Chapter 26:
"Another day wasted," Kunos cursed angrily, taking a swig of the cheapest red blood wine from the Red Hell. The taste was bitter, and it did little to ease his frustration.
Kunos, a freshly born demon god, had been in existence for barely two hundred years. He had no sect, no territory, and a handful of weak followers—mostly outcasts and losers.
"Just the other day, a few of my believers on planet K-093347 begged me to come, promising they'd be ready to welcome me. And yet, once again, they failed to summon me. Pathetic," he muttered, throwing his wine glass to the ground, its shards scattering. His red pupils glowed with fury. "I'm wasting so much energy on these pathetic fools! How can they even claim to worship me when they can't even build a statue?"
He slammed his fist against the table, but his anger quickly subsided. Deep down, Kunos knew his followers weren't capable of much more, and his own power was still limited. He couldn't even manifest a proper phantom. "But why do they keep failing me? They're useless… I didn't even expect them to survive this disaster. No wonder they can't summon a demon god. They're not worth the effort," he sighed.
Suddenly, his eyes widened, and a slow grin spread across his face. "Wait. What's this? The beacon's lit… Ha! A soul? A believer? Looks like someone's ready for me!" His voice turned into a maniacal laugh as he stepped forward, eager for the chance to finally make his mark.
---
Meanwhile, deep within the mystical halls of Kama Taj, Li Ji stood beside Gu Yi, the Ancient One, contemplating his words. The conversation had turned serious, with Gu Yi explaining the dark powers at play.
Gu Yi's voice was calm, yet heavy with wisdom. "To save Hulk, the blood of innocent souls must be sacrificed, a dark pact that will invite the erosion of a demon god onto Earth."
Li Ji hesitated, his mind racing. "But... I can't make that choice for others. It's too great a price. How can we balance the importance of Hulk's role with such a cost?"
Gu Yi's eyes narrowed, his gaze unyielding. "You're too focused on the external consequences. What's important now is the path forward. We're at a crossroads. You must learn to accept the darkness before you can defeat it."
Li Ji frowned. "So, you're suggesting we sacrifice...?"
"No," Gu Yi interrupted, his voice steady. "But sometimes, there are other ways. Let me show you."
With a flick of his fingers, Gu Yi summoned a dark mist, the tendrils coiling around his hand before extending to Hulk's forehead. Black energy seeped into Hulk's mind like a torrent.
"The true essence of dark power doesn't always require blood. There are other methods to activate its force. For instance, demons and gods use it in different forms." Gu Yi spoke as the black mist swirled around Hulk, who stiffened under the influence.
Li Ji was taken aback. He had always seen Gu Yi as a figure who held firm to the light, who avoided revealing the depths of his power. Yet today, there was a stark honesty in his words.
"Don't worry about the nature of the darkness," Gu Yi continued, his tone unexpectedly soft. "Embrace it. Only then can you truly conquer it. This is the path of the mystic."
Li Ji was still confused. "But, Master Gu Yi… Don't you think this might cause panic among the other mages? What if they misunderstand?"
Gu Yi smiled, but there was something enigmatic in his eyes. "Turn around."
Li Ji obeyed. His eyes widened as he saw that the other mages in the room were frozen in place, their bodies rigid, their eyes wide but unblinking. Time had stopped for them.
"This is the power of the Time Stone," Gu Yi explained, his voice filled with quiet authority. "I paused their time. They won't perceive any of this."
"But why me?" Li Ji asked, puzzled.
"You're different," Gu Yi said simply, his eyes reflecting something deeper. "Your future is still clouded in mystery. Even with the Time Stone, I can't see it fully. But you—you're the one who will shape the future. Your potential is limitless. For the others, ignorance is better, but for you, it is necessary to understand."
With a final touch, the black mist dispersed from Hulk's mind, leaving only a lingering shadow. The air in the room felt thick with dark energy.
"Remember this, Li Ji," Gu Yi warned. "Do not speak of it to others. What I have shown you is not meant for all to know."
Li Ji nodded silently, absorbing the gravity of the moment. As the dark energies swirled around them, he couldn't help but be in awe of the Ancient One's power. To manipulate time and space as though it were nothing—this was the true scope of the mystic arts.
---
Elsewhere, on Planet K-093347, the demon god Kunos was laughing maniacally as his form became clearer. His body materialized, a faint, ethereal figure in the sky, his voice booming across the cosmos.
"My followers, welcome the arrival of Lord Kunos!" he declared, his words echoing through space and time.
As the darkness around him thickened, Kunos' appearance became more tangible, his shape taking form. But there was something oddly endearing about him. His horns, still small and curled like those of a lamb, gave him a somewhat comical look. They had not yet grown into the imposing spikes typical of a full demon god.
Li Ji, observing through Gu Yi's lens, couldn't help but feel a flicker of amusement. "Is this truly a new demon god? His horns haven't even fully formed."
Gu Yi remained stoic, though his eyes betrayed a hint of concern. "Yes, but don't let his appearance fool you. His power may still be raw, but he is a threat."
Li Ji frowned, watching as Kunos' body grew larger and larger, filling the room with a dark, oppressive energy.
"Master Gu Yi," Li Ji asked, "Can't we sever his connection to Earth before he fully materializes? If you seal him in a rift in time, we could prevent him from bringing his full power here."
Gu Yi shook his head slowly. "No, Kama Taj doesn't have the necessary space-time rifts like Kunlun. Attempting to trap him here would risk everything, and I won't gamble with our lives."
---
The threat of Kunos, though still in his early stages, loomed large. The stakes were rising, and as Li Ji watched, he couldn't shake the feeling that this was only the beginning of something much darker to come.
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