The Daily Life of the Demon King

Alex continued explaining the concept of the Arena to those present, simultaneously pondering the optimal way to implement it. He considered whether to include minions and a leveling system to make the battles more challenging. As he spoke, some gods offered their suggestions.

One of the gods proposed a changing landscape. Alex nodded in approval, thinking it was an excellent idea: rather than fighting in the same location repeatedly, it would be better to create a system where the terrain changes from battle to battle. Other gods supported this suggestion, noting that diverse arenas would force participants to adapt to new conditions, making fights more unpredictable.

"And how will victory be determined?" Ares asked, raising his hand.

This question elicited approving nods from the assembled gods. They recognized it as a critical point in the design. Alex also acknowledged its importance, silently noting that he had expected this question to be raised much earlier.

"Victory will be achieved through a 'castle capture' system. There will be two castles on the Arena, and both teams must destroy the crystal protecting the opponent's castle to secure victory," Alex explained, illustrating the concept with his hands.

Seeing the gods' interest, he decided to elaborate on the Arena's structure, emphasizing that the concept would feature three lanes and that the landscape would change from battle to battle. Alex began sketching a top-down view of the Arena, and the gods examined the diagram closely while discussing how to improve the idea. Some gods even consulted their advisors to present more refined suggestions.

"And what are these areas on the Arena? They look like forests," Hermes remarked, pointing to large green zones on the map.

"Exactly, those are forested zones," Alex confirmed calmly, highlighting the specified areas on the diagram. "I'm still considering how best to use them. If anyone has ideas, feel free to share. That's what we're here for—discussion."

Everyone fell silent again, deep in thought about how to utilize these forested areas. It was clear that the Arena would be enormous, and it was crucial to make the most of its space.

Alex, in turn, recalled the original concept and wondered whether to add monsters in the forest zones. These creatures could complicate battles and play a significant role in strategy. However, another question arose: should they introduce a system for gaining experience and gold for defeating such monsters?

"What if we actually place monsters in the forests?" Siegfried suggested, raising his hand. "The large empty zones could house forest beasts that would complicate battles and add an element of surprise."

Alex nodded approvingly. "Great idea. Not only would this make battles more challenging, but it would also add strategic depth, especially if the monsters interact with the environment."

The discussion grew even livelier. The gods proposed various ways to incorporate the monsters, debated potential rewards for defeating them, and considered their impact on the overall flow of battles. Alex listened carefully, pondering which ideas could be integrated into the final concept.

Alex glanced at Siegfried, who offered another suggestion, and gave him an approving nod with a thumbs-up. Siegfried noticed the gesture and smirked proudly, clearly pleased that his idea had been appreciated. Brunhild, observing their interaction, simply smiled and shook her head. These two truly looked like father and son, despite Siegfried being a fully grown man rather than a child.

She had worried that Alex might treat Siegfried differently, but all her concerns proved to be unfounded. Not only did Alex save him, but he also accepted him as his own, sincerely caring for him.

"Yes, the monsters in the forest can make battles more difficult, but can't we find a use for them? It would be foolish to leave them as they are without extracting some benefit," said one of the gods, clad in armor, expressing his opinion.

"Agreed. That's why I propose implementing a system of experience and gold," Alex calmly joined the discussion.

"Explain further, Voldigoad. What do you mean by an 'experience and gold system'?" Zeus asked, his voice tinged with interest.

Alex paused for a moment, rubbing his chin. He wanted to present his idea in a way that was as clear and convincing as possible. All eyes were on him as he considered the details.

"An experience system," he thought, "would allow fighters to gradually restore their strength, but limitations for the gods would need to be set to maintain balance. A gold system would enable the purchase of artifacts to aid in battle. However, the artifacts must be carefully designed as weakened versions of powerful relics to avoid them becoming overpowered. These artifacts should not replace weapons but rather enhance the fighters."

Having reached a decision, Alex began to explain:

"The experience system works as follows: by defeating monsters, fighters will regain lost strength and develop new skills. However, limitations will be set for the gods to ensure balance. As for the gold system, it is designed for purchasing artifacts at a specially equipped base. These artifacts will improve chances of victory, but all of them will be weakened replicas of well-known historical relics," he explained confidently.

Silence fell as the audience mulled over Alex's words. The idea might seem controversial, but on the other hand, it opened up new possibilities. The experience system allowed for the evaluation of strength and strategy, while purchasing artifacts added variety to the battles.

Some of the gods began nodding, understanding Alex's intent. Under equal conditions, fighters could better collaborate and focus on teamwork. The artifacts, meanwhile, would add a layer of tactics and provide opportunities to counter opponents.

The discussion reignited with vigor. Each god strove to contribute their suggestions. Seeing that the debate was becoming lengthy, Alex began jotting down ideas to select the most optimal ones.

In the end, they decided to add a condition: fighters on both sides could use monsters to advance across the battlefield, making the monsters a key element of strategy. Additionally, they proposed including an army to strengthen both defensive and offensive lines.

"How will we decide who gets to participate in the battles?" Thor asked.

"To start, we'll recruit a hundred fighters—fifty on each side. Then we'll implement a ranking system. Every year, or perhaps every six months, we'll hold tournaments to determine the strongest. The champions will receive a special status," Alex explained.

"Why did you decide to call them champions?" Hermes asked, narrowing his eyes slightly.

"It adds prestige. Fighters will strive for the top to earn that title. The first place in the rankings will not only be a recognition of their strength but also a motivator for others," Alex clarified.

His words garnered approval from most of the gods, and though the discussion dragged on, everyone eventually reached an agreement. Alex was satisfied: the system he proposed would serve as the foundation for future battles, adding strategic depth to them.

Those who grasped the essence of Alex's words began to nod, understanding that his proposal could bring a new excitement to the situation. Creating a competition with clear rules would not only add an element of rivalry but also offer an alternative way of resolving conflicts without the mandatory destruction of the parties involved. However, a logical question arose — who would be responsible for selecting the fighters? It would be unwise to simply assign a random person to such an important role.

"And how will we decide who will fight?" Amaterasu asked, emphasizing this crucial detail.

"It's simple. We need just ten representatives: five from the gods and five from humanity. To ensure fairness, you will choose your gods, and my Valkyrie will handle selecting the fighters from the human side," Alex explained, cleverly passing this task onto Brunhilde.

Brunhilde immediately understood the hidden meaning in his words. Alex clearly didn't want to take on this labor-intensive job, and now it was up to her to make the tough decision — to find five worthy representatives from humanity. She sighed heavily, scrunched her nose in displeasure, and lightly pinched Alex in the side, but remained silent, accepting the responsibility.

The gods, in turn, appreciated Alex's proposal, but their task seemed easier. They could choose the oldest or most powerful, such as Zeus. Alex suspected that this was precisely what they would do.

While the gods began discussing possible candidates, Alex interrupted them:

"By the way, the fighters won't die during the battles. Everything will take place using their astral bodies, which will regenerate after some time."

This information caused genuine excitement among the gods, who were obsessed with battle. They realized they could fight without fear for their lives, which only fueled their enthusiasm. Alex, seeing their expressions, sighed tiredly.

The discussion stretched on for another hour, with most of the time spent on questions and answers. Alex tried to respond in detail to avoid further misunderstandings. One of the important topics was the selection of a venue for the battles.

"Why not use the Colosseum? It can be expanded a bit, add a ranking board, and be set up for the battles," suggested Brunhilde.

Her suggestion was accepted unanimously. It seemed like a logical solution — why build something new when you could adapt what already existed? However, there was still the question of how to implement such a transformation to accommodate a large number of participants and spectators.

"I'll take care of that. Your task is to choose the representatives. Everything else is my responsibility," Alex declared.

"And how do you plan to manage such a massive task on your own?" Rudra asked skeptically.

"That's my concern. Creating a separate space is easier than it seems. The main thing is to communicate the decision to all participants and start the preparations," Alex replied, not going into further detail.

The gods nodded, though they remained intrigued. Alex was planning to use runes and magic, as he had when creating his workshop. This time, the task was more complicated: he not only needed to create an arena with a changeable landscape but also organize the transfer of astral bodies, ensuring the fighters' physical bodies remained safe.

Furthermore, Alex had planned a surprise for the gods, especially for Brunhilde.

"Now that the truce is in place, I will give you one final gift to officially end our quarrel, Zeus," Alex said, rising from the table.

No one could understand why Alex said these words or what he was planning to do. Meanwhile, Alex was thinking that with the help of Yamato, he could directly reach the deepest part of Helheim, where the souls of fallen warriors, killed during Ragnarok, had ended up. Without bothering to explain, he summoned Yamato, opened a portal before him, and was about to step through when he remembered an important detail.

"I advise you not to stand in front of the portal," he warned, casting a glance at those present.

His words only deepened the confusion. Everyone turned their gaze to Brunhilde, hoping for an answer, but even she didn't know what Alex was up to. During Völundr, she had been occupied with studying his memories and hadn't fully grasped all the nuances of his plan. Alex stepped through the portal and found himself in a strange and mysterious place. Listening to his senses, he moved forward until he reached a particular area. Before him hovered spheres, some of which were connected by invisible threads.

Alex immediately realized that these were the souls of the Valkyries, tied to Lü Bu and Adam. He remembered that the first Valkyrie was named Reginleif, and she had a gentle nature, resembling a librarian. The second was named Randgriz, who had been Lü Bu's companion. Although Alex didn't know much about Randgriz, it didn't concern him. His main goal was to comfort Brunhilde, whose sorrow never seemed to leave her.

"It's so wonderful that this world has such a thoughtful reincarnation system," he remarked with relief, clapping his hands.

But first, he needed to make sure the souls of Lü Bu, Adam, and the two Valkyries were in order. Alex gently touched each of them, checking their condition. All the souls were unharmed, and the connection to the Valkyries had likely helped the mortal souls linger in this place longer than usual.

"Let's start by severing your connection," Alex said, cutting the spiritual threads binding the souls.

Once the connection was broken, he thought about resurrection but first decided to search for the souls of the fallen gods: Poseidon, Hercules, Shiva, Hades, and Apollo. Alex even considered not bringing Apollo back but quickly discarded the thought. He tied the threads of the four souls to himself and continued his search.

After some time, he found the souls he needed.

"Now everything's in place. Time to bring you back to life," Alex said, observing them.

His gaze lingered on each of the souls. Poseidon's soul resembled a calm sea, Hercules' soul shone, as befit a hero, Shiva's soul burned with fire. Hades' soul was the strangest, emanating the chill of death, and Apollo's soul glowed like the sun. Alex involuntarily grimaced, recalling how Apollo loved to talk about his "radiance."

After finishing his inspection, Alex waved Yamato, opening a portal leading directly to the meeting hall.

"Time to bring you all back," he said, preparing for the next step.

Those still in the meeting hall were reflecting on Alex's intentions. Even Brunhilde's questioning had yielded no results. Suddenly, a portal opened before them once again, instantly capturing everyone's attention.

In addition to questions about Alex's plans, they were curious about the sword he used to open these portals. However, within a moment, everyone got their answer about where Alex had gone. What they saw shocked the gods in a way they had never experienced in their long lives.

The first to emerge from the portal was Lü Bu, who landed face-first. Following him, with a dull thud, fell Adam, landing on top of Lü Bu. Then, Poseidon shot out of the portal, sliding face-first across the marble floor straight toward the table where Zeus was sitting. After him, Hercules came through the portal, crashing heavily onto the floor.

Shiva, who followed, spun several times in the air before slamming into the wall. Hades appeared right next to Poseidon, and lastly, Apollo emerged, also sliding face-first across the floor, leaving an impressive mark behind him.

Brunhilde watched the unfolding scene with a look of shock on her face. She immediately understood that Alex had done this intentionally—especially with Apollo. However, it wasn't just her who was shocked. The other gods in the hall were also stunned. None of them had expected to see the fighters who had perished during Ragnarok suddenly brought back to life.

Siegfried, on the other hand, struggled to suppress his laughter as he watched the gods tumble out of the portal as though launched from a catapult. Buddha, in contrast, remained calm. He knew about Alex's plan to resurrect the fallen fighters, but seeing it unfold before his eyes was much stranger.

Finally, Alex stepped out of the portal himself, holding two Valkyries like sacks of potatoes.

"Yo, I see you're all happy with my gift," he said with a carefree smile.

All eyes turned to Alex. His calmness seemed so out of place that it only deepened the sense of mystery. The gods tried to understand how he had managed not only to enter forbidden places but also to resurrect the fallen.

Brunhilde, seeing her sisters alive, smiled. Her worries finally subsided. Everything had returned to the moment before Ragnarok had even begun: Hercules was alive, and her sisters were too. All of this was made possible by Alex.

"Who are you, Voldigoad?" Zeus asked coldly, staring at him intently.

"If you guess, you'll get a prize. But now I'm going to rest. All this bureaucracy is up to you. I need to recharge. Too many events in one day. And don't worry about those who flew out of the portal. They'll wake up soon—their bodies are just healing," Alex replied with a light smile.

Ignoring further questions, Alex walked over to Brunhilde, a faint smile flickering on her face. He looked as though he was expecting praise.

"You could've just said what you were going to do," she remarked, shaking her head. "Look at the gods' faces. They're clearly in shock."

"Wasn't it fun?" Alex answered with a wide grin.

After that, Alex quickly dealt with Lü Bu and Adam, sending them to where they belonged. Eve and her children were shocked when Adam suddenly fell from the sky, and Lü Bu landed nearby.

Meanwhile, the gods in the hall continued to discuss what had happened, their astonishment evident. Even Thor frowned slightly when he saw Lü Bu, whom he had believed to be dead. All of this only emphasized how powerful Alex was.

Alex briefly glanced around the room and noticed that the gods were in a state of shock. The only exception was Ares, who was crying like a child, unable to hide his emotions. Meanwhile, Zeus and Adamas were trying to calm the others, but their efforts were not yet bearing fruit.

Alex realized it was time to leave before the situation escalated further. The weapons of Poseidon and Hades, which were still in his inventory, he had no intention of returning under any circumstances. Through their spiritual connection, Brunhilde sensed Alex's growing unease and immediately understood that it was connected to these trophies. Realizing that swift action was necessary, Alex decided to do what any sensible person would do in such a situation—strategically retreat.

"Alright, you guys figure things out here. And if you have any questions, contact my secretary," Alex said with a light smile, using his teleportation magic.

None of those present even had time to react before Alex and his team disappeared from the meeting hall.

Alex and his group found themselves in a cozy resting room. Alex looked satisfied but quickly sensed the strange atmosphere. He looked around and noticed an unexpected guest.

An elderly man sat on the couch, holding a cup of tea. He wore a white shirt, a black vest over it, neat black trousers, and polished shoes. His white beard and hair were carefully trimmed, and his hair was combed back. Alex immediately recognized who he was. It was his new father—the Creator.

"What is he doing here?" Alex thought to himself.

The man looked up and smiled warmly. Setting the cup down on the table, he kept his friendly smile and addressed the group:

"Hello there."

Without thinking, Alex smiled and blurted out:

"General Kenobi."

Such a strange exchange of phrases caught everyone off guard. Alex's team, including Brunhilde and Rebecca, looked at them with clear confusion. Alex and the Creator, however, laughed as though they were old friends sharing a joke.

After handing the Valkyries over to their sisters, Alex walked over to the couch and sat across from the Creator. Rebecca, on the other hand, remained cautious. She felt like this elderly man was somehow familiar, even though she was sure she had never seen him before.

"So, what brings you to this world, old man?" Alex asked with a smile. "Came to reward me for my efforts?"

"Reward?" the Creator feigned ignorance, raising his hands innocently. "What are you talking about, son?"

Alex quickly saw through his game but continued to play along. Their exchange of lines only confused everyone further.

Rebecca sat next to Alex, watching the Creator closely. He noticed her gaze and, like a father, gave her a warm smile. This only intensified her suspicions.

"What do you mean 'what'?" Alex continued, nodding as though his words made perfect sense. "I saved three worlds. Even if the first one was by my own whim, the other two were out of pure duty. I'm at least owed a few treats for that!"

The Creator just smiled, while Rebecca kept her eyes on him, feeling that there was something very important about this man.

Alex's words shocked those who knew about his actions. They all understood that he had already saved two worlds, and only recently finished saving the third. Their eyes shifted toward the elderly man sitting on the couch.

Rebecca immediately realized who he was. Before her was Alex's father, whom she had heard about several times. But for the Valkyries, it was a revelation—none of them had ever imagined they would one day meet the Creator himself.

Meanwhile, Alex and his father exchanged tense glances, as if playing a silent battle of wills, trying to see who would break first.

"Well, what is it that you want?" the Creator spoke, breaking the silence. "More weapons again? Son, you need to give up this obsession. How many artifacts have you created, only for them to just sit there unused? And I know you're planning to get more, then start 'borrowing' from others."

"It's a collection," Alex replied calmly. "Every collector needs something to collect. But you know, I do need compensation. It's not fair that I work for free. Even in Night City, I got paid for my help. But here? I save worlds and get nothing. Am I asking for too much?"

These words led to an animated discussion between Alex and his father. Alex stubbornly argued that he deserved a reward for his achievements, while the Creator both agreed with him and cleverly avoided a direct answer. Their banter resembled more of a father-son argument than a serious conversation.

Those watching this scene were stunned. Despite their words, both Alex and the Creator wore smiles, as if they were just teasing each other.

Rebecca, however, could no longer bear the strange scene. She realized that the man in front of her was Alex's father, but the whole situation still seemed utterly absurd to her.

"Wait, Alex, can you explain why your father is here?" she finally asked, voicing the question that was on everyone's mind.

Alex and the Creator exchanged glances, as if deciding who should reveal the truth. Alex sighed, realizing that he was the one who would have to explain.

"Remember when we were in Hawaii, and I said I felt drawn somewhere? Well, that was Old Man," he nodded toward the Creator, "he pointed me to this world like that."

"But that doesn't explain why he's here," Rebecca said, crossing her arms and staring intently at Alex.

"Child," the Creator interjected with a kind smile, "this world is one of those I personally created. I came to visit my son and praise him for the work he's done, especially considering that he decided to change this world for the better."

Alex nodded, realizing that his suspicions were correct. The Creator had indeed personally created this world, and that was the reason Alex ended up here. Since the Creator himself couldn't interfere directly, he had indirectly "invited" Alex to do the necessary work. This also explained why the Avatar Nyan-Nyan, known as the Black Man, couldn't enter this world without certain conditions.

Rebecca was about to ask why the Creator hadn't intervened himself, but she recalled Alex's words that the Creator was forbidden from getting involved in the affairs of his creations.

"Of course, I'm glad you appreciated my efforts," Alex smirked slightly and extended his hand. "But, you know, you'd better pay for the job I did. I could have just killed Odin and that would've been it, but I chose to guide this world to a better future. And, by the way, that's not part of my duties. So, come on, pay up."

The Creator seemed unsure whether to laugh or cry. He was still astonished by Alex's character and his obsession with weapons.

"Alright," he said with a slight sigh. "What do you want?"

Alex, rubbing his hands together, declared, "Well, since that one-eyed guy kicked the bucket and took his Gungnir with him, the collection's incomplete. So, hand me a new Gungnir."

The Creator smirked, shook his head, and handed over a golden spear, shining with power, clearly surpassing Odin's previous weapon. Alex eagerly grabbed the spear and began stroking it as if it were a child. His actions caused mixed feelings among the onlookers, who began eyeing him suspiciously, seeing the fanatic expression on his face.

After checking the spear, Alex immediately withdrew it, and Gungnir fused with his soul, floating among the other artifacts bound to him. With the task complete, Alex decided it was time to let everyone get better acquainted with his "father."

For most, it was a true shock—the Creator himself was sitting before them. However, Rebecca took the situation much more calmly, addressing him as if he were her father-in-law. Gradually, the atmosphere relaxed, the conversation became casual, and the questions turned more personal. No one even noticed how quickly the day passed.

Alex, however, was already thinking about the future.

To finish up his business in this world as quickly as possible, he decided to use his clones. This approach would allow him to complete everything within a week, or even sooner.

To be continued...