- The Reincarnation World Where Only I Know the Storyline
- RWWOKS Chapter 196
A year had passed since the King of Fighters ’99 tournament, and the mysterious organization “NESTS” was gradually becoming known to the public.
During this time, frequent acts of terrorism around the world had been linked to the NESTS organization, though the true nature of their involvement remained unclear.
As investigations ramped up, elite fighters from around the globe suddenly received invitations to the “KOF Tournament.”
Among the teams listed in the invitation, the names of two NESTS members, K’ and Maxima, stood out prominently.
South Town, Charleston’s old district.
In the streets lined with neon signs and worn-out billboards, a man in a white suit walked slowly.
The narrow roads in this old district were littered with garbage and overgrown with wild grass, and one had to be cautious of the many holes and depressions in the ground.
Moreover, the gang members who roamed the streets were no pushovers.
The Howard Community, an organization that had complete control over South Town’s infrastructure, steel, communications, media, and trade, ruled the area with an iron fist.
Even the city council, the police, and the regular military forces in the region were all under the command of Geese Howard.
In contrast to this so-called “community,” the gang members who loitered about preferred to call themselves the Geese Syndicate.
“Another boring day,” Kim muttered, crouching in a corner, his dark skin blending into the background.
This young black man appeared somewhat bored until a sharply dressed man in a suit came walking down the street.
What happened next was predictable.
“Hey, brother, you’re on Geese Syndicate turf,” Kim said eagerly, standing up and pulling out a gray-patterned pistol.
He circled around the newcomer, provocatively bringing his face close to his, but when the man showed no reaction, Kim grew bolder.
“I think you shouldn’t stay here, unless you want to see how our boss performs in bed,” he taunted, grinning.
The other gang members nearby burst into laughter, with one of them eyeing the man’s white suit.
“This suit’s nice, Evelyn would love this kind of style. I’d definitely be able to screw her senseless in it.”
Kim’s bravado was further fueled by the encouragement from his companions.
He hesitated at first; after all, many fighters had come to South Town recently, and Geese had told them to keep a low profile.
Kim was a loyal fan of the King of Fighters tournament. He even had a picture of Iori Yagami on his bedside table, so he understood the terrifying destructive power of those monstrous fighters.
But after thinking about it, he realized none of the famous fighters seemed to match the man before him.
“Damn, you really are trying to look like a big deal,” Kim spat on the ground, about to step forward and rip off the man’s clothes. He hated that calm, indifferent look in the man’s eyes.
Though not the brightest, Kim could tell the man was looking down on him.
Just as Kim raised his arm, the suited man suddenly grabbed him by the neck.
The move was so fast that no one had a chance to react.
Pulling Kim in, the man lifted his right leg and delivered a light knee strike.
In an instant, Kim vomited up his last meal and collapsed to the ground, writhing in pain before losing consciousness.
“Y-you bastard!” Kim yelled, though none of the nearby gang members dared to move.
One man reached for his gun, but the suited man merely shot him a glance, and the man froze, terrified.
They all realized they had just provoked some unknown, elite fighter.
Normally, anyone else would have thought of backing down to save their life, but these guys weren’t exactly known for their intelligence.
As if sensing the insult to their pride, the nearest punk with a mohawk couldn’t help but shout, “Don’t get cocky, Mr. Billy’s gonna show you what’s what!”
Billy, known as “King of the Sticks,” was Geese Howard’s personal bodyguard and a trusted lieutenant.
He had once teamed up with Ryuji Yamazaki and Mary to form the “97 Special Participants” team in the King of Fighters ’97 tournament.
In other words, Billy was a well-known fighter in the KOF universe, a major character, and a formidable force.
“Interesting,” the suited man, Fang Bo, smiled faintly and decided not to kill everyone in sight.
He kicked the unconscious Kim towards his companions and pointed at the bar in the distance, speaking with an air of disdain, “I’ll have a drink here. You’d better hurry.”
He knew that people like these couldn’t stand being belittled, and it wouldn’t be long before they brought Billy to confront him.
This was a chance for him to gauge the strength of the major story characters, otherwise, the ground would soon be littered with corpses.
To Fang Bo, these gang members with guns were no different from ordinary people—he could kill them all at any time if he wanted to.
After watching the gang scatter in fear, he turned and entered the nearby bar.
It was a rundown little tavern, with a faded sign hanging above the door. Even the threshold was worn down, showing deep grooves.
Iron nails stubbornly stood upright, and Fang Bo could even spot dried black blood, probably from some unlucky soul who had tripped over it.
He pushed open the decaying double doors and immediately smelled a foul mix of scents.
Frowning slightly, Fang Bo walked into the dimly lit interior of the bar.
The weak lights flickered constantly, and the walls were plastered with colorful, garish posters.
Stepping over a floor so worn it was impossible to see its original color, Fang Bo made his way to the bar, where he was met by a short, old man with a red, bulbous nose.
The old man looked up at him with a weathered face and, with a cold, indifferent stare, said, “If I were you, I’d turn around and leave South Town immediately.”
“Oh?” Fang Bo chuckled, adjusting his sleeve casually. “Don’t let my handsome appearance fool you. I’m quite the outlaw myself.”
Upon hearing this, the bartender said nothing more and silently slid a glass toward him.
Noticing the dirty glasses on the counter, Fang Bo gave a polite smile and, from his pocket, pulled out a Franklin bill and slid it across.
“I need some information. Detailed profiles of the fighters in South Town.”
“Wait here,” the bartender said without emotion, before turning and disappearing into the back room.
As Fang Bo sat at the bar, he began to feel the heat of several eyes on him.
The customers in the bar were all somehow connected to the gangs, and many were smoking, some sitting at the bar, while others lurked in corners, whispering about stories filled with violence and filth.
Fang Bo’s actions earlier had revealed he was well off, which naturally made him a target for attention.
Had the commotion outside been louder, these guys might not have been able to sit so comfortably drinking.
After a few minutes of waiting, seeing that no one had made a move yet, Fang Bo grew bored and turned around.
Since arriving in the KOF world, he had quickly realized he was in South Town, the location of the upcoming tournament.
Olsen was tied up with the orphanage, so Fang Bo had been wandering alone. Before he knew it, he had stumbled into Charleston’s old district.
Unexpectedly, he had encountered members of Geese’s syndicate, making direct contact with the story’s powerful characters.
He wondered just how his own strength compared to theirs.
Before he could dwell on it, the bartender returned with a file, listing the fighters in South Town.
For example, there was the bar owner “John,” the mysterious “Hungry Wolf” who was often nowhere to be found, and a popular ninja dojo.
Fang Bo absentmindedly licked his lips, feeling he had found a suitable target.
At that moment, the main story mission appeared.
[Main Quest: Team for the Tournament!]
[Quest Description: You’ve decided to attend the King of Fighters 2000 tournament, and to do so, you must find strong teammates.]
[Quest Requirements: Find three teammates within 30 days.]
[Hint: You can try inviting famous martial artists.]
[Warning: This world operates in free exploration mode!]
[Warning: Do not reveal any information about the Reincarnation Space!]
Since King of Fighters ’99, the tournament format had changed to a tag-team style where three fighters battled, and the fourth person acted as a backup.
In other words, if a fighter was losing, they could call in a teammate for backup.
To qualify for the tournament, Fang Bo needed to find three teammates.
With so many strong fighters in the KOF tournament and the main cast’s impressive combat prowess, he knew that relying on his own strength alone wouldn’t secure the championship.
Therefore, finding teammates was critical, especially for his plans to overthrow NESTS.
With the information on local fighters in hand, his next step was to start recruiting teammates.
In fact, before even entering the story world, he already had a few names in mind, and it was just a matter of luck whether they would join him.
He pulled out a small vial from his pocket. Inside was the blood of the “Heavenly God Race” (Storm), which could give the user the power of Storm.
Most people would either use it immediately or sell it, but Fang Bo had a unique idea.
What if he gave it to a suitable story character in the KOF world? Would it have any special effects?
For example, what if it revived the leader of the “Eight Gods” early?
That way, his ally would be right there by his side. And as for whether that character would help him—don’t forget, the orphanage had its eyes on Orochi’s power.
As the son of Orochi, Storm wouldn’t tolerate any disrespect toward his father.
Just then, the world’s achievement tasks were refreshed, and Fang Bo pushed aside his thoughts.
[You can earn the following achievements in this world:]
-Martial Artist: Complete all arena battles with bare hands
-Impossible Backup: Complete the KOF tournament as a non-backup fighter
-One-Man Army: Complete a 3-vs-1 victory
-KO-Perfect!: Win a match without taking any damage
-Orochi’s Clan: Gain recognition from the Eight Gods
-NESTS Member: Join the NESTS organization
-Cyborg: Modify your body using NESTS technology
-KOF No Matter What: Fight against Kyo Kusanagi and K’
-Dragon’s Disciple: Join the Extreme Flow dojo
-Hungry Wolf’s Legend: Form a team with Terry Bogard
-Superpowers Are Nothing: Gain the recognition of Zhen Yuan Zhai
-The Strongest Fist: Win the KOF tournament
-Just Beat the Boss: Defeat the KOF tournament’s hidden boss
As his rank increased, more achievements became available.
However, many were in conflict with one another. For example, if he joined the Dragon’s Disciple team, he couldn’t also be part of the Hungry Wolf team.
“Guess I’ll try to complete some achievements and level up a few titles.”
Looking at the achievement for “The Strongest Fist,” Fang Bo realized it was related to close combat.
It would be great if it were a rare title; then, he could replace the “Chuunin” title, which would likely have higher attributes.
“Title upgrades are definitely a good thing.”
Bang!
The tavern door was suddenly kicked open, and a man with a red-and-white headband walked in.
It was Billy Kane, a major KOF universe character and a powerful fighter.
He carried a collapsible three-section staff over his shoulder and glared at Fang Bo. “So, you’re the one causing trouble for the Geese Syndicate?”
(End of Chapter)