"Good. I like teammates with that kind of single-minded dedication." Cloud nodded with satisfaction. "Relax—Bison's head is reserved for me. When the time comes, I'll split the ashes with you."
Guile: "..."
Chun-Li: "..."
This guy really doesn't know how to have a conversation.
"Alright, now that the Street Fighter branch of the Avengers has been officially established, what's our action plan?" Chun-Li steered the conversation back on track.
"Action plan?" Cloud laughed. "No plan needed. The best approach for dealing with a late-stage chunibyo patient like Bison who thinks he's a god is to wait."
"Wait?" Guile furrowed his thick eyebrows. "What do you mean?"
"I mean he'll deliver himself to us." Cloud's eyes glinted with the light of wisdom (spoilers). "For someone as supremely arrogant as Bison, who's also eager to collect data on strong fighters—what method do you think he'd use to demonstrate his divine might while also most efficiently screening résumés?"
Chun-Li and Guile exchanged glances, then spoke almost in unison:
"Hold... a World Fighting Tournament!"
The words had barely left their mouths.
The quiet Hong Kong night sky outside the warehouse was suddenly illuminated by countless brilliant electronic fireworks!
Immediately after, every giant electronic screen across the city—whether the billboards in Times Square or the observation screens along Victoria Harbour—was simultaneously taken over by a logo radiating evil and dominance!
It was a winged skull, with an "M"-shaped lightning bolt at the tips of the wings.
The emblem of Shadaloo!
In that instant, all of Hong Kong fell into brief silence. Then chaos erupted!
"It's Shadaloo! Shadaloo's logo!"
"What are they planning? A terrorist attack on Hong Kong?"
"Call the police! Run!"
However, no terrorist manifesto appeared on the screens.
Instead, a man in a red military uniform and cap slowly appeared before everyone's eyes, wearing a cruel yet confident smile.
He was Shadaloo's supreme commander—Bison!
"Good evening, friends from around the world."
Bison's voice traveled through the airwaves to every corner of the globe. That voice was magnetic yet carried a chill-inducing authority.
"Perhaps some of you find me unfamiliar. But that doesn't matter. What matters is that from today, you will remember my name forever—Bison."
"For far too long, this world has been filled with conflict, weakness, and disorder. And I shall bring a brand-new order to this decaying world! A perfect new world ruled by the strong!"
"To celebrate the arrival of this new era, I, Shadaloo Supreme Commander Bison, hereby announce an unprecedented feast!"
He spread his arms wide, as if embracing the entire world.
"I declare the new Street Fighter World Tournament officially open!"
"No matter who you are, no matter where you come from—as long as you consider yourself strong, you may participate!"
"Preliminary rounds will open simultaneously across the globe! The final victors will gather at Shadaloo headquarters to compete for the title of World's Strongest!"
"Of course, the rewards are generous." Bison's face showed an enticing smile. "The ultimate champion will receive one hundred million dollars in prize money, and a chance to challenge me—the King of Fighting, Bison!"
"Come! Strong ones of the world! Show me your power! Prove your worth to me!"
"Let me see who is worthy to become the first cornerstone of my new world!"
The announcement ended. Bison's image disappeared. In its place appeared registration information and preliminary competition locations spanning the globe.
After a moment of shock, the entire world erupted!
One hundred million dollars in prize money!
A chance to challenge the "King of Fighting"!
The chunibyo proclamation of "the strong ruling the world"!
For all those fighters hidden in every corner of the world—those who yearned for battle, for fame and fortune, for a chance to prove themselves—this was an absolutely irresistible temptation!
In an instant, from American streets to Japanese dojos, from Brazilian rainforests to Indian temples, from Chinese countryside to Soviet tundra... countless fighters took notice and went wild!
A fighting frenzy sweeping the globe had begun!
Inside the warehouse.
Chun-Li and Guile stared dumbfounded at the festive scene outside the window, then at Cloud beside them with his "see, told you so" expression.
"This... this guy... actually turned the entire world into his audition stage!" Chun-Li's voice was full of anger and helplessness.
"He's insane! He's completely and utterly insane!" Guile ground his teeth. "He's declaring war on the whole world!"
"No, this isn't a declaration of war." Cloud shook his head, correcting them. "This is recruitment. And the most efficient, most effective kind of campus recruiting. Look—with just one video and a little pocket change, he's gotten the world's best fighters to voluntarily submit their résumés (combat data) right to his doorstep. This HR's skill level is leagues beyond that idiot Rugal in our KOF world."
[System: Ding! Main quest "The Fall of Shadaloo" Phase 1 officially initiated!]
[Quest Name: The Fighter's "Buffet"]
[Quest Objective: Please register and participate in the "Street Fighter" tournament. During the competition, engage at least ten fighters of different styles and successfully analyze/plunder their core powers or combat techniques.]
[Quest Rewards: Points awarded based on quality of analyzed/plundered powers. Upon full completion, receive special reward: "Heart of the Fighting Master."]
[Note: This is an unprecedented feast! Host, are you ready to gorge yourself? Friendly reminder: please mind "food safety"—some "ingredients" might be a bit "prickly."]
"Here it comes—my buffet invitation has arrived too." Cloud looked at the system's quest, an excited smile spreading across his face like a foodie beholding a Manchu-Han Imperial Feast.
"Bison really is a good guy! Giving me exactly what I need! Not only did he voluntarily gather all the world's masters in one place for me to catch them all, he even set up such generous participation rewards. I almost feel bad that I'll have to eat him up in the end."
...
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