"If you want to attract the attention of the Holy Dimension and ask them to escort me back to Hell, then I advise you to give up on that idea sooner!" Lucifer still wore that smiling, knowing look, as if everything was according to his expectations, a grin that cut deep. "The Holy Dimension has too many worlds to look after, it's impossible for them to notice a small fry like you. I think Kurohane, the Mage, you like me very much. How about becoming my godson? As long as I die, you will become the new master of all Hell. How about considering it?"
"No offense intended," Kurohane said, his eyes still scanning the contract, searching for crucial details. "I just want to ask you one question." He carefully looked at the demon contract in front of him, while asking Lucifer without lifting his head. "Do you know Mephisto?"
"I know him," Lucifer answered, a wry smile appearing on his lips. "But we're not close. When we lords of the Hell Dimension and Dark Dimension gather, I've exchanged a few words with him. He's really good at writing trade agreements, truly talented. Many of my demon contracts were actually copied from his version! His son, named Blackheart, couldn't stand being the Crown Prince for tens of thousands of years, and started trying every possible means to invade Earth in parallel universes, wanting to turn Earth into a second Hell, and then rule as king in this new Hell, but he was captured by Mephisto, and locked in the dungeon for eternal torment. Have you heard this story?"
Kurohane was talking about the plot of another early superhero film, Ghost Rider, starring Nicolas Cage. However, it could also be called Spirit Rider, it was the same thing anyway. It told the story of a Crown Prince who had been in the position for tens of thousands of years, rose against his father, the Lord of Hell, but was foiled by his father and his father's sworn enemy working together, ultimately failing at the last moment! As for the protagonist, the King of Bad Films, he was just a tool. Compared to Blackheart's tens of thousands of years of patience and the grievances he suffered, it was not worth mentioning at all! Let alone being a Crown Prince for tens of thousands of years, in the history of the Dragon Nation, no Crown Prince who held the position for too long didn't rebel. If it were Kurohane, he would start cleaning up the court on the first day of becoming Crown Prince!
"Never heard of it." Kurohane replied, his face showing a convincingly surprised expression. "So Mephisto has a dark history? Hahaha! Next time we meet, I must have a good laugh at him!"
Lucifer was greatly pleased, Kurohane's performance made him very satisfied, at least better than a certain troublesome little bastard. Just thinking that that little bastard would die and he could torment that bastard's soul forever made him happy. From Lucifer's performance, Kurohane could see that this "second person," in some aspects, was even worse than that fool Deadpool! Although he was a bit silly, he was a veteran of the second dimension, there was no meme he didn't understand! The ability to break the fourth wall was far stronger than Lucifer's!
So... Lucifer probably didn't know that his son was also preparing something big for him?
Kurohane felt a brilliant idea flash through his mind, a slim chance of survival. Wasn't this an opportunity to survive?!
Kurohane abruptly closed the contract, which he'd only read one page of, and then smiled at Lucifer, a calculating grin. "Lord Satan, you know that we mages from the Holy Dimension have spells that can glimpse the future. If I can provide a piece of information that interests you, would you be willing to let me go this once?"
"Future? What future?" Lucifer was very interested in what Kurohane said. The fact that Kurohane knew Mephisto's private affairs, suggested that he might also know other things. It wasn't just human nature to gossip, demons were the same!
Kurohane gathered his thoughts, carefully composing his words, and then spoke out the information he knew. "Your son, Mammon, and Gabriel have prepared something big for you." He let a dramatic pause hang in the air. "Want to know the specific details? Just answer one simple question for me, you can answer with a yes or no. Does this deal go ahead?"
"Deal!" Lucifer exclaimed, excitement overriding his suspicion. Kurohane's deal was so simple, he didn't even have to pay anything, he just needed to answer yes or no, and he could also learn about his future—it was a bargain he couldn't refuse!
A dark, ram-headed magic array emerged from beneath Kurohane's feet, swirling with ominous light, leaving a burning ram's head mark on Kurohane's right hand. This signified that the contract between him and Lucifer had been forged. It had to be said, in terms of contract spirit, Satan was far more honest than capitalists!
Kurohane knew the specific content just by thinking. To make Kurohane believe him, Lucifer said he could let Kurohane ask first! But Kurohane knew that Lucifer hoped he would violate the contract!
"My question is: Can you not actively interfere in human affairs?" Kurohane posed the question, his tone calm, yet holding cosmic weight.
As soon as Kurohane asked the question, Lucifer's face, which had been full of smiles, suddenly turned as cold as ice. A deep frown appeared on his brow. God and he had made a wager, an ancient agreement, and the only people who knew about this wager were the two of them!
The wager was that neither of them could directly interfere in human affairs, they could only indirectly exert influence, to make human souls choose Heaven or Hell, and see who would win in the end—and the stake was the souls of all mankind. Under the rules of this wager, Heaven, Hell, and the human world were parallel. Some people went to Heaven after death, while others went to Hell. If it weren't for this wager, he would have appeared directly and taken Constantine's soul! This wager was more like an insult to him, an invisible shackle. If not for the fact that he truly couldn't defeat God, only a ghost would sign such a wager with him! Wouldn't it be better to directly transform Earth into a second Hell?! But now, this mage who could open the Gates of Hell, knew about this... an anomaly that disturbed the balance.
"I choose not to answer." To maintain his dignity, Lucifer voluntarily violated the contract he set, a small price compared to his pride. The ram's head mark on the back of Kurohane's hand felt slightly hot, and then changed from black to red, a blood seal. This represented the price Lucifer paid for violating his contract, a sliver of power from Hell escaping.
It was equivalent to a locator; as long as Kurohane injected mental power into it, he could find the coordinates of Lucifer's Hell dimension. This was originally a gift Lucifer gave to his followers, so they could find Hell's location after death. Of course, it also allowed Lucifer to find his followers. After all, he was Satan, even if he violated the contract, he had to scheme against Kurohane.
Kurohane chuckled softly, the laughter echoing in the lingering silence. He already knew the answer from Lucifer's reaction. Indeed, Lucifer truly couldn't actively interfere in human affairs. As for why he could throw Apocalypse into the Gates of Hell, it was because Kurohane used Apocalypse as a sacrifice when summoning the Gates of Hell! If not, why would the summoning array center around Apocalypse? Such a powerful soul would surely attract powerful demons to descend.
However, the only thing Kurohane didn't expect was that it would attract Lucifer. If he hadn't thought of Mephisto's son, he truly wouldn't have thought that Lucifer's son was also the same, and he wouldn't have thought about how Constantine, such a troublesome man, repeatedly escaped Lucifer's grasp, and he wouldn't have thought about this wager between God and Satan! But now, Kurohane still had to fulfill his agreement, if not his soul would belong to Lucifer!
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