After successfully striking a deal with Major Kim regarding the resource exchange, Alex entrusted everything to the capable hands of Brunhilde, Yuriko, and Koko. He knew exactly what these three women were capable of.

Before the apocalypse, Yuriko had run numerous companies and felt right at home in a business environment. Koko had made a name for herself in the arms trade, and Brunhilde — a valkyrie with centuries of life experience — had seen more than most could imagine. Alex had no doubt they would handle the negotiations flawlessly.

Deep down, he even felt a little sorry for Major Kim, who now had to deal with three women who could bargain for anything they wanted without ever needing to resort to unreasonable demands.

Meanwhile, Alex decided to take a walk around the port to get a better sense of the place. He leapt up onto a post and perched atop it, watching the sun slowly sink below the horizon. A weight still pressed against his chest — the day had been anything but ordinary.

A battle with a horde of millions of undead and demons, his confession to the girls, the reveal of his true identity as the Demon King, and the reasons behind his presence in this world. He had met people he never expected to see again. But most importantly, he had finally shed the burden of lies he’d been carrying for so long.

“There’s still so much to do in this world,” Alex muttered, lighting a cigarette as he watched the sky glow crimson.

He sighed softly, knowing that their next stop was Vladivostok, followed by Vesker’s Island. His thoughts drifted back to Vesker — that cunning, slippery bastard clearly involved in the apocalypse. Alex was certain that Vesker wasn’t just a pawn; he was playing a much bigger role than he let on.

Alex pondered how to lure out the two main players in this dark game — Davoth and the Minister of Monoliths. He had already faced their underlings, but the two themselves had yet to make an appearance. They clearly knew how to stay hidden.

Alex had his suspicions. Davoth may have simply sent his army while conquering another universe elsewhere. As for the Minister of Monoliths, he was likely concealing his true strength, watching everything unfold while pretending to be mortal. It all made sense. Davoth was planning to return to finish what he started, and the Minister was sitting in the shadows, quietly watching like a chess master, predicting every move.

Alex understood that the Minister didn’t even need to lift a finger — or whatever he had in place of fingers — to destroy this world. All it took was a few shards of the Black Marker, and humanity would do the rest. Davoth, on the other hand, had sent an army — and honestly, that was already more than enough.

But one question remained unanswered: Who helped Davoth get into this world?

Alex was sure the Minister wouldn’t have shared such a juicy opportunity with Davoth. Which meant there was a third party — someone who had opened the door to this nightmare. Or perhaps the Minister was simply using both Davoth and humanity as fuel for his power?

“If you think about it that way, it really does make sense… But who, then, helped Davoth get into this world?” came a familiar voice. Geirölul appeared behind Alex in her spiritual form.

“Who knows. It doesn’t matter anymore. He’s here, and there’s nothing we can do about it. How far he’s gotten or how many he’s already turned to his side — we have no idea. And the Minister doesn’t even need to lift a finger — people will flock to him on their own,” Alex replied lazily, not even turning around.

“Take it seriously, for once. The fate of humanity is on the line,” Geirölul scolded him, slapping him on the head.

“I know,” he sighed heavily. “You think it’s easy for me to watch all of this? So many lives lost… So many souls that won’t be able to reincarnate because of this filth. Maybe after I finish off those two, I’ll be able to free at least some of them. But the stain will still remain. Even if they won’t remember anything — I will. Forever.”

“Alex, we believe in you. All of us. We understand what would’ve happened if you’d acted earlier. Back then, those souls wouldn’t have had even the slightest chance,” Reginleif said gently, appearing beside him. She sat down nearby, opening a book and resting it on her lap.

“Right… The stronger and more arrogant a being is, the more it fears death. Especially those… Nyan-Nyan avatars. They fear the end more than anything. But they don’t understand — the outcome will be the same either way,” Alex said, crushing the cigarette butt in his hand and turning it to ash.

The valkyries couldn’t help but agree with Alex’s words — they understood exactly what he meant. Both remained seated beside him on the lamp post, silently watching as the sun slowly dipped below the horizon. The peaceful moment, bathed in the warm glow of sunset, gave Alex the space to finally ask a question that had long lingered in his mind.

“How do you feel, living in my spiritual world?”

The answer truly surprised him.

“Like home,” Geirölul replied calmly. “We’re used to everything now. Neither the Demon King’s castle nor the Blade of Ruin spinning around your core bothers us anymore.”

Deciding to chat a little more, Alex asked what the valkyries wanted to do once he finally returned to his original world. Geirölul and Reginleif just shrugged — they hadn’t made up their minds yet. The other valkyries, they said, were also thinking about it, but none of them had a clear answer. Only Göndul had spoken clearly: she wanted to have a child with Alex and raise it.

Alex simply gave a crooked smile at that. He wasn’t against children — in fact, he liked the idea of having a family. But he knew all too well the kind of world they lived in. Too many threats, too many enemies, too high a chance that the child would be dragged into yet another war. That’s why, if any of the girls got pregnant, he’d have to leave her in a safe place.

He had even put up a protective barrier around all of Orario the last time he left, just in case something unexpected happened. And still, that wasn’t enough — especially considering Nyan-Nyan might pull another stunt, even with Yog keeping an eye on her. Alex could never be completely sure that chaotic, madwoman wouldn’t ruin all his plans.

“Alex, we’re done! Get down here!” Koko’s voice called out from below.

He lowered his gaze and saw Yuriko, Koko, and Brunhilde standing at the base of the pole. Alex noticed that Koko and Yuriko were looking at the valkyries with curiosity—apparently, the two had allowed themselves to be seen. Geirölul and Reginleif nodded to the girls before dissolving and returning to Alex’s spiritual realm.

He jumped down effortlessly, landing softly beside them.

“Well? Did everything go smoothly? I hope you didn’t strip Major Kim down to his underwear?” he asked with a grin.

“We’re not monsters!” Koko huffed indignantly, proudly slapping her chest. “So what if I used to trade weapons? I always did it honestly!”

Alex laughed and gave her a kiss—a reward for her honesty, even if it had a mischievous undertone.

He immediately asked what they managed to get in exchange for the Kraken meat and what other resources they still needed to build the base in Alaska. Yuriko silently handed him the tablet, letting him review the results of the deal himself. Resource demands had increased—the group had grown, and they now needed even more supplies.

“Maybe you could just create everything else with magic so we don’t have to worry about it?” Koko whispered, lightly tugging on his sleeve.

“Hate to say it, Koko, but even I wouldn’t mind if Alex just magicked everything into existence…” Yuriko said, taking the tablet from his hands. “But that would raise a lot of awkward questions—like where it all came from.”

“What’s the big deal? Magic still feels like something out of a movie or a cartoon to me. And even in those, bricks didn’t just appear out of thin air!” Koko scoffed, throwing her hands up.

“I think there’s a simpler solution,” Brunhilde interjected. “We’re heading to Vladivostok anyway to find Svetlana Belikova and her people. The bunker she’s in is located not far from the city. We could send out raid teams to scout what’s left of Vladivostok. Maybe we’ll find something useful.”

Alex, Yuriko, and Koko nodded in agreement. Since they were heading there anyway, why not try to gather some supplies along the way? Deciding to postpone further discussion until they got back, they headed toward the aircraft carrier where the others were waiting. It would take over ten hours to reach Vladivostok, even at full speed, which meant they’d arrive by morning.

Alex walked beside the girls, listening as Koko animatedly recounted how she had haggled for generators, lowering the price by any means necessary. He chuckled and, unable to resist, gently ruffled her hair. For a fleeting moment, he thought—if Ada were here, she probably would’ve gotten an even better deal… or driven everyone insane.

“Alex, aren’t you forgetting to tell them something?” Brunhilde asked suddenly, walking beside him.

Alex, Yuriko, and Koko all looked at Brunhilde at the same time. He couldn’t understand what he might have forgotten. Running through everything he’d told them so far, Alex tried to reconstruct the timeline of events. He was sure he had shared all the important parts. He even replayed in his mind the entire conversation when he revealed his true identity—nothing seemed missing.

Yuriko and Koko stared at him too, clearly puzzled by Brunhilde’s words. What could Alex have forgotten that prompted her to point it out?

Brunhilde, seeing the confusion on her husband’s face, just sighed. She knew Alex could forget even the most obvious things—not because they weren’t important to him, but because the day had been so eventful that his thoughts were tangled in the whirlwind of it all.

“Namiyo,” she said calmly.

“What about her?” Yuriko asked, confused as to what the shy woman from their strange family had to do with anything Alex might’ve forgotten.

Alex’s eyes widened slightly, and a guilty, tense smile appeared on his face. He had really forgotten. And, ironically, it wasn’t something insignificant—it was possibly one of the most important revelations. After all, it was about Namiyo… and her son.

Takashi, her son—he was a reincarnated person. And he had retained memories from his past life. This all happened because of Alex. No… not just because of him, but because of his decision. He wanted to cheer up Gloria, not let her fall into despair. He promised her he would find her son—well, his reincarnation. And now the truth, which he had kept inside for so long, was finally going to be revealed.

“So, what did you forget?” Koko asked, looking at him intently. “And what does Namiyo have to do with it?”

“It’s… a bit complicated,” Alex answered, nervously scratching the back of his head. “I think when we get back, you’ll understand. It’s going to be… a tough conversation.”

Yuriko and Koko exchanged glances. Seeing the frozen, tense smile on Alex’s face, they realized that it was something serious. But what could be more shocking than everything they already knew? His identity, his origins, his father being the Big Boss, and the invasion of two powerful beings?

They walked in silence, heading back to the aircraft carrier. Alex’s mind was in chaos. He didn’t know how Namiyo would react to the news that her son remembered his past life. He hoped she would take it calmly… but he had doubts. Takashi had become stronger for her. For his mother. And now—the truth. The truth that could no longer be hidden.

When they returned to the bridge, the girls immediately noticed Alex’s odd behavior. He looked tense, as if struggling with inner unease. The others also grew wary—something had clearly happened during the short time they were gone. Or something was about to happen.

Alex stopped and looked at Namiyo. Once again, he couldn’t hold back—a heavy, thoughtful sigh escaped his lips. He mentally cursed himself, noting that he had been sighing too much lately. He wasn’t afraid she wouldn’t forgive him—he knew Namiyo was kind. He feared shattering the fragile peace Takashi had built for her.

But the truth could not be hidden forever.

“What did we miss?” Rei spoke first, noticing that Alex seemed clearly troubled. “You look like you’re carrying a bag of stones on your shoulders.”

“Well…” Alex began, straightening up and pushing aside the troubling thoughts. “I haven’t told you everything. There’s something important.”

“Are you serious?” Revy snorted in surprise. “After everything you’ve already spilled? Who you are, who your dad is, and how this world’s going to hell… You forgot something else?”

“This concerns Namiyo…” Alex said calmly, lowering his eyes. “And… it’s easier to show than explain.”

Namiyo couldn’t understand how this could possibly relate to her. The other girls also looked at her, their expressions slightly puzzled—like her, they couldn’t grasp what was going on. Instead of explaining everything right away, Alex decided to show something that couldn’t just be told.

He walked up to Namiyo, who was sitting in a chair at the table, and the other girls, filled with curiosity, moved closer as well. Alex took out his phone from his pocket, opened the right photo, placed the device on the table, and activated the projection—so everyone could see what he was about to talk about.

As soon as the image appeared in the air, Rebecca immediately understood where this was going. The photo showed Gloria and David—she was standing with a wide, warm smile, hugging a young man about eighteen, who had a slight expression of irritation on his face but also genuine joy.

“Why are you showing us a photo of your Gloria with some guy?” Saya asked suspiciously, eyeing Alex.

“Doesn’t anything about this photo seem… familiar to you?” Alex gently hinted, giving the girls a chance to figure it out on their own.

They all stared at the image again. They already knew about the tragedy Gloria had gone through—how she had lost her son and how her soul had almost shattered from grief until Alex came into her life. The girls closely studied the young man’s face in the photo—and the longer they looked, the more they felt a strange sense of déjà vu. He was from another world, long dead… yet he seemed eerily familiar.

“I get it!” Beatrix suddenly exclaimed, as if solving a complicated riddle.

“No need to yell,” Ada grumbled, covering her ear. “Just tell us what you found.”

“The jacket!” Beatrix said, pointing to the photo. “Gloria’s jacket! Doesn’t it seem familiar to you?”

“Isn’t that the same jacket Takashi always wears?” Rei remembered in surprise. “He even wore it over his combat suit.”

“Exactly,” Saya confirmed, nodding. “He’s always in it.”

“Alex, maybe you should explain what’s going on?” Kiriko asked, frowning.

“Take another look. This guy in the photo… doesn’t he remind you of anyone?” Alex pointed to David.

The girls looked at the young man’s face in the photo once again. With each passing second, he seemed more familiar. But Namiyo reacted the most. Her eyes began to tremble with emotion, her breathing quickened. Her heart raced faster when she realized that the face in the photo was nearly a perfect match for Takashi’s. The same face shape, the same eyes, the same expression when he was annoyed… it was like she was looking at her son, only from a different era.

“Alex… what’s going on?” she asked in a trembling voice. “Why does Gloria’s son… look exactly like my Takashi?”

Alex approached Namiyo, gently took her hand, and looked into her eyes. After Namiyo’s words, the other girls began to notice the similar features between Gloria’s son and Takashi. The longer they stared at the young man’s face in the photo, the stronger the feeling grew that this was Takashi—just in another life.

“In the photo, next to Gloria,” Alex began, letting out a heavy sigh, “is her son. His name was David Martinez. As I mentioned earlier, he died as an innocent victim in a gang shootout. Gloria suffered for a long time because of this loss…”

“But that still doesn’t explain why he looks so much like Namiyo’s son,” Ada pointed out, carefully listening to his words. “Or is there something deeper behind this?”

Alex nodded.

“You’re right. It turned out to be much deeper and more complicated. When I started a relationship with Gloria, it was unbearable for me to see her suffer every day from the pain and guilt of not being able to even say goodbye to her son. I wanted to fulfill her deepest wish, but in her world, I didn’t have that kind of power…”

He squeezed Namiyo’s hand tighter.

“That’s why I decided to do the impossible. To go back in time… and enter the place where souls go after death.”

“Wait… back in time? And you ended up… where? Heaven?” Rika asked, stunned by what she was hearing.

“Why didn’t you just resurrect him? Or save him that day?” Shizuka asked, bewildered.

Alex smiled faintly, his expression tinged with sadness.

“Shizuka, my love, time isn’t so simple. If it were possible, I would have done it immediately. But even I have to consider certain factors to make sure everything doesn’t fall apart. I went to Limbo—a transitional space where souls exist between lives. There, I met David. I only wanted one thing: for him to be able to say goodbye to his mother…”

He lowered his gaze, his voice growing softer.

“But my selfish actions didn’t end there. In order for him to do that, I had to return his memories, which had already started to fade. That caused consequences. I took part of his soul… and created a device that could track his reincarnation. I placed it in MIMI—and over time, it worked.”

A silence followed.

“You’re saying…” Yuriko spoke slowly, “that Takashi is the reincarnation of David?”

“Exactly. Takashi is David, and David is Takashi,” Alex confirmed, nodding.

“Does he know about it?” Saeko asked, narrowing her eyes.

Alex nodded again and began to tell them about his conversation with Takashi when he found out the truth. Namiyo was initially frightened—the fear of losing her son again gripped her—but Alex immediately reassured her: Takashi still considered her his mother, and it was for her that he began training, striving to become stronger.

“He loves you. And he will always consider you his family,” Alex said gently.

Namiyo let out a relieved sigh, unintentionally tightening her grip on Alex’s hand. Her heart, once full of anxiety, finally began to calm down a little. He also explained to the girls that Takashi’s rough and distant behavior was due to the fragments of David’s memories still lingering in his soul. This weighed heavily on him, making it difficult for him to live—hence the constant depression and irritability.

All the girls fell silent, turning their gazes toward Namiyo. This was especially about her. Alex watched her reaction carefully, concerned about how she would take everything.

“Well, if you think about it positively…” Cammy suddenly spoke up, “Takashi now has two moms. Any guy would be happy about that.”

“Yeah, twice the care and twice the questions about when he’s finally going to get a girlfriend,” Chun-Li grinned, supporting the joke.

“And if we take it further…” Shizuka said thoughtfully, tapping her finger on her chin, “If Namiyo is Alex’s future wife, and we’re all his future wives too, then, technically, we’re all a little… like stepmothers to Takashi?”

“Who would even want to be the mother of that idiot…” Rei snapped, glaring irritably at Shizuka.

Alex and the girls couldn’t help but smile at this turn of events. Even Namiyo, who was still confused after hearing the truth, couldn’t hold back a slight smile. From Alex’s stories, she already knew what kind of woman Gloria had been—kind, caring, and gentle. In some ways, they were indeed alike. And even if Gloria had been Takashi’s mother in a past life, and she was in the present, it didn’t change anything. Since both of them loved the same man—Alex—they were part of one big family. Most importantly, Namiyo understood: no matter who Takashi had been in the past, he would always be her son.

“Can I talk to him?” she quietly asked, gently squeezing Alex’s hand and looking into his eyes.

“Of course,” Alex replied softly. “He needs to know that you’re aware. I’m sure it was hard for him to keep this from you.”

Alex turned toward the ceiling and said a little louder:

“GIR, MIMI, Stitch! Bring Takashi. His mom wants to talk to him.”

As soon as he spoke these words, the trio flew out of the workshop: GIR, MIMI, and Stitch. They saluted… and disappeared so quickly that no one really had time to grasp what had just happened. All the others could do was watch them rush out, carry out the command, and vanish out of sight.

“Alex, you said ‘bring’ again, not ‘lead,'” Brunhilda noted, looking at him with an empty yet expressive gaze.

“Don’t worry, they’ll manage,” Alex waved her off. “Now, Namiyo, I need your help.”

“Help?” she asked, a little confused.

“A small family performance,” Alex said with a mysterious smile. “Just play along with me, you’ll understand everything.”

Namiyo nodded, though she didn’t fully understand what Alex was planning. Meanwhile, Rebecca, smirking, began pulling snacks out of her inventory. Seeing this, the other girls realized something interesting was about to happen. They took their seats, eagerly watching every movement. It seemed like a little show was about to unfold, and they clearly weren’t planning to miss it.

Alex ran a hand through his hair, slicking it back to look more serious, like a father at a serious family council. At that moment, GIR, MIMI, and Stitch returned—not just dragging Takashi in, but literally dragging him… tied to a pole, like a ritual sacrifice. Just in case, they had even stuffed a rag in his mouth.

As soon as the girls saw this spectacle, they couldn’t hold it in—laughter erupted through the room. The trio carefully “laid” Takashi on the floor and immediately untied him.

“I told you not to do that!” Takashi snapped, pulling the rag out of his mouth.

“Takashi, son, sit down. Your mom and I need to have a serious talk with you,” Alex said, trying hard not to grin.

Takashi looked at him suspiciously, then glanced at his mom. Namiyo’s expression was too complicated to understand right away. The girls watched Takashi intently—now, knowing the truth, the resemblance to David became even more apparent.

Alex gestured again for him to sit at the table.

“Sit down, don’t be afraid,” he said calmly.

Takashi sat down, still confused. He looked at Alex and Namiyo, not understanding what was going on.

“Takashi, son,” Alex began with a serious expression. “Your mom and I have been thinking… and we’ve come to the conclusion that it’s time for you to start your adult life. It’s time to leave the nest, start your own family, have kids… so your mom and I can spoil our grandchildren. We’ve talked it over, and she fully agrees. So… it’s time for you to move out.”

A pause hung in the air.

“What…? Sorry, what…?” Takashi asked, looking at him as though the world had gone mad.

The girls couldn’t hold back their laughter any longer—and they burst out laughing loudly. Alex’s face twitched with tension, as he struggled not to laugh along with them. Even Namiyo was having a hard time holding it in, as everything happening around her felt more like a scene from a comedy play, where she suddenly found herself as the main character. The girls’ laughter only made poor Takashi more confused.

“I’m telling you, son, it’s time to move out,” Alex repeated with a kind, almost fatherly smile.

“And where do you expect me to go? We’re on a damn military ship! Where do you want me to live? In a cabin with seagulls?” Takashi asked irritably, losing patience.

“Sweetie, don’t curse in front of your father,” Namiyo interjected, deciding to play along with Alex’s game. “He’s telling the truth. It’s time for you to start your own family.”

“Mom, you too?! What’s going on? Why are we suddenly talking about me moving out?!” Takashi asked in bewilderment, looking from his mom to Alex.

Alex couldn’t take it anymore—he burst out laughing, not even trying to hide it. Takashi’s face twitched with frustration. Even Namiyo laughed, covering her mouth with her hand to avoid hurting her son too much. The girls were rolling on the floor, laughing and commenting on the scene as though they were at a theater, watching the best family comedy of the year.

Takashi felt his irritation growing. They had dragged him out of Yuki’s arms—right in front of her eyes!—stuffed a rag in his mouth, and dragged him in like a sacrifice on a pole… And now his stepfather and mother suddenly declared that he had to “leave the nest” and have children!

“Maybe you could explain what all this is about? Why did you kidnap me again? And please, don’t say it’s for this ridiculous act,” Takashi exhaled, holding back his anger.

“Alright, enough with the jokes,” Alex changed his tone. “I think it’s time for you to talk to your… current mom. David,” he said, nodding toward Namiyo.

“Wait… You told her everything? Everything, everything?” Takashi asked, his eyes widening in shock.

Alex silently nodded. Takashi turned his gaze to his mom, and she also quietly nodded, confirming what he had heard. He didn’t know where to look. He had kept the truth from her for so long… And now—she knew everything. But there was no judgment or anger in her gaze.

Alex nodded toward the workshop.

“Go, talk privately.”

Namiyo gently kissed Alex on the cheek, took Takashi’s hand, and led her stunned son away. As soon as they disappeared inside, Red, White, and Wolf came out to avoid interrupting. The other girls groaned in disappointment, unhappy that they had missed the “main moment” of the family drama.

“Buzzkill!” Rebecca threw her arms across her chest. “This is better than any melodrama I’ve ever seen!”

“Yeah, where else would you see a guy admit to his family that he’s been reincarnated?” Koko snorted, gesturing angrily.

“In any isekai manga,” Alex replied dryly, pulling Chun-Li into his lap and wrapping his arm around her waist.

“Well, that’s different. Manga is fiction, but here it’s real,” Koko pouted.

“Judging by recent events, there’s no fiction here,” Ada drawled lazily. “Alex himself said such worlds exist.”

“Exactly!” Koko exclaimed, surprisingly agreeing. “I’m still getting used to the idea that my future husband is not only strong, but can also travel across worlds.”

Alex smiled and shook his head. He looked at Chun-Li, sitting on his lap, tightly wrapping her hips around his waist with a playful smirk on her face. Smiling, he laid his head on her chest and took a deep breath, trying to remember if he had forgotten anything to tell her. Well, if he had, he would tell her later.

Chun-Li laughed when she felt Alex’s breath against her chest, causing a ticklish sensation. She hugged him tighter and pressed her cheek to the top of his head.

Ahead lay Vladivostok. And new encounters.

To be continued…

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Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep