Before the chapter starts I just want to clear up a mistake I wrote down a few times in chapter 2. Dagger's dorsal fin doesn't have a bite mark on it. It's his top caudal fin that does. It should be edited properly now. I felt the need to say something because its gonna be important later. Sorry. Anyway, enjoy chapter 3.
What was done was done. The kid messed up but maybe it would still go unnoticed. Arkham chewed the him out about his mistake for a few minutes. Dagger quickly conceded when he knew there were no excuses he could muster. His caudal fin with a bite mark on it was pretty recognizable. Sure other shark demons had similar scars but it would still make picking him out of a police line up that much easier. But no matter, he still completed his mission against Crimson without being killed. At least the Cadillac he had stolen to get away was properly exposed of. By parking it in a junkyard and lighting it on fire to destroy evidence, nothing could be traced back to them.
The blade was not to be used in its current state but the two had other plans. Over the next few days the two forged the katana. This had been one of the many hobbies Arkham had over the course of the last few millennium. Though it had not been his interest in quite a long time he still remembered what to do. He melted the holy blade in a furnace while teaching Dagger how to make a forge mold. After several attempts of molding cement blocks to make dagger blade outlines, the shark made one up to Arkham's standards. These holy weapons were to be his, it was only proper that he made the outline for them. After the katana was broken down and poured into the mold, the pair banged away at them over an anvil using hammers. When the metal was sturdy, they sanded the blades until they gave a clean reflection and sharpened them with a spinning sandstone. After three long days, the blades were done. Two daggers around thirteen inches long each. They were made in the mortal realm jambiya style with the slight curve outward toward the point. Arkham attached hilts that consisted of a cross guard, circular pummels on the bottom, and a grip with many tiny lined divots in it to make holding it easier. Dagger finally had his own holy daggers.
"Thank you Arkham! I'd never thought I would have my own holy weapon! I can't wait till I can give that bitch what she deserves!"
"We have a long way before we get there." Arkham said. "But we do need a test run."
"What do you mean by that?" Dagger asked. He had an idea where this was going but he wanted to hear his mentor say it first.
"i know you have used daggers in the past but you need to get a feel for these weapons before you go swinging away on a mission that matters." Arkham explained. "This Sunday, if we get caught spying on that overlord meeting and need to fight our way out, I want you to already to have experience fighting with those blades. That's why we will be attacking Jazzy J at his club. And I think it's time we show hell that the Apostates are back."
Dagger raised an eyebrow. Dressing like Apostates were sure to draw attention, but if the next few months were truly going to happen, they were gonna draw attention to themselves anyway. He felt like he heard that name before but was unsure of where it came from. "Alright, I think that's an overlord, but which one?"
"He's no Valentino that's for sure. But he's a pimp overlord here in Pentagram City. He owns a few clubs here. But his favorite and most popular one is Moaning Star."
The shark recognized the name. "What?! That's the club downtown that's basically half a brothel. You wanna play hero and kill the big bad pimp?"
"No. Again we need a test run for our abilities. And this is the perfect place. In the grand scheme of overlords, Jazzy J is a nobody. Whether a bunch of whores who sold their bodies and souls to a pimp get granted their freedom or become homeless because of this matters not to me. Remember what we need." Arkham said
"I know old man." Dagger rolled his eyes. "We've been over this like a dozen times since the extermination day was moved up. Holy weapons. A way to get to Adam. Practice fighting. But when the day comes, do you even have a solid plan to kill him? Because right now it just seems like we've been bouncing around on a whim for the last week.
"Kid, we are working on a short time table. But I can promise you this. We need those three things. Holy weapons to kill them, a portal to get to them, and to be already trained and ready for that moment."
Arkham could see the kid wanted to argue, but didn't know what to say. Perhaps Dagger needed a little more convincing.
"Dagger, let me ask you this again. Do you care what happens after we kill them?"
The shark demon looked up in surprise. The angel hadn't questioned his loyalty to their cause in a long time. "Of course I don't. As long as Adam and that bitch are dead, we can both die happy."
"That's right. We have nothing waiting for us down here. We both lost our loved ones because of heaven and these exterminations. We're dead men walking toward our inevitable dooms. I promise you when we die the bodies of our enemies will be lying with us. Now do you still want to practice on that overlord?"
He was right. The truth was he had a death wish along with Arkham. He had no family waiting for him. Not after the extermination that killed them when he was young. The friends he made, if he could even call them that, came and went. If he were to disappear tomorrow, anyone he made a surface level connection with wouldn't even think twice about it. Arkham was the only one who truly cared about him, and he cared about the angel. This was his best path. "Alright friend, let's crash that party tonight."
The angel was happy with his answer. They were both on the same page again. Hopefully it stayed that way until the end. "Good. Again he's likely to be there tonight. I have no qualms killing sinners and hellborn who work for a pimp. Now let's get ready."
Meanwhile...
Imp City, like Pentagram City, was located in the Pride ring. The place like the name suggested was filled with mostly imps but also other hellborn. Their sanctuary in a ring packed with sinners. The mindset of the city was to attract hellborns with a dream. Celebrity fame, entrepreneurship, and fast times were reasons demons moved here. It definitely worked on at least one imp hitman.
In one of the floors of an office building was the Immediate Murder Professionals, or IMP for short. Paid to kill targets on earth for sinners who hired them, the business had seen great success over the year in which they started servicing in this way. Their profits never reflected that because of the owner of the company, Blitzo's spending habits. But the employees were happy enough to continue the job. This morning they were having a meeting to discuss some of the issues they had been having. The four present sat in their swivel chairs around a long wooden table as Blitzo stood at the front of the room speaking.
"Alright so business has been good lately yes, but I've been noticing that we may have been a biting off a little more than we can chew." he said.
Moxxie, another male imp who was much shorter than Blitzo was fuming in his seat. He wore a large band aid on his head after receiving blunt force trauma from a bat to the last time they were on Earth. "Oh really now sir, I hadn't noticed." he said sarcastically.
"Okay Moxxie," Blitzo said clasping his hands together. "Did you know beforehand that the drug lord we were offing had an army of gangsters following him inside of a knitting club he attended with his wife. Because maybe if you had told me that I would have been ready to back you up."
Another imp around Moxxie's height spoke up. "Blitz, Moxxie has a point. Some of the jobs we have been taking have been a bit dangerous. I feel like were being hired to murder less of the coffee shop baristas and more of the drug cartel members. And those guys can pack a punch." Millie said.
"Well that's the nature of the beast Mills. We've become more popular and therefore more dangerous sinners want our services. Plus it helps that they pay a fuck ton in blood money! Have you seen the horse statues I've been able to buy with all that." Blitzo said pointing toward a shelf in the office with a rainbow assortment of horse statues.
"Sir, if you hadn't noticed we weren't able to finish the job. We had to bail a soon as the cartel members showed up with machine guns. Now the target is gonna be on high alert and the client isn't going to pay us the rest of the service fee." Moxxie said rubbing his forehead band aid again.
"Thank you for stating the fucking obvious Moxxie! I wouldn't know what we would do without your glorious input!" Blitzo turned back toward the two girls at the table. The first being Millie and the other being a tall hellhound texting on her phone half paying attention. "Loony do you have any ideas to make sure less employees get hurt during missions?"
The girl stopped scrolling through Voxtagram for a second. "Well yeah Blitz. Let me go on missions and I can watch fatty's back incase he gets hit by anymore cartel members with baseball bats." Loona said receiving a growl from Moxxie.
"Absolutely not sweetie. I will not allow you to go up in the human world." Blitzo said motioning his hands into an X. This earned a scowl from Loona who went back to her phone deciding to ignore the rest of the meeting. She was tired of being stuck as a secretary. Wanting more out of life than just this. When would he finally let her take the leap to the other side instead of just opening the portals. "Losing Moxxie is acceptable loses but not you."
"Just because I got hit in the head doesn't mean I can't hear you!" Moxxie yelled.
Blitzo ignored him. "Anyone else have any ideas?"
"Blitz, it sounds like with our operations becoming more lethal, perhaps we should consider hiring more people. Especially if your not gonna put the hellhound at risk." Millie said.
Blitzo scratched at his chin thinking over what Millie had just suggested. "Mox. Can we afford a new employee?"
"Well SIR," Moxxie said still sour from Blitzo's previous comments. "With what you currently pay us and your monthly horse spending habits, no. You couldn't afford another employee on the payroll until you cut your horse spending habits down by 20% each month.
"Well then I guess were not getting another fuckin employee." Blitzo said crossing his arms.
"BLITZ!"
"SIR!
Moxxie and Millie were mad now. Moxxie was tired of the close calls and being injured lately. And Millie, she would be a monster unleashed upon the world if anything happened to her husband.
Blitzo groaned. "FIIIINNNNEEE! I'll... put an online ad out or something and interview people as they walk in the office. But just one employee! I refuse to let anymore cut into my hobbies."
Pentagram City Downtown
The clock tower down the street struck midnight as the pair stood hidden away in an alley. The pre-fight checks were done. Dagger carried only his new daggers and a smoke grenade tonight. He would carry his Glock normally but he needed the practice with the blades. Plus he had the best backup he could think of. Arkham had his holy kodachi along with a machete strapped to his back as an alternate just in case things got too hot. The pair wore the same clothes, just fitted differently for their species types. Each had their own white angel mask that Dagger had sported when attacking Crimson's mansion. Light brown leather armor covered their shoulders, wrists, and midsections. The same brown leather was used for the boots that rose up to their calves. The pants they wore were black while their shirts were maroon. The maroon shirts trailed down below their waists and draped in the air under their back and front sides stopping at their calves. This time Dagger wore a cover for his bitten off caudal fin while Arkham covered the shirt holes where his wings would normally be able to shoot out from.
Across from the alleyway the night club sign "Moaning Star" lit up its bright pink and lights attracting customers. A line of mostly horny demons and sinners formed as they waited to be checked in by the bouncers who inspected them for weapons and outside drinks.
"Ready kid?" Arkham asked turning to his friend."
Dagger tapped his blades together causing them to clink clank before putting them back in the leather knife sheaths strapped to his outer thighs. "Ready and willing Apostate." From this point forward they would not use names.
The two exited the alley and crossed the street. Arkham led the way walking straight up to the front of the line and toward the buff hellhound bouncer.
"Hey! Back of the line like everyone else!" he barked.
Arkham without a word shoved him to the side.
"Oh, you really want to do this right now you son of a bit-"
Dagger sliced his throat open walking past the hound. The first of many kills with the blades he thought.
Another hellhound bouncer who was putting on entry bracelets for the customers noticed what happened. "Hey!" The hellhound threw a punch at the angel. Arkham caught the right hook with his left hand and gave the dog a counterpunch to his elbow, which caused his bone to break through the skin fractured. The dog howled in pain as Arkham finished him off by grabbing his head with both hands and kneeing him in the face, leaving him a bloody black mess on the ground. The people standing in line either scattered not wanting to get involved as they were already drunk and with boners.
EDM music and flashing lights filled the club as the party was in full swing. Demons and sinners alike moved to the beat on the dance floor, drinks were poured at a consistent rate at the bar, and women danced on polls entertaining the guests. A man was being lead to the backrooms by a sexy sinner demon for a more personal experience. Overall an average weekday night at a club in hell. Jazzy J the overlord was no where to be seen yet.
"Must be in a private room." Arkham said into Dagger's ear just loud enough to hear over the music. "Let's find him."
Suddenly more bouncers and security showed up pulling out switchblades and baseball bats. They were ready for a fight likely having seen on camera what the pair did to the hellhounds at the entrance. But the Apostates showed no fear leaping into battle. Dagger went low and took his holy daggers slicing across a sinner's abdomen letting his guts spill out onto the club's floor. He followed it up by leaping into the air and onto another sinners back stabbing him in the back of the head. Arkham meanwhile let his victim come to him. A shark demon with a baseball bat swung at his head which the angel easily dodged low. The shark brought the bat back around which Arkham again dodged by ducking down. He then poked the shark in his eyes with both hands and swiped the bat as the foe was momentarily blinded. He hit him over the head knocking him out instantly. He turned to see an imp with a switchblade lunging for his stomach. He side stepped the short creature and wrapped his neck between him and the bat. Twisting the bat quickly, he was able to lock out the imp's neck snapping his throat.
By now people in the club had taken notice of the fight going on. Many screamed and ran for the exits but a few made space to watch but stay out of the way of the fighters.
Meanwhile in his private room, Jazzy J sat on a heart shape purple bed. The sinner overlord was very fat. He wore a purple one piece jumpsuit that exposed his bear and hairy chest. His face and body were a green that matched the color of snot. Between his eyes over the top of his nose was a horn similar to a rhinoceros. Above his rather large posterior was a green tail that dangled off the side of the bed. Spikes similar to his horn jutted out on either side of it and became smaller toward the end of the tail. On his arms, neck, and fingers were tacky golden watches, necklaces, and diamond rings. He sipped on a blue lagoon cocktail while a pair of sinner strippers danced on polls in front of the bed. He was deeply enjoying his night.
"Boss!" a baphomet demon opened the door to the room yelling.
Now Jazzy J was not enjoying his night.
"WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING IN HERE!" he yelled breaking the glass against the wall that held his cocktail. "YOU KNOW DAMN WELL IM BUSY!"
The strippers were scared stiff by the sudden outburst of the overlord which caused him to turn his attention toward them. "I DIDN'T SAY TO STOP YOU DUMB BITCHES! NOW DANCE!"
The sinners shook in fright but did what they were told. Going against what the pimp Jazzy J said would only lead to a harsh beating or death.
The baphomet demon meanwhile nervously adjusted his tie before stating the bad news to his volatile boss. "Jazzy, two men just entered the club and are tearing up the place."
He gave his employee a look of discuss. "So kill them! Don't interrupt me for simple shit like that! It's a club and brothel dumbass! It's bound to happen!"
"But sir! They've already killed or badly injured a quarter of our bouncers."
Maybe this problem did require his assistance. Especially since he already was gonna have to replace all those employees. What a pain.
"And not only that, they're dressed as Apostates."
Jazzy J froze getting up from his bed. He looked at his baphomet employee and asked him to repeat what he just said.
"They're dressed like Apostates sir."
"Apostates?" Jazzy said. "They haven't been seen for over 2000 years." He took a deep thinking about the situation. Was a legion of hell from a bygone era really attacking his club right now? No. It had to be copycats. Cosplayers even. There was no way they were the real deal.
"Just cause they're dressed like them doesn't mean they are them." Jazzy J said grabbing his golden pimp cane. The top of it being a mini version of his face while the bottom was in the shape of a boot. "Anyway, they aren't going to be living much longer to play pretend."
On the dance floor Dagger was showing off his moves. Just not dance related ones. He hit the splits dodging a grab from a large sinner and stabbed him in the balls. When the sinner collapsed down in pain, he dug one of the daggers into his heart extracting the still beating organ. Another hellhound with a pistol started shooting at him so he used the dead sinner body to cover himself from the bullets before throwing him at the hellhound. The gun was knocked lose from his hand leaving an opportunity for Dagger to kill him. He ran up to the hellhound who in turn used his claws like knives and blocked the shark demons strikes. The hellhound growled and went on the offensive trying to hit the weaving Dagger, but he was to agile. Dagger eventually found an opening and sliced a the left hand off the attacking hellhound. He plunged the other one into his throat ending the attack.
Suddenly his vision was knocked blurry as he felt a throbbing pain on the back of his head. Dagger turned around still starry eyed to see that a pair of imps had thrown a bottle of whiskey at the back of his head and were already leaping toward him to attack. He searched for his jambiyas but soon realized he had dropped them after he had been hit with the bottle. One of the imps jumped onto his face and began clawing at him as he fell to the ground. While he held off that one the other attempted to stab him in the legs with one of his own blades he picked up. He bent his legs in avoiding the attack and kicked them back out hitting the imp in the chest. He turned his attention to the one who was still on top of him trying to tear his face off as the shark continued to block with his much longer arms. Feeling desperate, an idea to get him off came to mind. He had only done it a couple other times because of how much he disliked it.
Dagger's green eyes rolled into the back of his head and were replaced by a black sclera. With a deep lions roar he opened his mouth and bit down with tremendous force on the imp's head. Only for a second did the imp struggle in his mouth before succumbing to his death. Dagger's green eyes came back as he quickly spat him out, getting up and wiping his tongue off. He hated the taste of hellborn. It was no where close to his favorite foods of mostly fish and clams. The taste of blood that was similar if not the same as his never sat well with him. That's why he only used his teeth in a fight when he had little options left. The young hellborn picked his remaining jambiya off the dance floor. The imp he had kicked earlier still held his other one as he got into a fighting stance.
"I could use another appetizer." he said licking his smiling toothy grin. The fear tactic worked as the imp cowardly dropped the dagger and scurried off in retreat.
Across the room in front of the bar, he saw his teacher put in some work against more of the bouncers and security.
Arkham hadn't even pulled out his weapons, yet bodies of his foes were scattered in a path behind him. His hands and feet were hard at work punching and kicking his way through them. Just as he had slammed a stool through a sinners head, the bartender popped up from behind the counter with a pump shotgun. Reacting quickly before the bartender who blow a whole in his chest, he grabbed the barrel of the weapon forcing it to point up. The surprised bartender pulled the trigger only to hit ceiling. Now without a loaded shell in the chamber, Arkham used his powers. He super heated the barrel until it was slightly melted and unable to shoot another shell. With his hands feeling the heat, the bartender let go allowing Arkham to send the buttstock crashing into his face knocking his head off from his neck. Over the years in Hell, he trained and slowly unlocked new abilities over time. But being a regular angel, he guessed his skill ceiling or potential would never be as high as Adam's. Still, it gave him a better chance for when that special day did come.
Dagger grouped up with his mentor and asked if he was okay.
"I'm okay kid, but you were in trouble there for a second. You should know better to stay aware of your surroundings. Especially with enemies not in your field of vision."
"I know." Dagger said apologetical tone. "I'm sorry for making that harder than it needed to be."
"You won't have to apologize if we succeed kid. Now let's take out the rest of these jackasses." Arkham said noticing more sinners and demons in the large room. At this point with many of there allies killed, they looked more scared than dangerous.
"WHO IN THE H-E-DOUBLE FUCK ARE YOU TWO?!" a voice bellowed out. Looking toward the direction of the noise, Arkham and Dagger saw the fat green and purple form of Jazzy J. The two guessed in their heads he must weigh at least 500 pounds, but he was still a few feet taller than even Arkham. He tapped his golden pimp cane against his hand as if he was ready to beat the two with it. The rest of his guards and perverts who were still in the bar either left or took a further step back. The Apostates and Jazzy J met up on the dancefloor that still had strobe lights but no EDM music playing anymore as the DJ had already fucked off. Only around 15 feet separated the two groups as Jazzy J spoke again. "I said, who the fuck are you two and why do you have a death wish?!"
Arkham whispered into Dagger's ear. "You go low, I'll go high."
Jazzy J couldn't hear what the Apostates were planning but that didn't stop him from disrupting their meeting. The pimp hurled his golden cane through the air making it whistle. The two quickly evaded the cane by allowing it to fly between them and stabbing into the wall.
"Shit!" Dagger said.
"You Apostate wannabes messed with the wrong flesh-peddler! I don't know who's paying you to mess up my club but I'm gonna send y'all back to him in a freezer!"
The two ran toward the overlord with the initial attack plan in mind. As Dagger neared he readied his blades to strike, but was struck by the overlords spikey tail. Bracing for impact he blocked the spikes making him slide backwards across the floor but still standing. Arkham meanwhile tossed a punch directed at his fat face but was blocked by his thick arm. Jazzy threw a punch back at Arkham who dodged it as well as a follow up tail sweep. The angel backed off regrouping with Dagger. Jazzy used this spacing to unleash his power. He stomped on the ground cracking the smooth surface of the vinyl dance floor. A wave of energy flung up and bounced tile and rocks toward the two. Both side stepped out of the way only to be met with another attack of the same nature. And another. And Another. AND ANOTHER! Finally on his sixth try, Jazzy hit Dagger launching him into a round table booth shattering it on impact and making him dizzy. The few remaining bouncers and security guards left in the open area of the club used his moment of vulnerability to try and finish the shark off and get into the good graces of their boss.
While Dagger was occupied with that problem, Arkham went in for another attack, this time with his kodachi blade drawn. He avoided another tail swing from the pimp and cut into his right shin. The sinner growled in pain and wrath as he brought both his fists down and slamming them into the ground. Arkham avoided the attack but fell onto his back from the vibrations that shook the room. Still bleeding from the shin and more angry than he's been in quite awhile, He took off his gold chain around his neck and began swinging it like a lasso. Through some sort of sinner magic he possessed, the gold chain extended far further than what it looked to initially be able to and wrapped around Arkham's body. The angel was pulled across the ground struggling and clawing for an escape. With his kodachi still in his hand he tried cutting at the chain. No luck.
Suddenly his student hopped on the unsuspecting overlord's back and began quickly stabbing at what was likely the area of fat his cervical spine was hiding under. Jazzy J dropped the chain instinctively and tried reaching around his back to grab the shark demon. Now loosened from any sort of grip, Arkham freed himself from the chain and full sprinted at Jazzy ready to impale his heart if his blade could even reach it. But before he could touch him, the pimp finally got a hold of Dagger and threw him over his head straight at the other Apostate. Arkham dodged out of the way but was unable to stop his friend from flying across the room and breaking through a drywall. On the other side Dagger tumbled and rolled on the ground several times before coming to a stop at the foot of a mattress. As he once again tried to gain his bearings for the third time tonight, the stench hit his nose and reeked. The dark room he was currently in smelled of cigarettes and sex. Looking around he could see beds with torn up filthy curtains attempting to block them from view. In or around the beds were a dozen or so females of different species with barely any clothes on. Hellhounds, succubi, and even sinners. What was the same with all them was the look of panic and fright across their faces. "The hell! Why haven't you girls left yet! You trying to stay for the show or y'all gonna try to stick up for your boss?!" he said getting into a fighting stance just incase.
Dagger was not a fan of these sort of places. Unlike many fish and shark demons in Greed, his passion for love making died when he had it for the first time. After outgrowing the orphanage he lived in, he met and lost his virginity to some nameless eel demon girl. After a few more one night stands and short lived relationships, he stopped pursuing all together. When he had slept with these women, he was never satisfied. The physical touch of them could be felt but something on an emotional level never had him truly enjoy sex to the fullest. His girlfriends and himself often grew bored of each other after only a couple months because he could never seem to care that much. He had far greater plans with his life, like killing angels. People like girlfriends and regular friends would only get in the way. Only Arkham understood and cared about what he had in mind. But brothels boiled his blood. People paying for the company of women was weakness to him. Not necessary of a hate for lustful urges but as hate against those who fed into a service that had foolish women working like the ones he saw before him. Half naked and doped up to numb the mental pain of servicing the unpleasant clients.
"W-we...can't leave." one of the succubi spoke up. "If we leave before...4am... Jazzy will make us pay."
Dagger looked closer at the succubus noticing a few bruises running down her back and sides. Dagger may have thought these women were dumb for getting involved in the dealings of not just a pimp, but a pimp overlord, but they still did not deserve this.
"That fat bastards a pussy for picking on those who can't fight back." he thought. His main goal may have been to kill Jazzy J to test his ability fighting powerful foes before embarking on another mission that had stakes, but a small part of him that knew right from wrong would get satisfaction out of this. He ran out the room through the drywall hole to find Arkham still holding off the pimp, dodging attacks and occasionally going in for some chip damage. Unlike before, Dagger didn't immediately run to Jazzy J and try shanking him again. He was always able to knock him back or grab him in some way. "Wait! That's it! Grab me in some way! Dagger took a deep breath hoping that his plan would go the way he wanted it to. If not, Arkham could bail him out.
Just like his last couple of attacks he full sprinted at the large overlord. As he got close to the fighting, he put one of his heavenly daggers into its holster and jumped at the sinner with a war cry "AAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHH!" Dagger yelled raising both hands above his head, gripping the jambiya ready to land a finishing blow to the overlord.
This action of course caught the attention of the Jazzy J, who to him, saw the Apostate expose himself in the most obvious way ever. He caught the shark demon with his arms and began bear hugging the enemy to drop the knife in his right hand. The wind was being expelled from Dagger's lungs as his face began to start changing from his usual shade of blue.
Thrashing more stomp attacks, Jazzy J was able to hold off Arkham far enough to keep him away from helping his partner. He looked at the shark smiling about the fact he was about to finally kill one of them. "Bet your regretting that move right about now kid?" he laughed. "It's gonna take a lot more than two idiots to- gahhhh. Blood from his neck began running down onto his green chest and purple jumpsuit. The strike happened so fast Jazzy didn't even know what exactly happened. As the pimp dropped Dagger he saw the shark holding his other blade with his tail wrapped around it. "Cle-clever... bastard." Jazzy J said following over onto his face with a thud. More of his blood continue to poll up with his limbs twitching until eventually they stopped.
Arkham walked over to the heavily breathing Dagger who was still trying to put the proper amount of oxygen back into his lungs. He offered his hand to him pulling the shark up. "Good job. You made that harder than it needed to be but still you did it. But what was the plan if he decided to try and smash you against the ground instead?"
Dagger rubbed his chest feeling the aching pain out. "I knew you would back me up." he said giving a weak smile that turned into a grimace.
Having seen the two take on an overlord and win, no one wanted to fight them as they left through the front entrance. As the two scaled up the building across the street so they could leap over rooftops and make themselves scarce, Dagger looked back and saw some of the hookers from the backrooms standing at the entrance of Moaning Star. Their faces showed not of happiness or fear, but a sigh of relief. Their futures may be uncertain but at least they had a chance for change, especially since their souls were free now. Even though he had told himself he really didn't care about the well being of the women, a fuzzy warm feeling lit up inside his chest. Probably heartburn the shark demon thought. With one last look, the Apostates reached the top of the building disappearing from sight and into the night.
In the early morning hours the men returned back to Arkham's home, not followed or seen. They took off their masks. Dagger, worn out, slid his back against the living room wall, and onto the floor. His face was sweaty, somewhat bloody, and bruised from being tossed around like a hacky sac. Arkham headed for the kitchen where sitting on his stove top was a kettle of green tea he had left at a low temperature. Turning up the heat, it soon began steaming and was ready for consumption. He poured the tea into two Chinese style ceramic cups. The angel handed Dagger one of the cups before sitting himself down on the couch in front of the living room coffee table.
"You could have killed him at any time." Dagger spoke finally.
Arkham enjoyed the sip of tea from his cup before placing it back down. "Not quite. His attacks were violent and quick for such a out of shape man. The problem is Jazzy J was just a bully. Once I saw him repeat the same attacks, yes, I probably could have killed him before he wrapped those chains around me. By the way kid. Thanks for the save. I was going to have to use angel abilities if you didn't do that."
"Thanks Arkham." Dagger said somewhat flattered by the complement.
"But-"
Now the shark groaned.
"Your plan of attack wasn't full proof." Arkham said in his lecture voice. "I told you that earlier. Other much stronger overlords are not going to be so ego driven and will try to kill you in the most efficient and least risky way possible. They will view a regular hellborn as not worth the time of day to make an evil speech or bad guy comment towards. Basically what I'm trying to say, your last couple of missions have not had full proof plans. Between your grenade body trick escape and intentionally trapping yourself tonight, you invite too much risk into your fighting style."
"Arkham." Dagger said. "We are trying to kill God's first man. Our fighting style is nothing but inviting too much risk."
"Please try and put some thought into my lectures." Arkham said sternly. "I may have not killed an overlord in around 300 years but I still think my experience is something you can learn from." He took another sip of the green tea. "Respectfully and humbly of course."
Dagger nodded his head knowing he was right. He could make fun of Arkham and call him preachy if he wanted, but he could never call him wrong very often. Seeing that he deflated the shark, his master decided to add something else to finish off the lecture.
"You did kill an overlord though. Not a high value one but an overlord none the less. Not many hellborn get to say that I'm sure. Be proud of the strong fighter you have become since I met you when you were fifteen."
Dagger gave him a slight smile before finally taking a sip of the green tea himself. He knew what Arkham was doing, but he liked him being right.
The shark opened up his phone and decided to scroll through Voxtagram for a a bit. Curious he searched up a Jazzy J tag and already found a few posts of the incident. Some low quality videos of them fighting security as well was Jazzy J. Must have come from the people watching and was already being spread through the internet. Continuing to scroll he found an ad that was probably targeted from his data, but peeked his interest enough to not immediately scroll by. The ad consisted of the abbreviation I.M.P. spelled with a pair of imp horns for the M. Blood covered the background as well as words that read "Help wanted! Access the mortal realm and kill targets as a hitman! Pays well enough. Come in for an interview during our business hours. Address in post description. Alright that shits done. Now I can do important shit like spy on Moxxie and Millie. Satan dammit I'm so lonely sometimes... wait did this text to speech bullshit turn off?" - SPEECH TO TEXT
A way to different realms? "Hey old man. I think I found a FULL PROOF plan to get us a way into heaven."
Thanks for reading another chapter if you've gotten this far. It's a bit longer than I usually like to go but I had to find a good stopping point. Also, if you want a good picture in your head of what the uniform they use looks like, search up rysrin skin from Sifu. Anyway like and follow please :)