Marvel: Soul King

—

"Tsk… What a pathetic weakling." 

"Lod," now possessed, halted his descent midair. His previously blue eyes were stained with an ominous red. 

Thick, white, viscous matter began to manifest from thin air and crawled over Lod's face, forming a half-mask of a white, bony texture. 

The moment the mask formed, a surge of scarlet and ominous Reiatsu skyrocketed into the air! 

Boom!!! 

The atmosphere trembled, and the dimension shuddered! 

The surrounding air churned as if stirred by an invisible hand. A raging whirlwind howled and wreaked havoc! 

"This feeling…" 

Gabriel's golden eyes slightly narrowed. The growing pressure in the air felt heavier and heavier. 

The scarlet energy spread like a tidal wave and ignited into roaring flames that filled the area around him. 

From within the burning scarlet flames, a figure slowly emerged. 

It was Lod. 

A white skeletal mask covered his face, with scarlet flaming wings of Reiatsu unfurling behind him. His crimson eyes were filled with unparalleled bloodlust and a thirst for slaughter! 

Just by standing there, the surrounding air and space seemed to twist and boil!

"Hm?" 

Gabriel frowned and gazed down at Lod. "His soul's nature… it changed?!" 

A soul's nature was immutable, but Lod at the moment was different from before. 

His soul's nature had previously been akin to death, but now… it leaned heavily toward that of dimensional demons! 

The ominous energy and malevolent scarlet resembled the purest of dimensional demons! 

"What… are you?" Gabriel was visibly shaken. This was the first time she had seen a soul transform its nature out of nowhere! 

"I have no name," the Hollow grinned as he replied. 

Thud! 

He raised his foot, stomped the air, and vanished in an instant! 

Boom! 

The scarlet silhouette tore through the sky. 

Gabriel's eyes barely caught a fleeting shadow. 

But as an angel, she instinctively raised her lightsaber to block the incoming attack! 

Clang! 

Lod's Zanpakutō clashed with Gabriel's holy lightsaber, scattering dazzling sparks! 

"Hehehe… Lightsaber, lightsaber. Such a cool weapon. It! Will! Be! Mine!" 

Behind the bone-white mask, the Hollow laughed with all his strength. "It wasn't easy for me to come out. Don't you dare die too quickly, Gabriel! Entertain me! More! More!!! More!!!" 

Gabriel's eyes ignited with golden flames. Her lightsaber danced gracefully and conjured massive lightsabers in the sky! 

"How amusing! This is so amusing!" 

As countless lightsabers came toward him, the Hollow laughed wildly. His silver hair flowed chaotically as his Zanpakutō met each one head-on. 

In mere moments, hundreds of clashes erupted between lightsaber and blade! 

The sky rumbled like a thousand thunders. A visible shockwave rippled out, tearing through the atmosphere. The sheer force distorted the sky and split it into a bizarre half-scarlet, half-white painting! 

Clang! 

Again, their blades met. The opposing forces collided, and the resulting shockwaves burst violently. 

Gabriel could clearly feel the Hollow's power growing with each clash. The mounting pressure from his blade was nearly overwhelming her! 

His energy… it's still increasing? 

Clang, clang, clang… 

Gabriel's lightsaber was gradually forced downward. Even the divine light surrounding her began to wane under the oppressive scarlet energy. 

For the first time in millennia, Gabriel's icy demeanor cracked. Shock filled her voice: "Who are you?!" 

"I already told you." 

the Hollow's crimson eyes gleamed. "Don't make me repeat myself—it doesn't matter who I am!!!" 

Clang! 

The power behind the Hollow's Zanpakutō surged, forcing Gabriel's lightsaber aside and leaving a gash across her body! 

Golden blood sprayed as Gabriel staggered back, groaning in pain. 

"Ssss~" 

the Hollow dipped a finger into her blood and tasted it with a wicked grin. "Angel's blood tastes pretty good. I wonder how roasted wings would taste!" 

Gabriel's face twisted with rage. "Almighty Father, grant me the power to purge this darkness and judge this sinful world!" 

Gabriel raised her lightsaber high. 

Divine energy surged like a tsunami. It illuminated the entire sky like a second sun! 

"The Lord said: You are guilty!" 

With Gabriel's cold proclamation, the sky was torn apart by an unseen force. 

Boom!!! 

The atmosphere shattered, and the dimension itself buckled! 

A massive, golden ornate sword descended from heaven. 

"Judgment Day!"

This blade was nearly a hundred meters long and dozens wide, adorned with countless intricate carvings of angels. 

These angels were depicted in various poses: blowing trumpets, playing harps, resting, or holding swords, together creating a stunning masterpiece. 

Behind the angels lay ethereal scenes that resembled paradise as described in sacred texts. 

The hilt of the sword was crafted from six outstretched angelic wings. These golden wings radiated divine light. 

No language or words could adequately describe the splendor and nobility of this sword. Any attempt at description seemed pale and powerless. 

If those in the Vatican were to witness this, it might very well ignite another fervent frenzy. 

---

High above the sky, Gabriel's six luminous wings unfurled as she raised a Lightsaber with both hands, her golden eyes radiating oppressive majesty. Her gaze exuded an aura of supreme authority.

An indescribable weight of pressure descended from the heaven, enveloping the world below. 

This pressure was vastly different from before—heavier, denser. Every inch of bone and flesh seemed to scream in agony. 

For most, such overwhelming force would have driven them to their knees in submission before the angel's might. 

But Lod, in his the Hollowfied state, was different. Instead of succumbing, he displayed a fervent expression under the suffocating pressure. 

"You're such a failure... Lod!" 

the Hollow wielding the Zanpakutō sneered and pointed it at Gabriel. "Your Zanpakutō is so powerful, yet you have to rely on someone else's Bankai. No wonder 'she' despises you!" 

Buzz!

The Zanpakutō trembled faintly, as if an ancient consciousness was being awakened by Gabriel's oppressive power. The once-rusted blade gradually transformed into a gleaming sharp edge. 

It was calling out! 

But this call was not from Hyōrinmaru, Ikorose, or Senbonzakura. 

"Don't be impatient..." 

the Hollow grinned. "Let me show you... the proper way to use this thing!" 

---

"I, Gabriel!" 

Standing high in the sky, Gabriel raised her lightsaber and slowly brought it down. "In the name of the Almighty Father, I absolve your sins!" 

Boom!!!

The massive, ornate sword descended, embodying divine judgment from heaven itself. It descended like a meteor to obliterate all in its path.

It was clear... 

If this sword struck the earth, the dimension would be destroyed, and everything within several kilometers of the real world would be utterly annihilated. 

But Gabriel did not care. 

Blasphemers had to be punished, no matter the cost. The humans caught in the crossfire were merely atoning for their inherent sins. 

"Die, blasphemer!" Gabriel's eyes blazed with malice.

The massive sword of judgment descended like a meteor, but just as it neared the Hollow, he calmly raised his hand. In Gabriel's horrified gaze, he caught the blade with his bare hand! 

His five fingers gripped the colossal weapon, halting its descent with raw, unyielding force. 

"This isn't a lightsaber. It's not cool... Not cool at all." 

Boom! 

The tremendous momentum was stopped in an instant, and it unleashed a tidal wave of energy that shattered the clouds and shook the heavens themselves. 

"This... this is impossible!" 

Gabriel staggered backward, her golden pupils trembled violently as she witnessed the unbelievable. 

The Sword of Judgment... 

Had been stopped by someone's hand? 

"Nothing is impossible Darling..." 

the Hollow tightened his grip on the blade. His fingers emitted metallic sound as they seemed to crush the divine weapon. 

Crack!

A crack appeared where his fingers met the blade. The fissures spread rapidly, which covered the once-flawless sword with a web of fractures. 

The magnificent, sculpted blade now resembled a fragile porcelain artifact on the verge of shattering. 

And then... 

Boom!

The Sword of Judgment shattered and scattered into countless fragments of light that rained down like droplets. 

"What... what did you do?" 

the Hollow dismissed her as he was visibly drained. His body trembled as though enduring excruciating pain. 'Just one use... and it cost me one percent of my soul?'

Clearly... 

Shattering the Sword of Judgment wasn't as effortless as it seemed. 

"It seems the price you paid wasn't small either." 

Seeing the Hollow's weakened state, Gabriel regained her composure. "How long can you keep this up?" 

"Long enough!" 

the Hollow straightened his spine. "Long enough to make you regret it." 

---

Outside the half-destroyed hospital, Constantine lay unconscious in the distance. 

Just then... 

A black cat appeared before him—Isabella's pet. 

The cat moved gracefully toward him and circled him twice before leaping onto his chest. Its golden eyes gazed into Constantine's closed eyes, which bore an uncanny resemblance to Gabriel's.

When Constantine opened his eyes, the first thing he saw was the golden eyes of the cat. As someone who dealt daily with supernatural cases as an exorcist detective, Constantine's sharp intuition told him there was definitely something odd about this cat.

Based on his extensive experience, he immediately deduced that the cat might be possessed.

"You... can you talk?"

Constantine rolled his eyes and tried to gather some information.

"Meow~"

It was ineffective.

The black cat let out a low cry and squatted on its hind legs on his chest, propping its front paws up while quietly staring at him.

When Constantine tried to move, he realized he couldn't. It felt as though an invisible shackle was binding him firmly in place!

One second... 

Five seconds... 

Ten seconds... 

Plop—

With a light and agile leap, the black cat jumped off Constantine's chest and landed gracefully on the cracked tiled floor.

"Hmm, you're an angel then..."

The cat looked at him with its curious eyes, as if it was asking how he knew that.

Constantine just shrugged.

"You should really work on your acting and disguise, mate," he said as he looked to the side and saw the gun lying next to him.

The eyes of the cat visibly twitched.

He sighed and picked up the gun.

"There's no time left..." 

---

Above the hospital, a the Hollow and an angel were locked in a deadly battle!

Clang—

Blades clashed, and sparks flew.

The collision emitted an ear-piercing sound. The ensuing shockwaves roared.

In mere seconds, they had exchanged hundreds of blows. Their relentless attacks shredded everything around them like a storm.

Gabriel seized a flaw in her opponent's defense. Her lightsaber twisted at an almost impossible angle and pierced straight for the Hollow's heart!

However, as the blade neared, the Hollow revealed an eerie smile that sent a sense of foreboding through Gabriel.

The next moment...

For reasons unknown, as if influenced by some invisible force, Gabriel's lightsaber veered off course. It narrowly missed Lod and sliced past his arm instead.

'This feeling again?' A flicker of frustration passed through Gabriel's eyes. This strange occurrence had happened multiple times already.

Shing!

The sharp edge of a Zanpakutō sliced through the air and produced a high-pitched screech.

Golden angelic blood splattered through the skies.

"Aaahhh!" Gabriel let out a pained cry as the blade struck one of her wings.

But the cry didn't last long. Before she could recover, her face took a brutal punch, her muscles rippling visibly under the impact.

"You bas—!"

Before she could finish her curse, the Hollow didn't give her the chance to speak. He spun rapidly in midair as he viciously kicked Gabriel in the stomach.

Whoosh!

She plummeted like a ragdoll and crashed into the street near the hospital.

Boom!

The already shattered street let out another groan of protest, and the resulting gale hurled debris skyward.

Gabriel climbed out of the crater. Perhaps due to the impact, her once-proud figure now appeared slightly hunched.

Above the clouds, a pair of scarlet eyes observed her from the skies.

The next second, the air rippled with a translucent shockwave. A massive sonic boom shattered the silence as the Hollow hurtled down from the air.

Whoosh! Whoosh!

"In Gabriel's name, I—"

Gabriel raised her lightsaber and began to chant a spell. But midway through, the Hollow vanished and reappeared with its palm covering her face.

the Hollow showed no mercy. With brute force, he slammed Gabriel's head into the ground, bringing her into intimate contact with the earth.

Boom!

The ground cracked beneath their might. It groaned and then crumbled.

"Damn... you!" 

Gabriel's heart was filled with humiliation and rage.

The Hollow stood up and looked down on her prone form. He stepped on the angel's head, and a Scarlet energy began to gather at his fingertips. That turned into a black hole in his hand.

This wasn't an ordinary Cero; it was the Cero Oscuras.

The Cero Oscuras was a deadly move used by Espada-level Hollows upon releasing their Zanpakutō. It boasts destructive power so immense that Aizen had outright banned its use beneath the dome of Las Noches.

Even as a Seraphim, one of the highest-ranking angels, Gabriel had no confidence in keeping her vessel intact under such an attack.

Pinned beneath the Hollow's foot, Gabriel felt both helpless and furious. But in the end, she simply closed her eyes and resigned herself to her fate.

Giving up—what other choice did she have?

The vessel carrying her will and power was already on the verge of collapse, ready to break apart at any moment.

Whether she chose to continue or surrender, the vessel would inevitably disintegrate from the sheer strain of carrying her angelic power.

The ending... was already written.

Her plan had failed.

She hadn't guided humanity down the right path, nor had she unleashed divine judgment.

"I... lost," Gabriel muttered as if accepting her fate. Regardless of the countless reasons for her failure, nothing could change the fact that she had fallen.

The great Judgement Angel, defeated by a demon.

If the other three archangels learned of this, she'd be ridiculed for the rest of eternity.

However.

Just as the Cero Oscuras was about to fully form and obliterate Gabriel and everything around her, the terrifying, overwhelming energy suddenly collapsed and dissipated!

Crack!

The sound of shattering echoed.

From the corner of her eye, Gabriel saw a distinct crack appear on the mask covering the Hollow's face.

"Shit..."

The Hollow's savage expression shifted slightly and his tone was laced with frustration. "I barely got to come out and play, and it's already time to stop?"

'Time?'

Gabriel catched onto the word. She stared at the Hollow's mask and pierced together the clues. From the moment their battle began, every scene replayed in her mind like a film.

"Time's up..." the Hollow bent down and grabbed Gabriel by the neck. He hauled her up from the rubble with brutal force. "If we ever meet again, I swear I'll pluck every last feather off your wings!"

Despite the humiliation in the Hollow's tone, Gabriel said faintly, "Next time, you won't get the chance."

"Can't wait." the Hollow chuckled coldly before tossing her like a piece of trash.

Whoosh!

Gabriel's body arced through the air and slammed into the hospital's outer wall. The momentum didn't let up, she smashed through the wall and sending her crashing diagonally up to the hospital's rooftop.

Conveniently, it was the same place Angela had been thrown off by the hospital explosion.

As his mask began to shatter completely, the Hollow used Shunpo to swiftly leave the area.

After all, the one about to make an entrance was none other than the infamous fallen angel—Lucifer Morningstar.

---

Constantine looked the cat directly in the eye.

He chanted a spell and sighed out loud, "I knew too much sighing would kill me one day." The next instant, he shot himself in the head without another thought.

His body fell limp with blood pooling beneath him. The spell's effect allowed him to retain his consciousness in his Astral form.

He looked at his dead body and crouched down near it.

Time seemed to freeze.

Plop.

A thick, black substance dripped from the ceiling. A pair of feet wrapped in viscous black fluid appeared in Constantine's vision.

Then, a man in a pristine black suit descended, his limbs contorting in an unsettling, dance-like motion.

The man wore a sinister smile, his shoes oozing with decayed black liquid as he strolled leisurely toward Constantine.

Wherever this man walked, the black, viscous substance spread.

Unlike the sacred brilliance symbolizing the arrival of angels, Lucifer, one of Hell's top bosses, trampled on every rule and existence under his blackened feet. The dark matter sticking to his soles was the manifestation of Hell's unholy sins.

Wherever Lucifer walked, filth consumed everything.

"Always a pleasure to meet you, Lucy…"

Constantine, in his astral form, crouched next to his body and was trying to reach out, seemingly to get back into it.

"Hello! Johnny!"

Lucifer's face twisted into an unsettling grin as he repeated the greeting, dragging his words out like he was mocking the man.

"Are you so desperate to get back into your body?" His voice carried an unplaceable menace.

"What? No, I'm trying to get my cigarettes."

Lucifer crooked an eyebrow and reached out to Constantine's body, retrieving the cigarettes and handing them over.

Constantine picked one up, placed it between his lips, and made a lighter gesture toward the devil, who snapped his fingers.

Constantine took a deep drag and sighed.

"Fits you, John," Lucifer said, adjusting his suit. His smirk deepened as he added maliciously, "Oh, by the way, I'm the biggest shareholder in every tobacco company on Earth. You should thank me for that."

He wasn't lying—Lucifer really did own shares in all the major tobacco companies. In an uncut scene from the original movie, he even admitted it, probably to speed up humanity's downfall and get more souls in Hell.

"I know. And thank you."

"You're welcome."

"Now, I'm here… to personally claim your soul."

Lucifer pulled a chair over and casually sat down.

He clapped his hands rhythmically, the sound echoing through the room. His tar-covered feet tapped against the tiled floor, as if he was showing off how thrilled he was. And yeah, Lucifer was genuinely happy. He'd been eyeing Constantine's soul for ages and now finally had the chance to take it—and repay him for the betrayal years ago.

"I get it. Mind waiting a bit longer?"

Constantine raised his gaze, took another drag from the cigarette, and spoke as casually as if chatting with a friend.

"Whatever."

Lucifer shrugged. "Time means nothing to me."

"Enjoy your last smoke. In Hell, all you'll have is sulfur. Hope you're into that."

Constantine took another deep drag and exhaled smoke in thin white curls. "Sulfur, huh… sounds awful. Guess I'll need some time to get used to it."

"Don't worry, kid." Lucifer's grin widened. "I've got a few Hell-themed amusement parks ready. You'll love it."

Hell-themed amusement parks? Probably the kind where they peel your skin off and fry you alive.

Constantine raised an eyebrow, his expression dripping with sarcasm. "You're so thoughtful, I might just cry from the generosity."

"This is your second suicide, isn't it?"

Lucifer leaned back in his chair, staring at Constantine with a playful glint in his eyes. "I didn't think someone like you—a conman—would make the same mistake twice."

The room fell silent except for the faint hiss of Constantine's cigarette.

"How's Hell been lately? Busy?" he asked, his tone conversational.

"Not bad," Lucifer replied with a shrug. "It's a lot easier than Heaven's slave-driver system, that's for sure."

"Oh, really?" Constantine smirked. "Looks like you've had it too easy. Guess you haven't heard about the big news in Hell lately."

"Big news?"

Lucifer's tar-covered foot slid closer to Constantine's leg, teasingly creeping toward the crotch of his dead body. "You're trying to trick me again, aren't you? What could possibly happen in Hell?"

"Your little buddy… Mammon. He's next door with Gabriel."

Lucifer stopped dead, and his grin faded. He clapped mockingly, "Good story, but those two don't exactly have great taste. If they're teaming up, it's bound to be a disaster."

"They've got the Spear of Longinus."

Silence.

"The Spear of Longinus? The Spear of Longinus?" Lucifer's voice grew harsher with every repetition. His posture shifted forward, his face just inches from Constantine's. "So, is this another one of your schemes?"

"See for yourself." Constantine's voice remained steady. "You've waited decades for me. What's another few seconds?"

Lucifer's smug expression froze. He saw the truth in Constantine's eyes.

"They're right next door," Constantine added. "You wouldn't want a little upstart challenging your throne, would you? Especially not Mammon—your own underling. That'd be embarrassing as hell."

Constantine's words hit their mark. Lucifer's face darkened, the air around him distorting visibly. His rage was palpable.

Grinding his teeth, Lucifer hissed, "I'll trust you this once."

He turned and strode toward the pool, his blackened footprints trailing behind him. If Mammon and Gabriel were really conspiring to use the Spear of Longinus to overthrow him, Lucifer would make damn sure Mammon experienced all ten million ways to die in Hell.

And Gabriel?

She'd learn the hard way that even fallen angels can deliver divine punishment. Heaven used to be Lucifer Morningstar's turf, after all.

---

Three minutes earlier...

After being violently thrown by the Hollow, Gabriel smashed through several walls before staggering to her feet. Her eyes quickly locked onto the Hollow.

"Planning to run, huh?"

Gabriel's gaze darkened as she stared at the rapidly retreating figure in the distance. Just as she suspected, that mask was tied to his power. The bastard fled before it shattered.

"You think you can escape?"

Gabriel's fury erupted. Her six wings of light quivered as she prepared to chase Lod down, but a voice suddenly stopped her.

"Gabriel, you asshole!"

Frowning, Gabriel turned toward the voice and saw Angela's body, broken with every possible bone in her body shattered and pinned beneath some rubble. From beneath Angela's swollen abdomen, her stretched stomach revealed a hideous face sneering at her.

"What the hell are you doing? How much longer do you plan to keep me in here?"

"..."

Gabriel's lips twitched.

The grotesque face under Angela's skin looked both furious and resentful. Its voice was dripping with accusation. "Don't forget why we're doing this!"

Gabriel snapped back to reality. "You can't even handle a human and you dare to talk back to me." Her goal was to bring Mammon into the human world, But if he can't handle a human what use does he have to her.

"What are you talking about, That was Consontine... Constantine..." Mammon hissed back with anger.

Suppressing her rage, She Pulled out a jagged spearhead from her belt.

"Hurry up, Gabriel!"

Desperate to be born into the human world and wreak havoc, Mammon roared from Angela's stomach. Gabriel waved her hand and shattered the rubbles in top of Angela's broken body.

The dead woman lay lifeless on the cold ground. Her swollen belly resembled a grotesque balloon, with pale, vein-covered skin barely containing the horrifying face and blood-red eyes within.

"Do it!" Mammon growled.

Kneeling by Angela, Gabriel caressed her swollen stomach and muttered with an almost theatrical tone, "Come forth, Mammon... I will release you into this world!"

Gabriel raised the Spear of Longinus high and just as the spear was about to pierce her flesh and unleash hell upon Earth, time suddenly froze.

The spear's tip stopped just millimeters away from Angela's stomach. Gabriel, Mammon, the rippling water in the nearby pool—everything came to a standstill. Sound, light, and motion all ceased, leaving the world in eerie silence.

Lucifer arrived.

The glass door before him shattered under his unseen will. Suspended in mid-air, the glass shards defied gravity as though trapped in a viscous sea.

Dressed in a pristine black suit, Lucifer looked every bit the elegant gentleman as he brushed aside the shards and strode toward Gabriel and Mammon, with his expression grim.

He wasn't in a good mood.

"Mammon... You've got some balls."

Lucifer's anger simmered as he muttered, "Is it that I've gone soft, or have you two grown bold enough to defy me? Plotting behind my back and aiming for my throne? If I don't teach you a lesson, how will I keep my reputation in hell?"

Lucifer grabbed the dead body of Angela and pulled her from beneath the spear's tip. As time resumed, the Spear of Longinus fell, and embedded itself into the floor with a metallic clang.

Gabriel's golden eyes widened in terror at the sight of Lucifer. The once-proud Archangel trembled.

"L-Lucifer?" Gabriel stammered. Her six wings spread instinctively.

"Gabriel," Lucifer growled, and holded Angela protectively. The next second her body was healed to perfect condition, every problem from her body was removed as of nothing happened to her. "You shouldn't have meddled in this."

Lucifer's piercing gaze burned with fury as he declared, "You've crossed a line."

Lucifer looked at the fixed Angela and leaned close to her—or rather, Mammon—and whispered, "Time to go back to hell, Mammon."

Seeing her plans were unraveling, Gabriel mustered her courage to challenge Lucifer. Spreading her wings, she invoked the name of God and channeled divine energy into a radiant attack.

But her fist stopped inches from Lucifer's face. No matter how much strength she used, she couldn't close the gap. It was as if an unbreachable chasm separated them.

"Tsk... Looks like you aren't as powerful as you think you are. Have you forgotten our spars sister~" Lucifer chuckled and asked the last question in a sing song tone.

The next instant, Hellfire erupted around him. The infernal flames surged like tidal waves and engulfed Gabriel. Her screams echoed as her wings burned away, and she fell into the pool.

The reflection on the tiles showed Mammon struggling desperately, but the hellfire dragged him back to where he belonged.

It all ended in under a minute.

Lucifer didn't even lift a finger.

With just a glance, he unleashed hellfire that burned away Gabriel's wings and Mammon's ambitions.

Terrifying? Yes. Incredibly so.

Lucifer turned and walked toward Constantine in his astral form.

Since Gabriel and Mammon were stopped, it was time to collect his reward.

"John Constantine... You helped me once. So, what do you want?" Lucifer said magnanimously.

Hell's reputation had never been great, but Constantine had done him a big favor this time. And Lucifer was the Hell Lord of pride. He wouldn't allow himself to owe a human anything.

Within reasonable limits, he would repay Constantine's favor.

For Constantine, extorting the infamous Lucifer was rare, even if it wasn't the first time.

Constantine let out a small smile and sighed. "Angela, let her live a peaceful life, and Isabella, her sister—let her rest in peace."

Lucifer raised an eyebrow and chuckled. "You'd give up your life for those two women?"

Constantine stayed silent and nodded slightly.

His principle here was simple: save who he could. He wanted to ease his conscious before going to hell, at least ensuring that Isabella and Angela, innocent women caught in this mess, could find peace.

It was a simple request, one he believed Lucifer could fulfill.

Lucifer closed his eyes, seemingly communicating with some unknown entity.

Moments later, Lucifer opened his eyes, smiled at Constantine, and said, "Done. I've already fixed everything that was wrong with Mammon's vessel, and the other woman's soul is now in Heaven."

The efficiency of someone like Lucifer was staggering.

Constantine couldn't help but doubt himself for a second. Had he been doing it wrong for decades?

He should've just kissed up to Lucifer. His way to Heaven was clearly more reliable than Gabriel's nonsense!

But it was too late.

"Time's up, dear John."

Lucifer didn't care what Constantine was thinking. He just wanted to drag him back to Hell and give him a grand tour of his custom-designed hellish amusement park.

"Ugh..."

Constantine took one last drag from his cigarette, pressed the burning stub into the surrounding blood to extinguish it, and sighed. "Let's go, Lucifer."

Lucifer grinned, grabbed Constantine's astral form by the collar and his dead body by the arm, and dragged him away.

Constantine's dead body slid across the tiled floor, littered with shards of glass which left a trail of bloodstains.

"Hmm~ Hmm~ Hmmm~ Hmm~"

Clearly, Lucifer was in a great mood, even whistling as he dragged Constantine.

But then, something changed.

Lucifer barely had three seconds to enjoy himself before Constantine's body and soul's weight suddenly increased.

Boom!

The tiles around Constantine cracked like a spiderweb, the ground caved in as if crushed by a terrifying force.

"Hmm?"

Lucifer frowned and pulled harder.

Screech~

No matter how much effort Lucifer used, Constantine's body wouldn't budge, as if the weight of a world was pressing down on him.

Lucifer's fury erupted. Gripping Constantine's dead body's arm with his two hands, he strained to pull him free.

But the oppressive force around Constantine grew heavier. Even a single arm felt unmovable which forced Lucifer to let go and glare at the sky.

"Hey! This isn't how the rules work. He's mine!"

"This is the rule."

A black cat stepped out of the shadows with its golden eyes fixed on Lucifer. "John Constantine sacrificed himself willingly. Such noble virtue grants him ascension to Heaven."

"Really!?" Constantine exclaimed in surprise.

"You shut up. Adults are talking!" Lucifer retorted with an angry growl.

"What!? I'm an adult," Constantine insisted.

Suddenly, Constantine felt a glare on his astral form, and the next second, he started to feel really drowsy. "Hey... what's happening... I'm not... supposed to feel tired in... astral form."

"He's such a piece of work," the black cat said as it strolled toward them.

"You?"

Lucifer recognized the soul within the black cat and scowled. It was that one soul he despised most. His expression darkened, and his anger nearly spilled out of his eyes. "Why aren't you guarding Heaven? What are you doing here?"

The cat responded indifferently, "I'm here for an enthusiastic walk."

Lucifer sneered. "Don't lie to my face with such meaningless excuses."

The cat licked its paw, clearly unwilling to answer.

"...Fine." Lucifer's voice dropped. "This human soul is mine, no matter what!"

The cat's eyes showed mockery. "And if I don't give it to you?"

"Then war it is!" Lucifer said with a calm tone.

The cat hesitated.

Though Constantine was important to Heaven, he wasn't irreplaceable. A war with Lucifer wasn't a price Heaven could afford.

"Made up your mind yet?" Lucifer grinned. "Hand over his soul, or I'll bring war to Heaven. I wonder if you can handle that cost."

The cat's golden eyes flickered. After weighing the options, it sighed and stepped aside.

"This time, you win, Lucifer."

Lucifer laughed. "Heaven must be in trouble, or you wouldn't back down."

"Lucifer..." The cat's golden eyes gleamed with divine light, and an overwhelming holy aura filled the space.

"Some things are best left unsaid. Do you understand that?"

"As a matter of fact, I don't... If I did, I wouldn't have fallen," Lucifer said with a chuckle.

Hearing his reply, the cat released its power while hissing at him. A sacred figure appeared behind the black cat, bearing golden wings engulfed in white flames.

"So... It's been millions of years. Do you really have to treat your bro like this?" Lucifer fixed his gaze on the figure and said with a wide smile.

He wasn't afraid of the figure one bit.

The difference between angels was sometimes greater than the gap between humans and pigs.

But behind his calm expression, Lucifer's mind caught a crucial detail from the figure's words: something had gone wrong in Heaven.

Judging by the figure's sudden descent, it wasn't a small issue either, for someone tasked with guarding Heaven wouldn't casually appear on Earth unless the situation was dire.

'Could it be…'

Lucifer's eyes narrowed, and an ominous thought crossed his mind.

Lucifer licked his lips and smiled wider.

He was really itching for a war right about now. But, "Alright, I don't care what's going on. I only want this human soul."

The sacred angelic figure faded, and the black cat returned to its harmless appearance, licking its paw as it casually replied, "Sure, take the human's soul."

"Thank you, Kitty," Lucifer said with a grin and flashed the black cat an overly friendly smile.

"Lucifer…" the black cat growled.

"What?"

"Call me that again, and I'll burn your wings off!"

"You'd do what?" Lucifer said with a challenging look in his eyes.

The golden flames in the cat's eyes erupted as it hissed again at Lucifer.

Seeing the cat's reaction, Lucifer started to whistle a merry tune and dragged Constantine's body and astral form toward the pool. Though Lucifer himself could freely travel between Hell and Earth, transporting a human soul required water as a medium.

The sound of Constantine's limp body scraping against the floor was unsettling. The poor man's head was blown off, and his astral form was dragged like a rag doll.

Just as Lucifer reached the pool and was about to step onto the water's surface, a voice suddenly echoed in the air.

"Ikorose, Shinso!"

A silver flash shot through the air, extending its blade to pierce the wall and speed toward Lucifer. But the target wasn't Lucifer—it was Constantine's body.

Lucifer only raised his eyebrows and watched as the blade impaled Constantine's body, pinning him to the opposite wall with a sickening thud.

"Hmmmmm?" Lucifer let out a long hum.

He asked a question while looking at the smug cat, "You wanted this guy in Heaven? The guy who had friends who would want to kill him even after he's dead?"

The cat innocently licked its paw and tilted its head. "Yes."

Lucifer let out a snicker and looked at the being made of death energy staggering into the room.

At that moment, Lod's first sight was Lucifer looking toward the black cat. He only sighed internally. 'Ugh. The things I do for greed.'

If not for the system assigning him this super tempting task, Lod would never have come here, let alone attempted to meet Lucifer.

Lod glanced at the glowing task window in front of him.

[Emergency Mission: Battle while Blazing Hell (2/3) 

Details: Stop Gabriel and Mammon's plan and thwart their conspiracy.

Objective: Drive away Mammon (1/1). 

Reward: Final rewards will be calculated after completing all tasks.]

[Emergency Mission: Battle while Blazing Hell (3/3) 

Details: Save Constantine's soul and prevent it from falling into Hell.

Objective: Save Constantine (0/1). 

Reward: Hell Fragment (Small), 100 medium souls.]

---

The mention of a Hell Fragment was enough to make Lod salivate. It was why he had taken this reckless risk and returned to confront Lucifer.

If he could save Constantine's soul, he could gain a fragment of Hell's dimension and create a Hueco Mundo or Soul Society. Even a small fragment would be worth the gamble.

He was a thorough believer in 'fortune favors the bold' and had thoroughly analyzed the risks before coming.

---

Lucifer shifted his gaze away from the cat and turned to the man dressed in black. "So, little man, who are you?"

"Jugram Haschwalth," Lod replied without hesitation, using a fake name because walking the world meant wearing a mask.

"I've got bad news and good news for you. The bad news is, your attack didn't kill him; he was already dead. The good news is, he's already dead and going to hell. Everything you can think of will be done to him ten times worse. Yay!" Lucifer said as he clapped and cheered like a girl.

The cat and Lod's eyes twitched at the sight of a grown man acting like this.

"Ahem," Lod sighed lightly. "You see, Mr. Lucifer, I'm a Soul Reaper, and I'm new to this job. Our Commander has asked me to bring his soul. So, I was attacking you, but I missed and hit him..." Lod said as he acted sheepishly. He didn't technically lie. He was indeed here for Constantine's soul, and the Commander—aka himself—had tasked him with bringing it.

"Hahahaha. What a nice joke." Lucifer burst out laughing and wiped the tears from his eyes.

He looked at the cat, who was observing this with amused eyes.

"Kid, I admire your courage to joke and make me laugh, but it's a pity—John's soul is already mine, and you can't take it."

The next moment, a whirlwind of gathered Reiryoku formed a storm, its fierce winds carving deep grooves into the ground. Constantine's unconscious astral body became translucent, and a chain materialized, connecting his body to his astral form.

With a burst of smoke, Constantine now wore the black robes of a Soul Reaper, with a plain-looking Zanpakutō at his waist. The overflowing Reiryoku coursing through him left him momentarily disoriented.

A new type of spiritual existence appeared before Lucifer and the black cat.

It was neither a pure spiritual form nor an angel or demon.

Seeing Lucifer and the cat's dumbfounded glares, Constantine asked blankly, "Uh... can someone tell me what's going on?"

"Interesting..." Lucifer squinted and ignored Constantine's question as his gaze swept over him. With intrigue, he asked, "This peculiar soul state is something I've never seen before. Jugram Haschwalth, care to explain it to me?"

"Uhh... Mr. Lucifer... Since I mistakenly hit him with my sword while he was in his astral form... he turned into a Soul Reaper like me." Lod said as he scratched his cheek with one hand.

Lod had come up with this plan.

By exploiting a loophole in the rules, he transformed Constantine into a Soul Reaper.

From a rules standpoint, this meant Constantine hadn't truly "died." Bound by those same rules, Lucifer could no longer take his soul.

This was the only way Lod could think of to save Constantine right in front of Lucifer.

As for how to turn Constantine into a Soul Reaper, Lod had prepared for that.

Looking back at the original lore, becoming a Soul Reaper from a human could happen in three ways.

The first was through the gradual refinement of one's spiritual form over time until it transformed into a Soul Reaper.

The second was finding one's Soul Reaper powers in the split second before the spiritual body fell into hollowfication.

The third was having a Soul Reaper stab their Zanpakutō into someone's chest, transferring a portion of their powers, which had a chance of transforming the person into a Soul Reaper.

In the original, Rukia had been forced to use this method to turn Ichigo into a Soul Reaper.

But the third method was highly uncertain—it required the recipient's spirit to have the proper aptitude. Without that, no amount of Soul Reaper power would suffice.

Fortunately, Constantine had the aptitude.

As someone sought after by both Heaven and Hell, Constantine's magical talent was extraordinary, so there was no need to worry about that.

"Fascinating. Some kind of virus that infects the soul of others..." Lucifer mused, smiling. "You'll accompany me to Hell, and I won't take no for an answer, Mr. Jugram Haschwalth."

"Ahh... There is a problem with that, Mr. Lucifer..."

Lucifer cut him off as he suddenly teleported in front of Lod and lightly tapped his chest. But then Lucifer's eyebrows furrowed. "Why can't I feel your soul?"

"Umm... as I was informing you, Mr. Lucifer, I'm not alive. I'm just a construct made of energy, so I don't have a soul," Lod said as he hurriedly took ten steps back.

Constantine rushed to Lod's side, drew his blade, and pointed it at Lucifer the second he understood the situation.

"Fucking hell, that's what I get for believing another mystery man again—getting infected by some kind of virus."

Lucifer raised one eyebrow and, with an intrigued look on his face, began to walk toward them unhurriedly.

"Fuck you, Constantine. If you don't want to be alive, be my guest. I'll tell the Commander you're too dumb to be left alive..."

Then suddenly, time froze again.

The rippling water in the pool and the splashing drops all halted mid-air as if someone had hit the pause button.

Dust suspended in the air as they became completely motionless.

Constantine and Lod both stopped mid-bickering.

Although Lod's body was immobilized, his consciousness remained active, allowing him to sense the events unfolding around him.

He decided to stay silent and observe.

"What's the meaning of this? I haven't broken any rules, have I?"

Lucifer's gaze shifted to a black cat in the hallway, whose eyes carried a warning.

The black cat rose gracefully, its deep voice echoing in the stillness. "You can't touch him."

Lucifer's face remained expressionless as he raised his other eyebrow. "And why is that?"

The black cat replied calmly, "You don't need to know."

"And if I insist?" Lucifer's eyes gleamed with challenge again.

"You're welcome to try."

The black cat suddenly stood upright. Under a radiant white holy light, its form shifted from beast to human.

The dazzling glow illuminated the night as if it were day.

A figure emerged, with alluring curves, golden hair flowing down her back, and smooth, flawless skin. Her light-golden eyes and crimson lips stood out strikingly.

A platinum pattern adorned the corner of her eyes, and her serene gaze gave her face a divine aura.

Her beauty was beyond comparison, defying even the highest praise.

"If you touch him..."

Her gaze turned icy as she said, "Then let's go to war."

Lucifer exhaled slowly. "Michael. Long time no see. Let's fuck."

Lod: 'Wha...!?'

"Hmmm... You don't want to..."

"You wanna fuck him instead?" He frowned and muttered, "Is it that strange dick of his?" while rubbing his chin in contemplation.

"Stop with those jokes of yours, Lucifer," Michael said with an impassive expression.

With a soft rustle, her six radiant wings unfolded. Each feather carried a golden flame that burned with divine light, forming a shimmering barrier.

Michael said nothing but raised her delicate hand and reached into the distorted space, where she drew forth a flaming golden lightsaber that radiated searing intensity. Behind her, Lod's heart twinged with greed after seeing the lightsaber.

Lucifer's lips curled into a smile as he glanced at Michael and said, "The last time you protected someone with your blade, it was someone like Moses, wasn't it?"

Michael's hand faltered briefly as she held her lightsaber aloft.

Lucifer chuckled and said, "I see. This being has amused me. Call me anytime you wanna, darling. I'm always up for some brother-sister bonding in Alabama."

And before Michael's lightsaber could burn Lucifer's dick off, he retreated to Hell, leaving her attack to cleave through empty air. However, the unleashed flames evaporated the entire pool in an instant.

Michael walked silently toward Gabriel, who lay in the scorched remains, her once-proud wings reduced to ash. Gabriel whispered, "Did Father send you to punish me?"

Michael shook her head and raised her fiery blade high as she replyed, "No. The one to punish you is me."

The sword pierced Gabriel's heart, and as the golden flames consumed her, Gabriel let out a cry and said, "Thank you."

Lod, watching this unfold, was stunned because he could not understand why Gabriel would thank Michael after being struck down.

But then he saw Gabriel's decayed form release a radiant figure with six pure white wings. The figure ascended toward a shining light in the sky, where grand halls seemed to float among the clouds.

Lod realized this was her return to Heaven.

Michael returned to Lod, wrapped herself in her six wings, and began to shrink until she reverted to her black cat form.

The stillness of the moment ended as time resumed its natural flow.

A system notification broke the silence.

[Notice. Mission Completed.

Upgrade: Zanjutsu LV5 → Zanjutsu LV6.

Reward: Small Hell Fragment x1, Medium Souls x100.]

The black cat meowed lazily and rubbed against Lod's leg before curling up to rest.

(End of chapter)