Multiverse: Deathstroke

Chapter 4: Ch.3 Endangered World

"Bang!"

A crisp sound echoed not far away—it could have been a cable blown down by the wind or a transformer box short-circuited by the rain. Above them, the neon lights of Wayne Enterprises flickered as a small spark and puff of smoke appeared before the sign went out.

The smoke was quickly dispersed by the rain, disappearing without a trace. The two of them merely lifted their heads and glanced at the now-dark sign without saying a word.

The surroundings dimmed, except for the glowing tips of their cigars, which flickered in the dark.

Su Ming thought for a moment and decided to speak first: "I come from a parallel world. What's going on in Gotham now?"

Since the other person was also Deathstroke, this information could be shared with her. As long as the intel couldn't be used against him, she wouldn't spread or sell it.

It was like how Batman collected the weaknesses of all the superheroes on Earth, preparing to take them down if they ever turned evil.

This information was a kind of strategic reserve. Su Ming could use it to show his sincerity without worrying about consequences in the short term.

As long as no one was paying her to kill him, secrets were relatively safe with her.

Deathstroke and Batman both knew each other's true identities. However, due to their respective principles, Batman wouldn't attack Deathstroke unless he committed a crime. And even if something was clearly done by Deathstroke, without evidence, Batman wouldn't make a move.

Conveniently, Deathstroke always worked cleanly.

Similarly, Deathstroke wouldn't go after Batman's true identity, Bruce Wayne. The Wayne fortune was vast, and Bruce's life was worth a lot of money. Without a few billion dollars on the line, Deathstroke preferred to leave Bruce's head on his shoulders. Someday, it might even pay off.

Just like Joker, who also knew Batman's true identity but only wanted to play with Batman, not some boring billionaire.

This didn't stop him from kidnapping Bruce's loved ones, though. From Alfred to Bruce's various girlfriends, Joker had kidnapped them all, forcing Batman to come out and play his game.

Many villains knew Batman's identity, like Black Mask, Hush, and Bane. But in Gotham, the only way to prove your dominance was by defeating Batman, not just some playboy billionaire dressed as Bruce Wayne.

Deathstroke thrived in society's dark underbelly, so it was his duty to protect the society that sustained him.

Whether someone wanted to destroy the Earth or break the unspoken rules of the underworld, they became Deathstroke's enemy.

In the comics, whenever some alien overlord invaded Earth, it would cause chaos, with criminals taking the opportunity to rob banks or jewelry stores. Even regular citizens would loot TVs from stores, taking advantage of the distraction while the superheroes were busy.

But Deathstroke was never one of those who caused trouble during crises. In fact, there were many times when he helped heroes fend off alien or interdimensional invaders, resolving world-level crises without charging a cent.

However, once the crisis was over and the world was safe again, Deathstroke would return to his mercenary work. Any superhero in his way? Just one word—attack.

"Hmm, I figured as much. You've got skills, but I've never heard of someone like you before."

Cindy, puffing on her cigar, spoke in a low voice that barely carried through the sound of the rain. But Su Ming heard her clearly.

"Have you encountered someone from a parallel world before?"

He asked, both of them standing side by side, gazing at the Bat-Signal flickering in the cloudy sky.

"Yeah, a pitiful man wearing a cloth mask like a bank robber, using outdated guns. He was old, and his body was deteriorating, but he was here to kill."

Cindy said indifferently, though there wasn't a trace of emotion on her face, even as she spoke about pity.

"Did he mention why he came to this world? And how did he leave?"

Su Ming also wanted to leave. Although his previous life was dull, at least in his original world, his country was peaceful, and society was stable. He could find a safe place to rest.

There wouldn't be any alien invasions, nor any supervillains breaking common sense.

"He did mention it. He said a crime syndicate called 'The Syndicate' had killed his child, and he followed them through dimensions, trying to kill his enemies. Unfortunately, he didn't succeed. Our world is ruled by the Amazonian Council, and with such a centralized government, they reacted quickly and repelled the invaders from the parallel world. They closed the dimensional gate, and the old man was sent back to his world."

"Was it the Justice League that repelled them? Wait... does your world even have a Justice League?"

Su Ming thought for a moment and decided to ask. Before he crossed over, DC had just released its latest major event, Dark Nights: Metal. If there was no Justice League here, then this might be the Dark Multiverse—a dark reflection of the Light Multiverse.

These dark universes were made of negative matter, like the flip side of a coin. But because of their fundamental nature, everything that happened here would be even darker than in the regular DC parallel universes.

If this was Earth-11, there wouldn't be any major issues. He could live comfortably as long as he didn't provoke the Amazonian Council or the female version of the Justice League. He could even make some good money.

But if this was Earth -11, things would be bad. This world had no superheroes, only Batwoman and countless villains.

Worse yet, it was a world on the brink of destruction. In the future, this world would be submerged in water due to the war between Batwoman and Atlantis, with Batwoman being the only survivor after modifying herself.

The whole disaster, of course, began with the Bat.

Atlantis and the Amazons went to war over the land and sea, vying for global dominance. After gathering intelligence, Bruce Wayne—now known as Bryce—believed that Queen Arthur of Atlantis was too ambitious, a rebel with a dangerous appetite for power. So, Bryce decided to capture Arthur and throw her in Arkham Asylum.

The Atlanteans, under the pretense of peace talks, ambushed the waters around Themyscira, while Bryce moved to apprehend Queen Arthur.

During their fight, however, Bryce, unfamiliar with underwater combat, accidentally killed Arthur. In retaliation, the Atlanteans triggered a tsunami that completely destroyed Gotham.

Gotham was gone. Bryce's family and friends all perished, and she went mad with revenge. She modified her body, giving herself the ability to breathe underwater, control water, and move at super speeds. She took on a new name—The Drowned.

In the comics, The Drowned won the final war by using her endlessly replicating liquid monster, 'Dead Water.'

But by then, the long years of war had caused so much damage that no other life remained on Earth. She created a Bat-Signal that shone from the ocean depths to the surface, the final light of Earth -11.

Batwoman, Bryce Wayne, was the chosen one of this world and its sole survivor.

No, actually, on the day Gotham was submerged, Batwoman died. What lived on was no longer her but the terrifying supervillain known as The Drowned.

She would later be persuaded by the Batman Who Laughs to join the Dark Knights and journey to the Light Multiverse to destroy other worlds.

"Justice League? Sounds more like a rock band," Cindy sneered. "Having the Amazonian Council breathing down our necks is trouble enough, and you want to form some kind of idol group?"

Su Ming chuckled bitterly. He had only asked on a whim.

Now he stood in Gotham, the city that was supposed to be the first to be submerged. Even though his current physical attributes far surpassed ordinary people, when all the land disappeared, and the skies were forever dark, without food, water, or sunlight, even he wouldn't survive.

He had to act fast, find a way to leave this world, or find a way to save it. Earth -11 was no vacation spot; it was a battlefield.

"Let's hope this world hasn't reached that point yet," Su Ming thought. If time hadn't run out, there might still be a chance to change things. He flicked the ash from his cigar and asked Cindy another question.

"Why are you here, on top of Wayne Tower?"

Cindy mimicked his movement, flicking the ash from her cigar with a strange expression: "A mission."

"Mind sharing the details?" Su Ming asked, his interest piqued.

"You should understand by now—I'm Deathstroke. I don't like working with others."

Cindy took another puff of her cigar, brushed the rain from her hair, and stood under the Wayne Enterprises 'W' sign, which wasn't providing much cover. If it had been the golden arches of McDonald's, perhaps they'd be a bit drier.

Su Ming smiled as their single eyes locked. With his sharp vision, he could even see his reflection in Cindy's eye.

"You may not like it, but if I recall correctly, there were a few times you worked with others."

Even though this memory came from the main universe's Deathstroke, Cindy's mouth twitched slightly. Su Ming couldn't tell if it was a smile or something else.

"Fine, just this once. I'm a bit stuck on this mission anyway, but you're only getting a quarter of the cut. Understand?"

"Money doesn't matter. Information is more important."

Su Ming bit down on his cigar and extended his right hand. This was mostly a joke. He knew he couldn't stay here long—he was in the Dark Multiverse, and its existence meant a major event was already underway.

If he didn't want to die, he had to get to the Light Multiverse. Earth -11 lacked many things, and this wasn't the main universe. Some things just couldn't be done here.

"Deal, but you said it."

Cindy finally smiled, extending her hand to shake his. He could feel the same strength in both their hands.

Without hesitation, she began explaining the mission.

"This is a search-and-rescue mission. Honestly, I didn't want to take it, but work has been slow lately, and I recently bought a yacht."

She released his hand and turned to face the rain-soaked city.

"So, this job comes from an old friend of mine."

"The Joker."

Su Ming also looked out at the dark city. If Cindy was at Wayne Tower, she was definitely looking for Batwoman, and the one most obsessed with finding Batwoman in Gotham was none other than the Joker.

"In your world, maybe they call her Joker. Here, she's known as The Jester. But of course, we all know who we're talking about."

Cindy stretched her neck and exhaled smoke, the white fog laced with nicotine dispersing into the rain:

"Anyway, recently Batwoman has gone missing, and The Jester is feeling lonely. She wants Batwoman to play with her."

"And what's her new scheme? Wait... maybe in my world, it's an old trick."

Su Ming took a deep drag from his cigar. If there were clues, he might have seen something similar in the comics, but he couldn't be sure in Earth -11.

"Who knows? I don't care about her tricks. I just want to get paid. So, the mission is simple: find Batwoman and deliver a message—tell her that The Jester is waiting for her at Arkham with some big, big news."

Cindy stubbed out her cigar against the wall and tucked the remaining piece back into her cigar case.

"Exact words?" Su Ming raised an eyebrow.

"Of course. The Jester's exact words were 'big, big news.' We mercenaries have to deliver messages accurately—that's the job."

Cindy shrugged, answering with a deadpan face:

"Honestly, I hate working for The Jester. She's too crazy. I suspect this 'good news' is something like a giant nuke planted in Gotham."

Su Ming sighed. Joker's money was still money, but they were never clear about the job.

Cindy put her helmet back on, locking it in place. "No point thinking about it. We should be wondering where Bryce Wayne went. Before coming here, I checked her home, the Batcave, and the rooftop of the GCPD, but she wasn't there. Now I can rule out Wayne Enterprises too."

"When she's in Bat-mode, her favorite spot is the gargoyles on the rooftop of Wayne Tower, overlooking her city," Su Ming said as he put on his own helmet.

"Yes, and that's how I found you. Clearly, this isn't my luckiest day."

She picked up a short staff from the ground and tossed it to Su Ming, then grabbed her own.

Su Ming collapsed his staff and holstered it behind his back, rolling his neck to make sure it didn't restrict his movement.

"Clearly, it's not my luckiest day either. I was minding my own business in my world, doing my own thing, and suddenly—whoosh!—I ended up here."

"Well, look at it this way—you seem to be worse off than me. You should save up and hire me to find a way back for you."

Cindy took the lead, heading downstairs swiftly.

"That's not a bad idea, but for now, I need to confirm what The Jester is up to. If it's as I suspect, we're all in deep trouble."

Su Ming sighed and followed her down the stairs.

"Oh? Is there something I don't know?" she asked, half-joking, as she pushed open a door and started descending, her voice muffled inside the helmet.

"It's not about the mission. It's about this world."

This never-ending rain, combined with the disappearance of Batwoman, felt like the start of an apocalypse to Su Ming. If possible, he still wanted to survive, which meant finding Batwoman fast.

"You know what I hate?" She turned around and poked a finger into his chest. "I want honesty between us. I told you my mission, and now you're hiding something."

"I'm not sure yet, but I'll tell you. You can listen, but don't ask how I know—because I can't explain it."

Su Ming gently pushed her finger aside, then sped up, overtaking her as they descended. While walking, he briefly explained the impending disaster on Earth -11.

The news made her stiffen for a moment, but she quickly shook it off.

"What do we do next?"

"Do you believe me now?" Su Ming felt relieved. He really didn't want to explain that he got this information from a comic—it would sound insane.

"It's because we're mercenaries. If someone wanted me to cross worlds just to spread fake news, I wouldn't do it for any amount of money. Our skills define our place in the mercenary world, and top-tier mercenaries don't do boring tasks."

Cindy moved past him quickly, taking the lead again. "So, the only possibility is that this is real, and our world is on the path to destruction."

Su Ming wasn't sure why The Jester was so determined to find Batwoman at this point. It seemed like she knew more than she was letting on and might even know where Batwoman was. So why bother hiring Deathstroke to find her and not just say so?

"If you want to help me stop the world from being destroyed, great. If not, I'll go alone."

There weren't many ways to stop Earth from being submerged. The most effective one was to prevent Bryce from killing Queen Arthur. Seeking help from the Amazonian Council wouldn't work—they wouldn't trust him, a nobody. Atlantis wouldn't help either—they hated all land dwellers.

Behind this whole catastrophe, there was also Batman from Earth -22, infected by Joker's toxin, also known as The Batman Who Laughs, and the true mastermind, Barbatos, the dragon of the Dark Multiverse.

They were the true culprits behind everything, hiding in the shadows and watching events unfold.

"I can't refuse to join a survival mission, can I? I don't want to die, either. I'm not sure what your Joker is like, but our Jester is a genuine lunatic. I got this mission via a tape recording. I had to use a machine to analyze ten minutes of manic laughter and hysteria."

Cindy shook her head, explaining more about the situation.

"The Jester is currently at Arkham, but she's completely insane. She refuses to see anyone except Batwoman."

"Well, the good news is that my Joker and your Jester sound exactly the same. That's worth a drink. If The Jester isn't an option, how about we find her girl?"

Su Ming changed his mind. If anyone might know Batwoman's whereabouts, it would be one of a few people.

Like Catwoman, Talia from the League of Assassins, or Harley Quinn.

Among them, Catwoman was a stray, constantly moving. Who knows where she was now?

As for Talia, the League of Assassins' base was in Nanda Parbat—way too far.

Harley Quinn would be the easiest to find. Though she was insane, she still had a sense of right and wrong in critical moments.

Cindy stayed silent for a moment. "Fine, we'll go find Harley, but she's not Batwoman's girl. According to Harley, their relationship is more like..."

"Sisters?" Su Ming rolled his eyes beneath his mask.

"Something like that. Her exact words were 'little pumpkin and little pudding.' I have to say, you've got a talent for speaking crazy."

Though her voice was raspy through the helmet's filters, her tone sounded slightly exasperated.

That was normal. Dealing with the Joker left people either terrified or worshiping him. For people like Deathstroke, it was mostly exasperation.

And Joker knew it. That's why he loved it when people showed other emotions, like anger or curiosity. Of course, his favorite was when they laughed.

In the comics, Joker constantly pushed Batman's buttons, risking his life in the process. To outsiders, it seemed like a death wish. But really, Joker just wanted to know one thing—

Why so serious?