Hellfire!
Mephisto's pupils suddenly contracted. A violent tremor rose from the depths of his soul, an even greater reaction than when he had been ordered to hand over the Authority Mark.
Hellfire was no ordinary flame.
It was not the molten heat naturally generated by this dimension, but something more fundamental, closer to the source.
It was formed from all the extreme negative emotions of the Hell Dimension—darkness, pain, rage, hatred—and the remnants of souls.
Over countless ages, it had been nurtured into a flame of rules through Mephisto's own authority.
It could not only burn matter, but directly scorch souls, inflicting agony far beyond physical pain—ultimate torment that reached the very essence of one's existence.
At the same time, it was the core source of energy and medium for summoning and controlling armies of the undead, empowering lesser demons, and even carrying out certain high-level dark rituals.
It could be said that Hellfire was an extremely important part of his power system, a "specialty" and "symbol" deeply bound to his soul.
Hand over the source of Hellfire?
That was no different from carving a piece of flesh connected to his soul right out of him!
It would not merely weaken his power; it might even shake the foundation of his existence.
It could even affect the already diminished control over the Hell Dimension that he had just surrendered.
"No... that's impossible!"
Almost instinctively, Mephisto let out a hoarse growl.
His remaining pride and instinct to defend his core power made him attempt to resist this demand.
"I've already handed over the Authority Mark! Hellfire is my source power! It is one with my soul! Stripping it away... you're trying to destroy me completely!"
He tried to straighten his back, and a stubborn flame rekindled in his eyes, though it