Multiverse: Deathstroke

Chapter 71: Ch.70 Dinosaur Island

A flash of lightning, and they found themselves on a beach of a small island, surrounded by endless ocean, with a dense rainforest at the island's center.

The golden sand felt like a soft carpet beneath their feet, and the scent of the ocean filled their nostrils. In the jungle, shadows occasionally moved—massive creatures lived on this island.

Barry unceremoniously dropped the unconscious "Hero" on the sand, maybe on purpose, letting him get a mouthful of sand.

"Whew, I never realized that not everyone can pull off Diana's outfit," Barry said, shaking his head wildly, his cheeks puffing out as the wind rushed past his mouth, making a comical 'brrrr' sound.

Su Ming, seeing Bryce waiting under the trees, took off his mask and dragged the "Hero" by one arm, heading towards their prearranged base.

At Aeaea, he had found Circe in her temple. Using the magical herb moly and his martial skills, he managed to obtain from her an artifact that could subdue divine beings. The old witch had obediently complied once she realized her magic was ineffective against him.

The Medusa bracelets, although appearing to be magical artifacts, were actually decoys. The key was the black liquid oozing from them: Circe's most famous toxin, capable of turning ordinary people into pigs and gods into mere mortals. Without a professional magic user to break the curse, the transformation was irreversible.

Once this toxin invaded the Hero's skin, he became weaker than an ordinary person. If Su Ming didn't drag him away, he might've actually suffocated in the damp sand.

"Seems like everything went smoothly," Bryce stepped out from the shade of the trees. She disliked acting during the day, always feeling too conspicuous in her outfit under the bright sun.

Su Ming tossed the "Hero" onto a patch of grass, where strange plants cushioned his fall like a bed, slightly bouncing him up. He calmly said, "Everything went according to plan. Once provoked, he was too eager to fight. To prove his valor, he immediately chose sword and shield combat. Then Barry got the chance to seize the Lasso. After binding him with it, we replaced his divine arm guards with the Medusa bracelets."

Barry came over, holding a coconut, and after a few satisfying gulps, sighed contentedly. "Yeah, I never thought dealing with Diana would be this easy... um, I mean this world's Diana. What's his name again?"

"Dane," Bryce replied, her face expressionless as she inspected the person on the ground.

Barry nodded, looking at the fallen figure with mild disappointment. "Honestly, he's not that impressive."

Su Ming wasn't surprised that the Flash could subdue Wonder Woman. If Barry wasn't always so concerned with collateral damage, his abilities could dominate this world without opposition.

But the kind-hearted Flash usually limited his speed in cities to prevent the sonic booms and electromagnetic forces from his Speed Force from causing widespread destruction.

Still, the speed he displayed was more than enough. With Su Ming's knowledge from the comics, taking down a "Hero"—not even the real Wonder Woman—was no big deal.

In the comics, there was a speedster villain named Cobalt Blue, who was dying of cancer, and she managed to trounce Wonder Woman even without the extensive preparations Su Ming had made.

While Su Ming and Barry executed the kidnapping, Bryce had been preparing the island. In a short time, she had set up everything they needed.

But one "Hero" wasn't enough. They now needed to bring in the Sea Queen as well.

Compared to Themyscira, Poseidonis was more challenging. Being completely underwater, fighting an amphibious being in the ocean was suicidal even for someone like Su Ming. He wouldn't plan something so foolish.

"Don't show yourself. Just leave him in the hut and make sure a dinosaur doesn't carry him off."

Su Ming took a sip of water, clearing his throat, then donned his hood, transforming into the Talon. His costume, though luxurious-looking, was actually a theater prop he had swiped from a Gotham playhouse. It didn't have the gliding capabilities of a real Talon suit and was unbearably hot with a musty smell.

Bryce nodded. As long as she kept this guy safe while unconscious, that was enough. When they woke up, she didn't have to worry anymore. The island was only inhabited by small dinosaurs, which posed no real threat. So she dragged Dane into the hut, tossed him in a corner, and waited for the Sea Queen to join him.

She trusted Su Ming to get it done because he had an uncanny ability to use information to his advantage, seemingly knowing everyone's weaknesses and exactly how to counter them. With such capabilities, his plans never failed.

Many of the things he used were beyond her knowledge or experience. The most effective strategies were always those that attacked the enemy's weaknesses, and a thorough plan made any battle easier.

Batwoman herself was a tactical genius. Many of her enemies were far stronger than her, but in the end, she always won.

That's why she understood how terrifying Su Ming was—not because he was skilled in combat or a sharpshooter, but because, behind the reputation of the world's deadliest assassin, he was also one of the top strategists in the world.

Seeing the footprints left in the sand by the two as they departed, Bryce carefully wiped them away, then hid herself in the shadows.

Out on the ocean, Barry was carrying Su Ming, running at full speed. He knew that if this plan succeeded, Earth -11 would be saved, and they could return to the Prime Earth to face the real threat. His Justice League friends were still waiting for him.

Su Ming's series of plans had filled him with confidence, and now he fully saw Su Ming as a teammate.

Their destination, as Su Ming had already told him, was Cheverie Port in Maine. Well, it was called that in the Prime Earth anyway. As long as Barry knew the geographical location, it was fine.

That was the Sea Queen's home.

She was the illegitimate child of a human and an Atlantean, raised on land before returning to the ocean only a few years ago. She unexpectedly inherited the Sea God's trident and the throne of the ocean.

Unlike Arthur from Prime Earth, this Sea Queen of Earth -11 leaned more towards the Atlanteans. She was more warlike, with a brain seemingly full of muscle—her character was that of a brutal undersea warlord.

Su Ming didn't plan to fight her underwater. Her strength was 1,500 times that of a normal human, and even on land, he wouldn't stand a chance against her in the sea. So he needed to lure her up, and once on land, hit her with the fear toxin, then lock her power with the Medusa bracelets to ensure victory.

The battleground would naturally be her old home, the Cheverie Port lighthouse. It held many childhood memories for her, so she wouldn't be willing to flood it with a tsunami, which would make things easier for Su Ming.

As for how to lure her up...

Watching the lightning vanish, the lighthouse perched high on the cliff behind them, Su Ming had a plan.

The lighthouse keeper here was the Sea Queen's father, but a few years ago, he should have been killed by Black Manta. At least, that's what happened in Prime Earth. Aquaman and Black Manta killed each other's fathers, creating an unbreakable enmity.

This lighthouse seemed to be maintained, probably by some townspeople occasionally, since the small house below it looked abandoned for years.

Her father's grave was not far away.

Su Ming had no intention of desecrating it. Even though Slade's memories included many instances of grave-robbing, Su Ming's memories made him resist this act. It was too vile, and there was no need for it.

He could easily use this grave to put on a show.

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