Alex stood next to Koko, Revy, and Nobuna, still ughing at the reactions from Svetna's squad. Even Svetna herself looked like she had just witnessed something beyond comprehension. What made it even funnier was how they all collectively decided to just… forget what they saw. To pretend nothing had happened — no fire breath, no giant beast sliced in half.

  As if it had all been a mass delusion, a hallucination brought on by stress and exhaustion. They had simply walked back to the hangar in silence — and Alex and the girls couldn't stop ughing for quite a while.

  But the cheerful mood shifted to quiet reflection as Alex's gaze wandered back to where the mutated corpse of the Tyrant had recently in. Now he understood why he had felt an odd sense of unease from both Tyrants earlier. The mutations under the Marker's influence had gone far beyond anything familiar.

  Instead of the usual deformations that turned bodies into clumsy piles of muscle, this new stage of evolution caused Tyrants to… absorb other bodies, weaving them into their own flesh, growing in size and turning into grotesque colossi. Alex remembered necromorphs from another world, transforming into abominations made of hundreds of interwoven bodies. A horrifying sight — but painfully familiar.

  Suddenly, the distant hum of an engine broke his thoughts. He turned toward the sound with the others. Rika and Rebecca were approaching on a motorcycle. As soon as they arrived, Koko excitedly recounted everything that had just happened. Rika and Rebecca joined in the ughter, amused by the absurd reactions of Svetna's squad.

  While the others chatted, Alex drifted back into his thoughts. One question kept gnawing at him: what had the capital of the Svic Empire become? Svetna had briefly mentioned that it had fallen — overrun by the Horde led by Sergei. But what was it now? Just a city of the dead? Or… something far worse?

  The others could only offer a general picture, and orbital scans didn't reveal the full truth. Alex began considering the use of magic — carefully, subtly, so that no one would notice. Especially not Nobuna. Since they weren't exactly close yet, she didn't need to know the full extent of his powers. At least, not for now.

  Waiting for the right moment, as the girls got caught up in conversation, Alex closed one eye and whispered the threads of a spell. First — a concealment charm, to hide any traces of magic. Then — a tracking spell, enhanced with supporting enchantments. The image formed almost instantly — the capital revealed from a bird's-eye view.

  And what he saw… made him frown.

  He had expected ruins teeming with the undead. But the reality was far more terrifying.

  Massive tendrils made of interwoven bodies stretched across the city — pulsing, alive. Thick fluid flowed through them, like blood in veins. All of them converged at a single point — the very center of the capital.

  Alex slowly shifted his focus. The center. The square. And there…

  There stood a Red Marker. But not an ordinary one — this one was dozens of times rger than the others. Right in the middle of the city, like a nail driven into the Empire's heart.

  Its shape was different. More… refined. The structure was unique. As if someone had put far more into it than just technological knowledge.

  "So that's how it is…" Alex muttered, staring at the monolith.

  And then he noticed the details. Strange lines, inys different from the usual red material of the Markers. He knew that pattern. He felt that energy.

  Fragments of the Bck Marker…

  "Incredible… They used fragments of the Bck Marker to create this one," Alex whispered. "But why here…? Why now?"

  Ideas began forming in his mind. But before he could speak them aloud, a voice echoed in his thoughts:

  "Don't you think it might be the core? That this Red Marker controls the others, activates them… like a heart sending impulses through a body?" Reginleif calmly suggested, observing everything through their spiritual link.

  Alex didn't respond immediately. He kept staring at the Marker, at its ominous silhouette and the shadows that slid across its surface.And the longer he looked… the more he felt — this was only the beginning.

  The other Valkyries offered different theories about this particur Red Marker. But Alex believed Reginleif's hypothesis was the closest to the truth. And he decided to confirm it for himself.

  Focusing his gaze on the Red Marker, Alex noticed bck threads stretching out in different directions, resembling a web. He quickly realized the threads weren't going to the Marker — they were spreading from it, extending outward.

  And he didn't need to guess to understand: these dark fibers connected the special Marker to others — the lesser ones. It looked like a localized network, where this Red Marker acted as a central server, linking all the other "terminals."

  Alex wondered: was there another Marker like this in the world? It was unlikely this was the only one. But his thoughts were suddenly interrupted — he felt his cheeks being pulled in opposite directions.

  Opening one eye, Alex looked down and saw Rebecca stretching his cheeks with a serious expression.

  "Looks like you've finally returned to reality. You were just standing here with a bnk stare, one eye closed, like a robot. You didn't even hear us calling you," she said, releasing his cheeks.

  "What happened? Did I miss something?" Alex asked, gncing at the girls.

  "We wanted to know what you pn to do after we get to Aska. But you were just standing there with your eye closed, staring into the void," Rika said, crossing her arms.

  Alex frowned, falling into deep thought again. He had been pnning for a while: to build a safe settlement where people could live without fear of the undead. After their group settled in Aska, he wanted to begin liberating nearby towns and attracting survivors, forming the core of a resistance. Step by step, they'd establish contact with those willing to fight for their future.

  And finally, he pnned to find the two people responsible for the apocalypse… and end them. His instincts told him the final battle was already set in motion… and he knew exactly where it would happen. But first, he had to use his connections on the aircraft carrier to gain support from allies. He understood the battle against the Minister of Monoliths and Davot would fall on him — but ordinary people had to py their part in the war for peace.

  The girls watched silently as Alex drifted back into his own mind.

  "And there he goes again, lost in thought," Koko sighed.

  "Let me try," Revy said with a smirk.

  Without waiting for a reply, Revy grabbed Alex's cheek and tugged it even harder. He snapped out of his pnning trance and met the girls' unamused stares. Offering a sheepish smile, Alex finally shared his pns for the future settlement and what he intended to do after they arrived.

  As they listened, the girls understood — there wouldn't be much time to rex. Ahead y hard work, rebuilding, battles… and a hunt for those responsible for the end of their world.

  Their conversation was interrupted by the sound of metal hangar doors opening.

  Alex immediately realized Svetna had access to the system — that's how they managed to open the gates.

  A military truck slowly rolled out and stopped next to the group.

  "We're ready. Where to now?" Artyom asked, leaning out from the cab.

  "To the port. Follow us. Just be careful — the road through the forest is winding," Alex warned.

  Artyom nodded, taking the advice. Alex motioned for Rika and Rebecca to go ahead. The girls climbed onto a motorcycle, waved at him, and sped off toward the forest, kicking up dust behind them.

  Not wanting to waste time, Alex scooped up Nobuna into his arms and set her on his back. She let out a surprised squeak but quickly wrapped her arms around his neck. Then, with one arm, he grabbed Koko, and with the other, Revy, pulling them close by their waists and took off running toward the forest, where the Humvee was parked.

  "After what I just saw, nothing in life will surprise me anymore," Damir muttered, watching Alex sprint away with three girls.

  "Agreed," Artyom chuckled.

  "Well, Bunny? Pnning to spend the rest of your life standing around this field? Or do you need an official invitation?" Anna teased, urging Artyom forward.

  He nodded and stepped on the gas, following Alex's trail. Meanwhile, Alex reached the edge of the field and carefully set the girls down. Turning back, he saw the military truck speeding after them, trying its best to keep up.

  Wasting no time, Alex and the girls jumped into the Humvee and began turning around to head back the same way they came. He honked the horn to signal Rebecca and Rika to move out. Then he started the engine and sped off after them, with the truck carrying Svetna's group close behind.

  While they drove, Alex got in touch with the scouting teams to check the current situation in the city. The intel was grim: the streets were empty, save for infected people and animals, and the supplies found were far fewer than in the previous towns.

  Alex wasn't surprised. He had gotten used to resources running dry, and with each day, it was getting harder to find anything truly useful. But even a small stash of food and medicine could be vital right now. Over the shared channel, he reported that Svetna's group was with them and that they were heading back to the port.

  "This is all happening a little too fast. Feels weird," Koko remarked from the back seat.

  "What's so weird? There was a vilin — we killed him. Actually, two of them. Then that giant mutated freak — and I took it out too. Now we're heading back. Business as usual," Alex replied, recounting the recent events.

  "Normally, we spend nearly an entire day in a city, combing every corner for supplies. Here, we came and left," Koko shrugged, recalling their past expeditions.

  "We didn't linger in Roanapur either," Revy reminded with a smirk.

  "That was different. Roanapur looked like a full-blown civil war broke out there. And then there was that horde that chased you after," Koko ughed, gncing at Revy.

  Nobuna looked at Koko with interest.

  "Roanapur… Why are you comparing it to a war zone?" she asked.

  To pass the time and lighten the mood, Alex decided to tell Nobuna about what Roanapur was like before the zombie apocalypse. She was shocked that a pce like that even existed. In her mind, it sounded like a legendary pirate isnd.

  Alex, Koko, and Revy ughed and confirmed her suspicion — yeah, Roanapur really was like a pirate hideout straight out of books and movies. Alex kept telling the story, while Revy occasionally added some colorful details — she was a local, after all.

  Nobuna listened closely and even asked questions, which Alex and Revy happily answered. At one point, Revy told a funny story about a local bar that seemed to attract all kinds of trouble.

  "Seriously? How did the owner even put up with all that?" Nobuna asked in surprise.

  "Beats me. But that bar went through hell. It was bombed, set on fire, shot up… everything but unched to the moon. Although honestly, if not for the zombie apocalypse, that might've happened too," Revy smirked.

  Alex burst out ughing. Yeah, that sounded about right. Knowing Roanapur, nothing would've surprised him.

  When the convoy reached the port, Alex was the first to drive the Humvee onto the deck of the aircraft carrier and park it. Following closely behind was the truck with Svetna and her people. Rika and Rebecca were already standing next to the motorcycle, waiting for the rest.

  Getting out of the vehicle, Alex saw Baika. She was standing with a thin cigar between her lips, intently watching the approaching truck. Alex immediately sensed the tension in the air. He thought that perhaps Baika and Svetna knew each other — and hoped there would be no hostility between them.

  He didn't want any conflicts, internal factions, or divisions on his ship. Peace and order among the survivors were too important to him.

  He and the girls decided to stay and observe the situation. Alex wasn't sure if there was any animosity between the women, but if there was, he wanted to nip it in the bud.

  When Svetna stepped out of the truck, Baika walked toward her. Her face was grim, and her gaze was heavy, almost piercing. Svetna met her gaze calmly.

  "President Svetna Belikova... Who would have thought we would meet like this? And who would know that you couldn't even hold onto the capital," Baika said, releasing a puff of smoke toward her rival.

  "Former Captain Sofya Pavlovna Irinovskaya. Didn't expect to see you here. Who would have guessed we'd meet in such a situation?" Svetna replied calmly, holding her gaze.

  Svetna's people watched with tension as the two women exchanged a few words, not breaking eye contact, as if reassessing an old enemy. Alex wasn't sure where this would lead, but he wasn't going to allow any conflict. He confidently walked toward the two women to cool things down in time.

  "Ladies. I don't know what's between you, or if there's any old enmity," he began calmly. "But I'll warn you right now: no conflicts. No arguments, no intrigues, hidden or open. If I see or hear that you're disrupting the atmosphere in our group — both of you will end up on a deserted isnd. I'll bring you back only after you either make peace... or one of you remains."

  Svetna and Baika turned their gaze to Alex, who stood before them with a zy expression on his face and the Yamato katana in his hands. There wasn't a trace of doubt in his eyes — he was serious. Baika smirked: she had already gotten used to Alex's peculiar sense of humor through frequent conversations with Yuriko and knew exactly what he was capable of. Arguing with him would be a mistake.

  Svetna, unlike Baika, was surprised. She was taken aback by how quickly the stubborn woman had backed down after hearing the words of a young man who looked no older than eighteen. But she also knew: someone with that kind of power could afford a lot.

  "As you say, Sasha. You're in charge here. I won't argue with the former... actually, no, it's more accurate to say the deposed ruler now," Baika smirked, throwing a brief gnce at Svetna.

  "And no more jabs. You're an adult, so stop acting like it's recess," Alex sighed wearily, rolling his eyes. "I'm not going to let either of you or your people start any quarrels. I've got enough on my pte without pying peacemaker."

  Baika shrugged and nodded toward Svetna, as if saying, "If you don't start, I won't either." Alex shifted his gaze to Svetna, making it clear that he wasn't joking.

  Svetna silently nodded, accepting the terms. She decided to follow Baika's example for now and put aside any hostility. Alex didn't know what exactly had caused their conflict, but he suspected it had something to do with their military past. Both of them were former soldiers. Baika had once been accused of desertion and disgracefully expelled from the army, and Alex didn't rule out that Svetna could have been involved in that. But he had no intention of digging into their past. What mattered to him was maintaining order on the ship.

  Having defused the tense situation, Alex returned to Rebecca, Revy, Rika, Koko, and Nobuna, who had been watching the entire scene intently.

  After taking care of everything that was needed for the day, Alex decided it was time to rex a bit. He said goodbye to Nobuna, who seemed quite pleased with her little adventure. She smiled warmly in return and headed back to Katsuie and Nagahide — clearly, they were tired of her hyperactivity and wanted some peace and quiet.

  Alex and the girls watched her until she was out of sight, and then they made their way to the captain's bridge.

  "Are you interested in that princess?" Revy suddenly asked, walking beside him.

  The other girls also turned to him with interest, waiting for his answer. Alex paused for a moment. He did like Nobuna — not just her appearance. There was something special about her: she was alive, free, unwilling to sit still, and eager to see the world. She reminded him of himself.

  "Revy, you didn't quite ask the right question," Rika interjected with a grin. "He's the Demon King, he has a fetish for kidnapping princesses. He's probably already pnning how to drag Nobuna into his ir."

  "That's true," Rebecca added, ughing. "He's done that before. Though, it wasn't always princesses — it was usually girls he pulled into Hestia's little family."

  Alex didn't argue — he just smirked, looking ahead, and in his mind, a thought began to swirl: what if...?

  The girls ughed heartily, reminiscing about the dark and quirky moments from Alex's life. Alex, hearing their comments and ughter, couldn't help but smile. After all, everything they said was true. Even Hestia had picked up the habit from him — kidnapping girls. Poor, scared Bel still remembers how she was yanked out of her walk after arriving in Orario, looking for a family to join, and now she had become part of their strange but tight-knit group.

  Alex paused for a moment, wondering if he had kidnapped Nyx as well, now that he thought about it. After all, she still lived in his mansion, always hiding in her room and barely showing herself. Even after his return from Night City, the goddess of the night continued to stay in the house, leeching off him and ignoring the world around her.

  "So, Alex? Are you really interested in Nobuna?" Koko asked, tugging at his hand.

  "Hmm... I guess you could say that," Alex nodded. "But it's not because she's a princess. It's because she's Nobuna."

  "So, you do want to kidnap her and add her to your harem?" Revy smirked, narrowing her eyes.

  "No, I'm not pnning on kidnapping her," Alex replied nonchantly. "She'll come to me when the time is right."

  "And don't forget about her two subordinates," Koko added with a sly smile. "Three in one. Quite a deal, right?"

  "That's not how it works, Koko," Alex said, and, unable to resist, tugged her cheek.

  Koko just ughed and, as if to tease him, repeated his words. Alex smirked and let go of her. He knew better than to argue with Koko — it was a losing battle.

  Meanwhile, Nobuna was heading back to her cabin. The day's adventure with Alex and his girls had left an indelible mark on her. She never would have thought that such a dangerous and strange journey could be so... fun. In a single day, she had witnessed the death of two vilins, seen a group of strangers from another country whom they had come to rescue, and in the end, had faced a massive mutated infected.

  But instead of fear or worry, her heart was filled with exhiration. It was truly thrilling. Even her involvement in the battle on the South Korean border hadn't left such vivid impressions.

  A broad, genuine smile spread across Nobuna's face as she walked confidently toward her cabin, eager to share her experiences with her friends — Katsuie and Nagahide, whom she had known since childhood.

  She smmed the door open and stepped inside. The girls, lounging on their beds, zily lifted their heads.

  "Welcome back, Princess," Katsuie and Nagahide said in unison.

  "Mmm, I'm back," Nobuna replied with a satisfied look.

  She approached her bed and started changing into a comfortable yukata. Katsuie and Nagahide couldn't help but watch her actions. There was something different about her — a lightness, joy, even mischief. The girls exchanged gnces, wondering what had happened during her absence.

  "Great mood, Princess. How was the adventure?" Nagahide asked with a smile.

  "It was awesome," Nobuna replied briefly, finishing putting on the yukata.

  "Can you tell us about it?" Katsuie asked cautiously.

  Nobuna nodded, sat on the bed, tucked one leg under herself, and rested her cheek on her palm.

  "Well, listen to this..."

  Katsuie and Nagahide made themselves comfortable, preparing to listen to the story. Nobuna began from the very start: how they had left the aircraft carrier, how they traveled through the outskirts of the ruined city, how they turned onto the forest trail… Her voice grew livelier, and her emotions more vivid, as she reached the moment when Alex single-handedly defeated two enemies.

  "I wonder where he learned to handle a katana like that?" Nagahide said thoughtfully.

  "He said he can replicate anything he's ever seen," Nobuna replied, smirking. "Impressive, right?"

  "More than..." Nagahide whispered, her admiration obvious.

  "Oh, you should have seen how he did it! It's hard to even describe," Nobuna added, her face once again wearing a mischievous grin.

  Katsuie and Nagahide noticed Nobuna's strange interest in Alex. Almost the entire story was about him, mentioning the other girls only briefly, as if they were just background. This couldn't help but raise suspicions in her friends. They exchanged gnces again, wondering whether their princess realized that her interest in Alex could turn into something more. Perhaps Nobuna herself didn't understand it yet, and without someone pointing it out, she probably wouldn't. Still, both were doubtful—were these feelings, or just a strong impression of Alex's personality? After all, they had only recently met. They decided that Nobuna was most likely attracted to other aspects of his character—his charisma, strength, and mystery.

  Meanwhile, Alex and the girls returned to the captain's bridge. When they opened the door, they found a peaceful scene— the other girls lounging on the rge couch, zily watching a series. Upon seeing Alex and the girls return, they simply waved zily and continued watching, not paying much attention to their return. Alex smirked, snapping his fingers, and with magic, changed into his casual clothes. The gesture drew envious gnces from Koko, Revy, and Rika—each of them wished they could change outfits just as effortlessly with a snap of the fingers.

  Making himself some coffee, Alex settled off to the side, not wanting to disturb the girls' rest. He still needed to figure out the exact location of the isnd where Wesker was hiding and calcute the estimated time of arrival. Focusing, he began studying the map, and soon found the necessary coordinates. The trip to the isnd would take about three and a half days.

  Meanwhile, Koko, Revy, Rika, and Rebecca had also changed and joined the others in watching the series— there wasn't much else to do anyway. Rory, lounging on the couch, noticed from the corner of her eye that Alex had secluded himself in the corner. A sly grin appeared on her face. Carefully, trying not to attract too much attention, she slid off the couch and crept up to Alex, then sat down directly on his p.

  Lost in thoughts about the upcoming journey, Alex immediately felt the familiar touch. He didn't open his eyes—he knew who it was. Smiling smugly, he cracked open one eye and met Rory's gaze, her face beaming with a mischievous grin. She wiggled in his p, clearly trying to tease him and pull him out of his thoughts. Alex sighed, but not angrily—more with a light, ironic tenderness. He adjusted Rory, wrapping his arm around her waist to make her more comfortable.

  "What are you thinking about?" Rory asked with interest, continuing to wiggle.

  "I'm thinking that it's three and a half days to the isnd you ran away from. Not sure how long you spent in the Kraken's stomach before I pulled you out of there," Alex said with a slight smile, pulling her closer.

  "I don't know either. Don't care," Rory replied carelessly, a predatory smirk appearing on her face. "He's already food. So, no big deal."

  Alex looked at her more closely. Despite her light tone and smirk, he could tell Rory hadn't forgotten the humiliation of being trapped inside the sea monster's belly. Wanting to change the subject and lift her spirits a bit, he decided to share a few funny stories about himself—like how he had also been grabbed by tentacles several times, and how once, he was even dragged to the edge of the Gaxy to be eaten.

  Rory couldn't hold back her ughter, pressing herself tighter against him, ughing joyfully as he continued the story. Alex, noticing her smile, felt pleased—he had managed to cheer her up after all.

  "How do you feel knowing we're heading back to the pce you barely escaped from?" he asked, looking at Rory with interest.

  "I want to chop that Wesker into little pieces," she answered, not hiding her anger and impatience. "When I fought him, he got a few good hits in. And it hurt like hell. So you need to get revenge for me, since you're my husband," she added with a sly grin, her eyes lighting up with excitement.

  "Don't worry. As your husband, I'll beat Wesker until you say you're 'satisfied,'" Alex replied with a smirk, tightening his embrace.

  Rory smiled and suddenly kissed Alex on the lips, slipping her tongue into his mouth. Alex responded eagerly to the kiss, holding her tighter. He knew one simple truth—girls, especially ones like Rory, had long memories. And if Rory asked him to teach Wesker a harsh lesson for daring to y a hand on her, he would show Wesker every bit of pain a human could feel.

  After finishing the kiss, Alex pulled Rory closer and hugged her tightly around the waist. They just chatted about nothing in particur, not disturbing the other girls who were rexing. But in Alex's mind, a thought began to spin—what to do during the three and a half days of travel to the isnd?

  There wasn't much to do. Maybe finish a couple of upgrades for the combat suits and calcute new spawn points for the Red Markers. Along the way, he might also prepare a few "gifts" for the Minister of the Monoliths.

  "What else did you see in my memories... about that b?" Rory asked, lowering her gaze. She still hadn't fully recovered all her memories, and the images connected to that pce remained blurry.

  "Actually, not much," Alex shook his head. "Just fragments of conversations between the scientists. They were pnning to use you as a prototype for cloning... But I'm not sure if they succeeded. We'll find out soon. Everything will be clear once we reach the isnd."

  "I really wouldn't want to see myself… especially if she's a test-tube version," Rory said with a strained smile.

  "Don't even mention it," Alex smirked, thoughtfully rubbing his chin. "But I have a feeling there's something really interesting waiting for us in that b…"

  He couldn't shake the feeling that Wesker had prepared something special. Perhaps the isnd would indeed surprise him—and not in a good way.

  A few hours passed, and one by one, the raid groups began to return. This could only mean one thing—it was time to set off.

  Taking the helm, Alex activated all systems and guided the aircraft carrier out of port, confidently plotting a new course. He hadn't told the others yet exactly where they were heading. Only the girls he trusted knew. The rest would find out in due time.

  To be continued...

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