Alex and Slayer stood in the silent void of space, watching Tau Volantis—the planet where a fierce battle to save this universe had just taken place. Alex had recently cleaved the planet in two to release the souls trapped within its core—once the stomach of the dead Minister of Monoliths, who had slowly devoured them, savoring their suffering and absorbing every last drop of their pain and despair.
The two halves of the planet slowly drifted apart, and at that moment, a blinding light burst forth from its heart—the souls had been freed. Now, they had a chance at rebirth.
Billions of souls broke free, scattering in all directions, as if rejoicing at being released from an endless cycle of pain. Their light gradually faded—souls vanished one by one, making their way to Limbo. There, all their memories would be wiped clean, and they would begin a new journey, free from the past.
Alex folded his hands in prayer, closed his eyes, and silently prayed for those souls. He sincerely hoped that in their next life, they would find peace and happiness. Nyaruko, sitting on his shoulders, noticed the gesture and, not fully understanding its meaning, mimicked him with a serious expression, folding her tiny hands.
Slayer stood beside him, silently observing the scene. No emotion showed on his face, but even he could feel it—everything he and Alex had done hadn't been in vain. Even his hands, soaked in demon blood, had found a way not only to destroy but to save.
When the last soul disappeared into the radiance of Limbo, Tau Volantis finally came to rest. The planet was now dead—a lifeless husk, devoid of any trace of existence. All the necromorphs that once inhabited it had perished with their creator. Now it was merely a corpse of a dead world.
Alex slowly lowered his hands. He believed those souls would find peace and a better fate. And now that it was over, it was time to return.
There were still unfinished matters in this universe, but Alex had decided to leave them to humanity. He would pass on everything necessary so they could rebuild after the apocalypse wrought by the Minister of Monoliths and Davoth.
Casting one last look at the crumbling Tau Volantis, Alex drew Yamato and, with a single motion, opened a portal back to Earth.
They stepped through—and once again stood on Earth. The place where Raccoon City once stood was now nothing more than piles of rubble and ash—the aftermath of the battle with the Icon of Sin. Nyaruko looked around with curiosity, experiencing the outside world for the first time—far from the Chaos where she was born.
But when she saw nothing but ruins, she pouted, furrowed her brow, and wrinkled her little nose.
"Ugh… more rocks. I thought this place would be fun, but everything's broken," she grumbled, folding her arms.
Alex sensed her disappointment, smiled, and gently lifted her off his shoulders into his arms. He poked her cheek playfully, trying to coax her out of her pout, and softly brushed his hand across her face to wipe away the grumpiness.
Looking around, Alex pondered how much time had passed since he and Slayer set out for the battle. The fight, the traps, the domain of Lady Death… It had taken a while. Judging by the sun's position and the fact that no one was nearby, it seemed that all the other fighters had already left this world, and the Night Sentinels had likely returned to Argent D'Nur.
Now that all the demons were dead and their creator destroyed, a new era had come for them—a time to rebuild their homeland and reclaim their former glory.
"Slayer, I think before we return, we should stop by a few more places," Alex said, turning to his friend. "This world needs rebuilding. I want to give people everything they need to rise again."
"Hmm," Slayer rasped, nodding in agreement.
"Daddy, why is everything here so ruined? Mommy said it was supposed to be different! Where's all the fun stuff? I thought we were going to a party, but it's just... rocks!" Nyaruko said, puffing out her cheeks in protest.
Alex laughed out loud and gently stroked her hair.
"Don't be upset, princess. We'll look around more, and I'll show you other places—alive and bright. And then you'll meet everyone, even Anya—your sister."
The restless strand atop Nyaruko's head came alive once more, curling into the shape of a question mark. The little girl was clearly puzzled—what sister was her father talking about? She was quite certain she only had one mom.
Seeing how the strand on his daughter's head literally embodied her confusion, Alex couldn't help but chuckle. He still couldn't understand how that strand moved—it reacted to her emotions like it was alive.
Slayer, too, watched the strange strand with interest, then shifted his gaze to Alex. His silent, meaningful look seemed to ask: Is it normal for a child's hair to move like a snake?Alex just shrugged. He had no idea why it acted like that either, but he figured it had its own charm. After all, that little quirk made Nyaruko all the more unique.
Setting his daughter back onto his shoulders, Alex closed his eyes and focused. He needed to find one specific person—Chris Redfield. It was Chris who had led the resistance in the battle for humanity's survival. He was the one who had managed to unite the scattered forces and push back against the invaders.
It only took a moment—Chris's soul lit up for Alex like a beacon in the dark. Wasting no time, he opened a portal that led straight to him.
When Alex and Slayer stepped through the portal, they found themselves in a spacious office. Chris, buried in a mountain of paperwork, didn't even notice their arrival. He sat at his desk, scratching the back of his head with one hand, flipping through documents with the other, mumbling to himself—clearly on the verge of a breakdown.
Smirking, Alex sank onto a couch by the wall. From his inventory, he pulled out three mugs and quickly brewed coffee for himself and Slayer. For Nyaruko, of course, he made cocoa.
Slayer gave him a pointed look, his expression silently reminding Alex: We're here on important business, not a picnic.But Alex just waved him off—a cup of coffee never hurt anyone. They'd earned it.
When Alex handed Slayer his mug, the man didn't refuse.
For Nyaruko, Alex thoughtfully inserted a straw so she could drink easily. And so, the trio sat calmly on the couch, sipping their drinks while Chris continued obliviously with his paperwork.
A few minutes passed. Chris, frowning, suddenly sniffed the air. The scent of freshly brewed coffee hung in the room. He pulled himself away from the documents and looked up irritably, ready to scold whichever subordinate was making coffee in his office without permission.
That's when he saw the trio on the couch—Alex, Slayer, and an unfamiliar little girl.
"...How long have you been sitting there?" Chris asked darkly as he returned to his seat.
"For a while now. We didn't want to interrupt—you looked really focused," Alex said with a smile. "By the way, want some coffee?"
Chris looked suspiciously at Alex, then at the mug. After a couple of seconds of silence, he nodded. The paperwork really was getting on his nerves, and a cup of good coffee sounded perfect right about now.
Alex, looking quite pleased with himself, brewed a strong cup of coffee. Chris took the mug and, as if he hadn't had a drink in a week, took a greedy gulp. He leaned back in his chair and closed his eyes, savoring the taste. A few seconds later, he opened his eyes again and looked at Alex.
"So… where the hell have you been? And who's this kid? After that whole mess with the sky cracking and the thing my sister called the Icon of Sin getting killed, you just vanished. We were about to tear half the city apart before Brunhilde and my sister stopped us—without any explanation."
Alex chuckled softly and, absentmindedly running his fingers through Nyaruko's hair, replied,"As for the kid on my lap, that's a long story. But first, tell me—how long were we gone before I get into where my friend and I disappeared to?"
"Over twelve hours, if you're curious," Chris said gruffly.
"Hmm… So it took longer than I thought. Well, here's the short version. Slayer and I got lured into a trap and dropped onto a dead snow-covered planet. We had to fight our way through hordes of filth, destroying anything that moved the wrong way. And at the end—face off against those who wanted to wipe out this world and the entire universe. I think that sums it up well enough."
Chris grunted and took another sip of coffee.
"Let's say I'll accept that answer. Then tell me: who are you, Alex? And who's your friend?" he finally asked the question that had been burning on his tongue.
And it wasn't just Chris who'd been asking that question—who are you really? It had echoed in the minds of everyone who had witnessed the moment Alex took Gungnir in hand and, with a single motion, shattered the sky like glass. That image—of the sky split open—remained etched in the memory of all who had seen it.
After returning to HQ, Chris had received reports from all over the globe—the same phenomenon repeated everywhere. Cracks in the sky, like a broken mirror. And at the center of it all… was Alex. Even though the sky had quickly healed, the fact remained: it had broken.
Alex met Chris's gaze and hesitated for a moment, wondering if he should tell the truth. Technically, they were almost family now—Claire was his wife, which made Chris his brother-in-law. On top of that, Alex was seriously considering offering Chris a job, like he had with Takashi, Jonah, and Kota. He knew that Chris was a soldier through and through. He wasn't cut out to be a politician or a public figure. What he longed for was the battlefield, where his strength and resolve truly mattered.
Alex finally decided to speak. He glanced at Slayer first—should he tell Chris the truth? Slayer just shrugged. He didn't care.
"Let's start with my friend," Alex said calmly. "I won't go into the tragic details. Let's just say fate turned him into a nightmare for demons. He went through hell, destroyed their god, and became their doom. You can think of him as a demon hunter from another universe. As for me…" Alex ran a hand through his hair, pushing it back.
"It's a bit more complicated. To put it simply, I'm an Enforcer working for the Big Boss. I'm the one who steps in when worlds are on the brink of collapse. My job is to prevent catastrophes. You might say I'm doing a terrible job at it… but you don't know what's really at stake. You don't see the full picture.
The people who died in this war—they're free now. They've been given a chance at a new life. And if I hadn't intervened… you wouldn't be sitting here asking me this question. You wouldn't exist at all."
Chris sat in silence, absorbing everything. He was a soldier—he knew the cost of sacrifice. But what Alex described went far beyond human comprehension. The threat they had faced wasn't anything like the wars humanity had known. Beings capable of destroying entire universes? It sounded like something out of a comic book.
But now he knew—it was all real.
He ran a hand across his forehead, feeling the dull throb of an incoming headache. Only one thought echoed clearly in his mind: if it hadn't been for Alex, they wouldn't have stood a chance. Against enemies like that, grenades and bullets were useless. They needed something… more.
"Does Claire know who you really are?" Chris asked, lifting his tired gaze to Alex. "And aren't you afraid she could get hurt, being involved in all this?"
Alex smirked.
"Of course she knows. You think I'd hide something like that from my family? Claire is under full protection. Even if this entire universe collapsed like a compressed star, she wouldn't even wake up. That's how safe she is."
"Christ, you give me a worse headache than these damn documents," Chris muttered, rubbing his face. "Alright, why are you here? I don't think it's just so I could pat you on the back for saving everyone."
"First of all, I came to give you this," Alex said, tossing a flash drive onto the desk.
"And what's on it?" Chris asked, rolling it between his fingers.
"Everything you'll need to rebuild this world. Blueprints, tech, schematics—basically, a complete starter pack for humanity 2.0. And second… I want to offer you a job. I know you're not cut out for paperwork. You're a man of action. You did an amazing job leading the resistance, but I can see it's starting to suffocate you. So…"
"Let me guess. You want me to be your errand boy? Or maybe a babysitter for your daycare?" Chris scoffed, glancing at Nyaruko, who sat on Alex's lap munching cookies.
"Heh, not quite. You see, Slayer and I will be handling the bigger threats—the kind that can erase whole worlds. But the multiverse has plenty of idiots who are either already destroying their worlds or are about to. That's where you come in. You show up, fix the mess, go home, get paid. Simple."
"And how many like me have you recruited? Or are you expecting me to hop around the multiverse alone while you raise kids with my sister?"
"Well, I'm not ruling out you becoming an uncle when Claire and I have a child," Alex chuckled. "But no, you won't be alone. I've already got a group of freeloaders who'll be earning their keep soon enough—none of them really know what they've signed up for yet, but they'll adapt fast. And as strong as I am, even I can't be everywhere at once."
He spread his arms wide, and Nyaruko, smiling brightly, mimicked the gesture.
"Alright. I'll think about it," Chris said quietly, nodding. He knew this decision would shape his future.
"As you wish." Alex placed a sleek black smartphone with the STARS emblem on the desk. "Here's a phone. You'll be able to reach Claire through it—even if we're in another world. Or… if you decide that being a resistance leader isn't your thing and you'd rather become a world-saving mercenary."
Chris eyed the phone on the table, frowning. He had no idea how the hell this thing was supposed to let him contact his sister in a different universe. But Alex just shrugged, and with a casual sweep of his arms, summoned a shimmering rainbow of energy between them.
Chris's eye twitched.
He stood up silently and pointed at the door, clearly signaling that it was time for Alex and his mute companion to get out—especially if they were going to keep interrupting his work. Alex simply smirked, said his goodbyes, and opened a portal back to the settlement in Alaska, where the girls were currently waiting.
They stepped through the portal and found themselves in front of the house where Alex lived with his family. Hardly had they arrived when Nyaruko, still sitting on his shoulders, excitedly began turning her head, taking in everything around her. She liked it here much more—the nature, the fresh air, the lack of destruction. The area looked cozy and alive, and the girl couldn't hold back her joyful curiosity.
While Nyaruko was exploring, Alex was already forming a plan in his mind: to tell the girls about the battle, contact his father to demand payment for the job done, then return to Orario and finally enjoy a well-deserved vacation with his family. He nodded to himself, pleased with this "brilliant" schedule. The valkyries in his spiritual space, watching the plan, just shook their heads in unison.
"Alright, Nyaruko," Alex said with a smile as he lifted her off his shoulders. "Let's go, I'll introduce you to the others. I think you'll be happy to meet… your other moms."
"Other moms?" Nyaruko repeated, frowning. "Don't I have just one mom?"
The strand on her head came to life again, twisting into a question mark.
"That's… complicated to explain," Alex chuckled, shaking his head. "But soon you'll understand everything yourself."
He nodded to Slayer, and together they headed toward the house. Reaching for the door handle, Alex heard voices inside, someone talking animatedly. Opening the door, he saw the girls sitting in the living room—and his father. The one who was the Creator. The very Big Boss.
The girls immediately turned their heads toward the sound of the opening door and froze, seeing Alex, Slayer… and the girl in his arms. She looked far too much like Alex for it to be a coincidence.
While they were surprised, studying Nyaruko, she was carefully examining them in return.
Alex was focused on something else. His gaze met his father's. He was smiling—with that same sly, meaningful smile that said one thing: everything is going according to plan.
"Son," the Creator said contentedly, setting down his cup of tea on the table, "I see you've already met your new daughter. I'm so happy for you!"
The Creator's words instantly caught the girls' attention. Now it was clear why the girl looked so much like Alex. But immediately another question arose—who was her mother? There were few answers, and each one was… inconvenient.
Brunhilde was the first to think of Göndul: white hair, always close to Alex—it all seemed to fit. But then she dismissed the thought herself. She would have known if Göndul was pregnant. She'd be bragging about it day and night.
The other girls also tried to figure out who the woman could be that gave birth to Alex's daughter—especially if she did it before any of them...
"So, you knew all along, old man," Alex muttered tiredly as he stepped into the house. "Not very polite to keep that a secret."
"Ho-ho-ho! Well, I couldn't spoil the surprise. What kind of grandpa would I be then? Now I have two granddaughters. I'm happy, but it's still not enough. Girls, I told you—you need to try harder," the Creator said cheerfully, chuckling like a good-natured but very cunning grandpa.
"Ahem! We will… try," Brunhilda coughed, then shyly looked at Alex and asked, "Alex… maybe you could explain whose daughter this is? Who is her mother?"
"Her name is Nyaruko," Alex answered calmly. "And her mother's name… is easy to guess by Nyaruko's own name."
"Is it so hard to just say the name?" Shino couldn't hold back, pointing at him. "Or are you hiding something? Who is the woman who gave birth to your child?!"
"It's not that simple," Brunhilda interrupted, narrowing her eyes. "Just the name Nyaruko says a lot… Oh, Alex… how did you even manage that…" she added, putting a hand to her forehead.
Alex just shrugged and smiled awkwardly. The girls shifted their gaze to Brunhilda, hoping she would say aloud what everyone only guessed. Slowly, suspicions began to form among the others too. Rory, watching Nyaruko, felt the power of destruction in her—they seemed like kindred souls. Even their eyes were rainbow-colored. If it weren't for her snow-white hair, the girl could easily be mistaken for Rory's own daughter.
At that moment, Anya ran out of the kitchen carrying a tray, her pet dragon Bond perched on her head. The girl was covered in flour but beaming with joy.
"Grandpa, I baked you a pie! Look!" Anya proudly announced, setting the treat before the Creator.
"Thank you, my dear," he said kindly, stroking Anya's head. "But look who's back."
He pointed toward the door.
"Daddy!!!" Anya shouted happily and ran toward Alex.
But as Anya took a couple of steps toward Alex, her eyes landed on the girl of her age sitting comfortably on his lap. Nyaruko stared back at Anya. Tension hung in the air as if an invisible charge passed between them.
Even the girls quieted down, putting aside the discussion about the girl's possible mother. And the Creator, seemingly unaware of the brewing storm, calmly took a fork and cut himself a piece of the pie baked by his sweet granddaughter.
"Who are you and why are you sitting on my daddy's lap?" Anya asked sternly, pointing at Nyaruko.
"I'm daddy's daughter. And who are you?" Nyaruko challenged back, pointing at Anya the same way.
"I'm daddy's daughter!" Anya stubbornly repeated without looking away.
Both girls looked at each other with the expression of worthy rivals. Their eyes burned—not with hatred, but with true competition. Each believed herself to be the sole heir of daddy's love.
The girls watched the scene with interest. It looked like the beginning of an epic battle for the "right to sit on Daddy's lap."
Alex sighed. He already knew where this was heading. Even though he had limited Nyaruko's power to that of an ordinary child, the prospect of a childish fight didn't exactly excite him.
"Alright, stop," Alex raised his hand to get their attention. "Both of you, enough. Nyaruko, this is Anya—my daughter. Anya, this is Nyaruko—also my daughter. You're sisters. So no arguments. No fighting, no jealousy. You're both my little buns, and I love you equally. I definitely have enough love for both of you. Now—shake hands. And remember: if you quarrel, I'll be upset. And you don't want to make Daddy sad, do you?"
"Okay, Daddy…" both girls answered in unison.
They squinted, reached out, and shook each other's hands. Sparks of rivalry still flickered in their eyes, but the deal was sealed.
Alex wearily rubbed his face. He understood perfectly well: ahead lay dozens of quarrels, unhappy looks, and hurt feelings. But sooner or later, these two beasts would become friends. At least, he hoped so.
He glanced at the Creator. The old man sat there with the same smug expression, clearly pleased—like he had just received a second pension in the form of another granddaughter.
The women, of course, just smirked, watching Alex single-handedly put out a potential war between his two daughters.
Not wanting to leave one unattended, Alex scooped up Anya with his free hand and settled her on his other knee. Both girls continued to glare silently at each other, their eyes saying, "We're not done yet."
"What a day," Alex muttered, then glanced at Slayer sitting quietly nearby, as usual—calm as ever.
"Father…" Alex started, "I think it's time to talk about payment…"
But the Creator interrupted him.
"Sorry, son, but that's not all. Like I said—you're definitely going to need a vacation. And… there's one last surprise."
"A surprise?" Alex tensed. He sensed… a conspiracy. A very big conspiracy.
"I think now is the right time to tell. These things should be said at the most fitting moment for maximum effect," the Creator said, glancing toward Becca.
Alex followed that look. His eyes narrowed. The longer he stared at Becca, the stronger his suspicions grew. Something was off. Especially considering the other girls' glances—some looked at her with envy, others with open approval.
The feeling of a cosmic conspiracy grew heavier in Alex's chest by the second.
"What are you staring at?" Becca said, rolling her eyes. "I'm just pregnant."
"What?.. Sorry, what did you just say?" Alex blinked, thinking he misheard.
"I said, I'm pregnant. By you. Or do you want me to remind you how that happens?" she said louder, making sure he heard.
"Now we'll have another gremlin in the family… how exciting," Saya added sarcastically, masking her envy with sarcasm.
Alex realized he hadn't misheard. His sweetest weapons gremlin, Becca, was indeed pregnant. And it wasn't a joke — the looks from the other girls only confirmed what he had heard.
He took a deep breath, trying to collect his thoughts. Carefully, he set Nyaruko and Anya down on the floor and straightened up, as if preparing to face an army of demons rather than… news of a family addition.
The girls watched his every move with curiosity, as if sensing that something special was about to happen. The Creator barely held back his laughter, anticipating his son's reaction.
Alex stood tall, closed his eyes, took another deep breath, and…
"Damn…" he exhaled.
His eyes rolled back, and losing consciousness, he crashed forward with a thud straight onto the coffee table in the living room. The table couldn't bear the weight and shattered into splinters.
Silence fell over the room. The girls, unable to believe their eyes, stared at Alex's motionless body.
"Seriously?.." Valmet whispered, blinking.
Everyone expected anything: excitement, shouts of joy, even hugs… but not a fainting spell. Especially from someone who fought gods, battled monsters, and broke the heavens.
Becca froze… then burst into loud, infectious laughter, clutching her belly.
"Oh, baby, you haven't even been born yet, and you've already done something great! You made your father faint! Hahaha!" she laughed, rubbing her stomach.
Even Slayer, usually silent and detached, glanced at Alex. Memories of when he himself found out he would become a father surfaced, and he fully understood what Alex was feeling.
The other girls couldn't hold back — within seconds, the living room filled with laughter. The laughter was loud, sincere, and even a little relieved.
Anya and Nyaruko stared at their father lying in the wreckage of the table in confusion.
"Does he always do that?" Nyaruko asked, tilting her head slightly.
"I thought Daddy was stronger…" Anya murmured.
The two girls exchanged looks, still not quite understanding what had just happened.
"That's just the best reaction I've ever seen from Alex," Ada said through her laughter, wiping tears from the corners of her eyes.
"Uh… are we just going to leave him lying there like that?" Shizuka finally asked, catching her breath.
"Let him lie," the Creator waved his hand. "He'll come to. But honestly, Becca, well done. Like I said, surprises should be made at the right moment."
He adjusted his gold-rimmed glasses, smiling proudly.
Becca gave a broad grin and thumbs-up to the Creator.
It was truly a triumph. And now she had something to tell Hestia, with whom she had an unspoken rivalry. Becca already mentally pictured telling that "busty goddess" that she had beaten her to it.
In truth, Becca had only recently found out about the pregnancy. If not for Shizuka literally dragging her to get checked, she might never have known. When the truth came out, she agreed with the other girls not to tell Alex until all the battles were over — the surprise had to be grand.
Well… the surprise was a success. The fainting, the broken table — the perfect finale for a big announcement.
To be continued...
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