Hyogo Prefecture's Anchor, Genichiro Hokushin, stepped slowly onto the battle stage.
Tall and lean, his face cold and sharp, his deep eyes betrayed no emotion, like an ancient well.
In earlier matches, he'd used random characters, winning effortlessly, his skill an enigma cloaked in mystery.
Yet, at this critical final moment, he broke from routine.
When the character select screen appeared, Hokushin's fingers flicked the joystick, the cursor locking firmly on a character most pros instinctively avoided—
The final boss, Geese Howard!
On the screen, the mob boss in a traditional Japanese dougi, exuding domineering menace, filled the arena with oppressive presence.
The Budokan fell deathly silent, then erupted in a tidal wave of gasps and chatter.
"Geese?! He picked Geese!"
"Is he insane? Using Geese in a formal match? That character's way too hard to play!"
The commentator's voice dripped with disbelief.
Geese Howard's moves, while powerful, were fiendishly complex. His core skill, "Reppuken," demanded pinpoint timing, making him a rare pick in high-stakes matches.
Hakuya steadied his breathing, calming his racing heart after back-to-back battles.
He met Hokushin's emotionless gaze.
The match began.
Hokushin's Geese unleashed a terrifying aura unlike any prior opponent.
Hakuya's Andy, every cautious probe, every careful maneuver, seemed futile against Hokushin's almost prophetic reads.
Worse was Geese's "Reppuken."
Whether high or low, any hint of Hakuya's intent was met with a perfectly timed counter, nullifying Andy's attacks and delivering crushing retaliation.
Hakuya felt every move, every thought, was being seen through.
Andy's health bar plummeted.
In the first round, Hakuya was crushed with no chance to fight back, Hokushin's Geese finishing with full health—Perfect.
In the second, Hakuya tried to shift tempo, playing aggressively, but Geese's airtight defense held.
Another clean K.O.
0-2.
Hakuya stared at the darkened screen, fingers stiff on the joystick, mind blank.
The helplessness was unlike anything he'd felt in the tournament.
Next, Tokyo's Midfield player took the stage.
This veteran, facing Hokushin's unstoppable Geese, was equally overwhelmed.
In Hokushin's hands, Geese was a merciless killing machine.
Relentless command throws and precise "Reppuken" pressure left Tokyo's Midfield unable to mount an offense.
Another 2-0.
The second round, another Perfect defeat.
Tokyo's team plummeted from triumph to desperation.
All pressure fell on their final hope—Anchor Kenta Nagai.
Nagai took a deep breath and stepped up.
He removed his red-and-white cap, revealing a steely gaze.
He chose his most trusted partner—Terry Bogard.
All eyes locked on this last stand.
The first round began.
Nagai struggled against Geese's relentless pressure and elusive counters.
Terry's probing attacks were snuffed out by precise "Reppuken" reversals.
Soon, Nagai lost the first round.
The Budokan's atmosphere grew heavy, Tokyo supporters holding their breath.
The second round began.
Nagai's eyes sharpened with focus.
He adjusted tactics.
Instead of rushing in, he used Terry's agile movement and varied "Power Wave" timings to control distance.
"Power Wave!"
Waves of energy, at different speeds and angles, hounded Geese like persistent pests.
Nagai mixed in feints, baiting Hokushin's counter timings.
His offense grew unpredictable—blending fierce barrages with sly traps, like a viper luring prey.
Hokushin's Geese, though formidable, began showing slight cracks under Nagai's seasoned, adaptable play.
After a clever bait drew a whiffed "High Reppuken," Nagai's eyes lit up.
Now!
Terry pounced like a tiger, unleashing a practiced, dazzling combo that slammed into Geese!
Hokushin's rhythm faltered for the first time.
Nagai, with superior experience and versatile tactics, found ways to counter Geese.
Painstakingly, he clawed back a round!
1-1!
The crowd roared like thunder!
The deciding round.
The air seemed to freeze, everyone holding their breath.
Both players moved with utmost caution, each action calculated.
On-screen, health bars dwindled in a suffocating stalemate.
Time ticked down, both at critical health, one hit from defeat.
Hokushin's Geese seized a moment, charging with a devastating "Raging Storm" super move!
A direct hit would end it!
In a split-second, Nagai's pupils contracted, fingers in perfect sync with his instincts.
An extreme-reaction backstep!
Terry narrowly dodged the lethal strike!
In the same instant, Nagai's thumb slammed the attack button!
"Burning Knuckle!"
A blazing fist, like a cannon shot, smashed into Geese's chest, frozen in recovery from the missed super.
Time seemed to stop.
Geese's health bar vanished.
"K.O.!" filled the screen!
Nagai won!
Tokyo won!
After a brief silence, the Budokan exploded with deafening cheers, screams, and applause, nearly lifting the roof!
Confetti rained, lights flashed, framing Nagai's raised arms like a deity!
The grand award ceremony followed.
Takuya Nakayama and Sega executives personally presented Tokyo's team with a solid gold championship trophy and a massive cash prize.
Nagai raised the trophy high, his teammates, including Hakuya, crowding around, sharing the ultimate glory.
Hakuya, amidst swirling confetti and roaring cheers, glanced at Nagai, eyes burning with pure hunger for victory and dreams of bigger stages.
He knew this was just the beginning.
Far in Aomori, at the electronics shop's entrance, Daigo Umehara and his friends watched, blood pumping, faces flushed.
When Nagai's final "Burning Knuckle" landed the K.O., they leaped up, shouting and screaming wildly.
Daigo's small fists clenched, heart pounding.
The thrill, the tension, the joy of victory, etched deeply into his six-year-old soul.