Rebirth: Fallen Angel's Ascension

Lucian turned to the men. Their expressions—and their guard—remained unchanged. It seemed the fear currently twisting in his gut had yet to touch them.

He took a breath, gripped the hilt of the sword he'd been given, and rose to his feet.

This frail young boy had never truly looked like a child—but today, now, he was the furthest thing from one. He was armed and ready, yet still afraid. Then again, what man wouldn't tremble at the thought of facing demons?

"The hellgate has opened."

The priests turned from the radio toward Lucian, who had risen and walked over to them. Determination was etched into his features, though the hesitance in his steps betrayed him.

"What do you mean?" one of the priests asked, frowning as the others exchanged confused glances.

"The hellgate has opened. Whatever plan you have, start it… now."

Lucian spoke with firm, unquestionable confidence—yet his claim was too absurd to accept outright. After all, how could he know before they did? They were as informed as the NPF.

Then came the sound that silenced all doubt. A harsh burst of static erupted from the radio. Every head turned. Hearts quickened.

"Reporting to all units, w-we have a b-black zenith situation at the business district. Requesting immediate deployment of all available units… please advise."

The voice shook and cracked. You could almost feel the speaker's struggle to keep to protocol, resisting the urge to scream for help.

Hearts sank. Pupils widened. Beads of sweat formed—not just on the priests and the NPF officers, but on anyone who heard that broadcast.

"Well, now you've confirmed it," Lucian said. "Let's begin. We don't have much time."

His words snapped the priests from their daze. They nodded and moved without hesitation.

Maybe under different circumstances, they would've questioned how Lucian had known before the report. But right now, they had neither the time nor the luxury to be curious.

Only one thing echoed in their minds: survive.

"It's in the business district," one priest said—a burly man with a rough beard and unkempt dark hair. "That buys us a bit of time."

"Yeah, but not enough. If the demons push through the city and reach the HA garage before we do, then…" said another man, his face scarred and drawn tight with tension.

The business district lay far east of Namek's Rise, while the HA garage—where heavy automotive gear and transport were stored—was uptown, on the opposite end.

Far from downtown, yes, but not far enough.

"It's not the time to overthink a solid plan. Let's move."

Lucian watched the scarred man speak with forced confidence—maybe trying to rally the others, or maybe just trying to reassure himself.

They headed for the cathedral's exit, Lucian close behind.

As they stepped outside, they were met with a light drizzle.

The scarred man turned, pulled a cloak from his duffel bag, and handed it to Lucian.

The boy accepted it quickly and pulled it over himself, grateful for the warmth.

The priest studied him with a strange mix of hope and uncertainty. Then he turned to the others, already climbing a ladder onto the roof of a nearby building. He glanced back at Lucian.

"We move fast and smart. Think you can keep up?"

Lucian gave a calm nod. That was enough.

They made for the ladder, ascending quickly. At the rooftop, they joined the others—who weren't moving.

"Why are you all standing? We don't have ti—"

The scarred man's words were lost as he turned and saw what they saw.

Namek's Rise burned.

The familiar skyline of dark towers and bleeding red neon had been transformed. Now, an overwhelming blaze lit the horizon—a massive inferno climbing as high as the skyscrapers themselves.

'That's hell's flame…'

Lucian had heard of it, like the others, but had never seen it. These were no ordinary fires. These were the burning marks of hell's militants—flames said to be unquenchable.

"Let's move. Don't get distracted," the scarred man ordered, dragging his gaze away.

His words yanked the others from their stupor. Then, with inhuman speed, the priests sprinted across the roof and leapt onto the next.

Lucian waited a moment—then dashed after them.

Not only was he faster by nature, being one of the Chosen, but years spent navigating rooftops had turned this into second nature. It was the only way to survive in the slums.

---

The group made it through the slums swiftly, avoiding delays by staying on the rooftops.

They reached the edge of Namek's Rise faster than anyone would've thought possible.

Ordinarily, the Rise was heavily restricted and patrolled by the NPF. But tonight, there were no guards in sight—either pulled away for duty, or scattered in fear.

No one prioritized border control during a hellgate breach.

The entrance stood abandoned.

It wasn't overrun by panicked civilians, as some might expect. Everyone knew running was pointless. Most of the Rise's residents had likely fled underground, into the bunkers hidden beneath every tower.

"Let's move… stay quiet and alert."

Lucian followed the priests into the district.

For a brief moment, everything seemed to be going smoothly.

Then a rune flared before Lucian's eyes.

And his blood froze.

[You have been noticed by demon imp]

[You are currently being tracked]