I Was Acting Under Duress (Ninth Update, Extra Chapter for 2,300 Monthly Tickets, Please Subscribe!!!!)

What Hermione was talking about was the incident that had occurred in 1926.

According to the records of the Magic Dimension, Fantastic Beasts had run amok in New York that year, causing the Federal Magic World to appear before the eyes of the federal populace. Although the disturbance had eventually been quelled, its instigators had been British.

So the Federation had thrown the blame onto the British Wizarding World. After that, just as Hermione had said, the London Wizarding World and the Federal Magic World had stopped interacting entirely under the blood oath.

Even if New York City exploded, the London Wizarding World would not lift a finger.

After hearing this, Lake could not help shaking his head. He had once thought the Federal Magic World was unbelievably powerful, but now it seemed that even their underwear had been stripped off and exposed for all to see.

"So…"

Lake came back to himself and looked at Hermione. "So either we sit around and wait for Hell Gate to open and the Supreme Temple to act, or we have to step in ourselves?"

Hermione nodded. "Yes. But haven’t you already stepped in? Besides, this is your city. Don’t you want to protect it?"

I want to immigrate into my own Divine Kingdom.

That was what Lake thought, but all he did was sigh. "So you want me to be a savior, huh? I have to make one thing clear: I was acting under duress."

After all, he had not acted for the sake of Black Heart Demon’s dark origin.

It was entirely for love and justice!

"Right."

Lake looked at Hermione. "Since you’re all keeping an eye on this, what’s the story behind Black Heart Demon? Do you know?"

Hermione said, "Black Heart Demon is the eldest son of Mephisto, the monarch of the Hell Dimension."

Lake’s mouth formed an O.

Black Heart Demon.

Witchcraft Demon.

Well, who would have guessed? Now that she had said it, Lake felt there was indeed a tiny connection between the names. But wasn’t the naming a little too careless?

Black Heart Demon was a famous demon of the Hell Dimension, and the eldest son of the Hell Monarch. His strength was naturally not to be underestimated. He possessed regenerative abilities, allowing him to recover from even the most severe injuries. He could float in the air and become invisible, change his own size, and even create and transform into black energy shockwaves.

Just then.

"I’m back."

Skye opened the door as she spoke. She had just finished her gamma defensive combat class with Gwen. After closing the door behind her, she was about to talk about the interesting things that had happened in class when she noticed that there seemed to be a guest in the house.

Skye’s gaze fell on Hermione, whom she had never met before. She could tell at a glance that Hermione was from London. "Hi?"

Hermione returned the greeting, then stood up and said to Lake, "I look forward to seeing the moment you save the world." She then walked toward the electronic fireplace.

The next second.

Bang!

Hermione vanished in an instant.

Skye pointed at the electronic fireplace, which had suddenly burst into flames before disappearing, then turned her gaze toward Lake at the bar. Her mouth hung open, her face filled with disbelief.

Lake merely shook his head helplessly.

After a while.

Skye walked over to the bar and stared intently at Lake. "This time, I’m not seeing things, am I?"

And he said I was hallucinating.

This time, it really couldn’t be, right? Only God knew how confused Skye had been these past few days.

Lake raised his head. After thinking for a moment, he looked at Skye and asked in return, "What do you think?"

Skye’s face darkened. "That definitely wasn’t a hallucination. That giant person vanished right before my eyes with a whoosh. That was definitely not a hallucination."

"Actually… that isn’t impossible."

"Lake!"

"Fine."

Lake raised both hands and gave Skye an expression that said she had won. "I’ll come clean. Hermione is a witch, a witch from the London Wizarding World."

Skye let out an "Eh?"

Lake raised an eyebrow. "What is it this time?"

Skye thought for a moment, then seemed to realize something. She looked at Lake. "This Hermione, is she the one you mentioned before…"

"Yes."

"…"

Skye’s expression gradually became strange. "I remember Rachel left this morning, and Hermione is… Ow!"

Before she could finish, Skye once again covered her forehead.

Lake withdrew his hand and looked at Skye speechlessly. "What kind of nonsense is going through that little head of yours? I brought Hermione here to learn more about the situation. I’m heading out for a bit. Stay home."

With that said.

Lake glanced at the incoming number, then walked to the door and answered the call.

"Speak."

"Commander, there’s a situation at the Brooklyn water plant."

"…"

Earth, water, wind, fire, spirit?

The head of the pentagram had already appeared, and one of its limbs—the fire at Morton Building—had also appeared. If these two conditions were placed on a map of New York, it would be easy to find the remaining three.

Clearly.

Black Heart Demon intended to use New York as his domain, draw out a pentagram formation, and then blast Hell Gate wide open.

After all, London had fought the forces of Hell for real, while the Federation had chosen to kneel and survive. If not the Federation, then where else could he choose?

Homeland Security had been closely monitoring several locations on the map that could potentially become targets. However, because of Lake’s orders, they had only been observing and had not taken action.

The New York S.H.I.E.L.D. Operations Center was the first to respond after receiving the report.

Lake had said that the case would be handed over to New York S.H.I.E.L.D. without reservation, and he kept his word. Naturally, with the strength of S.H.I.E.L.D., it was easy for them to deduce Black Heart Demon’s remaining targets.

Likewise.

The one who received this information was Iron Man… Tony Stark.

By the time Lake’s clone arrived at the Homeland Security Information Center, explosions were already booming into the sky at the Brooklyn water plant near the Hudson.

Accompanying the explosions was a vaguely visible, gigantic dark tentacle, its darkness becoming solid amid the flames that soared into the sky.

Boom!

The New York branch near the Brooklyn water plant was rapidly evacuating the highly cooperative civilians according to instructions. After all, New York’s residents were professionals. They knew to hit the ground the moment gunfire erupted, and they knew to turn and run as soon as an explosion went off.

"Heh heh heh!"

Black Heart Demon, having lost his host, flickered in and out of view amid the blazing flames as he drew the third pentagram formation. At the same time, he let out an exceptionally terrifying voice. "No one can stop Hell from descending once more!"

His words had barely fallen.

"Fire!"

"Boom!"

"Boom boom!"

"Ah!"

Five shoulder-fired rockets exploded at fixed points above Black Heart Demon. The next second, as holy water poured down, Black Heart Demon let out a wail from within the darkness.

Holy water was a powerful weapon against demons.

After deducing that their enemy was a demon, S.H.I.E.L.D. had transported holy water from churches throughout New York. At the same time, five fire trucks, almost completely filled with holy water that had been created through prayers by more than a dozen Vatican-registered and certified priests that afternoon, came to a stop.

"Faster, faster, faster!"

"Go, go, go!"

The hoses on all five fire trucks instantly fired. Five water dragons made entirely of holy water roared and clawed their way into the darkness where the flames raged.

Black Heart Demon let out another shriek.

The next second.

A mass of tangible black fog slammed directly into a fire truck. Amid the screams of several firefighters, the truck exploded and rolled toward the street behind it.

With a thunderous crash.

The fire truck, transformed into a fireball, slammed into a residence along the street.

Boom!

Substantial black energy condensed on the ground, revealing Black Heart Demon’s true form. He looked like an unevolved ape, with several tails tipped by sharp claws extending from his back.

Black Heart Demon pointed with his right hand and lifted a firefighter. The man’s body withered at a visible speed. "Did you really think this water would be useful against me? On the contrary, you’ve successfully angered me. I can’t wait to send you to Hell before it even descends. You’ll wait there for me. What awaits you will be my warm hospitality. Heh heh heh…"

"Bang!"

Black Heart Demon’s head jerked to one side. Baring his sharp teeth, he stared at Iron Man hovering in front of him through the smoke rising from his cheek.

While having Jarvis analyze Black Heart Demon’s physical data in real time, Iron Man said, "As a villain, you talk too much."

Black Heart Demon laughed again. "Little insect, I remember you. Thanks to you, I was able to come to Earth. Otherwise, I would never have found a way here. But I’ve completely exhausted my mercy toward you."

Iron Man said, "Is that so? If I can bring you here, I can send you crawling back to Hell."

As he spoke.

Thud, thud, thud!

The weapons bay on Iron Man’s shoulder opened instantly, and four miniature holy-water missiles from the orthodox Vatican shot toward Black Heart Demon.

Black Heart Demon roared. His body instantly swelled to a height of two meters, and his fan-sized right hand blocked his face.

Boom boom boom!

All four holy-water rockets struck Black Heart Demon’s right palm. Amid the sizzling sound of red-hot iron being quenched, Black Heart Demon’s face twisted viciously. He gave Iron Man in the air a sinister grin, then a black whip suddenly appeared and lashed toward him.

Iron Man instantly retreated.

The pitch-black whip did not lose momentum. It slammed straight into the ground, instantly cracking the pavement. The black fog spread to the surrounding area, emitting a sizzling, corrosive substance.

"Ah!"

Several S.H.I.E.L.D. agents caught in the black fog screamed miserably. In the blink of an eye, the fog corroded them into ghastly white skeletons.

Homeland Operations Center.

Lake raised an eyebrow as he watched this scene on the satellite feed. He turned to the assistant beside him and said, "Now you know why I didn’t let you go over there, right?"

If this case had not been handed to S.H.I.E.L.D., the ones turned into skeletons would probably have been his Homeland agents.

Tiffany nodded, her face full of horror, then frowned. "Commander, if the target really is a demon, doesn’t that mean we have no chance of winning?"

Lake smiled.

If he did not act, there was no doubt about the outcome.

But…

Standing high above on the roof of a building at the Brooklyn water plant, Lake looked down at the rampaging Black Heart Demon.

For love and justice.

It was time for him to make his entrance.

Only…

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