Ruthless judgement

"I'm guessing this isn't your entire gang," Azrael said, his eyes narrowing as he took in the large number of men. Ellie could feel the tension in the air, the energy of their hostility simmering just beneath the surface.

"We bring death upon you in the name of the Black Axe," one of the men declared. He raised his hands and exhaled a breath that seemed to stir the very air around them. "Kill him!"

As the men advanced towards Azrael, their steps were slow and deliberate, each movement calculated as if they were playing a game of chess. Azrael took note of their approach, observing the rippling muscles and the menacing glint in their eyes.

As he watched the approaching men with a sharp gaze, his mind calculated every necessary move. "They seem to be significantly stronger than the last group. I might be able to get a substantial amount of dark ki from them," he thought to himself.

Azrael unsheathed his sword, his grip tightening around it as the air around him began to crackle with sparks. "Alright, it seems I'll have to try harder," he said, his eyes narrowing at the approaching threat.

Standing behind Azrael, Ellie's magical aura was clearly felt. Although she was ready to defend herself if necessary, in the face of such a formidable threat, these men had no thoughts of bothering with her.

Azrael launched the first attack, appearing before the group in a flash of dark lightning. His sword swung with deadly precision towards the closest attacker's neck, but he lost his balance just before the strike could connect. Azrael quickly regained his footing and created some distance between himself and the Black axe.

As he stepped back to assess the situation, Azrael carefully observed the group. He realized that he had just been hit by a ki technique, most likely related to wind, as he felt a strong gust sweep his legs just before his strike landed. Ki techniques were only usable by individuals with large amounts of ki and were typically used by prominent individuals, as they were not easily taught or learned. This realization only fueled Azrael's excitement, as he understood that his opponents were more formidable than he had initially thought.

Azrael stood up, raising his sword. With a deep breath, his dark ki began to flare, exuding in great amounts. As always, his aura was terrifying, sinister, and sickening, causing anyone to hesitate.

"What the hell is this?" one of the men exclaimed, stepping back.

"I knew his ki was suppressed, but this..." The man who commanded the rest trailed off as he gazed at the absolute terrifying presence before them.

Azrael's eyes glinted with a deadly determination as he gripped his sword tightly, the crackling of dark lightning around him sending sparks flying in all directions. In a flash of movement, he lunged forward again, his sword aimed at the first victim among the Black Axe. The man raised his steel staff to block the attack, but it was too late. Azrael had already moved on to his next target and he had already been cut down, with unimaginable precision, speed, and strength, he cut through them one after the other before they could even react.

But the Black Axe was not done yet. They were still numerous, and they planned to use this advantage to overwhelm Azrael. In an almost synchronized motion, they charged at him, hoping to take him down. However, Azrael was not caught off guard. With a thunderous boom, he unleashed a barrage of dark lightning from his hands, obliterating anything and anyone in its path.

Despite the devastation, the remaining members of the Black Axe refused to give up. They continued to rush at Azrael, their weapons swinging wildly, intent on overpowering him with their numbers. Azrael met their attacks head-on, blocking and deflecting their strikes while deftly maneuvering to keep his distance. The sound of clashing metal and grunts of exertion filled the air as the battle raged on.

Suddenly Azrael moved swiftly as he snatched the arrow that whizzed past his face almost materialising from nowhere, his hand a blur as he caught it mid-flight. The arrow glowed blue, radiating an eerie light that grew brighter by the second.

"What the hel-" Azrael's voice trailed off as the arrow exploded in a fiery burst, flames licking the air before dying down to reveal Azrael standing a safe distance away from the explosion, holding Ellie who had also been withing range of the blast in his arms.

"Another ki technique?" Azrael muttered, setting Ellie down before his attention turned back to the approaching group.

Azrael let out a deep sigh, his expression morphing into one of fierce determination as his dark ki began to swell around him. The air grew thick with the palpable aura of danger as a grey light began to form at the tips of his fingers. Azrael's eyes glinted with a cold intensity as he focused his energy on the group of men before him.

"Seems it will get really troublesome if I let this drag out any longer," he said as his dark ki flared even more, the grey light intensifying at the tip of his fingers.

"Run!" One of the men yelled in terror as they saw the sheer magnitude of the energy forming at Azrael's fingertips. But it was too late. The grey beam shot out from Azrael's fingers at inconceivable speed, obliterating everything in its path. Trees, ground, and members of the Black axe were turned to nothing but dust.

Azrael's muscles tensed as he absorbed all the dark ki from his massacre. He took a deep breath, feeling his strength growing. Then, with another breath, the dark ki and the terrifying aura that had engulfed him moments ago dissipated as if they had never existed.

As Ellie watched, her eyes widened in shock at the ruthless display before her. Her face was ridden with many questions and emotions, and after a moment of silence, she finally found herself only barely able to mutter, "What the hell are you?"