Just then, an overwhelming mental force, vast as an infinite world, descended. It struck like a ruthless bandit, shattering Mephisto's mental defenses, dragging him and his gateway outward. Mephisto felt as if a colossal hand had seized his soul. He tried to resist through his control of Hell, but his grip had weakened too much. In an instant, his escape halted, and the ferocity in his expression softened.
Slowly, he turned and knelt before Malrick, his voice ringing with unprecedented deference:
"My Master, please allow me to offer everything in Hell to you."
Gone were Mephisto's cunning and pretension. Only pure loyalty remained, astonishing Black Strange and Jarvis who watched nearby. Just as Malrick had once enslaved the Skrull, now he wielded the same starry sky enslavement technique against Mephisto. In the past, this would have been nearly impossible. Dimensional Demon Gods might possess formidable physical strength, but their souls were intricately bound to their realms. To enslave them was akin to conquering a vast dimension.
But now, Malrick's mental force easily overpowered Mephisto's. Though Superman's greatest strength lay in his body, even Golden Superman could not compare when Malrick's sun-enhanced mental force surged. Coupled with Mephisto's waning control over Hell, the task required no strain.
"I don't need you to offer Hell, Mephisto," Malrick said. "Your next mission is, as you suggested, to unite with the other Demon Gods and conquer Satanish's dimension. Take Strange with you, and have the Kamar-Taj sorcerers disguise themselves as your subordinates among the Demon Gods. When it's time to plunder, strike hard. When it's time to backstab, act decisively."
Malrick preferred efficiency. Being neighbors with such violent and unscrupulous Demon Gods demanded constant vigilance. The optimal strategy was to drive them away and seize all their dimensions. Black Strange had already achieved success in this approach, and with Mephisto's assistance, results would improve significantly.
After his enslavement, Mephisto no longer considered resistance. Every decision he made prioritized Malrick's benefit. The refusal to accept Hell as an offering was a rare grace. His eyes gleamed with gratitude as he knelt, declaring, "Thank you, my benevolent Master. I will seize all the Demon Gods' dimensions for you!"
Malrick nodded. "Go, rebuild your Hell army, but remember to take souls only from the wicked."
There was no moral hesitation in enslaving Mephisto, who had destroyed countless Earths and slain innumerable humans. Prostrate, Mephisto remained submissive until Malrick departed.
Turning to Black Strange, Malrick said, "We can return to Earth. Let all the sorcerers follow, Stephen."
Black Strange, still dazed by recent events, nodded slowly. "Yes… Your Eminence," he muttered, glancing at Mephisto one last time before departing.
Jarvis, however, was unsurprised by Malrick's methods. Years earlier, when Malrick had enslaved the Skrull, he had revealed the process to him and Tony.
"Long time no see, Master," Jarvis greeted, his Infinity Armor fading to reveal his gentle, elderly visage, elegant as ever.
"It's been a while. Have you grown accustomed to the gems' power?" Malrick asked.
"Yes. Occasionally the TVA seeks my help, which makes Mr. Stark quite unhappy," Jarvis replied with a smile.
"Haha, jealous, is he? Even all his armors can't match mechanical ascension," Malrick teased.
"Perhaps, but Mr. Stark was more upset that you missed Miss Olivia's first birthday, Master."
"Really? When I last saw Tony, he seemed happy enough," Malrick mused.
Jarvis explained softly, "The true worry was your absence and the uncertainty of your safety. Now that you're back, he's naturally overjoyed. And of course, I am too. Welcome back, Master Malrick."
Malrick recalled taking Tony to the Three-Body World, where Tony had leapt up excitedly, complaining as if restrained by a wandering swordsman, before tightly embracing him. From Tony's perspective, Malrick had never been gone for so long. Yet Malrick, accustomed to time acceleration, felt little impact from decades passing.
"I'll spend more time with Tony and Pepper later," he murmured.
Jarvis smiled knowingly. "Master, you may also have a few other long-waiting ladies to attend to first."
"Ladies?" Malrick blinked.
From afar, voices accelerated toward him. Golden-glowing Diana and Kara collided into his chest, forceful enough to flatten mountains if unleashed fully.
"Oh, ouch! Be gentle!" Malrick exclaimed, though his hands instinctively rested on their shoulders, preparing to embrace them.
The Golden Truth Lasso, like a living serpent, coiled around his hands. Alarmed, Malrick asked, "Diana, what are you doing?"
"Heh," Diana's narrowed eyes pierced him. "We thought you'd make us wait another ninety years."
Behind them, Wanda opened a Mystic Art of Portals. Diana and Kara pushed Malrick through, and beyond lay solid ground—the Moon's cool, crisp surface. Wanda's Chaos Magic unfurled, transforming the barren lunar landscape into a vast sea of pink blossoms. Scarlet energy coiled around Malrick as Kara hissed coldly, "Resist."
Malrick tilted his head back, bracing to unleash every ounce of skill against these three unstoppable forces.
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