Lord of Cinder in American Comics

The students followed the mages blankly. Although the Dragon Academy taught magic, its teaching methods had made them accustomed to fighting alone. Only Fran had any experience with this kind of cooperative combat.

Mordo sighed and arranged for the students to enter the battle formation, spreading them out and following behind the mages. One mage could take care of two or three students; that should be manageable...

"Watch out, the first wave of lesser demons is coming!"

For seasoned mages, such a reminder was unnecessary; it was only those students who were still confused who needed a hint.

The sorcerers raised their shields, carefully watching the center, from which various hellish creatures would usually emerge continuously until someone sealed this area away.

But not today. This is the closest place to hell. With just a little power, one can freely break through two dimensions. Usually, this place is under Mephisto's control, so it is still under our control.

But things are different now. Mephisto's human form has returned to Hell during that lightning bombardment, and this place has become the site of Hell's counterattack and revenge.

Sure enough, shortly after Mordo finished speaking, demons from hell appeared one after another, like a tsunami, rushing towards the mages' defenses.

"Beware of impact! Prepare to release..."

Before Modu could finish speaking, fireballs had already been launched from the hands of the students who were already in the zone.

Like bombers flying overhead, the fireballs exploded among the lesser demons, clearing out clearing space after clearing out the area.

Modu stared in disbelief at the scene before him. He had originally intended to say that the magic whip should be released and the magical artifact should be used to protect the people behind him, but the students behind him gave him a lesson instead.

Mordo looked at the student next to him, who was holding a hand axe in one hand and throwing fireballs with spell fire in the other. His skill level had already surpassed that of the mages he had trained in Kathmandu.

Grant hurled fireballs into the distance, then turned and killed a nearby lesser demon with his axe. Seeing Mordo standing unmoved beside him, he asked, "Mage? Is there a problem?"

No. You did a great job!

Mordo has always been skeptical of the magic of the Dragon Academy, after all, his years of learning have become mere reference material in the face of another system.

So even though he had a medium that could unleash spells and magic, Mordo stubbornly used the sling ring.

However, his studies at the Dragon Academy and the ideological impact caused his original stubbornness to begin to waver, and there were fewer and fewer mages who shared his beliefs.

This battle is Mordo's fight to prove himself; he wants to demonstrate through action that mages are the most suitable to protect Earth.

However, the scene he just witnessed changed his mind. If he could attack, why should he defend so fiercely?

'Perhaps all the spells taught by the Ancient One were for close combat?'

The sudden thought that popped into his mind made Mordo shake his head violently, throwing the offensive idea out of his head.

Looking around, Mordo saw that both mages and students were fighting side by side. Some of the mages were even throwing fireballs with incredible accuracy.

Mordo watched in disbelief as Kaecilius abandoned the Shield of Seraphin, wielding the Vishanti Holy Sword in one hand and the Soul Greatsword in the other, eliciting gasps from the surrounding audience.

Seeing this behavior, Mordo was somewhat displeased and silently took out the modified dragon emblem ring.

The battles outside were merely the defenses of the mages, while Geralt charged into Hell alone.

Mephisto, his face dark with anger, immediately sensed the uninvited guest. He commanded more hellish creatures to cross the dimensional barrier and appeared behind Geralt.

"It's you! How dare you come to my territory!"

Upon seeing Geralt, Mephisto recalled the last time his connection to Earth in Vanaheim was severed. That was his backup dimensional world, and he had just watched it slip away.

Mephisto grew increasingly excited and said, "I will make you into a throne and decorate my palace with your head!"

"Oh... I'm so scared!"

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Chapter 389: Hell Changes Hands Today!

"Oh... I'm so scared!"

Geralt's calm voice made Mephisto unsure of what to do, but looking around, this was hell!

The home advantage emboldened Mephisto, and he reverted to his true form as the Demon King of Hell, a body tens of meters tall, looking down at Geralt before him.

Geralt looked at Mephisto before him, ignoring his cannibalistic gaze, and pulled out the Hell access he had once acquired from his pocket.

Recognizing that it was the Son of Hell belonging to the Blackheart Demon, Mephisto sneered, "Is that all? I am the Demon King of Hell!"

Despite saying he didn't care, Mephisto gradually became more cautious. After all, the person in front of him was not that cross-dressing fool, Blackheart Demon. The authority of the Son of Hell was already threatening his position, otherwise he wouldn't have imprisoned Blackheart Demon.

"Mephisto, let's make a trade!"

A deal? You want to make a deal with me at a time like this?

Despite his growing doubts, Mephisto stared at the Hell Child authority in Geralt's hand—a power and status recognized by Hell itself.

"Trading is a devil's specialty," Mephisto asked. "What do you want?"

"Zatarnus! I want Zatarnus's soul."

Mephisto couldn't believe that Geralt's deal was to get Zaltanus, his former rival for the title of Lord of Hell.

After Mephisto defeated Zartanos, he tormented Zartanos's soul until it lost its mind and transformed it into the Ghost Rider's initiator.

Even though he lost his mind, Zarathos's hatred for Mephisto never disappeared, and his powerful soul had surpassed any previous collection. Otherwise, how could Mephisto have withstood the pressure from the Farron Undead Legion and retrieved Zarathos hidden in Johnny Blaze's body?

One is a former adversary, the other is the hellish access within reach.

In the end, Mephisto succumbed to power and asked, "How do you want the trade?"

“Give me the soul of Zatanos, and I will grant you the authority of the Son of Hell.”

Mephisto stared at Geralt and uttered a single, sinister word: "Fine!"

Upon hearing this, a strange fluctuation connected Mephisto and Geralt, thus establishing the contract. This was a promise made under the witness of Hell, and anyone who violated the agreement would be subject to endless punishment from Hell.

'As long as... as long as I get my control back, I'll turn you into a decoration. Since you've cooperated, I can spare you some punishment. Hmm... I'll just torture you for a thousand years! How merciful I am!'

Mephisto, inwardly praising himself, watched Geralt slowly extend his hand and offered up Zarathos's soul. Once the item was in Geralt's hands, the contract would be complete… Now, he could properly deal with this arrogant fool!

Just as their hands were about to touch, Mephisto simultaneously extended his other hand, preparing to take over the authority of the Son of Hell.

However, Geralt flicked his wrist, throwing the authority of the Son of Hell into the soul of Zatanos.

At this moment, Mephisto looked at the soul in his hand, and Zarathos's soul aura gradually connected with Hell. Geralt, meanwhile, had already taken several steps back, putting distance between himself and Mephisto.

Geralt shouted, "Mephisto! I'm handing over the reins to you! Where's the soul I want?!"

At this moment, Mephisto looked at the soul and the authority of the Son of Hell in his hand, unsure whether to hand them over or not.

Just as Mephisto hesitated, Geralt shouted again, "Mephisto! Do you want to break the contract?!"

This is a breach of contract! This is a blatant provocation against the Hell Pact, a deal witnessed by Hell itself!

The aura of hell gradually gathered. Although Mephisto, the lord of hell, could withstand this punishment, it was not the outcome he desired.

Mephisto looked at Geralt and began to approach him. All he had to do was hand the soul in his hand to Geralt to complete the deal!

However, Geralt was faster than him, shouting as he ran, "Mephisto, the Dark Lord of Hell, broke his promise! He's killing me to silence me!"

Mephisto chased closely behind, gritting his teeth as he shouted, "Stop right there!"

Such a dramatic scene unfolded in Hell: driven by the very essence of Hell, Mephisto frantically chased after a human, determined to complete the deal he was making.

Just then, a portal opened, and Doom appeared in Hell. Seeing the scene before him, he finally understood what Ash meant by "opportunity."

"Wait for me, Mother."

Doom headed toward Mephisto's palace. The last deal had already given him the location of his mother's soul, and this time, he was certain to succeed.

Mephisto had actually sensed Doom's arrival, but the unfinished contract in his hands was more important than the naive Doom.

The two chased and fled, covering an unknown distance.

Suddenly, Mephisto flew into a rage, staring at his palace in the distance. He realized that most of the souls imprisoned in his palace had been released.

You were chasing someone, but ended up getting your base raided?

Mephisto threw Zarathustra to the ground and hurried toward his palace. It was never too late to mend the fence after the sheep were lost; the treasures in the palace were far more valuable than Zarathustra.

The power of Hell's origin instantly punished Mephisto, but fortunately, Mephisto threw away Zarathus's soul, thus losing its possession and lessening the punishment considerably.

Just as Mephisto was regrouping, Geralt's figure blocked his way.

"This was all part of your plan!!!"

Geralt shook his head and said, "Actually, I didn't know he was so bold. I thought he would only take his mother's soul..."

"You will all die! I will throw your souls into the fires of hell until the universe is destroyed!"

At this moment, Mephisto no longer cared about anything else and frantically poured energy into Geralt.

While dodging the attacks, Geralt pulled out the cup that the Immortals had brought earlier and shattered it instantly.

A twisted black power appeared in Hell, and a holy sword, reduced to mere veins, cleaved down with immense force toward Mephisto.

Overlord Wolverine appeared in Hell, bringing with him the endless flames of Carthus, and launched an attack on Mephisto, the lord of Hell.

Looking at Warnir before him, Mephisto considered retreating; the enemy before him was clearly beyond his ability to defeat.

Looking at his surroundings, Mephisto's heart gradually calmed down. This was Hell! Even if all its dimensions were combined, it wouldn't kill him. The Demon King of Hell was an existence protected by the very source of Hell.

Just as Mephisto hesitated, Geralt, who had been fleeing for his life, threw a ball of purplish-black energy into his body.

Mephisto quickly examined himself and his surroundings, but found nothing amiss.

What did you do?

"Of course, it'll be to drag you down from your position as the Demon King of Hell..."

Mephisto sneered, "You think I don't know your plans? Even if that madman Zarathus has the authority of the Son of Hell, he can't possibly mobilize the power of Hell. After all, the other demons of Hell aren't fools!"

"Yes, yes, yes! You're absolutely right!"

Geralt echoed Mephisto, reaching out to detonate the energy he had just thrown into Mephisto's body.

A wave emanated from Mephisto's body, but the surroundings remained unchanged.

Just as Mephisto was about to make a sarcastic remark, the gaze that gradually fell upon him made him unsure of what to do.

Mephisto asked a second time, "What did you do?"

"Naturally, it's to make you atone for your sins..."

[Atonement: A miracle bestowed upon the exiles by the Black Church of Londor. They will be vulnerable to attack by enemies. The exiles are unaware of other miracles; they firmly believe that salvation still exists within this story. They also believe that their cursed journey will one day end.]

In Dark Souls, this skill is known as something only newbies and skilled players can use; it will only cause all the surrounding enemies to attack you relentlessly.