The small Spider-Man perched nearby had been studying seriously, his little head bent over paper, pen scratching faintly. But when Nathan's calm voice cut across the silence, the tiny creature immediately froze. The pen slipped from its hand as its large, bright eyes lifted, gazing at Nathan with anticipation.
It understood at once—its boss' plan was finally moving forward.
Nathan crouched slightly, meeting the little Spider-Man's gaze. "I told you before," he said slowly, his tone carrying the weight of command, "did you remember what I said?"
The little Spider-Man bobbed its head nervously.
"After inheriting the memory and magic of the devil," Nathan continued, his words echoing like carved stone, "you must release the secret technique—the one that can steal the sky and change the sun. Use it to cloak the devil's deal, to bury it beneath illusion, so that even the master of that dimension will remain unaware. Do you understand what to do when the moment arrives?"
The tiny Spider-Man nodded frantically, its head dipping up and down like a chick pecking at grain.
Satisfied, Nathan allowed the faintest trace of approval to curve his lips. "Good. You're very smart. I can entrust this task to you without worry."
The words of praise were enough to make the little Spider-Man's eyes shimmer with joy. Its entire body wiggled, its small backside twisting with excitement. Being praised by Nathan was everything—it was like a puppy hearing its master call it good.
"Wooooow!" it cried, throwing its little head back and howling in delight, like a husky pretending to be a wolf.
Nathan chuckled softly at the sight. He reached out and ruffled its head, his hand briefly resting on the creature's fuzzy crown. "Let's go," he said at last. "It's time to step out."
The little Spider-Man immediately leapt onto Nathan's shoulder, scrambling up with nimble legs. Perched there, it looked proud, ready to face the world alongside its master. Together, they moved toward the heavy door of the chamber.
The Beast's Triumph
Elsewhere, inside a room deep in the secret laboratory, the ancient beast stirred with smug anticipation.
It could feel freedom approaching, closer than ever. Its secret art, painstakingly woven, was on the verge of completion. That realization filled it with savage joy.
In the depths of its blackened heart, it laughed manically. "Soon," it whispered to itself. "Soon, I will leap free from these chains. This foolish boy who thinks he can imprison me will face his doom!"
The beast's laughter grew louder. "He believes himself capable of binding me, the original devil, the first of my kind! Ridiculous. Laughable! I am eternal—I cannot be caged by a mortal. No prison forged by human hands can hold me. I am the predator, the one who deflates others, never the prey!"
Compared to its wicked glee, the atmosphere around Hei Kong—the vessel it had been forced into—was cold and lifeless.
Hei Kong lay stretched across the ritual stage, her gaze hollow, staring blankly upward at the ceiling. Her body was no longer her own. Dark demonic energy writhed through her veins, sketching glowing black sigils across her skin, forming a vast rune array.
The patterns shimmered with unnatural light. Only a few strokes remained before completion. Already, a suffocating chill radiated outward, filling the chamber with shadows. The air grew heavy, as though every breath contained ash.
The secret technique had passed the point of no return.
And then—
The sound of the door groaning open broke the silence.
Nathan Arrives
Nathan stepped inside.
The beast's mocking grin faltered the instant it saw him. For all its pride, for all its boasts, the memory of Nathan's relentless control was etched deep into its very essence. That memory carried with it instinctive fear, carved into bone and soul alike.
"You—how are you here?!" the beast blurted out, panic rising before it could stop itself.
But almost immediately, its cunning mind reasserted control. Why should it fear? Its preparations were nearly complete, its escape inevitable. Nathan could no longer stop what had already begun.
Its panic turned to arrogance once more. Its voice hardened, rising in volume. "So, you decided to come see me, boy? Why now?"
Nathan said nothing. He only regarded the creature in silence, his gaze steady as still water.
From his shoulder, the little Spider-Man leaned forward, two enormous eyes shining as it studied the ritual with sharp curiosity. Its excitement was obvious. For reasons it could not explain, the beast shivered when those innocent eyes landed on it, as though its very soul were being measured.
The silence made the beast tremble with fury. Nathan's refusal to even acknowledge its words felt like the cruelest insult. Since its birth, every creature had either feared it or worshipped it. Yet this boy, this mortal, acted as though it were beneath notice.
"Nathan!" it snarled, its voice echoing with demonic power. "You dare ignore me? You are too arrogant!"
The beast's voice grew darker, mocking. "But it matters not. Your arrogance ends today. Do you know why I have been silent? Because I was preparing! I have nearly finished my secret technique. Soon, I will break free of this prison! Soon, calamity will fall upon you!"
It threw back its head and laughed, a harsh, jagged sound. "This disaster is your punishment, the vengeance of the great primitive demon! You will pay an irreversible price for daring to defy me! Hahahahaha!"
The Final Stroke
As the beast exulted, Hei Kong's body convulsed. The last stroke of the rune array was being etched by the beast's demonic power.
An overwhelming aura burst forth. The very air rippled, vibrating like a drumskin struck by invisible hands.
Above Hei Kong's form, the void itself cracked. A thin line, like glass splitting, spread across the air. From within seeped black power, thicker than ink, heavier than stone, oozing like tar into the world. Its presence pressed down on every living thing in the room.
At the same time, a rune seared itself onto Hei Kong's forehead. It glowed black, complex and ancient, filled with countless twisting characters no human tongue could pronounce. Within the rune, shifting faces appeared—the blurred visage of the devil itself, glaring out with endless malice.
Nathan's eyes narrowed. He recognized what he saw. "So," he thought, "this is the contract that binds the beast."
The black energy from the crack surged downward, battering the rune.
Crack.
The rune fractured.
Crack. Crack.
It split further, shards of black light spraying into the air.
And then—
Boom!
The rune shattered completely.
A surge of demonic energy blasted outward, filling the room with suffocating darkness. From Hei Kong's body, a plume of black mist tore free, coalescing into the true form of the beast.
The creature roared with laughter. "Hahahaha! Finally! I am free!"
It turned its head, already gloating. "Goodbye, you miserable—"
But suddenly—
The words cut off.
The beast's eyes widened with shock.
"Impossible! How…how is this happening?!"
The triumphant roar collapsed into a scream of fear.
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