The Daily Life of the Demon King

While Alex and the girls were donning their combat armor, the other members of the group also began putting on the suits Alex had prepared for them. Those who had already seen the project's blueprints were once again stunned — seeing the schematics and holding the finished masterpiece in their hands were completely different experiences. Just as Alex had promised, there was enough armor for everyone. Even the people of Balalaika, Chang, and Verrocchio received custom-fitted gear.

Special attention was given to Verrocchio's people, who had undergone a full "rehabilitation" over the past few days, turning into obedient citizens. Even Verrocchio himself hadn't escaped the brainwashing efforts of the enthusiast trio — GIR, MIMI, and Stitch — who tirelessly converted everyone to "the Light of the Emperor." The entire Cosa Nostra was now considered a loyal part of the Imperium. As Alex had said, the raid squad captains received unique markings on their armor to make them easier to identify during battle.

"Damn… I already knew Alex was a genius, but to create armor like this… this is beyond possible," Soap muttered, inspecting his gear.

"After what he pulled off on the deck, mowing down that horde… nothing surprises me anymore," Price added with a smirk.

"Yeah… Who the hell uses manga moves in real life?" R grumbled, fastening the last clasp.

"Enough talking. We're approaching the port," said Ghost, already fully geared up.

"No way… Alex wasn't joking when he said you'd get a custom set. Even a skull on the helmet! I feel discriminated against," Soap snorted, staring at Ghost's armor.

Everyone turned to look at Ghost. His armor was indeed unique — done in his signature style: a black base with a white skull painted on the helmet. Ghost merely shrugged silently. He clearly didn't mind the attention — or the fact that Alex had made him a personalized set.

The others weren't far behind — Kota, Takashi, and Jonah were suiting up in their respective armor. Kota was being helped by his girls, and Takashi by his friend Yuki. Only Jonah had to manage on his own. Once Takashi finished gearing up, he threw his "Martinez" jacket over the armor — it had become a kind of talisman for him. The jacket once belonged to his mother Gloria in his past life, and now he wore it with pride. Thankfully, Alex had reinforced the jacket to make sure it wouldn't get damaged in combat.

The martial arts masters also received their own gear — not full armor, but specially crafted gauntlets and greaves, enhanced with magical and technological components, as well as energy shields. Alex understood that the enemy mutants didn't just possess brute strength, but also dangerous long-range weapons, including plasma guns and living flesh bombs.

"How the hell did he have time to make all this? He even knows everyone's sizes," Revy muttered in disbelief while trying on her armor.

"No idea, Revy. I wouldn't ask too many questions right now," Dutch chuckled, loading magazines. "You could ask him yourself. Seems like he's got a thing for you. Maybe you'll finally find yourself a decent guy."

"Ugh… Who'd want to date that womanizer? Sure, he's hot, strong… but that doesn't mean anything," Revy snapped back.

"If you say so," Dutch grinned. "But just for the record, I'm not the one who ended up sleeping in his tent in nothing but her underwear after that drinking night on the island…"

Revy shot him a murderous glare but stayed silent. Dutch, still smirking, kept loading rounds and carefully placing them in the holders on his armor. The atmosphere in the room felt like the calm before a war — and that was no exaggeration. Everyone was preparing for battle.

At that moment, footsteps echoed in the hallway. Everyone paused what they were doing and turned toward the entrance. The first to enter the room was G.I.R., clad in Ultramarine armor and carrying the banner of the Imperium. Flanking him were MIMI and Stitch, both in their unique sets of armor. Those who recognized the symbols on the banner and armor gasped in disbelief.

Then, following the trio, Alex descended — majestic, fully armored in a design inspired by Guilliman himself.

"Guilliman!" Kota shouted, pointing at Alex.

As he descended the stairs, Alex immediately heard Kota's shout and glanced over with a smirk. Kota stood there with his mouth wide open, pointing at Alex — clearly stunned by what he saw. The armor Alex wore closely resembled that of Roboute Guilliman, even featuring a laurel wreath on his head.

As he scanned the gathered team preparing for the deployment and support mission near the Korean border, Alex spotted familiar faces. Among them were Nobuna and her loyal aides — Katsuie and Nagahide. Even Kasper and Nathan somehow found their way here, which genuinely surprised Alex. And the appearance of Kisara and Kaname along with the other "pseudo-valkyries" made him pause for a second.

He could understand Yuki — after all, she was Takashi's girl. But what were Kisara, Kaname, and the rest of the girls doing here? This was clearly a dangerous operation. Even Kenichi, Takeda, and Ukita had shown up. Alex struggled to understand what was going on in these teenagers' minds. He had personally trained Kisara, and Kaname's team had undergone brutal training under Brunhilde's supervision.

Sighing, he decided to leave the questions for later and stepped up to the large table, where others had already begun to gather.

"First things first — a brief rundown of your new gear," Alex began, confidently addressing the group. "The helmets are equipped with HUD displays and connected to my main server. That means you now have access to enemy recognition systems and vulnerability analysis. Basically, it's the same interface that was previously exclusive to raid leaders."

"Holy shit," Lutz muttered, putting on his helmet. "This is way cooler than I imagined."

"Moving on. The suits are equipped with acceleration and stabilization systems — they'll help you glide across surfaces, run on walls, and pull off acrobatic maneuvers."

He gestured toward the nearby table, where various weapons and equipment were neatly laid out.

"As for the weapons — you've got specialized ammunition designed to penetrate the bodies of new-type mutants. Don't hold back on using them — we've got plenty in reserve. Incendiary grenades are filled with a concentrated mixture, similar to what's used in flamethrowers. Burns bright and hurts like hell. Trust me, we've got enough."

Alex went into detail about all the features of the armor, including energy shields. He also didn't forget the gear designed for martial artists — bracers, greaves, reinforced gloves. Everything tailored to let them fight in their usual style, but with added protection and power.

While he spoke, the others were already putting on their helmets and connecting to the shared network. No one wanted to risk a malfunction during such a critical mission. Unfortunately, some functions could only be tested in actual combat — so, as the saying goes, they'd have to learn on the spot.

Scanning the room, Alex noticed two "slackers" acting far too casual — as if they were at a picnic, not a military op.

"Kasper, Nathan. What the hell are you doing here?" he asked, squinting at them.

"What do you mean, what?" Nathan replied with his signature grin. "We're here as drivers. I mean, I'm not a soldier, but running away from danger? That's basically my middle name."

"Yeah, same here," Kasper added, slapping Nathan on the shoulder. "My sister's been chewing my ear off: 'You never do anything useful, Casper!' So I figured — fine, have it your way, woman!"

"Suit yourselves. Just don't go dying on me — nobody's gonna bury your sorry asses," Alex snorted, shaking his head.

The pair merely snorted and exchanged satisfied glances. Alex still couldn't understand how these two had even managed to become friends, but it seemed their shared lifestyle — carefree, yet with an instinct for survival — had brought them together.

He turned his gaze to two girls standing nearby — Kisara and Kaname.

"And you two? What are you doing here?"

"What do you mean?" Kisara replied, crossing her arms. "Everyone else is going, so we're going too. I didn't train this hard for nothing."

"Me too," Kaname added. "I'm tired of sitting around doing nothing. People need help — I want to help."

Alex let out a heavy sigh and asked the girls to be extremely careful and listen closely to whoever would be next to them during the operation. His eyes scanned the group and landed on Nobuna, Katsuie, and Nagahide. He still couldn't figure out what on earth possessed those three to join such a dangerous mission.

Approaching them, Alex stopped right in front of Nobuna. She stubbornly raised her chin to meet his gaze head-on.

"And where do you think you're going, princess?" he asked, looking into her eyes.

"Just because I'm a princess doesn't mean I can't fight," Nobuna snapped, jabbing a finger into Alex's nose. "My parents wanted me to be a paragon of nobility, etiquette, and all that aristocratic nonsense. But I chose a different path — training and battle. So don't you dare look down on me. I'll show you what I'm capable of."

Alex sighed tiredly and shook his head.

"You're that stubborn, huh? Fine, I won't argue. But one condition — you and your friends follow orders to the letter. If you're told to retreat, you retreat. No questions. Got it?"

Nobuna responded with a wide, confident smile. Alex didn't argue further. He recognized that look — that stubborn nature — it reminded him of her counterpart from another universe. Her words about abandoning etiquette in favor of swordplay only confirmed his suspicion. He even slightly regretted not preparing special armor for her and her companions that matched their original versions.

Once everyone finished checking their equipment, Alex stepped forward to explain the current situation — everyone needed to understand what they were getting into.

"Alex, we've checked everything. Maybe it's time you told us what the plan is and what kind of help we're supposed to be giving these people?" Lehm asked, voicing the mood of the group.

"I'll start by being honest with you. You already know — a massive horde is moving in from China, and most likely, it's already razed all of North Korea. The infected I destroyed at the walls — that was just the prelude. The man who called for help either doesn't know this or is hiding the truth," Alex said, activating a holographic map so everyone could grasp the scale of the threat.

"So either we've been set up, or they really have no intel," Balalaika muttered hoarsely, lighting a thin cigar.

"It's too early to jump to conclusions," Saya interjected, adjusting her glasses. "The woman Alex spoke to claimed that all their defense systems were down. Maybe they just don't have contact with the outside world."

"Agreed," Alex nodded. "That's why our job is to buy time for evacuation. Shizuka and all the medics will head to the wounded and try to stabilize them for transport. Those of you fighting will take positions on the walls. I, GIR, MIMI, Stitch, Red and White will operate outside the perimeter, holding back the main wave. Anyone who breaks through — that's your responsibility. Blades and martial artists — your role is critical. You're the ones who'll have to stop anything that slips past the wall. Wolf will try to regain control over the defense system to make our job easier. We move as always. Orders will come from Brunhilde. I won't have time to lead while I'm fighting. If an order comes to retreat — you all retreat without question."

"We'll make those bastards run from us like we once ran from them," Soap smirked, raising a fist.

"Hell yeah," Alex said, echoing the gesture.

"Hell yeah!" the rest of the group cheered in unison, fired up by the moment.

Alex gave a slight smile, lowered his hand, and surveyed his companions. Their morale was high. He nodded at the girls standing next to him and signaled them to prepare for deployment. As soon as everyone took their places in the transports, the aircraft carrier docked at the port. The gangway descended, and Alex and his squad — GIR, MIMI, Stitch, Red, and White — led the way.

At the dock, they were already met: a group of soldiers led by an elderly man and woman, both in military uniforms. Alex immediately noticed their exhausted state. It seemed like the past few days had been hell for them. The soldiers looked as though they would collapse at the first opportunity. And yet, seeing how well-equipped and armed Alex's group was, they were stunned.

"Who's in charge here?" Alex asked coldly, looking down at the man and woman.

"I am," the man replied. "My name is Li Min-ho. This is my assistant, Chang Yeon-mi. Thank you for responding to our call."

Without bothering with pleasantries, Alex went straight to the point:

"Let's get to the important part. Do you know that a massive horde of undead is heading your way from China? It's already decimated North Korea. What you've faced so far is only a small fraction of what's coming for you."

The faces of Li Min-ho and Chang Yeon-mi paled instantly. Even the soldiers behind them couldn't hide their confusion and fear. Alex immediately understood — they hadn't known about the horde, which only confirmed his suspicions: they had been completely cut off from the outside world.

"You... will still help us, won't you?" Chang Yeon-mi asked, her eyes pleading.

"Since I've told you about the horde, and we're still here, the answer is obvious," Alex replied calmly. "I advise you to try to get in contact with others as soon as possible to pass on this information."

Without wasting any time, Li Min-ho and Chang Yeon-mi nodded and hurried to inform their command. Alex waved at the convoy of vehicles, signaling them to move towards the wall. Shizuka and the medical team headed for the wounded to assist with the evacuation. GIR, MIMI, Stitch, Red, and White followed closely behind.

Only Wolf, Koko, Yuriko, and Saya remained with Alex. Together, they headed toward the command tents. As they walked through the streets, Alex in his armor drew the attention of the ordinary townsfolk. And beside him walked the imposing Wolf — with metallic claws, sharp teeth, and a mechanical stride, creating a mix of fear and hope in the passersby.

The atmosphere in the headquarters was tense.

"What do you mean — you knew about the horde moving from China?!" roared Li Min-ho, slamming his fist on the table in fury.

"Exactly what was said, Major," came a calm male voice from the speaker. "The information was received when the horde began its movement."

"Then why didn't you inform us?!" Li's voice was filled with irritation.

"It was decided not to spread panic. All forces were redirected to fortify Seoul and build a wall capable of stopping the threat."

"And what about this city?! There are children, elderly, and women here! We won't be able to withstand the horde's assault!" The major's voice cracked. "And what about other cities? Where people like us are holding the line?!"

"Casualties are inevitable," came the cold reply. "And if you dare spread this information, you'll be sent to a tribunal."

Silence hung in the air for a moment. Then the receiver slammed against the table.

"Go to hell, and everyone who decided to abandon the innocent to be torn apart!" Li Min-ho snarled. "I'll tell everyone. All the cities. Let them know how the government is making them a human shield to protect their chosen ones!"

He cut off the connection and immediately began dialing commanders of other cities. At the same time, he gave orders to his people: contact anyone possible and warn them of the threat.

It was at that moment that Alex and his team entered the tent, hearing the last phrases of the conversation. Their faces were grim. None of them were surprised — they had often seen how those in power sacrifice ordinary people for their own gain.

"Looks like I was right," Alex said calmly, looking at Li Min-ho. "You really kept the truth from us."

"Those bastards... sitting in their cozy spots, afraid to leave their bunkers," Li spat bitterly.

"Since you've already sent out the warning, the next step is obvious. Start the evacuation."

"Yeah, you're right..." the major exhaled. "No point in wasting energy on anger. Time to act."

"Great. Then all soldiers ready to fight — should head to the walls. My partner," Alex nodded toward Wolf, "will try to regain control of the defense system. This will give us a chance to hold out longer."

Li Min-ho nodded and immediately began issuing orders. The soldiers started to hustle, quickly grabbing their equipment. He divided the squad into two groups: one focused on evacuating civilians throughout the city, and the other headed toward the walls to take up defense positions.

Alex glanced at Wolf and gave a short command:

"Start regaining control of the defense system."

The robot nodded, its tail extending like a snake, and, connecting to the nearest technical terminal, began the process of restoring control over the city's network.

"Yuriko, Saya, Koko..." Alex turned to the girls. "I think you know what to do."

"Of course," Koko smirked, waving her hand cheerfully. "We need to find people we can take with us. I got pretty good at this back in the Tokyo shelter."

Alex barely furrowed his brow. The memories of how they couldn't convince many people to leave Tokyo still lingered with bitterness. That city had become a graveyard for thousands after the Evil Corporation decided to wipe it out.

He shifted his gaze to Saya — she had said many times that she wanted to be useful, always trying to help. But now she was facing a truly difficult trial: she might have to decide who among the people would get the chance to survive, and who would be left behind in the city... to die.

Saya lifted her eyes, and in her gaze, a mix of fear, determination, and pain could be seen.

"Alex... Why do I feel like now I'll have to choose who lives and who doesn't?" she asked in a trembling voice.

"Because that's exactly what it is," he replied quietly. "In life, there's always a choice. And sometimes it's awful. But you still have to make it... and then live with it. If you can't, your mom will help you."

"It'll be okay," Yuriko said softly, placing her hand on her daughter's head and gently stroking her hair. "We're with you, just like always."

Saya looked at her mother, then at Alex. Neither of them had reproach in their eyes — only concern. She took a deep breath, clenched her fists, and nodded confidently. Alex nodded back in approval, kissed each of the three girls in turn, and as he turned to leave, he gave his final command:

"Wolf, protect them."

Meanwhile, Shizuka and the medical team arrived at the hospital where the wounded were being taken. As soon as they got out of the transport, they immediately started assessing the situation and prioritizing. Shizuka had already received a message that the evacuation had begun, which meant they were running out of time — the wounded needed to be prepared as quickly as possible.

Using the medical capsule Alex had given her, she was able to provide assistance much faster than the others. Once she finished treating one patient, she immediately moved on to the next. Running from room to room, Shizuka soon noticed a crowd gathered near one of the rooms.

Inside lay a girl, about fifteen years old. Around the bed were several elderly people, a young red-haired girl, and a few men who looked like bodyguards. Their faces were filled with anxiety and tension.

Shizuka carefully peeked inside:

"Excuse me... Do you need help? The evacuation has already started. Maybe I can assist?"

All eyes turned to her. Despite the tension, Shizuka kept smiling warmly.

"And how can you help?" rasped an elderly man with a stern face. "Our young lady's condition is beyond what a regular girl can heal."

"Maybe I can't cure her completely," Shizuka replied calmly, not looking away. "But I can ease her symptoms. This will help you evacuate her safely."

The old man's eyes were fixed on Shizuka, who showed no trace of fear. This slightly surprised him — he raised an eyebrow, noting how fearless this young girl seemed to be. Even the others in the room were impressed — it wasn't every day that someone behaved so confidently in front of a person known for his bad temper.

The old man looked at her again carefully, then grunted and stepped aside, clearing the way.

Shizuka smiled sweetly and approached the bed where the young girl lay. Gently placing the medical capsule beside her, she opened it and began the examination.

Shizuka's gaze swept over the patient's body — pale skin, almost snow-white hair, a slight tremor. The girl appeared fragile and very weak.

If Alex had been there, he would have immediately recognized everyone in the room. These were members of the Korean martial arts clan — the Sun-Woo Clan. The girl on the bed was their nominal leader, named Seol, and the elderly people in the room were the clan's elders. The short old man who had allowed Shizuka to pass was Kwon Jae-Kyu, the second most important person in the clan after Seol.

"And where are you from, little girl?" asked Elder Jeong, a tall man with a short black beard and the same-colored hair.

"First of all, I'm not a little girl — I'm an adult," Shizuka replied with a hint of annoyance, then placed her finger on her chin. "I'm from Japan. We were first in Tokyo, then in China, then in some bandit city, then back to China, Japan... and now we're here."

A silence fell in the room. Everyone stared at Shizuka in shock, amazed at the journey she and her group had taken.

"And how did you manage that? This is the apocalypse, after all..." the only girl in the group asked quietly.

"Jinie, don't ask unnecessary questions," Elder Kwon said sternly, casting a glance at his granddaughter.

"It's fine, little grandpa," Shizuka replied with a kind smile.

At these words, Jinie couldn't hold back and burst out laughing. The other elders barely managed to stop themselves from laughing, while the Sun-Woo clan members kept their stone-faced expressions, as if this were a test of their composure.

"Little girl, you shouldn't call Elder Kwon 'little grandpa,'" Elder Jeong remarked, barely holding back laughter.

"Well, we have a little grandpa in our group too. But he's also a pervert," Shizuka pouted, complaining.

"Are you talking about Ma Kensei by any chance?" Elder Jeong asked in surprise.

"Exactly him! Luckily, his wife is with us, or we'd already be sick of stopping him from peeping at the girls in the shower," Shizuka said, shaking her head as she continued to help Seol.

"Still, young lady, how did you and your group manage such a journey? Of course, you don't have to answer if you don't want to," Elder Min, a plump man with glasses and a completely bald head, said gently.

"Well... first, my husband hijacked a ferry, and that's how we got to Okinawa. And then... he hijacked an aircraft carrier. And that's how we traveled, gathering friends and allies," Shizuka said, tapping her finger thoughtfully on her chin.

"Excuse me, what?!" Jinie exclaimed. "You're telling me your husband hijacked an aircraft carrier?! That's not some motorboat! It's an aircraft carrier, damn it! How do you even hijack an aircraft carrier?!"

"So what? My husband is super-cool and strong! He can do anything. Even old grandpa Hayato can't compete with him," Shizuka said proudly, puffing out her chest.

"Are you talking about the legendary master Hayato?" Kan Ha-Il, a man with a tattoo under his eye and a black felt hat, asked for clarification.

Shizuka nodded with a smile, confirming her words. All the members of the Sun-Woo Clan stared at her in surprise — she had just claimed that her husband was stronger than the legendary master Furinji Hayato. This statement sparked great interest among the elders. But Shizuka didn't get distracted from her task — helping Seol.

A few minutes passed, and the young girl's face slowly began to take on a healthy hue. The members of the Sun-Woo Clan breathed a sigh of relief upon seeing this.

"I'm done. But this is just first aid. I've stabilized her condition, but for full recovery, she needs more serious medical help," Shizuka said, closing the medical capsule. "If my little ones or Alex were here, they could definitely help."

"You mean our lady can be helped? You don't even know what's wrong with her body... We've tried everything, and nothing worked," Elder Jeong sighed, shaking his head in frustration.

"I'm not claiming to be an expert. But I'm absolutely sure my husband can help her. He's very smart and incredibly capable," Shizuka said stubbornly, puffing out her lips in irritation.

"Then... can you ask him to help our lady?" Elder Min asked cautiously.

"He's busy right now. But if you want, you can go to our aircraft carrier. Once Alex is free, he'll definitely help this girl. In the meantime, I advise you to start evacuating the city. It's going to get really bad here soon. I need to help others," Shizuka said, picking up the medical capsule.

"If you're sure there will be an evacuation... why are you still here?" Jinie asked, giving her a suspicious look.

"Alex and the others are on the wall right now. They're holding off the horde to buy time," Shizuka replied, heading for the door.

"Are you sure we can get on your aircraft carrier without any problems?" Elder Jeong asked, crossing his arms over his chest.

"Everything's fine. I'll inform Koko, and you'll be let through. But don't waste time. The horde is already heading for the city," she said, leaving.

Shizuka continued on, helping those in need, while the members of the Sun-Woo Clan stood in silence, processing what they had heard. Everyone was waiting for the decision of Elder Kwon, who, in Seol's absence, was leading the clan. He stood silently, watching the young lady, whose face was no longer as pale. But everyone knew very well — if nothing was done, her condition would deteriorate again.

"Members of the Sun-Woo Clan. Listen to my orders," he finally spoke, and there was a hard edge in his gaze.

"We're listening!" the warriors responded in unison.

"If this girl is telling the truth, then our lady has a chance. But we are not asking for mercy. The Sun-Woo Clan does not accept handouts and takes nothing for free. Since her husband and the others are on the wall now — we will assist them. Jinie, Ha-Il, you are responsible for the safety of Lady Seol. Your task is to get her to the aircraft carrier. The rest of you — to the walls. Is that clear?"

"As you command, Elder Kwon!" they all replied in unison.

"Grandfather, I can fight too!" Jinie exclaimed, not wanting to leave.

"Jinie, stop being stubborn. Do as I said. Lady Seol is your responsibility. Protect her. That's an order," Kwon said sternly, unwilling to tolerate any objections.

Jinie lowered her head and silently nodded. Along with Ha-Il, they gently lifted Seol and headed for the aircraft carrier. Elder Kwon watched them leave, sighed deeply, then exited the room, followed by the other elders and warriors.

Outside, the remaining members of the clan had gathered, waiting for orders. Kwon repeated his command, and each of them expressed readiness to fight. Nodding, he led them to the walls, where a brutal battle with the undead was soon to break out.

To be continued...

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