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Chapter 323: Ancient One
Hell, one of the top-tier realms within the Sphere of the Gods, was a place whose name alone made countless people turn pale.
From here, a vast number of Great Demons were born at every moment. Slaughter and Devour were the only ways for the Demons of Hell to grow and become stronger.
From the moment of their birth, Demons were accompanied by destruction and corpses. From weak to strong, every life was stained with blood; sin was their very instinct.
One by one, Great Demons who shook the Multiverse and the Sphere of the Gods spread terror and despair without restraint. Even in the Sphere of the Gods, a place teeming with powerhouses, few were willing to risk stepping into Hell. This was because the place was crawling with lunatics, and combined with the corrosive demonic aura and the maddening environment, Hell had become a forbidden zone in the eyes of many—a heaven for Demons.
But not long ago, a being from the Multiverse had charged ferociously into Hell, relentlessly hunting Mephisto.
This news circulated among the circles of many high-ranking Demons, and Mephisto had become a laughingstock among many Great Demons. Of course, Low-level Demons were not privy to such information. They lived precarious lives where they either devoured others or were devoured themselves, having no time for gossip.
The Sorcerer, Ancient One, had also made a name for herself during her year-long pursuit, having slain a large number of reckless Demons who got in her way.
But many powerful entities paid it no mind. A being from the Multiverse? A thing as fragile as a Hell Worm. They were indifferent; no matter how much trouble the Ancient One stirred up, they could crush her with a flick of their wrist.
They were more inclined to cheer on the hunt for Mephisto. Some Great Demons even opened up betting pools, treating the whole affair as a source of amusement.
The powerful were happy to watch the show, while the weaker ones would only be courting death if they got involved.
After some initial difficulties, the Ancient One's situation had miraculously improved. In contrast, Mephisto's days were gradually becoming more difficult.
"Pfft!"
Mephisto spat out a mouthful of blood and forced the bald Ancient One back with a wave of his hand, his expression utterly grim.
"You lunatic, do you really want to fight me to the death?" Mephisto let out a low roar.
The Ancient One unleashed another powerful spell of Magic, easily piercing through the planet's crust and leaving a rift a thousand meters long in the ground. It seemed to have broken a pressure equilibrium, as a river of magma instantly grew violent, erupting furiously.
Countless low-level Worms were engulfed by the lava, releasing great plumes of white smoke.
"You've asked me that same question over a hundred times in the last two years, Mephisto. That's not like you," the Ancient One said, her expression serene. She looked to be in decent shape overall, though her clothes were damaged. That perpetually white robe had become somewhat old and tattered.
"You think I can't actually kill you? If I wasn't worried about those vultures waiting to pick up the scraps, killing you would be easy!" Mephisto roared with some agitation.
His Demon True Form was also covered in cracks, upon which large amounts of Magic Power still lingered, continuously inflicting damage on Mephisto.
Although the damage was minuscule.
In a battle between two Level Seven beings, whoever won would inevitably suffer grievous injuries. And in a damn place like Hell, being grievously injured was tantamount to death.
An unknown number of Demons were tailing them, watching with greedy eyes, waiting patiently.
"It doesn't matter. My goal is to kill you, not to kill you while preserving myself," the Ancient One stated plainly, her words sounding incredibly detached.
Mephisto was choked with anger.
This old woman fought with life-or-death moves, showing no restraint and employing all sorts of mutually destructive tactics, which left Mephisto in a very difficult position.
In Hell, he was confident he could win, but he wasn't confident he could win unscathed. What was the point of killing the Ancient One at the cost of being heavily wounded? He would just be taken out by someone else.
So he had been constantly evading, finding a place to lie low, and when the Ancient One found him, he would run again and find another place to hide.
It was cowardly, but it was effective. It had even exhausted the patience of many opportunistic Demons, who had quietly slipped away.
"Ancient One, state your purpose!" Mephisto rushed over, closing the distance between them and blasting apart one of her spells. He asked in a low voice, "I know you too well. You might genuinely want to kill me, but that's a secondary objective. You have another goal!"
The Ancient One tilted her head, remaining impassive, and threw out two more spells as her response.
"Ha, Mephisto is such trash. Is this the power of a Demon Lord? I think I could run for the position of Lord myself," a Low-level Demon chattered on the side.
"Then you'll have to find a way to kill a Lord first."
"I'll just choose Mephisto, then. He's trash anyway, being pushed this far by a being from the Multiverse."
All sorts of insolent comments reached Mephisto's ears, filling the already foul-tempered Great Demon with rage. His chilling Killing Intent surged, but he restrained himself and spoke in a voice only the Ancient One could hear:
"It's been two years. That successor you chose is nothing special. He can't handle the various relationships at all! He's too young. My Clones have seen it all. Sooner or later, he'll destroy your life's work and ruin everything! Why don't we join forces? I'll help you get what you want, and then you can return to Earth and continue being the Sorcerer Supreme..."
The Ancient One finally showed a gentle expression. "If he's really that incompetent, wouldn't that suit your purposes better? After two years, your Clone still hasn't conquered an Earth protected by a useless guardian?"
Mephisto's old face twitched, and he let out a low laugh. "You'll never guess when I'll make my move. You think too highly of that guy... Look, he's happily engaging in a second transaction with my Clone right now. We're about to sign a new Contract! You didn't expect that, did you? A Sorcerer Supreme making a deal with a Demon! Hahaha... Pfft!"
Suddenly, Mephisto's expression stiffened. His already injured body couldn't help but spit out a little more blood as a wave of discomfort washed over him. His connection to his most powerful Clone had abruptly been severed.
A part of his Soul was completely lost, never to return.
A strange look flashed across the Ancient One's face. Smiling, she went in for the kill. Countless Ancient Ones suddenly split off from her body, each one identical to the original. They surrounded Mephisto tightly, and in each of their hands, a violent fluctuation of Magic Power erupted.
Mephisto screamed in agony. His Demon True Form suddenly swelled, magnifying dozens of times. The tangled mass of sinew and flesh unleashed its full Power. In the instant before he was submerged by an ocean of Magic, he paid the price of being wounded yet again. With a wretched cry, he crashed his way out, scattering a large amount of blood and chunks of flesh in the air.
The hidden Demons cried out in delight and rushed out impatiently, scrambling for Mephisto's flesh and blood.
But they were all subsequently blown apart by the Ancient One, every last one of them killed.
"That should be about enough. This time, Mephisto will need to recuperate. The time he spends in hiding will be longer than ever before..."
A glint shone in the Ancient One's eyes. The numerous physical Ancient Ones did not merge back together but continued the chase, appearing to move at great speed but in reality giving Mephisto ample time to escape. She had always done this in the past, suppressing her own speed to show all the Demons her upper limits.
The large number of Clones seemed powerful, but they were not time remnants. Instead, they were a masterful application of Mirror Magic. The replication ability of Mirror Magic was practically an exploit; it could even create a Mirror Dimension that perfectly mimicked reality, so replicating oneself for a short period was not difficult.
As the swarm of Ancient Ones gave chase, one of them gradually faded from sight, disappearing silently from the crowd, her whereabouts unknown.
This was the Ancient One's true body. She had created a pile of Mirror Clones to mislead everyone while her real self secretly went off in search of something.
This was the real reason she had ventured into Hell. There were some things she had to understand.
On a small scale, this could be about the life and death of Earth. On a larger scale, it could also be related to the survival of the Prime Universe.
Everything was filled with uncertainty. The Ancient One was secretly searching for clues. Fortunately, she had found them.
(end of chapter)
Hell, one of the top-tier realms within the Sphere of the Gods, was a place whose name alone made countless people turn pale.
From here, a vast number of Great Demons were born at every moment. Slaughter and Devour were the only ways for the Demons of Hell to grow and become stronger.
From the moment of their birth, Demons were accompanied by destruction and corpses. From weak to strong, every life was stained with blood; sin was their very instinct.
One by one, Great Demons who shook the Multiverse and the Sphere of the Gods spread terror and despair without restraint. Even in the Sphere of the Gods, a place teeming with powerhouses, few were willing to risk stepping into Hell. This was because the place was crawling with lunatics, and combined with the corrosive demonic aura and the maddening environment, Hell had become a forbidden zone in the eyes of many—a heaven for Demons.
But not long ago, a being from the Multiverse had charged ferociously into Hell, relentlessly hunting Mephisto.
This news circulated among the circles of many high-ranking Demons, and Mephisto had become a laughingstock among many Great Demons. Of course, Low-level Demons were not privy to such information. They lived precarious lives where they either devoured others or were devoured themselves, having no time for gossip.
The Sorcerer, Ancient One, had also made a name for herself during her year-long pursuit, having slain a large number of reckless Demons who got in her way.
But many powerful entities paid it no mind. A being from the Multiverse? A thing as fragile as a Hell Worm. They were indifferent; no matter how much trouble the Ancient One stirred up, they could crush her with a flick of their wrist.
They were more inclined to cheer on the hunt for Mephisto. Some Great Demons even opened up betting pools, treating the whole affair as a source of amusement.
The powerful were happy to watch the show, while the weaker ones would only be courting death if they got involved.
After some initial difficulties, the Ancient One's situation had miraculously improved. In contrast, Mephisto's days were gradually becoming more difficult.
"Pfft!"
Mephisto spat out a mouthful of blood and forced the bald Ancient One back with a wave of his hand, his expression utterly grim.
"You lunatic, do you really want to fight me to the death?" Mephisto let out a low roar.
The Ancient One unleashed another powerful spell of Magic, easily piercing through the planet's crust and leaving a rift a thousand meters long in the ground. It seemed to have broken a pressure equilibrium, as a river of magma instantly grew violent, erupting furiously.
Countless low-level Worms were engulfed by the lava, releasing great plumes of white smoke.
"You've asked me that same question over a hundred times in the last two years, Mephisto. That's not like you," the Ancient One said, her expression serene. She looked to be in decent shape overall, though her clothes were damaged. That perpetually white robe had become somewhat old and tattered.
"You think I can't actually kill you? If I wasn't worried about those vultures waiting to pick up the scraps, killing you would be easy!" Mephisto roared with some agitation.
His Demon True Form was also covered in cracks, upon which large amounts of Magic Power still lingered, continuously inflicting damage on Mephisto.
Although the damage was minuscule.
In a battle between two Level Seven beings, whoever won would inevitably suffer grievous injuries. And in a damn place like Hell, being grievously injured was tantamount to death.
An unknown number of Demons were tailing them, watching with greedy eyes, waiting patiently.
"It doesn't matter. My goal is to kill you, not to kill you while preserving myself," the Ancient One stated plainly, her words sounding incredibly detached.
Mephisto was choked with anger.
This old woman fought with life-or-death moves, showing no restraint and employing all sorts of mutually destructive tactics, which left Mephisto in a very difficult position.
In Hell, he was confident he could win, but he wasn't confident he could win unscathed. What was the point of killing the Ancient One at the cost of being heavily wounded? He would just be taken out by someone else.
So he had been constantly evading, finding a place to lie low, and when the Ancient One found him, he would run again and find another place to hide.
It was cowardly, but it was effective. It had even exhausted the patience of many opportunistic Demons, who had quietly slipped away.
"Ancient One, state your purpose!" Mephisto rushed over, closing the distance between them and blasting apart one of her spells. He asked in a low voice, "I know you too well. You might genuinely want to kill me, but that's a secondary objective. You have another goal!"
The Ancient One tilted her head, remaining impassive, and threw out two more spells as her response.
"Ha, Mephisto is such trash. Is this the power of a Demon Lord? I think I could run for the position of Lord myself," a Low-level Demon chattered on the side.
"Then you'll have to find a way to kill a Lord first."
"I'll just choose Mephisto, then. He's trash anyway, being pushed this far by a being from the Multiverse."
All sorts of insolent comments reached Mephisto's ears, filling the already foul-tempered Great Demon with rage. His chilling Killing Intent surged, but he restrained himself and spoke in a voice only the Ancient One could hear:
"It's been two years. That successor you chose is nothing special. He can't handle the various relationships at all! He's too young. My Clones have seen it all. Sooner or later, he'll destroy your life's work and ruin everything! Why don't we join forces? I'll help you get what you want, and then you can return to Earth and continue being the Sorcerer Supreme..."
The Ancient One finally showed a gentle expression. "If he's really that incompetent, wouldn't that suit your purposes better? After two years, your Clone still hasn't conquered an Earth protected by a useless guardian?"
Mephisto's old face twitched, and he let out a low laugh. "You'll never guess when I'll make my move. You think too highly of that guy... Look, he's happily engaging in a second transaction with my Clone right now. We're about to sign a new Contract! You didn't expect that, did you? A Sorcerer Supreme making a deal with a Demon! Hahaha... Pfft!"
Suddenly, Mephisto's expression stiffened. His already injured body couldn't help but spit out a little more blood as a wave of discomfort washed over him. His connection to his most powerful Clone had abruptly been severed.
A part of his Soul was completely lost, never to return.
A strange look flashed across the Ancient One's face. Smiling, she went in for the kill. Countless Ancient Ones suddenly split off from her body, each one identical to the original. They surrounded Mephisto tightly, and in each of their hands, a violent fluctuation of Magic Power erupted.
Mephisto screamed in agony. His Demon True Form suddenly swelled, magnifying dozens of times. The tangled mass of sinew and flesh unleashed its full Power. In the instant before he was submerged by an ocean of Magic, he paid the price of being wounded yet again. With a wretched cry, he crashed his way out, scattering a large amount of blood and chunks of flesh in the air.
The hidden Demons cried out in delight and rushed out impatiently, scrambling for Mephisto's flesh and blood.
But they were all subsequently blown apart by the Ancient One, every last one of them killed.
"That should be about enough. This time, Mephisto will need to recuperate. The time he spends in hiding will be longer than ever before..."
A glint shone in the Ancient One's eyes. The numerous physical Ancient Ones did not merge back together but continued the chase, appearing to move at great speed but in reality giving Mephisto ample time to escape. She had always done this in the past, suppressing her own speed to show all the Demons her upper limits.
The large number of Clones seemed powerful, but they were not time remnants. Instead, they were a masterful application of Mirror Magic. The replication ability of Mirror Magic was practically an exploit; it could even create a Mirror Dimension that perfectly mimicked reality, so replicating oneself for a short period was not difficult.
As the swarm of Ancient Ones gave chase, one of them gradually faded from sight, disappearing silently from the crowd, her whereabouts unknown.
This was the Ancient One's true body. She had created a pile of Mirror Clones to mislead everyone while her real self secretly went off in search of something.
This was the real reason she had ventured into Hell. There were some things she had to understand.
On a small scale, this could be about the life and death of Earth. On a larger scale, it could also be related to the survival of the Prime Universe.
Everything was filled with uncertainty. The Ancient One was secretly searching for clues. Fortunately, she had found them.
(end of chapter)
