Multiverse: Deathstroke

Chapter 115: Ch.114 Dark Hawkman

Chapter 115: Ch.114 Dark Hawkman

There was no need to say it—the enormous shadow belonged to none other than the corrupted Hawkman, Carter Hall.

He was likely one of the first from the main world to be captured by Barbatos. He had fallen into an endless nightmare, but instead of aging, the dark energy had transformed him, inflating him like a balloon until he was unimaginably large, with bird-like features now dominating his body.

He had been reshaped into one of Barbatos's Gigantomachy War Machines.

Originally, Hawkman wore bird-like armor, dressing himself to resemble a hawk. But now, the dark forces had turned him into a towering, jet-black humanoid with a hawk's head.

The group stood on the ground, not even reaching the height of his feet. The muscles bulging from his body were sharp and jagged, like rock formations.

His eyes emitted a sinister black light, with no sign of sanity left. Tortured relentlessly by Barbatos in an endless nightmare, he had lost all consciousness. Now, all that remained was madness.

"All roads shall lead to darkness! All things shall return to Barbatos!"

He screeched in a sharp, bird-like voice, the terrifying sound waves sending their capes and hair flying wildly. Diana's hair, in particular, became a chaotic mess, looking like a bird's nest atop her head.

Deathstroke nearly laughed at this, but Barry had already started laughing.

The two exchanged glances, both filled with smug satisfaction at their foresight. Having helmets for protection and no capes was proving to be a good thing—especially as the other three were looking quite disheveled.

Dark Hawkman gave them no time to fix their appearance. He raised the massive hammer in his hand, bringing it down like a mountain.

The enormous hammer had once been used by the World Forger to create endless worlds. It was as if a handle had been inserted into a four-story building. Even before the hammer hit the ground, the forceful wind made the group feel immense pressure.

In a flash of lightning, Barry carried Diana and Deathstroke to safety, while Superman flew Batman in the opposite direction.

"Boom!!!"

The hammer struck the ground with a thunderous impact, causing the earth to shake and rocks to fly. A massive crater appeared where they had just been standing.

Hawkman shook the hammer, pulling it out of the ground, revealing the molten red color of the lava beneath.

Superman didn't need Batman's orders to know what to do. He released Bruce and soared high into the sky, the red S on his cape tracing a graceful arc.

He punched Hawkman in the jaw, causing the giant enemy to take a few steps back, each footfall shaking the ground like an earthquake.

The scene had a surreal visual effect, like watching a butterfly flap its wings and push back an elephant.

However, logic dictated that Superman wasn't using his full strength. Hawkman was a familiar face to the Justice League; Superman had only given him a light tap.

Even in his normal state, that blow wouldn't have knocked Hawkman unconscious, let alone in his gigantic form.

Superman's portrayal in the comics, particularly in the Silver Age (1950-1970), was at its strongest. During that time, Superman could reverse time with sheer speed or extinguish the sun with a single breath.

However, as time went on, the idea of an invincible character lost its appeal. Editors started giving Superman many weaknesses, and his power levels gradually declined.

This was inevitable—team dynamics were the future of superhero comics. If Superman remained too powerful, what purpose would the Justice League serve? It would render all other superheroes on Earth unnecessary.

So now, standing before Deathstroke was the post-N52 Rebirth Superman. Although still very strong, he was far from his peak.

Often, either due to holding back or a sudden drop in intelligence at critical moments, Superman's combat performance was just average.

And this was the case now. The group all had Nth Metal gear. If Superman went all out, he could have crushed Hawkman's skull, ending the fight instantly.

Deathstroke sighed and reached for his Sword of Ares.

"Don't move. Carter must live," Batman immediately stopped him. He had been keeping a close watch on Deathstroke, and when he noticed Deathstroke reaching for his weapon while eyeing Hawkman, he felt uneasy.

It was clear that the main world's previous version of Deathstroke hadn't left a good impression on Batman. Of course, Batman wouldn't have guessed that this display of eagerness to test his sword on someone was all part of Slade's plan.

This way, he could preserve his strength without revealing his changes to the Justice League—part of a plan designed to outsmart the mind behind the mind.

"No one's paying me to kill him. You're worrying too much," Deathstroke shrugged, going along with the flow. He had already decided to play a supporting role against Hawkman.

Batman looked at Barry with a questioning gaze, but Barry wasn't sure if he should vouch for him. After all, two Nightmare Batmen had died either directly or indirectly at Deathstroke's hands, and Deathstroke had even generously allowed the Justice League to put it on credit. Even if there was no money this time, who could say for sure?

So Barry could only give Bruce a wry smile.

"Stop laughing. If we keep stalling, the World Forge will be torn apart," Deathstroke reminded Barry. Speedsters had all the time in the world, but that didn't mean they could afford to stand around laughing.

Superman and Diana were flying around, dodging Hawkman's hammer, which swung like a giant flyswatter. They managed to avoid getting hit, but the ground they stood on was taking a beating.

It wouldn't be long before this floating world in the middle of the cosmos, this volcanic-like landmass, was shattered into pieces.

What Deathstroke could foresee, Batman naturally could as well. But it seemed like he was waiting for Deathstroke's input, dodging debris and the massive hammer.

When Superman gets involved in a fight, things tend to get loud, and there wasn't much left here to break. Soon, there wouldn't be anywhere left to stand.

Seeing Batman's silence, Deathstroke didn't waste any more time. He hooked his arm around Barry's neck and whispered something into his ear. Barry's eyes lit up, and he nodded in agreement.

Diana, who was flying around looking for an opening, suddenly saw Barry jumping up and down on the ground, motioning for her to come down. She hesitated for a moment, knowing this was likely another of Deathstroke's schemes.

But she had no better ideas at the moment. Hawkman and Hawkwoman were on good terms with her. If they could just purge the dark energy from Hawkman and wake him from his nightmare, he'd be back to his old self—a warrior, not someone to kill.

She dodged a hammer swing and landed next to Barry. Barry reached out for her Lasso of Truth and whispered Slade's plan to her.

After hearing the plan, Diana couldn't help but glance at Deathstroke, who was leaning on his Sword of Ares, watching the chaos from afar. How did a mere human mercenary like Deathstroke come up with a plan to deal with such a gigantic monster?

But she knew the plan was feasible, so she relayed the tactics to Superman.

In the midst of the fight, Superman turned to look at Batman, who nodded in agreement.

Unfortunately, before Superman could turn back, Hawkman hit him with a hammer, sending him flying into a distant rock wall. He embedded into it like a nail, and the wall crumbled like a castle under siege.

"Hiss..."

Both Deathstroke and Barry sucked in a cold breath. Thank goodness it was Superman who got hit; anyone else would have been in real trouble.

It was no longer appropriate to just stand by and watch. Time to put the plan into action.

Deathstroke pulled out his Sword of Ares and charged at Hawkman's legs.