Garuda is the demonic embodiment of all that is Satsui no Hadou. He was awakened as a result of the struggle between Akuma and Kairi. Desperate to save his life from the savagery of Akuma's attacks, Kairi released an uncontrollable burst of energy just as Akuma was about to execute the Shun Goku Satsu on Kairi. This burst both stunned Akuma, and attracted Garuda to the location of the fight.
Kairi was enveloped in light and disappeared from the battle before Garuda could arrive. Garuda, finding only Akuma, challenged Akuma to a fight. Akuma, thinking that Garuda was some weak henchman sent from the netherworld, was more than happy to destroy this demonic form. But to Akuma's surprise, the harder he fought, and the more he tapped into Satsui no Hadou, the stronger and more forceful Garuda's strikes became. After sustaining several damaging blows, Akuma realized he was no match for Garuda, and began to plot an escape from the fight. Just as Akuma was about to make his move, Garuda stopped.

Garuda realized that Akuma was not the source of the burst of energy that Garuda was seeking. No longer interested in Akuma, he left the scene, in search once more for the source of the energy. Garuda searched for a long time, and could not find the man responsible. It wasn't until the second EX tournament that Garuda sensed that the man had returned. He sought to fight Kairi, interrupting his fight against M. Bison.

Kairi did possess some form of Satsui no Hadou, but Garuda was unable to draw upon its power to the same degree as he could when he fought against Akuma. Something prevented him, and he didn't know what it was. The fight ended in a draw when, furious with the interruption, M. Bison performed the Psycho Crusher on Garuda. Garuda attempted to fight back and destroy this nuisance by unleashing the Soukon Dan attack. But to Garuda's surprise, the souls launched at Bison did not burn him, they merged with him and made his power stronger. Unsure of how that was possible, he fled the arena to continue his search for Kairi.

Garuda would not have his rematch with Kairi until the third EX tournament. Kairi, his heart now softened by the pleas of his little sister Nanase, had twisted the power of Satsui no Hadou into a force for life as opposed to a force for death. Garuda challenged Kairi with the intent of killing him, and he proceeded to beat Kairi within an inch of his life, just as Akuma had done. With what little energy Kairi had remaining, he released a burst of light in the form of the Shouki Hatsudou attack, which instantly dispersed Garuda.