On a somewhat old highway, a rugged heavy truck sped past at high speed.
The sun hung high overhead, baking the endless yellow sand on both sides of the road until it shimmered with heat. Amid that monotonous expanse of yellow, the occasional patch of dark green could still be seen.
"Wanda, close the window."
A faint breeze carrying a wave of heat slipped through the gaps in the RV's cabin, and Fenris's lazy protest immediately sounded.
"You're disturbing my sleep."
"Fenris, you're almost sleeping more than twenty hours a day now."
Emma walked out from the spacious rear compartment and looked helplessly at Fenris, who was lying on the sofa with two Arc Reactors in his arms, his eyes heavy with sleep.
"You sleep in the car during the day, go back to New York to sleep at night, sleep at Stark's place, and you even run all the way to Antarctica just to sleep. At this rate, sooner or later, you'll curl up inside the Colosseum and take a nap there too..."
"We've been heading south from New York State, and now we're almost at that New Mexico you mentioned. We've crossed more than half the United States, but you've barely gone out with us at all."
"Exactly, exactly."
Wanda nodded busily from the side. "We're about to reach the first city in New Mexico. Come out and walk around with us, okay?"
"Emil has been driving the whole time. He wants to go out and have fun too!"
"I follow the boss's orders."
A muffled voice came from the driver's cabin at the front of the vehicle.
"No..."
Fenris shut his ears, turned over, and pretended he had not heard anything.
"Fenris..."
Wanda spoke in a low, drawn-out voice, only to find that he had already fallen deeply asleep.
"Wanda, don't disturb him."
Emma found a spot beside Fenris and sat down, casually draping her coat over him. She could not help smiling.
"Recently, the Hell power inside Fenris has been erupting more and more often. That kind of pain isn't something an ordinary person could endure. Let him rest a little longer."
"We're still able to come out and enjoy ourselves. Compared with Connors, Otto, and Banner, who stayed behind at the academy to work and make money for Fenris, we have it much better."
"That's true."
Wanda blinked, then nodded in agreement. "I just wonder where that Spirit of Vengeance and Ghost Rider he mentioned are."
"Legends of God and angels, envoys of Hell and demons. I didn't expect any of it to actually exist."
"I just don't know what connection that Hell has to the Hell power inside Fenris..."
Wanda propped up her chin and looked out at the yellow sand beyond the window, muttering nonstop.
Emma looked at this girl who had only recently left Sokovia and felt as though she were seeing herself from decades ago. The stories Fenris had told were indeed strange enough for a child who was still so pure.
She rubbed Wanda's hair and smiled softly. "Didn't Fenris already say it? When it's time to meet them, we'll meet them."
"Relax. With me and Abomination here, no one in this place can hurt you."
Wanda protested, "I can protect all of you too."
"Haha..."
As the vehicle sped forward, the scenery outside the window gradually changed from dull stretches of yellow to scattered traces of human life.
"Boss, we're here."
After an unknown amount of time, the vehicle, guided by the road ahead, came to a steady stop outside a luxurious building.
"This is the most expensive hotel in the city. Let's stay here tonight."
Emil stretched, then came into the rear compartment to wake Fenris and the other two.
The long drive had not made him look the slightest bit tired. On the contrary, he still seemed full of energy.
"Oh, looks like we don't have to go to Los Angeles today?"
Fenris opened his sleepy eyes. After coming back to his senses, he shook his head with a regretful look.
"Tony only told me a few days ago that he'd successfully simulated my atomic breath using a high-temperature atomic torrent. My first suit of Iron Man armor is almost finished."
"Do you even need armor, sir?"
Remembering the scene of Fenris sending him flying with one slap, Emil's face stiffened.
"Let's go. Time to head up and sleep."
Fenris patted Emil's shoulder in satisfaction.
Hardworking, obedient, and reasonably strong. As long as Emil followed him, he would only become stronger in the future, turning into an even more qualified super tool.
Not bad.
After getting out of the vehicle, Wanda followed close behind Fenris and glanced around. Suddenly, she let out a small cry.
"Johnny Blaze!"
Not far away, an eye-catching poster was pasted onto a billboard.
On the poster, a man wearing sunglasses was riding an especially cool-looking motorcycle. Beside him were several lines of enormous promotional text.
The greatest motorcycle stunt rider in history.
The superstar idol of countless professional motorcycle riders.
The undefeated man.
Johnny Blaze will ride his machine across an entire football stadium today, along with six UH-106 helicopters!
"Wanda, you know this person?"
Emma looked at the man on the poster, then glanced at Fenris.
Mm. Fenris was still better-looking.
Wanda instantly became especially excited. She tugged at Emma's sleeve.
"Of course. He's a huge celebrity. I even heard about him back in Sokovia!"
"Pietro is a crazy fan of his too! Emma, how about we go watch his show?"
"If I get to see Johnny perform live, Pietro will be so jealous when I go back that he'll lose his mind!"
"I think you just want to show off."
Emma looked at the excited Wanda, the corners of her mouth lifting slightly. Then she turned to Fenris with a smile.
"Fenris, do you want to go?"
"Yes."
Unexpectedly, Fenris, who had refused to go out no matter what before, nodded without hesitation the moment he heard Johnny Blaze's name.
"Hm?"
Wanda froze, almost thinking she had misheard.
Fenris stared fixedly at the man in the poster. His once-drowsy eyes suddenly became unusually clear.
"Ghost Rider, Johnny Blaze."
"I wonder if this world's Johnny is that super-rich man who lost himself and committed every evil imaginable..."
...
A short while later.
Thanks to Fenris's financial power, the group successfully booked a private box with an excellent view inside the stadium. From there, they could clearly see every part of the field.
Of course, the most important thing was that they might get a chance to meet the famous Johnny Blaze up close. If they were lucky, they might even get his autograph.
The performance had not yet begun, but the atmosphere in the stadium was already extremely heated. Many people were holding up tall signs printed with Johnny's photo and cheering nonstop.
"Johnny Blaze is here!"
No one knew where the scream came from, but in the next instant, thunderous applause and welcoming cries rose from the stadium like a tidal wave.
A tall, lean man in motorcycle gear walked out amid the crowd's cheers. Wearing a friendly smile, he kept waving to the people in the stadium, instantly drawing even louder screams.
"I can see it. He really is a superstar."
Emma crossed her arms and raised her brows in surprise.
"No."
Fenris suddenly sprang up from his seat. His eyes were locked firmly on the man below, who was being worshipped by the crowd, and they were filled with doubt.
"Strange. No matter how I look at him, he's just an ordinary person."
"Did this Johnny never sign Mephisto's soul contract?"
(End of Chapter)
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