Chapter 95

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Not far away, on the rooftop of a small bungalow bathed in moonlight, three figures stood silently watching the Ghost Rider, now trapped by the metal spears on the street below. With her striking red coat and flowing hair, it was none other than the Scarlet Witch, Wanda Maximoff.

Beside her were Pietro and Sergei, keeping a vigilant watch.

"This guy only shows up at night. If we hadn't hacked the surveillance networks of several nearby cities, he'd be impossible to track," Pietro said, crossing his arms, the hem of his coat fluttering in the breeze.

Though he made it sound simple, the task had been anything but. Thankfully, Natasha had provided some remote assistance. Without her, they wouldn't have been able to hack into multiple cities' surveillance systems. The three of them simply lacked the technical expertise to pull off such a feat on their own.

Despite how easily it's depicted in movies, hacking a city's surveillance network is no small feat. The United States, famous for its "Matrix"-level monitoring systems, leads the world in network surveillance. Considerable manpower, resources, and funds have been invested in these systems for strategic purposes.

And a network security department had been established to attract the world's top experts and design a specialized firewall. But there was always a way around it—especially when you knew someone like Natasha.

Natasha didn't need to be an expert in finding vulnerabilities. Instead of attacking the system directly, she simply bypassed the firewall and found a backdoor—a network loophole. This kind of backdoor wasn't an uncommon feature in the United States, where agencies like the FBI and CIA often resorted to methods that weren't exactly legal or publicized. These "backdoors" were an unspoken agreement between certain departments, making covert access easier for those in the know.

Thanks to this, the three of them were able to locate the Skeleton Knight fairly quickly. What they didn't anticipate, however, was that Wanda's earlier feeling had been right. Magneto, the leader of the Brotherhood of Mutants, was also hunting for the Skeleton Knight, clearly drawn to him just as they were.

"By the way, this guy is a skeleton now... how are we supposed to draw blood from him?" Pietro asked with a smirk, clearly enjoying his own joke.

Wanda rolled her eyes, too tired to entertain his nonsense.

Sergei, meanwhile, focused on the scene below. The Skeleton Knight was trapped by Magneto's spears, pinned to the ground. Sergei frowned. "This guy gives me a really bad feeling. He doesn't seem like a creature from Earth."

"Is he a mutant?"

"NO," Wanda's eyes flashed red. From her perspective, she could see that the Skeleton Knight had two different souls—one human, the other from somewhere else, filled with violence.

"He's human... but also from hell."

"Hell?" Sergei asked, raising an eyebrow.

"There's a strange coincidence," Wanda continued, "between this person and the time and place Mephisto appeared."

Pietro and Sergei exchanged glances, the realization dawning on them. Pietro spoke in a low voice, "He's directly connected to Mephisto."

Indeed, when they had arrived in Texas two days ago, they had a brief encounter with Mephisto, even fighting him. And now, this Skeleton Knight had appeared in the same area. His timing and the fact that he carried a soul from hell were no mere coincidence. It all pointed to Mephisto.

Sergei rubbed his chin, thoughtful. "Mephisto still isn't giving up on Earth. Is he trying to plant a foothold here?"

"He can't come to Earth directly," Pietro said nonchalantly. "We just need to get this guy's blood."

Wanda nodded in agreement. They didn't have the luxury to worry about Mephisto's grander schemes, as long as they weren't directly affected. Whatever Mephisto planned wasn't their concern for now.

"Wait… he's fighting back," Pietro noted, raising an eyebrow.

Down below, the Skeleton Knight, pinned to the ground by Magneto's metal spears, began to stir. Blazing flames erupted from his hollow eyes, and suddenly, the fire spread along his body to the spears. In mere moments, the metal spears began to melt, the speed of the melting beyond what anyone had anticipated. Magneto's expression hardened.

Something was off about the flames.

Logically, with Magneto's control over the magnetic field, he should have been able to manipulate the metal, even in its molten state. But now, the molten metal was beyond his control. The issue had to be the fire itself, much like his earlier inability to control the chains.

"A very impressive power!" Magneto couldn't help but admire. The flames interfered with his abilities—whether this figure was a mutant or not, Magneto wanted to recruit him. The Skeleton Knight would make the perfect enforcer for his Brotherhood, a "Judgment Knight" to carry out his will.

But given how unruly the knight had been, Magneto knew he'd need to show his strength, to overwhelm the rider with sheer power and make him understand the greatness of the one he'd follow.

Boom!

Without wasting another moment, Magneto acted. Stretching his hands toward the ground, the entire city seemed to shake. The ground quaked violently, as if something monstrous was about to be unleashed.

Initially, John, the Pyro, was eager to impress. Seeing the Skeleton Knight play with fire ignited a competitive streak in him—he'd always prided himself on his own abilities and wanted to show off in front of Magneto. But the moment he saw Magneto unleash his terrifying power, the sheer force nearly suffocated him.

John had never witnessed anything like this. His face went pale in an instant.

Mystique, Magneto's oldest follower, quickly grasped what was happening. She saw the air around Magneto almost warp from the pressure he was generating and immediately understood his intentions. Without hesitation, she stepped back. The Sabretooth, just as perceptive, followed suit. But John, frozen in place, remained rooted to the spot.

Mystique chuckled and gave him a gentle reminder, "John, I think you should step back. Eric's about to show off for our new recruit."

Snapping out of his daze, John swallowed his panic and admiration, retreating to a safer distance.

The entire street's magnetic field shifted, expanding outward and even affecting the surrounding city. Magneto began to float, metal debris rising from the ground and swirling into a chaotic storm of particles. His power was immense, and he wielded it without regard for the city's safety, unleashing devastation. The night sky above was soon obscured by the torrent of metal, blocking out the moon and stars. Panic spread through the city below as people screamed and ran in terror.

Magneto couldn't care less about the frightened humans. His sole concern was the supremacy of mutants. If necessary, he would destroy the entire city to prove his point. From the sky, his deep voice echoed like that of a god, booming over the chaos below as he stared down at the Skeleton Knight.

"Surrender to me," Magneto commanded, "and I will lead you to greatness. We should not hide in the shadows of lesser humans, nor skulk in darkness like rats. We can declare our strength to the world. Join us, and this will be the wisest decision you ever make."

His words carried all the authority and domination of a god, inspiring reverence in those who followed him. Mystique, Sabretooth, and even the newly recruited Pyro looked up in awe, their eyes reflecting Magneto's grandeur. This was why they followed him: They believed in their inherent superiority, that they were born powerful, destined to rise above humanity.

But the Skeleton Knight was unmoved. He lifted his skull-like head, his hollow eyes burning with hellfire. His voice was low and hoarse as he pointed a skeletal finger at Magneto in the sky.

"You should go to hell."

Magneto's expression turned icy. "Arrogance and stupidity," he muttered, raising his right hand and pressing it down slowly.

Boom!

In an instant, the entire street's gravity shifted. A crushing force slammed into the ground, causing it to cave inward. The Skeleton Knight and his hellish motorcycle were pressed downward by the immense pressure, forcing him to his knees. He struggled to stay upright, his skeletal hands barely holding him off the ground. The hellfire in his eye sockets flickered, sometimes dimming, sometimes blazing, as he fought against the weight crushing him.

His transformation was suppressed by the overwhelming external force, and the flaming skeleton form vanished. Above Magneto, the torrent of metal particles swirled dangerously, ready to engulf the entire block at any moment, fully showcasing the power of one of the most formidable mutants.

Watching from a rooftop nearby, Wanda, Pietro, and Sergei couldn't help but be impressed.

"Holy crap, I can't handle this guy," Pietro muttered, feeling the weight of Magneto's power. His scalp tingled with unease—especially since the ability to manipulate gravity with a mere gesture seemed to directly counter his own speed.

Sergei frowned, sensing the difficulty of the situation. He glanced at Wanda. "What do you think? Do we stand a chance of stealing him away from Magneto?"

Wanda's jewel-like eyes reflected Magneto's hovering figure. After a brief moment, she responded, "It's hard to say. His power is undeniable. At this level, he's developed his ability to a terrifying degree."

"Maybe if we combine chaos magic with Pietro's speed, we might have a chance."

"Then let's do it," Pietro said, determined. "Not like we can call the boss for help, anyway."

"Calm down," Wanda said coolly. "Let's talk to him first."

She glanced down at the street, where the Skeleton Knight was no longer able to hold out. The flames in his skull had been extinguished by Magneto's power, and he had reverted to his human form. Magneto, satisfied, descended slowly as the gravity returned to normal.

Without the crushing pressure, the man lay on the ground, gasping for air, his face etched with confusion. His name was Johnathon Blaze, also known as Johnny, just an ordinary stunt driver. But a few days ago, he had begun to feel as though a second personality had taken control. At night, he would lose his flesh and blood, transforming into a flaming Skeleton Knight that roamed the city streets, passing judgment and burning the souls of the guilty.

Terrified, Johnny fled the city, attempting to escape to the wilderness. But no matter how far he went, that soul still controlled him, always driving him back. It was torture. Tonight, out of control once again, he found himself transformed, the soul of the Skeleton Knight sensing the presence of Magneto—the most wanted mutant in America.

The good news was that Magneto had the strength to suppress the cursed soul within him. The bad news was that Magneto now stood before him, intent on forcing him to become his subordinate.

With a weary sigh, Johnny struggled to his feet, glancing up at the terror-inducing figure of Magneto. "If I told you I can't control my body, would you believe me?"

Magneto nodded. "I believe you. After abilities awaken, the stronger they are, the harder they are to control. I can help you master it—quickly."

"The condition is that you let me join you."

"Good."

"But do you really think I'm a mutant? This other consciousness—it just came out of nowhere."

"I think only a mutant could explain your current situation," Magneto said, looking at Johnny with certainty. In his mind, that was the only explanation. After all, how else could an ordinary human suddenly turn into a flaming skeleton?

Johnny had no choice. The ocean of metal swirling ominously above threatened to crush him if he didn't agree. Pressed by the situation, he resigned himself to fate, hoping that Magneto could truly help him control this curse.

Just as Johnny was about to agree to join the Brotherhood, Magneto's expression froze. Mystique, standing behind him, noticed something too, while Pyro, overreacting, triggered the flame device on his wrist. Pyro's flames exploded into a monstrous fire dragon, hurtling down the street.

Boom!

The searing fire distorted the air, and its red glow illuminated the night. Johnny, eyes wide, turned to witness a jaw-dropping sight.

On a nearby rooftop, three figures leaped down from a height of over ten meters as if it was nothing. But what truly shocked Johnny was that when the fire tornado threatened to engulf them, the girl in the lead, with beautiful, slightly curly dark blond hair, calmly raised her hand. A surge of red energy enveloped the blazing inferno, and with a gentle clench of her fist, the fire tornado dissolved into harmless sparks.

Under the shimmering sparks, the three figures walked forward, unfazed. Johnny was speechless, feeling as though his life had taken yet another surreal turn. In just a few days, he had met more people with powers than he could have imagined.

Magneto, however, was thrilled. He saw the girl extinguish Pyro's flames and recognized that more mutants had appeared—young ones, too. His heart leapt with excitement. Such talent had to be brought into the Brotherhood. He couldn't let them go.

While Magneto plotted, Pyro, on the other hand, was furious. He had always prided himself on being the strongest among mutants his age, and now this girl had easily snuffed out his fire. His temper flared, and he prepared to ignite his flames once again.

But before he could act, Wanda, the girl who had extinguished his fire, turned to him. Her eyes flashed with icy coldness, and her voice rang out, sharp and clear: "Do you want to die?"

"What did you say?" Pyro barked, though his heart skipped a beat at the murderous intent in her gaze. Anger overtook fear, and he raised his hand.

Bang!

His movements stopped suddenly, as a sword pressed against his neck, drawing a thin red line. A calm voice came from beside him.

"Move, and you die."

The looming threat of death gripped Pyro, freezing him in place. The once arrogant and unruly wild child now stood frozen, subdued, like a meek lamb under the blade.

Nearby, Mystique and Sabretooth reacted immediately. Sabretooth, snarling like a wild beast, lunged at Sergei. But before he could reach him, red energy pillars of chaos magic materialized out of thin air, crossing over each other to form a cage, imprisoning the furious creature.