NOVEL NEXT Chapter 30: Chapter 30: Overview
I literally tremble as I watch the system announcements, my body quivering with rage and frustration. The useless and idle proto-Tyrant stands by my side, having done nothing in the previous fight. My mind boils with indignation at the arbitrary difficulty adjustment imposed by this damn system.
"What the hell is this difficulty adjustment," I think, observing the information displayed.
I bend down to retrieve the still-living Metalsting, leaving the corpse of the Stinger who died in combat lying on the ground. My gaze slides over the plant zombies, still encompassing the plant cocoon where the Tyrant's head no longer protrudes. I approach the plant prison, my heart pounding, and I stretch my arm inside to check.
There, in the heart of this prison, I see the Tyrant who should have originally been in the vat, completely immobilized. His head is accessible, and I place my hand on his skull, my mind screaming in frustration.
DING
T-002 Tyrant successfully absorbed available in the factory
1 T-002 Tyrant will be produced every 20 days. You will have 2 T-002 Tyrants directly in the factory.
You will be able to instantly subdue any T-002 Tyrant that is not under your control with a simple touch.
"SYSTEM!!" I yelled, anger piercing my voice. "I want an explanation!!" The words echoed in the room, an echo of my fury.
I sent Yawn, the plant zombies, and the new Tyrant back to the factory, my rage burning more intensely. My gaze fell on the corpse of the Stinger, a sad relic of the battle, and I felt betrayed by the meager gains I had received despite the crushing victory over the super Tyrant. The efforts, injuries, and sacrifices of my creatures have not been rewarded as they deserved.
Anger rises within me, a tide of raw and wild emotions. I clench my fists, determined to find answers and obtain justice for my fallen creatures.
Ding
The host is showing signs of emotional instability, request for intervention from an administrator requested.
Request accepted, the host will be calmed in order to reason calmly and not offend the administrator.
I feel my mind returning to calm, as if an invisible and soothing hand had swept away the fury that burned within me. My anger, which drove me mad and unleashed, suddenly evaporates, giving way to a surprising and almost disturbing tranquility. It is as if an external force has taken control of my emotions, imposing an unnatural serenity.
My gaze falls in front of me, where a virtual screen appears. The sentences start to write themselves, like in an online chat.
"The host can talk and ask questions to the administrator via this screen" the system said
On the screen, I start to read the first paragraph and it seems to be an indication.
"Hello, I am the administrator who takes care of your file. You have been selected to participate in something after your death. The world you are in is a tutorial world to make you stronger. Certain events will go in your favor depending on your feelings."
The first part is over and nothing is displayed, so I ask a question that is nagging at my mind, even if this story of a tutorial world is worrying.
"Why did you increase the difficulty?" I asked seeing my question written on the screen.
"Simple, as stated, the purpose of this world is to make you stronger, but it is true that you are the first person in a tutorial world to have its difficulty increased. Normally, it should be decreased because the person does not adapt well to their abilities.
In your case, you are perfectly integrated with your new power and you develop it at a remarkable speed. So, in order to provide more strength and capacity, the opponents you face must give you more trouble so that you obtain a better performance. Another question?" the administrator wrote on the board.
"Yeah, I defeated the Super Tyrant, I should have gotten him as a model in the factory instead of just an add-on, and I finished off the last enemy in the Resident Evil 1 timeline. So, like with Marcus, I was expecting a little bonus," I asked, trying not to sound greedy, even though I feel like I'm giving exactly that image.
"Indeed, it seems there's a problem with the calculation of the end-of-chapter rewards since you subjugated Wesker, even though the clone should compensate, and the change in difficulty, since it's the first time it's happened in this world.
We'll do it like this, I'll add the ability to modify the creatures you already have to create more models, and the special rewards will simply be for certain mutated human bosses. Is that okay with you?"
My eyebrows relax and I smile when I see that he's not treating me like an egomaniac.
"Yes, thank you for fixing the problem, although I have one last question, but I think it will be unanswered for now. What will become of me after my time in this world is over?"
"Good question. Unfortunately, I can only give you a partial answer. Depending on your performance, you will be assigned to another world three times to continue your strengthening before being sent to me where I will tell you more. But I think several decades will have passed by then.
Just a bit of information that might interest you, I think. You could have a bonus or more to choose from depending on your performance in this world so go wild. Goodbye."
The screen closed after I finished reading the last sentence although I can clearly imagine the administrator laughing when he said the last sentence.
I find myself alone with my thoughts. Several decades? Three other worlds? The idea of spending so much time in increasingly difficult worlds is both terrifying and exciting. On one hand, I can't wait to see what abilities I'll develop further, how I'll adapt and grow. On the other hand, the idea of not having complete control over my life and choices is frustrating.
But I know I have no say in the matter. I might as well go with the flow and enjoy this new life to the fullest. After all, I have a whole world to play in and aside from combat, everything I do will be easier.
As I slowly surface to find my daughter and team, I think for a moment before letting a dog out of my factory. It's a cute Doberman, with bright, alert eyes, who looks at me calmly, his tail twitching slightly.
I spit on my hand before digging a saliva-covered finger into his back. He doesn't react immediately, but I'm starting to see the effects of the G-virus showing. The dog begins to grow gradually, his muscles developing with natural grace. His legs become longer and stronger, his back broadens, and his chest deepens, all while maintaining his elegant posture. The Doberman eventually reaches the size of a pony, his slender and powerful body giving off an imposing presence.
I am pleased with the result, observing the creature before me that was also hard to take down in the game with pistols. The dog, now a majestic giant, looks at me with intelligent eyes, his breathing calm and steady. I smile, pleased to see that I do not need to bite my creatures to mutate them with the G-virus. A thought crosses my mind: it would be wise to have Birkins make more for me.
The dog approaches and gently rubs his massive head against my hand, pulling me from my thoughts. "Good dog," I murmur, stroking his smooth, shiny coat.
Ding
Congratulations on creating a new species derived from Cerberus.
Do you want to name it?
I look at the dog that has grown to an impressive size and think for a bit.
"Let's call him Sirius," I say seeing his resemblance to my favorite character's animagus, even though my dog is much larger.
1 Sirius will be produced every day. You will have 2 Sirius directly in the factory.
The new dog, true to his name, jumps on me enthusiastically, his large paws pressing on my shoulders and his giant tongue licking my face without restraint.
I struggle to get up, overcome with laughter, while Sirius continues to cover me with canine kisses, completely ignoring his new colossal strength. His licks, although powerful, are filled with tenderness and joy.
"Calm down, big boy," I say laughing, trying to gently push the happy dog away. After a few moments of playful struggle, I finally manage to calm him down. "You really are full of energy, aren't you?"
Sirius, finally understanding my will, sits up, his eyes sparkling with affection and his tail wagging happily. I pet him one last time before sending him back into the factory, his faithful gaze following me until he disappears.
I get up, wiping the traces of his saliva from my face, and head towards the surface, my mind soothed by this joyful interaction.
I finally join the others outside, slipping discreetly behind Jill and Lisa with the complicity of the men of the team who pretend not to see me.
I observe the scene for a moment: Jill is sitting on a crate, Lisa at her side, talking happily with Steeve and Pascal. Barry and Chris chat further away, while Joseph exchanges jokes with the three Jordans and Wesker. Everyone seems more relaxed, enjoying a rare moment of calm.
"Is Daddy coming back soon?" Lisa asks, her eyes sparkling with hope.
"Of course, sweetheart," Jill replies with a smile, "Your Daddy is a super strong soldier, he'll always come back to you."
Taking advantage of the opportunity, I slip silently behind Jill. I breathe softly into her neck, eliciting a very girly squeal from her and triggering a general laugh. Lisa jumps into my arms, and I move her to the side, laughing as Jill pounds my chest with her fists under the amused gaze of the little girl.
"Mommy doesn't like Daddy's joke," Lisa says innocently, making me burst out laughing again.
"It's not funny, Gerald!" Jill protests, her face red with embarrassment and frustration, though her eyes are sparkling with mischief.
"I'm sorry, I couldn't resist," I say, trying to regain my seriousness, but the laughter of the others makes it difficult. Steve and Pascal are doubled over with laughter, Barry shakes his head with a smile, and even Chris can't help but snicker.
Wesker, for once, displays an amused smile, while Joseph and the Jordans burst out laughing, patting each other on the back.
"Daddy is the best prankster," Lisa comments as she snuggles up to me, her little voice adding a touch of sweetness to the atmosphere.
"You'll find that I'm not far behind, Gerald," Jill declares with a predatory glint in her eyes, making me swallow sharply.
"Um, by the way, how's the transport going?" I said, trying to change the subject. Jill hugged Lisa, giving me a light pinch in the process, though it didn't really hurt.
"We're still waiting for Brad, but don't worry," Jill said with a mischievous smile.
Suddenly, Jill whispered something to Lisa, who burst out laughing. Before I could react, Jill and Lisa launched into a full-on tickle attack, Lisa using her little hands to tickle my ribs while Jill took care of my sides.
"Oh, no, not that!" I cried, laughing in spite of myself, trying to get away without hurting anyone.
"You didn't expect that, did you?" Jill said with a laugh, delighted to see that their prank was working.
The others burst out laughing at my reaction, Steve and Pascal holding their sides, and Barry trying not to laugh too hard. Chris grins widely, while Wesker raises an eyebrow, amused by the scene.
"I surrender, I surrender!" I say with a laugh, raising my hands in surrender.
"Daddy's ticklish!" Lisa exclaims with a crystalline laugh, snuggling against me again.
"Well done, you two," I say as I catch my breath, a smile still plastered on my lips. "We really do make a great team."
I sit on the steps of the mansion with Lisa asleep on my lap and Jill by my side. The other members of Alpha Team gather around us, tiredness showing on their faces.
"I have something to tell you," I say quietly after a moment of thought. "I'll probably quit the force and pursue a less risky career now that I'm planning on raising a child."
Lisa stays huddled against me, but the others immediately show their reluctance at my resignation. I motion for everyone to be quiet before continuing.
"You'll probably have to keep quiet about what you've seen here and pass the word on to Bravo Team, because Umbrella is not a company that 14 cops can bring down, even with evidence," I say seriously.
"Gerald, you can't just leave like that," Jill protests, her face showing both concern and determination. "We need you. Lisa needs you, but she also needs a safe world, and we can't get that if we give up."
"I agree with Jill," Joseph adds. "We need fighters like you to stand a chance against Umbrella. You can't just quit."
Wesker, with his usual smirk, speaks up. "Gerald, as captain, I understand your desire to protect your family. But you also have to think about protecting many other families."
"I'm with Wesker on this," Barry says, rubbing the back of his neck. "Your decision is understandable, but if we don't do something, Umbrella will continue its atrocities. We must at least try to stop them."
Chris, his face serious, nods. "We need you, Gerald. But I also understand your desire to protect Lisa. Do what you think is best for her."
The tone rises slightly with everyone's arguments, and that's when Lisa starts to move on my lap. She wakes up, frowning.
"Dad, why are you arguing?" she asks sleepily.
I gently take her in my arms to calm her down. "Don't worry, sweetheart. We're just discussing what to do next."
"I want to stay with you, Dad," she says, hugging me tightly.
I sigh, stroking her hair, feeling the weight of responsibility on my shoulders. "Look, I can't risk Lisa's life. I'll find a way to protect us both. But I won't abandon you. I'll just... do things differently."
Jill places a comforting hand on my shoulder. "We understand, Gerald. We'll always be here to help you. Do what you have to do for Lisa."
"Thank you, Jill. Thank you all," I say, feeling the tension ease slightly. "I'll do everything I can to protect us.
(Editor's note: I hope you enjoyed this chapter, don't worry, Resident Evil will continue but a little differently, I'll move away from the plot of the games more often even if I'll still use some iconic passages here and there)