The streets of Satceb, still draped in the eerie red glow of the fractured sky, seemed to pulse with a life of their own as Alex Victory and the girl made their way through the labyrinthine alleys. The air was thick with the smell of decay, mingled with the faint, acrid tang of industrial waste. The city was a living entity, its veins coursing with darkness, and its breath heavy with the whispers of secrets long buried.

As they walked in silence, Alex finally broke the tension. "What's your name?"

The girl hesitated, glancing up at him with wary eyes. "Lila," she finally said, her voice barely above a whisper. There was something about the way she spoke, a fragility that hinted at a life filled with more pain than she could express.

"Lila," Alex repeated, committing the name to memory. It felt oddly significant as if this small detail somehow tied into a larger, more complex web of fate that he had yet to unravel.

They continued on, the city’s oppressive atmosphere pressing down on them with every step. The destination was close now, an abandoned warehouse that served as one of Dorian’s many hideouts. Alex could sense the tension in the air growing thicker, as if the city itself was aware of the impending confrontation.

As they approached the warehouse, Alex’s senses were on high alert. The building loomed ahead, its windows darkened and its structure barely holding together. Dorian was waiting just outside, leaning casually against the rusted metal door, a cigarette hanging from his lips. His appearance was as disheveled as ever, but his eyes were sharp, taking in every detail as Alex and Lila approached.

"Right on time," Dorian said, exhaling a cloud of smoke. His gaze shifted to Lila, a faint smile playing on his lips. "This is the one, then? She's smaller than I expected."

Alex nodded, his expression unreadable. "She’s the one. Let’s get this over with."

Dorian stubbed out his cigarette on the wall and motioned for them to follow him inside. The interior of the warehouse was dimly lit, with only a few flickering lights casting long shadows across the cracked concrete floor. In the center of the room, a large metal gate stood, humming with a low, ominous energy. This was the gateway to SAGA—a portal that would transport Lila directly to the organization’s headquarters, deep within the heart of a fortified facility where she would be subjected to whatever tests or experiments they had planned for her.

As Dorian began the activation sequence, the gate hummed louder, its surface rippling with energy. Lila glanced at Alex, her eyes filled with a mix of fear and resignation. Alex met her gaze, feeling a pang of something he couldn’t quite identify—regret, perhaps, or a sense of failure. But before he could process these emotions, the gate suddenly shuddered violently.

"What the—" Dorian started, but his words were cut off as the air around them crackled with energy. The gate, which had been glowing a dull blue, suddenly shattered like glass, its fragments dissolving into the air. The room plunged into chaos as a figure emerged from the void left in its wake.

She was beautiful, in a way that defied logic. Her presence was both alluring and terrifying, her aura shifting between human and something otherworldly. Her hair, a cascade of midnight black, framed a face that was both delicate and fierce. Her eyes, a deep violet, glowed with an unnatural light. She was a Devil, and not just any Devil—she was the head of the trafficking operations in Satceb’s darker districts, a figure of immense power and influence.

"She’s mine," the Devil said, her voice smooth as silk but laced with a deadly intent. Her gaze locked onto Lila, a predatory smile curling her lips.

Dorian’s hand instinctively went to his sidearm, but Alex knew it would be useless. He stepped forward, placing himself between Lila and the Devil. "You’re not taking her," he said, his voice low and firm.

The Devil’s smile widened, her eyes narrowing. "And who are you to stop me? A mere human? Do you really think you stand a chance?"

Alex didn’t respond with words. Instead, he let his fists do the talking. He lunged forward, his movement so fast that reality rippled around him. His fist connected with the Devil’s face, but instead of shattering her as he had with the others, she merely staggered back, wiping a thin trail of blood from the corner of her mouth.

"You’ll regret that," she hissed, her aura shifting as she summoned her own powers.

The battle that followed was unlike any Alex had ever faced. The Devil was fast, her movements a blur as she lashed out with a combination of physical strikes and paracausal abilities. The very fabric of reality twisted around her, making it difficult for Alex to land a decisive blow. But Alex was relentless, his ineffable combat style allowing him to counter her attacks with brutal precision.

For every strike he landed, she returned with centillionth of the force. The warehouse was soon filled with the sounds of their clash, the air crackling with energy as they tore through walls and machinery alike. It was a battle that pushed Alex to his limits, each exchange bringing him closer to the edge of defeat.

But Alex was no ordinary fighter. His fists were not just weapons; they were instruments of reality-shattering power. With a final, devastating blow, he broke through the Devil’s defenses, his fist plunging into her chest and shattering the core of her existence. She staggered back, her form flickering as if struggling to maintain its cohesion.

But before Alex could finish her, she lashed out with one final, desperate act. With a wave of her hand, she tore open a rift in the air, a swirling void of darkness that seemed to pulse with malevolent energy. She grabbed Lila, who had been watching in terrified silence, and hurled her into the void.

"No!" Alex shouted, reaching out, but it was too late. The Devil gave him one last, mocking smile before she, too, disappeared into the darkness, leaving Alex standing alone in the ruins of the warehouse.

The silence that followed was deafening. The mission had ended in failure, and the girl—Lila—was lost to the void. Alex clenched his fists, frustration and anger boiling within him. He had been so close, and yet he had failed.

Dorian, who had been watching from a safe distance, stepped forward, shaking his head. "SAGA predicted this might happen," he said, his voice surprisingly calm given the situation. "They knew it was a long shot. She was never going to be easy to capture."

Alex turned to him, his expression hard. "And now what? She’s gone, and we have nothing."

Dorian shrugged, lighting another cigarette. "There’s always another way. SAGA doesn’t give up easily. We’ll regroup, plan our next move. But for now, we need to get out of here before the military shows up."

As if on cue, a distant rumble shook the ground, followed by the sound of sirens. The military had been conducting searches across the city, looking for any unusual activity in the aftermath of Ogre’s War. Alex knew they would be here soon.

They made their way out of the warehouse, disappearing into the shadows of the city just as the first military vehicles arrived. The soldiers moved with practiced efficiency, setting up a perimeter and beginning their search of the area. Alex and Dorian kept their distance, watching from the cover of a nearby building.

But as they prepared to slip away, Alex noticed a figure moving through the soldiers, her presence commanding respect. She was a tall woman, her uniform crisp and her expression one of steely determination. Her name was Commander Seraphine Valis, one of the military’s most decorated officers and a relentless hunter of Devils.

To Alex’s surprise, she made her way directly to his apartment, a grim expression on her face as she knocked on the door. He exchanged a quick glance with Dorian, who nodded slightly before disappearing into the shadows.

Alex approached the door cautiously, opening it just enough to see Commander Valis standing on the threshold. Her eyes met his, and for a moment, neither spoke.

"Mr. Victory," she said finally, her voice clipped and professional. "I’m conducting a search in this area. Have you noticed anything unusual tonight?"

Alex kept his expression neutral, his mind racing as he considered his response. "No, Commander. Just another quiet night in Satceb."

She studied him for a long moment, as if weighing the truth of his words. Alex held her gaze, willing himself to remain calm. Finally, she nodded, though there was a hint of suspicion in her eyes.

"Very well," she said, handing him a small card. "If you see or hear anything, contact me immediately."

Alex took the card, watching as she turned to leave. The tension in his shoulders eased slightly as she walked away, but he knew this was far from over. As the military vehicles roared to life and sped off towards a new alert—an attack on Heaven’s Tower by a Devil in a nearby district—Alex’s thoughts turned back to the broken sky above.

The fractures in the heavens seemed to mirror the cracks in his own resolve. The mission had failed, and the consequences would soon follow. But as he stood in the shadow of the Red Trident, he couldn’t shake the feeling that this was only the beginning. The darkness of Satceb was closing in, and Alex Victory would need more than just his fists to survive what was to come.