Martial artists can never be ultimately insulted.

If it were any other form of energy transformation, that would be one thing, but it's fire...

Just as he was thinking this, Iori Yagami suddenly heard a girl's cheerful laughter coming from inside the house, which made him feel a strange sense of irritation.

Women? And it sounds like there's more than one? Is it a family dinner or something?

Thinking this, Iori Yagami shook his head and decided to come back another time.

But just as Iori Yagami was about to leave, Mai Shiranui snapped her fingers and ignited a ball of primal Nen fire inside the room. Immediately afterward, Iori Yagami seemed to sense something and suddenly turned around.

Red flame!

Although it was very faint and subtle, Iori Yagami could sense it without a doubt; it was definitely the aura of crimson flames!

Almost instantly, accompanied by hatred and curses flowing in his blood, Iori Yagami's eyes became bloodshot, and his breathing became extremely rapid.

Without further ado, he went straight to the front of the Sakura family's old house and kicked it open.

With a loud bang, Yuan Chen and the others, who were eating, paused slightly and then looked up behind them.

As soon as they entered, Iori Yagami, with his red hair and a cold expression, stepped inside.

However, because the incident happened so suddenly, no one present made any rash moves. They just stared blankly at Iori Yagami, who had suddenly barged in.

Iori Yagami, who suddenly burst in under the influence of the bloodline curse, had a cold and stern expression, but Mai Shiranui had already extinguished her flames long before he kicked open the door.

Having lost the lock of the Crimson Flame aura, and looking at the people in front of him, feeling their gazes, Iori Yagami also fell silent.

"..."

After a brief silence, Chun-Li, as the matriarch, was the first to stand up and said somewhat suspiciously, "Um...would you like something to eat? If so, you can wait a little while. We won't officially open for business for another half hour."

Hearing Chun-Li's words, Iori Yagami remained silent for a moment, then nodded and said, "Sorry... I'm not feeling well."

As he said this, a hint of annoyance flashed in Iori Yagami's eyes as he glanced at the slightly deformed door that had been kicked open. However, he quickly realized that this was the curse of his family's bloodline at work, so he forcibly suppressed it, took out a bank card, and said coldly:

"I will make it up to you."

"Well, there's no need for that."

Hearing Iori Yagami's words, Chun-Li also stood up and said, "It's just a small matter, just be more careful next time..."

Since opening a restaurant was Yuan Chen's hobby, and his family wasn't short of money, plus Iori Yagami's strange condition, Chun Li didn't intend to make things too difficult for him.

Before Chunli could finish speaking, Yuan Chen grabbed her arm. This made Chunli look at Yuan Chen with a puzzled expression, but Yuan Chen didn't seem to care. He simply looked at Iori Yagami and asked, "What are you here for?"

“Flame,” Iori Yagami said succinctly.

Upon hearing this, Yuan Chen nodded, then snapped his fingers to ignite a ball of golden flame, and asked, "Would you like to experience it up close?"

Yuan Chen's composure and cooperation made Iori Yagami frown subconsciously, but feeling the burning flame and the aura that was completely different from any special energy in his memory... after a brief silence, Iori Yagami nodded.

"if you can."

"Ah."

Yuan Chen nodded, then stood up and went to Iori Yagami, handing him the flame while looking at him with a slightly scrutinizing gaze.

To say that Yuan Chen didn't recognize him is absolutely a lie...

Iori Yagami, one of the two main characters in the King of Fighters series—although he is one of the two main characters, his popularity, fame, and influence in the real world, especially in Yuan Chen's homeland, far surpass that of his nemesis Kyo Kusanagi.

Unfortunately, compared to Kyo Kusanagi, who comes from a prestigious family and is quite proper, Iori Yagami appeared in the year 2000. When he met the non-mainstream, it was like finding a kindred spirit in a beautiful mountain stream. He directly shaped the aesthetic tone of non-mainstream culture and became the blueprint for countless teenagers to imitate and the initial impression of rebellion and resistance.

Although it's a bit embarrassing to admit, in his previous life, Yuan Chen once wanted to get a set of Iori Yagami's outfit to wear to school... but he failed halfway through due to his lack of money and the fact that e-commerce platforms had not yet developed at that time.

Looking at Yuan Chen who had come before him, Iori Yagami was momentarily speechless. After a brief moment of wariness, he stretched out his hand, his palm enveloped in energy, and plunged it directly into the flames.

Even with that brief perception, a hint of surprise appeared in Iori Yagami's eyes.

Iori Yagami was no stranger to flames, and was quite familiar with them. Even so, the golden flame ignited by Yuan Chen was far beyond his comprehension. Furthermore, Iori was certain that even in his family's records, there was absolutely no mention of this golden flame.

The reason is simple: even though Iori Yagami has never really sat down to read it properly, such a flame, which is almost completely different from all other flames, or even from all other energy transformations, is unforgettable once you've even glanced at it.

"That really is an eye-opener."

As they spoke, much of Iori Yagami's hostility disappeared.

Because within this, Iori Yagami did not sense the aura of the crimson flames—

It is true that the Golden Flame, or the Flame of Life, was deduced by Yuan Chen through the Degenerate Fire Technique, a degraded version of the Crimson Flame Technique of the Shiranui School. However, after the energy conversion is completed, the Golden Flame itself is a pure and more efficient manifestation of life energy. What is burned in it is only Yuan Chen's Qi, intention, and life energy.

There are no rules related to Crimson Flame.

Admittedly, Crimson Flame is very strong, but in Yuan Chen's view, Crimson Flame is not much different from Muay Thai, Bone Fist, or even the Lost Assassination Fist for him; it is just a means to an end.

Life energy is different; this is the 'Dao' that Yuan Chen practices.

That is why Yuan Chen tries his best to ensure the purity of any technology related to life energy.

Although he has mastered the technique of simulating fire to give it the characteristics of crimson flames, Yuan Chen has yet to encounter anyone who can force him to use this technique.

Unaware of Yuan Chen's abilities, but having sensed the unique nature of the golden flames, Iori Yagami, now relaxed, looked up at Yuan Chen and asked, "Speaking of which, you seem to know me?"

Others might not have noticed, but Iori Yagami spotted him as soon as he entered, and Yuan Chen's eyes flashed with surprise when he saw him.

This surprise wasn't caused by the door being suddenly kicked open, but rather... something like the fact that he himself had appeared there?

"Yes, I've heard of it."

Yuan Chen nodded, then looked at Iori Yagami and said slowly:

"About 1800 years ago, the natural consciousness Orochi wanted to return the Earth to its pure state before the birth of humankind. So the three families of Yasakani, Yata, and Kusanagi joined forces to seal it away. These three families are known as the 'Three Sacred Treasures Families'."

Upon hearing Yuan Chen's words, Iori Yagami's eyes narrowed slightly, a hint of seriousness appearing in them. Meanwhile, Chun-Li and the others, having heard Yuan Chen's explanation, gaped in surprise.

Chun-Li initially thought it was just a joke or a legend, and was about to offer a few words of advice when she noticed Iori Yagami's strange expression and reaction.

Realizing something, Chun-Li and the others exchanged glances and fell silent.

Hearing Yuan Chen's words, Iori Yagami narrowed his eyes after a brief silence, recalling the fleeting, almost illusory, crimson flame aura from before, and his body tensed slightly.

Yuan Chen did not stop, but continued, "As time passed, the Yata family changed its name to 'Kagura' and stopped interfering in worldly affairs. The two families that remained active in the surface world developed at different paces."

The Kusanagi family grew increasingly powerful, while the Yasakani family weakened, causing resentment in the latter. This resentment reached its peak about seven hundred years ago when the Yasakani family could no longer suppress their jealousy of the increasingly powerful Kusanagi family. They then challenged the Kusanagi family, only to be defeated, resulting in a dramatic decline in their family's reputation.

Following this, the resentful Yagami clan, seduced by the sealed Orochi, entered into a blood pact with the Orochi in order to gain overwhelming power, worshipping it as a god and changing their clan name to Yagami.

Gazing silently at the composed Iori Yagami before him, sensing the other's restless thoughts, Yuan Chen also paused briefly before continuing:

"After signing a blood pact with Orochi, the Kusanagi family also realized the betrayal of the Yagami family. From then on, the two families completely broke apart and became sworn enemies."

Along with the blood pact, the flames of the Yagami family changed from crimson to cursed blue flames. This power made the descendants of the Yagami family even stronger, but it also brought with it a curse originating from Orochi.

Men are generally more violent, restless, and short-lived, and have a history of hereditary mental health issues. Women, on the other hand, are generally weaker, more prone to illness, and more likely to die in childbirth. They also experience periodic episodes of blood-related outbursts.

Yuan Chen looked at Iori Yagami and said, "And if I remember correctly, the successor of the Yagami family in this era is called—Iori Yagami."

After listening to Yuan Chen recount his family's history in great detail, Yagami Iori fell silent.

Long red hair covered her face, casting a dark shadow. Her hands were in her pockets. Although she didn't seem to be in an attacking stance, her muscles were tense, and an inexplicable chill spread around her. Within that range, Yuan Chen could clearly feel his body temperature drop.

"Who are you?"

“Yuan Chen, a man from the Tang Dynasty,” Yuan Chen said simply. “As for now… I want to fight you.”

"..." Upon hearing this, he fell silent. Then, Iori Yagami raised his head and looked at Yuan Chen, asking, "The reason?"

"There's no reason, I just want to fight. Hmm... if that reason doesn't work..."

Knowing that Iori Yagami was a person who hated trouble, Yuan Chen simply reached out and ignited the golden flame. Under Iori Yagami's gaze, he recalled Mai Shiranui's state, amplified the characteristics of her Nen no Hōjutsu (fire technique), and gradually transformed the golden flame in his hand into a crimson flame.

"How about this reason?"

------

My sleep schedule has been completely reversed lately, so I've been writing whenever I have time, but most of the updates are concentrated in the afternoon and evening. I doubt I can be on time every day. I'll try adding a couple more posts later and then posting them at a fixed time.

Volume 1: Taking a Leave of Absence

Please explain the topic: I just got home, it's already 1 a.m., and I still have some things to take care of, so I probably won't be able to update in time. I'm taking the day off, and I'll make up for the missed updates within a week.

...

Volume 1: Chapter 154 - The Curse of Azure Flames

As he watched helplessly as the golden flames transformed from gold to blazing red, from gentle life energy into an energy form that was different from ordinary crimson flames but equally intense and unrestrained, Iori Yagami's eyes suddenly contracted.

It wasn't because of the temperature, nor because of the crimson flame itself—almost the instant the flame appeared, Iori Yagami could clearly feel an excitement originating from his bloodline within his body.

The curse known as the Great Serpent, flowing in his veins, began to boil and roar, as if every cell in his body was screaming at him.

An uncontrollable urge to kill rose from the depths of his blood, as if to burn away all reason.

Within everyone's sight, azure flames surged from his body, emitting a sharp hiss in the air.

His eyes were filled with bloodshot veins, and his already cold face looked like a demon under the reflection of the flames.

He took a step forward, the paving stones beneath his feet cracking silently under the licking of the azure flames, but he did not attack immediately.

His body trembled violently, but Iori Yagami stared intently at Yuan Chen, refusing to succumb to his body's instincts.

"Who...who exactly are you?" Iori Yagami's voice was hoarse and low, as if each word was being squeezed out from the depths of his throat.

Looking at Iori Yagami in front of him, Yuan Chen took a deep breath.

Although many people's impression of Iori Yagami is that he is brutal, ruthless, cruel, and sadistic, and that he is an evil little devil born with a heart.

But this is mainly due to Iori's brutal fighting style in the King of Fighters series, and his berserk state in the 'Reverse' mode, which is more like a beast than a human.

But in reality, it's quite the opposite. In the official setting, Iori Yagami has never been a volatile or explosive person. Instead, he is someone who quite despises 'meaningless battles'.

He disdains fighting the weak, viewing battles as a way to prove his existence. Even his attitude towards Kyo Kusanagi is not due to family feuds... or rather, their initial contact was due to family feuds, but after contact, it turned into a mutual appreciation driven by personal obsession.

Right now, although the Orochi blood's hatred for the Crimson Flame is beginning to seep into his mind through a bloodline curse, Iori Yagami does not choose to submit, but instead stares intently at Yuan Chen:

"Why do you possess the power of Crimson Flame?"

"The Shiranui School." Meeting Iori Yagami's gaze, Yuan Chen calmly stated:

"An ancient ninja school that originated here. A thousand years ago, their ancestors possessed a crimson flame power called 'Flowing Flame Secret Technique.' Later, they were attacked by a group of people who controlled special flames. The Flowing Flame Secret Technique was lost, and the survivors could only reduce the remaining techniques to the current Nen-Fire Technique."

Upon hearing Yuan Chen's words, Iori Yagami remained fixed on Yuan Chen, while Chun-Li and the others instinctively turned their gazes toward Mai Shiranui.

Mai Shiranui didn't say anything, she just stared blankly at Yuan Chen's back.

But Yuan Chen didn't care. He simply looked into Iori Yagami's eyes, which were still torn between reason and madness, and calmly said:

"I have inherited the legacy of the Shiranui school, so it is my responsibility to find out the truth of what happened back then and to find the real culprit who attacked Shiranui Town."

"...Responsibility?" Upon hearing this, he paused slightly, then Iori Yagami's lips curled into a sneer, and he said, "So you mean... the so-called grudges left behind by our ancestors, right?"

Upon hearing this and sensing the disdain in Iori Yagami's words, Yuan Chen knew perfectly well that Iori Yagami was disgusted by the family feud.

But Yuan Chen wasn't in a hurry; he simply smiled. The smile was neither polite nor provocative. He didn't answer immediately, but a unique aura began to emanate from Yuan Chen's body—pheromones generated by the Shiranui-ryu Charm Technique, carrying with them Yuan Chen's domineering spirit and fighting will, spreading outwards without reservation.

"The grudges surrounding the Shiranui school... perhaps, but I don't believe it's some kind of curse. Rather, it's the responsibility I have to shoulder for choosing to learn their techniques. And even without this responsibility, I would still ask you."

Yuan Chen gazed quietly at Iori Yagami.

Upon hearing Yuan Chen's words and feeling his gaze, Iori Yagami also sensed something different.

Orochi's blood is a curse, making the men of the Yagami clan irritable and easily angered, and the women weak and sickly, with short lifespans and occasional bloodlust. But along with this price comes a 'primal nature,' or rather, 'beastly nature,' that is far beyond that of ordinary people, stemming from their bloodline.

This wildness, originating from the very nature of consciousness, endows the Yagami clan with a strong sense of perception. That beast-like sense of crisis allows the Yagami clan to clearly perceive traces and details that are difficult for ordinary people to detect.

Now, with the spread of pheromones, Yuan Chen's eyes, which were within Iori Yagami's line of sight, became exceptionally bright and dazzling.

Those were not eyes driven by some so-called family destiny, but rather eyes brimming with a pure and undisguised fighting spirit, emanating entirely from the depths of their instincts.

It's not about hatred, not about destiny, and there's no distinction between justice and evil.

I just wanted to fight.

It's like a person who has been starving for a long time seeing a table full of delicacies. There are no extraneous thoughts, just an almost naked, even naive, longing.

Iori Yagami sensed it.

The man in front of me was unusually hungry... and had an unusually good appetite.

Meeting Iori Yagami's gaze, Yuan Chen said calmly, "Fighting... is not the goal, but a way of survival."

Upon hearing Yuan Chen's words and sensing his thoughts, Iori Yagami was slightly taken aback. After a moment, he took a deep breath and felt an inexplicable impulse surge into his heart.

He could sense that the battle Yuan Chen sought was not violence itself... Similarly, this gave Iori Yagami a strange sense of familiarity, similar to his own.