Rika lit up her cigarette after finishing El Gigante.
"Phew," She exhaled.
The mission was harder than she thought. A giant monster with club suddenly appeared from the forest. It wasn't something that was written in the mission briefing at all.
But then again, this mission was a special one and she didn't know what was actually happening inside.
No one could guess that the mission to secure a safe zone would be this dangerous. No wonder the leader of STARS and his team joined this mission. They must have known something, Rika thought to herself.
And Daiki...
"Crazy kid."
The young man fought the giant monster without fear. It was as if he was enjoying the fight and Rika could feel his passion and will to win even from a far. He used a sword to engage in a melee combat against the El Gigante.
It was crazy and Rika thought she was going to witness Daiki's end, but he managed to survive. He even punched the giant with his fist and his punches sent shock waves through the air.
Rika could see the sheer strength behind each of Daiki's attacks. His agility and reflex were also great, allowing him to dodge El Gigante's attack at close range.
Watching him fight reminded her of the trained member of STARS that went into the mansion. The sheer strength he possessed made her believe that he could fight against a group of zombies and win.
What happened to that boy? He's just an ordinary boy before the apocalypse started.
And he still had the innocence in him when he was in the camp.
Just like the time when he got slightly flustered when they went skinny dipping.
Or when he got slightly aroused by seeing Rika naked in the house.
Or the way he was still innocent when Rika teased him.
Was it all an act? Or was it his real personality? Rika didn't know the truth and she couldn't read his mind. But what she was certain of is the fact that Daiki wasn't an average guy.
"Fuu..."
She let out a puff of smoke.
Rika couldn't get a grasp of Daiki's character at all.
He was an ordinary guy, or so she thought, but then he fought with a smile akin to that of a psycho.
Maybe she could ask the kid himself later on, Rika thought to herself as she saw him approaching. He was carrying his sword on his hip, and his clothes were covered in dirt and sweat.
There was a cut on his right cheek, and blood dripped from his wound. His face was slightly red and he seemed tired.
"You're back."
"Yes." He answered while heaving a sigh, "That was brutal. I didn't think I would have to fight that giant alone."
"Not even I would guess we have to face a mutated human." Rika sighed.
Daiki then raised his eyebrows and said. "Mutated? Well, you're not wrong. But that thing isn't just some virus."
"It isn't? What is it then?" Rika looked at Daiki.
"A parasite." He said, leaning against the tree. He didn't want to climb back up just to watch the mansion since they had finished their task. "But not some common parasite."
"Explain," she said, looking at him with a stern face.
"It's called a Plaga parasite. An ancient parasite that was sealed deep in a village. They were worshipped and it gave some sort of superpower to people."
Rika raised her eyebrows at Daiki's explanation, and she replied, "Superpower? You mean that thing gives the ability to make humans mutate? It doesn't make sense. It's not logical."
"Yeah, it's not. But the fact is that it's real."
"Where did you get that information?" Rika questioned. She didn't want to hear something based on a hunch, especially from someone like Daiki who had no knowledge of science.
A normal highschool boy who didn't know the slightest bit of secret laboratory until the apocalypse. There was no way he could know that a certain thing could do what he claimed, even though he was the only one who had experience fighting the giant.
"The laboratory I found the parasite. It was the one I gave to Wesker before."
"Oh yeah. It was the same parasite as the one you found in that secret laboratory?"
"Yeah. Exactly." Daiki nodded and raised his head, "It was a dominant species Plaga, a parasite that can control the subordinate parasite inside the body. Like the zombie virus. If you implant it to an infected, you'll be able to make it a mutant, just like that thing I just fought. Though the one we fought before was a special one."
"Yeah sure." Rika rolled her eyes as Daiki stated something obvious.
Anyone who saw that giant and thought it was just mutated due to a parasite would need to have their brain checked. That was clearly not normal.
"So, the enemy in the mansion might not be Umbrella Corporation alone but another company. Or a cult."
Daiki didn't look fazed at all. Rika didn't understand how a kid like him could stay so calm.
"You know what a cult is?"
He shook his head, showing he didn't know.
"Well, it's not important for now." She shrugged and continued smoking, "The mission isn't over yet until the STARS members return."
Humming, Daiki then said, "So, we have no choice but to stay and wait. What about communicating with them? I haven't heard anything since we left the car."
"It's natural. Your device is only connected to mine. There is another device I used to communicate with the team inside, but... Even this has gone silent since the giant appeared." Rika said, pointing at her ear.
"Wait, so the communication isn't active anymore?"
"It seems like it." She shrugged, "I've tried to contact them after you killed that monster, but they aren't picking up. They are either busy with something, or..."
"Or?"
"Or maybe..." She didn't want to continue, but she did. "...the whole team was wiped out."