"No. I call it now... Demonic Mana."
"Hmm... or maybe Dark Mana," Alex muttered to himself. Then he shook his head and smirked. "Whatever it is... it’s good."
He flicked his wrist, letting the swirling black-and-white energy dissipate into the air, and turned to check his reflection again.
"Hmm... unlike Vergil who only got white hair in Devil Trigger mode, I’ve got it permanently now," he chuckled to himself, brushing his fingers through his newly silver-white hair. It was smooth, soft—like silk. "Damn. I might get mistaken for a girl from behind because of this."
He laughed lightly, amused by the idea, and adjusted his clothes.
Just then, the door opened behind him.
Colleen stepped in—and froze.
"Alex, I wanted to—whoa... is that you?" she asked, eyes wide.
Alex turned around slowly, casually. "Who else?" he said with a slight smirk.
Colleen stared at him, visibly stunned as she walked closer. Her hand reached out unconsciously, fingers brushing against his hair and cheek.
"You look... completely different," she murmured.
"I evolved," he said simply.
She didn’t reply immediately. Instead, she stepped even closer, resting her forehead lightly against his chest. He felt her exhale.
Then, with no hesitation, she reached up and kissed him.
Alex blinked for a second—but said nothing. He just let it happen, resting a hand on her back, steady and calm.
Moments later, she pulled back with a small smile, still processing the surreal shift.
Alex smirked faintly. "So... still wanna spar?"
Colleen laughed under her breath, lightly punching his arm. "Shut up."
Alex chuckled, but before she could react, he moved with sudden grace—scooping her up effortlessly into a princess carry.
"Alex—!?" she gasped, her face flushing red.
"You looked like you needed rest," he said with a smirk, already walking toward the bed.
Colleen tried to protest, but gave in halfway with an exasperated smile. He laid her down gently, and before long, they both sank into the quiet warmth of each other’s presence.
That night, the connection between them deepened—at deep level.
Meanwhile, in the room next door, Sue tossed and turned restlessly. Her senses—sharper now due to the serum—picked up moaning sounds easily.
She buried her head under the pillow with a groan.
"Seriously... I need to soundproof my room..." she muttered.
Even as irritation flickered across her features, there was something else in her expression—an emotion she couldn’t quite name. Whether it was envy, frustration, or simple loneliness, she didn’t know.
The Next Morning
Soft sunlight filtered through the blinds, painting golden lines across the floor. The scent of brewed tea drifted through the safehouse, mixing with the calm quiet of early morning.
Colleen sat on the edge of the bed, brushing her damp hair back into a loose tie. She glanced toward Alex, who stood shirtless by the window, staring out in silence.
He looked calm—but distant. Like he was already somewhere else.
Colleen spoke first.
"So... what now?"
Alex turned slightly. She continued, "You came here to destroy the Hand. And you did. So what’s next?"
For a moment, Alex didn’t reply.
Then he spoke, voice even, eyes still scanning the horizon.
"I think I’m done here."
Colleen’s expression faltered. "You’re leaving?"
Alex turned back toward her, walking slowly until he sat beside her. The bed dipped slightly under his weight. The golden morning light framed his face, and with his newly silvered hair and calm gaze, he looked nearly unreal.
"Are you throwing me out?" he asked with a half-smile.
Colleen blinked, momentarily dazed by how striking he looked in the light. Her breath hitched as she struggled to keep her thoughts straight.
"If you want to stay," she said softly, looking away to hide the faint blush rising to her cheeks, "you can. I mean... I wouldn’t kick you out."
Alex let out a low chuckle. "Okay then," he murmured, leaning back onto the bed, arms folded behind his head. "I think I’ll nap a bit more. I’m still human, after all... just a bit upgraded."
Colleen rolled her eyes but couldn’t suppress a small smile. She stood there a moment, staring at him like he’d flipped a switch inside her.
"Wait... what was that whole dramatic talk earlier about leaving?" she asked, crossing her arms, suddenly annoyed and confused. "Didn’t you say you were going to disappear or whatever?"
Alex smirked, eyes closed. "Yeah, eventually. I just thought I’d delay it a bit. Take a moment. Enjoy not having nightmares for once."
Colleen opened her mouth, about to speak—but closed it again. He wasn’t lying. He looked more at peace now than he ever had since she met him. His breathing was even. His aura was calm. And for once, there was no sign of that haunted weight in his eyes.
"Jerk," she muttered playfully under her breath, shaking her head and walking off to make tea.
Alex remained where he was, drifting into sleep with a faint smile on his lips. His body, no longer tormented by the chaos of unstable demonic energy, finally rested without resistance.
Colleen returned a few minutes later with a mug in hand and found him still lying there, completely still, peaceful.
She sat beside him quietly, watching his chest rise and fall. "He really fell asleep" She mumbled while Sue who passed by and saw the scene of Colleen siping from ug while smiling and looking at Alex, couldn’t help but say Creep.
Colleen glanced over her shoulder at Sue with a raised eyebrow.
Sue leaned against the doorframe, arms crossed, still in her oversized hoodie. "Seriously? Sitting there smiling like a serial killer watching their favorite victim sleep?"
Colleen smirked and took another sip. "He’s not a victim," she replied coolly. "He’s a walking apocalypse. I’m just enjoying the fact that the apocalypse finally decided to take a nap."
Sue rolled her eyes. "Still creepy."
Colleen shrugged. "Let me have this. You got a whole week with him while house-arrested, remember?"
Sue blinked. "We barely spoke during that week!"
Colleen grinned, smug. "Then you’ve got nothing to worry about, do you?"
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