Salamach, the Fire Demon, soaked himself in the boiling lava, reveling in the heat. His mocking laughter echoed through the volcano.
But the smile on his molten face froze the moment a shadow fell across the crater. Hawk landed on a jagged rock above the magma lake, staring down at him with calm eyes.
The Fire Demon sneered—until Hawk spoke.
"I'm here. So what now?"
For a heartbeat, Salamach faltered, swallowing a mouthful of magma. Then, roaring, he hurled twin pillars of fire. The stone beneath Hawk vanished in a blast of molten rock—yet Hawk remained, floating, unshaken.
"Too slow," Hawk said, when the barrage ended.
The truth was cruel. The name "Primordial Elementals" sounded awe-inspiring, but in reality they were little more than middling demons. Against the Hell-Witch, alone, none would even be guaranteed victory. Against Hawk? They were prey.
"Spare yourself some pain," Hawk told him flatly. "Yield, and I'll grant you a quick death."
"You think you've already won?" Salamach spat.
"Of course," Hawk replied instantly. "So tell me—where did you get the idea I couldn't devour you? Tell me, and I'll fix it."
Rage consumed the Fire Demon. He erupted from the lava, pouring out every ounce of his power. "You want my essence? Then take it, if you can stomach it!"
Hawk's eyes lit with amusement. No tricks, no escape tunnels—Salamach's "last card" was to give everything at once. Perfect.
His cosmos burned. A crimson Phoenix spread its wings, descending into the volcano.
In an instant, the Phoenix's cry echoed. Its shadow engulfed Salamach, talons pinning him as flames of rebirth devoured his essence.
"No! Release me!" the Fire Demon screamed, thrashing, desperate. But Hawk ignored him. This was no game. This was Dao struggle—winner lives, loser vanishes.
Salamach's roars dwindled to whimpers, then to silence. The last ember of his being vanished into Hawk's cosmos.
Inside, the third element—Fire—joined Wind and Earth. Gravel once scattered now fused, glowing red under fire's heat, spinning in storm-winds, fusing into a proto-planet.
And within it, a new shadow unfurled—no longer the blazing Phoenix, but a black Phoenix, cloaked in deathly majesty.
Yet it was not enough. One element remained. Water. Without it, this nascent world would remain a burning husk.
Hovering above the crater, Hawk closed his eyes. For within the Earth Demon's essence lay a memory—Satannish's plan.
He saw it clearly now: Satannish recruiting the Four Elementals, promising them a new Hell. Not manipulated by Hela—nonsense. The Goddess of Death was still sealed, Odin's fading power holding her at bay. Hawk had seen it himself during the Convergence: Hel remained locked, unable even to stir.
No, Satannish's rebellion was his own.
He had death's authority. The Elementals had creation's building blocks. And one last piece—the San Venganza Contract.
Together, they could challenge Mephisto himself for dominion over Earth's souls, just as Mephisto once contended with Yahweh.
Which meant… the Contract wasn't just an artifact.
It was the key.
The key to begin a new war for Earth's very souls.
"…So that's it," Hawk murmured, opening his eyes.
(End of Chapter)
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