( 3rd POV )
A few moments later, after explaining the plan. Ken and Johnny stood at the forefront of the group, his flaming skull casting eerie shadows against the frozen battlefield. In his right hand, he gripped a heavily modified shotgun, which he picked up from his hell cycle.
But within it, a bullet infused with holy energy, a rare artifact given to him by an old acquaintance, prepared to be fire.
Ken surveyed his gathered companions before nodding with satisfaction. "Yosh, everyone understands their roles, right?"
"Leave it to me, Ken-sama. I won't let you down." Ushiwakamaru replied as she vibrated with anticipation, fingers hovering over the hilt of her katana.
"Why only that samurai and the flaming ghost whose got own role in your plan? Are you sure you're not intentionally excluding me, Ken?" Mordred shifted impatiently, after hearing Ken's plan.
Ken simply rolled his eyes in response to her complaint. "I need you to stay here to protect the poor little me, Mo-chan," he said with a teasing tone.
However, deep down, the truth was that he wanted to avoid the sheer chaos and destruction she might unleash with her Noble Phantasm. After all, he didn't plan to kill Robbie Reyes.
Mordred narrowed her eyes, studying him intently as if trying to discern his true intentions. After a moment, she let out an annoyed snort. "Hmph, fine. I'll listen to you this time,"
Mash let out a soft chuckle at their familiar exchange. Turning her attention to Ken, she asked with a mixture of curiosity and concern.
"Senpai, are you sure this is going to work?" Her voice carried a note of hesitation as she sought reassurance about the plan.
Ken responded with a confident smile. "I'm 90% sure," he said firmly. "As Mr. Blaze mentioned earlier, Elias Morrow's spirit isn't a true Spirit of Vengeance. It's closer to that of a malevolent wraith. So, that gives us a significantly higher chance of succeeding."
The Ghost Rider interrupted, his voice trying to sound casual as he tried to correct Ken. "Just call me Johnny, kid," he said, turning his attention to Mash, he added reassuringly, "And don't worry, miss. If what he says is accurate, this plan is also the safest one for Robbie."
Mash nodded in relief after hearing their responses. Ken took a moment to observe the two key players, ensuring they were prepared. Once satisfied that everything was in place, he gave a clear signal. "Then let's move."
At Ken's signal, Ushiwakamaru vanished—a blur of motion so rapid it defied the senses. Her sandals barely brushed the frost-laden ground as she accelerated, her body weaving through the residual flames and ice.
The sharp scent of ozone filled her nostrils as her keen eyes locked onto Eli Morrow, the evil Ghost Rider. Noticing that he was preoccupied, his skeletal form wreathed in dwindling flames as he struggled against Anastasia's relentless blizzard attacks, she immediately took this chance.
With fluid precision, she drew her katana, its steel glistening with an otherworldly sheen. She whispered the invocation of her Noble Phantasm.
"This is just one of my legends!
My body dances upon the water's surface like a bird flying through the air."
"Dan-No-Ura : Eight-Boat Leap!"
Seven luminous figures materialized around her, each an exact replica of her form, their blades drawn in unison. As one, they surged forward, their movements synchronized in perfect harmony. A seconds later, they are already surrounding him from every direction.
"Huh!?"
Caught off guard as he is too busy defending himself from Anastasia and Viy relentless attacks, Eli barely had a moment to react before the first clone struck, its blade slicing a flaming arc through the air, aimed directly at his ribcage.
"Arrrghhh!!! Damn yo–"
Eli let out a scream of pain, but before he could even begin to curse, a sharp jolt of warning surged through him.
He twisted instinctively, but the second and third clones were already upon him, their strikes relentless, their steel imbued with Hoemaru—an energy designed to dispel and cleanse evil.
The sanctified cuts carved through his skeleton body, the unique energy searing his form with an agony beyond mere physical pain. A guttural roar tore from his skeletal maw, his eyes burning with fury.
"Arrgghhh! You'll pay for this!"
Eli retaliated, his flaming chains snapping outward like twin vipers, striking through the misty battlefield. One clone was caught mid-stride, its form vanishing into ethereal wisps. Another barely dodged, rolling aside as the infernal chains scorched deep trenches into the icy ground.
Ushiwakamaru's remaining forms danced like wind-borne spirits, their blades flashing as they struck again. One clone dashed along the broken terrain, leaping from a piece of shattered rock to strike from above, while another slid low, aiming for Eli's legs.
Eli roared, his skeletal hands reaching out. Fire erupted from his fingertips, the heat so intense it melted the frozen air around him. Two more clones perished in the blaze, their forms dissolving, but the real Ushiwakamaru was already moving.
She feinted left, then pivoted, her katana slicing upward in a single, devastating stroke. The sacred steel cut through his ribcage, sending a shockwave of purging energy through his core. "Feel the pain, hellspawn."
"I'll kill you! I'll fucking kill you!" Eli staggered back, his hellfire flickering, destabilized. He lashed out wildly, his strength fueled by desperation, but Ushiwakamaru's clones overwhelmed him.
They struck in perfect synchrony—one blade severing the chains from his hands, another carving through the skeletal plating protecting his sternum. A final blow landed across his skull, sending cracks rippling through the cursed bone.
Then, Ushiwakamaru herself ascended.
With a powerful leap, she vaulted high into the air, the cold wind rushing past her as she reached the apex. Raising a mysterious fan that suddenly materialized in her hand, she called upon her second Noble Phantasm.
"Tengu's Feather Fan - Sudden Gale!"
The moment she swung it downward, a howling tempest erupted from the artifact, the wind laced with purging energy. The gust roared down upon Eli, carrying with it a mystical force that sought to extinguish his fire.
"What the hell is this!? STOP IT!" He roared. His tattered jacket billowed violently, his body buffeted by the relentless storm. He struggled, his skeletal hands grasping for stability, but the cyclone swallowed him whole.
Ken, observing the intense battle from the sidelines, suddenly shouted with all his might, his voice cutting through the chaos. "Kadoc, NOW!"
Kadoc, his face pale from the strain of overexerting his mana to maintain Anastasia's Noble Phantasm, gritted his teeth in irritation.
Clicking his tongue, he muttered under his breath, "Tch, fine. I get it." Despite his annoyance, he knew there was no room for hesitation.
Just moments earlier, Ken had telepathically shared his plan with Kadoc, ensuring their coordination for the upcoming attack.
Recognizing that Kadoc's mana was nearly depleted, Ken had instructed him to use his Command Spell to enable Anastasia's Noble Phantasm to synchronize with Ushiwaka's.
Due to Ushiwakamaru's Noble Phantasm possessing the unique ability to suppress malevolent/evil entities like Eli, Ken devised a strategy to combine their attacks in order to drastically weaken their foe. This attribute also made Ushiwakamaru a key player in the plan.
Without a moment's hesitation, Kadoc raised his right hand, revealing the glowing red Command Spell etched upon it. His voice rang out with authority as he issued the command. "Caster, I command you to unleash the full power of your Noble Phantasm and coordinate with Rider's to bring that demon down!"
As the words left his lips, the Command Spell on his hand erupted in a brilliant glow, releasing an overwhelming surge of mana that flowed directly toward Anastasia. The wave of power invigorated her, amplifying her abilities to their peak. She turned to her master with a gentle smile.
"He managed to looks cool if he acts tough like that... Right, Viy?" She murmured in a low voice.
Then, as her focus shifted back to Eli, her expression transformed. The warmth in her gaze gave way to a cold eye. From her and Viy position, frost surged outward, the temperature plummeting even further.
The cyclone thickened, its winds now filled with shards of ice as Anastasia infused it with her power. Eli's movements slowed, his hellfire dimming, almost gone out. His roars of rage turned to gasps of pain as ice encased his bones, creeping along his limbs with relentless precision.
"I can't lose like this, damn it. My Vengeance...!" Eli's furious roar echoed within the raging cyclone. Yet, despite his defiance, his hellfire flickered weakly before extinguishing entirely. All that remained was his cold skeletal form amidst the swirling chaos.
Minutes passed as the icy cyclone continued to rage. Gradually, the vortex began to slow, its fierce momentum waning. As the storm subsided, a skeletal figure was expelled from its center.
Eli crashed to the ground in a heap of frozen ruin, most of his body now encased in layers of unbreakable ice, leaving only his head. His hollow sockets still burned with hatred, his mind clinging to the remnants of his power.
"No... Not yet, I can still..."
The man refused to fall. He refused to fade. The hellfire flickering slightly, trying to ignite his host body one more time. The Rider power trying to mend his injury with his healing factor. Even trying to call his vehicle.
But then, Johnny stepped forward, his shotgun raised. The sanctified barrel gleamed under the dim light. "This one is for the kid."
BANG!
"Gagkh... Blaze, you bastard..."
The shot was fired.
The impact was instantaneous. The holy bullet shot through his body, making any attempt to regenerate, any lingering flicker of hellfire, was brutally snuffed out in an instant.
This holy bullet was a gift from a friend of him, a vampire hunter. It proved its worth beyond any doubt, its power undeniable in this critical moment.
Ken followed with Mash and Mordred came toward where Eli is laying weakly on the ground, but this time there is no more firecracker around him. Seeing the enemies he had been fighting coming closer, Eli just laughed out, albeit with a weak voice.
"Ahahaha... I guess I don't have the high ground anymore, do I?"
Despite his predicament, Eli let out a dry, rattling laugh, his skeletal grin twisted into a sneer. His voice, though strained, dripped with mockery.
"You guys are really awesome, especially that sneak attack, heh." He said, mentioning when Ushiwakamaru entering the battle.
Eli turned his skull toward Ken, his mocking grin unwavering. "Hey, little captain it's here. What's the plan now, cap? Gonna gloat? Preach about good and evil? Go on, then. You won. Let's hear your speech."
But despite how Eli mocked him, trying to get on his nerve. Ken's expression didn't change. He merely stepped forward, before arriving at Eli's side, looking down on him. "Is that your famous last word? It's kinda pathetic for an ex-leader of a cult."
Turning his attention to the others who had closed in around Eli, Ken's gaze swept across them before he gave a simple instruction. "Back away."
Mash exchanged glances with Kadoc, Anastasia and Ushiwakamaru, who had just arrived, before nodding and stepping back. Soon, the others also follow, even Mordred, ever brash and impatient, refrained from questioning him.
It was clear to everyone that Ken was about to execute the final step of their plan. Ken knelt down, placing one knee onto Eli's chest. Eli's grin faltered slightly, though he quickly masked it with more bravado.
"Heh… What? Gonna put me in a chokehold? Beat the hell outta me while I'm down? Trying to bring the little Robbie out, is that it?"
Ken merely ignored him. His fingers reached forward, pressing firmly against Eli's skull forehead. The cold surface of Eli's skull, still laced with Anastasia's ice, barely seemed to faze him. Then, Ken closed his eyes.
A fragment of his childhood resurfaced, within his mind—a vivid memory from the year he had spent at the church.
" ... To put it simply, it is just a simple ritual that instantly redirects a spiritual body, sending it back where it belongs." explained a little loli with white hair and golden eyes. She spoke to young Ken with a serious tone, clearly trying her best to sound mature. "So, did you understand that, Ken-chan?"
Before Ken could respond, another young girl with dark blue hair standing beside them cut in with a cheerful grin. "Of course our Ken-chan understands—he's amazing, after all," she interjected confidently.
Pausing for a moment, she turned to the white-haired girl with an expression of mock annoyance. "Besides, Caren-chan, this theory lesson is so boring. Why don't we ask one of the senior members at the church to show us the real ritual instead? That would be way more interesting, wouldn't it, Ken-chan?"
"But... Ciel-chan, I'm afraid that would be impossible," Caren, the first loli said softly, her white hair framing her timid expression as she spoke in a shy tone.
Ciel, the blue-haired loli, let out a frustrated grumble at Caren's response, clearly disappointed. However, Caren wasn't finished. Gathering a bit more confidence, she added, "But we can go to the archive room. I think there's a tutorial video about the ritual there,"
Hearing this, Ciel's mood shifted instantly. Her eyes lit up with excitement as she began to jump around in delight. "Sasuga, Caren-chan! Then let's go there together!"
Without waiting for a reply, Ciel grabbed both Caren and Ken by the hands, dragging them toward the archive room with uncontainable energy. Little Ken could only smile helplessly at his friend's antics, silently amused by their childish enthusiasm.
"Hey, Cap, what's wrong with you? Did you find this pose funny? Even I, as an evil spirit, find your smile a bit creepy," Eli taunted, his voice dripping with sarcasm. His words snapped Ken out of his brief journey into memory.
Ken's lips curled into an amused smile as he responded. "Oh, I was just thinking about something happy, that's all." Despite the tension, Ken allowed himself a moment of humor, playfully bantering with the skeletal figure below him.
But his expression soon shifted, his voice growing firm and resolute. "Alright, enough with the chit-chat, Eli. It's time to send you back where you belong."
Its time for his final plan, the Baptism Rite.
All that being said, he began to chant as a radiant glow began to emanate from his fingertips, tracing over the surface of Eli's skeletal remains like holy fire searing into cursed flesh.
"I will kill. I will let live.
I will harm and heal.
None will escape me. None will escape my sight."
Eli let out a dry chuckle. "What the hell are you trying to—"
The words were low at first, almost a whisper, but they carried an undeniable weight. The moment the invocation left his lips, the very air around them shifted. A pulse of holy energy rippled outward, sending an unnatural chill through even those who had no connection to the supernatural.
Eli's sockets widened as realization dawned. A violent shudder wracked his form.
"Oh, you've gotta be kidding me," he murmured. "No... No, no, no—"
Then, the agony began.
"Be crushed.
I welcome those who have grown old and those who have lost.
Devote yourself to me, learn from me, and obey me."
A brilliant ring of light surged around them, forming an intricate geometric pattern of sacred runes that spiraled outward. The lines of energy wove together, forming layers upon layers of holy script, each one burning brighter than the last.
The radiance cast long, wavering shadows, illuminating the awestruck faces of those standing at the sidelines.
Eli's body seized violently. A guttural, inhuman scream tore from his throat as the holy words burned through him like molten iron. He twisted, thrashed, trying desperately to escape, but the hand on his forehead was unrelenting.
"NO! STOP! YOU CAN'T—!"
Eli's resistance became frantic, his skeletal limbs jerking wildly, but it was meaningless. His body cracked as divine energy tore through him, peeling away the layers of darkness that had shackled inside of Robbie's body for so long.
"YOU HAVE NO RIGHT!" Eli howled, his voice distorting into something monstrous, guttural, desperate.
"Rest.
Do not forget song, do not forget prayer, and do not forget me.
I am light and relieve you of all your burdens."
The holy symbols circling them expanded outward, their glow intensifying. The blueish white aura enveloped Ken completely, his very presence exuding an almost overwhelming sacred pressure.
"Beautiful..." Mash murmured, while staring at the sacred ritual. Besides her, Mordred scowled, shifting uneasily, while Anastasia and Kadoc could only watch in stunned silence.
"MY VENGEANCE IS NOT OVER YET! THAT PIG, IVANOV! TODAY IS SUPPOSSED TO BE THE DAY! YOU CAN'T TAKE IT AWAY FROM ME!!!" But despite of his unwillingness roar, Ken continues his chant.
On the sidelines, Johnny flaming skull flickering erratically as the sheer sanctity of the ritual weighed upon his cursed soul. His supernatural senses screamed in protest.
'Damn, a being of judgment is being judged... it sure feels weird.' He thought to himself.
"Do not pretend.
Retribution for forgiveness, betrayal for trust,
despair for hope, darkness for light, dark death for the living."
A column of pure light erupted from the sky, descending upon the wasteland like divine retribution incarnate. The very air trembled with an overwhelming sacred presence.
The corrupted Ghost Rider's body erupted with fissures of holy power. White-hot cracks spread across his bones, his ribs splintering, his spine fracturing. The hellish chains that bound his filthy soul with Robbie soul frayed, unraveling strand by strand, separating the two of them.
The exorcism was reaching its climax.
"Relief is in my hands.
I will add oil to your sins and leave a mark.
Eternal life is given through death."
Eli's screams became raw, fragmented, his voice breaking into unnatural shrieks. "ARGHHH!!! I CURSE YOU, ROBBIE REYES! JOHNNY BLAZE! AND ALL OF YOU CLOWNS!"
He cursed and He raged.
But none of it mattered.
Ken's voice dropped to a whisper, uttering the final words of the rite.
"— Ask for forgiveness here.
I, the incarnation, will swear.
— Kyrie eleison."
A final burst of holy energy surged through Ken's palm, slamming into Eli's form like a divine judgment. The corrupted Ghost Rider let out one last, piercing laugh as his form shattered completely.
"AHAHAHA, I PROMISE THIS IS NOT OVER! I'LL SEE YOU GUYS IN HELL!!!"
His existence fractured, dispersing into scattered remnants of blackened soul and embers that vanished into the void.
And then—silence.
The battlefield stood frozen, as if reality itself had paused to acknowledge the purification. The foul stench of hellfire was gone, leaving Robbie Reyes who already turned back into his human form, unconscious on the ground.
.....
----------
A/N: I'd like to test something out: if this story reaches 250 Power Stones by the end of the week, I'll release an additional chapter.
Please throw your power stones and leave more reviews for my story, I appreciate it and thank you for your support!