Carter Slade glanced at the sun in the sky, then at the Black Rock Blade in Diluc's hand. He nodded seriously and said:
"Looking back now, I think what this young man said just now made perfect sense! From the very beginning, I felt that you—young man—were handsome and had a good temperament. At first glance, you were the nemesis of justice… ahem… the nemesis of evil!"
"…" ×2
Diluc ignored him and turned to leave the cemetery.
But he had only taken two steps when Carter Slade's hoarse voice called out from behind him:
"Wait! What did you mean by 'things have changed'? I've been hiding with this thing for over eighty years. You should at least give me a proper farewell, right?!"
Diluc didn't want to pay attention to him at first, but after hearing the second half of Carter Slade's words, he couldn't help but stop and tilt his head slightly.
"Mephisto's son—Blackheart—has descended upon the mortal world. He recently unleashed the elemental demons of earth, water, and wind. They've already massacred at least seven churches in their quest for the San Venganza Contract."
He turned around, his dark red eyes glowing like burning embers in the sunlight, and continued:
"I didn't know it before, but now—you can't keep this contract. If he gets his hands on the thousands of evil spirits sealed within it… well, I don't think I need to remind you of the consequences."
The cemetery fell into deathly silence, broken only by the wind's mournful whisper through the tombstones.
Carter Slade stared at a broken tombstone and suddenly asked:
"I'm curious—why would Mephisto allow his own son to seize the power that should have belonged to him? I don't remember him ever having anything resembling 'fatherly love.' He's someone who would never share his things with anyone!"
Diluc turned his gaze toward Carter Slade, nodded, and said:
"Mephisto is a dimensional demon god. His true form and status are too powerful to cross the dimensional barrier directly. He can only enter the human world as a projection.
"In contrast, Blackheart's power is weak enough that he can pass through the dimensional barriers in his true form.
"Mephisto didn't dare interfere in the human world on a large scale, and his projections couldn't defeat the inner demon. So he turned to Johnny Blaze."
As he spoke, he raised his hand and pointed at Johnny Blaze beside him.
Carter Slade looked at Johnny Blaze and spat:
"Your luck is really bad—just worse than mine."
Diluc turned to leave again, but Carter Slade stopped him once more. His expression was serious as he said:
"Wait! If I can't keep the contract, what makes you think you can? Sure, you're a bit stronger than I am—but are you stronger than Blackheart?"
Diluc paused, glanced sideways at him, and said calmly:
"I never said I could keep it."
Carter Slade was stunned. "And you—"
"But I know someone who can."
Diluc added the words lightly.
Hearing this, Carter's eyes lit up immediately. "Who?" he asked anxiously.
Diluc turned around as he walked away and replied:
"You don't need to know."
Just as Diluc was about to leave, however, the shadows in the cemetery suddenly twisted.
Clatter…
The air grew icy cold, as if even the sunlight had been swallowed by some unseen force.
Before Carter Slade and Johnny Blaze could make sense of what was happening, an elegant figure slowly emerged from the darkness.
He had carefully groomed gray hair, a well-tailored black suit, a crystal skull cane in his hand, and a faint smile on his lips.
"It's Mephisto!"
Carter Slade tensed instantly, his revolver cocked and his finger on the trigger.
Johnny Blaze clenched his fists so tightly that his knuckles turned white, his expression that of a man facing a formidable foe.
Yet Diluc seemed to have expected this. He remained standing, his expression unchanged.
"You can't take this contract with you, young man," Mephisto said.
His voice was low and gentle, as if he were merely discussing the weather.
Diluc met his gaze, his fiery red eyes as calm as a pool of stagnant water, and replied evenly:
"You knew the contract's location long ago, yet you didn't take it. It seems the contract isn't as important as you claimed.
What is your purpose?"
Mephisto raised an eyebrow slightly. The cemetery fell into a deathly silence.
Carter Slade and Johnny Blaze's eyes darted between Diluc and Mephisto, clearly unprepared for how things had turned.
Mephisto was silent for a moment—then suddenly laughed.
"Hehehe…"
His laughter wasn't harsh; it carried an elegant rhythm, yet it sent chills down one's spine.
He looked at Diluc with admiration, his crimson eyes flickering faintly, and nodded.
"You're intelligent—able to think clearly. That's something few people can do.
When most see me, they either charge at me, braying like fools, or flee like startled donkeys."
Mephisto gently stroked the crystal skull cane and continued in a leisurely tone:
"The contract's power is exaggerated… but it is important. It can subvert the world… hehe."
At that moment, Johnny Blaze snapped back to his senses. His face darkened instantly as he fixed Mephisto with a cold glare.
"You're using me again? What on earth do you want?!"
Mephisto spread his hands innocently. "It's just a deal. We both agreed."
Diluc cut in sharply: "The customs here differ from those in Hell. What you call a 'deal,' we call fraud—or extortion. In short, it has nothing to do with honest transactions."
At Diluc's words, Mephisto's gaze returned to him, a smile playing on his lips.
"The devil's law is survival of the fittest. The wise and the strong are always worthy of praise."
He gave a slight nod. "Those who believe the devil's words without question deserve no pity. The devil merely redistributes what he has—based on intelligence.
At least… only someone as sharp as you deserves more."
Carter Slade and Johnny Blaze exchanged uneasy glances.
After all, not only had they been deceived by Mephisto—they'd just been openly called fools!
If they hadn't known they stood no chance, they would've lunged at him in a desperate, bloody fight.
But Mephisto's attention remained fixed entirely on Diluc. He paid the other two no mind. Narrowing his crimson eyes, he smiled and said:
"As I was saying… Diluc Ragnvindr. A man of your perception shouldn't be associated with such fools."
He stepped forward slowly, his leather shoes gliding soundlessly over the dead leaves—as if he walked in another dimension.
He extended his palm, and a ball of writhing dark-red flame appear
ed within it. In a low, seductive voice, he offered:
"Join me… and you shall gain power and wisdom far beyond human comprehension."
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