The Tales of Ash is one of the least known story arcs in The King of Fighters history. It was told during a time when developer SNK was contending with bankruptcy, preventing it from releasing the series as a yearly franchise. As a result, instead of being told across three to four years, The Tales of Ash took eight years to complete. The King of Fighters 2003 was obviously in 2003, The King of Fighters 11 released in 2005, and The King of Fighters 13 released in 2010.
This means that not only was it released across various consoles, but various generations of consoles as well. Arcade, NeoGeo, PlayStation 2, PlayStation 3, the original Xbox, Xbox 360, PC, and that's not even counting the later ports after the story was finished. The King of Fighters 11 has only been ported from the Arcade to the PlayStation 2, and in relatively limited quantities in North America, making it a rare experience. It is an interesting arc in the The King of Fighters series, as it serves as a continuation to the Orochi saga from four years prior.
The King of Fighters 2003
A new tournament by a new host, and new three person tag team rules, is announced. Chizuru Kagura, high priestess of one of the clans that sealed away the ancient evil Orochi, receives a prophecy that a new evil will be at the new tournament. She asks two members of the other clans who sealed away Orochi, Kyo Kusanagi and Iori Yagami, to join her in the tournament, but they refuse. Many new fighters enter the tournament, including a mysterious newcomer named Ash. Adelheid and Rose Bernstein, the children of KOF 94 and 95 host Rugal Bernstein, are revealed to be the new hosts of the tournament. Upon Adelheid’s defeat, the Ikari Warriors are declared the victors.
However, elsewhere, K’ and his team are attacked by a Kyo Kusanagi clone, Chizuru, and a mirror image of her dead sister Maki. Chizuru is being mind-controlled by Botan and Mukai, two members of a mysterious group known as “Those From The Past.” Though not worshippers of Orochi, their goal is to weaken the seal on it for unknown purposes. K’ and his team manage to defeat Mukai in battle, but he escapes and breaks the seal. Kyo and Iori come to Chizuru’s aid, but Ash catches her off guard and steals her powers, saying Iori is next.
The King of Fighters 11
With the seal broken, Kyo and Iori team up with Kyo fan Shingo to go after Ash, as Chizuru cannot fight after losing her power. A childhood friend of Ash's, named Elizabeth, teams up with KOF veteran Benimaru and Ash’s previous teammate Duo Lon, in an effort to stop him and learn his intentions. Elizabeth is the last remaining member of the Blanctorche family, who protected the innocent and have mastery over light. Many members of Those From The Past were wiped out previously by the Blanctorches.
Kyo, Iori, and Shingo win the tournament and fight Shion, a member of Those From The Past. The tournament’s host, a high member of Those From The Past named Magaki, sends Shion to another dimension upon his defeat. Magaki attempts to kill Kyo, Iori, and Shingo, all in service to offering them as sacrifices to Orochi, so he can give its power to his master.
However, Magaki loses, and he tries to escape through the same dimensional rift he put Shion in, but he’s stabbed by Shion through the rift. Iori suddenly flies into a fit of rage known as the Riot of the Blood, due to his cursed bloodline, and nearly kills Kyo and Shingo. However, Ash appears and uses this opportunity to steal his powers, saying Kyo is next.
The King of Fighters 13
Rose Bernstein returns to host The King of Fighters 13 tournament, but it’s actually Those From The Past in the background pulling the strings. It’s revealed that Those From The Past want to rule humanity and want to use Orochi’s power to enter the time gate below the KOF stadium, and rewrite history to their liking. Kyo and Iori enter the tournament with their old teams with Benimaru and Goro, as well as Vice and Mature, respectively. Iori adapts a new fighting style to make up for losing his powers. Elizabeth also returns, again looking for answers from Ash.
At the end of the tournament, time stops and Those From The Past show up, including Mukai and the group’s leader, a being with time manipulation powers named Saiki. Saiki kills Mukai, and attacks Kyo, Iori, and Elizabeth intending to sacrifice them all to Orochi and make him more powerful. He is unsuccessful, and the time gate begins to close. If Saiki doesn’t go through the time gate, he’ll be stuck in present time, creating a paradox and killing him instantly. Ash then appears from nowhere and kills Saiki.
He reveals he pretended to work for Those From The Past and stole Iori and Chizuru's power to gain Saiki's trust. However, Saiki manages to take over Ash’s body and attacks Kyo, Iori, and Elizabeth again. He fails once again, and Ash regains control of his body. Ash lets the time gate close, the paradox occurs, and Saiki is erased from existence. Ash reveals he’s a descendant of Saiki and is erased as well. Kyo, Iori, and Chizuru gain their powers back, and no one remembers Ash, except for a broken-hearted Elizabeth. This small innocuous detail ends up setting in motion the events that will transpire in The King of Fighters 14.