บท 16: CHAPTER 16
Rhodes furrowed his brow. "You want us to protect you from the demons, correct?"
The individuals who were apparently at the center of the issue found themselves stunned, cold sweat dripping from their foreheads. They feared that the women in their village might not be pleasing enough to attract the attention of a few magic-wielding soldiers, inadvertently offending them.
In the face of the demonic threat, countless lives had been lost in the village. Some of the girls had lost their fathers, while others were widows who had never spent a night with their husbands.
All of them were well aware of the horrors the demons brought, and they had willingly offered themselves as sacrifices to ensure the village's future.
Several youths nodded sheepishly. "Master Rhodes, we're at a loss. If you can stay for a while to protect us, we'll surely find a way to deal with the demons."
Rhodes shook his head and gently pushed the woman aside. "Demons appear at night, correct?"
"Yes."
"Stand aside. I'll help you deal with the devils tonight. No need for thanks."
Several young people exchanged glances and immediately knelt before Rhodes, along with a few women. "We're immensely grateful for your great kindness!"
With that, Rhodes promptly exited the room and closed the wooden door behind him.
Sig looked at Rhodes. "Are we really going to wait like this tonight?"
Rhodes shook his head. "Our primary goal is Laufey. We can't afford to waste time here. We'll take the initiative to attack tonight, attempt to eliminate the demons, and buy some time for these unfortunate mortals to seek help."
Sig nodded, understanding that lingering here would be a disservice to their mission. Wasting time could allow Laufey to open the treasure box without interruption, putting his selfish desires before the greater good.
After partaking in the dishes offered by the Egyptian villagers, Rhodes and Sig concealed themselves in the grass not far from the village gate.
In front of them lay a plain surrounded by forests. According to the villagers, if the demons intended to harass the village, they would inevitably pass through this area.
Rhodes and Sig remained vigilant, watching silently so as not to alert the enemy. A second chance might not present itself if the demons managed to escape.
The white moon ascended to its zenith, casting bright moonlight upon the plain. The lush green grass took on a faint blue hue under its radiance.
The gentle breeze swept over the shallow grass, swaying it aside. In the distance, a dark figure stepped onto the plain, each step leaving an imprint.
Rhodes narrowed his eyes when he spotted a distant black shadow on the forest's edge. His vision magnified the scene, revealing the figure's features in detail.
"Is that a Hellspawn?" Rhodes furrowed his brow. The creature before him had two horns on its head, crimson-red skin, pitch-black eyes, and dark red pupils that scanned its surroundings.
Based on these features, Rhodes could only think of Hellspawn.
"How did these creatures end up in a place like this?" Rhodes wondered. Typically, such creatures could not reach Earth without someone summoning them. This raised questions about how they had appeared here independently.
As Rhodes was about to step forward to quickly deal with the Hellspawn and return to rest, a distant neighing sound reached his ears.
"Boom, boom, boom."
The sound of approaching hoofbeats grew louder, and suddenly, a fiery-red figure soared into the air from the trees. The figure was illuminated by the moonlight.
A skull-headed man engulfed in hellfire rode atop a skeletal black horse.
The man wore a gentleman's top hat, and bright red flames surged from his fiery eye sockets but curiously did not ignite his hat.
Draped in a black cloak that fluttered in the gentle breeze, the skeletal horse beneath him had hooves wreathed in flames, and its entire bony structure gleamed with a dark iron-like sheen.
Rhodes recognized him as the Ghost Rider, although this version of the Ghost Rider was a legend in this era, and his true nature was shrouded in mystery.
In terms of strength, Rhodes could defeat him, but the Ghost Rider possessed a unique immortality that made defeating him with physical means futile.
Rhodes opted to remain hidden, not engaging the Ghost Rider yet, as doing so might result in an endless battle.
To avoid hindering their pursuit of Laufey, Rhodes chose to bide his time and observe quietly.
The Ghost Rider unsheathed a flaming sword from his waist and confronted the Hellspawn without any words.
Sig, unbound by restraint, rushed forward at this point, not recognizing the Ghost Rider and assuming him to be another threat like the Hellspawn.
Sig unleashed a milky-white light cannon from the tip of his spear, which flew toward the Ghost Rider.
The Ghost Rider swiftly turned and split the light cannon in two with a swing of his sword. Then, he fixed his fiery eyes on Sig as he charged.
Rhodes also stepped out of hiding. Just as he was about to explain to Sig, the Hellspawn lunged at him, thrusting its sword toward his face.
Rhodes dodged the attack swiftly, and his spear spun in his hand, forming a dazzling spiral. He closed the distance and aimed to strike the Hellspawn.
However, to his surprise, the Hellspawn allowed Rhodes' spear to penetrate its heart without resistance.
It held the spear firmly with both hands and pulled it, attempting to draw Rhodes closer.
Unfazed, Rhodes braced his stance, pushed his waist forward, and thrust the spear deeper into the Hellspawn's body. A black heart still beat at the tip of the spear.
The Hellspawn laughed, even as blood spurted from its mouth. It then released the spear and tried to advance on Rhodes by flying along the length of the weapon.
Rhodes swiftly backed away, dislodging the Hellspawn, who landed on the ground with a thud. Black blood stained the grass beneath it.
The Hellspawn struggled to rise but was cut down by Rhodes, ending its life with a few precise strikes.
Rhodes turned his attention to Sig, who was engaged in a battle against the Ghost Rider. Sig's fight was challenging, and the Ghost Rider proved a formidable adversary.
Rhodes approached to assist Sig, but the Ghost Rider suddenly directed his fiery gaze at Rhodes.
Seeger was deeply engrossed in the battle and didn't notice Rhodes initially. Rhodes, too, didn't want to distract Sig.
Yet, the Ghost Rider seemed to seek a worthy opponent, and he wanted to challenge Rhodes actively. He raised his clawed hands and gave Rhodes an almost playful smile.
"You're far too confident," Rhodes said calmly, advancing with his spear.
After a few words, Rhodes lunged forward, and his spear impaled the Ghost Rider's heart.
"Poof!" The Ghost Rider was pierced through the heart, spewing blood before looking at Rhodes with a smile, its clawed hands still clutching the spear.
It pulled the spear, trying to draw Rhodes closer, but Rhodes didn't yield. Instead, he thrust the spear deeper through the Ghost Rider's heart.
The Ghost Rider's body convulsed and then fell still. Its flaming form dissipated into the air.
Rhodes retracted the spear and bathed in the Ghost Rider's fiery remains with his sun-like flames to extinguish them.
Sig approached Rhodes, visibly relieved that the Ghost Rider was no longer a threat.
"He's not dead yet," Rhodes informed him.
"What!" Sig exclaimed, alarmed. However, he soon noticed the flames reigniting in the Ghost Rider's eyes.
Although the Ghost Rider had resurrected, he didn't immediately resume the battle. Instead, he regarded Rhodes with a calm gaze.
In this situation, there was no need for further combat. Rhodes released his hold on the Ghost Rider, realizing that the fight had left the Ghost Rider without the will to continue.
"You're quite formidable and better equipped to hunt these creatures than I am," the Ghost Rider remarked. "My strength is still insufficient. It took me three weeks to defeat the Hellspawn you dispatched with ease."
Rhodes shook his head, understanding that he couldn't divert his attention to protect ordinary humans when Laufey was the greater threat.
"Your strength isn't lacking; you simply need to find inner calm and harmony with the spirit of vengeance within you," Rhodes advised.
His words seemed to resonate with the Ghost Rider, who questioned, "How did you know that I would momentarily lose control during battle?"
Rhodes knew the weakness of Ghost Riders—the potential loss of control during battle if they didn't effectively manage their connection with the spirit of vengeance. To harness their full strength, they needed to coexist and cooperate with the spirit.
"You must learn to calm yourself, reconcile with the spirit within you, and not suppress or resist it, but rather understand it," Rhodes explained before departing.
The Ghost Rider remained seated, deep in thought, as Rhodes' words echoed in his mind.
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