Alex felt the tiny mouse, Tachimaru, jump onto his head and start settling in. He raised an eyebrow slightly, noticing how the people from Ryozanpaku were watching the scene with interest. He knew that Tachimaru didn't trust strangers and rarely interacted with anyone. Yet now, the little creature was sprawled comfortably on his head, as if this was perfectly natural.
Alex couldn't help but recall the animated movie about a rat chef who pulled a guy's hair to control his movents. The thought amused him, but Tachimaru's behavior still remained a mystery. He was surprised by how quickly he had earned the tiny rodent's trust, and judging by the reactions around him, everyone else was just as shocked.
At that mont, an idea flashed through Alex's mind—he could make equipnt for Tachimaru. He had never worked on sothing so small before, and it would be an interesting challenge. For a brief mont, an image ford in his head: a miniature Ultramarine armor set, turning the little mouse into a true "Mini-Minimarine."
"What's with those faces?" Alex asked, already knowing the answer.
"Nothing, Alex, it's just... unexpected," Akisa replied, glancing between Tachimaru and his new "owner."
"Tachimaru… doesn't like strangers. But he likes you. That ans you're good," Shigure said quietly, her voice as monotone as ever.
Alex almost choked. Was he being called a good person again? If he was "good," then the rest of them might as well be saints. He just smirked, unwilling to explain yet again how far that was from the truth. Not to ntion, he could hardly even be called a "person" anymore…
Shifting his gaze, Alex noticed Kensei circling around Renka, who was on the phone with her mother. He was clearly trying to eavesdrop, but his daughter kept turning away, blocking his attempts. The others had noticed too, and with a sigh, they simply shook their heads.
Deciding not to waste any more attention on it, Alex turned his eyes to Miu, who stood beside Hayato. Only now did he realize that soone was missing—Kenichi. The girl t his gaze and gave him a friendly smile in response. However, their silent exchange did not escape Hayato's notice.
The old man frowned and abruptly raised his hand between them, as if forming a barrier to shield his granddaughter from Alex. Slightly taken aback by the obvious display of overprotectiveness, Alex hesitated. Sasaki and Akisa simply chuckled—they were already used to Hayato scaring off any guy who got too close to Miu, and even Kenichi had been a victim of his intimidation more than once.
"Where's your student? Kenichi, right? Where did he go?" Alex asked, trying to change the topic and avoid Hayato's piercing stare.
He understood the old man's feelings. In his place, Alex would probably be even stricter when it ca to protecting his own daughter. Putting himself in Hayato's shoes, he realized that if he saw so guy near his daughter, he would have already tossed him overboard—and then pressed him down with a stick to make sure he didn't resurface.
He didn't have any biological children yet, unless he counted his two adopted ones—Takashi, Gloria and Namiyo's son, and Siegfried, Brunhilde's son. He didn't worry about them, but if he ever had a daughter… well, then any guy trying to hit on her would have to pray for salvation.
In Alex's spiritual space, a heated debate erupted. So of the Valkyries insisted that a child should have the freedom to choose, while others fully supported his stance—chasing away every suitor with a stick. Feeling the argunt becoming a distraction, Alex simply muted the connection so he wouldn't waste ti on it.
"Kenichi is with his parents right now. Let him spend ti with them. He hasn't had many chances to be with his family since all of this started," Akisa said, glancing toward the shore.
Alex nodded. Yes, it was perfectly normal to try and spend ti with loved ones, especially in tis like these. However, sothing about Kenichi bothered him. Not in the sense that he might turn into a villain—no. It was more of an ordinary, yet strange feeling.
Still, Alex decided not to dwell on it. In the end, Kenichi wasn't connected to him in any way, and whatever he did in the future wouldn't be Alex's concern.
anwhile, Alex found himself thinking about how incredible it was that so many people had survived. The people from Ryozanpaku had truly saved many lives, and he beca curious about where they had been when the chaos began.
"Where were you when all of this started?" he asked with interest.
"There was a festival at our school, and our class was putting on a performance. It just so happened that all the masters were present at the ti... because of that, we were able to save more people," Miu replied, her voice carrying a hint of sadness.
Alex sighed, understanding what Miu must have felt in that mont. She had watched her classmates turn into zombies and attack others. He knew that Miu was a kind and soft-hearted girl, and such horrific events could have left a deep scar on her. Let alone those who were even less prepared. People like Hayato, Akisa, Sasaki, Kensei, Shigure, and Apachai had seen a lot in their lives, which allowed them to adapt quickly and help others.
However, Alex rembered that in the original story, Hayato wouldn't have made it to his granddaughter's performance in ti. But it seed that fate had taken a different turn in this world. The old man had been present in the hall from the very beginning, which had allowed them to save far more people.
"Alex, what were you and your group doing when everything started?" Miu suddenly asked, peeking out from behind Hayato's arm, as he once again stubbornly prevented her and Alex from looking at each other.
Alex didn't know whether to laugh or cry. For the first ti in his life, he had encountered an overprotective family mber, and it seed he would have to learn how to deal with it. He hadn't even thought about Miu in a romantic sense yet—they had only just t.
Alex fully understood that manga characters and real people were two entirely different things, and he couldn't judge soone based solely on knowledge from a fictional world. In front of him stood a real girl, with her own desires, emotions, and worries.
Besides, he had a feeling that Hayato's overprotectiveness was tied to the fact that Alex was constantly surrounded by won, and the old man clearly didn't want his granddaughter getting caught up in that.
Miu, on the other hand, was starting to get annoyed. It irritated her that her grandfather wouldn't let her have a normal conversation with Alex. She kept trying to dodge his hands, which constantly blocked her view, but the mont she managed to break free, Hayato would once again step between them. This only made her even more frustrated.
Akisa and Sasaki were watching this amusing spectacle with clear enjoynt, but they were also genuinely curious to hear what Alex had been doing at the very start of the apocalypse.
Ignoring Hayato's attempts to keep him out of his granddaughter's sight, Alex lit a cigarette and calmly began his story:
"Before everything started, Brunhilde, Rebecca, and I ca to Japan for an ani festival. After that, we traveled around the nearby cities to relax. It just so happened that when the catastrophe began, we were in this city, passing by the school."
He explained that they had coincidentally been nearby when the apocalypse started and decided to go inside to assess the situation. After that, Alex and the girls focused on rescuing people and then began gathering survivors throughout the city, setting up a temporary base in a bank building.
Alex also ntioned that on the very first day, once they secured the bank, he started analyzing the city's situation to gather useful information and ensure the group's safety.
The people from Ryozanpaku listened with genuine astonishnt. No one had expected such a young guy to act so cold-bloodedly, rationally, and efficiently in a world that was collapsing before their eyes.
"Wait, you're telling that not only did you gather a group of survivors, but you also saved others when even the military couldn't handle the situation? On top of that, you organized supply runs? And to top it all off, you evacuated your people from Tokyo before the city was destroyed?" Sasaki stared at Alex, his eyes wide.
"Sothing like that," Alex nodded calmly. "If you understand where the world is heading, you can predict most of the upcoming events. I knew from the very beginning that Tokyo would fall, so I was determined to get out of there as quickly as possible."
"Kid, you're sothing else… What did you even do for a living before all this?" Sasaki asked, now looking at Alex as an equal.
"Nothing special," Alex replied with a slight smile. "Rebecca and I were independent contractors."
Those who understood what that term truly ant exchanged glances. Considering Alex's age, it was especially impressive.
Only Miu, unaware of its true aning, tilted her head questioningly.
"Independent contractor? What kind of job is that?"
Alex thought for a second, then smiled and replied:
"Hmm… That's a tricky question. Simply put, I got paid for different kinds of work. From intimidating an overly persistent suitor to stealing corporate data."
Miu nodded, thinking that Alex's job sounded sowhat like that of a bodyguard or even a spy.
However, experienced fighters like the Ryozanpaku masters imdiately understood that he had left out one crucial aspect of an independent contractor's work—contract killings. Their looks spoke volus, and when Alex rely smirked in response, it only confird their suspicions. He had never hidden the fact that he had worked as a rcenary and killed people.
Living in Night City, he had seen every possible horror of that world—cyberpsychos, gang wars, shootouts in the streets—and that was just the tip of the iceberg. And then there was the encounter with Nyan-Nyan's avatar, who had been stirring up trouble in an already chaotic city.
After so ti, a dejected Kensei returned to the group, having failed to speak with his wife. He let out a heavy sigh, and his friends silently patted him on the shoulder in a show of support.
"How are your wife and kids?" Alex asked, looking at him.
"They're fine, but Renka won't let talk to them. I know my wife will yell at , but I just need to know that she and the kids are okay," Kensei replied, sighing again.
"Listen, after Okinawa, we're heading to China anyway to pick up Koko's brother. Maybe you could tell your wife that we can pick them up too?" Alex suggested.
"You're really going to China after Okinawa?" Akisa asked, surprised.
Alex nodded and began explaining the route, as their final destination was Alaska. Then he turned to Kensei and gave him detailed directions to an abandoned CIA bunker where Casper and his group were currently located. Kensei listened carefully, morizing the details so he could pass them on to his wife.
When Alex finished, he asked Kensei where the Ma family dojo was located. After getting an answer, he nodded and pulled out an unusual device—the sa one Chris Redfield used in Resident Evil 6. Those who had never seen such a strange gadget before exchanged surprised glances. Alex briefly explained its purpose and added that similar devices were used by the leaders of other raiding groups.
"You made this yourself?" Akisa asked.
"Yeah, to make supply raids easier," Alex nodded.
The masters nodded approvingly, praising his resourcefulness. Then Alex activated the device and once again went over the route with Kensei.
"Thanks, Alex, really, thank you," Kensei said gratefully.
"Don't ntion it. Even if you're a pervert, you still love your family. Though I'm curious—what will your wife do to you when she sees you?" Alex smirked.
Kensei paled as he realized what awaited him. He recalled all the tis he had suffered at his wife's hands, yet despite that, he still loved her. Seeing his reaction, Alex and the others laughed.
Shaking off his bad thoughts, Kensei walked over to his daughter and snatched her phone away. Renka let out a cry of protest, trying to get it back so she could continue talking to her mother. But before his wife could start yelling at him, Kensei quickly relayed everything Alex had told him.
"I wonder who will reach him first—his kids or his wife—to beat him up," Alex muttered thoughtfully.
"You really think he'll keep peeping on girls even after your threats?" Akisa asked doubtfully.
"Oh, yeah. I had a friend just like Kensei—loved sneaking peeks at girls in bathhouses. I gave him more than a few 'therapy sessions,' but he kept making the sa mistakes. Kensei is the sa way. There's a saying: 'Only the grave can fix a hunchback,'" Alex smirked.
"You're right. Even if he gets hurt, he'll still chase his dream," Sasaki laughed.
Alex just shook his head. He didn't even want to imagine what would happen if Hers, Kensei, and Jiraiya ever t. They'd instantly form a trio of legendary perverts! The re thought made Alex shudder, picturing the chaos they would unleash.
anwhile, Renka, realizing that her father was giving her mother directions to the shelter, finally understood that a reunion was actually possible. However, it seed like her father wasn't going to share the details with her, so she headed back to the group, who were still talking with Alex.
"What shelter was my father talking about? And what's this about a trip to China?" she asked, trying to catch up on what she had missed while speaking with her mother.
Alex explained that after Okinawa, their route would take them along the Chinese coast anyway since they needed to pick up Koko's brother. Since they were already heading in that direction, he had suggested that Kensei pass this information along to his wife.
Renka finally understood the situation, realizing that she would soon be able to see her mother and brothers again, and nodded joyfully.
"Thank you," she said, bowing her head in gratitude.
"Don't ntion it," Alex waved it off. "We're heading in that direction anyway. You can consider it just a coincidence."
Renka looked at him in surprise, not understanding why he was so dismissive of her gratitude. But Alex never liked being thanked—it simply wasn't his style.
anwhile, Kensei finished explaining to his wife how to get to a safe place where she, along with their sons and dojo students, could wait until they were picked up. Just as he was about to say goodbye, the second part of the conversation began—louder and more emotional.
Kensei's wife unleashed a torrent of reproaches on him for suddenly running off, leaving only a note saying he was going to chase his dream. Her voice was so loud that even those who weren't nearby could easily make out every word. The deck fell silent in an instant—everyone froze, listening attentively to the spectacle.
Alex watched as Kensei's face changed under the barrage of his wife's furious monologue, turning pale, then twisting into a guilty smile.
"You've got an amazing mom, Renka," he remarked with a smirk. "I'm even surprised she didn't just rush off to tie up your dad, drag him back ho, and lock him in the basent for so 'parenting.'"
"My mom's the best," Renka proudly declared. "If she didn't have to watch over my brothers and the dojo, she'd have dropped everything and gone after that perverted dad of mine. He only managed to escape because there were problems at the dojo, and Mom was too busy dealing with them."
"Haha, well, now I'm looking forward to seeing when your dad ets his fate!" Alex laughed, his eyes sparkling with amusent.
He didn't even try to hide his excitent at watching Mrs. Ma deal with Kensei. It was inevitable, and Alex knew it for sure. Judging by the looks from the others, they understood full well what awaited their friend, and they were just as eager for the mont to co.
Kensei, still listening to his wife, suddenly felt an unexplained sense of danger. He turned his head and noticed that Alex, his friends, and even his own daughter were all watching him with barely restrained amusent. At that mont, he realized that the threat wasn't coming from his wife… but from these people, who were clearly waiting for his downfall with anticipation.
Finally, Mrs. Ma finished her angry speech, but before saying goodbye, she reminded her husband that she would deal with him as soon as they t.
Kensei could only sigh in resignation, accepting his fate, and after finishing the conversation, handed the phone back to Alex.
"Thanks, Alex," he said with a nod.
"No problem," Alex smiled and waved it off. "The most important thing is, I can't wait to see you reunite with your family."
Alex's eyes sparkled with unrestrained amusent.
Kensei, slightly on edge, glanced at him again but said nothing. He had already figured out that resisting was pointless—and that what lay ahead was sothing far more terrifying than ordinary family disputes.
After finishing his conversation with the people from Ryozenpaku, Alex decided it was ti to return to the girls and relax until evening, after which he would resu training his lovely students. Carefully removing Tachimaru from his head, he returned the little mouse to its owner. Tachimaru didn't even stir, clearly still in a state of complete relaxation.
Before leaving, Alex ntioned that if they needed anything, they could always reach out to him or Brunhilde. As he walked away, the masters of Ryozenpaku watched him thoughtfully.
"What do you think of this guy?" Sasaki asked, crossing his arms over his chest.
"I can't make any firm conclusions yet," Akisa replied. "It's not entirely clear why he helps people and is trying to move them to a safer place. Judging by what people on this ferry have said, he's quite responsible and cautious. But his true motives remain a mystery."
"I think he's just a good person," Miu said with a smile. "In this day and age, not everyone would care for others like that."
"Mm... He's good," Shigure quietly agreed, nodding.
Hayato sighed as he looked at his granddaughter. He'd already tried to keep Kenichi away from her, and now another guy had appeared. However, as far as he could tell, Alex seed to be treating Miu with only ordinary friendly affection. Even so, Hayato didn't like the idea of his granddaughter interacting with soone who was already surrounded by so many girls.
"What about his strength?" Kensei asked, interjecting in the conversation. "He easily dealt with Ogata, and didn't hesitate when killing."
"According to him, he worked as an independent contractor," Hayato reminded them. "And we all know what kind of work that involves."
They continued discussing Alex, trying to understand his motives. If Alex had known he was the subject of their conversation, he would probably have just shrugged and said he helped people not because he had to, but because he could.
anwhile, Alex had no idea he was being talked about. He had already returned to the control room and, entering, smiled as he looked at the girls who had made themselves comfortable, enjoying their well-deserved rest. Only Namiyo, Kiriko, and Yuriko had ford their "older girls' club," chatting and laughing.
"Why did you take so long to smoke?" Shizuka asked, puffing her cheeks.
"Well, as soon as I stepped out, everyone wanted to talk to ," Alex replied, collapsing onto the mattress.
The girls imdiately began asking him what he had discussed with the others. Alex was just about to answer when Brunhilde sat down beside him. He tried to sit up, but she gently pressed her palm to his head, preventing him from rising. Alex raised an eyebrow in surprise, but Brunhilde simply took his head and laid it on her lap. He smiled, enjoying the tender gesture from his Valkyrie.
"Well, as soon as I went out and lit up, Kota, Takashi, and Jonah ca up to ," he began.
As soon as Namiyo heard her son's na, she imdiately turned her head toward Alex, listening carefully.
"I hope you talked to Kota about not fooling around with his girls in the restroom?" Rika asked suspiciously. "I don't want to run into an unpleasant scene again at night."
Alex smirked and gave Rika a thumbs up, signaling that he had handled the situation perfectly. However, the girl was curious about the details. He didn't hold back and vividly described Kota's expression at the ti. Collective laughter filled the control room.
So of the girls started giving Alex aningful looks, and a few even openly hinted that they, too, might want to do sothing interesting. But Rika decided not to beat around the bush and directly expressed her desire.
"Handso, when do I get my turn?" she asked with a grin. "I'm a girl too, I need love and affection. And really, how can you hold yourself back when you're surrounded by so many beauties?"
"I don't think any of you would want to do that in a restroom or on the floor," Alex replied with a heavy sigh. "There are rooms for important guests in Okinawa, so hang in there a bit, Rika."
"Hmm, don't lie to ," she said, squinting slyly. "Or I'll take you at night, and I won't care where or in what situation we end up."
Alex simply smiled, knowing that those words weren't said just for fun.
The other girls nodded in unison, agreeing that they were ready for a deeper relationship with Alex. So of them blushed but still agreed with Rika's words.
Seeing this, Alex was in slight shock. Such a situation had never happened to him before. When he was threatened with being attacked at night to "get what was owed to them," he could still joke about it, but now it felt far too serious. He didn't even want to think about Loki — that woman just acted without warnings or threats.
Clearly not wanting to beco the victim of a collective assault by the girls, Alex quickly assured them that he would arrange everything in the best way. Hearing his confirmation, the girls nodded in satisfaction and decided to wait.
"Oh, by the way, Namiyo," Alex suddenly changed the subject, turning his gaze to the woman. "Takashi found a girl he likes."
"No way!" Rebecca said, genuinely surprised. "I thought he'd beco gay. He's always hanging out with that chubby Kota."
"Don't even get started, greenie," Saya agreed. "I'm shocked too. I thought after Rei dumped him, he'd suddenly switch to guys."
"I didn't dump him," Rei frowned, crossing her arms over her chest. "He left on his own and beca depressed. Don't bla . If anyone is to bla, it's him — he couldn't figure out his feelings."
Alex silently watched the girls and ntally sympathized with Takashi. They didn't even realize that the main reason for his depression wasn't failed relationships, but the fact that he was a reincarnated person. The burdens of his past life, when he was David, still haunted him.
Namiyo ignored the jokes about her son liking guys. What she was more interested in was who had captured his heart. She was already about to leave to talk to Takashi and possibly offer him so advice on how to interact with girls.
But before the caring mother could get up, Alex stopped her just in ti.
"Don't bother," he said. "I've already given him a few tips; let him handle it on his own. If you interfere, it'll only make things worse."
Namiyo sat back down, but her curiosity remained.
"So, who is this girl?" she asked.
Alex began to explain. When he ntioned that she was part of a group calling themselves "Valkyries" and that they were led by a girl nad Freya, Brunhild and Rebecca exchanged a glance and imdiately looked at him.
Alex let out a heavy sigh, feeling irritated. So girl decided to take Freya's na? Wonderful.
"Maybe our Brunhild should take these 'Valkyries' under her wing?" Coco suggested playfully. "After all, that's not a na you just get for no reason."
Alex grimaced. If the girls knew that Brunhild was a real Valkyrie and older than everyone else combined...
Brunhild, sensing his thoughts, narrowed her eyes, tugged at his cheek, and gave him a aningful look.
Alex raised his hands in apology. He knew very well that there were things you didn't say in front of girls, especially when it ca to age. It was taboo, whether the woman was ordinary or even a goddess.
The girls had long noticed the special bond between Alex and Brunhild. Everyone understood that if anyone knew what was going on in his head, it was her.
Alex then told them about his conversation with the masters from Ryozenpaku. And, of course, the first question he got from the girls was:
"Do you like Miu?"
Alex sighed wearily.
"Why is that the first thing you care about?" he mumbled.
He explained that he didn't feel anything for her yet, and it seed like she had feelings for Kenichi.
"Kenichi?" Valt asked, raising an eyebrow. "That cowardly guy who always looks like a deer caught in the headlights?"
"Yeah, pretty much," Alex nodded. "He's also interested in Renka. But Kenichi is so naïve... it's easy to take advantage of him."
"Tell about it," Rei added. "We have girls at school who could easily wrap him around their finger. Especially if Miku gets involved. She was already good at manipulating boys back in school."
"Well, that's his problem," Yuriko interrupted. "We're not obligated to intervene. If he rejects the girl he likes, that's on him."
Alex nodded in agreent. He certainly wasn't about to babysit other people's boys.
He supported Kota because he was cheerful and pleasant to be around. The situation with Takashi was simpler — in a way, he was like his "son." And Jonah was just a good guy.
But as for the other teenagers... their dramas didn't concern him in the least.
To be continued...
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