As Houdini turned his head, a flash of silver caught the moonlight.Two coins, flipped with deadly precision from Victoria’s thumbs, spun through the air——and embedded themselves squarely into Houdini’s eyes.

  A bloodcurdling scream echoed into the night.

  “Who’s there!?”Fatman whirled, dropping into a defensive stance.

  But a moment later, pain exploded in his left knee—it buckled.Then came the follow-up: a targeted assault that shattered both his testicles.

  It was Emma. Her signature move.A low-kick combo aimed at joints and vital spots.Duality Martial Arts: Abyss Strike.She executed it without mercy.

  Foam began to form at the corners of Fatman’s mouth. He dropped to one knee, barely holding onto consciousness.

  Seeing both his comrades under sudden assault, Axe panicked. He took his eyes off Maya for a split second.

  “Ah... so that’s how it’s done.”

  Agonizing pain surged through his groin.Not enough to destroy his manhood, but enough to cripple him.

  Freed from Houdini’s illusions, Maya returned to herself.And with horrifying clarity, she realized:These men—these monsters—were the root of everything.

  “I’ll avenge you, Mikhail… I’m sorry for dragging you into this.”

  (Use my car as you like.)Mikhail’s smile flashed in her mind.Tears welled up in Maya’s eyes. A heat bloomed in her chest.

  She understood now—When you fight for the dead, they lend you their strength.

  His blood still stained her clothes.She wanted—needed—to honor that sacrifice.

  With a roar, Maya tore the Yaris's door clean off its hinges.She hefted it like a shield, then slammed it down onto Axe’s weapon.

  A shockwave rang out.His hatchet cracked in two.Axe went pale.

  In Maya’s mind, Mikhail gave her a silent thumbs-up.

  “I only needed two coins.Duality Martial Arts: Sonic Bullet.You're already dead.”

  Backlit by the moon, Victoria advanced like a reaper.Houdini tried to snap his fingers—

  —and Victoria’s vision warped violently.

  Emma didn’t hesitate.

  With Fatman reeling, she drove a punishing middle kick into his solar plexus.

  Duality Martial Arts: Mid-Blade.

  Saliva dripped from his lips, but to Emma’s surprise, he smiled.

  “…It’s time, don’t you think?”

  It was a strange thing to say—especially from someone on the brink of defeat.

  Then it began.

  A black aura rose from Fatman’s body. His presence swelled.

  He stood. Towering at 190 centimeters, his hulking frame dwarfed Emma.

  And then, without warning—a punch to the face.

  It was slow. Predictable. She should have been able to counter.

  Stolen story; please report.

  (Why can’t I dodge? I see it—I see it—but my body… is slow? No. No way—!)

  Emma fell, but grabbed hold of his collar to drag him down with her.

  “If you touch me, your time slows down,” Fatman snarled, eyes bloodshot with sadistic glee.“You’re not getting away. You’ll die here—frozen in time.”

  Victoria—

  The forest vanished. In its place: Valeslin, during the war.Smoke choked the air. The stench of charred flesh filled her nostrils.Bodies lay everywhere. Buildings were bombed-out, aflame.

  Even NATO troops had fallen—torn apart, scattered.

  (Where is this? Who’s the enemy? What year…?)

  Victoria exhaled, lowering her stance but staying alert.

  Then, from behind—

  “Big sis…”

  A small voice.

  She turned.

  A girl, no older than ten, stood in tattered clothes—an orphan of war.

  “What happened to you?” Victoria asked.

  “I don’t know. There were explosions… war broke out. Mom, Dad… everyone’s dead.”The girl sobbed and clung to her.

  Meanwhile, Maya faced Axe.

  “Are you this weak without a weapon?” she asked.

  “I—I can fight with my fists! I’m a proud warrior of Lumen Dei!”

  He shouted as he drove a kick into Maya’s stomach—wrestling-style.Then, a punch to the face.

  Maya staggered, but she let the blows land.

  Each strike lit a fire behind her eyes.Blue flames.With every hit, energy surged through her.

  Axe panted. He wasn’t the same man who wielded the hatchet.He kept punching—but Maya was… charging.

  She spat blood.

  “I’ve learned something,” she said, locking eyes with him—those eyes, now glowing ice-blue.

  Near them, Emma and Fatman collapsed together.

  Emma’s body moved like a serpent.She wrapped around him—her legs cinched his arm and neck into a triangle choke.Her remaining hand grabbed his other arm, locking it in place.

  (If I can’t strike fast, I’ll break him slowly.Duality Martial Arts isn’t some shallow killing technique—)

  “If my time slows, yours just drags out,” she whispered, voice like winter steel.

  Crack.His arm snapped.

  Traditional triangle holds aim for a chokeout.But Emma’s version?She flowed energy to collapse his windpipe, then shatter his spine.

  (My time… my life… it’s… stopping…! NO—NOOO—!)

  His scream was voiceless.His neck snapped with a chorus of wet, popping sounds.

  Duality Martial Arts: Triangle Kill.

  Fatman was dead.

  Victoria —

  “I see. That’s… tragic,” she whispered, gently loosening the orphan girl's grip.

  Then—without hesitation—she chopped down with the edge of her hand, slicing the girl’s neck cleanly.

  The small body crumpled forward, blood streaming from the stump.

  “I’m done playing dead.Wearing the face of a child? That’s what I can’t forgive.”

  She stayed tense, scanning her surroundings.

  The illusion broke.

  Before her now stood Houdini, blood gushing from his chest, face contorted with disbelief.

  “My hallucination… it was perfect! Do you feel nothing? No compassion?”

  Victoria narrowed her eyes.

  “Your illusions mean nothing when all I sense from you is malice.”

  And then—he vanished.

  Victoria focused, heartbeat steady.

  “I’m fine,” she said as Emma approached, bruised and breathing hard.

  “That man was an illusion wielder. One moment of distraction, and this happens.”

  She struck.

  Duality Martial Arts: Head Hunt.

  The Emma in front of her dissolved like mist.

  Reality snapped back.

  Houdini’s body lay lifeless on the ground.

  “No matter how many times you try, illusions don’t work on me,” Victoria said coldly.

  Nearby—

  Emma had just finished off Fatman.

  And Maya… spoke.

  “Every hit you gave me? I converted it to energy.”

  Axe trembled. He couldn’t comprehend her words.

  “I took those punches on purpose—to build up power.And to atone for letting the driver die.”

  Her ice-blue eyes burned.

  “I’m returning it now—your karma.”

  Like when she defeated Ezekiel, her body ignited with heat.Her vision sharpened.She felt the stored energy spinning inside her like a vortex.

  “Go to hell — and confess your sins to every soul you murdered. To the driver. To the innocent people.”

  Axe dove for his fallen hatchet.

  Too late.

  CRACK.

  Maya slammed the car door down like a guillotine.The blade crashed into his neck.

  His head rolled across the blood-soaked ground.

  The battle was over.

  Maya dropped to her knees, energy depleted.

  Consciousness faded fast.

  “Hey—! Are you okay!?”

  Emma’s voice called out, but Maya… slipped into sleep.

  Thank you for reading Chapter 5 of *HELL’S RETURNERS*.

  This is the turning point. Maya, Emma, and Victoria each face their own battle—and win, but not without cost. The path they walk now is soaked in blood, and there’s no going back.

  Next: Chapter 6 — *Awakening*

  If this chapter resonated with you, please consider leaving a rating or comment. Your support keeps the story alive.

  check out my Substack article here:

  https://open.substack.com/pub/knishi2050/p/why-i-wrote-hells-returners?r=5wfkgu&utm_medium=ios)

  ---

  All rights reserved. Unauthorized reproduction, translation, or AI training use is prohibited.