The Daily Life of the Demon King

As soon as Alex vanished with the sound of thunder, rushing toward the sniper's position, the people in the dojo froze in astonishment. The most shocked were the students of the Agatsuma dojo—none of them had expected that the Thunder Breathing technique could grant such incredible speed and power.

Eijiro, noticing his students' bewilderment, began to explain,

"This technique used by our young friend Alex is the fully mastered First Form of Thunder Breathing. But to achieve such a level requires immense talent and an exceptionally strong body, otherwise, the strain would simply tear the muscles apart."

Unlike the others, the girls from Alex's group were no longer surprised by his abilities. They had seen him vanish in clouds of smoke, breathe fire, and stand on the ceiling upside down without falling. Rebecca merely smirked, glancing at the stunned faces of the dojo students. She found it amusing to imagine how much more shocked they would be when they learned what Alex was truly capable of.

A few seconds after Alex disappeared, Lehm's group arrived at the dojo. The vehicles stopped nearby, and armed fighters began stepping out. Lehm signaled with his hand to stay alert, receiving silent nods in response. At his command, R approached the gate and knocked.

Soon, the doors swung open, and Valmet appeared in the doorway. She glanced over the newcomers before fully opening the gates, allowing them inside. The men noticed a group of people dressed in traditional martial arts attire, an elderly couple, and several ordinary townsfolk. But among them, Alex was nowhere to be seen, which was strange—his girls rarely strayed far from him.

"And where is our mighty and powerful leader?" R scoffed, scanning the gathered people.

"Some idiot started shooting at us, so Alex went to deal with it," Rika lazily replied, throwing her hands behind her head.

The fighters from Koko's group exchanged glances, clearly intrigued by the details. Valmet explained that as soon as they had decided to leave the dojo, gunshots rang out. Judging by the situation, the sniper was very far away since the gunfire itself couldn't be heard. To confirm her words, she pointed to bullet marks on the wooden door.

Lehm lit a cigarette, crouched down, and examined the bullet holes. Shaking his head, he muttered,

"What kind of idiot starts shooting at a time like this…?"

Then he stood up and ordered,

"Alright, guys, stop wasting time. Help load up the people and supplies—it's time to move out."

The dojo members curiously observed the armed fighters, amazed by their equipment and military discipline. Saeko quickly explained to Eijiro and Tomiko that they were allies and their task was to ensure everyone's safe passage to the port. Eijiro and his wife nodded before turning to their students, asking them to assist with the loading.

Koko's squad quickly got to work, prioritizing seating the women and children. Kiriko reminded them that they had an RV, which could transport some of the people so they wouldn't have to cram everyone into the cars like sardines.

While everyone was busy preparing for departure, Lehm stood next to Valmet, questioning her about what had happened. She told him that during their supply run, they had encountered a hostile group. Lehm already suspected that Alex and the girls had slaughtered those people, but what interested him more was how they had ended up at the dojo.

"We just followed the trail left by the dead," Rika interjected. "Turns out, those people were from this dojo. They killed the son and grandson of the elderly couple who run the school."

Lehm exhaled a stream of smoke and shook his head.

"A shitty situation. Good thing the old folks are understanding."

"They knew it was bound to happen sooner or later," Mao remarked, approaching the group.

"Maybe, but that doesn't change the fact that our leader and his girls just went on a killing spree," Lutz added.

"Shut up, Lutz," Valmet snapped.

Lutz raised his hands in a conciliatory gesture, but the other fighters burst out laughing at the sight of his disgruntled face.

"So, are we going to wait for Alex, or are we leaving him to deal with the sniper alone?" R asked, looking at the girls.

Before anyone could answer, a familiar voice rang out behind them:

"Who exactly were you planning to leave behind?"

When everyone heard Alex's voice from behind them, they immediately turned around and saw him holding someone by the scruff of their neck, with a strange-looking sniper rifle in his other hand. R, realizing that Alex had probably heard his words, felt a chill run down his spine. The other guys were looking at him with mocking smiles, and R felt completely betrayed—no one even tried to stand up for him.

Rebecca was the first to notice the rifle. With a swift movement, she grabbed it from Alex's hands and began inspecting it. Rika quickly joined her, curious about the weapon the sniper had used to shoot at them.

"We weren't planning to leave anyone behind, I was just asking..." R tried to explain, nervously glancing at Alex.

"Uh-huh, next time I'll also 'accidentally ask' and forget about you somewhere. Maybe on a deserted island. Totally by accident," Alex grinned broadly.

R felt uneasy. He understood perfectly that this was no mere threat—Alex could very well follow through with it. The other guys, on the other hand, laughed loudly at his predicament.

"So, what's up with the sniper you brought in?" Lehm asked, nodding toward the guy hanging in Alex's grip.

"This is the sniper. You can call him Steve," Alex answered with a smirk. "And you know what? He's my new friend. And friends help each other out, so Steve will tell me everything soon enough."

The guys exchanged glances, casting a look at the sniper. Judging by Alex's expression, Steve wasn't going to enjoy this "friendship." They couldn't help but mentally wish him luck... and patience.

Alex shifted his attention to Rebecca and Rika, who were now almost finished inspecting the rifle.

"Becca, what do you think?" he asked.

"Hmm... I'd give this rifle a 6 out of 10. But I've got one question: how does such a scumbag end up with a weapon like this? You can't just buy something like this in a store, it must've been custom-made or put together by hand," Rebecca mused, continuing to examine the details.

"Six out of ten, huh? So it's actually a decent piece..." Alex nodded. "But did you guys notice what Steve's wearing?"

He dropped the prisoner to the ground. Everyone immediately shifted their gaze to him, and only now did they notice the strange cloak that completely covered his figure.

Lehm crouched down and touched the fabric.

"Some unusual material... I've never seen anything like this before. What the hell is this cloth?" he muttered, running his fingers over the cloak.

"Drumroll..." Alex smirked. "This is a camouflage cloak. Never thought I'd come across something like this. They're hard to make, and this one is of very high quality."

Everyone exchanged surprised looks. They hadn't expected to come across something so high-tech. Alex briefly explained how the cloak worked, and even this brief explanation was enough to understand that it was an incredibly useful item.

"By the way, Rika, since I got this rifle, I'll make you a new one. So go ahead and tell me what you want to add or remove. It'll be inconvenient to redo it later," Alex said, turning to her.

"Good one! Come here, I'll kiss you! The best gift for a girl is a new sniper rifle!" Rika exclaimed joyfully, jumping on Alex.

She wrapped her legs around his waist and her arms around his neck, showering his face with kisses. The guys just shook their heads, filled with envy.

"What about us? Are we not your friends? Doesn't the bro code say: friends first, then girls?" R exclaimed indignantly.

Alex smirked and slowly turned his head toward him.

"Ahem... R, you can certainly try to get in line. But here's the question... will you be able to do it?"

R looked at Alex and was about to nod, but he noticed the mocking glances from the guys out of the corner of his eye. In their eyes, he read: Well, go ahead, try to cut in front of everyone. He was about to retort, but when he turned his head, he met the hostile glares of the girls.

In that moment, he had a bad feeling. Just one look from Valmet made R reconsider trying to cut in for the new weapon. Pretending he hadn't said anything, he threw his hands behind his head and began to whistle.

The group laughed, including Alex. The guys immediately started teasing R, calling him a coward, but he just snapped back:

"If you want, try facing their wrath yourselves."

Their bickering was interrupted by a long groan coming from the direction of the sniper.

"Looks like our new friend is coming to," Lehm noted, pointing at Steve.

"Not for long," Rebecca smirked, then kicked Steve in the face.

There was a dull thud, blood splattered from the sniper's mouth, and one of his teeth flew out, rolling across the ground. The guys instinctively took a tactical step back, exchanging glances. Of course, they knew Rebecca was small but explosive, but to knock out a tooth with a kick? That even caught them off guard. None of them wanted to be in Steve's shoes.

Alex, noticing their reaction, chuckled and patted Rebecca on the head.

"Great job."

Then he scanned the group and said:

"Alright, guys, time to get moving. We've still got a few days of travel to the final stop before Okinawa. We'll be on the water for another week, so let's not waste any time."

Everyone nodded and headed to their respective places. The guys from Koko's squad went to the car, and Alex waved to the girls, signaling that it was time to leave. Grabbing Steve by the leg, he headed toward the transport with the others.

Tossing the unconscious body onto the roof of the Hummer, Alex pulled out a rope and tied the prisoner tightly to prevent him from falling off during the journey. Once he was done, he settled next to him, knocked on the roof a couple of times to signal for departure.

The convoy quickly reached the port. On the way, Alex managed to call Brunhilde to warn her of their return and inform her that they had people with them. When they arrived, a group was already waiting at the dock, ready to help unload supplies and assist with the newcomers.

Alex jumped off the Hummer's roof and immediately saw Brunhilde approaching.

"So now you're not just inviting people into our group, but kidnapping them?" she asked, pointing to Steve, who was tied to the roof.

Alex smirked.

"Oh, you're talking about Steve. No, he's not one of the survivors we found. Well, we did find him, but he turned out to be a mercenary. Before I knocked him out, he was babbling about some sort of bounty hunting list."

Brunhilde frowned, intrigued by the mention of this list.

At that moment, Koko approached them, crossed her arms over her chest, and gave the prisoner a long look.

"Alex, have you decided to fully embrace the apocalypse vibe?" she asked.

Alex sighed heavily and briefly explained the situation. When he mentioned Steve's advanced weapon, Koko's eyebrows shot up. She immediately became interested, not just in the rifle, but in the camouflage suit as well. A gleam of a true arms dealer lit up in her eyes.

Before Rebecca could make sense of what was going on, Koko darted toward her and skillfully snatched the sniper rifle from her hands.

"Hey!" Rebecca protested, immediately chasing after Koko.

Laughing, Koko weaved and dodged, making it impossible for Rebecca to catch her.

Alex and Brunhilde exchanged a silent glance as they watched the spectacle. Saya and the other girls also came over to watch Rebecca chase Koko, showering her with such exquisite curses that anyone else would have been in tears from the insult.

"How does Koko manage to outrun her?" one of the girls asked with curiosity.

"Who knows, maybe she picked up this skill during her time as an arms dealer," Rika said with a smile on her face.

"Alright, girls," Alex sighed, watching the chase, then turned to the girls and said, "Someone bring me a chair, floor cleaner, a scalpel... Oh, and some duct tape."

Saya frowned.

"And why do you need all of that?"

Alex smiled.

"For my friend Steve. Just in case he decides not to talk."

The girls didn't understand how Alex planned to use the items he mentioned to make Steve talk. It was obvious what the duct tape and chair were for—to tie up the prisoner and prevent him from escaping. But why Alex needed the scalpel and floor cleaner was a mystery.

Not wanting to answer their questions, Alex just glanced at GIR, hinting for him to bring everything needed, and also to bring MIMI. GIR nodded and immediately rushed off to the ferry.

Meanwhile, Alex untied Steve from the roof of the Hummer and yanked him down, looking around for a suitable spot for a "heart-to-heart" conversation. Noticing a partially destroyed warehouse, he decided it was the perfect location and dragged Steve with him. The girls exchanged glances and followed.

Koko, who had been running from Rebecca earlier, was breathing heavily and finally stopped.

"Wait, I can't... anymore," she gasped, raising her hand to block Rebecca's path. "Look, they're taking him somewhere."

Rebecca stopped, followed Alex and his prisoner with her eyes, then, without a second thought, snatched the rifle from Koko and hurried after the others. Koko, catching her breath, followed shortly after.

Alex dragged Steve into the warehouse and quickly scanned the surroundings. Most of the floodwater had already receded, so there was no need to worry about a zombie suddenly grabbing his leg.

A moment later, GIR and MIMI arrived, carrying all the necessary items. With a smile, Alex took the chair from MIMI's paws and sat Steve down. Then, taking the duct tape, he began methodically binding the prisoner to the chair, making sure Steve wouldn't even think about escaping.

"So, how do you plan to make him talk?" Koko asked with mild curiosity.

Alex smirked.

"Very simple. But, ladies, do you really want to see this? I mean, I'm fine with it, but I don't think it'll be a spectacle for the faint-hearted."

Valmet and Koko shrugged — they clearly weren't expecting anything new. Saya, Rei, Saeko, and Beatrix also refused to leave. Rika decided to stay purely out of curiosity.

Shizuka, recalling how Alex "invited" someone for tea last time, wisely stepped away, having learned the hard way that standing too close during moments like this wasn't the best idea.

Yuriko, Kiriko, and Namiyo, despite their age and experience, weren't planning on leaving either.

Alex, noticing that he suddenly had a full audience, decided not to go too far with the torture so as not to shock the more impressionable ladies.

"Alright... Since you're staying, at least don't stand too close, just in case Steve pulls a stunt like our last 'guest.'"

"Alex, you should take that camouflage cloak off him," Koko suddenly pointed out. "You'll get it stained with blood."

Alex slapped his forehead, realizing he had forgotten the obvious. He walked up to Steve, yanked the cloak off him, and casually tossed it to Rika.

Rika smiled as she examined the fabric and paused for a moment, deep in thought."You know, sweetie, you could make something nice out of this for me?"

She gave him a flirtatious smile, attempting to seduce him.

He snorted.

"No problem. Actually, I was thinking about that myself. When I have a minute, I'll come up with something."

"You're the best man anyone could wish for!" Rika exclaimed and, seizing the moment, pounced on him with kisses.

This time, the other girls didn't just watch idly and tried to pull Rika away from Alex. However, Rika clung to him like an octopus, refusing to let go.

But suddenly, a stern cough from Brunhilde rang out.

The girls immediately turned and froze under her icy gaze. Sighing, they reluctantly let go of Rika, allowing her to flash a triumphant smile.

As soon as Brunhilde looked at Rika, she immediately slowed down and, wasting no time, hid behind Shizuka.

Alex smirked, but then Brunhilde coughed again, reminding him it was time to get down to business.

He blew her a kiss, causing the Valkyrie to blush slightly, though she remained silent. The girls laughed at her reaction, but Brunhilde chose to ignore their teasing.

Without wasting any more time, Alex walked up to Steve, grabbed a random chair, and sat down in front of him. Then, patting his prisoner on the cheek, he softly said.

"Sunshine, wake up. It's already morning."

The girls laughed, watching Alex wake up Steve. Rebecca smirked, recalling how he always did this when he "invited someone for tea."

"Hey, asshole, I said wake up," Alex said, his voice devoid of patience, and slapped Steve sharply across the face.

Steve, still unconscious, immediately felt a sharp, burning pain on his cheek. His eyes shot open, his breath ragged as though he had just surfaced from a nightmare into reality. The girls exchanged surprised glances and then laughed even harder at the blatant method of waking him up.

Steve froze, trying to make sense of what was happening. Hearing the laughter of the women, he quickly looked around, and then, trying to stand, he realized he was tightly bound. He jerked, but then froze again, catching Alex's playful yet menacing gaze.

Just as he opened his mouth to unleash a tirade of curses, a rag was suddenly shoved into his mouth. Now, he could only mumble incoherently.

Alex calmly continued as though following a well-rehearsed script. Every time he "invited" someone for tea, it was the same — threats, bravado, empty words. This time, he decided to save some time.

"Don't scream," Alex said calmly, locking eyes with his prisoner. "Here's how this works. I ask questions — you answer. If you stay silent, it'll hurt. If you lie, it'll hurt. If you talk nonsense, it'll hurt again. And don't even think about playing the silent game. I can marinate you for weeks, and in the end, you'll tell me everything just to stop the suffering. Got it?"

The cold tone and icy glare from Alex made Steve break out in a sweat. He swallowed, desperately trying to think, but all he could do was nervously nod several times.

"Good boy. Now, as I like to start a conversation... What's your name and who do you work for?" — Alex's voice softened, but it was no less threatening.

He pulled the rag from Steve's mouth, allowing him to speak. Steve, clearing his throat, tried to maintain an air of composure.

"My name's Steve Wilkins. I'm an independent mercenary."

Alex raised an eyebrow and then smirked. The girls, upon hearing the name, first looked at him and then burst into another round of laughter.

"What's so funny?" Steve frowned, confused.

But upon catching Alex's gaze, he immediately chose to fall silent.

"Well, Steve, I think it's nice to meet you. Now tell me, what's this about a bounty hunting list and the shelter you were mumbling about?" Alex smiled pleasantly.

"I don't know what you're talking about," Steve smirked, trying to hold Alex's gaze. "I just decided to shoot at some people. Apocalypse, right? One dead more, one less — no difference. They'll all be zombies eventually anyway."

Alex sighed heavily and shook his head.

"Ah, looks like my words flew right over your head. But don't worry, you'll soon want to tell me everything."

He slapped Steve across the cheek and, turning to his "little assistants," calmly said,"Give him… an enjoyable time."

Steve didn't understand what Alex was talking about. Noticing his confusion, Alex pointed to GIR and MIMI. Following his gaze, Steve saw two strange creatures that resembled dogs — one green, the other pink. However, what startled him most was that these strange dogs were dressed in medical uniforms. GIR wore a doctor's coat and a medical mask, while MIMI was dressed as a nurse.

The girls once again missed when these two had managed to change outfits.

"What are you planning? And what the hell are these creatures?" Steve asked, feeling a sudden fear of the unusual beings.

"Normally, I ask the questions, but this time I'll make an exception," Alex replied with a slight smile. "You see, my dear assistants aren't just here to help me. They possess exceptional medical knowledge and know human anatomy better than any surgeon. And now you'll have to deal with them."

Alex stood up from his chair and took a few steps forward. The girls, intrigued by the upcoming spectacle, listened attentively.

Approaching Steve, Alex squatted down and freed one of his legs. He then stretched it out and placed it on a chair, securing it in a way that the prisoner couldn't move. At this moment, GIR and MIMI stepped closer, standing next to Alex. GIR already had a scalpel gleaming in his hand, while MIMI was holding a canister with some kind of solution.

"See, Steve," Alex began, thoughtfully examining his leg, "this is your sciatic nerve. It's the longest and thickest nerve in the body. You're probably wondering why we need floor cleaner. I'll explain. It contains alkali, and when it touches the exposed nerve..."

He glanced at Steve and smirked.

"You'll experience pain you can't even imagine. It's the absolute limit that the human body can endure. But the most interesting part is that it won't cause shock, so your heart won't stop. You'll feel everything until the very last moment."

Steve paled. His eyes darted around, and a hysterical note crept into his voice:

"Wait! Wait, I'll tell you everything! Please, no!"

Alex shook his head and sighed in disappointment.

"It's too late, my dear Steve. Every action has consequences. I think a couple of minutes will be enough for you to stop babbling nonsense."

With these words, Alex shoved the rag back into his mouth to muffle his screams and avoid attracting zombies.

Steve jerked, trying to break free, but it was useless. Alex gestured for the girls to follow him and led them out of the semi-destroyed warehouse so they wouldn't hear or see what was about to happen.

Left alone with GIR and MIMI, Steve cast a frightened glance at them. Their eyes glowed an ominous red, and their movements were slow and precise. In desperation, he tried once more to break free but immediately felt GIR's scalpel pierce his leg. The blade slowly cut through the skin, and Steve convulsed, sensing the true hell awaiting him.

Outside, Alex lit a cigarette and took a deep drag.

"I think by the time I finish this cigarette, Steve will stop resisting and become a good, obedient prisoner," he remarked with a smile.

Saya threw him a thoughtful look.

"I'm almost afraid to ask, how do you know such medical tortures... But are you sure he'll talk after this?"

"Saya," Shizuka unexpectedly spoke up, "when I was studying at medical school, our professor said the pain he'll experience... nothing compares to it. Even childbirth doesn't cause as much pain as the injury to the exposed sciatic nerve when alkali touches it."

She shook her head, fully understanding what awaited Steve.

Alex nodded, confirming Shizuka's words, and as if on cue, muffled groans from Steve began to echo from the warehouse. Even with the gag in his mouth, they were clearly audible. Holding the cigarette between his fingers, Alex pointed it in the direction of the warehouse to let Saya understand the excruciating pain the prisoner was enduring.

The girls, who had never faced something like this before, involuntarily shuddered, but they felt no pity. In a world where the streets were overrun by zombies and the Evil Corporation was weaving its conspiracies, kindness could become the most dangerous weapon against oneself.

"Don't feel sorry for him," Brunhilda said calmly, watching the others' reactions. "He made his choice when he sided with our enemy, and now he's paying for it. Throughout human history, there have been tortures far worse than what he's enduring now. And we don't know how many more like him we'll encounter. That's why I'll repeat what I said before: humans are far more terrifying than any monster. They're capable of cruelty you can't even imagine. Of course, there are good people… but where there's light, there will be shadow."

"Did you also catch some philosophy from our old friend?" Alex smirked.

"Maybe," Brunhilda smiled in response. "But I don't deny the wisdom of Buddha, so I do have something to say."

"Oh! When you said that, I remembered who Alex was talking about!" Saya perked up. "Siddhartha Gautama... That was Buddha's name when he was still a prince, before he went on his journey."

"Correct, Saya. Our friend is also called that, and he's as wise as Buddha himself," Alex replied with a smile, placing his hand on her head.

Saya simply nodded, but she continued to eye both him and Brunhilda with suspicion. Brunhilda realized she might have said too much, but she didn't show it. Alex casually remarked that it was just a coincidence—nothing more. However, the skepticism in Saya's eyes remained unchanged.

While Alex finished his cigarette, the girls talked among themselves to distract from the muffled moans coming from the warehouse. Once he was done, he carelessly flicked the cigarette butt aside.

"I think it's time to check on our dear friend. I hope he's still able to talk," he said with a slight smile, squinting a bit.

The girls nodded and followed him, eager to see in what state Steve was now.

Entering the semi-destroyed warehouse, Alex and the girls saw Steve—his head hanging limply, like a broken puppet. GIR and MIMI stood nearby, clearly satisfied with their work. Upon seeing Alex and the girls, they synchronously raised their thumbs up, signaling that the "patient" was ready for a conversation.

Alex smirked, shook his head, and, stepping closer, gave Steve a sharp slap across the face without ceremony.

"Well, are you ready to answer questions?" he asked, noticing the emptiness in Steve's eyes, reminiscent of a broken doll's gaze.

Steve wearily nodded, clearly not wanting to go through such agonizing pain again. Alex, confirming that the prisoner was ready to continue, pulled the rag out of his mouth.

"Let's pick up where we left off," he said calmly, releasing a thin stream of smoke.

Steve took a deep breath, collecting his thoughts.

"When all this started..." his voice was hoarse and tired. "Mercenaries like me could survive without much trouble. We kept in touch through a private website where we usually got orders for hits. One day, a list of targets appeared, offering huge rewards. For people like you, the reward was the highest—you're in the 'especially dangerous' category. If you kill someone from the list and provide proof, you can get rare items that make life easier. And for eliminating particularly important targets, they promised shelter with full provisions..."

Alex raised an eyebrow.

"So, you already have some 'bonuses' with that cloak and rifle?"

Steve nodded, avoiding eye contact with Alex.

"Yes... I got them by killing a few important people in Japan. They were on the list."

Alex thoughtfully rubbed his nose, feeling growing irritation.

"Is anyone here, other than me, on that list?" he asked, nodding towards the girls.

Steve slowly shifted his gaze to the group, then looked away.

"Yes... Koko Hekmatyar and her brother Kasper. Sofia Velmer, Yuriko Takagi... and those two—with black and green hair. But for you, the reward is the highest."

A tense silence fell over the warehouse. Alex took a deep breath and lit a cigarette, thinking over the information he had just received. The girls exchanged silent glances. Those whose names had been mentioned didn't seem surprised—there had already been numerous attempts on their lives. This was especially true for Rebecca and Brunhilda.

Alex exhaled a cloud of smoke and looked at Steve.

"Well, no more questions... How do you want to go? With style, or on your own terms?"

Steve seemed to have already accepted his fate. He looked at Alex and smirked, the corners of his lips curling.

"Just kill me. I'm already dead. Whether by you or the zombies—it doesn't matter. With a leg like this, I won't be going far..."

Alex nodded silently, drew a revolver from behind his back, and aimed at Steve's head.

Some of the girls turned away, not wanting to witness the impending execution. A dull shot rang out. Steve's head exploded into a bloody mess, but in the last moment, Alex noticed a look of relief on his face.

He sighed heavily, pushing away the unwanted thoughts. Why is it that when enemies die, their final expression is often relief?

But there was no time for contemplation.

"We're heading back to the ferry," he said, tucking the revolver back into his waistband.

The girls nodded, and the group headed for the exit. They had gathered a little today, but this information might play an important role in the future.

Alex, however, already had a pretty good idea of who might be on that cursed list. And he didn't even need to see it with his own eyes.

To be continued...

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