Support me and be 30 chapters ahead of webnovel:
patreon.com/Draco_
*****
"Got some bad blood with them?"
Mike raised an eyebrow and said, "No."
Just as Coulson looked puzzled, Mike added calmly, "I've had a few run-ins with the demon he made a deal with."
"That demon?"
Coulson was taken aback.
Damn, they messed with the boss himself? And now the underlings are coming to stir up trouble?
"Don't worry. That demon wouldn't dare make a move," Mike said vaguely. "Go handle things back at the restaurant."
With that, he hung up.
Coulson stared at the phone, his face thoughtful.
There was a lot to unpack in those few words. He needed time to process it all, summarize the key points, and report back to his director.
Mike put away his phone and turned to Raven and Gwen. "Still hungry?"
They had barely started eating when the Ghost Rider had shown up.
What a waste of a table full of delicious food.
Gwen licked her lips and nodded. Then, blinking, she noticed Mike's bare head and asked, "Dad, where's your hat?"
Hearing Gwen's question, Raven looked over as well.
Mike slightly opened his hand, pulled his hat from the dimensional pocket, and put it back on with a smile. "Don't worry, it won't get damaged."
Both girls nodded in satisfaction.
"Let's go get something to eat."
Waving to them, Mike led the two back toward the hotel restaurant.
Meanwhile, after Mike's battle with the Ghost Rider...
In a public cemetery on the outskirts of town, three uninvited guests arrived.
Blackheart, Carrie, and Wind Demon.
As they stepped into the graveyard, an old man wearing a cowboy hat appeared, holding a Winchester shotgun.
He pointed the gun at them with a cold expression and said, "Get out. You're not welcome here."
Wearing a black trench coat, with a deathly pale complexion tinged faintly green, Blackheart sneered, "Trying to scare us, Carter Slade?"
Wind Demon cackled, "Hand over the Contract of San Venganza."
But Carrie wasn't focused on the old man. She stood still, sensing the surroundings of the cemetery.
Carter Slade lowered his hat brim and said, "If you want it, come take it yourself."
Suddenly, Carrie's gaze shifted behind Carter Slade. "It's there—in that shovel next to him."
She had the ability to passively sense items connected to her or those she was actively searching for. When she concentrated, she could locate them with high precision.
The closer the target, the clearer the signal.
As soon as she spoke, Wind Demon let out a distorted laugh. His body blurred and transformed into a gust of wind, racing toward the shovel at high speed.
Just then, a flicker of flame sparked at Carter Slade's fingertips. Hellfire consumed his flesh, transforming him into the Ghost Rider. At the same time, the shotgun in his hands reshaped instantly in the hellfire.
A gunshot rang out the next second.
"Boom!"
Countless burning pellets tore through Wind Demon as they flew toward Carrie and Blackheart.
Carrie's eyes flashed. A wave of invisible telekinesis instantly froze all the bullets midair. Seizing the moment, Blackheart lunged toward the shovel.
But just then, a flaming Ghost Rider steed burst forth, slamming into Blackheart and sending him flying. Its jaws opened and unleashed a stream of fire toward Wind Demon, forcing him to retreat.
Carter Slade seized the opportunity, grabbing the shovel. With a firm squeeze, he crushed it, catching the contract that fell out from within.
Then he turned and fired another shot at Carrie before leaping onto the horse's back.
The ghostly steed neighed, hooves rising high, as it leapt over the charging Blackheart and galloped into the distance with its master.
"Stop him!"
Blackheart roared. Wind Demon shrieked with laughter as he gave chase, but Carter Slade yanked a rope hanging from the saddle.
Infused with hellfire, the rope transformed into a flaming serpent. With a swing of Slade's arm, it morphed into a spinning vortex of fire that swallowed Wind Demon whole amid his screeches.
In an instant, the first of their group to give chase was reduced to ashes—dispersed by the wind.
Blackheart watched as the Ghost Rider horse was about to exit the cemetery and shouted, "Carrie!"
Carrie's eyes gleamed. With a wave of her hand, the bullets she had previously frozen launched at Carter Slade, blasting burning holes across his body.
But for the Ghost Rider, such wounds were meaningless.
Blackheart charged forward, racing to intercept Carter Slade.
Carter Slade swung the rope in his hand. It coiled into a loop mid-air, wrapping around Blackheart. With a forceful yank, he flung Blackheart away—and fired again.
"Bang!"
Burning bullets shot toward Blackheart.
With a furious roar, Blackheart unleashed waves of dark energy from his palms. The shockwaves blasted the bullets aside and slammed straight into Carter Slade.
But instead of being knocked down, Slade used the momentum of the impact to accelerate even more, sprinting off at an even faster pace.
Just as he covered some distance, the ground beneath them suddenly snapped shut like the pages of a closing book, slamming upward toward them. At the same time, dozens of tombstones lifted into the air—under Carrie's control—sharpened into spears and launched at Carter Slade.
Carrie's pupils turned vertical, her eyes glowing as a terrifying wave of telekinetic pressure crashed down on Carter Slade.
The Ghost Rider's horse's hooves sank deep into the ground.
In the next instant, the upturned earth clamped shut around them, and the stone spears slammed in hard.
Seeing this from above, Blackheart—falling back to the ground—grinned and charged forward.
Suddenly, hellfire erupted in a frenzy, turning the earth around them to ash. Carter Slade broke free from Carrie's restraint in a blaze of infernal fury.
But just then, Blackheart leapt forward, grabbed Slade by the throat, and yanked him off the horse, slamming him hard into the ground.
As the Ghost Rider's steed turned around to rescue its master, Carrie raised her palm and unleashed a blast—
Boom!
The Ghost Rider's horse was sent flying.
Blackheart tightened his grip on Slade's throat, pinning him firmly to the ground.
Dark energy surged from Blackheart's body, washing over Carter Slade, causing the hellfire engulfing him to flicker and gradually die down.
In Slade's hollow eyes, two spinning vortexes of flame appeared—the Penance Stare.
Blackheart sneered and said, "Save your strength. That trick doesn't work on me."
As he spoke, black magic flooded out again, forcefully stripping Slade of his Ghost Rider form.
Blackheart reached into Carter Slade's pocket and retrieved the Contract of San Venganza. A glint of satisfaction flashed through his eyes.
"We've got it."
Carrie walked over and looked at Blackheart coolly. "Don't forget what you promised me."
Blackheart looked at her and smiled. "That was always part of the plan, dear Carrie."
His eyes gleamed as he looked down at the unconscious Carter Slade and chuckled. "And now, I have a gift for you."
(End of Chapter)