Arthur never imagined, not even in his wildest dreams, that one day inside his favorite bar, the No Door Pub, he would encounter a being like Chthon—an ancient god spoken of only in legend.
Thankfully, what stood before him now was not Chthon's true form. Otherwise, even if he fought alongside Senju Haruto and the Ancient One herself, the three of them combined might still not be enough to stop this primordial god.
The black magic Chthon wielded surpassed that of any dark deity or demon. Even Dormammu had once received Chthon's "blessing" and borrowed his power. That fact alone spoke volumes of just how terrifying this god's strength and history truly were.
Arthur swallowed hard, throat rolling as he began to chant in a deep voice, calling forth white magic. From the Vishanti, he borrowed a constant, unending stream of power.
The forbidden tomes within Kamar-Taj had long since recorded the nature of Chthon's dark sorcery.
"I have to drive you out!" Arthur clenched his teeth.
Ever since he had begun training under the Ancient One—fighting back dimensional invaders and standing guard as a sorcerer—he had never once borrowed such an immense surge of white magic.
For any mage, magic was never born of nothing. It was power drawn, borrowed, from the ancient gods. And with that power came a price.
The first consequence was the backlash upon the body.
The instant that torrent of white magic poured into Arthur, it was as if a bomb exploded within him. Then came the torment of the soul itself, seared and torn apart. His skin began peeling away, the surface charred as though burnt alive.
And yet, though his soul screamed under the crushing weight, Arthur remained standing. Anyone else would have collapsed instantly, fainting without even the chance to cry out.
That alone was proof of how unshakable Arthur's will was.
He could have left this battle to Senju Haruto. After all, Haruto's strength far surpassed his own. But Arthur never thought to retreat. Never dared to fear.
Because he knew in his heart—he was a sorcerer. A guardian of Earth. A protector sworn to spend his life fighting the forces of darkness.
This was not a question of strength. It was a matter of conviction. A matter of pride.
Senju Haruto could see that pride burning in Arthur. His gaze narrowed slightly, and with a faint smile, he lowered his hand, allowing Arthur to face Chthon himself.
Whatever the outcome, Arthur was without doubt a true sorcerer.
But Arthur was not without hope. On one hand, this was not Chthon's true form—merely a parasitic possession of Madame Viper's body. On the other, Chthon was one of the first ancient gods, older even than Mephisto and Dormammu. His physical form resided in another dimension, not here, not now.
And in this world, there was no human body capable of containing his full power.
If Arthur could only force Chthon out of Madame Viper, he would lose his foothold on Earth.
With that conviction, Arthur solidified his plan. He would drive Chthon from her body.
"In the name of the Vishanti!"
Arthur's hands erupted with glowing red spell circles, unleashing blinding white beams of energy that tore through the air. This was the one chance—before Chthon had fully adapted to his new vessel.
Boom!
White magic speared straight through Madame Viper's body, leaving gaping, smoldering holes rimmed with black and crimson.
Then the white energy curved in midair, looping back like a whip, striking again with pinpoint precision.
BOOM!
Another deafening blast thundered through the No Door Pub, shaking the entire space.
The shockwave rippled outward, drawing the eyes of those fleeing sorcerers and bystanders.
They had known Arthur wasn't an ordinary mage—but none expected him to unleash white magic of such devastating force.
Judging by sheer destructive power alone, this attack could rival even the Ancient One herself.
But Arthur's body and soul were nowhere near as strong as the Ancient One's. His magic had already gone far beyond his limits.
It felt like standing on the blazing surface of the sun. His eyes liquefied under the heat, collapsing into blackened voids as streams of blood poured down his cheeks.
His entire body looked half-cooked—skin blistered, muscles torn, internal organs scorched.
Senju Haruto watched silently, taking in every detail.
Arthur was alive, but barely. He was little different from a corpse held upright by sheer willpower. His arms dangled limply at his sides, nerves and muscles fried beyond repair. The fact that his body hadn't collapsed outright was itself proof of his indomitable will.
"I'm curious."
Just as Arthur prayed for a miracle, a voice—half man, half woman—slid into his ear.
"What exactly do you think you can do to me with magic of that level?"
Chthon, through Madame Viper's body, looked down at him with amusement. His tone was mocking, almost indulgent, as if watching a child flailing against the tide.
This meager white magic could not harm him. The difference in power was too vast.
Arthur's sacrifice, in Chthon's eyes, was nothing but a waste of life.
And Chthon had done nothing—yet Viper's body was already regenerating before their very eyes. Within three breaths, every wound Arthur inflicted had vanished without a trace.
Arthur, though blind, could still hear. The realization sank into him like a blade: he could not stop Chthon.
The god's power was too immense. Perhaps Haruto could stand against him—but only perhaps.
Chthon was an ancient god. Haruto, for all his potential, was merely a rising sorcerer. Even as the next Sorcerer Supreme, he would still fall short before such a being.
All Arthur could do now was hope—that the Ancient One would sense Chthon's presence, and arrive in time to prevent catastrophe.
"Still," Chthon said, narrowing his crimson gaze, "your courage is… worthy of reward."
He ignored Haruto for the moment, choosing instead to fix his attention on Arthur. To Chthon, even a small figure could be amusing.
With a casual flick of his hand, a wave of black magical particles surged forth, a crushing barrier of power hurtling straight toward Arthur.
Arthur, broken and blind, couldn't even move. All he could do was stand and wait for death.
But just before the black tide engulfed him—scarlet particles burst into existence, weaving themselves into a shield around Arthur.
BOOM!
Red clashed against black, exploding with a deafening roar. The shockwave shattered half the No Door Pub in an instant.
And when the dust cleared, Senju Haruto was standing behind Arthur, his figure steady, eyes fixed on Chthon.