I'M IN MARVEL

"Ancient One, should we silence him?" Russell asked, stepping aside to prevent Mephisto from escaping and leaving the negotiation to the Master of Kamar-Taj.

"Mephisto, let's negotiate. The Ancient One has a contract and wants to sign it with you," he added.

Professional matters should be left to professionals, after all.

Russell had visited the Ancient One's small treasury before. The clusters of energy with varying properties inside couldn't simply be the result of Ancient One gradually absorbing from the multiverse over the years. The sheer variety of energies suggested something far more intricate at play.

"Negotiate? How do you want to negotiate?" Mephisto asked, his tone laced with curiosity.

The Ancient One placed his folding fan in his hand and smiled. "Of course, let's talk about it. Mr. Mephisto, the former Supreme of the Demon Realm, how do you plan to compensate Kamar-Taj and redeem your clone?"

Mephisto's eyes flashed with irritation. Ascending to the top of the Demon Realm as 'Satan' was a source of great pride for him. Falling from that position, however, was a wound he still hadn't healed from. The loss had seriously damaged his power, worse than when he had first ascended to the position of the Demon Lord.

Ancient One's mention of Satan and Kamar-Taj was a calculated attempt to press his advantage. Mephisto calmed himself and replied coldly, "It seems the Master of Kamar-Taj is quite concerned with the matters of my realm."

The Ancient One smiled but did not respond, simply gesturing for Mephisto to continue.

Mephisto, now feeling the weight of Ancient One's silence, hesitated. He had hoped to test how much the Ancient One knew about his situation and what price he'd pay to redeem his clone. But Ancient One's indifference had caught him off guard.

After a pause, Mephisto asked, "What compensation does Master Ancient One require?"

The Ancient One raised a finger. "First, you bewitched Dr. Hank Pym and attacked my disciple, Tony Stark, and tried to use the souls of his loved ones to lure him into your demonic domain. You must compensate for the souls of Tony Stark's parents and his butler, Edwin Jarvis."

"Agreed," Mephisto replied without hesitation. That was hardly a setback for him.

The Ancient One raised a second finger. "Second, you attacked the next Supreme Sorcerer of Kamar-Taj, causing him serious injury."

At this, the Ancient One winked at Russell, signaling him.

Russell immediately coughed and staggered, his face growing pale as his breath quickened.

Mephisto twitched, but pretended not to notice.

The Ancient One continued, "He needs an immense amount of magical energy to recover."

Mephisto relaxed. Magic energy was scarce in the material realm, but there were abundant reserves in the mystical dimensions.

"How much?" he asked.

The Ancient One created a ball of energy, indicating it as a unit.

"Ten billion units."

Mephisto's eyes widened in disbelief. "Impossible! You're going too far. At worst, we both perish."

Ten billion units of energy were not a heavy toll on Hell, but Mephisto couldn't risk his entire network. More importantly, he couldn't allow such a demand to leak out. It would undermine his authority and damage his reputation, especially since his domain was already under threat from both internal and external forces.

"Well then, a fight to the death," Ancient One mused, raising a hand and opening a portal.

On the other side stood another Ancient One – this one with a white beard and a more imposing presence.

Mephisto's eyes narrowed at the sight. The aura from this Ancient One was a tad weaker than when Mephisto had been Satan, but still enough to suggest that if the confrontation escalated, this Ancient One could easily overpower him.

"Are you threatening me?" Mephisto growled, his face darkening.

He had never intended for his main body to leave Hell to rescue the clone. The clone served only to take the heat for his primary self.

The bald Ancient One, however, was subtly showcasing his strength, implying that if Mephisto refused the terms, his main body in Hell would also be at risk.

"My clone is not worth this much energy," Mephisto muttered, his anger barely contained. "Let's negotiate."

The bald Ancient One smiled again. "Mephisto, we're negotiating compensation now. The redemption of your clone can be handled later."

Mephisto's breathing grew heavier. He was considering the drastic step of destroying his clone to sever their connection and escape the situation altogether.

"Master Ancient One, this is not the price I am willing to offer," Mephisto said, his tone sharp.

The Ancient One's gaze never wavered. "I know you can afford it."

The bald Ancient One had done his research, and the figure of ten billion units was about 80% of Mephisto's smaller treasury. He was being generous.

"Master Ancient One, if this is your stance, then let's meet in the Hell Dimension," Mephisto threatened, his patience thinning. He had resources but was unwilling to part with them.

The white-bearded Ancient One stepped forward, playing the role of the mediator. "How about two billion units? In exchange, this matter is resolved, and we forget about the clone redemption."

Mephisto's face softened in relief. It wasn't ideal, but it was a manageable loss. The alternative was to be caught in a deadly confrontation with three formidable sorcerers, two of whom were unlike any he had faced before.

Mephisto and the bald Ancient One exchanged a look of mutual understanding.

"Agreed," Mephisto conceded.

"Is everyone ready?" the bald Ancient One asked, his tone shifting to a more serious note.

On the other side of the world, Nick Fury and the Avengers donned their battle suits, ready for the perilous mission ahead. Each member wore teleportation bracelets as they prepared for their dangerous encounter.

With a final glance at the team, Nick Fury gave the signal: "Let's go!"

With the flick of a switch, the Avengers vanished, traveling across dimensions through a portal. Their surroundings blurred into bizarre landscapes before stabilizing in the vast void of space.

They found themselves facing a shattered island, only rubble remaining, with some of it smoldering under hellfire. A projection of Hell loomed in the sky, with faint images of demons dancing within it.

Far off, several massive scarlet columns of light descended from the sky, connecting heaven and earth.

"They're over there. Looks like the battle's still going on," Tony Stark noted, attempting to open a portal.

But to his surprise, the portal failed.

With no other option, Tony led the Avengers toward the columns of light.

Minutes later, they arrived at their destination: a strange sight greeted them. Four figures sat around a table, casually playing mahjong.

Russell, grinning from ear to ear, was clearly enjoying himself. The bald Ancient One wore a slight smile, though his eyes betrayed his satisfaction. The white-bearded Ancient One seemed frustrated, and Mephisto, looking like a disgruntled English gentleman, played his hand nonchalantly.

"Master Ancient One, our deal with Mephisto has been discovered. Should we eliminate him?" one of the Avengers asked.

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