Multiverse: Deathstroke

Chapter 327: Ch.326 Olympus Meeting

Chapter 327: Ch.326 Olympus Meeting

Hephaestus's mode of transportation was an invisible plane.

Yes, just like the one he made for Diana. From the outside, it looked like two people squatting mid-air in a horse stance. Speaking of which, the plane itself was invisible, but the people inside weren't, so what was the point of this thing?

The answer: it was incredibly fast.

After only a few swerves through the clouds, the two of them found themselves above an unfamiliar sea. Not far ahead lay a giant, solitary peak, shrouded in mist and adorned with numerous palaces.

Waves crashed against the rocks below, spraying white foam into the air.

New Olympus was here.

As for the old Mount Olympus, it had been blasted into dust by "The First Born." The newly rebuilt Olympus preserved its classical beauty while integrating many modern amenities.

For instance, the white marble palaces had panoramic skylights, courtyards had swimming pools and outdoor bars, and there was even an open-air BBQ area for the gods to enjoy their parties.

Apollo's brief rule had left quite an influence on Olympus. Hephaestus, for instance, began forging firearms, and self-service buffets became popular in the Underworld.

The invisible plane was capable of vertical take-off and landing, and Hephaestus brought it down right in front of a palace.

"Go on in yourself. Everything's set up. I'm off for a swim and a drink."

Hephaestus then did a dive into the nearby pool, creating a huge splash. The pool water quickly turned dark, as if ink had spilled into it.

Several goddesses who had been in the pool wore looks of disgust as they climbed out, pouting as they left.

These were river or lake goddesses—beautiful but practically powerless.

If they were in regular bikinis, Su Ming might have appreciated the view, but this Greek-style nudity didn't hold much allure for him.

He ascended the palace steps, the broad marble slabs lending an air of gravity and dignity. From the emblem on the palace, it was evident this was Hera's residence.

Hera was waiting for him inside. In front of her was a well-like mirror—the Hera's Sky Mirror—used to observe the mortal world. Draped over her shoulders was her peacock cloak, a powerful artifact in its own right.

Outwardly, she looked like a still-radiant middle-aged beauty, but her voice was surprisingly youthful when she spoke.

"Warrior from another world, welcome to Olympus."

She gestured for Su Ming to come closer and sit by the well with her. Soon, a servant brought wine and fruit.

Su Ming removed his helmet and accepted the wine cup. "Great Queen of the Gods, it is an honor to be here."

After all, he was in their home, so pleasantries were in order. Besides, he had nothing that would interest Olympus; it was the other way around—they had plenty that interested him.

"Olympus will always welcome true warriors," Hera said, clearly pleased with the flattery. Then her tone dropped, and she ground her teeth as she added, "Especially warriors who are not related to my husband."

It seemed she had been using the mirror to catch Zeus in the act, and with little success.

Hera pulled her cloak tighter over her shoulders, moving past her slip of frustration. "Last time, you defeated a powerful enemy. I wanted to invite you to Olympus then, but you disappeared. Now, however, there is something important that Olympus needs you to know."

"Uh, if I'm not mistaken, Diana should be the God of War now, right? This sounds like her problem."

"Are you boasting about saving her last time? I saw it clearly. She isn't strong enough, not even as strong as Ares was, let alone you."

Su Ming felt a pang of alarm. This goddess seemed to have some ulterior motive. He knew his own limits well enough—against the old Ares, it would be at best a fifty-fifty chance.

Why was she praising him so much?

But Hera didn't dwell on it. Instead, she shared information—things only gods could know.

She spoke of the mysteries beyond the Source Wall, of the true nature of the Totality, of "Ascension" and "Oblivion."

But these revelations only gave Su Ming a bigger headache. These were matters for cosmic beings, not him.

"You should be sharing this information with those little blue men or the one from New Genesis, not me," Su Ming said.

Hera nodded, holding a wine cup in one hand and stirring the mirror's water with the other. "They all know: Ganthet, Apokolips, New Genesis, even the Stranger and the Spectre. We all know this is an inevitable evolution—both an opportunity and a doomsday."

"Why not just tell Diana directly?" Su Ming asked, sipping his drink. The divine wine tasted strange, like fermented fruit juice.

"Because she won't think it through. She'll just repeat what I tell her to Batman, that twisted mortal, and then act on his orders."

Hera sighed. She knew Diana too well. Diana either chased things relentlessly or ran headlong into problems without thinking. She was never the brightest girl.

Su Ming understood. Wonder Woman was like that. Her warrior spirit gave her the courage to face any challenge, but it also made her easy to manipulate.

"I understand. You want me to step in and help when Diana is in danger."

"Everything beyond the Wall will converge here. She will face unprecedented dangers. Only you are strong enough to resist mental corruption and handle another god."

"As far as I know, your relationship with Diana isn't great. Why do you want me to help her now?"

"Because I despise sorcery. Because she is Olympus's God of War. And because I killed Diana's mother."

Hera drained her wine and sighed. Silence fell over the palace, the atmosphere plunging into an icy chill.

This was complicated. Su Ming hated this kind of familial drama, especially when gods and supernatural beings were involved.

So he drank his wine in silence, choosing not to comment.

After a long while, Hera seemed to return to her senses. She extended her hand to Su Ming. "As payment, give me your weapon. I will imbue it with the power of the sky and the sun."

Since Apollo's resurrection, the sun god's duties were managed by Olympus. As queen, Hera had, in addition to her own earth powers, half of Zeus's sky power.

Su Ming handed her the Nightfall Sword, but she pushed it away.

"The other weapon. The one that glows, crafted by my son, capable of slaying gods."

She took the Godslayer—currently in its scimitar form—and tossed it into her mirror. Without any particular ceremony, she swirled it around like she was stirring a hotpot, then handed it back.

Now, the Godslayer shone even brighter. If before it had glowed like molten gold, now it was like the midday sun—blindingly bright. Lightning, representing sky power, danced across its blade like tiny serpents.

Hera indicated that Olympus had paid its dues. What came next would depend on how Deathstroke performed.

Su Ming was fairly satisfied. He had gained intelligence and enhanced his weapons—a solid win.

He politely took his leave of Hera, promising to watch over Diana. Then he walked out of Hera's palace. He had all the information he needed. He didn't even need to monitor the Justice League anymore.

The DC universe was about to evolve. It was indeed both a crisis and an opportunity. If he played his cards right, he might just get some extra perks out of it.