Chapter 43

Mike killed Jason and this had sent his soul to Mephisto, with whom Jason had signed a binding contract. Using this opportunity, Mephisto infused a portion of his own dark power into Jason's soul, resurrecting himself within Jason's body to create a clone. Moments later, Mephisto appeared before Mike.

In truth, this Mephisto was only an incarnation of the Lord of Hell, a clone carrying a fraction of Mephisto's true power. However, even in this form, the power it could wield was horrifying.

Suddenly, with a powerful blast, Mephisto charged forward, cutting through the surrounding sea of pink flowers. Waves of petals splashed around him as he pressed on, undeterred. Under Mike's control, the flying blades of the flower field surged forward, flowing like a river of pink—a seemingly beautiful yet deadly torrent aimed directly at Mephisto, ultimately knocking him backward.

Mephisto fell mid-air but quickly stabilized himself, his legs hammering into the ground with each heavy step, leaving deep cracks in his wake. Yet the relentless pink river of blades pursued him, undeterred. In an instant, he turned, throwing a powerful punch that stopped the pink torrent in its tracks.

With a low, ominous chuckle, the pink petals scattered in the air started condensing like chains under Mike's command, winding around Mephisto from all directions. The floral chains wrapped him tightly, slicing and tearing into his form in a furious assault.

Boom!

A pulse of Mephisto's dark magic suddenly erupted, generating a shockwave that scattered the chains of petals. Standing unharmed, Mephisto's wounds vanished rapidly as his power regenerated him. Mike clenched his jaw as he watched, then quickly drew a new card.

The time for his current Senbonzakura was nearly exhausted. While it could barely achieve Bankai-level power, he knew its potency was still significantly weaker, and its duration far too limited. His only hope of fending off Mephisto's power lay in using Bankai, which would, however, consume a substantial amount of his resources.

As he prepared to summon another Senbonzakura, a spinning golden portal of light materialized before Mike. He froze, recognizing the sight with a tinge of disbelief—he'd seen this portal before. Mephisto halted as well, giving Mike a helpless smile.

"I may have gotten a little too excited this time," Mephisto remarked, glancing with annoyance at the glowing portal. "I overextended my power, and that 'troublesome' individual has taken notice."

Realizing he'd been thwarted, Mephisto scowled. Not only was he forced to abandon the clone he'd carefully created, but he'd also lost Jason as a tool. Additionally, the prize he had coveted for so long now slipped through his grasp.

"Troublesome individual?"

A cold voice responded as a woman in a yellow robe stepped out of the golden portal: the Ancient One.

Mike's eyes widened, and he instinctively took a step back. First Dark Emperor and Mister Sinister, now Ancient One and Mephisto? He was only a humble farmer—why did he keep running into these cosmic heavyweights?

With a weary sigh, Mike thought, If you want trouble, at least wait twenty years.

He glanced behind him at the tent. No matter what was happening, he had a duty to stand firm and protect his three children.

The Ancient One turned her attention to Mephisto and said, "Would you prefer to leave on your own, or shall I escort you out?"

Resigned, Mephisto spread his hands and began to speak, attempting a dignified exit. But, with blinding speed, the Ancient One materialized in front of him and pressed a glowing, golden hand to his face.

Boom!

Golden light flashed, enveloping Mephisto's towering form, and in a swift moment, he shattered into fragments of golden energy, dispersing into the ether.

Mike's eyes narrowed as he watched. This is the power of the Ancient One?

The Ancient One turned to look at Mike, her expression one of quiet admiration. She regarded both Mike and the tent behind him, then nodded, saying, "Until we meet again."

With that, she stepped back through the portal, which then rotated out of existence.

"Until we meet again?" Mike frowned, still on edge, though he felt a surge of relief. Whatever had just transpired, it was finally over.

The whole situation had come and gone with alarming speed, like a sudden storm. Just a few hours ago, Mike had been peacefully travelling, only to end up facing an incarnation of Mephisto. Events had spiraled out of control, and now, with the threat neutralized, it all felt unreal.

With a sigh, he turned to the tent, adopting a reassuring smile as he approached. The three little ones dashed into his arms as he opened the tent flap, clinging to him tightly. Hugging them, he gently reassured, "It's alright."

"Dad, that was amazing!" Eric beamed, his eyes filled with awe.

Charles nodded vigorously, while Clark laughed quietly.

Mike grew serious as he addressed them, "Listen to me. You can't tell anyone about what happened tonight, alright?"

The trio's expressions sobered, and they nodded earnestly.

Mike ruffled their hair with a warm smile. "Good. Now, get some sleep."

He tucked them back into the tent and, after a final comforting glance, moved over to where Coulson lay, confirming he was merely asleep. With that, he turned back to his children and said, "Alright, lights out, everyone."

The campground had been left in turmoil, and the police arrived soon after the commotion settled. They surveyed the bodies on the ground, baffled, and began waking the campers. Throughout the night, they took statements, gathered evidence, and repeatedly asked the same question: What happened here?

Everyone's response was identical: a resurrected serial killer, Jason, had been responsible, but they had no idea why they'd fallen asleep during the attack.

"Jason? That myth" a young officer scoffed. "Are you all serious?"

He eyed the crowd with suspicion. "The killer has to be one of you."

An older officer, scarred and grizzled, eyed him skeptically. "You really believe that it is nonsense?"

The young officer, hoping to make a name for himself, persisted. "They must be covering for someone!"

The old officer patted his shoulder with a weary expression. "Look, kid, you see this scar? I've seen stranger things than this in my day. Let's just finish up here."

He turned back to the crowd. "Let them go. This isn't our jurisdiction anymore."

Not long after, a team from a special agency arrived to take over, pushing the local police aside with practiced ease. As they drove off, the old officer muttered, "This is far above our pay grade."

After bidding farewell to Coulson, Mike gathered the children, collected his car from a local repair shop, and finally left town. As they drove away, he noticed several official-looking cars racing into town.

"SHIELD?" he murmured, noting the emblem. "They certainly arrived quickly."

Content to be moving on, Mike decided to take an alternate route for their return trip, planning to enjoy a leisurely drive back. Glancing in the rearview mirror, he saw his three sons slowly drifting to sleep, exhausted after the long night.

With a quiet smile, he drove on, grateful the ordeal had come to an end—for now.

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Hope you all enjoyed the chapter, let me know if you think I can improve something.

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