Before closing his eyes, Doctor Strange of Universe 199999, despite deep anxiety about the future, still believed there was a chance of ultimate victory.
That single success in those 14,000,605 endings meant they had a chance to defeat Thanos and save the universe.
But upon opening his eyes and confirming his resurrection, Doctor Strange felt a sense of descent into uncertainty as he saw the utterly unfamiliar changes.
The ending was completely different from the one victory. Normally, any evolution that differed from that one successful outcome would inevitably lead to failure.
However, the reality was that everyone wiped out by Thanos had been resurrected, and he had never witnessed Thanos resurrect them all.
However, this wasn't completely impossible. Perhaps in the 14,000,606 ending, Thanos had found a new way to save the universe.
Even if Thanos announced his enlightenment and his decision to bring back everyone he had killed, Doctor Strange would be able to accept it.
But there was one thing he couldn't comprehend.
"Can anyone tell me where Thanos got all the twelve Infinity Stones? And he can unleash them perfectly!"
Not only was Doctor Strange about to shatter, but all the resurrected beings stared at Thanos in horror, stunned by the multitude of monsters surrounding him.
Many of them had seen the movies and instantly recognized these creatures as aliens.
Even more bizarre, familiar comrades stood beside Thanos, mingling with the aliens, looking at the resurrected beings with complicated expressions.
What had happened? Had enemies become friends? Had Thanos truly come to his senses? But what was with these unknown aliens? And there were so many of them, many of them strangely shaped, emitting a terrifying aura. Just one glance instilled a sense of dread.
And what did Thanos mean by resurrecting them for war?
Against whom? Who was the enemy? What kind of enemy would necessitate a Thanos, possessing twelve Infinity Stones, to specifically resurrect them and send them into battle?
A few days later.
"I knew it wouldn't be that simple. I simply don't believe a deranged villain like Thanos would admit to killing half the universe's population. If someone like him were to turn back, it would mean someone even more terrifying than him has emerged, pressing his head against the wall."
Doctor Strange's mind was buzzing as he reviewed the events of the past five years, or more precisely, the past few months.
The root of all this drastic change had occurred when Tony and his team, unluckily caught up in a temporal chaos while time-traveling, traveled directly to a universe inhabited by terrifying monsters.
"...That's the situation. We can't do anything. We can't even predict all the changes in our universe and take precautions, let alone foresee a war of gods erupting in a parallel universe that would affect the stability of the timeline."
Tony sat on the sofa, scratching his head irritably. For someone who always cared about his image, this was a rare act. "But it's great to see you again... Peter, how have these past five years been?"
"No feeling at all. It's like everything just happened..." Spider-Man nervously scrolled through the virtual screen in front of him, deeply interested in what was happening in the parallel universe.
"Hey, look what I found? So, the masters of the aliens are waging a cosmic war against Hell? Wow, that's pretty cool. But I didn't expect there were actually alien universes in the multiverse. That makes me a little uncomfortable..."
Spider-Man just glanced out the window and saw many aliens coming and going. The sound of countless aliens moving around made him shudder, and the hairs on his body stood up.
"These guys will lay their eggs in my stomach and then absorb the nutrients from my body..."
"No, kid, you still know the aliens in the movies. That's a stereotype. In fact, the real aliens have been upgraded many times."
Tony patted the child on the shoulder and comforted him: "Their leader, the human named Duval, according to Thanos, seems to have become the God of Aliens. Maybe he should be considered an alien now? Under his leadership, the step of alien eggs can be bypassed. They can completely force an alien larva into your body across endless time and space."
"What? The god of aliens? As powerful as Thanos? And this parasitic method..." Spider-Man's face turned green, and he trembled all over, touching his chest with both hands.
He was most afraid of aliens.
"Thanos is already part of the Alien universe. He's taken the Infinity Stones from at least two universes, yet he remains subservient to that god... Guys, this is the worst news. We, who can't even defeat Thanos, have no power to resist that god's rule. The age of the Alien has arrived."
Doctor Strange took a deep breath, feeling utterly despairing.
He'd hoped for an ending filled with victory and glory, but how could this have suddenly descended into hell?
Right from the start, they had to face a god who commanded countless armies, whose influence spanned several universes, and who disregarded even the Infinity Stones, casually gifting them to his subordinates?
A group of superheroes sat together, scowling.
"We still have a chance to win against Thanos, but how should we deal with a god who can span many universes? Do we have to find a god from our universe who is willing to stand up against Duva, an outsider? This is a good idea, but the gods in our universe may not care about our life or death. It's hard to say whether there are gods or not..."
"Gods do exist. I have seen records of several gods in the library of Asgard." Thor suddenly said, touching his belly which had lost weight, but he quickly shut up with a helpless look on his face.
"...Let me explain. The truth is, I'm also an alien now. Theoretically, Duval knows every word we say and every move we make."
Tony laid it all out. He reached out a hand and effortlessly lifted the heavy, expensive solid wood table before him, using no technology. "My current physical fitness might even be stronger than Peter's. This means the alien within me is also responsive, far more advanced than a typical juvenile."
A group of recently resurrected superheroes retreated in unison, staring in horror at Iron Man, whom they deeply respected and trusted.
Spider-Man was so frightened that he scrambled to the ceiling, refusing to come down.
"Peter, you should know that aliens can also crawl on walls," Tony sighed. "I've dealt with Duval before. You might think I'm being manipulated into saying this, but I still have to say that Duval is not bad. Whether as a human, an alien, or a god, he's reliable in every sense of the word, not a stubborn tyrant."
"But he's sending us to attack Hell. Many will die," Captain America muttered.
"Yes, but don't forget, Thanos has two sets of Infinity Stones. I bet Thanos has already made plans to bring us back after our deaths. Perhaps using the Time Stone to drag us back to the present? Or using the Space Stone to teleport us back at the moment of our death?"
When Thanos's order came down, the heroes present, no matter how much they resisted, could only accept their humiliating fate.
With the entry of yet another universe into the fray, the pressure on Mephisto intensified.
Gradually, the demon's patience wore thin. His territory was being eroded, and more demons were dying with each passing moment. Most importantly, the more Mephisto's discomfiture grew, the more dangerous it fueled the other great demons' aspirations.
Everyone was eager to find a chance to take down Mephisto.
"Hahaha, Mephisto, look at you now! Are you still the demon who threatened to seize Satan's throne?"
"Having been forced into such a state by the gods of the multiverse, you're afraid to even use your full strength against two mages?"
This group of demons bullied Mephisto, searching for an opportunity to inflict a crushing blow and rob him of everything. At the same time, they were filled with curiosity and vigilance towards Duval. The
fact that someone could even hold Mephisto back, preferring to drag things out, spoke volumes.
The master of the alien, a god he had never heard of, someone who constantly alarmed Mephisto.
Even the two Doctors Strange now attacking Mephisto had him on his toes. He glanced anxiously around, constantly suspecting Duval was ensconced in some seemingly ordinary alien, poised to strike at any moment.
"You fools have no idea how terrifying Duva is. Even among the rare Concept Gods, Duva is truly special!"
Mephisto slapped the two Doctors Strange away, his expression icy.
He had no doubt that if he showed even the slightest weakness, Duva would instantly transform into one of the aliens raging in his hell, instantly gathering the power of the alien concept and launching a fierce attack.
Concept Gods are monstrous deities coveted and feared by even the demons of Hell. They can transform themselves and everything within their reach into broad concepts, meaning that Duva possesses countless clones. While
the aliens parasitize various hosts, plundering their genes, Duva "parasitizes" them. Even if he were defeated and slain, the ultimate loss would be only that one alien. Duva still has countless aliens to choose from. As long as one alien survives, the concept of the alien exists, and Duva lives forever.
Only when Duva ascends to the rank of Concept God can the terrifying power of his abilities be truly unleashed.
Wherever there were aliens, there was a chance Dua, the Concept God, might appear.
Mephisto gazed at the endless sea of aliens, his blood-red face twitching subtly. At that moment, he completely understood what a Concept God was.
"Concept God? The one driving these aliens is a Concept God?"
"That's hilarious! Isn't Mephisto always so cautious, sending only clones to seduce mortals? How could he have offended such an opponent, and let them come to him recklessly?"
"So, the concept this Concept God possesses is this strange creature?"
"Since he has become the supreme form of this creature's concept, that means this god has effectively entered Hell himself, right? Not far from Mephisto, right? No wonder Mephisto is so nervous."
At this, the expressions of many of Hell's great demons changed immediately, and they re-examined the alien creatures, but in essence, they were also examining this god they had never heard of.
"Mephisto, your time has come."
Demon Strange, his hair loose. "You killed Christina for your conspiracy. At this point, I doubt you'd have any more schemes!"
"Conspiracy? I've always used my strength to accomplish what I desired, Strange... If you surrender now, I'll resurrect Christina."
"Don't listen to his nonsense. Christina's soul is gone!" Black Strange wielded Vishanti's holy sword and struck Mephisto, but Mephisto dodged.
"What about Death? Christina is there. I can contact Him..."
Mephisto seized the opportunity to kill Demon Strange in one fell swoop. He had trained him as a coordinate, but ultimately fell short and failed to seize the opportunity.
With a resounding bang, Black Strange used Hogs's ancient body to block Mephisto's attack, but both he and Demon Strange were sent flying.
In a place like Hell, fighting a demon lord, they had no advantage at all and could only stall for time.
Black Strange and Demon Strange had no idea of Duval's specific plans. They only knew their mission was to fight their way into Hell and kill Mephisto—a task they knew was impossible, but they had come anyway.
Killing Mephisto was partly to avenge Christina, but they were also convinced Duval had a backup plan.
Taking advantage of the situation, perhaps transporting himself into the body of a certain alien and instantly transforming it into Duval himself? This was a good tactic, a terrifying ability unique to Duval. But Black Strange's assessment of Duval suggested he had other plans in mind.
But... what exactly?
"What could have caused you to abandon the pursuit of Kronos and his group of gods and instead launch a massive expedition to confront a great demon in Hell..."
There was revenge involved; Mephisto was indeed annoying, and it would also be a convenient way to avenge Demon Strange.
But there was definitely more to it than that.
Just as Black Strange suspected.
Duval was strolling across Krako Island, the entire territory of the Mutant Kingdom.
"It's an honor. A place like ours will one day receive a visit from a god." Magneto followed Duval. "Are you here for that guy?"
"Yes, it's been so long, it's time to make use of that guy... the mutant leader who is imprisoned here with you."
Chapter 171: Marvel's greatest villain, in a fit of rage, actually...
A brilliant individual possessing the ability to instantly calculate all the information and evolution of the entire universe, even the multiverse.
Different individuals possess different strengths.
Duval wouldn't call himself a brilliant individual. His immense mental power is based on the billions of aliens acting as computing terminals, sharing the burden of computation, resulting in an unfathomable visual experience.
If only instantaneous computational power were considered, Duval felt that his intelligence would improve over time, and would only grow stronger.
This growth, however, did not affect certain outcomes he had deliberately planned from the outset.
For example, years ago, when he was first emerging on this planet, he struck a brief bargain with Magneto.
Magneto would capture mutants for Duval in exchange for secrets.
"It all feels like it happened just yesterday. I still remember you so clearly, speaking to me with such caution."
Magneto followed Dewar on Krako Island, his peripheral vision constantly monitoring his every move. Even Magneto knew this approach was useless, as he wasn't the cleverest man to divine the thoughts of a god like Dewar.
Everything seemed to have reversed.
Once upon a time, Dewar led a fledgling group of aliens, the most formidable of whom were merely abominations. These creatures couldn't last a single round against Magneto, forcing Dewar to be extremely cautious in his dealings with Magneto, always prepared for his wrath.
But now, even as they strolled through the island, Magneto had to look up to Dewar.
If nothing unexpected happened, Magneto knew he'd never be able to catch up to Dewar, even if he mastered electromagnetism to its limits. He couldn't possibly become a cosmic god, could he?
Was there such a god in the universe? A god of magnetism?
That's a truly awful name! If someone called me that every day, I'd probably go crazy, Magneto thought.
"Eric, even without using my psychic powers, I can detect your scattered consciousness," Professor X warned sternly.
"Such a noise! Do I know what I'm doing? Or do you want me to throw you and this lousy wheelchair into Krako's mouth?" Magneto said coldly.
Professor X rested one hand on the wheelchair's handle, steering it forward, a warm expression on his face; he didn't mind arguing with his old partner.
In a sense, after decades of fighting, they could live together on this living island, providing shelter and peace to tens of thousands of fellow mutants. This was already a great blessing.
It was hard to say whether it was fortunate or unfortunate, but Earth had been plagued by disasters in recent years, with the frequent appearances of the Sky Father and the fall of gods, leaving the people of Earth completely distracted from internal strife.
Combined with the global presence of aliens, the enforced peace allowed mutants, once oppressed and precarious, to finally enjoy a normal life under the sun.
While this unprecedented sense of freedom was built upon a repressive atmosphere of global anxiety, at least they finally understood what freedom felt like.
All these changes were directly linked to the young man before them—no, rather, the unbelievably young god.
The moment Duva arrived, the mutant councilors of the Kingdom of Krako, including the two of them, immediately sensed that something unspeakable was about to unfold. Perhaps it had something to do with them, the mutants?
Otherwise, they wouldn't have believed a young god like Duva would wander aimlessly into their territory.
He could have simply dispatched a random alien. Moreover, Duva could have seen everything in Krako with just a single glance.
"What's going on?" Professor X asked gently. "I can sense many aliens disappearing from this planet. Perhaps you've sent them somewhere?"
"It's a war. I sent them to Hell to battle countless demons," Duval said casually. "Mephisto has committed countless crimes across the universe. Many of them want him dead. Considering how much trouble he's caused me, he must pay the price. I don't mind helping my friends in parallel universes."
"The mythical demon Mephisto... are you planning to kill him and take over his Hell?"
"Killing him is a given, but taking over Hell? I wouldn't do that. If any alien had that idea, I would generously grant it to them if they tried," Duval said.
"Really? I thought you would abandon Earth, even this universe, to seek a greater, vaster territory worthy of you." Professor X crossed his arms in his lap.
Duval shook his head. "Wherever there are aliens, it's my territory. Even a single alien is me."
Become the lord of Hell? It's a good idea, but simply being the overlord of a Hell dimension isn't enough to pique Duva's interest.
Duva is now a conceptual god, and unlike Mephisto and Dormammu, he doesn't need to rise to power by ruling a single dimension.
His very existence as a conceptual god is the pinnacle of power itself.
Unless, in the broader sense, Hell needs to choose a true master, and Duva has the opportunity to become Satan, the master of countless Hell dimensions, Duva might take a second look. He wouldn't mind adding another demonic branch to the countless Hells, the aliens, a legendary entity.
Of course, if that day ever came, all demons would eventually cease to exist, as they would all become aliens, existing within Duva's concept, rather than the other way around, with the aliens becoming a true demon.
As for Satan, it doesn't refer to a specific archdemon, but rather any demon who becomes the lord of Hell, the king of demons. The
only one with power approaching this level is Cytorak, Marvel's greatest demon, a true multiverse-level being.
But he's completely uninterested in such things.
Therefore, the one nominally closest to this position is Mephisto, a powerful and ambitious single-universe Great Demon.
However, Mephisto lacks the overwhelming power to overwhelm other single-universe Great Demons.
At the very least, being forced to act with restraint by Duva's massive invasion only intensifies the disdain of the other Great Demons, fueling their resolve to fight Mephisto to the bitter end.
A Satan who can't even rule his own Hell dimension securely? This is surely a joke to all of Hell. The multiverse would die of laughter if they saw Hell reduced to this state.
In practical terms, Mephisto has lost the ability to compete with Satan, as he cannot overcome Duva, the mountain of worship built by countless aliens. "I'm wondering, what does this have to do with that mutant? I remember the intelligence you told me said mutants are most directly connected to the Unicrons, and these beasts are their creations. Did you specifically have me imprison the mutant that absorbed Juggernaut because you planned to use it against the Unicrons?"
"Even gods can't predict every outcome, not even the God of Time. Otherwise, Chronos wouldn't have been beaten so hard by me that he couldn't even show his face. Now is simply the time to make good use of this unique mutant—but it has nothing to do with the Unicrons."
Duval paused, gazing at the massive mutant imprisoned in a cage of ultra-high-strength alloy painstakingly crafted by Magneto.
This was the leader of that mutant group. After being freed from the Alaskan lake, he led a group of mutants in a battle against Magneto's Brotherhood.
This fellow had also absorbed Juggernaut, possessing all of his abilities.
But in the end, he couldn't escape Magneto's enraged pursuit.
Sensing someone approaching, the mutant leader stood up and slowly opened his eyes.
His gaze immediately fell on Duval, and he froze.
"This thing possesses a very high IQ, even smarter than most humans." Professor X observed the incredibly powerful mutant cautiously. "It's nearly escaped several times, so we strictly forbid other mutants from approaching it."
"If this beast didn't have astonishing evolutionary abilities, it couldn't have become the leader of the mutant race, because mutants themselves are a species whose genes are constantly mutating."
Duval looked at his "old acquaintance" with interest. "It seems you've recognized me. You must have also noticed the drastic changes in the past few years that nearly devastated the Earth. Then you should understand how huge the gap between you and me is now."
Duval waved his hand, shredding the cage in front of him and stepping inside.
"You were supposed to be like your compatriots, eventually becoming an alien, surviving in another form, becoming my vassal. But the moment I met you in New Mexico, I had a vague idea of what you were going to do,"
Duvall said. "You, a man awakened from an Alaskan lake, even if you couldn't defeat Magneto's Brotherhood, were planning to escape with your people. How could it be such a coincidence that you ended up all the way to New Mexico? Let me think about it, you were going somewhere, right? You took the red gem from Juggernaut, but you couldn't use it."
Juggernaut had a red gem in his body?
Magneto and Professor X were both baffled.
One of them was Juggernaut's superior, the other a blood relative, and the ones who knew him best, yet neither of them
knew he had a red gem. No, not even Juggernaut himself.
But the mutant leader, who had absorbed all of Juggernaut's flesh and abilities, knew it because he had the red gem.
"You plan to travel south to find the altar of an ancient god and pray to him, hoping to become his disciple. This is your only chance for survival. The Celestials have abandoned you. If you want to survive on this planet, and even continue to evolve, you can only pray to a more powerful being for protection. Otherwise, you will eventually become my host," Duval spoke eloquently.
He had rushed to New Mexico to meet Thor, who had lost his powers, because he had known this would happen.
But coincidentally, this group of mutants was also nearby. This was unusual. Even if there was a chance factor, there must be a certain inevitability.
The mutant leader, having obtained the Crimson Stone, followed the Stone's guidance and headed to the southern rainforest to search for Cyttorak's altar.
Indeed, Earth is full of all sorts of chaotic cults, altars, and rituals.
When S.H.I.E.L.D. was still in existence, it was responsible for clearing out these things, and the Ancient One constantly monitored global temporal and spatial changes.
If left unchecked, who knows what strange things will emerge on Earth.
The mutant visibly struggled, but ultimately took no action. Was he planning to attack Duval? That would be a suicidal act.
Duval surveyed it for a moment. "It seems you've absorbed the Crimson Stone into your body. Haven't been able to tap into its true power in all these years? Leave it to me then."
Duval slapped the mutant, who had served as the stone's container for years, to death. He then excavated a red gem from its corpse.
It resembled a real-world gem, but it emanated a strong negative energy, giving it an ominous aura.
"I see. No wonder Wanda said this monster made her uncomfortable. Is it because of this strange gem? Is this also an Infinity Stone?" Magneto suddenly said.
"It's not an Infinity Stone, but it's more interesting than most... Look, this beast's body is dead, but its soul hasn't returned to death, instead it's trapped in this stone. Even a trace of the power of a god is beyond the reach of mortals."
Duval grasped the Crimson Stone. With this, he could contact Cyttorak, Marvel's greatest villain.
...
the distant Crimson Universe.
This world, also known as the Crimson Hell, is ruled by the multiverse-level being Cyttorak.
A multiverse entity, capable of single-handedly rivaling the infinite multiverse, means that no one dares to provoke this great demon.
"Huh? Another ant is eyeing my gem."
Cyttorak, with a fleeting thought, can pinpoint any universe in the infinite multiverse, let alone the one holding the Crimson Ruby he personally placed.
Another deity, perhaps the Triune Vishanti, might have observed from afar and offered some magical power.
But Cyttorak was displeased. He had clearly chosen a red tank from every universe to serve as the carrier of the Crimson Ruby, only to have one's tank destroyed and the Ruby repeatedly changed hands.
Cyttorak's displeasure was a serious matter, and in a fit of rage, he flipped over.
Chapter 172: Smuggling into DC is a technical feat, not a brute-force one
. Cyttorak's disregard for the multiverse's troubles gives him the impression of being indifferent and carefree—at least judging by his actions.
This doesn't mean Cyttorak is good-tempered.
Quite the contrary, Cyttorak is considered extremely dangerous and volatile by the demons of Hell. However, due to his reluctance to act, he prefers to sit aloof from his throne, harping on the few matters he cares about, which makes the other demons somewhat look down on him.
"'Nothing can stop the quest for revenge,' Cyttorak often says. I guess when it comes to verbal attacks, he's unbeatable,"
Mephisto said of Cyttorak.
At least in Mephisto's opinion, Cyttorak prefers verbal attacks to actual combat, a man of volatile temper, impatience, and extreme laziness—a profound contradiction.
But such beings are incredibly powerful. Few gods or demons are willing to engage in conflict with them, let alone risk the immense risk of charging into Cyttorak's headquarters, the Crimson Hell.
The movements of Juggernaut are one of the few things Cyttorak cares about.
This great demon has deployed the Crimson Ruby, crafted by him, across numerous universes. In these universes, Juggernauts typically serve as carriers of the Ruby, acting as his spokespersons.
This means that if Juggernauts from certain universes excel and earn Cyttorak's favor, they can gain even more demonic power through the Ruby, instantly wielding terrifying power and capable of causing a global, or even cosmic, crisis.
And now, in an unnamed universe, a Juggernaut chosen by Cyttorak has perished. That would be enough, but the Ruby has changed hands twice, as if this treasure, crafted by him, were a cheap, assembly-line product, freely available for use without his permission.
If this universe were a significant, numbered one, perhaps Cyttorak would have decided to take some action, perhaps even the most basic one, retrieving the Crimson Ruby.
But after a brief glance, Cyttorak perceived it as a mediocre universe, and his patience waned.
But he soon discovered that a conceptual god had actually been born within it, and his interest piqued.
"How could such a mediocre world, devoid of powerful artifacts, devoid of rich cosmic rules, and populated only by a small and fragmented group of gods, have given birth to a conceptual god?"
Cyttorak's interest intensified when he realized it was this conceptual god who had received his Crimson Ruby.
He remembered Duva's name.
When a multiverse of beings memorizes something, it inherently represents a multiverse-sized entity, imprinting Duva's name with its most literal imprint.
In the shadows, the entire multiverse seemed to be undergoing a new transformation. A hint of something only the multiverse-level gods could truly understand and acknowledge was beginning to emerge. But it was only a hint, for Cyttorak, after all, hadn't truly taken this universe seriously, merely glancing at it out of boredom.
Different gods had different names for this phenomenon and varying evaluations, but without exception, any world that caught the attention of the multiverse, that was even slightly observed and remembered, became a universe of the gods' attention.
These universes shared one common trait: numbering.
What truly perked Cyttorak up was the sight of this unfamiliar conceptual god, wielding his jewel, invading the Hell dimension, and teaching a lesson to Mephisto, whom he deeply disliked.
Yes, Cyttorak disliked Mephisto, too; no demon would have a favorable impression of him.
"This crimson gem has been in your hand for several seconds, yet it remains unresponsive."
Professor X and Magneto were also observing, but their expressions gradually grew confused, unsure of what Duval was so absorbed in observing.
Duval examined the beautiful stone, his face devoid of frustration.
"That god didn't respond to you?" Professor X asked, a questioning tone in his voice.
"No, the Crimson Stone hasn't changed at all. That's the most profound response, indicating that He has at least observed us... I am the God of this universe, and I can sense indescribable, subtle shifts within it, like something that shouldn't have been in the story, shifting crucially due to the casual act of some powerful force."
"What's the point of this?" Magneto asked, unconvinced. "Is this unknown god more powerful than you?"
"Much more powerful, at least for now. Our universe will have the opportunity to be anchored by this being. From a multiverse perspective, there's nothing more reliable than having a multiverse being as a reference point."
The probability of the multiverse's destruction is even greater than that of Cyttorak's demise. Cyttorak isn't one to act rashly. He's completely focused on Juggernaut and the Crimson Stone.
If anyone touches Juggernaut or the Crimson Stone, Cyttorak will be easily enraged, and his anger will persist.
This is because it's the only way He can interfere with the multiverse.
Duva never understood why Cyttorak was so obsessed with the Crimson Ruby he had created. Perhaps he was still following the rituals of the Octessence Organization?
Other gods, like Ragdor—the origin of the golden magical discs displayed by the Kamar-Taj mages—had rarely practiced complex rituals since the multiverse.
Duva even suspected that perhaps, in some hidden period unknown to him, Cyttorak had been severely slapped in the face by the Goddesses of Vengeance, which had spawned his obsession with creating his own gems.
While Thanos was known to all the gods in the multiverse's elite circles, Juggernaut was far less known.
However, this wasn't something Duva could fathom at this point.
Duva's gaze was deep, clearly brewing a vortex far more terrifying than countless black holes. As a conceptual god, he meticulously sensed the subtle shifts in the universe. Deciphering them at a conceptual level was difficult, let alone for ordinary gods.
But changes were indeed taking place, which meant that Duval's actions had achieved a small purpose.
He gave the universe, which he would eventually rule, a previous universe number, firmly placing it among the important universes in the multidimensional world. Nothing in this world is free, especially for Duval. His quest to obtain a universe number wasn't just for the frivolous goal of integrating into the multiverse's horizons, but rather... Duval needed this universe to have a number!
With a number, Duval could be more confident in using his envisioned method... and legitimately sneaking into DC!
Duval was certain he didn't have any complex systems or tricks in his head that would allow him to forcibly cross multiple multiverses.
Even within the Marvel multiverse, traversing from one multiverse to the next intact was incredibly difficult, let alone legitimately sneaking into another vast multiverse.
There were many ways to get a number.
Alternatively, Duval could become a multiverse god himself, which was difficult. If he could continue to ascend in a short period of time, he'd be crazy to consider fleeing to DC. Wasn't it simply to seek a better and faster opportunity for advancement?
After all, for a concept god, concepts were everything. What could be more cost-effective and reliable than expanding concepts in another equally vast multiverse?
Alternatively, he could find a relatively reliable multiverse-level being to endorse him and assign a number to Duva's universe.
A multiverse-level being, comparable to countless universes combined, would easily make an ordinary universe seem extraordinary.
That's why Duva chose Cytorak. This great demon was relatively reliable, inactive, and Duva had a way to contact him. He was the perfect choice, far more reliable than the likes of Death and Sithon.
If he chose the wrong person, Duva was absolutely certain he would be devoured, along with the universe itself. There was no doubt that a vicious multiverse-level being like Sithon, the god of black magic, Set, the serpent god, the Lord of Chaos, or the Beholder would be capable of such a deed.
"That's all there is to it. With this person's endorsement, I can confidently take down Mephisto," Duva said.
Professor X frowned slightly, pondering for a moment. "Is this god you mentioned a demon? Did you strike a deal with the demon?"
"Not a deal, not even a tacit understanding. But when I indirectly communicated with him through the Crimson Stone, and I wasn't attacked or cursed, it meant the biggest uncertainty was eliminated... I like to take one step and see many steps ahead."
Duval put the Crimson Stone away. With the assurance of Hell's most powerful demon's attitude, Duval felt completely relieved. Originally, if Cyttorak had rejected him outright, he would have come up with a backup plan, like dismembering the Crimson Stone and creating a bunch of alien gems... At the very least, he had to deal with the troublesome Mephisto first, while also minimizing the natural suppression that Hell's dimension imposes on all outsiders.
Now it was possible.
This was the second multiverse-level being he had come into contact with.
The last one was Death, whom he had rejected.
This time, dealing with Cyttorak was the best outcome Duval had hoped for.
"How's it going? Have any mutants from the Kingdom of Krako volunteered to join me in the battle in Hell?" Duval casually asked. "There are many powerful mutants among them, like Dr. Jean Grey. Her condition seems unstable lately."
"Aren't you accepting enough mutants? Before, you had to call out your name, but now even mutants who silently recite or recall information about you receive your invitation. The number of mutants who have joined you in recent years far exceeds the total number of mutants who have joined our Kingdom of Krako."
Professor X was helpless. "As for Jean, her mental state is not suitable for battle. We are currently working to guide her to control herself so that she will not be controlled by the Phoenix Force."
"The Phoenix Force on Earth is ultimately just a fragment. She will one day gain control of it."
Duval scanned the entire island, taking in everything. He also paid close attention to the newly grown Wanda.
Jean's situation was relatively good. The Phoenix Force in the multiverse was not complete; it was all in fragments.
But the power of Chaos is not like that. The being who controls it and bestows the Scarlet Witch's chaotic magic upon every universe is none other than Sithon, the god of black magic and the source of Dormammu's magic. He's a notorious villain.
"Right now, of all the mutants in this universe, Moira is probably the most powerful and unique. The other mutants, on the other hand, don't have much to offer..." Duva mused silently.
Superheroes and supervillains who dominate a handful of universes often perform mediocrely and die peacefully in many others. This is the norm.
"Keep an eye on Wanda. Her situation is a little more troublesome than you might expect. She's far more dangerous than Jean Grey, who appears to be struggling to wield the Phoenix Force."
Duva left Krako Island and launched a full-scale assault on Mephisto's Hell.
It was time to put this pesky demon to death, lest he trouble Duva again.
The entire Hell dimension was being invaded by ever-increasing numbers of aliens, nearly overwhelmed.
The demons who fought valiantly suffered heavy casualties. Convinced they could no longer withstand the sheer numbers and power of the aliens, the remaining demons finally collapsed and fled.
At that moment of defeat, the demons, even more than Duval, hoped Mephisto would die.
If Mephisto won, the fleeing demons would be doomed.
But on the other hand, if Duval won, it seemed they wouldn't have a good ending either... Perhaps they should flee to another Hell dimension and seek refuge with a new Lord of Hell before the war was over?
Mephisto's face was grimacing as he watched his world crumble.
Not only were the aliens pouring in ever greater numbers, but many powerful super-beings were also slain. A typical example was a swarm of superhuman and mutant aliens rampaging through Hell, slaughtering and unleashing their power with impunity.
Suddenly, one of the aliens felt a surge of immense power. These concepts were the very essence of power itself, a single cosmic force weighing heavily on the Hell dimension.
"It's time to face the end, Mephisto. Your twilight has come."
Chapter 173: There Will Never Be Another "
He" I fucking hate the concept of God.
Even a proud Mephisto couldn't help but harbor such thoughts at that moment.
For even this treacherous and suspicious demon felt a deep sense of annoyance and frustration at the likes of Duval.
For example, right now, Mephisto watched helplessly as billions of aliens swarmed before him. If it were simply the sheer numbers, he wouldn't have cared less, even if he had slain every low-level demon in Hell.
But the moment Duval used his astral technique, the situation changed.
A seemingly decent alien, a mere super soldier at best, suddenly became Duval's carrier, its energy index and the intensity of its compression of the Hell dimension increasing at an exponential rate.
It was as if all the aliens scattered across many worlds were channeling their power into this single alien.
It comes and goes as it pleases, striking at any moment and anywhere. Duva can select any alien to serve as a platform for integrating concepts, and in an instant, transform it into a terrifying god, the carrier of his own conceptual assemblage.
Mephisto had no doubt that even if he devoted all his energy to destroying this alien, or even completely slaying all the aliens that had invaded Hell, he would still not be able to truly destroy Duva.
Perhaps at most, Duva would suffer a few injuries? Flesh wounds that could be healed with a little effort, merely chipping away at the insignificant surface of Duva, the sum total of all the aliens' meaning.
"Concepts are truly disgusting things,"
Mephisto observed coldly as the alien slowly soared into the sky, parallel to him. He sensed a heavy sense of oppression in it, confirming that it had a natural connection with all the aliens in Hell, constructing a vast ocean of cognition.
"Of course, you can't truly understand what this means. As a demon, you have no chance of unifying all demonic concepts. You can only exist as a part of the demonic realm... though even that will soon disappear."
The alien's form began to twist and turn, as if accelerating its evolution, quickly transforming into a figure with the alien's colors and physical features... Duva.
"So, you've noticed this a long time ago. Perhaps you've developed a strong interest in demons? Countless lords of Hell will also be interested in you..." Mephisto gave a deeply unpleasant expression, feigning composure while straining to conceal his inner rage.
At this moment, Mephisto was desperately searching for a way out.
But no matter how he calculated, there was no solution. He couldn't completely expel Duva while preserving this hellish dimension. The only solution seemed to be abandoning this hell and escaping, but that was impossible.
As mentioned before, Mephisto was no different from Dormammu and his ilk. They were both dimensional gods, and a large portion of their power was derived from the world they ruled.
The longer the original body is away from the dimensional world, the weaker its power becomes. It must return to its own dimension to regain peak combat power.
Even though Mephisto is a second-tier Great Demon, the dimensional god, existing as a physical entity, is ultimately no match for the conceptual god in this regard.
If Duva, a conceptual god, faced a similar impasse, even if he truly ran out of options, if retreat proved to be the only option, he would abandon his conquered territory and retreat immediately.
As long as relevant information about the aliens remained, Duva would not die. As long as Duva survived, all fallen aliens or alien heroes were still essentially concepts that Duva mastered, allowing him to resurrect them.
This is an extremely astonishing and terrifying closed loop. While it's far inferior to the combined concepts of the creator gods and the multiverse, Duva didn't believe he couldn't defeat a single cosmic demon like Mephisto.
"Even if I became the Concept God of the demons, I would be the first to purge you from the demonic order. Even if I could become Satan of Hell, I would immediately unite all the great demons and slay you." Duva spoke these terrifying words calmly. "You have no place in my sphere."
"That's not what you said before. Becoming a god gives you immense confidence."
"No, even if I don't become a god, I have more than enough confidence to destroy you... I mentioned it before, I had several plans for the appearance of you guys, but I just didn't use them—there will always be an endless supply of people on my side to stop you."
There was no need for countermeasures now. Having reached the rank, he could crush everything head-on with his sheer size.
Duva wielded this form, bearing his own appearance and distinctly alien features, like an arm and finger, with no unfamiliarity. How could a Concept God be unfamiliar with controlling his own concepts? Endless chains of cognition extended from his body, binding and connecting with every alien present. In the next second, he launched an invasion of the entire Hell dimension.
The entire Hell dimension trembled violently.
Duval, armed with his vast significance, information, and cognition, launched an all-out attack on Mephisto, and a fierce battle erupted between the two single cosmic gods.
Horrifying cracks appeared on the blood-red earth, and magma, like blood, shot skyward. In the vortex of particles swirling from the energy collision, it instantly solidified into a mountain of magma.
But it was quickly shattered by the impact of the escaping laws.
This large dimension, once indestructible, suddenly became shaky, like a flower battered by wind and rain, from its radiant splendor.
The movement even spread all the way out, causing tremors in the neighboring Hell dimension.
"What a terrifying creature! I can't believe we were needed to protect him not long ago."
Demon Qiyi glanced at the "Seraphim Shield" wielded by Black Qiyi.
Golden-red magical lines formed a beautiful polyhedron, encircling them both and shielding them from the terrifying onslaught from the outside world.
The ability to instantly unleash this level of defensive magic, with such astonishing strength and scale, clearly demonstrated Black Qiyi's prowess.
Even knowing the Seraphim Shield is known as the "strongest defense" magic, with a 360-degree, all-around defense against energy, soul, and dimensional damage, one still subconsciously worries about how long it will last in this situation.
Immediately, Demon Strange exerted force with both feet, stomping his formidable physique into the ground, anchoring himself. Facing forward, he employed Hoggs's Ancient Body, also renowned for its defensive power, but primarily against attacks from a single direction.
If Hoggs saw me deploying his power at the outermost perimeter to protect the Seraphim Shield, he wondered if he would lose his temper... No, who knows what Hoggs' personality is like? Perhaps he would lose his temper at seeing a demon like me wasting his power, Demon Strange thought.
"Protect? You're wrong. You didn't witness the battle between him and Ultron—oh, I almost forgot, you didn't know who Ultron was. This is a kind of luck, which means that you, the Supreme Sorcerer, avoided a disaster. If you had seen the process of that battle, you wouldn't say so."
Black Strange maintained the spell and shouted loudly: "The time when we joined forces to fight Dormammu, it wasn't us protecting him, but he gave us the opportunity to stand up and protect him. Don't put the cart before the horse."
"This is simply the loyal statement of a follower..." "Do you think you aren't? You live within his purview. Whatever you do is independent of whether he wants you to do it or not! Do you think you can resist his 'favors'? From what I've observed, you haven't earned Vishanti's favor. He's not impressed by you and has never granted you any extra magic."
"If I could have Vishanti's favor, why would I have reached this point? Half human, half demon... no, more demonic."
Demon Strange watched as Hoggs's ancient form, which he had used, began to crumble under the fierce impact. His face held no trace of surprise. He was barely a god-father now. "But even if Vishanti favored me and granted me a massive surge of extra magic to enhance my strength, I couldn't afford the price... I'm not the Ancient One. I can't be like her." Demon Strange
ignored the final collapse of his magic and focused on Mephisto.
It was a shame. This great demon was ultimately beyond his and his parallel-universe self's ability to defeat. Ultimately, it would be Duval who would have to take action.
"So, what has all my efforts been for..." Demon Qiyi looked down at his utterly disfigured body, unsure of his true identity.
However, no one mentioned this, as such details gradually faded from consideration. After all, all manner of bizarre species ultimately became members of the Alien race, merging into the Alien concept. This was the most dominant and reliable form of identity.
"You're already hesitating. If you truly feel tormented by your own identity, then become an Alien. There's no shame in choosing to join Duva's ideologies. In these neighboring worlds, choosing to join Duva's ideologies is a form of cosmic political correctness."
Even in such a harsh environment, Black Qiyi let out a strange laugh, like a tourist marveling at the unique scenery he saw.
He glanced at his parallel self from the corner of his eye.
If he was right, Duva had already made all the arrangements for this guy... and had even reached this conclusion through casual reflection.
He feared that, in the end, his parallel self would be grateful to Duva for giving him the opportunity.
Duval was just like that. In stark contrast to Mephisto, whose penchant for deception had infamously permeated the entire multiverse, Duval always preferred to achieve his goals through legitimate means.
He was particularly adept at leveraging relative power to steer the course of major events.
Mephisto knew only too well how agonizing this feeling was.
Facing Duval's massive attack, he was unable to establish a meaningful advantage within his own territory.
To put it mildly, he was fighting on home turf, empowered by the power of the dimension. To put it bluntly, as so many aliens surged into his hell, the greater their numbers, the more Duval seemed to be fighting on home turf.
No one could comprehend the depths of Mephisto's inner turmoil.
He cursed out the most venomous curse in the demonic language.
Countless demonic forces resonated with the hellish dimension itself, coalescing into ferocious pillars of blood-red light that enveloped Duval.
Mephisto also employed a wide array of magic, unleashing every attack he could muster.
He even borrowed power from Cyttorak, whom he deeply disliked. He swung out a "Crimson Chain of Cyttorak," which instantly replicated countless times, entangling Duval.
"A demon borrowing power from another unwelcome demon will make the other great demons laugh at you, Mephisto. Your integrity
will be ruined." Duval simply produced a crimson gem and placed a hand on the endless blood-red chain before him, severing it completely.
The Alien Concept, using each Alien as a nail, continuously hammered into this hellish dimension. Duval was familiar with this process, having done the same to his own universe when he ascended to the Concept God.
Now, operating from a stronger position, practice made perfect.
"Damn concepts, concepts!! You vile human, you thieving alien..."
"Put aside your impotent rage. Do you really think you can defeat me? Otherwise, the moment I became a god, why didn't you attack with all your might? Instead, you chose to flee back to Hell empty-handed, praying I wouldn't personally charge into your hell to exact revenge? Indeed, even from a narrow perspective, the body I first inhabited was still drinking water on Earth."
Duva's imposing presence echoed through Hell. "Now, you can wield the power of the dimensional world. I can harness the power of all aliens and all alien-related concepts! I command countless heavenly fathers and gods, and they too are my power. With just one dimensional world, what can you possibly fight me with?"
This was different from the crude, brute force of a superior absorbing and plundering the power of a lesser. That would be too much of an underestimation of Duva.
As long as a lesser being among the aliens, active as an alien, all their efforts essentially strengthen Duva's mastery of concepts, enhancing his overall strength, and allowing him to perfectly control this power.
This was a natural, objective phenomenon, the absolute truth of the entire multiverse, the essential manifestation of concepts.
Mephisto understood this, but he refused to accept his end.
With a roar,
Duva seized Mephisto's arm and tore it off. With a wave of his hand, a conceptual blade descended from above, pinning Mephisto to his world.
All divine power was sapped, and the magic borrowed from the gods, under the endless onslaught, ultimately shattered like foam.
Mephisto squeezed every ounce of his strength, yet he also had to pay a price to the very sources of that power. Combined with Duva's erosion of this hellish dimension, the wear and tear on the world worsened, and his body gradually began to show signs of decay.
Tens of thousands more clashes followed, and the demons watched with comprehension as Mephisto went from radiant and resplendent to grimy and dusty.
For Mephisto, who was extremely concerned with his personal image, this transformation was a sure sign of his unstoppable power.
The world trembled, the dimensions shattered, all evidence of Mephisto's dire predicament.
Yet no great demon offered a helping hand. They were shocked by Duva's power, horrified by the strangeness of the alien concept, yet they
also longed for Mephisto's swift death, hoping to share a larger share of his remains. This was the devil, this was hell, but in the countless dimensions of hell, there would never be another Mephisto.
Chapter 174: Understanding Demons, Becoming Demons, or Letting Demons Become Me.
"Look at his miserable state! How ironic! Mephisto hid his entire life in his own Hell, only to die here."
Fearful and greedy eyes watched the changes in the Hell dimension. This
was especially true for the other demons, who were intimately familiar with Mephisto's ways and had suffered greatly at his hands. The more miserable Mephisto's plight became, the more they recalled his once-arrogant and arrogant demeanor. The stark contrast filled the demons with a sigh of regret.
But that was all. As for whether these vicious demons would mourn his death and unite against his common enemy?
No kidding! These creatures are all selfish, eager for Mephisto's swift demise so they can rush in and share his legacy.
As for whether Duva would occupy this Hell dimension and attack other Hells...
Honestly, even if he did, it wouldn't be a problem at all. For eons past, many foreign gods and Hell's natives had done just that.
Many of the so-called great demons in Hell, as it were, were actually dimensional demons from across the multiverse.
Anyone entering Hell had to abide by its rules.
Sim, Zatannos, Desperi, Belasco...
these renowned demons lamented heartfeltly, gloating over the misfortune, eager to be the first to claim the spoils, such as the scattered demonic power and the shattered dimensional worlds—of course, only after Duva departed, or when he was too busy taking over the main body of this Hell dimension to attend to anything else.
The demons were unsure of their ability to successfully expel Duva.
"The death of Mephisto clears a new space for me."
A massive, hideous figure bared its mouthful of sharp fangs. "With Mephisto dead, I'm the closest demon to Satan. That's universally acknowledged..."
"Bullshit! Who do you think you are, Zatanos? Just based on your record of being assaulted by a horde of vengeful spirits? A fellow who failed to conquer prehistoric Earth?"
"Belasco, you bastard from the mud, how dare you speak to a pure demon like me, a legitimate god bred by Hell?"
"Stop talking nonsense, you bunch of brawling fools and idiots! If Mephisto were here, he'd arrogantly declare you're catching up to Cyttorak in verbal attacks... Thankfully, there won't be another Mephisto pointing fingers at us anymore."
Figures engaged in a constant, subtle struggle.
Different Hells clashed and clashed with each other. Whenever they saw an opportunity, they pressed forward without hesitation, taking a bite out of the other Hells and strengthening their own forces.
Now, everyone waited, hoping for Mephisto's swift demise, and also hoping for Duval's swift departure after his success.
"Everyone is concerned about your well-being. I can smell the stench wafting from other Hells. We're so close... You're very welcome."
Duval slapped Mephisto on the head, reaching out with his other hand to grab his neck. With a resounding thud, he slammed him into the dimension's core.
Duval's condition wasn't looking good either. His body was tattered and battered. Several fingers on his hand, tougher than adamantium, were missing. Most of his body was tattered, with large areas of flesh and bone missing. By
any measure, Duval was in worse shape than Mephisto's.
But everyone knew this was just an appearance. If Duval wished, he could pull out a new, strong body in a matter of minutes.
Mephisto, however, was in a state of decline. He had suffered a severe blow, and this crumbling Hell dimension itself could no longer sustain his immense power.
The damage sustained by the demon reached the conceptual level. Duva's power seized every opportunity to consume and erode it.
Every weakening was a real weakening.
Duva began dismembering Mephisto. Every time he tore off a piece of Mephisto, Duva used his concepts to permanently slay a portion of him, depriving him of his connection to the Hell dimension.
At first glance, it looked like an alien devouring a demon.
The scene was strange no matter how one looked at it.
"This feeling is so strange! I've imagined this countless times. How would I absorb you? I've even wondered if absorbing you would allow me to rival Cyttorak?"
Mephisto spoke, struggling fiercely. His body and soul were dwindling, and his healing abilities were plummeting. Duva's actions were not merely physical destruction; they were also at the level of principles, inherently destroying Mephisto's own healing abilities.
What's more, this entire hell dimension is under Dua's attack, and Mephisto has less and less power to repair his injuries.
"The superposition of two single universe-level entities cannot reach the multiverse level. You should know this better than me. Besides, as a dimensional lord, how confident are you in controlling my alien concept?" Duval's speed of attack was getting faster and faster, accurate and ruthless, "Is this your last words?"
"We are the same kind of people when it comes to how to make efficient use of things... If I succeed, I will not only be a demon of hell, but also the supreme god of aliens! You have a crimson sapphire in your hand, which means you have dealt with Setorak and have a certain understanding of Him... That guy is not as strong as you think, of course he is not weak - as long as I become Satan, everything will be fine!"
"But you will never be able to get involved in that position. That is a position that Setorak does not want."
"You are wrong. Setorak can allow himself not to become Satan, but he cannot tolerate other demons ignoring Him and becoming Satan... Whoever sits in Satan's position will be besieged by all the demons in hell. I originally made a detailed plan on how to become Satan, but something went wrong from the very beginning."
Duval immediately understood what Mephisto was talking about.
"God of Terror, the great serpent Kul? This is one of your most prized weapons." Duval knew what Mephisto was talking about. The great demon attempted to detonate a portion of the dimension to escape, but was once again restrained by Duval. "The Prime Universe is a wonderful place. It connects the entire multiverse. If you could obtain the additional power you desire from the Prime Universe, you would instantly attain a position of power beyond your imagination. Everything you desire will belong to me in the future."
Mephisto gave up his struggle, rolling his eyes with resentment, staring fixedly in one direction.
Watching from outside this infernal dimension, Nightmare suspected he had been cursed by Mephisto, a look of suspicion and confusion on his face.
What was this deathly gaze? Nightmare could not recall any enmity between him and Mephisto.
Indeed, Mephisto had grown close to him in recent years, offering him advice on numerous occasions, but that didn't necessarily indicate a close relationship between the two demons.
In fact, the Nightmare was ready to rush into the dimension in front of him and devour the remaining power of Mephisto.
With a violent roar, an extremely evil energy collapsed across the board, and everyone knew that Mephisto was completely finished. Without time for either sadness or joy, the demons gathered together, eager to try, gazing greedily.
"Your eyesight is terrible, I don't like it. Anyone who does anything out of line without my permission will learn the consequences." Duva sized up the bizarre demons.
"Duva, you're an outsider, and you don't seem to intend to become the lord of Hell. Why don't you leave this place to us? We'll clean up all the trouble for you."
"Not all demons are as liars as Mephisto. There are
some among us who keep their promises." The demons were ready to make their move.
Duva's face was expressionless. Meanwhile, several figures rushed over and stood beside him. A large number of aliens continued to pour into this world, causing the demons to frown.
This was the rub. Duva was not the god they were used to, but a being with the ability to manually create countless clones, transforming any alien into its original form at any time.
Who knows when an ordinary, unremarkable alien might appear from a corner, only to be chosen by Duval in the next second, his powers dramatically enhanced.
"Is this Hell? Wow, it looks like such a mess! Look over there, it feels like the sky is shattered into pieces..."
Spider-Man from Universe 199999 also arrived. His first impression was the dead silence and agony of Hell, especially the sight of this shattered alien world, which left him a bit bewildered.
Is the battle over?
No, far in the sky, several black spots seemed to appear, like slowly falling planets, carrying a profound sense of oppression.
"Stand behind me, Peter."
"Mr. Stark! I remember you were hit by a satellite five years ago. Compared to that..."
"There's no comparison. Each one of those guys standing there is more terrifying than countless satellites." Tony interrupted Spider-Man, glancing at his teammates.
Thor was also visiting this place for the first time. When he saw Foster standing behind Dewar, bathed in a vast thunderbolt, his eyes widened in disbelief. He kept shouting "Jane," oblivious to everything else.
"Well, it seems you're more reliable, Doctor... You're the expert on matters of the dimensional world," Tony and the others looked at their own Doctor Strange hopefully.
Doctor Strange's face darkened. "Those two are more professional than I am... I can't even comprehend what they've done to wield such immense magical power? Even our Ancient One couldn't compare!"
But one need only look at the two Doctor Stranges from the parallel universes—each of them had something amiss in their physical form—to understand the price
they paid to acquire such magical power. It's a matter of fairness in the realm of magic. Furthermore, the magic these two wielded originated not only from Vishanti but also from many dangerous multidimensional deities.
These cannon fodder, forcibly transported from Universe 199999 by Thanos, had already begun to realize that while the war seemed to be drawing to a close, a greater danger was brewing.
Just look at this vast, chaotic world, its immeasurable vastness and its complex rules, reduced to its current state of disarray, floating in the void, its edges constantly eroding.
"You are lucky."
Lightning Thompson, who was covered in scars and half of his body was in rapid self-healing, crawled over and looked at these people: "Come from Universe 199999? I've heard of you, you are so lucky."
"Lucky? I just feel that a more terrible disaster will break out at any time! We are going to sacrifice our lives to participate in a war we should not participate in. Besides, man, your vitality is really tenacious. Are all aliens like this? You are sticky all over, and many strange aliens are the same as you."
"That's what I'm talking about. All aliens, even if they die, will live forever in Duva as souls, but they have temporarily lost their bodies. This means that Duva only needs a little time to resurrect the dead aliens. Do you understand what this means? It means that you who have not become aliens, once you die, you are really dead, and it is the kind of death that cannot be saved even from the timeline."
Just kidding, if you were really slapped to death by Mephisto, the time of a single universe would not be able to take effect in hell.
Most of the heroes in Universe 199999 wore grim expressions. Those who remained calm were either fearless or, like Tony and Banner, had transformed into aliens and were with Duvall.
"You look a bit like me..." Spider-Man looked at the man before him with suspicion, thinking it was his alternate self. But when Venom poked its head out of Flash Thompson's body, Spider-Man realized he was mistaken. It was a living, spider-like suit, but not his own.
Spider-Man...
Flash Thompson vaguely remembered that a few years ago, he had been chosen by Duvall, chosen from among the entire Earth population and successfully joined Duvall. After the symbiote army invaded Earth, he received Venom, which Duvall had bestowed upon him.
Spiders are fascinating creatures, and this power can be found throughout the multiverse. Since our universe doesn't have Spider-Man, having a Venom agent like you isn't bad. Flash Thompson vaguely remembered Duvall saying this.
But is Spider-Man special? Flash Thompson couldn't comprehend the situation for the time being. Perhaps he could focus on observing Spider-Man #199999, perhaps offering some minor assistance to Duval...
provided he could return from Hell alive and well.
Flash Thompson gazed into the distance, his eyes unable to even comprehend the utter chaos.
"Duval, this is Hell, and we are the Demon Lords!" Sim, seemingly a gentleman, said with a furious look in his eyes. "Or will you, the Concept God, join our ranks? If so, we would welcome you."
This was a vicious instigation, asking a Concept God to defect to Hell and become a demon... In the multiverse, this would be a major event. Was this a true Concept God?
"Strange,"
Duval ignored the group of demons. Even facing a single universe-level force, he now possessed the strength to confront them head-on. He called the demon Strange over.
"From now on, you will become a demon lord, just like Mephisto once did."
Duval casually pointed at Mephisto. "After I strip him of some of his value, you will absorb the rest with the Mouth of Falter. You will then have the opportunity to realize your desire for revenge."
Become a demon? No kidding, Duval is actually interested in incorporating demons into his own concept.
Just like when Death wanted to recruit Duval as a vassal, he needed to quickly resolve the situation in Hell and then begin preparations for the smuggling.