Leaving the lounge, Alex and the two Valkyries made their way to the hall where they would meet the chosen contender. Brunhilde still didn't know who it would be, but Alex's words about this person specializing in hunting demons and being trained to destroy creatures of chaos only piqued her curiosity further.
Meanwhile, Alex was deep in thought, considering the necessity of eliminating Beelzebub before the chaos-infected part of his soul could fully take over. If that happened, the situation could spiral out of control, raising numerous questions and concerns among the spectators watching the events unfold. The only preventative measure Alex could devise was to set up a discreet barrier to block the fragment of the Outer God's influence from affecting the audience.
Lost in thought, Alex suddenly felt a sharp tug on his arm. It turned out to be G.I.R., the robo-dog, desperately trying to break free. Alex sighed wearily, realizing that the dog was once again eager to go demon-purging. Brunhilde noticed the look Alex cast at G.I.R.
"He's still determined to go after Beelzebub, isn't he?" she asked, peering over Alex's shoulder at the robo-dog.
Alex smiled tiredly. The thought of letting G.I.R. go had crossed his mind, but he quickly realized it was a bad idea. If this "radical" were set loose, he wouldn't stop at Beelzebub but would aim to cleanse all of Helheim.
Göll watched G.I.R. intently, marveling at his ability to switch "personalities"—from a cute, almost naive robo-dog to a fanatic obsessed with eradicating the demonic race.
"If it were just about Beelzebub, I'd have let him go long ago," Alex said with noticeable exhaustion. "But the problem is that this little fanatic would probably decide to burn all of Helheim in his zeal to purify it."
Brunhilde remained silent, but her imagination painted terrifying scenes of Helheim engulfed in flames. She realized Alex was right: letting G.I.R. go was too risky. The thought of Mimi and Stitch still being in the lounge made her involuntarily shudder. Those three could undoubtedly turn all of Helheim upside down.
"You're not seriously considering letting him go, are you?" Göll asked, her voice trembling.
"Of course not," Alex replied. "The last time I left him unsupervised, that little rascal managed to brainwash the kids at an orphanage I was helping. By the time I came back with Kiwi, the kids had already split into 'orders' and were preparing for a crusade."
Brunhilde couldn't hide her surprise. She hadn't expected Alex to help orphanages, but she attributed it to his kind nature. However, the mention of Kiwi piqued her interest.
Göll's eyes sparkled with admiration. The fact that Alex helped orphanages only strengthened her belief that her new older brother was kind and noble. Little did she know, Alex wasn't human at all but a demon.
"Kiwi?" Brunhilde asked, looking at Alex with interest.
"She's my fiancée," Alex replied with a slight smile. "We met when I worked as a mercenary. To be precise, we were on the same team: me, Rebecca, Lucy, Kiwi, and a few others."
Brunhilde was slightly taken aback to learn that someone as powerful as Alex had worked as a mercenary. Her curiosity grew as she wondered what could have driven such a person to take up that profession. She also found herself wanting to know more about the girl Alex had mentioned.
"This girl, Lucy—she's your fiancée too?" Brunhilde asked, casting Alex a dry, scrutinizing look.
"Yes, we met when I was just starting out as a mercenary," Alex replied calmly, ignoring her tone.
Realizing that his cryptic responses might lead to misunderstandings, Alex decided to be honest. Sometimes, the truth helps avoid problems—though, at other times, it might cause them. Regardless, he knew it was better to talk about his relationships upfront than to let speculation grow.
Starting his story, Alex gradually mentioned all his fiancées. His tale included Lucy, Rebecca, Kiwi, and even Gloria, who had played a significant role in his life. However, as the story unfolded, Brunhilde's frown deepened, and one of her eyes began twitching noticeably.
"So, Gloria? Who is she?" she asked, trying to keep her composure.
Understanding the question deserved a full answer, Alex explained what these women had gone through. He avoided mentioning futuristic worlds, cybernetic implants, or other technological details to keep the story simple.
Gloria had lost her husband and son in a gang shootout. Lucy had endured horrific experiments at the hands of a corporation. Kiwi had grown up in poverty, which took a toll on her health until Alex came to her aid. And Rebecca's story—sold by her own parents—was the most heartbreaking of all.
As Göll listened, she couldn't hold back her tears, shocked by the cruelty of the world these women had to survive in. Alex finished his story with a light but slightly melancholic smile.
"Why didn't they come with you? Are you worried about their safety?" Brunhilde asked, watching Alex closely.
"Not exactly," he replied, shaking his head. "Gloria doesn't like all the chaos of fights and shootouts. Lucy and Kiwi are currently studying magic, and given their skills, they'll master it quickly."
Brunhilde raised an intrigued eyebrow, clearly curious about the skills he was referring to. Sensing her interest, Alex explained that Lucy and Kiwi had been the team's hackers and information specialists.
"Not only is Rebecca a genius, but it seems your other fiancées aren't far behind," Brunhilde concluded, impressed by their abilities.
Meanwhile, Göll grew curious about Alex's work as a mercenary and the kinds of missions he undertook. Alex smiled and began sharing stories, including one where he had to scare off an overly persistent admirer.
"And how did you get rid of him?" Brunhilde asked, already suspecting that the method had been anything but ordinary.
"Love sometimes turns into obsession, and the easiest way to deal with obsession is a couple of taps on the head with a memory neutralizer," Alex replied with a satisfied expression.
The young Valkyrie blinked, processing what she had just heard.
"A memory neutralizer? What's that?" Brunhilde asked, intrigued by the odd detail.
She was starting to realize that Alex's brilliance came with its quirks, from collecting weapons to eccentric solutions. The older Valkyrie, however, suspected that this "memory neutralizer" was far more complex than it sounded.
"Brother Alex, can you show us this memory neutralizer?" Göll asked with a puppy-eyed look.
Alex smirked, clearly aware that their interest in his strange inventions was only growing.
Looking into Göll's eyes, Alex realized her "puppy-eyed" expression was becoming increasingly convincing, almost rivaling those of the girls in his family. Sighing, he decided to show them the memory neutralizer. However, he quickly realized that both his hands were occupied—one supporting Brunhilde and the other holding onto the robo-dog to keep it from dashing off on a crusade to purge demons.
With a swift motion, Alex clipped the robo-dog's leash to his belt and handed it to Göll. Once the mechanical dog was securely in the young Valkyrie's care, Alex reached into his inventory, searching for the memory neutralizer he hadn't used in days.
Finally, Alex pulled a small hammer from his inventory, which at first glance looked completely ordinary. Upon seeing it, Brunhilde's face instantly turned to stone, as if she had just heard an extremely unfunny joke, while Göll's face showed clear confusion.
"It's just a hammer," Brunhilde said dryly, pointing at it with a slender finger.
Alex's face twisted, as if he had just eaten a lemon. This wasn't the first time his memory neutralizer had been called "just a hammer." He sighed heavily, trying to cope with the disappointment.
"It's not just a hammer; it's a memory neutralizer. Look, it even has a label!" he said, pointing to a partially peeling sticker with text on it.
Brunhilde looked at him blankly, both shocked and convinced of his eccentricities. She had no idea the kind of chaos that reigned in his workshop, where each item had an unusual name and looked as though its creator was guided by inspiration, not common sense.
Seeing that his explanation hadn't made an impression, Alex put the hammer back into his inventory, deciding not to waste any more effort convincing the Valkyries. He smoothly changed the subject and continued talking about his work as a mercenary.
After a while, they reached a large room where the candidates were gathered. Alex opened the door and saw the guest who was already waiting inside. She was a tall girl with long blonde hair tied into two loose pigtails, flowing down her sides. Her eyes were closed, and a kind smile played on her face. She wore an elegant off-shoulder dress with a slit revealing part of her leg, and her attire was adorned with feathers, with a long floating piece of fabric that resembled wings.
"What brings you here, Göndul?" Brunhilde asked, seeing the new guest.
When Alex looked at Göndul, the first thought that crossed his mind was of the saints from fantasy books who summon heroes to fight the Demon King. Her appearance perfectly fit this image.
Göll happily ran up to Göndul and hugged her tightly. Göndul responded to the younger sister's embrace with a gentle smile.
"You've been gone for a while, so I decided to find you, and also see who will be my partner in the next battle," Göndul said, releasing Göll from the hug.
Brunhilde wanted to introduce Alex, but Göndul beat her to it. She slowly walked up to him, stopped in front of him, and took his hands, opening her previously closed eyes.
Alex froze, stunned: her dark eyes sparkled like stars in the night sky. The gaze was absolutely unique and mesmerizing, standing out sharply even among the other Valkyries.
They stared at each other until Brunhilde cleared her throat, interrupting the moment.
"My apologies. I'm just happy to meet you in person, Alexander Voldigoad," Göndul said softly, closing her eyes again and smiling.
Brunhilde frowned, staring at Alex as if he were the cause of Göndul's openly showing interest in him. Alex would have lied if he said that Göndul's appearance didn't make his heart beat faster. She looked kind, sweet, and fragile, like a morning ray of light.
But something told him that behind this outward softness hid a cunning, similar to what he had seen in Freya. On the surface, gentle and caring, but deep down, capable of stabbing someone in the back with the same sweet smile. Göndul's energy practically oozed with the vibes of a yandere girl.
"Did you come here to see your partner or Alex?" Brunhilde asked coldly, her voice taut like a string.
"Perhaps both. Or maybe just one of them," Göndul replied with a light, yet disarming smile.
Alex watched their exchange, feeling like an outsider. To avoid being a bother, he stepped aside and lit a cigarette. He needed to think about his next steps regarding the local combat system.
The most challenging task seemed to be creating a mechanism where fighters could be resurrected at the fountain, rather than dying for good. He admired those who had created such a system in Runtera and had once even considered visiting that world to learn their secrets.
However, after some thought, he realized that the core of their system was spiritual bodies, which gave him a new idea. Now, he just had to figure out how to connect a fighter's spiritual body to the arena without involving their physical body. But then there was the issue of balance – especially with gods, who were essentially spiritual beings themselves. Their power needed to be restricted to level the playing field with other participants.
His thoughts were interrupted by Göll, who was tugging at his sleeve insistently. Looking down, Alex saw the young Valkyrie pointing at the two older ones, who were still discussing him. Brunhilde looked noticeably tense, while Göndul glowed with her ever-present warm smile.
"Where's the contender you mentioned?" Brunhilde asked, her irritation barely contained.
Alex tilted his head slightly, trying to figure out what she meant. Apparently, he was supposed to know who his opponent would be.
"Has the contender from the gods been chosen?" he asked, taking a drag from a new cigarette, as the previous one had already gone out.
"Yes, as you said, it will be Beelzebub," Brunhilde replied dryly.
Hearing that name, Alex barely held back a wide grin that could have scared anyone. His gaze shifted to Göndul. He began analyzing her: as an experienced Valkyrie, she could be a valuable ally. However, Alex knew about her fondness for handsome men and wasn't sure if she'd be interested in using Völundr with someone who didn't meet her aesthetic standards.
Nevertheless, she seemed interested. Her gaze involuntarily slid over Alex, and her thoughts clearly drifted far away. Göndul was a fan of science, and what attracted her was not just Alex's beauty but his skill as an inventor – the plush dog, which turned out to be a high-tech robot, completely convinced her of this.
"Well... he'll be here soon. But I'm not sure if Göndul would want to team up with him for Völundr," Alex admitted, exhaling smoke.
Göndul covered her mouth with her hand, her laugh sounding soft and slightly playful. She slowly approached Alex and once again took his hands. Every move she made only heightened his suspicions: there was too much about Göndul that reminded him of Freya. Her voice, her movements – everything was calculated and charming.
"If you ask nicely, I wouldn't mind," she said in a mischievous tone, adding a playful note that made Brunhilde snort.
Alex was becoming more and more convinced that Göndul was strikingly similar to Freya. He unconsciously looked up and met Brunhilde's frown. Her vacant gaze seemed to accuse him of all the sins of this world.
"How much longer are you going to hold hands?" Brunhilde asked coldly, her voice almost like the rumble of thunder.
Göndul merely turned her head slightly toward Brunhilde and smiled, her gaze full of playful provocation. This movement made the hairs on the back of Alex's neck stand on end. He had yet to see Brunhilde in anger, but his instincts told him this sight was not for the faint of heart.
Young Göll, noticing how her older sister's anger was rising, made a wise choice – she hid behind Alex, as if he were a living shield from the impending emotional explosion. The tense atmosphere seemed ready to tear the air apart, but it was suddenly interrupted by the sound of doors opening.
At the threshold stood a tall, muscular man with short black hair. His impressive height of 2.5 meters immediately caught attention. Alex sighed in relief as he saw his clone, who had chosen the appearance of Demetrius Titus from the Warhammer universe. It was the perfect match.
Quickly breaking free from Göndul's grip, Alex approached Titus, intending to greet him and escape the Valkyrie's excessive attention. Göndul, pouting in displeasure, watched him go.
"Brother Alex, I have come at your call," Titus said, entering the room.
Göll, peeking out from behind Alex, stared in surprise at the newcomer. The man was not only tall but also incredibly muscular. Brunhilde observed Titus closely, her gaze scanning him from head to toe, studying the massive build that even his loose clothing could not hide.
Alex shook his clone's hand, mentally thanking him for his timely arrival. Noticing Titus, G.I.R. immediately ran over, wagging his tail joyfully. Though the robo-dog knew it was Alex's clone, he couldn't hide his excitement.
Remaining in character, Titus bent down to G.I.R. and said with rough solemnity,
"Brother G.I.R., I am also glad to see you. FOR THE EMPEROR!"
"FOR THE EMPEROR!" G.I.R. replied enthusiastically, saluting.
The trio of Valkyries watched this with astonished and somewhat puzzled expressions. However, it was Brunhilde who was the most intrigued. She knew that the phrase "FOR THE EMPEROR!" appeared in ancient legends connected to lost eras. Brunhilde suspected that the Emperor might have existed in dark times long erased from human history. To her, it was both a mystery and a key to the missing link in understanding the past.
"Sorry for summoning you so unexpectedly," Alex said calmly, "but the situation requires your involvement."
"I understand, Brother Alex," Titus replied in a rough, deep voice. "You mentioned that demons and Chaos spawn threaten humanity."
Titus spoke with such seriousness that for a moment even the tense atmosphere softened. But Alex knew that ahead of them lay something far more complicated than just talks about legends.
Alex nodded, maintaining his role, and began explaining to Titus who his opponents would be. Titus, in turn, listened attentively, nodding in response. Their little "play" had been planned in advance to maintain their cover.
Even G.I.R. got involved, enthusiastically declaring that they needed to "cleanse the vile demon who dared threaten humanity." Alex gave the robo-dog a dry look, remembering that in the ranks of the Imperium, artificial intelligence wasn't particularly welcome. However, not wanting to upset G.I.R., he decided to keep that comment to himself.
Once his explanations were finished, Alex turned to the Valkyries to officially introduce his "friend."
"Sorry for the wait," he began calmly. "Allow me to introduce my old friend, Demetrius Titus. He is a member of the Grey Knights, trained to fight demons."
Titus saluted sharply and turned to the three Valkyries. Göndul first looked at Titus, then at Alex, as if pondering something important. But one stern look from Brunhilde was enough to make her sigh and approach Titus.
Göndul, casting one last glance at Alex, extended her hand to Titus. He responded with a handshake, and then her body began to glow and dissolve in a stream of energy. Alex sighed mentally, anticipating potential problems, but decided to leave them for his "future self" to handle.
When the light faded, Titus was already standing in the massive armor of a Grey Knight, which made his already impressive physique even more gigantic. This armor was far more imposing than the standard Ultramarines' armor: an angular knight's helmet, massive shoulder pads, and the word "Wrath" etched on the chestplate. At the sight of this, G.I.R.'s eyes gleamed like a child's before gifts.
"Dad! Make me armor like that!" G.I.R. joyfully tugged at his pant leg.
Ignoring the dog's request, Alex focused on Titus. Brunhilde was staring at the armor she had never seen before, thinking that such a massive suit might hinder fighting against Beelzebul. But she decided to trust Alex on this matter. Göll, on the other hand, was excited by the sight of such armor, which looked not only intimidating but also truly cool.
It became clear to him that the right equipment was necessary for the battle against Beelzebul. Opening his inventory, he began pulling out weapons one after another: the Psychokinetic Glaive Nemesis, a huge shield with ancient inscriptions and a skull at the center, a Bolter, a Flamethrower, and the iconic saw-sword.
Brunhilde, watching this, involuntarily squinted. Her eye twitched when she saw Alex literally arming Titus to the teeth.
"Are you preparing him for war or a duel?" she asked sarcastically as she approached him.
"This is standard equipment for the Grey Knights," Alex replied with an unflappable expression. "You need to be ready for anything."
While Alex was preparing, G.I.R. had somehow already managed to suit up in Space Marine armor and arm himself to the teeth. Now, standing next to Titus was a miniature version of a Space Marine with gleaming eyes.
Titus was ready: in one hand, he held the glaive, in the other, a massive shield and a bolter. The saw-sword hung from his belt, and the flamethrower was on his back. After a moment's thought, Alex added a chain with a hook to limit Beelzebul's movement in case he tried to engage in ranged combat.
"Well, that's it," he said thoughtfully.
"Really? Where's the tank?" Brunhilde quipped, eyeing the entire arsenal.
"Not yet evening," Alex replied with a smile.
Suddenly, a sweet, slightly mocking voice rang in Alex's ears, coming through the spiritual link from Göndul.
"Deceiving is not nice, Alex," she said, her sweet voice sounding even more seductive.
Without changing his expression, Alex responded mentally, "If you're already in my head, you must know my plans and reasons."
"Perhaps I know, perhaps I don't," Göndul replied flirtatiously. "But know this, I'll be watching over you, Demon King."
After those words, the link was cut, and Alex realized that Göndul had started sifting through his memories again. He couldn't stop her and only mentally sighed. What startled Alex the most was Göndul's voice, which sounded exactly like Freya's when she had something planned.
While Alex was distracted by his conversation with Göndul, Brunhilde was inspecting Titus's armor, carefully studying every detail, until her attention was drawn to G.I.R., who had already suited up in his Space Marine armor. Brunhilde turned to Alex, who was still standing in place with a blank expression, clearly lost in thought. She sighed heavily, realizing that it was pointless to expect any explanations from him.
Unlike the older Valkyrie, Göll admired G.I.R., enthusiastically noting how cool he now looked in his new outfit.
Finally, Alex broke off the communication with Göndul and focused on what was happening around him. Before him stood an intriguing picture: G.I.R. in his Space Marine armor, proudly holding the Imperium flag that fluttered in the nonexistent wind. Brunhilde was studying Titus, while Göll, glowing with enthusiasm, bombarded the robo-dog with questions.
Alex silently watched, his face growing darker as he realized that G.I.R. had decided to take things further. The robo-dog dropped to one knee, raising the flag above his head. Alex internally groaned, understanding that G.I.R. was about to perform a ritual.
"Not this..." he whispered, watching as Titus, apparently inspired by the robo-dog's actions, also knelt, holding the glaive in his hands, the shield pressed against the ground.
The two Valkyries watched the scene with clear confusion. Brunhilde frowned, and Göll shifted uncomfortably, not knowing what to do with herself.
Alex sighed, realizing that there was no avoiding the ritual. His expression grew cold, his voice low and harsh as he uttered the first words:
"What is your duty?"
The sharp change in his voice and expression made both Valkyries tense up. It was as though Alex had become someone else, his usual demeanor gone without a trace.
"To serve the Emperor's will!" G.I.R. and Titus responded loudly and in unison.
Brunhilde looked at Titus with realization. It became clear to her now: in front of her was yet another fanatic who, like G.I.R., worshiped the Emperor of Mankind.
"What is the Emperor's will?" Alex continued in the same cold and firm voice.
"That we fight and die!" came the choral reply once again.
"What is death?" Alex's voice grew louder, echoing in the room.
"It is our duty!" G.I.R. and Titus responded even more loudly than before.
"When is your duty done?" Alex stared at them, his face showing relentless severity.
"Only in death does duty end!" both exclaimed, raising their gazes to Alex.
A tense silence hung in the room. Brunhilde, frowning, tried to process what she had just seen, while Göll looked completely lost. Alex, taking a deep breath, thought to himself: When all this is over, I'll make sure to remind myself not to let G.I.R. take the initiative again.
After finishing the familiar ritual, Alex sighed deeply, feeling drained by the ceremony once more. The constant need to step into the role of a fanatic commander from the Imperium's world was starting to wear him out. Meanwhile, G.I.R. and Titus stood up from their knees, straightened up, and looked at him with an expression of complete readiness for action.
"Your task is to cleanse this world of the spawn of Chaos," Alex said, addressing Titus in a stern voice.
"FOR THE EMPEROR!" Titus replied, sharply saluting, and immediately headed toward the exit to the arena.
Alex watched him until he disappeared from sight, then turned to Brunhilde and Göll, who, not hiding their confusion, were staring at him. Brunhilde especially squinted suspiciously, clearly thinking something over. Her gaze seemed to say: So it's you who's responsible for this, that your dog has turned into such a fanatic.
She didn't know the main thing—if Alex hadn't supported G.I.R.'s obsessions, the robo-dog would have tormented him for days, or even weeks. Alex still shuddered at the memory of how the robo-dog relentlessly pestered him until he crafted a bolter for him—perfect for serving the Emperor.
"Care to explain what that was just now?" Brunhilde finally asked. Her voice was calm, but her eye betrayed her irritation with a small twitch.
"It was a pre-battle ritual," Alex replied tersely, trying not to show his exhausted annoyance.
Brunhilde was full of questions—how, why, and what for. Noticing this, Alex sighed and decided to explain everything on the way to the observation platform.
G.I.R. marched proudly ahead of the group, holding the fluttering flag of the Imperium high in his paws, as if proclaiming the greatness of his faith. As Alex followed behind, he began to explain that this ritual was part of the Imperium's culture—a way to inspire warriors before battle.
"So, this is part of your robo-dog's game?" Brunhilde asked, her voice tinged with light sarcasm.
"Yes. But if I hadn't supported him, he'd have driven me crazy," Alex sighed, rolling his eyes.
For a moment, Brunhilde imagined G.I.R. following her around for days, never letting up, incessantly demanding things. Her eyes widened in horror at the thought alone.
"Alright, I give up," she muttered. "Now I understand why you didn't stop him."
"And remember," Alex added, looking at both Valkyries, "never ask him about the Codex Astartes."
"Why?" Brunhilde and Göll asked in unison.
"Because he won't stop until he recites the whole thing to you—back and forth. And several times, adding his own comments and quotes."
Brunhilde narrowed her eyes in disbelief, but Alex quickly gave an example.
"Remember I told you about Lucy? Well, she foolishly asked him out of curiosity. G.I.R. followed her around all day, and at night, he didn't let her sleep until he had told her everything he knew."
Brunhilde chuckled quietly, and Göll just widened her eyes in shock.
As they spoke, the group reached the balcony with a view of the arena. Alex leaned on the railing and looked down, preparing himself for the upcoming fight.
To be continued...