That black book with a dark cover in Mephisto's hand was none other than the Darkhold, left behind by Chthon.
Billions of years ago, Chthon, one of the ancient gods who had fallen into demonhood, fled to another dimension to escape being devoured by the God-Eater.
Before leaving, he inscribed all his evil deeds and spells onto indestructible parchment, which later became known as the Chthon Scrolls. These scrolls were eventually compiled into a single book, the Darkhold, the very tome now in Mephisto's hands.
Chthon had left the Darkhold on Earth before his exile, using it as a channel to influence the world and release his power.
The Darkhold was the source of many grimoires, including the Necronomicon. It could be read in any language.
But though it contained countless powerful dark spells, its corruption was overwhelming. If used carelessly, it could consume the soul, turning the wielder into Chthon's vessel, paving the way for his return.
That was why the Darkhold was considered a forbidden book. No ordinary being could even hope to touch it. Only someone like Mephisto was qualified to wield such a treasure. Even then, he had borrowed its power only once in his lifetime.
That single encounter had shown him how terrifying its magic was, and it was also how he discovered that Wanda's power was strikingly similar to the power within the Darkhold.
From this, he had dared to suspect that Wanda and Chthon were linked in some mysterious way.
The moment Mephisto revealed the Darkhold, Wanda felt a strange pull toward it. Her expression froze in shock.
"What is this? Why does it feel so… familiar to me?" she asked, her voice filled with curiosity.
"This is a grimoire of dark magic left by an ancient god of evil. It holds his most powerful sorceries, and your power comes from it," Roland Phils explained as he studied her carefully.
"My power comes from this book? But I've never even seen it before," Wanda asked in confusion.
"You may never have seen it, but it has already touched your life. More precisely, that dark god has touched your life," Roland said meaningfully.
Her eyes grew more uncertain, unable to piece together what he meant.
Seeing her puzzled face, Roland smiled faintly. "Some truths are not yet yours to know. But it doesn't matter. What you must understand is that this book is important to you. Learn the magic within it, and your strength will soar. Reaching the level of a Lesser True God will no longer be a problem."
"Lord, what is the level of a Lesser True God?" Wanda asked curiously.
"It is the same realm Bismarck has now. She can pluck the stars with her hands, and has the power to destroy a planet," Roland said calmly.
"...!" Wanda's eyes widened.
"Lord, I am willing to learn from the Darkhold. Are there any dangers I should be aware of?" she asked with determination, her eyes burning with desire.
"For anyone else, there would be great dangers. But you are mine now. Learn freely. If something happens, I will protect you," Roland said, his tone carrying hidden meaning.
The Darkhold was bound to the dark dimension of Chthon. Once Wanda began studying its magic, Chthon would surely notice. If he was wise, he would remain quiet. If not, Roland would gladly devour him and seize his power.
As a newly ascended Main God, Roland was still hungry for divine power. Faith was flowing steadily, but extra power was always welcome. Opportunities like this did not come often.
So by letting Wanda study the Darkhold, Roland had two purposes. First, to make Wanda stronger for his use. Second, to bait Chthon out, like a fish to a hook.
"I understand. I will study the Darkhold well and never let you down," Wanda said with gratitude and confidence.
Roland nodded, a faint smile on his lips. "Since you have that confidence, I will give you a promise. Once you succeed in your training, I will grant you a drop of divine essence to cleanse your body and raise you to an even higher level. You will become my divine emissary and govern one of my outer temples."
"Essence? Truly?" Wanda's face flushed crimson. Her mind immediately twisted the meaning, imagining it as a different kind of essence, one she secretly desired. Her heart raced with excitement, her body filled with motivation.
"..." Roland almost sighed. He could clearly see her thoughts.
This essence was his divine power, meant to strengthen his followers. But since she had misunderstood, he did not bother to explain. If she wanted that other kind of essence, he had more than enough to give.
The only problem was that his fleet girls also wanted it. If they found out, things would become… complicated. Best to let it happen naturally.
"Mephisto, I leave Wanda's training to you. Guard the Darkhold carefully. I suspect something interesting will happen soon," Roland said with deep meaning.
Mephisto bowed. He understood exactly what Roland meant. "Do not worry, my Lord. I will not disappoint you. I will train Wanda well and present you with the perfect emissary."
"Good. Then go, and train well," Roland said. His body faded, vanishing without a trace.
Wanda exhaled in relief and turned to Mephisto. "Mr. Mephisto, I'll be in your care."
"No need for politeness, Miss Wanda. In fact, I may one day need you to speak kindly of me to our Lord. I can see he takes quite an interest in you," Mephisto said with a sly smile.
Wanda's face instantly turned crimson. "R-really?"
"Yes," Mephisto replied with a grin, then began Wanda's very first lesson in dark magic.
Meanwhile, inside a secret S.H.I.E.L.D. base, the Avengers gathered with grave faces.
"Still no news?" Nick Fury asked Tony Stark, his expression heavy.
"No. The Quinjet left Earth and flew into deep space. Since then, all contact was lost. I can't trace its signal at all," Tony said, his voice full of sorrow.
"Does that mean Banner might already be dead?" Natasha whispered sadly.
"Don't say that. That guy's body is unique. Maybe he can survive in space," Hawkeye said, trying to offer hope.
"Ha! Survive in space with no gear? Do you think the big green guy is Captain Marvel?" Rocket Raccoon scoffed.
Since Star-Lord's group had joined the Avengers through Carol's introduction, Rocket and Groot had been spending their days on Earth enjoying bars, arcades, and casinos, almost forgetting about space entirely.
Thor spoke with a heavy tone. "You don't understand the dangers of outer space. Even I cannot last long without protection. This time, Banner may truly be in grave danger."
"Does anyone know why Banner suddenly left Earth?" Tony asked, his eyes narrowing at Natasha and Fury.
"Don't look at us like that. None of us know why he left. Maybe it was pressure, or maybe another reason. But no matter what, none of us wanted him to go. His absence is a huge loss to us all," Fury said seriously.
"Loss? You call his leaving a loss? Banner is a man, not your tool. In your eyes, are we all just tools?" Tony snapped angrily.
"That's not what I meant. We're a team. Are we going to fall back into endless arguments again?" Fury replied.
"I don't want arguments. I just want the truth about why Banner left and whether he's safe. He is my friend," Tony said firmly.
"We all understand how you feel. But worrying won't help. We do have a ship. Perhaps we can search for him," Gamora suggested.
"Search? In the endless cosmos? That's like finding a needle in the ocean," Star-Lord quickly objected.
"Even so, we must try. We must find Banner and learn the truth. I'll go to Roland Manor. The Lord of Life can help us," Tony said, rising to his feet.
Natasha looked conflicted as Tony left. She had her own suspicions about why Banner departed, but she could not be sure. Still, Tony was right. The Lord of Life would know.
But at that very moment, Roland Phils was not on Earth at all. He was in the Temple of Life in the divine realm.
"Laffey, is this how it's done? One side cold water, one side hot, alternating?" Javelin asked as she licked a lollipop.
Laffey looked exasperated. "How many times have I told you? That's a training tool, not candy! You're about to finish it. What will you use to practice then?"
"Oh, my bad. Please keep teaching me, Laffey. It'll be my turn soon," Javelin said with a playful tongue-out smile.
"Then practice seriously. When Effie taught me, I learned right away. She even said I was a genius," Laffey said proudly.
"Wow, you're amazing, Laffey! But didn't your mouth get sore while practicing?" Javelin asked innocently.
"Of course it did. But I didn't mind. Once you get used to it, you even start to enjoy the feeling," Laffey said with a dreamy smile.
"Really? You can enjoy it? Laffey, you're incredible," Javelin said with admiration.
Laffey rolled her eyes. "Talking won't help. You'll understand once you experience it yourself. This is the shortcut to becoming a Saint. You must seize it."
"I've wanted to be a Saint for so long. Watching our sisters ascend one by one makes me so jealous," Javelin said eagerly.
"Of course. Being a Saint has so many benefits. You bond with the Lord, grow stronger with his divine power, and provide him with more faith. Most importantly, it makes you even closer to him," Laffey said sweetly.
Just thinking about that closeness made her face blush like a ripe apple.
"I can't wait. I'll train harder than ever," Javelin said, cheering herself on.
While the two young ship girls trained, in another chamber, Roland lounged comfortably on a sofa. Behind him, Belfast and Sirius massaged his shoulders with gentle care, while Lady Yorktown knelt at his side in devotion. Effie stood nearby, reporting.
"Lord, Tony Stark came to the manor. He said the big green one is missing, and asked us to help find him. What do you think?" Effie asked.
"If Banner is missing, they should know why. Let them deal with it themselves," Roland said flatly.
"Yes. Also, Carol sent word from the Andromeda system. The planet was saved, but the one called the Silver Surfer escaped. They couldn't stop him," Effie reported.
"That's normal. The Silver Surfer has the strength of a Mid-level True God. Our girls aren't strong enough yet. As long as the planet is safe, that's enough. Next, they should establish faith there," Roland said.
"They are working on it already. Results should come soon," Effie replied.
"Good." Roland nodded in satisfaction. Then his expression suddenly shifted.
The maids instantly sensed it, and without a word, they all bowed low before him.
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