Caelid, the Capital .. the last remnant of Ultras civilization after the recent war.
The ancient city of the Demon Worshipers had been utterly devastated by the battle that raged across its borders and upon its soil.
Yet now, little by little, the Ultras had begun rebuilding it, clinging to the hope of salvaging whatever remained of their shattered civilization.
Amid the reconstruction efforts and the grim atmosphere left behind by the brutal war, the elite forces had gathered today in an unusual assembly, all converging around the tower that the demons had long used as their headquarters.
There, among a dense formation of soldiers and fighters, Mergo appeared .. his old, drunken figure parting the crowd as he made way for someone important.
As always, Mergo looked completely intoxicated, having drunk himself into a stupor .. his cheeks flushed red, his robe torn, and his bare feet uncovered by any shoes. Many doubted his authority and worthiness because of his appearance... but his power silenced all such thoughts.
Ever since Gavid Lindman had been captured by the Empire’s forces, Mergo had become the commanding authority of the Ultras ..
at least on the surface, since true command rested with the demons, and with Amon in particular.
Today, Mergo stood with his retinue, and beside him was Maria, who had become fully loyal to him some time ago.
Both of them were standing before a specific gate, waiting for a particular individual to arrive.
As they waited, Mergo began humming cheerfully, singing without caring in the slightest about where he was or who he was supposed to be—something that irritated Maria.
She glanced sideways at him, her expression cold as ever.
"Control yourself, old man. Or are you trying to ruin everything?"
Despite her rebuke, Mergo remained completely unfazed.
"No need to worry, my dear Maria. Alcohol sharpens my mind far more than my normal state ever could."
"Hmph... I seriously doubt that," Maria replied, before suddenly kicking Mergo’s leg and knocking him flat onto his backside with ease.
"I’m truly impressed by your incredible perception and awareness, Lord Mergo."
Her sarcasm was perfectly flat, her expression unchanged, as Mergo got back up, clutching his aching rear.
"You insolent girl... since when did you become capable of jokes like that?"
He grumbled as he stood.
Maria with a sense of humor?
That terrified him far more than it amused him.
Silence fell between them for a moment as they waited .. until Maria spoke again.
"Hey... tell me something."
Mergo turned to her.
"What is it?" he asked seriously, sensing the tension in her voice.
She hesitated for a few seconds, then finally spoke.
"Did we really... make the right decision this time?"
A faint smile appeared on Mergo’s face as he shook his head.
"There is no way for me to answer that, my dear Maria. It might be the correct decision that leads us to our goals... or we may have opened the door to a far worse hell. Only the future will tell."
His vague reply made Maria sigh in exhaustion.
"I wish you’d just say it was the right choice—even if you were lying."
"Hehehe... I could never lie to you, my dear Maria."
Then his eyes closed, and his expression turned serious.
"It’s time."
At that moment, the gate opened, and the soldiers lined up to clear the path.
From within emerged an elegant woman dressed in a beautiful violet gown.
Her cold features were hidden beneath her wide-brimmed hat, but her purple eyes shone as she looked at them.
The witch ..
Beatrice, Rank 17 among the High Demons.
Everyone bowed before her except Mergo.
"Lady Beatrice, the gate is ready. You may use it whenever you wish," Maria said, gesturing toward the distortion gate prepared specifically for her.
Beatrice did not respond. For the first time ever, she seemed distracted .. unable to compose herself.
The war on Earth had reached a completely different level.
Wesker, her master, had died in the last battle, dealing her a devastating and irreversible blow.
Her powers meant nothing now.
And so, the Golden Witch chose to leave in order to preserve her own life.
The distortion gate led to Helmond—the same gate through which one of the Dukes of Hell, Vex, had arrived just one day earlier.
"Are you truly sure about this, Lady Beatrice? Your power would be extremely valuable in the coming war," Mergo said with a faint smile.
Beatrice walked forward without even acknowledging him.
"Let us begin at once," she said.
Mergo chuckled under his breath.
"How cruel."
Slowly, Mergo and Maria followed Beatrice toward the distortion gate.
"I wonder... does the High Amon approve of this? He never struck me as the type who would give up such a valuable weapon so easily," Mergo said, masking his sarcasm.
Beatrice turned toward him.
"You may be a half-demon, but know your place. Someone who denies his demonic half cannot comprehend what a High Demon like Lord Amon desires."
Mergo raised his hands in surrender.
"My apologies... I overstepped."
He smiled .. but the sharpness in his eyes revealed far more than his words.
From that brief exchange, Mergo had already confirmed it.
Amon had no idea what Beatrice was planning.
If he had, she would never have been allowed to escape so freely.
The Golden Witch stood before the distortion gate leading to Helmond, staring at it for a moment before closing her eyes and sending her aura inside, carefully scanning its interior.
Never .. in her wildest dreams or darkest nightmares had Beatrice imagined that fragile Earth could overturn itself like this.
Humans .. once simple creatures so easy to manipulate—had now become nothing more than pawns beneath the command of the Shadow Sect.
Before those monsters... her game had ended before it ever truly began.
And then there was this strange feeling...
"A sensation... as if death itself is stalking me from every direction..."
Ever since the last battle, Beatrice had carried this ominous presence within her. It was, without question, a premonition.
And premonitions almost never lied.
That was what terrified her enough to flee so decisively .. even if it meant earning Amon’s wrath later.
"Lord Wesker... why did you leave me behind like this..."
Wesker’s death had carved a black void into her heart .. unaware that Wesker was, in truth, still alive... merely in another form.
Slowly, Beatrice withdrew her aura, finishing her inspection of the gate.
Once she was done, she stepped forward, piercing through the distortion gate and leaving Earth behind .. the world where she had experienced so much...
Moments of thrill.
Moments of joy.
And moments of horror and darkness.
All in all, Earth had become a nightmare—a battlefield so merciless that even the strongest demons could fall without exception.
"This is for the best," Beatrice murmured as the crimson light of the gate swallowed her whole.
She chose to follow her instinct, abandoning everything behind.
Only seconds passed before the teleportation ended, and Beatrice stepped onto the other side.
Her body emerged fully from the red glow as she slowly opened her eyes to the scene before her.
And in that instant... unease struck.
Beatrice frowned deeply as she found herself in a place she could not recognize.
Helmond’s red sky and lifeless atmosphere were nowhere to be seen.
Instead, she stood within a dark forest beneath a dead night sky ..
stars scattered above, and a moon that existed only as shattered fragments.
In that moment, Beatrice realized the truth.
She was still on Earth.
A chilling sense of danger washed over her, and she immediately tried to turn back through the gate—
—but she froze when Mergo emerged behind her, his Uchigatana pressed against her neck, slicing her skin and drawing blood.
Behind him, Maria stepped out as well, one hand on her weapon, staring at Beatrice with cold, murderous intent.