Cloud simply stood there, not even blinking.
Only when the ghostly hand was about to touch him did he leisurely extend his right hand, fingers spread wide, meeting the attack with casual indifference.
Cloud's hand precisely gripped the "wrist" of the spectral energy hand. Shun'ei felt his prided power of destruction vanish like a stone sinking into the ocean, disappearing without a trace in an instant.
"Decent power, but too scattered," Cloud shook his head, his fingers tightening slightly.
Crack!
A crisp sound like shattering glass rang out. The blue spectral hand, composed entirely of pure energy, began to fracture inch by inch between Cloud's fingers, dissolving into motes of azure light that scattered into the air.
[System Notification: Scan initiated... Energy composition: spatial parameters, energy strings... Data collection in progress...]
[Collection progress: 10%... 30%... 70%...]
"Impossible!" Shun'ei's face went pale with shock. He immediately summoned another ghostly hand—this one crimson—attacking Cloud from a different angle.
"I said, too scattered."
Cloud didn't even look. His backhand swung out, palm striking precisely against the red spectral hand's center.
Smack!
The crimson hand burst like a popped balloon, exploding into nothing.
[Collection progress: 100%!]
[Successfully plundered Phantom Power basic construction sample! Storing in system database...]
[Quest 'Key's Mystery' completed! Rewards distributed!]
"Done." Cloud thought to himself, his expression remaining utterly relaxed.
He looked at Shun'ei, who stood frozen in place after having his power so easily dismantled, and smiled before beginning his "live demonstration."
"Watch closely. The same power should be used like this."
As he spoke, a blue spectral energy hand—identical to Shun'ei's—materialized over Cloud's right hand, while a crimson one appeared over his left.
He had just analyzed and perfectly replicated them through the system.
"You...!" Shun'ei's eyes nearly popped out of his skull.
"Lesson one," Cloud said, "energy isn't meant to be thrown at people. Learn to condense it."
He controlled the blue hand, fingers closing together. The massive palm rapidly contracted, compressing into a needle of energy no thicker than a finger. The needle's tip radiated a terrifying sharpness capable of piercing through space itself.
"Lesson two—learn to transform."
He controlled the red hand next, palm opening flat. The violent energy quickly stabilized, ultimately forming a crystal-clear crimson shield, complete with elegant patterns on its surface.
"Offense and defense as one, shaped by will alone. This is what your power should look like."
Cloud casually waved his hand, dispersing both the energy needle and shield simultaneously. He tossed his empty soda can in a perfect arc into a distant trash bin, then turned to leave.
"Wait!" Shun'ei finally snapped out of his shock, calling out urgently. "Who are you? Why help me?"
Cloud stopped walking but didn't turn around, merely waving dismissively.
"I'm not helping you. I just... hate noisy kids."
He paused, then added:
"Oh, and tell your master—next time there's a chance, I'd like to have tea with him."
With that, his figure vanished through the doorway.
Only Shun'ei remained in the training room, standing frozen, his mind replaying that incomprehensible scene over and over.
Condensing into a needle for attack, transforming into a shield for defense... So his power could be used this way?
Just then, the training room door opened, and Chin Gentsai and Meitenkun walked in.
"Shun'ei, are you alright?" Chin Gentsai asked with concern.
Shun'ei snapped back to reality, looking at his own hands. For the first time, his eyes held no fear or confusion. In their place was an unprecedented determination and hunger.
"Master," he lifted his head, speaking earnestly, "I think... I've found the key to controlling this power."
...
Meanwhile, back in the VIP lounge, Cloud flopped onto the sofa.
"Ahh~ That wore me out. Going to the bathroom was more exhausting than fighting a match."
"Cloud~" Shermie sidled up to him, handing over a glass of juice. "Where'd you go? And why do you smell like... hmm, some strange energy?"
"Oh, nothing," Cloud took the juice and sipped lazily. "Just ran into a Husky puppy about to go berserk on the way. Helped his owner smooth its fur a bit."
...
Ever since "advising" (and conveniently stealing techniques from) Shun'ei, Cloud's laid-back life became even more comfortable.
That kid seemed to have had a breakthrough. In his subsequent matches, while he still couldn't control Phantom Power with complete freedom, he no longer lost control like before.
He began attempting the "condensation" and "transformation" techniques Cloud had taught him. Though he failed often, leaving himself covered in dust, his eyes grew brighter with each passing day.
This greatly pleased old Master Chin Gentsai, who even had someone deliver a jar of his precious "Hundred Herbs Immortal Brew" to Cloud—which made Cloud feel almost guilty. After all, his original purpose was just completing a system quest.
The KOF XIV tournament progressed without major waves—or rather, the waves happened where spectators couldn't see.
For instance, Kyo Kusanagi's team and Iori Yagami's team met early in the quarterfinals.
From trash-talking before the match, to fighting the moment they disagreed on stage, to arranging another "real PK session" in the alley behind the stadium afterward—the whole affair was passionate from start to finish, contributing countless highlights and repair bills to the tournament.
The final result was both of them getting knocked unconscious by Cloud's karate chops when he arrived on scene, then dragged back to the mansion to copy the Heart Sutra as punishment.
Cloud's assessment: "Best friends doing mixed doubles is truly the universe's most unsolvable technique."
As for Team Slacking Spectators, they continued their miraculous advancement.
Their opponents either lost all fighting spirit after seeing Kula eat ice cream too cutely, or had their confidence shattered under Shermie's "Fashion Queen" aura. One team even got food poisoning the night before their match...
Just like that, without fighting a single proper battle, Team Slacking Spectators made the unprecedented achievement of reaching the semifinals.
This baffled even the organizer Antonov, who personally reviewed security footage to check if this team had used some underhanded methods.
The result? The three of them were either eating, sleeping, or critiquing other contestants' outfits. The epitome of peaceful living.
...
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