An unexpected battle kicks off our friends' adventures in the mysterious forest. After fighting General JUGER and emerging victorious, our friends are resting inside the house built by Quetzalcoatl. A considerable amount of time has passed, and DANTE is resting in his room when he suddenly wakes up drenched in sweat, with REX right by his side.
REX: Hey, DANTE, you're finally awake! Are you feeling alright?
DANTE HERALDI: REX... (sighs) What happened to the enemy?
REX: Don't you remember? Thanks to you, we won!
DANTE HERALDI: Really? That's great. I don't remember much, but thank goodness we won.
From one moment to the next, there is a knock at the door and ELENA enters. Upon seeing DANTE awake, she rushes over and pulls him into a tight embrace against her chest.
ELENA: Thank goodness you're okay!
DANTE HERALDI: ELENA, calm down... you're suffocating me!
ELENA: (pulling back) I'm sorry! I'm just so happy you woke up.
DANTE HERALDI: Um... how long was I asleep?
Quetzalcoatl and MALEKIN walk in out of nowhere.
QUETZALCOATL: Three weeks... DANTE, I honestly thought you wouldn't wake up.
MALEKIN: You gave us quite a scare. That form of yours was actually a bit terrifying, and I'm a demon saying that! What happened?
DANTE HERALDI: Damn... three weeks? No wonder you hugged me like that. Sorry, guys. I gained partial control over the demon inside me, and now I can transform into what you saw. But it drains a massive amount of energy, so I don't think I can use it for long. Um... from what I see in my stats, it's called "Domination" and it's currently at Level 2. The demon told me there's still one more trial before he grants me all his power, though I have no idea when that will be.
QUETZALCOATL: That entity is quite fascinating—it clearly has its own consciousness, judging by the sheer amount of energy it gave you. I imagine the final trial awaiting you is the ultimate test, one that will elevate you to the realm of the gods.
ELENA: But you're still the same as always, and that's what matters!
In his mind, DANTE recalls the demon's warning about how he is gradually losing his humanity. It deeply worries him, but he stays quiet and crestfallen. Only REX notices that something isn't right with his friend.
DANTE HERALDI: Yeah, I'm still me. I don't think anything inside me has changed.
MALEKIN: Well, I think it's best to let him rest. The journey ahead will be long, and we're setting out early tomorrow to make progress.
Everyone agrees and begins leaving the room one by one. ELENA gives DANTE a kiss before stepping out, leaving REX as the only one remaining.
As DANTE sits on his bed staring blankly out the window, REX, lying on the floor, speaks up.
REX: Seems like something is bothering you, my friend.
DANTE HERALDI: (startled, then smiles) You really know me well, REX. How long have we been together now?
REX: To be honest, I can't quite remember... a little over a year, I think?
DANTE HERALDI: That long? I thought it was less. Time really flies. But you're right, I feel terrible, man. I feel like I'm slowly losing my humanity in this world as I acquire so much power... and it surprises me how calm you are.
REX: Well, the difference between you and me is that I am a dog, and your complex human emotions are precisely what set you apart from me.
DANTE HERALDI: I wish I could be like you, REX... a being without a single worry.
REX: (slightly annoyed) Don't say foolish things. You don't know me well enough to say you want to be like me; I've lost plenty of things too.
DANTE HERALDI: (remorseful) I'm sorry, REX. I didn't mean to upset you.
REX: Forget it. Maybe it's time I told you a bit about myself.
DANTE, who had been gazing out the window this whole time, turns around quickly to look at REX. The dog gets up and lies on the bed right beside DANTE, sharing the story of his life—what happened when he was alive, how he died, what he did with the little girl, and the tragic deaths of his canine companions before he broke free from his chains. A few tears stream down DANTE's face, feeling closer to REX than ever before. DANTE then shares his own story in return, forging an even deeper bond between two beings of entirely different species.
DANTE HERALDI: Your whole life was a tragedy; now I understand why BELL called you a murderer... I know it doesn't mean much, but I apologize on behalf of humanity. And don't blame yourself for the little girl; you were just a frightened animal.
REX: I appreciate it, but until now, I just couldn't trust humans. You've helped me a lot, and I respect you for that. Now that we trust each other, I've always wanted to ask you something: that scar next to your mouth... I've noticed it never disappears, even though we are in hell. What is it?
DANTE HERALDI: Oh, that... umm (looks at his reflection in the window). It's true, hahaha, I just realized that this scar never faded, even though I'm dead. How curious. I got this right as the Third World War was coming to an end. Want to hear the story? The truth is, it was a supernatural event, and I was wounded by a very bizarre creature. Nobody believed me back then, but now I know I was right in thinking it was a demon that marked me with this scar.
REX: Sounds interesting. Tell me the story.
DANTE HERALDI: Alright, you see, it all started...
The Third World War was brought about by a Russian dictator who came to power in 2035. Much like a certain Austrian from the past, he attempted to conquer the world; he shared the same ideologies, but that is a topic for another time.
Now, a few months before the end of the Third World War, on January 15, 2040, on Sakhalin Island at the far edge of the Russian map, our friend DANTE's platoon is on a reconnaissance mission. They carefully infiltrated the area to destroy a hidden base within the local forest. Intelligence reports indicated that a weapon greater than a nuclear bomb—designed to extinguish all life within the radius of an entire country—was being developed there. This posed such a terrifying threat that the Allies unhesitatingly dispatched a special forces squad, which included DANTE and ALEX.
At 23:00 hours on January 15, 2040, a platoon carefully sets up camp deep inside a forest. Inside one of the tents, we see a soldier reporting to another person.
ALEX TROYEN: Commander DANTE, the troops are assembled; the tents are pitched.
DANTE HERALDI: Good, thank you. ALEX, gather the men at the designated rally point. In one hour, we move out to the target marked on the map.
ALEX TROYEN: Yes, sir.
Alex withdraws. An hour later, the men are chatting.
ALEX TROYEN: Alright, the operation is about to begin. Everyone is ready, right? The Commander will be here any minute.
Two soldiers can be heard murmuring in the background.
ALEX TROYEN: Something to share, Brayan and Norby? You two sure are talking a lot.
BRAYAN: I'm sorry, sir, it's just that Norby here doubts our Commander's skills.
NORBY: HEY! That's not true! Excuse me, sir ALEX, but Brayan is a damn coward who doesn't want to admit he said it.
ALEX TROYEN: (with an annoyed glare) Are you saying you don't trust your Commander? Watch your words. I know he has a mild-mannered disposition, but he's an incredible guy.
Out of nowhere, DANTE appears like a ghost.
DANTE HERALDI: Who has a mild-mannered disposition?
ALEX TROYEN: (sweating) No one... just these idiots doubting your skills. Sir, please excuse their disrespect; they haven't seen you in action yet.
DANTE HERALDI: You're saying Brayan and Norby are talking trash about me? hahaha, how ridiculous.
Dante stares at them. The boys start sweating profusely while the rest watch nervously; the atmosphere grows a bit tense.
DANTE HERALDI: Okay, (gets serious) enough of this nonsense. Fall in! We will advance in a line heading south. If our intel is accurate, we will reach the target in 30 minutes. So gear up and activate your camouflage.
The soldiers shout nervously, "Yes, sir!" and activate a type of active camouflage that turns their bodies transparent, blending them seamlessly with the surroundings. After 30 minutes, they arrive at a facility—it looks like a small house guarded by two soldiers in the middle of nowhere. Swiftly, two squad members neutralize the enemy guards and secure the building.
Upon entering, they realize it is merely a facade; there is nothing inside except a few pieces of furniture and an elevator. The elevator clearly leads deep underground. Before stepping inside, the men gather to confer.
DANTE HERALDI: Alright, before we move any further, this is the main facility. It's confirmed—security is light because they wanted to keep it under the radar, but that was a massive mistake on their part. Now, ALEX, you speak a bit of Russian; get on the radio and give them an excuse for us to head down. There are only five of us, so I wish you all luck. Oh, and before we go down... BRAYAN, pass me that brick next to you.
BRAYAN: Huh? This heavy brick? Yes, sir.
DANTE HERALDI: So, how about we make a little bet? Leave that brick on the table. I'll bet you a thousand dollars I can shatter it with a single punch.
ALEX TROYEN: Sir... don't you think we shouldn't...?
DANTE HERALDI: Stay out of this, Alex. What do you say, Brayan? Maybe Norby should throw in some cash too, seeing as you both doubt me.
NORBY: That brick is about eight inches thick! There's no way you can do that. I'm in. What do you say, 500 each, Brayan?
BRAYAN: (sighs) This is ridiculous... Fine, I'm in.
DANTE smiles mischievously, looking at the brick Brayan set on the table. Next, he places his fist against the brick, stretching his fingers out flat right over its surface. Everyone is sweating, swallowing hard to see what their commander is capable of. Anyone would think he'd pull back to gain momentum to smash the brick, but he doesn't. From that exact position—just centimeters away—DANTE closes his fist at superhuman speed, executing a one-inch punch that shatters the brick, sending fragments flying into the wall. Everyone stands there wide-eyed, mouths agape at such a display of raw power.
DANTE HERALDI: hahahaha! The easiest thousand dollars of my life! Now you know what I'm capable of. Fall in, and ALEX, you're up.
NORBY: Damn, I shouldn't have listened to you.
BRAYAN: (Sigh) Umm, you'd better keep your mouth shut, buddy.
Alex nods, picks up the radio, and speaks in Russian, reporting that he is heading down to retrieve a firearm because an animal ran off with his weapon. They yell at him over the radio, but ultimately grant permission to descend. The five of them quickly enter the elevator and begin their descent.
Upon reaching the lower level, they breach the area immediately and neutralize the guards on-site, triggering the facility's alarms. Our friends split into two teams to sweep the installation, quickly discovering that the enemy was not only building atomic weapons, but also conducting experiments on various subjects. DANTE orders everyone to separate and regroup in 10 minutes at the lowest level of the facility. Every man in the squad could hold his own, which is why DANTE trusted them implicitly.
Sweeping his sector alone, Dante enters a room where he encounters a man in a black lab coat who draws a gun and orders him to freeze.
DANTE HERALDI: (in English) HEY! Freeze! Who are you?
MYSTERIOUS MAN: Damned Yanks... always meddling where you don't belong!
DANTE HERALDI: (in English) I'm Latino, you got it wrong. We support the Resistance.
MYSTERIOUS MAN: Oh, a Latino? hahaha, well, even worse for you, hahaha!
Quickly, the man pulls something from his waist as if reaching for a firearm. DANTE fires instantly, killing him on the spot. Approaching the body, Dante realizes the man had actually pulled a remote control, which activates a secondary alarm. A heavy door at the far end of the room begins to slide open, revealing a restrained humanoid figure inside.
When the door opens fully, the creature opens its eyes—blood-red with black borders—and long gray hair matching the shade of its scarred, mutated body. Clad only in shredded trousers, it resembles a vampire with saw-like teeth lining its jaws.
Dante breaks into a cold sweat at the sight of this monstrosity, realizing they weren't just developing firearms, but biological weapons—mutants. Dante fires frantically, but the creature moves at speed far exceeding human capability, closing the distance rapidly. Dante backpedals to escape the room. Just as he reaches the doorway, a razor-sharp claw slashes across his face, marking him right beside his mouth.
An agonizing pain surges through his face from the wound, but Dante manages to slip out, hurling a specialized grenade into the room. Before the monster can react, the grenade detonates with violent force. The shockwave blasts Dante backward; inside, the monster—now missing an arm from the blast—grabs Dante, lifts him off his feet, and slams him against the wall, roaring directly into his face. Just as the creature prepares to sink its fangs into Dante, gunshots ring out—ALEX had tracked him down and opened fire to save him.
The monster tries to protect itself from the gunfire, but numerous bullets manage to strike home. Reacting instantly, Dante places his hand close to the creature's chest and executes the exact same technique he used on the brick, blasting a gaping hole right through the monster's chest. ALEX is left completely stunned, and DANTE himself is astonished by his own raw strength.
Without wasting a second, he dashes toward the exit alongside Alex. A few meters down, they regroup with their small squad.
BRAYAN: Sir, we managed to plant the explosives! This facility will detonate in approximately 15 minutes. We need to get out of here!
NORBY: This facility is massive, but we've mapped out our escape route. There's another exit about 5 minutes from here. Fast, we have to move!
DANTE HERALDI: Alright! FRANKLIN, LUCIO, NORBY, BRAYAN, ALEX—good luck to all of you. Move!
Dante and his squad take off running, gunning down every enemy standing in their way as they push forward. After 5 minutes, they reach a hangar-like structure where nearly 20 enemy soldiers open fire on them. BRAYAN reports that he is running low on ammo and time is rapidly ticking away.
Suddenly, DANTE feels a surge of intense heat coursing through his body, and the wound on his mouth begins to burn fiercely. Consumed by an overwhelming rage, he instructs his squad that he will assault the hangar alone, telling them to make a break for it the moment he clears the room. Everyone is left speechless by DANTE's proposal, but Alex catches the sheer determination in his eyes and takes charge, taking everyone by surprise.
Dante smirks at him and charges out armed only with a pair of combat knives, dodging incoming gunfire as he moves at a speed eerily reminiscent of the monster he just killed. Deep within his mind, DANTE feels an exhilarating rush; in a matter of just 5 minutes, he ruthlessly slaughters every soldier in the area. Alex rushes over to Dante, calling out his name to snap him back to his senses. DANTE apologizes, and the team quickly boards a helicopter, escaping the facility through a massive shaft opening in the base.
As they fly away, the timer expires and a colossal explosion erupts below, obliterating half the island. Nevertheless, our friends accomplished their mission, shortening the war by preventing the ultimate weapon from ever being completed.
Now, we return to the bedroom where our friend has just finished sharing his story with REX.
DANTE HERALDI: And after that, I was awarded several medals. I eventually decided to go into politics because of the sheer corruption I witnessed in the world.
REX: Fascinating... So that creature was the one that marked you.
DANTE HERALDI: Yeah, and ever since that day, I've had extraordinary strength. It seems something bonded with me on a spiritual level back then, especially since this scar followed me even into this world. Anyway, let's get some sleep before MALEKIN comes to drag us out of bed.
REX: Heh, yeah, looks like sunrise is almost upon us!
After a few hours of sleep, MALEKIN wakes everyone up, and they set out to continue their journey. As they travel along the path, they chat amongst themselves.
DANTE HERALDI: Um... hey, do you guys also sense countless presences up ahead?
QUETZALCOATL: Yes, it's quite strange.
As they forge ahead, they scale a mountain ridge. Upon reaching the summit, everyone is struck with awe: spread out right before their eyes is a colossal Inca-style city, teeming with countless beastly beings inhabiting the land.
What new adventures await our friends in this mysterious realm? We will find out very soon.