Ultron Beyond (Marvel NEW)/Issue 3

The third chapter of the Ultron Beyond limited series, part of the Marvel NEW initiative. It is preceded by Ultron Beyond Issue 2 and succeeded by Ultron Beyond Issue 4.

Synopsis
''For the first time in forever, Ultron has done the unthinkable: summoning Mephisto. The curious Hell-Lord now in front of him, Ultron executes his next plan by trying to get to Hell. Has desperation pushed Ultron to the brink of insanity? No, these are all part of his plans and it hasn't even ended. And little does Mephisto know, his quest brings him beyond his own sulfuric realm...''

Plot
Continuing from the last scene, Mephisto asks of his want in summoning him. Ultron then tells he's there to make a deal. Mephisto, ridiculed, asks him if he consciously knows that he has no soul. He however, compliments Ultron for being brilliant enough to use the Darkhold to summon him. He tells him that by using the book, he is much more powerful on Earth.

Ultron is well aware of his lack of soul, but he doesn't care as he has already delivered Mephisto a soul. Mephisto then realizes that he killed Cagliostro in order to at least attract him. He thanks him for giving the corrupted sorcerer's soul, but is still intrigued in how he's going to deal with him. Ultron thought that dealing with him is as simple as doing a barter, but Mephisto explains that in order to do a direct deal, he has to somehow trick the other person in dealing with him.

The AI immediately mocks Mephisto for being bound my an absurd law while he himself is a force of nature in his own realm. Mephisto responds by threatening him and reminding him of who he is. He also reveals that he's well aware of Ultron's desperation. But after the threat, Ultron casually tells him that he has a way to do a direct deal. He then shows Mephisto his captive magicians.

The moment he turns, Dr. Strange becomes outraged and asks Ultron if he really thinks that they're going to deal with Mephisto. The other mystics agree. Snowbird on the other hand, insults him as being a stupid robot that pretends to be smart. Mephisto sees Snowbird and recognizes her, identifying her as Narya, the Daughter of the Northern Goddess, Nelvanna. Mephisto approaches her and tries to goad her into dealing with him.

Ultron interrupts the attempt and stops Mephisto. The demon complies and asks Ultron if he's going to offer him the souls of the magicians. He says yes, but the Hell-Lord becomes humorously frustated. He tells him that he can't ensnare their souls and make them his if they're unwilling. Afterwards, Ultron turns to Dragon Man and Asmodeus. Dragon Man immediately knows of Ultron's next step, with his master then telling Mephisto to let the magicians' will be his.

Activating a program of sorts, Dragon Man links Ultron's mind to the mystics' minds. The curious Mephisto watches the process. After doing so, Ultron asks him which soul does he want the most. Mephisto grins and says Doctor Strange. However, Ultron asks Mephisto if he's sure about it, as the AI himself is sure that Dormammu wants his soul more than him. Mephisto relents and agrees.

Mephisto then continues his picking, randomly choosing mystics. He then decides to choose Daimon Hellstrom, with Ultron complimenting for choosing a good pick. Mephisto however, tells Ultron that he picks him only because he remembers that his father, Marduk Kurios, really wants him back on Hell. Daimon tells Ultron that his mind control crap can't affect him and he won't deal with Mephisto. But Ultron repeats his words of his will being Ultron's.

Dragon Man then activates a program that takes over Daimon's mind. After the takeover, Daimon's eyes turn red, just like Ultron's. Mephisto examines him and asks Ultron if he really is inside his mind. Ultron tells him that he's still active on the outside, but he can manipulate the subject thoroughly. Mephisto smiles and mutters of how unexpectedly competent Ultron can be.

Mephisto asks Daimon of his will to make a deal. Surprisingly, Daimon immediately agrees to make a deal. The sight then terrifies the other mystics, with Pixie saying that she shouldn't be an X-Man after all. Daimon asks him to return the soul of his mother. Hearing this, Mephisto turns to Ultron and laughs. Ultron knows what he's laughing about, telling him that he's making deals that inflict the "least" amount of suffering. In Daimon's case, returning his mother's soul won't change anything because she'll outright commit suicide due to her memories of being a demon's bride.

Mephisto then materializes a contract paper and accepts the offer made by "Daimon Hellstrom". However, a brief awkwardness happens when Mephisto tells Ultron that he can't sign with his arms restrained. Ultron releases Daimon and the Son of Satan signs it.

Happy, Mephisto resurrects Victoria Wingate, Hellstrom's mother, right in front of everyone. Ultron quickly lets Daimon's mind go, witnessing his mother in front of him. His mind tainted in both shock and happiness, he rushes to hug his mother but she ends up committing suicide with a knife that she apparently brought from Hell itself. Hellstrom, enraged, screams out and tries to attack Mephisto. However, he fails, with Mephisto explaining that his soul is his now. He also adds that in Hell, Victoria has always been a masochist and suicide has always been in her soul.

In an instance, Daimon is put in magical chains in which he can't escape. Daimon, still enraged, then turns to Ultron and asks him why must he do this. Ultron responds by pacifying him with his Encephalo Ray. Mephisto grins once again, and turns to the sorcerers.

One by the one, the sorcerers make unwilling offers due to Ultron using their minds. Finally, all of them, including Dr. Strange, have their souls possessed by Mephisto. Mephisto then laughs in satisfaction, shaking Ultron's hands. After that, he tells Ultron that now he can make a deal with him without any kinds of interruptions. Ultron then signals Asmodeus and Dragon Man to prepare for the "trip".

Ultron then reveals his intention of summoning Mephisto: to go to Hell. Mephisto's eyes immediately widen and tries to tell himself that he's still saner than this mad robot. Ultron repeats his intention, and Mephisto asks him whether or not he's gone so desperate that he literally wanted to commit a next-level suicide. Ultron tells him that he'll explain everything when they get to Hell.

-

While the two despots try to settle on their differences, a large group of heroes are seen scouting Ultron's base, located in an arid desert. The hero and Imperial Guard, Smasher (Isabel Kane), uses her Exospex's penta-vision to see Ultron and Mephisto's conversation. Captain America asks her of what she's seeing, and Izzy responds by telling him that even Mephisto seems to be dazzled by Ultron. Captain Britain, standing there to get to his wife, says that breaking through Ultron's defenses will be easy. On the contrary, Vision tells him that his creator has significantly improved his lair's defenses the moment he returned to the base.

Spider-Man adds up to Vision's statement and tells everyone that his greatest concern should be theirs as well: Mephisto. Dr. Druid, who apparently isn't abducted by Ultron, agrees with him. Mephisto is definitely more powerful than all of them, but if they free Druid's fellow mystics in the right chance, they'll be able to banish the Hell-Lord back to his dimension. The Thing agrees with his statement, with him saying that from what he heard, Mephisto himself is weaker in this dimension.

After taking another look with her Exospex, Smasher says that she may not know anything about summoning rituals or what, but the Thing might be wrong. She tells the heroes that she sees a book of sorts covered in ash and blood and can't see the mystics themselves. Clea, now with arm bracers after Dragon Man broke her arms, mutters impossibility and tells the heroes of the book being the Darkhold: a book of infinite evils. Iron Fist asks her if it's anything of relevance, with Druid intervening and asking Rand if he really knows what "infinite evils" can do to Mephisto.

Wolverine steps in and recounts of the defenses Ultron's lair has. Ultron Drones that previously wrecked them all, laser cannons that fire beams as hot as the sun, Dragon Man and Asmodeus, and others. He says that he can deal with those things, but Mephisto is on an entirely different league. Iron Man then tells him and the others to not worry about the defenses. In an instance, Stark sets off an EMP blast that shuts down most of the electronics in Ultron's base.

Izzy, who's on the Exospex once again, is taken aback by the EMP blast. She tells the group that the entire base has blacked out. She also expresses her disbelief of Ultron being unprepared for an EMP blast. Stark replies by saying that Ultron has always been prepared for EMP, but he can never expect a retrofitted EMP tech from the Kree-Skrull War. Human Torch, ridiculed, asks him of how did he get it. Iron Man replies by saying that it took a while for him to get it; he had to beat the crap out of a "certain Accuser" to get it.

Captain Britain, confident, now prepares to assault the base. He nearly flies away in light speed, but Iron Man stops him. He tells him that everyone wants to have their firsthand experience punching a Hell-Lord, so they'll just jump right to the action. Immediately, the hero, Cloak, teleports on scene and greets the group. Stark asks him what took him so long, and Cloak replies by telling him that NYC needs some cleaning up after what had happened earlier.