Также полная версия истории саги Эша.
Apparently, Those From the Past (TFTP) are a clan of powerful people originated from Western Europe led by a being named Saiki. In fact, they can be considered the Western counterpart of the Orochi clan, as both Orochi and Saiki are divine beings known as Gaia's Will. Unlike Orochi who has the power to distort space, Saiki has the power to distort time.
TFTP wanted Orochi's power to open the Time Gate (the gate we saw in the Boss Stage), which requires a lot of energy to do so. The reason they wanted to open the Time Gate is so that Saiki can travel back to the past to rewrite history, as many members of TFTP were wiped out in a war by humans (speculated to be Elizabeth's ancestors). However, when the door of the Time Gate closes before Saiki can even reach the past, it would create a time paradox, thus it would cause Saiki's existence to cease. So in order to ensure that the gate stays open when Saiki is time travelling, the power of the Three Sacred Treasure is needed.
Saiki ordered Ash, who would later be revealed to be his direct descendant, to steal the Three Sacred Treasures from Kyo, Iori and Chizuru. Ash succeeds in stealing the latter two's treasures, but it was revealed that he never really intend to help his ancestor in his plan to change history. One of the reasons is probably because he fears that if history is changed, then Elizabeth, whom he viewed as a sister figure, would ceased to exist. The reason for him to steal the treasures is to gain Saiki's trust so that he can get near him.
When Rose congratulates the winner of the tournament, Saiki and his remaining followers set their plan into motion. Saiki uses his power to freeze time, causing the surrounding environment and people (with the exception of the KOF participants) to stop moving. Because only two of the Three Sacred Treasures were collected, Saiki orders his followers to go to the Time Gate and use their powers instead along with the other two treasures to ensure the the Time Gate is open. However, Mukai wishes to stay behind so that he can deal with the KOF participants in his master's place. Despite Mukai's display of loyalty, Saiki is annoyed by Mukai for disobeying his order and proceeds to kill him, reducing him into a pile of bones. Saiki then transforms into a red demonic looking creature and decides to use the KOF participants as a sacrifice to Orochi in order to increase its power to open the Time Gate.
After a massive battle, the KOF participants managed to overcome Saiki. Despite this, Saiki taunts them that the more they struggle against him, the more power they would provide to open the Time Gate. However, things does not go as planned for Saiki when he was informed by Botan that the door of the Time Gate is closing. Shocked by this turn of event, Saiki deduces that more sacrifice is needed. Before he could even proceed further, Saiki is blindsided and has what appears to be his soul absorbed by Ash, whom noticed that his guard is down during the distraction.
Shocked by Ash's betrayal, Botan demands an explanation from him, to which he nonchalantly replies that TFTP should have perished a long time ago just as stated by history. Before he could say more however, Ash suddenly went into a trance as his entire body is enveloped with dark aura, revealing that Saiki's soul has managed to overcome Ash's willpower and possessed his body. The resulting possession causes a powerful energy explosion, which blows away Botan. Refusing to let his plan fail, Saiki plans to use Ash's body (seems like his original body is destroyed) to travel through the Time Gate to complete his plans. The KOF participants follow Saiki and engages him in one final showdown, which ended with Saiki defeated again.
With the last ounce of his strength, Saiki attempts to cross the Time Gate when its door is closing again. When he almost succeed in reaching the door, Ash uses his remaining willpower to stop the body from moving further. Realizing what's happening, Saiki warns Ash that if they don't cross the Time Gate now, their existence would eventually perish due to the time paradox. Unfazed by the warning, Ash nonchalantly tells his ancestor that this suits him just fine.
After Saiki perished while screaming for his life, Ash was approached by Elizabeth.
He tells Elizabeth that things didn't go as well as he planned as the results could have been better. Puzzled by what Ash says, she asked for the meaning behind his words. Ash then explains that since Saiki no longer exists due to the time paradox, it wouldn't be long before he himself would perish. Realizing the truth, Elizabeth couldn't accept what would eventually happen and told Ash that she is here because she wanted to bring him back and live like how they used to during their younger days. Realizing his time is short, Ash apologizes to Elizabeth as he fades away from existance.
Shortly after Ash perished, everything returns to normal as Rose continues her speech to congratulate the winners of the tournament. Meanwhile, in an unknown location, a soldier reports to Heidern there was a time rift spreading at the location of the KOF Tournament. Heidern comments that Ash's actions have saved the present world. He then deduces that Ash didn't do it for the world's sake, but for the sake of protecting his own pride. Heidern then laments that since Ash had ceased to exist, no one would know the truth behind his actions as their memories of him would eventually perish as well.
