"I knew it would look like this... Adjust the arrow formation, target Black Stone Castle!"
Su Ming and his group emerged from the Teleportation Gate and were immediately given a warm welcome, not by the native inhabitants of Hell, but by some uninvited Birdman guests.
"My Lord commands you to obey!"
"My Lord commands you to obey!"
"My Lord commands you to obey!"
Unlike the last time Hell was attacked by Heaven, this time the number of Angels was even greater, dense wings filled the sky like observing a locust plague from below.
Only through occasional gaps could one glimpse the fireball hanging high in the sky, a sun created by Lucifer's rules. Otherwise, it was a blur of black shadows and the sound of wings flapping in all directions.
Hell wasn't completely unprepared either. It seemed the Lords of Hell weren't simply playing mahjong with Zha Kang at their last meeting; they too boasted an impressive military force.
The battles between Heaven and Hell are known as the Eternal War, chronicled in the Bible as happening once every thousand years, each time lasting a hundred years.
If they lacked military strength, how could this primitive meat grinder of a battlefield obtain enough resources?
This resulted in utter chaos on the battlefield, winged figures and bat-winged figures were entangled, long swords and war axes, armor and sharp claws, together creating this scene.
Flames and blood were everywhere, shattered bodies rained down like meteors from the sky, with pieces occasionally falling towards the group, only to be swiftly batted away by Barry.
When it came to charging, Arthur was naturally at the forefront, while Diana covered the rear with her Shield. To be honest, she was somewhat reluctant to face Maggie Ken, that woman, no, Female Demon King... she had some twisted habits.
But Deathstroke suggested letting a Demon deal with a Demon, which seemed the most ideal judgment. Since Mackenzie owed him a favor, it was best to have it repaid now to avoid future complications.
Green Arrow and Barry were responsible for protecting Thomas, while Su Ming himself filled in the gaps, blocking some of the more special enemies.
Previously, they had only encountered Four-Winged Angels, but now Six-Winged Angel Generals had appeared on the battlefield. Thomas, being an ordinary person, found this chaotic battlefield somewhat surreal.
Even though he was also Batman, his age indeed posed a challenge. Su Ming needed his intellect sometimes to validate certain matters and ensure everything was foolproof, but didn't plan to have him charge ahead, that would be foolish.
However, Thomas showed no signs of admitting age; he charged together with the young ones while firing at the Birdmen in the sky with two small pistols.
His shooting was excellent, hitting targets accurately, but his bullets were clearly not advanced enough to even scratch the high-tier Angels.
"Does Dr. Wayne enjoy hunting wild ducks?"
Su Ming's Godslayer suddenly transformed into a giant fly swatter, swatting a charging Four-Winged Angel to the ground like a fly. Strangulation took the opportunity to bite off the upper half of the Angel.
As the Host, he was unperturbed, instead casually chatting with Thomas while dealing with high-tier enemies on the other side.
Old Batman was somewhat speechless. Hunting was indeed an aristocratic pastime, and watching these Angels take off from the horizon did resemble wild ducks taking flight from reed beds.
"Pity these ducks have thick skins, perhaps they're a new breed."
He swapped in a new magazine and resumed firing upward, though Su Ming silently praised him. There were not many who could follow his jokes, now Thomas joined Wade as an exception.
If only Bruce could learn a bit more from his father, instead of falling silent at every opportunity like before.
"I'll lend you my hunting rifle, although there aren't many bullets left, aim for high-value targets."
Su Ming pulled out a man-sized giant rifle from his pouch, its shimmering light immediately catching Thomas's attention.
He wasn't admiring the concealed art engravings on the gun barrel but rather eyeing this miniaturized personal Gauss Weapon.
Logically, the technological development of this Earth should be similar to the Flashpoint World, so why was an experimental weapon meant for ships now miniaturized for infantry use?
Moreover, it was suffused with Ancient Greek style, what does this have to do with Wonder Woman? The timeline and event progression on this Earth seemed bizarre.
Thomas's contemplation wasn't reflected in his expression as he immediately accepted the gun; its weight caused him to pause briefly. Just moments ago, Deathstroke wielded it like a toothpick, but in his own hands, it was a different matter.
Diana, covering the rear of the team, naturally noticed the gun too. She recognized not only the Divine Gold but also the handiwork of the Fire God.
Since when did Deathstroke have such a good relationship with her brother?
It's known that while the Fire God had a kind heart and wasn't prone to temper, as a Greek God, being approachable was never their hallmark.
In the past, only a handful could order equipment from him, like Poseidon or Hades, perhaps the more belligerent Ares and Athena.
Apart from them, only herself and Donna remained; even Hera asking him for jewelry for her son was often met with disdain.
Why did he make a rifle for Deathstroke, and one that was evidently finely crafted?
Could it be....
Diana wiped the blood from her face, unsure of why she felt a small surge of happiness.
Thomas immediately began shooting down a series of Angels; the gunfire was straight and the power didn't diminish after piercing targets, making it a formidable weapon.
Though manually cycling the bolt was a bit cumbersome...
But he understood that Deathstroke was the leader of this small team, and in many ways, his authority superseded even his son Bruce's, so him lending such a fine gun indicated his acknowledgment of Thomas's usefulness.
Being of value was advantageous, reducing the likelihood of betrayal or abandonment significantly.
Thomas fired while advancing, pondering some rather dark questions. Given his experiences in the Flashpoint World, it was unavoidable for him to tread cautiously.
"Great gun."
"Ahem, it's only on loan; this is an artwork, I can't give it to you."
Thomas and Deathstroke advanced toward the castle, slaughtering Angels along the way, the jagged black stone structure loomed near at the end of the road.
Having witnessed a bloodthirsty Batman, although aware it wasn't the one they knew, both Barry and Green Arrow found it intensely contradictory.
Was bringing him out of the Flashpoint World really right? What if he eventually taught Bruce to start killing too?
If Su Ming knew their thoughts, he'd surely be amused. If Batman were that easily changed, would he still be Batman?
Thomas had left a cipher with Alfred, so Bruce undoubtedly wasn't home idly after they departed, he was surely taking action too, yet he hadn't followed or eavesdropped on them?
At that thought, Su Ming's eyes widened, having no backup, did that mean Batman trusted them to handle the Laughing Bat? Could he really have learned to trust people?
This change came too rapidly.
This wasn't typical of Batman, only some of his actions resembled his true self. He seemed a bit like the Joker now, for the Joker trusted everyone, albeit shortly, and disappointment in that trust often ended terribly.
It seemed Thomas's antidote might not be very effective after all.
I need to act faster now, at least catch up before Batman loses control...