"Ahhhhh!" As Robert extracted useful memories from the super soldier, the latter let out a painful scream. Flames began to consume the super soldier's body—these were demonic flames, devouring his life.
This was Pruck's contingency plan. Although the super soldier hadn't revealed Pruck's whereabouts, the content seen through mind reading had triggered Pruck's trap, directly taking the super soldier's life.
"So, there was a hidden trick, but that's not the most important thing. The crucial part is what I just saw..." Robert watched the super soldier succumb to the flames without attempting to save him, as the memories he saw were unacceptable.
Robert saw not just any memories, but Pruck's orders to prepare one hundred thousand scapegoats for sacrifice. The sight of these scapegoats' miserable conditions, including the elderly, sick, and disabled being captured and abused by Pruck's subordinates, was unbearable even for Robert.
Robert didn't consider himself a kind person, but Pruck's actions were beyond what he could tolerate.
"Pruck wants to sacrifice a hundred thousand scapegoats to Mephisto?" Robert's eyes flashed with thought. "If something happens to these scapegoats, Pruck might come out to deal with it."
With this thought, Robert disappeared from his current location, realizing that finding Pruck through his subordinates would be difficult due to the contingencies Pruck had left. It was better to force Pruck out.
"No, wait. I'll stay here and see how Pruck's subordinates act. As for those hundred thousand scapegoats, I'll leave it to Clark. No one knows our connection with Clark, and having a human god save these people is more fitting..." Robert initially intended to leave but decided that saving lives wasn't his strong suit, and Clark's image as Superman would be more impactful.
Saving a hundred thousand elderly, sick, and disabled people was no small feat, and the commotion it would cause should be handled by someone like Clark.
Quickly, Robert contacted Clark and explained the situation. As soon as Robert mentioned that a hundred thousand scapegoats were to be sacrificed, Clark immediately took off, fully powered, toward the location after seeing the dire conditions of the scapegoats.
"Make sure to beat Pruck thoroughly for me! Don't let him die easily!" Clark shouted to Robert while saving the scapegoats, showing how furious he was.
"No problem, but this guy might still be able to hide..." Robert shrugged, observing the military base. Tony Stark had already secured the perimeter, but inside, only Mobius was searching for clues. Robert hadn't noticed anyone contacting Mobius yet.
"I found something! I have Pruck's trail!" Mobius's excited voice came through their team communication.
"Really? He found it?" Robert's eyes lit up with joy. Before he could speak, Mobius provided more updates.
"I've located him! Follow me! Huh? Saiyan, where are you?" Mobius called out excitedly, realizing Robert wasn't beside him.
Mobius had been dodging attacks while tracking Pruck, not having time to notice Robert's actions, assuming Robert didn't need his attention.
But Mobius didn't expect that after finally finding a lead, Robert would be missing, making him wonder if Robert had found Pruck too.
"Lead the way, I'll follow you." Robert's voice came through the team communication, calming Mobius's scattered thoughts. "Tony, the follow-up is up to you. We're going after Pruck."
"Got it, leave it to us!" Tony Stark and Steve agreed. Invading a military base and starting a fight had its complications, even if they were in the right. Handling the aftermath was necessary, so Tony and Steve didn't follow, and Bucky was still at Tony's house, not present.
"Damn it! How did Superman discover those scapegoats? Where are they now?!" Meanwhile, Pruck, hiding, received news that Clark had saved the hundred thousand scapegoats. Since the message didn't come from the military base, Robert was unaware, but Pruck couldn't continue hiding.
Compared to his own safety, Pruck's loyalty to Mephisto took precedence. Those scapegoats were meant for Mephisto's sacrifice; he couldn't let Clark save them.
So, Pruck decided to act personally and pulled up extensive data on Clark. Seeing Clark's capabilities, Pruck got scared...
Pruck needed to complete the sacrifice for Mephisto, but realizing he couldn't match Clark's strength, he quickly regained his composure and instructed his subordinates: "Hold on! Don't rush the scapegoats. Go to the slums in every state and city, and to South America, and gather another hundred thousand quickly. Avoid letting Superman find out again!"
"Yes!" Pruck's subordinates were no longer surprised by his sudden change in plans. They obediently followed his new orders.
Frankly, these subordinates were afraid of dealing with Clark. Clark's reputation as Superman was intimidating. Even with extraordinary items, they had no confidence in facing him.
Fortunately, their leader, Pruck, also feared Clark. They could avoid confrontation with him, only needing to ensure the new scapegoats weren't discovered.
"Move now, head to the southern base. Has anyone noticed our previous actions?" Pruck was worried Clark might find his next move, so he decided to quickly capture the scapegoats and sacrifice them to Mephisto first.
To Pruck, keeping Mephisto satisfied was paramount. One Superman couldn't compare to the power of a hell lord.
"The southern base has been discovered. Not just the Avengers, but other military personnel and S.H.I.E.L.D. are looking for you. Except for the Avengers, we repelled everyone else. But the Avengers have taken control of our base..." A subordinate reported.
"I'll handle it after the scapegoats are dealt with. Head to another secret base in the south!" Pruck decided to abandon his current identity, planning to switch bodies after using up his current one. He had no qualms about replacing his military contacts.
"Yes!" Despite a sigh, the subordinates followed Pruck's orders and changed course.
"Why do I feel like Pruck changed location?" Meanwhile, Mobius, leading Robert, sensed his target's movement shifting.
"You guide, I'll carry you!" Robert grabbed Mobius and, following his directions, quickly flew towards Pruck. With Robert's speed, it wasn't long before he locked onto Pruck's presence.
Although Robert hadn't seen Pruck, he recognized him from the super soldier's memories. Even hidden in a warplane, Robert locked onto Pruck.
"What a terrifying feeling?!" Pruck's heart tightened as he felt a life-threatening danger, making him tremble.
Pruck was bewildered by the fear gripping him, a fear he hadn't felt even facing his master, Mephisto.
"Master!" Pruck's eyes lit up, quickly setting up a ritual taught by Mephisto. Before his subordinates' horrified eyes, the ritual consumed several of them entirely!
"What do you want?" Mephisto's dissatisfied voice echoed in the warplane, making Pruck uneasy. "Weren't there supposed to be a hundred thousand souls? And now you offer just a few?"
"No, Master. I'm on my way to prepare your offering, but I suddenly felt a great danger. I sacrificed a few subordinates to ask for your guidance..." Pruck's humble tone wasn't due to his nature but because Mephisto had tricked him during their contract.
"A great danger? What could be dangerous in life and death? You're a demon now; death is just Earth's natural fear of Hell. Returning to Hell is like going home; where's the danger?" Mephisto's voice was dismissive and slightly manipulative.
"Is that so?" Pruck hesitated, though Mephisto's words made sense, his sense of danger persisted.
Before Pruck could respond, the warplane's side opened, and strong winds rushed in, bringing two figures with them.
"Mephisto, you're not picky at all. I thought you'd kill this guy, but you kept him as your subordinate. Those hundred thousand lives, are they for you? Is this your true purpose on Earth?" Robert eyed Pruck's ritual, locking onto Mephisto's aura to track him.
However, like a gecko shedding its tail to survive, Mephisto instantly shattered the ritual, his presence disappearing before Robert could locate him.
"Wonder if Clark will find anything..." Robert frowned, knowing Mephisto's caution. He had already contacted Clark to distract Mephisto, but Mephisto didn't leave any trace or consciousness behind.
Truly living up to his reputation as a notorious schemer in the Hell dimension, Mephisto's swift betrayal of his subordinate was unexpectedly ruthless!
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