Multiverse: Deathstroke

Chapter 99: Ch.98 Madness

Despite the dual blades whirling like an impenetrable wall in his hands, Su Ming's eyes only held caution and calculation. While it seemed like the Merciless had completely fallen into his plan, the outcome was still uncertain until the very end.

Parrying, dodging, blocking—the Merciless's defense was flawless, even with just a simple divine warhammer in hand.

After an intense offensive exchange, Su Ming's eyes focused on the scene behind the Merciless. Now's the time!

The God Killer transformed instantly into a sword and shield. Su Ming charged forward with the shield, slamming into the Merciless, while thrusting the sword towards the gap beneath his helmet.

However, the Merciless released his grip on the warhammer and grabbed Su Ming's wrist instead. In an instant, Su Ming felt a searing pain, as if his right hand was about to explode, his arm armor deforming under the pressure.

"Got you," the Merciless's crimson eyes locked onto him, his voice disturbingly calm, as if he had caught an insect.

Su Ming let out a sinister laugh, "No, I've got you."

"I am the War God!" The Merciless tightened his grip.

The sound of bones cracking echoed from Su Ming's arm. His right arm bone was probably fractured, but he showed no sign of pain. Calmly, he spoke to the Merciless, "If you're the War God, then I'm a Spartan spirit. You're done for."

The God Killer instantly transformed into two giant shackles, binding their arms together. Before the Merciless could react, Barry pulled out another Lasso of Truth and tightly wrapped it around them.

While the Merciless might have anticipated the transformation of the God Killer, he would never have guessed that Su Ming had brought a second Lasso of Truth back from Earth -11.

They were now like figures nailed to a cross, their arms and bodies tightly pressed together, face-to-face. Su Ming immediately headbutted the Merciless.

These tactics would only restrain the Merciless for a brief moment, but for a warrior, that was more than enough.

In the next instant, a pitch-black greatsword pierced through the Merciless's heart and one of Su Ming's lungs.

Both spat out blood simultaneously.

"Diana..."

The Merciless turned his head, looking at Diana, who was gripping the Nightfall greatsword behind him. Struggling, he uttered a few words before his legs gave out, causing both of them to fall to the ground.

The God Killer reverted to its original curved blade form. Diana pulled out the greatsword and the lasso, finally separating Su Ming and the Merciless.

"Slade, are you okay?"

Barry lifted him up, staring at the gaping wound in his armor. The Sword of Ares had proven its worth; originally not as hard as promethium, the Nth metal reinforced by the War God's power made his armor as fragile as ordinary clothing.

Blood and bone fragments poured from the wound. Su Ming felt his consciousness growing hazy, his sanity being overtaken by madness.

Even though throwing the greatsword to Barry and using himself as bait had all been part of the plan, taking that strike was really something else...

"Give me the greatsword, you two need to leave," he said, extending his hand towards Diana.

Diana glanced at Barry. He nodded without hesitation. After handing the greatsword to Su Ming, he took Diana and vanished in an instant.

He knew that Deathstroke couldn't suppress his bloodlust any longer. Once the healing factor kicked in, there was no reasoning with him. If they didn't want to fight to the death, it was better to leave and return later.

Su Ming took the greatsword, letting out a strange growling sound. He raised the blade and brought it down, severing the Merciless's head. Grabbing the head still encased in the helmet, he stared into the lifeless eyes, and burst into maniacal laughter.

"Hahaha!!!"

He lifted the head high, letting the blood flow from the severed neck, drenching his mask and seeping into every seam of his armor.

So warm. Blood, death, slaughter.

He tore off his helmet and began drinking.

When he regained his senses, he found himself on Themyscira.

He lay on a simple stone bed, without even a mattress, just covered in the hide of some unknown beast.

He knew he was on Themyscira because of the guards outside.

Not only were they all women, but their armor bore a symbol resembling an eagle, a tribute to a pilot who had died fighting the War God Ares on Themyscira.

It wasn't Steve, the pilot who crashed in the movie, but his mother, Diana Rockwell Trevor, a test pilot for the U.S. Air Force.

She had also crash-landed on Themyscira due to a weather accident. Being a woman, she couldn't leave and joined the Amazons. Kind-hearted and enthusiastic, she used her scientific knowledge from the outside world to improve everyone's lives, making sure everyone had enough to eat. At the time, everyone considered her a true Amazon.

After her death, they commemorated her by adopting the emblem from her crashed plane as a totem, the symbol of the U.S. Air Force eagle, as a mark of courage and motherhood, adding it to their armor and weapons. Queen Hippolyta even named her daughter Diana in her honor.

Twenty years later, fate repeated itself, and Steve's plane also crashed on Themyscira. The Queen probably recognized him as the son of an old friend, otherwise, he would've been fed to the fish long ago.

The Amazons even sent their own sons to Hephaestus for forging. How could a man randomly be allowed to stay on the island?

"Looks like even Diana didn't feel comfortable after I lost control and had so many people guarding an unconscious man."

Su Ming slowly sat up. His damaged Icon Armor was laid at the bedside, along with a basin of blood-red water beside it.

The wound on his chest was bandaged, smeared with some pungent herbs. He touched it and could still feel the edges of the broken bone. Breathing hurt in his right lung.

The external wound had healed, but the internal organs were still in bad shape.

The bloodlust was faint, but the healing factor was still at work. After venting his emotions, he felt refreshed, but his injuries were still severe. Judging by the rate of his healing, about an hour had passed.

Clutching his wound, he got up and donned his armor again. The Amazon warriors outside merely glanced at him, then huddled together, whispering, not making any move to stop him.

The Icon Armor was damaged and needed replacement, but the God Killer and Nightfall greatsword were leaning safely against the door. His stash of weapons, along with the divine AK, had also been retrieved.

After dressing, he picked up a clay jug from the bedside and took a drink, then stepped outside.

"Where's your queen?"

"She's in the palace, convening the Amazon Council. It seems she's announcing something."

A fair-skinned, red-haired female warrior smiled in response, carrying a long spear on her back. Besides her armor, she wore a leopard skin draped over her shoulders.

Su Ming looked up. The so-called palace was on a hill not far away, hidden by dense trees. "Alright, I'll go find her."

"Hey, wait." Another young warrior came forward, eyes full of curiosity. "They say you defeated the War God. Is that true?"

"You remind me, I just woke up and still feel a bit muddled. I'll add that god-slaying to the Justice League's tab."

Su Ming was in a good mood now, casually saying this to the young girl before turning and leaving.

Cold sweat instantly beaded on the heads of the female warriors guarding the door. Mercenaries really don't care about things like honor; money is all that matters.

Aside from that, they felt a bit guilty. If the Queen found out that just because they had spoken a few extra words, the numbers on that bill went up, she'd definitely give them a harsh punishment.