Chapter 920: Suggestion
Chapter 920: Suggestion
“The Penance Stare is a unique ability which is possessed by every Ghost Rider, using this ability, a Ghost Rider would be able to see into the depths of a person’s heart. It can make the sinful feel the pain that they have inflicted upon the innocent and burn their hearts using hellfire.” The old man explained the Penance Stare to Johnny and the others.
“The Penance Stare…” Johnny whispered to himself after hearing the old man’s explanation.
“Ghost Rider? What is this? It sounds very powerful and ominous. And hellfire, is that really fire from hell?” Lin Rui and Bucky were both confused by the old man’s explanation, so Lin Rui asked directly.
“Ghost Riders… They are the bounty hunters of the hell demon Mephistopheles. When evil spirits from hell come to the world, Mephistopheles sends out his knights to hunt them down and destroy them. Whoever signs a contract with Mephistopheles becomes a Ghost Rider, possessing hellfire, the Penance Eye, and Immortality as gifts from Mephistopheles.” The old man calmly explained to Lin Rui and Bucky while looking at Johnny.
“Is there really such a place as hell? Is there a heaven?” Lin Rui’s focus shifted to another topic after hearing about Ghost Riders. He seemed to believe the old man’s words without any doubt.
The old man was slightly taken aback by Lin Rui’s question. He knew for sure that hell existed, although it may not be exactly as people on Earth imagined it. But heaven, he was not sure if it really existed. After all, he had only heard about fallen angels and had never seen a real angel or God.
“It should also exist, otherwise where did those fallen angels come from?” The old man replied after some thought.
“Oh, is that so? Please continue.” Lin Rui’s eyes lit up at this answer and he urged the old man to continue speaking.
The old man was unsure where Lin Rui’s thoughts had jumped to, but he didn’t pay much attention to it and continued talking.
“There have been many Ghost Riders in the past, but they have been forgotten with the passing of time. The last Ghost Rider was active about 150 years ago in a village called San Venganza. Johnny, you are the new generation of Ghost Rider.” The old man spoke these words to Johnny, who was listening attentively and finally confirmed his identity.
“During the day, you will be normal, just like any other person, except that you have an immortal body. But at night, you will transform into the Ghost Rider and hunt down the targets given to you by Mephisto or in the presence of evil.” The old man continued to explain to Johnny.
The old man’s announcement that Johnny was the new generation of Ghost Rider elicited little surprise from those present. Johnny was already aware of this fact, Lin Rui seemed unsure how to react, and Bucky remained calm and expressionless. As a result, the old man felt a bit awkward in the face of their lack of reaction.
After a moment of silence, the old man asked Johnny, “What kind of evil spirits are you facing this time?”
“I’m not sure. There are four in total. One can turn into wind, one can hide in water, and I don’t know what the other one can do. I killed him with my whip. My target seems to be someone named Blackheart, but I haven’t seen him make a move.” Johnny replied, recalling the information.
This time, even Bucky, who had remained calm until now, showed a change in expression. The old man was clearly shocked by Johnny’s answer, his eyes becoming sharp. Lin Rui, on the other hand, remained calm, as if his thoughts were still elsewhere.
“Blackheart is the son of Mephistos, a demon. The others are known as The Hidden, fallen angels who were supposedly banished from heaven by Saint Michael himself. They are said to hide among the elements of nature, waiting for the end of the world.” The old man continued to explain the mythology of heaven and hell to Bucky and the others. Lin Rui, who had just come back to his senses, interjected, “So fallen angels are like that? They seem more like Demons or Elves. In many legends, elves are the embodiment of natural elements.”
“There are many legends, some of them are true and some of them are fabricated. As for which ones are true, it’s up to you to discover by yourself.” Seeing that Lin Rui had recovered, the old man said with a smile.
“What should I do now?” Johnny asked, now that he understood the general situation. The only thing Johnny wants to know now is how to solve the current situation he had found himself in.
“You can stay here, they can’t enter hollowed grounds.” The old man suggested to Johnny.
The old man was well aware of the fate of Ghost Riders. If Johnny wanted to break free from Mephistos control, the only option was to live in the Holy Land or on Hollowed Grounds. This had been proven through his own experience.
“Stay here forever, guarding the cemetery with you?” Johnny frowned at the suggestion. As a biker who has lived in the world for many years, Johnny couldn’t imagine spending the rest of his days with graves. Plus, he would be living in fear every day, worried that he will transform into the terrifying Ghost Rider. He couldn’t imagine such a life.
“Old man, can’t you give us some reliable advice? Like how to get rid of those evil spirits or help Johnny cancel the contract? What’s the point of hiding here for the rest of his life?” Lin Rui, sitting across from the old man, spoke up before the Old Man could continue his tale.
For Lin Rui, an outsider, the best solution is to help Johnny break free from the contract, especially since he is not a bad person, but was just used as a bounty hunter by some hell demon to deal with other evil spirits. Of course, if Johnny is still under control before the contract is terminated, then they’d better find a way to help Johnny deal with those evil spirits.
“If dealing with them was that simple then I wouldn’t mention hiding here for the rest of his days. What’s more, there is Blackheart, the son of Mephistos, who is extremely powerful and even a match for Ghost Rider. As for canceling the contract, I don’t know of any way to do it,” The old man replied helplessly to Lin Rui.