deltrittennovels Chapter 546. Gently place my hand on your shoulder!
Chapter 546. Gently place my hand on your shoulder!
Chapter 546 Gently Place My Hand on Your Shoulder!!! (6000-word long chapter)
At first, there was a murmur.
It felt like a mother whispering in your ear, or like being enveloped in warm amniotic fluid.
Then came the singing, plaintive and sorrowful.
For billions of years, since this universe was born from the hammer of the World Builder and then fell into the orbit of the dark multiverse beneath the light universe, the entire universe has never heard such a song.
From Gotham, to Central City, to Metropolis, it extends infinitely to every corner of the entire universe.
Gotham.
Under the ravages of the crime syndicate, the city has become a complete underworld empire loyal to the Night Owls. But even such a hierarchical place could not remain unchanged after the devastation of the Anti-Monitor's apocalypse.
The temporary sun that Nite Owl prepared for the entire Earth ensured that the Earth would not become an ice age while it was being moved away from the battle between Superman Supreme and the Anti-Monitor.
At that very moment, all the citizens of Gotham City felt a kind of calling.
"To contribute to Batman..."
In Gotham City's Diamond District, a robber is robbing a convenience store.
When Night Owl was in power, no one dared to carry out any robbery without his permission. But now that Night Owl is gone, the city is beginning to veer towards chaos, though this backlash is not yet pronounced due to Night Owl's lingering influence.
When the robber raised his gun to the convenience store owner's head, the two men simultaneously heard the call and simultaneously displayed two opposite attitudes.
The convenience store owner immediately agreed to the summons. He didn't know who Batman was, but whatever the situation, it was worse than having a gun pointed at his head.
He immediately collapsed to the ground and began to convulse.
He became a living battery, providing power for Batman to propel the universe and synchronize with other Batmen.
The robber immediately refused the offer; he wouldn't just give in so easily...
Then the summoning in his mind transformed into some kind of detailed information.
Your refusal does not equate to my agreement.
He immediately collapsed to the ground and began to convulse.
Soon, it was as if an invisible breeze had swept through the entire city, and everyone lay down and collapsed.
"He's communicating with all living beings in the universe through the Crimson of All Beings... He shouldn't be able to do that... Wait, those four propulsion towers cover the entire universe, he's using those towers to amplify his radiation!"
Barbatos said, "You should be careful, there's evidence that Batman can gain access to these ordinary creatures..."
"I know I'll enhance his abilities."
The anti-surveillance agent responded to Barbatos's whisper in a low voice: "Like a battery."
The two of them embraced each other as they traveled through the stars.
Vast amounts of space were trembling and folding, and the entire universe, like the writhing intestines of someone suffering from diarrhea, was desperately trying to squeeze the two of them out of the universe, thanks to the aftershocks of the first heavy blow to the anti-monitor.
The Anti-Monitor wanted to punch Batman or fight back, but he couldn't.
Batman suddenly hugged him.
The entire universe is rejecting the anti-monitor, and the First One has completely blocked his chance to remain in this universe.
But he hasn't left this universe yet.
He should have been forcibly ejected from the universe by this repulsion, just as Batman used the Speed Force to expel him from the universe before.
But he remains here, which means that the entire universe is pushing him forward, like a bulldozer, pushing the anti-monitor to a certain location.
"Don't let him swing a second time, Barbatos," the Anti-Monitor said. "Where are your men? I need you to destroy those thruster towers!"
"I can't! They've all been moved by Night Owl. Now the entire universe is like a solid block thanks to the effect of the four propulsion towers. They can't get in."
"Then why don't you do it yourself!"
The Anti-Monitor roared, "If you make a move, the entire universe will crumble like tofu. The Dark Multiverse is your domain, while I'm merely projecting power from upstream!"
The Anti-Monitor tried to pry Batman's hands off his body, but he felt tiny cracks appearing on the puppet's body.
This body has withstood the hammer blows of an entire universe, yet remains unharmed... temporarily.
At least under the current circumstances, it cannot withstand a second blow.
"I can't. I must stay in the World Forge to absorb power. I'm not strong enough to leave here yet. Even if I force my way out, everything I've done before will be for nothing."
Barbatos said coldly, "It's just losing a Batman who's qualified to be the Barbatos Dragon. It's important, but not an unacceptable loss. The Batman Who Laughs once proposed another plan to me."
(Note: Another plan is to capture Hawkman from the main universe and make him the Dragon of Barbatos, who appears in the original comics.)
Barbatos quickly and easily cleared himself of all responsibility.
And that is indeed the case. For Barbatos, the moment Batman used his heart power, it was all over. Even now, Barbatos can still feel that the resurrected Batman is still being corrupted by his dark energy.
If he doesn't need to put in any effort and can simply wait for time to pass and enjoy the fruits of his labor, how can one expect Barbatos to contribute?
The situation is completely different for the counter-monitor. All his efforts in this plan are aimed at obtaining a puppet that can move freely in the current timeline. Even if it is weak, being able to move freely is a huge breakthrough.
Batman now regards this puppet as an enemy, and if anything goes wrong with the puppet's body, it would be completely unacceptable to the Anti-Monitor.
What upset him the most was that he himself was the one who opened the rift between the Light Multiverse and the Dark Multiverse.
Previously, in order to exile Superman the Supreme, he tore a small hole between the positive and negative multiverses. It wasn't big, but it consumed a lot of power, which is why he is so weak now!
He heard Barbatos say, "And what do you have to worry about? Batman just wanted to push you into the positive multiverse. I've already filled in the gaps in your history; from the perspective of the transdimensional, you're now just an Anti-Monitor born in the Dark Multiverse, nothing more. Our deal is done; you're free."
He said, "Even if you're pushed into the Light Multiverse, the Hypertime Flow won't erase your existence. You just need to leave; Batman can't stop anything."
That's utter nonsense.
The Anti-Monitor took a breath. He and Batman were face to face, and if he looked down, he could see the ferocious expression on the other's face.
Anyone with a brain knows that if the other party went to such lengths to send him into the Bright Multiverse, they must have some way to fight him.
Knowing that the other party has some kind of preparation to deal with you, you would not foolishly jump into a trap.
But Barbatos refused to help, so he was left with only one last option...
Anger ignited in the eyes of the anti-surveillance activist.
His deal with Barbatos was originally over; Batman was his, and the anti-monitor puppet was his.
But now what he has obtained is very likely to be lost. Under such circumstances, can we really expect him to resist the temptation of Batman, Barbatos's delicious meal?
He didn't say anything, but instead said, "Let's make a new deal, Barbatos. I can tell you the location of my brother [The Watcher] on the current timeline, and I can also help you capture him."
While his condition is slightly better than mine in the current timeline, where I only have one brain, he is still in poor health. He has only just begun to rebuild himself since the last multiverse crisis.
(Note: In the comics, the Batman Who Laughs did indeed capture the Watcher.)
"What do you want me to do?"
Barbatos was indeed tempted.
"I need your dark matter energy. With your dark matter energy, I can expand the size of this puppet vessel in the current timeline to draw in more antimatter energy from my own body."
This is a fundamental difference.
Previously, Barbatos had only helped the Anti-Monitors defraud the Hypertime Stream to maintain his existence in reality, which didn't cost much, or even if it did, it wouldn't be much.
Simply put, it's a business with no initial investment.
However, if Barbatos were to bestow his dark energy upon the Anti-Monitor, it would be like cutting flesh from his own body to feed the Anti-Monitor's puppet until it was plump and round. This would allow the Anti-Monitor to project more power from upstream, so that the puppet would no longer be in its current state of being "capable, but not very capable."
However, this would force Barbatos to truly expend his own power, which would not only slow down his devouring of the corpses of the Worldforgers, but also greatly hinder his plans to invade the main universe.
"Think about it, Barbatos. When you master my stellar brain, you will possess antimatter energy, and you yourself will be the master of dark matter energy."
The Antimonitor said, "Once you capture my brother, the Monitor, and obtain his positive matter energy, the three combined will allow you to blow up the entire multiverse. There will be no more positive matter, no more antimatter, and no more multiverse; only darkness will remain—your darkness."
Barbatos knew the Anti-Monitor was manipulating him; he knew they were plotting to alter the history upstream in the Hypertime Stream, but Barbatos knew it would never happen.
But who knows? Anyway, this has nothing to do with the transaction.
Barbatos agreed.
drop.
Hey.
The next moment, the Anti-Monitor grabbed Batman's shoulder and tore his body apart:
That's enough.
He admired the horrified expression on Batman's face.
The other party must not understand why he was able to push him so far just now, but now the other party is evenly matched with him.
Once the anti-surveillance agent and Barbatos had made their deal, it all happened in the blink of an eye.
Dark matter imparts energy, revealing the location of the monitor.
These unfold at a level beyond the reach of human vision.
The anti-surveillance agent sensed Batman struggling desperately.
Good, well done. Keep struggling. The more Barbatos' energy you use, the more infected you become with Barbatos.
Once Barbatos has completely taken over your mind... then it's all over.
He felt that Batman's power was somewhat weakened.
Oh, you've noticed that? It's no use even if you have.
The Anti-Monitor grabbed Batman, who had become completely ravaged, and easily ripped off one of his arms.
Endless energy poured into his body from the upstream of the hypertime stream in an indescribable way. The powerful force that the Anti-Monitor gained from devouring most of the positive matter universe during the first crisis was already showing a sinister side in the current timeline.
He watched with satisfaction as Batman had to draw energy from the heart once again to repair his body.
Well done, keep it up.
"Why...why are you like this?" He heard Batman say in a hoarse voice, "Is this the fate of the Dark Multiverse?"
"You've done very well, Batman, you've done a great job," the Anti-Monitor said.
Batman's eyes shoot out Omega-effect rays, a technique belonging to the Dark Father.
But the Anti-Monitor simply clapped his hands, and a blinding white light flashed, scorching Batman's eye sockets black.
Having temporarily subdued Batman, the Anti-Monitor turned to the side.
The four thrusters are still functioning and under Batman's control.
The entire universe is still enveloped by the Anti-Monitor, pushing him toward the rift he himself has just torn open, which leads to the Light Multiverse.
Now the anti-surveillance activists want to stop all of this.
Destroying those four propulsion towers would not only stop the movement of the universe, but would also prevent Batman from connecting his battery via All-Red, making him even more dependent on Barbatos's energy.
But the anti-surveillance agent found himself being hugged again.
"You just had to make it look so ugly, didn't you?" he said.
He was suddenly pulled backward by Batman, and then the Batman drawn by the Complete Destroyer was surrounded by the Red Death's black and red lightning bats, running rapidly beside the Anti-Monitor, throwing punches continuously, before the Anti-Monitor grabbed his leg with his bare hands and pulled him into his palm.
"Perhaps this action will remind you of something..."
The anti-monitor lifted Batman high into the air, then raised his knee: "What was that line again?"
Then he suddenly felt his expression change.
He heard a loud cracking sound, and as the sound rang out, the anti-life equation within the Anti-Monitor's body also suddenly became agitated.
He loosened his grip, then clutched his head and let out a sharp howl.
"What did you do?"
Then he heard Batman gasp, "The death of an Omega Effect user will cause the Anti-Life Equation to leave your body..."
Under Chen Tao's control, Lei Tingzansha, who had been shrunk and imprisoned within his body, breathed his last.
And with the release of the Omega effect...
[Warning, warning! Darkseid has been detected dead. Capture Darkseid's divine essence, "Omega Effect," and fully integrate this essence into your body to replicate the birth of the Dark Father in order to obtain...]
Batman has integrated Darkseid into his body... You have fully synchronized with SS-class Batman: Dark Father.
"I am the god of the Omega effect."
Chen Tao said.
"So what?"
The Anti-Monitor suddenly grabbed Batman's arm, and the universe trembled.
The surrounding planets and meteorites were crushed to dust by the energy of their collision, just like tofu. In the midst of this life-or-death struggle, the four propulsion towers lit up with blue light again, and the second heavy hammer swung down fiercely!
boom!!!
The entire monolithic universe vibrated and echoed like a bell, the sound resounding throughout the entire dark multiverse.
Countless heroes and villains from the Dark Multiverse simultaneously raised their heads.
They all heard the buzzing sound, like the Dark Multiverse itself roaring!
In the remnants of the Dark Multiverse, the souls that Barbatos had turned into neither dead nor alive also raised their heads, their pained faces showing bewilderment. They could not understand what had happened.
The melting pot of the world.
The intense buzzing made Barbatos clutch his head. The sound was so grating, it was like the scratching of fingernails on glass.
"And all of this is useless."
The tremor was transmitted through Batman to the Anti-Monitor, causing his entire body to buzz uncontrollably.
"But you're not enough to motivate me."
He looked down and saw that Batman was still in the Destroyer form, but blood was spurting from all seven orifices.
The Destroyer's abilities are almost comparable to Doomsday's, and Batman has added the new godhood of the Dark Father to his body.
But even with such a resilient body, under the immense pressure of wielding a universe as a hammer, the blood vessels throughout its body began to burst.
The Anti-Monitor, expressionless, swung his fist, tearing through Batman's body. Under the decomposition of the Anti-Life Equation, even the Destroyer's bio-force was difficult to resist.
This power originated from the Crisis on Infinite Earths era, and was acquired by the Anti-Monitor after consuming most of the positive matter universe. Even though this power has been weakened due to being projected onto the current reality, Batman is still unstoppable.
The wound was instantly healed by Barbatos' dark matter energy, and for the first time, the Anti-Monitor began to loathe Barbatos's persistent, clingy ability:
Without the Tenth Metal, almost no one could harm Barbatos and his Dark Knights.
Although the Batman in front of us did not join the Dark Knights, he was able to acquire a similar physique to the Dark Knights for a short period of time by receiving a heart filled with Barbatos' energy.
"Why, why hasn't it been corrupted yet?"
The anti-surveillance activist was getting agitated: "Why?"
"Because...because, cough cough cough...everything is going according to plan."
Then he heard the Batman in front of him, whose body he had torn to shreds, coughing violently and spitting out a mouthful of blood.
The anti-surveillance agent, expressionless, punched and smashed half of his body.
Is it still in the planning stages?
Batman repaired his body.
He clung desperately to the anti-monitor's leg, frantically opening his mouth to bite into his armor.
The anti-monitor knocked out all his teeth, then heard Batman continue his stubbornness:
"Everything...everything is going according to plan."
The counter-surveillance agents were no longer in a hurry to destroy the four propulsion towers.
He had already felt the force of the thrusting tower knocking the universe down on him; it was strong, but nothing special.
He could withstand even the third strike; he had gradually become accustomed to the damage caused by these cosmic strikes. Moreover, he didn't think Batman in his current state could withstand a third strike. Perhaps before that, he would be transformed by Barbatos.
And to be honest... they're already next to that rift connecting the Light Multiverse and the Dark Multiverse.
Therefore, there is no point in trying to destroy the propulsion tower and stop the universe from moving with him.
The main reason is...
"What makes you think you can bite me even though you don't have any teeth?"
The anti-surveillance agent grabs Batman, who then punches and kicks him.
"You're really persistent," he said. "I'm afraid I'll have to deal with you before I can take care of what I need to do."
He then lifted Batman up with one hand and grabbed his shoulder with the other, trying to pull his spine out, but instead only caught the exploding nanobots on Batman's shoulder.
Chen Tao exploded his body into nanobots, forcing the anti-monitors to abandon their plan to harm Chen Tao by breaking his limbs, but this did not change anything.
Chen Tao felt his determination to fight the anti-surveillance agents to the death was fading, replaced by fear, confusion, and a growing desire to compromise.
He knew that Barbatos was influencing him.
He knew he was likely facing his final fate.
"I just said I wouldn't come to accompany death, and then I'll die back right away... This seems a bit awkward," Chen Tao thought to himself.
He has made his decision.
None of the Dark Knights would do such a thing.
Before being transformed by Barbatos, even the Laughing Bats, who already knew they were about to be transformed, would not have done such a thing.
He intends to use the Omega effect to explosively squeeze his own body to create a terrifying, one-time burst of energy, and then use that to swing the third hammer, driving the anti-monitor through that gap into the luminous multiverse like a nail.
He did that.
"you……"
Endless white light.
The entire universe trembled once more, the invisible giant hammer was raised high again, and the Anti-Monitor heard Batman roar:
"Get...out there!"
boom!
Useless.
Chen Tao gritted his teeth.
Although he couldn't see the progress bar of his transformation, he still felt...
But he will swing the hammer one more time.
He can still...
Then he suddenly looked up.
The anti-surveillance activists also suddenly looked up.
On the orbit of the dark multiverse, a series of enormous humming sounds echoed in layers.
"My universe! I'm not letting Luther..."
Chen Tao realized something.
He could almost see the grotesque, maniacal grin on Luther's bald head inside the Propulsion Tower's main control room in his universe.
He smiled, then said softly, "Good timing."
In the blink of an eye, a new universe that had been rapidly accelerating the entire propulsion tower system suddenly crashed into the Anti-Monitor from another dimension, like a heavy truck driven by Luther that had accelerated to its limit, striking the Anti-Monitor's face like a meteor.
The anti-monitor was speechless, and then he saw Batman make another feint towards him.
Behind Batman, the stars in the vast universe shone brightly at that moment!
In the pupils of the anti-monitor, the bat-like shadows that enveloped him and the deafening roar were reflected!
"Drink!"
boom!!!
"It's no use!"
It was a failure, still a failure; the speed of Luther's universe was about to run out.
But their match remained evenly matched, like a tug-of-war, and as time went on, Chen Tao's side would inevitably lose momentum first.
Because Chen Tao's power comes from the inertia of the collision with the Luther universe, this inertia will weaken, while the Anti-Monitor's power comes entirely from himself.
Chen Tao still needs some power, but where else can he find other power to change this situation?
And at this moment...
Chen Tao suddenly felt someone put their hand on his shoulder.
(End of this chapter)