The early days of 'The King of Fighters (KOF)', specifically the '96-'97 era, are collectively known as the 'Orochi Saga'. At the heart of this narrative lies the 'Orochi Clan', featuring the Hakkeshu and the Four Heavenly Kings as the primary antagonists. The story follows protagonists Kyo Kusanagi and Iori Yagami as they are dragged into a fate tied to the clan's bloodline, all orchestrated by Chizuru Kagura. Now, on November 27, the ultimate antagonist Orochi is set to join 'King of Fighters AFK' as a special fighter. KookminTree has compiled the history of this character, known to most players only as a final boss.

I, Orochi, shall purge humanity for destroying the environment.

In the KOF lore, there exists the concept of the 'Will of the Earth'. It refers to a supernatural entity, an aggregation of various grudges and thoughts. While you might imagine an omnipotent god, it isn't one; it is simply something that rivals the power of a deity.

Yamata no Orochi, now simply called Orochi, is the quintessential Will of the Earth. Unlike the 'Those From the Past' faction seen in KOF 2003-XIII, Orochi didn't seek to eradicate humanity unless they pushed nature to the brink. As centuries passed and humanity’s destruction of the environment accelerated, Orochi could no longer stand by. He manifested in the physical realm using the bodies of the seven sisters of Princess Kushinada as vessels. This was the birth of the infamous 'Hakkeshu' and Orochi. Looking back, it seems humanity was the catalyst for it all.

The original Hakkeshu and Orochi overwhelmed humanity with sheer power. They were just moments away from achieving total supremacy by harnessing the power of Princess Kushinada. However, three individuals stood in their way: the one who cuts, Kusanagi; the one who seals, Yasakani; and the one who protects, Yata. After a crushing defeat by the Three Sacred Treasures clans, Orochi and the Hakkeshu were sealed away for approximately 1,800 years.

Even while sealed, Orochi’s influence remained potent. Around 660 years before the events of KOF '97, he preyed upon the jealousy within the Yasakani clan. He manipulated their envy of the Kusanagi and their longing for his own power. The Yasakani successfully broke the seal, though the Yata clan managed to move the main seal, preventing Orochi's full release. The Hakkeshu, however, were set free. This incident led to the imprisonment of the Yasakani, who were then approached by the Hakkeshu and rebranded as the 'Yagami', gaining the power of Orochi. The blue flames wielded by Iori Yagami are the manifestation of that very power.

After their revival, the Hakkeshu spent years hunting for the location of the seal hidden by the Yata clan. Although the exact timeline is murky, Goenitz, the leader of the Hakkeshu, murdered Chizuru Kagura’s twin sister, Maki, prior to KOF '96, finally breaking the seal. Yet, Orochi lacked the mental energy to manifest fully. The Hakkeshu devised a plan to use the KOF '97 tournament, harnessing the psychic energy generated by the conflict between fighters. When enough energy was gathered—though still not his full potential—Orochi descended into the mortal realm using Chris as a vessel.

In this 1,800-year-later rematch, Orochi fell once again. But mere human fighters cannot defeat the Will of the Earth through conventional means. In his final act of desperation, Orochi attempted to force Iori into a riotous state. Instead, Iori grabbed Orochi by the throat and unleashed a torrent of flame. The spirit of the elder Yasakani appeared before Kyo, begging him to finish the job. Kyo obliged, combining his own flames with Iori's power to attempt a mutual destruction.

Orochi uttered the classic villain trope, 'Both of you shall die!', but Kyo and Iori didn't flinch, pushing their power to the limit. Thus, Orochi was sealed away once more. It was later revealed that the line wasn't just a threat; the original narrative intended for Orochi, Kyo, and Iori to all perish in KOF '97. Since the loss of both protagonists was unthinkable, the developers settled for sealing Orochi while leaving Kyo and Iori missing in action.

As a side note, in endings involving fighters other than the Three Sacred Treasures team, Orochi acknowledges the potential of humanity and seals himself away. As mentioned, he isn't the type to intervene unless nature is threatened. Since humanity’s environmental destruction was the root cause, he essentially deemed the fighters worthy of inheriting the world.

To think he would be used as a tool by another clan!

In the subsequent 'NESTS' and 'Ash' sagas, Orochi did not appear directly but was referenced through lore and lingering spirits. The NESTS saga revolved around the organization's attempt to conquer the world by targeting the Three Sacred Treasures who sealed Orochi. They had their eyes on the power that took down the strongest entity in the universe. This was when they kidnapped Kyo, who had been weakened by the aftermath of the seal, but their ambitious quest for world domination was promptly thwarted.

In the Ash saga, Orochi was exploited by the aforementioned 'Those From the Past'. They planned to break the seal to travel back in time and eradicate humanity. The Four Heavenly Kings of the Orochi clan—Goenitz of the Wild Blowing Wind, Yashiro of the Parched Earth, Shermie of the Glaring Lightning, and Chris of the Flame of Destiny—bore these titles for a reason. They truly commanded these natural elements. The goal was to siphon the power of Orochi to empower their master in the past. It was a classic case of one final boss trying to hijack the power of another, and naturally, the fighters' efforts ensured the plan failed.

Orochi made an incomplete appearance via 'Verse', a creature composed of spirits, grudges, and lingering thoughts. However, perhaps due to his power being siphoned by previous villains, he appeared emaciated and missing his lower half. Worse, the Three Sacred Treasures were waiting for him, fists clenched. His former glory was gone, and he was sealed away in an instant. Thankfully, all members of the Hakkeshu, including Goenitz, were revived in KOF XV. If a new entry arrives, we might see him return as either a boss or a playable character.

Set to appear as the third special fighter

In the King of Fighters AFK developer note on November 20, the arrival of Orochi alongside the Four Heavenly Kings' Goenitz was announced. He is the third new special fighter following Orochi Leona and Orochi Iori. His kit includes an effect where he is excluded from being targeted as long as his allies are alive, alongside damage reduction. Furthermore, he gains a stat boost once all his allies have fallen. Detailed skill information will be revealed in the November 27 update. Goenitz is also set to join as a rush fighter. Given that previous Orochi-themed fighters have been fan-favorites for their top-tier performance, expectations are high for how powerful the original Orochi will be.