Alex suddenly fell silent and shifted his gaze to the door leading out of the room. Up until that moment, he had been fully absorbed in his conversation with Lucy and Rebecca, with all his attention focused on the box standing beside him.
He was curious why he hadn't sensed anything while inspecting it, even though everything around hinted that the contents of the box were extremely important to the Mechanical Man. The more Alex thought about it, the clearer it became that this item played a crucial role.
After all, the moment they infiltrated the basement, the members of the Maelstrom gang turned into fierce protectors of the box. Even when one of them was fatally wounded, he crawled, desperately trying to reach the mysterious container.
Alex hadn't yet faced another incarnation of Nyarlathotep, and he already felt exhausted. Everything had started off so promisingly—a new world where he could relax, take on various tasks. But as usual, it all came back to inevitable battles.
Yes, he had made a deal with Nyarlathotep and promised his father to maintain the timelines, but Alex kept postponing this task, knowing that for beings like him, time was just a formality, an empty word.
Lucy and Rebecca noticed that Alex had suddenly gone quiet and looked toward the door. This puzzled them. Could one of the enemies have survived and be approaching now?
However, they quickly dismissed this thought, knowing that Alex wouldn't have missed even the slightest movement. Unsure of the reason behind his odd behavior, Lucy turned to him to find out what had happened.
«Did you feel something?» she asked, drawing his attention.
Alex continued staring at the door, his gaze tired. He knew who was eavesdropping on them, and he had no desire for that person to discover the truth right now, especially at a moment when everything was falling apart.
Alex had planned to reveal his true nature only after deciding to return to the DanMachi world. He shifted his gaze to Lucy and Rebecca, who were now watching him with curiosity, and a crooked smile appeared on his face. Lucy raised an eyebrow slightly, not understanding what he was smiling at.
«Looks like we're being eavesdropped on,» Alex sighed.
Lucy and Rebecca's eyes widened as they looked back at the door. They were curious about who might be listening in on their conversation. They knew that sooner or later, Alex planned to tell his friends who he really was and where he came from.
But neither Lucy nor Rebecca expected it to happen at such an inconvenient time. Learning that your friend was a demon from a world where gods walked among mortals was already shocking enough. And realizing that this world might be destroyed by an ancient being was even more terrifying.
Alex wasn't in a rush to reveal the full truth, gradually lifting the veil of mystery so as not to scare them. Lucy had a suspicion about who might be behind the door, while Rebecca was lost in thought about what she had heard and the potential danger. Wasting no time, Alex decided to address the unexpected listener.
«Kiwi, I know you're listening. How about you come out, and we talk?» he called to the door.
Lucy and Rebecca exchanged glances, then looked at the door in surprise. Slowly, Kiwi's head peeked out from behind the corner, cautiously emerging from her hiding spot. She was clearly nervous.
Lucy and Rebecca watched her with apologetic expressions, understanding that Kiwi had overheard more than she should have. Alex, on the other hand, observed her approach with visible unease. Though her face was partially hidden by her mask, the worry in her demeanor was obvious.
Alex didn't rush her, understanding the emotions she was going through. Kiwi only knew part of the truth, but now, as the full picture was about to be revealed, it was inevitable that it would be a shock.
«Don't be afraid, I won't hurt you,» Alex said softly, trying to calm her down.
Kiwi slowly approached Alex and the girls. Thousands of questions swirled in her mind, but the fear of what might happen held her back. However, the thought that Alex could harm her quickly faded. She remembered how, last time, she had threatened him with a gun, demanding the truth, but Alex hadn't responded with aggression. As she calmed down, she walked with more confidence. When she stopped in front of Alex, their eyes met.
Alex raised an eyebrow, noticing how her eyes no longer reflected the caution they had before. This surprised him—Kiwi had accepted the truth she heard so quickly. She took a deep breath, gathering her thoughts, glanced at Lucy and Rebecca, whose faces showed confusion, and then looked back at Alex, who was waiting for her question.
«Who are you really?» she finally asked, trying to speak calmly, though the tremble in her voice betrayed her.
Alex froze for a moment. Even Lucy and Rebecca hadn't expected that question. They thought Kiwi would ask something more specific—about their current situation or about that god. But instead, she went straight to the main question. Alex sighed, took out a cigarette, and after lighting it, began to speak.
«I'm a demon,» he said, exhaling smoke through his nose.
Kiwi froze, her heart racing again. She had been prepared for various possibilities about his identity, but this she did not expect. However, the next comment made the situation even more tense.
«Not just a demon, but a Demon King,» Rebecca added, completing Alex's words.
Kiwi heard Rebecca's words, and her face twisted in horror as she stepped back. Alex shot a reproachful look at Rebecca, who had revealed the truth prematurely. Rebecca only smiled sheepishly and looked away, unwilling to take responsibility for her words.
Lucy sighed heavily, observing Kiwi's reaction. She remembered how she felt when she first learned the truth about Alex and didn't blame Kiwi for being scared. Although she and Rebecca had been more curious than afraid, Lucy recalled the disappointment she felt, thinking that everything Alex had said was a lie.
«And what are you planning to do with me now?» Kiwi asked with a trembling voice, staring tensely at Alex.
Alex raised an eyebrow, clearly not understanding her question. What did she mean by 'do with her'? He never intended to harm her. She had learned the truth, so what? The only thing that concerned him was ensuring that the truth didn't come out too soon.
Everything happening now was simply his oversight—he hadn't checked if anyone was eavesdropping nearby. And all this secrecy was only to live peacefully and not attract the attention of corporations, which, if they found out the truth, would surely want to send him for experiments.
«What am I supposed to do with you? Want me to kiss you?» Alex asked with a slight smirk, raising an eyebrow.
Kiwi was taken aback by his words, but somehow, that response made her calm down a little. She took a deep breath, gathering her thoughts, and asked a new question:
«So, are you really a demon? One of those that come from Hell?» Kiwi looked closely at Alex, trying to figure out how much of his words were true.
She couldn't help but glance at his forehead, expecting to see horns that he might be hiding under his hair. But remembering how he had already slicked it back once, revealing nothing, she shifted her gaze to his back, hoping to spot a tail, and then lowered her eyes to his legs, trying to catch a glimpse of hooves. Alex simply watched her attempts. When her gaze returned to his head, he realized what she was looking for. His eye twitched in irritation as she continued to examine him.
«I don't have a tail or horns. You can stop searching,» Alex remarked with clear annoyance.
His words drew soft laughter from Lucy and Rebecca, who recalled how Rebecca had once asked the same question. Kiwi, realizing that the girls had already been curious about the same thing, grew embarrassed and cleared her throat to deal with the awkwardness.
«Sorry. So, what kind of demon are you?» she asked, trying to sound confident.
Alex sighed and decided to reveal more of the truth about himself. After all, sooner or later, they would find out anyway.
«To put it simply, I'm the first demon created by God,» he answered calmly.
These words shocked Lucy and Rebecca, even though they knew more about him than Kiwi. But even for them, this was unexpected. They never imagined that Alex could be a demon created by God Himself.
«Like Lucifer from the Bible?» Lucy asked in surprise, looking at Alex.
Alex turned to her, raising an eyebrow slightly. Lucifer was always portrayed as the fallen angel, the tempter demon who betrayed God. But, unfortunately, Lucifer himself still remained an angel, despite all the legends.
«First of all, Lucifer is still an angel. And secondly, before you ask about the other 'demons' from the Bible — they're just twisted human souls that can no longer reincarnate. Their place is Hell,» Alex explained, shrugging.
Lucy nodded, accepting his answer, though the idea that Lucifer was still an angel surprised her. Rebecca, however, didn't give it much importance. To her, the only thing that mattered was that Alex was Alex, regardless of who he really was.
«You're not going to tell me Lucifer's your brother, are you?» Rebecca said with a carefree smile, throwing her hands behind her head.
Alex looked at her in surprise. Lucy and Kiwi noticed his reaction and immediately realized that there might be some truth in her words.
«Well... you're right. You could consider him my brother,» Alex replied with an unexpectedly calm smile.
Rebecca, who had said it as a joke, froze in shock when Alex confirmed her words. Her voice was lost in a sea of emotions, and she couldn't say anything. Lucy sighed heavily, realizing that her guess had been correct — Alex was indeed Lucifer's brother. Kiwi pinched herself, trying to make sure this wasn't just some bizarre dream. Everything she had just heard was too overwhelming for her mind to grasp.
«So, does that mean if we get married, God would be like... a father-in-law?» Rebecca finally mumbled, blurting out the first thought that came to her.
Alex acknowledged that Rebecca's words had some logic. If God considered him His son, then, essentially, the girls who married him would become part of a divine family. It was a lot to process, and Alex was trying to come up with a fitting name for such a situation when he felt his phone vibrate in his pocket.
He pulled it out and saw a message with just one word. A smile slipped across his lips — Alex immediately knew who it was from. The girls, noticing the way he looked at the screen, exchanged intrigued glances, clearly curious about what had made him smile so strangely.
«What is it?» Rebecca couldn't resist being the first to ask.
Without a word, Alex turned the phone screen toward them. There was only one word displayed, but it answered Rebecca's recent question:
[YES]
The girls looked at the message but couldn't understand what it meant. They turned their gaze back to Alex, clearly expecting an explanation. Noticing their confused faces, he smiled and briefly explained:
«Yes, it's exactly what you think it is.»
Lucy, grasping the meaning, tiredly placed her hand on her forehead, realizing the unexpected truth. She had accepted that her boyfriend was a demon with a few screws loose. She had accepted that he was from another world where gods walked among humans.
She had even come to terms with the fact that he had a pact with a woman from some country who wanted something from him, but the revelation that his father was the God, capital G, was the final straw for her.
Alex noticed the exhaustion in her eyes and gently placed his hand on her head, comforting her with his usual gesture. He began softly stroking her hair, trying to ease her emotional tension. Meanwhile, Rebecca shrugged as if this new revelation didn't mean much to her — just another discovery in her life that changed nothing.
The most shocked of all was Kiwi. She stood off to the side, as if her mind had shut down from information overload. Each new revelation hit her like a hammer, leaving her in complete bewilderment.
«All right, enough questions,» Alex decided, breaking the prolonged silence. «We need to figure out what's in that box first. Kiwi, if you have any more questions, ask Lucy, she'll explain everything to you while I'm busy.»
Kiwi looked at Alex in confusion, then at Lucy, who nodded, confirming his words. Lucy sighed, realizing she would have to answer everything that had piled up for Kiwi. Meanwhile, Rebecca perked up — all these conversations and revelations had exhausted her, and what mattered more to her was that Alex loved her, and she loved him, and that was enough.
«And first, come over here,» Alex suddenly called Kiwi.
Kiwi froze, tilting her head slightly, unsure of what he wanted, hesitating before approaching. Rebecca, noticing her reluctance, just grabbed her hand and pushed her closer to Alex.
As soon as Kiwi was near, Alex unexpectedly poked her forehead with his finger. Kiwi instinctively pressed her hands to her head, not understanding what had happened. But Rebecca and Lucy immediately recalled that Alex had done something similar to them before the battle with the dragon, explaining it as «mental protection.»
«What did you do?» Kiwi asked warily, looking at him.
Alex coughed, slightly embarrassed, and casually explained:
«It's protection for your mind. Don't worry, Lucy will explain everything.»
Kiwi nodded, still not fully understanding what he meant by «mental protection,» but she noticed that her thoughts felt clearer, and her anxiety was gradually fading. She looked at Lucy, and she nodded, confirming Alex's words. They stepped aside to discuss what had happened, while Alex decided to take a closer look at the strange box that had been drawing his attention for some time.
«Well, come on, open it already,» Rebecca said impatiently.
Alex smirked at her eagerness, ruffled her hair, and got down to business. He checked the box for any protective mechanisms or traps but felt nothing suspicious. It was as if the owner didn't even suspect that someone would dare to steal the box. As a precaution, Alex cast a protective barrier and carefully opened the lid.
Inside lay only one item — a mechanical heart made of a strange metal that clearly didn't belong to this world. Alex furrowed his brow, examining it, trying to understand what it might be useful for.
«What's in there?» Rebecca couldn't hold back and asked, stepping closer.
She peered into the box and saw the heart as well. Her gaze returned to Alex, full of questions.
«What's it for?»
Alex shook his head. «No idea.»
Rebecca looked at the heart again and had a strange thought, which she immediately voiced:
«What if it's for that mechanical guy… or whatever he is? You said he was an AI. Maybe this heart is for his future body?»
Alex considered her words. He recalled the question and tried to remember details about that particular embodiment. He remembered stumbling upon an article about it, and the main thing that stood out was that the embodiment was an artificial intelligence but could eventually obtain a physical body. Initially, this AI existed as a digital entity, but now it sought a body to simplify interaction with people and hasten their downfall.
«I think you're right,» Alex confirmed, turning to Rebecca. «If this heart is part of a future body, then that's even better for us.»
Rebecca huffed in satisfaction, puffing out her chest proudly for her deduction. Alex never thought she was foolish; on the contrary, he admired her talent for weapon-making. He had seen her transform the most ordinary parts into deadly devices. He wouldn't have been surprised if she made even a wooden stick shoot.
«But here's the problem,» Alex continued. «How do we kill it? This isn't an ordinary embodiment. If it once had a physical form, now this thing could literally be anywhere, and even a physical body wouldn't make it less dangerous since it would remain connected to the network.»
Thoughts of how to defeat a being capable of existing simultaneously in digital and physical space troubled him. Hearing his words, Rebecca began to contemplate possible ways to help him in this situation. Suddenly, an idea struck her, and she tugged at Alex's arm to get his attention.
«What if we hit the whole world with an EMP and wipe it out?» she suggested with a wide grin.
Alex looked at Rebecca and started considering such an unusual plan. At that moment, they were interrupted by Lucy, who returned with Kiwi after their discussion.
«EMP? I don't think that would work since this AI is essentially a god. I doubt any electromagnetic pulse could harm it,» Lucy reasoned as she approached.
Alex nodded, agreeing with her words. But Rebecca's idea didn't seem so hopeless after all. The longer he thought about it, the wider his smile became. Perhaps dealing with this mechanical man could be easier than with the previous avatar of Nyarlathotep. He glanced at Rebecca and, to her surprise, said,
«No, she's right. It could work.»
Rebecca shot a victorious glance at Lucy, who rolled her eyes at the gesture. But she couldn't ignore the curiosity that suddenly engulfed her.
« So, how do you plan to do that? « she asked, crossing her arms.
« When this AI acquires a physical body, it will still be connected to the network. And then, if I can manage to incapacitate all the electronics in the world for a moment, I'll be able to pull it into another dimension. There, it won't have access to the network, and it won't be able to escape, « Alex explained.
Lucy pondered, realizing that there was still something overlooked in this plan. Rebecca, on the other hand, enthusiastically imagined a global EMP explosion that would disable all electronics on the planet.
Kiwi observed all of this with a neutral expression, understanding that her life would completely change if she stayed close to Alex. Everything she learned from Lucy had flipped her understanding of the world upside down. She decided to contribute her thoughts.
« What if, after you pull it into another dimension, fragments of its consciousness remain in the network? « Kiwi asked.
Alex widened his eyes, realizing that this was quite possible. Even if he destroyed the main entity, its remnants might remain in the network and eventually recover.
« What if, while you're fighting the main part, someone deletes the remnants in the network? « Rebecca thoughtfully suggested, looking at the others.
Alex nodded, seeing a parallel with the battle against Ultron in the Marvel universe. Cutting off network access and deleting the remnants was key to victory. But the question remained: who could do this without putting themselves in danger? Remembering his robo-dog, GIR, Alex realized that it was the perfect candidate for the task.
« Who can even scour the entire network while you're busy fighting? « Lucy asked, still confused.
« GIR, « Alex replied calmly. « He definitely has enough computing power to do it. «
Lucy was about to object but realized that only GIR was truly capable of such a feat. However, she was worried that the robot, who called her «mom» and always sought her affection, might get hurt.
« What if GIR gets hurt or his system gets wiped? « Lucy asked cautiously.
« Don't worry. His core is based on my power. I'm sure the remnants of this embodiment won't be able to harm him, « Alex assured her.
Lucy sighed, understanding that they would have to take risks, but there was no other way. Suddenly, Kiwi interrupted the conversation:
« So what's your plan for all of this? « she asked, watching Alex.
Alex glanced at Kiwi, who was speaking up for the first time. Until now, she had only been making guesses, silently observing their discussion. Despite her inner excitement about the scale of the topic — after all, they were talking about fighting an entity capable of destroying the world — she tried to act normally.
« Right now, I don't have a clear plan. First, I need to understand what the hell such a thing is doing in Arasaka, « Alex said, pulling out a small box from his inventory.
He carefully opened it, and the girls exchanged glances, feeling an unpleasant chill, as if shivers ran down their spines. Inside lay a small black crystal, the size of a fingernail.
The sight filled them with an inexplicable dread, and they immediately turned their gaze to Alex, awaiting explanations. As soon as they saw the contents, Alex quickly closed the box and put it away.
« What is that disgusting thing? « Rebecca finally asked, overcoming her discomfort.
Alex sighed heavily and lit a cigarette.
« At first, I thought it was just another shard of some monster that accidentally ended up in this world. But now, after everything that's happened, I'm sure it's a fragment of the Mechanical Man's power. And it seems Arasaka is helping him create a body. «
Alex thoughtfully stroked his chin. There was a cold determination in his voice. All these thoughts confirmed his suspicions that Arasaka was somehow involved in the Mechanical Man's plans.
« And what are you going to do if Arasaka is indeed involved? « Lucy asked, gripping his hand.
« I'll do what I always do: abduct... or rather, invite people for tea to answer my questions, « Alex shrugged casually.
Lucy nearly choked at his words. She knew about his tendency to «invite» people for interrogation. It reminded her of how he once kidnapped four girls from other families to invite them into Hestia's family.
And two gods, to get the information he needed. Rebecca perked up at the thought that more dangerous and fun situations awaited them, but Alex quickly cooled her enthusiasm by saying that no shooting was necessary during an «invitation.» Rebecca pouted and jokingly kicked him in the leg, declaring that it was boring.
« So what now? « Kiwi asked, looking at Alex.
« For now, nothing special. We need to head back. The others are probably waiting for us». After that, we'll act according to the circumstances.
Kiwi sighed, realizing that there was no point in rushing at this stage. They needed to gather their thoughts and consider the next step. Alex tossed the case with the mechanical heart back into his inventory, preparing to return to the surface. Meanwhile, Lucy noticed that Alex was still covered in blood and remnants of bodies and offered him a chance to clean up.
Alex looked at himself and nodded with a smile. Using magic, he cleaned his clothes, and before the girls' eyes, his suit became clean and new again. Kiwi watched the magical process with surprise, seeing it for the first time. Alex nodded, satisfied with the result, and led them back to where the rest of the team was already waiting for their return.
To be continued...