"Sweetheart, we'll meet again — I already told you that," Rian said with an easy grin.
"Make sure you look pretty next time, alright? Our next meeting's supposed to be for dinner and a walk, not running from monsters."
Ashley froze for a moment, then nodded softly. "Alright… I understand. But… don't die, okay?"
Rian's grin widened. "Of course not. This handsome man has no intention of dying to some tentacled freak — that'd change the entire genre of my life."
Luis and Leon, standing a short distance away, couldn't help but chuckle at Rian's usual quip.
Leon stepped forward, placing two grenades on the edge of the patient bed.
"Take these. You're gonna need them," Leon said curtly — his tone serious, yet friendly.
Luis walked up to Rian and patted his right arm. "Be careful, amigo."
With that, the four of them parted ways. Luis, Leon, and Ashley moved quickly but cautiously out of the research laboratory.
As they made their way toward the exit, Ashley glanced back for a moment.
Now, their mission was clear — to find a way off this cursed island. Meanwhile, Rian stayed behind. He knew his role, his path, was different.
In the silence that swallowed the room, Rian stood still for a few seconds, then exhaled softly.
His left hand reached for the two grenades Leon had left on the patient's bed, tucking them into his belt pouch with calm precision.
Then, from inside his shirt, Rian pulled out a small mirror and looked at his reflection.
"It's just me… and my own handsomeness," he murmured, his tone slightly deeper, as if speaking to another version of himself. "Isn't that right, Rian?"
He answered himself in his usual tone, flashing a confident smile. "Of course. Even in a situation like this, this handsome man remains as dazzling as ever."
"Ooh… such confidence — perfectly fitting for a face carved by the gods," he said again, his voice lowering into a rich baritone, like he was narrating an exclusive cologne commercial.
Rian smirked faintly, then ran his fingers through his bangs in a dramatic motion, as if starring in a shampoo commercial. His eyes stayed locked on his own reflection in the small mirror.
In a normal tone, he replied to himself, "This handsome man is merely being honest. You know that already… don't tell me you forgot?"
His expression shifted to something serious, his voice dropping into a guilty tone. "Ah… forgive me, Rian. It seems your overwhelming handsomeness has clouded my memory…"
"The handsome man is also kind and forgiving," he answered back smoothly, his tone casual yet confident. "So, your mistake is forgiven."
"Thank you… Rian," he said again, now with an overly dramatic, deep voice.
A few seconds later, he tucked the small mirror back into his pocket with a single smooth motion.
He drew a slow breath, a faint smile forming on his lips — and without hesitation, Rian strode out of the lab with calm confidence, ready to face the battle waiting for him.
***
Far from Luis's research lab, Rian walked slowly through a dark cave. But that darkness meant nothing to the perception of his Six Eyes.
His sunglasses now hung loosely from the collar of his shirt, revealing a pair of bright blue eyes—cold and still, like a frozen lake.
In his right hand, Rian held a firefighter's axe he'd picked up along the way.
Its handle was made of sturdy, yellowish-brown wood, while the axe head gleamed red, its white blade still smeared with fresh blood—a clear sign it had just been used.
Along the path here, Rian had already slain several of Krauser's Ganado soldiers.
Despite being fully armed, none had survived the swing of his axe or the precise shots from the revolver wielded by the handsome man.
After a few more steps, Rian finally emerged from the cave. Before him stretched a vast wharf—a solid steel structure with a wide platform, broad enough for five people to walk side by side.
Several large and small wooden crates were scattered along the pathway, giving the area the distinct feel of a frequently used logistics terminal.
In various corners, large circular steel platforms connected by logistics bridges offered potential alternative routes for movement.
Through his Six Eyes, Rian quickly surveyed the area. He caught sight of Saddler standing behind one of the larger crates, attempting to conceal himself.
Yet it wasn't Saddler who immediately drew Rian's attention—it was Ada Wong, hanging weakly from one of the massive cranes.
Her wrists were bound, and her body dangled, a blatant bait.
Rian smirked slightly, shrugged his shoulders, and muttered under his breath, "Classic…"
He furrowed his brows slightly. "But… why would Ada risk taking a sample of Amber?"
"Hadn't I vaguely mentioned Albert Wesker's intentions?" he wondered aloud.
"Could it be… that sample is her ticket off this island? Or perhaps a guarantee for her survival?"
Rian let out a light sigh, then smiled confidently. "Well, whatever it is… time for this handsome man to save Ada Wong again."
With steady and confident steps, Rian made his way down toward the Wharf area, ready to face whatever awaited him.
He navigated the uneven, rocky pathway, winding through turns and descending a set of stairs, until he finally set foot on the steel platform of the Wharf.
Tilting his head slightly, Rian spotted Ada Wong unconscious, hanging a few meters away from where he stood.
He leaned forward slightly, preparing himself.
The metallic sound of impact rang out as Rian stomped his right foot. In a single, fluid motion, he launched himself into the air, leaping toward Ada's position.
Slash!
His axe swung vertically, cutting through the ropes that bound her. Swiftly, Rian's left hand caught Ada's body just as gravity began to pull her downward.
With Ada now cradled in his arms, they landed smoothly. Rian crouched, letting the lower part of her body rest gently on the steel platform.
After winding his way through the rocky, twisting path and descending several steep steps, Rian finally set foot on the steel platform of the Wharf. The ocean wind whipped around him—cold, but not enough to shake his focus.
He tilted his head up slightly. Several meters above, Ada Wong hung unconscious, bound by ropes and suspended from a crane. His Six Eyes caught every detail in an instant.
Lowering his stance, Rian's body tensed like a coiled spring.
A single stomp of his right foot struck the steel floor, ringing out with a metallic thud. In the next instant, his body shot upward, slicing through the air as his fire axe lifted high.
Slash!
With a clean vertical swing, the blade severed the rope holding Ada aloft.
In the split second before her body could fall, Rian's left arm moved swiftly, catching her midair with perfect precision before gravity could claim her.
He landed softly, knees bending to absorb the impact. Ada's body rested securely in his arms. Then, crouching down, Rian gently laid the lower half of her body onto the cold steel platform.
A mischievous smile tugged at the corner of Rian's lips as a playful idea crossed his mind. Leaning down, he pinched Ada's nose and teased, "Wake up, sleepyhead."
Ada's brows furrowed, and her eyelids fluttered open. Her vision was hazy at first, but it quickly cleared—just in time to see Rian's smug face hovering over her, unapologetically pinching her nose.
Once he saw her awake, Rian let go and straightened up, his tone shifting to something more serious. "So… how much time do we have before the island blows?"
Dusting off his pants, he added casually, "Leon, Ashley, and Luis should be off this island by now… unless they decided to play heroes again."
Ada slowly pushed herself up, standing tall despite the weakness still lingering in her body. Before she could answer, a sharp, insect-like hum echoed through the air.
From above, several humanoid insect creatures descended rapidly—dark, chitinous bodies glinting under the dim light, wings buzzing like dragonflies.
Novistadors, also known as U-III: horrifying results of Los Iluminados' experiments that fused human and insect DNA into a single abomination.
Rian let out a short sigh. "Uninvited guests, huh…"
With a swift pivot, he spun on his heel—his fire axe slicing through the air.
In a single, fluid 360-degree horizontal swing, the weapon tore through the incoming swarm of Novistadors.
Slash!
Thick green blood burst into the air as the creatures were cleaved cleanly apart, their dismembered bodies crashing down onto the steel platform with a sickening thud.