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Chapter 502 - Chapter 502: Shifting Stances

In the Hell Dimension, a fearsome Hell Lord's eyes blazed with fiery rage. His entire presence was alarmingly unstable, drawing the attention of numerous creatures around him.

But soon, a barrier rose around his domain, sealing him off completely. The Hell Lord's aura was contained within, no longer leaking out.

Even with these precautions, many beings continued to watch the Hell Lord, sensing his previous weakness. In the cutthroat Hell Dimension, such vulnerability would attract many predators.

The Hell Dimension operates under the brutal "Dark Forest" rule, where only the strong survive. Hell Lords occupy high positions in this realm, and while not limited in number, ascending to this rank is exceedingly difficult.

Thus, when a Hell Lord shows signs of weakness, not only other Hell Lords but even Hell Kings will set their sights on them, hoping to rise to their level and join the ranks of the dimension's elite...

This spells trouble for Kyre, the Hell Lord of unknown true identity. His days ahead will be perilous. His failed gamble on Earth didn't bring any gains, instead, it may have triggered his downfall.

Kyre's power was nowhere near that of Mephisto, a top-tier Hell Lord. Even after multiple failed invasions of Earth, Mephisto wouldn't be easily targeted due to his formidable reserves and cunning strategies known to all Hell beings.

But Kyre's situation was different. Despite isolating his territory, his survival was still in question. This predicament was a direct result of his failed venture.

Meanwhile, on Earth, the sudden disappearance of Robert left Baron Mordo and others in a panic, fearing Kyre might have survived and escaped elsewhere.

Mordo and his team quickly began investigating the surroundings to find Robert or Kyre, soon detecting traces of battle.

Back to when Robert was still fighting Kyre, Blanch was intercepted by the Hell Baron. This forced other official organizations to act. Blanch was confident he could hold off all the Avengers, but saw no need to do the heavy lifting for other agencies. After all, he served the military and had no obligation to assist others without benefit.

As Blanch's words echoed, various official agencies began to deploy their trump cards. Mechs, all bearing similar designs but from different agencies, were unleashed. These mechs were results of research on Ivan Vanko's Arc Reactor, albeit crude imitations of Justin Hammer's attempts to replicate Iron Man's armor.

Unfortunately, in this world, while there are many geniuses, few match the caliber of Tony Stark. Even with access to first-generation Arc Reactors, these agencies struggled to match Stark's advanced Iron Man technology.

Thus, these mechs posed little threat to the Avengers. As soon as they appeared, Jarvis in Stark's suits adapted, swiftly neutralizing them.

Even though Stark's deployed mechs were not the latest models, their advancements far surpassed these imitations. In terms of weaponry and defense, Stark's mechs easily outclassed the opposition, causing minimal trouble for the Avengers.

The real challenge for the Avengers came from the secret extraordinary means wielded by these official agencies. 

Blanch was the strongest among these extraordinary means but wasn't the only one. Previously, these agencies hesitated to use their trump cards during various supernatural events, partly due to reluctance and partly to keep their cards hidden.

But this time, the battle threatening Earth itself forced them to reveal their hands. Knowing they could no longer hide their capabilities, these agencies moved in unison, aiming to overpower the Avengers and extract crucial intelligence. Their internal conflict became evident...

"Wow, this guy can use fire like me?!" Johnny Storm exclaimed during the battle, amazed at his opponent's ability to also unleash flames, though his lacked the explosive power.

Nonetheless, this fiery opponent succeeded in drawing Peter Parker away from the fight. Parker's perseverance and Venom's resilience kept him in the fray to assist the Avengers.

Apart from Johnny, other Avengers faced various foes with unique abilities. Kara, for instance, found herself under Blanch's relentless attack, unable to aid her teammates.

Kara could sense that Blanch outmatched her in strength and defense, and his energy attacks were more ferocious. But Blanch wasn't as fast as her.

The issue was Blanch's flight capability, derived from his control over gravity. He could manipulate gravity around his opponents, slowing them down. This made him faster than Kara in their aerial duel.

Thus, Kara, the Avengers' strongest member, was tied down by Blanch. Even the Hell Baron, who initially assisted Kara, was now preoccupied and unable to help. He could only stand helplessly.

The Hell Baron faced a peculiar opponent who, despite resembling a human, had a demonic tail—a creation similar to Kyre, produced by military experiments, sharing a bloodline connection with the Hell Baron. Previously, the Hell Baron could feign ignorance and help the Avengers against Blanch, claiming he didn't recognize him. But with Jerry's arrival, he could no longer pretend.

For the Hell Baron, the Avengers were temporary allies, and Steve was a former idol. But the military had nurtured and raised him. To him, their bond was paramount.

"What's going on? I can refrain from helping them, but you must explain why you're attacking the Avengers! You realize the fallout this could cause?" The Hell Baron looked at Jerry, frustrated.

"Today's events will stay under wraps. Jarvis is overwhelmed, and Tony Stark left to handle this. Stark and Steve have powerful allies in the military who will protect them. But the other Avengers won't be as lucky..." Jerry's voice was calm yet carried a mocking undertone.

"Of course, Stark and Steve's immunity is not just due to their influence but also because they don't possess extraordinary powers coveted by the elites. Otherwise, they wouldn't be spared."

"So why the betrayal against the Avengers? Is it just for their powers? How did so many agencies agree?" The Hell Baron, puzzled, frowned deeply.

"It's because of that terrifying battle over there..." Jerry's tone grew grave. "I don't know if you were involved, but that battle posed an existential threat to Earth. It alarmed everyone aware of it, forcing these agencies to unite. They suspect the Avengers and you know what happened..."

"That battle..." The Hell Baron's expression shifted. He glanced instinctively towards where Robert and Kyre had fought. With a sudden movement, he grabbed Jerry, holding him tight.

"Rama?! What are you doing?" Jerry was shocked. He wasn't a match for the Hell Baron, who, like Blanch, was a top military asset. Jerry's role was to deliver a message, not to fight the Hell Baron.

"Listen carefully!" The Hell Baron, glancing around, spoke in a low voice. "I know what happened in that battle. I'm sending you back to tell everyone in our unit to retreat immediately!"

"I'll explain everything later, but if you don't leave now, and if that person returns, it could be catastrophic. I'm doing you a favor!"

"Got it!" Jerry's eyes widened in realization. He nodded quickly. The next moment, the Hell Baron released him, and he flew back towards their aircraft.

As Jerry returned, confusion spread among his commanders. Seeing him approach, they were even more baffled. But as Jerry conveyed the Hell Baron's warning, they swiftly let him in and ordered an immediate retreat, leaving behind even their mechs.

"What's going on?" Their abrupt departure caught the attention of many, especially those in other agencies who had deployed their extraordinary measures.

In the ongoing battle, Johnny Storm clashed with his fiery opponent, holding a clear advantage. Both had fire resistance, but his opponent couldn't withstand the impact of explosions, giving Johnny the upper hand.

Elsewhere, the Avengers' fight with their respective adversaries saw mixed outcomes. Notably, a giant's presence dominated much of the battle, straining the Avengers' resources. Robert would have recognized this creature as a creation similar to the Abomination he had previously defeated, an experimental product with a matching aura.

This monstrous being was incredibly strong, possibly even more so than the previous Abomination due to its stability. It posed significant challenges for the Avengers, especially with its decent speed and thick hide, inflicting notable injuries on Steve, Bucky, and others.

Kara's struggle also intensified. Under the weight of Blanch's gravity manipulation, her speed and punching power waned. Though her defensive skills and combat techniques remained sharp, the all-encompassing gravity pressure wore her down, even breaching her invulnerability.

"Bang!" A gunshot suddenly rang out, causing Blanch to falter as a divine energy bullet clashed with his aura, interrupting his attack.

"Hell Baron? Rama? Are you betraying the military?" Blanch's eyes burned with anger as he glared at the Hell Baron.

"You don't speak for the military. If you want to challenge me, get past this first!" The Hell Baron retorted with a scoff, gazing at Blanch with a mix of pity. "Don't let power blind you. You're oblivious to the real danger that's upon us."

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