Chapter 12 – Return to Terra
The wind in Raccoon City had died. The fires, the chaos, the shrieks — all of it faded into an eerie silence.
Kuro stood at the edge of the broken skyline, the cracked missile launcher behind him a smoldering monument to survival. The burning sky above the city had begun to dim, casting long shadows across shattered streets. He could still feel the sting of gunpowder in the air, the weight of every decision pressed into his muscles like bruises.
He didn't speak. Not right away. He just watched the smoke curl into the sky.
Yumi walked over, her arm still wrapped in bandages. She stood beside him, watching the same skyline. "It's hard to believe it's over."
Kuro gave a faint nod. "For now."
They stood in silence for another long moment. Then Alice joined them, her boots crunching lightly over broken glass. She said nothing either. The three of them just stood there, looking at what they survived.
"So," Alice finally said, voice low. "What happens now?"
Kuro turned to her. "Now… I go home."
Yumi's gaze snapped to him. "Alone?"
He shook his head. "Not for long."
He reached into the system with a thought.
[System: Fragment Chain Complete. Terra phase reactivation possible. Would you like to return to your origin world?]
[Confirm? Y/N]
He hovered for a second.
"I want you to come with me," he said to Alice, his voice quiet but firm.
She blinked. "You're not serious."
"I am. You've seen what I've done. What I'm capable of. This world—it's falling apart. But where I'm going, there's a chance to do more. To fight for something better."
She studied him with sharp eyes. "I'm not some lost puppy you can drag along."
"No," Kuro said. "You're a damn war goddess. And I'm asking you to fight beside me — not because I need you, but because I believe in you."
That made her pause.
"…You're insane," she muttered.
"Maybe," he said with a grin. "But I'm alive."
There was a long silence.
"…If you summon me, I'll come. But don't expect me to smile about it."
"Wouldn't dream of it."
[Y – Confirmed]
The world around Kuro dissolved into a cascade of black and blue light, pixels fragmenting like shattered glass — and just like that, he was gone.
[TERRA – Outer Rim, Nightfall]
Kuro stood alone in a familiar forest clearing.
The mana was thick. It tingled against his skin like cold electricity. The twin moons hung high, silver and amber, casting shifting shadows on the overgrown path. Trees whispered secrets to one another. The ground pulsed faintly with energy. It was like coming home to a place he had never truly left.
Then came the familiar chime:
[Phase Sync Complete.][Current Level: 34][Phase: 3][Fragment Bonus Activated – Terra Resonance: +10% EXP Gain, +5% Passive Regen][Resident Evil Fragment Chain – Status: Dormant]
Behind him, light shimmered.
Yumi appeared beside him, her form solidifying as though sculpted from golden mist.
She gasped. "W-What just happened?"
Kuro stepped forward, offering her a steadying hand. "We're home."
She turned slowly, eyes widening as she took in the alien beauty of Terra. "It's… magical. The air feels alive."
Kuro smiled. "It is. This place is full of energy. Of danger. Of potential."
He opened the system.
[Summon Tab – Active]Available SP: 240,000Summon Slot: 1 Available
He scrolled until her name appeared — flickering gold on the interface like a locked prize.
[Alice – Eligible for Summon]Status: Independent AllySP Cost: 100,000Combat Style: Hybrid SpecialistSummon? Y/N
He hesitated.
Part of him wondered if she'd be angry. If she'd regret the choice. If it was right to pull her into a world of gods, monsters, and fractured realities.
But then he remembered the look in her eyes when she shot Nemesis point-blank. The unyielding flame.
[Y – Confirmed]
A ripple exploded outward in the clearing. The mana thickened, twisted — then split open like a blooming flower.
Alice stepped through, her coat fluttering behind her, one hand on her pistol, the other shading her eyes.
She scanned the clearing with narrowed eyes. "This... isn't Earth."
"Nope," Kuro said. "Welcome to Terra."
[Summoning Complete – Alice is now registered as Independent Ally][Note: She is not bound by summoner commands. Relationship affects loyalty.]
She crossed her arms. "You better not drag me into something worse."
"No promises," he said with a smirk.
Yumi stepped up and smiled. "Hi again."
Alice raised an eyebrow, then offered a small nod. "Guess we've got ourselves a team."
The wind shifted.
Somewhere deep in the woods, something howled.