Dongjin Stage

The Deathwing's engines roared through the night sky as the steel behemoth landed beside the church ruins. As its landing gear sank into the scorched earth, the hatch burst open, and twelve medical robots with red crosses on their chests filed out, their robotic arms spewing out hemostatic gel and nano-suture devices, surrounding Steve and Hulk.

"Vitality signs are stable, but physical exhaustion is too great," the lead robot reported to Tony. "Mr. Hulk needs immediate purification of the corrosive toxins."

Tony's visor popped open. "Take care of Hulk first; his healing factor is suppressed."

Dante approached, carrying the Rebellion. He glanced at the unconscious Hulk and said, "Should I borrow some purifying potion from Vergil? That guy always collects weird stuff—"

Before the words were even finished, a sonic boom suddenly echoed through the sky. The Silverwing Fiendstar, hovering through the clouds, burst through the air, and the instant the hatch opened, a golden streak of light plummeted vertically!

"Boom--!"

Natasha knelt Descent on one knee, her red lips revealing a mocking smile, "Looks like I'm late?"

Tony rolled his eyes. "Ma'am, you're a whole day late—"

"Tony!" Pietro's communicator suddenly blared through everyone's earpieces, accompanied by a background of intense screams and the sound of shattering glass. "We're at the Rose Manor in the northern suburbs! We've found over six hundred civilians, but the entire manor is infested with demon cultists! Bobby's ice wall won't hold for long! Many of the Valkyrie Array's robots have already been destroyed!"

The holographic map unfolded automatically, revealing the crimson energy veins writhing beneath the manor's surface. Natasha chuckled softly, "Looks like not yet."

"Wait!" Tony stood up. "Those believers may have already turned into—"

Natasha crouched down, then leaped into the cockpit of the Silver-Winged Ferocious Star, her voice carried on the wind. "Just what I wanted."

Dante whistled, the Rebellion twirling in his palm. "Need to come along and cover for me?"

Tony frowned. "No, Dante, we don't know if there are any remaining Mephisto followers here. Steve is exhausted, and Hulk is asleep." He glanced at Hulk. "Oh, he's back to Banner now, damn it!"

Tony rushed to Banner, anxiously checking his condition. "Banner's body might not be able to withstand the corrosive energy!"

"JARVIS! Tell Chen Tian! If he's had enough fun over there, come over right away! I need his support!"

"Sir, Miss 2B has been notified."

"2B? Where's Chen Tian?"

"According to Miss 2B, Mr. Chen went to visit the Demon God."

Tony's eyes widened. "Are we going this far? Has Chen Tian already reached this level?"

Dante laughed when he heard Tony's words, "Haha, rich idol, my nephew is pretty strong now."

Tony pursed his lips and shouted at JARVIS again, "JARVIS, tell 2B to quickly relay this to Chen Tian."

"Sir, Miss 2B has given feedback, and the support sent by Mr. Chen has arrived."

"Support? Where?" Tony asked, surprised.

While Tony was still wondering what kind of support was coming, countless flashes of light suddenly streaked across the distant sky. The sharp slashes were dense and numerous, like a torrential downpour covering the heavens and the earth, cutting the entire cloud layer into fragments.

"Holy shit!" Scott cried out in alarm as he stepped out of his fighter jet and saw the sky filled with flashing blades in the distance.

Beast also limped out of the fighter jet, but unlike Scott's shock, he seemed thoughtful.

"That glint of light... it looks so much like the Arctic in 1999..."

Dante shouldered the Rebellion: "It seems the threat from that manor is gone."

Tony quickly connected with Pietro, "Pietro, how are things on your end?"

"It's solved! Natasha had barely arrived when Vergil showed up and single-handedly shredded the manor!" Pietro exclaimed excitedly. "My God! Tony! We should have seen this! Not a single civilian inside the manor was injured!"

"How boring. I was hoping to test the power of my armor," Natasha complained over the communicator.

Tony heard Pietro's excited shouts and Natasha's complaints over the communicator, and his tense shoulders finally relaxed.

He raised his hand to rub his temples; the HUD on his faceplate displayed a damage assessment of Dewen County —66% of the buildings were damaged, with 80% completely collapsed.

"JARVIS, activate the city reconstruction contingency plan, Delta-7." Tony sighed. "Deploy 200 rescue robots, prioritize..."

His voice suddenly stopped, because he really didn't know where to begin with these ruins.

Dante used the tip of his sword to pick up half of a demon's head and casually tossed it into the burning wreckage of a car. "What? Is this rich guy starting to worry about money for house repairs?"

"Shut up, Dante." Tony's eyes were tired. "I was just thinking... what should we do with these civilians?"

Medical robots were lifting the unconscious Banner onto a stretcher. Steve, finally regaining some of his composure, said, "The United Harmony should have contingency plans..."

"Come on, Captain," Tony interrupted him. "You know how inefficient those bureaucrats are." He turned to the hologram. "JARVIS, send everyone the coordinates of Stark Industries' vault in Britain."

Suddenly, the roar of engines filled the sky. Twelve fighter jets flew past in a wedge formation, their sword-shaped markings clearly visible beneath their fuselages.

"Looks like I don't need to worry about it." Tony raised an eyebrow. "That kid Chen Tian is quite thoughtful."

Vergil's figure appeared silently atop the burning church spire. "The demon lord's aura has vanished."

"For now," Dante added, casually pulling an apple from his pocket and taking a bite. "That old Mephisto definitely has a backup plan."

Natasha's Silverwing Fiendstar landed in the center of the square. As she jumped out of the plane, she thought, "This is so boring. Vergil cleared the place all by himself."

Pietro's silver afterimage flickered among the ruins, finally stopping in front of the group. "The civilians are all settled! By the way..." He leaned closer to Tony, "Chen Tian's rescue team even has a psychologist!"

Tony was about to answer when JARVIS's voice suddenly rang out, "Sir, Miss 2B has sent a message saying that the Dormammu followers in Badong have been wiped out."

"Great! That's a wrap!" Tony snapped his the Snap, and the Deathwing's searchlights lit up. "Everyone board. Tonight's supper's on me." He glanced at Dante, who was still munching on an apple. "Dante, considering you single-handedly slew a demon, just name your price tonight."

Dante tossed the apple core precisely into a broken trash can thirty meters away. "I want a double pepperoni pizza!"

Tony snapped his the Snap with a flourish, "Deal! JARVIS, contact the best pizza places in New York right now and have them get up and start working." A wicked grin played on his lips. "Tell them triple the meal price, plus a brand new kitchen system—and if they can get it ready in half an hour, Stark Industries' robots will come to pick it up."

Dante raised his hands high above his head, clapped vigorously, and whistled loudly. "Bravo! That's fantastic! You're a true idol!"

"Sir, we've contacted 'Joey's Magic Pizza,'" JARVIS's voice rang out. "The owner was very happy and asked if we needed their special devil chili sauce."

Tony looked at Dante, whose eyes lit up. "Of course! The spicier the better!"

"Also," Tony turned and walked toward the fighter jet, "Contact that kid Chen Tian and tell him the party can't do without him."

JARVIS paused for half a second. "Sir... we are currently unable to contact Mr. Chen."

Tony stopped abruptly, the blue light on his visor flashing. "What do you mean?"

2B's voice came over the Deathwing, replacing JARVIS's reply, "Ladies and gentlemen, Master is still hunting Dormammu's number one follower, Kaecilius. His communications have been compromised, so we cannot contact him directly."

"How did you know that?" Tony asked, puzzled.

"Mind Stone," 2B replied curtly.

When 2B uttered the words 'Mind Stone,' the entire ruins suddenly fell into an eerie silence.

Three seconds later.

"Pfft, hahaha—" Tony was the first to burst out laughing. "JARVIS! Write this down! This is the funniest joke of the year!"

Dante laughed so hard he bent over, slapping his thigh. "You little idiot! Your dry humor is getting better and better." He wiped away tears of laughter. "This is way funnier than Vergil's poker face!"

Tony sighed, rubbing his forehead. "Well, looks like our little genius has developed a new skill." He walked into the Deathwing. "Since Chen Tian is still busy, let's go back to the Arbitrator Tower and wait for him."

At Tony's urging, everyone boarded the Deathwing (except Natasha, who was on the Silverwing Fiendstar). The armor's engines spewed blue and white flames, carrying the group towards the Arbitrator Tower in Malibu.

Dongjin, midnight.

The moonlight, like silver, spilled onto the glass curtain wall of the Dongjin Tower, refracting a cold halo. The city's neon lights flowed beneath my feet, and the traffic surged like blood in my veins, never ceasing.

At the top of the tower, two figures appeared silently.

Bayonetta stood on the edge of the tower, her short hair fluttering slightly in the night breeze. Her black bodysuit accentuated her perfect curves, and the metal tips of her high heels lightly tapped against the glass, making a crisp sound.

She tilted her head slightly, a dangerous smile curving her red lips, "The night view of Dongjin is truly delightful~"

Chen Tian stood beside her, the hem of his long black trench coat fluttering in the wind. The shadow under the hood obscured the upper half of his face, revealing only a slight upturn at the corner of his mouth. His hands were in his coat pockets as he surveyed the city that never sleeps, his voice playful. "Yes, very suitable... for a dance."

Bayonetta chuckled softly, her high heels clicking lightly as she leaped gracefully into the air, spinning once before landing steadily in front of Chen Tian. She gently lifted his chin with her fingertips. "So, my dear the Adjudicator, is this the stage for tonight?"

Chen Tian chuckled softly, and two completely different masks slipped out from the cuffs of his trench coat.

He slightly raised his left hand, holding a butterfly-shaped black eye mask between his fingers. The fine silver threads flowed in the moonlight, trembling slightly as if they were alive. His right hand held a hideous Nuo mask, the crimson and indigo lacquer gleaming eerily in the dark, the curves of its fangs seeming as if they might drip blood at any moment.

"Drama is an indispensable element of stage plays."

Bayonetta giggled, reaching out to take the butterfly eye mask, her fingertips gently tracing the delicate silver threads. She removed her glasses, tossing them aside; the lenses traced an Arc Light in the moonlight before disappearing into the city's neon lights. She put the eye mask back on, the silver threads clinging to her skin as if alive.

"How is it?" She tilted her head slightly, her red lips once again close to Chen Tian's lips.

Chen Tian chuckled softly, his fingertips gently tracing her chin. "Don't rush, there are still a few steps to take."

He raised his hand and tossed the Red Queen and the Blue Rose into his Summoning Space, where they vanished as two streaks of light. Then, he abruptly shook his trench coat; as the hem billowed, the Adjudicator's symbol suddenly appeared on the back—a dark Eclipse ring containing a blood-stained sword entwined with thorns, below which was inscribed a line of blood-red Latin script:

"LUX TENEBRIS."

(Light and darkness, also known as darkness and light, I found this on Baidu, hehe.)

Bayonetta's fingertips lightly traced the logo, her red lips slightly parted. "What a... stunning outfit."

As she spoke, she stretched, and her bodysuit seemed to writhe as if it were alive, transforming into the same symbol as Chen Tian's back.

Seemingly pleased with her actions, she swayed her body, striking various sexy poses.

Chen Tian looked at the enchanting witch in front of him and sighed helplessly.

Bayonetta's fingertips were slowly sliding down his collarbone, her red lips slightly parted, her breath warm.

Her body pressed tightly against his, the Adjudicator's emblem on her black bodysuit gleaming a dark red in the moonlight, a stark contrast to her snow-white skin.

"Does it look good?" she whispered in his ear, her tongue lightly brushing against his earlobe.

Chen Tian's eyes darkened slightly. He suddenly grabbed her slender waist and pulled her closer. Bayonetta let out a soft hum, but her smile became even more alluring, as if she had anticipated his reaction.

"Stop fooling around," he whispered, pressing the Demon Earring on his earlobe with his other hand—the jet-black earring glowed faintly with a scarlet light, and the communication was connected.

"We're here?" Logan's hoarse voice came from the other end, accompanied by the sound of him exhaling smoke rings.

"Hmm," Chen Tian replied briefly, his gaze still fixed on Bayonetta's face, while she drew circles on his chest with her fingertips. "How is it?"

Logan sneered, "They're all huddled up in that palace, like rats."

"Okay," Chen Tian said calmly, "Remember to wear your mask and Cloth."

"Don't worry, keep wearing them." Logan's voice was impatient, but then a deep voice interrupted the communication—

"When do we move?" Magneto's voice came through the communicator.

Chen Tian looked up at the sky.

Dark clouds surged, slowly swallowing the last ray of moonlight.

"The moment the moon was obscured," he replied.

Communication was cut off, and the red light on the earring went out.

Bayonetta's red lips almost touched the corner of his mouth. "Is it finally starting?"

Chen Tian didn't answer, but suddenly tightened his grip on her waist, and with his other hand, he covered his face with the hideous Nuo mask. The moment the mask was on, the lacquer on the fangs suddenly shone, trembling slightly as if they were alive.

"Darling..." Bayonetta's fingertips traced his mask, her voice sweet but carrying a chilling undertone, "Don't keep me waiting too long~"

The instant the dark clouds completely obscured the moonlight--

Bayonetta's long legs suddenly gave way, and she leaped into the night sky. Where her toes touched the ground, a bewitching purple magic circle bloomed, as if she were stepping on blooming mandalas.

"Don't keep me waiting too long~" Her voice still lingered in the night breeze, but her figure had already transformed into a black lightning bolt, speeding towards the brightly lit Japanese castle in the distance. With each light touch of her toes on the magic circle, Shira magical ripples exploded in the night sky.

A dangerous smile curled at the corner of Chen Tian's mouth beneath the mask, "No."

Chen Tian made a grasping motion with his right hand, causing the air to distort. He then pulled out a seemingly ordinary Neon Blade from his spatial storage. He casually weighed the simply designed weapon in his hand before drawing it out.

Chen Tian suddenly gripped the hilt of the knife with his other hand, then released his fingers in front of him. The Neon Blade was now stuck upside down at the top of the Dongjin Tower, the blade embedded three-tenths of an inch into the steel. Strangely, the glass curtain wall of the entire Dongjin Tower suddenly began to ripple with water-like patterns.

"Enjoy the pleasures of this Kyouka Suigetsu," Chen Tian said softly, his eyes fixed on the distant 'Paste City'. (Those who know, know; it's where the Rat King's family lives, formerly called JHC, now renamed DJC, the one in the Thousand-Layer Licking District.)