The next match of the finals started at last,this time it was Guile VS a still pissed off Balrog.

"Sooo..you finally decided to make tracks with a comeback eh?"said Guile.

"Yeah,and I guess I have you to think for it--ya honky bastard!"spat Balrog. "I almost forgot what it was like to weild such figting power in a ring.

Now--you gonna yap or are you gonna fight?"

Guile cracked his knuckles. "Just say the word,holmes."he said.

The head scientist of Shadaloo was watching with renewed interest.

"So..."he said scratching his bearded chin. "Balrog is at last back--the master will be pleased to hear this."

The referee threw his had,said the word and the latest match began.

Balrog made the first move as he charged at Guile,doing his dash punch.

"WHOA--here we go--again!"said Guile as he jumped a few feet away.

"Get yo ass back here dipshit!"said Balrog.

"Not on your nellie."said Guile. "I'm gonna make fast work of you before I move on to the good stuff!"

Guile then threw his arms forward and flung his famed Sonic Boom fireball at him.

Balrog simply grinned and dodged it and then thrust forward at Guile once again.

Guile barely managed to duck the first punch,but the second one hit him right in the cheekbone and then a third punch decked him right in the nose so hard that blood erupted from both his nostrils.

"GUILE!"said Li.

"Oh no!"said Cammy.

The commando fell nearly backwards from the blow,but kept on his feet and wiped the blood from his nose.

"Guh--n-not bad there--for a pimp.."he said.

"Hah-hah--you finished now,soldier boy."said Balrog. "Let it be known to the world--that Balrog the buffalo--IS BACK!"

Balrog then unleashed his Crazy buffalo,but just as he thrust the first punch,Guile ducked it,grinned again and then..

"DOUBLE FLASH KICK!"

Guile rocketed upwards with his dreaded Flash Kick,hitting Balrog so hard in the chin that the cracking sound was heard throughout the stadium like a gunshot.

He then flipped another at Balrog and the former boxing king went down for the count.

Balrog was finished and Guile was the next winner of the semi finals.

The crowds cheered for the great classic hero.

"Whew--whatta relief."said Li.

"Same here luv."said Cammy. "But let's just how far any of us go before relief is made."

As Balrog was carted away and into another black van owned by Shadaloo,the rest of the matches went underway.

Yang fought Cammy,and the two went at it for several minutes,but in the end Yang was the victor.

Alex then fought Cody,and it looked like Cody had the upper hand,but the NY grappler took him out at the last minute.

The next match underway was Dan VS the hooded monk.

"Looks like Dan's at it again."said Ken.

"Yes,he was lucky so far,let's see how well he does against this..fellow."said Ryu.

Dan bowed to the monk and the monk did the same.

"Feh.."spat Akuma. "Of all the fighters I get parred with..I get the failed Shotokan student of my late brother--Dan Hibiki! Well--no matter--I will make short work of this loster and then--once I win the contest--Ryu is next!"

"So..a big hooded monk guy eh?"said Dan. "Well..i'm ready for anything non-stop!"

The match then began.

The monk made the first move as he jumped high into the air and fired off a series of Air Hadous.

"WHA?"said Dan in suprose.

Dan then jumped away and rolled to safety as the fire barrage landed on the ring floor and nearly tore it open.

"Yikes!"said Sakura."What was that?"

The monk then landed on his feet and then was about to fire another round,but Dan himself came flying at him with his flail kick.

Akuma simply ducked it and once Dan landed on his feet,Akuma slammed a hard foot into his back.

"ALRIGHT THAT'S IT--NOW I'M PISSED!"said Dan.

He swung around and then fired off a large Hadou blast from his hands,hitting the monk in the face and chest.

"URRRGHH!"went Akuma as he skidded across the ring on his sandaled feet.

"How--how did he do that?"he thought in disbelief.

Dan then came flying at Akuma again with another Flail Kick,but the monk simply shadow warped and was back on the other side of the ring.

"Whatsamatter hood?"said Dan. "Afraid to get close to me?"

"I--FEAR--NOTHING!"roared the villian.

He then leapt into the air and did a Dive Kick.

Dan blocked it off and the two fighters were now up close and personal.

Akuma swung a high kick at Dan,but the Saikyo master ducked it and then slammed him in the face with a Kyoruken.

The monk was knocked a few inches away but kept on his feet.

Dan then thrust a rising knee,hitting the monk in the gut,but just as he was about to do some more damage,Akuma slammed a hard thrust punch,hitting him in the chest and then followed it up with a fiery Hado!

"YEEOOW!"cried Dan as he fell backwards and on his rump.

Akuma then thrust down a flying punch that would finish him off,but to his suprise Dan simply caught his fist!

"WHAT?"said Akuma.

"Whoa!"said Sakura.

"I don't think so,hood!"he said.
"Impossible!"said Akuma as he struggled. "How can you be this strong?"

"That's my secret."said Dan. "One I will take to my grave i'm sure!"

Dan then shoved the fighter off of him and was ready for more.

Akuma then charged up both fists full of ki energy,but before he could do so.

Dan this time connected with his flail kick,hitting the villian several times in the gut and then knocking him down to the floor.

Once down,Dan raised a mighty fist and brought it down upon Akuma's head.

"KRAKKK!"

Knocking him out.

Dan was the winner.

"YEAH--OYAA--JIIII!"he cried.

The crowds cheered once and even the other finalists decided to applaud him for a change.
"I admit..he is getting better for a guy who constantly wears pink."said Alex.

"Better huh?"said Sakura. "Hmmmm.."

Dan then rubbed at his sides and chest.

"Whoo--I need a breather after that."he said."I felt like I put a strain there."

"Well i'll be!"said Ken. "He did it!"

"Yes,so far."said Ryu. "But somehow--I think Dan may have gotten his new strength from some--unsual means there by the looks of it."

"You noticed it too huh?"said Ken. "Well,win or lose,I kinda hope he'll be all right."

The demon awoke,he was so pissed at losing once again,that he decided to vacate the premises immediately.

He vanished in a flash of black energy,all that remained was his robe.

"YIKES!"said the referee. "He--he's gone!"

"Well i'll be."said Dan sratching his head. "So he is. Hmm..that attack pattern he did was sure damn familair--could he have been..?"

Minutes later,the final match of the semi finals went underway.

It was Chun-Li VS the dark ninja(VEGA.)

"Go get 'im Li!"said Guile.

"Yeah,go girl!"said Sakura.

Guile then turned to Cammy.

"Sorry that you didn't make it,Cammy."said Guile. "You tried your best."

"Aye,I guess I did."said Cammy. "But be sure to give me a lowdown on what happens with that Yang fella will ya? Right now,I gotta get with Ace and Dark and check on their progress. For some reason,they haven't reported back in."

"Yeah,I was wondering about that."said Guile. "Just be careful."

"You bet and good luck with winning the contest,luv."said Cammy winking and then taking off.

Li and the ninja stood face to face.

"Hmmm.."thought Li raising an eyebrow. "There's something..just not right about this guy.

The ninja's pupils gave off a yellow and greenish color in them,like he wasn't..all what he appeared to be."

"FIGHT!"said the referee.

The ninja unsheathed his claws once again..literally.

"Erk!"said Li in a startled tone.

"Hmm..she faces a demon just as Dan did."said Yang. "This should be quite a match."

The ninja made the first move as he thrust at Li,and swiped both his claws at her.

Li dodged them both and slammed him in the gut with her knee.

The ninja flinched in pain,but then jumped high into the air and brouhght down his foot onto the top of her head.

"OW--HEY!"said Li.

The ninja then landed on his feet and then went into another attack.

"What's he--?"she said.

The ninja thrusted forward so fast,that the naked eye could not catch his bizzare movements.

And just as he did it,Li felt a sudden stinging in her side.

"AAAAH!"she cried.

The side of her blue costume was ripped open along with some of her flesh,and red blood dripped from it as well.

She then felt another slash,then another,and another.

Vega was using a sort of ninja trickery to move so fast,that Li couldn't see him.

"Aw man!"said Guile. "I don't know that that bastard ninja is doing--but he's cutting Li up!"

"Yeah,she'd better do something fast or she's gonna be one cut up chick!"said Alex.

Dan caught sight of Li's bountiful bosom and bustline through the rips in her tunic top.

"Mmmm-mmm..now that's what I call revealling beauty."he said.

Sakura elbowed him in the gut.

"Pervert baka!"she said. "This is no laughing matter!"

"Whatsamatter?"said Dan. "Jealous that I didn't see your ass naked?"

Sakura was about to land a blow on Dan's chin,but Yang intervened.

"Enough,both of you!"he said. "If we are to fight,we will fight in the ring. But Dan..if I was you..i'd be more a gentleman in the future."

"Yeah,what he said,pinky!"said Alex.

"Okay,okay--I get it!"said Dan. "SHEESH!"

Li was in sheer pain from the slashes that Vega was giving her,she then focused all her ki and concentration onto finding him.

"He is--"she began.

"THERE!"

Li lashed out a hard kick and smashed Vega right out of thin air.

"YEAH--SHE DID IT!"said Guile.

Vega stumbled forward,allowing Li to unleash her most powerful kick move.

"SUPER LIGHTNING KICKS!"

She slammed as many leg kicks into the ninja's fast as fast and hard as she could,literally ending it with a rising kick that sent the ninja to the floor and out cold.

Li was the winner.

She was about to jump into the air and do her usual victory shout,but with some of her chest skin showing,decided against it.

The referee pulled off his jacket and placed it on her.

"Thanks."she said blushing.

Guile then went over to the fallen ninja and then pulled his mask off,revealling a familair face.

"VEGA!"he said.

"You're right!"said Li looking as well. "He looks typically aged and--different but it's him---I know it!"

The spanish ninja had the same long blonde hair before,but his face and skin were a waxy yellow pale and his lips were a light purple.

"What--happened to him?"said Sakura.

"Yeah,along with his pompous vain beauty !!$*?"said Dan.

"Dunno."said Guile."But it looks like the years haven't been kind to even him."

"You got that right."said Li. "Along with his..skills that is."

Suddenly,Vega's eyes shot open.

Everyone jumped back away from the deadly fighter.

"LOOK OUT!"said Yang.

Vega then jumped away from the ring and was about to run off,but before giving a warning to the remaining fighters.

"Watch your backs,heroes--yes watch them all!"he said. "For your nightmares are just beginning---for we have returned!"

Vega then vanished into thin air once again.

"Damn!"saif Guile. "He's gone!"

"That--was one freaky ass bastard!"said Alex.

"You don't know the half of it,goldilocks."said Dan. "Even I fought that nut once."

"What--what did he mean by--we've returned?"said Li. "Could he mean--Shadaloo?"

"Chun-Li."said Guile. "You chose a helluva time to retire believe me. My associates and I have been investigating a new terrorist gang for months now. We believe that this tournament will be their next strike. So..to the rest of you..watch your asses---no matter what!"

While back around the rest of the dome building,Cammy was assaulted by a pair of ultra dolls,as was Cody and they were both taken to the same van that Balrog was taken to.

Akuma was in the very back room where the main computer terminal was that held the dome together.

"Defeated by an amatuer no less!"he said. "And Hibiki himself for that matter! Well...if I cannot fight Ryu--then no one in this tournament shall!"

He charged up his massive fists with another charge of ki energy.

"I shall destroy this terminal and everyone in this building will be destroyed with it!"he said.

"I don't think you should do that."said a voice behind him.

"What?"said Akuma as he turned to see who it was.

Standing before him was,Mr.Benson the contest announcer.

"WHO?"Said Akuma.

"Akuma---or is it Sagat?"said Benson. "Y'know I just can't tell right now since you're both sharing a body these days I see."

"I will tell you this once to leave her,mortal."said Akuma. "Before I make you my first kill!"

"I wouldn't threaten me if I were you,old man."said Benson. "I mean..even you should recognise me in this new shell."

"What--what do you mean?"said Akuma.

"Look--ever so closer."said the man in the suit.

Akuma did so and sensed an all too familair aura around the man's body,it was..a strange kind of energy.

He then realised it at last.

"YOU!"said Akuma. "Impossible--you're dead!"

"Appearances can be decieving I assure you."said Benson. "Now,surrender at once if you please."

"NEVER!"said Akuma. "You may be alive--but I never surrender to anyone."

"That's cause you're a loser and a fool--suit yourself."said Benson as he vanished.

"NO!"said Akuma. "Where--!"

"HERE!"said Benson as he re-appeared behind Akuma and slammed an energized fist into his face,knocking him out.

"Heh,I win."said Benson.

He then picked up the fallen warrior and they both vanished for an area unknown.

While back in Shadaloo's HQ..

Rose managed to esape from the clutches of the scientists who were trussing up the still unconscious bodies of the other fighters.

She then got out a labcoat,a pair of glasses and clipboard and then went about the complex disguised as a technician.

"I knew in my soul that Shadaloo was still around."she thought as she roamed through the halls.

"But..what if Bison himself is still alive?"

Suddenly,Rose came across a door maked PRIVATE DOMAIN.

"Hmmm..I wonder."she thought.

She then opened the door and found a large bed chamber with a desk and a set of screens.

On the screens were the scenes at the tournament.

"So.."she thought. "..whoever is in charge here has been monitoring the tournament as well as capturing it's fighters..but..for what--and who?"

Suddenly,Rose heard someone calling her name from another room.

"Rose...Rose.."

"What?"she said.

It was from a door that was next to a closet.

"I..I sense something..that..I have never sensed before."she thought. "Should I--?"

Rose then walked over to the door and opened it.

When she opened it,a flash of sudden white erupted from it and she saw something truly horrifying.

"AT LAST--WE MEET ONCE AGAIN MY DEAR!"said a vicious and cold voice.

"N--nooo---no--it can't be!"she said. "You were--were imprisoned long ago!"

"But I am free once again."said the thing in white light. "Now you are mine!"

"NOOOOO!"said Rose as she slammed the door.

"It--it can't be--it just can't!"she said in a worried state of panic. "The cult sealed that--that thing away years ago--how can it be?"

Suddenly,she felt something land on her head so hard,that she was the last to be unconscious.

"How indeed,Rose?"said the same man who attacked Akuma. It was Benson. "You and all shall soon find out..very soon now! HAHAHAHAHA!"