The Daily Life of the Demon King

The massive iron doors of the complex continued to open slowly. But that wasn't what worried Alex the most at the moment. On the other side of the heavy gates stood Saeko's father. And the worst part was the demonic energy radiating from him.

Alex understood perfectly: if the situation spiraled out of control, he would have to kill Saeko's father. And that was the last thing he wanted. He would never allow Saeko to dirty her own hands by killing her own blood.

The wider the doors swung open, the stronger Alex felt a strange sense of déjà vu. He was sure he had seen this man somewhere before. But that was impossible. Before arriving in this world, Alex had never met any of its inhabitants. There was no way he could have known Saeko's father.

And then, when the gates fully opened, Saeko stared at the figure standing in the doorway in horror, unable to believe her own eyes. When the silhouette finally emerged completely into the light, Alex understood why the man seemed so familiar. Standing before them was... damn Kokushibo.

Shock flooded through him.

Saeko's father was an exact replica of Kokushibo: a pale-skinned, tall, muscular man with long black hair, the tips dyed red and tied into a ponytail.

His face bore three pairs of eyes — with yellow irises, red sclera, and black cracks radiating outward from each iris.

He wore a dark purple nagagi kimono with a honeycomb pattern, over which he had layered black umanori-style hakama and a white uwagi-obi belt.

At his waist hung a fleshy katana, its surface embedded with eyes placed between the tsuka and the tsuba.

Alex couldn't understand how Saeko's father was connected to Kokushibo. Why did he look like a reincarnation of him?

Earlier, Alex had discovered that a Demon Slayer Corps had once existed in this world, and that a small legacy remained from it. He also knew that Saeko's family practiced their own breathing style, although Saeko herself was unaware of the true nature behind it. At the time, Alex had decided not to press the issue further. But now, after seeing Saeko's father, doubts swarmed his mind regarding the true origins of her family.

Still, there were more urgent matters to address. How could he handle this situation? How could he calm Saeko, who now stood face-to-face with her demonized father? Alex didn't know whether this transformation had been the man's own choice, or if he had been broken and forced into it by an external will. Gently taking Saeko's trembling hand, Alex began to lead the girls backward, retreating carefully.

Saeko's father watched them in silence, without blinking. His hand rested lightly on his katana.

Once they had retreated a safe distance, Saeko's father calmly stepped over the threshold, and the massive doors behind him began to close, cutting off the path to retreat.

Alex couldn't shake the feeling: not only the appearance, but even the man's movements eerily resembled Kokushibo's.

"Father... how could you become like this... Why did you do it?!" Saeko cried out, her voice breaking.

"Saeko, my daughter..." her father said calmly, staring straight into her eyes. "I didn't think you would make it this far. But it's no surprise. The blood of our great ancestor flows in our veins. We inherited everything from him."

"Then why did you accept this power?! For what?!" Saeko shouted desperately, unable to hold back her tears.

"For Imari," he answered coldly. "This power gave me the means to avenge her... to do what I otherwise never could."

His words stabbed into Saeko like a dagger. Her body tensed, and her hands began to tremble.

She stared at him, eyes wide, unable to believe what she was hearing. He had done it willingly. He had chosen to become a demon.

Alex's frown deepened. He could feel the immense strength within Saeko's father. And he knew: Saeko wouldn't be able to defeat him alone.

"So you betrayed your own daughter..." Alex said coldly, his voice dripping with contempt. "All for the sake of petty revenge. You threw away everything you once were to become a loyal dog."

A multitude of eyes on Saeko's father turned toward Alex, as if piercing him from head to toe. Without hesitation, Alex stood in front of Saeko, shielding her with his body. He felt no trust toward people like Saeko's father—those willing to sacrifice everything for a false sense of vengeance, embracing foreign power without considering the cost. In his pursuit of revenge, Saeko's father had already lost the most precious thing to him—his daughter, whom he had betrayed by becoming a monster.

Saeko herself was in deep shock, her body frozen in horror at what her father had become. Beatrix, seeing the pain of her friend, quietly approached to offer her support. No one could say for sure whether Saeko's father would attack his own daughter now, having lost the last remnants of his human will. However, both Alex and Beatrix were prepared for the worst, knowing that those who embraced dark power were no more than obedient beasts, devoid of their own will.

"And you… Who are you?" Saeko's father asked, staring intently at Alex.

"It's impolite to ask someone's name without introducing yourself first," Alex replied calmly.

Michikatsu studied Alex carefully. His gaze caught a notable detail—earrings. His eyes grew more serious. The longer he stared, the more he noticed: the elements of Alex's clothing resembled the uniform of the Demon Slayer Corps. At that moment, Michikatsu realized: before him stood the "false savior" he had been ordered to eliminate. Moreover, Alex wore earrings that symbolized the enemy that even history itself could not stand against.

"My name is Michikatsu Busujima. I am named after our ancestor," Saeko's father said coldly.

For a moment, Alex's eyes widened... and then he burst into loud, genuine laughter. His laughter was so contagious and unexpected that even Saeko, who had been in a daze, blinked and stared at him in amazement. Beatrix, along with Red and White, exchanged bewildered looks, not understanding what was so funny.

"I didn't expect this twist..." Alex managed to say through his laughter, wiping away the tears that had formed. "Your fate is so ironic, Michikatsu. An irony that has turned into a farce."

"Alex... What do you mean?" Saeko asked cautiously, her eyes filled with concern as she looked at her father.

Alex calmly sighed.

"It's simple, Saeko. Your ancestor, Michikatsu Tsugikuni, once betrayed his family in search of power. His entire life was consumed with envy toward his brother, Yorichi. Envy and fear ate him from the inside. And when he realized he would forever live in the shadow of his younger brother, he fell. He sold his soul to Muzan to become a demon. But even then... even after becoming a monster, he was still weaker than Yorichi. And now your father is walking the same path—he threw everything away for power, for revenge. And where has that gotten him? Right where his ancestor ended up. How does that fate feel, old man?" Alex said with a cold smile, staring directly into Michikatsu's eyes.

Saeko stood there, her eyes wide open, stunned by what she had just heard. She knew very well that Alex knew far more about her family than anyone else could have. And every word he spoke hit its mark. Michikatsu also changed his expression— the harshness in his gaze at Alex only confirmed the truth of his words.

In Michikatsu's mind, a voice echoed, angrily, persistently whispering a single word: kill. The whisper grew louder, drowning out the remnants of his reason. His eyes filled with a bloodthirsty desire, and his hand tightened around the hilt of his katana. All doubts vanished, and the last traces of love for his daughter melted away in madness.

In an instant, Michikatsu drew his sword.

"Breath of the Moon: Ominous Moonlight Mirror!" he roared, delivering a wide, sweeping slash.

From his strike, several moon blades spread through the air, each capable of tearing apart the earth and leaving deep cracks. The attacks rushed toward Alex and the girls.

Alex's face instantly became serious. He had already felt Michikatsu's shift in intentions, so without wasting a moment, he summoned Yorichi's katana to his hip and drew it with lightning speed.

"Breath of the Sun: Scorching Sun!" Alex proclaimed, delivering a counterstrike.

Alex executed a circular strike, intercepting Michikatsu's frontal attacks. Behind him stood Beatrix, Saeko, and Red and White, and he would not allow even a stray wave of energy to touch them. For the time being, he absorbed the full force of the blow.

"Step back," Alex calmly commanded, not taking his eyes off Michikatsu.

"Can you save my father?" Saeko asked with hope, anxiously gazing at his face.

"I'll do everything in my power. But for now—step back," Alex firmly repeated.

The girls silently nodded and quickly retreated, giving Alex space to fight. They knew why he still concealed his true power. Saeko, with all her heart, hoped that Alex could save her father from the demon's curse and the foreign will that had enslaved him.

Alex was slightly surprised that Michikatsu allowed them to leave without trying to stop them. It seemed that even in his demonic madness, Michikatsu instinctively knew who among them posed the true threat.

Alex pondered Saeko's words. He didn't want to disappoint her. He truly intended to save her father, but first, he needed to put on a show—convince Wesker, who was watching them through the cameras, that this was just a regular deadly clash.

To carry out his plan, he first needed to destroy all the cameras.

Once the girls were at a safe distance, Michikatsu no longer hesitated. He vanished from his position, and a moment later, appeared right in front of Alex.

"Breath of the Moon: Dark Moon—Evening Shrine!" he said, delivering a lightning-fast strike.

"Breath of the Sun: Parhelion Rainbow!" Alex responded, parrying the attack.

Michikatsu delivered a single strike, from which countless chaotic blades scattered in every direction. Alex, using the technique of the Parhelion Rainbow, dodged, leaving behind numerous residual images.

Michikatsu's attack ruthlessly tore everything apart, but the real Alex had already moved to the side. The earth around was slashed, trees were chopped to splinters by the chaotic strikes.

Michikatsu quickly began searching for his target, relying on his sharpened senses. Feeling a threat from behind, he instantly spun around.

"Breath of the Moon: Lonely Moon in the Endless Night of Avici!" he shouted, swinging his sword.

Again and again, Michikatsu struck with sharp, frenzied blows in all directions, but Alex, with astonishing calmness, dodged each one at the last possible moment. His eyes never left the enemy, who was pressing harder and harder on the demon.

Then, somewhere deep within, in the spark of his remaining sanity, Michikatsu asked himself:

"Did my ancestor feel this way when he fought against his invincible brother?"

Not wanting to repeat his ancestor's fate, he roared and charged forward, giving it his all. His sword, charged with the demon's power and the moon's breath, cut through the air at a monstrous speed, but not a single strike hit its target. Alex evaded, making Michikatsu destroy everything around him.

Alex waited. He waited for Michikatsu's attacks to destroy all the hidden cameras, leaving them completely isolated from Wesker's eyes.

"Why did you stop?" Alex calmly asked, looking at the demon. His voice resonated in Michikatsu's ears, driving him deeper into fury.

"Breath of the Moon: Catastrophe—Immortal Proud Crescent Moon!" Michikatsu growled, swinging his sword maliciously.

Michikatsu swung his sword, creating a chaotic vortex around himself, destroying everything within its radius. The vortex charged toward Alex, but he calmly stepped back, not letting the attack touch him.

The next moment, Michikatsu appeared behind him, aiming for a fatal strike.

"Breath of the Moon: Moon Ouroboros," he rasped, bringing his sword down on Alex's back.

A slight smile appeared on Alex's face before he disappeared from his position. The vortex and Michikatsu's strike collided, creating a powerful shockwave. Michikatsu was thrown back—he crashed into the wall with a deafening crash, leaving a network of cracks, then fell to the ground with a dull thud.

Alex, appearing nearby, calmly looked at the fallen enemy. Shifting his gaze, he noticed Saeko's worried eyes. He nodded to signal that everything was under control.

"Red, are there any cameras left?" Alex asked, turning to Red.

"All destroyed," she answered briefly after a moment of hesitation.

Alex nodded again and, with a light, reassuring smile, looked at Saeko, signaling that she didn't need to worry. Saeko noticed this and exhaled with relief. Beatrix, standing nearby, gently hugged her friend around the shoulders.

"Don't worry, Saeko," Beatrix quietly said. "Our husband is strong, you know that. He will definitely save your father."

"I know," Saeko answered sadly, shaking her head. "It's just hard to accept that my father became a demon…"

"But Alex said he will save him," Beatrix said confidently, tightening her embrace around her friend. "So, it will be."

Saeko could only nod silently. Inside, doubts and pain raged within her: how had it come to this, that her father had fallen into such a state? Was it worth it — all for revenge for her mother?

Alex listened to their conversation out of the corner of his ear and sighed quietly. Slowly, he made his way toward Michikatsu, who was pretending to be unconscious. Alex thought with irony: Do all villains follow the same script?

"Step one: dramatic speeches. Step two: fight and lose. Step three: pretend to be powerless. Step four: strike from behind."

He wanted to see if Michikatsu would follow the script exactly.

As he got closer and entered the strike zone, Alex saw Michikatsu grip his katana tightly and suddenly deliver a powerful horizontal strike aimed at his waist.

But just as the blade was about to touch his body, it froze in mid-air.

The veins in Michikatsu's arms bulged from the strain as he desperately tried to complete the strike… but the sword didn't move an inch.

Calmly holding the blade with one finger, Alex said:

"You don't need to try. It's not going to work."

"I won't lose… like my ancestor did!" Michikatsu hissed through his teeth.

The next moment, his body began to rapidly change…

Michikatsu's body started transforming, becoming more and more demonic. Alex sighed heavily and, without hesitation, kicked him in the chest. The blow sent Michikatsu flying backward, crashing into the wall. His transformation halted as quickly as it had begun — Michikatsu returned to his original demonic form.

Coughing up black blood, which trickled down his torn clothing, Michikatsu raised his gaze to Alex. Alex stood nearby with a carefree expression, as though everything happening around him had nothing to do with him. The destruction around them was overwhelming, but Alex remained unscathed, as if the events had no bearing on him at all.

Michikatsu bitterly realized that all his strikes had been in vain. He hadn't been able to leave a single scratch on Alex.

"You know," Alex said slowly, walking closer, "if it weren't for Saeko's request to save you, I would have killed you the moment you appeared. But as for who made you the father of my Saeko…"

"Haha! Save me?" Michikatsu laughed maniacally, his eyes filled with madness. "I don't need saving. I chose my fate, and I don't regret anything!"

"That's not for you to decide," Alex answered calmly. "Zhang Ya, help hold this old fool."

Michikatsu didn't understand the meaning of his words, but the next second, he felt something terrifying.

The suffocating smell of blood filled the air. The world around him seemed to darken, and ominous bloody clouds gathered above his head. He was engulfed by an indescribable terror, a sensation he had never felt before. It was as if he had stepped into the lair of an ancient monster, ready to tear him apart at any moment.

With great effort, Michikatsu lifted his eyes and saw the figure of a girl in crimson clothing floating behind Alex. Blood dripped from her body, pooling on the floor, while her long hair fluttered in the air as if alive.

Her cold, piercing gaze seemed to tear into his soul. Michikatsu understood: if he turned away, he was doomed to a fate worse than death. He could feel it deep within — if he fell into her hands, death would seem like mercy.

Alex silently observed Michikatsu's reaction, pleased with the result. Zhang Ya's presence was so overwhelming that the demonic samurai lost all will to resist.

Zhang Ya, still hovering behind Alex, gently wrapped her arms around his neck. Her hair, like snakes, shot toward Michikatsu, binding his arms and legs and lifting him into the air.

Alex thoughtfully watched the fallen demon. Normally, he would have to restrain Zhang Ya's influence on others, but this time he intentionally allowed her to show her true nature — to see how beings like Michikatsu would react to her presence.

And the result was quite satisfactory.

Now, Alex wanted to test something else — a power he had long forgotten and only recently recalled, but never before experienced. In his hand, Yamato appeared. Alex knew: this blade could separate all things. The wielder of Yamato, Vergil, once separated his humanity from his demonic essence.

Alex wanted to try the same with Michikatsu.

Drawing Yamato from its sheath, he swiftly pierced Michikatsu's chest and immediately pulled the blade back.

The result was exactly as he expected: Michikatsu's human side fell from his body, while his demonic side, still bound by Zhang Ya's hair, remained in place. The demon whimpered and growled, turning into a mindless beast.

Saeko, noticing this, immediately rushed to her father. Reaching him, she carefully checked his breath. Feeling a faint but steady breath, she sighed in relief and, standing up, passionately kissed Alex on the lips.

Alex simply smiled in response.

"And what are you going to do with this... Saeko's father, who is still a demon?" Beatrix asked, watching as Michikatsu's demonic half struggled to break free from the restraints.

"I recommend conducting an autopsy," Red suggested calmly, not taking her eyes off the demon. "That way we can study the physiology of beings known as demons."

Alex gave Red a blank look and simply shook his head. He wasn't interested in the physiology of demons — after all, they could be killed without such knowledge. He turned his gaze to Zhang Ya and nodded at the ghostly girl.

Zhang Ya looked at Alex intently, and her hair began to wrap around Michikatsu's demonic half. His roar gradually faded until it was completely silent. When her hair returned to its owner, a doll made of hair fell to the ground, astonishingly similar to Michikatsu's demonic half.

Alex stared at the doll for a while, then shifted his gaze to Zhang Ya. He wasn't sure how to respond and simply kissed the ghostly girl on the cheek. Zhang Ya's eyes widened, and in the next moment, she disappeared, hiding in the shadow of Alex. He smiled, slightly surprised by her shy behavior.

Not wanting anyone to touch the cursed doll, Alex decided to destroy it on the spot. The doll burst into flames, and a mournful wail echoed, making both Saeko and Beatrix flinch.

"Saya, are you there?" Alex asked, touching his communicator.

"What happened over there?" Saya immediately responded.

"We found Saeko's father. Had to calm him down a bit. Can you send someone for evacuation?" Alex explained calmly.

"Saeko's father? Seriously?" Saya's voice held disbelief, almost turning into a shout.

"Quite. Send someone. We're right at the entrance to the complex," Alex finished the conversation.

He walked over to Saeko, who was sitting next to her father, looking at him with a complex, worried gaze. Alex sighed and placed his hand on her shoulder in a gesture of support. Saeko squeezed his hand, but her eyes remained filled with concern after everything that had happened.

Alex explained that her father would be taken soon, and there was no need to worry—he was alive and would no longer be the way he had been recently. Saeko wanted to ask how Alex could be so sure, but he simply said that due to the separation of the demonic and human sides, her father had returned to the person he had been when Saeko's mother was still alive. She nodded silently, accepting his words.

A woman's voice was heard from a distance:

"Wow, that's some destruction. What happened here?"

Alex turned and saw Rebecca Chambers, along with Claire and several members of the Sun-Woo clan. They were looking around, astonished by the extent of the destruction at the main entrance to the complex. Saeko and Beatrix noticed the newcomers and nodded in greeting.

"Ah, just one overconfident enemy decided to jump out," Alex smirked, glancing at Rebecca and Claire.

"Yeah, I can tell," Claire grinned, walking closer.

"Who needs to be evacuated?" Rebecca asked, turning her gaze to Alex.

Alex pointed to Michikatsu, who was unconscious. Members of the Sun-Woo clan carefully lifted him onto a stretcher and headed toward the beach.

Alex asked Saeko to go with them—when her father woke up, it would be best if she was there. Saeko didn't want to leave, but Alex insisted, explaining that now was the time to talk to her father. Otherwise, later, she would surely find a thousand reasons to delay the conversation.

Smiling, Saeko quickly kissed Alex on the lips and followed the clan members. Beatrix didn't want to leave her friend alone with her problems, so she followed, not forgetting to kiss Alex goodbye as well.

"Want some company? Since your girls are gone," Claire asked, narrowing her eyes.

"Up to you. As long as you're not afraid of getting hurt," Alex shrugged.

"You'll protect us, right?" Rebecca smiled.

Alex nodded briefly, activating the communication link with the other groups to let them know he was entering the complex. Now they would know he was already inside.

"Alex, we're almost there. You can go in first," Valmet spoke up first.

"We're here too. But we're stuck—there's a problem. We can't get to the last bloody nest on the way," Cammy reported on the general channel.

"We found three more. So, hold tight, we'll be delayed," Lehm added.

"We're being surrounded by some flying creatures. We'll be delayed too and won't make it to the party," Soap chimed in.

After receiving reports from all the groups, Alex realized that there were far more bloody nests on the island than he had anticipated. Claire and Rebecca patiently waited as he finished exchanging messages.

After listening to everyone, Alex disconnected from the channel and turned to the girls, silently asking with his eyes if they were ready. Claire smirked, pulling out her gun, and Rebecca nodded, already ready with her weapon.

Alex hesitated for a moment, thinking about saying that their guns probably wouldn't help much with what awaited them inside… but he decided against it. It was better to keep that to himself.

Just as he was about to open the massive iron gates, a rustling sound came from the other side.

Claire and Rebecca simultaneously raised their weapons, ready to shoot.

Out of the bushes sprang Wolf, with G.I.R., MIMI, and Stitch sitting on his back, covered in blood.

"We've arrived!" G.I.R. exclaimed joyfully in a childish voice.

"Dad, we've come to help!" MIMI supported him.

"Heroes always arrive on time!" Stitch proudly declared, puffing out his chest.

"Creator, we have arrived after hearing that you were entering the enemy's den. We are ready to provide support," Wolf said in a mechanical voice.

Alex couldn't help but smirk, shaking his head.

"Good to see you. And even more glad you didn't burn down this damn island."

G.I.R., MIMI, and Stitch simultaneously gave thumbs up, showing how proud they were. Alex sighed heavily, once again confirming that letting this trio out of sight was a deadly risk.

He turned his gaze to Wolf—apparently, they owed the fact that the island was still standing to him.

Meanwhile, Rebecca, glowing with excitement, walked over to Stitch, who was proudly sitting on Wolf. Without a second thought, she picked Stitch up in her arms and hugged him tightly.

"You're so cute!" she exclaimed with a smile.

"You touched me! You touched me!" Stitch screamed, wriggling in her arms.

Startled by his loud scream, Rebecca loosened her grip, and Stitch immediately slipped out, falling to the ground and quickly crawling up Alex's leg to his shoulder, growling at Rebecca.

Alex calmly stroked Stitch's ears to calm him down.

"Sorry," Rebecca said apologetically. "I didn't know you didn't like hugs."

"It's not about that," Alex replied softly, continuing to pet Stitch. "He just didn't remember your scent. Stitch doesn't like being touched by strangers."

Stitch nodded in confirmation, glaring at Rebecca and starting to babble quickly in a strange, incomprehensible language.

Rebecca and Claire stared at him in surprise, not understanding a word.

Alex, however, understood perfectly what Stitch was saying… and a familiar black line of irritation started to appear on his face.

He knew exactly where Stitch had learned those words. And he knew who was to blame for it—Rebecca.

"What's he saying?" Claire asked, still staring at Stitch in confusion.

"You'd better not know," Alex replied curtly. "Otherwise, he won't seem so cute to you anymore."

Both girls silently nodded, still eyeing Stitch with doubt. Alex sighed heavily—he was tired of listening to Stitch curse with every word Rebecca had taught him. Removing Stitch from his shoulder, Alex covered his mouth with his hand to at least stop the flood of cosmic curses. Mentally, Alex promised himself that once they left the island, he would definitely have a "talk" with both Stitch and Rebecca.

Meanwhile, Rebecca, who was burning another bloody nest, suddenly shuddered and looked around, as if she sensed something was wrong.

Not wanting to waste any more time, Alex turned to White and Red, silently asking with his eyes if they were ready. Both android girls nodded in unison, showing full readiness. Holding Stitch to his chest, Alex approached the massive iron door and kicked it hard. Cracks spread across the wall. Another kick, and the cracks widened. After the third strike, the door crashed to the ground with a loud bang.

Stitch, still sitting in Alex's arms, excitedly clapped, showing his sharp teeth in a wide grin.

Alex entered first, followed by the others. They looked around, carefully studying the huge hall, which was shrouded in dim light. Stitch nimbly jumped off Alex's arms, while G.I.R. and MIMI, getting off Wolf, began exploring the room.

Alex took a few steps forward when the old speakers above his head crackled.

"Welcome, false savior," Wesker's cold, mocking voice echoed from hidden speakers.

Alex calmly looked at one of the cameras mounted in the wall.

"Wesker, I assume?" he said, raising an eyebrow slightly.

"You guessed it," the voice hissed. "And this place will be your grave… and the grave of everyone who followed you."

The hoarse voice sounded from all the speakers at once, filling the hall with an ominous echo.

A wide smile spread across Alex's face. He knew perfectly well that Wesker still didn't know: from the very beginning, Alex had ordered his groups to destroy all the bloody nests to prevent the demons from breaking through. The only way demons could get onto the island would be through a manual portal opening or direct teleportation.

Alex briefly glanced at Red — she nodded, signaling that everything was ready: the complex's cameras were under her full control. A smile spread even wider on Alex's face.

"Hey, Wesker..." he said cheerfully, raising his hand and giving the camera the middle finger. "Fuck you."

G.I.R., MIMI, and Stitch immediately followed his gesture, mocking and making faces at the cameras. That was the signal: Red instantly hacked into and took control of all the surveillance systems, blinding Wesker.

On the other side of the building, in the command room, Wesker watched in fury as his screens flickered out one by one, until only the flashing red middle finger remained on the main monitor. Roaring with rage, he began destroying his office.

If Alex had seen that, he would have only laughed: such a lack of self-control from Wesker was unexpected.

Laughing heartily, Alex lowered his hand.

"What did you do?" Claire asked, noticing his satisfied smirk.

"Red took control of all the cameras in the complex. Now Wesker has no eyes," Alex answered in a cheerful tone.

"Captain Wesker must be furious right now," Rebecca sighed.

"His own fault," Alex shrugged carelessly. "He shouldn't have played the villain."

"So, where to now?" Claire asked, looking at him with interest.

Alex paused for a moment, took a cigarette from his pocket, and lit it. The light smoke lingered in the air, mixing with the dust swirling around. Taking out his phone, he quickly opened the complex's map to figure out where to go next.

It wasn't hard to figure out: the elevator up led straight to Wesker, while the descent down led to the laboratories. The choice was obvious.

"We're going down," Alex said, putting the phone back in his pocket.

"And what's down there?" Rebecca asked, stepping closer to him.

"The lower levels of the complex have the laboratories. The offices are up top," Red answered calmly, anticipating Alex's response.

Alex nodded, confirming her words. His instincts told him that before meeting Wesker, it was better to take care of things down below.

Approaching the elevator, Alex casually pressed the call button and calmly waited. His behavior seemed to contradict the tense atmosphere around them. Claire and Rebecca exchanged glances, clearly wondering if they should even follow him.

Red and White were already standing next to Alex, while G.I.R., MIMI, Stitch, and Wolf were impatiently shifting, ready for the descent. Seeing no one hesitating, Claire and Rebecca hurried to join the others.

The elevator finally arrived. The doors slid open with a metallic rustle. Alex stepped in first, leisurely taking a drag from his cigarette. After waiting for the others to enter, he pressed the button for the lowest floor.

The ride deeper into the complex began.

To be continued...

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