Just a moment ago, Alex had found out that Becca was pregnant. The shock hit him so hard that he lost consciousness and collapsed directly onto the coffee table, smashing it into a pile of splinters. The living room immediately erupted with laughter. None of the girls had expected that kind of reaction from a man who had broken gods and universes — but it only added charm to the situation.
While Alex lay peacefully unconscious on the remains of the furniture, his two daughters — Anya and Nyaruko — leaned over him. The girls stared at their father in confusion, not fully understanding what had just happened. They began taking turns poking his cheek, trying to "turn him on" like a broken television.
Meanwhile, as the girls continued their diligent efforts to bring Alex back to life, the adults had already switched topics to a much more pressing matter — the name of the future child. Even the valkyries, who had previously hidden in the spiritual space, emerged to join the intense and occasionally chaotic brainstorming session. Everyone had completely forgotten about the man lying on the floor… except for his two little princesses.
Sadly, GIR, MIMI, and Stitch couldn't join in on the fun — they were busy in the workshop, repairing damaged armor and fixing the Atlan Mech, which had suffered in the recent war. Otherwise, they would have definitely recorded the entire thing and rewatched it with popcorn.
The Creator, on the other hand, was beaming with joy. Soon, he would have a third granddaughter — and the more granddaughters he had, the closer he was to his ideal: the title of Greatest Grandpa in the Multiverse. Given his status, it was practically official.
Only one person hadn't returned to the discussion — Slayer. He had been silently watching Alex the whole time. He didn't need words. He knew exactly what his friend was feeling. Long ago, he had felt it himself — the realization that you were going to be a father. Not even fighting a god could inspire the kind of awe those words carried: You're going to be a dad.
And, just as the Creator predicted, a few minutes later, Alex began to stir. Anya and Nyaruko didn't even realize how it happened, but their persistent cheek-poking had worked. When they saw him start to blink, they exchanged glances and gave each other a proud high five.
"Hooray! Daddy's alive again!" both of them cheered joyfully.
That was enough to interrupt the ongoing name debate. All eyes turned toward Alex. He slowly opened his eyes, blinked, then groaned and sat up, rubbing his face. Only now did he notice he had wrecked the table — but that was the least of his concerns. What really troubled him was what he had seen while unconscious.
"Ugh…" he exhaled. "I had a nightmare. The world was on fire. Gremlins were marching everywhere, cities were burning… And at the center, on a throne, sat Becca with a massive crown. On her lap was a girl who looked exactly like her, and all the gremlins were chanting: 'Long live the Empress of the Gremlins!' It was… absolutely terrifying."
Alex hadn't even realized he'd said it out loud.
A heavy silence fell over the room.
Everyone slowly and in perfect sync turned their heads toward Becca. Her face began to darken with those familiar black veins creeping up her skin. She was barely holding back her rage, especially under the stares of the other girls, whose expressions clearly said, "We warned you."
"I AM NOT A GREMLIN!" Becca screamed mentally, though she stayed silent aloud.
The girls' bodies started to shake from suppressed laughter. The first to break was Juri — a loud laugh burst from her chest, and the others quickly followed one after another. Even the most serious couldn't resist — Empress of the Gremlins? That was a comedy trigger better than any joke.
Veins were already starting to pulse on Becca's forehead. She had said not once, not twice, but twenty times that she was not a gremlin. And she certainly had no intention of becoming anyone's Empress.
Hearing the chorus of laughter, Alex looked up… and saw her. Becca's face radiated a burning desire to murder him on the spot. And the moment their eyes met, it was the final straw.
"You little…!" Becca snapped.
The next second, she lunged at him like a furious badger and sank her teeth into his cheek.
"Ow! Ow-ow-ow! Becca! It was a metaphor! A symbol! A prophetic dream!" Alex yelped, trying to escape the iron grip of his furious girlfriend, but it was no use. Becca clung to him like an octopus, and she had no intention of letting go.
The girls laughed even harder. None of them even thought to help Alex — in fact, many were already pulling out their phones to record this moment of reckoning for posterity.
As Alex struggled with all his might to free himself from Becca's wrathful embrace, he could clearly hear the laughter of the girls. And by their tone, he instantly realized — no one was going to help him.
"You brought this on yourself," they all said in unison. "You should've kept your mouth shut!"
Realizing he'd have to save himself, Alex made another attempt to slip away… and accidentally touched Becca's belly.
And in that moment, everything changed.
Becca's stomach suddenly glowed with a soft light. Alex and Becca froze, eyes locked on the glowing spot. Even the girls stopped laughing, staring in stunned silence. The glow intensified, then flared like a miniature explosion of light, flooding the entire house in blinding radiance. Everyone, except Slayer, Alex, and the Creator, instinctively shielded their eyes.
When the light faded and silence returned to the living room, standing between Alex and Becca was… a little girl. She looked about six or seven years old.
"Hooray, I'm born! Yay!" she declared cheerfully, flashing a "V" sign with her fingers.
"What…?" Alex managed to say, eyes wide. Becca looked just as shocked.
"I said: born! Yay!" the girl repeated, flashing the peace sign again triumphantly.
"WHAAAAAAAT?!" echoed a collective cry of horror and confusion through the room.
The girl covered her ears, but kept curiously looking around. When she spotted Becca, she ran toward her and hugged her with such force that Becca nearly fell over. Becca froze in complete bewilderment, her brain refusing to process what was happening. The other girls — even the valkyries — were in shock. Even Anya and Nyaruko looked like someone had suddenly switched the game to hardcore mode.
A child… born from a flash of light, instantly, and already around six or seven years old. And she looked so much like Becca it was actually scary.
Alex stared at the girl and suddenly realized she reminded him of… Jinx, from one of his past worlds where there was a character just like her, from an anime he used to watch. White, almost chalk-like skin, short azure hair with a side braid, and pinkish-red eyes. He could swear he'd seen her before.
"Uh… sweetheart, what's your name?" Alex asked cautiously, poking the girl's cheek with a finger.
"Alex, seriously?" Becca croaked, unable to tear her eyes away from their daughter.
"Daddy, you're silly," the girl said, turning to him. "My name is Jinx! Mommy said she liked the name, and I decided it's mine too!"
Once again, the room fell silent, filled with unspoken question marks hanging in the air. None of the girls even commented on the fact that the child had chosen her own name. Everyone was too stunned by what had just happened — how was this even possible?
Meanwhile, Jinx was glancing around and spotted Anya and Nyaruko. The two girls immediately tensed, as if on cue. A new rival for Daddy's love? A serious threat. They quickly understood: Jinx was a new player in their silent war.
While the trio exchanged electric stares, the adults were still trying to process what had just happened. All eyes eventually drifted toward the Creator, who was calmly sipping tea and finishing the pie Anya had left for him.
"Go ahead and ask," he said with a kind smile.
"Um… Creator, I mean, I'm no expert…" Mari began, "...but how is this even possible? Isn't a child supposed to… you know… develop, be born, grow up?"
"Sweetheart, call me Father, like Alex does. And let me explain," the Creator said, setting down his cup. "It's simple. You all know who my son is. His body, his soul—they're unique constructs. Standard biological processes don't apply to him. Your bodies wouldn't even survive a traditional birth from a source of that much power. So it all works differently. A signal, a connection, a spark—and voilà, the child appears. She carries the best of both her mother and father. Simple as that."
"Wait a second…" Shizuka frowned. "Are you saying that if one of us gets pregnant, Alex just has to touch our belly and—bam—we have a kid?"
"Exactly," the Creator nodded.
"That's actually convenient," Ada said with a satisfied smile. "No diapers. You just skip right past that phase."
"I agree," Rika chimed in. "Sure, it's sad I won't get to carry my baby around in my arms, but if it means no sleepless nights—I'm in. What matters most is that she's my child."
"Yeah, sure, diapers are all you care about!" Brunhilde said, sighing and looking at them all. "No one thought that the child might inherit bad traits too? Like, say… being obsessed with weapons? Or… something else?"
"Hey!" Becca squeaked, pointing at Brunhilde. "I heard that! Don't be jealous, old Valkyrie! Just because you missed your chance doesn't mean it's my fault!"
Brunhilde's eye twitched as the other girls continued debating the new revelation. For Red and White, however, this was the perfect excuse to gather data—they immediately bombarded the Creator with a flood of questions, especially about the unique birth process. Their professional curiosity turned into a full-on interrogation.
Alex only half-listened as he kept watching his newborn daughter—Jinx—with a mix of wonder and concern. He even chuckled to himself: the name was fitting. Becca was a genius with weapons, and in her original version, Jinx had been just as skilled… and just as destructive. If the child really had inherited traits from both parents, as the Creator claimed, then his daughter was going to be one hell of a gremlin.
Alex sighed inwardly. He could already feel future headaches forming… but none of that dulled the love he felt for her. Still, a bittersweet thought lingered in his mind: he had missed her first word, her first steps, all those little moments that made fatherhood special. But now he had three little princesses—and he was happy.
Meanwhile, Jinx slipped out of Becca's arms and walked over to Anya and Nyaruko. The three girls stared at one another in silence—and in an instant, a bond began to form. As quick as a flash of lightning, as if they were exchanging thoughts telepathically, they silently agreed: "You're cool. I'm cool too. Let's be friends."
Alex watched the interaction with relief. He was glad they were getting along—but a nagging thought remained: what would this friendship lead to? Anya, his adoptive daughter. Nyaruko, born from Nyan-Nyan. Jinx, daughter of Becca. Each one dangerous in her own way. Outwardly sweet and innocent, but in truth… three walking catastrophes.
"Man, you could've given me a heads-up," Alex muttered, glancing at the Creator. "I nearly had a heart attack again."
"That's what makes it a surprise," the Creator replied with a cheerful smile. "But I can see it—you're happy. You've got three daughters, and I've got three granddaughters. Everyone wins."
"Yeah, sure…" Alex huffed. "But back to business. I brought you another Enforcer. He might be able to help us."
He nodded toward Slayer, who, as always, sat silently in the corner, observing everything with a stone-cold expression.
"If you mean William," the Creator said with a nod, "I have no objection. Though it's more accurate to say—it's your choice. You've decided to expand your responsibilities. You want to build an organization—your hands are free. I gave you freedom, and you haven't disappointed me. Instead of just solving the problem, you chose to change the world and give it a chance to recover. And if you want your friend to be part of that journey—I won't stand in the way. In fact... I'll help guide him, just as I guide you."
"Are you in, Slayer?" Alex asked, turning to his friend. "Just keep in mind—there's no turning back."
"Hmm..." Slayer rasped, nodding.
"Then... welcome aboard," Alex said with a smile, extending his hand.
Slayer shook it without hesitation.
The girls listened closely to the conversation. They already knew about Alex's plans—he'd often mentioned the "family business of saving worlds" and his intent to get the "freeloaders" involved. Now his words were becoming reality.
Releasing Slayer's hand, Alex beckoned him to follow into his workshop. At the large workbench, he began handing over notes filled with knowledge of runes, their combinations, and how to use them.
"It's time to upgrade your arsenal. With runes, you'll become even more dangerous," Alex explained.
He handed Slayer a bag filled with artifacts, rune crystals, and modules. Among them was a special update block for VEGA—Slayer's AI would now be able to connect to the central server and receive regular updates.
"Now we're done," Alex said, lighting a cigarette. "Like the old man said, he'll guide you. So no more hopping from world to world chasing down some nutjob trying to destroy the universe."
"Hmm..." Slayer grunted, slinging the bag over his shoulder.
"Then... see you somewhere in the multiverse, William Joseph Blazkowicz," Alex smirked.
"See you," Slayer replied calmly, allowing himself a slight, barely visible smile.
(I think it is very symbolic to call Doom Slayer by such a name, because William Blazkowicz is the ancestor of Slayer, which allows me to call him by such a name, because Slayer and William are two killing machines, one kills demons, the other Nazis, and both belong to the same family.)
Behind Slayer, a portal opened—VEGA's doing. He walked toward it slowly, heavily, yet with a hint of lightness in his stride.
"If you ever need help... or just want to talk—you know where to find me. My home's always open to you," Alex called after him.
Slayer turned his head slightly, nodded, and without a word stepped through the portal. It closed behind him, and he vanished, returning to his citadel.
Alex stood for a few more seconds, staring at the spot where the portal had been. The sounds of clanking, hissing, and welding still echoed in the workshop—GIR, MIMI, and Stitch were hard at work repairing their armor and the Atlan Mech. They let no one near them—their equipment was sacred, and only they were allowed to perform maintenance.
Taking a drag from his cigarette, Alex exhaled the smoke upward. His adventure in this world had finally come to an end. The major problems were solved—only minor matters remained, ones he could leave to others.
Cold hands wrapped around his neck, and he immediately knew—Zhang Ya had emerged from his shadow to keep him company. In her crimson eyes, Alex saw a flicker of jealousy—after all, he now had a daughter with Becca, not to mention Nyaruko who had appeared earlier. He just smiled and gently stroked her icy hand, silently saying: Don't worry. You're still dear to me.
"Ah... seems like everything's wrapped up. Guess it's time to remind the old man about payment. Hope he doesn't try to wiggle out of it," Alex chuckled, blowing out another stream of smoke.
Zhang Ya said nothing—she didn't care, but she always supported Alex in his decisions. Alex stubbed out his cigarette and headed after GIR, MIMI, and Stitch.
"I have a surprise for you," he said.
But before he could finish the sentence, all three dashed off and disappeared behind the door, not waiting for an explanation. Alex just shook his head, watching them leave. He already knew how the meeting between this trio and Nyaruko and Jinx might end... Most likely, it would be a real disaster. But, as usual, Alex decided to leave this problem to his future self, something he would later regret.
As he exited the workshop, he noticed that Zhang Ya still didn't hurry back into his shadow. Her presence now seemed almost habitual.
At the entrance to the house, a strange scene was unfolding: GIR, MIMI, Stitch, Anya, Nyaruko, and Jinx stood in a circle, poking each other with their fingers in turn, repeating:
"You. Me. You. Me..."
Like children playing a live meme.
"Since you came out alone, your friend has already left?" Yuriko asked, noticing Alex.
"Yes. He needed to fix his gear. After the fight with Davoth, it couldn't handle the strain," Alex shrugged.
Yuriko nodded and looked back at the kids. Alex took out his phone, snapped a few pictures for memory, then glanced at the Creator. Without a word, the Creator gave him a look that clearly suggested it would be good to send copies. Alex gave a thumbs up, silently agreeing.
Putting his phone away, he approached his father. Taking a chair, Alex sat down next to the Creator, who was watching the grandchildren with a kind smile. The coffee table Alex had destroyed with his body during his faint was already repaired.
"Thanks for the table," Alex said with a slight smile.
"No problem, son. Now, let's get to business. I know what you want. Speak."
Alex smirked.
"Well then... hand over Leviathan. Gungnir is a cool weapon, but way too destructive. Constantly holding back its power is exhausting. Axes, though—that's a different story. Besides, I was thinking… about stealing it from Kratos, but honestly, I don't want the God of War chasing me across worlds to take his axe back. And he's not a bad guy, though his fate's rough."
The Creator shook his head, barely hiding a smile.
"You'll never change... But that's why I'm proud of you."
He snapped his fingers—and suddenly, Leviathan appeared on Alex's lap. The temperature in the house dropped instantly, steam escaped from Alex's mouth, and the air turned frosty and dense. The girls turned around, their eyes fixed on the glowing axe covered in ice and runes. Everyone immediately understood: Alex had received his payment.
He took the axe in his hands, and the temperature immediately returned to normal. Satisfied, Alex stored Leviathan in his spiritual vault.
"Excellent. Payment received. Which means it's time to move on to the second point of the plan—a family vacation. A whole week."
"Vacation sounds good," the Creator nodded. "You really should rest and spend time with your family. But... before I go, I want to give you something."
He slowly slipped his hand into the inner pocket of his pristine white jacket.
Alex stared at the Creator suspiciously. He really didn't like the feeling growing in his chest—his intuition told him that this gift from his father was going to be... far from pleasant. Deep down, he already knew: it would bring him a ton of trouble. Not just trouble, but a whole epic headache.
While Alex pondered the possible scenarios, the Creator leisurely pulled his hand out of the inner pocket of his impeccable jacket. In his hand were... three ordinary envelopes.
Alex raised an eyebrow, looking at his father with clear bewilderment. The girls watching the conversation leaned in closer, eager to find out what kind of "gift" the Creator was about to give.
"Um… You want to give me three envelopes? Seriously?" Alex frowned.
"Oh, son, these aren't just envelopes," the Creator said cheerfully, waving the paper rectangles in his hand. "These are letters... enrollment letters. Or rather, invitations to school. Actually, to three schools. Congratulations, you're a schoolboy again! I'm so happy!"
"Wait... What?! School? Old man, have you lost it?! How old do you think I am? I've already survived that nightmare called school years. And with my knowledge, I could finish any school in one day!"
The Creator smiled carefree, clearly enjoying his son's reaction.
The girls exchanged glances. Confusion was written all over their faces. School? Alex? Again? Some of them began whispering quietly among themselves, discussing what was happening.
"Maybe we should enroll with him?" Koko quietly suggested, seeking the opinion of the others.
"For school romance?" Chiquita asked, slightly smiling.
But half of them immediately dismissed the idea. No way. Boring lessons, noisy kids, homework, and alarms? Even if Alex could change their ages to fit the format, that didn't mean they wanted to go through all that again.
Still, they came to a consensus: everything would depend on which schools Alex would have to attend.
"Of course, I understand you could pass any school with your eyes closed," said the Creator, placing the three envelopes on the coffee table in front of his son. "But this time you're not just a student. You could say it's your new job. Three schools. Three worlds you must go to. And you know very well that each of them has... problems."
"Old man, you know I can just walk in, solve the problem, and walk out. Why pretend to be a schoolboy if I can just save the world right away?" Alex tried to bargain.
The Creator calmly sipped his tea.
"Three schools. Three worlds. Three payments," he said in a matter-of-fact tone, as if discussing a shopping list.
Alex raised an eyebrow.
"What did you just say?"
"Three worlds, three payments," the Creator repeated, taking another sip of tea.
There was a pause. Alex thought for a moment... then suddenly leaned forward and grabbed the envelopes from the table.
"I'm in. Where's my backpack?"
The girls looked at Alex with dry, expressive gazes. They had almost started to believe that he would bargain his way out of going to school altogether — but then, just one single suggestion from the Creator, and Alex immediately gave in, as if he himself was eager to return to the classroom.
Of course, Alex noticed those looks. He just shrugged and grinned, spreading his hands — all for the sake of the reward. He knew that for the sake of new weapons in his collection, he could endure… even school. Yeah, seeing the dull faces of classmates again and listening to boring lectures wasn't exactly a fun prospect, but if the prize was something epic, why not?
"Since I agreed, at least tell me which schools I'm supposed to go to," Alex said, flipping through the three envelopes with acceptance letters in his hands.
"Son," the Creator replied calmly, "you'll open the letters after the vacation. Why clutter your head now? You said you wanted to spend time with your family — so do just that."
Alex sighed but didn't argue.
"Alright. Then one more question: if the girls suddenly want to go to school with me — can they? Or will I have to hack into the enrollment system myself, gather documents, and all that?"
He glanced toward the girls. They, without speaking, started shaking their heads, making it clear: no thanks, they'd already been through school, and a second time was out of the question.
"That's for you to decide," the Creator answered with a slight smile. "If you want — figure it out. I think I'll go now. I'll check in later to spoil the granddaughters."
Alex nodded. After all, it made sense — the decision to go or not go to school each of the girls had to make for herself. He looked at them: even those formally of the right age — Miu, Renka, Saeko, Saya, Rei, Nobuna, Nagahide, Katsuie, Zero Two, and Lucy — didn't look inspired by the prospect. Even Saya, who usually loved studying, looked as if she'd just been sentenced to life imprisonment.
Meanwhile, the Creator approached his granddaughters and hugged each of them tightly in turn. The girls didn't disappoint — they clung to their grandpa so strongly that he had to sway slightly on the spot. With a kind smile, the Creator said goodbye once more... and vanished.
Alex was left standing with three envelopes in his hands. He'd be lying if he said curiosity didn't burn inside him, wanting to know what kind of schools awaited him. But… he still decided to heed his father's words. The letters went into his inventory — until better times.
To be continued...
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