Chapter 13: Chapter 13: The Hellblazer

Lod's body was covered in blue veins. He stepped forward and gripped his blade with both hands, slashing downward with all his might.

Zanjutsu Technique: Two-Cut!

The blade and fist clashed with a loud clang as sparks flew. The clashing Reiatsu from both sides created shockwaves that shattered the ground around them.

'Though its strength is impressive, its Reiatsu is only at a Gillian's level,' Lod said as he felt the force transmitted through his blade and observed the Hollow's Reiatsu.

Lod concluded it wasn't a true Adjuchas. However, what puzzled him was why this Hollow's skin was so resilient. With defense at the level of an Arrancar's Hierro, its toughness was extraordinary.

"Roar—" The Hollow let out a deafening roar and its white bone mask split at the mouth as it condensed scarlet energy into a single point.

The familiar scene made Lod's expression shift slightly as he muttered, "A Cero."

Cero was a destructive beam formed by highly concentrating Reiatsu and its power could be adjusted based on the user's Reiatsu, and typically only Menos-class Hollows could use it.

Swish!

The Cero shot forth and it pierced the air.

Lod wasn't about to take that head-on so he used a flash step to evade it immediately.

Boom!

The Cero ripped through the street and its destructive Reiatsu pulverized everything it touched as it raised a deafening explosion and sent a massive cloud of dust skyward.

While dodging the attack, Lod adjusted his stance mid-air and gripped his Zanpakutō with both hands as a cold glint flashed in his eyes and his lips moved faintly.

"Shinso—Renjin!" 

Swish swish swish...

In an instant, the blade of Shinso transformed into countless afterimages and to the naked eye, it seemed as though thousands upon thousands of blades filled the air.

The blades moved at a speed too fast to track and they shot forth like a torrential downpour as they engulfed the Hollow and filled the world with dazzling streaks of light that seemed endless.

This technique, at its core, was actually quite simple to explain.

To put it plainly, it extended and retracted repeatedly in a continuous cycle.

Clang clang clang...

The sound of metal clashing echoed as the Hollow's tough skin sparked brilliantly under the relentless strikes of Shinso's bladed storm.

Boom!

The Hollow roared furiously and stomped on the ground as it launched its entire body into the air like a cannonball and tore through the sea of blades before throwing a punch at Lod.

Lod blocked with his Zanpakutō but the force of the punch sent him flying dozens of meters back.

Screech—

His feet slid through the air as friction with the surrounding Reishi created two white trails and thin wisps of smoke.

'Comparable to Arrancar-level Hierro, huh?'

Amid the billowing dust, Lod brushed off the dirt on his clothes and sighed as he remarked, 'It really is tough. If even Renjin doesn't work, I guess I'll have to use that move.'

"So annoying..." Lod sighed helplessly and thought, 'If possible, I'd really prefer not to use this.'

Crackle!

Barely perceptible streaks of white lightning began to dance around Lod's body and his surrounding Reiatsu slowly climbed as it radiated heat and intensity like magma on the verge of eruption.

"Roar..." The Hollow crouched low and its crimson pupils trembled as though it sensed the deadly threat emanating from Lod so it let out low, uneasy growls.

"Relax, don't be nervous," Lod's lips curved into a gentle smile as he said, "It'll be over soon. It won't even hurt."

"Shunkō!" 

Crackle!

In an instant, thunder echoed as terrifying white lightning enveloped Lod's entire body and the upper part of his Shihakushō was instantly destroyed by the lightning which revealed his well-defined muscles.

The ground beneath him crumbled under the immense Reiatsu and it shattered as rubble was flung into the air before being crushed by the rampant lightning.

"Ugh..." Lod looked down at his bare chest and sighed as he said, 'Exploding shirts just don't suit me.'

Shunkō is a combat technique that combined Kido with Hakuda Combat.

The user's back and shoulders were wrapped in highly compressed Kido and this allowed explosive bursts of power to be channeled through their limbs which temporarily boosted all attributes for a short duration.

However, it came with a serious drawback.

Using Shunkō caused the Kido to tear apart the user's upper garments and it created an "exploding shirt" effect.

As everyone knew, only women looked good in exploding shirts.

Because of this, Lod disliked using Shunkō and avoided it unless it was absolutely necessary. However, today he had no choice.

There was, in fact, a way to avoid the exploding shirt.

In the original story, special combat uniforms worn by Yoruichi and Soi Fon effectively prevented this issue.

But...

These uniforms featured thin straps and a deep V-cut exposing the back so Lod would rather die than wear something like that.

Besides, he suspected that Kubo had ulterior motives and was blatantly catering to fanservice.

Back to the matter at hand—

Setting aside the shirt issue, the power of Shunkō was undeniable.

'Good thing no one's around...' Electricity crackled in Lod's eyes as his Reiatsu expanded several feet outward and it manifested as violent white lightning while he said, 'This form really doesn't suit me, so I'll have to ask you to die quickly.'

Boom!

Lod, shrouded in lightning, disappeared from his original position.

The ground beneath his feet caved in and it left a deep footprint surrounded by cracks that spread like a spiderweb.

In the next moment, Lod appeared directly in front of the Hollow without warning.

Lod stepped forward and the force of his movement sank half of his lower leg into the ground. His spine arched as power transferred segment by segment to his right arm and he clenched his fist before striking.

"Roar~" The Hollow roared furiously and swung its fist toward Lod.

Boom!!!

When their fists collided, the surrounding space trembled violently.

White arcs of electricity leapt through the air and they exuded destructive energy. The highly compressed Kido in Lod's punch concentrated on a single point before it detonated.

This punch completely surpassed the Hollow's Hierro and it instantly shattered it. The Hollow's body exploded and sent fragments of flesh and blood flying everywhere.

[Notice. Acquired Medium Soul x1] 

"Phew... It's over." Lod exhaled a deep breath as the white lightning dissipated from his body.

True to the name Shunkō, the battle had ended in an instant.

There was no denying that Shunkō was a formidable technique. The combination of Kido and Hakuda Combat had explosive power comparable to a miniature Bankai.

However, mastering Shunkō completely was still beyond Lod's reach.

Highly compressed Kido was incredibly difficult to control and it was like walking on the edge of a blade so a single misstep could result in severe backlash and possibly injure him. Using it required extreme caution.

Additionally, high-speed combat in Shunkō mode inevitably caused bodily damage which included torn muscles or ligaments.

'Guess I'll need Nemu to make me another outfit again.' Lod glanced at his bare torso and felt a headache coming on. The constant shirt explosion after using Shunkō was a curse.

'Forget it… Let's go back.' Lod rubbed his hair with his face looking a bit tired.

This was due to the effects of using Shunpo, which caused muscle tears and a significant depletion of Reiatsu, leading to mental exhaustion.

Clang!

Just as he was about to leave, he noticed a long, metallic object fall from the remains of the Hollow he had destroyed. The object hit the ground with a crisp sound.

'What is this thing?' Curiosity sparked in Lod. Normally, when a Hollow is slain, nothing is left behind.

But this one actually dropped "equipment"? This was unheard of!

Walking closer, Lod bent down to pick up the long object.

It was a standard European-style spear tip made of brass, wrapped in a tough leather sheath reinforced with golden threads to secure the spearhead in place.

'A spearhead?' Lod frowned with puzzlement.

'Why would a Hollow contain a spearhead—especially one that's sheathed?' Although he couldn't immediately understand the reason, his instincts told him this spearhead was no ordinary item. It was likely connected to the Hollow in a significant way.

Removing the leather sheath, Lod uncovered the full appearance of the spearhead.

It was a brass-colored spearhead with fine scratches and an antique texture, suggesting it was an ancient artifact.

The spearhead was flat and slender, with a hollowed-out middle section. Its surface bore intricate carvings, and its shape leaned more towards the tip of a lance.

Upon closer inspection, Lod noticed faint traces of dried, dark red blood along the sharp edges of the blade.

As Lod stared at the spearhead, his gaze suddenly turned dazed. In a hypnotized tone, he murmured hoarsely, "Los Angeles… I need to go to Los Angeles…"

Suddenly! Sensing something wrong with Lod, his Zanpakutō let out a low hum, resonating with him.

The blade's Reiryoku surged into Lod's mind, snapping him out of his trance!

'This damned thing… something's wrong with it!' Biting his lip, Lod forced himself to stay alert.

"Los Angeles…"

"Bring it… to Los Angeles…"

"I will grant you eternal life…" 

A wicked and seductive voice echoed repeatedly in Lod's mind, as if urging him to deliver the spearhead to Los Angeles.

Over and over, it reverberated…

The sensation was like nails scraping on a chalkboard, leaving Lod with a splitting headache. Frustrated, he threw the spearhead far away.

Clatter!

The spearhead slid across the ground, spinning several meters away.

At the same time, the voice vanished from his mind.

"Hah…" Relieved, Lod wiped the sweat from his brow as the pain on his face eased. 'What a dangerous thing. I almost fell for it!'

If not for the warning from his Zanpakutō, he might not have escaped that strange influence.

'This thing is definitely suspicious!' Lod's expression grew serious as he stared at the spearhead lying on the ground. 'What kind of cursed object can influence a Shinigami's very soul?'

Lod, now a Fourth Seat Officer-level Shinigami, had still struggled to resist its control. That alone spoke volumes about the spearhead's terrifying nature.

Frowning, Lod pondered how to handle the spearhead.

Ignoring it wasn't an option.

But how could he safely transport it?

Direct contact was out of the question; the earlier incident had proven that. He didn't want to experience that trance again.

That left only one option: sealing it!

Using advanced Kido to seal the spearhead, then placing it back in the leather sheath for transport.

The theory was sound, so he decided to act.

"Meow~"

Before Lod could begin sealing the spearhead, a stray cat darted out from the side and, moving with astonishing speed, pounced on the spearhead.

Lod's expression changed. He had considered every possibility—even the chance of sealing failure—but he hadn't anticipated this!

The stray cat bit into the spearhead, and its eyes instantly turned blood-red. Its back arched sharply as it let out a piercing, agonized screech.

"Meow—!"

Amidst the horrible cry, Lod watched as the cat's soul was forcibly torn from its body!

What happened next left Lod utterly stunned.

The cat's soul shattered, then reassembled at a speed visible to the naked eye, forming into a beast resembling a lion-tiger hybrid.

A black hole appeared in its chest, and a white, viscous substance emerged out of nowhere, forming a bone-like mask on its face.

The spearhead, as the soul fell into corruption, seemed to merge seamlessly into the new Hollow's body.

The entire transformation process happened so quickly that Lod barely had time to react before a fully-formed Hollow stood before him!

"What the… fuck?" Lod's eye twitched violently as he cursed under his breath. 'What the hell is this? A Hollow is created by this cursed spearhead instantly!'

This speed far outstripped even his "Abyss of Despair"!

"Roar!"

The Hollow, formerly a stray cat, locked eyes with Lod. In its blood-red gaze, a flicker of fear—eeriely human—appeared.

Evidently, it retained the memories of its previous host and knew it wasn't a match for Lod.

Whoosh!

The Hollow turned and fled without hesitation.

"Interesting. Very interesting." A smirk appeared on Lod's face. 'It recognized me and ran instantly. Does it have intelligence of its own, or is it under the spearhead's control?'

Regardless of the answer, Lod wasn't about to let the spearhead go. A tool capable of rapidly creating Hollows was too valuable to ignore!

Swish!

Lod activated Shunpo, chasing after the Hollow. He raised the Adjudicator in his left hand and fired.

Boom!

A Heilig Pfeil, condensed from Reishi, shot through the air and struck the Hollow's right leg, but it only left a shallow mark without penetrating.

'Is this Hierro again?' Lod narrowed his eyes.

The previous Hollow had resisted both his Zanpakutō and Heilig Pfeil. It wasn't because of Vasto Lorde-level Hierro; it was due to the spearhead embedded in its body.

The spearhead seemed to grant its host impenetrable skin and immense physical power.

Whoosh!

While Lod pondered, the Hollow leapt several hundred meters away, rapidly widening the distance between them.

Enhanced by the spearhead, the Hollow's speed now outmatched Lod's Shunpo at LV.4. It quickly vanished into the night.

Lod stopped, staring into the darkness where the Hollow had disappeared, and chuckled softly.

'This is getting more and more interesting.'

'Los Angeles? It seems like I have no choice but to visit.'

'Right! That spearhead sheath!' Lod's eyes lit up as he suddenly remembered something.

Although the mysterious spearhead had been taken by that Hollow, the sheath that once encased it was still there.

As he thought back carefully, he realized something strange.

When he had held the spearhead earlier, he had not been affected by that unknown voice. However, the moment he had taken the spearhead out of the sheath, that evil whispering had begun echoing in his mind.

This meant that the sheath might have some kind of sealing power.

Lod used Shunpo to return to the scene, and sure enough, the tattered leather sheath was still lying quietly on the ground.

Picking it up, he noticed a faint set of markings on its surface. The markings were extremely shallow, and the sheath itself was heavily worn due to its age.

Without close inspection, these marks would have been nearly impossible to notice.

He wiped off the dust with his hand and examined it closely.

[?????????????????????????????????????]

'These markings… they look like writing, don't they?' Lod frowned slightly, sensing that this matter might be far more complex than he had initially thought.

The inscriptions carved into the sheath were composed of strange and irregular shapes. They somewhat resembled cuneiform but weren't quite the same.

'This is just messing with me, huh?' Lod stared at the patterns, utterly baffled.

He wasn't some ancient language expert—how could he possibly decipher this? While he didn't know the meaning of these markings, one thing was clear.

The sheath did indeed have the power to seal the spearhead. When his fingers brushed over the ancient markings, he could feel a faint trace of some kind of energy lingering there.

'Things are getting more and more interesting!' Lod stowed the sheath and said, 'Let's head back and have Nemu take a look at these markings to figure out what they are.'

---

Shop Seireitei.

When Lod returned, shirtless, Nemu and Haschwalth reacted in starkly different ways.

"Brother!" Nemu puffed her cheeks, placing her hands on her hips, and scolded him in a fierce yet adorable tone. "You used Shunpo again, didn't you? I told you that with your current condition, you can't use that move!"

On the other hand, Haschwalth looked worried and asked, "Lord Lod, are you alright?"

"I'm fine, I'm fine…" Lod waved his hand, signaling for them to relax, and smiled wryly. "The situation was a bit tricky, so I had no choice but to use Shunpo."

"Hmph~" Nemu turned her head with a pout and said in annoyance, "If you tear your Shihakushō again, I won't make you a new one!"

All Lod could do was offer her an apologetic smile. Every custom-made Shihakushō had been created by Nemu herself.

Not only had she altered the original design, but she'd also infused them with elements of Kaidō and Kidō, making them specialized equipment.

Haschwalth stepped in to mediate, saying, "Nemu, don't be too hard on Lord Lod. Let's hear what happened."

Sure enough, as soon as the matter was brought up, Nemu's attention shifted.

'Good job, Haschwalth!' Lod gave him a subtle thumbs-up and recounted the events. He then handed the sheath to Nemu and said, "Nemu, help me figure out what these markings mean."

Among the three of them, only Nemu had dabbled in cutting-edge technology, so Lod pinned his hopes on her to decode the writing.

"Leave it to me, Brother!" Nemu confidently took the sheath and dashed into her room.

---

"Brother~" Nemu emerged later with dark circles under her eyes, clutching a thick book, and said weakly, "I found the origin of those markings."

Lod's eyes lit up at the news. "That's great! What kind of writing is it?"

"Here, look." Nemu opened the book and pointed to a passage. "These markings seem to belong to the Afro-Asiatic language family and are very similar to ancient Hebrew, but they're not exactly the same."

"That ancient?" Lod was slightly surprised. "Can you translate it?"

"No way, Brother!" Nemu shook her head in frustration and said, "If it were just ancient Hebrew, I could manage, but these markings are different! While they're structurally similar to ancient Hebrew, both being part of the Afro-Asiatic family, the script has undergone significant changes. It's completely indecipherable!"

"The spearhead… Afro-Asiatic languages… What's the connection?" Lod pondered aloud. "And why would such an ancient language, over two thousand years old, appear on a spearhead's sheath?"

Just then—

Ding-dong! The doorbell rang. A letter was slipped through the door.

Lod frowned slightly, walked over, and opened the door. He glanced around but saw no one. Only a black envelope lay quietly at his feet.

"A letter?" Lod picked up the envelope. It was sealed with wax but bore no sender or recipient information. Breaking the seal, he found a piece of yellowed parchment inside. Only seven words were written on it:

[Come quickly to Los Angeles, save me!]

"Los Angeles again?" Lod was taken aback. The contents of the letter also pointed to Los Angeles! It felt as though some unseen hand of fate was manipulating events, pulling strings to lead him to Los Angeles. He didn't like it one bit.

"Hmph!" Lod's eyes gleamed coldly as he clenched the letter. He hated the feeling of having his actions controlled by others.

"Brother, are you going?" Nemu, who had seen the letter, asked softly.

"Why not?" Lod's eyes narrowed. "Since someone went to such lengths to invite me, I'll go and see what's happening!"

As they say, "If life gives you lemons, make those bastards into lemonade!" If fate was so determined to push him toward Los Angeles, he might as well go and find out who was pulling the strings. Nemu had never left New York, so she was thrilled at the idea of visiting another city.

"I want to go too!" She widened her dark eyes and gave him a pleading look. "Brother, take me with you, please?"

"Lord Lod!" Haschwalth, wearing an apron as he stepped out of the kitchen, heard about the trip and immediately offered, "Please allow me to accompany you."

Lod considered it briefly before deciding. "Haschwalth, stay here. Nemu and I will go to Los Angeles."

Hearing this, Haschwalth was reluctant and started to protest, "But—"

"There's no need." Lod understood his concerns but raised a hand to stop him. "The Sternritter still need you here. Nemu and I can handle this."

Realizing Lod's decision was final, Haschwalth sighed and said, "Understood, Lord Lod."

The Next day,

Lod and Nemu switched to their Gigai, forged two fake IDs to avoid SHIELD's omnipresent surveillance, and boarded a plane bound for Los Angeles.

This wasn't because they feared SHIELD but because they wanted to avoid unnecessary trouble.

From New York International Airport to Los Angeles International Airport, the journey took about six hours. Fortunately, Lod and Nemu had booked first-class tickets, so they just slept through the flight.

After six hours, they finally arrived in Los Angeles!

The sun had set, and night was falling, but the city was still ablaze with lights as its towering buildings gleamed.

Los Angeles, the second-largest international city after New York, was nestled in southwestern California. Known as the "City of Angels," it was one of the world's premier entertainment hubs and home to the famous Hollywood.

However, their trip wasn't for sightseeing—it was for an "appointment."

"Brother," Nemu tugged at Lod's hand with curiosity evident. "We're in Los Angeles now. Where do we go next?"

"We need to follow this," Lod replied calmly, taking out the crumpled letter. "It'll lead us to where we need to go."

Ever since they arrived in Los Angeles, the letter had been emitting a faint guiding presence, which was leading them to a specific location.

Following the letter's directions, Lod and Nemu walked for a long time until they stopped in front of a bar.

"Midnight Club?" Lod looked up at the bar's name. It sounded familiar, though he couldn't remember where he'd heard it before.

"Brother," Nemu tugged at his sleeve and whispered, "There's some kind of energy field around this bar. It disrupts normal people's vision, making them unconsciously ignore its existence."

"Oh?" Lod raised an eyebrow and concentrated Reiatsu in his eyes, confirming Nemu's observation.

The bar was surrounded by an invisible force that caused ordinary passersby to unknowingly overlook it, making it effectively hidden. The effect wasn't particularly strong, though—anyone with even a bit of Reiatsu or other supernatural energy could see it.

"Looks like we've found the right place." Lod glanced at the letter, which was reacting strongly. Clearly, this bar was their destination. "Let's go inside and see who invited us."

Hopefully, the bar didn't adhere to U.S. laws—otherwise, with Nemu looking like a six- or seven-year-old, they wouldn't get in. Worse, they might even trigger an alarm!

The two stepped into the bar and descended a staircase.

The interior lighting was blood-red, casting a sinister glow on the walls and stairs. Lod held Nemu's hand as they walked down, only to be stopped at the entrance by a towering, tattooed man.

The man sized them up without any reaction, then took out a card and showed them its back. He asked, "Tell me, what's on the card?"

This card was used to test whether someone had spirituality.

Those with spirituality or some kind of supernatural energy could immediately see the image on the card's front, while those without would only see the back.

Lod glanced at it and replied calmly, "A trench-coated rabbit."

"Correct." The man stepped aside, allowing them entry.

Lod led Nemu through a narrow corridor into the bar's main area.

The bar's walls and ceiling were covered with red bulbs of varying sizes, and bathed in the crimson glow with the atmosphere being unsettling.

Buzz!

The letter in Lod's pocket trembled as if urging him to move toward a specific location in the bar. Lod picked Nemu up and navigated the crowd, following the letter's guidance.

"Brother, they're watching us!" Nemu acted as if she was scared and said it out loud as she shrank into Lod's arms. "Their eyes... they're strange."

"Yeah, I noticed." Lod understood and tightened his hold on her. "Don't worry. I'm here."

Since they entered the bar, many eyes had lingered on them, and some gazes radiated clear malice.

But there was something even more unusual—the people's eyes!

Some were blood-red, while others were pure gold. Lod doubted they were human.

Unfortunately, while he could slay souls, he lacked the ability to see through them. Unless they revealed their true forms, he couldn't determine what they were.

That's why he wanted them to do something. He was curious if they would take the bait or not.

Suddenly, his scheming was stopped by Nemu's voice.

"Brother..." Nemu pointed at something, her eyes wide with curiosity. "What are they doing?"

Lod followed her gaze and twitched at the sight.

One woman and a burly man were stark naked in a corner, clearly having sex.

Cough!

Lod cleared his throat and quickly covered Nemu's eyes. "Kids shouldn't watch stuff like this. You'll get eye sores!"

"Oh," Nemu obediently shut her eyes.

The bar's underground space was vast, but to his disappointment, they didn't take the bait.

After they walked for about five or six minutes, they finally reached the counter where the letter's trembling intensified.

"This is it." Lod scanned the counter area and spotted only one person sitting there.

The man wore a khaki trench coat, and his messy blond hair and unkempt stubble gave him a disheveled appearance. He held a drink in one hand and a cigarette in the other, exuding the aura of a jaded old-timer.

"So, he's the one who invited us." Lod approached, sitting beside him. He told the bartender, "One glass of margaritas and one orange juice, please."

"..."

The bartender gave Lod an incredulous look, thinking, 'Who brings a kid in a bar like this?' But he complied and brought them the drinks.

Lod handed the letter to the man and said calmly, "You sent this, right?"

"What?" The man's expression shifted in surprise. "Impossible! That should've gone to Hell. How'd it end up with you?"

Lod thought for a moment and replied, "I have some connection to Hell. Can you explain what's going on?"

To his surprise, the man's eyes lit up as if discovering a rare treasure.

This feeling made Lod deeply uncomfortable, like being prey under a predator's gaze.

"Oh, thank God!" The man grinned warmly and extended a hand. "Dear friend, it's a pleasure to meet you. I'm John Constantine!"

'What the hell?! Who invited this scumbag into Marvel?!' Lod rubbed his forehead, feeling like he just wanted some peace and quiet right now.

Finally, he remembered where he had seen that spearhead before. It was from the opening scene of Constantine—the famous Spear of Longinus, the fabled God-slaying weapon that was said to have pierced Jesus' chest!

No wonder it felt so familiar.

This was another crossover situation.

John Constantine, the renowned Hellblazer.

In most people's minds, Constantine was synonymous with Keanu Reeves.

In the Constantine movie, Keanu had played a charismatic exorcist with a striking appearance that could make women swoon uncontrollably. He had been a figure full of loyalty and emotion.

However...

Reality was cruel compared to ideals.

The blond man sitting next to Lod, with his face full of wrinkles and a creepy "friendly" smile, was far from the Keanu Reeves version of Constantine.

Lod could confirm with absolute certainty that if the character had been depicted as originally intended, let alone Keanu agreeing to play the role, the movie probably wouldn't have even passed the American censorship system.

It would've been an explicit 18+ film.

So, what was the real John Constantine like?

Nicknamed "Conjob Constantine," this man smoked, drank, betrayed friends, and indulged in every vice imaginable—gambling, prostitution, you name it. He was a scruffy exorcist with no regard for appearances.

And his preferences? Let's just say they were very inclusive, involving more than just humans.

Aside from that, Constantine was a powerful magician. His lineage traced back to ancient magical bloodlines, going as far as the Arthurian era and Merlin himself. Constantine had traveled the world in search of lost grimoires.

But make no mistake—Constantine was no "righteous man."

He was the darkest "hero" in DC Comics, possibly even across all of American comics.

Constantine didn't care about good or evil. Be it angels, demons, or human friends, they were all resources to him, pawns to be sacrificed as he saw fit.

He'd let an innocent girl fall into hell just to exorcise a demon.

He'd hurt his niece emotionally and let her completely collapse for the sake of his goals.

He'd betray, sacrifice, or even sell out his teammates without hesitation—all in the name of "exorcism."

This was John Constantine—a true Hellblazer, roaming alone between hell and heaven, playing angels and demons alike.

---

"Hey, buddy, what's wrong?" Noticing Lod's despairing expression, Constantine slid closer and put on a concerned face. "Are you feeling unwell? Not used to being in the human world yet?"

"Heh..." Lod chuckled coldly. "Hearing the word 'buddy' from your mouth feels... ironic."

Did Constantine have friends?

Yes, and his network was remarkably extensive, like the modern-day Machiavelli.

Constantine's survival, walking the fine line between heaven and hell, was largely thanks to the friends he had sacrificed.

Want to be friends with Constantine?

First, consider how many lives you had to spare. Even a forty-seven-lives angel wasn't enough to withstand Constantine's schemes.

"it is totally a misunderstanding!" Constantine didn't flinch. He said with his face full of righteous indignation. "All of that is just slander spread by those damned demons! My reputation is known far and wide as spotless!"

"Pfft—hahaha..." The bartender couldn't hold back a laugh.

Constantine, reputable?

That was one of the funniest jokes he had ever heard in his life!

But Constantine didn't care. Over the years, his thick skin had become impenetrable. Others' mockery didn't bother him in the slightest.

To curry favor with Lod, Constantine started bragging about his so-called moral integrity and even shared tales of him going to great lengths for friends.

Given his infamy, Lod guessed that "great lengths" probably meant stabbing friends in the back.

"Stop... I get it. Your 'integrity' doesn't need further explanation." Being unwilling to argue, Lod waved a hand to silence Constantine, then asked, "I just want to know—what's the deal with this letter?"

When it came to business, Constantine appeared slightly more serious. "It's a soul contract sent to hell."

"A... soul contract?" Lod's eye twitched slightly as he stared at the letter, a bad feeling creeping up on him.

"That's right. In simple terms, I pawned my soul to a demon in exchange for a favor." Constantine sipped from his glass, his expression calm as if pawning one's soul were no big deal.

But...

Anyone who knew Constantine would know this wasn't his first time doing such a thing.

Pawning his soul was like losing his dignity—once you've done it once, it gets easier every time.

Given how many beings he had offended, countless demons in hell eagerly awaited his death so they could torment his soul for eternity.

Even though demons had been repeatedly tricked by Constantine, they still entered contracts with him. His soul was highly coveted in hell.

Their logic? After being scammed once or twice, surely one day Constantine's tricks would fail, right?

Even the infamous Hell's Triumvirate was once duped by Constantine, nearly going to war over the rights to his soul.

Always keeping others guessing—this was Constantine, the ultimate Conjob.

Rubbing his temple, Lod asked, "So if this is a contract, what does it say?"

"It's hidden with magic," the bartender interjected. "This is one of Constantine's usual tricks. Many careless demons have fallen for it. You're not the first."

Constantine laughed nervously and snapped his fingers.

Snap!

The sound rang out, and the yellowed paper on the table burst into flames. Slowly, hidden writing began to surface.

The text was concealed by Black magic, which had nothing to do with Reiatsu, making it incredibly difficult to detect for him. That's why Lod hadn't noticed it earlier and fell for Constantine's scheme.

As expected of Constantine, his ability to deceive was unmatched.

"So... you mean to say I've been forced into this contract?"

Lod's gaze turned icy, and a tangible malice engulfed Constantine.

Constantine shivered as the room grew cold. Frost spread across the bar and surrounding area, shocking him. "Wait, calm down! This is a neutral zone!"

"Constantine, you have one minute to convince me." Murder roared in Lod's eyes as the icy aura thickened, threatening to consume the entire bar. "Otherwise... prepare to die here."

Constantine said with a smug smirk, "You signed a contract with me! If you kill me, you'll die too!"

Constantine might have been a master of deceit, capable of tricking even heaven and hell, but there was one thing he didn't know.

Lod wasn't from hell.

The contract Constantine had tricked him into signing held no power over him whatsoever.

"30 seconds." Lod downed a glass of Margarita in one gulp and said coldly, "You have 28 seconds left, Constantine."

Constantine's smug face vanished as he looked at Lod and thought, 'He's serious!'

If he couldn't convince Lod within a minute, Constantine had no doubt that the man would kill him without hesitation.

All demons were born of Hell and bound by Hell's rules, most notably the "contracts." Even the mighty Three Demon Kings of Hell couldn't escape the binding power of these contracts. This principle was what Constantine had relied on for years as he danced on the edge of Hell and Heaven, manipulating demons and angels alike.

Hell's rules were absolute.

Even a Demon King like Satan couldn't defy them unless—this man wasn't a denizen of Hell at all and wasn't bound by its rules.

But if he wasn't a being of Hell, why would he be subjected to a "contract" bound for Hell in the first place?

One mystery after another swirled in Constantine's mind.

"Friend... this is neutral territory," Thinking fast, Constantine tried to use this point to stop Lod. "This place is filled with angels and demons. Are you sure you want to make a move here?"

Lod's cold gaze didn't waver as he said, with as much young master energy as he could muster, "A group of hybrids? Would you care about their identity before stepping on ants?"

After saying that, Lod felt a bitter taste in his mouth. 'Okay, never doing that again. The cringe might kill me.'

Hearing this, Constantine didn't utter another word.

Even if they were hybrids, they possessed the powers of angels and demons, making them far superior to ordinary humans. Yet this man completely dismissed them.

"You have ten seconds left, Constantine," Lod said as his fingers tapped rhythmically on the table.

After a moment of thought, Constantine forced a clearly fake bitter smile and said, "I apologize for deceiving you, but I had no choice. Satan's son, Mammon, is about to descend upon the human world."

"You might not understand what that means—it means the balance between Hell and Earth will be shattered, and countless demons will invade the human world!"

"You're done?" Lod asked in a final tone.

Mammon must have been dreaming. With the Kamar-Taj guarding Earth, even Dormammu and Chthon couldn't invade, let alone some Demon King's offspring.

Seeing Lod's indifference, Constantine sighed deeply and said, "I'm guessing you think that as long as the Sorcerer Supreme and the Three Sanctuaries are in place, Hell can't invade, right?"

"Isn't that the case?"

"Wrong. Completely wrong."

"What do you mean?"

Constantine relaxed slightly and countered, "Even I know of the Sorcerer Supreme's reputation in the magical world. Don't you think Mammon would too?"

Lod's brows furrowed as he fell silent.

Constantine continued, "The Sorcerer Supreme indeed protects this world, but that doesn't mean she can stop every invasion.

"There's an agreement between Heaven, Hell, and the Kamar-Taj: pure-blooded angels and demons are forbidden from entering the human world. But Mammon, as Satan's son, is being born through sacred blood and a human host. From a legal standpoint, he's human. The Sorcerer Supreme can't intervene."

"If she does—if she breaks the agreement and banishes Mammon—Heaven and Hell will no longer adhere to the rules. A flood of angels and demons will invade, preying on humanity's faith."

"So... do you still think the Sorcerer Supreme will act?"

Constantine's words carried a weight of significance as he added, "And think about this—could the Sorcerer Supreme, alone, really have set the rules that bind Heaven and Hell to such agreements?"

Lod's eyes narrowed as he said in a low voice, "Are you saying someone else set the rules, and the Sorcerer Supreme is merely a guardian?"

Constantine chuckled. "So, now, are you still going to kill me?"

Lod stared at him intently and said, "How do I know you're not lying now?"

Constantine was known for his deceptions, and he wasn't someone Lod trusted. The truths laced within lies made his words all the more convincing.

"It doesn't matter if it's true." Constantine shrugged, looking unperturbed. "I've roamed the magical world for years. I've met many sorcerers from Kamar-Taj, including the Sorcerer Supreme herself. Believe me or not, it's up to you."

That part might actually have been true.

In the original story, Constantine had traveled the world, collecting lost magical tomes. It wasn't far-fetched for him to have met the Ancient One.

Tap. Tap. Tap.

Lod's fingers tapped on the table as he deliberated over the veracity of Constantine's claims. "If what you say is true... who set the agreement between Hell and Heaven? Could it be Vishanti?"

"The Vishanti wouldn't risk offending both Heaven and Hell for humanity," Constantine shook his head, lit a cigarette, took a deep drag, and pointed upward with a mysterious smile. "It can't be spoken or thought of because It is omnipresent and omnipotent. Do you understand?"

'The... Heaven.' Lod looked up at the ceiling, a realization dawning upon him.

The "It" Constantine referred to was likely God.

Does the Marvel Universe have a God?

Yes, it does. The origin of the Ghost Rider tied back to Heaven and God.

But Lod wasn't entirely sure about one thing.

Was this "God" the one from the Marvel Universe or from the neighboring DC Universe?

"One last thing." Lod took out the sheath and put it on the bar's surface. "What does this mean?"

Constantine glanced at the text and frowned. "This writing... it's ancient Akkadian."

"Akkadian?" Lod silently noted the name and asked, "Can you translate it?"

"Of course, my friend!" Constantine stroked his stubbled chin and grinned. "This ancient language isn't understood by many in the world anymore. Lucky for you, I'm here."

Lod remained impassive. "What does it say?"

Constantine read aloud, "The one who wields the Spear of Destiny shall control the fate of the world."

The moment he uttered the last word, an invisible force swept through the bar.

Buzz—

Everything in sight seemed to freeze as if time itself had been halted.

The cacophony of noise disappeared, the flow of air ceased, and suspended liquor hung motionless mid-air. The revelers' expressions were locked in their final moments of joy.

Time... had stopped.

Everyone in the bar was frozen in the last second.

Although this Gigai was immobilized by the phenomenon, Lod could clearly feel that his mind and soul were unaffected.

If he wished, he could take his Shinigami form at any time.

However, Lod didn't act immediately because he decided to observe the situation and locate the source of this power.

Naturally, the first person he suspected was Constantine.

That incantation had come from the bastard's mouth, so it was reasonable to think he might have been behind it.

However, when Lod turned his attention to Constantine, he saw the guy's eyes wide with terror, which clearly showed he hadn't anticipated this situation either.

Lod couldn't help but feel suspicious, yet Constantine's innocent expression made it look like he had no idea what was happening.

Noticing Lod's scrutinizing gaze, Constantine immediately put on a wronged expression and struggled to squeeze out three words from between his clenched teeth: "Not... me..."

'You're seriously unaffected?' Lod was speechless and once again revised his opinion of Constantine.

The entire bar had been influenced by the time-freezing effect. Not even the hybrid angels and demons could escape, yet somehow, despite being a Human, Constantine remained conscious and was even able to explain himself.

No wonder this guy constantly danced on the edge between heaven and hell because his survival skills were on another level.

With a whoosh, pure white feathers began falling from the ceiling, accompanied by a soft, radiant glow. A noble figure descended slowly.

As the pristine white wings unfolded and revealed the woman they had encased, Lod's eyelid twitched violently. He felt a rush of blood rise in his throat, which almost choked him.

'Wasn't this just Tilda Swinton crashing the party?' Lod screamed internally. 'At least change her face. Otherwise, how am I supposed to keep from mixing this up?'

The angel who had suddenly appeared looked identical to the Sorcerer Supreme.

The only difference was that the Ancient One was bald, while this angel had golden curls.

By the way, the actor, Tilda Swinton, had played the antagonist archangel Gabriel in Constantine and was the same person who had portrayed the Ancient One in Doctor Strange.

"Gabriel?" Constantine's mouth fell open in disbelief. "You're actually coming to a place like this?"

His shock wasn't any less than Lod's.

Gabriel, the archangel tasked with watching over humanity and monitoring angels and demons, rarely intervened directly. Her appearance in this den full of hybrids was completely unprecedented.

"John Constantine," Gabriel's golden eyes were devoid of emotion. "Did you recite the Divine Proclamation?"

'Divine Proclamation?' Lod's gaze met Constantine's, and both saw the same shock in each other's eyes.

For Gabriel to descend personally and even step into a place tainted by hybrids, the Divine Proclamation had to be of extraordinary significance.

Although its meaning was still unclear, Constantine's con artist instincts told him not to reveal the truth because death would be the least of his concerns.

Trusting his gut, Constantine immediately denied it. "Sorry, I have no idea what the Divine Proclamation is, and I certainly didn't recite it."

"Is that so?" Gabriel's tone was cold as her piercing gaze locked onto him. "John, you do know that I possess the All-Seeing Eye, don't you?"

"Y-yeah, I know!" After hearing this, Constantine froze as his eyes darted toward Lod.

The All-Seeing Eye, also known as the Eye of Providence, represented God's ability to observe all human actions.

Gabriel could see everything happening in the world at any given moment, and no secret could escape her gaze.

But this power came with a caveat or, rather, a loophole.

The All-Seeing Eye could only perceive events occurring in the present, not those of the past or future.

By this logic, unless Gabriel had been obsessively monitoring Constantine around the clock, she wouldn't know what had happened moments ago.

Moreover, the fact that Gabriel had asked whether Constantine had recited the Divine Proclamation indirectly proved she hadn't actually seen it happen.

If the All-Seeing Eye had shown her Constantine reciting it, there would have been no need for her to ask.

Following this reasoning, Lod deduced that Gabriel was bluffing, trying to bait Constantine into revealing the truth.

Additionally, Lod noticed something odd.

Gabriel's gaze never once shifted to the leather spearhead sheath lying on the table.

Even though the Divine Proclamation she sought might have been right in front of her, Gabriel seemed unaware of its presence. This suggested that the sheath might have the ability to evade the All-Seeing Eye.

Taking all this into account, Lod concluded that Gabriel was attempting to trick Constantine.

Even if his assumption was wrong, it didn't matter. If anyone was going to suffer, it would be Constantine, not Lod, who was merely a "frozen bystander."

Lod shot Constantine a look, silently signaling him to stay calm and keep lying.

When Constantine saw Lod's threatening eyes, which seemed to say, "Tell the truth, and I'll kill you myself," he hesitated for less than a second before deciding to comply.

Deceiving Gabriel might have been risky, but at least it wouldn't result in immediate death. He had no doubt Lod would carry out his threat if he confessed the truth.

Given the choice between two evils, the lesser one was obvious.

"My deepest apologies, Gabriel," Constantine said, feigning regret. "I've never seen the Divine Proclamation, let alone recited it."

Gabriel said nothing as her golden eyes bored into him.

The sensation was unnerving, like being stripped bare and having one's soul scrutinized.

But this was Constantine. His ability to deceive gods and demons was unmatched. Under Gabriel's gaze, he maintained an air of absolute innocence.

One second passed. Ten seconds. A full minute.

Finally, Gabriel reluctantly withdrew her gaze and said, "I hope you're not lying to me, John."

"Of course not, Gabriel." Constantine smiled. "My reputation precedes me. Both heaven and hell can vouch for my integrity."

Lod couldn't help but admire him.

To lie to Gabriel's face and get away with it, Constantine truly lived up to his nickname as a con artist. His ability to bluff rivaled Aizen's.

Gabriel was clearly aware of Constantine's unsavory character. "There's been unusual activity in hell recently. Keep an eye on it."

With that, she flapped her wings, transforming into a radiant beam of light that shot through the ceiling

TN: Hope you enjoyed the chapter.

I don't usually do this, but I wanted to express my gratitude. These guys giving me money motivates me to spend six hours a day stare at my phone non-stop lol.

A special thanks to DENSYS BRATINI, Spoder Man, Ryan Biggins, Bigboi, Alan, Brandon Hogan, Ryan Mani, Séri, MetalLich, and Snackson.

(End of Chapter)