"But he came back too quickly."
Diana sized up Superman, finding nothing wrong with him. His demeanor, aura, and smile all felt like Superman, except he looked a bit older.
Barry couldn't care less; he jumped around clapping with joy: "What's wrong with coming back quickly? Speed is the best, speed is awesome!"
Hawk Woman was biting her fingernail, whispering: "He actually looks good with white hair and a beard, but is it really him?"
Superman, of course, heard everyone's conversation. Stepping aside from the door, he smiled and said: "It's me, my friends. The flow of time between our dimensions is different. Maybe it was just a blink of an eye here, but I spent decades in that world."
"Hmm?" Batman let out a short nasal sound.
"Throughout those years, I kept trying to save the world, searching through hundreds of millions, even billions, of possibilities and finally found the only solution." Superman opened the door, his white cape dragging over the white floor of the Hall of Justice: "Come with me, friends, I have something you need to see."
Batman looked at the swirling vortex inside the door, while the Troublemaker stood still as if in a trance, having fallen unconscious right after the door opened.
"Go with you? No, this multiverse still needs protection." Batman expressed his concern.
"I'll stay, Atlantis has just gone through a disaster; they still need me."
Yet, Arthur was the first to express disinterest in dimensional travel. Partly because he didn't understand it, and going would be pointless. Partly because there were no enemies; what was the point in him going?
Star Hero pointed to his head: "I'm not going either; my brain seems problematic. After you lent me Can Luo, I only completed half of my body check-up."
Batman pondered for a moment. He knew Superman better than anyone else, even better than Louise.
He had recognized Superman long ago, and others confirmed it as well, so there shouldn't be a problem.
Even if there was a problem, he had to see what the answer to the multiverse crisis was. The risk was necessary.
Without saying much more, he was the first to walk towards the teleportation gate, showing his trust in Superman.
Though he trusted no one, he had learned how to conceal that through his interactions with the Justice League.
Diana caught up from behind, seeing Barry, already overtaking Batman, striding with no regard for anyone. She whispered beside Batman:
"Everything seems fine now, but we need a plan, a solid battle plan."
"Play it by ear."
That was Batman's answer; he had a plan, but he wouldn't reveal it.
"Everyone, please come in. I've set the energy frequency for the teleportation gate. Come, follow me," Superman called from the door, then turned and stepped back through it.
Approaching the glowing small door, the Justice League gradually realized they were treading a different path than before.
Unlike previous time-travel adventures, this felt like they were being dragged directly from one point to another.
The two lacked any relation, continuity, or logic.
With just a blink, they found themselves in another place.
............
"Hey? Why didn't you go in?"
Arthur watched as the main group left and the door gradually vanished into thin air. Holding his trident, he turned around, intending to chat with Star Hero about magazines.
Perhaps Star Hero had a vintage copy of "Attic"? That would be a treasure, as many collectors are willing to pay a fortune for a first issue these days.
But as he turned back, he found the completely unnoticed Green Arrow Hero using him as a shield, hiding behind his robust body.
Everyone had forgotten Green Arrow's presence.
"Something's not right."
Green Arrow straightened up, gazing at the empty field a short distance away, as if nothing had happened.
The Troublemaker stood asleep not far away, looking very odd.
"Hmm? What's not right? Superman's new hairstyle?" Arthur scratched his head, unable to detect anything.
"His new uniform; those golden patterns aren't decorative but N Metal processed with Sena Gang craftsmanship." Green Arrow coolly analyzed. From the moment he returned to the Hall of Justice, he had felt something was off: "We've lost all our allies in the cosmos, yet clearly, that's not the case on the other side. Superman not only found the solution but already solved the problem."
"... Hey, I thought you were saying something else. Isn't that a good thing?" Arthur tilted his head in thought, then chuckled, locking Oliver's neck with his arm: "Come on, let's get a drink and celebrate. Star Hero, you join us too."
"If it were truly a good thing, why wouldn't he say so?" Oliver still wore a doubtful expression, pushing Arthur's arm aside: "If he were really Superman, he would know we were all anxious about the state of the cosmos when we parted. Shouldn't he have told us 'the cosmos is safe' immediately?"
Arthur fiddled with his beard, grimacing as he tugged on a split end: "I didn't feel that way. Maybe he prepared some gifts for the other side to surprise Batman and the others? They've been apart for years, of course, Superman would have surprises prepared for Batman."
"Something's off here. I need to find Deathstroke."
Oliver showed no sign of being convinced by Sea King because, logically, no one should be convinced by Arthur, unless their brain had been smacked by a fish's tail.
He left those words and used a Flash-like vanish from the spot.
Arthur's arm remained frozen mid-air, as if he wanted to keep something, opening and closing his mouth, but the person was already gone.
He exhaled through his nose, making his nostrils seem large. In the end, he could only let his arm fall helplessly, sighing.
"Sigh, always paranoid, Green Arrow and Batman have the same problem... Did you have someone like that in your Justice Association?"
Sea King inquired towards Star Hero beside him, who now held Can Luo like a doll.
Upon hearing Sea King's question, Will Peyton did not hesitate to say: "Time Hero, he's the Batman of our time. Dear heavens, he has a hint of time ability, constantly reliving the hour before his father's murder, unable to alter the embrace of death. This torment made him a bit... sensitive."
Arthur inhaled sharply, relieved. If Batman would constantly relive his parents' murder, he'd likely have gone mad long ago.
Hmm? No, wait, Thomas is alive and back now. How does that matter? Could it be Deathstroke fetched another Martha from somewhere?
"Never mind, I won't think about it. My own head isn't clear, but I know full well these issues should be left to smart people." Arthur patted Star Hero on the shoulder, showing an earnest smile: "I'll grab the drinks, shall we drink and wait?"
"Though I don't want to admit being a hippie, I'll never turn down good alcohol." Star Hero placed the Sea Star aside, which appeared to be asleep: "The stronger, the better."