Peter had initially intended to seek out Strange to settle some scores, but the moment he and Iron Fist stepped through the Sanctum Sanctorum's portal into Limbo—a realm most sorcerers couldn't even reach with a Sling Ring—he witnessed Illyana chasing Strange across the wasteland, swinging her massive Soulsword.
An ordinary weapon posed no real threat to the Sorcerer Supreme, but that sword was different; it struck directly at the soul. Coupled with the fact that Strange knew he was in the wrong, he could do nothing but run for his life.
Peter turned his gaze toward the other members of the Midnight Sons. Setting aside the mystery of where the demonic version of Illyana had vanished to, Belasco was currently tied up tightly nearby. He had never imagined in his wildest dreams that Chthon would be the linchpin of Strange's strategy, leaving him utterly bewildered now that Chthon had been banished.
Worse was yet to come. When Belasco had finally decided to use any means necessary to trade for a way out, he discovered that his petition to Chthon—offering his own soul in exchange for magical energy—had already received a reply from the Flickering Realm. It was a resounding denial!
And so, Belasco was captured.
"It seems the Sorcerer Supreme isn't quite as righteous as he appears. To keep such a dangerous plan completely hidden from you all... even if he didn't tell you, weren't the risks far too high? Your deaths might have been acceptable to you, but one wrong move and your entire world would have been doomed. And a man like this is allowed to be the Sorcerer Supreme?"
Belasco continued to ramble until Strange used a spell to muzzle him. Clad in a tattered Cloak of Levitation and sporting a body covered in wounds, Strange walked up to Belasco. "Your master has abandoned you, Belasco. Without a source of magic, without Chthon, and without Limbo, what do you have left?"
Belasco's only remaining sources for spellcasting were burning his own life force and the four Bloodstones. Strange was certain that no matter how loyal Belasco claimed to be to Chthon, he valued his own life far more. Therefore, he would undoubtedly burn those four Bloodstones to cast his final spell.
Whether Belasco consumed the stones to cast a spell or Strange managed to seize them, the outcome would be exactly what Strange wanted. Strange's question was essentially forcing Belasco to make a choice.
Yet, Belasco only looked at Strange with an amused expression. Before Strange could say anything more, a heavy blow struck his head, immediately followed by the delighted laughter of the Midnight Sons. Strange sighed helplessly. Illyana had exercised some restraint, at least; she had smacked him with the flat of her greatsword rather than actually cutting him.
At that moment, Peter walked over alongside Iron Fist. Seeing a panting, exhausted Illyana, he leaned in and asked, "How much did Strange keep from you?"
"How much? Let's put it this way: aside from the fact that I was going to be torn apart again, he didn't mention a thing. I thought he had everything arranged, but as you can see, he nearly got us all killed. No wonder he insisted I couldn't let go of my control over Limbo. Turns out my other self could snatch away that duty, and she certainly wasn't going to help."
The more Illyana spoke, the angrier she became. As the Sorcerer Supreme of Limbo, she had clearly felt the process of her control being partially usurped by her other self, as well as Chthon's immense power lingering outside. In that split second, Illyana felt the weight of everyone's fate—and the fate of their entire universe—resting squarely on her shoulders. Had she faltered even slightly, giving Chthon an opening, the whole world could have been obliterated.
And damn Strange, he hadn't mentioned a single word about it. All that pressure had crashed down on her in an instant, leaving her completely unprepared.
Thinking about this, Illyana hoisted her greatsword once more and aimed it at Strange's head. This time, Strange had already cast a shield spell, ensuring all impacts struck his defensive barrier.
Blade then stepped forward to chime in. "That's right. A massive horde of undead suddenly popped out of nowhere and caught us off guard. We ended up fighting those 'reinforcements' almost instantly, which nearly allowed Belasco to escape. We couldn't even tell if that spell was cast by you or Belasco. Your plan truly was flawless, Sorcerer."
Finally, Peter added, "And the matter with the Web-Warriors—you kept me completely in the dark about that too. I genuinely believed I was the crucial key to defeating Chthon, but it turns out I was just a summoning device."
Having listened to everyone's grievances, Strange finally offered his explanation.
"That is because I couldn't be certain you would accept the plan if I told you beforehand. In fact, I believe that if I had disclosed every detail, you would have definitely refused. But you are easily overlooking the benefits—an opportunity to force a multiversal-level dimensional demon to permanently abandon our world."
As Strange lectured them on the benefits, Elsa raised her weapon and fired a shot at him. Strange deflected it, which somehow sparked a wave of cheerful laughter among the Midnight Sons as they began to take turns pummeling him.
Whether it was his shields or his skin, Strange was thick enough to withstand it all.
"Alright, alright, I know you all have a major grievance with me and the entire operation, but can we handle the more important matter first?" Thoroughly annoyed by the ordeal, Strange gestured toward the bound demon. "We still have a devil to deal with here, thank you."
Turning back to face Belasco, Strange stared at him with confusion. Theoretically, Belasco should still have four Bloodstones to use as casting materials. Where were they?
"What are you waiting for, Sorcerer? My Bloodstones? Ah, I gave them away long ago. Someone will always step up to complete my grand work. Chthon shall inevitably descend."
Strange countered, "Who? Mephisto?"
"Why bother asking? Kill me if you have the guts, eh?"
Illyana stepped forward with keen interest, ready to do the deed, but Strange held her back. "Even though Chthon has effectively abandoned him, if we truly kill Belasco, his soul will still return to Chthon. As long as he is willing to serve Chthon, there remains a chance of his resurrection."
Illyana sheathed her sword. "Then what do you plan to do with him?"
"I intend to deliver him to the Vishanti."
"What?! You can't—"
With a broad sweep of his hand, Strange banished Belasco, then let out a long sigh of relief. Finally, the matter was successfully resolved.
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