"Made up your mind?"
Johnny heard a gentle voice beside him, quietly waiting for his decision.
"Being a hero isn't that easy. When you gain something, it often means you may lose even more at the same time."
"I could have made the choice for you. Now that right is in your hands. I hope you think carefully."
The dilemma stood before Johnny like two mountains. Hearing that fair advice, he lowered his head into his hands and let out a deep sigh.
After a long time, he raised his head. "That demon has a son causing evil on Earth. His name is Blackheart. He's secretly plotting something huge, using the massive soul power inside a hidden contract to strengthen himself and invade the human world."
"If I become an ordinary person, no one will stop him."
Johnny looked at Fenris, meeting his eyes without flinching, and asked with complete seriousness, "You can even stand against Mephisto. You'll stop Blackheart, right?"
"A contract?"
Hearing that, Fenris's eyes shifted. He suddenly thought of something that had been buried deep in his memory for a long time. "The San Venganza Contract?"
The San Venganza Contract was the result of Mephisto's thousand-year scheme. He had tempted thousands of people into corruption at the same time, then personally bound the souls of those fallen sinners into a single contract.
Sealed inside the contract were the powerful evil souls of thousands of fallen saints. It was a medium through which Mephisto could obtain soul power, and it could even help him break through the limits of his own strength, allowing him to descend upon Earth through the contract's power.
Aside from stirring up the holder's negative emotions, the San Venganza Contract was almost a flawless, powerful artifact. If used properly, it could increase its user's power severalfold out of thin air.
The only pity was that after the contract took shape, the Ghost Rider serving Mephisto at the time discovered something was wrong. Realizing that this treasure absolutely could not fall into Mephisto's hands, he took the San Venganza Contract and vanished without a trace, never appearing again.
"What a treasure…"
Feeling the surging hell power inside his body, Fenris fell into thought. "Fine."
He nodded. There was a world of difference between Blackheart and Mephisto. For Fenris, Blackheart was not a troublesome opponent.
Seeing Fenris agree, Johnny finally showed a relieved smile.
He abruptly stood up from the couch. Then, as if afraid he might regret it, he reached out sharply and grabbed that magnificent blue flame in his palm.
Wanda sighed from the side and withdrew the scarlet energy wrapped around the Spirit of Vengeance.
"Thank you, Fenris."
The instant the Spirit of Vengeance touched Johnny, it disappeared into thin air and merged back into his body.
Johnny felt a wave of heat inside himself. The familiar power returned in full. Quickly recovering from the sensation, he smiled at Fenris. "Thank you for giving me the right to choose, and for agreeing to deal with Blackheart. I believe you now."
"But I think some things should still be done by me."
After making his decision, Johnny seemed to let out a breath. He slowly closed his eyes, a satisfied smile appearing on his face, as if he were recalling something.
A moment later, he said, "Fenris, I'll do everything I can to help you find another Ghost Rider. If I still haven't found one after Blackheart is destroyed, then you can take my Spirit of Vengeance."
"I don't need you to help me get my soul back either. I don't need any of those conditions you mentioned. Consider it the price for me going back on my word. After all…"
"This was my responsibility to begin with. I can't let other people suffer undeserved disaster because of me."
Fenris carefully studied Johnny's face and found that the man was looking back at him with a clear conscience. He suddenly laughed. "For you, Blackheart isn't exactly an easy enemy to deal with. Aren't you afraid you'll die at his hands?"
"Hahahaha!"
Hearing that, Johnny lowered his head and laughed self-deprecatingly. "Because of that demon, I lost everything. My life was ruined by his hands. What do you think I have left to fear?"
"Years ago, I broke a promise to Roxanne. Yesterday, I finally managed to ask her out again, but…"
Johnny revealed a bitter smile. "I never expected that Mephisto would appear that same night and make me come here."
"Because of that damned demon, I let Roxanne down again. Tell me, how could I not hate him?"
Those words, filled with intense hatred, entered Fenris's ears. He looked at Johnny and gently patted him on the shoulder.
"I only sold my soul. I never sold my will."
Johnny abruptly raised his head, his eyes fixed straight on Fenris.
"When do we leave?"
…
The next day.
A massive RV slowly drove out of the hotel.
"As expected of a big star. Straightforward with money. You paid off all the damages just like that."
Inside the cabin, Fenris casually handed Johnny a glass of juice. "You're really not going to see your girlfriend?"
"No."
Johnny leaned against the couch, quietly looking out the window. The familiar city was gradually covered by the dust kicked up by the wheels, much like the things weighing on his heart.
"Whether she hates me or not, as long as she isn't dragged into this and can stay safe, that's enough for me."
At just that moment, a dangerous voice sounded, interrupting Johnny's memories. "You'd better be able to lead us to another Spirit of Vengeance. Otherwise…"
Johnny turned his head and happened to see the red light in Wanda's eyes quietly fade away.
Fenris sat down beside her and comforted her with a smile. "All right, Wanda. Things will get better."
"Fenris, they said you weren't this kind before," came her dissatisfied mutter.
"This is called knowing right from wrong, Wanda. Power needs to be restrained by the heart. Otherwise, one day, when your strength reaches a point where no one can limit you anymore, that will also be the day you completely lose yourself…"
"How could I possibly lose control?"
…
Amid their conversation, Johnny quietly hid the envy in his eyes. Two faint, hazy sensations drifted through his mind. One of them was almost identical to his own power. He knew that must be the person Fenris was looking for.
After they left the city, Emil's driving speed increased sharply. Following Johnny's directions, the RV sped all the way forward.
A day passed. When night fell again, a quiet town appeared at the end of their vision.
"Puente Antiguo. Spanish for 'Old Bridge.'"
Emma leaned her head out the window, spotting a conspicuous road sign in the distance. "Fenris, Old Bridge. Looks like we'll be resting here tonight."
"Fine…"
Fenris opened his eyes hazily and was about to say something when Emil, in the driver's seat, suddenly slammed the brakes and threw the RV into a sharp drift. The cabin immediately shook violently.
"What happened?"
"Someone's standing in front of the RV."
Emil's dissatisfied voice rang out. "Hey, you know you're blocking the road? Move already!"
"No—"
Johnny, off to the side, suddenly went blank. "That's not a person!"
In his perception, a demonic aura that had originally been extremely faint and nearly impossible to trace had suddenly revealed itself without warning.
And its position was less than ten meters in front of him.
The moment he realized that, a scorching aura suddenly radiated from Johnny's body. Before the RV even came to a complete stop, he opened the door without hesitation and charged out.
"It's Blackheart. He found me!"
(End of Chapter)
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