Chapter 96: Ghost Rider VS Wakuraba

Wakuraba's laughter echoed through the room, his voice filled with amusement. "Hahahaha! You idiot!" His words were a taunt, a cruel mockery of Jon's apparent failure to dodge his attack.

But as the smoke cleared, Jon was still standing, his body unscathed. His head was turned to the side, the impact of the explosion evident in his stance. But as he slowly turned his head back, a sight that made Wakuraba's blood run cold was revealed.

Half of Jon's face was aflame, the flesh completely burned away to reveal a half-burning skull. His voice was chilling, his words a stark warning. "It's time to pay for your sins!"

Then, the other half of his face also caught fire, his entire face transforming into a flaming skull. The sight was terrifying, a stark reminder of the power that Jon wielded.

The Ghost Rider imbued his chain with hellfire, the flames dancing along the metal links. With a swift movement, he swung the chain horizontally towards Wakuraba, the flames leaving a trail of light in their wake.

***

Meanwhile, Mitsuri, carrying the injured Shinobu, emerged from a portal.

"Hang in there, Shinobu. Kujo-san said his companion is out nearby!"

Mitsuri looked around. Suddenly, a figure appeared before her, causing her to tense up and grip her Nichirin Blade tightly.

Mitsuri was alarmed at the sight of a demon. "Why is there another demon here? It's unusual for two to appear in the same area!" she thought.

Tamayo quickly reassured her, "Please, I'm here to assist you!"

Mitsuri was taken aback by Tamayo's unexpected response.

"I am a demon, but also a doctor!" Tamayo explained.

"A demon doctor?! how can I trust you?!" Mitsuri asked, still on guard.

"If I wanted to harm you, I could have done so already. You're severely injured, and your companion is incapable of fighting!" Tamayo explained. "Also, the man who just went in to save you, I'm his companion. You can trust me!"

***

Arghh!

The world around Wakuraba seemed to spin as he was thrown back by the force of the hellfire, his demonic body searing with an intensity of pain he had never experienced before. His skin, usually impervious to harm, was now a charred and blistered canvas of agony. He could feel the rawness of his exposed bones, the heat of the fire still lingering on them.

"What kind of creation is this guy?!" Wakuraba spat out, his voice a raspy whisper. He tried to push himself up, his claws scraping against the cold, hard ground. But his strength was failing him. "Damn it, why aren't my wounds healing? It hurts... damn it... it hurts!"

Suddenly, a fiery chain shot out, its end piercing through his calf. The pain was excruciating, a white-hot sensation that made him scream out in agony. He was pinned to the ground, unable to move, unable to escape.

"Aggh!" He cried out, his voice echoing through the desolate landscape. He turned his head, his eyes meeting those of his tormentor. "Damn you, you could have killed me directly, what are you trying to do?!"

His face was a grotesque mask of pain and fear, the skin charred and peeling away to reveal the bones underneath. But as a demon, even in this state, he couldn't die. He was trapped in a never-ending cycle of pain and torment.

Ghost Rider, his skeletal face impassive, slowly approached him. "A delicacy is to be savored slowly. Shattering your soul and consuming it bit by bit is much more interesting!" His voice was a chilling whisper, a promise of more pain to come.

Wakuraba's eyes widened in terror. He had often said similar things to his prey, relishing in their fear and suffering. But now, the roles were reversed. He was the prey, and Ghost Rider was the predator.

'What kind of creature is he, wanting to eat a demon?! No, he said he wants to eat my soul... could he really be a demon?!' Wakuraba's mind was a whirlwind of fear and confusion. His injuries were so severe he could only crawl, but the chain piercing his calf made it impossible to move forward.

"You maniac, stay away from me!" He yelled, his voice hoarse and desperate. But Ghost Rider merely stopped, then walked in another direction. Wakuraba watched in confusion as Ghost Rider picked up a bowl from the ground.

His heart pounded in his chest as he recognized the bowl. It was the one he used to enjoy the flesh and blood of humans he'd blown to pieces. Was this creature planning to use that bowl to eat him?

His fear escalated, and he struggled more violently. The chain on his calf made a sound, but Ghost Rider merely glanced over, then turned his attention back to the bowl. He waved his skeletal hand, and the hellfire cleaned the bowl of all blood stains.

Then Ghost Rider looked at Wakuraba again, his eyes glowing with an eerie light. "Dinner time," he whispered, his voice sending chills down Wakuraba's spine. The demon could only watch in terror as his tormentor approached, the bowl in his hand and a promise of more pain in his eyes.

He waved his skeletal hand again, and Wakuraba's soul suddenly flew out of his body. With a loud bang, Wakuraba's soul shattered into countless fragments.

"Get in the bowl!"

With Wakuraba's soul screaming, countless soul fragments filled the bowl in Ghost Rider's hand.

Ghost Rider looked at the bowl full of soul fragments, grabbed a handful without hesitation, and stuffed it into his mouth like popcorn. The sound of Ghost Rider chewing echoed with the screams of Wakuraba's soul.

In no time, Ghost Rider finished the last of the soul fragments, the screams ceased, and he let out a loud, satisfied burp.

"Refreshing!"

[Ding! Side mission updated, eliminate the Twelve Demon Moons, gain 600 Penalty Points, current progress 2/12]

[Ding! Soul Chip trading function successful, soul exchange completed, gain 200 Penalty Points]

Hearing the system prompt, Ghost Rider retracted his chain, picked up Wakuraba's corpse with one hand, and swung the chain in the air with the other.

In a moment, a portal appeared with the rotation of the chain, and Ghost Rider, carrying Wakuraba's corpse, walked towards the portal.

***

"How's Shinobu?" Mitsuri asked anxiously.

At this moment, Shinobu was lying in the back seat of Jon's car, with Tamayo carefully treating her.

"Don't worry, her life is not in danger. She'll recover after some rest!" Tamayo reassured softly.

"That's good, thank you so much, Tamayo-san!" Mitsuri expressed her gratitude, then worriedly added, "But Shinobu is stubborn. Although that's part of her charm, I'm worried she won't rest properly. I hope Kanae-san can persuade her... Ah! What's that?!"

Mitsuri suddenly screamed. Tamayo also looked in that direction. They saw a portal suddenly appear, and a flaming skeleton walked out, carrying a charred corpse with a chain.

With a swift, commanding wave of his skeletal hand, Ghost Rider enacted a force unseen, wrenching Wakuraba's soul from the confines of his charred body. The air around them vibrated with a deafening bang as the soul shattered into countless fragments, each one echoing with the screams of the demon they once belonged to.

"Get in the bowl!" Ghost Rider's voice was a chilling command, echoing through the desolate landscape. The fragments of Wakuraba's soul, still screaming, obeyed, filling the bowl in Ghost Rider's hand. It was a sight that would have been horrifying to any mortal, but to Ghost Rider, it was merely a meal.

Without a moment's hesitation, Ghost Rider reached into the bowl, his skeletal fingers closing around a handful of the soul fragments. He brought them to his mouth, crunching on them as if they were nothing more than popcorn. The sound of his chewing echoed with the screams of Wakuraba's soul, creating a symphony of torment that filled the air.

In no time at all, Ghost Rider finished the last of the soul fragments. The screams ceased, replaced by the sound of a loud, satisfied burp. "Refreshing!" He exclaimed, his voice filled with satisfaction.

[Ding! Side mission updated, eliminate the Twelve Demon Moons, you got 600 Penalty Points, current progress 2/12]

[Ding! Soul Sacrifice function used successfully, soul exchange completed, you got 200 Penalty Points]

Upon hearing the system prompt, Ghost Rider retracted his chain and picked up Wakuraba's corpse with one hand. With the other, he swung the chain in the air, creating a portal. Without a second glance, he walked towards the portal, carrying Wakuraba's corpse with him.

***

In the dim light of the alley, Mitsuri's eyes were filled with worry as she watched Tamayo's skilled hands move over Shinobu's wounds. Her voice was a whisper, barely audible over the hum of the car's engine. "How's Shinobu?"

Tamayo didn't look up from her work, her focus entirely on the injured woman before her. "Don't worry, her life is not in danger. She'll recover after some rest." Her voice was soft, soothing, a stark contrast to the tension that filled the whole area.

Relief washed over Mitsuri, and she let out a breath she hadn't realized she'd been holding. "That's good, thank you so much, Tamayo-san!" Her gratitude was heartfelt, her voice filled with sincerity. But her worry was not completely gone. "But Shinobu is stubborn. Although that's part of her charm, I'm worried she won't rest properly. I hope Kanae-san can persuade her..."

Her words trailed off as her eyes caught sight of something outside the car. "Ah! What's that?!" Her voice was a sharp scream, cutting through the quiet of the car. Tamayo's head snapped up, her eyes following Mitsuri's gaze.

A portal had suddenly appeared in the middle of the road, and a figure emerged from it. A flaming skeleton, carrying a charred corpse with a chain. It was a sight that would have been terrifying to any mortal and immortal.

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A/N: 👋 Hey, fans of the Multiverse's Ghost Rider! I'm delighted to announce the launch of our Discord page, dedicated to all things related to our thrilling story. This platform will serve as a central hub for exciting announcements, engaging discussions, and a place for fans to connect with one another. Feel free to share your thoughts, theories, and fan art here. Let's come together and delve deeper into the captivating world of our Multiverse's Ghost Rider. Enjoy your time on the Discord page! 

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