"They are plotting to summon demons," Sheriff Black stated.
He had followed the trail of the Sword Dragon to Italy, and with S.H.I.E.L.D. now assisting the 13th District, the situation had escalated. The enemy was no longer just the Sword Dragon—it was now both the Sword Dragon and Hydra. Given the circumstances, the natural choice was to share intelligence with S.H.I.E.L.D.
"Based on our analysis, the Sword Dragon gathered a large number of seemingly unnecessary magical artifacts while on the run," Sheriff Black continued. "Our magic consultant, Father—" he gestured toward the elderly man beside him "—is certain that these are essential components of a mysterious summoning ritual."
He paused, then added, "This ritual can open a portal through time and space to summon powerful demons from Hell."
"That's correct."
The old man nodded solemnly. "It is an ancient magical rite. According to legend, in times past, someone used this very ritual to summon the demon Satan."
"Satan?"
Coulson's expression shifted slightly.
He wasn't well-versed in the magical world, but he had read the Bible. In it, Satan, once an angel created by God, had fallen and become His mortal enemy. The fact that such a being could stand against God spoke volumes about its power.
"Understood," Coulson said after a moment of thought. "Once we locate the site, you handle the Sword Dragon and this ritual. We'll take care of the remaining Hydra forces."
The division of labor was clear.
Sheriff Black nodded.
He hadn't expected the Sword Dragon to have ties with the infamous Hydra. If he had known sooner, he would have contacted Anton immediately—not just for help from the Dark Justice League, but also for the support of Constantine, Shazam, Batman, and others.
Still, even though Batman and the others weren't here, S.H.I.E.L.D. was.
Having battled Hydra for years, S.H.I.E.L.D. was well-acquainted with their tactics, meaning the lack of preparation Sheriff Black feared was unlikely to be an issue.
A group hurried toward a small northern town.
At the same time, in Aosta, Valle d'Aosta…
The ancient fortress, steeped in history, was now under the control of one of Hydra's leaders—Baron Strucker.
After Hydra's de facto leader, Alexander Pierce, had been arrested, command of the organization had fallen into Strucker's hands.
With tensions rising between the United States and the Justice League, Hydra had struggled to operate freely. Strucker had taken advantage of the situation, shifting most of Hydra's power to Europe, where he already had control.
Using his network of contacts and Hydra's years of accumulated resources, Strucker had built a formidable armed force. He further expanded Hydra's influence, consolidating his leadership in the process.
He had even found a pair of superpowered siblings, successfully brainwashed them, and begun experimenting on superhuman abilities. Though progress was slow, he had another ace up his sleeve—he had established a connection with a dark wizard.
That wizard, the Sword Dragon, had made Hydra a promise:
If they helped him summon demons, he would, in turn, assist Hydra—training new magicians and helping them achieve their goal of world domination.
Of course, Strucker knew that both sides were merely using each other.
However, both parties also understood that as long as they remained useful to one another, the cooperation would continue.
Interests—they were always the strongest bond in any alliance.
" Lord Baron."
Suddenly, one of Strucker's men knocked on the door. His expression was grim, and his tone carried a hint of panic.
"We've received word from the airport. The head of the 13th District, Chief Black, has arrived in Italy on a special flight. The details of his entourage remain unknown, but it's confirmed that the 13th District has established contact with S.H.I.E.L.D."
"What?"
Strucker was taken aback. He hadn't anticipated such an unexpected development.
If the 13th District was working with S.H.I.E.L.D., then the situation was likely similar to his own arrangement with the Sword Dragon and Hydra.
"Are they coming for us?"
Strucker quickly regained his composure and turned to the messenger, his voice deep and steady.
"I need you to find out how many of them there are—immediately."
"Understood."
The subordinate nodded and hurried off.
Through various covert channels, Strucker obtained a list of the S.H.I.E.L.D. and 13th District personnel involved. As he scanned the names, his expression darkened completely.
"Master Baron, should we retreat?" one of his subordinates asked cautiously.
"Retreat?"
Strucker fell silent for a moment, inhaled deeply, and then spoke coldly.
"No. It's too late. They're already on their way. At most, they'll be here in half an hour."
"Then what should we do?"
His men already had an idea of the answer.
"Prepare for battle." Strucker's voice was firm. "Get ready to fight."
"Understood."
With that, the subordinates left to carry out his orders.
Strucker, however, made his way deeper into the castle, where an elderly, gray-haired Asian man was waiting.
This was the Sword Dragon.
"Mr. Sword Dragon, we're running out of time."
Strucker's tone was serious as he approached.
"You have half an hour to complete your summoning ritual. If you fail to summon Satan, we may all be trapped in this castle."
The old wizard barely reacted, as if this news didn't surprise him in the slightest.
"So, the hunters are already here?" he asked calmly.
"Indeed," Strucker confirmed. "Our enemies are strong. Hydra and your forces alone won't be enough to defeat them. That's why we need Satan's power."
The Sword Dragon, however, remained unfazed.
"Don't worry," he said with complete confidence. "The ritual has already begun. It cannot be stopped."
He turned to Strucker with a faint smile.
"When your enemies arrive at this castle, they will realize they have stepped into a nightmare beyond their control."
Strucker exhaled slowly, nodding.
"I hope you're right."
A squad of S.H.I.E.L.D. agents had already surrounded the fortress.
Coulson, Anton, and the others arrived at the scene without issue.
Hidden in the dense forest, they observed the towering castle, its thick walls standing as a formidable barrier.
Anton's face remained unreadable, his expression calm.
Coulson, Sheriff Black, and the rest of the team, however, were visibly tense. The atmosphere was thick with the anticipation of battle.
Especially the old priest.
His face was grim, and his sharp eyes darted around. Something in the air unsettled him.
A foul, rotten scent.
The stench of a demon.
His expression darkened further.
"This is bad."
The old man scanned his surroundings, then turned to his companions.
"There's a powerful demonic presence inside the castle. Everyone, listen closely—"
His voice dropped to a grave whisper.
"The summoning has already been completed. The demon is here."
At those words, an eerie silence fell over the entire group.
Before Coulson could react, he saw Jackie Chan and the others staring at the old man in horror.
Jackie Chan blurted out, "What?"
"The demon has already been summoned. Doesn't that mean we're about to face Satan himself?"
Sheriff Black was visibly shaken.
Having already witnessed a demonic invasion in the 13th District, he fully understood the sheer terror that came with dealing with such entities. But this time, it was even worse.
The demon the Sword Dragon had summoned was on an entirely different level compared to what the 13th District had faced before.
The son of a demon lord was one thing.
A true demon lord was another.
"Gulp."
Hearing the reactions of those around him, Coulson finally grasped the gravity of the situation. He instinctively turned to the old man beside him.
At that moment, the Ghost Rider—Johnny Blaze—spoke up in surprise.
"I thought a summoning ritual required a complex series of steps to complete?"
The old man sighed, clearly frustrated.
"The Sword Dragon is a powerful magician," he admitted. "Once again, we've underestimated him."
Sheriff Black quickly turned to his companions, his voice urgent.
"Anton, where are Constantine and Shazam?"
No matter what, as long as they had strong reinforcements, they still had a fighting chance.
Anton, however, remained calm.
"They're already inside the castle."
"What?!"
Everyone around him exchanged stunned glances.
"When did that happen?" Coulson asked, just as bewildered as the others.
Even Maria Hill, who had just arrived with her S.H.I.E.L.D. agents, was taken aback.
"Impossible," she muttered.
She had been here all day, leading an elite unit of highly trained operatives—S.H.I.E.L.D.'s best.
And yet, not a single one of them had detected any trace of Constantine or Shazam.
"How is that even possible?" Hill's brow furrowed. "Was it magic?"
As everyone processed this revelation, their focus shifted back to the castle.
Despite their individual thoughts, they all came to the same conclusion.
Hydra knew they were coming.
Their defensive lines were tightening. Their movements were growing more calculated.
Which meant only one thing—
Hydra had completely assessed their situation.
Hill glanced at the group.
"We can't launch a stealth attack anymore," she stated firmly. "They're fully aware of our presence. The only option left is a direct assault."
Anton suddenly spoke up.
"Wait for my signal."
Hill turned to him. "Signal?"
Anton's eyes remained locked on the castle.
"Constantine and Shazam have infiltrated the inner castle. We're waiting for their signal."
"What kind of signal?" Xiaoyu asked, curious.
Anton smirked slightly.
"You'll know soon enough."
Inside the Castle
Anton's two magical alter egos—Constantine and Shazam—had successfully infiltrated the massive fortress.
Moving swiftly and silently, they navigated through the corridors, avoiding detection.
Since they shared a collective consciousness with Anton, they were already aware of Hydra's defensive preparations against S.H.I.E.L.D. and the 13th District.
Suddenly, Constantine spoke up.
"The summoning circle isn't here—it's deeper inside the castle."
He glanced at Shazam, who nodded in agreement.
Although they were technically part of the same being, they preferred to communicate verbally, out of habit.
Shazam frowned, his senses tingling.
"I can feel the demon's presence… but something's off."
Constantine raised an eyebrow. "What do you mean?"
Shazam scanned the dimly lit halls, his expression puzzled.
"The energy here is definitely demonic, but this place… it's not the hellscape I expected."
Constantine's frown deepened.
He might not have specialized in Marvel's demons, but in the world of magic—whether Marvel or DC—the rules remained consistent.
If a true demon lord had been summoned, the entire area should have already begun transforming into a nightmarish realm.
Yet, despite the ominous aura hanging in the air, things were eerily… normal.
Well, except for the Hydra soldiers they had knocked unconscious on their way in.
Shazam exhaled sharply. "It's strange."
Both of them shared the same mind, the same instincts. If neither of them could fully grasp the situation, it meant something deeper was at play.
Before they could discuss further, Shazam suddenly stiffened.
His eyes widened.
"Four powerful magical signatures incoming—fast!"
Constantine's demeanor shifted instantly.
His expression hardened.
"The enemy is here."
After Constantine and Shazam infiltrated the castle and eliminated a few guards, their movements were quickly detected by the castle's dense surveillance network.
"Intruders spotted! Two members of the Justice League!"
A Hydra operative hurriedly relayed the report to Strucker.
Strucker, who was standing next to the Sword Dragon, turned to him immediately.
"Mr. Daolong, I'll have to trouble your people to handle this."
He knew all too well that Hydra's forces alone would struggle against Justice League members. Fortunately, they had recently recruited some… specialists.
The Sword Dragon nodded, raising his wand.
"Gan, Wen, Cui, Shan!"
At his command, four figures flickered into motion. Shadows twisted unnaturally as dark energy surged through the room.
Then—whoosh!
A black mist streaked out of the chamber's entrance, heading straight for Constantine and Shazam.
Simultaneously, the Sword Dragon began chanting an incantation.
From the darkness, masked warriors armed with weapons emerged, their presence radiating a sinister energy.
Strucker's eyes widened in admiration.
"The Sombra Corps…"
Though he had seen them before, their appearance never failed to impress him.
If Hydra could harness this kind of supernatural power…
Conquering the world would be far easier.
Shazam's gaze flickered as he analyzed the approaching threats.
"It's the Sword Dragon's four enforcers… and the Sombra Corps."
Constantine nodded. "Looks like we've been made. Time for the team outside to make their move and take some heat off us."
The two exchanged a knowing look.
Then—
Boom!
Shazam shot into the air, raising his hand.
A terrifying bolt of lightning erupted from his fingertips.
At the same moment, the sky outside the castle darkened. Thunder rumbled ominously as storm clouds gathered overhead.
Bolts of lightning, thick as tree trunks, crackled through the sky like a school of flashing electric eels.
Then—
They struck.
BOOM!
Like divine retribution, a rain of lightning crashed down on the castle.
BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!
The ancient stone walls exploded into rubble. Towers crumbled. Fires erupted.
Dozens of Hydra agents, who had been hidden behind the battlements, were caught in the storm, their screams barely audible as they plummeted into the forests below.
Outside, the team barely had time to react.
Xiaoyu's jaw dropped.
She slowly turned to Anton.
"This… this was the signal you were talking about?"
Everyone else was equally stunned, staring up at the raging storm.
Xiaoyu glanced at her father, eyes wide.
"Father… is this magic?"
She hesitated, then added, "Why is it so different from the magic you cast with stinky dried fish?"
…
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