Leon emerged from the subway access as dawn struggled to rise over Lawrence Falls. The sky burned with dull crimson hues, casting the city in an unnatural glow. Something had changed overnight. The air felt heavier. Charged.
His radio crackled violently.
"—Leon, do you copy? We're detecting abnormal mutations. This isn't standard infection anymore."
Leon frowned. "Define 'abnormal.'"
Silence. Then—"Requiem-level anomalies confirmed."
Leon's grip tightened.
Requiem.
He had heard whispers of it for years. A next-stage virus. Smarter. More aggressive. Designed not just to infect—but to adapt.
A distant roar echoed through the streets, deep and resonant, vibrating through the concrete beneath his feet. This wasn't an infected civilian. This was something else.
Leon moved fast, weaving between overturned vehicles until he reached a ruined plaza. At its center stood the source of the sound.
The creature was massive, its body warped beyond recognition. Muscle and bone fused unnaturally, veins pulsing with dark fluid. Its head snapped toward Leon, sensing him instantly.
"Yeah… figured," Leon muttered.
The creature charged.
Leon fired, rounds tearing into flesh—but it barely slowed. He rolled aside as the beast smashed into a concrete pillar, reducing it to rubble. Dust filled the air.
A gunshot rang out—sharp, precise.
The creature staggered.
Another shot. Then another.
Leon glanced toward the sound.
She stood on a collapsed balcony across the plaza. Calm. Controlled. A red silhouette against the gray ruins.
Ada Wong.
Their eyes met for the first time.
"No time to stare," she called out coolly. "Aim for the exposed tissue. It's adapting."
Leon followed her lead. Together, they moved in sync—years of shared chaos resurfacing instantly. Leon drew its attention. Ada struck from above. One final explosion of gunfire brought the creature crashing to the ground.
Silence returned.
Leon exhaled, lowering his weapon. "You always show up when things get ugly."
Ada holstered her gun, stepping back into the shadows. "You're getting predictable."
He smirked faintly. "Nice to see you too."
Her expression softened—just for a moment. "Requiem is active, Leon. This city is only the beginning."
"And you're here because…?"
She paused. "Because if I wasn't, you'd already be dead."
Before Leon could respond, Ada disappeared, vanishing into the ruins like a ghost.
Leon stood alone once more, the weight of her words sinking in.
Requiem had begun.
And this time, survival wouldn't be enough.