!”said Joe. “Stay sharp!”
“Ill….i’ll do my best.”said Fei.

The two finalists got into position. And the referee stepped between them.
“All right now…”he said. “All the same rules apply as before. But most of all killing your opponent is strictly forbidden. Do you get that Mr.Bernstein?”

Rugal smirked and said:”I got it.”
“Very well then.”said the referee. “BEGIN!”

The final match began as the two warriors bounced and stepped around the ring at each other.
“I wish I knew more about this guy.”thought Fei. “I’ve seen master fighters and villians like Sagat,Akuma and even that scoundrel Bison in action. But what does this Rugal have in store?”

Rugal did the first move by throwing his fists in the air and charged them up with electrified energy.
“Omigosh!”said Kim. “Is that?”
“It is!”said Joe. “It’s Geese’s Raging Storm move. Look out Fei!”

“RAGING STORM!”shouted Rugal as he threw his arms forward and flung a large stream current of energy at Fei.

“WAAAAHHHH!”shouted Fei as he dodged the blast and dived to the floor.
The blast hit the cage fence and exploded in a charge of energy.

The crowds gasped and screamed in surprise at what had happened.

“Man,fighting someone like that in an elcosed area is not a good idea.”said Lei.
“Yeah,projectile attacks are one thing,but whatever else this guy’s got may not be so avoidable.”said Leeds.

“Did you like that one Fei?”said Rugal.
“Not really.”said Fei.
“Well maybe you’ll like this one.”said Rugal as he charged up his hands for another attack.
“KAISER WAVE!”
A huge fireball of red energy flew at Fei.
Fei had no time to dodge it but istead crossed his arms and prepared to block.
He did so and the fireball collided with him head-on.

“UUUUNNNNGHH!”cried Fei as he was assaulted with the searing heat the projectile was giving.
Finally,the Kaiser Wave died down and disappeared.

Fei let down his arms and blew at the burns on his elbows. “It’s a good thing I had on these steel bracelts otherwise my arms would;ve been fried to a crisp!”

“So far so good..for Fei’s survival.”said Kim.
“Yeah but it ain’t over yet.”said Joe. “Rugal’s got more tricks up his metaphorical sleeves.”
“Those are the same two types of moves that Rugal used on those poor victims upstairs.”said Lei. “Fei’s only survived this much probably because Rugal’s only used it at a medium power level.”

“But what’ll happen if Rugal really decides to cut loose?”asked Leeds.
“Pray that he doesn’t.”said Lei. “That he abides to the tourney rules.”

Fei kept on both toes as he began to think of a new strategy.

He finally thought of one,the chinese crouched down and srang into a fast run straight at Rugal.
Before Rugal knew what was happening,Fei jumped high into the air over Rugal, sommersaulted and grabbed onto a piece of cage grill and hung onto it for dear life.

Rugal turned to see Fei clinging to the cage side like Toby Maquire did in a certain movie(which I won’t say the name of anymore because I’ve done enough of that.-Nash.)

Fei suddenly sprang off of the cage and landed both of his hands onto the top of Rugal’s head.
Once he did that,he gathered enough momentum and strength to bring his body downward to the floor,while bringing Rugal’s body upwards and thereby throwing him forward and across the ring.

“WAHHHH---UNNNFF!” replied Rugal as he skidded across the ring’s hardwood floor.
“Wow,did ya see that?”said Joe. “Fei threw him a good one!”
“Damn straight he did.”said Kim. “Now it’s his turn!”

As Rugal began to get up,Fei charged at Rugal and did one of his own super-moves.
“REKKA SHINKEN!”shouted Fei as he did his lunge punch combo on Rugal’s chest and abdomen.good and hard!”

Rugal’s upper body was bombarded with fierce pain as Fei dished out his own punishment.
Suddenly,Rugal vanished in mid-attack.

“WHA--¿!”said Fei in surprise.
“Not that teleport stuff again!”said Lei.
“Man,you think he picked up some pointers from Bison and/or Dhalsim before the fight.”said Fei.

Rugal reappered again behind Fei.
“Lookout Fei!”said Joe. “He’s right behind ya!”

“That won’t save him from my deadliest attack!”said Rugal.
The villian suddenly did a super-fast charge attack and grabbed Fei in a deadly armlock and slammed him up against the nearest side of the cage.

“GENOCIDE CUTTER!”shouted Rugal as he was about to go into his deadliest attack.
“NO!” shouted Lei. “If Bernstein does that move,Fei will be cut to ribbons!”