Chapter Sixty-Nine: Our Hydra's Power Has Grown Even Stronger! [New Book—Please Add to Favorites and Recommend]

The flames on Ghost Rider’s body immediately shrank back, leaving only a few sporadic embers, clinging to the last vestiges of dignity and instinct, voicing their unwillingness under Roald’s formidable willpower.

“Your performance was impressive, but it still falls short.”

Supporting himself with Frostmourne, Roald stood up, his body swaying as he straightened amid the fire and the slick, icy surface.

In the distance, Sindragosa and Thor’s battle had fallen into a monotonous, tiresome loop; the disaster film unfolding before them was nearing its conclusion.

“Captain! Are you alright?” Through the earpiece, Coulson, monitoring the perimeter of the building, called out to Rogers.

“It’s a bit chilly, but… honestly, it feels quite good.” Having lain in the ice for decades, Rogers had long since developed a resistance to the cold. Though his tone was light, a persistent worry lingered in his heart.

As the group ascended, the biting cold grew ever more pronounced.

“All teams, pick up the pace, provide cover fire. Now, pray to God!” Rogers exhaled, directing his words to the team through the earpiece.

The group moved swiftly upward, blasting open the locks, rushing toward the rooftop.

“Oh, shit—what is this?” The agents instinctively shouted on the channel as they saw Roald standing amidst the frost, and Ghost Rider’s skull on the ground still flickering with flames.

“Soldiers, I don’t know who they are, but I will not retreat—that is my principle!” Rogers straightened his shield, raising his gun toward Roald, the agents behind him still stunned.

“Sir, no matter who you are, now please—” As Roald turned, blood-red flames erupted from the ground.

Like a detonated bomb, Ghost Rider’s fire filled part of the rooftop, blasting through walls, floors, lightning rods, and other structures. Some agents had no time to react and were instantly consumed by the flames.

The evil ingrained in these Hydra agents triggered Johnny’s instinctive self-protection mechanism; the spirit of vengeance began to absorb their sinful souls almost reflexively.

Screams echoed across the rooftop; some agents, set ablaze, writhed and howled on the ground, endless regret and agony burning their souls, tearing their bodies apart, until nothing remained but ashes.

The scene terrified everyone.

Rogers never finished his sentence; he managed only to lift his shield before being blasted several meters away by the erupting flames.

“Oh, you truly surprise me!”

Watching Ghost Rider rise once more, Roald pressed his sword, ignoring the SHIELD agents training their guns at him, and walked forward calmly.

It seemed his presence had triggered some change in Ghost Rider. The abilities of this creature were unusually extravagant—his previous actions felt like they were purifying it.

At this moment, Ghost Rider had taken on a new form: he looked like a horned demon wreathed in fire, with blue flames burning atop his head, enveloping his entire upper body. His white skull gleamed brilliantly.

“Oh, shit.”

“No, don’t move!!!”

The surviving agents saw Ghost Rider’s skull and Roald in armored helm pressing his sword forward, raising their guns with trembling voices.

They opened fire indiscriminately.

Clearly, from appearances alone—one a skull, the other armored in bone—neither looked like the good guys.

“Drop your… weapons, or—” The agents swallowed nervously, shouting their orders.

Roald paid them no mind. He activated Energy Drain again, raising his hand in Death Grip toward Ghost Rider, pressing down on his skull, blue light flickering in his eyes.

“Captain, what’s happening?” Through the special channel, Nick Fury heard the explosion from Rogers’ location.

“A minor explosion. I think I’ll need some backup here.”

“Hill.” Fury turned to Hill, who was operating the drones.

“Captain’s coordinates are locked. The support team will arrive in ten minutes. Until then, Captain, please stay alive…” Hill spoke through the channel, her words carrying a subtle implication.

“Thank you, Hill. I hope I still have the chance to remember God.”

Rogers’ tone was tinged with reflection as he watched the fiery figure wilt once more, struggling to rise and take a few steps forward.

“Kel’Thuzad, how’s the progress below?” After draining the flames from Ghost Rider and kicking him aside, Roald communicated telepathically with Kel’Thuzad, who was excavating dragon bones beneath.

“All the dragon bones have been collected, my master.”

“Excellent. Time to withdraw. Don’t forget our plan—the one called Danny will be useful.”

“Of course,” Kel’Thuzad replied with unwavering elegance.

After finishing, Roald contacted Sindragosa as well.

With all dragon bones in hand, the great Lich King was ready for strategic relocation.

Watching Ghost Rider revert to human form, Rogers had no time to speak to Roald before a deafening explosion heralded something flying in from afar.

Ignoring everyone’s actions, Roald spread his arms and fell from the building.

Rogers rushed forward, hoping to catch him, but the rolling air currents forced him to shield his face. By the time he looked up, Roald was already standing atop Sindragosa’s head. After nodding in acknowledgment, the dragon’s silhouette shot up like an arrow into the clouds, vanishing from sight.

Rogers: ???

“Who was that, Captain?”

The surviving agents felt their knees weaken; after Sindragosa’s departure, they collapsed to the ground.

Rogers gazed at the disappearing Roald, his face thoughtful.

He knew he had survived by pure luck.

Approaching the unconscious Johnny, now reverted to human form, Rogers mused, “This man seems to be at odds with the armored figure, but there must be some connection between them.”

As he pondered the mystery, an agent handed him a card.

“Captain, this skull card was found on the motorcycle.”

“What is this?” Rogers barely had time to inspect the card, which resembled a Hydra emblem, when a helicopter approached, landing gently on the rooftop. A dozen agents disembarked, all in SHIELD uniforms.

Rogers immediately noticed something was off.

SHIELD agents never wear their own uniforms during missions. The timing was wrong as well—these were certainly not SHIELD personnel.

“You…”

The agents from the helicopter wasted no words, heading straight for Rogers. The one who handed him the card pressed a gun to his lower back.

Once the Captain’s shield was confiscated, the lead agent smiled broadly and extended his hand.

The agent with the gun whispered into Rogers’ ear.

“Captain—Hail Hydra!”

Rogers, quick-witted, instantly dropped all defenses and extended his hand as well.

He responded without hesitation.

“Hail Hydra!”