"Looks like everyone's got too much free time," Cloud said, stroking his chin with an amused smile.
"Cloud, you're not thinking of..." Chizuru Kagura, ever perceptive, immediately guessed his thoughts.
"Exactly!" Cloud snapped his fingers. "We've been on vacation so long our bones are getting rusty. Besides, I'm quite interested in this self-proclaimed 'first champion,' Mr. Antonov."
His intuition told him there was a peculiar power fluctuation emanating from this Antonov.
It wasn't ancient martial arts, wasn't supernatural abilities, wasn't divine power either—but rather an extremely pure form of belief, or perhaps delusion given physical form?
Moreover, in this period when the space-time barriers were dangerously fragile, hosting such a large-scale event gathering the world's strongest fighters was inherently extremely risky.
What if someone got too excited during a fight and accidentally punched a hole in space with a super move, attracting something that shouldn't be attracted? That would be quite the spectacle.
Rather than sitting at home waiting, it was better to personally enter the fray and see for himself.
"It's decided!" Cloud declared. "We're forming a team and entering KOF XIV!"
Cloud's decision exploded like a depth charge in the mansion.
"I'm going too! I'll show the whole world the charm of Shiranui-style ninjutsu!" Mai was the first to respond, striking her classic victory pose.
"For love and justice! Athena, launch!" Athena raised her small fist, eyes sparkling, already treating the KOF stage as her new concert venue.
"Hmph, Kyokugenryu Karate is invincible!" Yuri wasn't about to be left behind.
Even the usually taciturn Leona showed a flicker of battle intent in her eyes.
Watching the living room suddenly become as noisy as a marketplace, Cloud felt his head splitting in two.
His main purpose this time was to investigate Antonov and maintain order at the venue, while catching up with old friends and experiencing the tournament atmosphere he'd missed. Simply put, he was going to slack off and watch the show.
If he brought Mai, Athena, Yuri, and the others, that would be a disaster!
These were all KOF star fighters—the moment they appeared, they'd be mobbed by media and fans. Plus, each one was more competitive than the last, treating MAX Supers like basic attacks during fights.
How was he supposed to keep a low profile? How was he supposed to slack off?
"Stop! Stop!" Cloud raised both hands, and powerful [Dimensional Power] instantly silenced the entire space.
"For this competition, I have three principles." Cloud cleared his throat and held up three fingers.
"First: keep it low-key. So no famous fighters on the roster."
The moment he said this, Mai, Athena, Yuri, and the others immediately showed disappointed expressions.
"Second: follow orders. During the tournament, all actions are under my command. I say fight, you fight. I say surrender, you surrender."
Everyone exchanged glances. Surrender? That word wasn't exactly common in their vocabulary.
"Third, and most importantly," Cloud's expression became deadly serious, "maintain a zen mindset. We're not there to win the championship—we're there for sightseeing, eating, drinking, and having fun. Winning or losing doesn't matter. Having fun is what matters."
Everyone fell silent. This sounded less like entering a fighting tournament and more like signing up for a seniors' sunset cruise.
"So," Cloud surveyed the room and began his selection, "based on these three points, I've decided on our team members."
His gaze first landed on a figure in the corner—an ice-blue silhouette clutching an ice cream tub, completely detached from everything.
"Kula!"
"Eh?" Kula looked up, cream still smeared around her mouth, face blank.
"Want to go to a place that has every flavor of ice cream in the world?" Cloud displayed the Big Bad Wolf smile of someone luring Little Red Riding Hood.
Kula's eyes instantly lit up like stars: "Yes!"
"Good. First team member, secured." Cloud nodded with satisfaction.
Kula's strength was unquestionable, and her personality was pure and simple—give her ice cream, and she'd do anything. Perfectly met the "obedient" and "zen" criteria.
Now, one more slot to fill.
Cloud's gaze swept across the living room.
Mature and Vice? No—these two had too much presence. Just standing there, they screamed "we're the villains." Not low-profile enough. The Kagura sisters? Too high-profile...
His eyes finally settled on the purple-haired beauty who had been lazily sprawled on the sofa the entire time, nearly asleep.
Shermie.
Ever since Orochi had been completely sealed, Shermie, as one of the Four Heavenly Kings, had also been freed from her destined fate. Nourished by Cloud's divine power, her human aspect had been fully activated while her divinity was suppressed.
The result was that this former goddess who could control lightning and destroy the world had completely transformed into a hopeless fashionista homebody.
Her daily life now consisted of designing clothes, watching fashion shows, online shopping, and contemplating what to have for afternoon tea.
Fighting? What's that? Will it dirty my new limited-edition Dior?
She was the perfect spokesperson for the spirit of "slacking off"!
"Shermie." Cloud spoke up.
"Mmm...?" Shermie half-opened her drowsy eyes, her voice dripping with lazy charm. "What is it, Cloud darling~ I was just dreaming about Paris Fashion Week..."
"Want to have your own world-class fashion design studio?"
"Yes, I dream about it constantly."
"Want every fighter in the world to wear clothes you've designed?"
"Hmm... that does sound nice..." Shermie's interest was slightly piqued.
"Come with me to KOF, and after we get back, I'll use [NESTS Technology] and [Dimensional Power] to build you a one-of-a-kind fashion empire." Cloud presented an offer she couldn't refuse.
Shermie finally sat up. She stretched seductively and yawned. "Fine~ But we're clear, okay? I'm not putting in any effort during matches. Fighting and stuff is the worst—it makes you sweat~"
"No problem." Cloud readily agreed.
That lazy attitude was exactly what he was looking for!
And so, the most bizarre team in KOF XIV history was born.
Captain: Cloud. Purpose: watch the show. Member One: Kula. Purpose: eat ice cream. Member Two: Shermie. Purpose: slack off.
Team name—Cloud wrote four large characters on the registration form: Team Slacking Spectators.
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