Skolchi stormed into the Hand's new hideout, seething with rage.
"You scurrying rats keep dragging down my efficiency, delaying me from wiping you all out and returning to Adam's side." He growled.
He'd never forgiven Adam for not using his body during the battle against the dark god Knull.
Not that he had some perverse desire to be possessed, it was simply that offering his body was the ultimate proof of his worth.
Born a half-breed, not even half Frost Giant but half Wind Giant, Skolchi had endured relentless torment in Jotunheim. His rise was forged through brutal training, unlocking his genetic potential, clawing his way up step by bloodied step.
Skolchi cared more than anyone about the esteem of those above him.
"Well, look at this! What new trick have you lot cooked up? Hired another fool who doesn't fear death?" Skolchi barged in, spotting Mephisto and his group, a menacing grin spreading across his face.
The Hand, a 500-year-old organization, always pulled out bizarre ploys to delay their doom.
Now, another stunt, their demonic master had summoned yet another demon?
"Die!" Skolchi roared, unleashing a hail of magic-forged bullets from twin M16s.
Mephisto, intrigued, raised a hand, conjuring a blaze of Hellfire that incinerated the bullets instantly.
The great demon plucked one bullet from the air, examined it, then crushed it with a pinch.
"Curious weapon. In other universes, few of you wield such things. An axe suits you better." Mephisto remarked, his gentlemanly demeanor intact as he doffed his hat, pressing it to his chest. "Though I've not dealt with you in parallel universes, many of my other selves have crossed paths with you to varying degrees."
Deceiving humans and brokering fraudulent deals was no easy task.
Tricking gifted humans taxed even Mephisto. Those who caught his eye across universes were invariably unique, capable of shifting fate in their domains.
Only by claiming such rare souls, and the more, the better, could he amplify his power.
His countless avatars, varying in strength, roamed universes, harvesting souls while dodging or battling local powerhouses.
The worst offenders? Doctor Strange's Kamar-Taj and the Avengers, followed by Odin's Asgardians and other divine beings.
They were infuriating, thwarting him repeatedly. Even Cosmic Beings in those universes didn't target his avatars so relentlessly.
But Mephisto sensed this avatar might reap a fine harvest.
He'd soon claim a unique soul, unattainable by his parallel selves.
His gaze shifted to the Xenomorph behind Skolchi.
"Exquisite creature. I've never seen its like. Perhaps this universe, exhausting all its potential, birthed this gem to protect itself, averting some cataclysm etched into its timeline?" Mephisto speculated, his vast experience guiding his thoughts. He stepped forward, each stride igniting more Hellfire, flames capable of burning souls.
Undaunted, Skolchi swung an M16 like a club, smashing it into Mephisto's head.
The impact rang out, tilting Mephisto's head.
Skolchi blinked, stunned. "Aren't you a Hell demon? How'd I hit you so easily?"
"Allow me to introduce myself. I'm Mephisto. I sense your burning desire for power. I can forgive your insolence. Care to make a deal? I can fulfill your deepest wish, surpassing those you envy." Mephisto purred, his voice dripping with temptation.
Instantly, Skolchi's mind flooded with information. He eyed Mephisto warily, frowning. "Mephisto, a top-tier Hell demon? I'd believe you if your true self were here, but you're just a worthless avatar, one of many hustling across countless universes."
Skolchi processed intel from Adam about Mephisto.
He quickly learned Mephisto's true form was likely just shy of multiversal, perhaps at the pinnacle of Cosmic Level, but hadn't crossed that critical threshold. His avatars scoured parallel universes, harvesting souls to push further.
Cosmic Level… possibly among the elite. If Mephisto's true self appeared, Skolchi would tread carefully. But an avatar? No fear.
He swung the M16 again, hammering relentlessly.
"Such rudeness. You shouldn't treat a demon of my stature so." Mephisto chided, unleashing a torrent of demonic magic that engulfed sky and earth.
Skolchi burned in the flames, his body ravaged by horrific wounds. These were Mephisto's terrifying Hellfires, born of Hell itself, unique even in the multiverse.
A casual strike made Skolchi realize he was outmatched.
Even facing an avatar of unknown strength, Skolchi knew he was outmatched.
Truth be told, what was his current power level? Without a proper weapon, his parallel-universe counterpart's peak achievement was merely stalemating Thor wielding Mjolnir.
In this universe, far from his prime, Skolchi languished at the bottom of sub-Skyfather Level, propped up only by the Xenomorph enhancements in his body.
Terrifying flames spread rapidly, manipulated by Mephisto to engulf several Xenomorphs.
When Skolchi finally broke free, charred nearly to a skeleton, he scanned his surroundings.
Mephisto and the others had vanished, along with a few Xenomorphs.
Kamar-Taj.
"I've seen it." Adam said, his expression steady as he drained his teacup, an unusual act that made the Ancient One's eyes flicker.
"So, it's really Mephisto?"
"Don't get too excited. It's definitely just an avatar. I don't buy that Mephisto would send his true self to our nothing-special world." Adam replied, pouring himself another cup.
Across the multiverse, Mephisto was arguably the most frequent great demon, appearing in countless named universes.
Yet, in major cosmic events, he faced frequent defeats.
That didn't mean he was a mere clown, always empty-handed. Each move netted him souls, bolstering his true form's power.
"No clue how strong this universe's Mephisto avatar is, but judging by his handling of Skolchi, he's Skyfather Level at best, maybe not even that. He won't disrupt much." Adam said.
In certain events, Mephisto was slaughtered like a dog, his avatars across universes wiped out en masse.
As long as he hadn't reached Cytorak's multiversal-tier, rivaling Eternity or Death, there was room to fight, no matter how dire.
"Better than nothing. Besides, what an avatar experiences reaches the true Mephisto, which doesn't affect my plan to siphon his power." The Ancient One said, pleased. She'd long eyed Mephisto, who'd briefly lingered on this universe's Earth. Now, her chance had come.
Adam's interest in Mephisto was tepid. An avatar offered no real gains, but facing the true form? Mephisto at full power was a Cosmic Being, slightly beyond Adam's current reach.
Given Mephisto's cunning, he wouldn't deploy his true self without massive incentives.
As for parasitizing this great demon to spawn a demonic Xenomorph branch…
Though this avatar was weak, since he'd meddled in Adam's affairs, he'd pay a price.
"Ancient One, move fast, like when you stole Knull's power. Quick and clean. If you're slow, I'll crush Mephisto myself, I won't slow my pace for you." Adam said, standing, clearly ready to act.
The Ancient One didn't stir, still clutching her teacup, feeling its warmth. "What's your plan this time? Like with Jotunheim and Atlantis, dragging your Xenomorph army to Hell?"
"Great suggestion. I'm not sure if I'll do it eventually, but not now. I'm ambitious, but not reckless enough to spark a massive war without a plan. Even Cytorak, the strongest demon in the Crimson Cosmos, is separate from Hell's standard dimensions. The other great demons are beyond my current reach." Adam replied.
Invading Hell?
Marvel's Hell differed fundamentally from DC's.
Marvel's Hell was like an alternate multiverse, with countless dimensions, the larger ones ruled by great demons as dimensional lords, carving out territories.
When a demon sought more dimensions, Hell Wars erupted.
These dimensions collectively formed the broader Hell.
Invading weaker Hell dimensions was feasible, offering Adam demonic hosts.
But it meant yanking Xenomorphs from the familiar multiverse into alien Hell realms with different rules. Even if they adapted, their effectiveness was questionable.
The Ancient One didn't stop Adam as he left.
"Sorcerer Supreme, shouldn't we do something? Knowing him, I'm worried he'll be blinded by big gains and do something insane." Mordo said, fraught with concern. "He's succeeded before, but one failure could draw enemies beyond his level, dragging Earth into the mess, especially with Hell."
"He's smart, he knows what to do. The worst case? We war with Mephisto's Hell." The Ancient One replied.
In the past, she'd have locked Adam and his Xenomorphs in the Mirror Dimension without hesitation.
Until a worthy successor was trained, she remained Sorcerer Supreme, suppressing all risks.
But now, against Adam, Earth's repeated savior, wielding immense power, what could she do? Use the Time Stone?
"I need to find a successor soon… Strange." She murmured, prioritizing Stephen Strange over Kraglin, Loki, Leena, or Daredevil.
The gears of fate were turning, and she saw it clearly. She'd wait for Strange's move, but more pressing matters loomed.
…
"This universe's Ancient One is trying to borrow my power? What a bizarre request." Mephisto mused, stunned. He'd never seen her seek his aid.
Certain Doctor Stranges had done so, though.
Seeking great demons' help wasn't rare for Sorcerers Supreme, but they typically tapped Cytorak for spells like the Crimson Bands of Cyttorak.
Mephisto found it novel, realizing this universe's uniqueness. Probing its timeline, he saw Adam had warped its course, hurtling it toward an unprecedented path.
"Xenomorphs… remarkable creatures with high intelligence. Let's taste your soul." Mephisto said, moving to strip a Xenomorph's soul.
His face soon registered shock. The act met fierce resistance.
Fragmented thoughts flooded in, as if countless entities tugged, blocking his theft.
Mephisto succeeded, but as he examined the soul, it lacked a critical piece, its core self-awareness.
The Xenomorph's consciousness was deeply bound to an unknown entity.
Adam?
"So that's how it works… I'll need a different approach." Mephisto muttered, scanning Earth. His slit-pupil eyes reflected a figure on the planet's far side.
Stephen Strange.
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