With both flaming blades in hand, Kurogai Blackwood's fiery avatar brought them down, one strike aimed at the Thing, the other at Victor von Doom.
Ben Grimm roared in defiance, swinging his massive stone fist against the blazing weapon. But it was futile. For Kurogai's construct, cleaving through solid rock was as easy as cutting air. The flaming blade crashed down, hurling Ben into the ground with crushing force. Cracks splintered across his stone-carved arms and face.
In an instant, the mighty Thing was defeated.
This was never a fair fight, and Ben's outcome had been decided before it began.
Victor, however, wasn't as reckless. Fear of Kurogai burned deep in his chest, and when the flaming blade descended on him, his instincts screamed. He pulled back, retreating as lightning surged from his hand. Bolts of energy lashed against the fiery blade.
The lightning fizzled uselessly on impact. No explosion, no force—just silence, as if swallowed whole.
Victor's eyes widened. "Impossible… why didn't it work?" His voice trembled, disbelief written across his face.
Kurogai gave him no answer.
Victor's mind raced. He had no chance here, not against this. "Retreat!"
He didn't hesitate. Spinning on his heel, Doom fled with all speed, his cloak whipping through the air. Unlike Ben, he wasted no time clinging to pride. Survival mattered more.
But Kurogai's calm voice followed him. "Do you really think you can escape?"
Before, Kurogai had left Victor alive to use him in his schemes. But now? Victor had crossed the line. Blackwood had no habit of letting enemies linger.
The flaming blades dissolved, reforming into a longbow of black fire. A single arrow of dark flame manifested, drawn back and loosed in a flash.
Victor sensed the danger instantly. He veered sharply to the side, the flaming arrow whistling past. Relief washed over him—until the arrow twisted midair.
It bent unnaturally, pursuing him, and struck before he could react.
"NO—!"
The black flames consumed him, igniting his armor, clinging to his flesh. Doom screamed as the fire spread relentlessly, searing him with agony. He staggered, clawing at himself, but it was useless.
It was Amaterasu, the black flame that could not be extinguished. It would burn until there was nothing left.
Satisfied, Kurogai allowed his construct to fade, turning to Susan Storm. "The problem is handled. You can relax now."
Susan's shoulders slumped with relief, her eyes glistening. "Thank you, Kurogai." Her voice trembled with emotion. Without him, her brother Johnny would have been killed.
Kurogai studied her for a moment before asking plainly, "How do you plan to handle Johnny?"
Susan hesitated. "I… I don't know. He's reckless. His powers are too dangerous for him to keep acting this way."
"I'll take care of it," Kurogai said with a sigh. "He needs discipline, and since you can't be the one to do it, I will."
He opened a glowing portal, lifting Johnny's unconscious body with ease and stepping through.
The world around them shifted, snow swirling into biting winds. Kurogai dropped Johnny onto the icy ground of a mountain peak. When Johnny stirred, confusion clouded his face.
"Wh—what? Brother-in-law—no, Kurogai… where are we? It's freezing!" He ignited his flames instinctively, wrapping himself in fire for warmth.
Kurogai's expression remained cold. "Your sister asked me to set you straight. You'll spend some time here, in this snow, until you learn control."
Johnny laughed nervously. "That's it? Easy. I can fly, I can burn. A snowy mountain won't hold me."
"Simple?" Kurogai's eyes narrowed. "Let's see if you still think so."
Arcane energy surged around his hand, washing over Johnny. The younger man gasped as his flames sputtered, then dimmed to nothing but a faint flicker—barely enough to keep him from freezing.
"Wh-what did you do to me?!" Johnny shouted in horror. His greatest strength was gone, reduced to a spark.
"You won't break it," Kurogai said calmly. "You're at the highest peak of the Himalayas. You'll climb down without your powers, and you'll figure out what it means to be more than fire. That is your trial."
He set down a small supply of food from his pocket dimension and turned away, ignoring Johnny's protests.
The wind howled, snow whipping across the mountain, as Kurogai disappeared into the storm.