The Daily Life of the Demon King

Rika finished her phone call with Alex and leaned heavily against the cold wall. Her breathing was uneven, and her thoughts raced. She hadn't expected the zombie horde to appear so suddenly, overwhelming them like an unstoppable wave and leaving no time to prepare. Everything had happened too fast. The only thing they could do was fight back and retreat, desperately seeking any sort of shelter. But the zombies had flooded the entire airport, cutting off all escape routes. The only safe spot left was the western wing, where they had barricaded themselves.

However, calling it "safe" was a stretch. Rika knew, just like everyone else, that this was the end. There was nowhere left to retreat, no way out, and breaking through the massive horde of zombies was impossible. Trapped in the room, they were like prey cornered and doomed to become food for the undead.

Rika lifted her gaze to the door, where the deafening pounding and the howling of the zombie crowd could already be heard. They were clawing at the metal, trying to break through the barricade. She watched as her people desperately reinforced the doors, fully aware that it was only a temporary measure.

Her eyes fell on the phone she had just used to call Alex. The thought of saying goodbye to Shizuka and Alex crossed her mind, but it seemed like there wouldn't be a chance for that now. Despite Alex's promise to save her, she couldn't believe he'd be able to fight his way through such a horde. It was simply impossible.

"Well, are you just going to sit there? Or have you already given up, Rika Minami?" came Koko's sharp voice. She stood nearby, arms crossed, glaring at Rika.

"And what else am I supposed to do?" Rika replied wearily, lifting her eyes to Koko. "We're cut off. In case you didn't notice, Koko Hekmatyar, there's no way out of this room. We're low on ammo, there's a mob of zombies outside, and you think I'm some kind of magician who can summon a magical pony to save us all? Maybe you've got some explosives stashed away? Just because you deal in weapons doesn't mean you can pull whatever you want out of thin air"

"Then call your 'secret admirer,'" Koko retorted sarcastically, raising an eyebrow. "Maybe he's got something that can help. If he's been feeding you intel, he can figure out how to get us out of this mess."

"Alex can't handle that horde. Gathering information is one thing; breaking through a crowd of the undead is entirely different," Rika said, shaking her head in exhaustion.

"Damn it! I never thought I'd die in a place like this," Koko muttered, clutching her head.

Rika watched her silently, feeling despair tighten its grip on her as well. Despite Alex's promise, she couldn't believe he would undertake a suicidal mission just to save them.

Meanwhile, Koko paced the room, frantically trying to come up with some kind of plan. She nervously bit her nail, but the more she thought, the more hopeless the situation seemed. The only idea she could think of was the plane. If they could just reach it, they might stand a chance. But the western wing was cut off, and the airport was crawling with the undead.

"Damn it all! Why does everything have to be so complicated?! We were so close to getting out of Japan! Couldn't these damn zombies have shown up a few hours later?!" Koko burst out, clenching her fists in frustration.

Her bodyguards watched her outburst in silence. They knew shouting was pointless, but they couldn't blame her for it. The tension was unbearable. Valmet stepped forward to try to calm Koko down, but her efforts only worked briefly.

Koko began scanning her team. Ammunition was running low, and explosives were in even shorter supply. She frantically tried to come up with a plan, but her mind was blank.

"It's been a pleasure working with you all," came Lehm's unexpectedly calm voice. He lit a cigarette and looked around at the others. His face remained unreadable, and the faint smile on his lips only added to the absurdity of the situation.

"I agree. This adventure was terrible, but I'm glad I was here with all of you," R added with a smirk, sitting on a table and glancing at the barricades with a resigned expression.

Silence fell once more in the room, broken only by the relentless pounding and scraping at the doors. No one knew how much time they had left.

Koko's men decided to say their final goodbyes before the zombie horde inevitably broke through. Meanwhile, the officers under Rika's command were still fortifying the barricades, using anything they could find to strengthen the doors and hold back the onslaught. But it was clear to everyone: this was merely delaying the inevitable. The barricades wouldn't hold forever, and the undead would eventually breach their last refuge.

Exhausted and out of options, the officers sank to the floor, staring despondently at their doomed sanctuary. Time dragged on painfully slowly, like stretched rubber, as the dull thudding on the doors grew louder and stronger. It felt as though the undead could burst through at any moment.

Suddenly, a powerful explosion echoed from somewhere outside the airport. The unexpected sound made everyone freeze and listen intently.

"What just blew up? That better not be my plane!" Koko snapped, her head jerking up.

"All you care about is your plane," Rika replied with a touch of weariness, her ears straining to catch any further sounds.

"No, it's not our plane," Wiley said thoughtfully, adjusting his glasses. "Judging by the sound, the explosion happened far enough away, but close enough to attract the zombies' attention."

All eyes turned to Wiley. As their resident explosives expert, his opinion carried significant weight in moments like this. Noticing the sudden attention, Wiley cleared his throat awkwardly.

"What do you mean?" Koko asked, trying to analyze the situation.

"That explosion could've been deliberate, a way to draw the zombies away from the streets. Or it might've been an accident. It's hard to tell exactly what caused it—the blast was too far away," Wiley explained, shaking his head slightly.

Koko nodded thoughtfully, but her gaze shifted to Rika. The woman's face held a flicker of surprise, as if a realization had just struck her. A thought crossed Rika's mind: Could it be Alex? Could he have actually gone through with such a reckless plan to save her? But logic quickly quashed the fleeting hope.

"Maybe your secret admirer came to the rescue?" Koko teased with a sly smile, narrowing her eyes.

"Don't be ridiculous, Hekmatyar," Rika snapped back coolly. "Who in their right mind would venture into a place like this, crawling with undead? That's a death wish for a lunatic."

Koko sighed heavily, knowing Rika was right. Only a complete madman would attempt to save someone in such a perilous situation.

Suddenly, faint gunshots echoed from outside, cutting through the tension in the room. Silence fell once more, this time laced with unease and confusion. Koko and Rika exchanged glances, their faces etched with surprise. Even the others couldn't hide their astonishment—someone was actually shooting outside.

Rika hesitated, considering the possibility that it might be one of her officers who had survived. But she quickly dismissed the idea as unlikely.

"Well, maybe your admirer really is insane," Koko said skeptically, still unconvinced.

"Koko, it's more likely to be one of the surviving officers. I doubt someone like him would risk coming here," Valmet countered calmly, shaking her head.

Nevertheless, a strange feeling of anxiety and hope crept into Rika's heart. What if it's actually Alex? the thought flashed through her mind, but she quickly tried to push it away.

The sound of gunshots grew louder and clearer, and then, unexpectedly, they stopped. This brought mixed emotions to the survivors: hope that someone out there was fighting for their rescue, and fear that this person might have fallen victim to the horde. Rika clenched her fists, silently staring at the floor. Her mind was battling conflicting thoughts. On one hand, she hoped for a rescue, but on the other, she didn't want Alex to put himself in mortal danger for her sake.

An intense silence hung in the air. Koko leaned back in her chair, exhausted, realizing they had little to no chance of escaping.

"It seems like this is it," she muttered to herself, but loud enough for everyone to hear.

But suddenly, a strange sound emerged in the distance. It was barely audible over the heavy thuds of the zombies banging against the doors, but something about it felt wrong.

"Am I hearing things, or have I started hallucinating?" R asked, nervously rubbing her ears.

Everyone froze, straining to listen. Lutz, the sniper from Koko's team, cautiously approached the door, trying to make sense of what was happening on the other side. Through the chaotic noise of pounding and scraping, a pattern began to emerge... music?

"It... it's music," Lutz finally said, turning to the others. His face was filled with genuine confusion. "It's coming from the end of the corridor."

These words made everyone tense up. Some, overcoming their fear, moved closer to the door to confirm it for themselves. Gradually, the sound grew louder, cutting through the sounds of struggle and tearing flesh. Koko exchanged a glance with Rika, but Rika just shrugged, signaling that she had no idea what was going on.

"A secret admirer?" Koko suggested, narrowing her eyes. "Or maybe a new type of zombie carrying a speaker?"

"Both options sound absurd," Rika replied irritably, brushing it off.

Meanwhile, at the other end of the corridor, Alex, G.I.R., and MIMI were cutting their way through the horde of the undead. The corridor was so densely packed that it felt like rush hour on the subway. G.I.R. casually tossed zombies aside, while MIMI methodically carved her way through the crowd, leaving a bloody trail behind her. Alex, covered head to toe in zombie blood, merely smirked, wiping his face with his sleeve.

"Just a little bit more, guys," he said, glancing at G.I.R. and MIMI, who were both drenched in blood but still fully battle-ready.

After a few tense minutes, they finally reached the door. Alex surveyed it: despite numerous dents, the door was still holding up.

"Zombieland Corporation. We have a delivery for Rika Minami. Please sign for the package," he said, tapping on the door with a light smile on his face.

On the other side, surprised and skeptical voices rang out.

Rika, standing on the other side of the door, heard the familiar voice and the mention of the corporation, which sparked a burst of joy inside her. A wide smile spread across her face, and at that moment, everyone around her stared at the door in stunned silence. They couldn't believe that someone had actually risked breaking through a massive horde of zombies to save them. Although, to be fair, everyone knew that this person had come for Rika, not for them.

Unintentionally, the men in the room began to feel irritation, as Rika's "mysterious admirer" turned out to be so insane that he had risked his life for her. Without hesitation, Rika rushed to the barricade, eagerly starting to dismantle it in order to open the door. The others, realizing what she was planning, reluctantly joined in, removing the improvised reinforcements.

When the last object was moved, Rika eagerly threw open the door, but immediately froze in place. Standing before her was a tall guy, covered in blood from head to toe, holding a massive axe in one hand.

"Yo, Rika. Didn't expect me to actually show up, huh?" Alex grinned and waved at her as though this was just another ordinary day.

Rika opened her mouth but couldn't utter a word. The people around her stepped back cautiously, instinctively recoiling from the terrifying sight. His blood-soaked body and carefree smile were, to put it mildly, unsettling.

One of the officers peeked behind Alex and immediately recoiled when he saw the bloody carnage in the corridor.

"God damn..." he muttered, unable to tear his gaze away from the horrific scene.

Everyone in the room now stared not only at Alex but also at the corridor behind him. Completely clogged with zombie bodies, it had turned into a true bloodbath. The red liquid had soaked everything so thoroughly that it looked as though a river of blood had formed there.

But Alex seemed oblivious to the shock around him, looking only at Rika, his expression relaxed, as if he were just here for a casual friendly visit.

"Well, how much longer am I going to stand here? Not even offering me tea?" Alex smirked, his smile never fading. "By the way, I came here to rescue you."

Rika, still in mild shock, mechanically nodded and stepped back, letting him in. Behind Alex, G.I.R. and MIMI—two strange robot-like creatures—entered, both completely covered in blood and carrying unusual weapons.

Once all the doors were closed again and the barricade raised just in case, the officers continued to eye Alex and his "companions" with clear disbelief and amazement. A man named Toji, one of Koko's people, recognized the weapons Alex and his robotic dogs were carrying as high-tech designs. His eyes widened in shock, and his mouth involuntarily dropped open.

Koko, on the other hand, was intrigued. She watched Alex with clear interest, impressed by his determination, fearlessness, and incredible madness. But under the thick layer of blood, it was hard to tell what he looked like. The only thing that stood out were his rainbow-colored eyes, black hair, and a pair of hanafuda earrings.

"Hey, does anyone have water or at least a rag?" Alex asked, pointing at his face. "I'm covered in zombie blood, and washing up wouldn't hurt."

"Oh, right! Of course, just a second," Rika finally snapped out of it and quickly handed him a towel and a bottle of water.

Alex nodded, taking her gesture as a matter of course, and began to wash off the blood while everyone else continued to watch his actions in stunned silence.

Having received everything he needed, Alex soaked the towel in water and began carefully wiping his face, ignoring the surprised looks from those around him. His only concern was getting rid of the sticky zombie blood before it dried and turned into a dirty crust. As he wiped his face and then his hands, he checked every detail to make sure he hadn't missed anything. Once finished, Alex ran his hand over his cheek, making sure his skin was clean.

When his face was finally visible, everyone present couldn't hide their astonishment. Alex looked incredibly young. By their estimate, he could barely be eighteen. It was hard to grasp, especially considering his actions—breaking through a giant horde of zombies and coming out unscathed.

Rika, studying Alex's face closely, felt the corners of her lips twitch into a smile. At that moment, she realized that Shizuki really did have good taste in men.

"Well, now, hello," Alex said with a light smile, turning toward Rika. "Didn't expect me, huh? I came to save you."

Rika sighed, shaking her head.

"Heh, didn't expect that. Who would've thought you'd be crazy enough to come here?"

Alex noticed Rika's worries starting to fade and decided to scan the room to see how many people had survived. His gaze moved over the faces until it landed on something that made him freeze. Among all the people present, there she was—Koko Hekmatyar.

Alex's eyes widened in surprise, but he quickly composed himself. He couldn't believe he had met her in this world. It seemed impossible, yet it confirmed his suspicions: this world was a mix of different stories. The discovery of demon slayer blades from another world had already made him think, and now he understood—he might very well meet others from different universes in the future.

However, this revelation brought not only excitement but also unease. If there were positive characters in this world, then surely there were villains hiding somewhere, ready to join the corporation and become puppets of the Nyanko Avatar.

Koko noticed Alex's intense gaze, and a sly smile spread across her face. She stood up from her seat and walked toward him.

Valmet immediately noticed her movements and followed, wary that this strange young man might pose a threat. Rika, on the other hand, furrowed her brows, not understanding why Koko had decided to approach Alex. Even the men in Koko's entourage watched their leader with confusion.

"So, you're the secret admirer of Rika?" Koko asked, stopping in front of Alex. "Didn't expect you to be so young."

Alex, still in mild shock, looked into her blue eyes. His thoughts were racing. Meeting Koko was disorienting, but he quickly began analyzing the situation.

If Koko's here, it's possible that other characters from different universes exist in this world too, he thought.

His musings were interrupted by Rika's voice:

"Are you two going to keep staring at each other?" She crossed her arms, narrowing her eyes.

Alex quickly averted his gaze and awkwardly cleared his throat. Of course, he couldn't admit that Koko was one of the girls he had liked in the past—along with Shinobu from the demon slayer world. But his internal monologue was interrupted by mocking voices in his mind. The Valkyries, observing the situation, giggled and teased him.

"Ahem, sorry about that," Alex said, trying to regain his composure. "Allow me to introduce myself properly. My name is..."

"Alexander Voldigoad!"—Toji suddenly blurted out, his eyes wide open.

Alex's eye twitched involuntarily when another person recognized him. Everyone in the room turned their gaze to Toji, who had spoken the name. Curiosity mounted: had he really seen Alex before, or was it a coincidence? Realizing his mistake, Toji quickly looked away, awkwardly clearing his throat. Even his colleagues watched him with some confusion. Koko, on the other hand, became intrigued by this unexpected turn of events.

"Do we know each other?" Alex raised an eyebrow, feigning indifference.

"Sorry," Toji began, a bit embarrassed. "You just look exactly like a character from my favorite manga. Really, it's like... one hundred percent the same."

Skeptical glances shifted between Alex and Toji, whose face turned red. To defend himself, Toji pulled out a manga volume from under his bulletproof vest and opened it to the first, full-color page.

"Here, look!" he said, holding the book out.

The crowd leaned in with interest, peering over each other's shoulders. As they compared the character's image with Alex, they started exchanging surprised looks. Alex's face remained impassive, as if the whole situation had nothing to do with him.

Rika observed him carefully and quickly realized that this probably wasn't the first time something like this had happened. She recalled how Shizuka had spoken of her rescuer—Alex clearly left a lasting impression in any situation.

"You're right," Koko chimed in, her eyes sparkling with excitement. "This is incredible! They look exactly the same: eyes, hair, facial features... Like the character jumped right off the pages."

"Yes, my name really is that," Alex replied dryly, pulling his gaze away from the manga. "But, sorry to disappoint you, I'm not a demon king, and I'm definitely not a manga character. Just because zombies showed up doesn't mean comic book heroes will. So, let's forget about that, alright?"

Toji hastily shoved the manga back under his vest but still looked at Alex as if he had met his idol. Alex, ignoring the stares, sat down in a chair to collect his thoughts. Rika followed his lead and sat next to him to give him some personal space.

Meanwhile, G.I.R. and M.I.M.I., two strange creatures, jumped onto the table and settled in. The crowd's attention immediately shifted to them—two mysterious robots covered in dried zombie blood.

"Who are these two?" Koko asked, leaning in closer to examine them.

"Intelligent combat robots and my assistants," Alex explained lazily, not even looking up.

His words stirred mixed feelings among those present. Everyone silently watched the robots, which looked like they came from a foreign, distant future. Alex glanced at G.I.R. and M.I.M.I., briefly wondering why they hadn't yet cleaned off the blood. Maybe it was their unique way of presenting themselves? As if they were showing that they had "baptized themselves in the blood of heretics."

"Isn't it hard to clean them off after so much blood?" Lem cautiously asked, stepping a bit closer.

"They have a self-cleaning function," Alex replied lazily, nodding toward the two robo-dogs.

As if on cue, G.I.R. and M.I.M.I. started shaking violently, splattering zombie blood in every direction. Their cleaning mechanisms quickly worked, and soon both robots stood before the others in their original form. Everyone could finally see them properly. G.I.R. and M.I.M.I. looked surprisingly harmless for combat robots, and this contrast evoked mixed feelings among the onlookers.

Ignoring the curious glances, Alex slowly pulled out a cigarette, lit it, and took a deep drag, carefully thinking about how to get everyone out of there without putting them in unnecessary danger.

"Handsome, I don't want to interrupt your brilliant plans, but it looks like you've got another problem. And it's a big one. Not counting those strange guys we saw on the roof near the bank," Rebecca's voice came through the communicator.

Alex's eye twitched from the surprise, but he quickly regained his composure. Those "strange guys" had probably realized that the explosion distracted the zombies and had directed them back toward the airport.

"Did something happen?" Rika asked cautiously, noticing his expression.

"The zombies I led away have come back. That means the way I came here is useless now," Alex answered calmly, exhaling smoke through his nose.

"Maybe you can just do that trick you used to get here? Cut a path through all these hordes?" R suggested, looking at Alex with hope.

Alex gave him an assessing look.

"I can," he said, "but how many of you will survive while we move forward? Yeah, you're all tough and armed, but your ammo isn't endless."

His words immediately made everyone realize that he wasn't going to guarantee their safety if he chose that route. Alex stood up from the chair and began walking slowly around the room, inspecting the walls and ceiling, trying to find another exit.

"How far is your arsenal? How much ammo and gear do you have?" he finally asked, stopping by one of the walls.

"Why do you need to know?" Lem frowned, eyeing him suspiciously.

Alex rolled his eyes.

"Just answer. We don't have time for dumb questions."

"The arsenal's that way," Rika answered, pointing in the direction of the wall. "But getting to it isn't easy. We'll have to take quite a detour."

Alex nodded and told everyone to hurry up with checking their gear and ammo. The officers looked at Rika, waiting for confirmation, and upon receiving her nod, began the inventory check.

Noticing what was happening, Koko also gave the order to her people. While everyone was busy, Alex carefully examined each person, checking for injuries or signs of infection. Once he was sure everyone was healthy, he relaxed slightly.

Koko was the first to finish.

"My people have only a few magazines left for their rifles and pistols, plus a couple of grenades," she reported.

Rika added,

"We're about the same."

Alex silently listened to their reports, considering what he had heard.

"Alright. Rest up, gather your strength. We'll be heading out soon," he finally said, grabbing his power axe.

"And what do you have in mind?" Koko asked, stepping closer to him.

"We're going straight to the arsenal," Alex replied sharply, slinging the axe over his shoulder.

"Straight? How? Are you planning to go through the walls or something?" she asked, confused.

"That's exactly it," he said seriously, nodding. "Get ready. We'll leave in a minute."

Everyone present looked at Alex in confusion. They couldn't understand what he meant when he said he was going to go through the walls. Did he really have some device that could handle such a task? Or was he planning to do it manually?

"Are you seriously going to chop through the walls with an axe?" Valmet asked sarcastically, throwing Alex a skeptical look.

Alex answered her with a friendly smile.

"You'll find out soon enough. For now, be a good girl and get ready."

"What did you just call me?!" Valmet snapped, her hand instinctively reaching for her weapon.

The guys in Koko's group immediately gave Alex thumbs up for his bold joke, while Koko managed to grab Valmet's arm just in time to prevent her from attacking him. Alex, noticing her indignation, just smirked, which only made her more upset.

For Alex, it was just his usual way of teasing someone, but he hadn't expected Valmet to react so dramatically. Shrugging, he turned away and whistled, catching the attention of his robo-dogs. G.I.R. and M.I.M.I. simultaneously turned their heads toward their master, awaiting orders. Alex gestured at the weapons, then at the wall. Without any further questions, both robots jumped off the table, picking up their power tools.

"Are you kidding me?" Valmet grumbled, still glaring at Alex, but Koko held her back until she calmed down.

Seeing that this was the right moment to finally throw her off balance, Alex formed a heart shape with his fingers and aimed it at her.

Valmet was taken aback. Even the others, watching the scene unfold, couldn't hide their surprise. Koko, seeing Valmet's expression, burst out laughing.

Alex, ignoring the overall reaction, took a step forward and addressed everyone:

"Alright, my dear survivors. Quick briefing for everyone. Our path leads straight to the arsenal. No slowing down. If you see a familiar face that used to be a comrade, but now it's a corpse, don't hesitate. They're no longer your friends, just hungry beasts. Anyone who stops? They're dead. Keep your eyes open and stay close to me. Got it?"

"Wait, are you seriously planning to break through the walls all the way to the arsenal?" Rika asked, still not believing what she'd heard.

"Exactly that, my dear Rika," Alex confirmed with a slight smile. Then he turned to Koko: "Koko-chin, maybe you should change into something more comfortable? Or should I carry you?"

Koko, narrowing her eyes slightly, replied challengingly,

"Oh, sorry, I think I left my comfortable shoes in another bag. Maybe you'll carry me instead?"

Ignoring the sarcasm, Alex calmly nodded,

"Alright, hop on. Just hold on tight."

This time, Koko was slightly caught off guard, but quickly regained her composure, approached him, and climbed onto his back.

"Koko, you can't!" Valmet exclaimed, trying to stop her. "He's covered in zombie blood! You'll get dirty, and if he starts breaking through walls, you could get hurt!"

"It's fine, Valmet," Koko waved her off. "I can change clothes or take a shower, can't I? You all need to be ready when it's time to move. Alex has already proven he can handle it."

Alex adjusted her on his back, making sure she was holding on securely. He even adjusted her legs to prevent any accidental injury when breaking through walls. His thoughts wandered briefly to how Koko smelled nice, despite the situation.

Turning to the rest of the group, he checked their readiness. His gaze lingered on Rika, who was looking at him with a hint of jealousy, her eyes slightly narrowed. Koko, noticing this, shot her a challenging glance, as if inviting her to a hidden duel.

The men in the group only sighed heavily, realizing that Koko and Rika had already clashed several times over the past few days. Only Alex seemed unaware of the tension between them.

To be continued...