A/N: I had some writer's block on this one that involved several rewrites, but here it is. I want DMC 4 when it comes out, but a 600 dollar PS3? I think I can wait a bit. DOA:XBV2 came out by the way. Yeah, they made another one. Can't say I didn't see it coming though. FYI 'little Japanese' is a Chinese racist slang word for Japanese.

Disclaimer: DMC is to Capcom what DOA and NG is to Team Ninja and Tecmo. Their OWNED!! Sorry if that don't make sense.

Chapter 12. Ryu's back!

Dead or Alive 4: The Devil Factor

Chapter 12: A New Ally, A New Enemy

Hitomi's apartment

Germany

Friday-9:43 p.m.

Total silence is difficult to accomplish. Even in the quietest of places, one could still hear the faintest of sounds such as crickets chirping, a house settling, or a furnace kicking on. All of these things were happening, yet Hayate was blissfully unaware as the comfortable embrace of sleep had already claimed him.

From the calmness of his face and the regularity of his breathing, it appeared as if the nightmares that plagued him had taken a break for the night to allow the peaceful dreams he once had to take center stage in his mind. All of the horrors in his life would be briefly forgotten for that one night.

Fate, however, had decided otherwise.

Hayate quickly awoke as he realized something. The sounds that once filled the house had gone silent.

The windows in the apartment erupted.

In one fluid motion, the wind ninja pushed himself off the sofa, flipped through the air, and landed in a fighting stance at the center of the living room before the shards of glass could touch him.

The causes of the window's destruction were now standing upon the crushed sofa where Hayate had been resting.

At first, he thought he was still waking up and his eyes were playing tricks on him, but he soon realized that what he saw was all too real.

Two skeletons slowly lumbered toward him. They appeared to be human skeletons, but the bones were larger than normal. Almost as if they were made bigger to compensate for the lack of muscle. Another oddity was that they wore very old armor. Rusted chest plates, arm guards, shoulder guards, and shin guards were strapped to their bodies. One was armed with a worn and rusty sword and shield while the other held two hand axes in a similar decayed state. Red fires resided in their empty eye sockets.

There was no doubt in his mind that these…things were demons, just like the Damned Shogunate.

Hayate's face hardened. Now he had a new set of foes to deal with, and he was sure that these two were just the first of many.

A terrified scream immediately took his attention, a scream that came from the German girl's bedroom.

"Hitomi." The man hissed.

The two demonic warriors took advantage of Hayate's sudden distraction and charged him.

Snapping his head back to his adversaries, he sidestepped a vertical attack from the demon with the sword and dodged a twin slash from the one with the axes. He snapped a kick that caught the first demon in the back, sending it crashing into the dining table. The demon with the axes whirled around to deliver another axe swipe, using its momentum to make the attack more powerful. It let out a surprised sound as its arm suddenly stopped, now caught in the hand of its human adversary. In one quick motion, the ninja slammed his fist into the demon's trapped arm, shattering it with ease.

The creature stumbled back, seemingly stunned by how easily it was disarmed in the literal sense. The demon let out an anger roar and looked back at the human who dared maim it.

All it saw was the bottom of a boot coming right at its face before everything turned black.

The Japanese man blinked in surprise as the decapitated demon suddenly dropped to its knees and began frantically searching for its missing skull, unaware that it was now in pieces around it.

A low growl caught Hayate's attention. He turned back to the first demon to see it back on its feet, lurching towards him with sword and shield at the ready. The demon swung its shield at the human, followed by a sword slash. Hayate leapt back to avoid the shield and spun around the sword, delivering an open-handed chop to the back of the demon's neck, breaking it. The demon's head bounced away from its stumbling body. With another kick, the demon fell back, landing on the second demon. Both exploded into dust and bone fragments.

"Now to rescue Hitomi from…"

Before he could finish his thought, the door to the girl's room was suddenly knocked down and a third demon flew out, skidded across wooden floor, and crashed into the coffee table. The hellspawn attempted to get back up, but was unable to due to a missing arm and leg.

"That's for scaring me you…you…PERVERT!!"

Hitomi stood in the doorway to her room, obviously upset as she was breathing heavily. Her face was red with anger and her hair a mess. All of this was lost on the wind ninja as he found himself captivated by her attire of a light blue nightie that, due to her perspiration, was becoming somewhat transparent.

He quickly discovered that she was not wearing a bra.

Confused by her adopted brother's blush, she followed his gaze to her chest.

She squeaked in surprise, covered herself with her arms, and dashed back into her room.

"EIN! How could you? You're just as perverted as those things!" She screamed from her room.

Embarrassed, Hayate began to fumble with an apology when the front door burst open. Three more demon skeletons marched into the room.

"Hitomi, stay in your room!" The ninja yelled, dropping into a fighting stance.

"Like hell I will!" The teen replied as she ran into the living room and skidded to a stop next to him. Her nightie was replaced with a long, white and blue T-shirt that barely covered her panties.

"These monsters broke into my apartment and peeked at me while I was sleeping! I'm not going to let them get away with that!" She added and assumed a Karate stance.

He could tell that arguing was futile.

The Red Dragon

China

Friday-9:52 p.m.

In the thriving city of Hong Kong, there are many fine drinking establishments that only hosted those with high standings in life and loads of cash to throw around. Places where the drinks are high priced and the environment is warm and friendly. These taverns win over many a business men and women with their excellent service and a fine social climate.

The Red Dragon was definitely not one of those bars.

Located in the very heart of the wrong side of town, the place was usually crowded with mobsters, crooks, roughnecks, and every other type of outlaw and/or hard-ass imaginable. The building was filled with smoke from the countless cigarettes and cigars and the only thing that could top the smell of tobacco was the stink of large, sweaty men who would rather use their fists to talk then their mouth.

It was hard to believe that Jann Lee would pass up other, better paying bouncing jobs in order to work in this hell hole. But the money never really interested him. It was the possibility to put his fighting skills to the test.

Or at least he hoped so.

With a bored sigh, the Chinese fighter crossed his arms and leaned against the wall as he continued monitoring the room to see if anybody decided to pick a fight.

The Red Dragon was renowned for being one of the seediest and violent bars in the Hong Kong district. He took the job as bouncer because of this reputation and the other of the owner never being able to find a bouncer to handle the rowdy drunkards that favored the bar. It seemed like the perfect place to hone his skills. But within a few weeks of beating every troublemaker to a pulp, he had essentially tamed the place.

Now no one dared start anything for fear of the Jeet Kune Do master.

"How am I supposed to keep myself in top condition if all I have to fight are weaklings and cowards?" He thought.

He began to wonder if he should quit and find another, more interesting job, perhaps as a bodyguard.

"Nah. Those get dull pretty quick."

It was then that someone new entered the bar.

At first, no one noticed, except for Jann Lee. But soon, every low-life and thug had their eyes glued at the man who dared enter their domain.

The tension in the air became thick. Any sudden movement could instantly lead to violence.

Unlike the others, Jann Lee knew who the man was the instant he walked in.

He was casually dressed in an un-tucked white dress shirt with a dark brown coat and pants. His equally dark brown hair was tied into a long ponytail. His posture was relaxed, but Jann Lee speculated it could easily turn into a fighting stance.

The man strolled through the bar, unaware or more likely uncaring of the numerous eyes following him.

An uncomfortable silence loomed over the crowd as the man came to a stop in front of the barkeep.

"What'll it be?" The shriveled old man asked. He too seemed unaware or unconcerned about the mood of his customers over the new man.

"Ice water, please." The man answered in a formal tone.

Jann Lee flinched slightly. The man had an obvious Japanese accent to his Chinese. And Japan was not exactly the most popular place for most, if not all, of the patrons.

His suspicions were founded as four men got up from their seats and made their way to the brunette man. They quickly formed a semi-circle around him, trapping him between them and the bar.

The bartender, still unaware of what was going on, placed a glass of ice water in front of the man, and then returned to his cleaning.

"Well, well, well, look what blew in." One of the goons crowed. He was dressed in an outdated white suit and multi-colored shirt. His face held a sort of weasel quality to it. It was as if he was literally born to be a gangster.

"Hey, we don't like your kind 'round here." A second one threatened. This one was bald and muscular. His manner of style was a white tank top and jeans.

"Yeah! So why don't ya take a hike, little Japanese, before sumthin bad happens to ya!" A third hissed. The thug's hair was greased back and a pair of circular sunglasses adored his face.

The man did not respond, instead he took a long drink from his glass.

"Hey! We're talkin' to ya, asshole!" The fourth bellowed with a red face. A large scar went over his right eye.

Once again, no reply.

"You arrogant prick!" The scarred man roared, drawing back his fist.

Jann Lee cursed himself. He was watching the scene instead of trying to stop it, like he was paid to do. He pushed himself off the wall and ran to the fight, hoping he could end it before it really began.

He stopped in his tracks when the scarred man suddenly flew through the air and crashed into a table. The men that were sitting at the table quickly took off.

Everyone at the bar was stuck silent with amazement. Not only had the foreigner knocked the man out, but he did it with one punch.

The second and third men looked at each other, than rushed the Japanese man together.

Neither one had a chance to launch an attack.

The bald man received an elbow to the side of his head while the other thug was given a kick to the face, shattering his glasses. The man then grabbed the bald man by his shoulders, leaped over him, and using the momentum, threw the muscular goon into a wall.

The weasel man, after witnessing his friends being taken out so quickly, began to tremble.

"Who…who the fuck are you?!" He quivered.

The man stood to his full height and slowly turned to the frightened mobster.

"Ryu Hayabusa." He calmly replied.

The man reached into his coat and produced an eight inch knife. "Well, Ryu, looks like I'll hafta cut ya down to size for fuckin' with us!"

Despite his badly punned threat, his voice still held terror in its tone.

The man yelped as someone grabbed his arm that held the knife.

"Brining a weapon in here is prohibited." Jann Lee coldly informed. "I thought everyone knew that."

"J…Jann Lee!" The thug squeaked. "Throw this piece of shit out, he attacked my friends!" He pointed wildly at Ryu.

"After you and your 'friends' tried to gang up on him."

The man sputtered. "He's fucking Japanese, he should know better than ta show his face here!"

"I don't care if he brought his entire family here, you picked the fight." He tightened his hold on the man's arm causing him to cry out and drop the knife. "Now, you have exactly three seconds to leave with your arm still in its socket."

He pushed the man away and watched as he dashed out of the bar like his life depended on it.

The bouncer looked about the room, seeing the eyes of everyone in the bar now trained on him.

"Anyone else have a problem with this man?" He called out.

Slowly, the customers returned to the conversations and drinks, but still cast wary glances to the Japanese man. The three unconscious goons were dragged away by other men, most likely to be robbed blind and thrown into the alley. But as long as it happened outside the bar, there was nothing he could do about.

Besides, he did not particularly care.

"Thank you for your help." Ryu spoke

Jan Lee let out an amused huff. "I was just saving that guy from a royal beating and an empty wallet. Besides if I didn't step in, there could have been a major riot in here, which could be docked from my pay."

Not even a hint of a smile appeared on the super ninja's face.

Jann Lee let out a sigh. The man had no sense of humor.

"You better watch your step around here. These guys don't like foreigners, especially Japanese." The Chinese man warned.

Ryu nodded in understanding.

"So, why are you here? If you're sightseeing, there are way better places than this pit."

"I need to speak with you…in private."

Hitomi's apartment

Germany

Friday-10:12 p.m.

With their backs to each other, Hitomi and Hayate watched as four demon skeletons circled them. The fight with these creatures had lasted well over half an hour, yet there appeared to be no end of the abominations.

Hitomi's apartment, or rather what was left of it, was in shambles. Her furniture was in pieces, her television destroyed, the carpet shredded, and the walls were almost gone. It would take a lot more than a broom and some cleaning supplies to fix her home. But that was the last thing on her mind.

These demons were weak individually, but in groups, they were quite formidable. Their bones were stronger than normal and their persistence was astonishing. No matter how badly they got beat, the others would mindlessly charge in, uncaring about what happens to them. She had never faced such foes before. To top it off, she never had to face so many opponents at once for so long. Fatigue was slowly creeping into her body.

The wind ninja on the other hand, did not have the same problem. He was used to fighting against multiple opponents at once. What did concern him was that he noticed the German girl's ragged breathing and perspiration that seemed to coat her. It was too obvious that she was having trouble keeping up. This battle had to end now.

The four demons suddenly rushed the two humans in a pincer move, hoping to crush them with one attack.

Hitomi delivered a right hook to the one on her left, tearing out the demon's lower jaw. She followed with a left straight that took the rest of its head. Her second opponent slashed at her with hand axes. She danced around the first one, but the other came at an odd angle and barely grazed her left forearm. Ignoring the pain, she lashed out with a knee to the demon's midsection. In rapid succession, Hitomi delivered a kick, than raised her leg and brought it down in an axe-kick. The demon's head exploded into a cloud of dust and bone fragments.

She heard more sounds of bones shattering behind her. She turned to see the other two demons lying in pieces before Hayate.

"I don't sense anymore." he said as he turned to her.

The teen let out a gasp as Hayate reached out and took her injured arm.

"It doesn't look too bad." He informed, closely inspecting the cut. "But their weapons were rusty, you may need a tetanus shot."

A cold shiver surged through her body. She hated needles. "I hope your joking."

"I don't joke." He replied in a very serious tone as he ripped a piece of his shirt off and used it to bandage her arm.

"I know." Hitomi said. "You need to lighten up a little if you want get a girl."

Hayate squirmed slightly as she giggled.

"Thanks." She whispered while touching her new bandage.

"We should get you to a doctor and…"

Hayate's words died as he felt an ominous presence. Something dark was nearby.

As if on cue, the entire wall that separated the inside from the outdoors was ripped apart. Two giant figures emerged from the night.

At first, neither Hayate nor Hitomi could clearly see the figures as dust from the destroyed wall had created a cloud that hovered around the newcomers. When it did settle, both fighters beheld their enemies. Loud clanks echoed in the almost hollowed out room as two demon skeletons approached. These demons were much larger than the others. They wore full suits of black, rusted armor. Heavier weapons were in their grasp as well. One held a massive two-handed sword, a Zweilhänder. The other wielded a double-headed axe. Both weapons appeared worn and chipped, but neither human doubted that they were any less dangerous.

While their faces were obscured by their helmets, their glowing red eyes were clearly trained on the man and woman.

Hitomi had a feeling that it would take more than a few punches and kicks to fell these monsters.

Hayate was getting tired of demons seemingly appearing out of nowhere.

-So you are the Mugen Tenshin Clan Leader?-

The ninja frowned. He thought he heard someone speaking, but it sounded…unnatural, like it came from inside his head than from a voice. Was it his imagination?

"Did you hear something?" Hitomi asked, her eyes scanning the room.

That further perplexed Hayate. If she heard the voice too, then where did it come from?

He was answered as a third figure emerged from the darkness and took its place between the two demons.

The two youths were unsure what they were looking at, except that it had to be demon. The thing resembled the skeletons, only larger and mutated. Its rib cage composed almost its entire torso and its legs stopped at its knees. It looked like it was just hanging in midair with pillars of smoke jutting from the ground where the demon's feet should have been located. Its head resembled a helmet more than an actual skull. To top it off, a dull, pearlescent light shined inside its body and eye sockets. A highly decorated spear was clasped firmly in its right hand.

Two gigantic, white wolves flanked the being.

"Wh…what is THAT?!" Hitomi asked in a shaky voice. The thing looked like something only found in nightmares.

-I am Bolverk.-

Again the voice rang inside Hayate's head. The ninja theorized that the demon must be a telepath. This proved grave as he began to wonder if the demon possessed any other mental abilities. Fighting a mind reader was not something he wanted to try.

-Hmph. I do not understand what Vergil sees in you. After all, you are nothing more than mere humans.-

Vergil? Why did that name sound familiar? Hayate quickly pushed the thought aside.

"Who's Vergil?" The German asked in a forceful tone.

A low growl emerged from the demon's form. It was obvious that the demon was not exactly warm and fuzzy about the man in question.

"What is it you want?" Hayate demanded. "And where is Doku?"

-Doku? No doubt following his master around like a dog.- Bolverk commented darkly. –As for me, I am here to test you. Prepare yourselves, humans-

With a wave of his hand, the two armored skeletons moved forward, hefting their weapons.

Hitomi tightened her stance. If these monsters wanted a fight, she was going to give them one they would never forget.

Jann Lee's studio apartment

China

Friday-10:28 p.m.

Ryu looked around Jann Lee's living quarters. A large single room filled with weights, punching bags, and other physical training devices. Sure, there was some furniture, a television, a bed, and a full kitchen, but the majority of the floor was reserved for the bouncer's miscellaneous exercise equipment. It was quite apparent that the man valued his body.

"You know, the last person I'd expect to see outside the tournament is you." The Chinese fighter said as he rummaged through his refrigerator. "Usually I'd run into Zack or Tina or that crazy chick that keeps following me."

Ryu sat down in one of the recliners. "You mean Lei-Fang?"

"Yeah, her." Jann Lee replied. "What's her deal?"

The brunette man shook his head. The relationship between Jann Lee and Lei-Fang was a puzzlement. It was almost too obvious that the girl liked him, but her determination to defeat him masked her feelings quite well to Jann Lee, since all he could see in her was another opponent.

"Like I can talk about strange relationships." Ryu said to himself, briefly remembering Kasumi.

Jann Lee plopped down on the sofa across from the super ninja. In his hands were two glasses and a carton of orange juice.

"Want some?" He asked while pouring himself a drink. "I'd offer ya something better, but I haven't been grocery shopping in a while."

Ryu waved a hand in a 'no thanks' gesture.

Jann Lee shrugged, filled the glass, and then downed it in one shot.

"So." The spiked haired man began. "What is it that you wanted to talk to me about? I doubt you want a rematch."

Ryu recalled the fight the two had in the Mugen Tenshin Ninja Clan Fortress during the last tournament. The super ninja barely won the battle, but how Jann Lee found the fortress still escaped him.

"I'm here to ask you for help." Ryu calmly explained.

Jann Lee cracked an eyebrow. "Oh really? And what, exactly do you need my help for?"

Ryu drew a deep breath, preparing himself for the lengthy explanation that would follow the next word that he would say.

"War."

Hitomi's apartment

Germany

Friday-10:33 p.m.

Blood dripped from Hitomi's battered knuckles. The armor the demonic skeletons possessed was stronger than it appeared. She left dents, but was unable to actually cause damage to them. Nonetheless, she would defeat the beasts, one way or another.

The demon with the axe lunged at the dainty girl, bring its blade up to the ceiling. Turning on her heel, she narrowly dodged the attack and countered with a well placed kick to her assailant's abdomen. The armor rang and the demon slightly stumbled, but was otherwise unharmed. With a roar, the demon swung at the girl a second time, but managed to only slice into the wall.

Unlike the last demon she fought, getting hit would not result in a simple scratch.

Hayate gave his opponent a roundhouse kick followed by a side kick. The demon fell into the wall, but pushed itself off and brought its sword down upon the ninja, cleaving through the ceiling. The ninja clan leader leapt back to avoid the blow. He quickly closed the gap between him and the demon before it could retract its weapon lodged into the floor. After a one-two punch, he launched a devastating right straight that sent the demon through the wall, into the bathroom.

He looked into the newly formed hole to see the demon already getting back on its feet.

The wind ninja clenched his teeth. Fighting these things with fists was a slow road to defeat. All they were doing so far was keeping them off balanced.

Hayate stole a quick glance at the demon that called itself Bolverk and the wolves that stood besides it.

So far he just stood there, watching. If he was telling the truth and here to 'test' him, then he was giving the demon exactly what he wanted. He was showing Bolverk his techniques and moves. If they fought now, the demon would have the advantage of knowing his opponent.

He had to end the fight quick to prevent the skeletal monster from learning too much.

The demon with the sword emerged from the bathroom, ready to continue the fight.

Without a weapon, Hayate lacked the means to actually injure the beast. A problem he experienced when he tried to defend his home.

At that moment, an idea popped into his head. He did not have a weapon, but his opponent did.

Kicking off the floor, the wind ninja flipped into the air toward the German girl and the second demon. The first demon gave chase, with its blade firmly in hand. The second demon was already preoccupied with the nimble high school student and was unaware of the presence of the male, or of its comrade charging at said human. The demon with the sword held its weapon out, preparing to skewer the lowly mortal through his heart.

Hayate waited until the demon was within range. In a flash, he side-stepped the demon, grabbed its arms, and jerked the demon's aim somewhere else. Unable to stop, the demon's sword pierced the axe-wielding demon's chest.

The demon wailed in pain and began to thrash about, dropping the gigantic axe.

Hayate lunged for the axe and hoisted it before the other demon could wretch its sword free.

With all his strength, Hayate brought the axe over the first demon's skull. The gargantuan weapon cut into the demon's helmet and chest, almost cleaving it in two.

Letting the weapon go, the demons fell and this time, did not get back up.

The long-haired girl panted for breath as she stared in awe. After witnessing the young man dispatch the demons without so much as batting an eyelash, a cold feeling formed in the pit of her stomach.

"So…this is how Ein really fights." She thought.

-Interesting. You used your foes own weapons against them.-

The wind ninja was beginning to loathe the empty voice in his head.

-However, we demons are not monsters that are all teeth, claws, and bloodlust.- Bolverk warned. –Quite a few of us are more than capable of thinking. The Carnagers you faced are only capable of basic thought. So do not think you can always use such obvious tactics on all of us. Especially me.-

With that, Bolverk stepped forward.

Hayate cursed. He could still fight, but the battles against the Bolverk's minions had drained him and by the look of his adopted sister, she was in no better condition.

With a flick of its wrist, Bolverk cut through the air. Instinctively, Hayate leapt onto Hitomi, sending them both onto the ground. As he fell, the Japanese man felt something brush the back of his head.

From the ground, Hayate looked back. His eyes widened in bewilderment.

A long scar ran across the entire apartment, from wall to wall. The demon's blade somehow cut through the room from where he stood.

Pushing himself off the floor, Hayate helped Hitomi up.

"STOP DESTROYING MY APARTMENT!" The blue-eyed girl screamed at Bolverk.

Had not the current situation been as dire as it was, Hayate might have found her outburst humorous.

Bolverk darted into the room, stabbing his spear at the two humans. The duo rolled out of the way before the weapon pierced the air where they once resided. A hollow crunch sounded from the opposite end of the room.

Hitomi followed the noise to see a newly formed hole in her refrigerator. Coincidently, Bolverk's spear was aimed directly at the appliance.

"How…how does that thing do that?!" Hitomi asked.

Hayate had a theory. He had heard of a special technique developed by renowned martial artists that could project a warrior's ki or spiritual energy through their weapon, increasing its range of attack. In essence, it allowed the warrior to cut a target without actually having the weapon touch it. A very deadly attack, as its range could be altered at will, making it almost impossible to determine how far its reach was.

Bolverk appeared to have mastered the demon version of the technique.

Hayate caught Hitomi's eye and motioned for a rush attack.

The duo took off, heading right for the gigantic being.

Bolverk cut through the air again. The female rolled and the male leapt over the attack that created a second scar across the apartment.

In an instant, Bolverk found his personal space occupied by the two humans he sought to fight.

Together, Hayate and Hitomi attacked as one. Their moves, their footing, and their breathing were in perfect synchronization. A frenzy of karate-style punches and kicks was let lose upon the demon. The force of the impacts caused Bolverk to slowly move back.

Hayate noticed that Bolverk was not defending himself. In fact, it almost looked like he was not even trying.

For the finishing touch, the two delivered a combined jump kick, causing the demon to be thrown back. However, it did not fall or even wobble. It simply slid across the floor like a skater on ice.

Hitomi hissed and shook her hands. She felt like she had been beating on a concrete wall. Hayate felt the same way, yet made no sign of the pain.

A distorted sound rang inside Hayate's and Hitomi's mind, causing them to flinch. It sounded somewhat like…laughter, yet to the two it was like finger nails on a chalkboard.

-Is that your best?! I know of insects that pack more of a bite than you!-

The brown-eyed man cursed under his breath. He had a feeling that damaging the monster would take a lot more than punches and kicks. Yet, there was nothing else he could have used. The weapons the lesser demons wielded had disappeared along with their bodies. His sword and other ninja gear were in his baggage in another room. He never had a chance to retrieve them and he did not even consider having Hitomi hold them off so he could get them.

He would die before leaving her alone with these nightmarish freaks.

-I believe this concludes the test.- Bolverk informed as he turned to leave.

Hitomi lowered he fists. Her guard was down.

Before Hayate could warn her, the skeletal demon whirled around, delivering another slash.

Hayate dove for the girl, but was too late.

The shirt she wore was cut open. Her senses were blinded from the sudden speed and outcome of the demon's attack that she did not cover herself. All she could do was stare blankly into the empty sockets of the monster that destroyed her home.

Hayate was upon her in a flash. He pushed her behind him, putting himself between the monster and the teenager.

-Pitiful.- Bolverk commented before he turned to leave for a second time.

Hayate watched carefully as the towering demon and the two wolves disappeared into the darkness.

After waiting a few moments to see if this was another ploy, the Japanese youth brought his full attention to the half-naked Hitomi.

He found her slumped to her knees and holding herself up with her hands. Her long, chocolate hair covered her face.

"I…I just stood there. I didn't do anything. I just stood there. I didn't do anything." She repeated in a hushed tone.

The wind ninja breathed a sigh of relief. She was fine, just shaken up a bit.

Hayate retrieved a blanket that somehow survived the demon assault and covered the trembling girl. Slowly, she pulled the corners around herself.

"Are you okay?" He whispered.

"That thing could have killed me!" She wailed, snapping her head to look her adopted brother in the eyes. "And it could have killed you when you tried to save me!"

Hayate found himself unable to reply to her sudden outburst.

"I held you back." She continued, returning her eyes to the floor. "You could have defeated them easily if I didn't weigh you down."

"Don't say that." Hayate said firmly. "Without you, I would have been swarmed."

"Don't lie to me." She replied in a soft, yet forceful tone. "I heard about you at the Tritower. I heard that you took on all those soldiers by yourself. You could have beaten those…those…monsters without me. I…I'm just useless."

He took her chin in his hand and brought her face to meet his.

"Look me in the eyes and tell me that again." He spoke.

Hitomi's eyes began to water as she tried to repeat what she said, but nothing came out. She flung herself in Hayate's arms. Feeling a bit awkward at first, the wind ninja held her.

"I failed you, Ein." Hitomi thought as he tightly held on to the man's shirt. "But I will not fail you again. I will not be reduced to a scared, little girl!"

"I will fight at your side." She almost whispered.

--

On top of a nearby building that overlooked Hitomi's wrecked apartment, Bolverk stood with its wolves beside it, watching the spectacle that was taking place inside.

-Humans are such sad, sentimental creatures.- He gloated.

"Like you can talk."

Bolverk heard the silky smooth female voice originate behind him, but remained motionless. He knew who it was.

"The sad part I get, but sentimental? Oh please. Just what do you call what you did here." The female motioned to the wolves.

Bolverk slowly turned to face the demoness. –The warriors that fought with me died honorably. It was only fitting that I, in turn, honor them by infusing their souls into these wolves so they can continue to do battle.-

The demon woman chuckled. "Honor? To us demons, honor is a word, nothing more."

-I seem to contradict that theory.- Bolverk snapped.

With another laugh, the female gazed down to the apartment of the German teen. With her demonic powers, she could see inside the building and focus on the two humans inside.

She watched as the one called Hayate helped the female up and took her to her room, most likely so she could retrieve some clothes. She could feel, the helplessness inside the girl fade, being replaced by determination. And she could sense the protective nature within the male.

Such emotions gave the woman a nostalgic feeling. She remembered when she was the girl and the male was…

-Why are you here? The master wanted you somewhere else.-

Snapped out of her thoughts by the warrior demon, the demoness replied. "Just making sure that you didn't go overboard and slaughter those two mortals."

-I do not need someone to hover over me. I know how to do my job, unlike the rest of that motley crew that follows Vergil around.-

A sly smile formed on the woman's face. "Whatever you say." She turned to leave.

-I know that you are secretly after the sons of Sparda.-

She paused and turned her head slightly to see her 'ally'.

-Whatever it is you have against them is irrelevant. Vengeance on the blasphemous half-breeds will be exacted by me.- Bolverk stated, aiming his spear at the woman to emphasize his point.

"We shall see." She ominously whispered.

A veil of black mist swarmed over her. Both woman and mist vanished.

Jann Lee's studio apartment

China

Friday-11:22 p.m.

"Let me see if I have this straight."

Jann Lee leaned forward in his sofa.

"You want me, to join you and your friend in a war against DOATEC. And to top it all off, you also claim that this company is in league with…" Jann Lee made a dramatic pause before finishing his sentence. "demons?"

Ryu nodded. "That is the basic evaluation, yes."

The Chinese man looked over his guest from head to toe. "May I ask you something?"

"If you wish."

Jann Lee looked into Ryu's eyes. "Is this a joke or did you hit a few bars on the way over to mine?"

Ryu felt his hopes coming crashing down. He had a feeling that Jann Lee would not buy his story. In fact he almost doubted his own sanity when he heard himself speak of what happened the last few days.

"I assure you, this is far from a joke." Ryu spoke. "And I do not drink alcohol."

Letting out an indifferent humph, Jann Lee sank back into his sofa.

"I have told you all I know of the matter. Whether you decide to join our cause or not is up to you."

Jann Lee stared off into space, apparently mulling over scenario in his head.

On the one hand, the very idea of going up against DOATEC was suicidal. They had the most cutting-edge weaponry in the world and an army to use it. Not to mention that the very idea of demons actually being real was ludicrous. On the other hand, the one who told him this tale was Ryu Hayabusa. The man was serious to a fault. He doubted that Ryu would lie about anything.

But most importantly of all, since the end of the fourth tournament, Jann Lee was bored out of his skull.

Maybe, just maybe, this was the chance he needed to prove his might.

"I'm gonna be honest here." Jann Lee finally spoke. "I think your idea of fighting against DOATEC is crazy, as is your little story about demons."

Ryu readied himself for the rejection that was sure to follow.

"But," He continued. "Since I really got nothing better to do…I'll tag along."

While Ryu displayed no change in his neutral face, internally, he felt both relieved and concerned at the same time. Despite Jann Lee's skepticism, he had agreed to fight with him. Unfortunately, this also meant that he would now be part of a bitter struggle that they may or may not win.

Nonetheless, Jann Lee was now an ally.

"I have two conditions though." The bouncer informed, holding up two fingers.

"One." He said with a wide grin. "You have to train with me. I'm getting sick of having only drunks and thugs who think their immortal to spar with. And I won't take no for an answer."

"I have no objections."

"And two." His face fell into seriousness. "You will not ask Lei-Fang to join us."

Ryu corrected himself about earlier. It appeared that Jann Lee did not just see Lei-Fang as just another fighter. And as such, he could empathize with what he wanted.

An image of the innocent face of Kasumi flashed in his mind.

"Agreed."

"Good." The smile returned. "So when do we leave and where are we going?"

"I will attempt to book passage tomorrow." He informed. "We will meet Hayate in Germany to discuss future plans."

Ryu left out that he originally had tickets to Beijing for tomorrow. But since Lei-Fang was now no longer an option, he decided to change his plans a bit. Getting tickets to Germany should not be too much trouble.

"All right then." Jann Lee stated as he got up. "I'm gonna turn in, you can crash on the couch for the night if you want."

"I have a room at a hotel." Ryu informed as he also stood.

"Well you better get your stuff and bring it here, cause we're gonna train at six sharp tomorrow." Jann Lee said with enthusiasm. "I don't want to have to wait for you to get up and get here."

Ryu was silent for a moment. "Very well."

Jann Lee walked off to his bed. Finally, he would not have to wait for a fifth tournament to test his skills. With Ryu, he could keep his body in top shape and learn the fighting style of his rival.

Enthralled with the prospect of having a worthy sparing partner, Jann Lee never gave the war against DOATEC a second thought.

The Devil's Library

Herein lies the bestiary of the demons in this tale so far

Ravager-The reanimated remains of Vikings and medieval infantry soldiers. Armed with simple, light weapons and wearing only minimum armor, Ravagers work best in groups. They are renowned for their relentless savagery as either they kill their prey or die trying.

Carnager-The reanimated remains of medieval knights. Covered head to toe in armor and wielding only the fiercest of weaponry, Carnagers strike fear into the very hearts of their enemies. Used almost exclusively as shock troops, their large size and physical might makes them a force to reckon with.

Freki & Geri-Twin, white demon wolves that posses the souls of two fallen demon warriors that once fought along side Bolverk. Larger than normal wolves and incredibly vicious, the wolves work together to strike at their opponents with their incredible speed.

Bolverk-A legendary demon warrior that once rivaled Sparda. After his defeat by the Legendary Dark Knight, he was again beaten by Sparda's son, Dante. Swearing revenge on the Sparda family, he commands the Army of the Fallen under Vergil's banner, while at the same time plotting his master's demise.