Strange looked at Kurohane. There was confusion, but also a hidden admiration, behind his tired gaze. He didn't ask for an explanation, just nodded slowly as if he already understood that the battle had just begun, and he chose to retreat from the stage. Strange opened a small portal and disappeared, leaving Kurohane alone in the emptiness.
The pressure from his encounter with Doctor Doom did not vanish. It felt like an invisible steamroller that was constantly pressing on his head and soul, making every breath feel heavy. In his mind, he saw the image of a Doctor Doom variant capable of tearing apart Thanos with his bare hands. A terrifying truth, which forced him to admit: his power, as the Lord of the Dark Dimension, was still not enough.
Perhaps the superheroes of Earth-616—like the Thunderbolts or the Fantastic Four—could defeat an entity as powerful as God-Lord Doom. But for Kurohane, this was the first time he had felt such a deep sense of powerlessness. He was not a clever negotiator like Yelena Belova. He was a force bound by cosmic ambition, and now he knew that he could no longer play games.
Lord Doom had stated his intent: he would not let the Hell Lords live. That meant, sooner or later, a battle would come. Kurohane had to act. Doom's true power, he estimated, was on par with cosmic entities like the Eye Demon or Cytorak. To fight him, Kurohane had to reach the same level.
His path was clear: conquer the Hell Lords and absorb their dimensions. This was a win-win situation: he would expand the power of his Dark Dimension while eliminating a coming threat. This was the first time Kurohane had felt so motivated. Not because of ego, but because of a pressing instinct for survival.
He returned to the Dark Dimension and explained his plan to Strange and Clea.
"Mr. Kurohane," Strange's voice sounded like a heavy sigh, "I think... you'd better not rush into a war with the Hell Lords. Earth is now facing Doctor Doom. If you do this, you will bring more enemies to Earth. That's not a good thing."
"That's a small problem," Kurohane said, waving his hand casually, a gesture that contrasted with the tension in his eyes. "I am now the Lord of the Dark Dimension. They won't think I'm from Earth. They'll mistake me for Dormammu. After all, Dormammu has controlled the Dark Dimension for many years and is very famous. Clea, you're his daughter, you must know this. As long as you two are by my side, no one will suspect that I am a sorcerer from Earth."
Clea frowned, gave a quick glance at Strange, then nodded. "What Mr. Kurohane said is not wrong," she replied. "Since birth, I have never seen Dormammu's true form. He is just a very huge energy entity. If Mr. Kurohane claims to be Dormammu, none of the Hell Lords will doubt it."
"However, once this war starts... it will be a fight to the death," Kurohane interjected, his eyes flashing with a crazy gleam that made Strange and Clea shiver. "And we must be wary of other Hell Lords coming to take advantage of us. Of course I know that! But this is what I will do! I plan to use my dimension as bait, lure all the Hell Lords to participate, and then turn it into a big brawl where everyone fights. Only then can I have a chance to fish in troubled waters!"
Strange and Clea were silent. They knew, in the world of demons, fighting was everything. These Hell Lords were a bunch of psychopaths who would rather see others lose than themselves profit. It's terrible for a brother to fail, but it's more painful to see a brother buy a Land Rover!
"Mr. Kurohane... can we reconsider? By doing so, Hell will be destroyed..."
"It's already destroyed, isn't it?" Kurohane just waved his hand, as if he had already made up his mind. "I've already used myself to make a nest, why should I care?!"
Although Kurohane was a little reckless, he was not completely stupid. He would not do something that would clearly endanger his life if he was not 100% sure. His goal was to attract the attention of all the Hell Lords, including the three giants: Eye Demon, Sithorn, and Cytorak. If he could lure them, he would find a way to open the hell gate. Then, he would get the largest piece of the Hell Fragment Core in the Devil's Bazaar and become an entity on the same level as them. With the Phoenix power and his sacred dimension, he was undoubtedly the strongest among the Hell Lords.
Strange looked at the determined Kurohane and sighed in resignation. "In that case, we can only wish you good luck."
Like the story? You can read 7 chapters and an exclusive collection at p@treon/Rzzzy!