A beam of holy light descended from the heavens.
Morin looked up.
A celestial gate opened in midair. Silver-white metal. Intricate reliefs of angels and divine beings. Grand. Majestic. Far more elaborate than the one Morin had summoned himself.
To him, though, it was all the same.
"Nice packaging." Morin glanced at Gabriel, who lay crumpled on the ground. "I wonder if the contents match the wrapping."
He gestured casually.
"So. The manager finally showed up? Are you here to explain things, or..." His gaze dropped to Gabriel's wings. "To donate one? Since he's one of yours, I figured I'd return a piece if you want it."
He spoke like someone already picking out firewood.
Perhaps realizing that Morin wasn't joking, the being within the gate finally stepped out.
An angel descended.
Morin glanced at the withered Gabriel on the pavement, then back up at the angel in the sky. He clicked his tongue.
"The gap between angels is really that big, huh."
He nodded thoughtfully.
"Your proportions are way more convincing than his."
"...I am a Seraph. Archangel Michael." The angel frowned slightly. "Angels are genderless."
"Please don't ruin my aesthetic illusions." Morin discreetly activated [Photographer] and snapped several high-quality frames before straightening his expression. "Alright. Let's talk. Care to explain what's going on?"
In Western lore, Michael was the most radiant of the archangels. Courage beyond mortals. Power without equal. And the most perfect form.
Angels were genderless, but could manifest as either.
The one before Morin was clearly feminine.
Holy. Glamorous. Overwhelming.
Compared to Gabriel, the difference was like mountains to gravel.
To put it bluntly-
She looked straight out of an adult comic.
Cough.
Morin calmly ignored the fact that she could switch forms at will and appreciated the view with professional restraint. Clearly, the opposition had chosen the lowest tactic available.
A honey trap.
Unfortunately.
Untouchable.
And even if it weren't-he wouldn't.
He was a man of principle.
"Sin bred ambition," Michael said. "It led him to commit grave mistakes. I will take Gabriel back to Heaven for judgment."
"I'm not interested in that script." Morin shook his head. "We both know that's not happening. He committed crimes on Earth. He'll be judged on Earth."
He looked up.
"Tell me. What role did your 'Lord' play in this?"
"The Lord was unaware-"
"So the omniscient Lord has blind spots now?" Morin interrupted flatly.
"The Lord is omniscient. This was merely a test for Gabriel-"
"A test that cost innocent human lives?"
"Their souls would have ascended and found salvation. That is a blessing."
"...You're making me sick."
Morin raised his hand.
A steel beam tore free from a nearby building and flew toward him. Midair, it glowed red. Impurities burned away. Sparks scattered.
By the time it reached his hand-
A longsword.
Razor-sharp. Molecular edge. Reinforced by a humming electromagnetic field.
Ordinary steel.
Forged into a divine weapon in seconds.
Morin lowered the blade toward Gabriel's wings, measuring the cut.
"So. Where should I start?"
"As one chosen by Heaven, how can you show such contempt?" Michael frowned.
"First, that mark was forced on me." Morin raised an eyebrow. "Second, I have zero attachment to your Heaven. Respect is mutual."
He smiled slightly.
"You treat humans like livestock. So I'll treat angels like rotisserie chicken."
Michael didn't get angry.
She simply nodded.
"You have sufficient strength. I cannot change your views. But my orders are to bring him back."
"Then negotiations are over," Morin said. "Time to fight."
"Or," Michael replied calmly, "the phase of resource exchange begins."
"Oh?" Morin's eyes lit up. "Now that's interesting."
He didn't make an offer.
Never make the first offer.
A lesson learned fresh out of college.
"The true instigator is a demon from Hell," Michael said. "Gabriel was deceived. Used. We will tell you who the mastermind is."
Morin waited.
Silence followed.
He nodded slowly.
"So that's it?"
"It allows you to direct your vengeance properly."
Morin stared at her.
"...Let me translate. Your archangel was an idiot. You take no responsibility. And your apology is having me kill your enemy for you."
Michael nodded. "Devils are masters of corruption. He is our common enemy."
"Miss Michael."
"I have no gender."
"You look like a woman right now, so deal with it." Morin waved it off. "And remember this-Heaven or Hell, angel or demon. To me, you're all the same."
He stepped forward.
"Interdimensional invaders. Acting for human souls."
"The Lord seeks only to save the worthy."
"You're even worse than Gabriel." Morin sighed. "At least he had original thoughts. You're just brainwashed."
He shook his head.
"Let's fight."
"That would be unwise."
BAM.
Michael flew backward.
A fist imprint caved into her face.
"How many times do I have to say this?" Morin vanished and reappeared behind her, punching again. "Titles mean nothing to me!"
Another impact.
"Superior being or not-"
He struck again.
"-you have one identity here!"
Michael crashed through buildings.
"Interdimensional invader!"
"I'll deal with the devil later." Morin accelerated again. "But since you're here now-let's see how strong you really are!"
Michael was far stronger than Gabriel.
That much was undeniable.
Her recovery speed was absurd. Even as Morin battered her, she counterattacked instantly.
But against Morin's physique-
Her attacks barely mattered.
Now Michael understood.
Why Gabriel lost.
This human-
No.
Was he even human?
What human had stats like this?
She found an opening and slashed at Morin's neck with her holy sword.
CLANG.
Metallic resonance.
The blade didn't cut.
It didn't even bite.
Her divine weapon had struck something harder than steel.
Impossible.
If physical attacks failed, then magic-
Michael began chanting ancient forbidden spells.
And immediately realized the problem.
This human knew magic.
Deeply.
Spell power. Variety. Casting speed.
All inferior.
He truly was the Sorcerer Supreme.
What kind of mage has a body like this?
Michael was smashed away again.
...
"Any idea what's happening in there?" Constantine asked.
"No." Tony shook his head grimly.
He'd grown rapidly.
But compared to this?
A frog at the bottom of a well.
Still-
He steadied himself.
Then suddenly snapped.
"What the hell are you doing?!"
"I sealed her earlier to prevent Mammon from harming the host," Constantine replied solemnly. "Now I'm preparing an exorcism ritual."
Tony stared.
"...Before you lie, maybe remember I'm a sorcerer too?"
"Fine. I hadn't used mana yet." Constantine withdrew his hand casually.
"You like her?" Tony asked bluntly.
"No-okay, yes. Don't you think she's beautiful?"
"She's... decent." Tony waved it off. "I've seen plenty."
"Really?"
"Of course. I could teach you some things."
"Like what?"
"Step one. Be rich."
"...Let's stay realistic."
"Fair." Tony changed topics smoothly. "Let's talk about kicking Mammon back to Hell."
"I have a plan."
A moment later.
"This is your plan?" Tony stared at Angela, black mist pouring out of her.
"...If things went perfectly, yes."
"So what went wrong?"
"I might've used the wrong ingredient." Constantine lit a cigarette. "Or it expired."
"Is it fixed?"
"No. It's irreversible. So I'm smoking."
"...Why are you so calm?"
"Good news and bad news," Constantine said. "Mammon is definitely going back to Hell."
"And the bad?"
"Something worse is coming to get him."
Tony's eye twitched.
"Mammon is Satan's son."
"...Yes."
Tony: "???"
Am I the only newbie here?
...
Across the city, Morin felt it.
A surge of pure evil.
From Tony's direction.
He frowned.
In the next instant, he vanished.
Reappeared.
Barrier deployed.
Gabriel came with him.
"What happened?" Morin glanced at Angela. "Did you let Mammon out?"
After the explanation-
Morin fell silent.
Constantine's curse was stronger than expected.
He hadn't summoned Mammon.
He'd summoned Lucifer.
Michael alone was manageable.
But Lucifer-
After the fall?
Equal?
Or stronger?
Sizzle.
Bare feet touched the ground.
A white suit.
The smell of sulfur.
Lucifer descended, smiling softly.
"Well. What a gathering."
His gaze lingered on Gabriel.
Then Angela.
Then Constantine.
"John. Long time. I've prepared a theme park for you in Hell. I'll personally welcome you when the time comes."
"Nice to see you too," Constantine replied calmly.
Lucifer sighed.
"My son has been busy."
"He was with Gabriel," Constantine added.
"Oh." Lucifer smiled. "Children have hobbies."
"They had the Spear of Destiny."
Lucifer paused.
Then laughed.
"Excellent. I like men like you." He looked at Morin.
"I like men like you too," Morin replied.
Lucifer laughed loudly, then stopped.
"So. What do you want?"
"Is he always this easy?" Tony asked telepathically.
"Devils follow rules," Morin replied. "But don't trust him."
He faced Lucifer.
"I am the Sorcerer Supreme."
Lucifer's expression shifted.
"...Another presence is approaching."
Michael arrived.
"Lucifer!"
"Brother." Lucifer smiled exaggeratedly. "Is this your new style?"
"Silence!" Michael snapped. "Your son-"
"Let's skip the script." Lucifer waved it off, then turned serious. "I'll leave my son to you."
Michael froze.
This was a trap.
If Mammon stayed-
Gabriel would too.
Heaven would lose everything.
Lucifer didn't care.
Sons were replaceable.
Morin spoke.
"Before that, one question. Humans weren't created by God, were they?"
"Of course not," Lucifer grinned. "They're naturally born-"
"Silence!" Michael shouted.
BAM.
Morin appeared where she stood.
"Continue."
Lucifer's pupils shrank.
That wasn't magic.
That was speed.
"...Yes," Lucifer said. "God is just an interdimensional being. Everything else was myth."
"And you fed on human souls," Morin said.
"...They enjoy Hell."
"That's irrelevant." Morin raised his head. "Humans were never your property."
He spoke clearly.
"From today on-Hell stays out of Earth."
"And Heaven does too."
Silence.
Michael sneered.
Lucifer's smile vanished.
"...You're joking."
The air crackled.
The war resumed.