618

Mana Burning

Dr. Doom gazed through the cold metal mask at the Punisher in front of him, and the Punisher returned the stare.

Meanwhile, Ghost Rider's battle with the two demons had begun. Back in the village of San Vangaza, Johnny had easily defeated Blackheart using Daniel's sacred feathers. But this time, lacking such a potent weapon, he faced Blackheart and Wind Demon head-on.

Doom and the Punisher's silent confrontation didn't last long. As soon as Johnny's hellfire chain whizzed towards Blackheart, the fight erupted.

The Punisher charged forward, wielding his golden blades with both hands like a battering ram, aiming for the weak spots in Doom's battle armor - the neck and armpits.

Doom made no visible move, but suddenly, his retro-fitted armor crackled with electrical arcs that danced around his body.

"Boom!"

There was an explosion as the Punisher was instantly electrocuted. His blade veered off course, only managing to scrape Doom's chest before being stopped by the sturdy armor.

Doom clenched his fist, electricity crackling around it, and delivered a powerful punch to the Punisher's abdomen, sending him flying.

"The so-called Demon Hunter appears rather inadequate," Doom remarked coldly, eyeing the Punisher sprawled on the ground.

Though curious about the Punisher's abilities, Doom wasn't surprised by the outcome. Unlike his reckless youth, he now possessed a keen understanding of his limitations.

He knew he couldn't match mythological titans like Mephisto, but on Earth, few humans rivaled his power. Mastering dangerous black magic and advanced technology, Doom's expertise in combining both was unparalleled.

All driven by his relentless pursuit of power, driven by the need to rescue his beloved mother from Hell.

The Punisher quickly rose, the electrical charge enough to incapacitate most, but not fatal to him.

"You possess an unknown power," Doom said calmly, "but soon, it will be mine."

With a swift motion, he cupped his hands together, runes on his palm armor glowing with cyan light.

These mystical runes floated out like fragments caught in a vortex, swirling together into a dense mass.

The condensed cyan light shot out from Doom's hands, striking the Punisher as he rose, dispersing instantly and leaving magical runes imprinted on his body!

The Punisher convulsed violently, immobilized like a statue.

Doom turned his attention to the ongoing battle between Ghost Rider and the two demons.

Johnny focused on eliminating the Wind Demon first, but Wind Demon could transform into wind at will, making him elusive. Even when Johnny managed to strike with his chain, it caused little damage. Wind Demon, lacking offensive abilities himself, forced Johnny to concentrate on Blackheart.

But Blackheart proved equally challenging. Unfazed by Ghost Rider's flames - a rarity among demons - he baffled Johnny further by shrugging off the Judgment's Eye.

When Johnny seized Blackheart by the collar, staring into his fiery eyes, Blackheart mocked him with a deliberate display of panic: "Hahaha, your Judgment's Eye holds no sway over me. I have no soul!"

With that, he struck, his fingers plunging into Ghost Rider's eye sockets, injecting dark energy.

Johnny bellowed, spewing hellfire that engulfed Blackheart's face. In the chaos, he broke free and retreated.

"You have no soul? How is that possible..." Johnny muttered incredulously.

"Nothing is impossible," Blackheart smirked. "Last time, your victory was thanks to that feather - a high-level angel's, infused with the power of the sun god. Without it, your flames would've extinguished long ago!"

Blackheart lacked a soul because, strictly speaking, he wasn't a living being in the traditional sense. Created by Mephisto, he was considered Mephisto's son, born from pure evil.

Mephisto's creation exempted him from having a soul, rendering him immune to the Judgment's Eye.

"Are you done fighting?" Doom interrupted.

Blackheart glanced at the imprisoned Punisher, frowning. "Are you finished?"

"Effortlessly," Doom replied.

Blackheart rolled his eyes inwardly. However, Doom's respite didn't last long. Blackheart's frown deepened. "I think you should be more cautious."

Indeed, as Doom turned, he saw the imprisoned Punisher erupt in dark energy, enveloping him like a tempest.

In moments, Doom sensed the Punisher's power surge tenfold!

The Punisher transformed into a demonic form, breaking free from his magical binds in a single burst, shattering the runes like glass.

"You wield magic proficiently. Unfortunately for you, that's bad news," the Punisher growled, eyes narrowed. "Demon hunters may slay demons, but we fear no sorcerers!"

Before Doom could respond, a green lightning bolt shot from the Punisher's hands, striking him squarely in the chest.

"Ahh!" Doom cried out in pain, horrified to find the lightning not only hurt immensely but inexplicably drained his mana, like it was burning away.

Mana Burn!

The green lightning, one of the Punisher's abilities, caused the pain. Transformed into a demon, the Punisher's newfound strength enabled him to overpower Doom.

With each mana burn, Doom's head throbbed. Soon, he exhausted his magical resources, left to fight with technology alone.

But arcs, lasers, even small cannon blasts merely tickled the Punisher's indestructible black skin.

"Boom!"

The demon delivered a powerful blow, sending Doom hurtling. Then, with magic wings spread, he charged straight for the Wind Demon nearby.

"Devil, this time you won't escape!" The Punisher vowed, determined to avenge his prior near-defeat at Wind Demon's hands.

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