Alex unsheathed the Yamato blade — its edge gleamed under the crimson sky. In an instant, his figure vanished, dissolving into the air. He wanted to end this meaningless battle — one without thrill or satisfaction, only sorrow and bitterness.
Alex appeared right before Davoth. The Yamato blade tore through the air, aiming straight for the fallen god's heart. But in that brief moment, before steel met flesh, Alex noticed — Davoth was smiling. It was a quiet, weary smile of relief.
And what Alex saw in his eyes made him smile faintly in return. In the final seconds of his life, Davoth's essence flared with a brilliant, gentle light — so pure and soft that it felt as if the world itself paused for a moment. It was as though Davoth had once again become the kind and wise God he used to be.
But the blade did not stop. Yamato pierced Davoth's heart, placing a full stop on his life — one more in a long cycle, though perhaps not the last. Davoth didn't scream, didn't resist. He simply accepted his death, as if he had been waiting for it all along.
Alex pulled the blade free, and Davoth's body sank to the ground. His gaze turned toward Pandora's sky, which was slowly clearing of darkness, regaining its blue hue. Before his eyes closed, the whites of his eyes turned pure again, and his face softened with lost warmth. He died with a peaceful smile, and his body began to crumble into ash, carried away by a gentle breeze.
Alex stood silently, watching, and sighed heavily. He knew there were still nine fragments of the Allfather's essence scattered across existence — from which Davoth could one day be reborn. But would that rebirth bring back the same Davoth consumed by darkness… or the God who once held light within him? There was no answer.
A bitter, sour taste lingered in his mouth. Everything Alex knew about Davoth once came from a video game. But now, standing here, he realized — this wasn't a fictional character. This was the real Davoth. And for the first time, looking into his eyes, Alex understood: before him stood not a monster, but a broken soul — one that had grown weary of its own existence.
He sank to the shattered ground beside the spot where Davoth's body had lain moments ago. Pulling out a cigarette, he held it between his teeth but didn't light it. He felt exhausted — not physically, but with the kind of fatigue that weighs on the heart when you realize even monsters were once human.
By reading Davoth's memories, Alex had lived through them alongside him. He saw through his eyes, felt his pain and despair. That was both the gift and curse of reading minds — to not just witness someone's past, but to experience it as your own. That was why Alex felt pity for Davoth, not hatred.
He sat quietly, staring at the sky, lost in thought. Perhaps Davoth's fate had been sealed from the very beginning. Perhaps his fall was necessary so that someone could one day stop him.
Alex sighed, lit his cigarette, and took a deep drag. The bitterness of the smoke dulled his thoughts — if only a little. Sometimes, it was the only thing that helped him accept that not everyone could be saved.
He exhaled, pulled his knees close, and buried his face in them. He just wanted to rest — for a few minutes, at least. He knew more enemies like Davoth would come — those who became monsters not out of malice, but because fate left them no choice.
Quietly, almost in a whisper, Alex began to sing:
"I couldn't wait for you to come and clear the cupboards... But now you're gone and leaving nothing but a sign... Another evening I'll be sitting reading in between your lines... Because I miss you all the time... So, get away… Another way to feel what you didn't want yourself to know… And let yourself go… You know you didn't lose your self-control... There's no end of the rainbow. Turn away… Another way to be where you didn't want yourself to go… And let yourself go. Is that a compromise?"
His voice was low and rough, carrying a blend of pain and exhaustion.
At that moment, the women from Alex's family, who were watching the live broadcast, saw everything unfold. Brunhilde and Göndul — connected to him through their spiritual bond — felt what he felt. They sensed his sorrow, the heavy weight pressing on his heart. To them, this wasn't a victory — it was a tragedy.
Some of them, especially those whose worlds had once been destroyed by Davoth's armies, didn't know how to react. In their hearts, anger and pity intertwined. They hated Davoth, yet they couldn't deny that he hadn't become a monster overnight.
Brunhilde explained to the others what Alex was feeling, and everyone fell silent. Before them wasn't a hero celebrating triumph — it was a man weary of endless struggle. Alex sat with his head bowed, looking truly… tired, for the first time.
The girls were about to teleport to him, to offer comfort, when suddenly flames burst to life behind Alex. From the fire stepped Lilith — her silhouette sharp against the shimmering air.
Seeing this, the others stopped. Brunhilde spoke softly:
"Let her go. She's closer to him right now. We don't need to interfere."
Everyone agreed. After all, Lilith was now part of their family. And if anyone could pull Alex out of his melancholy — it was her.
Lilith appeared in a flash of flame, teleporting to the center of the ruined valley using her Siren powers. Her eyes immediately found Alex — not that it was hard; the valley had become a massive crater carved by deep fractures. The only one left there was Alex, sitting with his face buried in his hands, a cigarette smoldering faintly between his fingers as the wind carried away thin wisps of smoke.
Lilith quietly walked over and sat beside him without a sound, resting her head on his shoulder. She already knew what was happening. The rest of the girls were far away — scattered across other universes — and though they could appear at any moment, Lilith chose to come first.
For a while, they sat in silence. Alex kept humming a somber tune under his breath, pouring out everything that had built up inside him. Lilith didn't interrupt. She simply stayed beside him — and that was enough.
Of course, Alex felt her presence. He could sense her emotions, the gentle warmth radiating from her. It helped ease the weight of Davoth's memories still echoing in his mind. The cigarette in his hand burned out and went cold. He took a deep breath and looked up at the sky.
"How are you?" Lilith asked softly, taking his hand.
"Still trying to deal with the aftermath of reading Davoth's memories," Alex replied with a strained smile.
"And what does that mean? What kind of aftermath?" she asked gently, trying to draw him away from his dark thoughts.
"Reading minds isn't just observing," Alex began. "It's like living someone else's life alongside them. Feeling what they felt. Seeing through their eyes. And when the owner of those memories is as powerful as Davoth… you feel everything — joy, pain, betrayal, rage. It all overlaps. And when he regained part of his light, those emotions came crashing down even harder. Now it's like there are a thousand voices in my head, all screaming at once."
"But he was a villain," Lilith said softly, running her hand along his arm. "You told me yourself — he destroyed countless worlds."
"He was," Alex nodded. "But not at first. He became that way because of what happened to him. I'm not justifying him… but I can't hate him anymore either. Let William handle that. Their fates are intertwined anyway."
"So, you're feeling better then?" Lilith squinted playfully. "Because your depressed face was starting to freak me out."
"Yeah. My face is back to normal," Alex chuckled. "Thanks for your love, Lilith. I could really feel it — all the way through me."
"You're welcome," she smirked. "You were sitting here like some teenager after a breakup — singing sad songs and brooding. Where's that slightly insane idiot who accidentally inspired a cult in my name? The same one who blew himself up on a mountain of flaming garbage?"
"Ouch, that hurts," Alex groaned theatrically. "I'd love to see your face after you lived through thousands of years of a god's memories — a god who turned into the Dark Lord. Then we'd see how chipper you look."
"Oh, my apologies," Lilith said with exaggerated regret. "I must've forgotten to mention that I can't read minds. What a shame! How will I ever go on without that skill?"
Alex looked at her with an empty gaze. Lilith responded with a teasing one, and a tense but warm silence hung between them. Then Alex chuckled, suddenly pushed her to the ground, and began tickling her.
"Ah! Alex! You idiot! That tickles!" Lilith laughed, trying to fight him off but failing. A moment later, she flipped him over, ending up on top. Her golden eyes gleamed, and her lips curved into a triumphant smile.
Alex raised an eyebrow, looking at her — and she looked right back at him.
"So, you caught me, huh?" he smirked.
"Yup," Lilith grinned, leaning in closer. Her palms rested on his cheeks. Just as their lips were about to meet, she suddenly bit him on the cheek.
"Ow!" Alex tried to push her away, but Lilith, pleased with her "revenge," wrapped her arms around his neck, refusing to let go.
Then her gaze softened, and without hesitation, she pressed her lips to his.
Their kiss was long, warm, and real. Everything else ceased to exist—
Until a loud, persistent cough echoed inside Alex's head. He opened his eyes and saw Navi, the drone-fairy, nervously hovering behind Lilith.
"How do I put this…" Alex muttered, gently catching Lilith's hands before she could pull off her shirt.
"What is it, handsome?" Lilith raised an eyebrow, giving him a sideways look.
"We might've… gotten a bit carried away. And I think we forgot we have an audience," he said, nodding toward the hovering fairy.
At first, Lilith just waved it off — so what if someone was watching? After all, only the girls from Alex's family could see. But then, a sudden realization hit her: in Sanctuary, at the Crimson Raiders' headquarters, the live feed was being broadcast on a massive screen. Which meant that Brick, Mordecai, Axton, Salvador, and Zer0 were probably watching too.
"Just perfect..." Lilith muttered irritably, clicking her tongue.
She shot the drone-fairy a death glare, as if blaming every male member of the team for ruining her moment. Navi, sensing the danger, twitched and slowly drifted away to a safer distance.
Alex couldn't help but smile. He wrapped his arm around Lilith's waist, pulled her closer, and kissed her gently, trying to ease her irritation. After the kiss, he whispered softly in her ear:
"We can continue… whenever you want."
Lilith smirked wickedly.
"Oh, I'll tear your clothes off. Literally, this time."
Alex just shook his head and sighed.
"What has my poor wardrobe ever done to any of you..."
Getting to his feet, he and Lilith cast a teleportation spell, and their bodies vanished in a bright flash of light. Upon returning to Sanctuary, the first thing Alex saw was Brick's wide grin as he gave a very enthusiastic thumbs-up. Alex exhaled tiredly and simply pointed at Lilith.
She slowly turned toward Brick, narrowing her golden eyes as her tattoos began to glow. Brick instantly lowered his hand and pretended he hadn't been there at all. Alex burst out laughing. Then he walked over to the table, brewed himself some coffee, and took a satisfying sip.
"Now that's life," he murmured, letting the steam rise from his cup.
He gazed dreamily at the ceiling — or maybe straight into space — and smirked. Soon, he would have his own space station — Helios. The thought of someone like Uranus in Orario noticing the sudden appearance of a massive orbital platform made him quietly laugh to himself.
In Orario, Uranus acted as a sort of leader of all the Gods who descended into the mortal world, and Alex knew that this God would definitely get another headache when an entire massive space station appeared above the planet. Alex hadn't yet figured out what to use Helios for, but that didn't change the fact that he was going to have an entire space station. The girls looked at Alex, who was giggling like a child on Christmas Eve before finding the cherished present under the tree.
"Alex," Mordecai called, "when do we start working in your Guild?"
"After the briefing," Alex replied, setting down his mug. "They'll explain everything. Work in the Guild isn't just barging in on bandits with guns. You need to eliminate the cause."
"For example?" Axton asked, leaning on the table.
"Take Handsome Jack, for instance," Alex began. "Imagine that in every universe there's a Jack. And each of them is a villain driving their world into the abyss. Our job is to stop the destruction. You find the villain, you kill him — and you watch how the world changes. But sometimes it turns out he was just a pawn. Then you need to figure out who's behind him and remove the root of the problem."
"Simple," Alex shrugged. "A fairy-drone like Navi will follow each team. It will show whether the timeline has stabilized. Usually everything returns to normal after the villain's death, but sometimes it turns out he was only a tool. For example, a God trying to increase their influence through war, fanaticism, or genocide. And then we have to intervene."
"Wait," Lilith frowned. "You mean we'll have to fight gods? Are they even killable? I know you can do it, but what about us...?"
Alex smirked and slowly exhaled smoke from his cigarette."These 'gods' are pathetic parasites. The Guild has weapons capable of killing them. They're stronger than humans, yes. But essentially — insignificant. Hurt them and they immediately start screaming, cursing everyone, shouting that they're 'gods'. A pathetic sight. Most of them didn't even create their worlds — they just showed up and latched on, feeding on faith so they wouldn't disappear. When they realize a mortal can kill them... they run like rats."
Silence fell in the room. Only Navi chirped faintly in the background, recording everything Alex said.
After Alex's words, it was hard to argue. Seeing doubt still lingering on some faces, he decided to show them a concrete example — one of the archive recordings from drones that had accompanied teams during missions in other worlds.
Every operation was carefully recorded and stored in the archive — not only for reports but as training material. Alex chose one of the most illustrative missions — a video recorded by a drone that followed Simon "Ghost" Riley, who preferred to operate alone when eliminating targets.
When interest appeared on the listeners' faces, Alex stood up from the table, cup of coffee in hand, and hooked up to the big screen.
"Now I'll show you what a perfectly executed mission looks like," he said, activating the video and switching to commentary mode.
The screen came to life. The first shots showed Ghost arriving in a fantasy world. Alex pulled up the mission brief: eliminate a group of so‑called Heroes.
"In this mission it says you need to kill a group of Heroes. Who are they exactly? Warriors?" Tannis asked, raising her hand like a model student.
"It depends on the specific world," Alex explained calmly. "Sometimes a Hero is born there, sometimes a God summons one from another world. In this case, a goddess named Lisanaya summoned five youths she deemed worthy of the title 'heroes'. Here's their dossier."
Faces of the five summoned youths appeared on the screen. They were teenagers, essentially, but their eyes already reflected cruelty. Alex briefly described each of them: from the self-absorbed leader to the sadistic assassin.
"These so-called heroes were typical scum," he continued. "Murders, torture, rape. They did whatever they wanted, hiding behind divine blessing."
Ghost's first target was Akira Tenshi, the self-proclaimed leader of the group. When he decided to "play" with yet another victim, Ghost was already waiting. No unnecessary talk — one bullet to the head, two to the heart. The story was over.
Next was Sayori Kagami, the Hero-assassin who enjoyed tormenting people for pleasure. While he whistled a tune, wiping blood from his daggers, a shadow appeared behind him. A metallic string, drawn with icy precision — and that was it. In the morning, he was found with bulging eyes and a bluish face.
Third on the list was Keiji Yami, a mage who tested his spells on the innocent. When he was "training" again, Ghost entered his laboratory and plunged a knife into his back. Startled, a spell misfired and destroyed the entire hall. Only a charred shadow remained of Yami.
Fourth was Miyuki Sasori, a local heartbreaker hunting married women, including the queen. That night he was heading toward yet another "victim," but instead of passion, he found death in a dark alley. Ghost slit his throat and vanished into the darkness.
Finally, the last one — Ryuji Kurohana, a tank, uncontrollably furious. Screaming for revenge, he went into the forest to train, but stepped on a magical mine. Losing his legs, he tried to crawl away until he saw a skull mask and a gun barrel in front of him. One shot — and silence.
In five days, Ghost eliminated all five. Each died in fear, realizing that no "divine power" could save them from death.
But the mission didn't end there. The goddess Lisanaya, having lost her "heroes," descended to the mortal world to investigate personally. She materialized in a church built in her honor… and at that same moment received a bullet to the head. A sniper shot. One instant — and the goddess was gone forever.
Until the end of their days, no one — neither her followers, nor the guards, nor the kingdom — ever learned who had killed their heroes and the goddess.
"Damn… where did you find this guy? I mean, I love throwing punches," Brick exhaled, slapping the table. "But this is a masterpiece! No noise, no fuss. No one even realized what happened!"
"The moonlight fades. The sword kisses the throat quietly. The pulse stops," Zero said, as if quoting a haiku, nodding approvingly.
"Incredible," Maya added, staring at the screen. "He just watched for a few days, then acted — and eliminated them all. Even the goddess."
"It's simple," Alex said, turning off the screen. "These five were ordinary teenagers given power. They believed they were invincible and stopped being cautious. Ghost — he's a professional. If he's targeting you and you don't see him… don't blink. Otherwise, as they say, you'll blink through your whole life."
"You can't even argue with that," Moxxi drawled, resting her elbow on the table. "No heroes there. Just a bunch of spoiled idiots."
"And what did you expect?" Alex smirked. "When idiots get power, they become even bigger idiots. They only think with their lower half. And, unfortunately, there are too many of them."
No one contradicted Alex. After seeing it with their own eyes, arguing was pointless — each present had witnessed how that very group of "hero-scum" acted. Given power, they achieved nothing worthy — only drowned in their own depravity and cruelty.
Alex finished the last of his coffee, set down the cup, sighed, and headed toward the exit. His gaze lifted to the ceiling, and for a moment his eyes glowed with a soft bluish light. His magical vision pierced obstacles, shooting through the sky — straight to the orbital station Helios. Alex's gaze found his target. Handsome Jack.
He looked horrifying. His artificial face had never been restored, and now he showed everyone his true one — mutilated, with the scorched mark of the Archive burned into his cheek. Jack had locked himself in his office, surrounded by unnaturally bright light — not a single shadow, as if he feared Alex would emerge from the darkness at any moment.
In just two days, Jack had wasted away, thinning to the point of looking like a living skeleton. Dark bags hung under his eyes, his gaze empty and hunted. There was nothing left of the confident genius — only a trembling shell clinging to the illusion of control.
Alex smirked, deactivated his magical vision, and returned his attention to reality.
Before leaving, he instructed Lilith to talk to the residents of the Sanctuary about a possible relocation to another world. He told Moxxi the same — to discuss it with Scooter and Ellie. When she asked why they needed to move, Alex just smiled:
"I'll get them into the Guild. Ellie and Scooter could use a new job — we have plenty of tech, and the transport needs maintenance. Besides…" He smirked lightly. "I don't want you to be separated from your children, even if they're already grown."
Moxxi responded with a seductive smile, clearly appreciating the concern. Alex merely nodded, opened a portal, and stepped through it before Brick and Salvador could rush after him. After all, storming an orbital station wasn't an everyday opportunity.
Exiting the portal, Alex found himself in Helios' cargo bay. The cold metallic air, the hum of life support systems, and the steady steps of maintenance drones — all combined to create an atmosphere of mechanical soullessness.
He cast the "Ignore Me" spell on himself and headed toward the nearest terminal. His path went through corridors where cargo robots of all sizes moved along rails. Alex briefly thought that these machines could be useful in the future — cheap labor that required no food or sleep.
Finding a suitable terminal, he pulled out his phone, connected to the station's central network, and deployed a virus. A few seconds later, control of Helios was his. Alex began methodically disabling everything that could offer the slightest chance of escape: resurrection stations, teleport platforms, emergency airlocks.
He paused for a moment, considering whether to leave any of Hyperion's staff alive. But he quickly dismissed the thought. They had already caused too much harm on Pandora under Jack. Only the cargo robots, already under his command, would remain.
Once all security systems were offline, Alex activated the station's internal comms.
"One… two… testing comms," his voice echoed through all levels of Helios. "Excellent. Yahoo. Hello everyone. I want to inform you that this is an invasion. Usually in such cases, they say: 'Surrender — and you will live.'"
Horror flickered across the faces of Hyperion's employees. Automatic doors slammed shut with a crash, emergency isolation protocols activated. Every passage, every staircase — blocked.
In his office, Jack flinched as Alex's voice blared through the speakers. His hands trembled, he dropped to his knees, and hid under the desk, pressing his head to his chest. He tried to convince himself that this was just another nightmare… but no — this was reality. Alex had truly arrived.
"But, unfortunately for you, my dear Hyperion employees," Alex continued, his voice growing colder with each word, "I don't take hostages. You can resist, since that's what you were trained to do. But… will it help? The choice is yours — hide, or die with a weapon in your hands. Either way, nobody leaves Helios. Nobody."
A pause. Then his voice lowered to a whisper, yet it sent chills down every spine.
"Oh yes, Jack…" Alex said with the faintest trace of a smile. "I promised I'd come. Well — I'm already here. Wait for me. I'll take everything you have left. Helios is your last toy. Even your life now belongs to me."
At that moment, the speakers crackled, his voice distorted, hollow and otherworldly. Lights flickered in some sections, and a palpable sense of fear seemed to ripple through the station itself.
Alex cut the broadcast and almost immediately felt fear and panic spreading across Helios. He sensed it clearly — a shiver permeating the air. Most sharply, he felt Jack's terror, barricaded in his office. Alex paused for a moment, wondering: had he become a villain? But he quickly dismissed the thought. No, he wasn't a villain. Nor a hero.
Those who worked for corporations like Hyperion always hid behind the same excuses: "It's just a job," "We're just following orders." All those words were nothing more than attempts to absolve themselves of responsibility for their deeds.
"Darling, release your new pets. It's time to feed them," Alex said with a bloodthirsty smile.
From the shadows at his feet, a pale, slender hand with long black nails slid out. On the ring finger glittered a ring with a crimson stone. Following it came she — Zhang Ya.
Her long, almost alive black hair flowed smoothly, and her dress, the color of dried blood, gleamed with a wet sheen, as if freshly soaked. Each step she took left crimson footprints in her wake.
She wrapped Alex in cold arms and pressed against him. Their eyes met — pools of abyssal black, shining in the darkness with longing and tenderness. Alex pulled Zhang Ya close by the waist. Between them, no words were needed — only a silent union, filled with the warmth and love she had sought her entire life… and even after death.
As they stood, immersed in their dark, rose-tinted moment, the blood pooling under Zhang Ya's feet began to boil, as if coming to life. From the scarlet liquid, the outlines of thin, broken figures rose. Their long limbs stretched toward the ceiling, their skin veined with crimson, and their eyes burned with insatiable hunger.
These were the Wendigos from Blackwood Mountain — creatures Zhang Ya had once taken to her Red City. Now they had become her pets. Without their bodies, they had gained a new essence — the embodiment of a true curse of endless hunger.
Ten Wendigos emerged from the bloody pool. They let out a soul-shattering shriek that made the station's metallic walls tremble. Alex, keeping his gaze fixed on his spectral wife, merely waved his hand slightly — and that was the signal to hunt.
In the next second, the Wendigos lunged, vanishing into the corridors of Helios. Their screams echoed throughout the station, foreshadowing the imminent and excruciating death of anyone daring to remain alive.
To be continued…
Early access to chapters on my patreon: p*treon.com/GreedHunter
(Anyway, the next chapter is the purge of Helios, the death of Handsome Jack, and then the transfer of an entire orbital station to the Fantasy World, where everyone's going to freak out. I think I'll go get something to eat.)