A sacred white light covered half the Earth, turning the sky into a realm of pure divinity. The scene was beyond anything mortals could imagine.
"This is the power of the Lord of Life?"
"So vast, so overwhelming!"
"Magnificent!"
"From today, I too will be a follower of the Lord of Life!"
"He blesses all people and saves all beings. What reason do I have not to believe?"
The people raised their hands and cheered toward the figure standing tall in the sky. Their voices rose in waves, shaking the heavens.
In the middle of this uproar, Mephisto's expression grew dark.
"Boy, you finally came. Any later, and your pitiful servants who only know compassion would have gone straight to hell!" he sneered, his eyes flashing cold.
"Watch your mouth, to dare speak that way to our Lord, you're courting death!" Bismarck and the others were furious.
But Roland Phils only smiled calmly. "You may be the ruler of hell, but my people are not for you to judge. To send them to hell? You are not qualified."
He stepped forward, shaking space itself. Divine power surged, and the world dimmed. Looking down from the sky with supreme majesty, he pressed an overwhelming force toward Mephisto.
In that instant, Mephisto felt a sharp crisis pierce his mind. His body shuddered against his will.
Roland lifted his hand and grabbed into the void. A dark shadow, black as ink, appeared in his grip.
"Father, save me!!" the figure screamed in agony.
It was none other than Blackheart.
After being defeated by Icarus before, Blackheart's power had plummeted. Unwilling to accept it, he returned to hell, scheming to rise again by devouring powerful souls. He had followed the undead army to Earth, hoping to recover the lost contract of San Venganza. Failing to find it, he turned his sights on Roland's apostles.
With an invisibility cloak stolen from his father's vault, he had hidden nearby, waiting to strike. But before he could act, he was discovered and captured effortlessly.
For the first time, Blackheart realized the gap between himself and the man before him was like heaven and earth. He cried out desperately for Mephisto to save him.
Mephisto's face darkened, but more than anger, he felt shame. His own son, the so-called heir of hell, was caught like a dog and humiliated before him. To think this worthless fool had once dreamed of ruling a new hell. The thought was laughable.
"Useless. You should have died long ago," Mephisto said coldly, not even caring for Blackheart's life.
Roland sneered, shaking his head. "Tsk, heartless indeed. A trusted son, raised for years, and you discard him without a thought. Truly fitting for the ruler of hell. In that case, you can die. Blame it on having no father worth the name."
With a cold smile, Roland clenched his fist. Divine power exploded in his palm.
"No!!" Blackheart screamed and struggled, but there was no escape. His cries ended in silence as he was destroyed, leaving only the invisibility cloak floating in the air.
Roland picked it up casually and looked at Mephisto with mocking eyes. "You should thank me. I rid you of a traitor."
Mephisto's face twisted with rage. Blackheart may have been useless, but to have him killed in front of him was a direct insult.
"You dare challenge my authority, boy? Then I will show you the true power of a ruler of hell!"
Evil energy surged behind Mephisto, filling the sky with wailing souls. A massive gate of hell rose up, pressing against Roland's divine realm.
Cracks spread like spiderwebs through space. With a single blow, Mephisto nearly shattered Roland's magic domain. His destructive might was terrifying.
But Roland only sneered. Divine light burst from the Tree of Light within him, repairing the realm instantly.
"You think only you have a gate? Then let me show you mine. Gate of Reincarnation, descend!"
A massive door equal to the Gate of Hell appeared, releasing a chilling aura. Half the divine realm was claimed by its presence, standing against hell itself.
Mephisto's face went pale. "Impossible… how could you summon this power?"
As a ruler of hell, he knew exactly what it meant. The power of reincarnation was the greatest hope for all undead, the one chance at rebirth. No demon could resist it.
Roland's lips curved in a cruel smile. "Nothing is impossible. You are simply ignorant."
The moment the gate appeared, countless undead and demons turned toward it with burning desire. Frenzied, they rushed forward, desperate to reach reincarnation.
Roland laughed. "Do you think the Gate of Reincarnation is open to anyone? Without my permission, you cannot pass. But I will give you a chance. Kill this old devil, and I will open the gate for you. Rebirth will be yours!"
His words struck like a war drum. The undead turned their hungry gazes on Mephisto.
"Traitors! You dare betray me? All of you will die!" Mephisto roared, summoning a wave of hellfire.
The flames clashed with the tide of undead. Screams echoed as souls burned to ash, but there were too many. For every one destroyed, another took its place. The endless tide pressed forward, wearing down Mephisto's strength.
Mephisto cursed under his breath. "Damn it! The Gate of Hell keeps releasing the undead. What I meant to use to devour this world has become my burden!"
The trap he had laid had turned against him. If he closed the gate, his descent would fail and his power would weaken. If he left it open, the undead tide would consume him. Either way, he could not win.
His face twisted. "Boy, you win this time. But when hell fully descends upon Earth, I will destroy you and this planet. Remember that!"
With wild laughter, his massive demonic body vanished in flames, retreating into hell.
Roland only smirked. "To think a so-called ruler of a dimension would run with his tail between his legs. If you could truly descend, you wouldn't wait for later. You disgust me. Fine, run. I will be here when you return."
"Master, are you really letting him go? Isn't that dangerous?" the shipgirls asked, worry on their faces.
They had felt Mephisto's strength firsthand. To let him escape was like letting a tiger back into the mountains.
But Roland knew better. As a true god only at the beginning stage, he could not yet kill a cosmic-level being like Mephisto, whose power rivaled Dormammu's. If they fought to the end, the Earth itself would be destroyed in the crossfire.
Better to drive him away, achieve the goal, and wait until his own strength grew. One day, Mephisto would be destroyed completely.
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