Alex and Saeko arrived at the bank without any issues. The journey passed quickly as Saeko shared stories about her childhood and the upbringing she received from her father. Alex listened with genuine interest, occasionally asking questions to keep the conversation going.

He was truly intrigued by her life and training experiences. At the same time, he contemplated which breathing technique would suit Saeko best for her training. However, he decided that she should first fully master the basic breathing technique before progressing to sword techniques.

He also noticed that even during their conversation, Saeko was practicing proper breathing, clearly eager to master the technique quickly. Alex was impressed by her diligence and progress. During their travels—from the museum to the dojo—Saeko had almost completed the first stage of breathing training. It was clear she would need very little time to fully master the technique.

As they approached the bank, Alex parked the motorcycle and prepared to carry the weapons inside. However, they were greeted by all the women who had stayed at the bank, including Kiriko, Namiyo, and Yuriko. Rebecca, being the most impatient, immediately ran up to find out what Alex had brought back. The trio of troublemakers didn’t waste any time either; they quickly grabbed the bags from the motorcycle and began inspecting the weapons.

“Not a bad haul,” Brunhilde remarked as she examined the contents of one of the bags. “You’ve brought back an entire collection of melee weapons. And I see Saeko even found herself another katana.”

“But why so many katanas? Did you rob a dojo or something?” Rei asked curiously, comparing the weapon Alex had given her at the start of the apocalypse to the ones they had just retrieved.

“No,” Saeko replied with a faint smile. “This is my father’s personal collection. I don’t even know how he ended up with so many katanas. Every time he went on a journey, he brought back one or two new ones.”

Saeko’s words piqued everyone’s interest. The women began closely examining the bag filled with katanas. Alex stood off to the side, smiling as he observed the chaos. He leisurely pulled out a cigarette and lit it, deciding to give them time to explore. Meanwhile, Saeko shared stories about each katana, explaining when and how it had become part of the dojo’s collection.

Brunhilde, who was well-versed in weapons and had often dealt with gods of craftsmanship, examined the katanas with particular care. She noted how masterfully they were crafted.

“These are exquisite works,” she said, holding one of the katanas. “Each of them could still serve its wielder for a long time.”

At that moment, Rebecca approached Alex with a sly smile.

“So, handsome, did you pick out anything for yourself? Knowing you, there’s no way you passed up the chance to add to your collection.”

Alex grinned widely.

“You’ve got me figured out. Yes, I found something. And it’s even more than I expected.”

His answer caught everyone’s attention. The women stopped inspecting the katanas, and even GIR, MIMI, and Stitch paused their weapon selection for a moment. All eyes turned to Alex. Smiling, he walked over to the motorcycle and opened one of the weapon compartments. One side was entirely filled with fourteen katanas.

The women exchanged glances and then looked back at Alex, not entirely understanding why he considered this part of his collection. Even Brunhilde raised an eyebrow slightly.

“And why do you need so many katanas?” Rebecca was the first to break the silence, pulling one out. “They all look the same, don’t they?”

“Oh no, my love,” Alex said with a mysterious smile. “These aren’t just katanas. These weapons belonged to the Demon Slayer Corps. And most importantly, I found a katana that once belonged to a very important person.”

He pulled out one of the katanas, holding it with visible reverence. His words sparked genuine curiosity among everyone.

Alex took out a katana that had once belonged to Yoriichi Tsugikuni and later to Tanjiro Kamado. Unsheathing the blade, the girls inspected its black edge, not understanding what made it so special. They had no knowledge of the Demon Slayer Corps Alex mentioned or who the person he referred to was. Only Brunhilde seemed to catch on, her eyes widening slightly in surprise.

Rebecca, impatient as always, gave Alex a light kick to the leg, demanding an explanation.

“Are you going to explain, or should we start guessing?” she asked.

Brunhilde, wanting to clarify her suspicions, asked directly:

“Are you talking about the person I think you are?”

Alex, smiling smugly, nodded.

“Exactly. This is the katana of Yoriichi Tsugikuni himself. And to top it off—his famous hanafuda earrings.”

With those words, he pulled out the hanafuda earrings from an inner pocket, showing them to everyone.

“Incredible,” Brunhilde said, closely examining the blade. “I never thought you’d be able to find something like this in this world. You’re certainly lucky.”

She knew just how difficult it was to find artifacts buried in history—it was like searching for a needle in a haystack.

Rebecca, snatching the earrings from Alex, examined them closely and whispered to him just loud enough for only him to hear:

“These earrings… I saw them once on one of your clones, but back then, it was just a replica. And now, you’ve found the real thing.”

She glanced at Alex with a sly smile and added,

“Take a seat, handsome. I want to see how they look on you.”

Understanding her intent, Alex complied, sitting down so she could try the earrings on him.

“They suit you,” Rebecca declared, admiring the result. “You’re already a looker, but with these, you’ll look even better.”

“If we add a yukata and maybe a haori, you’d look like a true samurai,” Saeko chimed in with a dreamy smile.

“Well then, help me put them on—just be careful,” Alex said, trusting her with the task.

Rebecca, grabbing a needle, carefully pierced his ears so the earrings could be worn. Alex, meanwhile, ensured that his uniquely dangerous blood didn’t accidentally spill.

When Rebecca finished, she stepped back to take a good look.

“Absolutely stunning,” she declared.

The other girls nodded in agreement, and even the valkyries within Alex’s spiritual space approved of his new look. Pleased by the compliments, Alex thought he might keep the earrings on for a while.

“I have a question,” Saya said, examining the katanas. “Why are the blades different colors? This one’s red, that one’s purple, and this one’s yellow. And it’s clearly not paint—the color seems like part of the katana itself.”

Alex nodded and explained:

“These katanas are made from special meteorite iron. Their color depends on the breathing style of their wielder. Red is for Flame Breathing, purple is for Butterfly Breathing, and yellow is for Thunder Breathing. These blades become true companions to their wielders.”

“And why is the one you showed first black?” Yuriko asked, intrigued.

Alex smiled, embellishing the truth slightly:

“A black blade appears when a swordsman masters more than one breathing style. Yoriichi mastered all styles, which is why his katana has a black blade.”

Satisfied with the answer, Saya carefully placed the katanas back into the motorcycle’s weapon compartment. However, the girls were still curious about the Demon Slayer Corps Alex had mentioned—what kind of group had they been in the past, and why was Alex so eager to collect their katanas?

Alex began giving a brief overview of the legendary corps. As he passionately recounted the tales of demon slayers, he caught sight of the trio of troublemakers—GIR, MIMI, and Stitch—each choosing a katana nearly as tall as they were. They appeared to be imitating samurai.

Alex chuckled, and the girls, noticing his gaze and its target, looked at the trio and burst into laughter.

“They never change, do they?” Rebecca said with a smile.

Deciding to continue the conversation in a more cozy setting, the group headed inside the building. After greeting everyone, they grabbed some food and went up to the roof—their usual spot for dinner in recent days. There, under the starry sky, they resumed their conversation.

“So, you’re saying these people hunted so-called demons with magical abilities, and they could only be killed with katanas made from meteorite iron? Did I get that right?” asked Saya, reflecting on what she had heard.

“Sort of. But it’s all just legends. No one knows exactly how it really was. Just think of it as something like stories about yokai or spirit hunters. Less thinking, more enjoying the legends,” Alex replied with a light smile, pointing his fork at Saya.

Saya, lost in thought, suddenly raised a new question:

“And yet… You caught a zombie yesterday that’s afraid of sunlight. Do you think this katana could deal more damage to it than an ordinary blade?”

Alex froze for a moment, deep in thought. The other girls also pondered. If the legends were true, the meteorite iron katanas were specifically created to fight demons that feared the sun. Did that mean they would be more effective against zombies with a similar weakness?

Rebecca, meanwhile, started considering the idea of creating ultraviolet bullets to fight such zombies. As for Alex, he couldn’t shake the thought: did the legends have any truth to them? He was ready to go and test the theory by capturing one of the zombies.

Brunhilde noticed the expression on Alex’s face and sighed heavily. She understood all too well that this question would now trouble him endlessly. Her gaze drifted to Saya, whose innocent curiosity had sparked all of this.

“Why did you ask that? Look at him now. If he doesn’t find out, he’s going to drive himself crazy,” Brunhilde said, pointing at Alex.

The girls turned to him. Alex was clearly on the verge of dropping everything and going after zombies right now. His face said it all—he was literally shaking with impatience to find the answer.

“Don’t even think about going to catch that zombie to stab it with a katana. You’ll find out, but not now,” Brunhilde said calmly but firmly, trying to cool Alex’s enthusiasm.

“But I have to know! I need to test it. Please,” Alex exclaimed, giving her a pleading look.

“No. Tonight, a horde is coming to the city, and we need to be ready. If we have to run, we won’t have time for experiments,” Brunhilde firmly replied.

Alex clenched his fists, trying to suppress his inner restlessness. He understood that now wasn’t the time to test theories, but knowing that didn’t make the waiting any easier.

Alex sighed heavily, puffing up in annoyance, and turned away. The girls watched him with smiles, amused by his childlike behavior—it looked like a curious child had sulked because he didn’t get answers to his questions.

Noticing Alex’s gloomy expression, Shizuka decided to comfort him so he wouldn’t remain in that state. She approached him, gently wrapping her arms around his head and began stroking his hair, as if calming a small, temperamental boy.

“Calm down, everything will be fine,” she said softly, continuing to soothe him.

Alex involuntarily twitched his eye, feeling how the girls were barely holding back their laughter. However, instead of reacting, he simply let Shizuka continue, burying his nose in her soft chest. Maybe this wasn’t such a bad way to calm down.

After dinner, everyone continued their casual conversation on the roof while the sounds of a video game and the usual bickering of the troublesome trio, now joined by Alice, played in the background. Suddenly, Alex’s phone emitted a loud signal, causing everyone to fall silent. He took out the device, looked at the screen, and sighed heavily.

“The horde is already in the city,” Alex announced, looking at the image from the bridge camera. “They’re crossing the bridge, but I haven’t seen anyone who might be leading them yet. If you want, you can go down, or stay and watch. They’ll be here in about half an hour.”

“If we stay here, won’t they see us? We’re on the roof, and we’re as visible as if we were in the open,” Kiriko cautiously asked, expressing her concerns.

“Don’t worry,” Alex waved his hand confidently. “I’ve set up something interesting. It’s designed so we’re not visible. So, if you want, you can stay, but I warn you—what’s coming won’t be pleasant to watch.”

“What’s this ‘something’?” Saya asked, scooting closer to Alex. “Tell me more.”

“It’s a device somewhat like the mirrors in police interrogation rooms. It hides us from the zombies’ sight,” Alex explained with a satisfied smile, enjoying the moment.

Saya listened intently, sat closer to Alex, and began asking questions to understand the details. Yuriko, watching her daughter, silently praised her for taking the initiative to get closer to Alex.

She was also impressed by Alex’s inventions and thought about how they could change the world. However, as an experienced leader, she understood that such technology in the wrong hands could lead to catastrophic consequences.

Meanwhile, night fell, and the distant hum of the massive horde’s footsteps could be heard. Alex stood up and walked to the edge of the roof, and the other girls, except for Alice and the trio, followed him. G.I.R., M.I.M.I., and Stitch were distracting Alice so she wouldn’t see what was going on.

From the roof, the endless stream of the dead could be seen, all moving forward with purpose. Alex squinted, studying the horde. His gaze caught something on the opposite side of the street.

“Am I imagining things, or is someone jumping across the rooftops over there?” he asked, trying to make sure his vision wasn’t deceiving him.

The girls also squinted, straining their eyes to see if Alex had imagined it. The night promised to be long.

Everyone turned towards the direction Alex had pointed. However, due to the darkness, it was hard to make out what was happening from such a distance. Rebecca didn’t waste any time and pulled out a small pair of binoculars with night vision. Peering through them, she noticed figures jumping from roof to roof, like experienced parkour practitioners.

Zooming in on the image, Rebecca could make out who they were. It turned out they weren’t zombies, but soldiers in black uniforms resembling military gear. Alex, too, realized they were soldiers, and he didn’t need a night scope to deduce that. The girls patiently waited for Rebecca to share what she had seen.

“They’re not zombies; they’re soldiers. But they’re strange. Their jumps are too big for regular humans,” Rebecca said, continuing to observe.

“Maybe they modified the virus? Enhanced humans, eliminating the side effects? Or maybe they even created intelligent zombies who follow orders like soldiers?” Saya suggested, looking at Rebecca with interest.

“Possibly,” Alex said thoughtfully, stroking his chin. “But unfortunately, I can’t capture one of them right now. They’re staying too close together and are probably leading the horde. That means they can influence the zombies somehow. We just need to figure out how.”

“Or maybe they… um… what’s the term? Those people who can read minds?” Shizuka pondered, trying to recall the right word.

“Are you talking about telepaths or something like that?” Saeko guessed.

“Yes, exactly! Telepaths!” Shizuka nodded excitedly.

Alex paused. This hypothesis seemed to him the most reasonable. He wanted to capture one of the strange soldiers for interrogation, but he understood that it was too risky at the moment. Such an impulsive action could cost the lives of those under his protection. Brunhilde, standing next to him, gently squeezed his hand, understanding how difficult this decision was for him.

Reluctantly abandoning the idea of immediate capture, Alex took out a cigarette, lit it, and began considering other options. The girls stayed on the roof, continuing to watch the horde, which was slowly moving past their hideout.

“Maybe they’re martial artists? You jump across rooftops too, Alex. Maybe they’re like you?” Namiyo suggested.

“No,” Brunhilde shook her head. “Their movements are too wild, not like refined skills. It feels like they’ve only recently gained this power and are still getting used to it.”

The girls exchanged glances and nodded, agreeing with her words. Alex continued to watch the soldiers retreat, confident that sooner or later, he would encounter them again. Meanwhile, the zombie horde passed the bank, unaware of the survivors hidden on the roof.

When everything quieted down, Alex and the girls returned to their positions. Saya and Yuriko sighed heavily, understanding where the horde was headed and what its target could be. Seeing their worried faces, Alex tried to reassure them with a few comforting words.

But Alex didn’t get the chance to relax. His phone vibrated again. The girls froze, sensing that it was a signal of a new threat. Alex quickly pulled out his phone, expecting to see another horde on the screen, but instead, it was an incoming call.

“Zombieland Corporation. Want to kill zombies in style? We know how!” Alex joked as he answered the call.

“Sorry, secret admirer, but not in the mood for jokes. Is Shizuka with you?” came Rika’s tired voice from the speaker.

Hearing Rika’s voice, Alex immediately felt something serious had happened. Her words, though tinged with irony, couldn’t hide the tremor in her voice. That instantly put him on alert, making him consider the worst-case scenarios.

“Rika, what happened? Why do you need Shizuka?” Alex asked calmly, though internally, he was bracing for the worst.

“Heh… I’m afraid I won’t be able to treat you to coffee. I’m calling to say goodbye, Alex,” Rika said, holding back her emotions. But even through the phone speaker, Alex could feel how hard she was trying to keep her composure.

Shizuka tensed as soon as she heard her friend’s name. Her face turned pale, and her mind involuntarily conjured the darkest images. The other girls also sensed the anxiety, understanding that the call wasn’t a pleasant one.

“Rika, tell me exactly what happened. Don’t waste time, explain everything, and I’ll come up with something,” Alex said firmly, trying to get more details from her.

“What’s there to explain? We were suddenly attacked by a horde. We didn’t have time to react. We’ve barricaded ourselves in, but there’s no way out. How are you planning to help? Unless you’re a wizard and can teleport us out of here,” Rika responded bitterly with irony.

“Where are you now? Be precise, I’ll find a way. I’m not leaving Shizuka’s friend to the zombies,” Alex’s voice grew sharper, but he tried to sound confident to calm her down.

“We’re in the west wing of the airport. But Alex, don’t come here. There are too many of them. Just tell Shizuka that I was glad to be her friend…” Her voice carried resignation, as if she had already accepted the inevitable.

“You’ll tell her yourself. Barricade yourselves and wait. We’ll be there soon. Trust me — everything will be fine,” Alex said firmly, with a slight smile on his face.

“Heh… Alright, I’ll trust you. If you do save us, you can consider me yours. But if you’re too late and I become a zombie, please, kill me,” Rika said, ending the call before Alex could respond.

Alex exhaled, put the phone in his pocket, but his face turned serious. His gaze, full of determination, shifted to the pale Shizuka, who was barely holding back her trembling. The other girls tried to comfort her, but the worry was clear in their eyes.

“Shizuka, don’t worry. We’ll get Rika out. Rebecca, GIR, MIMI, we have a mission. Move fast! Rebecca, grab the sniper rifle, you’ll provide cover. Time’s short, so no delays!” Alex stated confidently, already mentally planning their route.

Shizuka silently nodded, struggling to suppress the fear gripping her. Rebecca immediately ran for her rifle, while GIR and MIMI went to gather the equipment. Alex looked at the other girls.

“Stay here and keep an eye on the situation. I’ll be back soon.”

He quickly descended, started his motorcycle, and waited for the others. A few minutes later, Rebecca, GIR, and MIMI emerged, fully equipped for the mission. Rebecca sat behind Alex, tapping him on the shoulder to signal readiness. GIR and MIMI took their places on the luggage rack.

“Hold on tight, we’re running out of time,” Alex said, gunning the engine.

The motorcycle roared to life, speeding down the road toward the airport. Alex pushed the throttle to the limit, knowing that every second could make the difference. Rika and her team’s barricades could fail at any moment. He felt the pressure, but his resolve to save them was unwavering, no matter the cost.

Alex reached the airport grounds and stopped on the nearest hill. His gaze swept over the area, now filled with countless zombies. He sighed heavily, realizing the scale of the problem. Looking around, he noticed the soldiers he’d seen earlier were gone. That could only mean one thing — a significant part of the horde could be distracted.

Drawing his bow from his inventory, Alex nocked an explosive arrow, aimed in the opposite direction from the airport, and released the string. A powerful explosion rang out, and a large portion of the zombies began to move toward its source.

“Becca, cover me. If things go south, just leave. I’ll figure something out. And please, be careful,” Alex said, cupping Rebecca’s cheeks.

“Don’t worry, my sweet. You know your protective charms are on my ring. These dead ones probably won’t be able to break through. So go ahead, be the handsome prince who saves the friend of this boob… I mean, Shizuka’s friend. And I won’t leave you, you know that,” Rebecca replied, hugging him.

“Still, be careful. And please, don’t go wild with the magic bullets. I don’t want to deal with the aftermath later,” Alex said, leaning in to kiss her.

“As you say. You always ruin everything,” Rebecca smiled, brushing a strand of hair from her face.

“GIR, MIMI, follow me. It’s time to clear these disgusting dead ones,” Alex ordered, releasing Rebecca from his embrace.

GIR and MIMI jumped onto Alex’s shoulders. Opening the weapon compartment, he retrieved a power axe. Armed, Alex charged toward the airport. Leaping over the fence, he quickly made his way to the building, shooting zombies along the way. GIR and MIMI were also busy, shooting the approaching undead.

Reaching the airport wall, Alex smashed through it with a powerful blow, creating a path inside. Looking around, he quickly scanned for landmarks.

“West wing… Where to go?” he asked, looking at GIR.

“That way,” GIR replied, pointing in the direction.

Alex nodded and ran in the indicated direction. The corridors of the airport were also filled with zombies. GIR and MIMI leaped off his shoulders to assist in the battle. Without stopping, they forged ahead, cutting their way through the hordes of the dead.

The closer they got to the west wing, the greater the number of zombies became. Among them, more mutated types began to appear: hunters, fatties, and suicide bombers.

Cutting their path, the team stopped in a long corridor that was literally teeming with zombies. Alex paused, assessing the situation.

“GIR, play the music. Let’s attract these bastards. And keep an eye on our backs. You never know what scum might try to sneak up on us,” he said, tossing his hair back.

GIR turned up the music to full volume, and the powerful rhythm spread throughout the airport. The track “WHOOPS!” by ByAstral quickly grabbed the attention of the zombies. The crowd of undead trying to break into the room where Rika had barricaded herself, as well as those wandering the area, immediately turned toward the source of the sound.

Among the horde, a Charger suddenly emerged — a massive mutated zombie that bulldozed through the others in its path to reach Alex. When it was just a few meters away, Alex, maintaining his calm, kicked it straight in the chest. The blow was so powerful that Alex’s foot pierced through the mutant’s rib cage. The Charger froze, letting out a death rattle before collapsing to the ground.

“Well, time to clean this place of this filth,” Alex said, gripping the handle of his power axe and surveying the crowd of zombies rushing toward him.

The horde of undead charged at Alex and his two loyal robo-dogs, but they were met with an insurmountable obstacle in the form of the Imperium’s power weapons. Alex, GIR, and MIMI moved forward, cutting their way through the dense rows of zombies. With every step, they left behind piles of mutilated bodies.

Alex swung his power axe, smashing zombies that tried to surround him. Those who came at him from the sides were grabbed by his free hand, tossed back into the crowd, turning them into improvised projectiles. GIR and MIMI didn’t lag behind: their weapons were operating at full capacity. One of the hunters tried to attack Alex stealthily, but it was met with a powerful strike from GIR’s power hammer, which turned the mutant’s head into a bloody mush.

But despite the constant attacks, it seemed as though there were more and more zombies. Alex and his companions had made it halfway down the long corridor, leaving a bloody trail in their wake. Behind them, torn bodies piled up, and a river of blood flowed across the floor, following their steps.

Alex, GIR, and MIMI were covered head to toe in zombie blood. With each strike, each step, their bodies became more and more stained in the foul sludge. The music continued to blast, adding to the chaotic atmosphere of the battle.

To be continued…

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep