Multiverse: Deathstroke

Chapter 126: Ch.125 Martian Manhunter

Chapter 126: Ch.125 Martian Manhunter

Indeed, the cosmic tuning fork looked like a Christmas tree, adorned with a variety of "gifts." Since he could choose, why save Aquaman?

In comparison, Martian Manhunter was much more useful.

Back in the Pre-New 52 era, Martian Manhunter was a core member of the Justice League. He was known as the jack-of-all-trades among superheroes, often referred to as the Green Superman. Bruce once said he was a combination of Batman and Superman—not only did he possess power, but he also had intelligence.

He had all the abilities of Superman, and even more.

For instance, he could shapeshift, altering his cellular structure to look like anyone. He could also turn invisible by phasing out of sync with reality, rendering himself immune to all physical harm.

His defense, strength, and speed were on par with Superman, and he had an incredible healing factor—even if his head was chopped off, he could grow a new one.

His mental powers were also formidable: illusions, hypnosis, possession, thought scanning, memory erasure, psychic shielding, and mind control—he could do it all. Even Professor X couldn't match his versatility.

In addition to this arsenal of abilities, he could telepathically communicate with any animal, putting him a notch above Aquaman in terms of talking to fish.

It wasn't just that Martian Manhunter was far stronger than Aquaman; he was also better in how he handled things.

He was once a police officer on Mars, his intelligence rivaling Batman's. After coming to Earth, he worked for the U.S. government for a long time, adept at thinking and managing relationships.

Although he looked like a green, shriveled skeleton, in reality, he was a good person, hardworking and dedicated. He was excellent at housekeeping and cooked well. During the Pre-New 52 era, he was responsible for the upkeep of the Justice Hall.

So, with a choice at hand, who would want Aquaman? No thanks.

He hoisted the limp Martian Manhunter and quickly followed Batman, burrowing back into the tunnel.

Batman set down Cyborg and took a breath. Cyborg's body was 60% replaced with Promethium metal, making him much heavier than steel—probably around 200 kilograms.

Using his X-Metal-enhanced Batman gauntlets, Batman enlarged the tunnel opening to allow two people to walk side by side. But when he turned around, he saw Su Ming returning with Martian Manhunter slung over his shoulder.

"???"

Even though Batman said nothing, Su Ming could guess what he wanted to ask.

Weren't we supposed to rescue Aquaman? Why did you save Martian Manhunter?

But Batman couldn't voice this concern. Martian Manhunter was also a familiar face in the Justice League, and with his physical resilience, he would soon wake up. If he woke up to find them debating whether they should have saved him, it would be awkward.

Batman peered out from the tunnel, intending to save a few more people, but Barbatos seemed to have noticed something. While engaging in a power struggle with the Silver Sorceress, he occasionally glanced down at the base of the tuning fork.

Bruce immediately retreated into the tunnel. If Barbatos launched an attack, they could all be buried alive.

Su Ming didn't plan on rescuing anyone else. Once Martian Manhunter woke up, he could carry out his new plan. The others could be saved later by someone else.

Martian Manhunter, being an alien like a Kryptonian, woke up quickly, suddenly sitting up and gasping for breath.

"Whoosh..."

He rubbed his green bald head as if wiping off sweat, though his skin lacked sweat glands. Who knew what he had experienced in his nightmare.

He soon calmed down and looked at Su Ming with a kind gaze. He recognized Deathstroke, understanding that in such a crisis, Deathstroke would definitely side with Earth's defenders.

He intended to use his telepathy to read some of Deathstroke's memories, as the situation outside was undoubtedly dire, and reading minds would save time.

However, his telepathic powers strangely found no purchase. Even though Deathstroke was right in front of him, his brainwaves returned empty, as if they had been cast into an endless void, receiving no response.

This Deathstroke felt like a stone—no thoughts, no consciousness.

Under normal circumstances, Martian Manhunter wouldn't try to read Deathstroke's mind. The biggest drawback of mind reading was that it could be dangerous to read the minds of madmen or the mentally ill, as it could cause extreme mental strain or even instant injury.

For example, the Joker's mind was like a circus full of leaping clowns, making it impossible to extract any useful information while dragging the reader into an unconscious frenzy.

In the DC Universe, besides Martian Manhunter, Boston Brand, also known as Deadman, could read minds. He once tried reading a bit of Constantine's mind and immediately vomited.

He was a ghost, yet Constantine's mind was so vile that it made him puke. If he hadn't already been dead, he might have died again on the spot.

According to Deadman, Constantine's mind was full of "filth, filthiness, and corruption—more than all the demons' minds combined."

Living as he did in darkness, who knew how clean Deathstroke's mind could be? Martian Manhunter had taken some time to build up the resolve to read it.

Unfortunately, Su Ming was now a being of X-Metal, with his mind protected thoroughly. Martian Manhunter's attempt at mind reading was doomed to fail. The barrier between Su Ming's brain and Martian Manhunter's telepathy was the cosmic essence of the DC Universe itself, a line Martian Manhunter couldn't cross.

Su Ming's biggest worry was that Martian Manhunter might glimpse beyond the DC Universe and realize they were all comic book characters—a revelation that could kill him on the spot.

Having failed with Deathstroke, Martian Manhunter shifted his focus to Batman. Bruce clearly knew what was happening, so he remained motionless, thinking about key information to actively provide to Martian Manhunter.

Martian Manhunter was a hero because, despite his immense power, he exercised restraint, holding himself to strict moral standards.

He only read the active thoughts Bruce provided, without digging further. His deductive abilities allowed him to piece together the situation.

"So, we're in the final battle?"

"Yes, J'onn. Deathstroke saved you, and I'm sure he has a tactical plan for you."

Bruce flipped Cyborg over, still trying to find some sort of reset button or power switch, as Cyborg hadn't yet awakened.

Surely it wouldn't require hotwiring him like a stolen car?

Martian Manhunter turned back to Deathstroke, now aware that this Deathstroke was not the one he knew. From Batman's perspective, this Deathstroke was stronger and possessed much more hidden knowledge.

J'onn was curious about why his telepathy had failed, but now wasn't the time to dwell on it. He nodded and smiled warmly at Su Ming, extending a green hand for a handshake.

"Thank you, stranger. We're grateful for everything you've done."

Su Ming smiled back and shook his hand. Indeed, working for the government taught good manners. After saving so many people, aside from the Red Death who died, who had ever thanked him?

This put Su Ming in a good mood. After all, who doesn't like appreciation? Though money was his main goal, Martian Manhunter's gratitude was welcome.

The payment for saving Cyborg would be extra, of course. Even though it was just a matter of slicing through some robotic arms and restraints, it still counted as work.

However, the fee for saving Martian Manhunter would be waived. Su Ming was feeling generous—it was a small favor, and as the world's greatest mercenary, he could afford to be indulgent.

"Hello, J'onn. Or do you prefer your Earth name, John?" Su Ming released his hand, removed his helmet, and faced Martian Manhunter with a smile to show goodwill. "Though I'd love to chat more, Barbatos is about a hundred meters above us. We need your help in the upcoming battle."