Manado, Liu Kang and Kung Lao make their way to the Tower. No one is present.

"I hope your girlfriend is worth Lord Raiden's anger, Manado." Kung Lao says.

"Notice that i'm ignoring you." Manado says.

They look around the Tower, but still find no one.

"Hmm... They must have relocated Kitana." Liu Kang suggests.

Just then, Sheeva opens the door to the Tower on one side. On the other side, a ninja who looks like a dark wraith opens them on the other side.

"We have indeed. We knew someone would come for her." Noob Saibot says.

Liu Kang, Kung Lao, and Manado nod to each other. While Manado begin fighting with Sheeva, Kung Lao and Liu Kang face down Noob Saibot.

"May you join her in death!" Noob Saibot says.

They then fight. The wraith is unlike anything Kung Lao and Liu Kang have faced before, with his ability to conjure both dark magic and shadow clones of himself to fight with. Nonetheless, the monk's fighting abilities and mastery of the Shaolin arts sees them through the fight, and eventually they leave the wraith down on the floor.

"Be thankful we choose not to spill your tainted blood." Liu Kang says.

As Noob struggles to remain conscious, Kung Lao notices something about him.

"Who are you? There is something familiar..." Kung Lao says.

Behind him, Kung Lao and Liu Kang notice Manado is still fighting Sheeva.

"Do you need help? Four arms against two is hardly a fair fight for any of you." Kung Lao asks.

"Liu Kang?!" Goro asks in anger.

Kung Lao and Liu Kang then turns around to see Goro. The Shokan roars and gets into a fighting stance. Kung Lao goes to help against Sheeva as Liu Kang stands against Goro once again.

"You will fare no better here than your lair, Shokan." Liu Kang says.

They then fight. Although a different environment in the tower compared to the cavelike lair, Liu Kang stays true to his word and the battles ends the same, with Goro knocked down to the ground.

"Once again, I am victorious." Liu Kang says.

Kung Lao lands in Liu Kang's hands after being sent flying by Sheeva who continues her onslaught against Manado. Goro then begins to rise again as Liu Kang turns to fight Sheeva, leaving Kung Lao to face Goro.

"You will not defeat me, Liu Kang!" Goro roars.

"You have had your match against Liu Kang. Now you will face me!" Kung Lao says.

They then fight. Goro proves just as much of a challenge to Kung Lao as he was to Liu Kang, but the Shokan's overconfidence allows Kung Lao an edge that Liu Kang didn't have. After a fierce battle, the Shaolin monk eventually defeats the former champion of Mortal Kombat.

"Now, if you have any honour left... you will tell us where Kitana is!" Kung Lao demands.

By now, Liu Kang and Manado have defeated Sheeva and are also standing over Goro.

"She has been taken to the Coliseum, where she has no doubt been executed." Goro says.

"You lie!" Manado yells as he stomps on Goro's face, knocking him out.

"She may yet live. Let us go." Kung Lao says as the three fighters then leave the Tower.

Back at the Coliseum, Ermac punches Johnny Cage across the face twice. Johnny tries a kick, but Ermac grabs his leg and smashes his elbow onto Johnny's knee, dislocating it. Ermac lays him out with a palm strike, leaving him writhing in pain on the ground.

"Ermac wins!" Shang Tsung announces.

Liu Kang, Kung Lao and Manado return. They then spot Kitana chained up next to Shao Kahn's throne.

"There's Kitana." Kung Lao says.

"I must free her!" Manado says.

Raiden notices their appearance and runs after them.

"Not now! Smoke and Johnny Cage have been defeated, and I no longer sense Jackson Briggs' or Sonya Blade's presence in Outworld. Despite my doubts as to whether you are Earthrealm's saviour, you must fight!" Raiden demands.

"But I am not "He Who Must Win"." Manado insists.

Manado walks over to where Kitana is, ignoring everyone else. The Tarkatans surrounding her put up fighting stances, but Shao Kahn watches him pass dismissively.

"Raiden! Put forth a worthy champion... if you can." Shao Kahn says.

Kung Lao begins to step forward, but hesitates. He looks to the Thunder God, who considers the implication.

"Perhaps you are meant to be the victor." Raiden says.

Smiling, Kung Lao looks towards Liu Kang, who nods his head in encouragement. Kung Lao steps forward.

"You will face Shang Tsung." Shao Kahn says.

Shang Tsung smiles while clenching his fist.

"And Quan Chi." Shao Kahn also says.

It is now Quan Chi's turn to smile. Shang Tsung is less than happy with this turn of events, but goes along with Quan Chi to face Kung Lao.

"No Earthrealm boy can stop this Deadly Alliance." Quan Chi says.

"On that we agree." Shang Tsung says.

They then start to fight. Fighting one sorcerer alone would be a challenge, let alone both of them at once, but it is a challenge Kung Lao more than steps up to. Using all of the fighting skill at his disposal, he puts up an amazing battle and, against all the odds, emerges victorious against the two sorcerers.

"It is done!" Kung Lao announces.

"No, Kung Lao. Not nearly so." Shang Tsung says to the Shaolin victor.

Quan Chi and Shang Tsung then pick themselves up and walk back to Shao Kahn's throne.

The gates to one side of the Coliseum suddenly open to reveal a gigantic Shokan, or more accurately, a tiger Shokan known as Kintaro. As the crowd cheers the beast's appearance, he roars out loud and faces Kung Lao.

"I will eat your heart!" Kintaro says.

They then fight. The tiger Shokan proves to be the most intense fight of Kung Lao's life. It takes everything the Shaolin monk has left in him to remain in the battle, but he eventually manages to fight his way through Kintaro's defenses and take the melee to him. Finally, the mighty Kintaro falls to Kung Lao's onslaught and is left unconscious on the floor.

Laughing in victory, Kung Lao parades to the booing crowd, bowing in mockery and waving his hat at them. He then turns to the Thunder God.

"You see, Raiden? Earthrealm is fre–" Kung Lao says but he never finishes the sentence, as Shao Kahn grabs him from behind and snaps his neck like a twig.

The crowd burst into cheers as Kung Lao then falls dead.

"Kung Lao!" Raiden and Liu Kang calls out.

Manado, who's knocked out the Tarkatan guards and is in the process of freeing Kitana, watches the whole thing happen.

"NO!!" Manado yells.

Manado's emotions begins to go into overdrive as anger and vengence begins to quickly fill up inside of him. And soon, all he could see is red.

As Shao Kahn basks in the crowd's cheers, Raiden charges up a lightning blast.

"I will strip the flesh from your bones!" Raiden says in anger.

Roaring in fury, Manado tackles Shao Kahn from behind. They wrestle on the ground, forcing Raiden to cancel his attack. Shao Kahn quickly kicks Manado off him and they both pick themselves up, Shao Kahn laughing as he does so.

"Witless boy. Do you know who I am?" Shao Kahn asks.

"The murderer of my friend!" Manado replies angrily.

"I am Shao Kahn! Konquerer of Worlds! You will taste no victory." Shao Kahn announces.

Manado then assumes a fighting stance as his arms suddenly glow with red energy, along with his eyes glowing the same hue, much to everyone's surprise. He then speaks, but as he does, his voice becomes deeper and more demonic in nature.

"No Shao Kahn, You will taste your own blood!" Manado angrily promises the war lord.

They then begin to fight. Shao Kahn is every bit the mighty warrior he claims to be, with control of both dark magic and superhuman strength at his disposal. But Manado, fueled with vengeance at seeing his friend die, along with his newfound power, takes it to the emperor and dishes out an absolutely brutal beating. Finally, after an epic battle, Shao Kahn is knocked to the floor.

"On your feet!" Manado orders loudly.

As Shao Kahn struggles to his feet, barely conscious, Manado raises his fist, which lights up with red energy again.

"For Kung Lao, for Earthrealm and for all those who suffered by your hand!" Manado announces.

In what feels like everything is in slow motion, Manado charges forward and punches Shao Kahn straight in the chest, his fist bursting through the other side of Kahn's body. He withdraws his fist and Shao Kahn falls to his knees, coughing up blood. With a final gurgle, he falls forward, unmoving. The arena becomes completely silent.

"I cannot believe... Earthrealm has won." Shang Tsung says in shock.

As with Manado's victory before, a light from the heavens shines down on him, the Elder Gods noting his victory in the new tournament.

"The Elder Gods have spoken. Earthrealm is free of Shao Kahn forever." Raiden says.

With a flick of his head, Shang Tsung motions to two Tarkatan guards. They pick up Shao Kahn's body and walk off. All of Shao Kahn's minions follow, save Kitana. Kitana walks up to Manado's side with Liu Kang beside her. They look briefly at each other, but say nothing as they lay eyes on Kung Lao's body and walk over to it.

"But the price of victory was almost too steep to pay. Kung Lao's death is my fault. I encouraged him. Our triumph was not meant to be achieved in this way. I see now. "He must win" refers to you. But to prevent Armageddon, you needed to defeat Shao Kahn, not Shang Tsung." Raiden explains.

Raiden then takes his amulet off his chest and looks at it once more. More cracks adorn it.

"It cannot be! Shao Kahn is dead! Yet the future remains unchanged!" Raiden says with disdain.

Liu Kang then looks up in confused anger at Raiden, which goes unnoticed by the Thunder God. Manado however stays silent, looking down at his now dead friend.

Kitana then turns towards Manado.

"Are you alright?" Kitana asks.

"If I'm honest Kitana, I do not know." Manado replies as he then looks at his hands, wondering where all this power came from.

Back in Shao Kahn's throne room, all of his lieutenants (Baraka, Goro, Mileena, Sheeva, Ermac, Sektor, Cyrax, Shang Tsung and the centaur Motaro) are discussing what to do next.

"Shao Kahn is finished." Goro says.

"Mileena is his heir. She should rule." Baraka suggests.

"Mileena? She exists only because of my sorcery." Shang Tsung says.

"And you breathe because I restrain mine." Shao Kahn says.

The lieutenants then turn around. Shao Kahn is indeed alive and walking toward them, albeit shakily and with a hand on his former chest wound, with Quan Chi by his side.

"Emperor!" Shang Tsung says in surprise.

"You live!" Motoro says as everyone except Shang Tsung bows before him.

"I am not so easily killed. Quan Chi accelerated my recovery." Shao Kahn explains.

"Emperor, I–" Shang Tsung tries to say before being cut off.

"Not. One. Word. Because of you, Outworld can no longer merge with Earthrealm!" Shao Kahn yells at the sorcerer.

"There may yet be an alternative, Emperor. Invasion." Quan Chi suggests.

"Uh-- Invasion?!" Shang Tsung asks, exasperated at what he just heard.

Shao Kahn then holds his hand up. Shang Tsung immediately shuts up.

"Do you mock me? Sindel's Ward prevents me from setting foot in Earthrealm." Shao Kahn says.

"Have you considered why your wife and empress chose to betray you in this particular fashion?" Quan Chi asks.

"Of course. But even after millenia, her motives are a mystery." Shao Kahn replies as he moves to sit back onto his throne.

"She realised that the safeguards afforded by the Elder Gods through Mortal Kombat are but fiction. She sacrificed herself to give Earthrealm protection the Elder Gods could not. So Earthrealm could not suffer as had Edenia." Quan Chi explains.

"Indeed." Shao Kahn says.

"I have mastered the spells necessary for her resurrection. Her ward will be nullified. And with it the barrier that prevents your entry into Earthrealm. I will return her to you, of course. You will find her much more... cooperative." Quan Chi offers.

"This is a very magnanimous offer." Shao Kahn says.

"I wish only to serve, Emperor." Quan Chi assures.

"I am weary of sorcerers, Quan Chi. Prove your worth. Bring her to me." Shao Kahn orders.

Later, Quan Chi and Noob Saibot arrive at a desert wasteland in Earthrealm, where they are standing before a green swirl of magic that Quan Chi summoned. From the magical swirl, a skeletal hand raises itself from the ground. Soon, Another skeletal hand joins it. Eventually, The rest of the skeleton pulls itself from the sand. Quan Chi then rolls the skeleton over with his magic and begins reproducing its former muscle mass, blood, organs and skin. The skeleton screams out loud as the process completes itself. Noob readies himself in a combat stance as Quan Chi approaches the form. Finally, the newly resurrected woman, Queen Sindel, sits upright. Her pupils are glazed over withwhite, and there's not a stitch of clothing on her.

"Sindel." Quan Chi greets the empress.

"Quan Chi?" Sindel asks in confusion.

"Shao Kahn looks forward to your return." Quan Chi informs.

"The emperor! Yesss." Sindel says.

Quan Chi then motions to Noob Saibot, who drops his fighting stance.

"What of Kitana?" Sindel asks.

"Kitana now allies herself with Earthrealm." Quan Chi replies.

"Then she is no longer my daughter. Take me to Shao Kahn." Sindel demands.

"Yes, Empress." Quan Chi says as he stands up.

"The invasion of Earthrealm can now begin." Quan Chi says to Noob Saibot before they take Sindel back to Shao Kahn.