In Outworld's flesh pits, Kano is trying to save Kabal's life. All that can be heard is heavy, strained breathing, along with occasional sounds of Kabal being operated on. To do this, Kano is using various gadgets that he strewn across a bloodied table. Among the gadgets are a scalpel, scissors, tweezers, a breathing apparatus and a mask. Kano then takes each piece of the breathing apparatus off the table and attaches the pieces one by one to Kabal. Finally, he puts the mask on and Kano finishes the operation.

Kabal's skin is scarred heavily from the burns, but it's no longer looking like charcoal. He begins to wake up, groaning as he does so. It's now apparent to him that he is not where he was before.

"Easy there, mate. You've had a rough one." Kano says.

"Kano?" Kabal asks.

"Heh heh, in the flesh." Kano replies.

"I was... on fire..." Kabal says, remembering what had happened on the bridge.

"Burned to a crisp, you were. Good thing I found ya." Kano says.

Kabal touches the mask on his face.

"I'm hideous..." Kabal says to himself.

"Shang Tsung's magic healed the rest of ya. But your lungs? Yeesh." Kano explains.

"Take it off." Kabal asks.

"Can't. It's permanent." Kano says.

"What?" Kabal asks.

"No mask, no breathing." Kano explains.

"I'm... a freak!" Kabal says to himself as he stands up from the table.

Kano then holds up a pair of hook swords. As Kabal is looking at the rest of his attire, Kano offers the weapons to him.

"Go on. Give 'em a whirl." Kano offers.

"I don't use those anymore." Kabal says.

"Yeah, you're all proper police now. The Black Dragon ain't the same without ya, mate. You should come back. We're in the money on this war." Kano says.

"You sold those monsters their firepower." Kabal says.

"Guilty as charged." Kano admits.

"This is YOUR fault!" Kabal snaps.

"What're you on about, eh?" Kano asks.

He then drops the hook swords.

"You're here, ain't ya?" Kano asks.

"I should be dead! Now you're gonna be!" Kabal yells.

They then fight. Kabal finds out that not only is he still an able fighter, but he finds himself fighting with multiple new powers he didn't have before, including super speed. He gets the hang of these new powers quickly and uses them to completely overpower Kano, knocking him to the ground.

"Now how do I get outta here?" Kabal asks.

"Not so keen on being dead now, are ya?" Kano jokes.

Kabal then retrieves his hook swords.

"How do I get outta here?" Kabal demands, holding a hook sword to Kano's throat.

"Heh, good luck. No one gets outta Outworld with Shao Kahn's say-so." Kano says.

"Outworld? Shao Kahn?" Kabal asks.

"Shao Kahn's the big boss round here, and soon, Earth's new master." Kano replies.

Kabal then points the hook sword closer at Kano's neck.

"Where is he?" Kabal asks.

"Don't bother. You can't get near him." Kano says.

"No. But I'm guessing you can." Kabal assumes.

In Shao Kahn's throne room. Mileena, along with several Lin Kuei cyborgs and Tarkatan minions, drag Motaro's body through a portal on a slab.

"What is this?" Shao Kahn asks.

"Raiden has killed Motaro." Mileena replies.

Kabal then enters the room, with Kano in front of him. The latter has one of his own knives being wielded by Kabal and pointing into his back.

"That's him? On the throne?" Kabal asks.

"You're a right genius, you are." Kano replies.

"It's no great matter. I will go to Earthrealm. To finish Motaro's work." Sindel assures.

"Yes. Shang Tsung!" Shao Kahn calls out.

"Yes, Emperor?" Shang Tsung asks.

"The empress requires something of you." Shao Kahn says.

Shao Kahn then blasts Shang Tsung with his magic and sucks out all of the souls within him, disintegrating him into nothing.

"See there? I'm thinking he's a bit much–" Kano says before Kabal hits him with the blunt end of the knife, knocking Kano out.

"I can take him." Kabal says.

Shao Kahn then blasts the power of the souls into Sindel. While he's doing so, Kabal walks into the room. Noob Saibot and Mileena notice this and move to intercept him.

"No one attacks the emperor!" Mileena yells.

They then start to fight. While fighting two on one would be a severe handicap for most, Kabal's new powers enable him to take the fight to both of Shao Kahn's minions. After an intense battle, he puts both Mileena and Noob down for the count.

"And I thought I was a freak." Kabal says.

With Mileena and Noob down, the Tarkatan and Lin Kuei minions all surround Kabal.

"Quan Chi! Seal the portal!" Shao Kahn orders.

"Time to go." Kabal says.

He then zips across the room just as the minions all try to grab him, coming to a stop at the portal.

"Huh?" Kabal asks himself.

After a moment's hesitation, he leaps through the portal before Quan Chi seals it. He then lands back at the bridge he was at previously, and the portal closes behind him. He rolls over onto his back and sits up.

"This speed's incredible! Guess it's a side-effect of the Outworld magic." Kabal assumes.

Unknowingly behind him, an unseen assailant, clearly cybernetic in nature, examines Kabal through a database on it's heads-up display. The search comes up blank.

"You are not authorized for portal use." The voice says.

"Yeah? Says who?" Kabal asks.

The cyborg in question is shown to be Sub Zero, who has now been cyberized. His robotic suit is color-coded blue, and his hands pulse with ice energy.

"Sub Zero. Unit L-K-5-2-0." Cyber Sub Zero introduces himself.

"Heh, you say that like it means something." Kabal says.

"As you will soon discover." Cyber Sub Zero replies.

They then fight. As a cyborg, Sub Zero is more powerful than ever, boasting an array of ice attacks and cybernetic powers his previous form could never muster. However, Kabal's mastery of his new powers proves to be an equal match to the cyborg, and with a few clever moves Kabal manages to disable Sub Zero and power down his systems.

"Ha! Not as cool as you thought." Kabal says.

Just then, Sheeva walks onto the bridge.

"Why do you turn on your brother, Lin Kuei?" Sheeva asks, observing the situation.

"That is not my brother. He's machine. I'm human." Kabal replies.

"You do not appear human." Sheeva says, looking at how Kabal looks.

"Don't let the mask fool ya." Kabal says.

They then fight. As powerful as Sheeva is, she is little match for Kabal and his super speed. After a brief battle, Kabal soon has Sheeva knocked out on the floor.

"Starting to feel like the old days - only faster." Kabal says.

Behind Kabal, Smoke and Raiden start to walk onto the bridge.

"Sub Zero!" Smoke calls out.

He then rushes to his friend's side and kneels by him. Raiden faces Kabal.

"You have great power indeed, Kabal." Raiden says.

"Wait. You're the lightning guy. You helped Stryker. Stryker! Is he–" Kabal says before Raiden holds his hand up to stop him.

"He is safe. He has joined us in the fight against Shao Kahn. We would welcome your aid also." Raiden assures.

"Sub Zero!" Smoke says.

Raiden then turns to Smoke.

"That which made him Sub Zero no longer exists." Raiden informs.

"He is my friend. What they did to him... it is... hideous." Smoke says.

"You're right. We gotta help him if we can." Kabal says before he then helps Smoke lift Sub Zero up for carrying.