"Mandarin, that's a S.H.I.E.L.D. Quinjet. Should we move in now?"
Leading his subordinates to the outskirts of the village, the Mandarin paused. Above the village, ominous crimson clouds churned, tainted by an unknown energy.
The Eastern world was a forbidden zone for demons, territory ruled by immortals and ancient sects. As a cultivator, the Mandarin had only ever read about demons in ancient texts.
Suddenly, a red figure shot toward them at high speed.
The Mandarin's keen eyes immediately locked onto the Terrigen Crystal embedded in the figure's chest—the very object they had been searching for.
With a flick of his fingers, he activated one of his rings, releasing a bolt of lightning into the sky. The crackling energy struck its target, sending the figure crashing to the ground.
A deafening impact followed. The fallen entity was none other than Mephisto, who had been in the midst of fleeing. Now, however, his luck had taken a turn for the worse.
Climbing to his feet, his face contorted with fury, Mephisto wasted no time retaliating. A surge of crimson lightning arced toward the Mandarin.
Reacting swiftly, a shimmering energy shield flared to life around the Mandarin. The barrier twisted and wavered but ultimately held strong.
Mephisto narrowed his eyes. Lately, it seemed as though powerful individuals had been emerging from all corners of the mortal realm. "Human, why do you stand in my way?"
The Mandarin's expression remained composed. "Hand over the Terrigen Crystal in your chest, and I will let you leave."
Mephisto, Lord of Hell, scoffed at the demand. No mere mortal would ever dictate terms to him.
Black mist seeped from his form, thick tendrils coalescing into a swirling fog. Within its depths, pairs of blood-red eyes flickered ominously.
The Mandarin responded by channeling his rings' power, intensifying the gravity around Mephisto, forcing him into the dirt.
With a flick of his wrist, he scattered talismans around the demon in a precise circular formation.
"Demon-Sealing Formation!"
At his command, golden light burst forth from the talismans, wrapping around Mephisto like chains of searing fire. Wisps of smoke curled from his flesh as the sacred energy burned into him.
"Eastern sorcery?!" Mephisto snarled, writhing in agony. His current vessel—corrupted by hellish energy—was already at its breaking point. It wouldn't last much longer.
With no other choice, Mephisto detonated his host body in a violent explosion, shattering the formation in the process.
A spectral wraith rose from the blast, streaking toward the sky. He needed to find a new host immediately, or this soul fragment would be dragged back into Hell.
Just as he ascended, Mephisto spotted an Inhuman lying motionless on the ground. A wicked idea formed.
At that moment, Skye was about to help the fallen Inhuman when she sensed a dark presence hurtling toward them from above.
Before she could react, Mephisto dove into the Inhuman's body.
At once, an exhilarating sensation coursed through him. This vessel was perfect—resonating with demonic runes, it was naturally attuned to Hell's energy. Power surged into him as though drawn from the infernal depths themselves.
Skye gasped as the once-lifeless Inhuman's eyes snapped open, glowing a sinister red. With an unnatural force, he shoved her aside and took to the skies.
Mephisto reveled in his newfound strength. This body could handle the majority of his true power while continuously siphoning energy from Hell. Such an advantage was beyond anything he had imagined.
Perhaps, in time, he would no longer fear Odin or the Ancient One. Perhaps he could even defeat Garus—the mortal who had banished him last time—and erase that humiliating defeat. This was an unexpected, yet thrilling, turn of events.
"What happened?"
May, Barbara, and Lance rushed over, having just finished securing the Terrigen Crystals. They found Ghost Rider bound to a ritual altar, while Skye sat on the ground, still recovering.
"Mephisto possessed a newly transformed Inhuman," Skye said grimly. "He escaped in that direction."
Meanwhile, Ghost Rider's hellfire burned away the stone bindings, reducing the altar to molten slag. Freed, Johnny Blaze mounted his bike without hesitation, revving the engine before speeding off in pursuit. The Spirit of Vengeance had but one goal—to drive the Lord of Hell back where he belonged.
"Foolish mortals! Taste the power of the Lord of Hell!"
Hovering above them, Mephisto sneered. Like all demons, he was both cunning and arrogant, and now, with his energy surging, he no longer saw the need to flee.
Dark clouds swirled in the heavens, churned by his infernal might.
On the ground, the Mandarin wiped the sweat from his brow. He could sense the terrifying strength emanating from the demon. Mephisto was far beyond his league—but why was his power so immense?
Then, a chilling realization struck him. The demon was extracting souls.
Mephisto opened his maw, and an eerie force pulsed outward. Souls were wrenched from their hosts—only the strongest among them resisted. The rest, helpless, were torn free and drawn into the abyss.
With a satisfied smirk, Mephisto turned his gaze downward. He had unfinished business.
He dived toward Ghost Rider and the Mandarin, twin spheres of hellfire igniting in his hands.
A frozen gale roared in response.
Forced to defend himself, the Mandarin unleashed a blizzard from his rings, hoping to slow the oncoming fiend.
At the same time, Ghost Rider's chain lashed forward, striking Mephisto mid-flight.
Yet the demon lord merely grinned, his hands bursting with fire.
With a thunderous explosion, the flames engulfed his enemies.
The Mandarin barely had time to raise a shield before the impact hurled him across the battlefield. His robes smoldered, the hellfire searing into his flesh. Gritting his teeth, he called upon his rings once more, dousing the cursed flames before they consumed him.
Ghost Rider, however, remained unharmed. He was immune to Hellfire's corruption—though the sheer force of the attack had momentarily contorted his form. Within seconds, his body regenerated, his skeletal visage unscathed.
Just then, Garus arrived.
His eyes locked onto the airborne demon. The energy radiating from Mephisto was unlike anything he had encountered before. Worse yet, the body he inhabited acted as a conduit, constantly drawing power from another plane.
A demon with an inherent summoning array?
But that was impossible. Demons weren't supposed to manifest directly on this plane.
What the hell was this thing?
"Garus!"
He turned to see Agent May approaching, accompanied by a group of unfamiliar allies.
She didn't waste time. "That's Mephisto. He's possessed an Inhuman—and he's far stronger than when we last faced him."
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