The Daily Life of the Demon King

Alex followed Slayer slowly, matching his pace wherever he led. From time to time, he glanced over his shoulder to make sure GIR, MIMI, and Stitch were still behind him—and more importantly, that they hadn't caused any trouble. The last thing Alex needed was for that trio to break something or, worse, try to steal an artifact from an orbital fortress.

Once he confirmed his demolition squad was behaving—for now—Alex turned his gaze back to Slayer's back. The longer he stared, the more he felt the raw power radiating from the man… if he could even still be called that. Now Alex understood much better how Slayer had managed to kill Davoth, even in a digital realm. His strength was something you felt in your instincts—primal and absolute.

They entered a wide hall—the fortress's control center. Alex stopped in his tracks, awestruck by the view. In the center of the room spun a hologram of Earth, engulfed in flame. A heavy sigh escaped his chest—this was the world Slayer had fought so hard to save… nearly destroyed.

He stepped closer to the hologram, narrowing his eyes at the crimson marks—each one a demon stronghold. Then he turned his gaze toward the massive panoramic window that offered a view of the real Earth: a burning sphere, scarred by colossal pentagrams glowing through smoke and fire. The symbols were visible even from orbit.

Alex let out another deep sigh, lit a cigarette, and stood in silence, watching the dying world.

Heavy footsteps echoed behind him. Doom Slayer approached and stopped by his side, his gaze also fixed on Earth.

"I think it's time I tell you why we're here..." Alex said quietly. "But first… I brought you a gift."

Slayer turned his head, his helmet locking on to Alex without a word.

"I'll take that 'hmm' as interest. Let's just say… I found an old acquaintance of yours. And he's been dying to see you," Alex smirked.

"Hmm?" came the low, questioning growl.

Alex smiled, and his shadow stretched unnaturally across the floor, rippling like black liquid. Slayer's gaze shifted to the darkness as it began to distort. Something emerged.

From the shadows crawled a terrified Deag Ranak—one of Hell's former priests who had betrayed his kind. His face was twisted in sheer panic. Even he, who had witnessed countless horrors, was broken by what he'd seen in the Crimson City where Alex had pulled him from.

But even that terror paled when he felt the iron grip close around his skull. A moment later, bones began to creak under the pressure.

He locked eyes with Slayer—and even through the helmet, it was clear: the fury behind those lenses was ancient and merciless.

Slayer hoisted Ranak into the air with one hand. The priest's skull groaned beneath his tightening fingers. Then he grabbed Ranak's face with his other hand and squeezed harder. Ranak thrashed, trying to break free, but it was useless. Not even pain gave him strength to resist.

Slayer plunged his thumbs into Ranak's eye sockets. A piercing, animalistic scream echoed through the chamber—brief and final. With a brutal pull, Slayer ripped the body in half, sending blood splattering across the floor and his armor. He tossed the remains aside like garbage.

Alex stood silently. He had expected a violent reaction, but the raw brutality still sent a shiver down his spine.

"I see you liked the gift. Shame I couldn't bring you Nilox and Grav too. Nilox… is already dead. Slowly. Painfully. Grav's hiding under the skirts of the one pulling your strings," Alex said, shrugging.

"Hmm," Slayer growled lowly, though his posture clearly said: keep going.

"I think I should start with who I am. Before we get into any kind of negotiation. I already know who you are. Doom Slayer. The demon to demons. The last of the Night Sentinels. A living curse that cannot be stopped."

Alex paused, took a drag from his cigarette, then continued:

"But you don't know who I am. And you should. I'm… a demon. But—"

The sound of a shotgun blast cut him off.

Alex didn't even finish his sentence—because the next thing flying at him… was a face full of buckshot.

The tiny metal pellets froze mid-air just centimeters from Alex's skin. Thanks to his fight with Sukuna, he had learned to mimic the technique of Infinity—and right now, it saved his face.

He had only just begun to redirect the buckshot when he saw a fist flying straight at him.

Alex's eye twitched.

He had already expected Doom Slayer to attack the moment he said the word "demon." But that didn't mean he was going to stand there and take a beating.

Seeing the incoming strike, Alex reacted in a flash. His fist slammed into Slayer's face at the exact moment Slayer's punch landed on him. Two blows. Two bodies. Two heads snapping back in unison.

Alex could clearly feel the force behind the hit. Slayer was strong. Damn strong. But there was no time to dwell on it—another punch was already coming his way. Alex blocked it, grabbed Slayer by the neck, and smashed his forehead into the man's helmet.

With a dull crack, Slayer's helmet was knocked off, revealing his face. But Alex didn't get a chance to see it—an iron hand grabbed his throat, and a moment later, Slayer returned the favor with a headbutt of his own.

Alex's head snapped back. Pain shot through his skull, and his eye twitched harder. His gaze turned vacant, irritated—feral. And then it began.

No words.No pauses.No defense.

They traded blows, neither bothering to dodge. Fists slammed into faces, jaws, and cheekbones with heavy thuds. Bone cracked. Blood sprayed. Each impact echoed through the fortress like thunder.

Finally, the two of them stepped back, breathing heavily. Slayer spat blood onto the floor, his eyes blazing. Alex wiped his face and realized—Slayer was only the second being ever to injure him. The first had been Avatar Nyan-Nyan, way back at the start. And now, Slayer.

"Screw it," Alex growled. "If you're not gonna listen, then I'm gonna beat the crap out of you until you do."

He threw off his coat, left only in a shirt and corset.

Slayer silently clenched his fists. His knuckles cracked like splitting stone.

Alex summoned Beowulf—gloves that amplified his punches to storm-breaking levels. Now the fight was even.

Another lunge.More strikes.

With every passing second, shockwaves from their hits split the floor. The entire fortress trembled. In one swift motion, Alex knocked away Slayer's wrist blade and kicked him square in the chest, sending him flying back.

"Vega, open a portal to Titan," Alex called, never taking his eyes off his opponent.

"Affirmative, sir," the AI replied.

Portal machinery rose from beneath the floor. Seconds later, a shimmering vortex opened. Alex vanished, leaving behind a fading afterimage—only to reappear beside Slayer and launch a punch to knock him through the portal.

Slayer saw it coming, raised his arms in a block—just one step back. Alex frowned. He was pushing harder, but Slayer wasn't giving ground. The next moment, Slayer caught Alex's fist and crushed it mid-motion.

Then, lifting his leg, he slammed a boot into Alex's chest with a thunderous impact. Alex staggered back, coughing, but quickly grabbed Slayer's leg and countered with his own blow to the chest. Both men once again separated by a few paces.

Slayer now stood right at the portal's edge.

Smirking, Alex vanished again. He reappeared behind Slayer—but the warrior sensed it and elbowed backward. Alex caught the strike, flipped him over his shoulder, and hurled him through the portal with brute force.

"Enjoy the flight," Alex muttered and jumped in after him.

Titan. A cold, grey wasteland under a blue-tinged sky. Silence. Frost. Ice.

Alex landed beside Slayer, who was already rising to his feet. He turned his head, cracked his neck. His gaze was wild, bestial fury. A low, guttural growl rumbled from his chest.

Alex rubbed his jaw—he was definitely feeling it. Every hit. Especially that last one to the ribs.

"So, round two, demon slayer?" Alex smirked, cracking his own neck in return.

"Hmm..." Slayer snarled—and charged.

Alex's eyes narrowed. He understood.

Slayer wasn't holding back anymore.

And neither would he.

Alex caught the blade aimed at his throat. Sparks flew as the metal of Beowulf met the wrist blade of the Slayer. Neither of them had any intention of yielding.

With his free hand, Alex struck his opponent in the face—so hard that Slayer was sent flying, crashing into a mountainside and shattering its peak with a resounding crack. Wasting no time, Alex lunged after him, crossing the distance in a single leap. But just as he closed in, he was met with a counterattack.

Slayer's fist slammed into Alex's face with a dull crunch. Alex's body shot backward like a cannonball, smashing through everything in his path until he slammed into another mountain. He got back up, wiping blood from his mouth and wincing.

"That hit was stronger," he muttered, massaging his aching jaw.

"Alex, stop fighting him already!" came Geirölul's voice as she appeared behind him in ghostly form. "You two are going to destroy this planet before you even settle the argument!"

"He started it!" Alex snapped, shoving a cigarette into his mouth. "I'm just beating the crap out of him so maybe he'll start listening."

"Then hurry up. He's coming," added Reginleif, materializing beside him.

Alex looked up. Slayer was charging toward him at full speed. Alex's eyes narrowed—he dashed forward.

With a leap, he completely shattered what remained of the mountain. In the next instant, Alex's knee crashed into Slayer's chest. But Slayer managed to raise an arm and block it. In response, Alex twisted mid-air and delivered a heel kick to the ribs—powerful enough to launch Slayer flying.

Alex gave chase. Catching up to his foe in mid-air, he drove a punch into Slayer's chest. With a thunderous crash, Slayer fell, punching through Titan's surface like a bomb. Alex kicked off the air and dove after him.

Slayer clawed at the rocky layers to slow his descent—but then Alex's feet slammed into his chest, driving him deeper into the planet's crust. Blow after blow followed, each strike forcing them further into the planet.

"We'll hit the core at this rate," Alex muttered.

But Slayer suddenly grabbed his arm with a guttural growl and crushed down hard. Then, raising his leg, he kicked Alex square in the chest with full force. Alex was thrown back, slamming into the wall of a deep fissure he himself had carved with Slayer's body.

Now the momentum had shifted. Slayer crashed down on Alex, rage burning in his eyes. Punch after punch. Alex dodged one, but the next blow was so powerful it shattered the stone wall behind him, widening their battlefield.

The fight raged on.

Fist to fist, bone against bone. Each impact echoed through the planet's depths. No techniques. No magic. Just raw, primal fury. Like two ancient beasts, they hammered at each other, unbothered by pain.

Blood ran down Alex's nose and lips. A crimson trickle flowed from his damaged eye. Slayer didn't look much better—his nose was broken, his brow split, and red streaks covered his face. But neither stopped.

Slayer's next punch landed squarely on Alex's face. Alex staggered back, pulled his arm behind him—Beowulf's gauntlets began to glow. Energy gathered within them.

Alex put everything he had into the strike and launched it forward. As if expecting it, Slayer did the same.

The two blows collided. A deafening explosion erupted. Stones rained from the ceiling. Both fighters were sent flying in opposite directions. Alex slammed into a cave wall and dropped to the floor. Slayer, crashing against the far side, rose to one knee.

"Jesus, what the hell is this guy?" Alex exhaled, wiping blood from his face. "I've lost count of how many times I've punched him…"

"You already know why," Hlökk's voice echoed in his mind. "So why ask dumb questions? He's already getting back up, so move!"

Alex rolled his eyes.

He knew why the Slayer was so damn resilient. A divine mechanism, an ancient ritual that had transformed his flesh and soul. He was no longer just a man. He was a vessel for the strength of the fallen. The more he killed, the stronger he became. And now, perhaps, he was nearing his peak.

Catching his breath, Alex ran a hand over his face, pushing sweat-soaked hair off his forehead. He spat out bloodied saliva, pulled out a new cigarette, lit it, and took a long drag.

Then, he flicked the butt away.

He charged back into the fight.

Slayer was already there. His leg whipped toward Alex's head, but Alex caught it and spun around, clenching his fist.

"Try this, psycho," he growled, driving a punch down that smashed Slayer's head into the rock with such force it cracked in every direction.

With a roar, Slayer tore free of the stone and instantly retaliated. Alex blocked the punch—with his forehead. A bell-like ring echoed in his ears as if someone had struck a gong inside his skull, but he ignored the pain. Slayer wasn't going to wait for him to recover.

Alex grabbed his arm and, using the momentum, hurled him over his shoulder. Slayer slammed into the stone floor. Alex was already on top of him, raining down blow after blow to his face. Each punch hit with earth-shaking force, causing the ground beneath them to buckle. They began to sink deeper into Titan's crust.

With another devastating strike, Alex sent them both plummeting—straight toward the planet's burning core. He glanced down—the molten, pulsing heart of Titan glowed like an angry sun. Then he looked back at Slayer.

Slayer's face was drenched in blood, the heat vaporizing it instantly—but that didn't stop him. He was already coming to.

They crashed onto the core's surface with a deafening boom and instantly lunged at each other again. With every blow, the core trembled, as if in protest. The hardened shell began to crack, molten metal spilling from the fractures like the planet's blood. The blows became even more destructive.

Another clash of fists sent them flying apart. They stood, facing one another, breathing heavily. Their chests heaved in sync, their arms bloodied, and beneath their feet, the cracks widened.

"Hmm…" Slayer rasped.

"Shit…" Alex looked down. "Looks like the core's about to blow."

Gravity around the core began to waver. Rocks tumbled from the ceiling. The entire world shook, as if Titan itself was trying to rid itself of the two raging beasts destroying its heart.

"You hear that, Slayer?! The core's about to blow!" Alex shouted.

"Hmm," came the hoarse reply.

"I just wanted to talk to you! We're fighting for the same damn cause! But now... it's personal, you bastard!" Alex snarled, spitting more blood. "I'll beat the truth into you if that's what it takes to make you listen!"

Slayer charged. Alex met him head-on.

More punches. Thunderous. Merciless. Each one sent shockwaves, scattering lava like splashes of paint. Alex still hadn't used his full power—he was fighting only in physical mode. Maybe out of principle. Maybe out of sheer stubbornness.

And then… in the moment their fists collided again—the core gave in.

A thunderous explosion blinded them both. A white-red flash swallowed all color. Alex felt himself being flung away, crashing through rock, stone, remnants of the crust. A deep hum rang in his ears. He no longer felt ground beneath his feet.

And then… silence.

After a few seconds, he came to. He was sitting on a tiny fragment of Titan — the only piece that survived the planet's destruction. Everything else had been torn apart and scattered into space.

His face was covered in blood. His body ached. His ribs hurt with every attempt to breathe.

"Damn… my face hurts," he rasped, staring blankly ahead.

"You shouldn't have fought that psycho," came a voice nearby. Göndul appeared, her ghostly figure sitting beside him, carefully wiping the blood from his face. "Now you look like you've been in a car crash. Without the car."

"He started it," Alex replied quietly, feeling her touch.

"Darling… you're a grown man. You have a daughter. Why are you acting like a teenager again, throwing punches at a potential ally?" she grumbled, rolling her eyes like a stern wife.

"I already said: he pointed a shotgun at my face first. We would have just talked otherwise."

"You're to blame. You shouldn't have said you're a demon right away. Of course he freaked out! And now, congratulations, you're both idiots — destroyed a satellite, scattered through space… and for what?"

"Maybe I was bored." Alex smirked. "A strong opponent, a good fight… no regrets."

"Oh, Creator…" Göndul sighed, shaking her head. "Why does my husband behave like a child…"

Alex just smiled sweetly at her. She sighed deeply but managed to wipe the blood off his face with difficulty. Even after that, Alex still looked like he had gotten into a bar fight with an equally stubborn idiot.

After sighing some more, Göndul decided not to waste any more effort and simply left the task of disciplining Alex to Brunhilda. She kissed her husband on the cheek and returned to his spiritual realm. Alex grimaced, rubbed his face still aching from the exhausting brawl, and lit a cigarette. Exhaling smoke upward, he closed his eyes and focused on finding Slayer, who had been thrown in the opposite direction.

Almost immediately, he detected the energy he was looking for. Alex stood up from the shattered satellite fragment and, taking a step forward, vanished. In the next instant, he appeared on a similar shard drifting in space — that's where Slayer was.

Barely recovering, Slayer noticed Alex approaching, stood up, and clenched his fists.

"Hey, Slayer, enough already. Let's talk. If you hadn't gone straight for the punches, I would've explained everything by now." Alex raised his hand, signaling peace. "And before you try to take my head off again, listen. I'm not the kind of demon you hate. I'm the first demon created not by Davoth, not by some hellish being, but by the true Creator — the one who made your world and everything you can imagine."

"Hmm…" Slayer rasped, not breaking eye contact.

"To sum it up," Alex continued, "we're basically doing the same thing. You're destroying demons that ruined your world. I hunt the creatures of Chaos, which do pretty much the same — spreading destruction and suffering."

Slayer narrowed his eyes, still watching Alex. His fists slowly, noticeably unclenched.

Alex sighed with relief. He wasn't eager to start another brawl with a man who was now more of an ally than an enemy. But to be honest, he couldn't deny it — this was one hell of an exciting fight. Facing Doom Slayer himself wasn't something that happened every day.

"Since you're ready to listen, I'll continue." Alex stepped forward. "I came from another universe. There, an invasion by Davoth's army… and Davoth himself is underway. The problem is, he's formed an alliance with another extremely unpleasant creature."

"Hmm…" came Slayer's questioning rasp. For some reason, Alex understood it. He was surprised how, after such a brutal fight, he could catch the meaning behind those 'hmms.'

"His name is the Minister of Monoliths," Alex said. "He's the avatar of some lady who… well, let's just say she's a little too attached to me. I don't want to get into the weird details of our relationship — that's not important. The point is, the enemy now has two, and I'm alone. Plus, I have to protect people preparing for their final battle for survival."

"Hmmm… (I will help)," Slayer rasped, looking at him.

"That's where you should have started," Alex said irritably. "But you just went ahead and shot me in the face! We fought, broke each other's jaws, and on top of that destroyed an entire planet! Seriously, aren't you even a little ashamed?"

"No," Slayer replied bluntly.

Alex raised an eyebrow and stared at him in shock.

"You… just… spoke?"

Slayer simply stared back silently, his expression as unreadable as before. Alex sighed heavily, shook his head, and summoned Yamato. With a slash of the blade, he opened a portal in front of him. At the same moment, another portal opened beside him — one created by Vega.

They exchanged a glance.

Then, without a word, each stepped into their own portal — as if competing over who had the cooler one.

Back inside Slayer's fortress, Alex quickly looked around. His three companions — GIR, MIMI, and Stitch — had vanished without a trace.

"Vega, where are the three I arrived with?" he asked tensely.

"Three unidentified entities infiltrated the floor where the combat rifle 'Atlant' is stored," Vega replied.

Alex closed his eyes and pinched the bridge of his nose.

"Of course… Of course they went there… Damn fluffy gremlins."

Alex's eye started twitching so violently it seemed like it was about to jump off his face — he was that pissed off that the three "troublemakers" had broken their promise again and caused some kind of chaos. Without saying a word, Alex dashed to the floor where the "Atlant" was stored, completely forgetting about Slayer. Right now, only one thought mattered to him — that this trio could either break something or, worse, try to hijack a combat machine over thirty meters tall.

Reaching the right level, Alex found GIR, MIMI, and Stitch shamelessly fiddling with the control panels of Slayer's Fortress, actively trying to disable the protective barrier blocking access to the "Atlant."

"You three! I told you not to touch anything!" Alex barked as he ran up to them.

GIR, MIMI, and Stitch simultaneously pulled their grabbing paws away from the terminal and put on their most innocent faces, as if they had just accidentally wandered by. But the moment they turned and saw Alex's face — the face of a man who had survived a brawl in hell and a bar fight at the same time — virtual question marks appeared over their heads… followed by a burst of laughter.

They literally fell over laughing, pointing fingers at Alex and squealing joyfully.

A vein bulged on Alex's forehead.

"Very funny," he muttered through gritted teeth. "Now, you three… don't touch anything! This is not our home. Follow me — march!"

"They beat you. They be-a-a-t you," Stitch dragged out, still poking him with a finger.

"One more word like that and I'll confiscate all your toys," Alex said coldly.

Stitch immediately lowered his finger and, like a seasoned smuggler, shielded his bag that held all his valuables — from weapons and snacks to sweets and secret food supplies. Lose that? No way!

GIR and MIMI started giggling at Stitch's reaction, but as soon as Alex shot them a heavy glare, both quickly hid their bags behind their backs, pretending to be completely innocent.

Rolling his eyes, Alex silently approached them and, without ceremony, put the whole trio on a leash — figuratively and literally. These little disasters couldn't be allowed to run loose anymore.

Alex sighed heavily to himself. This day felt endless. He desperately needed a break — preferably a week-long one. But first, he had to finish what he started — the conversation with Slayer.

To be continued...

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