Chapter 1, origins

"War may sometimes be a necessary evil. But no matter how necessary, it is always an evil, never a good. We will not learn how to live together in peace by killing each other's children." - Jimmy Carter

What is a soldier? Is he a puppet controlled by a higher power? A man who fights for what he believes in against those he believes are wrong. Or is it simply a pay day waiting to happen whether it be for the fighter or those of higher authority, for me war was my life from the time I turned 18 and joined the U.S marine corps when the war in Afghanistan started up until my death. I spent 5 years of my life after boot camp and first deployment building up a reputation as a tactical genius amongst my peers making sure none of them came home in caskets.

My name is Satsujin Hawkins, I am 32 years of age, I was born in Tokyo but grew up in Arizona for most of my life. Older brother to a younger sister by the name of veronica who at the time is 22 years old who I regret never once seeing.

In total I had 270 successful missions and have saved over 2,000 lives. My higher ups saw it differently though, they saw most of my missions as failures as I prioritized saving my men over killing the targets as I felt their lives meant more and as such I was dishonorably discharged from service. I didn't want to give up the fight though, I know my souls will go to hell, I had too much blood on my hands from the enemy for it not to go to hell so I took up mercenary work instead working for the U.S under the codename Kodiak to get around some of the soldiers recognizing me.

As a mercenary I did whatever it took to not only make a steady income but also save people and kill those who were unlucky enough to find themselves in the lines of my Barrett 50 cal. I would spend an additional 9 years doing this till I was left for dead by the very men I trusted. I remembered being brought before the enemy and thrown into a pit of cobras that bit me and filled me with venom killing me, my last thoughts were of my sister…I never got to tell her how much she meant to me, how much I cared for her, nor did I bother after joining the military to see her.

[date of death: august 23rd 2015]

Blacking out I thought this was it, the oblivion I deserved for the blood I spilt but surprising enough I woke up at the pearly gates!

"by the gods, what is this?" I asked as I looked around before noticing I even looked different!

Kneeling on the ground of gold I noticed I was now a cobra human hyrbid…the same creature that killed me…but I had huge wings made of silver with cyan feathers and my eyes were shades of red.

An angel smiled and said, "ahhh hiya! Welcome to heaven! I'm saint peter and can I get your name?"

Confused I said, "my name is Satsujin Fairbrook Delvin Hawkins son to a father I never knew, older brother to a sister I wish I knew better and….am I truly worthy of heaven?"

Saint Peter laughed and said, "ahhh! Well, well, well I am excited to finally meet you! you have quite a reputation, you are one of the more decorated soldiers to grace heaven and more importantly our first mercenary!"

I had a feeling he was about to break out into song as he said, "dearly beloved I am happy to wel-"

I stopped him and said, "no, no I did not die in combat to have an angelic twink sing!"

This shocked saint peter as he said, "aww I was just getting ready to sing an epic song I had been working on too, well would you like me to show you around before your meeting with the seraphim?"

I nodded and followed him through the gleaming city, the beautiful skyscrapers lined with gold and jewels, a truly wonderful sight, I was shown to my apartment and chuckled as I looked around before saint peter led me to a great hall where I was greeted by an angelic girl with three sets of wings, wearing a muted blue and wite dress. She seemed…really happy to see me, a little to happy.

The lady rushed me and said, "hiiiiii I'm Emily of the seraphims! And it is so great to finally meet you! you would not believe how rough it was to get adam to agree to this transfer of power, he still doesn't approve of it too!"

"Wait Adam…as in the first man? The father of Cain and Abel?" I asked.

Emily cringed a bit at that and said, "yeaaaahhh let's not mention Cain or Abel right now but yes! Hell that's why we let you keep most of your memories, your emotions, your strife! Every pain and life experience from your time as a mercenary!"

Confused I said, "but why?"

Emily chuckled and said, "oh only Adam and the high seraphim Sarah know why, but still I've read up on you! Your battle at Herat has had millions of us up here impressed! Not a single death and loads of survivors! You provided relief for the citizens and saved thousands!"

I sighed and said, "but I killed millions, the blood on my hands drown out the good…."

Emily looked at me and said, "so you believe that the bad outweighs your good?"

I nodded and said, "when the bad outweighs the good it cannot be overlooked"

Emily looked at me with sparkles in her eyes and said, "woaaaah so this is the wisdom of a mercenary! So cool!"

Walking in I was met with an angel that looked almost like Emily but her hair was in drills of sorts and a man that looked like a fucking white and gold shuttlecock with a nearly demonic set of golden tipped horns.

"satsujin Hawkins present for a meeting" I said confused.

The shuttlecock started to laugh and said, "this! You got to be kidding me sarah this is the guy you want to replace me! He's not even using his wings hahahahah"

Calmly I said, "skill is not something you show off, it something you keep hidden till your foes make a mistake underestimating you."

Sarah smiled and said, "its that attitude alone which makes you a better candidate than Adam, Satsujin"

Confused I said, "ummm Sarah if I may ask, what am I replacing Adam to do?"

Sarah and Adam then led me to the outside gates of heaven where a group of angels were training and said, "Satsujin Hawkins, we ask you to replace Adam as head of the exorcists…once a year they go down to heaven and for 24 hours they kill demons and sinners to cull the population."

Adam laughed saying, "yeah it's a fucking awesome gig."

I looked a little mortified as I said, "these sinners…do we know their sins and go after the ones with the worst sins? Say Adolf?"

Adam laughed and said, "I never thought I'd see a soldier who is merciful! Nah we kill indiscriminately women, children lesser sinners we don't care just as long as we kill!"

I started to look mortified and said, "but we're angels! Not murderers shouldn't we take out only those who truly deserve it!"

I then turned to sarah and said, "how could you or any soldier approve it!"

Sarah sighed and said, "I assume you don't want to lead them?"

I shook my head and said, "if I get to lead them my way…when is the next extermination?"

Sarah said, "tomorrow."

I chuckled and said, "let me prepare some equipment, and keep Adam here, two tigers can not rule the same mountain."

Sarah bowed and showed me to the armory where I picked up a heavenly Barrett 50. Cal, two swords that I reforged to be thin like scalpels with no handguards, a set of replenishing heavenly throwing needles, along with two magnum revolvers I nicknamed the wolfsbane and the kaiju and then looked at the outfit used by the angels and denounced it going for instead a bullet proof armored jacket that looked really elegant, bullet proof dress pants and changing the full executioner mask into a half skull mask and ditching the horns instead getting my cobra hood tattooed to have the design of a set of eyes similar to mine. The attire mimicked something I remembered wearing when I was at the Kabul embassy, a blend of elegance and protection.

Adam laughed saying, "bullet proof dress clothes hahaha what are ya scared of being killed? You knw we can't die you idiot."

"An angel has never been killed in your time but there is a first for everything, it is better to avoid casualties altogether by being ready for anything" I said as I got outside to see the exorcists training their hearts out.

Looking at the angel's assembled I said, "stand tall and proud exorcists, some of you know me as the savior of the Kabul embassy, the Kodiak now I want to let you know we're doing things by my playbook this time, they may be sinners but their still human souls we figure out the most vial of them all and start from there got it?"

The angels saluted me but I could tell they possibly wouldn't listen so I would go down with them and observe.

Adam, however, wanted to test my combat resolve here and now in front of everyone.

Taking a calm breath, I showed the clip I was loading into my Barrett and said, "these are simple rubber bullets, you said it yourself nothing can kill and angel, but I am curious if you can be hurt" before loading my guns with the same type of ammunition and exchanging my angelic weapons for simple titanium duplicates.

Adam did the same showing off his over the top war axe with a similar one made of titanium before rushing me trying to cleave me in two. Stepping back I kept myself on the defensive learning how he fought by watching him.

"come on you shit head stand still!" Adam growled as I twirled out of his way and threw a couple of the throwing needles letting them pierce his skin hurting him.

"like I said Adam I am not one to underestimate" I said before lunging forward hitting him with a devastating axe kick followed by a well place shot to the kneecaps from my Barrett.

I finally went on the offense when I saw he was at his limit hitting him with everything I got never going as far as to use my swords instead relying on quick draws and the throwing needles before finally he conceded and said, "fuck you- you are one tough bastard, but lets see how you deal with hell!"

That night I was with saint peter going over the list of sinners from most vial to least vial and said, "so tell me about the hierarchy amongst sinners, you carry the book of everyone's names surely you know about what the hierarchy is like?"

Saint peter nodded and said, "well if we take out Lucifer, Lilith, their daughter the princes and the ars goetia then the next strongest are the overlords, as far as I know they are the strongest sinners, I wouldn't call some of them vial but they do have power and keep the more unruly sinners in check from what I've been told"

"hmmm lets leave them, hell may be hell but the overlords keep them in check" I muttered going over a list narrowing it down to 10% of hells population.

"so saint peter what do you think? Would this be appropriate for the extermination?" I asked.

Saint peter whistled and said, "yeah this works wonders! It's a good amount of hell's population being culled and only of the most vial minus the overlords! Shall I go to the other exorcists and give them the list?"

I nodded and said, "you do that, I'll get used to flying around the rest of the time" before leaping out my window and flying around heaven at breakneck speeds swerving between buildings and dodging as if I were getting shot at picturing it as if I were an f22 raptor soaring around the skies.

The day finally came though to head into hell and I said, "ladies, I don't wish to give you false hope, some may be killed, some may be MIA but I swear I will do everything in my power to make sure that doesn't happen so without further ado, you got your lists, go after the priority targets only, I will not hesitate to send those who disobey back here, now go!" as the portal into hell opened behind me allowing us to zoom in.

I was in awe of hell, it reminded me of L.A with the sprawling cities the smog in the air and the way it was set up like a pentagram. It was impressive to say the least and I stayed uo high and watched as my plan was executed flawlessly, until the angels got restless again and I saw them going after normal sinners.

Bolting in I tried and tried to keep them from killing the innocent who looked scared out of there mind but couldn't. I had failed and mortified I hid in my shame as they made their way up to heaven without me. I couldn't bare to face the seraphims this way not only had I failed as their exorcist but I was starting to feel unworthy of heaven.

The exterminations gave me PTSD from my time at war, the bombings, the murder the amount of blood on my hands, was I truly worthy of heaven? Or did they only wave my sins away cause they needed a replacement for Adam…no I couldn't face them like this. Hiding my wings I felt luckily I was wearing attire different from the angels as I blended in seamlessly with the other demons as I spent the next 4 months wandering the pentagram learning about hell, the many layers it had, the hierarchy and the fact that the north western corner of the pentagram was considered the most unruly part of the pentagram where none of the other overlords would dare go.

"hmmm if I am to survive here I must embrace hell… I think its time to come out of the shadows and start taking over this side bit by bit" I muttered staring a board I had made detailing every operation that was going on in this section of the pentagram.

There wasn't an overlord ruling over this side only like 15 or so crime families one of which was ran by imps. The imp wasn't the problem it was his group of shark demons that was a pain in the ass, for anyone but a trained assassin.

I took down these crime families one by one always making sure to leave no survivors except those who didn't fight back. Most of these big crime families were really tight nit willing to die together except for crimson he was a bit harder as his assets spread through out the 9 rings.

Luckily I had made a powerful friend in Stolas, one of the Ars Goetia by saving him from some of Crimson's goons who tried to take him hostage.

"its not often I find a sinner who is so…calm…about everything in life. Let me guess you want a reward, money perhaps? Its all you sinners really care about" Stolas said as I led him out of a warehouse.

"on the contrary lord Stolas" I said chuckling.

"all I want is your help, think of it like a business transaction you rub my feathers and I rub yours, I'm new to hell and could use a powerful friend if you catch my drift" I said as we walked back to his place.

Stolas tapped his chin and said, "well a friend never really hurts, and you seem to be a different breed of sinner so what the hell, consider me your business partner, what can I do for you as a thank you though? I really do not feel comfortable leaving you empty handed."

Soon we made it back to his place and I said, "well I want to go after Crimson, the head of the crime family who took you captive, but I have no way of travelling through the other rings nor do I have a way to get to the mortal plane in case he tries to flee their"

Stolas smirked and said, "I have an idea wait here" before rushing into his castle leaving me with his daughter Octavia who was dressed in a long pink shirt with yellow stars on it and a black jacket.

"Thank you for saving my father…mother didn't want to do anything to get him back or pay the ransom, so I was scared and about to go out after him myself" Octavia said

I chuckled and said, "though I do not doubt your skills it would have been dangerous cause then crimson would have had two hostages and could ask for more money or higher demands, plus Crimson may be an imp but do not doubt his tenacity he would have easily taken you."

Octavia seemed to blush at this and said, "for a sinner you know a lot about war and this sort of stuff…why is that."

I laughed and said, "I spent 14 years of my life as a soldier, 5 years as a marine raider, and 9 years a mercenary, I did it all but stood to a moral compass."

Octavia whistled and said, "I'm surprised dad's boyfriend didn't come to save him!"

I raised my eye and said, "boyfriend?"

"Yeah, this imp he's fucking, he owns some small murder business that kills people in the mortal plane, Blitzo was his name if I remember correctly" Octavia said offering me a smoke.

I waved no and started to formulate a plan, maybe if I hired this group it could make it easier to get to crimson.

Soon though Stolas returned with a tanto knife made of brimstone and obsidian coursing with magical power.

"Behold the dimensional tearing knife, with it you can travel throughout the 7 rings of hell easily" Stolas said handing it to me.

Before I could take it though Stolas said, "there is a catch to it however, a knife like this needs a name, one specific to it, a name to bond it to its user so that no other person can use it, I haven't named it as I had no use for the knife cause I have my grimoire but you, I think you'll need it"

I nodded my head and picked up the knife realizing how dull it was before saying, "I have the perfect name for you, I shall name you Wado Urumasa the blade that rends dimensions."

The blade then blazed to life turning into a katana of crimson almost like ruby. I was in awe as I swung the sword a bit to get used to it before cutting a hole in the very fabric of reality to my apartment, on the other side of the pentagram. I whistled and watched as Wado urumasa turned back into its tanto knife and I holstered it inside my suit jacket pocket

I smiled and bowed low to stolas thanking him for his help.

"I see you doing great things in hell young sinner I look forward to seeing what you do" Stolas said as he left.

Octavia gave me a hug and I held his warmly as she said, "thank you for saving my father" before leaving.

I walked through my portal back to my apartment and started to formulate my plan. Crimson had assets in the Greed ring and in the wrath rings and using this info I would hire I.M.P to confuse crimson while I took out his assets.

Blitz was more than happy to do this as I paid him well and even paid double after I destroyed the rest of his assets.

Crimson now stood alone in his estate in the northwestern pentagram, no allies, no bodyguards, no family just himself.

I strolled right in the front door and killed what little hired help he did have with cold and tactical genius before finally killing Crimson not even giving him time to say his final words and giving the keys to the estate to his son and fellow assassin Moxxie who was ecstatic.

As I left Blitz approached me and said, "you know, sinners would pay top dollar to have a merc like you working for them, why not try going pro? I mean I sure would like to hire a mercenary like you!"

I took Blitz's words to heart and decided to rule over this side of the pentagram before any overlord could take over or even any other crime families.

I would start calling myself a kingpin who ruled this side through the usage of my angelic arsenal and my elite mercenaries I called the belladonna fangs, mercenaries who followed my rules of only going after the cruelest of the cruel, dishing out punishment that fit the crimes. New Hokkaido soon became one of the more peaceful sides of hell with people who sought protection coming here knowing not even an overlord would dare cross my turf. Overtime I had amassed over 10,000 souls who call me boss and savior in some cases.

One day however I was walking around the edge of town when I saw a moth demon with purple skin, long muted dark maroon hair, lunar moth wings, one red and one black eye dressed in…well to put it lightly she looked almost like a pimp with her fuzzy coat, getting chased by a huge shark demon with muted blue skin and two golden eyes.

The moth demon saw me and shouted, "hey! Hey, I could use some help over here! please I beg you!" Before collapsing inside my turf her blood stained the ground a bit as I walked in front of her as the shark stopped outside my property.

Racking up a round in my Barrett I said, "so fella what can I do for you today?"

The shark growled saying, "beat it fucker this is between overlords! So do me a favor and leave us alone!"

I looked down at the lady and she looked scared, like the kind of genuine fear and then I looked at the shark and saw he was using a really decorated sword and said, "nice sword? How'd you get your hands on it?"

The man then did a foolish move and stepped over the line into my turf and got in my face keeping the sword at my throat saying, "wouldn't you like to know?"

I smiled and simply whistled for my mercenaries to appear and hold their angelic crossbows at him and said, "you made a bad choice bud, I may die yes, but you too will die a painful and slow death, so back down and realize that overlord is hurt and now under my protection."

The shark stepped back confused and said, "who- who the fuck are you anyways!"

Smirking I dusted off my suit and said, "I am Satsujin Fairbrook Delvin Hawkins, Kingpin of the northwestern pentagram, killer of the old crime families, and the Kodiak mercenary, and you should really think about leaving as you are trespassing on my turf!"

The shark started to look scared and ran off shouting, "this isn't over thana I will be back, and I will kill you and take my place as a proper overlord!"

I then looked at the assembled mercenaries and said, "follow him, bring him back here on the verge of death and torture him as you see fit."

The mercenaries bowed and started to rush off into the night. Turning my attention to the moth demon I kneeled and offered her my hand saying, "may I buy you a drink?"

The demon nodded and I helped her to my estate where I cared for her and said, "so what's your name lass?"

"I'm thana and…you didn't have to do that for me…I mean Lazurus knew if he hurt me, he'd have to deal with my boss" the moth winced as I finished bandaging her.

"True I could have left you at his mercy, but it would have meant your death" I chuckled before offering her a drink.

Thana graciously accepted the drink and became a bit bubblier saying, "well honestly Val would have found a way to bring me back and I knew someone was going to help me soooo thanks… Satsujin right? Your names been buzzing around the pentagram after you saved a member of the Ars Goetia, but it is surprising that you're a kingpin and not an Overlord!"

"I have no interest in becoming one and shouldering more responsibility, I have neither the man power nor the funding to do so as it mostly goes to keeping my turf safe from the other kingpins who want what I have" I said as I opened my liquor cabinet and pulled out a bottle of wine.

"aaaahhh so you need help! Well then buddy your just in luck as I can offer you my help in exchange for a fraction of your soul!" Thana laughed leaning forward.

I chuckled and said, "you said your soul was owned by Val, I assume your talking about the Pimp Valentino am I correct?"

Thana looked down at the floor and said, "y-yeah he owns half of my soul….why?"

Taking out a glass and pouring myself a glass of wine I said, "because if you own part of my soul and he owns you, technically he'd own me and that is a fate I do not want for myself nor the people living in new Hokkaido, so how about an alternate deal, you keep your soul, I keep mine and we just sign a contract to be business partners helping each other out no catches no blood deals, and no bringing in the four Vees"

Thana took a moment to think about it before chuckling and saying, "what the hell why not, you sir got yourself a deal! No Taking it back however! Your stuck with me!" before shaking my hand.

This deal would be the smoothest I ever made as it meant I could get more info on the other overlords, and I had someone of status but not royalty as my ally. Though I do regret it as Thana did move into the estate and she slept like a lot, Val must have had her working painfully hard for her to spend 12 hours sleeping a day.

My actions against Lazarus did bite me in the ass though as it put me in the crosshairs of an even deadlier overlord. Carmilla carmine was her name, a big-time overlord who was responsible for arming people with angelic weapons, she didn't really like the fact that someone else was using Angelic weapons nor did she like how I was on a first name basis with stolas and even had the respect of a prince of hell like Beelzebub after my mercenaries provided security for one of her crazy parties that nearly went sour after a gang tried to ruin it.

She invaded my turf alone and brought down a good amount of my mercs before finally coming after me.

Unsheathing my swords I looked at her and said, "okay, I can handle losing some of my turf but you come after my mercs you crossed the line!" before rushing her and fighting for my life.

She was calm the entire time saying, "an angel trying to masquerade as a demon, now I have seen it all, but after last extermination I had my doubts someone else was pulling the strings that time! Tell me angel what is your deal."

Blocking her kick I said, "I was the one who was in charge of the last extermination, but I only approved 10% of the people for extermination only the truly evil were supposed to be targeted but instead the angels decided to go against my orders and killed more!"

We continued to fight and Thana tried to get involved but I shouted, "Thana don't! let me take care of this!"

Thana looked worried saying, "but she'll kill you!"

Looking back at Carmilla I said, "she might but I won't go out without a fight!"

In the end though she used my own blade to sever one of my wings.

Limping on the floor, my golden blood flowing I said, "do it! End me and my misery…. i am ready for oblivion…"

Thana rushed to my side holding me and saying, "if you take him take me too!"

Carmilla threw my sword onto the ground and said, "you fought not for blood but for love…your no angel, but your no demon either…how about you and I become business partners, it has been a long time since anyone has been able to keep up with me in combat and I wish to have that kind of power on my side, plus considering you have a member of the Ars goetia as a friend I'd rather not piss him off" before extending a hand to me.

"Tch what's the catch though?" I asked.

Carmilla chuckled and said, "simple, you operate under my orders, kill those I send you after when I tell you and enforce my will, when necessary, other than that you are free to operate how you see fit, this includes holding on to your angelic weaponry, however you will operate with only one wing as payment for this contract." Before picking up my severed wing.

I thought it over and said, "deal" before shaking her hand and felt as part of soul left me as this contract formed. I became her enforcer after that, a well-tailored assassin who she sent to kill people who illegally had gotten their hands on her weapons or keep other overlords in line. I did keep my distance around Alastor however, something about him was just not right and I'd rather not find myself stuck in the radio for all eternity.

I kept the Northwestern side of the pentagram as well maintained as a Japanese city even doing major renovations to the style to give it that Japanese aesthetic.

I did however give myself a good-sized manor of my own a slice of heaven in hell as I called it with a zen garden of its own, a private armory, and servants. A monastery of my own design with running water from the gluttony ring to give it a true look like earth.

As I walked passed the many suits of armor I had lined in my armory a call came in.

Taking out my phone I saw it was one of my mercenaries and I said, "this is Kodiak go ahead"

The man on the other end said, "um sir you have a visitor here to see you, she said she think she knows you, should I let her in?"

I tapped my chin and said, "very well lead her inside and head to the Ochitsuita room"

Heading there myself I passed by one of my servants and said, "get some tea ready, oolong with honey."

The servant bowed and I went to the Ochisuita room which was modeled after a koi pond with only a single bridge connecting the doorway to the middle of the island where a huge set of couches and awnings gave the room a nice relaxing vibe. As I sat there waiting for the mercenary and the lady, I fed some of the koi fish and chuckled as I thought about how much of a pain it was to get these fish here without them burning up due to the constant fire and brimstone.

Thana soon joined me tired and nearly passing out saying, "Val worked me to the fucking bone Satsu can you give me a back massage pleeeeeease"

I chuckled and motioned for her to come over and started to massage her shoulders as we waited for the merc and the lady to show up.

Soon though the Mercenary clad in a black body glove with heavy plating over it and a oni mask walked in and said, "Sir I brought the lady, and I made sure she has been patted down as well" before bowing and leaving.

Smiling I looked at the lady and said, "how can the Belladonna fangs help you today lass"

The lady looked at me tears streaming down her face as she removed her hood letting her long flowing twin ponytails colored like rainbows to flow and revealing a snake like face as she looked at me and said, "Big brother? Is that you?"