The ending typically just shows the various teams celebrating or interacting in humorous, non-canonical ways after Rugal's defeat.
It is a title, meaning the developers ignored the ongoing narrative continuity to bring back popular characters who had died or disappeared in previous chapters. This allowed for a massive roster focused entirely on competitive gameplay rather than plot progression. KOF 2002 ACA NEOGEO
The legendary villain Rugal Bernstein serves as the final boss and the host of the tournament, despite having been killed in earlier games. The ending typically just shows the various teams
Unlike many entries in the series, (and its ACA NEOGEO port) does not actually have a formal story. KOF 2002 ACA NEOGEO