A. K. I.

Story

After M. Bison and Shadaloo fell, F.A.N.G retreated to Shanghai to revive Shadaloo. While meeting old associates to fund his efforts during Chinese New Year, he noticed a teenage girl attempting to make money through prostitution.

Rather than exploit her, F.A.N.G was intrigued by her spirit. When blackmailed by her brother's smartphone recording, F.A.N.G offered them three choices: money laced with lethal poison, a bejewelled dagger that would require sacrificing a hand or walking away unharmed.

The sister was drawn to the dagger's inscription and ornate beauty, sensing its power. F.A.N.G revealed the characters contained the Nguuhao's most prized poison techniques. If she joined him, he would teach their secrets. Entranced, the girl accepted and became F.A.N.G's protege Phantom, trained in the Nguuhao's deadly arts.

Phantom would eventually become A.K.I., also known as the Maniacal Mistress of Poison, a snake-like poison-wielding assassin and F.A.N.G. apprentice, enchanted by the power of toxins.

Personality

Initially, A.K.I. presents a calm, gleeful facade with knowledge of Chinese medicine. However, this masks her underlying sadistic, psychopathic nature, arguably more extreme than Juri Han's cruelty borne of trauma. A.K.I. has mastered using poisons, is aware of their side effects, and seems to enjoy tormenting victims. She views her fighting as an artistic display of her "perfect" mastery over others, willingly or not.

A peculiar aspect of A.K.I.'s personality is her snake-like behavior and mannerisms. She can be seen slithering on the ground and around others. Her unique laughter mimics a snake, as does her adoption of her master's verbal tic 'desu', homonymous with the Japanese word for 'death'.

Although professional, A.K.I.'s passionate adoration for her master F.A.N.G. often overcomes her composure. She openly and dramatically expresses her unwavering love and devotion.

Playstyle

A.K.I. is a complex character that relies on poison-based attacks and sly, snake-like movements. Her unique toolkit allows her to control space and pressure opponents constantly. Mastering when to utilize her lingering poison effects adds an extra layer of strategy.

At her core, A.K.I. focuses on long-range swipes with her clawed gauntlets and debilitating poison techniques. She employs trickery through slippery movement to outmanoeuvre adversaries. Certain poison attacks like Serpent Lash can trigger an explosive Toxic Blossom if they strike an already poisoned foe, opening up new combo opportunities.

Drawing from Chinese Kenpo, Shequan snake-style kung fu, and the deadly secrets of her mentor F.A.N.G., A.K.I.'s diverse fighting repertoire keeps opponents guessing. Her mastery of poisons and her elusive, serpentine techniques make A.K.I. a formidable and unpredictable fighter.

Appearance

A.K.I. has very pale skin and wears a black cheongsam dress with red accents. The dress has an open back and is made of a snakeskin-like material, as are her skintight black pants. She has uniquely styled white hair shaped like a traditional Japanese straw hat associated with assassins. Her eyes are bright red. She wears metal gauntlets with long claws on each finger, likely inspired by Chinese nail guards. The gauntlet fingers can extend outwards via poisoned chains wrapped around her arms, giving her additional deadly reach.