The situation was getting catastrophic for Charlie. A thousand and one thoughts jostled in her already tired mind, and made her even more nervous. Vaggie was doing what she could to try to comfort her, while Angel Dust, Husk and Niffty continued to discreetly watch the reporters' progress toward the front door.

_ "Guys! They're coming!" Angel told them hastily. Indeed, regular knocks on the door were heard, as well as the loud voices of the reporters asking if someone was there and that someone came to open the door for them, for their so-called freedom of their press.

Faced with this situation, the Doom Slayer seemed to resign himself, making the sound of loading his shotgun heard and preparing to go outside.

_ "Fuck the discretion, if these little shits want explosive scoop, they will get one." Vega said, expressing the Slayer's thought. Hearing this, Charlie stiffened, a shiver of dread running through his body like an electric shock, the vision of the Slayer massacring rows of demons right outside the hotel chilling her with terror. Like a rocket, she ran up and placed herself in front of the Slayer, stretching out her little hands in front of him to prevent him from advancing, even if with his size, he could push her to the side with a simple move. Looking down at the princess, the Slayer gave a heavy, deep sigh of annoyance.

_"What?!" Vega said to express the man's annoyance.

_ "Please let me take care of that. I'm going to find a way to make them leave! But please don't let them see you, otherwise I'm screwed up!!"

Charlie begged him, hands clasped as if she was praying and fell on her knees before the Slayer, looking at him insistently and with a dejected look. It was not really the Slayer's habit to be moved by the plight of others, much less that of demons. But so far, this young princess of hell had been more than sincere and really believed in her plan of redemption for her people, despite all the obstacles that stood before her. The Slayer thought he would regret this choice, but sighing heavily again, nodded briefly and lowered his gun, which reassured Charlie.

_ "Thank you ..." she sighed, finding a smile, thanking the man with her gaze. However, the Slayer looked her in the eye and pointed his finger firmly at her.

_ "Five minutes, no more! If after this time, you still haven't managed to convince them, the Slayer will act, and nothing you say can change his mind this time. Understood?"

Vega's voice clearly explained the warrior's intentions. Charlie swallowed when he felt that powerful look on her, but nodded.

_"I am coming with you." Vaggie said to her girlfriend and walked with her to the front door, while the Slayer, as agreed, went out of sight in the storeroom behind the bar, waiting, but keeping his gun in hand.

Charlie took a deep breath, taking her courage and decided to open the door slightly, barely showing her face, Vaggie standing right behind her to support her and help her in case. A horde of agitated reporters then crowded behind the door, starting to speed with the flashes of their cameras, completely blinding Charlie. They all spoke at the same time, in an incomprehensible hubbub, not leaving the princess a second to speak.

But while she was going to try to say a word, all the reporters, photographers, cameramen, and even the crowd of curious ... all suddenly froze in silence, staring blankly, as if they were hypnotized. Charlie and Vaggie, seeing this, looked at each other with the same bewildered look.

_"What the....?" said Vaggie. The two women then saw a red aura, like a mist of energy, which surrounded the head of all the demons present in front of the hotel. Then, reacting again, the crowd of demons started to scatter all over the streets, saying that they had important and diverse things to do, as if they had been programmed to say it and believe it. They all seemed to have completely forgotten why they came here. Hidden in the reserve, the Doom Slayer then saw Vega's sensors in his helmet react strangely.

_ "Strong demonic activity spotted nearby. However, its source remains unknown." commented on artificial intelligence. The Slayer frowned, not liking it at all. Meanwhile, Charlie and Vaggie, after closing the front door, returned to the hall where the others were waiting, seeing the two women completely perplexed.

_"So, what happened?" asked Angel.

_ "I ... I don't know ... they were all there at the door, and suddenly, it's as if something had erased their memories ..." explained Charlie as best she could. Vaggie, darker, crossed her arms.

_ "I think I know who did this, and damn it, I really hope I am wrong ..." she said.

_ "And no, you are not mistaken, my dear!!" suddenly said a strong, jovial male voice after the front door suddenly opened, letting in a demon everyone knew, unfortunately too well for some. Vaggie groaned, facepalming her own forehead.

_"Oh fuck, not him..."

Alastor stepped forward with his usual assurance and elegance, humming a few notes between his sharp teeth and coming to meet Charlie and the others.

_ "Alastor ... what did you do to the...?" Charlie asked, mentioning the journalists. Alastor expressed a brief laugh before answering.

_ "Oh, it was nothing. I just avoided your establishment an advertising even worse than it already is. See, I would not want this place to be closed, it is so entertaining!"

_ "Yeah, and we all know that you did it just 'cause you have a huge heart." Vaggie replied coldly with irony.

_ "Absolutely not!" replied Alastor jovially without hiding or even grasping the irony, coming to "boop" with his finger on the tip of Vaggie's nose, which annoyed her even more. But however, the Radio Demon was not an idiot, and as he walked around the group, showed his dark but lively gaze.

_ "But, I would still like to know what this phenomenon was. Can you tell me more?"

_ "Uh, very simple ... turn around ..." replied Charlie with a tense smile, and showing something behind Alastor. He turned around to find himself facing something he did not expect. The Doom Slayer was there, right in front of him, staring at him silently.

_ "Source of demonic energy detected." said Vega. The Slayer could then watch this new demon.

He was tall. A slender, gray-skinned body, an unhealthy giant smile filled with sharp yellow teeth, red and black hair, forming above his head like two large ears. His eyes were large, red with black pupils, and he wore a small monocle over his right eye. He was elegantly dressed in a red shirt and over it, a dark red striped coat, burgundy gloves and pants, a black and red bow tie, and black shoes. He was holding a black cane in one of his hands, carrying a sort of vintage radio microphone at the top. His voice sounded like an old radio.

At the sight of the Slayer, Alastor remained motionless, but still expressing a big smile. However, his gaze seemed to darken. The Slayer still did not move but behind his visor, showed distrustful eyes and even hostile towards this demon. Seeing him smile constantly like this made him want to punch his teeth.

_ "But what do I see? A newcomer to our world! Welcome, my name is Alastor, but everyone call me the Radio Demon." Alastor then spoke enthusiastically, extending his hand warmly to the Slayer. This one did not move, keeping his arms crossed.

_ "Ha ha, I see, sir is shy! I can understand!" Alastor said then in front of the Slayer's icy refusal to shake his hand. Shy? Faced with this visibly provocative response from this demon, the Slayer reacted and with his powerful hand, came to brutally grab Alastor by the throat, lifting him and blocking him against one of the walls.

_ "Ho ho, and easily grumpy!" Alastor kept his smile assured, still managing to speak despite the strong grip of the Slayer who held his throat and threatened to crush him like a dry cookie.

In front of this scene, nobody dared to intervene towards the Slayer, except Charlie who ran to the man and took him by one of the arms.

_ "Slayer, stop. He does this only to provoke you! Alastor is like that, it's in his nature." explained the princess. The Slayer looked at her, then looked at Alastor again.

_ "Still dare to disrespect me as you just did, and you will know what eternal suffering really is." said the Slayer to Alastor, who this time spoke in his own voice, grave and intimidating, snatching shivers from everyone in the room. Charlie remained frozen. For the first time, she had just heard the voice of the Slayer. However, it was said that he never, or almost never, spoke. In any case, very rare were those who had heard his voice, and were still alive to say it.

Alastor continued to smile and slowly raised his hands, like a sign of surrendering. The Slayer, though there was a great urge to tear his pretentious smile from his face, let go of him and walked away. Alastor straightened up, dusting his coat and putting it back on properly, without a wrinkle. Angel, Husk and Niffty seemed relieved that things were calming down. Vaggie too, even if internally, she almost wished the Slayer would tear Alastor to pieces. Charlie too was reassured, and cast a concerned look at the Slayer who was walking away towards the bar and to calm his nerves, struck violently against a wall, leaving a huge hole, before crossing his arms and waiting.

_ "So, Alastor ..." said Vaggie approaching him "... If you came here it is for an excellent reason, not only to play the charitable soul."

Radio Demon smirked at him before answering him.

_ "Indeed, a good reason brings me here today. A reason that concerns us all in this hotel."

Everyone listened attentively, seeing the crackling sound in the demon's eye.

_ "I managed to learn, thanks to my many informants, that Sir Pentious had planned to attack the hotel again and to kill us all. Obviously, his defeat against me some time ago made him even more revengeful than ever." Alastor explained.

Charlie and the others were taken aback by this news. The Slayer, who had listened briefly, suddenly got his attention and joined the conversation.

_ "Who is this Sir Pentious?" asked Vega's voice.

_ "A scum of the worst kind ..." replied Angel with a somber voice "... his only desire is to dominate the whole hell. He is mad, furious, maniac and unstable."

_ "It's a good summary." said Alastor. "But this time, Pentious to recruit mercenaries in order to launch an assault on the hotel. They are currently gathered in an abandoned warehouse in the industrial area. Here is the place ..."

He showed them the city map, pointing to a big red dot marked as the location of the warehouse. The Slayer approached, but however, threatened Alastor with his gaze.

_ "And what proves to us that you tell the truth?" said Vega to the demon. Alastor raised a new hand.

_"Nothing at all!" replied Alastor without trying to hide it. "I am only warning you, you are free to act as you wish."

The Slayer did not seem convinced by this response. However, he could see from the concerned faces of Charlie and the others that it was serious. This Sir Pentious had obviously caused them some trouble before. The Slayer sighed with anger. Without asking anyone for advice, he took the map from Alastor's hands, scanned it with his helmet and recorded the location.

_ "Warehouse localized ... don't worry, it will be settled quickly ..." said Vega's voice. The group of demons then saw the Slayer turn around, armed with his shotgun and without any of them having time to react, saw him leave the hotel and leap supernaturally from roof to roof, s moving away at high speed towards the industrial zone.

_ "Slayer! Oh no ..." Charlie sighed in fear when she saw him go. The princess then started to run too, as fast as she could, in the same direction, under the stunned looks of Vaggie and Angel.

_ "Charlie! No!! Come back here!!" Vaggie yelled at her.

Having stayed behind, in the hotel lobby, Alastor pushed aside one of the curtains, carefully observing the silhouette of the Slayer moving further and further away. The demon then displayed an evil smile, and his red eyes began to shine.

_ "Ah, Slayer ... quick blood, slow spirit ..." muttered Alastor mischievously.