When Hawk planned to use the Contract of San Venganza to barter for his sister's soul, he had already considered the old devil's trick.
To hold Anya hostage against him?
Never acceptable.
Cheating only comes in two forms: never, or endlessly.
The same goes for compromise.
If he gave in once, Mephisto would smell blood forever. Then what manhood would he have left? He might as well call himself Mephisto's pet.
And worse—Hawk knew the Phoenix Heart would abandon him instantly if he caved.
That would make him no different from the cowards of this world.
But the world did not birth only cowards.
It also birthed conquerors.
Even today we remember those who refused to bow, who would rather fall than kneel.
Hawk would rather be the conqueror who defied fate than the coward who lived on bended knee.
So—
Before coming to Hell, Hawk had already braced for the worst outcome.
And he was ready to face it.
Now, his eyes cold as ice, he declared the price Mephisto would pay if he dared burn Anya's soul. Watching the devil's smile freeze, Hawk roared:
"Do it then!"
Mephisto's body jolted.
Wait.
What did he mean—spend eternity doing nothing but hounding me?
What did he mean—no souls ever entering Hell again, no demons ever leaving?
That wasn't the hostage script he'd imagined at all.
Thoughts spun fast in the devil's mind.
Then he looked at Hawk again, that mask hiding all but those glacial eyes.
He bared his fangs.
"You think I won't?"
"You won't. But I will!" Hawk answered flatly.
In an instant he vanished, reappearing before Mephisto, ignoring the claw poised on Anya's head. His fist slammed into the devil's face.
Boom!
The fire-spitting nostrils twisted sideways. The massive demon was lifted off his feet and crashed into the ground, the earth cracking wide with smoke pouring out.
Hawk blurred again. Hanging above the pit, his leg blazed black with phoenix fire as he dove.
A flying kick.
Crash!
The strike split the ground entirely, magma boiling beneath.
Mephisto barely escaped the blow, golden eyes wide as Hawk rose from the pit without a hint of expression.
"You truly don't fear me burning her soul? Keeping you apart forever?"
"I'm not afraid!"
It wasn't Hawk who answered. It was Anya, still frozen in place, shouting,
"I believe in my brother! He's the strongest in the whole world!"
Hawk didn't look at her. He no longer cared to trade words with Mephisto.
He had only one thought left.
Even if he couldn't kill the devil here, he would beat him bloody.
So he attacked.
"Supersonic Punch!"
"You're insane!"
"You siblings are both insane!" Mephisto snarled, rattled by Anya's words, then bellowed,
"This is my domain!"
BOOM!
The space around them twisted and collapsed into absolute void.
Hawk's lightning fists vanished without a sound.
Then came the counter—countless spears of hellfire energy materialized around him, shrieking with power to rend souls, converging into a deadly cage.
Clang! Clang! Clang!
They slammed against Hawk's Black Phoenix Surplice, sparks flying—sparks that would shred ordinary souls to tatters.
Meanwhile, the cracked earth belched out swarms of demons.
They came crawling like black locusts, greedy eyes fixed on Anya, still immobilized.
She trembled—but forced herself to stand tall.
I am my brother's sister.
I will not be his burden.
Hawk saw.
With a crack like thunder, the phoenix shadow behind him burst outward, shattering the spear cage. He swung a fist back toward the rushing horde.
"Phoenix Wings—"
"Sky Soaring!!"
BOOM!!
His small cosmos exploded—not merely burning, but erupting beyond fire into a catastrophic burst.
Dark-red flames surged, forming vast wings of fire. With one strike, they slammed outward toward the devils swarming for Anya.
Time itself seemed to pause.
The demons froze mid-lunge, faces twisted with greed. Then the black flames consumed them, armor-like hides melting, souls vaporized to nothing.
Where the phoenix wings passed, even air shrieked as it ignited.
The shockwave, wrapped in destruction's heat and light, swept across the battlefield like a collapsed galaxy.
Demons vanished. The ground itself melted into dark red glass.
From above, one could see—etched across Hell's land—two burning crimson wings.
Anya stared, wide-eyed. The flames around her felt warm, protective.
My brother is the strongest in the world.
I wasn't lying.
Mephisto too stared, heart seizing. He opened his mouth to call for a halt—
But Hawk didn't stop.
He surged forward, riding the lingering eruption of his cosmos.
"Stop—!"
CRASH!
His punch smashed into Mephisto's right horn.
The impact hurled the devil like a meteor, crashing back to earth, shattering the land again.
More demons spilled out, but this time none dared rush Anya. They scattered, seizing the chance to gorge elsewhere while their master was beaten.
A dark light rose again.
Mephisto emerged, clutching his broken horn, glaring at Hawk closing in.
"Stop!"
…
Hawk halted ten paces away, silent, eyes fixed coldly on him.
Mephisto bellowed, his voice echoing through all Hell:
"Within ten breaths, back to the other side!"
Instantly, the demons froze. Then, without hesitation, they scuttled back into the cracks, vanishing into Hell's dark reverse.
The devil turned back, breathing hard.
"Take your sister. But leave the Contract of San Venganza."
This was his realm, yes. Here he could not die. But Hawk too bore the Law of Life and Death, and could come and go at will. And if this battle tore Hell apart, Mephisto would be the one to clean up.
So—
His golden eyes locked on Hawk.
"Take her. And get out of my Hell!"
"Not enough."
"What?!"
"I said—it's not enough anymore."
…
(End of Chapter)
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