The wind outside the ruined chapel was calm.
But inside…
Something was wrong.
Nyx suddenly growled.
The shadow wolf stood up from beside Gabriel, its glowing eyes fixed on the broken doorway.
Gabriel immediately noticed.
Nyx had never reacted like that before.
"What is it?" Gabriel asked quietly.
The wolf lowered its body and bared its teeth.
Danger.
Gabriel slowly stood up despite the dull pain still lingering in his chest from Alex's last battle.
Then he heard it.
Footsteps.
Multiple.
Heavy boots crunching against the gravel outside.
Gabriel's eyes narrowed.
"Visitors…"
A moment later, the chapel doors were kicked open.
BANG!
Five figures walked inside.
They wore dark coats marked with silver symbols.
Each one carried strange weapons glowing with faint blue light.
The man in front looked around the chapel carefully.
His sharp eyes quickly locked onto Gabriel.
"Well… look what we found."
Another hunter stepped forward.
"So the reports were true."
"An immortal lives here."
Gabriel stayed silent.
But his shadow slowly spread across the floor.
The leader smiled coldly.
"Relax."
"We're not here to talk."
He pulled out a long blade covered in glowing runes.
"We're here to test something."
Gabriel tilted his head slightly.
"Test?"
The hunter's smile widened.
"To see if the rumors are true."
The blade ignited with bright blue energy.
"Can an immortal really feel pain?"
Before Gabriel could react—
The hunter lunged forward.
FAST.
The blade stabbed straight through Gabriel's chest.
Gabriel's body froze.
For a moment…
Everything went silent.
The hunters stared closely.
Waiting.
Gabriel looked down at the sword inside his chest.
Blood slowly dripped onto the floor.
Then he sighed.
"…That hurt."
The hunters froze.
"Wait… he's not dying?"
Gabriel slowly grabbed the blade.
Then calmly pulled it out of his chest.
The wound began closing immediately.
The hunters' eyes widened in shock.
"Incredible…"
The leader whispered.
"It's true."
But Gabriel wasn't looking at them anymore.
His silver eyes had turned cold.
Behind him—
The shadows exploded.
Nyx jumped forward with a terrifying growl.
Before the hunters could react—
CRUNCH.
One of them was thrown across the chapel wall by the shadow wolf.
The others quickly raised their weapons.
"Kill it!"
Blue energy blasts filled the room.
But the shadows moved like liquid.
Nyx dodged easily.
Gabriel slowly stepped forward.
His voice calm.
"You came here to test if I feel pain."
The shadow spikes rose from the ground around him.
Twenty of them.
Sharp as spears.
Gabriel's eyes glowed faintly.
"Let me test something too."
The hunters hesitated.
"What?"
Gabriel raised his hand.
The spikes pointed toward them.
"I want to see…"
The shadows trembled violently.
"…how much pain YOU can feel."
The spikes shot forward.
The chapel erupted into chaos.
Meanwhile — Hell
Alex walked across the battlefield.
Bodies of demons surrounded him.
The fight was already over.
Blood dripped from his sword as he wiped it clean.
Another small army defeated.
Alex sighed.
"Still not enough."
A voice suddenly echoed behind him.
"You're getting reckless."
Alex turned.
Standing on a cliff nearby was a tall demon with long white hair and dark armor.
Azrael.
The Soul Reaper Prince.
Another one of Lucifer's heirs.
His glowing blue eyes studied Alex carefully.
"You've been attacking every territory lately."
Alex shrugged.
"I'm bored."
Azrael slowly walked down toward him.
"You're trying to start a war."
Alex smiled.
"That's the plan."
Azrael stopped a few meters away.
His scythe appeared in his hand.
A massive weapon covered in soul chains.
"If you keep moving like this…"
His voice became colder.
"…you'll die before reaching the throne."
Alex raised his sword.
His crimson eyes burned.
"Then try and stop me."
For a moment…
The air became deadly silent.
Two heirs of Hell stood facing each other.
And far away on Earth—
Gabriel suddenly felt the pressure.
The moment Alex and Azrael released their power…
Gabriel collapsed again.
The pain was worse than ever.
But this time…
Gabriel was smiling.
Because the shadows around him were growing stronger again.
And Nyx was becoming something far more dangerous than before.