While Alex was having breakfast with the girls after a wild night, horrifying changes were taking place in the underground complex beneath Raccoon City.
Ever since the head of the analytics department, Caleb Williams, began losing his sanity, everything in the lab had started to shift. He began seeing his late wife—the one who had died many years ago. And with each passing day, her image grew more intrusive, more real.
But this madness was only part of a meticulously crafted plan by the mysterious Director, known in other circles as the Minister of Monoliths.Every event—from his wife's death to Caleb's mental collapse—had been orchestrated from the start. He was a key figure in the final act. Everything happening now was no accident—it was all part of the design.
Madness, like a virus, was slowly consuming the entire underground complex. Anyone who encountered Caleb in the hallways—especially at night when he wandered, whispering to the void—soon became the next carrier of this dark affliction.At first, it was a few staff members. Then dozens. And soon, the entire lab personnel succumbed to collective delusion.
They all became obsessed with one thing: building the Red Marker. But not just any Marker—a special one, meant to serve as the trigger for Convergence.Caleb, struggling to hold onto the last remnants of his sanity, was to become the Key that would activate this dreadful process.Whether he could resist the pull of madness—no one knew.
While chaos, death, and construction fever raged below, the Minister of Monoliths sat in his opulent yet ominous office in eerie, almost peaceful silence. A soft flute melody played in the background, and the lighting was dim, as if the room existed in eternal dusk.
The Minister sat behind his massive desk, eyes closed, hands resting calmly on the armrests of his chair. He was either meditating—or pretending to. But beyond the windows of his office, which looked out into a massive hangar, unfolded a scene worthy of the most grotesque horror films.
The hangar was bathed in crimson light and littered with corpses—used as building materials. The Red Marker loomed in the center of this meat-soaked chaos, growing with chunks of flesh and bone.Screams of agony and terror blended with fanatical chants of shriveled figures resembling living corpses. Their eyes burned with madness, their emaciated bodies clung to their bones, but they kept working.They felt no pain. Only sacred purpose drove them—to complete the Marker at any cost.
The bodies of the dead were used as raw material, while others, chosen for "the next stage," were transformed into Necromorphs—guardians of the structure and hunters of fresh flesh.
But the Minister of Monoliths did not react. He knew.He had planned it all.Everything that was happening was part of a grand play he had directed from the beginning.
He had no concern for suffering. He only craved the finale of this performance—to plunge the remnants of humanity into boundless despair.
Suddenly, the silence was broken by a sharp crack—like something shattering into pieces. The sound drowned out the flute music. The Minister slowly opened his eyes and turned to the chessboard sitting on his desk.
But this was no ordinary board.A unique, three-sided chessboard displayed the events of the real world—each move, each tragedy, each sacrifice turned into a piece.It was a tool of observation, manipulation… and anticipation.
One of the pieces fractured and crumbled into dust. It bore the symbol of the Book of the Dead—the very one Alex had recently seized.The dust had barely settled when a second piece beside it also split apart. This one resembled something horrific, as if composed of countless creatures—a nightmare from a horror movie.
"Hoh..." the Minister said with a lazy smile. "The mortals dealt with the Book? Faster than I expected. And here I was hoping to watch as their own nightmares devoured them from the inside... What a shame. But no matter. This only speeds up the finale."
The Minister of Monoliths studied the remaining portion of his chessboard with great care. The pieces were scattered chaotically, and unlike a normal chess game, all of them moved simultaneously—as if by their own will.
On one side of the board were the Minister's own pieces, where he stood as the King. On another side was the army of Davoth, whose King, clad in radiant armor, held a raised sword. And finally, the third side—humanity. There, the King piece was Alex, donned in Guilliman's armor and holding a spear.
Another move occurred on the board: Davoth's demons had destroyed another Red Marker. The Minister of Monoliths tapped his finger on the armrest of his chair, watching the unfolding events with vivid interest. His gaze lingered on the side of humanity, particularly on the figure representing Alex.
"Interesting..." he whispered with a faint smile. "What will the hero of mankind feel when he learns that all of this was just a performance? What expression will appear on his face when he realizes... he saved no one? That everyone he loves is doomed?"
What he didn't know was that the one he called a hero was far from a savior. Alex was a being who brought ruin to all that served chaos—whether it was the Minister of Monoliths or Davoth.The carefully constructed play, meant to pit good against evil, had long since slipped from the director's control. Alex had quietly become the new writer of the script, planting surprises along the enemy's path—all for one goal: the grand finale, a blinding firework that would shake the entire world.
While the Minister drowned in the illusion of his power and awaited his triumph, Alex was simply having breakfast with the girls.
Breakfast was important—especially after such a wild night. The girls hadn't let him rest until dawn, finally passing out from exhaustion. Alex sipped his coffee leisurely, eating strawberry cake, and smiled as he watched the girls attack the food like they'd been starved for a week.
He sighed and turned his gaze to Chun-Li and Juri, who had started a full-on food war. Or rather, Juri was shamelessly stealing from Chun-Li's plate while the latter tried to reclaim her share.Alex pretended not to notice—the scene reminded him of Orario, where Loki and Hestia constantly snatched food from each other.
Then he looked at Sherry. The girl blushed and kept sneaking glances at Alex from behind her mug.The vivid memories of the night clearly still haunted her.Alex caught her gaze and winked. Sherry flushed, but gave him a shy, warm smile.
"Quiet girls, as always..." Alex smirked to himself. "The loudest at night."
"Alex, I think it's time you told the rest of them something," Valmet said, pointing her fork first at him, then at the four girls.
"Yeah. Jill and Sherry still don't know what they've gotten themselves into," Moira added with a smirk.
Jill and Sherry exchanged confused looks. The other girls seemed to be waiting for something—and that "something" clearly involved the newcomers.
Alex set his cup down, nodded, and began speaking:
"Alright, let's start from the beginning. You've already heard a few things, but now it's time to lay it all out. To put it simply—I'm the Demon King. My father is the Big Boss. And I ended up in this world to solve the problem that's currently escalating."
"Alex... I know you like to joke, but this is too much. Maybe you hit your head last night when we were hiding in the racist bunker?" Jill asked with genuine concern.
Alex only sighed. Words, as usual, weren't working. It was time to take action. He ran a hand through his hair, and black horns instantly grew from his forehead.
Sherry and Jill stared at him, eyes wide. The others, even though they already knew who he was, raised their eyebrows slightly—Alex had always insisted he didn't have horns.
"Wait… you said you didn't have horns or hooves! Why the hell did you suddenly grow a pair?!" Rebecca asked, tugging on one of them.
"Well…" Alex shrugged. "I figured I should give a more visual confirmation of who I am. And horns seemed just right."
The other girls eagerly joined in, reaching out to touch Alex's horns with interest. They had seen him transform into something between a man and a beast before, but this was new. Even Rebecca, Claire, and Moira—who used to be a bit more reserved about all this—now reached out with excitement.
Sherry and Jill, however, still sat with their mouths open, stunned and trying to comprehend what was happening.Meanwhile, Alex stood stoically, enduring the curious fingers poking, squeezing, and tugging at his horns, mentally cursing his own impulsiveness.
In the next moment, he quickly dispelled the magic, making the horns vanish. The girls groaned in disappointment—they clearly didn't get enough time to enjoy the "new experience."Alex just sighed and decided not to ask what exactly they meant by that.
"Wait..." Sherry finally snapped out of it. "So… the horns were fake? Then how are you a demon? Don't all demons have horns and… you know, all that other stuff?" she asked, pointing at him.
"Do you have any idea how inconvenient it is to walk around with horns?" Alex began his usual rant. "Sleeping is a nightmare, you get stuck in doorways, can't fit in vehicles, and you have to file them down to keep the shape. And that's not even the worst part…"
The girls sighed in unison—they could tell from his tone that this was going to be a long one.
"Alright, we get it," Jill said wearily. "No horns. But maybe now you can actually explain why you're here and what you meant when you called your father the 'Big Boss'?"
Alex nodded and began telling the whole story—from who he was, where he came from, and why he ended up in this world. He spoke of his mission, about the being that posed a threat—and then, with grim irony, revealed that it wasn't just one being, but two.
The other girls helped fill in the gaps or clarified details he left out.When Jill, Sherry, Claire, or Moira asked questions, Alex didn't bore them with dry explanations—instead, he created visual projections to clearly illustrate what he was talking about.
The story was long, and the questions were many. But Alex noticed the genuine interest in their eyes—especially when they realized he was working to save entire worlds. That struck a chord with them, inspired them, and in some way, lifted Alex's own spirits too.
While Alex continued his explanation, something else was happening at a military base. In the distance, a military helicopter approached the facility.
On board were three men: Chris Redfield—the leader of the Resistance, Leon Scott Kennedy—his loyal comrade, and Piers Nivans—an experienced soldier known for his reliability.
Last night, Chris received a call from Major Payne. At first, he didn't think much of it—until he heard the words: "Claire's already at the base."
That was enough to make Chris organize a flight immediately—especially after Payne added that the arriving group had brought with them a virus capable of killing demons.
At first, Chris didn't believe it. But he knew Payne—he wasn't the type to spout nonsense. And if the virus really did exist, it could be their best hope for victory.
"Chris, are you sure a virus like that is even possible? Our scientists have already tried everything—they examined the corpses of those creatures, but it all led nowhere," Piers said skeptically.
"I'm not sure," Chris admitted, staring out the window. "But if it's real… it could change everything."
"Even if there's no virus," Leon smirked, "you'll still get to see your sister. Yesterday, you looked a bit too happy when you heard she was okay. Though, not so happy about her getting close to some guy," he added, struggling to hold back laughter.
"Shut up, Leon. Or it might just happen that the helicopter door suddenly 'opens,' and you accidentally fall out," Chris said, shooting him a heavy, cold glare.
"You're not serious… we're friends, right?" Leon asked, swallowing nervously, his face paling slightly.
"Exactly why I warned you," Chris replied calmly, not breaking eye contact.
Leon chuckled awkwardly and turned away, deciding not to push his luck. Piers shook his head. What interested him most was the virus itself. If it was real—they could turn the tide of the war.
Chris's thoughts were also circling around the virus. But something else was starting to take priority: Claire. Payne had told him on the phone not only that she was okay, but also that she'd been spending time with some guy—one who seemed to be surrounded by other girls, no less. As an older brother, Chris was determined to "deal" with this mysterious suitor.
A few minutes later, the helicopter began to land. When it touched down, three figures stepped out: Chris, Leon, and Piers. On the ground, Major Payne was already waiting—clearly not thrilled about spending even an extra minute with the trio.
"Finally! What, were you putting on makeup before takeoff?" Payne grumbled, shooting them a glare.
"Cut the crap, Payne. Where's my sister?" Chris snapped, brushing past him.
"In the barracks. With her boyfriend. Ohh, so you're going full big-brother mode, huh? Just a warning: that guy could probably twist you into a pretzel. No offense, Chris," Payne smirked.
"We'll see," Chris growled and marched off toward the barracks without looking back.
Leon and Piers decided to get a bit more info about the guy Payne mentioned. He gave them a brief description of "that one guy" Claire was with—and the moment Leon and Piers heard the details, they exchanged a glance. With Chris's temperament, this could end in disaster. Without wasting a second, they rushed after him, hoping to stop the oncoming apocalypse.
Chris strode confidently toward the barracks, long determined steps echoing across the base. At the entrance, he spotted a group of guys but completely ignored them and practically kicked the door open as he barged inside.
"I don't know who that is, but I'm pretty sure he's about to screw up badly," Soap chuckled.
"How long do you think until that gorilla gets thrown out of the barracks?" R laughed, slapping Soap's hand.
"I'll give him two minutes," Lehm replied, lighting a cigarette with a grin.
The guys at the barracks were just sobering up after last night's drinking and barbecue. Leon and Piers arrived right in the middle of the banter. Meanwhile, Chris was already kicking down doors one by one, searching for his sister. Rage bubbled inside him—he couldn't stand the thought of Claire dating some womanizer.
After breaking down yet another door, Chris came face-to-face with a rather vivid scene: his sister, arms wrapped around a tall guy's neck, kissing him. The guy was holding Claire by the waist, and he looked completely calm.
The loud bang of the door interrupted the moment, and Claire and Alex turned their heads in perfect sync. The other girls in the room also turned to look — all eyes locked on the idiot who'd just kicked the door open.
A second later, they recognized Chris — and everything immediately made sense. Especially when they saw the way his face was burning with fury.
Alex, in contrast, calmly studied him. He took in the details — Chris looked like his Resident Evil Village version: black coat, turtleneck, and most memorably — eyes full of rage. For a moment, Alex didn't understand why, but then it clicked — Chris had caught them mid-kiss.
"How long do you plan on hugging my sister?" Chris growled through gritted teeth.
"Chris, shut up. I'm an adult. I decide who I date," Claire rolled her eyes.
But Chris wasn't listening. Eyes locked on Alex, he began marching toward him, fists clenched. He took a step and raised his arm, ready to strike — but the next moment, his world flipped upside down. Literally.
He felt a sharp pain in his back and head. Before he could even process what happened, he was on the floor. Right in front of his eyes — Alex's face, wearing a calm, almost lazy smirk.
All the girls had seen was Chris charging toward Alex — and then flying through the air and slamming into the wall. Their laughter filled the room.
"Wow, Chris. Pretty rude to attack your future brother-in-law just because he kissed your sister," Alex quipped with a grin.
Gritting his teeth, Chris jumped to his feet and charged again. The girls quickly backed away, clearing space — or rather, giving Alex enough room to slam Chris into the floor again.
Alex dodged every blow effortlessly, barely tilting his head. He knew Chris wouldn't pull out a weapon — this would stay a fistfight.
Another wild swing — and Alex, lightly catching Chris's arm, sent him flying again. With a loud crash, Chris hit the wall back-first.
"Chris, just give it a rest. You're not gonna beat Alex. Unless you really want to keep eating dirt," Claire commented, walking over to her brother, who was once again upside-down.
"Stay out of it, Claire. I need to see what this guy's made of," Chris muttered, cracking his neck.
"Oh, so you want to keep going? In that case, let's take it outside. I think it's going to be fun," Alex said with a wide grin.
Chris gave a stone-faced nod and stormed out. The girls looked at Alex, then at Chris's retreating back. All of them had the same thought flash through their minds: Poor Chris…
"You're not planning to beat up my brother too badly, are you?" Claire asked, eyeing Alex.
"Of course not. I've got something… extremely painful but completely harmless," Alex replied with a mischievous smirk.
"What the hell kind of thing is that? How can it be both painful and harmless?" Moira asked, confused.
"Alex calls it his 'idiot stick.' A lot of idiots have suffered from that thing. Looks like your brother's next," Rebecca added with a predatory grin.
The girls gave Rebecca skeptical looks, then turned in unison to Alex, as if silently asking for confirmation. He just shrugged and calmly pulled out his greatest creation from his inventory — the Idiot Stick.
At first glance, it looked like a simple iron rod, but its entire length was engraved with runes. Alex briefly reminded them that he used this rod to punish adventurers in the dungeon who were… less than bright.
Rebecca, having witnessed some of those punishments firsthand, immediately recalled the chaos. The others, hearing about it for the first time, perked up with curiosity.
Alex figured he'd let Rebecca tell them the war stories later. Right now, he had unfinished business with Claire's brother. Or more precisely — a fight.
With a wide grin on his face, he stepped out of the barracks and nodded to the guys in his group. His gaze immediately caught sight of Chris, who was warming up on the training field. Leon and Piers stood nearby. Alex slightly raised an eyebrow—he hadn't expected to see Leon and Piers teamed up with Chris. That was, by the way, quite interesting.
As he approached, he overheard Leon and Piers desperately trying to convince Chris not to pick a fight, not to do anything stupid, and not to mess with a potential ally. But Chris wasn't listening to anyone anymore. He was focused, his priority clear and definite: to test the strength of the guy who dared to kiss his sister.
"Well, Chris. You ready? Or do you still need to warm up?" Alex asked lazily, tossing his stick over his shoulder.
"If all you can do is talk, then I doubt you can beat me," Chris smirked, completely forgetting that this guy had already sent him crashing into a wall twice.
Alex raised an eyebrow in surprise and then chuckled quietly. He beckoned Chris with his finger, signaling: go ahead, don't hold back. He was genuinely curious to see what else Chris was capable of. Deep down, he saw in Chris not just an irritated brother—no, there was the potential of a hero. His determination, character, persistence... everything spoke to that. And that was exactly why Alex hadn't shut down the conflict from the start—he wanted to test this stubborn guy.
Chris took a fighting stance and began advancing quickly, maintaining his focus. Alex just spread a wide grin and gripped his stick tighter—it was time to see how many hits this stubborn guy could take.
Chris raised his elbow to block the strike, and the moment the stick touched his arm, he felt a light jolt followed by a powerful, almost burning pain. He gritted his teeth, trying not to make a sound. Alex was a little surprised—he'd expected a yelp or a curse, but Chris remained silent.
"Looks like your brother's tougher than he seems, Claire," Becca said with surprise.
"Why do you say that?" Claire asked, turning to her.
"Usually after the first hit from that stick people scream like little girls. But your brother's quiet. Respectable," Becca nodded, not hiding her admiration.
"Is it really that painful?" Miu asked skeptically, watching the fight.
Becca nodded affirmatively. She had witnessed people writhe in pain after just one blow from Alex's 'masterpiece.' The girls clearly decided to learn more about this invention later—especially about its victims.
"What bothers me more is that Chris didn't even notice us. Or maybe his brain was so busy with Claire and Alex's kiss that everything else just shut down," Jill murmured, putting her palm to her forehead.
"Well, that's Chris for you," Recca chuckled quietly.
Claire, Jill, and Recca sighed heavily. Meanwhile, the fight was coming to an end. Alex quickly realized what Chris was capable of and with one precise strike to the face sent him into a "reset." Chris collapsed unconscious to the ground.
Leon and Piers struggled to hold back their laughter, watching Chris get knocked out with a single blow.
Alex smirked, approached the body, grabbed Chris by the leg, and slowly dragged him back to the barracks.
"Now we can talk like adults," he muttered under his breath.
To be continued...
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