11. The King is Here

"Who dares to approach?" a voice echoed.

"Vlad, that sounded like it got into my head. Did you hear it too?" Spartacus

"Yes, it's coming from the three dukes up front." Vlad

"It's time to get rid of them quickly and help the others." Spartacus

"Dare you not answer the question of Amduscias, Duke of Hell? Worms, you will die."

(Amduscias, a human with claws instead of hands and feet, the head of a unicorn, and a trumpet)

"Don't underestimate them; they can be quite powerful. Our younger brethren have already been killed by their comrades." Agares

"Why are you afraid, Agares? Eligos, ruler of the eastern zone of Hell and served by 31 legions of demons." Eligos

(Agares, a pale old man riding a crocodile)

"I don't have your boundless power, Eligos, Great Duke of Hell, ruler of 60 legions of demons.

(Eligos, a goodly knight carrying a lance, riding a horse with a snake's tail and dragon wings)

"Great Duke? I'll take him on, Spartacus; can you handle the other two?" Vlad

"You've made me quite happy; I can handle the two dukes. Let's go." Spartacus

The two engage in a rapid battle against the three dukes. Agares positions himself in front of them, creating a force field. Amduscias blows his trumpet, calling for rain, and then uses the horn on his forehead to generate electricity. Thunderbolts strike Vlad and Spartacus. The lightning manages to hit them, but they stand unyielding.

"I thought you were dealing with the other two." Vlad

"They caught me off guard; I'll show them immediately what this '2' on my chest means." Spartacus

As the lightning continued to strike, they activated their demonic powers. In addition to the regular lightning falling from the sky, now black and red lightning gathered around them. Spartacus's sword darkened, and Vlad unsheathed both his spear and sword. The two slowly approached the three dukes.

"Their power has increased; we need to be cautious." Agares

"Hm..." Eligos extends his lance to the side, and the beast he rides begins to move slowly towards the two.

Spartacus strengthens his legs, swiftly leaps past Eligos, and makes contact with Agares' shield, which this time gives in to Spartacus's sword. Seeing this, Agares jumps off the crocodile and uses his powers to paralyze Spartacus for a short period, allowing the crocodile to bite his left leg. Taking advantage of Spartacus's impaired mobility, Amduscias attacks him with quick and flexible jumps, scratching him with the claws on his hands and feet. Nevertheless, Spartacus manages to block the attacks and kill the crocodile, continuing the fight limping.

"You should see the dubious moves this horse-faced one has." Spartacus

"I notice that you're more injured than the horse-faced one, Spartacus. Be careful!" Vlad, seeing that Amduscias manages to pierce Spartacus's chest with his horn.

"You should worry about yourself." Eligos, accelerating towards Vlad, the beast gaining an astonishing speed.

Vlad throws the spear in Eligos's direction, and then accelerates himself. Even though the spear misses Eligos, Vlad manages to dodge Eligos's lance and kill the beast ridden by the duke.

"Did you intentionally miss to be able to kill my horse?" Eligos asks.

"Huh? I didn't miss." Vlad

Eligos turns his head and sees Vlad's spear embedded in Amduscias.

"How?" Eligos

"Okay. With this, I'm sure I can handle it alone." Spartacus, moving slowly, limping, and with a pierced chest, approaches the terrified Agares.

"Agares, do it!" Eligos

"But... understood, Eligos. I do this for the master, the true emperor." Agares, murmuring something softly with his hands clasped, take action, enveloping Agares and Spartacus in a black mist. Shortly afterward, the mist disappears along with the two.

"Are they dead?" Vlad asks.

"Death is not the correct definition of what happened to those two. But I can guarantee that they can no longer be found anywhere in the universe." Eligos

"It's your turn." Vlad eyes Eligos and runs towards him. After the clash of weapons, Vlad surpasses Eligos and reaches the spear.

Vlad starts a sprint and throws the spear at Eligos. He manages to stop the attack using his lance, but Vlad throws his sword at Eligos's leg. Vlad then pulls out a dagger from his back, slashes the hand holding the lance, and puts the hand back on the spear, which he thrusts from above into Eligos's chest. A move that stiffens Eligos; he's not dead yet, but he can't speak, and an attempt to open the technique used by Agares on Spartacus is evident. Seeing this, Vlad falls to one knee and puts his hand on the ground. A spike emerges from the ground to impale Eligos; Eligos's body becomes a painting of the massacre painted by Vlad, and the duke is finally dead.

Continuing from the battle of the dukes, Richard encounters his opponent.

"You must be the prince, correct?" Richard

"You want to be my opponent? I am Orobas, Great Prince of Hell." Orobas

(Orobas, the horseman, uses no weapon, only his claws)

"You'll understand what it means to be the most powerful in the Legion of the Ten Demons, number 3, Richard Lionheart, and his partners, Excalibur and Lion King." Richard, showcasing his two swords and the number 3 tattoos on his forearms.

"Let's begin." Orobas leans slightly, and with a claw strike in the air, he sends a purple wave that cuts through reality. However, Richard manages to dodge and counterattack, but any attempt to cut Orobas is unsuccessful; effortlessly, the horseman evades Richard's swift attacks, meanwhile activating his second stage of demonic power, but with no effect, Orobas is untouchable.

"Something happened, demon?" Orobas, clearly leading the fight with ease.

"I think I'm starting to understand your technique." Richard, panting.

"Hm?" Orobas

"You have control, albeit minimal, over time. You can see into the future, so I must be faster than you can evade." Richard.

"Do you think you can do that?" Orobas

"I'm sure I can; I've told you, I'm the strongest." Richard, as a black-purple aura forms around him.

"What is this?" Orobas

"The reason I claim to be the best, besides my talent, beauty, power, and swords, is that, aside from Cain, I'm the only demon who can use the third stage of demonic power." Richard

"It won't be enough to defeat me." Orobas

"I believe it will." Richard starts his attack at a speed that seemed to work against Orobas, but still, he couldn't manage to touch him; it seemed like everything he did was wrong, like he wasn't moving as he should.

"You're just a miserable demon!" Orobas, hitting and dominating Richard in the fight. Orobas was untouchable, and Richard couldn't avoid any strikes, even though Richard was at the peak of his powers; it seemed incredible what was happening.

"I was wrong; I thought you could see the future, and speed would solve the problem. But besides your vision into the future, something sends me back in time." Richard

"You're starting to understand, but it's too late; you'll die soon." Orobas continues to cut and strike Richard.

"Let's finish this." Richard

"Alright!" Orobas, in a powerful attack, manages to tear off Richard's hand. However, even with his right hand, which held Excalibur, fallen, the demon still manages to pierce the prince with Lion King.

"H-How?!" Orobas, taking his last breath.

"You were only sending me back in time if you wanted to nullify something specific, the fact that I offered an opening for my right hand, the strong hand; you wouldn't have nullified the action." Richard said as he also fainted, collapsing to the ground.

"Look at him! Be careful, he'll sense us when we're close to him." Cain, activating his stage 2 demonic power.

(Bael, a monster with a human-like appearance, immense, with long ears and nose, a disfigured face, wearing a large crown on his head)

"Stay alert!" Nick, also activating his stage 2.

"Where did he go?!" Cain, Bael disappeared from their sight, but the overwhelming fear and power could still be felt.

"I can't see him!" Nick

"BOOM!!" Cain is hit from the side by an unseen force, causing an explosion on impact. Nick retreats quickly.

"We can't see him. You were right about this ability. Can you get up?" Nick to Cain.

"I'm fine, just can't play easy against a King of Hell." Cain, activating his stage 3 demonic power, a black-purple aura surrounding him.

"Already?" Nick

"I have to! You'll be able to use this power in the future too, I'm sure of it." Cain

"Assuming I survive today." Nick

"You will. Let's go!" Cain, taking his fighting stance.

"Let's do this!" Nick, ready as well. Both close their eyes and await the next strike from the king.

"It's on me!" Nick, twisting and managing to scratch Bael with his sword.

"Do you think that if you can sense me, it will help you?" Bael, making his presence felt and canceling invisibility, but without hiding his presence, he no longer limits his power, and the wave of fear hits the two, causing a sensation akin to drowning in deep water.

"It's time to give it my all." Cain, his muscles bulging, the lightning of stage two entering them. This ability gives him powers far beyond those of the other demonic numbers.

"Are you with me, Nick?!" Cain asks.

"Always!" Nick responds.

The two launch an avalanche of attacks that weaken Bael's protective shield. From a strike that shakes the ground and creates a crater under Bael, Cain manages to break that shield, but Bael's counterattack is just as strong, easily repelling the two.

"Nick, remember what I tell you, you have the power to truly change something. Don't let others influence you." Cain

"What do you mean by that, Cain?" Nick asks.

Without answering the question, Cain moves slowly toward Bael; the aura of stage 3 has intensified, and Cain's demonic body is beginning to disintegrate. His direct attack on Bael manages to instantly break the protective barrier, and the battle between the two intensifies substantially; they are almost at the same level. The power generated at that moment by Cain was unimaginable; a demon cannot have so much power. However, Bael still repels his attacks, but in his desperation, Cain sneaks in with an attack on Bael's chest. The sword remains embedded there, and Cain screams at the top of his lungs while clinging to the sword, twisting it inside Bael.

"Bael, it's your time to die! You will fall here, by my hand!" Cain shouts, while Nick watches helplessly, Bael's imposing presence and fear still keeping him at a distance.

"Cain, I know who you are. Your arrogance is incredible, one who is not allowed to die will die today. Another proof that I can break any command." Bael, about to put his hand on Bael's head, a powerful light emanates from Cain's mouth and eyes, frying him from the inside, leaving his lifeless body.

"Bael?!" Nick, with a slow voice and tears in his eyes.

"It's your turn now, human." Bael

Without changing his state, Nick's katana begins to catch fire, black flames start to burn on the sword, the lightning around Nick intensifies, and a bright red aura rises around him.

"Hm? What are you?" Bael asks.

"Who do you think you are?!" Nick, speeding toward Bael, at an unprecedented speed. He cuts him, and dominates him for a moment; Nick seems to be winning against Bael, thanks also to Cain's sword still inside him.

Bael uses overwhelming power to push Nick away, transforming into a multitude of frogs that disappear into the void after a short time. "We will meet again, human."

On the northwest front, the red capes are still trying to understand what is happening and why Crowley and Dr. Romanov eliminated Miron and Lycia.

"Doctor, what is happening here?" Rex asks.

"Rex, it's time to open the heavens. This unique moment, encountered only three times a century, offers the chance for a prince to open the heavens. Max, please use your powers to dispel the barrier that prevents divine forces from descending to Earth." says Dr. Romanov, looking up at the sky.

"Max, you don't have to do this!" Hope pleads.

"Doctor, what will happen to us if we open the heavens?" Max asks.

"The armies of angels will come down to Earth to win the battle against the forces of Hell, and we will ascend to the heavens." Dr. Romanov explains.

"That means we'll die!" exclaims Rex.

"You can translate it that way too." Dr. Romanov says.

"Doctor, I don't think I want to do this..." Max hesitates.

"You will do it!" Dr. Romanov, throwing Sofia into the open abyss to hell.

"What?..." Sofia, surprised as she falls into the abyss.

"Noo!!" Hope, with tears in her eyes.

"What do you think you're doing?!" Rex, attacking the doctor.

"Sit down, Rex!" Dr. Romanov, extending his hand, knocks Rex down, immobilizing him on the ground.

"How?!" Rex, unable to move.

"Do you think you're the first I've tried to use angelic powers on? I have the abilities of a duke; I am superior to you, Rex, but not powerful enough to open the heavens, only Max can do that. So, Max, if you want to see Sofia again, you have to open the heavens. Only divinity can open the gates of Hell and raise souls to heaven," Dr. Romanov explains.

Max remains silent and activates his angelic powers, raising his hands to the sky, and releasing a beam that begins to slowly dissipate the dirty clouds, constantly weakening the barrier covering the earth.

"This will take a while." Crowley comments.

"Sphaera Ignea!" Hope, launching a fireball at Crowley, but he easily blocks the attack with a barrier.

"Impetus celer flammae!" Hope attacks Crowley with multiple fire strikes, but they have no effect.

"You're weak, child. You stand no chance against me." Crowley says, raising roots from the ground that immobilize Hope. He continuously charges electric energy into those roots, causing immense pain to Hope.

"AAAAHHHHH!" Hope screams in despair.

"Stop!" Rex shouts.

"Quiet, Rex!" Dr. Romanov, putting more and more pressure on Rex.

Hope faints from pain, becoming unconscious. After a few seconds, Hope's hair turns white, her eyes open and become purple, her aura changes completely, overwhelming those around her, and the blood from her wounds gathers into a large red sphere. The blood sphere transforms into a spear that quickly and fatally launches into Crowley. After the impact with the magician, the spear inside him turns into a thorn that emerges from all parts of Crowley's body, causing Hope to faint.

"Uh... Crowley is dead. What was that? Anyway, the demon did its job. It won't be long until Max finishes the job. Rex, sit still and watch the sky!" Dr. Romanov says.

Desperate, exerting all his power, Rex activates his angelic powers, finally gaining control over his body with the smallest movements. From within his sleeves, he pulls out the revolver given by Dr. Romanov and shoots Max. The child's power disappears instantly, and he dies on the spot. The revolver instantly heats up, and Rex drops it; the gun falls into the abyss opened next to them.

"What do you think you're doing?! Rex, you've condemned humanity to certain death and helped demonic forces gather even more power until the final battle. You deserve to suffer, Rex!" Dr. Romanov, taking the trident from Max, throws Hope into the abyss.

"Hope!" Rex, jumping into the abyss after Hope.

"We are lost; everything we did was in vain. Humanity is on its own... if the demons manage to pull him out of Hell before the final battle, people will disappear forever," Dr. Romanov says.

Something rises from the abyss; it's Rex, holding Hope in his arms. Rex has large, white wings; his eyes shine like never before, his hair has turned golden, and a white aura surrounds him, blinding anyone around him.

"Huh? I understand... See you later." Dr. Romanov disappears into a black mist with the trident in his hand.

Even though the old man had disappeared, his voice could still be heard: "An angel on earth, do you think you can protect humanity on your own?"