Dragon Across the Multiverse (Si-WC) (Patreon)

Chapter 4: Escape to Paradise before Returning to Hell

With Jill resting after our little adventure—under the watchful eyes of one of my clones—I returned to the outskirts of the city, hunting down any zombies that had wandered too far. I made sure none would escape.

Along the way, I ran into some of Umbrella’s goons. Let’s just say I did the world a favor by making sure they wouldn’t be reporting back to anyone.

Before long, I heard Veldora in the distance, his booming laughter echoing through the ruins as explosions lit up the sky. Seemed like he was having the time of his life, so I went to check in.

“Yo, Veldora!” I called out, raising a hand.

He looked my way from atop a literal mountain of corpses and grinned wide. “Oh! Akari! How’s it going? I’m having a blast—kuwahaha!”

“Meh, can’t complain,” I said with a shrug, a small grin tugging at my lips. “Saved a beautiful woman, had an adventure, showed off a little. You know, a regular day.”

“Ah, a classic,” Veldora nodded wisely, stroking his chin. Then he launched himself into the air and landed in front of me with a thud. “So? You do you need something or are you here to join the fun?”

“The first,” I smirked. Then, with a teasing glint in my eye, I added, “Hey, since we’re technically on Earth, how about we hop over to Japan for a bit? See the sights? We can leave an Enhanced Body double while we’re away.”

“Japan!?” Veldora lit up like a kid at Christmas. “You mean the sacred land where they make and sell the sacred texts!? Let’s go!”

=====

Akihabara, Tokyo — September 29, 1998

With a quick hop, Veldora and I found ourselves standing in the middle of Akihabara.

It wasn’t the glittering neon maze it would become in the 2000s, but even in 1998, it was alive—arcades blaring music, rows of manga shops lined with fresh volumes, and shelves stocked with light novels that would one day become legends.

“This… this is heaven!” Veldora declared, his eyes sparkling as he spun around in place, soaking in every detail like a kid in a candy store. “Akari! They have Record of Lodoss War! Slayers! Even Bastard!! Look! Look!”

He practically blurred from spot to spot, arms filled with stacks of manga and books, shouting series titles like they were ancient treasures.

I chuckled and adjusted the simple hoodie I had my shroud transform into to blend in. “Careful. You’re going to end up buying out half the district at this rate.”

“I plan to!” he announced proudly, dropping a mountain of books at the register of a nearby shop. “These are sacred texts of wisdom and culture! We must preserve them!”

The cashier gave us both a strange look but didn’t ask questions. With a quick burst of magic I disguised the fact that Veldora had no actual money on him. Good thing the Company was able to exchange any currency that we could think of so I quickly handed him a wad of 10,000-yen notes to keep things smooth.

After hauling away bags so full that they looked ready to burst, we took a breather near a vending machine after I had discreetly stored them in my inventory.

“You know,” I said, sipping on a cold lemon soda, “as ridiculous as it is, this might be the most peaceful fun we’ve had in a while.”

Veldora nodded solemnly, holding a rare collector’s edition of Fist of the North Star like a newborn. “Truly. Earth may be infested with zombies and rude humans, but its culture… is unmatched.”

I smirked. “And we haven’t even hit the game shops yet.”

Veldora gasped. “WE HAVEN’T!?”

With that, he shot up like a missile.

I sighed, finished my drink, and followed after him.

=====

[Small Shopping Montage]

·         Akari calmly browses shelves in a manga store, picking out a few classics.

Veldora, meanwhile, is standing atop a shopping cart, holding a Sailor Moon plush like it's Excalibur, shouting, “I have found the chosen one!”

·         A worker politely tries to tell Veldora not to open a plastic-wrapped figure box.

Veldora responds by summoning a perfect illusionary replica in his hand and saying, “It’s okay, this one's for study purposes only!”

·         Akari is seen packing books neatly into his inventory.

Veldora is loading entire shelves into his own storage, screaming “WE MUST PRESERVE THE PAST!”

·         In a retro game store, Veldora hugs a Super Famicom and whispers, “So this is what true happiness feels like…”

·         Akari points at a hentai section with a raised brow.

Veldora turns, pauses, and deadpans, “For educational purposes.”

Akari just shrugs and adds a couple of Tenchi Muyo! OVAs to his stack.

·         They pass a group of confused locals muttering, “Foreigners…”

Veldora bows dramatically, “We are but humble pilgrims in search of enlightenment!”

[Montage Ends]

=====

Outside Raccoon City – September 29, 1998, Evening

With reality warping slightly, we stepped out of a portal just outside the city perimeter, each of us holding a massive duffel bag filled with anime merch, manga, games, and snacks.

“Back to business,” I muttered, tightening my gloves and storing our stuff for safe keeping

“I still can’t believe we got Evangelion artbooks before they became collector’s items!” Veldora grinned, a metaphorical tail wagging with joy.

“I prefer Gundam myself,” I said with a smirk. “Anyway, we’ve got a few hours until Claire and Leon arrive. Let's make sure Raccoon City is mostly intact by then.”

Veldora nodded, already floating upward again with the bloodthirsty gleam of excitement in his eyes. “Then let us return… to carnage and chaos!”

I took a breath, one last glance at the peaceful stars above, then turned toward the city.

“Showtime.”

“I’m telling the others about Master buying porn,” came Ciel’s deadpan voice, slicing straight through the high I’d been riding from our Akihabara haul. Cold sweat instantly formed on the back of my neck.

“It’s not porn, Ciel!” I snapped back, eyes wide with faux indignation. “It’s tasteful and entertaining literature!”

I could practically feel her deadpan intensify through the link—accompanied by a tiny mental pout.

“…I’m still telling them.”

“Please don’t~” I caved instantly, my bravado crumbling. I could already see my life flash before my eyes—particularly the parts where Kushina and Tsunade learned about this and proceeded to kill me dead. Possibly twice.

“Hmph,” she sniffed, clearly enjoying my desperation.

“Fine!” I yelled out loud, catching Veldora’s attention. “But if I’m getting in trouble, make sure they also know that Veldora dragged me into it!”

“Wha—! Don’t bring me into your mess, Akari!” Veldora shouted in confusion before quickly catching on. “I had nothing to do with this, I swear!”

“Nope! We’re brothers, which means you share the blame by default,” I said with a smug smirk.

Ciel materialized beside me with her arms crossed and gave Veldora a pointed glare. “Of course Veldora-san was involved too. I was there.”

Sweat instantly poured down Veldora’s face as he panicked. “Uwah! I’m sorry!” he cried before launching himself into the sky and fleeing the scene like a guilty cartoon character.

That left me alone with my cute, smug assistant. She turned her gaze toward me slowly, like a judge preparing the verdict.

“Hehehe… please don’t tell them, Ciel~” I said, quickly dropping to my knees and raising my hands in a pleading gesture. “I’ll do anything!”

“Hmm…” Ciel stayed silent for a moment—long enough for hope to spark in my chest—before turning her head away with a faint blush. “I will consider not telling them… if Master takes me on a date.”

I blinked, caught off guard. Then the realization hit me—I spent so much time with Ciel, relied on her for everything, yet somehow never gave her time just for her.

“Of course, Ciel. Consider it a date~” I said with a grin, giving her a thumbs-up and a wink.

She huffed softly—half flustered, half satisfied—before disappearing with a flicker of light.

‘I’ll take that as a yes,’ I thought triumphantly, already walking off in a good mood.

=====

A few hours later, I stood near the edge of Raccoon City, the neon buzz of an old, half-lit Arklay County gas station flickering in the dark. Storm clouds overhead rolled and cracked, setting the mood just right for what was about to unfold. My magnums were reloaded and clean, holstered at my sides as I leaned against the building, blending into the shadows.

This was the place. Ciel had tracked their paths—Leon and Claire—and if everything stayed on schedule, they’d be arriving any moment now.

Right on cue, headlights cut through the night.

Claire came first, pulling up on her red motorcycle and parking by the pumps. She looked around cautiously, visibly on edge. Couldn’t blame her. The place screamed slasher flick.

A moment later, a police cruiser pulled in. Leon Kennedy stepped out, looking far too fresh-faced for what was coming.

They met briefly at the front door, trading awkward introductions before slipping inside, tension rising with each step.

I followed a few seconds later, stepping through the shattered glass door just as they realized something was seriously wrong.

Blood trailed toward the back.

“Back up slowly,” Leon told Claire, raising his pistol.

I moved up behind them, calm and casual. “Hope you don’t mind a third wheel,” I said, voice low but steady.

Both spun—Claire’s hand went to her gun, and Leon's pistol twitched before he lowered it slightly, sizing me up.

“Who are you?” Leon asked, eyes narrowed.

“Someone who’s been cleaning up the mess you’re about to step into,” I replied, keeping my hands visible before drawing a magnum from under my jacket. “Name’s Akari. I’ve dealt with these things before. I’m here to help.”

Claire eyed me warily. “Military?”

“Not exactly. Call it freelance.”

A wet groan echoed from the back of the station.

“No time for a proper meet-and-greet,” I muttered, stepping past them.

Leon moved up beside me. “You know what’s going on?”

“Oh yeah,” I nodded grimly. “Welcome to the apocalypse.”

Claire shot me a look as she drew her handgun. “You can’t be serious.”

A half-eaten corpse shuffled toward us—until I dropped it with a shot to the head. Then another. And another. “Tell that to them. Or did you miss the fact that one of them’s missing half her stomach and still walking?”

“…Fuck,” Claire muttered, eyes wide as a chewed-up woman limped into view.

“Aim for the head. Anything else, you're wasting ammo,” I said, taking another down. Leon joined in, covering our flank.

“Shouldn’t we be getting out of here?” Leon asked, firing again. “Try to make it to the city?”

“Sure. But if you’re serious about that, this is the best place to stock up on food and water first. Trust me.”

Leon cursed under his breath but nodded. With Claire covering us, we swept through the rest of the station, clearing out the last of the infected.

Later, as Claire took a swig from a water bottle, she looked over at me.

“So… mind explaining things in a little more detail now?”

“Sure, but would you two mind introducing yourselves first?” I replied with a small, amused smirk. “Or should I just call you rookie cop and sexy redhead?”

Claire blinked at the unexpected comment, then smirked back, clearly more amused than offended. Her gaze lingered on me—specifically on my face. I didn’t blame her. Between my unnaturally perfect looks and the passive effects of my Lures like Love Spot, I was probably radiating charm like a walking, talking dating sim protagonist.

Leon, on the other hand, let out a small scoff. “Name’s Leon Kennedy. How’d you know I was a rookie?”

Claire placed one hand on her hip and gave me a once-over, her eyes pausing on my aqua-colored hair and golden irises. “Claire Redfield. And thanks for the save, handsome~”

I chuckled at her tone, playing along. “Redfield, huh?” I said thoughtfully, raising an eyebrow. “You wouldn’t happen to be related to Chris Redfield, would you?”

That got her attention. Her flirty smile briefly shifted no looking more hopeful, but she nodded. “He’s my brother. You know him?”

I gave a small shrug, turning toward Leon, who was rummaging through the shelves. “I’ve met one of his team but I’ll tell you more on the car.”

Leon glanced back at us with a smirk. “So? What gave me away?”

“You just look like a rookie,” I replied with a grin. “So—ready to head out?”

“Yeah,” Leon nodded, slinging a small bag over his shoulder. Claire mirrored him, zipping up her jacket.

“I want to get to the RPD, see if there are any survivors and help where I can,” Leon said with quiet determination.

“I’m heading there too,” Claire added, then glanced my way with a playful smile. “Looking for my brother... What about you, handsome~?”

I smirked. “I’ll tag along. Like I said, I’ve been cleaning up the mess Umbrella left behind since yesterday. And there’s something in that station I need to find.”

Leon frowned. “Umbrella? What do they have to do with this?”

We made our way to Leon’s cruiser. I took the back seat while Claire hopped in beside him up front. The engine rumbled to life, headlights cutting through the rain-slick streets as we headed toward the city.

“Ohhh boy,” I exhaled, leaning back against the seat. “Do I have a scary story for you two…”

And so, during the short ride into hell, I filled them in—on Umbrella’s involvement, the infection, and how I’d stumbled into Jill Valentine during my first sweep through the city. I made sure to keep things grounded, just enough to open their eyes without overwhelming them.

=====

The streets of Raccoon City were worse than when we arrived, small part due to me and Veldora but that was not important.

Burning cars littered intersections, store windows were shattered, and blood painted the sidewalks like some grotesque urban art project. As Leon’s cruiser crept through the chaos, the full scale of the outbreak came into focus.

Zombies swarmed side streets, dragging the unlucky into alleys. Distant screams cut through the night, and every few blocks, the flickering of fire and neon gave everything a fever dream-like hue.

“We’re almost there,” Leon muttered, gripping the wheel tight. “RPD’s just ahead.”

“Pick up the pace,” I said calmly, eyes scanning the sides for ambushes. “This part of the city’s been dead quiet... and not in the good way.”

Then, as if on cue, a fuel truck barreled out from a side street—driver already dead, slumped against the wheel. The massive vehicle careened toward us, sparks flying from the pavement.

“Shit!” Leon swerved hard, but it was too late.

The truck clipped us, sending the cruiser skidding sideways into a parked car. Claire screamed, bracing herself against the dashboard. I caught myself against the back seat with practiced ease, wincing slightly at the noise of metal crunching in around us.

The cruiser ground to a halt, smoke hissing from the engine.

“We need to move—now!” I barked, kicking the door open.

Claire scrambled out the front. Leon grabbed his bag and followed.

But there was no time for regrouping.

The truck, now a fireball on wheels, slammed into a nearby tanker parked beside a convenience store.

The resulting explosion rocked the street—flames erupted sky-high, the heat wave washing over us like a furnace blast.

A wall of fire and debris erupted between us and Leon.

“Leon!” Claire shouted, reaching toward him.

He coughed, shielding his eyes. “Just go! I’ll find another way!”

“Stay alive, Rookie!” I added before grabbing Claire’s arm, pulling her away from a hungry mouth. “Come on!”

There was no time to argue. We ran.

Dodging shambling undead and leaping over wreckage, we made our way through the alleys. Claire stayed close, breathing hard, but focused.

Eventually, we found a moment of quiet in the shadow of a crumbling apartment complex.

“Damn…” Claire muttered, hands on her knees as she caught her breath. “That was insane…”

I checked the street ahead, magnums holstered. “We’ll circle back. RPD’s still the best place to regroup.”

Claire straightened up and nodded. “You think Leon’s okay?”

I gave her a confident smirk. “He’s fine. That guy’s got the ‘main character energy’ if I’ve ever seen it.”

She laughed despite herself. “You’re something else, you know that?”

I grinned. “You haven’t seen anything yet.”

And with that, we moved deeper into the city—two strangers in a war zone, heading toward whatever horrors waited inside the Raccoon City Police Department.