Chapter 97: Chapter 94
In a remote Texas town, under the night sky, the bright moon illuminated the city. Yet, the entire place seemed cast in a darker tone, giving it an eerie, gloomy atmosphere. The stillness of the night was suddenly shattered by wild laughter echoing through the empty streets.
Inside an abandoned factory, a middle-aged man wearing a black leather jacket and pants writhed in agony, clutching his head. His face was twisted in pain, yet uncontrollable laughter escaped his lips. Sparks flickered across his body, corroding his flesh, as his human face shifted intermittently with that of a skull.
Finally, with a loud bang, red-hot flames erupted from his head, consuming him entirely. His body transformed into a skeleton, its hollow eyes glowing with a faint, hellish fire. He twisted his neck, glancing at the chain hanging from a steel beam above him, as if spotting the perfect weapon.
With a swift motion, he stretched out a skeletal hand, grabbing the chain and pulling it down with a crash. The chain came loose with a violent clatter, and as he swung it over his shoulder, it wrapped around his body, moving as though it had a life of its own.
Now armed, the Ghost Rider raised his glowing eyes, staring into the distance. His voice echoed like a sound from the depths of hell.
"I smell sin..."
Like a hunter locked onto its prey, the Ghost Rider approached the classic Harley parked nearby. His terrifying skeletal fingers brushed slowly over the motorcycle. As hellfire roared, the bike twisted and transformed, finally morphing into a skull-faced motorcycle that looked as if it had been forged by the devil himself.
With a single motion, he mounted the bike.
Rumble!
The engine roared to life like a wild beast. As the tires skidded against the ground, smoke and sparks filled the air. The wheels began to glow, and then ignite.
Bang!
A sonic boom reverberated as the Ghost Rider rocketed out of the factory, leaving cracked pavement and a trail of flames in his wake.
It was none other than the Ghost Rider.
His speed kept increasing as he rode down the road, one hand gripping the handlebars, the other swinging the chain. His maniacal laughter echoed through the city streets. Along the way, parked cars, street lights, and billboards melted like wax as the motorcycle blazed past. Even a stray cat evaporated in the heat, leaving behind only its charred skeleton.
The Ghost Rider tore through the city, wreaking havoc with every mile. After an unknown amount of time, he finally slowed down on a dark and deserted street. His ears pricked up, his laughter fading, for the Ghost Rider had found his prey.
These prey had strong bodies, like wild beasts, with golden hair cascading down their shoulders. Dressed in thin vests, veins bulged from their muscles, radiating a fierce and violent aura. One of them was a woman with blue skin, her emerald-green pupils glowing like a cat's eyes in the dark, giving her an eerie, ghostly appearance.
Next to her stood a young boy, his face still immature, dotted with freckles, but filled with a rebellious expression.
The leader, wearing a brown helmet, a matching cape, black armor, and boots, stood apart. His wrinkled face didn't make him seem old; instead, it exuded a unique sense of authority and dominance, especially from the sharp look in his eyes.
"Hey, that's cool. I like his outfit. Is this who we're looking for?" the young man asked, glancing at the skeleton knight, twisting his neck as if eager for a fight.
"He's the Hell-born skeleton knight that's been causing rumors across Texas lately," the blue-skinned woman said, frowning slightly. "But is he really a mutant?"
"A very interesting boy, Raven. Whether he's a mutant or not, he pleases me," the old man said softly.
These four individuals were none other than Magneto, Mystique, Sabretooth, and John, a former student of Xavier's School for Gifted Youngsters, members of the Brotherhood of Mutants.
John had an extremely irritable and unstable personality, likely due to the influence of his abilities. He grew dissatisfied when the teachers at Xavier's School discouraged students from abusing their powers. After the Stryker incident, he met Magneto, and after speaking with him, John was captivated by Magneto's domineering attitude and his belief in mutant supremacy. This led John to run away from the school and join Magneto's Brotherhood of Mutants.
This was also the reason behind his first mission with the Brotherhood: to find and recruit a flaming skeleton to their cause. Needless to say, John, with his rebellious nature, found the flaming skeleton incredibly cool.
Magneto, along with the others, stepped forward to speak, but the skeleton knight spoke first. Sitting on his motorcycle, he pointed a skeletal finger at Magneto, and a voice that seemed to echo from the depths of hell rumbled out:
"You are guilty! Bloodstained, with innocent souls on your hands, you belong in hell."
Boom!
Before anyone could react, the Skeleton Knight tore the flaming chains from his body and snapped them towards Magneto and the others. The chains, burning with hellfire, slithered like venomous serpents toward their target.
Magneto's eyes flashed coldly.
He was Magneto, master of metal. In an instant, he activated his power, intending to control the chains. But in the next moment, his expression shifted—Magneto realized that he couldn't control them.
But the burning chain was already flying toward them.
Fortunately, Magneto had been through countless battles. Despite the unexpected situation, he activated his powers in an instant. With a swift motion, he stretched out his hand, and the billboards on both sides of the road suddenly cracked and broke apart. The chain whizzed by, but before it could strike, the fragments of the billboards shot forward, pinning the chain to the ground with precision.
Though the hellfire on the chain started to melt the billboards, it managed to delay the Skeleton Knight from retrieving the chain for a moment.
Magneto clenched his fist lightly.
Boom!
In an instant, the entire stretch of highway seemed to warp. The parked cars, street lamps, and every metal object nearby were immediately broken down into countless fine metal particles.
The particles swirled together, forming a deadly cloud. Magneto suddenly spread his fists, turning them into open palms and thrusting them downward. The metal particles transformed into a barrage of spears, roaring like a violent storm as they shot toward the Skeleton Knight.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone