Clutching the shredded back of his skull, Hakugo crawled through the mud and crushed stone, his blood mixing with the downpour. The pain in his brain was unbearable—he could feel it, hemorrhaging under pressure. Skin peeled from his scalp, muscle twitching in shock.
One arm was gone—Anna had severed it with that damned domain. He pressed his remaining hand against his open head wound, trying to heal it, trying to do anything to stop the panic rising in his chest.
Then he felt it.
The killing intent.
Like standing on the edge of a cliff, staring into an abyss that stared back—and smiled.
"No… No, no, no—don't come closer…!"
A small turned to oanic as he desperately tried to crawl away.
His voice broke into a panicked scream.
"Fuck—fuck—what do I do?! What do I do?! What do I—?!"
His thoughts spiraled. He wanted to run, to hide, to vanish from this world. This wasn't a fight anymore. This was a slaughter.
'It's the Church's fault. Those fools poked the beast.'
His eyes darted. Then he exploded into a sprint, tapping every ounce of divine mana he could muster into his legs.
The sound barrier cracked.
BOOM!
Trees bent sideways in his wake, forest animals scattered, and the wet earth split under each thunderous step.
"Move—move—don't look back! Don't turn around—he's behind you! I know he is—"
His mind screamed as loud as his heartbeat. The memory of Azel's grin, mad, wide, soaked in rain and blood haunted him more than any nightmare.
Rushing westward, he tore through the trees and underbrush until the cliffs of the western mountain appeared like salvation. He darted through the dark woods.
SPLASH.
Something warm trickled down his leg.
Then pain.
A searing, gnashing pain.
He stumbled, fell forward—and with the absurd speed he'd built, his body skidded across the forest floor for over 500 meters, tearing bark, crushing rocks, until he slammed against a boulder.
He screamed. His right leg was severed clean. Black flames crawled up the other like hungry insects.
"No—no no no—! I don't want to die. I don't want to die. FUCK FUCK"
Just then his left leg caught fire. The black predator flames engulfed it.
BOOM.
His left leg detonated.
What remained of him—a bleeding torso and one good arm. He was dragged forward by it in sheer will. His body was unrecognizable, a shredded pulp of flesh and divine magic failing to knit him back together fast enough.
'I will live.I will live. I won't die. I won't die here like this. I AM HAKUGO! A CARDINAL OF SAINT HERON!'
Then he heard it.
Steps.
Slow, deliberate.
Crunch. Crunch.
Mud squelching. Trees sighing in terror. The storm seemed to pause.
From the shadows, Azel emerged—shirtless, soaked, his black hair plastered to his face, eyes glowing with curse-light, a grin carved so deep into his lips it looked inhuman. Blood poured from his mouth, chest, arms—but none of it slowed him down.
Forbanna's voice echoed distantly in his mind, screaming.
"Azel! Come on. Don't use more power. You cells are already decomposing."
But Azel didn't respond. His mouth opened in a low chuckle. A laugh so devoid of reason, so saturated with bloodlust, it could've come from a beast of legend.
"Heh… Hehehehe… HAH!"
Hakugo screamed and raised his only arm to cast another spell—but Azel blurred, vanishing from sight.
A boot slammed into Hakugo's chest.
CRACK.
His ribs caved in. His body flew into the air.
Then Azel was above him. Mid-air. Grinning.
Another strike—BOOM—down came a black-flame fist, crashing him into the ground so hard the earth caved in.
Hakugo coughed blood, trying to scream, but no voice came. He reached with trembling fingers toward the heavens.
And Azel descended again, dragging him by the throat, flames licking his skin raw.
"St…Stop… Stop…"
He raised him high—then slammed him into the earth again.
Slam.
Crater.
Another.
Another.
The forest shook with each blow.
Hakugo no longer begged. His voice was lost, crushed beneath raw terror. A puddle of blood spread beneath him.
Dripping in rain, Azel's pale skin stained with blood and ash. His black eyes gleamed like abyssal voids, wide with deranged joy. His laughter echoed across the broken woods—a raw, guttural sound, almost inhuman.
"Hehehe… HAHAHA!"
Hakugo whimpered.
"Maniac…"
Azel stepped forward, face lit by the flicker of his cursed flames. With one swift movement, he raised his hand—and black fire erupted.
SHHHHK—!
Hakugo's last arm was gone. Burned away in a burst of agonizing heat.
"AAARGHHH!"
His scream pierced the storm, but no one came. No saints. No angels. No Church. No God.
Hakugo sobbed, helpless. He was reduced to nothing.
Azel didn't stop.
He reached down, grabbed the hilt of Hakugo's dagger, and stabbed it straight into his chest.
The bishop's eyes widened. His body convulsed.
Azel grinned wider, then lifted him up by the blade, like a grotesque banner—blood trailing from the blade like ribbons in the rain.
"Hehe!"
Hakugo's thoughts were gone. His soul barely tethered to his broken body.
Azel raised his hand again.
SLASH.
The dagger withdrew—and black flames formed claws in the air.
SLASH SLASH SLASH.
Azel tore into what remained.
The Cardinal's torso was shredded into pieces—each blow a savage cut, each strike an echo of wrath.
Blood mist sprayed across the clearing.
Chunks of flesh and ruined cloth scattered over the mud.
By the end—
Hakugo was no longer a man.
He was nothing. Just a pile of blood and gore.
Azel stood still, chest heaving and laughter fading into a whisper.