619

Prophecy Day

Wind Demon was terrified and attempted to transform into wind to evade, but the distance between them was too close, and the Demon Hunter's speed was too swift to allow him such an opportunity.

The Punisher's black wings fluttered, and fiery demon flames erupted, sweeping from both sides and engulfing the Wind Demon in an instant.

The green demonic flames burned fiercely, and though the Wind Demon's form was insubstantial, it couldn't pass through these terrifying flames.

"Ahhh—" Under the searing heat, he screamed in agony, his shrill cry piercing the air.

The magical flames piled higher and higher, reducing him to ashes and wisps of smoke in moments, then dissipating altogether.

"Wind Demon!" Blackheart suddenly shouted in a mix of anger and concern. Though he didn't particularly like Wind Demon, they were allies in this fight. With Wind Demon's death, both he and Doom would be at a disadvantage again.

The Punisher's power exceeded expectations; not even Doom could match him, let alone a demon. Waiting for the Punisher to deal with Doom, then turn around and join forces with Ghost Rider to eliminate him in minutes.

With this plan in mind and observing the Demon Hunter exuding a terrifying aura, Blackheart began to panic.

After dispatching Wind Demon, the Punisher breathed a sigh of relief, then swiftly turned to confront Dr. Doom without a moment's hesitation.

His massive magical claws sent Doom flying once more, and then the Punisher's wings flapped, catching up and seizing Doom mid-air, executing a backhanded Hulk-style throw.

"Boom! Boom!"

Despite Doom wearing battle armor to protect himself, his body was not as resilient as that of the Hulk or an Aesir.

However, the Punisher's transformation into a demon couldn't be sustained for long. After the intense exertion, he needed to recuperate and catch his breath.

Doom, too, got to his feet, astute as ever, quickly surmised the situation: "Your transformed state doesn't seem to last."

Having said that, with his mana depleted and his armor low on energy, Doom had no means to subdue the Punisher in his human form as he had earlier.

What followed was inevitably a battle of attrition.

On the other front, the situation mirrored the first. With Wind Demon's demise, Blackheart and the Ghost Rider were locked in an evenly matched struggle. Johnny couldn't permanently extinguish Blackheart's hellfire, and Blackheart couldn't vanquish Johnny's flames.

As the four combatants continued their skirmish, Father Moru remained seated in his car, watching the fray nervously, rifle in hand.

Though his combat prowess was formidable for a human, the earlier skirmish hadn't afforded him an opportunity to intervene.

Now, with both sides evenly matched, Moru sensed the need to act. Despite his limited strength, he could potentially disrupt the balance.

"You two, stay put!" He instructed Nadya and her son, then opened the car door, taking aim at Blackheart with his rifle.

"Bang!" He fired, the bullet piercing Blackheart's temple with deadly precision.

Ordinary bullets wouldn't harm Blackheart, but Moru, a member of the ancient church, possessed certain abilities. His bullets were infused with mystical energy, making them impossible for Blackheart to ignore completely.

"Taste the wrath of Christ!" Moru fired another shot.

However, at that moment, cries of terror erupted from within the car.

"Ah! You... you're Carrigan!" Nadya exclaimed in horror, staring at a zombie-like man with white hair who had appeared outside the car.

"I go by a new name now, Black Vision," Carrigan grimly declared, a wicked grin spreading across his face. "The Devil bestowed upon me the power of corruption, and now I've come to reclaim his possessions."

"Stop, fiend!" Moru hurriedly intervened.

But Carrigan simply reached out, gripping Moru's arm, causing the sturdy priest to cry out in agony.

An unseen corrosive force seeped into Moru's body.

In an instant, one of his arms rotted away into ashes, carried away by the wind into the night sky.

Moru collapsed to the ground, writhing in pain, clutching his maimed arm before losing consciousness.

Observing the ongoing melee between the four combatants, Carrigan knew his time was limited. Without hesitation, he turned the wheel and sped off with Nadya and her son, disappearing from view before long.

As the melee unfolded, it became apparent that both sides were exhausting themselves in their struggle for supremacy, whether Johnny and the Punisher or Blackheart and Dr. Doom.

"We have to retrieve Danny!" Both sides were in unanimous agreement.

Turkey. UU

Usak Province.

Black Vision Carrigan drove through the wilderness, occasionally glancing back at the pale-faced Nadya and Danny.

"Who would've thought this kid is actually the son of you and the Lord of Hell," Carrigan mused, a twisted smile on his face.

Nadya panted nervously, hesitating before speaking: "Carrigan, for old times' sake, please release Danny. I'll do anything for you."

"Anything? Sorry, I have no use for it," Carrigan replied coldly. "I'm no longer human; I have no need for such base desires of mortals."

"Then what do you desire?"

"Power." Carrigan looked upon his transformed body with a semblance of satisfaction. "No one in this world is without a thirst for power, not you, not me, not even the higher gods and demons. As the ruler of Hell, Mephisto desires nothing but greater power."

"We have a few hours until the so-called Prophecy Day. It's the perfect time for the Devil's arrival. Soon, you'll witness an entity beyond your imagination descend upon this world, heralding the creation of a new Hell!"

Navigating through the desolate roads, the car eventually arrived at its destination—an ancient ruin resembling an altar or a colosseum.

On normal days, this place lay abandoned in the rubble.

But today, it was heavily guarded by black-clad soldiers and thronged with prominent figures from around the world.

Among them were politicians from various nations, executives of multinational corporations, Hollywood stars, Olympic athletes, Silicon Valley engineers... united now under a single banner: fervent followers of Mephisto.

These worldly adherents of the Demon King awaited the imminent arrival of their master, anticipating the dark world he would bring.