Soul Cartel Discussion, Feats, Lore & Analysis Thread

[Papa Nier]

Soul Cartel is a South Korean manhwa series crafted by Kim Eun-hyo and illustrated by Kim Yeong-ji, which made its debut in 2012 on Naver WEBTOON. The series concluded with its final chapter published on April 6, 2016.

The story introduces us to Cha Shi-Hun, a young Korean boy endowed with the rare ability to see spirits. Raised by his elder sister, Cha Su-In is a descendant of a lineage renowned for its powerful mediums and exorcists. Despite his unique sight, he is devoid of any other spiritual abilities. Nevertheless, Shi-Hun endeavours to support his sister in apprehending stray, minor ghosts. His routine life is upended when he encounters a formidable demon while pursuing one such ghost.

This demon introduces himself as Mephistopheles, or Mephisto for short, expressing a desire to understand the contemporary human world through literature detailing his deeds. Mephisto issues a stark warning to Shi-Hun: fleeing would mean his doom. Demonstrating wisdom, Shi-Hun seeks his sister’s counsel without disclosing his dangerous encounter. However, it soon becomes evident that not even his sister could stand against Mephisto.

Mephisto's arrival on Earth is driven by the reincarnation of Faust, an arrogant human who once claimed immunity to Mephisto's temptations, thus sparking a contractual wager with God as the arbiter. Mephisto contends that a last-minute divine intervention unjustly robbed him of victory. He discovers that Faust has returned as Damian Lia, a teenage genius with his memories intact and of similar age to Shi-Hun. Faust proposes a new wager: if he can influence Mephisto to embrace kindness in the Underworld, he wins. However, Mephisto, wary of divine interference, designates Cha Shi-Hun as the new judge, setting the stage for an enthralling tale of supernatural encounters and moral challenges.

 

[Papa Nier]

Spirit Mediums can perceive things that are naturally invisible such as ghosts, demons, and angels.

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Spirit Mediums are able to normally interact with souls and harm them. Cha Shi-Hun before unlocking his powers is still able to beat up a ghost.

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The spiritual energy that they use in this series is called Anima, the foundation of using your body and soul combined. To use the body and soul is to use your heart. The heart is where the power to connect the two comes from. This is called Anima. Anima is the power that connects a soul and body. Even beings whose soul and body is combined from the beginning such as devils and angels. They use the heart’s Anima for using skills. Anima exists inside one’s body, so anyone can use it as a skill only when they have it taken out from their body. That’s called “Revelation”. A skill that allows them to release their Anima throughout their whole body. A beginner will emit a lot of energy from their body. However, an expert is on a level where they can suppress the enemy just by “Revelation”. Revelation is where the skill is activated. Lightning, water, fire, wind, and earth. By using either the five elements. Weapons. Special skills. Or your physical power. Or it's affected by your natural talent. Cha Shi-Hun during his six months of training is able to use this effectively now.

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Cha Shi-Hun's first technique he learns is 3rd Hand in which he charges as much spiritual power as he can into his hand before projecting it from his fist in a massive display of force, being powerful enough to match and repel a casual blow from a Mephisto with Su-In's and Faust's support and knock the wind out of other demons. However, the sheer power usage of this technique initially leaves Shi-Hun unable to move for three minutes after completion, but he has since grown to be able to lower the time between uses and move afterward.

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[Papa Nier]

Before the six months of training and a year of training. Cha Su-In stated that a small fraction of Cha Shi-Hun's power is stronger than her. However, due to a lack of training, he can't fully use it all.

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Cha Shi-Hun is able to push Gilgath back with a punch.

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Gilgath was a powerful Mein/Soul Demon who is stronger than another Mein named Nigul. Nigul can keep up with restricted Mephistopheles in his child form.

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Gilgath while using a weak Mein body he has fought almost every archdevil and archangel. Has a 5 to 5 chance in a fight against Mephistopheles.

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Gilgath managed to keep up with a full power Mephistopheles with one heart (demons and angels usually have two hearts).

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[Papa Nier]

However, Mephistopheles was restricted with a spell from the Supreme Witch.

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Gilgath is far stronger than the Supreme Witch.

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Gilgath has fought and survived a fight with all the archangels and three archdevils.

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Here is information of Mein/Soul Demons.

Demons

soulcartel.fandom.com

 

[Papa Nier]

The Soul Cartel Underworld or Afterlife World, is divided in three sections. Hell, Purgatory, Heaven. Each of the section is divided in 9 floors. These floors or layers are actually their own worlds, and are dimensionally separated from the other.

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To get past a floor, you need dimensional teleportation or specific dimensional travel,. Some characters can break through dimensions and escape them.

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A floor can contain infinite gates.

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A floor can contain infinite mazes to the point they're like a "small hill" in comparison. The Archdevil Mastema can cross through these floors.

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Faust can create his own maze, an infinite space with his mind through God's Papyrus, which lets him manifest infinite possibilities. It comes from his mind, which follows complex calculations to understand the realm of infinity.

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Within the Underworld, over 20 pocket dimensions are contained. It's described as an endless abyss.

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[Papa Nier]

Here's a bit more info about 3rd Hand. The 3rd Hand is the most basic of skills for Spirit Mediums, Emission.

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Through training with Airen at the Witches Castle along with a Training Talisman being equipped to Shi-Hun to enhance his spiritual powers, Shi-Hun can move around after using this ability.

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After six months of training Cha Shi-Hun achieved an upgraded version of 3rd Hand called Flash Punch. This skill is much more powerful than the 3rd Hand and Shi-Hun replaced it as his main skill. Additionally, there is no aftereffect and can be charged up for greater effect.

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[Papa Nier]

After six months of training Shi-Hun has learned how to use his soul energy as an aura that increases his already impressive abilities and shield him from danger. He can redirect this energy to other parts of his body if need be. This is called Manifestation.

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Before the six months of training and after seeing the battle between Gilgath and Mephisto, Shi-Hun copied Gilgath's move Annihilation which after he used was strong enough to blow back the Archdevil Beelzebub (who is as strong as Mephistopheles) who was being serious. However, much like 3rd Hand this ability has a detrimental effect only on a much larger scale. This ability takes a huge toll on the body and without the Witches healing potions Shi-hun as stated by Faust would've died and if Shi-hun ever used that ability again, he would.

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After six months during the tournament against the Pluto organization and before fighting Gairon (another powerful Mein), Shi-Hun formed a contract with Mephistopheles. The power he received was Regeneration, and the price being he has to fight Mephistopheles whenever he feels like it. It's very helpful, especially in the case of using Annihilation, which he has use multiple times now without weakening his body. His whole body can be healed, however, he still feels pain when a blow hits him. The downside to this is he can only regenerate when his heart is intact, and the time it takes to regenerate is 3 seconds.

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However, this forces Shi-Hun to withstand the excruciating pain of having one's body parts being blown to pieces and sewn back together. During his fight with Gairon both were destroying the others body through Annihilation and regenerating at the same time. Using Annihilation isn't a problem anymore after a year of his training in prison.

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[Papa Nier]

Cha Shi-Hun can use Flash Punch and Annihilation in tandem with one another to form Flash Punch of Annihilation or Flash of Annihilation. Shi-Hun can produce enough force to defeat Gairon, a Pluto who survived battles with all four Archangels and was also gifted with the power of regeneration from Mephisto.

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After training within a year in Sodom Prison, Shi-Hun learns Transcendent Annihilation. The highest form of Annihilation, which wagers one's very soul to gain "transcendent" amounts of power. With this technique, Shi-Hun was able to match Mephistopheles as well as Gabramelek (the most powerful Mein) blow for blow, even after the latter had charged his fist with all the power in a universe he had destroyed for its energy.

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Here is Shi-Hun matching Mephistopheles in his true form which left Shi-Hun tired afterwards.

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While severely injured, here is Shi-Hun being a match for Gabramelek. If Gabramelek wasn't in his own self created universe he would have taken some damage.

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After his further training with Mephisto and Heros (Cha Shi-Hun's mentor) during the tournament, Cha Shi-Hun was capable of moving in the form of afterimages to blitz his opponents. While most afterimage is linear in motion Shi-Hun's "running water movement" makes his movements circular and much harder to predict.

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[Papa Nier]

Cha Shi-Hun seems to be the only one to reform Mephistopheles, that was thought to be impossible by Faust that exceeds his imagination.

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It's heavily implied that Cha Shi-Hun constantly gets stronger every time he fights and gets stronger while in mid-combat. His power greatly increases when mortally injured. Near the end of the manhwa, Cha Shi-Hun eventually transcends.

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Cha Shi-Hun can keep on fighting despite his body being covered with lethal wounds, everyone who has made a deal with Mephistopheles have their "hearts" bounded to him.

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[Papa Nier]

Cha Shi-Hun can remove the left eyes of a Demon Beast without harming it, seems to be some form of telekinesis (this is the only time he does this).

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Before the six months of training for the tournament, Cha Shi-Hun has displayed in being very perceptive and observant due to living with lots of souls that trick humans in the Living World.

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As time went on after the six months, Cha Shi-Hun can now predict how his opponents are going to attack.

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Before the six months, Cha Shi-Hun as able to injure a suppressed Nigul to some extent.

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Nigul can easily generate this crater by punching it.

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Cha Shi-Hun during the tournament defeated Gairon who can cause massive damage to mountains with his fists.

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After a year of training inside Sodom Prison, Cha Shi-Hun can tank Gabramelek throwing a small planet ontop of him.

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[Papa Nier]

So God's world/universe consists of the Living World and the Underworld with it's 27 layers. Gabramelek's world/universe transcends all of it or it exists in it's own space outside of God's world/universe.

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It's something that goes beyond Hell, Purgatory, and seemingly Heaven, bar God's highest layer. Gabramelek plans to break through all layers to get to God. He can absorb his world and its power or his parallel worlds.

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Cha Shi-Hun is capable of matching Gabramelek after his absorbs one of the worlds. Cha Shi-Hun being described as a transcendental being beyond the soul and mind, who becomes the world itself. Cha Shi-Hun even tanks 12 parallel worlds slamming into him.

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According to Archangel Michael, Faust and Shi-Hun both harbor infinite possibilities within themselves. Faust being stated to be a man who transcended past knowledge and wisdom. Shi-Hun being stated to be a man who transcended past combat and spirit.

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Gabramelek himself can move when time as a whole collapses across his whole "transcendental" universe. Faust explains how the time in Gabramelek's world is stored.

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Shi-Hun collapses the Babel Tower by punching Gabramelek into it, and Gabramelek keeps moving just fine.

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The infinite particles inside of Gabramelek are what expand his world.

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[Papa Nier]

Cha Shi-Hun can maintain the gateway between Gabramelek's world and his world.

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Cha Shi-Hun can remember everything despite time being reversed and even exist after time was destroyed in Gabramelek's world.

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[Papa Nier]

Gairon states the Archdevil Mephistopheles represents or uses "overwhelm" and Beelzebub, represents or uses "fear". Each Archdevil's are living concepts and evil aspects of reality. Archdevils originate from the source of all darkness which has created all the evil in their world.

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Beelzebub's mere presence induces fear. Because he is the Archdevil of "slaughter", and slaughter is the root of fear.

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Archangels are also just like Archdevils, living concepts. Archangel Raphael is the root of life, death and the very world itself, and Earth.

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Archangel Uriel is all the light that came into creation and the suns. Stated to be the power that operates the world. His death can cause the suns to disappear.

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The physiology of the Archangels and the Archdevils are identical, and they use their hearts as their source of power.

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They can regenerate as long as their "heart", isn't destroyed. As long as they have one heart.

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The Archdevils are aspects or components of Lucifer. After Lucifer was killed by Michael, Lucifer was split into four pieces/Archdevils.

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Mephistopheles granted Gairon a regeneration that was potent enough to regenerate him from pieces and prevent him from dying.

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There are Meins that can alter reality at will.

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Mephistopheles and Beelzebub have been fighting since forever, before the human world was made. Their countless fights have redrawn the entirety of Hell.

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Hell has nine layers which are their own worlds.

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[Papa Nier]

Mephistopheles has granted Faust youth, beauty, marriage, and victory in a war in an attempt to corrupt him.

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Mephistopheles can destroy souls with ease.

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Mephistopheles can make contracts to bet on souls.

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The Gatekeepers of the Infinite Gates (which were made by Archdevil Mastema) can manipulate souls by absorbing them into a soul puppet. Mephisto breaks in and smacks the soul puppet away.

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Meins/Soul Demons can eat souls and harm them with their physical attacks.

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[Papa Nier]

Mephistopheles can create hellfire, that can be used to escape the endless abyss.

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Mephistopheles can make the sky turn dark and create a giant blade covered in his Flames of Deep Routed Grudge that strikes his opponent by using his Core. Also can create a giant arm that grabs onto Hell's Blade to boost it. Nigul was able to endure it before the Hell's Arm arrived to decimate him.

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Mephistopheles was unaffected by Cha Su-In's barrier which can prevent spirits to leave or enter.

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Mephistopheles can sense or perceive whenever there is a fight going on, due to being the Archdevil of Combat.

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Mephistopheles can leave his Demon Mark/Archdevil's stigma on someone's soul and will always detect them wherever they are, even if they get reincarnated.

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Mephistopheles can use Asura of Dark Fire - Six Dragons, which are six flames in the shape of dragon heads sprout out of Mephistopheles's back to boost his power.

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This is related to his other ability of summoning his alter ego Asura.

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Mephistopheles uses his arm bones to create a figure with six arms that wields six Hell's Blades. The Asura is made with his right arm bone while the swords are made with his left and the bones will immediately regenerate, if any arms are destroyed they can be replaced with flames by using the Arms of the Crimson Flame. It is capable of acting on its own. Beelzebub also has his own alter ego Yaksha, a blue-skinned giant that wields a massive spear in each of its four arms.

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With Crimson Flame Wings, Mephistopheles can uses his flames to create wings to boost his power.

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[Papa Nier]

Mephistopheles can shapeshift into anything he desires of any size, even into a size of a virus or bacteria.

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Mephistopheles doesn't need to eat or sleep. Seems to be the case for all Archangels and Archdevils.

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Mephistopheles can create contracts out of nothing.

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Mephistopheles can create barriers to protect himself.

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Mephistopheles easily broke Minotaurus's (a Mein who is their ally) chains that prevented him from entering the Underworld.

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Even Meins/Soul Demons can create barriers and prevent people from leaving places, and can even form contracts.

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Mephistopheles can differentiate the smell of people from a long distance.

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Mephistopheles can see people's auras and whatever changes within their bodies.

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Mephistopheles can see the exact amount of power someone has.

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Mephistopheles can casually enter Mastema's pocket dimensions.

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Mephistopheles can erase his Demon Marks/Archdevil's stigmas any time he wants.

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Some Meins can BFR people with their traps into the endless abyss.

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There are Meins that set objects up as conductors, capable of speaking through them and make them move. This Trap Shaman Mein created a forest called the Forest of Restriction where people have to play by the rules by restricting one of their five senses which cannot be avoided.

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[Papa Nier]

The Mein Gilgath can create a powerful aura where it can kill people nearby. Another Mein named Milon is strong enough to resist this aura.

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It's implied Mephistopheles is capable of healing an illness that magic cannot heal, despite witches having the vast source of information in the Underworld.

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Mephistopheles states poisoning him is useless. Metalbain Flower can poison Azraels (humans who become angels) and Demons (humans who become demons, not to be confused with Meins) if inhaled 3 seconds. Maybe Archangels and Archdevils just have better poison resistance.

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Faust states Archdevils cannot feel human emotions.

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The Mein Nigul can easily break through the Forest of Restriction which is made out of magic and can be shifted or manipulated by the Trap Shaman.

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The Dream of Slumber potion can put people into an everlasting slumber. When it was used on Mephistopheles, it would only put him to sleep for half a day.

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[Papa Nier]

Faust states Mephistopheles has enough power to destroy the human world.

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Worlds in Soul Cartel can contain other dimensions, like the Underworld has this Sodom Prison that exists in it's own dimension.

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Mephistopheles and Beelzebub are evenly matched in their restricted forms. When both were just born, Mephistopheles defeat Beelzebub in a preemptive attack.

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Mephistopheles with his new reforged heart that made him strong enough to overpower Beelzebub who had two hearts and was amped by Gairon making him the Black Devil's Consolidate Spear out of Beelzebub's bone (it can kill all Archangels and Demons). Mephistopheles easily shattered the Black Spear with his hand.

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Mephistopheles one shot this Mein Trapper.

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Mephistopheles easily overpowers the Supreme Witch Haelia who is a Mein/Witch hybrid.

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Mephistopheles can easily break through the Supreme Witch's spells.

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[Papa Nier]

Mephistopheles completely overpowered the Supreme Witch's strongest spell and kill her.

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The combined power of the Supreme Witch who received Gairon's cells and Gilgath couldn't defeat Mephistopheles.

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Mephistopheles can physical fight on par with Gabramelek

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[Papa Nier]

Mephistopheles has an ability that can only be used when the other Archdevils' consent called Lucifer's Esoterism that gathers and wields the power from all four Archdevils. A power that comes from a different dimension entirely and distorts space. Though Beelzebub and Mephistopheles can use a portion of it's power.

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Mephistopheles in his battle against Gabramelek in his own world, Mephistopheles acquired the full power of the Esoterism. Described as a power that is ever growing.

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Even when Gabramelek copied Lucifer's Esoterism he wasn't a match for Mephistopheles. Gabramelek couldn't copy it properly and got killed and erased in two blows.

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Gabramelek's world is bound by his laws and rules, as he is the God of his world.

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It is stated that someday Mephistopheles will become strong enough to match God.

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Mephistopheles is very clever, perceptive and observant. Able to notice that the Protection Talisman that was put on Cha Shi-Hun (the Protection Talisman is what Shi-Hun's parents attached to him, to protect him from harm like Mephistopheles's flames and also suppressed his powers for years) and recognize who his parents are. And figure out how the Trap Shaman's Forest of Restriction works.

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Mephistopheles even foreseen the Supreme Witch's 300 years long plan.

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