Marvel Magic Case Files

Chapter 158 The Eye Demon Shuma-Gorath (Second Update!)

Mephisto's expression changed instantly upon sensing the power of the silver key; his face visibly contorted.

It's hard to say what could possibly cause a demon king to lose his composure after countless ages, but the silver key is certainly one of them. "An Old One!" Mephisto's eyes widened. "Shuma-Gorath! [Note 1] Did He recruit you? Didn't the Ancient One tell you about the dangers of the Colossi?"

"No." The arcane mage brandished the silver key in his hand. Salomon's initial exploration of this object had yielded considerable success. In his vision, the silver key would become an additional feat, allowing him to unleash its power to cast spells he didn't possess before—such as the "Cherry Blossom Spell," which could control the age of the target, and the "Shadow Grip Spell," which manipulated shadows. If his plan succeeded, he could imbue spells with those metamagic feats simply by wearing the key around his neck. "This is the key to witnessing the ultimate abyss of the universe, the gateway to the heart of chaos. So, Mephisto, your price is too low. If I were to sit on the throne, I would go myself. To hell with Marduk, it doesn't deserve the title of Satan."

"I don't mind offering a little help." Mephisto seemed to have regained his composure and began to assess the situation again. "I know your legion is powerful, but not every Demon Pillar will willingly help you, even if you were their former master."

"We can make a memorandum." Salomon put the silver key back on his chest. "You know, my value keeps increasing, and it's impossible for you to buy me at a low price. Besides, I don't have any intention of making a deal right now."

"Then, I can only hope that we can cooperate happily in the future." Mephisto conjured a hat, put it on his head, bowed slightly to Salomon, and disappeared from the laboratory. After Mephisto left, the stagnant air slowly returned to its original temperature, and the light bulbs, as if covered with a layer of blue plastic film, once again emitted a bright white light. Salomon let out a long sigh of relief—pretending to be King Solomon was simply too difficult; when Mephisto called him by that name, he could only go along with the act. Although the old devil's presence on Earth was merely a powerless incarnation, who knew if the true form of Hell might suddenly transfer its power to him? Salomon couldn't rudely refuse Mephisto; otherwise, if the devil refused to talk, he wouldn't be able to stop him, nor would he be able to hold out until Kamar-Taj's reinforcements arrived.

But he couldn't agree to the devil's deal. He remembered the Sorcerer Supreme's words: when you think you've defeated the devil and become complacent, you've fallen into the devil's trap. Salomon had no choice but to use the silver key as collateral to create the illusion of a seller's market. He was telling Mephisto that his future didn't necessarily involve sitting on the seventh throne, although he wanted to, but the old devil's price was no longer right.

This tactful refusal leaves room for future cooperation between the two parties, and Mephisto doesn't feel insulted because they have reached a consensus: the one sitting on the seventh throne must not be that madman Marduk; if someone must sit on Satan's throne, then that person will be Salomon Damonet.

Salomon quickly tidied the table, donned his slingshot, and opened a portal back to Kamar-Taj. Mephisto's visit was a serious matter that needed to be reported to the Sorcerer Supreme, especially since Mephisto had mentioned a term—"Great Old Ones." This was a term the Sorcerer Supreme had never told him, but the Great Old Ones undeniably existed in this universe; Mephisto knew, and the Eternal God certainly knew as well. Salomon couldn't help but suspect that the Sorcerer Supreme's purpose in sending him to Salem might not have been so simple, and the Eternal God's motives might not have been so pure either.

Not long after the sorcerer left, Mephisto emerged again from the shadows. He was a devil; anyone who believed him was a complete fool. Although he hadn't achieved his goal this time, there was nothing wrong with making early contact with the future ruler of the Seventh Throne. His journey wasn't just the idea of ​​one devil, but the will of many hell lords. Lucifer, Beelzebub, and other hell lords had long been unable to tolerate Marduk. Now, his goal was largely achieved; Salomon Damonet would descend upon the Satanic Throne.

Next, he had to deal with his troublesome son.

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"Master, you do know about Yog-Sothoth, don't you?" Salomon's conversation with the Sorcerer Supreme was, as usual, top secret; no one but Salomon and the Sorcerer Supreme knew its contents. Salomon placed the silver key on the table and pushed it towards the Sorcerer Supreme. "You've never mentioned Shuma-Gorath. I want to know why the Eternal God sent me to Salem."

"I know very well that Shuma-Gorath is one of the Great Old Ones," the Sorcerer Supreme said slowly, picking up the silver key and examining it closely. "It is an extremely powerful outer dimensional daemon, existing in multiple dimensions. In fact, it is far more dangerous than Dormammu of the Dark Dimension and Chthon, the god of dark magic. To resist Dormammu, we can obtain help from the city of Sephiroth [Note 2], while Chthon cannot interfere with reality on his own; he is being sealed away. Only Shuma-Gorath, we do not know when it will appear. It was born from chaos, and another universe invaded this multiverse long ago. To resist it, we need power from another world."

"So that's why the Eternal God sent me to Salem to confront Nyarlathotep?"

"Because you have countless connections with the One who unites all things, Yog-Sothoth will surely help you when you face Nyarlathotep." The Sorcerer Supreme no longer looked Salomon in the eyes. "You are the best candidate to make contact with another cosmic deity. It is the Eternal God who appointed you to banish Shuma-Gorath from the multiverse."

"Well," Salomon scoffed, "it doesn't feel good to be outmaneuvered."

"I'm so sorry..."

“This has nothing to do with you, teacher.” Salomon shook his head. “To be precise, it is the will of this universe that compels me to fight the beholder Shuma-Gorath, isn’t it? I am a member of Kamar-Taj, and this is what I should do. But first, you have to tell me about the risks.”

"Besides you, Strange will also be fighting against the Beholder of Shuma-Gorath in the future," the Sorcerer Supreme sighed. "You still have time to prepare. I believe you should have the power to fight Shuma-Gorath before you face the ultimate gate of the universe. That will be the most terrifying enemy you face; Dormammu is nothing compared to it. From now on, you will begin to study dark magic—not just the dark magic from the dark dimension, but the dark magic from another universe—only then can you defeat that immortal demon."

"Even at the cost of my sanity?"

"Yes."

[Note 1] First appeared in 1972.11 Marvel Premiere #5, but its true debut was in Robert E. Howard's short story "The Curse of the Golden Skull". Shuma-Gorath, the powerful villain who killed the Ancient One and Doctor Strange, is based on the Cthulhu Mythos and is said to be a member of the Great Old Ones.

[Note 2] Oshtur hopes to create two different factions—the righteous avengers of the Asuras and the peacekeepers of the Seraphim—to jointly forge the city of Sephiroth as a line of defense against the invasion of lower realms by creatures from the dark dimension.

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The Salem storyline wasn't added for nothing; Cthulhu and Marvel already have many connections.

(End of this chapter)