Multiverse: Deathstroke

Chapter 210: Ch.209 Pursuit

Chapter 210: Ch.209 Pursuit

There wasn't any dramatic flash of light or visual effects, but the Cloak of Levitation wriggled like a caterpillar, slipping out of Su Ming's hand and floating back up. One corner curled up like a hand, holding the gem, while the collar shook itself, restoring its elegant form.

"Good, it's revived," Su Ming muttered, looking regretfully at the gem. Even though it had been useless in his hands and he still had plenty left, it was hard-earned, and the cloak didn't seem inclined to return it.

Hearing this, Dr. Holloway turned around and saw the red, gold-trimmed cloak gently floating in mid-air, as if an invisible person were wearing it, standing with them.

He took a deep breath. "What is that? Anti-gravity technology, like Stark Industries uses?"

"It's magic. Don't bother trying to understand it," Su Ming shook his head. The Cloak of Levitation had been around for centuries, and only the Ancient One likely knew its origins. However, Su Ming had a good sense of what the cloak could do. "Cloak, did you see who killed the sorcerers?"

Though the cloak had no eyes, it had consistently shown an ability to perceive the world around it in the Marvel universe. It must have its own way of seeing.

The cloak drifted up and down, as if bobbing in water. Su Ming guessed this was its way of nodding.

Under his mask, Su Ming closed his eyes briefly, contemplating for a second. "If there are any survivors left here, take us to them first."

The red cloak slouched immediately, as though sniffing the ground like a dog. It fluttered over to a pile of debris, then darted under a table.

To Su Ming, it seemed like the cloak was just searching the place, but in reality, it was likely detecting the magical traces left by other sorcerers.

After about ten seconds, the cloak flew back to Su Ming, twisting itself in mid-air like a towel, forming an arrow pointing in a particular direction.

Su Ming followed its direction to a massive painting, the scene depicting a dense rainforest. Lizards and insects could be seen crawling through the trees, and if one got close enough, it seemed like they could even smell the damp rainforest air.

But this was a fixed portal, leading to a jungle that might not even be on Earth anymore.

"Can you write? Where does this lead?"

The cloak reverted to its original shape, but its collar swayed side to side, indicating it couldn't write.

Su Ming turned to look at Dr. Holloway, who was staring back at him.

The doctor was well aware of the dangers in a jungle. He'd heard stories of small, venomous insects capable of killing a person, and this jungle might be on another planet altogether.

Su Ming was pondering this too. He had full body armor and enhancements as a cyborg, so it wouldn't be a problem for him. But Holloway, with his exposed face and lacking any real armor, would be at risk.

Bringing the Avenging Angel along for the mission only to have him die halfway through wouldn't look good for Su Ming.

But leaving him alone in a blood-soaked Sanctum clearly wasn't a good idea either. The enemy had the advantage of stealth, and Su Ming couldn't give them a chance to pick them off one by one.

Still, there was the Cloak of Levitation.

"Cloak, my teammate here really likes the color red," Su Ming said, pointing to Holloway's red cape. "He's a man of taste. We'll enter the jungle to find the survivors, but can you wrap him up to cover his exposed skin?"

The cloak seemed pleased and quickly flew over to tightly cover Holloway's exposed areas.

In an instant, Holloway was transformed into a "red-headed monk," his head wrapped up like a giant red pumpkin.

Well, there was nothing to be done—his head was the only part of him exposed. The cloak even left an opening for his eyes, which was considerate enough.

"Alright, let's go," Su Ming stifled a laugh and led the way toward the painting.

Stepping through the frame, Su Ming's foot sank into mud. Wherever this was, it had clearly rained recently.

The thick, decaying undergrowth beneath his feet emitted a foul stench, like that of a swamp, occasionally bubbling with pockets of gas.

Su Ming's expression remained unchanged. This was a good sign. Though the soft ground slowed his movement, it also meant footprints were left behind.

His plutonium-tipped combat boots confidently stepped into the footprints left by others.

Besides human footprints, there were clusters of other strange tracks, clearly belonging to something hunting those humans.

These tracks didn't resemble any creatures Su Ming was familiar with. They appeared as inverted triangles, but lacked the metallic feel of mechanical footprints.

This was some sort of organic creature.

"Uh, I'm having trouble breathing. Could you loosen this up a bit?" Holloway asked, stepping through the frame after him. His head was wrapped too tightly, making him feel light-headed.

The cloak promptly obliged, opening up a space around his mouth and letting his mustache peek out.

The doctor quickly touched his mustache to ensure it was still intact, feeling reassured.

"Let's go, doctor. Stay close and keep an eye behind us," Su Ming said as he moved forward, picking up the pace.

In almost no time, Holloway had lost sight of Su Ming, his speed bewilderingly fast. After taking a few deep breaths, Holloway could barely make out the black-and-yellow figure through the thick jungle foliage.

Fortunately, the cloak was there to assist. It lifted him off the ground, floating him in the air like a sack of potatoes, swiftly catching up to Su Ming.

However, Holloway felt like his spine was about to snap from the rough ride, forcing him to grab the "turban" around his head, using his arms to distribute the weight.

Su Ming shrugged. The cloak's methods were a bit crude, but as long as it kept them moving, it would suffice.

He kept most of his attention on the ground. Nearby, on the grass and leaves, were fresh drops of red blood.

Typically, red blood would belong to vertebrates. The triangular footprints left by the creatures chasing the humans didn't fit that description, meaning this was likely human blood.

The person being hunted was wounded.

Su Ming drew his sword. The pale red color of the blood meant it was fresh. He was getting closer.

After crossing a second log over a small creek, the two—along with the cloak—finally encountered their enemies.

The Annihilation Bugs.

Su Ming recognized these bizarre insects at first sight. In the Marvel universe, they were said to come from the farthest reaches of space, on the border of the known universe.

The Annihilation Bugs were known as a locust-like swarm that devoured everything in their path, leaving only emptiness—hence their name, "Annihilation."

Living creatures, planets, even stars—nothing was beyond their appetite.

Their society operated in a hive structure, with numerous species varying greatly in form and size. Some were capable of surviving in the vacuum of space, and their numbers were practically infinite. They were one of the most formidable forces in the Marvel universe.

Typically, they were held in check by cosmic entities like the Celestials and the Living Tribunal, preventing them from launching full-scale invasions of Earth. Something had clearly gone wrong.

Now, Su Ming counted roughly 300 of them surrounding a cave in the rainforest. This was merely a tiny fragment of the swarm.

A typical Annihilation Bug invasion would involve billions of bugs. The small number here was odd.

The cave entrance was sealed by a golden magical shield, but the bugs relentlessly pounded on it. Some were even gnawing at the surrounding rock and tree roots, trying to dig their way inside.

Su Ming pulled Holloway behind a large tree. Rescuing the survivors was going to be tricky and would require a plan.