Chapter 168 — Death Does Not Miss
The battlefield had stopped making sense.
Brook ran through fire.
Behind him, Michael's sword tore through the sky.
To his left, Lucifer laughed as Hell Flame swallowed an entire mountain of broken stone.
Ahead—
Death stood waiting.
Brook stopped.
For the first time since the fight had turned into chaos, everything around him became quiet.
Lucifer and Michael were still fighting.
Brook could hear the explosions.
He could see flashes of fire and light beyond the ruins.
But around Death—
there was silence.
Brook's breathing slowed.
Death's Scythe rested against his shoulder.
Brook looked toward the first crystal.
Death stood between them.
"You're in my way."
Death did not answer.
Brook waited.
Nothing.
Then Death looked directly at him.
Brook moved.
He teleported.
Death was there.
Brook's eyes widened.
The Scythe moved.
Brook disappeared.
The blade followed through the air.
Brook reappeared.
Death was already turning.
Brook blocked the handle of the Scythe with his arm.
The impact threw him backward.
Brook's bones screamed.
He landed.
Stood.
And immediately attacked.
His fist reached Death's face.
Death moved slightly.
Brook's fist passed beside him.
Brook spun.
Elbow.
Death stepped away.
Brook teleported.
Appeared behind him.
Kick.
Death caught Brook's leg.
Brook disappeared.
Death's hand remained raised.
Brook reappeared—
and stopped breathing.
His eyes widened.
Nothing entered his lungs.
Brook grabbed his throat.
He tried again.
Nothing.
Death looked at him.
Brook stumbled backward.
He fell to one knee.
His chest tightened.
Panic entered his eyes.
Death slowly raised his hand.
Brook could see it.
The air around him was disappearing.
Not all of it.
Only his.
The world still moved.
The battlefield still burned.
But around Brook—
there was nothing.
No oxygen.
No breath.
Brook fell forward.
His body shook.
He tried teleporting.
Nothing happened.
His concentration was breaking.
Death walked toward him.
Brook's vision began darkening.
Then—
Lucifer's Hell Flame struck Death.
The battlefield exploded.
Brook felt the air return.
He collapsed.
He coughed.
Gasped.
Dragged oxygen into his lungs.
Lucifer stood several feet away.
Brook looked up.
Lucifer's face was dark.
"I wasn't finished with him."
Death turned toward Lucifer.
Lucifer smiled.
"Now I am."
Death raised his hand.
Lucifer disappeared.
Brook stared.
No.
Lucifer hadn't disappeared.
He had fallen.
Brook turned.
Lucifer was on one knee.
His hand pressed against his chest.
Brook's eyes widened.
Death was looking at him.
His hand was aimed.
Lucifer's face tightened.
Brook could hear his heart.
One beat.
Then—
Death's fingers closed.
Lucifer gasped.
Hell Flame erupted from his body.
Death didn't move.
Lucifer stood.
The flames became larger.
Then—
his body healed.
Whatever Death had done—
whatever damage had been caused—
was gone.
Lucifer smiled.
"Lazarus."
Death remained still.
Lucifer's smile faded slightly.
"But don't get excited."
Death looked at him.
Lucifer raised one hand.
"I'm the only one here who gets that."
Brook stared.
Lucifer laughed.
Then attacked.
Hell Flame consumed the battlefield.
Death stood inside it.
Lucifer moved.
Brook couldn't see him.
One second he was there.
The next—
he was behind Death.
Hell Flame formed around his fist.
Lucifer struck.
Death's body moved.
Lucifer's fist hit the ground.
The world shook.
Brook covered his face.
When the smoke cleared—
Death stood behind Lucifer.
Lucifer turned.
Death snapped his fingers.
A crack echoed.
Lucifer froze.
His shoulder dropped.
His bone had broken.
Lucifer looked down.
Then smiled.
The bone repaired itself.
Death snapped again.
Another crack.
Lucifer's leg bent.
Lucifer fell.
The bone healed.
Lucifer stood.
Hell Flame exploded.
Death remained there.
Brook stared.
He understood.
Lucifer could heal.
But Death could destroy.
Again.
And again.
And again.
Lucifer laughed through the pain.
"You know what I hate about you?"
Death didn't answer.
Lucifer raised his hand.
Hell Flame moved like a serpent.
"You're boring."
Death looked at him.
Lucifer smiled.
"You could at least look impressed."
Death moved.
Lucifer's body flew backward.
Brook didn't see what happened.
One moment Death was standing still.
The next—
Lucifer crashed through the ruins.
Brook's eyes widened.
Death hadn't used the Scythe.
He hadn't raised his hand.
He had simply—
moved.
Brook stepped backward.
Michael appeared.
His sword came down.
Death raised his Scythe.
The weapons collided.
A shockwave tore through the battlefield.
Brook was thrown backward.
He rolled.
Stopped.
Then looked up.
Michael and Death stood against each other.
Lucifer emerged from the ruins.
Completely healed.
Brook looked toward the first crystal.
Still there.
Still waiting.
He ran.
Brook moved through the battlefield.
Michael and Death clashed behind him.
Lucifer's Hell Flame erupted between them.
Brook teleported.
The first crystal was close.
He landed on broken stone.
Then—
Death looked at him.
Brook froze.
Death raised his hand.
Brook immediately teleported.
He appeared several feet away.
Death looked again.
Brook teleported.
Again.
Death's hand moved slightly.
Brook's heart tightened.
He dropped.
The pain came instantly.
Brook grabbed his chest.
His heart felt like it was being crushed.
Brook's eyes widened.
"No."
Death walked toward him.
Brook tried to stand.
Death's fingers slowly closed.
Brook screamed.
His heart was being squeezed.
Not metaphorically.
Brook could feel it.
Every beat becoming harder.
Slower.
Brook looked toward the crystal.
Only a few hundred feet.
He reached his hand toward it.
Death's eyes remained on him.
Brook's vision blurred.
Then Michael appeared.
His sword struck toward Death.
Death moved.
The pressure stopped.
Brook immediately inhaled.
He fell forward.
Michael turned toward Brook.
Brook stared.
"Why?"
Michael didn't answer.
Lucifer's fire struck Michael.
Brook rolled away.
The battlefield shook again.
Brook pushed himself up.
His chest still hurt.
He looked toward Death.
Then the crystal.
Brook smiled weakly.
Now he understood something.
Death was not chasing him because he enjoyed the fight.
Death was stopping him because—
Brook's expression changed.
Because Death could.
That was it.
Death didn't need anger.
Or pleasure.
Or discipline.
Death didn't need a reason.
Death simply existed.
Brook looked toward him.
"You're not holding back."
Death stared at him.
"No."
Brook laughed once.
"Of course you're not."
Death raised his Scythe.
Brook teleported.
The Scythe appeared.
Brook ducked.
The blade cut his back.
Brook screamed.
Blood covered the ground.
He teleported.
Death appeared.
Brook attacked.
Death blocked.
Brook disappeared.
Death turned.
Brook's kick struck his side.
Death moved.
Brook followed.
Fist.
Elbow.
Teleport.
Kick.
Death blocked each one.
Brook disappeared again.
Death looked.
Brook appeared behind him.
His fist reached Death's face.
Death turned his head.
The fist connected.
Brook froze.
Death had allowed it.
Death looked back.
Then snapped his fingers.
Brook screamed.
His leg broke.
Brook fell.
Another snap.
His arm.
Broken.
Brook's body hit the ground.
He tried teleporting.
Nothing happened.
Death walked toward him.
The Scythe dragged behind him.
Brook's eyes widened.
"No."
Death stopped.
Brook stared up at him.
"Wait."
Death looked down.
Brook laughed through the pain.
"You can kill me."
Death remained still.
Brook's expression hardened.
"But you won't."
Silence.
Death's eyes remained on him.
Brook continued.
"If you kill me, the test ends."
Death raised the Scythe.
Brook's smile disappeared.
Death brought it down.
Brook disappeared.
He reappeared several feet away.
Both broken bones were already healing.
Brook fell to one knee.
His breathing became uneven.
Death watched.
Brook looked at the Scythe.
Then at him.
"Michael wants me to learn."
Death didn't answer.
"Lucifer wants to enjoy himself."
Lucifer's laughter echoed somewhere behind him.
Brook continued.
"And you?"
Death looked toward the crystal.
Brook followed his eyes.
The crystal.
Brook's expression changed.
Death wasn't simply guarding it.
He was forcing Brook toward something.
Brook stood.
Pain still ran through him.
Death raised his hand.
Brook teleported.
The air disappeared where he had been.
Brook appeared beside the crystal.
Death turned.
Brook ran.
His hand reached forward.
Death snapped his fingers.
Brook's ribs cracked.
Brook collapsed.
The crystal was only feet away.
Brook reached.
His hand shook.
Death appeared behind him.
Brook looked back.
Death's Scythe was raised.
Brook smiled.
Then teleported.
Death's Scythe struck the ground.
Brook reappeared above him.
His body twisted.
He fell toward the crystal.
Death raised his hand.
Brook's heart tightened.
Brook screamed.
His body dropped.
But his fingers—
touched the ground beside the crystal.
Not the crystal.
Brook stared.
So close.
Death looked down at him.
Then—
Lucifer landed between them.
Hell Flame erupted.
Death stepped backward.
Lucifer looked at Brook.
"Get up."
Brook stared at him.
Lucifer smiled.
"I want to kill you myself."
Brook laughed.
Then Michael appeared.
His sword struck Lucifer.
Lucifer blocked with Hell Flame.
The three Sources collided again.
Brook rolled away.
His body shook.
The fight became chaos.
Michael attacked Lucifer.
Death attacked Michael.
Lucifer attacked Death.
The three powers collided.
Brook crawled behind broken stone.
He breathed heavily.
His body slowly healed.
Then he looked toward the crystal.
Brook smiled.
"You idiots."
Lucifer turned.
Brook immediately ran.
He teleported.
Once.
Twice.
The crystal grew closer.
Michael appeared.
Brook disappeared.
Lucifer's Hell Flame followed.
Brook teleported through it.
Death's Scythe cut toward him.
Brook twisted.
The blade sliced his arm.
Blood appeared.
Brook didn't stop.
He was learning.
Not how to defeat them.
How to survive them.
The crystal was ahead.
Brook jumped.
Death looked at him.
Brook's heart tightened.
Brook screamed.
But he continued moving.
Michael's sword reached him.
Brook blocked.
His arms shook.
Lucifer's fire surrounded them.
Brook looked toward the crystal.
His hand reached—
Death snapped his fingers.
Brook's body went rigid.
A crack echoed.
Brook fell.
The crystal remained untouched.
Brook's face hit the ground.
His eyes remained open.
He could see the crystal.
Right there.
Lucifer approached.
Michael stood behind him.
Death remained where he was.
The three Sources watched Brook.
Brook tried moving.
His body didn't respond.
Lucifer crouched.
"You're learning."
Brook stared at him.
Lucifer smiled.
"But you're still losing."
Brook's eyes narrowed.
Lucifer stood.
Michael looked toward the crystal.
"You will not reach it through strength."
Brook slowly looked up.
Death's words returned to him.
You never had control.
Brook's breathing slowed.
His fingers moved.
Slowly.
Painfully.
Lucifer noticed.
Brook smiled.
The battlefield became silent.
Brook whispered:
"Then I'll stop trying to control it."
Michael's expression changed.
Lucifer's smile disappeared.
Death stared.
Brook closed his eyes.
And the battlefield around him—
moved.
End of Chapter 168