578

I am Doom

After Carter Slay departed, Johnny rode his motorcycle cautiously through the dark night, arriving moments later at the ruins of San Vangaza village, navigating through the thick fog.

Though seemingly alone, he sensed countless eyes upon him, a silent, watchful presence.

Johnny knew he was right.

Within these ancient ruins lingered the trapped souls of fallen angels.

Navigating cautiously through a marsh, he finally reached a clearing.

"Johnny..."

A familiar voice reached him. He turned to see blackheart appearing around a corner not far away, gazing at him with surprise.

Johnny smiled, but his expression froze as Blackheart emerged behind Roxanne.

"Where's my stuff?" Blackheart demanded.

Johnny remained silent for a moment before retrieving the Van Vangaza Contract from his pocket. "Let Roxanne go."

Blackheart retorted, "Give me the contract first."

As he spoke, a cold wind swept across the swamp, forming figures on either side of him, eyeing Johnny eagerly but refraining from acting rashly.

In Hell, the three demons could easily overpower Johnny. On Earth, however, their powers were greatly restrained, while the Ghost Rider remained unaffected.

Aware that the Allseer's vigilant eye of Asgard silently observed him, Blackheart dared not take any reckless actions, let alone commit murder.

"Give me the contract," Blackheart demanded, extending his hand. "If you care about your girlfriend."

Johnny hesitated briefly before slowly approaching with the contract.

As the distance narrowed to a few meters, Roxanne couldn't restrain herself any longer and rushed into Johnny's arms.

Blackheart hesitated, but ultimately refrained from attacking.

Minutes passed with Johnny and Roxanne in conversation. Johnny still hadn't handed over the contract, causing Blackheart's face to darken considerably. "Hand over the contract!"

However, Johnny stepped back, clutching Roxanne, and drew a flintlock pistol, aiming it at Blackheart's head. "Kill me, and you'll never get the contract."

Enraged and humiliated, Blackheart's voice trembled, "You... you said this!"

Despite his words, he hesitated for half a second before declaring, "Attack this Ghost Rider!"

The sprang into action.

Though Blackheart hesitated, Johnny harbored no such qualms. Long before the water and Wind Demon could act, hellfire surged from his arm, enveloping the ancient flintlock pistol and transforming it into molten lava.

With a pull of the trigger, hellfire erupted!

To everyone's astonishment, the flintlock pistol fired not a bullet, but a golden object resembling... a golden feather?

Enveloped in hellfire gushing from the barrel, the golden feather easily pierced the Water Demon's body before striking Blackheart's chest.

"Boom!"

A resounding explosion echoed, accompanied by a dazzling holy light. The golden feather's power tore through the Water Demon's body and sent Blackheart flying.

Wind Demon swiftly turned back and flew to Blackheart's side. "Master!"

"It's Holy Light, and angels!" Blackheart exclaimed in horror, clutching his wounds.

He was certain the feather contained both the power of Holy Light and that of a high-ranking angel. Having encountered angels multiple times, he was well acquainted with their power.

Blackheart had also experienced Holy Light's power firsthand. Upon arriving on Earth, he had nearly been killed by the South Pole's ancient tree brimming with Holy Light.

The Water Demon perished without a fight, leaving Blackheart gravely injured.

Johnny too was stunned, gazing at the flintlock pistol in his hand.

He had not anticipated such extraordinary power from the final bullet, instantly halving the enemy's strength.

Regrettably, only one shot remained.

"Let's go!" Blackheart, severely wounded, realized he was no match for Johnny and urged Wind Demon.

In response, Wind Demon assumed a half-human, half-wind form and fled into the distance, abandoning Blackheart.

Collapsed in the mud, Blackheart's cries of agony filled the air.

Unable to escape without Blackheart, he retreated in horror, watching Johnny approach step by step.

Soon, Blackheart had no retreat. Johnny cornered him against a crumbling wall.

"It's over, Prince of Hell." Johnny brandished the chains, ready to strike.

However, a deep voice interrupted, "Stop."

Following the sound, Johnny spotted a figure clad in a metal mask and green cloak emerging from the shadows.

"Who are you?"

Intuition warned Johnny that this masked figure posed a greater threat than Blackheart.

"I am Doom," came the low voice from beneath the mask.

Johnny frowned, "Are you here to save him? He's Hell's lord."

"Yes, it matters not who he is. His life is mine now," Doom asserted.

Johnny clenched his fist, retrieving the flintlock pistol, flames crawling up its length.

"I bet that gun's empty," Doom remarked calmly, unfazed by the blazing barrel.

Caught off guard, Johnny was momentarily speechless. "..."

"It's almost dawn. You belong not to the day. Return, Ghost Rider." With this, Doom lifted Blackheart from the ground.

Though Blackheart fled, he clearly detested being taken by an unknown figure, demanding angrily, "Who are you, and what do you intend with me?"

With a single slap, Doom knocked him unconscious and carried him away.

...