"Time to end this!"
Unable to gain the upper hand despite prolonged combat, Sagat finally unleashed his ultimate technique!
He took a deep breath, concentrating all his power into his right leg!
"Tiger... Destruction!"
His entire body leaped high, bringing down a devastating axe kick infused with destructive force, like divine punishment descending upon Cloud's head!
Facing this earth-shattering strike—
Cloud smiled calmly.
"Finally, huh?"
He likewise concentrated all his power into his right leg!
Only he concentrated not just physical strength—
But also a trace of the dominating will from the Blood of Kusanagi!
"Come, let me show you what a golden target looks like!"
"Fatal Fury Ultimate Modified—Golden Heel Drop!"
He too leaped high, his right foot seemingly gilded with golden light!
With an equally destructive and aesthetically beautiful axe kick, he met Sagat's attack head-on!
BOOM——!!!!
Golden heel collided with tiger-powered knee in mid-air!
The result...
Was utterly decisive.
CRACK!
A crisp sound of bone breaking!
Sagat's kneecap—capable of kicking through steel plates—shattered like fragile glass before Cloud's "Golden Heel" infused with dominating will!
"Urgh—!"
Sagat let out a pained grunt, his entire body crashing to the ground like a shot-down aircraft!
The battle was over.
Cloud landed slowly, retracting his right foot that still emanated faint golden light.
He looked at the "Emperor of Muay Thai" clutching his leg, struggling but unable to stand. There was no joy of victory on his face.
He walked to Sagat and extended his hand.
"You're strong." He said sincerely. "The strongest Muay Thai fighter I've ever met."
Sagat raised his head. In that single eye, there was no anger at defeat—only respect for a superior warrior.
He didn't take Cloud's hand.
Instead, using his still-functional arm to support himself, he slowly moved aside, clearing the path into the base.
This was the proud king's answer.
Cloud nodded, said nothing more, and pulled the completely stunned Chun-Li beside him past Sagat.
...
After successfully "face-checking" past Sagat, Cloud and Chun-Li's figures quickly disappeared into the deep metal corridors of the base.
Meanwhile, on the other end of the base—
The west gate.
This place had completely become a living hell.
BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!
Explosions erupted one after another, continuous and unending.
Guile and Ken, these two American "fighting machines," fully demonstrated their "simple, brutal, firepower-first" combat style, turning Shadaloo's outer perimeter into absolute chaos.
Guile was like a human tank. His Sonic Booms flew out like they cost nothing, one after another, sending waves of enhanced soldiers flying.
His Flash Kick was like a mobile anti-aircraft cannon—any aerial attack unit that tried to ambush him was kicked into scrap metal.
Ken was even more uninhibited.
He was like a human walking arsonist—everywhere he went became a sea of fire. His Shoryuken had practically set the entire barracks ablaze.
Countless Shadaloo soldiers ran screaming from burning buildings, only to be swept into the sky by his flashy Tatsumaki Senpukyaku.
The two worked in perfect coordination, one ranged, one close, one wave, one kick.
"Haha! This is great!" Ken flipped an armored vehicle with a Shoryuken, wiping sweat from his brow as he called to Guile in the distance. "Guile! How's it going over there? Let's compete—see who takes out more grunts!"
"Less talking, watch your back!" Guile snorted coldly, sending a precise Sonic Boom that blasted out a cloaked soldier trying to ambush Ken from behind.
"Thanks, my dude!" Ken gave him a thumbs up.
Just as the two were having a blast grinding mobs—
THUD... THUD... THUD...
Heavy footsteps like war drums slowly approached from behind the massive gate leading to the underground core area.
Those footsteps were full of pure, undisguised violence and oppression.
CRUNCH—
On the massive gate forged from dozens of centimeters of special alloy, a huge fist-shaped dent suddenly appeared!
CRUNCH! CRUNCH!
Two more punches!
BOOM——!!!!
With a thunderous crash, the entire alloy gate was blown off from the inside by pure brute force!
A black man built like an iron tower, packed with explosive muscle, slowly walked out from behind the shattered gate.
He was shirtless, wearing only red boxing shorts, with blue boxing gloves on both hands. His eyes were full of greed for money and hunger for combat.
This was Balrog—the "Boxer" representing "pure violence" among Shadaloo's Four Heavenly Kings!
"Hehehe..." Balrog looked at Ken and Guile before him, letting out a coarse laugh like a wild buffalo. "Two little bugs who don't know their place, daring to break in here. Looks like I can collect the overtime pay the General promised me today."
"Balrog!" Guile's eyes narrowed at the newcomer. "Shadaloo's lapdog! Today is your death day!"
"Death day? Haha! Just the two of you?" Balrog dismissively pounded his own chest, producing drum-like thuds. "My fists can crush tanks! Your pathetic skills aren't even enough to scratch my itch!"
"Less talk! Eat this!"
Ken was always the most impulsive. With a battle cry, his body transformed into a streak of burning flame, charging straight at Balrog!
"Shoryuken!"
Facing this fierce attack, a cruel smile appeared on Balrog's face.
He didn't dodge. He didn't even assume a blocking stance.
He simply threw his pot-lid-sized right fist at the roaring fire dragon!
"Dash Straight!"
BOOM——!!!!
Flame and fist collided head-on!
The result shocked Ken!
His flames, hot enough to melt steel, were literally punched apart by that pure physical force the instant they touched Balrog's fist!
A terrifying recoil transmitted from the point of impact!
"Urgh!"
Ken grunted, his entire body sent flying backward, rolling several times on the ground before barely stabilizing. His punching right hand was now trembling slightly, his knuckles aching.
...
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