Azazel steadied himself, dust sliding off his coat as his eyes locked onto Henry, interest sharpening just a little. "Hah… knew there was something off about you," he said, studying him now instead of dismissing him. "You're not normal."
"I don't need praise," Henry replied, his tone flat. "Especially not from a piece of shit like you."
He moved.
One step —
Then he vanished from where he stood.
Azazel reacted on instinct, his hand coming up just in time as Henry reappeared in front of him, his fist already driving forward. The impact met Azazel's palm with force, a tight shockwave bursting outward as the ground beneath them cracked slightly from the pressure.
Azazel held it, his expression tightening just a fraction as he absorbed the hit. "That all you've got?" he asked, testing the resistance, feeling the energy behind it.
Henry didn't answer.
He used the contact point instead.
His body twisted mid-motion, shifting his weight as he spun through the air, bringing his leg around toward Azazel's torso.
'Ether Burst.'
Blue energy gathered along his leg, condensing into a sharp, concentrated force just before impact.
The force didn't just hit—it detonated on contact.
Azazel's body was driven backward, the ground tearing under his feet before he was launched into the graves behind him, stone markers cracking and breaking as he smashed through them.
Henry landed and shifted his footing, keeping his balance as his eyes stayed locked on the spot where Azazel had crashed. He didn't wait, didn't relax—
The ground behind him exploded.
Azazel was already there.
His hand drove straight toward Henry's spine, but Henry turned into it at the last second, bringing his arm across to block. The impact jarred through his body, force heavy enough to push him half a step forward, but he held.
There was no space after that.
No pause.
Azazel pressed in immediately, his strikes sharp, forcing Henry into close combat. Every movement was tight—blocks, counters, short bursts of force—neither of them giving the other distance to reset.
Henry answered with speed and power, his movements backed by Ether, but Azazel wasn't just matching him—he was reading him.
Each exchange cost Henry more.
The markings along his body flickered faintly as the strain built, his breathing tightening just slightly. The earlier damage, the constant output of power—it was starting to show.
Azazel noticed.
A faint smile returned as he shifted his stance and drove a punch straight toward Henry's chest, aiming to break through his guard. "Heh… your strength's dropping," he said, voice calm even in the middle of the exchange.
Henry didn't step back.
Instead, he drove forward.
'Ether Burst.'
Energy gathered instantly around his fist, blue light condensing tight and dense instead of spreading out.
He met the strike head-on.
The moment their fists connected, something snapped.
The energy didn't just release—it surged.
[Revenant Impact triggered.]
A shockwave tore outward from the point of contact, the air itself distorted like it had cracked under pressure. Azazel's arm took the full force of it, the impact bursting through his guard and ripping into him, sending him backward as the shockwave carried through.
He was thrown across the ground, tearing through dirt and broken stone, his body dragged by the force before crashing hard into the far side of the cemetery.
Henry didn't move for a second after the hit, his fist still extended, the residual energy fading as the strain caught up to him.
Henry stayed on his feet, chest rising a little heavier now, the last traces of Ether fading from his skin as the glow died down.
Across the broken ground, Azazel pushed himself up without much concern, looking at what remained of his arm as if it were a minor inconvenience.
"I'll give you this," he said, flexing what was left of his hand as it began to shift. "You're the strongest human I've seen in a long time. Strongest hunter, too."
The flesh started knitting back together, bone reforming under skin, the arm restoring itself steadily as if nothing had happened.
"But you're still human," he added, finishing the thought as his fingers twitched back into place.
Henry didn't answer immediately, watching that regeneration, already knowing what it meant.
Azazel rolled his shoulder once, testing the movement, then looked at him again. "You can't stop me," he said, calm and certain. "Not like this." His gaze lingered for a moment before narrowing slightly. "But you don't have to be on the losing side. You join me… I'll keep you around. You're useful."
Henry let out a small breath, then smiled—not amused, but knowing. "Yeah," he said, voice steady. "About that… you're forgetting something."
Azazel's expression shifted just enough to notice.
Henry's eyes flicked past him.
"You're not just dealing with me."
Azazel turned—
Dean and Sam were already in position near the crypt. Dean stood with the Colt raised, the barrel aimed straight at Azazel.
Realization hit a fraction too late.
Azazel's mouth opened as he tried to shift, his body already beginning to break into smoke—
Henry was faster.
He closed the distance in an instant, appearing behind him and locking him in place, one arm pinning him tight while his other hand came up and clamped over Azazel's mouth, cutting off the escape.
Henry leaned in slightly, his grip tightening.
"Didn't you say we can't kill you?" he said, a faint edge in his voice. "Then why are you trying to run?"
*****
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