Reality Gem

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...

Neither Mephisto nor Ivan spoke, locked in a silent standoff, each testing the other's patience. Ivan, seemingly impervious to external influences, held the upper hand in stoic composure.

Eventually, it was Mephisto who broke the silence, unable to contain himself, "What power is this, and why does it threaten to shred my soul apart?"

"It's a formidable force that existed at the universe's inception, infinite in might and capable of annihilating the entire cosmos," Ivan explained. While not inaccurate, wielding the power of the infinity gems to destroy the universe came with formidable challenges.

"You're fortunate to possess such magic, but the mightier the power, the trickier its control. It seems you're unfamiliar with its power. You might win in a battle, but the cost will be steep. Instead, let's strike a deal. Return part of my soul, and I'll trade it for a potent soul."

"Sorry, I never make deals with devils. Your words may be smooth, but devils are notorious for unreliability. Even if you fulfill a deal, you're skilled at finding loopholes, twisting seemingly fair contracts with slight modifications, and retaining the final interpretation in your favor. I won't fall for it."

Mephisto, frustrated, almost resorted to scolding. Ivan, taking a deep breath, maintained his composure.

"I can offer other incentives—eternal life, immense wealth, beautiful companions, even boundless power," Mephisto persisted, resorting to temptation.

Unfortunately for Mephisto, Ivan's powerful mental resilience rendered the attempts futile. "I'm sorry, I refuse. Who knows if eternal life will transform me into a monster? Countless wealth is useless when even the richest can't buy what I seek. Women don't interest me, and power? I prefer science to unravel the world's truths. Great power means more work, leaving me less time for research. Do you have anything better?"

Mephisto couldn't bear it. The cunning and slippery Ivan presented an unprecedented challenge. "Young one, life is precious. Despite your strength, you're mortal. You'll age and die. Eternal life would solve your time constraints."

Ivan, internally contemplating his extended lifespan through energy absorption, countered, "I can live for thousands of years, maybe longer. I won't wait for old age."

Ivan transformed a red fluid into a spear, shaking it at Mephisto, who involuntarily stepped back. "Your words are useless. I won't make a deal with you. Resist the devil's temptation by ignoring it. You have two choices—fight and face the consequences, or leave. If you trouble me in the future, I'll welcome it, and we'll choose between conflict and departure."

Mephisto, frustrated and realizing his inability to manipulate Ivan, was on the verge of exasperation. Facing such strength, he, one of the seven monarchs of hell, found himself outmatched. Despite wanting to strike a deal with Ivan, hoping to retrieve his crucial soul fragments, Ivan had no intention of returning them.

"Boy, you've made a grave mistake. You have no idea how dire it is to cross me. I may not have immediate power over you, but I've set my sights on you. I'll watch and calculate in secret. One day, your weaknesses will surface, and you'll fall into my clutches. I'll subject your soul to the flames of purgatory, burning for a thousand—no, ten thousand years. Your suffering will be the harshest and your loved ones, brothers, friends..."

Despite Mephisto's harsh threats, Ivan remained unfazed. Mephisto's tirade fell on deaf ears, and Ivan eventually grew impatient, putting an end to it with a decisive move. Mephisto's voice abruptly ceased.

"We'll cross paths again, and you'll regret your actions today," Mephisto warned before a massive black hole swallowed him, shrinking rapidly until it vanished. The dark clouds over the town dissipated, revealing the starry sky.

Once Ivan confirmed Mephisto's departure, he relaxed, and the blood-colored spear transformed back into a fluid pendant, sinking into his chest. He then carefully opened the smaller fluid containing Mephisto's soul fragments, revealing a bead condensed from pure black mist. Ivan retrieved a palm-sized, emerald green soul-cultivating gourd from his belongings and placed the fragments inside.

Back in China, Ivan had collected various peculiar items with the country's assistance, and the soul-cultivating gourd was one such acquisition. Carved from something called soul jade, it was said to nourish the soul.

Finally, a smile appeared on Ivan's face. While he didn't acquire high-quality souls from St. Vincent's town, obtaining Mephisto's soul fragments was a significant gain. Ivan planned to delve into the mysteries of devilish souls in hell.

As an otherworldly phantom, Ivan vanished from the town, leaving it in tranquility. The once lively place, however, remained still. A cold wind swept through the air, and amidst the ruins of the tavern lay old Carter, trembling as if to assert his presence. The town had become a lifeless place.

Mephisto, scared away by Ivan, had left in haste, neglecting the ghost knight under him. Ivan had never paid attention to the ghost knight, resulting in old Carter being ignored and abandoned. One could only wonder how he would feel upon waking up.

The scenery shifted briefly, and in a short span, Ivan returned to the ancient seaside castle in the United Kingdom.

Choosing the castle over Skull Island, Ivan sought a quiet place to focus on studying Mephisto's soul fragments and understanding the power dynamics and circumstances of hell. Having offended Mephisto, Ivan, despite his strength, felt the looming threat of an old devil's calculations in the shadows.

The castle served as Ivan's private haven, rarely visited by others except for occasional magical creature research. Managed by the Red Queen and the controlled robot, it offered solitude for Ivan's studies.

Avoiding the castle's laboratory, Ivan entered his practice's secret room, seated himself on a futon, and removed the pendant around his neck. Pressing it lightly, the pendant opened to reveal a red gem.

Each glimpse of the gem brought joy to Ivan, grateful for possessing a genuine infinity gem. It not only granted magical methods for practice but also facilitated the exploration of unexplainable phenomena. Ivan attributed much of his current strength to the Reality Gem alongside CPH4.

Taking out the soul gourd containing Mephisto's fragments, Ivan used the Reality Gem to emit a red light, surrounding the fragments. The gem's power lies in transforming between reality and illusion, creating illusions suitable for the real situation.

While a devil's soul held significant importance, especially regarding their strength, carrying memories, and power perceptions, Ivan held only a fragment. With the Reality Gem, he could compensate by creating illusions based on the knowledge in the fragment, learning from it.

The illusion, generated by the Reality Gem, mirrored reality closely. As long as the power level didn't exceed that of the gem, knowledge gained in the illusion could be applied in reality. Despite Mephisto's might as one of the seven monarchs of hell, it paled compared to the Reality Gem. Soon, the gem analyzed and supplemented the knowledge, forming an illusion. Ivan closed his eyes, immersing himself in the illusion.

Silence filled the secret room, with only a flickering red light before Ivan. After an indeterminate period, Ivan opened his eyes, two bright lights radiating. A surprised expression crossed his face— he had acquired the desired knowledge in the fantasy world.