บท 51: Ch. 50: Screw You Iron Man!
[The legendary mission had been updated, adjudicating a thousand sinful souls, the current progress was 56/1000.]
[The Soul Sacrifice function had been successfully activated, the soul had been traded, and 50 penalty points had been accrued.]
The Punisher, having just dispatched Jigsaw, moved forward with a slow, deliberate pace. His eyes, cold and unyielding, scanned the room filled with gangsters. His voice, a gravelly whisper, echoed in the silence, "What about the others here? You decide."
Ghost Rider, his skeletal visage flickering with ethereal flames, surveyed the room. Some of the gangsters were paralyzed with fear, their eyes wide and unblinking. Others were looking around, their minds racing for an escape route. Jon, now fully in control of the Ghost Rider's power, could see their sins as clearly as if they were written on their faces. He could distinguish between those who had committed heinous crimes and those who were merely guilty of lesser offenses.
After a moment of silent observation, the fiery chain wrapped around Ghost Rider's body split into several pieces. The chains lashed out, ensnaring several gangsters. Their screams were cut short as they were instantly incinerated, reduced to ashes by the flaming chain.
"Send the rest of them to the police station." Jon said, his voice echoing with the Ghost Rider's supernatural resonance. The ones he had just executed had blood on their hands, while the rest were either coerced by threats to their families or were simply trying to survive. They were guilty, yes, but their crimes did not warrant death. It was better to leave them to the justice of the police.
With a snap of his fingers, Ghost Rider ignited all the drugs in the factory. The flames consumed the illicit substances, leaving nothing but ashes. With a wave of his hand, he extinguished the fire, then climbed into the Punisher's car.
"Okay, as you wish." The Punisher's voice was soft, almost gentle. They made quick work of the remaining gang members, rendering them unconscious before calling the police anonymously. They then left the factory, leaving behind a scene of destruction and revenge.
"Should I take you back?" The Punisher gestured towards his black car.
"No need, I can go back by myself," Jon replied. The Punisher nodded, climbed into his truck, and drove off. Before he left, he called out, "See you at the old place tomorrow."
After the Punisher left, Jon used the Apparition Spell to teleport back to his bedroom. He needed time to rest and recover, to prepare for the battles that were yet to come.
***
Two hours later, inside the police station, a policeman was interrogating one of the surviving gang members. The man was thin, his face pale and gaunt. His eyes were wide and frantic, and he was clearly under the influence of drugs.
"Don't talk nonsense! You mean a flaming skeleton attacked your stronghold, and then the Punisher tied up each of you, and called the police to arrest you?!" The policeman's voice was harsh, filled with disbelief.
"Yes, don't you even read the news?! The one who attacked us was the Flaming Skeleton. Our boss couldn't kill him with a gun, and he killed our boss in an instant!" the junkie explained, his voice trembling with fear.
The policeman was skeptical, dismissing the man's claims as the ramblings of a drug-addled mind. But the man was insistent, claiming that they had been punished for their sins by a devil sent by Satan. The policeman, a staunch materialist, scoffed at the idea of supernatural powers. He believed that the Flaming Skeleton was just an ordinary person using high-tech weapons, like Iron Man.
The man tried to convince the policeman, describing how the Flaming Skeleton had transformed from an ordinary person into a flaming skeleton. But the policeman was unconvinced, dismissing the man's claims as hallucinations caused by drug use.
The higher-ups had already put pressure on the police to hunt down the Flaming Skeleton. They were worried that if this continued, the NYPD would appear incompetent. But the policeman knew that it was not incompetence, but a lack of understanding of the supernatural forces at play.
***
The afternoon sun bathed Times Square in a warm, golden light. The city was alive with the hustle and bustle of New York's daily grind, but today was different. Today, the heart of the city was beating to a different rhythm, the rhythm of anticipation and excitement. Jon's shop was closed early, a sign on the door reading 'Closes'. He had a date with destiny, and it was waiting for him in Times Square.
Chris and his Diamond Band were about to make their debut in a large-scale performance, their first ever. The location was Times Square, the heart of New York, a place where dreams were made and broken. Jon, Annie, and a few others had been given VIP seats, a testament to their close relationship with the band.
The concert venue was a spectacle in itself. A massive stage had been set up, surrounded by a sea of people. The air was electric with anticipation. Jon navigated through the dense crowd, his eyes scanning the sea of faces until they landed on Annie and Ayla. They were already seated, their faces lit up with excitement.
"Come and sit down, it'll start right away!" Annie called out, waving him over. Her face was glowing, a stark contrast to her usual pale complexion. The atmosphere of the concert had worked its magic on her, washing away the worries of yesterday.
Once they were seated, Jon turned to Annie, curiosity etching lines on his face. "How did they solve Alberton's position?"
"They found a substitute, Lilian's new boyfriend." Annie replied, her voice barely audible over the growing noise of the crowd.
Jon nodded, his attention then drawn to the sea of spectators. He noticed a strange trend. Instead of the Diamond Band's old uniform, the crowd was adorned in black T-shirts, each bearing the image of a flaming skull. A sense of confusion washed over him. 'Those people are my fans?! But this is Chris's concert, shouldn't they be wearing Diamond uniforms?'
His Spirit of Vengeance form was a spectacle in itself, but he hadn't expected to see it emblazoned on the chests of so many fans. He turned to Annie, his confusion evident in his voice. "That...why do they wear such strange clothes?"
"This is the new uniform of the Diamond Band, don't you know? It was designed by Chris himself." Annie responded, a hint of amusement in her voice.
Jon's confusion deepened. "Since he was saved by Flaming Skeleton last time, he became a huge fan of Flaming Skeleton... Oh yes! He's the one who gave the name Flame Skeleton too." Annie added, her eyes sparkling with mischief.
"What?!" Jon exclaimed, his voice rising above the din of the crowd. Such a tasteless name was actually given by Chris?
"Why are you so annoyed?!" Annie asked, her eyebrows raised in surprise.
"No...it's nothing, because I'm also a fan of the Flaming Skeleton, so I didn't expect that it was Chris who gave him this name, that...can you tell me how he came up with this name?" Jon asked, his voice barely a whisper.
Annie chuckled, her eyes twinkling with amusement. "After being rescued by the Flaming Skeleton, Chris was interviewed by the media, and then he said in front of the media Therefore, the name was adopted by the media."
Jon's heart roared with a mix of emotions. Was Chris slandering him or fanning him? His face darkened at the thought.
Annie continued, oblivious to Jon's internal turmoil. "He still speaks bad things about Iron Man in front of the media, saying that Tony Big Shit is just a dirty capitalist, and the Flaming Skeleton is the real superhero! Well... he became popular because of this incident, and because of this, he got the opportunity to perform in Times Square."
Jon's face darkened further. This was a clear act of provocation.
"By the way, Chris not only changed the team uniform, but also came up with a new song. Although it's tacky, he just likes it." Annie added, her voice filled with amusement.
"What... what song?" Jon asked, a sense of foreboding creeping up his spine.
Annie smiled, her eyes twinkling with mischief. "It will start soon, you will know after a while!"
As soon as Annie finished speaking, the crowd erupted into cheers. Chris and the members of the Diamond Band took the stage, their presence commanding the attention of the entire crowd. Chris moved to the microphone, his hand raised for silence. The crowd fell silent, their eyes fixed on Chris.
Jon's heart pounded in his chest. He knew what was coming. He braced himself for the inevitable.
After what felt like an eternity, Chris yelled into the microphone, his voice echoing across Times Square. "Screw you Iron Man, long live Flaming Skeleton!"
The crowd erupted into cheers, their voices echoing Chris's words. "Screw you Iron Man!" "Long live Flaming Skeleton!"
Jon sat in stunned silence, his mind reeling from the unexpected turn of events. He was the Flaming Skeleton, and he was a hero. The realization hit him like a punch to the gut. People were noticing. And it was only a matter of time for him to get exposed.
Annie's smile faded as she observed Jon's gloomy expression. She couldn't help but feel concerned. She turned to him, her voice filled with worry. "What's wrong with you, Jon? Is something wrong again?!"
Jon's eyes remained fixed on the stage, his features etched with a mix of emotions. He took a deep breath, trying to compose himself. "It's nothing, Annie," he replied, his voice devoid of emotion. "No, I was just... surprised by Chris's words."
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