Chapter 394: The Rage Team's Goodwill and the Psycho Soldier Team's Hostility (What kind of Zongzi is everyone eating today?)
Normally, teams that had registered would gather in an adjacent hall, waiting for the organizers to announce the specific rules and conditions for obtaining an invitation. However, Cheng Tian and his companion clearly skipped this stage, heading directly to a small conference room with a staff member.
During this time, the staff member also suggested that it would be best to call the remaining two team members, as it would facilitate the subsequent process.
So, Aileen entered the women's restroom alone, and then three women—Leona, Yuri, and Mai—emerged.
"Did we skip the preliminary rounds?"
"I'm not entirely sure about the specifics, but our boss, Ms. Kagura, should be here shortly to explain everything. Please wait a moment, or let me know if you have any needs."
After guiding Cheng Tian and the others to a medium-sized conference room and answering Cheng Tian's question, the staff member stood directly beside the four, ready for them to choose a seat.
At this moment, many teams familiar to Cheng Tian were already present in the conference room.
This discovery further solidified Cheng Tian's belief that he had most likely skipped the regular preliminaries, likely due to his legend status once again.
And for the teams already in the conference room, Cheng Tian's team was equally noteworthy.
Especially the "Female Fighters Team"; when they saw that Cheng Tian's team had three women, their gaze naturally fell on the team's only male member, Cheng Tian.
Just by observing the team's walking formation, it was evident that Cheng Tian, as the sole male, was the leader of the team, which made them very curious about the origins of his team.
"Oh?"
But among the waiting teams, a guy with a red and green patterned bandana wrapped around his head and wearing an army green vest suddenly froze after his gaze swept over Cheng Tian. He then slapped his teammate, who was wearing a hat and sunglasses, next to him.
"What's wrong?"
The man in the hat and sunglasses remained very calm, showing almost no reaction.
"Look, look! It's Aoko from the legendary Peregrine Falcon 004 Squad!"
"Where?!"
Before the man in sunglasses could react, the woman with a high ponytail, who was sitting steadily on the other side of the bandana-wearing man, suddenly sprang up from her seat, craning her neck to look around.
And Cheng Tian's gaze just happened to look over.
The bandana-wearing man, Ralf; the sunglasses-wearing man, Clark; and the high-ponytail woman, Leona—these three contestants from the "Ikari Warriors Team" formed the "Rage Team."
From the perspective of The King of Fighters, Cheng Tian had no contact with them. However, from the perspective of Metal Slug, both sides were mercenaries belonging to the "Government Army" faction!
The character "Rage" in their team name came from the early arcade and NES platform shooting game series "Ikari Warriors," where 1P and 2P were Ralf and Clark.
In Metal Slug 6, 7, and the enhanced XX, the three members of the Rage Team also joined as foreign mercenaries assisting the regular army, becoming playable characters.
Clearly, Cheng Tian's two consecutive main quest completions in Metal Slug, which granted him Legend Status +2, influenced the Rage Team, making them aware of the achievements of "Cheng Tian and the Peregrine Falcon 004 Squad"... No, it was clearly more than just awareness.
Mercenary organizations, though they fight for money, also develop a fondness for heroes on the battlefield, provided, of course, that they are on their side.
At this point in time, the Ikari Warriors Team had not yet been hired by the Government Army, but this did not prevent Cheng Tian's achievements from inspiring a certain longing in them.
After all, a little-known mercenary group and one that has completed major commissions are incomparable in terms of reputation, price, and various other aspects.
With a slight movement in his heart, Cheng Tian directly chose to lead his team to the empty seats beside the Rage Team.
"Hello, I'm Aoko, the leader of the Olorili Team. You're Ralf from the Ikari Warriors Team, right?"
Cheng Tian, who extended his hand to Ralf, didn't look at all like his usual unsociable self.
"How can that compare to the achievements you've made? The Colonel hasn't stopped using your deeds to discipline us."
Ralf, who shook Cheng Tian's hand, spoke with genuine sincerity.
Achievements in a fighting tournament at most represent individual combat power and do not fully represent the ability to complete battlefield missions. Cheng Tian had already proven his battlefield value through two important missions.
Most commendably, Cheng Tian not only continuously completed large-scale battlefield missions but also ensured the safe return of the entire 004 Peregrine Falcon Squad to the Government Army, which was what Ralf and his team appreciated most.
Capable and never abandoning teammates—how wonderful!
"Is the Colonel not participating in the war anymore?"
Cheng Tian asked, feigning ignorance.
"He's old and should be retired, but we have our junior sister here."
Ralf said, stepping aside to bring his petite Leona into the sight of Cheng Tian and the others.
Leona, her expression returning to her usual coolness, nodded slightly to Cheng Tian and the others.
In the Rage Team's composition of three, Leona was like a younger sister to Ralf and Clark. Due to Heidern's overly militaristic teaching methods, their emotional expressions were actually too subtle. It was only because Cheng Tian's achievements and Legend Status +2 were so impressive that they accidentally revealed some genuine emotions.
Now, the few of them had adjusted, and so, after the usual pleasantries, the conversation ended.
"...Senior, what are you looking at?"
In the "Psycho Soldier Team," located diagonally opposite Cheng Tian's team, with world-class idol and popular contestant Athena Asamiya participating, Sie Kensou looked at the delicate little face beside him and asked with a worried expression.
At this moment, Athena Asamiya, a world-class idol, was openly staring at Cheng from afar.
To be precise, she hadn't shifted her gaze since Cheng Tian entered the room, and it was only when Sie Kensou spoke that she slowly withdrew her gaze.
"Idiot Kensou! Shut up!"
Athena didn't answer her junior brother but forcefully ended the conversation with a "shut up."
Her gaze was not the jealous, sour kind her junior brother imagined, the kind with positive emotions like admiration or goodwill.
On the contrary, Athena's heart was filled with a certain inexplicable hostility towards Cheng, as if it was a feedback from her bloodline, a pure negative emotion that she couldn't quite explain.
She didn't know why, but the moment she saw Cheng, she not only suddenly felt an inexplicable hostility but also a faint pain in her calf.
This made her fall into contemplation, while Cheng was completely unaware of it.
As more and more teams entered, Cheng Tian, recognizing the origins of these competing teams, grew increasingly surprised, until the staff placed something resembling a gold-embossed invitation in front of each team.
And when Cheng Tian touched the invitation, a new prompt immediately popped up.
[You have obtained the "KOF97 Tournament Invitation." You need to keep it safe for the next 72 hours to officially qualify for the tournament.]