The Daily Life of the Demon King

Meanwhile, while Alex and his companions were dealing with yet another idiot who, drunk on newfound power, fancied himself a god of war and believed he was now invincible, another group — Kota and his crew — were on their way to the next point on the map to gather the necessary tools.

Unfortunately, the first store they had planned to visit had completely burned down, so they had to head to another one. Kota, wearing his usual lazy expression, was driving the Humvee with one arm hanging out the window. In the passenger seat beside him sat Takashi, still wearing his favorite "Martinez" jacket — the same one he stubbornly wore every single day.

On the roof, peeking through the hatch, was Jonah, weapon at the ready, scanning the surroundings for any zombies or mutants that might jump down from above. In the back seats sat the girls of Kota and Takashi, while Jonah remained the only lone wolf in the group.

"What's with your face, Takashi?" Kota asked lazily, eyes still on the road. "Fell back into your emo dumbass mode again?"

"Screw you, fatass," Takashi snapped back.

"So you're not denying the emo part," Takashi's girlfriend giggled from the back seat.

Takashi gave her an annoyed look, but she just stuck out her tongue with a smirk. He couldn't help but chuckle in response, and, turning to Kota, gave him a light punch on the shoulder for his "sense of humor."

Ever since Takashi had briefly explained the reason behind his weird behavior, things between him and the others had slowly started to improve.

After all, before the zombie apocalypse started, he never would've imagined that he was a reincarnated soul. If someone had told him that before, he probably would've thought they were insane and run as far away as possible.

"Maybe his face got all twisted thinking about how his new 'dad' is gonna mess with him now," Jonah suddenly chimed in, ducking back into the vehicle.

"I told you not to call him that..." Takashi muttered with a grimace.

"Oh come on," Kota shrugged. "Alex is basically your stepdad now. Nothing you can do about it. Though honestly, man, who else is lucky enough to have so many 'moms'—even if a bunch of them used to be our classmates?"

Takashi's eye twitched. Even though Alex explained that his age wasn't fixed and he could make himself look like a teenager, he still looked like a typical eighteen-year-old.

The worst part? First, it was his mother from his past life — Gloria — who started dating Alex, and now his current life's mom had also become one of Alex's wives.

Fate clearly had a twisted sense of humor, forever branding him as the stepson of that damn guy.

"But there are upsides, you know," said Yuki, Takashi's girlfriend, with a gentle smile. "Where else would you find such a strong and reliable 'father figure'? I mean... he mostly spoils your mom, sure. But still, he treats you way better than most others."

"Yuki, don't start..." Takashi grumbled, frowning. "If we ranked by importance, I'm dead last. First come his girls, then Alice and those three weird creatures, then the girls he might like someday, and then maybe me."

"Aww, not enough fatherly love for you?" Kota smirked. "Want me to ask Alex to give you a hug?"

"Screw off, fatass! You were just jealous of my jacket and my weapon," Takashi huffed.

"That's totally different!" Kota waved him off with a laugh. "And honestly, if I were a girl, I'd probably be into Alex too. I mean, he's like a walking manga protagonist — weapon master, tech wizard, and basically a living box of miracles."

Everyone nodded in agreement with Kota's words. Since the very beginning of the zombie apocalypse, Alex had proven time and time again that he really was a walking box of miracles. Every new situation revealed something incredible about him—be it mind-blowing weapons, knowledge, or technologies clearly far beyond this era. Just remembering GIR and MIMI—two robots capable of doing practically anything—was enough.

Takashi glanced at the others and shook his head slightly. If only they knew who he really was…

The memories surfaced on their own—especially that moment when Kota, during their first meeting, had jokingly called Alex the "Demon King." Alex had just laughed and brushed it off as a tech trick. But once Takashi fully regained the memories of his past life as David, he realized just how serious it was… and how truly powerful Alex was.

The vehicle rolled down the road, and the conversation inside kept going. The topics jumped from one to another, though most of the time they focused on the route to Alaska and the so-called "safe place," where hope might still remain.

"Kota, Kota! Stop!" Jonah suddenly screamed, banging his fists on the roof of the Humvee.

Kota reacted instantly. He slammed on the brakes, bringing the vehicle to a sudden stop. The jolt nearly threw everyone out of their seats. As they looked up, they saw a strange man standing in the middle of the road.

He looked about forty. A scruffy beard, slightly crazed eyes with an eerily calm expression. His clothes looked like a hobo's rags, and he held a bottle of murky liquid in one hand—possibly homemade alcohol.

"Hey, old man! Even during the apocalypse, there's no need to throw yourself under a car!" Kota yelled, leaning out the window.

The man just smirked and took a sip. Before anyone could even blink, he vanished… and the next second, he was standing right in front of the Humvee. A tense silence fell inside the vehicle. Everyone instantly grabbed their weapons and aimed them at the stranger.

"Hahaha! You should've seen your faces. Like you saw a ghost. I was starting to think you kids finally grew a pair, driving around this dead city making so much noise," he laughed mockingly, his eyes glinting.

"What do you want?" Jonah asked calmly, though his voice was cold, the barrel of his gun aimed squarely at the man's head.

"I want the one who brought you here," the man said with a smirk.

Everyone immediately understood who they were dealing with. Another member of the "United Shadow of the Nine Fists"—those who had betrayed humanity and become something… else. They'd obtained power far beyond human understanding. And everyone here knew: in a direct fight, they didn't stand a chance.

Kota didn't waste a second. Slamming the gear into reverse, he floored the pedal. The Humvee screeched as it sped backward. A sharp turn, then full throttle again. The engine roared as the vehicle tried to flee from the mysterious threat.

Jonah, still sticking out from the hatch, kept his aim steady. The man didn't move, still smirking. Jonah blinked—and in that instant, the man was already standing on the roof of the Humvee, face to face with him.

Jonah immediately tried to pull the trigger, but the man was faster. His hand grabbed the rifle barrel, trying to rip it away. But Jonah wasn't some rookie. Like the rest of the "lucky ones," he'd gone through hellish training under Alex. The strength he'd gained allowed him to hold on.

The man raised an eyebrow in surprise.

"Ho! You've got strong arms, kid. But don't move too much. If I wanted to kill you, you'd already be in pieces. Now… take me to the false savior," he said, letting go of the barrel.

Jonah frowned, lowered his hand into the cabin, and gestured to the others that they had an unwanted guest on the roof. Kota and Takashi muttered quietly, fully aware that this strange guy would have found them no matter what. Exchanging glances, they wordlessly made a mutual decision—to head back to the port. After all, there were people there who, if necessary, could handle this stranger without Alex's help.

Kota slammed the gas pedal, and the Humvee jerked forward, turning around and heading back. Jonah still didn't take his eyes off the mysterious man, keeping his weapon ready, but the man didn't seem to notice him. He casually continued sipping alcohol from the bottle, as if he were sitting on a park bench rather than on top of a speeding armored vehicle.

Meanwhile, at the port, Hayato, Kensei, Miss Ma, Sasaki, Akisame, and Apachai were on guard duty, watching the perimeter while the other groups were busy searching for supplies. Ken and Ryu joined them voluntarily, eager to help instead of loitering around. After their recent sparring with Alex, where they had suffered defeat, their respect for him had only grown, and now they didn't want to appear lazy.

Not like some of the inhabitants of the aircraft carrier—Kasper and Nathan Drake, whose names had become synonymous with laziness. These two always found a million excuses not to do anything, and no one argued with them anymore to avoid listening to another batch of absurd justifications.

On the aircraft carrier's deck stood Brunhilda, pretending to observe the situation, though in reality, she just didn't want to hear how GIR, MIMI, and Stitch were recruiting people into a cult of fanatics worshiping the Emperor. Suddenly, she noticed the approaching Humvee and immediately frowned. The vehicle emitted the same disgusting energy she had felt when Diego began transforming into a demon.

The martial arts masters also sensed something was wrong. Their gazes simultaneously turned toward the road where the Humvee was speeding, with a man sitting on its roof. As soon as Kensei saw the man's face, his features contorted with anger. He recognized him. Miss Ma and her sons recognized him too.

They all knew who he was. Powerful energy began to pour out of Kensei's body, so intense that even his friends were taken aback. Usually carefree and lustful, Kensei now looked like an enraged tiger, ready to tear his enemy apart.

The most perceptive of those present immediately understood: there was a shared past between Kensei and this man. And judging by Kensei's reaction, it was far from a pleasant one.

Meanwhile, the Humvee stopped. The man, as if oblivious to everything around him, easily jumped off the roof and, without even glancing at the others, took another sip from his bottle. His carefree behavior only intensified the anxiety in the hearts of the onlookers.

"Sogetsu!" Kensei shouted, charging forward in that instant.

He was before the stranger in an instant. A swift exchange of blows took place between them—but Kensei lost. He was knocked back, falling to the ground with blood on his lips, clutching his chest but not taking his furious gaze off his enemy. Miss Ma immediately ran over to hold her husband back from launching another attack. The others frowned and began preparing for battle.

Meanwhile, Sogetsu calmly took another sip, then glanced over the crowd before settling his gaze back on Kensei.

"Long time no see, little brother. You're still as… weak as ever," he said with a smirk, particularly emphasizing the last word.

When Sogetsu's words were spoken, all eyes turned to Kensei. Few knew that he even had a brother. Thanks to Alex's memories, Brunhilda immediately recognized the man. She elegantly jumped down from the upper deck, landing while gripping her spear.

Aside from her, only a few people at this place could fight Sogetsu—those who had absorbed the disgusting Argent-energy and were already on the verge of fully becoming demons. Brunhilda knew that in another reality, Sogetsu had not been such a bad person… but this world was different. Here, timelines crossed, and fates from different universes collided. Who he had been there didn't guarantee he remained the same here.

"How dare you return, Sogetsu… And after you absorbed that disgusting power," Kensei rasped, wiping the blood from his lips.

"Oh, so you can all feel it," Sogetsu said with a slight smirk. "I admit, this energy… is repulsive. But within it—there's power. It's opened up horizons to me that you, little brother, could never have dreamed of."

Kensei clenched his fists, gritting his teeth. His older brother… the one he had once searched for with hope in his heart, had become a monster. He couldn't believe their long-awaited reunion had turned out like this. In the past, he hadn't been able to stop his brother—but now, he was ready to do anything, even sacrifice himself. However, Miss Ma held him firmly, preventing him from charging forward. And she wasn't alone—Brunhilda also blocked his path, holding her spear out in front of him.

"You didn't come here to talk about the past. Speak—what are you doing here?" she asked coldly, staring intently at Sogetsu.

"You're mistaken, girl," he sneered. "I actually came to deliver a message… to the one they call the 'False Savior' here. Whoever that is."

"What message?" Brunhilda asked, frowning.

"Who knows?" he lazily drawled. "If he shows up, I'll pass it on. If he doesn't… well, one of my companions has already gone to him. I hope he's not too impatient."

Brunhilda tensed up internally and immediately reestablished her spiritual connection with Alex. She saw that Alex, Rory, and Revy had already met that very "companion." She had no doubt Alex would handle it. What intrigued her more was who this mysterious companion mentioned by Sogetsu was.

Meanwhile, Sogetsu calmly sat on the ground and leaned against the Humvee, as if everything happening around him didn't concern him at all.

"Since we're waiting anyway... maybe you have something to drink? My throat could use some wetting," he said impudently, as if he were visiting old friends.

"Aren't you worried about your companion, acting so carelessly?" Brunhilda asked, narrowing her eyes.

"If he dies—well, that means he was weak. I don't care about him. I'm just here as a courier," Sogetsu lazily replied, closing his eyes.

Brunhilda frowned but didn't respond. She turned to Miss Ma and quietly asked her to take Kensei to the medical bay. Miss Ma simply nodded and, with the help of her sons, led her husband away before he could act out.

Even as he left, Kensei didn't take his eyes off his brother. And Sogetsu, as if to provoke him, continued to ignore all the gazes directed at him.

Brunhilda looked up at the spot where Yuriko, Balalaika, and Namiyo stood. She gave a small nod, and that was enough. Yuriko immediately understood—it was time to call GIR, MIMI, and Stitch.

A few minutes later, the trio appeared, fully armed. They looked like little walking catastrophes—just under a meter tall, but their eyes burned with a fire capable of burning the world.

Sogetsu opened his eyes and stared at them in surprise. Despite his power and new abilities, he felt a genuine threat—a real one. This puzzled him… but he still didn't move.

Meanwhile, Brunhilda reestablished her spiritual connection with Alex. She was about to warn him—about the guest, the message... and the fact that yet another idiot from the idiot group had appeared.

Alex received Brunhilda's message at the moment when he, along with Rory and Revy, was securing the semi-trailer to the motorcycle. They were just about to head back to the port. Hearing about the guest, Alex tensed up—the name Sogetsu was familiar to him. Through the spiritual link, Brunhilda passed on who had arrived, and Alex was surprised.

Not only by Sogetsu's appearance but by the fact that he hadn't attacked, despite having received power from Davoth. Even if the power wasn't transferred directly, the fact of its origin spoke volumes. And yet, Sogetsu hadn't attacked... except for the skirmish with Kensei.

Alex decided not to show any special interest, acting as if they were simply returning from a mission. Sitting behind the wheel, he nodded to Rory and Revy, and the motorcycle roared off toward the port. Along the way, he pondered—was it possible to save Sogetsu? Perhaps, deep down, a spark of humanity still smoldered within him. But if not—Alex was ready to kill him, even if he was Kensei's brother.

When they arrived at the port, a crowd was already visible from a distance near the aircraft carrier. All eyes were focused on the man, lazily sitting next to the Humvee as though nothing was happening. As soon as Alex and the girls got closer, Sogetsu opened his eyes and met his gaze. In that look, there was something... a struggle? Doubt?

Alex squinted, staring at Sogetsu's face. The motorcycle stopped, and the trio stepped off.

"Another idiot come to die?" Revy smirked, pulling her gun out of its holster.

"Not sure yet. But stay away from him," Alex replied, stepping in front of her. "The one who attacked us and this guy— they're from the same group."

Revy looked at his back. He had stepped in front of her again, protecting her. That feeling... of being protected. It was something new to her, unfamiliar. All her life, she could only rely on herself. And now—someone stood in front of her, taking the hit for her.

Alex held Yamato in one hand and stopped in front of Sogetsu, who slowly got up from the ground. His body was undergoing changes from within—Alex could feel it. And these changes led to only one thing: transformation into a demon. Sogetsu's soul would soon be cursed.

"I didn't expect to see you, Sogetsu Ma," Alex said, crossing his arms over his chest.

"So you're the 'False Savior'?" Sogetsu chuckled. "Funny. If you stood just a little further, I wouldn't have even felt you. Even with the power I have now—you're like emptiness," Sogetsu smirked, inspecting Alex from head to toe.

"Then how did your buddy find me? I thought you all 'felt' me, judging by how you pop up like cockroaches," Alex raised an eyebrow and grinned.

"Since you're here, I guess Jenazad is dead. Heh... not surprised. How he found you—I have no idea. If I knew, I wouldn't have waited for you here," Sogetsu shrugged lazily.

Alex thought for a moment. What message did Sogetsu want to deliver? There were a few typical options: "Kneel and serve," "Accept great power," or "Die along with those you protect." Same old. These pathetic messages aimed at blind fanatics. Alex mentally rolled his eyes.

Since Davoth had started acting, it meant he considered Alex a threat. But Alex was more concerned about something else—why hadn't the Minister of Monoliths appeared yet? So far, only Davoth's dogs had emerged from the shadows. If Davoth was a tyrant, crushing everyone under his heel, the Minister was a chess player, a hidden strategist who loved pulling the strings from the dark.

It was he who had set up the Red Markers around the world, whose activation would lead to the Convergence—a process where the planet would turn into biomass, becoming a lifeless moon-eye of flesh. Realizing this, Alex couldn't help but acknowledge the Minister's brilliance: he was using Davoth's army as fuel to start his grand game.

Alex returned his gaze to Sogetsu.

"Well, since you don't care that Jenazad is dead, let's get to the point. Why were you looking for me?" he asked calmly.

"I'm just delivering a message," Sogetsu replied, looking straight into Alex's eyes. "Kneel, False Savior, and serve. Or die. Along with everyone you hold dear."

Alex slowly exhaled.

"Do they, like, write these by a template? Seriously... No creativity, no flair. Is it really that hard to come up with a tempting offer? Like, 'Join me, and I'll give you half the world'? Even third-rate demon kings know how to steal a Hero. And you come up with that pathetic 'kneel or die'..." Alex snorted and shook his head. "With offers like that, you'll never win anyone over to your side, unless it's some pathetic idiot with a brain like a stone in the road."

Alex launched into a full tirade about how to make proper offers to win someone over to your side. His voice was full of indignation and sarcasm, as though he were giving a lecture on diplomacy to losers.

Brunhilde sighed tiredly and started massaging her temples, completely uninterested in hearing Alex's philosophical speech again. Rory, standing behind, could barely hold back her laughter, covering her mouth with her hand. Revi, on the other hand, only became more convinced that Alex was a complete weirdo. After all, only a madman would explain to the enemy how to make a tempting offer to steal people to their side.

On the aircraft carrier's deck, Yuriko and Namiyo clearly heard Alex's words and laughed — it was all in the spirit of this lunatic. Even Balalaika, with a thin cigar in her teeth, smirked; she had long figured out who Alex was. Kota, standing among the martial arts masters, crossed his arms over his chest and nodded approvingly, as if agreeing with every point. Takashi shook his head, silently reminding himself that Alex was the Demon King himself, but he preferred not to voice it aloud.

Hayato, Sasaki, Akisame, Ryu, and Ken also couldn't hold back — a slight smirk appeared on their faces as they watched the scene. But the one most thrown off was Sogetsu himself: he stared at Alex, not understanding why he had launched into such a tirade. Honestly, he was beginning to regret even coming.

"I hope you got all that," Alex said, taking a deep breath after his long speech. "Your 'kneel or die' routine is so last season."

"I have no idea why you're saying all this to me. I came to deliver a message, not listen to lectures on convincing enemies," Sogetsu replied, irritated.

"Oh, right. Then my answer is no," Alex shrugged.

"That's your choice," Sogetsu said calmly, looking at him.

"Let me simplify things. First option: you attack, I break your face, and you die. Second: I try to save you, and you live. Stop being a chained dog. Now that, I understand — a deal," Alex added with a smirk, shaking his finger.

"You think you can help me? You're either an idiot or you've gotten too arrogant," Sogetsu coldly retorted.

"We'll find out soon enough. Make your choice. Because you'll leave here either in one piece or in a bag. Even if you're Kensay's brother, I won't hesitate to kill you," Alex said, lifting his thumb slightly to the hilt of Yamato.

"Well, let's see why they call you the false savior," Sogetsu smirked.

Alex raised an eyebrow, looking at the one who had chosen to fight. He was still hesitating: whether to try to save Sogetsu or just finish him off. But before he could make a decision, Sogetsu had already attacked.

In an instant, Sogetsu appeared right in front of Alex, raising his arm for a strike to the head. However, the fist passed through a residual image. The real Alex had vanished. At that very moment, a snap echoed behind Sogetsu — and his body was covered with numerous cuts, from which blood began to seep.

"Do you want to continue? Or shall we stop here? My advice — don't bother, you won't win," Alex said in a calm tone, holding Yamato in his hand.

"Now this is interesting... I didn't even notice when you wounded me. And so many times..." Sogetsu laughed.

"You're just wasting my time," Alex replied calmly, running a hand through his hair, pushing it back.

Sogetsu grimaced and charged again. He poured all his strength and fury into each strike, but only hit the residual images. The wounds multiplied, his body bled, but he didn't stop. His strikes became faster, more precise, but still, they missed their mark.

The martial arts masters watched intently and with concentration. Even they couldn't understand how Alex was dodging. For everyone else, everything was happening too quickly — the spectators couldn't keep up with the movements.

And then — Sogetsu stopped. He dropped to his knees, blood dripping onto the concrete. His body was slashed, and Alex stood nearby, still not having drawn his sword from its sheath.

"Who... who are you...?" Sogetsu rasped, barely lifting his gaze.

Alex, slightly lifting his chin, answered calmly:

"I'm the one who stands above all."

He raised his index finger to the sky, and a cold fire flickered in his eyes.

Sogetsu looked at Alex and then burst into loud laughter.

"That... damn, that really suits you. So, are you going to kill me after all?" he asked, stopping his laughter and already accepting his defeat.

"Nah, changed my mind. I'll save you," Alex casually waved him off. "I don't want this old man trailing me around, whining about how I killed his brother. And Lady Ma might get upset."

"Heh. And why the hell do you suddenly care about my brother's and my sister in law's opinions?" Sogetsu smirked, raising an eyebrow slightly.

"Let's just say… I'm Kensay's son-in-law. Married to his daughter. So, technically, we're one big, weird family now. Now, grit your teeth — this is going to hurt. It's like someone's trying to drag you through a meat grinder alive," Alex grinned.

Sogetsu didn't even have time to fully process what had been said when Alex suddenly slammed his palm into his chest. A wave of energy surged through Sogetsu's body, destroying the demonic power nesting within him while simultaneously erasing the control mechanisms placed on him — so he wouldn't become a puppet of Davoth and the Minister of Monoliths.

He realized Alex wasn't joking: the pain overwhelmed him, piercing every cell, as if he were literally being dragged through a mill. Only the loss of consciousness brought him the long-awaited relief.

"Well, that's it. Someone, take him to the med bay," Alex said, turning to the others.

"Will he be alright? He won't... end up like Diego?" Hayato asked doubtfully, stepping closer.

"Don't worry, old man. The main thing is to tie Kensay to the bed while his brother's unconscious. We know his temper," Alex gave a thumbs-up, winking.

Hayato sighed heavily, grabbed Sogetsu by the scruff, and dragged him to the aircraft carrier, trusting Alex's words.

Brunhilde approached and placed her hand on his shoulder. Alex quietly touched his forehead to hers, signaling why he had done what he did. She simply nodded, understanding and accepting his choice.

GIR, MIMI, and Stitch, realizing there was nothing more for them to do here, hurried back to the rehabilitation center — new "enlightened" individuals awaited them, who were about to witness the Emperor's light.

Revy, passing by, gave Alex a light punch on the shoulder without saying anything and headed aboard. Alex watched her, confused about what was going on in the woman's head.

Later, he gave the order to start unloading — everything that had been brought was now being transferred to the aircraft carrier. Gradually, the other groups began returning from their raid, immediately curious about what they had missed. Alex recounted the events, and the response was filled with outraged exclamations — especially from his girls, who were upset they missed such a "spectacular" scene.

Renka, upon learning she had an uncle, kissed Alex on the lips before running off.

Once everything was unloaded, the only thing left was to set off — the next stop was Japan. The journey would be long, so it was time to relax a bit.

That evening, Chun-Li, Cammy, and Chikita moved in with Alex and his girls. Except for Casper, who loudly complained that Alex had "taken" Chikita. But Coco quickly silenced her brother by giving him a few good kicks and sending him on his way.

The next day, the aircraft carrier reached the shores of Japan. Alex stood among his guys, enjoying a rare moment of peace in the company of men.

"What's with the sky? Another storm?" asked Soap, looking at the sky covered in clouds.

"Those aren't just clouds, Johnny. Look closer," Ghost said, pointing toward the horizon…

Alex and the others shifted their gaze to where Ghost was pointing. In the sky, above the horizon, clouds were swirling, forming a giant vortex that was pulling everything into it. Alex recognized the spot immediately — he had marked it on the map when their group was still on the island. He knew that right beneath the center of this atmospheric nightmare was the Red Marker.

"It feels like we've sailed into Mordor," Kota muttered, nodding at the vortex.

"More like Minas Morgul. There were no clouds like that in Mordor. Did you even watch the movie properly?" Wiley corrected him with a smirk.

"Alright, alright," Nathan raised his hands. "Someone finally explain to me what this damn anomaly is? I haven't watched your 'Rings,' but even without that, it's clear that such a sky doesn't just appear."

"It's the Red Marker," Alex replied, staring at the churning sky.

"Well, that clears everything up," Soap nodded, as if hearing the weather forecast.

"Are we going to destroy it?" Lehm asked, lighting a cigarette. "But it's deep in the country. Getting there isn't a walk on the beach."

Alex responded with a broad, predatory smile:

"No need. It's time to use the Big Gun."

The guys stared at him simultaneously and then followed his gaze. In the distance, toward the marker, stood a massive weapon, hidden behind protective structures.

"Who said Big Gun?!" Rebecca's excited squeal echoed.

Alex smirked and placed his hand on her head. Soon, GIR, MIMI, and Stitch appeared, ready to assist with targeting. Even the girls came down from the bridge — everyone was interested in the sudden change in the weather. Alex briefly explained the situation, and their faces immediately darkened.

He pulled out his phone and activated the weapon's control panel.

"Trajectory calculation complete, daddy!" MIMI reported happily.

"Output power — 10%. Preparing for firing," GIR added, giving a thumbs-up.

A distant hum echoed as the gun slowly, but steadily, turned toward its target. The sound of rising energy filled the air, and vibrations could be felt even through the deck.

"We are at a safe distance. The impact radius: over 60 kilometers," MIMI announced, finishing the calculations.

"Are you seriously going to fire a nuclear warhead at it?" R asked, stunned, staring at Alex.

"Almost," Alex smirked. "And now... here you go, Rebecca. I promised you'd press the button."

"Thanks! Mwah!" Rebecca squealed, jumping up and wrapping herself around Alex.

"Everyone, get ready," Alex warned, scanning the group with his gaze. "Even though we're outside the impact zone, the shockwave will reach us. So... what do they say? Ah, yes — cover your ears and open your mouth."

Before the others could follow the advice, the "gremlin" Rebecca joyfully pressed the button.

A shrill sound rang out — as if the generator was producing energy beyond its limits — and a fraction of a second later, the shot was fired. A bright green energy beam tore through the sky and shot toward the marker. A few moments later, a huge green dome erupted where the marker had been. The shockwave from the explosion hit the aircraft carrier with such force that several people were nearly swept into the ocean — fortunately, Alex and the martial arts masters managed to catch them.

Everyone froze, staring at the enormous glowing dome in the distance, shock evident on their faces as they turned their gaze to Alex. Now they understood why he had said it was "almost" an atomic bomb… But now it was clear — this was much worse.

Alex, however, calmly lifted his gaze to the sky. The clouds began to disperse, revealing a clear, bright sky. The Red Marker was destroyed.

To be continued...

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