The mark Mephisto left on Kurohane's shoulder felt like a hot, itchy blister, a sensation that could even penetrate his robe of pure darkness. Kurohane knew from the start. It wasn't just a familiar touch, but a secret backdoor that would allow Mephisto to infiltrate his Dark Dimension in his absence. The demon's plan was simple: dismantle the foundation of his dimension and steal his throne. Mephisto had placed such marks countless times. Some succeeded, many failed. For him, it was just an eternal game.
Kurohane smiled to himself. His original plan was to return to his Sacred Dimension, activate the mark, and trap Mephisto there for a fight to the death. A thrilling idea.
However, now his plan had to change. Mephisto intended to run to "guard his home base," and Kurohane, of course, wouldn't allow that. If he let Mephisto go, how could he attend the Hell Council? He didn't even know the way!
"You're not going anywhere, brother," Kurohane said, his voice as cold as ice in the burning air of hell. The dark energy from his hand wrapped around Mephisto like a black chain. It wasn't a complex spell, just raw power enough to track him. If Mephisto returned to his dimension, Kurohane would pay him a visit—sooner or later—or start a direct war. A lean camel is bigger than a horse. Mephisto wasn't a great fighter. And Kurohane's "severely injured" persona was just a pretense, a deception.
Mephisto was stunned. He felt this was unfair! He just wanted to take a small advantage, but now he himself was the prey. He knew Doctor Doom might have stolen the coordinates of his dimension. But, stabilizing this amnesiac "Dormammu" was the top priority. "Brother!" Mephisto laughed awkwardly. "I was just joking. We are all famous figures in this industry. We can't be absent from an event as big as the Hell Council. Everyone will think we are colluding!"
"Don't make jokes like that again," Kurohane said, his tone gentle but containing a threat. "I'm easily offended." The dark energy in his eyes disappeared, returning to his innocent expression. Mephisto realized he had lost his credibility. In desperation, he waved his right hand in the air. A fiery red energy fell to the ground, forming a strange magic circle.
"While we were chatting, I think those black-hearted guys have already arrived. We can just teleport there!" Mephisto explained, waiting for Kurohane's nod. Kurohane didn't care. He was confident that even if Mephisto tried to send him to his hell, he wouldn't lose.
A flash of red light enveloped them. In an instant, Kurohane appeared in a fiery Hell, with the pungent smell of sulfur in his nose. In front of him was a huge stone round table. Chairs with various energies surrounded it, extending to infinity. The chairs and the entities sitting on them were shrouded in mist, making it impossible to see them with the naked eye.
Kurohane observed his surroundings. Various types of demons were sitting in the chairs: tall giants, dragons, tentacled monsters… And what caught Kurohane's attention the most was a stunning female demon, commonly known as a succubus! "So, charm magic really exists," he thought, his eyes scrutinizing every detail, as if this was an anatomy lesson, not a meeting of hell lords.
While Kurohane was admiring the succubus with his academic eyes, Mephisto had already sat in his chair. "Brother, hurry up and sit down. If you don't sit down, you don't even have the right to speak!" Mephisto's words reminded Kurohane that this was not the time to study magic. He was here to cause chaos, not to attend a meeting.
He glanced at Mephisto, asking where his seat was. Mephisto pointed to the chair next to him that contained pure dark energy. Kurohane sat down without hesitation, and suddenly realized he could see all the Hell Lords clearly. In the main seats, he saw the Crimson Lord Cytorak, the God of the Underworld Sithorn, and the Eye Demon Shuma-Gorath. Their names automatically popped into his mind.
"Hey brother, can I ask you something?" "Go ahead." "That one on your right, is that your son Blackheart?" "Brother, you still remember him? Come here quickly, my son, and meet your uncle!"
The dark-faced man next to Mephisto was Blackheart Demon. He stared at Kurohane with a lazy and disdainful look. "Damn you, Dormammu!"
Kurohane was stunned. "Should I be mad?" he thought. "He's not swearing at me, is he?" But his identity now was Dormammu. Without a reaction, he wouldn't be able to survive in this circle. With a swift movement, Kurohane grabbed a large black sword glowing with hellfire. He stabbed it with a speed that Mephisto couldn't even anticipate, pinning Blackheart to his chair!
Blood spurted from Blackheart's mouth. Kurohane said in a cold voice that cut through the silence. "I may have lost some of my memory, but my power hasn't disappeared. You dare to challenge me? I won't kill you for the sake of my good brother, but if you dare to move before this meeting ends, you will die!"
Kurohane's sudden attack surprised all the Hell Lords. Dormammu did have a bad temper, but he would never attack at the Hell Council. This was an insult to the Big Three. However, their eyes were now lit up. An amnesiac dimension lord? Isn't this a big piece of prey that fell from the sky? Instantly, friendly glances were cast at Kurohane. Especially from some female Hell Lords, who began to show off their figures.