Robert's voice brimmed with confidence, a reflection of his genuine thoughts. As powerful as Mephisto was as a top-tier Hell Dimension lord, Robert didn't believe him to be more difficult to eliminate than an entire dimension.
To Robert, the worst-case scenario was killing Mephisto outright, severing Cynthia's connection to him. The best-case scenario? Beating Mephisto until he willingly relinquished control over Cynthia.
As for why Robert wanted to pummel Mephisto first? It was simple—Mephisto's arrogance and repeated scheming had pushed Robert's patience to its limit. Mephisto's attitude seemed to suggest that only he had the brains to orchestrate plans, and Robert intended to prove otherwise.
This fight wasn't just a clash of power but also a statement: Sometimes, brute force trumped clever schemes.
"Arrogant fool!"
Mephisto's voice dripped with fury at Robert's dismissive tone. While he acknowledged Robert's fearsome strength, he could not allow himself to back down, not with countless eyes watching their battle. For Mephisto, conceding now would be tantamount to losing his reputation, something even he could not afford.
Even if self-preservation was more important than pride, Mephisto knew Robert wouldn't let him go so easily. Thus, he resolved to fight back with all his might.
A surge of mystical energy erupted from Mephisto's domain, amplifying his power and forging a direct connection to the Hell Dimension's essence. His already formidable aura swelled, reaching heights that rivaled the might of creator gods.
Robert observed this transformation with interest. "Impressive. Now this is more like it. You're finally living up to your reputation as a top-tier lord."
With a sudden burst of speed, Robert disappeared, reappearing behind Mephisto. His fist, imbued with immense energy, crashed into Mephisto's form.
"Boom!"
The ensuing explosion rocked Mephisto's domain. The shockwaves decimated countless structures, obliterating weaker beings within the territory. However, to Robert's surprise, the core of Mephisto's domain remained intact. While the area bore the scars of their clash—craters, ruins, and death—the underlying framework of the domain endured.
This resilience underscored the formidable nature of the Hell Dimension itself. Unlike weaker dimensions, the Hell Dimension's foundation was nearly indestructible. Even if Robert unleashed his full strength without opposition, he doubted he could destroy it entirely.
Mephisto's power, instead of waning, continued to grow. Each life extinguished within his domain seemed to feed his strength, reinforcing him further. His aura now rivaled, if not surpassed, that of Darkseid after acquiring the Anti-Life Equation.
Despite this, Robert remained unperturbed. Instead of escalating to his Super Saiyan God form, he continued fighting in his Super Saiyan 2 state, using the battle as an opportunity to sharpen his skills and test the limits of his current transformation.
Observers from other dimensions watched the battle with growing confusion.
"Is this the Saiyan everyone fears? He seems to be struggling against Mephisto. Hardly living up to the hype."
"Perhaps his supposed destruction of a dimension relied on some secret weapon or artifact," another speculated.
Their doubts grew as Robert refrained from deploying his full power. For them, a being capable of effortlessly crushing dimensions should have had no trouble overwhelming Mephisto.
However, more informed spectators scoffed at these assumptions.
"You fools clearly don't understand. Robert hasn't even used his full power. He's testing Mephisto while holding back. His earlier words hinted at another transformation, far beyond what we're seeing now."
"True. When Darkseid wielded ultimate cosmic rules, he still lost to Robert's transformation. And from what I've heard, Robert didn't even achieve the full potential of that form. He's holding back because Mephisto simply isn't worth the effort."
The skeptical voices quieted as the realization spread: Robert wasn't struggling. He was deliberately choosing not to escalate the battle.
Mephisto, mid-battle, reached a similar conclusion, though it only deepened his frustration. "This bastard! He's clearly suppressing his true strength just to mock me!"
Fueled by rage, Mephisto unleashed a relentless barrage of attacks, weaving his domain's rules into his strikes in a desperate attempt to force Robert to transform.
But Mephisto knew, deep down, that he couldn't win. His goal shifted: If he could push Robert into revealing his higher transformation, perhaps he could salvage some semblance of pride from this humiliating encounter.
Yet even this modest goal felt increasingly out of reach. Mephisto had gained the ten dimensional lords as planned, but at what cost? Cynthia was beyond his grasp, his domain lay in ruins, and nearly all his minions had perished.
The longer the battle dragged on, the more Mephisto realized how badly he had miscalculated.
Robert, on the other hand, felt invigorated. "Your power is growing, Mephisto, but your fighting spirit is fading. No matter. I have enough for the both of us."
As Mephisto faltered, Robert decided to escalate the fight slightly. With a faint hum, his golden aura began to shimmer with traces of purple energy.
Mephisto froze as he sensed the oppressive force radiating from Robert's right hand.
"Why won't you just fully transform?!" Mephisto shouted, barely blocking a devastating punch that sent him hurtling across his domain.
Mephisto refused to leave his territory, knowing full well that his connection to the Hell Dimension's essence provided him with invaluable power and protection. If he stepped outside, even the faintest chance of survival would evaporate.
But staying within his domain wasn't without risks. Other Hell Dimension lords, long jealous of Mephisto's position, were undoubtedly watching this fight with glee. If Robert pushed Mephisto far enough, it might embolden his enemies to act.
As Robert relentlessly battered Mephisto back toward the center of his domain, a telepathic message echoed in his mind.
"Saiyan, how about a deal? Throw Mephisto out of his domain, and I'll offer you a reward. We can negotiate the terms."
Robert smirked. The opportunism of the Hell Dimension's lords was unsurprising, but it amused him nonetheless.
"No need to rush. I'm already having fun."
With another burst of speed, Robert appeared behind Mephisto and delivered a punishing blow that sent him crashing back to his domain's core.
"Stay here, Mephisto. I'll make sure you don't leave until I've had my fill," Robert said, his tone dripping with mockery.
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