"You... you're a Saiyan?" Pruk asked with a look of surprise on his face as he glanced at Robert, who was contemplating whether Clark could track down Mephisto.
Having previously fought Robert, Pruk knew a bit about Robert's capabilities. The officials did not realize that Robert was not as powerful as Clark. To them, both Robert and Clark were monsters exceeding the destructive power of nuclear weapons.
When Robert was dealing with Mephisto, Pruk had pondered for a long time and finally couldn't resist the allure of eternal life, choosing to attack Robert and disrupt his fight against Mephisto.
Pruk had been wary of Clark's strength, so he had avoided confronting him head-on, preferring to find ten thousand scapegoats rather than face Clark directly.
Pruk could use some underhanded methods against Robert and Clark, but he lacked the courage to confront them directly.
Now, Pruk couldn't believe he had avoided Clark only to encounter Robert again. Robert was even more terrifying than he had imagined. Even his master, Mephisto, had fled upon Robert's arrival, which made Pruk panic.
"You... actually, there's no real connection between me and Mephisto..." Pruk stammered, trying to find a way to survive as he saw the fear in Robert's eyes.
"Heh, the demonic stench on you is already obvious, and you still dare claim no connection with Mephisto?" Robert sneered but did not immediately kill Pruk. He was waiting for Clark's message and didn't want to kill Pruk too easily, as Clark had specifically named him as someone not to be let off lightly.
With a roar, Pruk transformed into a terrifying demon and charged toward Mobius. Pruk knew he wasn't a match for Robert even in his demon form, so he aimed to use Mobius to threaten Robert.
Although Pruk didn't know Mobius's identity, since he was with Robert, they must be allies. In such a desperate situation, Pruk had few choices left.
With a swift move, Robert remained still, but Pruk felt a sudden chill in his chest and pain spreading to his brain. Only then did Pruk realize Mobius was not an ordinary person; through his demon senses, he recognized Mobius as a vampire.
As Pruk identified Mobius, he was violently struck and sent flying, crashing into the already damaged aircraft's wall.
Seizing the opportunity, Pruk unleashed powerful flames, melting the aircraft wall and flying out.
"Damn it, sorry..." Mobius, inexperienced in battle, hesitated and didn't immediately pursue, apologizing to Robert.
"If you don't chase him, he will escape," Robert reminded Mobius, shaking his head.
"Oh, right!" Mobius snapped back to reality and dashed out, becoming a blur. The aircraft, destabilized by the collision, exploded.
Robert was unharmed, but the sole surviving pilot, bewildered by the battle, was not so lucky and was engulfed by flames.
In the sky, Mobius quickly caught up with Pruk, kicking him away. Pruk, already weaker than Mobius, had no chance to resist and was being thoroughly beaten.
Although Mephisto had promised Steve to make him a demon king, even offering ten thousand souls was far from enough.
Pruk, who had once been content just to have eternal life, now desperately wished for more power from Mephisto.
Meanwhile, Mephisto was feeling uneasy, not just because Robert nearly found him, but because he felt like he was being watched.
"All-Seeing Eye? Sorcerer Supreme? Or Asgard's guardian? That Saiyan shouldn't have such abilities. If he did, I wouldn't have escaped so easily..." Hiding himself, Mephisto was still anxious.
This sense of unease was new to Mephisto since coming to Earth, where he experienced many new feelings.
Unwilling to linger in these feelings, Mephisto moved stealthily, fearing the All-Seeing Eye would find him.
Back with Robert, Clark was baffled as Mephisto suddenly vanished, despite Clark having just found him.
"Robert, Mephisto got away. His methods are beyond my understanding. Can you make Pruk contact Mephisto?" Clark asked, frustrated by the elusive enemy.
"I'll try, but the chances aren't high. Mephisto has high authority over the array, evident from how he shut it down immediately," Robert replied, watching Mobius pummel Pruk. He doubted Mephisto would fall for it again.
However, Robert thought it was worth a try. At the very least, he could learn how to contact Mephisto and perhaps harass him.
Robert activated a spell, immobilizing the battered Pruk. "Try contacting your master. It might be your only chance to survive," Robert suggested.
"I'll do it!" Pruk, desperate, began activating the array to contact Mephisto.
But the array shattered, and Pruk's body stiffened as if his life force was being drained. Pruk was on the brink of death.
Robert used a healing spell to sustain Pruk's life, but only barely, as the damage was beyond repair.
Robert placed his hand on Pruk's head, using a mind-reading spell to extract memories, obtaining the contact array for Mephisto.
Satisfied, Robert let Pruk suffer the agony of losing his life force, the same force he had attacked Robert for.
As Pruk begged for his life, Robert watched with cold indifference until Pruk's body disintegrated into dust.
Robert then used the contact array, prompting Mephisto's angry voice to respond before the connection was severed.
"Found him!" Clark's voice echoed in Robert's mind as he tracked down Mephisto, who was startled and unable to escape in time.
Clark appeared beside Mephisto, a dangerous smile on his face, and punched Mephisto, shattering his form.
"Found you, rat from hell!"
Mephisto's form shattered under Clark's punch, dispersing into a cloud of dark energy. However, this was not the end. Mephisto's essence began to reform, attempting to regenerate and escape. Clark, having anticipated this, moved with incredible speed, grabbing hold of the dark energy and compressing it with his immense strength.
"You're not getting away that easily," Clark said, his eyes glowing with determination. The compressed energy writhed and twisted in his grasp, but Clark held firm.
"Let go of me, you fool! You don't know what you're dealing with!" Mephisto's voice echoed from the energy mass, filled with rage and desperation.
"Actually, I do," Clark replied, his grip tightening. "And I'm not letting you cause any more trouble."
Meanwhile, back on the ground, Robert observed the skies where Clark was dealing with Mephisto. He turned to Mobius, who had landed beside him, looking a bit shaken from the intense confrontation.
"Are you alright?" Robert asked, placing a reassuring hand on Mobius's shoulder.
"I'm fine, just... didn't expect things to escalate so quickly," Mobius admitted, still catching his breath.
"That's the nature of our world," Robert said with a wry smile. "Always expect the unexpected. Now, let's see how Clark is doing."
High above, Clark continued to subdue Mephisto's essence, but the demon lord was not giving up without a fight. The dark energy pulsed and surged, trying to break free from Clark's hold. Just as it seemed Mephisto might escape, Clark's eyes flared with a powerful, otherworldly light.
"In the name of the All-Father, I bind you!" Clark intoned, invoking ancient, mystical power. The dark energy was forced into submission, shrinking and solidifying into a small, black crystal. Clark held the crystal up, examining it carefully.
"That should hold you for a while," Clark muttered, pocketing the crystal. He then descended back to the ground, landing gracefully beside Robert and Mobius.
"Is it over?" Mobius asked, looking at the crystal in Clark's hand.
"For now," Clark replied, his expression serious. "But we need to make sure this crystal is kept safe. Mephisto is contained, but not defeated."
"Agreed," Robert said, nodding. "We should take it to a secure location where it can be guarded and studied."
As they discussed their next steps, a faint shimmer appeared in the air nearby. From the shimmer, a figure emerged, cloaked in a dark robe with an aura of immense power. The figure lowered its hood, revealing a familiar face.
"Grandmaster," Clark acknowledged, bowing his head slightly.
"Clark, Robert, Mobius," the Grandmaster greeted each of them in turn. "I sensed a great disturbance and came to investigate. It seems you've had quite the battle."
"Indeed," Robert replied. "Mephisto nearly escaped, but Clark managed to contain him."
The Grandmaster's eyes fell on the black crystal in Clark's hand. "That crystal contains his essence?"
"Yes," Clark confirmed. "We need to find a secure place for it."
"I have just the place," the Grandmaster said. "Follow me."
With a wave of his hand, the Grandmaster opened a portal, revealing a vast, mystical chamber filled with ancient artifacts and powerful wards. The group stepped through the portal, entering the chamber. The air was thick with magical energy, and the walls were adorned with runes and sigils of protection.
"This is the Hall of Eternity," the Grandmaster explained. "It is one of the most secure locations in existence. Mephisto's essence will be safe here."
Clark approached a pedestal in the center of the chamber, placing the black crystal upon it. As soon as the crystal touched the pedestal, glowing chains of light wrapped around it, binding it in place.
"There," the Grandmaster said with satisfaction. "Mephisto's essence is now contained. We will monitor it closely to ensure it remains secure."
"Thank you, Grandmaster," Clark said, feeling a sense of relief. "We couldn't have done this without your help."
The Grandmaster smiled warmly. "It is my duty to assist. Now, return to your lives and remain vigilant. The forces of darkness are always plotting, and we must be ready to face them."
With that, the portal reopened, and Clark, Robert, and Mobius stepped back through, returning to their world. The battle was over, but the war against evil continued. They knew they had to stay united and prepared for whatever challenges lay ahead.
As they emerged back into the daylight, Mobius turned to Clark and Robert. "So, what's next?"
"Next," Robert said with a grin, "we prepare. Because there's always another fight on the horizon."
Clark nodded in agreement. "And we'll face it together, as always."
With their resolve strengthened and their bond as brothers in arms unbreakable, they walked forward, ready to face whatever the future had in store.
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