Come forth, my revolutionary warriors. The real battle is just beginning."
From beneath the cracked earth, hands of molten lava reached out, clawing their way to the surface.
Azrael stepped back, his sharp eyes narrowing.
One by one, the dead Hell Guards twisted and morphed—turning into something new.
Hulk cursed under his breath.
"Infernals...!" he growled.
But Azrael shook his head slowly.
"No... Look closely. They're different. Their skin—it's not ash. It's normal. The flames—they're only coming from their heads and mouths."
Hulk tightened his fists. "Then... what the hell are they?"
Azrael's eyes gleamed as he answered, voice low.
"It would seem... they've evolved."
The new infernals finished transforming, their bodies pulsing with terrifying energy.
High above, Sarah laughed gleefully.
"Lord Azrael! How do you like this magnificent sight? We are the Revolutionalists! We are Hell's Revolution!"
One of the infernals spoke—its voice steady, terrifyingly calm.
"I feel... stronger than ever."
Everyone froze.
Hulk's eyes widened in shock. "It can talk...! Its conscience is still intact... Just what the hell is going on?!"
Azrael chuckled and clapped slowly.
"Sarah... well played. Killing them was part of your plan all along, wasn't it? Death... was the final push to force their evolution."
Sarah smiled proudly.
"Yes, Lord Azrael. You never fail to amaze me. Your deduction skills are still as sharp as ever."
All around them, the infernals roared, their power surging.
Sarah floated closer, smirking.
"If you'd like to talk, Lord Azrael... shall we take this conversation elsewhere?"
Azrael raised an eyebrow.
"And what about your revolutionary army?"
Sarah shrugged playfully.
"They can wreak as much havoc as they want."
Azrael smiled thinly.
"Fine."
"But—!" Hulk tried to protest.
Azrael waved him off.
"Hulk, you and the Hell Guards will handle this. I'll resolve things on my end."
A Hell Guard stepped forward, panicked.
"My Lord, that's impossible! Their numbers—!"
Azrael stared ahead, calm and unbothered.
"About a hundred, by my count."
He exhaled, and suddenly a giant green magic circle appeared beneath the Hell Guards. Another circle rotated above them, raining green light down.
When it vanished, Azrael smiled.
"I shared some of my energy with you. Your abilities have been boosted. Make good use of it."
He glanced at Hulk.
"You're a Hell Commander. You don't need the extra help, do you?"
Hulk straightened immediately.
"No, my Lord!"
Sarah and Laisa laughed mockingly.
Sarah sneered, "You underestimate us, Lord Azrael. Sharing your power with those filthy guards?"
Azrael smirked.
"The energy I gave them is more than enough... for you two."
Sarah's face twisted with irritation.
"You'll regret that."
She raised her hand.
A transparent dome of fire suddenly enveloped Azrael. Sparks flew as Azrael touched the dome, a mild shock making him pause.
"Is this how you speak to your superiors, Sarah?" he said calmly.
Sarah laughed coldly.
"Not for much longer!"
Hulk and the guards tried to rush in, but the infernals blocked their path.
The dome lifted Azrael into the air, floating alongside Sarah and Laisa, with five infernal soldiers guarding them.
Sarah looked down smugly.
"Instead of worrying about Lord Azrael... you should be worrying about yourselves."
They flew off, leaving chaos behind.
Hulk clenched his fists, watching them disappear.
But seeing Azrael's calm face inside the dome, he smiled.
"If Lord Azrael's that calm... he'll be fine."
He turned to the glowing soldiers.
"Let's clean up this trash! You've been blessed with Lord Azrael's power! No slacking!"
The Hell Guards roared in unison, their bodies blazing with new strength.
"This power... it's amazing!" one yelled.
"Yeah!" another shouted. "This is what Lord Azrael carries within him!"
Hulk grinned.
"Enjoy it while it lasts."
The battlefield erupted into chaos as the Hell Guards and the evolved infernals clashed.
Meanwhile, in the sky—
Sarah's group landed on a desolate, ash-covered plain.
She casually dropped the fiery dome to the ground.
"Be gentle!" Laisa snapped.
"Alright, alright," Sarah chuckled.
Azrael sat calmly inside the dome, his eyes closed.
"You revolutionaries," he said, "have truly forgotten your manners."
Suddenly—
Crack!
The fiery dome shattered apart, a blast of heat knocking everyone back.
Sarah shielded her eyes, stunned.
"Where is he?!"
A voice spoke from behind them.
"Where are you all looking?"
They turned slowly—
Azrael sat lazily on a throne made of ash, one leg folded over the other, chin resting on his hand.
Sarah stiffened.
"You can start talking."
Azrael smiled coldly.
"I've already figured out the answers... but I want to hear it from you.
Give me a reason why I shouldn't kill you both right here."
Laisa's lip trembled.
"My Lord... are you mad at me...? I'm doing all this because I care about you. Why can't you see that—"
Before she could finish, the five infernal soldiers lunged at Azrael from all sides.
Azrael closed his eyes with a sigh.
"This is why I didn't want to speak in front of your army."
SHUNK!
Five black spears of flame appeared out of nowhere, skewering the infernals mid-air.
Azrael opened his golden eyes.
"Burn from my sight."
The spears exploded into black flames, reducing the infernals to ash.
Sarah watched, amused.
"Another failed experiment... They were supposed to resist flames, but it looks like they weren't ready yet."
Laisa scoffed coldly.
"Serves them right. Interrupting my conversation with Lord Azrael..."
Azrael's golden gaze burned into them.
"I won't ask again.
Give me one good reason not to kill you."
Sarah laughed maniacally.
"Lord Azrael... do you really think you've stopped us?
Right now, my infernal soldiers are attacking every gate of Hell simultaneously!"
Azrael chuckled darkly.
"You think I don't know?
That's what the pillars are for—to protect each gate.
Meaning... this is just a diversion."
Sarah clapped slowly.
"Bravo. You figured it out."
"But you're wrong about one thing," she said.
"It wasn't my plan."
Azrael's eyes narrowed.
He turned to Laisa.
She smiled sweetly, mischievously, opening her fan with a snap.
"Maybe... if I defeat you, you'll finally recognize my true love and strength."
Her eyes glowed as she whispered—
"Sakura."