Multiverse: Deathstroke-Chapter 461: Dead End

Just as Superman was about to plunge into the purple sea and turn into a fishman puppet for the aliens, Barry burst out of the Floodfiend's body.

Running through water with the Speed Force was a first. Good thing the enemy was liquid—breaking out didn't take much effort.

He caught Superman before his face hit the sea.

"Barry, what's your status?"

It all happened too fast for Batman to track. He could only ping Barry through Miss Martian's telepathic link.

"I've got him, but he's in bad shape."

Barry squinted one eye. Truth be told, he wasn't doing great either.

He'd touched the seawater. Right now, he was using his Stasis Force to lock it inside, stop it from spreading.

But as he kept running, the Speed Force would make that water flow through him. It wouldn't be long before he turned fishy too.

He didn't tell Batman that, though—just focused on getting Superman somewhere safe.

Batman knew if Superman and Barry couldn't handle the enemy, the plan to shut off the 'faucet' was toast.

His strategy had flopped.

As for the Teen Titans, Batman knew their initial target was off from the start. When they rigged the Boom Tube, they didn't even notice his tracker in the setup.

The Titans landed in the wrong spot.

Now, the Justice League was down for the count.

But Batman wouldn't tell Barry that. "We've got no choice. Pull back—we'll figure something out."

Barry didn't reply. He had to focus, juggling Stasis Force and Speed Force—like mixing fire and water. A voice in his head wasn't helping.

"The Science Squad's out, Batman. It's just us in the Hall of Justice now. Let's go."

Seeing the situation crumble, M'gann urged Batman to leave with her. There was a spare Boom Tube in the command room—they could use it to escape.

"The Boom Tube's acting up. Check the internals," Batman ordered without turning.

M'gann rushed into the tube. How could it glitch at a time like this? It worked fine teleporting the Science Squad. She had to fix it fast.

The second she flew in, Batman remotely sealed the chamber door.

The Boom Tube was fine—no issues. He'd lied to M'gann.

Hearing the door shut, M'gann knew she'd been tricked. In a normal place, she could phase out, but the tube's walls—Nth metal and promethium alloy—were impenetrable.

So she pounded on the door, too worried about breaking the tube to hit hard.

"Batman, what are you doing? The Hall's underwater—it's not safe!"

"I know, but the Collective needs protecting." Batman worked the console, his armor glinting coldly, tone steady. "I'm sending you to the Titans. Your mission: keep them alive. That's an order."

"Let me out!" M'gann kept banging. "You can't do this!"

"I can." Batman hit a few buttons, and the League's teleporter zapped M'gann into the spaceship.

"Listen—stay on high ground. Survive."

The hall fell silent. Under red emergency lights, Batman was alone.

Above him, a bunker of alien rock and metal. Above that, tens of thousands of tons of seawater.

Over time, the deep-sea pressure would crush everything, and Batman would die instantly.

But only here could he monitor the globe. Backup Boom Tube comms were online, and only here could he track everything.

As long as one hero was out there saving people or fighting, Batman would stay with them, ready to answer their questions.

Like nothing had happened, he kept eyeing the monitors, setting up a new comms system.

"League, anyone, can you hear me?"

Just static and noise.

Batman kept tweaking the gear, trying other methods. "Jar Jar, can you connect me to anyone?"

The starfish in the glass jar by his hand answered telepathically.

Aside from mindless, crazed fishmen lurking in the water outside, it couldn't reach a single sane person.

Batman went quiet. The stillness felt cold. He activated the main computer's recording function.

"This is Batman. An alien fleet has invaded Earth, cutting off our ability to call for outside help. The Justice League secured a powerful Origin Wall fragment, the Collective. It's safe for now, but the Hall of Justice won't hold much longer. Remember: don't touch the seawater—it turns you into aquatic freaks. Don't trust any talk of doom—"

"Zzt—Batman? You there?"

Recording a contingency last message, Batman was just covering bases. His hands never stopped tuning the comms gear.

Then Barry came back online.

"Barry, any way to push that thing back?" Batman killed the recording, refocusing on the task.

If Barry could run fast enough, whip up a big enough Speed Force storm, maybe they could counter the giant sea monster.

But in reality, Barry had no shot. Superman was half-dead, and Barry couldn't go full throttle.

"What about the others? Someone nearby has to be able to help, right?"

"They're right here, actually." Barry glanced back. Countless fish-mutated heroes were chasing him and Superman, powers blazing. "They want us to join the fish club. Awkward problem."

Superman's cape, modded by Batman, could harden with an electric charge. Barry had juice, so he'd laid Superman on it, pushing him like a sled while sprinting.

Superman was awake but powerless—one eye blinded by sewage. He chimed in on the comms with what Barry left out.

"Bruce, an alien sea god named Zhenhai messed with my cells. Barry's soaked in seawater too—he's using Speed Force to stop the mutation."

Barry's mouth twitched. Stasis Force, not Speed Force. Superman not getting it was fine, but why spill it to Batman?

"Bruce, everyone else—everyone—they're aquatic freaks now, controlled by the alien sea gods."

Superman swatted away a charging Captain Atom. He couldn't soak up sunlight, but old stored energy lingered—enough for mutated heroes, if not gods or monsters.

A casual flick, and Captain Atom shot off like a meteor. "We're surrounded by endless sea—no land, not a speck of green!"

As if on cue, Swamp Thing erupted from the water ahead, now a half-plant, half-octopus freak. Like Zatanna, he'd been tainted by the water without noticing.

Can't blame him—who'd suspect water as a 'swamp' thing? A desert thing might've clocked it and stayed wary.

He lashed out green tendrils, snagging Superman and Barry, dragging them toward the water.

"Swamp Thing's tentacles are magic-boosted—I can't break free—"

Barry, pinned in another tendril, couldn't even step. "I'm caught too! How do I fight a random magic elemental?!"

"He's a tree—chop him!"

This content is taken from freeweɓnovel.cѳm.

Just as they were about to hit the water, Mera burst from the sea. Her hard-water magic sword slashed Swamp Thing's tendrils, and she hauled Superman and Barry away.

Hard-water shields protected them as she fled through the sea—octopus couldn't keep up.

"Mera, thank God. The League's buckling—can Atlantis send backup?" Superman eased up. Seeing a normal face felt like a miracle.

Mera shot him a cold look. "Batman didn't tell you? Atlantis is gone. My nation, my fleet—all sunk."

Barry gulped. No clue why, but he could tell Mera had beef with Batman.

Of course—when Mera asked Bruce if he could help Atlantis, Batman said every League hero was tied up saving people. No spares.

To Batman, human society trumped the Sea Clan. Earth had 7 billion; the six Sea Clan nations, maybe 30 million tops. Until humans were safe, no hands were free.

Paradise Island was different—just over 1,000 Amazons. Strong warriors, sure, but small numbers, no threat. Saving them on the side didn't slow much.

Mera didn't vibe with humans much. Pure Atlantean—Atlantis was awesome, no need for land-dwellers.

Fish and water? Good enough.

But when big trouble hit and she sought land help, with Arthur gone, she realized she barely knew anyone.

Now, Superman clearly had no idea Atlantis had asked for aid. Batman hadn't even bothered asking them.

Mera'd be a saint to feel chipper.

With pursuers on their tail, she had no time to chat. She raised the Godhorn on her neck—its thin chain doubled as a necklace.

The pendant was a bit chunky, though.

Lifting it, the horn blazed with eerie blue light. As she tapped its energy, it pointed them a way.

"What's that?" Superman asked, clueless about magic.

"You've got to follow me—it's our only shot." Mera didn't explain, just told Superman and Barry to stick close.

Barry blew bubbles. Another queen—way pricklier than Wonder Woman. Just great.

Fresh off watching Zhenhai thrash Superman, M'gann teleported onto the alien ship—only to see Zhenhai portaled in too, hunting the Titans.

Not good news.

Heroes had a rule of thumb: if Superman couldn't take an enemy head-on, everyone else should duck and dodge.

Unless you're in all-black, with pointy ears, a plan, and the perfect gadget in your belt.