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Chapter 342 - "Chapter 342: The Shadaloo Group’s Attack and Its End"

After the announcement about the approaching enemy echoed through the settlement, those who weren't planning to take part in the upcoming battle immediately headed for shelter, far from the front lines. The rest — those ready to fight — began preparing without delay: donning armor, checking weapons, and taking up positions. The enemy helicopters were getting closer by the second, their roar already rumbling through everyone's chests.

But no one panicked. These people had crossed half the world, making their way to Alaska through chaos zones, monsters, and devastation. They had faced nightmares beyond what even the wildest screenwriters could imagine. And compared to that, a group of armed Shadaloo mercenaries seemed more like an annoying obstacle than a serious threat.

Alex stood atop the wall, staring at the approaching helicopters. He was quietly angry, cursing Simmons in his mind. That idiot had most likely given away their location to Bison. Yet Alex couldn't help but wonder — what did Simmons promise to make that psycho show up here in person? And more importantly — whose side was Simmons really on? How deep was he entangled in this hellish conspiracy?

The answer, sadly, was obvious. Most likely, Simmons — like Wesker once was — had also become a pawn of Davoth's demons. Alex was nearly certain that the Minister of Monoliths wasn't recruiting any more "servants." He had a different plan: let humans fight, let them hope, and when the long-awaited victory comes — step out of the shadows and destroy everything, making them realize it was all in vain. A final act of despair...

Down in the settlement, there was frantic movement: equipment was being handed out, people climbed the walls. The women from Alex's family had already arrived, fully equipped and ready for battle. Kiriko, upon hearing about the incoming attack, immediately took Anya and led her home to keep her safe. All the children had been evacuated — everyone understood that someone like Bison wouldn't hesitate to use any method.

"What kind of powers does this Bison have? Just so we know what we're up against," Price asked, looking at those who might know the answer.

"He uses Psycho Power. Can fly, throw things around, get into your head and turn you into a puppet... Nasty stuff," Ryu replied, gritting his teeth.

"So, like a Sith or Jedi?" R asked, searching for a familiar comparison.

"A disturbance in the Force, I sense, mmm, yes," Alex said in a parody of Yoda's voice.

For a second, silence hung in the air — and then everyone who'd seen Star Wars burst out laughing. The others joined in too — the look on Alex's face and his serious tone had been too funny. The girls beside him struggled to contain themselves, but his impression shattered any attempt to stay serious.

"Come on, say something else like Yoda," R asked, laughing.

"Gone to the dark side our enemy has. Stop him, we must, before the darkness consumes the world," Alex continued in an exaggerated tone.

"All you're missing is a lightsaber," Soap added, barely holding back his laughter.

Alex just shook his head with a smirk, then turned his gaze to the approaching helicopters. Joke time was over. It was time to begin.

He pulled a bow and an arrow from his inventory. Everyone on the wall immediately paid attention — each person watching with interest. One thought crossed all their minds: was he really going to shoot down helicopters with a bow?

"So now you're Legolas?" Toji smirked.

"Close. Now, if you'd all give me a little space. Time to greet our uninvited guests," Alex said with a smile as he drew the string.

Alex aimed at the first helicopter. His gaze was focused, movements precise. Inhale — exhale. The string hummed as it was released, and the arrow shot forth with incredible speed, aimed at the incoming machines of death. He didn't need to bring them all down — just disrupt their formation before they got too close.

The arrow whistled through the air and pierced the first helicopter's hull like a knife through butter. Another was flying right behind it — and the arrow, still carrying momentum, embedded itself in that one too. With a single, well-aimed shot, Alex took out several Shadaloo machines, forcing the remaining helicopters to veer off course and begin a hasty descent.

With a slight smirk as he watched the helicopters descend to deploy their troops, Alex put his bow back into his inventory and jumped over the edge of the wall. He landed directly in the middle of the only road connecting Unimak Island to the peninsula where the settlement was located.

Right behind him, landing with grace and confidence, were GIR, MIMI, and Stitch—determined to fight on the front lines. They were followed by Wolf, as well as Red and White, who moved to stand near Alex. The others remained on the wall—some took up defensive positions, while melee fighters waited below, ready to engage if the enemy broke through.

Alex lit a cigarette, staring down the road. He wondered who would show up first: the cannon fodder, or Bison himself with one of his dramatic speeches? His thoughts were interrupted by the growing roar of engines. On the horizon, a convoy of armored vehicles bearing the Shadaloo insignia slowly approached the settlement.

Alex raised an eyebrow, noting how absurdly theatrical the entire display seemed. He even suspected the enemy had little real intelligence about the settlement. Maybe all Bison knew was that Alex was here and had been labeled the "false savior."

But his musings were cut short by the screech of brakes. The convoy came to a halt, forming a kind of mobile barricade. Soldiers began jumping out, taking cover behind the armored vehicles. Alex narrowed his eyes. Bison still wasn't in sight.

The fighters on the walls stood frozen, scanning the distance with tension—especially those who had faced him before.

"Where is that bastard? He's usually out in front," Juri growled.

"Yeah, he likes to make a big entrance, flaunting his power," Ryu nodded, arms crossed.

"No need to look. He's already here," came Hayato's calm voice from the wall.

"What do you mean, Grandpa?" Miu asked, surprised.

Hayato pointed off in the distance. All eyes turned to where he indicated. In the sky, a massive stone structure was slowly approaching—like a piece of a mountain torn free, hovering in mid-air. A floating island heading toward them.

Those who knew Bison's power understood immediately: he had grown far stronger. In the chaos of this new world, his strength—fed by fear and hatred—had clearly escalated.

Alex looked up. He knew instantly—Bison was there. And as always, he was putting on a show.

The platform hovered over the Shadaloo convoy, then slowly began descending toward the ground. As it touched down, Bison shot out from its center. He floated above the ground, surveying the gathered crowd with contempt, a mocking smirk on his lips.

"Ha ha ha… Looks like you've made yourselves comfortable here. While the world burns in flames of chaos… you heroes of the past just stand by and watch it crumble. Hypocritical, pathetic little worms!" he sneered, his cold eyes sweeping over them.

Those who had faced him before clenched their fists. Bison's words burned. He fed on their anger, despair, and fear. And now, he was doing everything he could to stir up those emotions.

Alex stared at him silently, not sure what was going on in the man's head. But one thing was clear: the enemy had grown more dangerous, and his words weren't just taunts—they were part of a game.

Those who couldn't bear seeing others suffer boiled with rage. But everyone held back, knowing Alex would be the one to fight Bison.

"Hey, asshole," Rebecca said loudly, stepping forward and flipping him the middle finger. "You come here to talk shit or fight? If you're just here to yap, I'll put a bullet in your ass so you stop squealing like a whiny little bitch!"

Bison's face twisted with rage at her words. His fury grew with each passing second, especially as laughter erupted from the wall. Even Alex couldn't hold it in and burst out laughing. God, he loved his cute but aggressive green-haired gremlin.

He tried to calm himself, knowing Bison was lucky—still standing after delivering such a pompous speech. Because Becca was definitely not known for her patience.

Bison heard laughter from below and looked down in irritation. Alex stood there, grinning up at him—but that wasn't what enraged him the most. Next to Alex stood three small creatures, and all three were flipping him off in perfect unison. The humiliation was complete. No one feared him—everyone was just mocking.

"So you're the so-called false savior Simmons told me about. The hero who led the people. The savior of South Korea. Do you think you can save everyone? Ha! Fine then, I'll allow you to serve me. Kneel before your new god—and I'll grant you the honor of standing by my side. The rest will die. They are worthless, weak, and don't deserve to live in the new world where I reign as god," Bison declared condescendingly, glaring down at Alex.

"Oh no…" Alex drawled, theatrically covering his face with his hands. "How terrifying… such a powerful villain… We can't possibly win… What should we do? I don't want to die! I'm so scared! Please, don't kill me! I'm afraid of pain and death!"

Bison's expression twisted into an even deeper sneer. The people on the wall exchanged confused looks. Those who knew Alex well began to suspect he was putting on his usual act again. Brunhilde, standing on the wall, sighed wearily and rubbed her forehead. Once again, she found herself wondering why her husband couldn't act normal for just one moment—especially when a narcissistic villain appeared.

"I see… You've already realized that a new order has come to this world. People like you will always grovel beneath me," Bison spat with contempt.

Alex kept his face hidden in his hands. His shoulders were shaking—easily mistaken for trembling in fear. But in truth, he was just trying to hold back laughter. He couldn't last long—soon he burst into loud, uncontrollable laughter, still covering his face. Bison scowled and stared at him suspiciously.

"Pfff… Sorry, that was a joke. Blehhh~" Alex said, dropping his hands and sticking out his tongue.

Markings appeared on his cheeks, and on his tongue—an emblem of a fanged snake. Bison's face twisted with rage. He was being openly mocked. To make matters worse, GIR, MIMI, and Stitch began pulling faces and making silly gestures at him, amplifying the mockery.

Brunhilde narrowed her eyes when she saw Alex stick out his tongue. Reestablishing her spiritual connection with him, she instantly realized he was using another technique borrowed from a different world—this time, the Cursed Speech of the Inumaki Clan.

"How dare you?! A god stands before you! You are nothing!" Bison roared, pointing a trembling finger at Alex.

"Nope. You're no god. And now… Fall down," Alex said coldly, pointing downward.

In the next instant, Bison felt gravity crash down on him with monstrous force. His head and body were slammed toward the ground as if crushed by an invisible hand, and he plummeted like a sack of stones, kicking up a massive cloud of dust.

Everyone on the wall—and the Shadaloo soldiers on the other side—froze in shock. No one had expected Bison to collapse from a single command. When the dust settled, a deep crater gaped where he had landed.

"…What the hell was that?" Valmet asked in astonishment, glancing at Brunhilde.

"If I'm not mistaken—and I never am…" Kouta began before she could respond. "That was a technique of the Inumaki Clan. Damn… he can even use Cursed Speech. That's insanely cool."

"And what the hell does that mean, you fat idiot? Can you explain it in human terms?" Saya chimed in, adjusting her glasses.

"It means every word Alex says can now become a command infused with power. He said 'fall'—and that idiot, who thinks he's a god, dropped like a rock. Simple as that," Itami explained with the enthusiasm of a true fanboy, practically glowing.

"God… how many abilities does he even have? Don't you girls know?" Claire asked, turning to Alex's group of women.

"Nope, not even half," Ada snorted, pointing at Brunhilde. "She might know more—she's the only one who can actually get inside his head."

The other girls around Alex also began nodding in agreement. Every time Alex demonstrated something new, they would simply ask Brunhilde—and always got an answer. The others didn't understand that Ada's words about Brunhilde being able to "peek into Alex's head" were meant literally. To them, she just seemed like someone who could read his mind incredibly well.

Alex stood before the massive hole in the ground, staring thoughtfully into the darkness. He couldn't help but wonder if he had gone too far with the amount of power he poured into the cursed speech technique. What bothered him most was how quickly Bison had died. Scratching his cheek, Alex decided to make sure—was the guy still alive or not?

He took a step forward. Red and White followed right behind him. Approaching the edge of the crater, he peered down—there was no sign of Bison's body under the collapsed earth.

"Hey, Bison! You still alive? If I overdid it and you died—just say so! Stop lying there like an idiot," Alex shouted into the darkness.

"Your words contradict themselves. If he is dead, he cannot answer. If he is alive, he may simply be lying in wait to ambush us," Red observed, watching him carefully.

"Red, when you talk like that, you're not cute at all," Alex muttered, giving her a tired look.

"I base my behavior on logic appropriate to this situation. My cuteness is not required to match the enemy's reactions in a critical moment," she replied emotionlessly.

Alex only sighed and shook his head. Meanwhile, the Shadaloo soldiers realized something was wrong with their leader. He might have been seriously injured—and they decided to protect him. A single shot rang out—and moments later, all the soldiers opened fire on Alex, Red, and White.

Without hesitation, Alex grabbed both girls by the waist and leapt away, dodging the barrage. The soldiers on the wall saw that Alex was being fired upon—and immediately returned fire at the Shadaloo troops. Gunfire erupted across the area.

Alex continued holding Red and White while dodging bullets, but his eyes remained fixed on the crater—where Bison had been buried. With each passing second, he became more convinced that Bison was truly dead. And for some reason, that thought brought a strange hint of melancholy.

Suddenly, he noticed movement from the side. Three figures were approaching. He recognized them immediately—Bison's closest subordinates: Victor Sagat, the boxer Balrog, and the masked man—Vega. His personal guard unit, and perhaps the last of his loyal hounds.

Alex swiftly leapt backward, increasing the distance and getting out of the line of fire. Setting the girls down, he met the trio's gaze. They were locked on him—and when he stopped, so did they.

"Well, the master falls and the dogs bare their fangs? Not afraid you'll break your teeth?" Alex said, lighting a cigarette and squinting lazily.

"Guess we'll find out what's tougher—my fist or your face," Balrog grinned, raising a clenched fist.

"All right, that one's mine. Red, White—take care of the other two. Don't drag it out, they're weak anyway," Alex said, glancing at the girls.

"Fine. The one in the mask is mine," said White, drawing a massive sword and pointing it at Vega.

"Then I get the last one," Red nodded, pulling a katana from behind her back and staring at Sagat.

Alex simply shrugged, watching as Red and White launched into battle. He wasn't worried about them. On the contrary, he knew exactly how dangerous they were. The moment they engaged, they went on the offensive, aiming to end the fight as quickly as possible.

Alex stayed in place, standing opposite the smirking Balrog. However, his attention was already drifting—he shifted his gaze to the battlefield where the firefight was raging. There, he saw GIR, MIMI, Stitch, and Wolf bursting into the ranks of Shadaloo and starting a real slaughter.

The fighters behind the wall realized their chance had come—they shouted and leapt into the fight, joining the attack.

"You should be more careful in situations like this," Balrog's voice rang out. Suddenly, he appeared right in front of Alex and struck him straight in the face.

Alex took the hit, lazily glanced at Balrog, and exhaled cigarette smoke, showing no sign of pain.

"Twist," he said calmly.

Balrog sensed danger and tried to jump back. But even if he had succeeded—that wouldn't have saved him.

The hand he had used to strike Alex's face suddenly twisted in an unnatural, grotesque direction. A crunch echoed—deafening, as if dozens of bones were breaking at once. In the next moment, his limb contorted as if someone was trying to squeeze all the water out of it.

Unbearable pain showed across Balrog's face, large drops of sweat appearing on his forehead. He looked at his hand in horror—it now resembled a broken, twisted chunk of flesh more than a part of his body. Bones protruded from the flesh, and blood dripped from deep torn wounds, forming crimson stains on the ground.

"AAAAAAAH!!!" Balrog howled, clutching his mangled hand.

"Don't scream. This is just the beginning," Alex said calmly, slowly advancing. "You know, few people realize this… but I have one trait I carefully hide from those close to me."

"Screw you… bastard! What did you do to my hand?!" Balrog growled, writhing in pain.

"Let me explain," Alex's voice was cold and frighteningly calm. "I'm cruel. I enjoy torturing enemies. Torturing them. Slowly breaking them from the inside. But usually, I hold back… because someone from my family is always nearby. I don't want them to see this… me. Demons call me a false savior, thinking I'm someone who wants to save humanity. But the truth is, I'm a monster. A monster who takes pleasure in watching the suffering of creatures like you."

He stepped forward, and Balrog instinctively retreated, nearly losing his balance.

"Ha-ha-ha!" Balrog sneered despite the pain. "You're no better than us. You just hide behind your nobility. But deep down—you're the same monster!"

"Oh no…" Alex smiled slyly. "I'm nothing like you. Unlike you, I understand that life is a gift. But not for everyone. Creatures like you, Bison, and the rest… don't deserve forgiveness or a second chance. Without you, the world could be better. Well, no… good and evil always exist. It's balance. But even knowing that… I still enjoy killing those like you. Heroes try to save… I erase from the face of the earth. And now… explode."

"W-what?.." Balrog started but stopped abruptly.

At that very second, one of his legs exploded, bursting into a fountain of blood. Pieces of flesh and bone sprayed in all directions. A scream rang out—piercing, filled with excruciating pain. Balrog collapsed to the ground, clutching the bloody stump.

He lifted his gaze... and saw Alex.

His face was shrouded in shadow, from which only the brightly glowing irises of his eyes and a stretched, unnatural smile revealing sharp teeth stood out. Balrog's body trembled. Panic flooded his mind. He couldn't comprehend what kind of creature stood before him. But the only thought tearing at his mind sounded like a verdict:

"This is a real monster. It should not exist among humans."

Alex crouched down right in front of him, his smile growing even wider. He savored the moment. He loved bringing his enemies to such a state of fear when their minds could no longer think—only primal terror remained.

He achieved this effect with illusion magic, but even without it—his presence caused trembling.

"What are you afraid of, Balrog?" he whispered. "Weren't you glad when your organization watched this world burn? Or when Bison took advantage of the chaos to attack defenseless settlements where people just wanted to survive? He intimidated, instilled fear, played god… Admit it, you liked it. Being at the top of the food chain. But the truth is, your 'top' is just the beginning… and you are at the very bottom."

Alex's voice distorted, becoming alien, as if someone else was speaking. A new wave of panic gripped Balrog.

"Y-you… monster… beast!" he howled, trying to crawl away.

His only surviving hand clawed at the ground, his leg slipping; he desperately tried to crawl as far away as possible from the figure standing before him. Alex followed slowly, laughing like a child playing with a caught toy.

Suddenly, Balrog's hand touched something warm and sticky...

He looked down—and froze. In a pool of blood lay the severed head of Vega. A little further away—her body, hacked to pieces. Horror began to consume him completely. His heart pounded; his breathing faltered.

Trying to crawl further, he saw Sagat's body—without arms, without legs. A blade protruded from his chest. Not far off stood two girls—the same ones who were supposed to fight his allies. And now Sagat and Vega were dead—killed by them.

"Why are you frozen, Balrog?" Alex's voice echoed again. "Did your friends' deaths shock you so much? Weren't you happy when you crippled people in the ring? When you killed—and got away with it? How many dirty deeds did you commit... all with impunity. Did you really think it would all be forgotten?"

He stepped closer, his distorted voice growing louder, colder, and more terrifying.

"So why are you trembling like a child now?"

Alex stepped on Balrog's back with force. He began slowly applying more pressure, gradually increasing the weight of his foot, as if deliberately savoring the moment. Balrog jerked, trying to escape, but it was futile—the pressure on his spine became unbearable.

Alex smirked slightly and lifted his foot for a moment, giving Balrog false hope. Feeling relief, Balrog briefly revived—hope for salvation flickered in his eyes.

But it was a mistake.

Alex's smile widened, and with incredible force, he slammed his foot down again, driving it through Balrog's back. His boot tore through flesh, broke ribs, and pierced through the ribcage, crushing all the internal organs.

Blood gushed from Balrog's mouth, his eyes rolled back, and the hand he had been trying to crawl away with fell limply to the ground—he was dead.

"Cruel..." White said quietly, watching the scene unfold.

"Hey, he deserved it," Alex replied, wiping his boot on the ground. "People like him need to feel fear before death itself. So that fear sinks into their very essence. So that in their next life, they won't even want to become villains."

"A question," Red spoke up, stepping closer and pressing her nose against his cheek without breaking eye contact. "Based on what you said... the fear he's experiencing now—will it carry over into his next life? Or will everything he felt in this one be wiped away? And he'll become a new person, as reincarnation theory suggests?"

"That's a complicated question... It all depends on how you look at it," Alex answered, feeling her nose nudging his cheek. "But I think we'll discuss this later."

"Why?" White asked, looking up at him.

"Because... Bison has come to," Alex said, gently moving Red's face away.

As if confirming his words, the ground trembled. Wasting no time, Alex grabbed Red and White, and in the next moment, he was at the stone wall of the settlement. His gaze darted to where Shadaloo soldiers had been moments ago—now only burning ruins and mutilated bodies remained.

The entire Shadaloo squad was destroyed. Only Bison was left.

Alex looked up. The girls remaining on the wall looked back at him, faintly smiling. GIR, Mimi, and Stitch rushed toward him, all smeared with blood, as usual after a slaughter. Alex shook his head and turned his gaze toward the gaping hole in the ground—the place where Bison was supposed to be buried.

The earth trembled again. With a roar, a filthy, bloodied body shot out of the hole. It was Bison.

His uniform was torn and stained, his hair disheveled, and his face smeared with blood and dust.

"How dare you treat a god like this?! I'll show you your place, pathetic scum!" he roared, emerging from beneath the earth.

"Stop yelling," Alex said lazily. "You're alone now. Everyone you brought is already dead. Your dogs are dead too. And now, you're the last one."

Bison's face twisted with rage. He scanned the battlefield and saw that everything he had was destroyed. The soldiers were dead. The equipment was smashed. And the people on the wall—alive, unharmed, and worst of all, calm.

He tried to find Sagat, Vega, and Balrog with his eyes—but they were gone.

"If they're dead, it means they weren't worthy to stand beside the god of the new world!" Bison declared pompously.

"There we go again with that nonsense," Alex said wearily. "I've lost count of how many times I've had to explain to idiots like you that you're not gods and never will be. So get off your high horse, and let's finish this. I've got other things to do—I don't want to waste time on trash."

Bison's eyes filled with fury. The island where he had arrived began to lift into the air—under the power of his rage. His anger reached its peak. He wanted to tear Alex to pieces.

Alex looked up at the rising island.

"Let's see... if you can protect everyone when the whole island falls on their heads," Bison growled with a mad grin.

Without waiting for a response, he hurled the island toward the settlement. Alex frowned, pulled his arm back—and delivered a crushing blow. The shockwave slammed into the flying mass with a roar, shattering it midair. Fragments of the island scattered like pieces of a broken meteor.

Alex exhaled irritably. Instead of fighting, Bison was trying to cause mass murder.

Cracking his neck, Alex vanished from his spot—and the next second, his fist crashed into Bison's face with a dull crunch. Like a projectile, Bison flew across the sky, breaking the sound barrier, and slammed into the mountains on Unimak Island.

Alex didn't waste time. Pushing off the ground, he left a trail of destruction behind as he raced after him. Those on the wall were just beginning to recover after the island's fall when they saw Alex destroy it, strike Bison, and disappear.

Bison, smashing through rocky terrain with his body, crashed into the mountainside. A rockfall buried him under the debris.

Alex was already standing at the foot of the mountain, patiently waiting for that bastard to get up again.

To be continued…

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