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46.15% With Ope Ope no Mi in Hunter x Hunter / Chapter 126: Chapter 126: Hell (Conclusion)

Chapter 126: Chapter 126: Hell (Conclusion)

"Don't be so tense. I already said, I came here out of curiosity," Mephisto said, shifting his gaze from Coulson to Daniel. Coulson's resurrection fascinated many on Earth, with Garrett even willing to go to any lengths to uncover its secrets. But for Mephisto, it wasn't a big deal.

After all, souls leaving Hell isn't unheard of over the millennia.

"It's hard not to be tense," Daniel thought. Mephisto's words didn't relax him. Records from Kamar-Taj and other sources showed Mephisto to be a very cunning individual.

Compared to Daniel, Coulson and his team, including the usually calm Melinda, were visibly anxious.

"The soul is now in Hell. So..." Daniel trailed off, hoping Mephisto would get the hint and leave.

"I rarely meet a sorcerer. I have something that needs your help. Of course, I will offer compensation and grant you any wish," Mephisto replied calmly, ignoring Daniel's hint.

"Sorry, I'm quite content. I have no wishes," Daniel immediately rejected, his tone firm.

"It involves him," Mephisto said, glancing at Coulson.

"Damn old guy. Coulson's resurrection is indeed peculiar. I hadn't considered Hell's involvement before, but now it seems strange. Did Coulson's soul, like that other guy's, linger on Earth for some reason instead of going to Hell?" Daniel pondered.

On the surface, Coulson's resurrection seemed due to substances extracted from the Kree. But on closer inspection, many things didn't add up. The Kree substances couldn't possibly pull a soul from Hell.

Having never given it much thought, Daniel now realized something was off.

"You all step out for a moment," Daniel said after some contemplation, addressing Coulson and his team. The matter involved Coulson, and as long as his safety wasn't at risk, Daniel didn't mind seeing what Mephisto wanted.

As long as he avoided making a deal with Mephisto, there would be no problem. Mephisto's operations on Earth revolved around deals, never using force to achieve his goals. It was all about resisting temptation.

Throughout history, few have resisted Mephisto's temptations. Even the Ghost Rider initially succumbed.

If one delves into human history, they'll find an interesting fact: contracts originated from him, evolving into the profession of lawyers. Yes, the origin of lawyers can be traced back to Mephisto, which is why contracts often contain hidden traps.

Another thing that spread from Hell is the frequent use of "666." While it might seem harmless, frequent use could potentially draw a connection to Hell's demons.

Despite the known evil of demons, people still make deals with them for two main reasons. One, some believe they are smarter than demons and can outwit them, only to have their souls devoured. Two, some don't understand the gravity of the deal, like those who trade their soul for wealth in life, thinking it doesn't matter after death—until it's too late to regret.

"Since it involves me, I should stay," Coulson insisted, curious after hearing Mephisto mention him. Though his memories were replaced, he was aware of some changes in his body.

"Some things aren't for you to know yet. Melinda," Daniel said, signaling Melinda to take Coulson away. Coulson resisted but was swiftly knocked out by Melinda's hand chop.

"Truly Iron Cavalry," Daniel mused, surprised by Melinda's decisiveness.

Watching Melinda leave with Coulson and the others, Daniel felt reassured that she would prevent anyone from eavesdropping.

"What is it about him?" Daniel asked once they were alone.

"Because of him, some have left Hell," Mephisto explained.

"You're passing the buck," Daniel thought, exasperated. The situation was simple: Mephisto's son, Blackheart, escaped Hell due to Coulson. The details of his escape were vague, but it involved Coulson.

Blackheart's reason for escaping Hell was straightforward: he wanted to kill Mephisto and become the king of Hell. Similar to Loki, but with a harsher fate since Mephisto didn't age or die, leaving Blackheart with no option but to kill him to take his place. In Hell, Blackheart was no match for Mephisto and sought power on Earth through the Contract of San Venganza to become a demon lord and challenge Mephisto.

From Daniel's perspective, Blackheart was overreaching. If the Contract of San Venganza were truly that powerful, Mephisto wouldn't have left it on Earth.

"So it's another case of a son trying to overthrow his father, like in Norse mythology or with Thanos," Daniel thought. "Loki and Odin, Peter and Ego, and now Blackheart and Mephisto. Even Ultron and Tony Stark or Kaecilius and the Ancient One could be seen this way."

After explaining the situation, Mephisto proposed a deal: help eliminate Blackheart and retrieve the Contract of San Venganza, in exchange for not pursuing Coulson's resurrection.

"I refuse. If you want to reclaim his soul, go ahead," Daniel responded without hesitation.

While others might be intimidated by Mephisto, Daniel, as a sorcerer of Kamar-Taj, knew that Hell couldn't randomly reclaim souls. Unless they were directly killed, the rules of resurrection applied.

Kamar-Taj's knowledge about Hell was extensive, even if many never needed it. But Daniel had studied it thoroughly, preparing for any eventuality, which proved useful now.

In Hell, the stronger the demon, the greater their limitations on Earth. Entities like the Ghost Rider or Blackheart could wield power on Earth, but Mephisto and Lucifer couldn't act freely.

"Do you realize if he gains the Contract of San Venganza, he could unleash tremendous power here, causing massive casualties?" Mephisto warned.

"If that happens, someone will deal with it," Daniel replied indifferently. With the Ancient One and other powerful beings around, he wouldn't be fooled.

"I see. Here's a contract I think you'll find interesting," Mephisto said, tossing a scroll toward Daniel.

Smack.

Seeing Mephisto's move, Daniel quickly formed hand seals, summoning a golden shield to block the scroll.

Having seen Ghost Rider's experiences, Daniel was wary. Reaching for the scroll could inadvertently seal a deal, as Johnny Blaze learned the hard way.

Transforming his shield into a staff, Daniel struck the scroll back to Mephisto.

"Interesting," Mephisto remarked, retrieving the scroll with a smile.

"By the way, Lucifer is in Los Angeles," Mephisto said before vanishing, leaving an address to a bar in L.A.

"That guy, setting a trap before leaving. Does he think I'll go looking for Lucifer? Though it feels off, like Lucifer being in the adjacent universe," Daniel thought after Mephisto's departure.

"Well, I'll leave this to the big shots," Daniel decided, planning to report to the Ancient One. With her power, Mephisto wouldn't be a problem.

As for Blackheart and the Contract of San Venganza, there were Ghost Riders to handle that. There were supposedly three Ghost Riders in the Marvel universe, and they managed Blackheart in the original storyline.

"Speaking of Ghost Riders, I forgot about the Darkhold. Who has it now? I think it's in some lab, but I can't recall," Daniel pondered, realizing the Darkhold could create a virtual reality world.

"You should tell Coulson the truth soon. Mephisto's words likely stirred his suspicions," Daniel advised Melinda.

"Is Coulson really okay?" Melinda asked, worried about Mephisto's appearance.

"Don't worry. Though I don't know how you revived Coulson, he's fine now," Daniel reassured. Future issues with Mephisto were beyond his knowledge.

"Are you sure?" Melinda seemed doubtful, given Mephisto's reputation.

"Relax, Hell has its rules. Even Mephisto can't break them," Daniel replied.

"Well, I need to report this," he added.

"Wait, the director knows and is on his way," Melinda informed. With Mephisto involved, she couldn't keep it from Fury, who was already en route.

"Alright," Daniel sighed, deciding to stay until Fury arrived.

"Was that really Mephisto? How is that possible?" Fitz, Simmons, and Skye still hadn't fully processed Mephisto's appearance.

"Damn, we had a power outage yesterday, lost a lot of data. Rewriting it doesn't feel the same," Daniel lamented.

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Chapter 127: Chapter 127: The Winter Soldier (Part 1)

"Nothing is impossible. Don't worry, this was just an unexpected incident. You likely won't encounter something like this again," Daniel quietly reassured Simmons, Fitz, and Skye. Seeing such a legendary figure had a significant impact on the three. In contrast, Coulson, Melinda, and Ward seemed less shocked.

Daniel wasn't lying. If he hadn't been present, Mephisto wouldn't have revealed his true form. While demons enjoy tempting humans to fall, someone of Mephisto's caliber wouldn't waste time on just anyone.

"Plus, seeing him isn't entirely without benefit. At least it adds to your knowledge," Daniel added.

"No one wants to gain that kind of knowledge," Skye said with a bitter expression, which made Simmons pull her away. Simmons was more frightened than Skye. There were three women on the plane, but Simmons wouldn't dare disturb Melinda, so she had no choice but to stick with Skye.

"First day on the job and the company collapses. Skye sure has some luck," Daniel thought, smiling as he watched Skye and Simmons whispering. He remembered her circumstances.

"Ward is quite impressive. Even Coulson and Melinda haven't figured out his true allegiance. It's a shame," Daniel thought, smirking at Ward sitting with Simmons.

In fairness, Ward was salvageable. His loyalty was to Garrett, not HYDRA. Killing Garrett might have turned him towards S.H.I.E.L.D. In the original story, Ward had the chance to kill Garrett and keep his secret.

However, Daniel wasn't interested in saving him. He wasn't like Coulson or Skye, who still hoped to redeem Ward even after learning his HYDRA allegiance.

"You really bring trouble," Fury said, appearing in his usual black leather coat. Coulson and his team had been cleared out.

This plane, called the Bus by Coulson's team, had no surveillance except in the interrogation room to protect privacy, especially with three women onboard.

"You brought this on yourself, resurrecting the dead," Daniel countered Fury's blame.

After Mephisto left, Daniel considered that Coulson's resurrection might be as Mephisto suggested. Reviving the dead wasn't easy, even for Asgard. Otherwise, Thor's mother wouldn't have stayed dead.

"What exactly is Mephisto's involvement? Is Coulson okay?" Fury asked, concerned. Coulson was his most trusted agent, and Fury brought him back not just out of sentiment but because he lacked reliable subordinates. Recent times had exhausted Fury, mentally and physically.

Fury once proudly believed S.H.I.E.L.D. could protect the public under his command. However, one crisis followed another—Asgard's sudden appearance, S.H.I.E.L.D.'s internal issues, and the Battle of New York. Though victorious, the heavy losses needed scapegoats. If not for his crucial role, Fury might have been dismissed.

For weeks, Fury navigated politics among the world's powers. Just as things settled, Mephisto's emergence threw another wrench in. If Melinda hadn't reported it herself, Fury would have exiled the reporter to the Arctic to find the Red Skull.

"It should be fine now. I'll report the follow-up to the Ancient One. You don't need to worry," Daniel replied calmly.

"I want to meet the Ancient One," Fury said after a pause.

"Telling me won't help. If he wants to meet you, he will. If not, you can't find him," Daniel refused outright.

"Time to leave. Oh, and send me the substance you used to save Coulson," Daniel said, picking up his things and apparating off the plane.

Mephisto's situation needed to be reported to the Ancient One, as did the matter of Lucifer.

"Understood," Daniel exhaled after ending his call with the Ancient One. She seemed unconcerned about Mephisto and Lucifer, telling him not to worry.

"Let the tall ones handle the big problems until I become one," Daniel thought, planning to inform the Ancient One about Mephisto and Lucifer before focusing on Skye and Coulson's blood.

"The genetic information is embedded in the DNA. The Kree's biotechnology is impressive. Is this to activate Inhuman genes? The Kree blood used to save Coulson likely came from their earlier Earth experiments."

"Skye's blood lacks this genetic info, which is odd. I can't fully analyze her abilities without seeing her transformed as an Inhuman."

Daniel wasn't too disappointed. He anticipated needing a future comparison with Skye's Inhuman form.

"I need the Obelisk and the Inhuman temple on that island. It looks like I'll have to wait."

"GH-325, huh?" Fury quickly sent what Daniel needed, delivered personally by Natasha Romanoff. Such valuable material required a trusted courier. Natasha didn't linger, as she, Hawkeye, Shuri, and even Captain America were extremely busy following the Battle of New York.

"Looks like this is how it is. Do all Kree have such bodies? It's terrifying. Or was this Kree a high-ranking figure?"

The Kree are a renowned interstellar empire. Their unique biotechnology means higher-ranking individuals possess greater power. Ronan the Accuser, despite his eventual defeat by Star-Lord, could wield the Power Stone bare-handed.

Such power explains why the Kree Empire remains stable despite having an enemy like Captain Marvel. A hero of her caliber would have toppled lesser regimes.

However, considering Captain Marvel's benevolent nature, she likely avoided using her power to overthrow regimes. She spared the Kree high command and Ronan.

"I might be able to neutralize the genetic implant in Coulson, stopping him from drawing maps."

"GH-325 wasn't used on just one person, right? Were they all resurrected or just severely injured? GH-325 can heal physical wounds, but how were their souls handled? There are many questions. I should stop overthinking before my head explodes."

Sighing, Daniel looked up, contemplating the issues. Kamar-Taj had extensive soul knowledge but didn't fully understand Hell's mechanics.

"Time for a break. Pepper has something for me. Some matters need to be addressed," Daniel thought, heading to Stark's California mansion.

"You look like you haven't rested in ages," Daniel said, seeing Stark in the lab testing a new Iron Man suit. Stark looked exhausted, likely due to working non-stop on his suits out of fear.

"Drink this," Daniel offered a small vial of vitality potion from the Harry Potter world. Magic could rejuvenate, but the potion was more nourishing.

Stark's fear stemmed from his near-death experience with the nuke. Though initially unaffected, the terror hit him later. Stark had been wearing his suit even while sleeping, suffering from insomnia.

Only after some time and seeing no improvement did Pepper contact Daniel.

"You came at the right time. How do you handle fear?" Stark asked after regaining some energy.

Without waiting for an answer, Stark continued, explaining how his fear erupted after the nuke incident. Though he had changed after his abduction, becoming a hero, he still sought thrills and recognition. The nuke incident was a true brush with death.

"I'm afraid too. Everyone fears death. Some people just find things more important than life. When you grabbed the nuke, you didn't think much, did you?"

Daniel was more cowardly than Stark. The New York battle had Stark risking his life, with his many damaged suits as proof. Daniel acted mainly for self-preservation.

"Have a good sleep. You'll feel better," Daniel said, casting a sleep spell on Stark. His psychological issues made regular sedatives ineffective, and higher doses were harmful. Magic offered a safer solution.

"Give him this according to instructions when he wakes. He'll be fine soon," Daniel instructed Pepper. Medical treatment could be tricky, but magic was straightforward. Stabilizing Stark's mental state required a potion, readily available in the magical world.

"Speaking of potions, I should learn to make Felix Felicis," Daniel mused. The Harry Potter world had incredible items, like space-time magic and luck potions. Felix Felicis, though usable only once in a lifetime, could turn the tide in critical moments.

"Do you have a reason for calling me here alone?" Carter asked, puzzled. Captain America was supposed to join but stayed back at Daniel's insistence.

"I received intel I think you should see," Daniel said, signaling the Red Queen to display a video. Carter immediately recognized the car in the footage.

___________________

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