Caroline was on the lawn in the backyard of the estate, telling her cousin Gwen about how she became a vampire.
Meanwhile, Hawk was in the bathroom, showering while replying to a message from the lord of the Hell Dimension, Mephisto.
Yes.
Mephisto had sent him a message, inviting him to sit down in Hell for a while.
Normally, Hawk wasn't too keen on going.
But...
Hawk was quite curious about the Heaven Dimension, and as the saying goes,
The enemy of my enemy is my friend.
It was likely that after returning, Mephisto realized this too, which is why he sent out the invitation.
Hawk decided to accept the invitation.
After all, Caroline's story was long, a whole season, and Gwen probably wouldn't digest it quickly, so with nothing else to do, going to Hell was an option.
So...
After showering, Hawk changed into the pajamas Gwen prepared for him and went to find Gwen to talk about Mephisto's invitation to visit Hell.
Gwen, who was listening to her cousin Caroline's story, blinked at Hawk.
"Why is Mephisto here again?"
"He got dragged into it."
"Alright then."
Gwen nodded, "Will you be back before Christmas Eve?"
Hawk laughed, "Not that long. I'll probably be back before you finish listening to Caroline's story, maybe even before she finishes telling it all."
Gwen suddenly realized.
"Alright then, you can go."
"Okay."
Hawk nodded, ready to head to the Hell Dimension for his appointment.
Just then.
Gwen raised her eyebrows, looking at Hawk who was about to leave, "Wait, are you going in those clothes?"
Hawk looked down at his pure black pajamas.
"Is there a problem with it?"
"Dress more formally. It's the Lord of Hell after all."
"...Alright!"
They exchanged looks.
With Gwen's talking emerald green eyes meeting his, Hawk smiled slightly. With a thought, the Black Phoenix Nether Armor, nurtured in the Netherworld Hall, appeared behind him.
"Boom!"
"Crack!"
"Clang!"
Each piece of the Nether Armor precisely covered Hawk's body. At the moment the final visor fell, and as the dazzling cosmic mirage projected behind him, Hawk raised his right hand. The deep and dark gateway to Hell appeared in the torn void.
Hawk then looked at Gwen.
"I'm leaving now?"
"Yes, come back soon."
Gwen smiled and spoke calmly.
Hawk responded, and the moment his right foot stepped out, the Phoenix Fire spread completely to the front of the Gate of Hell in the torn void, "Mephisto, open the door!"
The Gates of Hell opened with a rumble.
Hawk, clad in the Black Phoenix Nether Armor, stepped in, and the Gates of Hell closed again with a roar.
With a whooshing sound,
the entire space returned to tranquility once more.
Gwen smiled, withdrawing her gaze, and looked at her cousin Caroline, whose expression was already dazed. She spoke calmly, "Now, where were we?"
Caroline came to her senses, her mind replaying the scene of Hawk donning the Black Phoenix Armor in a loop. Her mouth agape, she looked at her cousin.
"Cousin, Hawk is going where..."
"Oh, Mephisto invited him for a drink."
"That Mephisto?"
"Aren't you a vampire? Don't you know Mephisto, the ruler of the Hell Dimension, who's in charge of Earth's souls?"
Gwen looked somewhat curious at Caroline, "Hawk fought him once, but it seems they've made up."
Her voice was soft, as if she was talking about something ordinary.
But Caroline...
She wasn't feeling well at all.
What does it mean to be the ruler of the Hell Dimension, to be in charge of Earth's souls?
And what does it mean that Hawk fought Mephisto before?
Caroline felt that she recognized every word her cousin said, but when put together, it felt like her brain cells were being burned out.
Finally—
Countless thoughts converged to one, causing Caroline to take a deep breath.
"Gasp!"
"That's right."
Gwen smiled as she looked at the gasping Caroline, "So, don't think I'm lying. If you're not honest, I'll have Hawk pull your soul out and throw you into Hell for a few days."
Caroline shivered, her eyes widened, and she shook her head vigorously at Gwen.
"No, cousin."
"Then keep talking."
"Okay."
Caroline nodded repeatedly. This time, unlike before when she was half-believing, she began to recount honestly the story of the town's vampires and her transformation.
No other choice.
She believed that if she wasn't honest, Gwen really could make it happen.
Put simply,
though others might not know, she was well-aware her cousin was far from as gentle as she appeared.
Initially, she even thought her cousin had changed her nature.
But then...
So with Hawk being someone who can casually talk about going to Hell as if it was nothing, even he seemed firmly reined in by her cousin.
So, she decided to behave.
Caroline thought to herself.
After entering the Hell Dimension, Hawk couldn't help but sneeze. As he approached the small tavern, now disguised, and sat opposite Mephisto, still in disguise as a middle-aged K; and at the familiar spot where he was previously seated, he said, "Why does it feel cooler here this time in this little tavern than last?"
Mephisto handed Hawk a glass of fine wine.
"Last time, this small tavern was located between life and death."