"You… know me?"
Wanda was stunned.
She was certain she'd never seen the woman before—so how could this person recognize her?
The Ancient One calmly seated herself on the sofa, her gaze drifting toward Johnny, who was still lost in the flood of returning memories.
Her brows knitted slightly.
"The Spirit of Vengeance… No wonder I sensed a burst of dark energy just now.
So it was that old fool Mephisto."
The moment she laid eyes on Johnny, everything became clear.
The arrival of a Ghost Rider always meant one thing—Mephisto's involvement.
"Another pitiful soul."
Her voice carried genuine compassion.
Every Ghost Rider was someone who had offered their soul to Mephisto—usually deceived into doing so.
She never interfered with Ghost Riders for one simple reason:
their fate would always lead them to stand against Mephisto,
and eventually, to protect Earth.
"You're called Wanda, aren't you?"
The Ancient One looked at her again.
"I met you once when you were still an infant."
"Then… have you met my birth parents too? Can you tell me where they are?"
Wanda's question came out urgently.
She had lived with adoptive parents since she could remember, with no memory of her real family.
But the Ancient One shook her head.
"I'm sorry. I do not know who your true parents are."
She didn't elaborate.
In truth, she could have discovered the answer through the Eye of Agamotto—
but doing so risked disturbing the timeline.
She was an observer, not a meddler.
Wanda's excitement faded, replaced by mild disappointment.
Still, it wasn't crushing—after all, she had no memories of her biological parents, and thus no emotional attachment.
She had only wanted to understand her origins.
"Master Ancient One," Lucas said, "Mephisto just tried to attack Wanda. I'm worried he might attempt to possess someone using his soul projection."
Lucas was certain Mephisto would show up in person sooner or later.
According to the "script," his troublesome son Blackheart would also soon arrive on Earth in his true form—through some unknown loophole.
The Ancient One showed no concern.
"Even if he comes, he'll leave in disgrace.
Won't he?"
She glanced at Lucas meaningfully, as though she already knew every page of the story to come.
Lucas blinked, then understood immediately.
She'd already "read ahead."
He couldn't help but sigh helplessly.
"If you're that confident, then I guess things will go exactly as you expect."
She nodded gently.
"In that case, I will take my leave.
You are welcome to visit Kamar-Taj anytime."
She rose, but before stepping through the portal she created, she cast one last look at the Moogle nestled in Skye's arms.
The Moogle glared at her, brandishing its staff threateningly.
The Ancient One chuckled softly and stepped through the portal back to the New York Sanctum.
"Phew… Looks like she's planning to have me chase Mephisto back to his dimension."
Lucas rubbed his forehead.
Her parting words had practically spelled it out.
Johnny regained consciousness near dusk.
Lucas and the others were eating; when they saw him wake, they dragged him over to join dinner.
Johnny tried to decline, but between Skye and Wanda, resistance was futile.
Lucas could only roll his eyes.
Perfect—another freeloader at the table.
"Well? Did everything come back?"
Lucas asked as he shoveled food into his mouth.
"Yeah… I remember it all."
Johnny sighed heavily.
"I was the one who got my father killed… and I signed that damned contract."
In his memories, his father had cancer.
Mephisto tempted him with a deal—his father's health in exchange for his soul.
He agreed.
And the very next day, despite being cured, his father still died in an accident.
Mephisto smugly insisted he had fulfilled the terms:
the cancer was gone.
Only then did Johnny realize he'd been tricked—after which Mephisto sealed away his memories.
After hearing this, Lucas frowned.
Mephisto had no reason to erase those memories.
Judging by Johnny's description, none of it warranted a seal.
"Do you know why he sealed your memories?"
Johnny thought for a moment, then shook his head.
"No idea."
Lucas didn't pursue it. Instead, he asked another question.
"So… do you still want to kill the thing living inside you?"
Johnny froze.
After recovering his memories, he now understood that the Spirit of Vengeance didn't choose him at random—
he had chosen it.
He hesitated for a long moment.
Just as he opened his mouth—
He realized something.
It was dark.
Night had fallen.
Which meant it was coming.
Before he could say another word, smoke poured from his body.
Agonizing heat surged through him and he screamed.
His skin peeled away—
exposing muscle,
then bone—
and finally, flames erupted across his entire body, burning bright yellow.
The office door flew open.
A powerful force flung Johnny outside, dumping him onto the street.
The Moogle had sensed Johnny's hostility toward Lucas and promptly expelled him.
Johnny rose slowly, turning toward Lucas—
and in the empty sockets of the flaming skull, Lucas saw unmistakable hatred and madness.
"Sigh… What a hassle.
Knew he'd stick to me like glue."
Lucas downed the last bite of his meal, grabbed Punisher, and stepped outside.
Wanda followed immediately.
Skye wanted to go too, but one look at her plaster-covered hands reminded her of reality.
She sat by the window to watch instead.
"Wanda," Lucas said, "I'll suppress him. You just shove that skull back into Johnny's body."
Wanda nodded.
Easy enough. Even without full mastery of Chaos Magic, she could force reality to comply and drag Johnny's consciousness back to the surface.
Lucas didn't wait—
three shots fired instantly, every bullet aimed at the Ghost Rider's vital points.
But the Rider had learned.
He dodged them all and charged forward, hellfire intensifying, the air shimmering from the heat.
Lucas fired again, then leapt upward, unleashing another volley midair before landing and firing once more.
Five bullets closed in from every angle.
The Rider blocked the first with his arm.
He dodged one of the next, but the remaining two punched clean through his shoulders.
The final bullet—fired from his blind spot—slammed into his knee.
That last shot carried the most power.
It blew his leg apart, knocking the Rider to the ground.
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