Astral Realm.
Truly deserving of its name.
Wherever the eye could reach, colors shimmered in splendor, blending into deep space objects so dense they seemed impenetrable, gathering into uniquely magnificent clouds.
It was as if countless translucent threads hung down to the world below, connecting the thoughts and emotions of all beings across the multiverse.
Trillions of sentient creatures had collaborated to build such a vividly realistic, ethereal, and fantastically delightful plane.
The Astral Realm was divided into two layers:
Outer Layer.
Inner Layer.
In both, there was a chance of overlapping with the real world, enticing wandering souls, disorienting spirits, and reducing them to genuine, mindless husks.
Due to the nature and origin of the Astral Realm, extreme distortions and grotesque, malformed monsters could occasionally emerge in either layer!
Especially when catastrophic disasters and widespread panic erupted in the real dimension…
Negative emotions born from all things in the universe—fear, despair—would swell beyond measure. Towering evil spirits hidden in the seas of consciousness, nameless chaotic entities, would gradually surface!
Even dimensional lords would dread them!
Thus, the Astral Realm and reality were intricately linked.
Even the most singular and powerful demon gods could not fully explain it.
Ancient sages who wrote Astral Travels had only provided ambiguous descriptions.
It was a mysterious and abstract space, where the logic of reality and natural laws did not apply.
"Wait!"
"What is that?!"
A majestic, sacred Azure Dragon, nearly a hundred meters long, coiled through the air.
Suddenly, it bore a human-like expression of curiosity.
At the far end of its gaze, amorphous black mist surged rapidly toward them, sending tendrils out to frenetically devour nearby celestial bodies.
Where it passed, absolute vacuum appeared in an instant!
This…!
It was reminiscent of the Outer Gods recorded in the Necronomicon!
Shen Du shivered.
Outer Gods.
Twisted beings even the Old Ones feared.
How could a spirit possibly contend with an Outer God?
Fortunately, they were close to the hidden location where the Dark Council would convene!
Buzz!
The scene before him spun violently.
When he opened his eyes again, he had arrived in a dark, dim, and spaciously luxurious hall.
In the center:
A brazier blazed with fierce, bright flames.
Several stone chairs were scattered around.
Barefoot beauties in silk robes propped their pointed chins with elegant hands, their exquisite, three-dimensional faces flickering in the firelight.
"Welcome."
"From the East, the Lord of Hell."
A cold, alluring, regal female voice resonated.
Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!
One by one, massive spirit forms passed through barriers and took their seats.
Eyeborg.
Dormammu.
Sethorak.
Chiyou.
Satannish.
Hela.
Hades.
Nightmare.
…Familiar yet alien dimensional lords came into view.
This Dark Council was not large in scale.
But the crucial members were all present.
And all were familiar faces!
Of course, not every dimensional lord attending sought to eliminate the Holy Lord.
Some may have come out of boredom.
After all, all possessed immortal constitutions, immune to the passage of time. With endless life, what kind of entity wouldn't have hobbies?
"Greetings."
"Honored Lords of Hell."
"I bring unfortunate news."
"The three Ancient Demons have escaped the interdimensional space and returned to reality!"
"Holy Lord."
"Zhong Su."
"Di Kui."
The beautiful, alluring female rose, her seductive voice immediately capturing the attention of all demons.
What?
In just two days, an Ancient Demon had been liberated again?!
Di Kui!
Shen Du vaguely recalled the name.
A demon lord ruling the earth, capable of splitting mountains, manipulating terrain, ripping open planetary crusts, and unleashing terrifying earth-based magic!
"Mephisto."
"State your plan."
"Indeed, we cannot allow Ancient Demons to occupy reality."
"As Lords of Hell, the world should be ours to divide!"
A multi-horned, green-skinned monster with scorching infernal flames on its back and a ferocious face on its abdomen answered first.
This was Satannish, once the grotesque demon who had desired to devour the Holy Lord.
"I will weave a nightmare to lure the Demon Lord into indulgence!"
A pale-skinned, elf-like weak demon squatted on a stone chair, grinning mischievously.
This was Nightmare, master of the Nightmare Dimension.
Within his realm, Nightmare was nearly omnipotent, able to absorb fear from all things in the universe and drag sleeping targets into the Nightmare Dimension!
As long as thought and imagination persisted, Nightmare could never be destroyed!
The Nightmare Dimension bordered the Astral Realm, making interference with the real world easier.
"Lords,"
"Do not underestimate the power of the Ancient Demons."
"The Holy Lord and his Dark Brothers"
"all wield the power of divination!"
"This is a fundamental element composing all things. Even in the Astral Realm, the Nightmare Dimension, or the Hells we govern, these elements exist."
"…A most unwise move."
Mephisto smiled.
Even a demon lord ruling several great Hells lowered his posture—surely scheming something big!
…Perhaps intending to seize the divination power of the Ancient Demons for himself, achieving true singularity in the multiverse.
After all, the Marvel world was a realm of chaotic multiverses.
Every life had variants.
Hell Lord Mephisto was no exception.
Only after eliminating multiple variants could he govern several great Hells!
In other words, these Hells were located in differently numbered parallel worlds.
Through Hell, one could travel to connected parallel worlds.
"The implication is…"
"To enter true singularity, one must control a plane?"
"Or a dimension?"
"And this dimension exists in other parallel worlds as well?!"
Shen Du concluded.
"Exactly."
"From the East, Lord of Hell."
"I have answered your question."
"Now it is your turn to answer mine."
The barefoot beauty in elegant robes smiled warmly.
"Please, speak."
Shen Du narrowed his eyes, suddenly feeling a surge of pressure.
Had he exposed his true identity?!
"State your name."
"From the East, Lord of Hell."
Mephisto's expression was a teasing half-smile.
Before he finished, whoosh! whoosh! whoosh!
Sharp, intimidating gazes fell upon the coiled dragon-shaped stranger.
"Kaido."
Shen Du answered without hesitation.
Kaido?
"Seems this is an up-and-coming talent."
The towering, horned giant spoke with a resonant, thunderous voice, full of admiration.
Chiyou!
Called the Ancient Shadow.
A mighty demon god cloaked in local legend, on par with Sethorak and Eyeborg.
"What a beautiful name."
Hela, wearing a crown of thorns, regal and radiating the aura of the dead, spoke with playful intimacy.
"Interesting."
Dormammu, the dark lord with a flaming head, grinned.
"Leveling the Mage Temples is more direct!"
Hades, broad and muscular, proposed.
Hades—the Greek god of the underworld.
Ever suspicious that Zeus cheated in drawing lots, yearning to replace Zeus in ruling all things.
"My followers are ready."
A tentacled, one-eyed alien demon shrieked, breaking the silence.
Followers?
Referring to the Dark Mist Sorcerer Daolong?
Daolong had transformed Kinosha's mutant elite, massively expanding the Dark Assassin legion…
All under Eyeborg's orders?
To level the three Mage Temples!
"Good."
"My followers will coordinate inside and outside."
Dormammu sneered.
Cassilius's death did not mean all his followers were dead!
"Even if the Mage Temples remain intact, I have backup plans."
Mephisto feigned mystery.
"What plans?"
Shen Du hurriedly prompted.
"Stonehenge!"
"Through a mysterious and ancient ritual, we will tear the barrier of a distant dimension, summoning the Outer God lurking in the Astral Realm to descend!"
...
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