"I never thought the former Lord of Hell would stoop so low as to join forces with a machine. Truly laughable," Bismarck said coldly, her eyes locked on the dark aura swirling around Ultron.
"I didn't expect to see you again. And not just you, but that you, a so-called divine emissary, have stepped into such a realm." Ultron's face twisted in shock.
Now Mephisto understood why Ultron had summoned him early. It was because of her. The very one tied to that man.
Fear gripped him. The memory of being killed by Roland Phils was a shadow that refused to fade.
"This is all thanks to you. If you hadn't coveted my Lord's domain again and again, I would never have gained the battles I needed. Without those, I wouldn't have advanced this quickly. You have been a perfect whetstone," Bismarck said, her eyes blazing with killing intent.
"Whetstone? You dare call me a whetstone? You damn ant, you seek death!" Mephisto roared, furious at the insult.
"To me, that is simply the truth. If you can't even accept that, then your title as Lord of Hell is nothing but hollow pride. And besides, my Lord is the true master of Hell now. You are nothing but his defeated foe. If you had stayed hidden, perhaps you could have lingered longer. But since you've crawled out today, I will make sure you vanish completely," Bismarck declared coldly.
Her body erupted with divine decay. Power surged like a tidal wave, vast and endless. The heavens shook, clouds withered, and the very air trembled. If she had not suppressed her strength, the planet itself would have rotted to dust.
The terrifying might of a true god made Ultron's mechanical face freeze in disbelief. Even Mephisto's soul quivered with hesitation.
Then it happened. From the depths of the unknown, a supreme presence turned its gaze upon him.
That aura was unmistakable. The Lord of Life. Roland Phils.
"You… you've already reached that realm? Impossible!" Mephisto's remnant soul nearly collapsed in despair.
He thought his chance had finally come, that with Ultron producing hell energy, he had found a path to rise again. Yet now he realized that the man who once killed his true body had already ascended to the rank of main god.
And it had taken him less than a year.
Mephisto had spent millennia trying and failing to reach such a level. For Roland to accomplish it so easily crushed him completely.
"There you are, old Mephisto. It's been a while," Bismarck said, her tone suddenly shifting. But the voice was not hers. It was Roland's.
He had descended through her, speaking directly.
Mephisto's fear deepened. Even the body he controlled, Ultron's vibranium shell, began to shake violently.
"I never thought you would reach such heights so quickly. No wonder I was defeated. It wasn't shameful after all," Mephisto sighed, his anger fading into bitter resignation.
It was true. His burning desire for revenge had been fueled by the belief that he still had a chance. But now, with Roland standing far beyond even his peak, that hope was gone. His pride melted away.
What was left for him but to bow to a stronger existence?
Roland's voice spoke again, calm and steady. "Old Mephisto, I've always admired your cunning. If we had not been enemies back then, perhaps we could have been allies. So I'll give you a choice. Surrender to me, and you will not only survive, but grow stronger. I will restore Hell to you, under my banner. You will become my Hell steward. What do you say?"
Mephisto fell silent. Then, with a bitter smile, he said, "To serve under a main god is no shame. I accept. From now on, I will be your loyal servant."
A dark mist left Ultron's body, condensing into the image of an old man. He dropped to one knee before Bismarck.
The mighty Lord of Hell had submitted.
The Avengers were stunned. None of them had expected Mephisto to surrender so easily. But relief quickly followed. For them, this was the best outcome. No battle, no losses, and a terrifying enemy turned ally.
But Ultron was not relieved.
"No! Mephisto, you betrayed me!" Ultron screamed, consumed with rage.
Mephisto gave him a cold glance. "This isn't betrayal. This is survival. I adapt. That is something you machines will never understand. Do as you like, but your fate is sealed."
With that, his figure faded and vanished, leaving Ultron behind.
Ultron's fury exploded. "You wretched organic beings, I will annihilate you all!"
From every corner, swarms of robots rushed in, merging into a massive colossus over a hundred meters tall.
"Die!" the towering metal giant roared, stomping down at Bismarck.
She only sneered. "Scrap metal dares to defy me? Begone."
She waved her hand. Decay surged forth.
Robots crumbled instantly, turning to powder in the wind. Even Ultron's vibranium body began to rot at frightening speed.
"No!" he screamed, struggling helplessly as the corruption consumed him. Within moments, he dissolved into dust.
His consciousness, trapped in that body by Nymph's seal, was destroyed forever. Ultron, the supreme artificial intelligence, was gone.
Bismarck brushed her sleeve, opening a shimmering portal. Without a word to the shaken heroes, she and Nymph stepped through, vanishing.
The Avengers stood frozen, staring at the empty air where she had been.
This was true strength. To destroy worlds with a gesture, to command gods and demons alike.
Too terrifying, yet impossibly awe-inspiring.
"So this is a divine emissary. Incredible," Wanda whispered, her eyes shining with admiration. Already, her heart brimmed with reverence for the Lord of Life. She blushed, remembering her whispered prayer, where she had vowed her body and soul to him. Would he accept her?
Elsewhere, Killian, who had once plotted to rule Earth alongside Ultron, turned pale with fear. He tried to slip away, but rows of iron suits blocked his path.
"Killian, there's no escape. Surrender," said Tony Stark's remote armors.
Cornered, Killian forced a smile and raised his hands. Alone, he might have dared to fight Tony. But surrounded by heroes and with Wanda nearby, he didn't dare move. He knew she could tear him apart in an instant.
Better to surrender now and live. With time, maybe he could escape and chase his ambition again.
With Ultron destroyed and Killian captured, the Sokovia crisis finally ended.
And the whole world had been watching.
"The Lord of Life is unmatched! Even the ruler of Hell bows before him!"
"Of course. How could a demon compare to our Lord?"
"If even Hell's master has joined him, then surely faith in the Lord of Life means eternal life!"
"Not eternal life, but you can gain more years. I heard if you join the Holy Light Order and become a warrior, you can learn his divine arts and extend your life for a century!"
"Becoming a Holy Light warrior isn't easy. Only those with the best physiques are chosen."
"Then I'll try anyway. I already signed up for the trials!"
"What? You signed up? Then I will too!"
The netizens' fervor burned hotter than ever. Faith in the Lord of Life spread rapidly, and countless people rushed to join the selection for the new Holy Light warriors.
Meanwhile, Vog, the Lord's earthly agent, had already begun establishing Holy Light branches across every major city. Soon, each city would have its own protectors.
For humanity, this meant safety. For Roland Phils, the Lord of Life, it meant his influence and power grew ever stronger.
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