Multiverse: Deathstroke

Chapter 318: Ch.317 Unwelcome

Chapter 318: Ch.317 Unwelcome

Su Ming wrapped an arm around Barry's neck, ruffling his hair. It felt nice to be welcomed, though it seemed only Barry felt that way. It looked like Earth was truly in trouble, and he thought he should warn Barry about a few things.

"Listen, Barry, you might think the Still Force is incomprehensible, just Turtle Man's delusion, but I'm telling you, the Still Force is real."

Seeing Barry's surprised expression, Su Ming continued. He knew Barry trusted him deeply.

"Just like how the Multiverse has its light and dark sides, the Speed Force also has an opposite. If the Speed Force represents endless possibilities and the divergence of timelines, then the Still Force is the power that stops timelines, gradually pulling everything back to a single point."

Barry became serious, realizing that Turtle Man might have discovered something far more significant than they had thought.

In their previous encounters, Turtle Man's powers had seemed like mere nuisances—tricks rather than threats. If Barry was slowed down, he just needed to push a bit harder to break free. Barry's primary enemies had always been speedsters like Reverse-Flash and Black Flash.

"Wait a minute," Barry interjected, waving his hands. "The dark side of the Speed Force? Isn't that what Black Flash uses?"

Su Ming looked around, a bit bored. It seemed the Hall of Justice had a no-smoking policy, and the heroes' hobbies were all too wholesome. "The dark side is different from the opposite. The Still Force isn't a part of the Speed Force. Instead, because it's a force that hinders the universe's progression, it's trapped outside the Source Wall."

"And then we broke the Source Wall last time..." Barry realized, closing his eyes and sighing.

Before, it had been about who could run faster. But now what? Would it be a competition about who could move slower?

"That's pretty much all I can tell you. Where's Batman? He should settle what he owes me so I can go buy a house and a car," Su Ming remarked, glancing around as if he thought Batman might be avoiding him. If Bruce wanted to get back, hitching a ride with Superman would only take minutes.

Barry understood Su Ming's confusion, feeling a bit sheepish as he led him toward the cafeteria. "Well, Batman and Superman went to inspect the Unifier that landed in the Nevada desert. It's probably going to take a while... But if you're thinking of settling down in our world, why not get a place in Central City?"

"Heh, I'll think about it. Tell me more about the Unifier," Su Ming replied.

Getting information from Barry was always easier, and Su Ming was curious about what new trouble the Justice League had found itself in. If things went well, it could be a lucrative opportunity.

"Profit, profit," Stranglehold mused, though it didn't quite understand what making money meant. But it could sense that its host was pleased.

"This all started after you left last time..." Barry pulled off his cowl, adjusting his dark hair as he spoke.

As he recalled the events, he quickly summarized what had happened since Su Ming's departure.

Barry's mind worked quickly, and so did his speech. In just a few minutes, Su Ming had a clear understanding of what had transpired.

It seemed the Omega Titans had been dealt with, but now Earth—no, the entire Multiverse—was on the brink of collapse, with only about a year left.

The so-called Unifier appeared like a giant, mud-colored head, resembling the massive figures that had once been embedded in the Source Wall.

Now, it lay buried in the desert sands, surrounded by a strange energy field that prevented anyone from examining its interior.

The Justice League was studying it but hadn't yet decided what to do.

As they talked, the two arrived at the Hall of Justice's cafeteria, where it was surprisingly crowded given that it was lunchtime.

With just a quick glance, Su Ming spotted members of the Shadowpact, Detective Chimp, and a few of the Titans. There were also plenty of unfamiliar heroes, with colorful uniforms that could make anyone's eyes spin.

The cafeteria was lively, but the moment Deathstroke entered, the room fell silent.

His black-and-yellow armor was simply too distinctive, putting every hero on alert the moment they saw him.

Fortunately, Su Ming wasn't wearing his helmet, and he looked much younger than this world's Slade. Otherwise, the Titans might have charged him immediately.

"Everyone, relax. This Deathstroke is from a parallel world and is a friend of the Justice League," Barry quickly raised a hand in front of Su Ming, signaling everyone to calm down.

Su Ming sighed inwardly. A "friend of the Justice League"? That was probably only how Barry saw it. Even J'onn had made an excuse about getting drinks just to leave, likely off to check Su Ming's records.

Barry, oblivious, led Su Ming to the bar counter. The chef here was a Minotaur, probably recruited by Diana, now wearing a spotless chef's uniform and carefully preparing steaks.

Su Ming sat beside Barry, his expression stiff.

"I'll have a multi-layered burger with extra cheese. What about you, Slade? This one's on me." Barry patted his chest generously, placing a menu in front of Su Ming with a smile.

Knowing the world's end was near, yet still treating people to lunch; a Minotaur chef grilling beef; Batman avoiding his debt; Swamp Thing sitting there, uninterested in human food; a menu filled with high-calorie foods.

They might as well rename the Hall of Justice to the Hall of Sarcasm—there was so much irony to go around.

But if the world was ending, buying a house could wait. Su Ming was confident he could handle any crisis and protect Earth, but it would be hard to guarantee that real estate wouldn't get damaged along the way.

It seemed the Justice League had a plan. If they didn't ask for his help directly, how was he supposed to extort them?

The cafeteria gradually returned to its lively atmosphere. Barry's friendly nature meant most people took his word for it, and heroes began chatting again, mostly about daily life or romantic entanglements.

These second-tier heroes didn't face the same pressure as the Justice League. Their days consisted of donning costumes, fighting minor villains, and then pursuing relationships with fellow masked crusaders.

Su Ming chose a meal at random and chatted casually with Barry while eavesdropping on the other conversations.

Soon, he deduced that most of the heroes knew nothing about the Unifier, except for the Dark Justice League.

Swamp Thing, Zatanna, and John Constantine were all absent, likely dealing with the fallout of the Unifier's landing.

Knowing Batman and the mages, they'd probably cast a massive cloaking spell to keep the whole affair hidden, like an oversized invisibility field.

After their meal, Barry invited Su Ming to visit his quarters below ground. Each Justice League member had their own space, designed to their liking.

Except for Green Arrow, who had been forgotten again.

Su Ming declined the invitation, telling Barry to let Batman know to prepare old, unmarked bills for him to pick up the next day.

Then, he strode out of the Hall of Justice, ignoring the screaming, scattering people, and took off into the sky with his cape.

He had an idea of how to get involved in this situation and make money while ensuring that Batman and the others couldn't refuse his offer—a plan that involved a certain set of letters...