The entire building shook violently.
Dust fell from the cracked ceiling as the shadows surrounding Azrael surged like a raging storm. His massive black wings spread behind him, blocking the faint moonlight pouring through the broken windows.
The officers stared in frozen horror.
For a moment, none of them moved.
None of them breathed.
Because standing before them was no longer just a shadow in the dark.
It was a demon.
One officer dropped his gun with a loud clatter.
"Dear God…"
Another officer stumbled backward, his voice shaking.
"T-that's not human…"
Azrael's crimson eyes glowed like burning embers.
"Of course I'm not."
His deep voice echoed through the room like distant thunder.
"You humans have finally noticed."
The officer who had been thrown against the wall groaned weakly on the floor, struggling to sit up. His face was pale with terror.
"What… what are you…?"
Azrael tilted his head slightly.
His expression looked almost amused.
"I believe your kind calls me a demon."
Outside, the sound of approaching sirens grew louder.
More police cars.
More officers.
More witnesses.
Azrael sighed.
"This situation is becoming tiresome."
Elena stood frozen behind him, her heart racing uncontrollably.
Seeing Azrael like this—his wings fully revealed, his power spilling into the air—made everything feel much more real.
Much more dangerous.
"Azrael," she whispered.
He didn't turn around.
"What?"
"You're scaring them."
"They should be scared."
The shadows on the floor twisted again, creeping slowly toward the officers like dark vines.
The officers immediately backed away.
"Stay back!" one shouted desperately.
Another officer grabbed his radio.
"We need immediate backup! There's some kind of—"
The radio suddenly exploded in his hand.
Sparks flew everywhere.
The officer screamed and dropped it.
Azrael lowered his hand slowly.
"No more calls."
The building fell silent again.
Elena stepped forward carefully.
"Azrael… please."
This time he glanced back at her.
His glowing eyes softened slightly.
"What?"
"You said you wouldn't kill them."
"I said they didn't deserve to die."
"That's the same thing."
Azrael raised an eyebrow.
"Is it?"
Elena sighed.
"Please."
For a moment, the demon said nothing.
Then his wings slowly folded back behind him.
The shadows receded slightly.
The officers relaxed—only a little.
Azrael turned back to them, his expression now calm but still terrifying.
"Leave."
The word echoed through the room like an order.
The officers hesitated.
"You heard him!" one officer whispered urgently.
"Let's get out of here!"
But before they could move—
Heavy footsteps thundered outside the building.
Doors slammed.
Voices shouted.
"Police! Surround the building!"
Elena's heart sank.
They were already too late.
Azrael clicked his tongue in annoyance.
"Wonderful."
More officers burst through the entrance moments later, weapons raised.
There were at least twenty of them now.
All of them froze when they saw Azrael standing in the middle of the room.
His wings.
His glowing eyes.
The shadows swirling around his feet.
One officer whispered in disbelief.
"…What the hell is that?"
Another officer slowly raised his gun.
Azrael looked at them with clear boredom.
"So many humans."
His crimson eyes flickered toward Elena.
"You really are popular."
Elena rubbed her temples.
"This isn't funny."
The officer in charge stepped forward cautiously.
"Everyone stay calm," he ordered.
But his voice trembled slightly.
His eyes shifted between Elena and Azrael.
"Elena Hart," he said slowly.
"You are under arrest for corporate espionage and resisting arrest."
He then pointed his weapon at Azrael.
"And whatever that thing is… it's coming with us."
Azrael blinked.
Then he started laughing.
It wasn't a loud laugh.
But it was cold.
Dangerous.
"You wish to arrest a demon?"
The officers tightened their grip on their weapons.
Azrael's smile slowly faded.
"You humans truly are amusing."
The air suddenly grew colder again.
Elena immediately noticed the change.
"Azrael…"
But this time, something felt different.
The power around him was no longer wild.
It was focused.
Controlled.
And far more terrifying.
Azrael raised his hand slowly.
The shadows around the room began gathering toward him like a swirling storm.
"What are you doing?" Elena asked nervously.
His voice was calm.
"Ending this."
The officer shouted suddenly.
"FIRE!"
Gunshots exploded across the room.
BANG!
BANG!
BANG!
Bullets flew toward Azrael.
But before they could reach him—
A dark barrier formed in front of him.
Every bullet stopped instantly.
Frozen in midair.
The officers stared in disbelief.
Azrael looked almost bored.
"Pathetic."
He snapped his fingers.
The bullets dropped harmlessly to the ground.
Then his crimson eyes turned toward Elena again.
"You wanted them alive."
She nodded nervously.
"Yes."
Azrael sighed.
"Very well."
The shadows suddenly shot across the floor.
But instead of attacking—
They wrapped around every officer's legs.
Within seconds, twenty officers were pinned to the ground, unable to move.
Panic filled the room.
"What is this?!"
"I can't move!"
"Get it off me!"
Azrael brushed invisible dust from his coat.
"There."
He looked at Elena.
"They are alive."
Elena stared at the trapped officers.
"…Thank you."
But just as she said that—
A sudden sharp pain shot through her chest.
She gasped.
Her knees nearly buckled.
"Ah…"
Azrael immediately turned toward her.
"What's wrong?"
Elena clutched her chest, her breathing uneven.
"I… don't know…"
A strange burning sensation spread across her skin.
Right over her heart.
Azrael's eyes suddenly narrowed.
His expression changed instantly.
"Elena…"
His voice was darker now.
"Don't move."
She looked down at her chest.
Through the torn fabric of her dress—
A glowing red symbol was appearing on her skin.
A mark.
A demonic mark.
Elena's eyes widened in shock.
"What… what is this?!"
Azrael stared at the glowing symbol with a dangerous expression.
His voice dropped to a whisper.
"…Impossible."
Elena's heart pounded wildly.
"What does it mean?"
Azrael slowly lifted his eyes to meet hers.
And for the first time since meeting him—
The demon looked genuinely worried.
"It means…"
His voice was quiet.
"The contract between us has just awakened."
And somewhere far away…
Something else had felt it.
Something ancient.
Something powerful.
Something that hated demons.
And now…
It was coming for her.