27: Ghost Rider

Several youths nodded, their faces flushed with embarrassment. "Master Shenbing, we're in dire straits. If you could stay for a while and protect us, we might be able to devise a plan to confront the demons."

Rhodes shook his head, gently disengaging from the woman. "The demons emerge at night, correct?"

"Yes."

"Stand up; I'll help you deal with the demons tonight," Rhodes assured, guiding the women to rise.

Grateful smiles spread across the villagers' faces as several young people escorted the women away from the scene, while the others knelt to Rhodes and Sig. "Your immense kindness is truly appreciated."

Exiting the room and shutting the wooden door behind them, they left Rhodes and Sig to their devices.

Sig turned to Rhodes, inquiring, "Should we wait here tonight?"

Rhodes shook his head, his hand gently pushing the woman away. "Our primary goal is Laufey. We can't afford to waste time here. We need to take the initiative and strike tonight, eliminating the demons. This should buy the unfortunate villagers time to seek assistance."

Sig nodded, aware that if they dallied too long, Laufey might succeed in accessing the treasure box. This would be detrimental to their pursuit of justice.

After consuming the dishes prepared by the villagers, Rhodes and Sig hid amidst the grass near the village entrance.

Before them stretched a plain fringed by forests. According to the villagers, the demons targeted this area when attacking the village.

Rhodes and Sig masked their presence, remaining vigilant to avoid alerting the enemy. If they allowed the enemy to escape, they might not get another opportunity.

As the moon ascended to its zenith, its light bathed the plain in an ethereal glow, casting a blue hue over the verdant grass.

The gentle breeze tousled the grass, propelling a black figure forward. Rhodes narrowed his eyes as a shadow materialized on the fringes of the woods.

Through his farsighted vision, he observed the figure's movements with precision.

"Is this a denizen of hell?" Rhodes wondered aloud. The entity before him bore two horns, its crimson-red body accentuated by coal-black eyes. Swiveling eyes surveyed the surroundings, encased in an aura of darkness.

Given its distinctive features, Rhodes surmised that it was a demon from hell.

"How did such creatures manifest in this realm?" Rhodes pondered. Normally, such entities required summoning; they couldn't traverse to Earth independently.

As he contemplated emerging from the grass and swiftly dispatching the demon, Rhodes heard the distant sound of hooves.

"Boom boom boom~"

The cacophony of approaching horse hooves reached their ears, culminating in a fiery figure soaring into the sky from within the woods. Illuminated by the moonlight, the figure's silhouette became discernible.

A skull-headed figure, wreathed in hellfire, rode astride a black skeletal horse.

The skeletal figure sported a gentleman's top hat, crimson flames emanating from its eye sockets, with the flames conspicuously avoiding its top hat.

Drapped in a black cloak, the figure emanated an air of elegance, enhanced by the fiery inferno billowing beneath it.

The skeletal horse's hooves radiated flames, while the entirety of its skeletal frame boasted a metallic black hue.

Rhodes recognized the figure—Ghost Rider. However, this wasn't the Ghost Rider from his era. The Ghost Rider of this time resided solely in folklore; none knew the true nature of the enigma.

While Rhodes could overcome him in terms of strength, the Ghost Rider's immortal, indestructible nature required more than mere physical annihilation to vanquish him.

Rhodes' intention wasn't to battle him indefinitely; their focus was Lau Fei. Engaging in combat would only serve to delay their mission.

To maintain their momentum and ensure their hunt for Lau Fei remained unhindered, Rhodes opted to stay concealed, observing from the shadows.

The Ghost Rider withdrew a flaming one-handed sword, confronting the demon.

Sig, without reservation, charged forward, believing the Ghost Rider to be the menacing demon of the villagers' descriptions.

Despite his familiarity with the Ghost Rider, Sig treated him as a threat in this context. The Ghost Rider's appearance contrasted sharply with the demon's more benign visage.

Indeed, the demon's appearance seemed much less sinister than the Ghost Rider's.

A milky-white light cannon burst forth from Sig's spear, hurtling toward the Ghost Rider.

The Ghost Rider swiveled around, slicing through the light cannon with his sword. He then locked his flaming gaze onto Sig, who was rapidly advancing.

Having emerged from the grass, Rhodes addressed Sig's impulsive act, realizing the situation required guidance.

The demon's attention shifted to Rhodes, prompting him to reveal himself.

Oddly enough, it seemed the demon desired a worthy adversary and sought to challenge Rhodes directly.

The demon raised its clawed hands, a playful smile tugging at its lips.

"You're overly confident," Rhodes quipped, pushing his spear forward, piercing the demon's heart.

A spray of blood gushed from the wound as the demon maintained a mocking smile. Clutching Rhodes' spear with both hands, it pulled him closer.

Rhodes stabilized himself, leveraging his position to propel his spear deeper into the demon's body. The spear emerged on the other side, embedding a still-beating black heart on its tip.

The demon chuckled as if ridiculing Rhodes for underestimating it. Lunging forward, it hurtled along the spear toward Rhodes.

Rhodes reacted calmly, releasing his grip on the spear, allowing the demon to draw closer.

In the nick of time, he deftly evaded the demon's attack and landed a powerful punch. The impact bore a hole through the demon's body, splattering black blood across the nearby grass.

The demon, however, displayed undeterred ferocity, striking back with its claws. Rhodes blocked the blow, his arm sinking into the earth beneath him.