Just as Hawke took off, transforming into a streak of light and rushing back to New York City, eager to return home.
With a cackle, Ghost Rider, riding a ghost fire motorcycle and sporting a burning skull, but this time fully merged with the Spirit of Vengeance, slammed his motorcycle to a stop at the exact spot where Hawke had vanished.
The next second.
Ghost Rider slowly raised his skull, following the lingering aura, finally settling his gaze in the direction of New York City.
At this moment.
The flames in his skull eyes flickered and paused slightly.
A small head, a big question mark.
Wait a minute.
Where'd he go?
In Ghost Rider's exposed eye sockets, two wisps of flame burned again and again.
Following that—
Boom!
Ghost Rider twisted the motorcycle's throttle, and then, accompanied by the roar of the engine, he once again let out a cackle and left a trail of flames as he turned around and sped towards New York City, cackling all the way.
Just as Ghost Rider, riding his flaming motorcycle, hadn't even driven fifty kilometers.
Hawke was already home.
Thump!
Gwen, sitting cross-legged in her loungewear, curled up on the sofa in front of the living room fireplace, quietly reading a book, heard the commotion from the backyard and subconsciously looked up, turning her head towards the backyard.
The next second.
Gwen smiled, got up barefoot from the sofa, quickly ran to Hawke, and hugged him tightly.
She was happy, and also a little curious.
"Why are you back so soon?"
"Business is done, I missed you, so I just came back early."
Hawke said, embracing his fiancée, who was clinging to him like a koala. After closing the French doors to the backyard, he walked back to the living room fireplace.
Gwen, sitting back on the sofa, blinked and looked at Hawke sitting beside her.
"Business is done?"
"Mm."
"Then did Mephisto…"
"I don't know."
Hawke smiled slightly, looking at Gwen: "Apparently, I was too fast, and he was too slow. But I'm sure that old geezer has plans for me."
Blackheart's testimony once again proved something.
That old Mephisto truly had almost no truth in anything he said.
What Heim?
Pure nonsense. Blackheart simply didn't want to be the eternal Prince of Hell, so he decided to team up with the Four Elemental Demons to start anew and attempt a Xuanwu Gate Mutiny.
And the result?
Mephisto, in order to trick him into Texas, even dragged in Hela, the Goddess of Death from the World Tree's parallel Universe.
Good heavens.
Aren't you afraid that when Hela is unsealed, upon hearing your slander, she won't go after Asgard first, but instead come and kill you?
Hawke thought, feeling a bit speechless.
The next second.
He came back to his senses, looking at Gwen, who had gently elbowed him and was looking at him, still listening. He smiled and briefly described how Mephisto had used Hela's name as a bluff to lure him to Texas, but he was too fast and was already back in New York City without even seeing what Mephisto's trap looked like.
After listening, Gwen's expression was a bit dazed.
For a moment, she didn't know whether to marvel at her fiancé's efficiency or to mourn for the slow-moving Mephisto.
But one thing she was certain of.
"So, Mephisto didn't hurt you, but why are you wearing a S.H.I.E.L.D. T-shirt again?" Gwen said, noticing the S.H.I.E.L.D. T-shirt Hawke was currently wearing.
There were two more of these T-shirts at home.
One Hawke brought back from Africa.
And another Hawke brought back from London.
Now there was another one.
Gwen seemed to have thought of something and teased Hawke: "Not bad, if you go out a few more times, I won't need to buy you T-shirts when I go shopping."
But honestly, the quality of S.H.I.E.L.D. T-shirts was indeed good.
Gwen had even thought last time of asking Sharon if S.H.I.E.L.D. had women's T-shirts when she saw her again.
If possible, she also wanted one for herself, to match Hawke's as a couple's set.
Hawke followed Gwen's playful words, looked down at the T-shirt he was wearing, and chuckled.
"I met Sharon on the plane to Texas."
"Sharon?"
Gwen was slightly stunned: "She was worried about you and followed you?"
Hawke shook his head.
"No, she was going on vacation, said she wanted to see some motorcycle stunts…"
"Blaze Johnny?"
Before Hawke could finish, Gwen had already answered.
Hawke looked at Gwen curiously.
Gwen chuckled, grabbed her phone from beside her, and opened the Midtown High School group chat that she hadn't exited: "Look, the group was just talking about it. Several classmates also went to Texas, planning to watch Blaze Johnny's competition, but then Blaze Johnny suddenly canceled his performance this afternoon, and they don't know when it will resume."
Canceled the performance.
This afternoon?
Hawke raised an eyebrow.
So…
The trap Mephisto prepared for him was really Ghost Rider?
But what was the old geezer thinking?
Although the Spirit of Vengeance was indeed a terrifyingly powerful demon, especially with his Eyes of Judgment, he wasn't sure if he could guarantee not being judged under those Eyes of Judgment.
But I just don't look at his eyes, right?
At worst, I'll turn off my sense of sight. If I don't have sight, can Ghost Rider block ten of his moves?
Hawke seriously doubted this question.
But!
He couldn't figure it out, but now he had confirmed that the surprise Mephisto had prepared for him was Ghost Rider, whose whereabouts he had already anticipated.
But he hadn't prepared his gift for Mephisto yet.
Hawke thought, then came back to his senses and smiled at Gwen, who was sitting with her legs curled up on the sofa, leaning against his shoulder: "How about we go climb a snow mountain tomorrow?"
Gwen tilted her head, looking at Hawke curiously.
"Snow mountain?"
"Mm."
"..."
Gwen changed from leaning on Hawke's shoulder to sitting upright, looking at Hawke with a curious expression: "Why suddenly want to climb a snow mountain? If we go now, how many days can we play? And don't forget, after the holiday ends, we still have to go to City Hall to reconfirm your surname. Dad has already spoken to his friend at City Hall."
Hawke actually had a surname.
Saint Paul.
In the City Hall records, both he and his sister Anya had the surname Saint Paul.
Because they were found at Saint Paul's Cathedral by the priest at the time, and there were no relevant records or explanations for them at the hospital, so like all orphans without surnames, they used the name of the church at the time as their surname.
After all, in the Federation, having only a first name and no surname is not accepted, either legally or in daily life; a surname is mandatory.
But this surname was not a formal surname, so in daily life, no matter who asked, Hawke would only say his name was Hawke.
Hawke had never thought about this matter before.
But now it was different.
This year he was already eighteen, and in a few days, he would be nineteen. According to New York State law, he could, after turning eighteen, find time to go to City Hall to change his current informal surname.
Of course.
If you think this informal surname is also good and don't want to change it, you still have to go to City Hall to sign a document and make a statement.
Hawke actually thought the surname Saint Paul was quite good.
And he was too lazy to make a trip to City Hall for this matter.
But Gwen thought this was a big deal. Saint Paul recorded Hawke's journey when he arrived, but now Hawke needed a surname unique to himself to record his future path.
Hawke thought about it and agreed with Gwen.
So…
Gwen asked her father, George, who contacted a friend at City Hall and promised to help Hawke with this matter on the first workday after the holiday.
Then, after discussing with Gwen for an afternoon, they successfully chose the final surname from five candidates.
Gwen had to be involved, and her reason was very valid.
Because after they got married, Gwen Stacy could no longer be called Stacy; she would take Hawke's surname.
So, compared to the indifferent Hawke, Gwen was more concerned about Hawke's surname.
After all, other women had no choice when they got married, but she did, so she was very serious about Hawke's new surname.
And then…
phoenix!
Stood out.
phoenix means phoenix, directly corresponding to a mythical creature's name, and from a certain perspective, it accurately explains the source of Hawke's energy.
Hawke also thought this new surname was quite good.
Simple, clear at a glance.
And it sounded good too.
Hawke, hearing Gwen bring up the surname change, smiled and said, "Don't worry, we'll have enough time to go to the great snow mountain and come back."
The surname can be put aside for now.
Visiting the Sorcerer Supreme must be put on the agenda.
Because without the Sorcerer Supreme's help, the surprise he prepared for Mephisto couldn't be brought out.
The most important point.
He had already obtained the qualification to confront Mephisto.
The san venganza contract.
This contract, sealing thousands of evil souls of fallen saints, would be his bargaining chip to confront Mephisto and reclaim his sister's soul.
But he had the chips, yet he didn't have the qualification to sit at the table.
After all, even Thor, if he went to Hell now, could easily be kept there forever by Mephisto if he wasn't careful.
This was also why Hawke wanted to awaken his Eighth Sense and enter the realm of God as soon as possible.
Only by awakening his Eighth Sense Little Universe could he freely walk between life and death.
But the Underworld, currently being nurtured, gave him the opportunity to negotiate with Mephisto at the table in advance.
So…
This matter was far more urgent than changing his surname or anything else.
Gwen looked at Hawke, who seemed to be in a hurry, and blinked, but didn't ask too many questions. Instead, she thought for a moment.
"Then when do we go?"
"Tomorrow!"
"So urgent? Which snow mountain are we going to?"
"The Great Snow Mountain!"
"Himalayas!!"
"Kamar-Taj!!!"
"..."
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