Caroline was telling her cousin, Gwen, how she became a Vampire on the lawn in the backyard of the mansion.
Hawk, meanwhile, was in the bathroom, showering while replying to messages from Mephisto, the Lord of the Hell Dimension.
Yes.
Mephisto had sent him a message, inviting him to sit for a while in Hell.
Normally, Hawk wouldn't want to go.
But…
Hawk was indeed quite curious about the Heaven Dimension, and how does that saying go?
An enemy's enemy is a friend.
It's likely that Mephisto, after returning and realizing this, thought of this point, which is why he sent him the invitation message.
Hawk planned to accept the invitation.
Anyway, Caroline's story was very long, a whole season's worth, and Gwen probably wouldn't digest it that quickly. Since he was free, a trip to Hell was fine.
So…
After showering, Hawk changed into a set of pajamas Gwen had packed and brought for him. Then he found Gwen and told her about Mephisto's invitation to Hell.
Gwen, who was listening to her cousin Caroline's story, looked at Hawk and blinked.
"Why is Mephisto here again?"
"He got dragged into it."
"Alright."
Gwen nodded, "Can you be back before Christmas Eve?"
Hawk smiled, "It won't take that long. I'll probably be back before you even finish listening to Caroline's entire story."
Gwen understood.
"Okay then, you go."
"Mhm."
Hawk nodded, preparing to go to the Hell Dimension for his appointment.
Just then.
Gwen raised an eyebrow, looking at Hawk who was about to leave, "Wait, are you going to wear that outfit?"
Hawk looked down at his pure black pajamas.
"Is there a problem?"
"Dress a little more formally. He's a Hell Lord, after all."
"…Fine!"
Their eyes met.
Hawk met Gwen's expressive emerald eyes with a slight smile. With a thought, the black phoenix underworld armor, which was being nourished in the Underworld Sanctuary, appeared behind him.
"Bang!"
"Click!"
"Clang!"
Piece by piece, the underworld cloth parts precisely covered Hawk's body. As the final faceplate descended, Hawk, with the dazzling cosmic illusion projected behind him, raised his right hand, and the deep, dark gate to Hell appeared in the torn void.
Hawk then looked at Gwen.
"I'll go first then?"
"Mhm, come back early."
Gwen said with a calm smile.
Hawk hummed in response. The moment he stepped forward, Phoenix Fire spread throughout the torn void, reaching the gate of Hell: "Mephisto, open the door!"
The Gate of Hell opened with a roar.
Hawk, wearing the black phoenix underworld armor, stepped in, and the Gate of Hell roared shut once more.
With a whoosh.
The entire space returned to tranquility once again.
Gwen smiled, withdrawing her gaze, and looked at her cousin Caroline, whose expression was already dazed, saying calmly, "Where were we?"
Caroline snapped back to reality, the image of Hawk donning the Black Phoenix saint cloth replaying in a loop in her mind. She stared at her cousin with an open mouth.
"Cousin, Hawk went to…"
"Oh, Mephisto invited him for a drink."
"This Mephisto?"
"Aren't you a Vampire? Don't you know Mephisto, the ruler of the Hell Dimension, who governs all souls on Earth?"
Gwen looked at Caroline with some curiosity, "Hawk fought him once before, but it looks like they've made up."
Her voice was very light, as if she was talking about something very ordinary.
But Caroline…
She was completely flustered.
What does it mean, the ruler of the Hell Dimension? What does it mean, all souls on Earth belong to Mephisto?
And what does it mean that Hawk fought Mephisto before?
Caroline said she recognized every word her cousin said, but when put together, she felt like her brain cells were going to burn out.
Finally—
Countless thoughts converged, making Caroline gasp.
"Hiss!"
"Yes."
Gwen smiled at the gasping Caroline, "So, don't think I'm lying to you. If you're not honest, I'll have Hawk pull out your soul and throw it into Hell to suffer for a few days."
Caroline, hearing this, shivered and widened her eyes, shaking her head repeatedly at Gwen.
"No, Cousin."
"Then keep talking."
"Mhm."
Caroline nodded repeatedly. This time, she no longer doubted, but honestly recounted the story of the Vampires in the town and her own experience of becoming a Vampire.
There was no other way.
She believed that if she wasn't honest, Gwen would really do it.
In a word.
Others might not know, but she knew her cousin was far from as gentle as she appeared.
She had originally thought her cousin had changed her ways.
But…
Even Hawk, who could casually say he was going to Hell as if it were nothing, seemed to be completely suppressed by her cousin.
So she'd better be honest.
Caroline thought to herself.
Hawk, upon entering the Hell Dimension, couldn't help but sneeze. He looked at Mephisto, who was still in the same small tavern disguised as a middle-aged punk, sitting in his previous spot. As Hawk sat opposite Mephisto, he said, "Why does it feel like the temperature in this tavern is lower this time than last?"
Mephisto handed the poured wine to Hawk.
"Last time, this tavern was located between life and death."
"And now?"
"Between death."
"Heh."
Hawk picked up his glass, clinked it with Mephisto's, and then looked at the wine in his glass, "This wine isn't spiked like last time, is it?"
Mephisto smiled and said, "Yes, do you dare to drink it?"
Their eyes met.
Hawk and Mephisto laughed heartily, then both drained their glasses.
As the glasses returned to the table.
Hawk said directly, "You figured out what the Heaven Dimension is up to, and then you thought an enemy's enemy is a friend, so you're planning to ally with me?"
Mephisto grabbed a wine bottle nearby, chuckled, and while refilling both their glasses, glanced at Hawk.
"Do you know what method those bird-people in the Heaven Dimension like to use to snatch the life Planets of other dimension lords?"
"It's related to their soul characteristics?"
"Yes, and they don't just want the life Planets."
Mephisto nodded. After placing the wine bottle aside, he picked up his own glass and began to tell Hawk about the Heaven Dimension's offensive tactics.
Simply put.
If a life Planet is likened to food in a pot, then the dimension ruling that life Planet is the pot.
And Heaven!
He wants the food.
He also wants to take the pot.
They rely on the soul characteristics of their Heaven Dimension.
"Normally, wars between dimensions occur between two dimensions."
"Whose dimension has deeper foundations, whose dimension has stronger power."
"But those bird-people in the Heaven Dimension are different."
"Their method of attack is like a cuckoo bird on Earth."
"Not from the outside, but using despicable means to attack from within."
"They will release souls, silently infiltrating the life Planet, in an undetectable manner, allowing their affiliated souls to merge into the Death Dimension."
"And when their soul count has accumulated enough."
"Their killing move comes."
"They will activate these souls, merge them, and create an Angel with the imprint of the Death Dimension, but loyal to them."
"Death Angel!"
"A new Death Angel is born, and because it also belongs to the Death Dimension, this Death Angel is qualified to initiate a dimensional struggle against the Death Lord."
"At that time—"
"The Death Dimension will become theirs, the life Planet will also become theirs, and all the souls on the entire life Planet will, under their unique brainwashing, become their continuous fuel to support their attack on the next life Planet."
"…"
Three glasses of wine later.
Mephisto had finished telling the story of how the Heaven Dimension competes for ownership of a life Planet, and what fate Earth would face if the Heaven Dimension conquered it.
The story was exciting.
Hawk felt no internal stir.
Conquer, then conquer.
What did it matter to him?
It sounded as if without the Heaven Dimension, the little Planet wouldn't face so many disasters.
However, Hawk understood the core of Mephisto's story.
"Brother, I'm in big trouble, save me quickly!"
That was Mephisto's subtext, and why he asked him to come for a drink.
It was clear that Mephisto, having just returned home, must have sensed something, which was why he hastily invited him over.
However…
This time, Hawk snatched the bottle, poured a drink for Mephisto, and asked with some curiosity, "What did you find?"
"…"
Mephisto's mouth and eyes twitched simultaneously at Hawk's question. After a moment's thought, he looked at Hawk: "The seed of the Angel of Death has already been planted by those bird people."
Hawk raised an eyebrow: "The seed of the Angel of Death? I remember you saying that method seemed to require several hundred…"
At this point, Hawk paused.
Because if Katherine Pierce's doppelganger state was indeed the soul of an Angel from the Heaven Dimension.
Then Katherine Pierce wasn't the first doppelganger.
The earliest doppelganger came before Katherine Pierce.
This also meant!
Hawk looked at the serious-faced Mephisto and couldn't help but let out a laugh.
Mephisto's brows furrowed slightly.
Hawk quickly reached out: "Sorry, I didn't mean to. After all, you've always told me that the souls of Earth are your exclusive domain. Yet, a bunch of bird people have been busy under your nose for almost a few hundred years, and you only just found out now, and only after I reminded you?"
Mephisto's expression turned dark.
"I thought they would keep their promise and give up this Planet."
"Come on, you're a Demon. You don't keep promises. Do you expect them to keep theirs?"
Hawk retorted speechlessly.
Mephisto's face grew even darker.
"I called you here not for you to mock me."
"Sorry."
Politeness never hurts.
Setting aside Mephisto's desire to kill him, and his own desire to seize Mephisto's Hell, his relationship with Mephisto was actually quite good.
So Hawk very simply apologized again, then raised his wine glass, clinked it with Mephisto's, and after downing the wine in his glass, he looked at Mephisto, who was pouring wine: "So, you want to form an alliance with me, the two of us against those bird people from Heaven?"
After pouring Hawk's wine, Mephisto looked at Hawk.
"Yes, they're already targeting you, aren't they?"
"I can't be sure of that yet."
Hawk smiled slightly, looking at Mephisto: "Maybe it's just a misunderstanding. Besides, why shouldn't I ally with the Angels with wings? Give me a reason why I must ally with you?"
After pouring the wine, Mephisto stared intently at Hawk: "Because you won't ally with these bird people."
The smile on Hawk's face remained unchanged.
"Reason."
"I merely play with human hearts, while they play with faith. I only treat life-bearing Planets as my ranch, while they treat life-bearing Planets as their fuel."
After saying this, Mephisto looked directly at Hawk.
Hawk met Mephisto's gaze.
After a while.
Hawk chuckled, picked up the wine glass in front of him, and looked at Mephisto: "Suppose, I say suppose, if I were to ally with you, what would I gain after dealing with the Heaven Dimension?"
Mephisto also picked up his wine glass, clinked it with Hawk's, and then said with a smile: "Your Universe needs a real-World coordinate to materialize. The location of the Heaven Dimension is an excellent choice."
Upon hearing this, Hawk's eyes flickered.
Yes.
His Little Universe needed a real-World coordinate to materialize.
Let's put it this way.
It was like applying for a residential plot. Hawk now had the ability to apply for a residential plot, but all the land was already taken. In this situation, if he wanted to build his own Universe, he either had to buy someone else's plot or seize one from someone else.
No one would sell, for sure.
Hawk had originally planned that after the plot of Thor 3 played out, and after the World Tree Universe was destroyed, he would then place his Phoenix Universe there.
Because once the World Tree Universe was destroyed, that piece of land would become ownerless.
Since it was ownerless land, it would naturally belong to the virtuous.
This was also why Hawk was not in a hurry about not having awakened his Seventh Sense yet.
Nothing else.
Even if he awakened his Seventh Sense now, and then quickly awakened his Eighth Sense, allowing him to materialize his own Universe, he would have nowhere to build his Little Universe.
So…
There was no use in rushing.
However, at this moment, Hawk listened to Mephisto's suggestion. Although he was somewhat moved internally, he still had a question: "A dimensional World can't accommodate my Universe, can it?"
What he wanted to materialize was a parallel Universe, a Universe no weaker than the main Universe.
Only a Universe could contain a Universe.
A dimensional World…
Wouldn't it burst?
Furthermore, if a dimensional World could rival a Universe, why would Mephisto have coveted his divine authority back then?
Hawk seriously suspected this was another one of Mephisto's ploys to trick him.
After all, this guy had a record.
Mephisto looked at Hawk's suspicious gaze and smiled: "Other dimensional Worlds can't, but I guarantee the Heaven Dimension definitely can. Do you know the origin of the Heaven Dimension?"
Hawk shook his head.
"No."
"I can't say."
"What?"
"You can go see for yourself, deep within the Heaven souls, at the very deepest part. When you see it, you'll know."
Mephisto said mysteriously: "After you've seen it, I guarantee you'll come over and proactively ally with me."
With that.
Mephisto drained his glass and then stood up, leaving the small tavern.
Hawk turned to look at Mephisto as he exited the small tavern, his eyebrows raising slightly.
Deep within the soul, the very deepest part?
What was there?
Hawk frowned slightly, drained the wine in his glass, then also stood up and left the small tavern.
Buzz!
The space on the lawn tore open once again.
The moment Hawk stepped out of the spatial rift, the black phoenix underworld armor instantly disintegrated, returning to the Hades's Palace.
Gwen, who was nearby, saw this and came over, then wrinkled her nose.
"Drinking?"
"Mmm."
"Don't tell me it was spiked again."
"It's fine."
Hawk waved his hand, looked at Caroline who was watching him, and changed the subject to Gwen: "Is the story finished?"
Gwen nodded, then seemed to remember something and looked at Hawk: "My cousin said that Katherine, the one you let go, deliberately killed her to turn her into a Vampire."
Upon hearing this, Hawk looked at Caroline.
Caroline met Hawk's gaze, then quickly looked away.
Hawk chuckled, looked at Gwen: "Katherine Pierce is actually a pitiful person."
He then briefly recounted Katherine Pierce's experiences to Gwen.
Initially, as a human, she was deemed a disgrace and a burden by her father for being unable to bear children, and was eventually handed over by her own father to the Original Vampire, Klaus.
To escape the fate of being Klaus's sacrifice, she transformed into a Vampire, but this was not liberation, but the beginning of a nightmare, a nightmare that lasted five hundred years.
Gwen listened to Hawk's narration, her brows tightly furrowed, seemingly empathizing with Katherine Pierce's fate.
Even Caroline, who seemed to be hearing such a detailed account of Katherine Pierce's fate for the first time, couldn't help but put herself in her shoes.
She realized that if she were in Katherine Pierce's position, she would have probably died long ago under Klaus's pursuit.
The story finished.
Gwen glanced at her cousin, then looked at Hawk: "You seem very sympathetic to Ms. Pierce. It wouldn't be like my cousin suspects, that she's really your ex-girlfriend, would it?"
Hawk once again looked at Caroline.
Caroline shifted her gaze.
Hawk chuckled, and said to Gwen in a casual tone: "Gwen, I don't think you and your cousin have a deep bond."
Gwen raised an eyebrow: "What do you mean by that?"
Hawk shrugged.
"If Caroline were my younger sister, and I knew she had been hypnotized and toyed with by a Vampire for several months, I would definitely tear that Vampire to shreds."
"…"
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