Chapter 187: Thunderous Strike

A fierce, icy wind accompanied by crimson flames surged toward the Sentinel from all directions like an overwhelming tidal wave...

Mephisto's gaze was cold. Before the Sorcerers had erected their formidable barrier around the mortal world, his presence had spread across the globe.

Unlike his kin, who had languished in the dark depths of Hell for countless years, he did not pounce upon human souls like a ravenous dog at the first sight of fresh prey.

In the old demon's own words, he had 'taste'... a sense of refinement that set him apart from lesser fiends. Not every soul was worth devouring.

This Hell Lord preferred to toy with his victims, luring them into contracts laced with hidden traps, coaxing out their sins step by step, before finally claiming their delicious souls with ease.

Just as depicted in Faust, he exploited humanity's most primal desires, compelling them to willingly offer up their souls...

"I could grant you even greater power... In all my centuries, I have never encountered a soul as steeped in darkness and sin as yours." A glint of admiration flashed in Mephisto's eyes as he spoke in his usual beguiling tone, "Mortal, I see you for what you are... an insatiable tyrant, a conqueror. That greed, that hunger to possess and plunder everything... even demons find it chilling..."

"...How about a deal? Since you destroyed my Ghost Rider, why not take his place?"

The Sentinel, engulfed by the raging inferno, paid no heed to Mephisto's temptations.

His voice, muffled behind his faceplate, was low and rough, "I highly doubt you can give me what I truly want. A coward who hides in Hell and trembles at the mere mention of the Sorcerers... do you really think you're worthy of my submission?"

His sharp words split the night sky.

Amid the sea of flames, a brilliant golden light erupted. Sean clenched his fists, channeling every ounce of energy within his body. A solid, impenetrable golden force field repelled the crimson firestorm, while the sheer weight of his power shattered the bedrock beneath him with a thunderous boom, sending shockwaves rippling outward.

A flicker of wariness crossed Mephisto's mind. A black storm infused with a bone-chilling aura surged forth, attempting to halt the Sentinel's advance. The silver skull-headed cane in his hand transformed into a slender, razor-sharp rapier, and slashed through the air at blinding speed!

The black tempest, condensed from the tormented wails of countless souls, resembled the gaping maw of a monstrous beast, devouring both flesh and spirit while amplifying the chaos within one's mind.

Few could withstand such an assault... the agony of eternal damnation, of being scorched by hellfire, was enough to strip away any will to live, reducing a person to a soulless husk.

A mocking grin curled on Sean's lips. He had learned many useful tricks from the Professor. His psychic energy sharpened into a blade and sliced through the endless tide of negative emotions.

Like a frigid gale being forcibly repelled, the dark currents could only swirl helplessly around him, unable to penetrate even an inch.

Golden flames surged like a tidal wave, condensing into a thick and devastating energy beam that erupted from the Sentinel's hands.

The old man in the black priest's robe stiffened, his massive bat-like wings of flame unfurling behind him, cocooning his mortal vessel in a protective embrace.

Like a hurricane, The residual energy tore upward, shredding the foundations of Star Ring Tower as if they were mere paper. The towering skyscraper groaned and swayed, its glass and debris raining down like a storm...

...

Thick plumes of dust billowed into the air as a red-and-gold suit of armor hovered mid-flight...

As one of S.H.I.E.L.D.'s Avengers, he had been the first to receive Nick Fury's alert... an intense energy surge accompanied by seismic tremors in Hell's Kitchen's Eighth Avenue.

Tony Stark, self-proclaimed guardian of New York, wouldn't miss such an event. Setting aside his work, he donned his Mark armor and rushed to the scene, only to find a crumbling skyscraper, its center gouged open from the thirty-second floor down, as if some tremendous force had drilled straight into the earth.

"What the hell happened here?" Tony activated his suit's thermal and infrared scans, only to detect a massive red mass hurtling toward him.

Before J.A.R.V.I.S. could issue a warning, the colossal fiery figure slammed into the Iron Man armor, sending it spiraling through the air.

Swirling flames and howling winds coalesced into the towering form of a true demon... It was sixteen feet tall, with bat-like wings that blotted out the sky, and was clad in black armor etched with skull motifs. It was the very image of the devils depicted in religious texts.

"J.A.R.V.I.S., tell me I'm drunk." Tony steadied himself midair, staring in disbelief, "Because I swear I just saw a goddamn demon in New York."

~...Sir, you are not intoxicated. That is indeed... a lifeform beyond conventional human understanding...~

Even the ever-composed A.I. struggled for words.

Before they could continue, a streak of golden light shot upward. A molten energy beam, expanding like an endless tide, swallowed Mephisto's true form whole.

The thunderous shockwave that followed was deafening. The Sentinel's fist, propelled by monstrous strength, struck like a cannonball, sending the hellish demon crashing backward.

"Enough! You insignificant worm!" Mephisto's furious roar shook the heavens.

Hellfire coalesced into a massive greatsword. In all his years walking the mortal realm, the Hell Lord had only ever been humbled by the Sorcerers. Never before had a mere human dared to challenge him so brazenly.

His demonic body, resistant to both magic and physical harm, stood firm against the energy bombardment like an unyielding cliff. Yet his wings were tattered, and the crushing blow to his skull sent waves of pain shooting through him, igniting his fury.

"Drop your delusions of grandeur. Angels, demons... you're just creatures with a bit more power." The Sentinel's voice echoed coldly across the night sky as he stood firm in midair, "You are not invincible. And you are certainly not worthy of worship."

"I–" Mephisto's retort died in his throat as an overwhelming surge of energy suddenly loomed.

His grotesque, goat-like face twisted in genuine alarm.

A circular portal, crackling with sparks, tore open in the night sky. A colossal pillar of golden light, infused with potent magic, crashed down upon the demon.

Unlike the Sentinel's energy beam, this attack seemed far more effective... the intricate runes and geometric patterns etched into the light seared away Mephisto's hellfire, reducing half of his massive form to ash in an instant.

"No! Ancient One!" Mephisto's roar of defiance was futile.

The name, a taboo in both Heaven and Hell, did nothing to halt the Sorcerer Supreme's assault. The space around the demon solidified, trapping him in an invisible force, before a single finger tapped against it like a needle striking glass.

*Crack!*

The prison shattered.

Mephisto, ruler of vast infernal domains, was reduced to countless fragments, his form dissolving into dust and carried away by the wind.

The Sorcerer Supreme, sole guardian of the mortal world, struck with thunderous finality. In the blink of an eye, she had banished the Hell Lord back to his domain.

No wonder the supernatural trembled at the name Kamar-Taj.

"Come with me." A whisper brushed against Sean's ear.

Before he could react, a teleportation circle enveloped him, and in the next moment, the golden figure vanished without a trace.

All that remained was a very confused Iron Man, hovering in the sky, his red-and-gold armor gleaming under the moonlight.

"J.A.R.V.I.S.," Tony muttered, dazed, "I'm definitely drunk."