Quantum Realm.
Mephisto and Lucas put on a passionate show together.
The show's title:
You chase, I flee. If you catch me, I'll beat you up.
The small island where the group was originally located had been shattered into pieces by the aftermath of Lucas and Mephisto's battle.
Lucas used Images of Ikonn, continuously splitting off clones and casting various magic spells to interfere with Mephisto's pursuit.
It's worth mentioning that when Images of Ikonn was used on Lucas, the effect was deviated. The clones could not inherit Lucas's physical qualities. The clones' physical qualities were determined by the amount of energy used for casting.
"Lucas, I wonder how long your energy can sustain your escape?"
Mephisto pressured Lucas, constantly looking for opportunities to get close, while also trying to persuade him.
"Why don't we sit down and discuss terms properly?"
"Heh, I can run with you all day."
Lucas naturally wouldn't believe Mephisto's words. He said he wanted to talk properly, but he didn't slow down.
Suddenly, Mephisto slowed down and stopped. "Lucas, I think we can talk properly now."
Saying that, he extended a finger and pointed at the sky.
In the sky, countless scarlet runes were densely packed.
Below, Hellfire burned fiercely.
During the chase of Lucas, the energy that Mephisto's attacks had dissipated quietly spread all around. Finally, it formed a magic array, summoning a Hell projection to descend and seal off this area.
Lucas stopped, he had nowhere left to run.
On the other side, Tony, who had emerged from the Quantum Realm, returned to the Expo site.
As soon as he came out, he opened a portal and left. He was going to Kamar-Taj to see the Ancient One.
Tony, in his haste to leave, didn't notice that a small portion of the Expo ruins had already been cleared.
The news of his appearance and departure quickly reached S.H.I.E.L.D.
Unexpectedly for Tony, he wasn't directly teleported into Kamar-Taj but was stopped outside.
"I'm Tony Stark, I have an urgent matter to see the Sorcerer Supreme."
Mordo stepped forward from the crowd and said through the protective barrier, "Stark, go back. The Sorcerer Supreme is not in Kamar-Taj, she is fighting a powerful magic entity."
"Mephisto?" Tony asked.
Mordo shook his head. "I don't know. She didn't say, she only asked us to be on full alert, guarding against an invasion."
Tony frowned, he had too little information. He couldn't determine if the Ancient One had gone to support Lucas or was tied up with other matters.
"When the Sorcerer Supreme returns, please tell her for me that Lucas is fighting Mephisto in the Quantum Realm. The situation is urgent, so please do not delay."
"Lucas is fighting Mephisto?"
Among the sorcerers below, someone gasped in surprise.
Tony and Lucas were known to everyone.
Their privilege was to freely enter and exit Kamar-Taj to study.
Though they had only met Lucas a few times, he had left a deep impression on them.
He studied magic intermittently. In several months, he had only visited Kamar-Taj a few times but he was exceptionally powerful.
They had often discussed in private that when they met this junior, they would advise him to calm down and study magic properly. But every time they saw Lucas, they forgot about it.
Over time, everyone understood. Their mental power was too different from Lucas's, and they were unknowingly influenced.
But Lucas fighting Mephisto?
Is it true or false?
That was the ruler of Hell who had shaken the Multiverse.
Ignoring the commotion of the sorcerers below, Tony opened a portal and headed to S.H.I.E.L.D. headquarters.
He could only search around now to see if he could find reinforcements.
As soon as the portal opened, it immediately drew the alert of S.H.I.E.L.D. Agents, with guns pointed at the portal's direction.
Seeing Tony emerge from it, the Agents relaxed slightly, but no one lowered their weapons.
"Put down your guns."
Coulson, who had come out upon hearing the commotion, saw the scene and quickly ordered the Agents to stand down.
"Stark, why are you here? You didn't even notify us."
Coulson subtly expressed his dissatisfaction with Tony's unannounced arrival directly at S.H.I.E.L.D. headquarters.
"Coulson, I'm sorry, but I have more urgent matters now." Tony apologized.
Then he got straight to the point, "I want to know how much S.H.I.E.L.D. knows about Mephisto."
"Mephisto?" Coulson was puzzled.
He didn't understand why both Tony and Hank had mentioned this mythical figure.
Tony explained, "Mephisto is not just a mythical figure. He truly exists, he is the ruler of a pocket dimension, Hell."
"Does S.H.I.E.L.D. have any information on this?"
Coulson first shook his head. "I'm not sure, but the classified information accessible at my Agent level has nothing about Mephisto."
Then he continued, "However, in the past few days, I've often heard that name from Hank."
Tony was surprised and uncertain. "Hank? A few days?"
"Jarvis, check the date."
"Sir, New York time, June 4, 2011."
Four days have passed?
Tony was incredulous.
In his impression, he hadn't spent more than an hour in the Quantum Realm.
"Take me to Hank."
A glint flashed in Tony's eyes as he said to Coulson.
'The flow of time in the real world is different from that in the Quantum Realm. In the real world, there's more time to prepare. I can assemble a team to support Lucas.'
Tony's decisive act of leaving Lucas and the Quantum Realm was not cowardly fleeing but rather an attempt to seek reinforcements. This was a misunderstanding caused by a difference in information.
Of course, this wasn't Lucas and the Ancient One deliberately hiding things from Tony. Matters are made by secrecy, and ruined by disclosure.
When Tony confronted Mephisto, it would be difficult for him to maintain his composure and not reveal secrets.
—
"Lucas, you have nowhere left to run. Let's talk about the terms properly."
"Lucas, the magic array is set, we can close the net."
Mephisto's and the Ancient One's voices reached Lucas's ears one after another.
Lucas, with a righteous expression, declared firmly, "I never negotiate terms with evil cults."
"Heh."
Mephisto chuckled and snapped his fingers.
Scarlet runes in the sky shone, and countless energy chains descended from the sky, shooting towards Lucas.
After several dodges, Lucas was still chained at his limbs and torso.
Mephisto walked through the void, stopping in front of Lucas. "Lucas, whether you negotiate or not, that's not up to you."
"Today, if you want to sign, you must sign. Even if you you don't want to sign, you still must sign."
Lucas suddenly grinned. "Is that so? I don't think so."
His talent, Energy Absorption, activated, and the chains binding him quickly dimmed in light, then dissipated.
Lucas clenched his right fist, power condensing upon it. He threw a punch, striking the unsuspecting Mephisto in the face.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
Mephisto flew backward. In the air, three consecutive explosive sounds came from his body.
"Against evil demons, there's no need for honour. Ancient One, let's go together."