Multiverse: Deathstroke

Chapter 325: Ch.324 Justice League’s Discovery

Chapter 325: Ch.324 Justice League's Discovery

With the situation settled, it looked easy on the surface, but in reality, without the X-metal weapons, Killer Croc's scales would have been a major challenge.

The cloak pulled Killer Frost out of the wound, and even the area around the massive wound was covered in blue-white frost. Perhaps worried she couldn't freeze it enough, Caitlin pushed her powers to the limit, which resulted in her passing out.

Her stamina was depleted.

Now the problem was how to handle Killer Croc. The frost wouldn't hold for long, and there was a chance the mutagenic cells inside him were still active.

After thinking it over, Su Ming decided to use Stranglehold to help deal with it—but not here. Here, after all, was right under the Justice League's watchful eyes.

Batman, expressionless, turned off the screen and faced the other Justice League members.

"A.R.G.U.S. has made a probing move, led by our old friend—the other Deathstroke."

Diana crossed her arms, pushing her impressive chest up without even realizing it. "He's stronger now, demonstrating both flight and super strength, and for some reason, he's immune to the mutagenic factors."

"Barry, did he say anything to you earlier?" Batman asked. As the person most familiar with Deathstroke, Barry was the only one who might know something.

Barry rested his chin in his hand, looking somewhat distracted. He'd been thinking about the Still Force all day.

"No, he just said you should prepare the cash for the payment from last time, as he's coming to collect it tomorrow. And he said he planned to buy a car and a house to settle down. You don't need to be so wary of him—he just wants to help."

"This isn't about targeting him—it's about necessary precautions."

Bruce adjusted his cape and narrowed his eyes, sensing something unusual. This Deathstroke wasn't like the one from the main universe at all. In their brief interaction last time, Batman hadn't obtained any valuable information.

But he had noticed that this Deathstroke had quite a bit of X-metal—enough to use it as decoration on his sword.

Without information, it was impossible to strategize or prepare for contingencies, so no matter what, he had to meet Deathstroke tomorrow.

"J'onn, where is our Slade right now?"

"Sorry, I can't locate him. Deathstroke might have learned how to cut off his five senses or acquired equipment to block telepathic abilities. After all, the other universe's Deathstroke already has it."

Martian Manhunter shrugged, indicating that he couldn't help.

Batman remained expressionless—neither shaking his head nor nodding.

He was making a deduction.

But he soon gave up on wasting time.

"Come on, Barry, Clark. I think I've roughly figured out what's happening inside the barrier around the Totality. I have a plan that requires your help to make some equipment."

Bruce adjusted his cape and turned to walk into the darkness, heading back to his room beneath the Hall of Justice, where he had made some preparations.

If Barry's room was designed as a combination of a lab and gym, Batman's room was more like a prison.

It was located in the most remote part of the Hall's underground, with seven or eight surveillance devices monitoring it at different angles, no lights on the walls, and many concealed turrets and machine guns hidden within.

The massive alloy door had a bat symbol painted on it, along with a large warning.

"Do Not Enter."

Barry winced. Every time he came here, it felt like he was going to jail—a unique sense of oppression that settled over him as the lights faded.

"Bruce, what's your plan?"

"Inside." Bruce gestured at the door for a while, inputting a password and scanning his palm, signaling Barry to follow him into the "black room" to talk.

Barry swallowed. Did Batman not even think the underground of the Hall of Justice was secure anymore? They even had to speak in a "black room" now.

However, as they entered, the spacious room lit up sporadically, making it slightly better.

Though it was still quite dark.

Barry immediately felt a sense of disorientation, as this place was identical to the Batcave in Gotham—or at least appeared that way to the naked eye.

Batman cautiously closed the door, running a self-diagnostic program on the computer to ensure there were no listening devices.

Only then did he begin explaining his plan.

During the day, he'd already discovered the barrier and the special mutagenic entity inside. He just hadn't wanted to risk the Justice League members' lives.

The surprise discovery that night had shown him what Deathstroke intended from Killer Frost's act of freezing Killer Croc's brain.

Deathstroke believed that the mutation was targeting the brain cells, thereby affecting thought processes and controlling bodily organs and actions.

Was Deathstroke's analysis correct? Of course, Batman decided to consider this finding 50% credible. Based on the mutagen's trait of altering biological brain cells, the Justice League naturally had a countermeasure.

"A compression matrix—it could amplify the effects of white dwarf star radiation and stabilize that effect." Bruce presented this as his solution.

Barry tapped his head, feeling like he'd heard the term "white dwarf fragment" before.

The Speed Force quickly helped him remember, and he turned to Batman in surprise.

"That's Atom Ray Palmer's tech. Why would the Justice League have a copy? I mean, Ray was a member of the League, but wouldn't that involve some sort of patent? And where did you even get white dwarf fragments?"

Bruce's expression answered Barry's question.

"Because I'm Batman."

Joining the League meant being subjected to Batman's around-the-clock surveillance. Ray Palmer must've realized this long ago, like all other members.

Barry put his hand on his forehead, already wondering if Bruce and Clark would someday fuse into a "SuperBatStorm" like Firestorm.

Clark looked a little awkward. Because, in front of someone like Barry, who was a scientist, Bruce admitting without hesitation that he'd "copied" another scientist's technology wasn't exactly... honorable.

"I would never use others' technology for personal gain; this is merely a necessary backup measure." Batman seemed unfazed by their reactions, immediately operating the computer to display all the design blueprints and explanations, getting the two to learn quickly.

Of course, he didn't give them room for negotiation.

Superman and Flash could naturally learn quickly—able to absorb vast amounts of cutting-edge knowledge in mere seconds.

"Good." Batman nodded, taking a remote out of his utility belt and pressing a button. The floor split open, and a mechanical platform rose, lifting two Bat-fliers: "Now, I need to modify these two Bat-fliers so they, along with the passengers inside, can shrink down to a cellular level. Also, the aircraft will need to be equipped with weapons."

With that, Batman headed for the door, seemingly leaving Superman and Barry to do the work.

"Where are you going?" Barry extended a hand to stop Bruce, but he could only watch as Batman disappeared into the darkness of the hallway without hesitation, his deep voice echoing from the shadows.

"I'm going to prepare the money."