The Daily Life of the Demon King

Arriving at Rei's house, Alex smoothly jumped down from the roof and gently set the girl on the ground. He immediately headed for the gate to lock it, ensuring that no curious "fans"—in other words, zombies—could wander onto the property.

Alex surveyed the area. Judging by the state of the yard, the house hadn't been actively used since the start of the zombie apocalypse. The street also looked deserted, with only a couple of stray zombies aimlessly wandering along the road. Alex considered the logistics: if Ms. Miyamoto had taken in all the neighbors, they'd need to find transport or ask Rebecca to organize a bus.

Meanwhile, Rei stood hesitantly in front of the door, unable to knock. She was afraid of what might await her on the other side—an empty house or, worse, the undead. Wasting no time, Alex activated a sonar spell to check if there were any living people inside.

His suspicions were confirmed: there were several individuals on the second floor. Realizing the scale of the evacuation ahead, he approached Rei and gently placed a hand on her shoulder.

"Watch and learn," he said with a grin.

Alex stepped up to the door and knocked firmly.

"Ms. Miyamoto, open up! Delivery for you from Zombieland Corp. We need your signature!" he announced with mock enthusiasm.

Rei didn't know what to think. She watched Alex, who seemed utterly unconcerned about how strange his actions appeared.

"So this is what Rebecca and Brunhilde were talking about when they mentioned you," she muttered.

Alex turned to her, dramatically placing a hand on his forehead.

"Oh no, they revealed my secret? How tragic! I thought I could hide my quirks a little longer... Whatever shall I do now?"

His exaggerated theatrics made Rei laugh, and she couldn't help but smile. At that moment, voices could be heard from inside the house.

On the second floor, several of Rei's neighbors were gathered in a large room, taking refuge in Ms. Miyamoto's home. Kiriko Miyamoto herself, a middle-aged woman with chestnut hair and brown eyes, was cautiously observing the scene from the window. Her expression was worried but composed.

"Kiriko, don't open it! It could be looters," one of the women urged. "You're a former cop—you should know better than anyone!"

"Yeah, it might be a trick to get into the house!" another agreed.

Kiriko, however, wasn't quick to jump to conclusions. She remembered her recent phone call with her daughter, who had mentioned the situation outside and that the group she was with would soon try to bring family members to safety. Despite her concerns, a glimmer of hope remained within her.

The other neighbors, whom Kiriko had saved, loudly voiced their opinions, insisting she shouldn't open the door. Kiriko stood by the window, torn. She knew people could be ungrateful and selfish, but her duty as a former police officer had always been to help others. Now, she found herself at a crossroads, uncertain of what to do.

Outside, Alex stopped knocking and looked up at the second-floor window, from which muffled voices could be heard. He could clearly make out the neighbors pleading with Kiriko not to open the door. Rei, standing nearby, assumed her mother was simply being cautious and unwilling to let strangers in. However, Alex saw the situation differently.

He sensed the selfishness and ingratitude of these people, who behaved this way despite Kiriko sheltering and saving them. His patience was wearing thin, though he restrained himself, not wanting to show Rei his darker side. Still, if the neighbors continued their behavior, Alex was prepared to abandon them to their fate and take only Kiriko.

"All right, hold on tight. I'm not spending any more time on this," Alex said, keeping his voice calm.

Alex, carrying Rei "like a princess," made a powerful leap, landing directly in front of the window from which the voices emanated. G.I.R., clinging to his pant leg, emitted a warning sound, ready for any action.

"Miss Miyamoto, please open the window. And by the way, remind those selfish idiots that if not for you, they'd have joined the ranks of the zombies long ago," Alex said coldly. His tone was so sharp that even Rei noticed the shift in his demeanor.

"Mom, it's me. It's me, Rei! Please, open the window. We've come for you," Rei added, her voice trembling with emotion.

Hearing her daughter's voice, Kiriko reached for the window to open it, but the neighbors immediately rushed at her. They grabbed the woman, covering her mouth and holding her down, preventing her from moving. Kiriko struggled with all her strength, but there were too many of them.

Alex, carefully observing the window, noticed several people restraining the woman, not allowing her to approach the glass. His eyes flared with anger. He instantly recognized her as Rei's mother, and seeing what the neighbors were doing to her was the final straw.

"G.I.R., prep weapons. We're storming in," Alex said, drawing a pistol from his holster.

His voice was cold and resolute. Rei was shocked by the sudden change. She realized Alex wasn't going to let this go unpunished.

G.I.R. swiftly deployed its bolter, aiming it at the window, its red eyes glowing ominously in the dim light. Rei nervously watched the scene, unable to comprehend why Alex had chosen to use force to get into the house. Her growing unease peaked as she realized something serious was happening inside.

Alex briefly glanced at Rei, then focused back on Kiriko, whom the neighbors continued to restrain. He signaled to G.I.R, which silently confirmed its readiness. Taking a few steps back, Alex charged forward and leapt through the window, shattering it into shards. G.I.R followed, showcasing an intimidating precision and synchronization.

"Take your hands off Miss Miyamoto, and no one gets hurt," Alex declared firmly, keeping the people restraining Kiriko at gunpoint.

"Who the hell are yo—" one of the men holding Kiriko began, but he never finished.

A shot rang out, and the man's head exploded like a ripe melon. The bolter round fired by G.I.R echoed sharply, leaving the others stunned and panicked.

Rei peeked through the window and froze in horror. She saw her mother being held against her will and instantly understood why she hadn't opened the door. Anger welled up inside her as she recalled all the kind things Kiriko had done for these people.

"I'll say this one more time: nobody moves, or the next head goes flying," Alex warned coldly. "Step away from Miss Miyamoto."

The neighbors finally realized Alex wasn't bluffing. Under his and G.I.R's watchful gaze, they slowly began to back off. However, one man, seemingly determined to play the hero, grabbed Kiriko by the neck and snarled viciously:

"Drop your weapon, or I'll strangle her!"

"Idiot," Alex muttered, firing a shot that instantly pierced the man's head.

The sound of the shot echoed through the room, and the would-be assailant collapsed like a puppet with its strings cut. After that, no one dared even breathe too loudly, let alone resist.

"Miss Miyamoto, get up and come over here," Alex instructed, keeping the others at gunpoint. "As for you scumbags, one wrong move, and my partner will give you a hole-filled performance."

The survivors froze in place, staring at G.I.R, whose glowing red eyes glared menacingly as it firmly held its bolter at the ready. Obediently, they watched as Kiriko got up from the floor and approached the window.

Alex helped her out, and Rei immediately embraced her. Mother and daughter clung to each other, finally feeling safe.

Alex gave the survivors an icy look, debating whether to leave them alive. But common sense prevailed: people like that wouldn't last long in an apocalypse.

"Good luck surviving in this new world, assholes," Alex taunted, heading toward the exit.

G.I.R was the first to go through the window, continuing to keep the others under watch until the last moment. Alex followed, leaving the survivors to digest what had just happened.

Alex jumped through the window, landing softly beside Rei and Kiriko. Both women looked at the survivors with expressions of anger and confusion on their faces. Kiriko still couldn't believe that the people she had helped countless times out of kindness were so ungrateful.

She remembered how many times she had shared food, helped with household chores, and even healed some of them. Now, bitterness and disappointment were giving way to anger, which slowly built up inside her.

"You can be angry later," Alex interrupted her thoughts. "Right now, we have a more pressing problem: the gunshots attracted zombies. We need to leave."

He wrapped his arms around Rei and Kiriko's waists, not giving them time to protest. G.I.R gracefully jumped onto Alex's shoulders and settled confidently there. Without wasting any time, Alex jumped down through the remaining glass, smashing the iron gate to the yard.

"Let the zombies come, let's see how they survive now," he said coldly, watching as the first of the undead began moving toward the house.

Stopping to waste no more time on the "neighbors," Alex headed in the opposite direction, still holding both women. A slightly mocking smile appeared on his face as he noticed the crowd of zombies already gathering around the house.

"Young man, I understand everything, but I think I can run on my own," Kiriko finally spoke up, feeling somewhat uncomfortable with how he was holding her.

"Maybe next time, Miss Kiriko. This isn't the best time to test your stamina," Alex replied without slowing down. "Zombies are more active at night, and we need to find a car."

"Mom, stop complaining! You should be thinking about what those assholes did! If we weren't here, they would've just killed you!" Rei exclaimed, barely holding back her rage.

"Who could've thought..." Kiriko started, trying to calm down. "I just didn't expect people to be capable of such things."

"We'll talk about it later," Alex interrupted sharply. "Better tell me, who among your neighbors might have a car?"

"Left and two houses down," Kiriko replied, pointing in the right direction. "I saw a car there earlier when I went out for supplies."

Alex simply nodded, increasing his speed. He had to restrain his strength to avoid fully revealing himself. He had already shown far more than he should have, and now he was thinking about how to explain his actions if any questions arose.

Upon reaching the indicated house, Alex jumped over the fence, still holding the women by their waists, and landed right in front of the car. Lowering Kiriko and Rei to the ground, he approached the vehicle.

"Young man, didn't anyone teach you that you should be more careful with women?" Kiriko said, breathing heavily. "I almost left you my dinner."

"I promise, next time I'll carry you like a princess," Alex replied with a slight smirk, breaking the car window with his elbow.

"Just call me Kiriko, since you saved me," she waved her hand.

Without replying, Alex pulled the wires from the control panel and quickly started the engine.

"Get in," he said briefly.

Once everyone was inside the car, Alex drove onto the road. His thoughts were grim. What he had witnessed reminded him of why he didn't believe in unconditional kindness in survival situations. He knew that every adult had to contribute to the collective effort; otherwise, it would destroy the group.

However, Alex had his own goal. He could have wiped out the zombie apocalypse right at the start, as soon as he arrived in this world. But that would only scare off the true cause of everything happening. Alex knew that, in order to track down the avatar of Nyan-Nyan, he had to act covertly.

Right now, he was only taking the first step to find the cause of the zombie apocalypse. First, he needed to find the culprit, and then he would reveal his cards so that the avatar of Nyan-Nyan could never escape again.

Rei and Kiriko sat in the backseat, quietly discussing the events of the past days. Rei was the main storyteller—she eagerly described the situation at their temporary base and shared plans for the future, with the priority being saving as many survivors as possible. Kiriko, glancing at Alex, couldn't help but admire his organizational skills and incredible sense of responsibility. Most people with his abilities would likely prefer to survive alone, without caring about the fate of others. Mentally, she praised him for everything he had done, but the question kept arising in her mind: what kind of relationship did her daughter have with this mysterious man?

"What's with the green dog?" Kiriko asked with curiosity, pointing at G.I.R.

"This is G.I.R. He's kind of like a robot and my assistant. He can do a lot of things, and it's better not to call him weird, or he might get upset," Rei explained, smiling as she introduced their mechanical companion.

Upon hearing his name, G.I.R turned around and waved his paw. Kiriko's surprise quickly turned into a soft smile as she waved back at the robot. Her attention was increasingly drawn to the fact that this creation was Alex's work.

"Actually, he's cute. Well, except for the fact that he shot our neighbor in the head," Kiriko added in a restrained tone, not taking her eyes off the robot.

"And he has a sister—MIMI. She's pink, wears a tutu, and looks like a real diva," Rei chimed in, enthusiastically sharing funny details about their mechanical team.

Kiriko couldn't help but smile as she listened to her daughter. Rei was passionately describing everything—from their escape from school to the latest events at the bank. However, at one point, she couldn't hold back and began complaining about Takashi. Kiriko just shook her head, knowing this wasn't the first such tirade. Even Alex, in the short time they had known each other, had heard plenty of Rei's complaints about this guy.

"Mom, did you manage to get in touch with Dad?" Rei suddenly asked, her voice trembling with hope, waiting for good news.

Kiriko frowned, her gaze darkening. She knew what to say, but the words stuck in her throat. Rei noticed her reaction and understood without words. Sadness washed over her like a wave. She realized that her father's work, especially in the apocalypse, had left him with no chance.

"I understand… He's gone, right?" Rei said quietly, trying to hold back her tears.

"Come here," Kiriko said, hugging her daughter, giving her a chance to cry.

Alex, watching through the rearview mirror, let out a heavy sigh. He knew Rei's father's fate. His soul no longer existed, leaving behind an empty shell that now wandered among the dead. Alex decided that no one would ever know this. It was better for everyone to believe that their loved ones rested in another world.

He cracked the window, lit a cigarette, and thought about the next step. Tomorrow, he planned to go after Takashi's mother and try to save the teachers and children from the elementary school.

When the car arrived at the bank, Alex stopped in front of the gates for G.I.R to open them. Once on the premises, he parked the car and got out.

"Well, ladies, we've arrived. Don't forget to leave five stars for the comfortable ride," Alex said with a light smirk as he got out of the car, glancing at Rei and Kiriko through the window.

Alex noticed that Rei's eyes were red from crying, but she wasn't crying anymore. It seemed like she had come to terms with the thought that her father might have turned into a zombie. Inside, Rei understood that this was inevitable, but she found solace in the fact that her mother was still alive, despite the recent events. Hearing Alex's joke, she smiled faintly. His attempt to lighten the mood gave her a bit of strength.

"I'll definitely leave a review. But next time, please don't run over zombies that are on the road. Rebecca did the same, and we almost flipped the car," Rei said, weakly smiling.

"I make no promises," Alex replied with a light smirk.

"I see you two are close. That's nice," Kiriko added, stepping out of the car with a warm smile.

Rei slightly blushed at her mother's words but couldn't think of a way to deny them. Alex, on the other hand, just shook his head and walked ahead, heading for some coffee to clear his thoughts.

Rei noticed that he didn't deny what had been said, and a subtle glow appeared in her eyes. Taking her mother by the hand, she led her inside, eagerly showing her their temporary shelter.

"Come on, I'll show you everything!" Rei said joyfully, pulling her mother along.

When Kiriko entered, she expected to see an environment similar to the one she had at home while hiding. However, she was surprised by how carefree the people in the shelter looked.

Some were reading books, others were playing board games, and a group of children was watching cartoons. Everything seemed so peaceful that it was hard to believe what was happening outside, especially with the zombie apocalypse raging in the streets.

Rei explained how everything was organized as she led her mother to the observation room. When they entered, Kiriko noticed that besides Alex, there were only girls in the room.

"Guys, we saved my mom. Meet her!" Rei proudly announced, introducing Kiriko.

"Hello. It's way more peaceful here than anywhere else. But why is everyone in one room?" Kiriko asked, looking around.

"Because with Alex, it's safe and not boring," Shizuka answered in a cheerful, carefree tone.

Kiriko blushed slightly at her words and couldn't think of a response. Meanwhile, Alex was sitting in a chair, holding a coffee mug, trying to calm his nerves.

"You said your mom took in the neighbors when this whole nightmare started," Saya said, looking at Rei with interest. "Why just save her?"

"Because those assholes decided to saddle her with their problems. Had to drag her out by force," Alex answered grimly.

"Can we get the details? Not your usual short version," Brunhilde interjected, casting a glance at his tense face.

Alex sighed heavily, looking ahead as he began recounting what happened when they went to save Kiriko. With each of his words, the tension among the girls grew. Brunhilde, in particular, was angry—she couldn't stand people like that. Her gaze revealed a desire to punish those who had acted so low.

Saya, on the other hand, was deep in thought. Alex's words reminded her of the situation with her father. He had continued to take survivors into the group without asking anything of them in return. She understood that when the supplies ran out and hunger began to weigh heavily, this crowd might turn against him.

Saya decided that she would need to ask Alex to come with her to her home to try to convince her father. And if he showed stubbornness again, at least take her mother to save her from the potential wrath of the hungry crowd.

"As expected. People are by nature disgusting and ungrateful creatures. Even if you save them, they don't owe you any gratitude. You could say you're lucky, Rei, that Alex agreed to come for your mom earlier," Rebecca said with clear cynicism, not hiding her disdain for humanity.

"We won't be like that, right? Right?" Shizuka asked anxiously, looking at Alex.

"If someone decides to bite the hand that feeds them, I wouldn't be against giving them a kick in the ass. As long as everyone we've taken in behaves calmly, we're fine. But that can change. There will always be an idiot who thinks they're special. Those are easy to deal with. I don't want to come off as cold-blooded or cruel, but I won't tolerate threats that put us all in danger," Alex explained calmly, not raising his voice.

"You're absolutely right," Saeko nodded approvingly. "We survive because we act as a unit. Everyone has their role, and that's how it should be. There's no point in keeping those who don't want to help. Even the children are doing something. If anything goes wrong, I'll back you up."

"So will I! I might not be a fighter, but I'm ready to help in any way I can," added Shizuka, raising her hand.

Alex smiled and shook his head. In the worst-case scenario, he was thinking about using hypnosis on those who caused problems. It wasn't a humane approach, but he believed the safety of the majority came first. If one person endangered dozens, the choice was obvious.

After the conversation, Kiriko quickly blended into the group. The girls started chatting, and Alex decided to step onto the roof for some fresh air. Brunhilde, noticing his departure, followed him. On the roof, Alex sat on the edge, lit a cigarette, and once again immersed himself in thoughts about what had happened.

"What are you thinking about?" Brunhilde asked as she sat down next to him.

"Don't you know? We're still spiritually connected. You can read my mind," Alex replied with a smile.

"I try not to invade your head without a reason. So it's better if you just tell me," she said, leaning her shoulder against his.

"I'm thinking about what to do with the people who did this to Kiriko," Alex replied, exhaling smoke.

"And what have you decided?" she asked calmly, not trying to change his mind.

Brunhilde understood: those people were beyond saving. If someone had acted like that once, they would probably do it again.

"I could use magic," Alex said thoughtfully. "But if Nyann-Nyan's avatar is really here, he might notice."

"How could he notice? It's just a spell. The key is to do it carefully," Brunhilde noted, trying to calm him down.

"It's not that simple. Every spell I use carries the power of destruction. If he senses it, things will get worse. Either he'll run away, abandoning everything, or stop playing his games and destroy this planet," Alex answered, looking up at the starry sky.

"Then what are you going to do if you can't use spells?" came a calm voice from Göndul, who appeared on the other side of Alex.

Alex turned, noticing Göndul, who had unexpectedly left his spiritual space. Brunhilde, also seeing her sister, merely rolled her eyes and decided to ignore her appearance.

"Well, I'll act like in Valhalla: use something like chakra and martial arts. As for these assholes... technology will come to the rescue. I just happen to have something in my inventory—perfect for sending idiots to the afterlife," Alex said with a wide, almost villainous grin.

"You're quite the grudge-holder, darling," Göndul said, covering her mouth with her hand and chuckling.

"I'm not holding a grudge, I'm just restoring justice," Alex replied in a righteous tone.

"Do you even believe what you're saying?" Brunhilde gave him a slight smirk.

"Nope," Alex admitted honestly as he stood up from the edge of the roof.

The Valkyrie sisters only smiled as they watched his sincerity. Alex, stepping back a few paces, delved into his inventory, sifting through the items he had created. Finally, he pulled out an oddly-shaped arrow and a bow.

"What an unusual arrow. What is it for? I understand you want to vent your anger on those ungrateful mortals, but I'm curious about what this arrow does," Brunhilde said, stepping closer and taking the arrow into her hands.

"I was inspired by an old movie. In it, the hero fights an entire army in the jungle using explosive arrows. But this is my version, and it's much more dangerous," Alex said, grinning widely.

"Isn't it going to destroy the whole block? Or the whole neighborhood?" Brunhilde asked suspiciously, staring at him intently.

"Nope. It's a weakened version. It can only destroy a house. So relax. Now, ladies, step back, I need some space for the shot," Alex said, taking the arrow from Brunhilde's hands.

Brunhilde still didn't trust Alex's words. She knew his creations too well to believe in the "weakened version." Göndul also shook her head skeptically, but Alex paid them no mind. He confidently aimed at the house where the survivors were, the ones who had taken advantage of Kiriko.

The arrow flew from the bow, describing an arc in the air. Alex and the two Valkyries followed its flight intently. In the night's silence, there was a dull explosion followed by a bright flash of flames. In the distance, at the site of the Miyamoto family's house, a ruin was now burning.

"Beautiful," Alex said, grinning widely.

Brunhilde only sighed, and Göndul snorted. It remained to be seen what consequences this would bring.

To be continued...