Chapter Summaries

Cheng Tian fought the Cat Princess in an aerial battle as she summoned Cat Spirits and attacked with rockets and rays. After her six-part Rocket Fist launched toward him, Cheng Tian summoned Brodia and brought its fist down on her.

• The Cat Princess fired High-Energy True Ancestor Rays while Cheng Tian used Heart Barriers and small movements to evade them.
• The Cat Princess summoned Cat Spirits, and The World tore through them as they swarmed Cheng Tian.
• A disguised Cat Spirit struck Cheng Tian with an Energy Fountain and sent him flying.
• The Cat Princess split into six rocket-propelled parts and charged at Cheng Tian.
• Cheng Tian summoned Brodia and swung its mechanical fist down toward the Rocket Cat.

Cheng Tian defeated Cat Princess with Brodia’s 2887 self-destruction, then received an Honorary Cat Apostle certificate from Nero Cat. Cat Princess survived and started a beam duel with Nero Cat, while other teams began considering Cheng Tian a threat.

• Cheng Tian used Brodia to pound Cat Princess with exactly twenty-three punches before the mech exploded, leaving him unharmed.
• Nero Cat praised Cheng Tian and offered him the Honorary Cat Apostle title, but Cat Princess returned from the crater and objected.
• Cat Princess and Nero Cat fought a high-energy beam duel as Cheng Tian watched and the television broadcast shifted to their conflict.
• Player teams watching the fight discussed Cheng Tian’s mech attack and considered eliminating him before the qualifying battle ended.
• Cheng Tian examined the certificate and discovered it granted protection in the Cat Kingdom, access to a free instance, and potential assistance in the Fate/hollow ataraxia Silver Side Quest instance.

Qualifying teams sought fame by challenging championship favorites or staging outrageous attacks, drawing huge live audiences and provoking powerful teams to retaliate. As the commotion spread, Cheng Tian welcomed the Cat Princess and Nero Cat to his newly built Hadron Innovation Lab in Showa Memorial Park.

• Qualifying teams with little chance of advancing challenged the Japan Team, Garou Team, and Art of Fighting Team to make names for themselves on live television.
• Two qualifying teams attacked Athena Asamiya during a fan-club meet-and-greet to gain exposure.
• Several competitors attacked the Female Fighters Team and targeted the women's clothing, causing live ratings to surge.
• The Garou Team and the Ryuuko Team rushed to the Female Fighters Team's location, while other competitors headed there to join the commotion.
• Cheng Tian showed the Cat Princess and Nero Cat his Hadron Innovation Lab in Showa Memorial Park.

Cheng Tian’s Hammond’s Innovation Lab integrated into the King of Fighters ’97 world, but its dinosaur incubation function was restricted. New quests pointed him toward collecting special bloodlines and acquiring NESTS cloning technology, and he prepared to begin work.

• Cheng Tian brought his family and the two Cat Spirits into the completed laboratory and learned that Cat Princess had given up trying to steal his invitation letter in exchange for more entertainment.
• Cheng Tian asked Utan about the laboratory’s remaining functions and learned it could not incubate living dinosaurs because of the world’s climate, though it could still collect materials.
• Cheng Tian told Utan about the Orochi bloodline, Kyo Kusanagi, Iori Yagami, and NESTS, triggering quests to collect ten special bloodlines and pursue cloning technology.
• Cheng Tian resolved to complete the quests, while a Red-Eyed Crow speaking with Nero Cat’s voice asked to eat dinosaurs and surprised Nero Cat when Cheng Tian agreed.

Nero Cat obtained dinosaur materials from Cheng Tian and agreed to defend his team during the preliminaries. Cheng Tian used the broadcasts to bait NESTS with genetic-modification technology, then sent Cat Princess and Nero Cat to confront other fighters.

• Nero Cat and Cat Princess visited Cheng Tian's laboratory, where Nero Cat ate grilled Stegosaurus and received materials from five dinosaur species for Beast King's Nest.
• Nero Cat promised to protect Cheng Tian's team in the preliminaries, while Cheng Tian distracted the cats by mentioning the Three Sacred Treasures.
• Cheng Tian used the Oli-Oli Team's broadcast to advertise his laboratory and lure NESTS with demonstrations of genetic-modification technology.
• Cat Princess appeared at the Japan Team's arena and provoked Kyo Kusanagi with a thumbs-down.
• Nero Cat blocked a red-haired man in an alley, demanded his blood, and summoned the shadow of an ancient beast.

Nero Cat ambushed Iori Yagami to collect his blood for Cheng Tian, while Cat Princess went after Kyo Kusanagi. Iori fought back, but Nero Cat’s transformed bloodsucker escaped toward the Hammond Institute, and the burst of purple flames drew the attention of powerful fighters nearby.

• Cheng Tian arranged for Nero Cat to collect Iori Yagami’s blood and for Eileen to handle the collection from Cat Princess’s attack on Kyo Kusanagi.
• Iori left his underground bar to investigate the Hell Band after seeing them defeat the original America Team.
• Nero Cat’s Poison Winged Wasps ambushed Iori in an alley and collected his blood.
• Iori burned several wasps with Hundred Shiki Oniyaki, while Nero Cat merged black sludge with the blood-filled wasp to create a flying Fantasy Species.
• The blood-sucking pterosaur flew toward the Hammond Institute, and Iori’s purple flames drew the attention of Kyo Kusanagi, Chizuru Kagura, Cheng Tian, and others nearby.

Kyo Kusanagi fought Cat Princess until he unleashed a blinding burst of light to escape, revealing a gem shard in his gauntlets. Eileen identified it as the Sun God Gem Shard and alerted Cheng Tian, who rushed toward the purple flames, determined to claim it.

• Cat Princess overwhelmed Kyo Kusanagi with unpredictable attacks and demanded to see the Kusanagi Sword.
• Kyo Kusanagi called for Benimaru Nikaido and Goro Daimon, then released a powerful flash that blinded Cat Princess, the spectators, and viewers.
• Eileen recognized a red gem in Kyo Kusanagi's gauntlet as matching the gem in the Blazing Sun Mask and called Cheng Tian.
• Eileen told Cheng Tian that Kyo Kusanagi had unleashed a Solar Punch and might have fled, while she used the wind to navigate despite her temporary blindness.
• Cheng Tian headed across the rooftops toward Iori Yagami's purple flames, intent on obtaining the Sun God Gem Shard.

Cheng Tian collected a sample of Iori Yagami’s blood while Nero Cat fought him, then met Kyo Kusanagi and asked for his Sun God Shard. Kyo agreed to hand it over only if Cheng Tian defeated him, but Iori interrupted and challenged Cheng Tian himself.

• Cheng Tian collected 3% Yagami Blood from Nero Cat’s vampire pterosaur, advancing his bloodline inheritance quest.
• Iori Yagami slowed Nero Cat with a time-affecting technique, but Nero escaped by transforming from her distant vampire pterosaur form.
• Cheng Tian and Nero Cat continued toward Kyo Kusanagi, whom Cheng Tian detected approaching nearby.
• Cheng Tian confronted Kyo and asked for his Sun God Shard, and Kyo demanded a fight before giving it up.
• Iori Yagami attacked Cheng Tian and declared that only he could defeat Kyo, drawing the livestream audience back in.

Cheng Tian used the chaos around Iori Yagami and Kyo Kusanagi’s sudden fight to collect fighters’ blood samples with Nero Cat. Nero Cat then sensed two other beings like them, and Cheng Tian located a muscular man hiding in the shadows and a small figure drinking tea in a café.

• Nero Cat revealed that Cheng Tian’s pinned opponent was a clone, and Iori Yagami attacked Cheng Tian with a Dark Grab.
• Kyo Kusanagi intercepted Iori’s attack and challenged him, so Iori charged at his rival instead of pursuing Cheng Tian.
• Cheng Tian let Kyo and Iori fight while Nero Cat secretly collected blood from fighters drawn to the spectacle.
• Cheng Tian and Nero Cat gathered numerous blood samples for the Portable Laboratory, hoping NESTS cloning technology might make them useful.
• Nero Cat sensed two others like them, and Cheng Tian used Domination to locate a muscular man hiding in the shadows and a small figure drinking tea in a café.

Terry was transformed into a woman by Demitri, causing a scandal that quickly became the country’s top news story. Cheng Tian recognized Demitri’s handiwork and praised him while the newly transformed Terry gained a surge of fans.

• Kyo and Iori’s battle became a chaotic melee after the cat princess attacked them, and officials ended the brawl by disqualifying the fighters.
• The first night of the tournament qualifiers remained quiet because invitation thefts would be broadcast, but trouble erupted elsewhere by morning.
• Andy and Mai found a blonde woman in their bathroom, who revealed that she was Terry.
• Officials tested Terry and confirmed that the woman was Terry himself, prompting viewers to accept and cheer the transformation.
• Cheng Tian identified Demitri as the one who transformed Terry and applauded the result.

Cheng Tian discovered that a NESTS cyborg team and a Shadaloo operative had infiltrated his laboratory overnight. After capturing Dicapry, he learned that Shadaloo could offer a new route for completing his Laboratory Technology Upgrade side quest.

• Cheng Tian identified Demitri among the fighters gathered for the tournament and recalled Demitri's ability to transform his opponents.
• Several groups intruded into Cheng Tian's laboratory, and a fight between the intruders left NESTS cyborg soldiers dead.
• Cheng Tian used the Crystal Heartscape to confirm that the mechanically modified intruders belonged to NESTS.
• A masked woman attacked Cheng Tian from a cage, but The World struck her and sent her crashing into the wall.
• Cheng Tian recognized the scarred woman as Dicapry, a Cammy clone and member of Vega's Royal Guard in Shadaloo.
• The Overseer detected Shadaloo and revealed that Cheng Tian could use its human-modification and cloning technology to complete his side quest.

Cheng Tian considered how NESTS's Reinforced Combat Suits could compensate for his weak close-quarters fighting skills, while December mistook him and his laboratory for NESTS leadership and a front organization. After December refused to surrender, Cheng Tian abandoned persuasion and pulled out a ram-equipped Bible.

• Cheng Tian weighed NESTS's Reinforced Combat Suit technology against Shadaloo's Feng Shui Engine as a way to shore up his combat weaknesses.
• December analyzed Cheng Tian and the suited woman, concluded that Cheng Tian was likely NESTS's hidden leader, and resolved to pass on what she had learned.
• December's assumptions echoed NESTS's mistaken report that Hammond Innovation Laboratory was a Shadaloo front organization, after NESTS Cyborgs recognized her and sent footage back before they were dismantled.
• Cheng Tian offered to spare December if she surrendered, but she stayed silent and refused to betray Vega.
• Cheng Tian gave up on persuading December and pulled out a thick Bible fitted with a ram.

Cheng Tian used Dominator to free December from Vega’s brainwashing and learned she could lead him to Shadaloo’s base. Meanwhile, Terry struggled with her sudden transformation and called Blue Mary for help, leaving her collapsed on the floor after asking how to use sanitary pads.

• Cheng Tian’s Dominator removed Vega’s Mental Erosion from December, restoring her memories and turning her against Vega.
• December told Cheng Tian that Vega was likely relocating and investigating his subordinates, then proposed using her personal guard authority to enter his base.
• Cheng Tian left the broadcast operation to pursue Shadaloo, while the live feed switched to Eileen and the tournament footage continued airing.
• Mai Shiranui remained distressed by Terry’s transformation and focused her attention on her childhood friend.
• Terry called Blue Mary and asked her to teach her how to use sanitary pads, then collapsed to the floor.

With 48 hours remaining in the King of Fighters Tournament preliminaries, Cheng Tian investigated the threat posed by Demitri and teamed up with December for a covert operation. December led him into Shadaloo’s Tokyo branch, disguised as S.I.N. High-Tech Prosthetic Research Center Co., Ltd., where an unexpected woman ordered their arrest.

• Cheng Tian read a newspaper mocking Terry’s struggle with her sudden transformation and period, then suspected Demitri might target other male fighters for their blood.
• Cheng Tian gave the invitation to Cat Princess and Nero Cat, turning the Oli-Oli Team’s livestream channel into the Cat Spirit Team’s channel while he prepared to operate secretly.
• Cheng Tian went undercover with December, while Eileen, Mina, and Bazett remained visible in public and Bazett stayed available for emergency assistance.
• December led Cheng Tian into Shadaloo’s Tokyo branch, housed in the S.I.N. High-Tech Prosthetic Research Center Co., Ltd. building.
• A strange woman with horn-like hair buns appeared and ordered Cheng Tian and December to be arrested.

Cheng Tian and December confronted Han Juri and her guards, and Cheng Tian provoked Han Juri into attacking him. As Han Juri unleashed the Feng Shui Engine, Cheng Tian used Stand World to stop time and tear out her left eye again.

• Han Juri ordered the guards to surround Cheng Tian and December, then mocked December and insulted Cheng Tian's mask.
• Cheng Tian insulted Han Juri's croissant-shaped hair, prompting her to kick at him.
• Stand World blocked Han Juri's attacks while Cheng Tian taunted her about her hairstyle, Taekwondo, kimchi, and army stew.
• Han Juri activated the Feng Shui Engine, boosting her strength and agility.
• Cheng Tian trapped Han Juri in a purple barrier, stopped time with Stand World, and removed her left eyeball.

Cheng Tian defeated Han Juri at the S.I.N. High-Tech Prosthetic R&D Center Corporation group building and forcibly removed her Feng Shui Engine eye. After Han Juri fainted, Cheng Tian left with December, while S.I.N. and Shadaloo hesitated to retaliate and Vega studied the mysterious footage of the fight.

• December watched as Cheng Tian fought Han Juri, who had activated the Feng Shui Engine.
• Cheng Tian used an unknown ability to remove Han Juri's Feng Shui Engine left eye, though the stolen organ could not be used normally.
• Han Juri attacked Cheng Tian through a Binding Barrier, but he taunted her until she fainted from pain or blood loss.
• Cheng Tian followed December out of the S.I.N. building, leaving the department in chaos.
• S.I.N. and Shadaloo held back from retaliation, and Vega reviewed the surveillance footage while wondering how Cheng Tian had moved so quickly.

Wutan began researching the Feng Shui Engine while December joined Cheng Tian’s group and asked him to save Vega’s brainwashed Royal Guard. As the group waited for Shadaloo’s retaliation, the tournament spotlight shifted to Terry facing Geese Howard.

• Wutan examined the Feng Shui Engine, and Cheng Tian told him to research it however he liked; new research entries appeared in the laboratory’s technology systems.
• December stayed with Cheng Tian and explained that she wanted to rescue the other Royal Guard members from Vega’s brainwashing.
• December asked Cheng Tian to use Domination on brainwashed Royal Guard members he encountered, and he considered the possibility of turning them against Shadaloo.
• Cheng Tian discussed Shadaloo’s fighters with December, who corrected him that Fang had replaced Sagat among the Four Heavenly Kings.
• Cheng Tian’s group waited for Shadaloo’s retaliation as the tournament’s second day grew quieter and attention turned to Terry.
• Geese Howard confronted Terry and mocked him for seeking revenge after becoming a woman.

Geese returned from the dead and confronted Terry, who had been transformed into a woman and weakened, while Rock struggled to process the return of his biological father. Geese abruptly fled during their fight, and a deliberate collision with Terry coincided with the livestream switching from the Garou Team to the 996 Team.

• Geese appeared before Terry after learning about Terry’s transformation and the emergence of Orochi Blood.
• Rock watched Geese’s return on television and struggled to reconcile Terry’s transformation with his biological father’s resurrection.
• Terry attacked Geese with Eight Extremes Holy Fist, but his weakened state left his Energy Fountain far less powerful than before.
• Geese realized that contacting Terry might draw the mysterious force behind Terry’s transformation to him, then fled from the arena.
• A figure deliberately bumped into Terry, and the livestream switched from the Garou Team to the 996 Team.

996 Team used a Corviknight to carry off the Garou Team’s invitation, prompting other contestants to rethink how they could protect their invitations. Meanwhile, Maxima visited Cheng Tian with compensation from NESTS and offered to buy Han Juri’s left eye.

• Terry pursued Geese but failed to catch him, then discovered that the Garou Team’s invitation was missing.
• Cheng Tian watched 996 Team’s broadcast show a Corviknight flying with the invitation, and the organizers allowed the unusual strategy despite complaints.
• The bird’s stunt drew viewers and inspired contestants to devise unconventional ways to protect their invitations, while the Garou Team struggled to respond.
• Eileen considered using the sewers as another way to hide an invitation, and Cheng Tian predicted someone would try it.
• Cheng Tian detected three heavily modified Cyborgs approaching his research institute and identified their leader as Maxima of NESTS.
• Maxima delivered Gold Bricks as compensation for the previous day and asked Cheng Tian to name a price for Han Juri’s left eye.

Cheng Tian rejected NESTS’s attempt to trade for Han Juri’s left eye, then used his Dominator ability to secretly take control of Maxima. As Shadaloo’s Four Heavenly Kings and Royal Guard attacked the laboratory that night, Cheng Tian’s allies moved to meet them while he waited for the remaining threat.

• Cheng Tian refused NESTS’s offer of Gold Bricks and demanded a technology exchange for Juri’s eye.
• Maxima said his superior had refused the requested cloning and reinforced battle suit technologies, then left after warning Cheng Tian about Shadaloo’s retaliation.
• Cheng Tian secretly replaced Maxima’s core loyalty target with Orange, turning the cyborg into his puppet.
• Cheng Tian scanned the approaching Shadaloo attackers and sent his group out to meet Bison, Balrog, Fang, and Han Juri.
• Eileen and Mina confronted Balrog and Fang, Bazett faced Bison, and December met Juri while Cheng Tian sent the World after the Royal Guard and awaited the Urban Management Officer.