Story:
The fighting competition of the highest standards, on the greatest scale in the world -
"The King of Fighters."
Here on this stage Rugal was defeated, the Orochi were contained and sealed away, and the mighty conglomerate NESTS was taken down.
A myriad of unfolding dramas.
Yet these were always hidden behind some sort of thick veil or other, remaining out of the public eye.
Even with such a checkered history, the opening of this year湿邪s King of Fighters was decided on.
The sponsor of the competition was, yet again, a mysterious personage, and owing to the circumstances, various suppositions traveled through assorted lands like wildfire.
But in spite of all the hubbub, one veteran contestant after another made their intentions to enter the competition known.
Upon verification that numerous well-known fighters had entered the competition, the heretofore discreet media coverage of the event shifted into 24/7 overdrive.
With the announcement of the inception from this KOF tournament of the new "multi-shift" rule, allowing competitors to freely tag off during battles, the competition developed into a social phenomenon and monopolized discussions around the world.
Newspapers and magazines put together feature articles almost on a weekly basis while ersatz critics pounded their desks and made impassioned commentary on TV day after day about this rule, which simultaneously required a speedy execution of the match and a unified team strategy.
"There is still an awesome bunch of fearsome contestants in this world."
Gato, Tizoc, Duo Lon, Shen Woo.
...and Ash Crimson.
What made their names more and more familiar via the Internet was, without doubt, this moment of uproar concerning the present KOF.
Will these contestants be able to become the new stars capable of shaking up the KOF tournament?
Or maybe...?
And during these crazy days, the preparations steadily went along.
The venues of local competitions were determined, the schedules were completed, and the spectators moved from one location of the preliminary matches to another.
To create the atmosphere of a true street fight, venues were established in city centers, the events of the competition were broadcasted live on giant screens, and various stadiums scaled to hold tens of thousands of people were procured in cities throughout the world during the period of the tournament.
December, 2003.
The time has come.
This year, the curtain rises once again.
<A S H 編> 1/3
本系列故事雖然以遙遠彼之地為主幹，但官方是以主角艾許[艾森/亞修](ASH)為本篇名稱，並非如以往般用該篇故事主幹作命名。
故事主角為背景完全神秘及操作著特殊火炎(顏色為翠炎)的/ASH艾許‧克里門森（ASH CRIMSON）。
KOF大賽在NESTS組織舉辦之後，於《格鬥天王2003》突然再次重現，由曾舉辦大賽的路卡爾，他的兒子亞爾迪哈特德.班舒泰爾（ADELHEID BERNSTEIN）舉辦。主角艾許邀請兩名好友組隊參賽。神樂千鶴感受到大蛇之力被開啟，邀請草薙京、八神庵二人組成了三神器隊參賽。大賽末段亞爾迪哈特德親自出戰，亞修等人幾經波折下打敗了他。故事尾段遙遠彼之地的成員無界現身，並聲明要解封大蛇利用力量復活他們的主，被三神器隊(草薙京、八神庵、神樂千鶴)打敗後離場。由於神樂重傷暈倒，因此被意圖不明的艾許打主意，草薙京、八神庵兩人阻止艾許，但最後還是失手，艾許飛身撲向神樂，燃起火炎插進神樂體內搶走八尺之鏡，然後使用八尺之鏡的力量分身消失。八尺之鏡之失令離大蛇完全甦醒的時間不遠。
於《格鬥天王2003》千鶴因失去神器力量，在《格鬥天王XI》拜託真吾與京庵二人組隊參賽。被亞修的青梅竹馬伊莉莎白‧布蘭克托什(ELISABETH BLANCTORCHE)所告知亞修行動的墮瓏決定與同為好友的紅丸跟伊莉莎白組隊阻艾許止，另一面則艾許以毒藥作交易邀請奧斯華德(OSWALD)與他及神武組隊參賽。故事末段遙遠彼之地成員紫苑及禍忌出現，並漸漸進一步解封大蛇，目的為了利用大蛇之力復活遙遠彼之地一族的'主'。後來等艾許人擊敗兩人之後，紫苑失蹤，禍忌則死亡(紫苑與禍忌兩人有發生內訌)。這時候八神因大蛇力量暴走，重創了京及真吾二人。(結果兩人更需被送入醫院)故事最後艾許突然在大雨中出現，並反常地擊敗暴走八神庵，且奪去八神庵的神器---八尺瓊勾玉。艾許宣稱下次大賽會奪走草薙京的三神器-草薙之劍。
Character:
Reference:
http://game.snkplaymore.co.jp/official/kof2003/index.html
http://kofaniv.snkplaymore.co.jp/english/history/history.php?num=kof2003
