Days as a Spiritual Mentor in American Comics Chapter 5727 - 4750: X Royal Family: Fierce Battle (17)

"Let’s raise our glasses and toast the Fire God General! His brilliant strategy has truly paved the way for the Shi’ar Empire’s forces onto the Milky Way’s territories. The Xi people will finally have their vengeance for past humiliations, wiping both Mutants and the Human race from the cosmos!"

Amidst the dazzling banquet hall, a commanding figure stood before the assembled guests. He lifted his glass high, and the generals and ministers below mirrored his gesture, toasting the dark-haired man.

"Your Majesty." The Fire God then stepped forward, glass in hand, and declared, "This triumphant campaign is also a testament to your astute decision-making, Your Majesty. I, too, toast you! Long live the Twin Gods!"

"Long live the Twin Gods!" The Emperor at the head of the table drained his goblet, then smashed it with force, grinding out through clenched teeth, "Once we successfully integrate humans and mutants, the Three Great Empires will cease to exist. The will of the Twin Gods will resonate throughout the cosmos, and I shall reign as the sole Emperor of the universe!"

"Fire God!" he called out once more, "I bestow upon you the special title of Prince, granting you a seat at the head of the Grand Council. You must ensure that both mutants and humans bow beneath the feet of the Twin Gods, obeying my will!"

The Fire God lowered his gaze, concealing a fleeting flicker of mockery, and responded, "As you command, Your Majesty. However..."

"What? Do you still harbor doubts? Do you deem my rewards insufficient?"

"Oh, not at all." The Fire God shook his head, explaining, "It's simply that if mutants and humans were easily subdued, the other two Empires would not have remained stagnant. I am merely still apprehensive about the battlefield; after all, those lunatics are capable of utter unpredictability."

"What?! Are you questioning the valor of my Ferocious Feather Tribe?!" a minister interjected, rising to his feet.

"Then why don’t you lead the troops into the Milky Way yourself?" the Fire God countered calmly. "Generals should refrain from such reckless arrogance. It is common knowledge that the madmen of the Milky Way are formidable adversaries. I merely hope Your Majesty will dispatch additional forces, leaving them no avenue for recovery."

A flicker of hesitation crossed the Emperor’s face, a detail the Fire God keenly observed. He understood that D’Ken could not commit more troops, as the Shi’ar Empire required them for internal suppression, and the newly merged nations remained recalcitrant, necessitating a military presence.

Yet, if the task were not challenging enough, how could it possibly delay him? He was still awaiting the reinforcements promised by that devil. Even if he couldn’t depose D’Ken today, he could certainly sow chaos within the Ferocious Feather Star, exploiting the ensuing turmoil.

As anticipated, a heated debate ignited within the chamber. One faction argued that dispatching loyal aides might jeopardize the capital’s security, while another insisted that the Proxima Centauri System also required increased patrols, refusing troop redeployment.

Conversely, the faction advocating for the assault on the Milky Way voiced their strong support, highlighting the perceived wickedness and peril of the Human race. They insisted on denying them any chance of resurgence, passionately urging the dispatch of more troops to press their advantage.

D’Ken was visibly torn, caught between the fear of domestic unrest and the desire for celestial dominion. The Fire God skillfully navigated the discord, fanning the flames of argument. One moment, he would chastise someone for disrespecting the Emperor; the next, he would accuse another of neglecting the broader strategic objective. The grand banquet dissolved into utter pandemonium.

Amidst the escalating clamor, a soldier abruptly burst in, shouting, "Your Majesty, disaster has struck, Your Majesty! Humans have invaded!!!"

"What?!!" Emperor D’Ken leaped to his feet, exclaiming, "What did you just say?!"

Before his question fully left his lips, a figure stormed into the banquet hall, causing everyone to recoil in shock upon recognizing him — it was the Supreme Mage, Stephen Strange!

The Fire God’s eyes widened slightly in surprise. Could this be the reinforcement Mephisto had mentioned? It dawned on him then; these demons did indeed have dealings with the Supreme Mage, didn’t they? He could only speculate on the benefits Mephisto had offered the Supreme Mage to persuade him to attack the Ferocious Feather Star’s capital.

"Supreme Mage!" D’Ken attempted to maintain a semblance of composure, "What urgent business brings you to my Ferocious Feather Star?!"

The Supreme Mage offered no reply. With a single sweep of his Cloak, he materialized directly before D’Ken. The Eye of Agomotto blazed with an intense light, unleashing a wave of terrifying energy that tore a direct path through D’Ken’s chest.

A cold dread washed over the Fire God as he discreetly retreated behind a pillar. He wouldn't miss the perfect opportunity to strike the finishing blow, yet he dared not approach the Supreme Mage, uncertain of the sorcerer’s unpredictable state of mind.

D’Ken, however, was not fatally wounded by these attacks. Sensing the Supreme Mage’s intent to strike, D’Ken abandoned his pretense. He activated a control on his armor, and instantly, massive Crystal statues materialized around him. The Fire God’s eyes narrowed; D’Ken truly did have a contingency plan!

The Supreme Mage made no move to evade. Instead, he unleashed his Magic energy, striking out like a powerful whip that annihilated the Crystal statues in a flash. Yet, the energy seemed to vanish like a clay ox entering the sea, completely absorbed by the Crystal constructs. D’Ken let out a maniacal laugh and drove his sword forward.

Abruptly, a Magnetic Storm raged across the Ferocious Feather Star, hindering the Crystal statues and making their movements sluggish. D’Ken stared in disbelief toward the entrance, only to witness a laser beam cleave the grand banquet hall in two.

A towering figure emerged from the doorway, their eyes blazing with a cold, red light. As this entity appeared, both D’Ken and the Fire God involuntarily gasped in shock.

"Nimrod?!!"

Their astonishment was understandable; this entity was constructed by the Mother Module as a countermeasure against Mutants. Its presence on the Ferocious Feather Star was highly improbable!

D’Ken and the Fire God simultaneously recognized they had stumbled into an elaborate trap. The Supreme Mage directly reached out, plunging his hand into D’Ken’s chest. As his Magic energy surged and expanded, D’Ken, the Emperor of the Shi’ar Empire, ceased to exist with a resounding bang.

The Fire God, stunned and enraged, watched as Mephisto stepped from behind Nimrod. Mephisto, however, remained composed, a smile gracing his lips as he spoke, "Vulcan, or perhaps I should address you as Gabriel Summers?"

"You…" The Fire God’s face contorted with disbelief, "How could you possibly know…"

"Gabriel." The voice emanated from the Nimrod Robot, a sound the Fire God knew intimately. The Supreme Mage also turned his head; he recognized it as the voice of Cyclops.

"I am truly sorry," Cyclops stated, "I swear to you, the operation that led to your abandonment back then was an unforeseen accident. Mutants have now established their own sanctuary, and our foundational tenet is that we will never forsake any Mutant."

"I am cognizant of the profound hurt that incident inflicted upon you. However, I implore you, grant us an opportunity to atone. Every action we've taken has been solely to bring you back home. My brother, Gabriel."

The Fire God paused for a fleeting moment. Then, incandescent flames erupted from his body as he ascended into the air, his features contorted in a furious glare directed at Cyclops, "Never forsake any Mutant?! I held unwavering faith that you would rescue me, yet you abandoned me to perish!!!"

"Regardless of your eloquent words, I shall never return with you. I will forge my own dominion and subsequently annihilate Earth!"

The Supreme Mage let out a couple of coughs, but the Fire God paid no heed, his vision clearly clouded by immense rage. Mephisto observed Cyclops, who clenched his fist, his expression one of deep reluctance. Yet, as the Fire God lunged towards him, Cyclops effortlessly seized him by the neck.

The immense energy radiating from the Fire God’s person had no impact whatsoever on Cyclops; the Nimrod chassis possessed an innate ability to suppress all Mutants, rendering almost any Mutant ability ineffective. Consequently, the flames quickly extinguished, leaving behind a terrified and utterly helpless Gabriel.

"No… no…" he thrashed violently, as if tormented by harrowing recollections, "Let me go! Release me…"

Cyclops’ heart ached with sorrow. He gently lowered the Fire God, but the latter appeared to have completely lost his mind, continuing his desperate struggles.

Cyclops looked up at Mephisto. Mephisto approached, cast a glance at the Fire God, and then declared, "Very well, entrust him to my care."

"You gave your word not to employ any forceful methods."

"There will be no need," Mephisto replied. He cleared his throat and whispered into the Fire God’s ear, "If you do not awaken, we will select someone else to assume the mantle of Emperor of the Shi’ar Empire."

The Fire God’s consciousness slowly resurfaced as a crucial realization dawned upon him: the current Emperor of the Shi’ar Empire was deceased, and with his legitimate standing within the Shi’ar Empire, he was the most probable successor.

Power served as the ultimate stimulant for any individual. The prospect of assuming the emperorship of one of the foremost Empires was an offer no one could refuse. This was especially true given that it was something the Fire God had long coveted.

However, he was not foolish; he understood that Mephisto clearly harbored ulterior motives. He struggled to rise from the ground, fixing his gaze upon Mephisto’s face, "What is it that you truly desire?"

Mephisto offered him a smile, "Earth."

The Fire God was escorted back to the Emperor’s private chambers, with Cyclops remaining to provide company. The brothers finally had an opportunity to reconnect, after which they could jointly address matters of succession.

Magneto and Mephisto emerged. Magneto surveyed Mephisto from head to toe before remarking, "I had no idea you possessed such a scholarly facet, Doctor."

"And why should it not be I who adopted the guise of that Doctor?" Mephisto responded with a smile.

"Although I haven't dealt with Mephisto, your eyes are truly too recognizable."

"That's precisely why I always wear glasses," Shiller let out a sigh.

"What exactly are you scheming with this entire affair?" Magneto inquired, his gaze sharp. "The Shi'ar Empire invasion incident, it was all orchestrated by you, wasn't it?"

Shiller readily confessed, nodding his head. He stated, "Not long after my arrival, I made contact with the Fire God. He desired to usurp the throne and claim the title of Emperor, and coincidentally, I required a war. Our objectives aligned perfectly."

Magneto pondered how, despite the extensive use of Shi'ar Empire materials in the factories, their utilization to construct a Teleportation Portal and initiate its activation smoothly seemed beyond the capabilities of the Shi'ar people. Collaboration from within and without was evident, and the unexpected mastermind was Shiller.

"I asserted that only a sufficiently formidable external enemy could truly unite Earth. The magnitude of the threat directly correlates to the greatness one achieves."

"However, this endeavor will result in a substantial loss of life," Magneto countered. "While I am not a benevolent individual who meticulously considers every consequence, this action clearly poses immense danger to the entirety of Earth."

"Evidently, you lack a comprehensive understanding of the strength possessed by the inhabitants of the Central Universe," Shiller responded. "With their presence, the Solar System will remain stable and free from chaos."

"'Them'? Besides yourself and Iron Man, who else is involved?"

Shiller offered a silent smile.

"Stephen! You have returned!" The Main Universe Iron Man exclaimed with palpable excitement. He inadvertently aggravated the wound on his arm, gasped in pain, and slumped back down, yet his gaze remained fixed with fervent anticipation on the figure entering the room.

Strange turned back to secure the door, his eyes scanning the Main Universe Iron Man from head to toe. He then remarked, "How did you manage to look like a stray dog that just tumbled through a sewer?"

A collective hush fell over everyone present. Captain America glanced at Black Widow, who turned to Dr. Banner. Dr. Banner then looked at Spider-Man, whose sticky web shot out and adhered to the ceiling before he vanished. One by one, the others also melted away with swift movements.