Chapter 1: The Rift Unleashed
The sky was torn asunder.
A vortex of seething black and crimson spiraled above Red Grave City, its twisted tendrils stretching like the grasping hands of some eldritch horror. The air pulsed with raw energy, crackling as it warped the very fabric of reality. Then, in an instant, the sky bled open.
A figure emerged.
The Doom Slayer shot forth like a meteor, wreathed in the remnants of hellfire. His Praetor Suit, scarred from countless battles, bore the evidence of his most recent conquest. Clutched tightly in his gauntleted hand was the Crucible, still humming with infernal power. Yet something felt... wrong. A weight pressed upon him, heavier than any foe he had faced before. The energy in this realm was different. Twisted.
Below, the city was already in chaos. The latest demonic invasion had transformed the streets into a battlefield. Nero, Dante, and Vergil carved through the horde with lethal precision, their blades flashing through the darkness. The sudden eruption of power in the sky made them pause, their gazes snapping upward.
Nero was the first to react, his grip tightening around Red Queen as his cybernetic arm pulsed with demonic energy.
"Uh... guys? That hellhole up there just got a whole lot uglier."
Dante, reloading Ebony & Ivory with practiced ease, let out a low whistle. "Great. Just when I thought today couldn't get any crazier."
Vergil narrowed his eyes, his hand resting lightly on the hilt of Yamato. "Something—or someone—is emerging."
Then, the Doom Slayer crashed down.
The impact shattered the pavement, sending a concussive shockwave through the ruined streets. Hellfire erupted from the crater, licking at the surrounding buildings. The force of the landing made even the demons flinch, their feral instincts recognizing the arrival of something far beyond their understanding.
Silence fell for a fraction of a second.
Then, he moved.
The Slayer rose, his imposing frame backlit by the infernal glow of the rift. His Super Shotgun snapped into his grip, its meat hook gleaming with fresh fire. His visor, opaque and unreadable, surveyed the battlefield with chilling detachment.
Nero blinked. "The hell is that? A new kind of demon?"
Dante smirked, tilting his head. "Nah, kid. That ain't a demon. That's something way scarier."
As if on cue, the first wave of hybrid demons charged. They were abominations—grotesque amalgamations of Doom's Hellspawn and the DMC Underworld's monstrosities. Flesh twisted with metal, arcane runes branded onto chitinous hides. Their snarls were distorted, unnatural, as if they themselves could barely comprehend their own existence.
The Doom Slayer wasted no time.
He launched forward, faster than the demons could react. His Super Shotgun roared, sending explosive shells tearing through a cluster of the creatures. Limbs and viscera sprayed across the battlefield as he closed the distance, swapping seamlessly to his Doomblade. He carved through the hybrids with brutal efficiency, cleaving through torsos and decapitating anything in reach. One demon, larger than the others, swung a molten axe toward him. The Slayer ducked under the swing, grabbed the demon by the throat, and with a sickening crunch, tore its head from its shoulders.
Vergil watched the carnage unfold, his grip on Yamato tightening. "Hmph. He doesn't hesitate. He doesn't think. He simply kills."
Dante chuckled, spinning Rebellion in his grasp. "Hey, new guy's got style. Think I should say hi?"
Nero exhaled sharply, cracking his knuckles. "I dunno, man. He looks like the type that doesn't do small talk."
The Doom Slayer paused for a brief moment, his visor shifting slightly toward them. His unreadable gaze locked onto the three demon hunters, assessing. Calculating. Then, as if dismissing them entirely, he turned back to the battlefield and continued his slaughter.
Dante grinned. "Oh yeah. This is gonna be fun."
The city burned, the rift pulsed, and the war had only just begun.