Spawn was sliding down one of the walls in Rat City. He walked while keeping his weight up by help of the brick wall. Green blood followed from his body as he dragged himself. He then collapsed in the middle of the alleyways. He held himself as he was slowly beginning to fade away. Suddenly he sensed a strange presence in front of him. He looked up and saw it was Cogliostro. The old man stood looking down at the broken demon.

Spawn gripped his ankle needing help. Cogliostro helped him up and began to drag him.

At Cogliostro's place they both ran into the old, white wino Scarab. He watched as Al was hauled into Cogliostro's secret workshop. Scarab couldn't help but comment, "Jesus Al, what the hell happen to you?"

Cogliostro looked at Scarab and said, "Not now! He's hurt pretty bad!"

"Is he going to be alright?"

Before Cogliostro closed the door on the old wino he replied, "I don't know."

Later, Spawn was back in good working order but still weary of the slayer. "Who the hell was that, old man?"

Cogliostro was nose deep in a big book on ancient mythology. "I told you to be careful, you didn't listen."

"So what, you run my life now grandpa?"

"No, you're free to make your own decisions but that one was pretty stupid."

"Listen, I'm going to find that pansy and I'm going to rip him several new assholes!"

"Good luck!" Cogliostro stared at Spawn with wide, enraged eyes.

"Old man, he has no idea who I am!"

"Right, but you also have no idea who he is!" Cogliostro got up from his seat. "He's the best demon slayer on Earth! He's the man who slew the anti-Christ!"

"I don't care!"

"You'd better! Because if Malebolgia finds out he's after you, he'll stop at nothing to destroy the slayer! Even if it means putting all of humanity in the crossfire!"

"I won't let that happen! I'm not going to be tricked into on of 'his' little schemes again!"

"You already are! When you engaged the demon slayer that put him directly on Hell's radar! Think of yourself like a scanner for Hell. You come in contact with one of Malebolgia's enemies or any other enemy of Hell, you put them on 'his' watch list!"

"Why doesn't that white-haired, pretty boy know this?"

"Why don't you?"

"I don't have time to screw around here old man! I've got a hunter to hunt."

"Are you deaf? You attack the slayer again or he attacks you, then you both invite Malebolgia to the confrontation. 'He' has wanted that slayer ever since he sent the Anti-Christ back! They all do! Every last ruler of Hell wants Dante! Every- last - one of them!"

"How do you know this?"

"Because this demon slayer has written history for hundreds of years and every time he has slipped from even The Devil's own grasp! You must try to convince the slayer that you are not harmful to humanity! It is the only was he will stop hunting you."

"Cower to him? Is that it? Beg for him not to finish me off? No way!"

"You listen to me Hell Spawn, if you don't then all of humanity will suffer! You will bring about a war that will rip this world down the middle! Malebolgia will send everything he's got to bring him down! If that happens, if that is allowed, then Dante will fight back with everything he's got! Believe me, it's a lot! The war between them will turn this planet into a caldron of hellish terror the likes of which you have never seen!"

"Enough! I tire of you old man! I'm going to find him and I will kill him!"

Spawn turned from Cogliostro and the old man watched him leave but before the demon left, Cogliostro had one more piece of advise to give him. "If you do this, if you invite this war, then you have fulfilled your final demonic initiation to Hell's army. You will truly become Malebolgia's general!"

Spawn slammed the door behind himself and walked out. Cogliostro looked down at the floor. And began speaking to himself. "Fine Hell Spawn, its your choice. Let the final battle commence!"

Dante entered a small Japanese mystical shop. He dragged himself inside and collapsed on a chair about five feet from the front desk. An old Japanese man came from the back and walked up to the desk. "May I…" He looked and saw that it was the demon slayer.

This Japanese man was a sort of an Earth bound lieutenant of Heaven. He would direct wayward souls from Hell or he would guide Heavenly warriors to targets. Almost like a military relay.

He knew who the slayer was. Hell, he was the only contact the slayer had in the city. He had been contacted by the slayer before Dante ever entered the city. He knew which side the slayer was playing for. At first, he was a little sketchy on the situation but Dante straightened him out. This happened years back.

The Japanese man rushed from behind the counter to Dante's side and said to him, "Jesus, that demon really did a number on you!" His voice was coated with a heavy Japanese accent but he could speak perfect English though. He put the slayer's arm over his shoulder and dragged him into a small room in the back. Past his store room and a left turn. A room with three walls, a hammock, and a small ten inch T.V with two long antennas out of the top.

The demon slayer fell asleep instantly and slept for about eight hours.

When he awoke he didn't remember where he was. The hot smell of tea awoke him. He couldn't place the smell but he definitely knew it was not the British nor the American kind.

He suddenly heard a voice and he aimed one of his guns in the direction. "It doesn't get any color but it does get cable." The old Japanese man was referring to the small T.V.

He saw the elderly man standing in the door frame to the room with a small tray. On the tray was a small sandwich and a small cup with steam coming from it.

The slayer shook his head in slight delight of the man's humor. He holstered the gun and accepted the tray from him. He had a little bit of a problem laying the tray down while he was still in the hammock. He managed to though and the first thing he did was take a bite out of the sandwich.

His body was back in perfect working order but he was so hungry though. He set the sandwich back down on the tray and picked up the cup of tea.

As he was about to take a sip, he watched the old Japanese man make a hand gesture to the outside store room and a chair slid itself over to him. He grabbed a hold and sat down in it. He turned the chair so that the back was face front so he was sitting on the chair backwards.

The slayer looked at the tea and then back at the old man. The old man said to him, "Go on, it's Uninshyia Tea. Very popular in southern Japan."

The slayer took a sip and about spit it back out of his mouth! The elder Japanese man just smiled and said, "I said southern Japan. I didn't say United States."

"Thanks." Dante was sincere.

The Japanese man's smile grew wider and said in reply to Dante's gratitude, "Please Dante, I get sick of your politeness - towards me anyway."

"My nature." Dante took another sip of the tea and again grimaced at it in repulsion. He put the cup down and then took another bite of the sandwich. He looked back at the old man and said, "Ryshi, do you know who that demon was?"

"Well I can tell you who he is."

Dante rolled his eyes.

"He is thee general of Hell's army!"

"Is that right?" Dante said calmly.

"This is not news you should take lightly!"

"Well I could have used it earlier Ryshi."

"I tried to get in touch with you but I couldn't find you."

Dante closed his eyes and began to think.

"Listen slayer, leave him alone. He's too much for even the likes of you!"

"Aww, didn't know you cared." Dante came off the hammock. "But - if he is who you say he is, then I should just try harder to kill him."

"Not necessarily, I do believe he is not out to harm humanity."

Dante just gave him a sarcastic look.

"I know it sounds crazy Dante but you have to listen. I believe that he is trying to be a good guy. I think he's just a little confused. Sometimes the line is hard to see on such a mutilated battlefield."

"I'm fighting in the same war just like him. Only he's on the other side. He's the enemy and I plan on not letting the bastard hit me that hard again."

"No! You two maybe in the same war but you're on two different fronts of the same side. War has changed Dante! You think its clear-cut anymore? Sometimes I don't know who's angel or devil anymore!"

"You know Ryshi - that's you problem. I just get paid and kill whatever monsters in my way. No matter who or what they are. Makes things so much simpler. Oh - and thanks for not talking in circles. I use to hate when you did that!"

"Listen, you already know the side your on because you had some direction that way. Him - he had no direction. Just point the gun and shoot. That was his duty."

"What are you talking about? You know, it doesn't even matter because I have my duty."

Dante walked past Ryshi and was about to leave the store room when Ryshi stood up and said, "Remember demon slayer, your father was a demon."

The boots on Dante stopped in their tracks and turned. He looked at the ground but he had his ear turned to Ryshi. "My father was in Hell because he was created there. From what I've heard from you, this demon use to be human, so he made the choice to be in Hell's army. He had his last chance along time ago.

I have a duty and I will fulfill it. I have a contract and I have never missed a contract - never!"

Dante walked out and Ryshi was left standing in his store room with a sad look on his ancient face. He began to approach the front when Dante re-entered and said, "By the way, you've got a customer." Dante then walked back out.

Ryshi walked up to the counter and the slayer was gone. He looked at the guy standing about a foot away from the desk and he was cloaked. Ryshi with a sad tone to his voice said, "Can I help you?"

The guy removed his veil and it was Cogliostro. Ryshi's eyes widened with shock. "What the hell are you doing here?"

Cogliostro approached the desk and said to him, "So, did you convince the slayer to stop hunting down the Hell Spawn?"

"Gee, maybe I should ask you if you convinced that murdering demon that he shouldn't be messing with the best demon assassin in history?" Ryshi snapped back.

Cogliostro and Ryshi did not get along. In fact, they hated each other. The two of them though were somewhat together in this situation. They both knew that the whole planet would be in serious trouble if the two met again. They had felt the dimensional barriers begin to fade and Hell almost let loose the last time.

Cogliostro got a step closer and said, "Look I tried, he wouldn't listen!"

"Yeah well, that makes two of us." Ryshi said somewhat mad at himself.

"What are we going to do?"

"I don't know!" Ryshi said confused and despaired.

"I think we should at least try to give it one more shot." Cogliostro was a little more hopeful then Ryshi but only a little.

"Un-uh and are you crazy?"

"We've got to try! If those two meet again then…"

"Yeah and if we get involved we're probably going to set them off more!"

"I don't think that's possible."

"They didn't listen to us before what makes you think there going to now?"

"Not a thing."

"I shouldn't even be talking to you, you know?"

"I know."

"No, I don't think you do! You know your still on Heaven's radar and if I was seen talking to you by one of my superiors, I would be in super deep shit!"

"What? They're still looking for me? Why bother with an old demon like me? Why don't they just leave me alone? I paid my dues damn it! Why do they still continue to…"

"Look, your not the issue here. We need to find those two and hope to God that they don't find each other."

"We could try leading them off each others trail."

"How?"

"That's a good question."

They both thought for a bit and Cogliostro got an idea. "Clown."

"What?"

"Spawn's little 'escort'. He's been wanting Spawn for awhile now and if I could get them to meet then his attention would be taken away from the slayer."

"Great, that works for the Hell Spawn but what about Dante?"

"What about him?"

"Fool, just because one is not hunting the other doesn't mean we can just sit back!"

"Well I know but maybe both of them would side against Clown and both would take care of him."

"Un-huh and then what? We all sit down together and have barbeque?" Ryshi was getting a little frustrated so his English was somewhat slipping.

"No. I just think that they'll know who there true enemies are."

"No, don't work that way Cogliostro. You know that!"

"Yes."

"I got it!" Ryshi said thrilled with happiness. "We just have to get Dante to focus on his employer and not his target."

"Who is his employer?"

"Chief of Civil Defense: Jason Wynn."

Cogliostro about collapsed from shock. "Does he know about…"

"No, he doesn't, but I don't intended to keep it that way. Trust me, if he knows who Jason Wynn is then he'll go after him first. I think."

"Well what the hell, it's a plan and I say we go for it."

"Alright, you take Spawn and I'll get Dante."

They both walked out of the shop to look for the two warriors.