He glanced at the tombstone covered in writing beside him. With a look of contempt, Dracula casually reduced it to dust.
Then, he elegantly flared his cloak and vanished from the spot.
The Weeping Angels faced a terrifying threat. Their indestructible bodies began to disintegrate piece by piece. They couldn't even run.
Dracula was everywhere, yet nowhere.
Therefore, the Weeping Angels remained stuck in a state of being observed and unobserved simultaneously. In this moment, they were nothing more than slightly harder stones.
"Hurry up. Only I can master this power. Your existence is hateful!"
Dracula's cold, sinister voice echoed in the empty clearing, accompanied by the sound of Weeping Angels crumbling to the ground, making the scene exceptionally horrific.
No one knew where Dracula would appear after he finished here.
"What is that?"
Sitting on her throne, watching the souls of the Cybermen, Death's expression turned grim.
She sensed an existence that exceeded her authority.
When she shifted her gaze to the source of that aura, she saw only shattered stones. But she could feel it—that aura filled with hatred was observing her from afar.
"No one avoids or escapes Death! Unless it is by my permission!"
Death leaped from her throne, roaring in anger for the first time.
The Undead were hateful things she denied release. Those who died of disease were recipients of her mercy to end their suffering.
But those who are "Neither Living nor Dead" were a mockery of her authority and a blasphemy against the rules of life!
And now, an existence beyond her control had appeared, daring to trace her gaze back to her!
Death could not tolerate such a being. This made her furious.
This was more serious than Bul-Kathos severing her hand bone!
Bul-Kathos hurting her was simply a matter of him being powerful enough, but as a living being, he still followed the rules of Life and Death. Bul-Kathos's action was an offense, but as a being with a incomplete soul, he had no qualification to replace her.
So, she didn't mind a human powerful beyond imagination, especially since he held the opportunity for the world to ascend. Thus, Death chose to retreat from Bul-Kathos—she simply wouldn't meet him.
But for Dracula to spy on the Realm of the Dead through her own vision? That was intolerable!
An existence unbound by her authority should not exist in this world!
"Frank! Find it, and kill it. I will return the souls of your wife and children to you. You will have eternal life under my permission!"
Death's power flowed through the ring on her hand, transmitting the message directly to Frank Castle.
Frank, who had been walking aimlessly, felt the power and command of his master.
A torrent of death energy surged from the ring into his body. Black currents swirled around Frank, who had been human just moments ago. His face shifted, becoming identical to the skull symbol on his chest.
The hardy weeds around him instantly withered and turned to ash. It was as if they had cycled through a lifetime in a split second, leaving only desolate death.
"Graaaah!"
Even Frank's nerves of steel couldn't withstand the discomfort of the erosion by divine death energy. He let out a sharp, twisted scream.
The last gun in his hand turned pitch black and austere.
But in an instant, Frank understood what he could do with this weapon.
Using the divine power of Death as bullets, any life struck by it would perish, forced to face Death herself in the Realm of the Dead.
That was Death's domain. There, she could wield her full authority without reservation, a true Creator God. It was a power no conventional being could withstand.
Frank Castle, the Punisher.
He had now become the Agent of Death. Beyond the simple transaction, he had one final mission: find the existence that had angered Death itself.
Then, use every available method to send that bastard before Death.
Or make that bastard disappear forever!
Frank felt his own power, then tightened his grip on the gun.
For his family, the Punisher could do anything!
As the Agent of Death, Frank could do even more!
"Death? I am everywhere, yet I have never existed. Can Death catch me?"
Dracula revealed his cold, shadowy form, issuing a challenge against Death's gaze.
Authority. He wanted it, too.
Dracula, currently in a stalemate with Mephisto, was exceptionally hungry for authority. Under the rule of Hatred, although he hadn't lost, he was constantly suppressed.
Dracula, completely submerged in hatred, hated everything, making him the perfect power collector for the Lord of Hatred!
The ancient Demon Lord Mephisto possessed depth and cunning far beyond his siblings.
To the current Dracula, he was immortal. Even Death could do nothing to him.
The monster filled with hate chose his first target: drag the existence that ruled over Life and Death down from her high horse.
"What gives you the right to rule over life and death? Why did I have to welcome death back then? Do you know how hateful you are?"
Dracula continued to provoke her sinisterly.
"AHHH!!!" (╯‵□′)╯︵┻━┻
Death reverted to her skeletal form and kicked her throne over.
In the distance, infinite numbers of the dead trembled, terrified of angering Death and suffering endless torture.
The white ring on her hand instantly split into two.
The duplicate ring flew directly toward the Mad Titan.
Dracula's power countered the rule of Death too specifically, so Death herself had to spawn another powerful agent, even going so far as to utilize the Authority of Life, which she had not fully mastered.
Dracula stood between Life and Death!
Only by combining Life and Death was there a chance to defeat him.
Death would not allow an existence seeking her authority to roam free! The effort and risk she had taken to become this powerful were secrets she kept to herself.
Even now, Death had not returned to her peak state!
She would never hand over the authority she had paid such a price to obtain. Not to anyone!
"Is this... a gift from my Goddess?"
Thanos, looking at the white ring that suddenly appeared before him, had a face full of shock and uncertainty.
As a dedicated simp, he perfectly displayed the reaction of receiving a gift from the goddess he pursued.
First came the ecstasy that overwhelmed his mind. His mouth, taking up a third of his purple head, gaped open, revealing a small red tongue.
Then came deep suspicion and disbelief at the result. He scratched his head and cheeks, observing the gift before him with extreme caution.
He was fighting a fierce internal battle: Should I wear the ring, or build a shrine and worship it daily?
If I wear the ring Death gave me, does that count as an engagement?
Thanos was completely lost in his own fantasy!
Then came impatience.
Thanos put the white ring on his hand almost without hesitation.
Screw daily worship, this is a gift from the Goddess!
Filled with ecstasy, Thanos almost lost the ability to think.
Then, in an instant, the highly talented Mad Titan felt the rules of Life.
The balance between Life and Death lies in continuation!
"I understand! My Goddess!"
Thanos roared frantically, as if only shouting could demonstrate his loyalty.
"Those who die become fuel for the balance of the universe, so that the living may continue better!"
"The more living beings there are, the closer the universe is to destruction! Only by constantly bringing death can the universe continue forever! Only then will the tragedy of Titan not be repeated!"
"I will carry out your will, my Goddess!"
"I will kill half the life in the universe, allowing the universe to develop for the long term!"
"And when the universe is on the brink of destruction, I will strike again to balance everything!"
"My Goddess! You are so noble! You are so far-seeing!"
"Death is Rebirth! Oh, my benevolent Goddess!!!"
Thanos shouted his praises loudly, rubbing the ring against his rough face.
He looked like a deranged simp trapped in his own world.
However, his praise only made the already furious Death even angrier!
"THANOS! Until I permit it, you are forbidden from entering my realm!"
Death's voice echoed through the world, specifically ensuring Thanos heard it clearly!
But Death's annoyance was once again misunderstood by Thanos.
"I will! My Goddess! Until I complete your task, I will not step into your palace again! Your will is my goal!"
Thanos shouted back, eyes welling with tears!
To him, this was Death's love and trust! The restriction was merely to ensure he completed the mission properly!
One can only say, "Simps are truly something else"!
As for Penwood's side, the situation was not optimistic.
Although the battle on the perimeter had ended and victory messages were coming through the headset, everyone inside was staring nervously at the sole entrance.
Luke Cage's roar, which had been ceaseless, was beginning to sound weak and hoarse.
Even with the help of health potions and the "Nerves of Steel" talent helping him withstand wave after wave of assaults from The Silence, he had not yet adapted to the Barbarian way of life, which consisted of nothing but battle.
"Nerves of Steel" was a top-tier survival talent, but his actual nerves were not made of steel. The Silence's ability—causing memory loss the moment one looked away—forced him to focus intensely on the fight. The mental exhaustion was causing his body, which should have been tireless, to scream in distress.
"Luke!"
Jessica's voice rang out. Finally arriving at the scene, Jessica Jones was covered in the gore and flesh of The Silence monsters.
She had struggled initially upon encountering The Silence, but she quickly found a way to deal with them. That was why she hadn't called out to Luke at the start. Knowing the difficult enemy Luke was facing, she didn't want to add to her lover's burden.
Only when she finally reunited with Luke did she call his name!
Then, with a precise Auriel's Strike, she smashed a Silence's head open!
"Jessica?"
Luke did not turn his eyes toward the sound. Engaging in romance during battle was the most foolish move.
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