Or perhaps… I'm the one lying?
Lucas knew very well what kind of enemy Mephisto was.
In the Marvel universe, Mephisto was a legendary Demon King of Hell. Behind countless major events—and many pivotal characters—you could always find his shadow.
While his raw power did not place him at the absolute peak of the cosmic hierarchy, his scheming and manipulation were second to none.
Even the Avengers had suffered losses at his hands more than once.
The Norse gods of Asgard, the Olympian gods of Greece—none of them had escaped being toyed with by him at some point.
This was the kind of enemy one could never provoke lightly.
If you truly became hostile toward someone like him, then you had to seize the opportunity and kill him in a single decisive blow. Otherwise, the backlash would be unimaginably terrifying.
As for fear—Lucas remained calm.
Because Mephisto was not invincible.
All things restrained one another, and even on Earth, there were forces that Mephisto feared.
With that in mind, Lucas spoke calmly:
"Don't worry. Even Mephisto isn't a problem. I already have a plan specifically for dealing with him."
Hela's expression shifted in surprise. She knew Lucas well—he never spoke recklessly. If he said this aloud, then it meant he truly had a strategy.
Sure enough, Lucas continued:
"Mephisto may be a Demon King of Hell, but he still has weaknesses. Otherwise, given his personality, Earth would have been completely conquered long ago."
"The reason he hasn't done so is simple—Hell is not ruled by only one Demon King. He doesn't have the strength to completely suppress the others."
"And besides," Lucas added calmly, "there are still beings on Earth that he is wary of."
Hela blinked and asked, "So your plan is to involve the Sorcerer Supreme of Kamar-Taj?"
"I know she has helped you before," Hela continued, "but, Lucas, everything has a price. She won't act for you without reason."
Lucas replied confidently, "I can say with absolute certainty that this time, the Sorcerer Supreme will intervene."
"And why are you so sure?" Hela asked curiously.
Lucas answered without hesitation, "Because this incident already has her fingerprints all over it."
There was, in truth, another reason Lucas knew—but it wasn't something he could say here.
Clark had been listening silently from the side, already connecting the dots in his mind between Sorcerer Supreme and Demon King of Hell.
"If necessary," Hela said as she straightened in her throne, "the armies of Asgard can march for you at any time."
The seriousness in her expression stirred something in Lucas. He nodded sincerely.
"Thank you."
After returning to Earth via the Rainbow Bridge, a golden portal immediately opened beside Lucas. The Ancient One's calm voice echoed from within:
"Why not come in and have a cup of tea?"
Lucas stepped forward without hesitation and entered the portal. The scenery shifted, and he found himself inside a room in Kamar-Taj.
The Ancient One sat cross-legged behind a low table, leisurely brewing tea. The delicate fragrance already filled the room.
The portal vanished behind him. Lucas sat down across from her.
After watching her pour tea for a while, he finally spoke:
"So… all of this was arranged by you?"
The Ancient One lifted the teapot. Clear, jade-like tea flowed into a cup. Just as it reached the brim, it stopped. The cup floated gently toward Lucas.
"I merely followed the natural course of events," she said calmly.
"Drink. It's good tea."
Lucas took the cup, finished it in one go, then fixed his gaze on her.
"I don't mind being your blade," he said bluntly.
"But you need to tell me—how do we knock Mephisto flat?"
By now, the situation was obvious.
The Ancient One had foreseen that Lucas would eventually clash with Mephisto.
If she had no intentions regarding Mephisto, she would have warned Lucas long ago.
But Lucas didn't mind being used as a weapon. Whether sooner or later, the outcome was the same.
Mephisto was the kind of parasite who thrived on contracts, deception, and blackmail—feeding on stolen souls.
Howard Stark.
Doctor Doom's mother.
Lucas deeply despised such enemies.
He was never afraid of powerful foes standing in front of him.
What he hated were snakes lurking in the shadows.
As for being used—Lucas didn't care.
Anyone who lived in this world would inevitably be used by others at some point. The only difference was whether you realized it or not.
What mattered was whether he achieved his own objective.
"You're an impressive person," the Ancient One said as she set down her cup.
"Thank you for the compliment," Lucas replied with a grin.
"Mephisto must be punished," the Ancient One said calmly.
"If possible," Lucas replied just as calmly, "I want to kill him."
The words were spoken lightly—but they were ruthless.
The Ancient One shook her head and began brewing another pot of tea.
"He won't die," she said.
"Even a Demon King can't be truly immortal," Lucas replied as he accepted the cup.
"That's not what I mean," she said with a faint smile.
"Even if you truly kill Mephisto, another will rise—Mephisto replaced by Rafisto, Cafisto, or something worse."
"Then tell me," she continued, "would you rather face a Demon King you understand well… or one whose nature is completely unknown?"
Lucas snorted. "If I had the power, I wouldn't mind cleansing Hell entirely."
"For trash like them," he continued coldly,
"the best lesson is to show them what true cruelty means."
The Ancient One closed her eyes after sipping her tea—whether savoring the flavor or contemplating Lucas's words, it was hard to tell.
"It's an idea I like," she said softly.
"But unfortunately, neither you nor I can do that right now."
"Believe me," Lucas said as he poured himself another cup,
"I have ways to make it happen."
For Lucas, it truly wasn't that difficult—just a matter of time.
The simple paths included:
Gathering the Infinity Stones and forming the Heart of the Universe.
Assembling the full Emotional Spectrum and uniting the Lantern Powers.
The harder path was just as viable:
Growing stronger—until his existence alone could threaten space itself.
At that point, Hell would be nothing more than garbage.
So Lucas was not worried.
Everything was only a matter of time.
"I believe you," the Ancient One smiled.
"But not yet."
"So," Lucas asked,
"when do we meet Mephisto?"
"He's already here."
As her words fell, a doorway appeared beside them.
The door opened.
A man in a well-tailored suit stepped inside.
"Pleasure to meet you," he said politely.
"My name is Mephisto."
____
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