Mortal Kombat Harem x Male OC Reboot (MK9-MK1)

Epilogue (Mk9)

In Earthrealm, The Wu Shi Academy can be seen with several dozen Shaolin Monks training in the courtyard.  Observing the training is Earthrealm's protector, Raiden. He can see the steady progress the new shaolin warriors are progressing through their training. His face has the same determined look that he always had, but this time, their is a hint of guilt behind his glowing eyes as he remembers the events that occurred 3 months ago. The loss of so many warriors... allies... friends. To this day, he still feels responsible for their deaths, despite that Manado, the champion that he raised, continually assures him that it wasn't.

Speaking of Manado, Raiden turns his head to find him walking into the Academy, his head dripped down, showing that something wasn't right. Raiden quickly follows, leaving the monks to train alone. As he walks through the Academy, he eventually finds Manado in his sleeping quarters, in front of a table of some kind, looking down at something in his hand. Raiden then knocks on the wall next to the doorway, gaining Manado's attention. Manado turns and immediately bows to him.

"Lord Raiden." Manado greets.

"I sense that you are troubled, Manado Chujin." Raiden says.

Manado then looks down nods his head in response. He then looks down at what he was looking at earlier, a picture of the order of light.

"Just remembering the past. The loss we suffered. To think that I hated it when Johnny took this picture of us. But now, I'm grateful that he did." Manado explains.

A soft smile can be seen plastered on his face as he remembers the good things that happened with the order of light. The smile falls however when he looks back up at Raiden, noticing the look in his eyes and addresses it.

"You still blame yourself for their deaths, don't you?" Manado asks.

"Yes. My actions led to their deaths, especially Liu Kang's." Raiden replies, a slight hint of sorrow at speaking of the former shaolin monk.

"Lord Raiden, what happened to Liu Kang was an accident, nothing more. And as I have said before, there was nothing that could be done. If anything, I should be the one to blame." Manado explains.

Raiden looks at him in surprise when he said that.

"I had multiple chances to end the madness before Shao Kahn could even get the opportunity to kill them, and I failed to stop it. I failed to kill him properly the first time and I failed to defeat him the second time. All these failures... make me still feel like the weak little boy I was in the flesh pits all those years ago." Manado says, tears threatening to shed out of his eyes.

Raiden then places a hand on his shoulder.

"All the punishment that Shang Tsung put on you does not show weakness, it shows strength. You defeated Shao Kahn in the tournament with that very strength. And you were willing to sacrifice everything to ensure the safety of your fellow warriors, even if it resulted in your death. You are not weak as you say Manado, you are among one of the strongest I have ever encountered and I am proud... of the man you have become... of the man that I have trained." Raiden assures.

Manado looks back up at Raiden and looks directly in his eyes. Through the electric glow, Manado could see sympathy and warmth, two things that are so rare for the thunder god that everyone else would think that he wasn't capable of such emotion. But Manado knew better than that. After all, Raiden effectively raised him, and even though he mostly stuck to training Manado in kombat, he knew that Raiden cared for him, and he couldn't be any more grateful.

"Thank you, Lord Raiden." Manado says.

Raiden nods his head, a soft smile plastered on his face. The smile falls however when a knock from behind gains his attention. He turns to find that the knock was done by one of the Shaolin monks.

"Lord Raiden, we've got a situation. You are gonna need to see this." The Shaolin Monk explains.

Raiden and Manado look towards each other in concern as they follow the monk out into the courtyard. Once they reach it, they notice that a bright glowing ball of light descending down from the sky. As it reaches the ground, the glow slowly dissipates and it reveals a woman, but it's no ordinary woman.

"Cetrion." Raiden says as he and Manado immediately bow to her.

Cetrion finally reaches the ground and approaches the two.

"Raiden. Manado." Cetrion greets.

"To what brings you here? Is Earthrealm in danger again?" Manado asks.

"For now, Earthrealm is not threatened. I am here to inform both of you of an important matter." Cetrion says.

"And what may that be, lady Cetrion?" Manado asks.

"Your future does not lie with protecting Earthrealm. It lies with restoring peace... to the realm you once called home" Cetrion explains.

Raiden and Manado's eyes widen at what they heard.

"So you're saying that I must bring peace with Outworld?" Manado asks.

"It is your destiny to do so, Manado." Cetrion replies.

"With all due respect Cetrion, if he steps one foot into Outworld, he will be struck down by it armies." Raiden points out.

"Which is why he's the one to help Outworld follow the right path. But that choice is up to him." Cetrion says.

Manado finds himself deep in thought. Never in his lifetime did he think he would find himself in a situation like this. All of his friends have died not that long ago and now one of the elder gods themselves say that his destiny is to bring peace to the very realm that took their lives away. If this was when he still lived in Outworld with his parents, he would've immediately agreed with this, but now? He felt hatred towards Outworld for what has happened but the more he thought about it, the more he realized that Outworld itself shouldn't be to blame, it was Shao Kahn who was to blame. He ruled Outworld with a tyrannical hand and led Outworld down a path of Corruption and Conquest. And if he was the only one who could save it from all of corruption, then he would do it to honor not only the memory of his lost friends, but also the memory of his parents. With determination, he looks back up towards the goddess of virtue.

"I'll do it." Manado replies.

"Manado, are your sure this is the right choice?" Raiden asks.

"I've made up my mind, Lord Raiden. I'm grateful for everything you have done for me, but at the end of it all, Outworld is still my home. And if I have the chance to redeem the realm from everything that Shao Kahn has done, then I will do it with pride." Manado explains.

"Very well." Raiden says.

"Then let your true path begin." Cetrion says.

With a flick of her hand, she opens a bright orange portal to Outworld. As Manado approaches the portal, he takes one last look at Raiden and Cetrion before walking through, the portal closing behind him. After walking through, Manado finds himself in the city of Z'unkahran, Outworld's capital. Before long, Manado notices a group of Tarkatans rushing towards him. As he readies for kombat, he looks behind and notices another group of Tarkatans rushing towards him. Soon, Manado finds himself completely surrounded by Tarkatans. Before he could begin to fight back. A few of the Tarkatans back up and make an opening to reveal a familiar face.

"Mileena?" Manado asks in surprise.

"Hello again dearest Manado. I'm so glad you could join us." Mileena says.

"What did I get myself into?" Manado asks himself.