"It won't be that easy," Steve said, shaking his head as he reviewed Frank's abilities. "Frank has the combined powers of six gods, which makes him comparable to Superman in many ways—minus heat vision and freeze breath, but with added lightning control."
"Shazam's sealing power is another matter entirely, though," J.A.R.V.I.S. added. "Our analysis suggests that the wizard Shazam was not only imbued with godly powers but was also a master of an ancient magic system, possibly a precursor to today's magical practices."
"Exactly," Tony Stark continued. "Earth's history, especially with the Celestials' influence, is much more complex than we ever thought. Even with Kamar-Taj safeguarding Earth's dimension for so long, they couldn't document everything. We're still left with more questions than answers."
"Then it's no surprise that Kamar-Taj lacks records of Shazam. If a Celestial scout has been here undetected, it might not even be in our spatial dimension," Robert mused. He had spent time honing his energy-sensing abilities on Earth, but Celestial traces remained elusive. While he could sense energies beyond Earth's dimensional boundaries, detecting a Celestial scout was still beyond him.
Just then, Mary looked up from the battlefield. "Something's off with Frank—he's no longer drawing power from the thunderclouds."
"Without lightning, does he plan to defeat this demon with sheer force?" Morbius, as a creature of darkness, understood how tenacious demonic life forces could be.
Although Frank was stronger than Pride, his attacks without the lightning weren't as lethal. Frank's decision left Morbius puzzled. It looked as though Frank was giving Pride a chance to recover, which Pride eagerly took. Believing Frank had depleted most of his divine energy with the earlier lightning barrages, Pride shifted to a defensive stance to heal, confident that the Seven Deadly Sins would eventually overpower him.
Suddenly, Frank seized Pride's fists with a powerful grip. Pride's eyes widened, uncertain of Frank's intentions.
Then, in a flash, Frank and Pride vanished. The Avengers exchanged surprised glances, immediately searching for signs of their whereabouts.
"Ah, the Rock of Eternity," Robert said with a raised eyebrow. "I wouldn't have sensed it if Frank hadn't opened the way."
"Why did you bring me here?" Pride demanded, looking around the Rock of Eternity with suspicion. He felt an ominous foreboding, though he assumed he was now beyond the Demon's Eye's restrictions since achieving Hell Lord status.
Frank smirked. "I realized something. Sealing all seven of you is beyond me, but sealing one? That, I can manage." He pointed to a wall, which began to emit a strong, magnetic pull.
"No!" Pride shouted, panic flickering in his eyes. Despite his struggles, he was drawn into the wall, transforming into a flat mural.
"Well done," Robert said, nodding approvingly as he joined Frank in the Rock of Eternity. "But what's your plan now? Leave him for future generations to deal with?"
"Uh, well, that's how the old wizard handled it…" Frank hesitated, then explained, "I was following the guidance of an elderly voice. It wasn't Shazam's but another ancient figure tied to the powers I inherited."
"Interesting," Robert noted. "Perhaps the wizard Shazam had the same guidance. Either way, you've done well, but you'll need a solution for the others. Sealing is useful if you have enough firepower to destroy the seal and its prisoner completely. Otherwise, it's more like a pause button for when you're ready."
"You mean I could seal them, gather my strength, and then obliterate them?" Frank's eyes widened, impressed by the strategic potential.
"Exactly," Robert replied. "It's a controlled setup for your final move. Just remember, if your firepower isn't sufficient, you're effectively releasing them all over again."
Frank blinked, digesting the new approach. Even Solomon's wisdom seemed to falter at this revelation, unused to sealing magic as an offensive technique.
"I can show you," Robert offered with a grin.
"Can I try it myself?" Frank asked eagerly, his confidence boosted.
"Go ahead." Robert stood back as Frank channeled his energy for a finishing move.
"Wait… why isn't this as powerful as my previous attacks?" Frank muttered in confusion as he tried to summon a decisive blow. He could feel that his gathered energy wasn't matching the intensity of the earlier thunderbolts.
"That's because those earlier bolts weren't just your power," Robert explained. "The Avengers' own lightning specialist was amplifying the storm, letting you unleash attacks far beyond your current limits."
"I wondered why I didn't feel any energy drain!" Frank realized. "If I can't produce that level of power, how am I supposed to kill him?"
"You can still try. Or, if you'd rather, I can handle him," Robert replied, leaving the choice to Frank.
"I'll give it a shot." Frank took a deep breath, resolved to test his strength. "I need to know if I'm capable of truly defeating them on my own, even if I have to seal the rest first."
"Good answer," Robert said approvingly, watching Frank's determination solidify. Frank was already showing more composure than many seasoned heroes.
Gathering his energy, Frank prepared his attack and focused on Pride, now part of the mural on the wall.
With a resounding crack, Frank struck the wall, shattering Pride's seal. As the Rock of Eternity trembled, Robert observed with interest. He noted the Rock's structure wasn't merely a subspace but a unique mini-dimension, with gateways that hinted at connections to various realms.
"Ha! I knew you were naive enough to fall for it!" Pride's mocking laughter echoed as the shattered seal released him, unscathed. Instead of fleeing, Pride lunged at Robert and Frank, confident from overhearing that Frank's power had been boosted artificially.
But Pride's arrogance blinded him. He dismissed Robert as a mere bystander, a harmless bystander with unconventional ideas about sealing techniques.
Robert didn't bother with a rebuttal. Instead, he reached out and clamped his hand around Pride's throat. In one smooth motion, he raised his free hand and summoned a small bottle labeled "Demon Seal," floating ominously in mid-air. Pride's eyes widened in horror.
"No… What is—" Pride's voice cut off as he was pulled into the bottle. Robert then struck the bottle with a ki blast, obliterating it—and Pride—completely.
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