While Alex was dealing with his first real obstacle in the form of the three half-villains — Heihachi, Akuma, and Chun-Woo — along with the now-dead Heisenberg, who had become a rather original knife rack, Jill was descending in the elevator. A mild headache still lingered after her release from Wesker's control.
Once in the lobby — the only way out of the facility — Jill quickly made her way outside. Alex's words were still fresh in her mind: his people were supposed to be waiting for her at the shore. Despite the lingering effects of Wesker's mental domination, she had no intention of letting it slow her down.
Determined, Jill ran toward the shore, skillfully navigating debris and fallen trees. Along the way, she couldn't help but notice the state of the island — craters from explosions, charred trees, and bodies of mutants scattered everywhere. As she recalled, only Wesker had been able to control them. The whole scene looked like the aftermath of a full-scale war.
She stopped briefly to scan the area, but quickly pushed forward — this wasn't the time for reflection. Nearing the shore, she spotted a group of soldiers in futuristic combat armor. Slowing her pace, she cautiously approached, unsure if they were friend or foe.
Standing at the head of the group was Lehm, who was looking straight at her.
"You're the one supposed to pick me up?" Jill asked, stopping a short distance away.
"Looks like it. Our great leader seems to have saved someone else we missed," Soap smirked.
"Alright, boys, enough chatter. I want off this island before Alex starts," Lehm said with a shake of his head.
The soldiers nodded in agreement. They'd seen Alex fight more than once and knew full well — after his "warm-up," there wouldn't be much of the island left.
Jill frowned in surprise.
"And what exactly is he going to start?"
"Trust me, you'll see soon enough. Now hop in," R replied with a grin.
Jill raised an eyebrow but climbed into the boat. The engine roared to life, and the vessel headed toward a carrier anchored ten kilometers offshore. Jill sat silently, watching the receding coastline, still unable to believe she had been under Wesker's control… or that because of her, Barry and his daughter had ended up on this nightmare of an island.
She had no idea how she'd ever be able to look Barry in the eye again.
Soon, the boat reached the aircraft carrier. Inside the cargo bay, Jill took in her surroundings.
"Jill! I'm so glad you're okay!" Rebecca shouted, running up to her.
Among those present, Jill saw Rebecca Chambers, Barry, his daughter Moira, and Claire — Chris's sister. A guilty smile formed on Jill's face, especially when her eyes met Barry's. Rebecca hugged her tightly, and Jill returned the embrace.
She wanted to apologize to Barry — after all, it was she who, under Wesker's control, had captured him and his daughter. Barry could have blamed her… but instead, he just sighed heavily. He understood she hadn't been herself, and in the end, they were all safe. He and Moira were alive — and that was enough.
Seeing that he didn't hold it against her, Jill let out a quiet breath of relief.
"Rebecca, Claire… how did you end up here?" she asked after a brief chat with Barry.
"That's a long story. We'll tell you on the way to the main deck. Everyone's already gathered there," Rebecca replied, tugging Jill by the arm.
"Why is everyone gathered there?" Jill asked, puzzled.
"Well, we've got a strange new pastime — watching Alex fight. Some people are even placing bets," Claire added with a small smile, still getting used to the local… "traditions."
"In what sense?" Jill asked, slightly stunned.
Rebecca decided to tell Jill everything she knew. The more Jill listened, the more confused she became — where exactly was she now, and who were these people? Everything she previously knew about Alex's group could be summed up as this: a tight-knit team that had survived unbelievable situations and endured numerous encounters with the undead. She wasn't wrong — there was certainly unity. However, this strange but powerful group also had... a rather unusual form of entertainment: they loved watching Alex fight.
When Jill stepped onto the main deck, everything finally made sense. Almost the entire team had gathered there, bringing snacks and drinks with them, as if they were preparing not to save the world, but to have a picnic or watch fireworks. For a moment, Jill even doubted whether the apocalypse was still raging outside. Everyone here looked far too relaxed, as if nothing serious was going on.
Meanwhile, Alex's girls were getting acquainted with the newcomers. The center of attention was Anya — Alex's newly adopted daughter. She was surrounded by feminine care and attention: each of the women wanted to hold her, play with her, or at least talk to her. Among them were Lucy, Zero Two, and Alcina.
To avoid incidents — especially given Alcina's personality — the girls soon relocated to the command bridge. Even there, Alcina kept to herself, staying on the sidelines to avoid accidentally hurting anyone over a careless comment.
Brunhilda was trying to explain the basic rules of behavior to Lucy and Zero Two, but her efforts were in vain — the girls ignored everything she said, running around the room and touching everything like two hyperactive kids. Anya, meanwhile, had comfortably settled into Shizuka's arms, resting her head against something incredibly soft and warm. Her eyes darted around curiously at each of the women, filled with genuine wonder.
Scientists had been unable to determine what kind of abilities Anya might have and concluded she was just a normal child. However, she held one secret — Anya could hear the thoughts of those around her. Everyone except her new father — Alex. His mind remained a closed book to her, but she could hear everyone else loud and clear. Watching the women caring for her, her eyes lit up like stars.
"So, how do you like our strange little family?" Shizuka asked with a smile, gently stroking Anya's head.
"I love it! Everyone's so cool!" the girl replied with delight.
Anya's words brought smiles to all the women's faces. Even the stern Brunhilda allowed herself a slight smile. But her expression darkened the moment she saw Lucy and Zero Two heading toward Alex's workshop with curious interest. The others noticed too, and a wave of panic swept across their faces. They all knew that Alex often built things out of boredom — and no one could guarantee that there weren't dangerous inventions left inside the workshop. No one wanted to find out what those two might drag out of there.
The girls rushed toward the workshop to stop Lucy and Zero Two from causing trouble. Moments later, screams and scuffling could be heard — the two were dragged out by force.
"Feels like we suddenly have two problem children," Kiriko muttered, wiping sweat from her forehead.
"Don't even joke about it. I don't even want to imagine what would've happened if they grabbed one of Alex's insane creations," Yuriko said, slumping onto the couch. In front of her sat Lucy and Zero Two with pouty lips and offended expressions.
All the girls sighed in unison, already dreaming of Alex returning soon to rein in his newly acquired protégés. Brunhilde could feel her headache growing stronger by the minute. She was definitely not ready to babysit two curious and uncontrollable rescues.
"Why are you all so worked up? So they went in—big deal," Alcina said lazily, still sitting off to the side.
"In short — it's Alex's workshop. And in there, there could be... literally anything," Yuriko replied with a heavy sigh, glancing at Alcina.
The girls had already shared the news among themselves that Alex had revealed his identity to Alcina, so Yuriko no longer saw a reason to hide some of his… peculiar traits. Alcina only nodded silently, listening to Yuriko. The latter had decided to get to know their new companion better — after all, if Alcina was now part of their family, she shouldn't feel like an outsider, let alone a monster.
At first, Alcina thought they would treat her like a freak. But after comparing herself to Alex, she realized — next to him, she wasn't all that scary. Especially after Yuriko casually mentioned that the very girl who had insulted Alcina earlier actually bore the blessing of a god. Another — the stern, silent one — turned out to be the legendary Valkyrie Brunhilde. And the last one — an apostle of the God of Death from another world. In such company, even Alcina felt... ordinary.
Meanwhile, Alex had no idea what was happening on the aircraft carrier. He had just "sent flying" a trio of overly confident fighters — Heihachi, Chun-Woo, and Akuma — who thought brute force would be enough to beat him. In the end, receiving all their inflicted damage back thanks to his Royal Guard stance and Release ability, they scattered in different directions like bowling pins.
Alex calmly waited for them to recover — he was one hundred percent sure they'd be fine. Their bodies, strengthened by demonic energy, had become tougher, more resilient, and resistant to damage.
He was right. Heihachi was the first to regain consciousness, having smashed through the second-floor railing and crashed into a wall. Jumping down, he rolled his shoulders, grinning:
"Not a bad hit for a kid like you. I actually felt that one."
Alex raised an eyebrow, noting the old fighter's carefree attitude. His eyes lit up as he saw demonic energy rapidly restoring Heihachi's body — bones mended in seconds. Then he turned his gaze to the pile of rubble where Akuma had been buried.
The energy vibrations confirmed he was okay. The rocks exploded outward, and Alex casually deflected those flying toward him with the back of his hand. From beneath the debris rose Akuma, shrouded in fiery red energy that pulsed like flame.
Alex looked toward the breached wall, where Chun-Woo appeared. Cracking his neck slowly, his voice was cold:
"Nice hit. Haven't been thrown like that in a while."
"If you're still breathing… then round two?" Alex smirked, raising an eyebrow.
"You sure are eager," Heihachi chuckled. "But are you certain you can handle it?"
Alex grinned. The katana Yamato that he had held vanished from his hands — a sight that didn't surprise the trio. Their attention was fixed solely on him. Another katana instantly appeared at Alex's hip — Muramasa. He gripped the sheath with one hand, drawing the blade with the other. As soon as the steel met air, lightning surged along its edge.
"As for whether I can handle round two… 'The only thing I know for real… There will be bloodshed. The only one left… will ride upon the dragon's back,'" Alex said, flashing a wide, almost predatory grin.
"Well said, kid. Show me what you've got. If what you did earlier was your limit, then don't even dream of walking out of here alive," Heihachi laughed, charging into battle.
Alex's eyes gleamed as he glanced at Heihachi. But it was Akuma who couldn't wait — he lunged forward, delivering a punch directly to Alex's face. Alex parried it with the hilt of his sword: the fist struck the metal and didn't budge an inch. Slightly pulling the hilt back, Alex suddenly pressed forward, striking Akuma in the nose. Akuma staggered but quickly regained his balance and, in one fluid motion, delivered a powerful kick.
Alex grabbed his leg, trapping it in a hold, and, with a swift turn, threw his opponent with all his strength. Akuma skillfully flipped in the air, landing on the wall like a ninja.
"Seismic Step," Chun-Woo's voice rang out from above.
Alex reacted just in time: he raised his sword over his head, and Chun-Woo's foot slammed down onto the blade with a dull thud. The floor beneath Alex cracked from the pressure. At that moment, Heihachi appeared in front of him and delivered a punch to his chest. However, Alex's legs were already protected by Beowulf's greaves, and he kicked Heihachi's punch upward with powerful force.
Gripping the hilt of Muramasa, Alex knocked Chun-Woo back, whose technique was still in effect — losing control, he slammed into the ceiling. While Heihachi was still recovering from his missed punch, Alex spun around and kicked him in the face, sending him flying.
Meanwhile, Akuma pushed off the wall and, twisting in the air, attempted to kick. Alex parried the strike with the scabbard of his sword. Akuma felt the attack stopped, and in that instant, noticed the blade rapidly approaching his neck, exuding a deadly aura. He pushed off the scabbard with his foot just in time to avoid decapitation, but the blade still left a deep scratch across his throat.
From the ceiling, Chun-Woo descended with accelerating speed, like a guillotine. Alex, his eyes blazing with light, quickly retreated, and Chun-Woo's foot struck the floor, further shattering it.
Alex sheathed Muramasa and, activating the mechanism, allowed the blade to shoot directly into his palm. Chun-Woo tried to block the strike with his hand — but it was in vain. The sword easily severed his arm. Without missing a beat, Alex gripped the hilt with both hands and swung, aiming to decapitate his enemy.
But sensing movement behind him, he quickly turned and attacked backward. Heihachi, who had tried to land a blow to his back, barely managed to pull back in time, but Muramasa still left a deep gash on his chest — blood poured down his body.
Repelling the attack, Alex glanced at Chun-Woo, who had jumped back, clutching his stump.
"One without an arm, two wounded. Round three?" Alex asked with a smirk, scanning the trio.
"Not bad, kid. Way better than those scum I've dealt with," Akuma sneered, wiping blood from his neck.
"Just dogs like you, always attacking the weak. Too afraid to fight an old man like Hayato? If you had, you'd be in a hospital right now, all plastered up," Alex retorted with disdain.
Akuma roared and charged into the attack. Alex kicked Chun-Woo's severed arm, and it struck the chest of its owner like a projectile. At the same time, Alex intercepted Akuma's strike, grabbed his arm, and with a sharp kick to the elbow, broke it with a crunch.
Wrapping his leg around the broken limb, Alex threw his leg over Akuma's neck and put him in a chokehold. Holding the broken arm with one hand, he delivered a powerful blow to the back of Akuma's head — his skull slammed into the floor, blood spraying in all directions, seeping into the cracks.
Releasing his opponent, Alex dodged Heihachi's kick, intercepted it, and struck his knee with the hilt of his sword — a disgusting crunch sounded. Then, Alex slid beneath him, threw him over his shoulder, and slammed him into the floor. Without wasting a second, he stepped on Heihachi's back — the sound of his spine breaking echoed like a sinister period.
"Two down. One left," Alex said coldly, aiming his blade at Chun-Woo.
Chun-Woo's hand reattached itself. While he was recovering his limb, Heihachi and Akuma were already lying on the floor with broken bones. Chun-Woo's gaze became sharp and cold. He clenched his fist, and Alex's eyes narrowed — he was trying to figure out what his opponent was planning.
"Chaotic Heaven's Destruction Strike," Chun-Woo said, tightening his fist.
He stepped back three paces, concentrating his Ki, preparing to unleash the most powerful strike towards Alex. Alex recognized the technique. It was the greatest attack of the Black Sky and Earth School. He raised an eyebrow as he noticed how much energy was accumulating in Chun-Woo's hand. Alex was about to rush forward, but something suddenly grabbed his leg.
He looked down and saw Heihachi's bloodied face, grinning despite his gruesome wounds. This hesitation gave Chun-Woo enough time to complete the preparation for his attack.
In the next instant, he vanished and appeared directly in front of Alex, delivering the devastating strike. Alex, noticing the approaching attack, drew Muramasa's scabbard and thrust it forward, redirecting the strike into the ceiling. There was an explosion, and the concrete structure above them was completely pierced. Sunlight filtered through the hole.
Alex sheathed the blade and activated the mechanism. With a loud click, the sword shot forward, and the hilt slammed into Chun-Woo's chest. A crack resounded — his ribcage shattered.
At the same time, Alex wrapped his legs around Heihachi's arm, which was still gripping his leg, and sharply pulled. A bone-snapping sound echoed, and blood sprayed onto the floor — the old man's arm was broken with such force, leaving an open fracture.
Alex felt movement behind him and turned around. A fist, filled with Ki, was speeding toward him — Akuma had decided to take advantage of the moment. Alex deflected it with the back of his hand, grabbed Akuma by the face, and slammed him into the ground with all his strength. This time, he didn't stop — his foot came crashing down on Akuma's head, crushing his skull like a watermelon. Blood, bone fragments, and brain matter splattered in all directions, and Akuma's body twitched one last time before going limp.
"Two down. Two left," Alex glanced at Heihachi, then at Chun-Woo. "Looks like your 'new power' from Wesker didn't help you much."
Heihachi and Chun-Woo didn't respond. Their gazes burned with fury. Alex saw their bodies begin to distort — demonic energy burst out, subjugating their flesh. Heihachi's skin turned gray, and his bones healed before his eyes. Alex, unwilling to wait for yet another "evolution," struck Heihachi sharply in the chest with his palm. His heart tore apart, thick black blood splattering from his mouth. He fell to his knees, choking on his own blood.
Alex grabbed his head with both hands and twisted sharply — there was a crack, and Heihachi's head turned 180 degrees. Not letting go, Alex yanked upward, ripping it off with a sickening snap. He then casually tossed it aside, like a broken toy.
"Only you left," Alex said.
He vanished, and in the next instant, appeared behind Chun-Woo. The latter quickly turned, sensing the movement, but he didn't have time to react. Alex was already holding something in his hand — a heart. Chun-Woo's still-beating heart.
With a light smirk, Alex clenched his fist, and the heart burst in his palm. Chun-Woo collapsed to his knees, staring at him in shock and horror.
"You know, Chun-Woo, you had potential. You could've become someone good. But you made one wrong step. Maybe it all started when the people from Murima killed your master and started hunting you for the martial arts you possessed. Or maybe it all went wrong after Li Shi-Ho died — she sacrificed herself to save you," Alex said, squatting down in front of Chun-Woo.
"Who knows... maybe," the latter rasped, spitting blood.
"But who am I to judge you? I'm a killer too. I just kill idiots like you. Maybe if you had directed your vengeance only against those who were truly guilty, things would've turned out differently. Perhaps you'd have found a disciple. Who knows — maybe they would've kept you from the darkness. But you chose another path. The path where you became a traitor to humanity. Even if you're a descendant of my brother... even your father, Adam, would hardly have forgiven such an act from his children," Alex said calmly, looking him directly in the eyes.
For a moment, Chun-Woo's eyes widened, then a bitter, resigned smile appeared on his bloodied lips. He understood: neither he nor anyone else ever had a chance of winning. The being before him — this was no human. It was something else. At that moment, he saw in Alex's eyes not pity, not anger, not even disdain. Only a terrifying, cold calm.
In the final seconds of his life, Chun-Woo realized — before him stood someone beyond comprehension. Someone above all.
Without changing his expression, Alex extended his arm, fingers forming the shape of a pistol, and aimed the "barrel" at Chun-Woo's head.
"Bang," he said softly, as if pronouncing a verdict.
In that instant, Chun-Woo's head exploded. Alex slowly lowered his hand and sighed. He would be lying if he said Chun-Woo disgusted him. No. The character was interesting, even worthy... but he chose the wrong side.
If he had, as was intended, taken Li Shi-Wun as his disciple… perhaps everything would have been different. Maybe he would have fought on the side of good. But fate is a capricious and unforgiving thing. Mortals cannot change what is predestined.
Alex pushed the philosophical thoughts aside and, turning around, headed in the direction where he felt Wesker's presence.
Leaving the room, he confidently walked down the corridor. He didn't pay attention to the strange changes starting behind him. His goal was Wesker.
As soon as Alex had walked far enough, flames erupted from the bodies of Heihachi, Akuma, Chun-Woo, and Heisenberg, consuming their remains. Alex squinted slightly, glanced back, but didn't give it much thought — he would find out what it was. Later.
Reaching the massive door, he kicked it with such force that it flew off its hinges.
"Wesker, I told you I was coming for you," Alex said as he entered the spacious room.
Inside, he saw Wesker sitting in a chair, resting his cheek on his fist. His eyes glowed with a bright red light. The demonic energy in the room thickened noticeably.
"You got to me quickly, false savior," Wesker spoke without standing. "Considering you've destroyed all those pathetic rats in my laboratory and even finished off my pawns, whom I personally selected."
"Oh, you're talking about those bastard scientists and their failed experiments? They asked for it," Alex replied indifferently, shrugging.
Wesker smirked, baring his teeth, while Alex casually looked around, as if he didn't take the situation seriously. He was already thinking about how to make Wesker reveal information: did he bring Davot and his army into this world?
The simplest way — provoke him.
"Tell me, Wesker, whose dog are you now?" Alex began, lighting a cigarette. "You used to run after Spencer, then the corporation. And now? Who holds your leash now?"
"I'm nobody's dog, false savior," Wesker hissed, finally standing up. "You have no idea what's really going on in this world. Those you're trying to save — they're just an illusion. Your entire struggle — futile."
"Oh, are you talking about those 'demons' or the strange Red Obelisks? Since you're saying everything is doomed, maybe you'll share some details?" Alex asked, exhaling smoke into his face.
"You can't even imagine the power of the one behind all this..." Wesker said, continuing to play the mysterious figure.
"Alright, enough with the riddles. Did you open the gates for the demons, or was it someone else? I don't have time for guessing games," Alex said tiredly.
Wesker smirked:
"Yes, I did. All these demons — my work. I opened the gates for them. And since you know about them, that temple wasn't the only one."
"Hmm, nope. I just guessed. But thanks for confirming. And no, I wasn't in the temple," Alex smirked, shaking the ash off his cigarette.
Wesker frowned, trying to figure out how Alex knew about the demons. But he could think about that later. Instantly drawing his gun, he aimed it at Alex and pulled the trigger. In response, Alex, without missing a second, drew his two pistols and opened fire.
The bullets collided in mid-air, sparking. Wesker, like a shadow, darted from side to side, evading the shots. Alex stood motionless, like a rock, continuing to fire methodically, not giving his opponent a second to breathe. Gradually, the distance between them closed until the fight turned into close combat.
Even when they clashed in hand-to-hand, they didn't stop shooting at each other up close. Alex seized the moment, delivering a sharp blow, then shot Wesker in the chin. The impact caused his head to snap back. Alex didn't miss the chance and unleashed a burst of bullets directly into his opponent's chest.
Before Wesker's body hit the floor, Alex quickly grabbed his iconic pistol and tucked it into his inventory, adding to his collection. Wesker collapsed onto his back, blood spreading underneath him in a crimson pool.
"Hey, stop pretending. I know you're not dead yet," Alex smirked, holstering his weapon.
"Heh... I see you're not surprised by my power," Wesker sneered, like Dracula rising from his coffin.
Disregarding the laws of gravity, he slowly rose, and all the spilled blood rushed back into his body. With a quiet clink, like raindrops, the bullets fell from his body onto the floor. Alex lazily rolled his eyes at the display.
"Impressive, of course..." he muttered and, spinning around, kicked.
At the moment of impact, the Beowulf greaves on his leg flashed. Wesker raised his arms to block the attack, but the force of the blow was too great — one of his arms was torn off with a loud crack. At the last second, Wesker leapt back, and a new arm instantly grew from his shoulder.
"I admit, I underestimated you, false savior. But that doesn't mean anything. No matter how many times you hurt me — I regenerate. My regeneration is absolute," Wesker smirked, showing off his new arm.
"You know, Wesker... you're not the first idiot with regeneration I've met. But you know what I like about you guys? Breaking toys like you is a real pleasure," Alex grinned ominously.
In that same second, the energy around him flared like flames. The walls cracked, the floor was covered with a web of cracks, and even the ceiling began to crumble — Alex's power was tearing the building apart.
Wesker charged. He vanished and reappeared, accelerating like a missile, until he was right in front of Alex. His arm, like a spear, aimed to pierce his enemy's chest. Alex deflected it with his elbow, then kicked Wesker in the chest, sending him flying upwards toward the ceiling.
Alex jumped after him, reached him in mid-air, grabbed his legs, and began spinning like a whirlwind. Then, he abruptly released him — Wesker crashed into the floor, leaving a crater behind.
Without giving him time to recover, Alex pushed off the ceiling and dove into Wesker's chest with a double knee strike, breaking through the floor and dragging him deeper and deeper.
Coming to his senses after the impact, Wesker shoved Alex away and leaped to the side. Both ended up in a new room, locking eyes. Alex smirked and vanished.
Wesker's eyes glowed brightly. He tried to sense Alex's presence, relying on his instincts. But in the next moment, a palm appeared right in front of his face.
"And now you're going to fly," Alex said with a grin, clenching Wesker's face.
Turning, he threw Wesker with all his might through the wall. Wesker soared through the forest, breaking trees, until he slammed into the sandy shore, sinking into the ground.
Alex walked up to the gaping hole in the wall and gazed into the distance, following the trail of destruction. There, on the shore, Wesker was partially buried in the sand.
To be continued...
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