Marvel: Rise of the Ultimate AI

Standing beside Mephisto was the true soul of Doom's mother. Grace hovered in place, her expression twisted in sorrow.

She had witnessed it all—her long-lost son, the child she missed day and night, had fought his way into hell to reach her, only to be fooled and heartbroken once more. She couldn't touch him. She couldn't hold him. And now, she could only weep.

"Great Lord of Hell, please... I beg you… have mercy on my child," Grace pleaded as tears welled up in her eyes. "He doesn't understand... he knows nothing of what he's doing. Please, let him go."

"Hahaha... Let him go?" Mephisto sneered, his crimson eyes flashing with wicked amusement. "Finally, a soul that's actually interesting shows up, and you want me to release him?"

His voice grew darker. "Wouldn't it be better if you two were reunited in hell?"

He let out a spine-chilling laugh, and with it, the scenery began to shift and twist. This was Mephisto's domain, and everything here bent to his will. The sand, the air, the light itself—all part of his playground.

"I came here to save my mother. No one—not even the Lord of Hell—is going to stop me," Doom said with fire in his eyes.

"Grace, this foul little brat of yours… I think I like him," Mephisto said with a grin that could curdle blood. "Let him stay in hell… with me."

With a wave of his hand, the desert around them exploded with motion. The grains of sand twisted and warped, transforming into hideous hellspawn—grotesque creatures with fangs, horns, and claws soaked in suffering.

Doom's breath hitched. He could barely take out a single creature just minutes ago—and now, an army of them stood before him.

"Is this… the end?" Doom muttered, staring helplessly at the monstrous horde charging toward him.

After all the years of study, planning, and sacrifice... after discovering a path to hell, forging a blade out of black magic, and making a pact with his soul... is this how it ends? Devoured by monsters before he could even embrace his mother?

He could already smell the burning stench of sulfur and rot, feel the vile heat of their breath crawling over his skin.

But then, something interrupted.

BOOM!

A streak of golden light ripped through the hellspawn, vaporizing a half-dozen creatures in an instant.

Doom turned in disbelief.

A dark figure stood in the distance, black armor gleaming under the blood-red sky. A V-shaped visor glowed with crimson light.

Then came the voice—cold, synthetic, and soaked in disdain.

"What a foolish little brat. Ignorance... pretending to be courage."

Doom's face twisted in rage. "What did you just say?"

"I said," the voice repeated with mechanical clarity, "you're reckless. You know nothing of hell, and yet you thought you could storm it alone."

Gene stepped forward from the shadows.

Doom's expression shifted to confusion. "Who… who are you?"

"I'm the one cleaning up your mess," Gene snapped. "So, do me a favor—stay out of the way."

Mephisto's eyes narrowed.

"You…" he muttered, eyes locking onto Gene. "So it is you."

"Yes," Gene replied calmly. "It's me."

"Hmph… perfect," Mephisto said, lips curling into a snarl. "Old grudges… and new ones, all rolled into one. Let's settle them now!"

He raised his hand—and at once, the hellspawn charged like a tidal wave of teeth and hate.

But Gene was ready.

BOOM!

An enhanced energy cannon burst from his gauntlet, exploding in a hellish blaze. Each shot ripped through dozens of monsters like tissue paper.

"ROOOAAAR!!"

A Cerberus-like three-headed dog charged through the flames, foam and bile dripping from its trio of maws.

Gene didn't flinch.

With a flick of his left hand, a glowing spell-shield ignited. His right hand formed a blazing magic battle-axe.

One swift swing—

SHLUNK!

The hellhound's heads fell to the sand, one by one.

Under Gene's relentless assault, even the monstrous horrors of hell began to falter. Fear crept into their hollow eyes. But Mephisto was behind them—and there was no retreat in his presence.

Gene looked at them and scoffed.

"Is this the army you believe in? Mindless beasts? Throwing yourselves away for a tyrant? What a waste."

Then the black armor lit up with golden energy, brighter and brighter, until it rivaled the hellfire itself.

With both hands, Gene raised his axe and slammed it into the blood-red desert.

CRACK!

The ground split open. Blinding golden light burst from the wound in hell's floor, erupting like holy magma. Any creature it touched disintegrated instantly—melting, screaming, vanishing.

This… was true power.

"ENOUGH!!"

Mephisto stomped down with a roar, and the golden light vanished like a candle snuffed out.

A wave of force exploded from him, sending Doom sprawling backward, ears ringing and chest heaving.

That pressure—it was unreal. It wasn't power. It was divinity.

"Since you have the gall to barge into my realm and make a mess… then stay."

With a flick of his hand, roaring hellfire surged from the void, encircling Gene. Ghostly faces writhed in the flames, whispering curses from beyond death, pushing the fire's wrath to its peak.

But the flames stopped.

A soft glow—milky white, thin as paper—formed around Gene. The fire clashed against it like waves crashing on cliffs, unable to pierce the serene shield.

Mephisto's eyes narrowed. "An Archangel's Guardian Ward? So... you're with Kamar-Taj?"

But Gene didn't answer.

Mephisto's eyes suddenly sharpened. "No... no, you're not one of the Sorcerer Supreme's disciples. That spell carries a stench—taboo, forbidden, tainted. The Sorcerer Supreme would never teach that."

Then a spark of cruel satisfaction flickered in his gaze.

"…So that's it. You're the one who was banished by the Sorcerer Supreme."

The realization made Mephisto grin wickedly.

He thought he had finally seen through the mystery of the black-armored intruder standing in his realm.

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T/N:

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