Chapter 401
"Already what?" Hode's voice carried a four-fold resonance—Diana's solemnity, Zatanna Zatara's liveliness, Carol's wildness, and Natasha's signature huskiness. "You think the Emotional Core is an energy source? No, Joker, that is..."
Natasha's voice suddenly came from the rain: "It's a key." She snapped the last quantum thread, and the purple crystal exploded with a roar. As the red-haired Agentflipped and landed in the air, she flipped two special grenades from her wrists—not EMPs, but quantum containers filled with Hode's blood.
"Hold on tight, rookie." The moment she threw the grenades toward Hode, the intersection of the four dimensions suddenly began to rotate. Diana's Shield of Truth automatically flew back into Hode's hand; the shield's surface reflected countless Hodes from parallel Worlds making different choices; Zatanna Zatara's broken wand erupted with rainbow-like beams, weaving a positive spell net in the rain; Carol's War Armor fragments formed an energy matrix, compressing the Supernova flames into light particle bullets; and Natasha... before leaping into the rotating Energy Vortex, she branded a blood-tasting kiss onto Hode's lips.
"Don't be late this time." Her quantum patterns fused completely with Hode's, forming a golden bridge that spanned the Multiverse.
Joker's scream was swallowed by the Energy Vortex. Hodefelt his body being torn into pieces, but this time there was no pain—only Diana's divine fire purifying the equation patterns, Zatanna Zatara's spells reorganizing his neural synapses, Carol's energy strengthening his skeletal structure, and Natasha's quantum entanglement... It was like an invisible thread, stringing all the fragments together into a new whole.
When the Energy Vortex stopped rotating, Hode found himself standing on the roof of the Gotham Police Department. The rain had stopped, but the neon lights still twisted into equation symbols in the rainwater. He looked down at his unscathed palms—the equation patterns had disappeared, replaced by four tiny marks: the hexagon of the Shield of Truth, the star of the wand, the triangle of the War Armor, and the spider emblem of Black Widow.
"Is the game over?" Hode asked softly.
"Not even close, rookie." Natasha's voice came from behind him. She was leaning against a ventilation pipe, her quantum patterns having faded to her wrists, and she was using special threads to repair her suit torn by the Energy Vortex. "Look at this." She tossed him a Batarang-shaped device, its surface engraved with a variant symbol of the anti-life equation.
The moment Hode caught it, the device suddenly expanded into a holographic projection. Diana was in the Amazon training grounds teaching young warriors, the Shield of Truth transforming into a light sword in her hands; Zatanna Zatara was writing spells in reverse in the magic sanctuary, her star wand automatically repairing damaged buildings; Carol was floating in space, her War Armor absorbing Supernova Energy to form a new protective shield; and at the center of all the images... was Thomas Wayne, standing before Bruce's grave, holding half a Batarang engraved with the equation.
"The Emotional Core is not an energy source," Natashawalked to Hode's side, her fingertips gently tracing the Ark Reactor on his chest, "it's us." She suddenly pulled open her suit's collar, revealing the quantum mark on her collarbone. "Your father proved this with his life, Bruceproved it with his solitude, and now..."
An alarm suddenly tore through the night sky. Hode and Natasha turned simultaneously, seeing a purple energy pillar rising from the direction of Gotham Bay—its shape looked exactly like Joker's umbrella, but its surface was covered in variant symbols of the anti-life equation.
"Looks like someone didn't learn their lesson." Natashathrew out a thread to wrap around Hode's wrist. "Don't let me fight alone this time."
Hode smiled. He felt Diana's divine fire surging in his veins, Zatanna Zatara's spells whispering in his mind, Carol's energy leaping between his cells, and Natasha's quantum entanglement... It was like an invisible bond, weaving all the power into an unprecedented net.
"Hold on tight." He pulled Natasha and leaped off the roof. As his Bat-wings unfolded under the moonlight, the four marks lit up simultaneously. "This time, we're going to change the rules."
The purple energy pillar suddenly exploded, forming a quantum cloud covering the entire East Coast. Hodesteadied himself in the airflow, seeing countless Joker faces emerging from the clouds—each face corresponding to a parallel Universe, and in each Universe, there was a Hodemaking a different choice.
"Welcome to my new playground." All the Jokers spoke simultaneously, their voices resonating at the quantum level. "How will you choose this time? Save Diana's Amazon, or Zatanna Zatara's magic World? Protect Carol's Universe, or..."
Natasha suddenly snapped the thread, letting herself fall toward the sea. At the last moment, she threw an EMP grenade. When the purple quantum cloud was blasted open, Hode saw the other side of the gap—it was Bruce Wayne, standing before the Batcave's quantum computer, holding a Batarang identical to Hode's.
"It's not a choice." Hode's voice penetrated the quantum cloud. Diana's divine fire, Zatanna Zatara's spells, Carol's energy, and Natasha's quantum entanglement erupted simultaneously. "It's everything."
The purple quantum cloud suddenly began to collapse. The Jokers' faces twisted into expressions of terror as they saw four huge phantoms appear behind Hode: Dianawielding a light sword formed from the Shield of Truth, Zatanna Zatara's wand shooting out rainbow-like beams, Carol's War Armor forming a Supernova protective shield, and Natasha... She stood at the center of all the phantoms, the quantum patterns on her body forming a complete equation symbol.
"This is impossible!" All the Jokers screamed simultaneously. "The Emotional Core has already..."
"Already what?" Hode's voice carried a four-fold resonance, each word triggering vibrations at the quantum level. "It has evolved." He raised his right hand, and the four marks lit up simultaneously. "This is not the Emotional Core, this is..."
A loud noise suddenly came from Gotham Bay. Hode and Natasha turned simultaneously to see the sea split—not blasted open by energy, but torn apart like fabric, revealing the void beneath. Deep within the void, countless purple crystals were forming, each sealing a superhero: in some crystals, Diana was being scorched by divine fire, in others, Zatanna Zatara was being torn apart by spells, in others, Carol was being swallowed by Supernova Energy, and in the central crystal... was Natasha, her quantum patterns having spread over her entire body, using her last strength to carve a distress signal on the crystal's surface.
"Looks like the game has leveled up." Hode let go of Natasha's hand, letting her fall toward the sea. As the red-haired Agent flipped in the air, she threw out a thread—not as an attack, but to wrap around Hode's ankle. "This time, it's your turn to be three minutes late, rookie."
Hode smiled. He felt the power within him boiling—not out of control, but a fusion like never before. Diana's divine fire burned in his left eye, Zatanna Zatara's spells flowed along his right arm, Carol's energy formed a cape behind him, and Natasha's quantum entanglement... It was like an invisible thread, stringing all the power together into a new whole.
"Hold on tight." He pulled the thread and charged into the void. As his Bat-wings unfolded in the quantum storm, the four marks burst forth simultaneously with rainbow-like light. "This time, we're going to rewrite the ending."
The cluster of purple crystals suddenly vibrated violently. The central Natasha crystal exploded first. As the red-haired Agent flipped and landed in the air, she flipped two special grenades from her wrists—not EMPs, nor quantum containers, but Batarang-shaped devices filled with Hode's blood.
"You're four minutes late, rookie." The moment she threw the grenades, Hode saw four marks identical to his own appear behind her ears.
The void began to collapse. The purple crystal cluster exploded like dominoes, and with each crystal that burst, a trapped superhero was released. Diana wielded the light sword formed from the Shield of Truth, slashing at the quantum storm; Zatanna Zatara's wand shot out reverse spells to stabilize space; Carol's War Armor absorbed Supernova Energy to form a protective shield; and Hode... He stood at the center of everyone, the four marks on his chest forming a complete equation symbol.
"The game has only..." Joker's voice suddenly came from all directions, but this time his physical form did not appear. Instead, a huge smiling face emerged in the purple quantum cloud, each tooth being a symbol of the anti-life equation. "...just begun."
Hode felt a chill on the back of his neck. He looked down and saw tiny equation patterns appearing under his skin again—but this time they weren't spreading; they were meticulously etched like a tattoo. Natasha suddenly grabbed his wrist, her quantum patterns resonating with Hode's, forming a golden bridge that spanned the Multiverse.
"There is something inside you..." Her words were interrupted by a suddenly appearing spatial rift. From the other side of the rift came Diana's battle cry, Zatanna Zatara's spells, the roaring of Carol's energy, and... Bruce's voice.
"Hode!" Batman's figure shimmered in the rift, holding half a Batarang engraved with the equation—the very one Hode had seen before. "Come back!"
Hode turned to look at Natasha. The red-haired Agent's quantum patterns had spread to her neck, but she was still smiling. "Go, rookie. This time..." Her voice suddenly caught in her throat, her eyes widening as she looked behind Hode.
Hode didn't need to look back. He felt the power within him spiraling out of control—not being assimilated by the equation, but being summoned by something more ancient and powerful. When the spatial rift suddenly expanded, dragging everyone into a chaotic Energy Vortex, the last image he saw was Natasha's lips moving silently: "Live."
When Hode regained consciousness, he was lying on the damp asphalt. The rain had stopped, but the neon lights still twisted into equation symbols in the rainwater. He slowly sat up and found five tiny marks appearing on his palms: the hexagon of the Shield of Truth, the star of the wand, the triangle of the War Armor, the spider of Black Widow, and... a bat-shaped symbol.
In the distance, the neon lights of the Gotham Police Department suddenly exploded, and a purple quantum cloud poured out from the rift. As Hode stood up, his Bat-wings automatically unfolded from his back—not mechanical, but woven together by Diana's divine fire, Zatanna Zatara's spells, Carol's energy, and Natasha's quantum entanglement.
"Hey, little bat." A familiar voice came from the rain. Hodeturned to see Joker standing at the alley entrance, the tip of his umbrella pressed against Diana's throat, while Zatanna Zatara was bound to the wall by spells, Carol's Supernova Energy was suppressed by some kind of quantum field, and Natasha... She lay in a pool of blood, the quantum patterns behind her ears fading away.
"The rules of the game have changed." Joker's umbrella suddenly shot out a purple poison needle, but it wasn't aimed at Hode; it stabbed into Diana's neck. The Amazonprincess's divine fire instantly extinguished, and the Shield of Truth slid from her hand. "This time, you must choose between becoming the new vessel for the equation and..." He suddenly opened his raincoat, revealing a chest strapped with bombs, "watching them die in front of you."
Hode's pupils shrank to pinpoints. He felt the power within him boiling—all five marks lit up simultaneously, forming an unprecedented Energy Vortex. In the rain curtain, the figures of Diana, Zatanna Zatara, Carol, and Natashashimmered, all bound by the purple quantum field at the intersection of different dimensions. And on Joker's bomb timer, the numbers were jumping frantically—just like the equation patterns spreading within Hode.
"Choose, little bat." Joker's laughter echoed in the rain. "Let Diana's divine fire extinguish forever, or let Zatanna Zatara's spells become an eternal curse? Let Carol's Supernova Energy swallow the Universe, or let..." He suddenly kicked Natasha at his feet; the red-haired Agent's body slammed against the concrete wall, splashing a large amount of blood, "watch your lover die slowly?"
Hode's hand slowly reached toward his waist. There, five Batarangs were tucked—each engraved with a different symbol: Truth, magic, energy, quantum, and... a symbol he had never seen before, looking exactly like the equation patterns disappearing from Bruce's armor.
"You're wrong." Hode's voice was so low it didn't sound like his own. "This is not a choice." He suddenly tore open his shirt, revealing the five glowing marks on his chest. "This is..."
The rain curtain was suddenly ignited by divine fire. Diana's Shield of Truth flew up from the ground, the shield's surface reflecting countless Hodes from parallel Worlds making different choices; Zatanna Zatara's spells emerged from the rainwater, weaving a positive positioning spell in the air; Carol's War Armor fragments condensed from the void, Supernova Energy forming a chain reaction; Natasha's quantum patterns suddenly erupted, golden blood gushing from her wounds, forming a reverse-written equation in the air; and Hode... He gripped the five Batarangs, and the five marks burst forth simultaneously with rainbow-like light.
"Destiny." He said.
Chapter 680: We Are Going to Solve It Once and for All
Hode felt his heart almost bursting, the five marks burning on his chest as if they were going to ignite his very soul. He saw Diana's Shield of Truth carve a silver arc in the air, and in the countless parallel Worlds reflected on the shield's surface, he was fighting side-by-side with different versions of her—sometimes under the walls of Troy, sometimes in the ruins of a future city, and sometimes in the cracks of the quantum foam.
"Hode!" Diana's voice came from the shield's surface, carrying a divine echo. "Don't let the marks control you!"
Zatanna Zatara's spells suddenly wrapped around his wrists, the reverse magic runes like cold snakes: "Ekilnoitceles (Selection Reversal)!" Her body, bound to the wall, trembled slightly, but the spells still precisely pierced into Hode's consciousness. "Remember, magic is the mirror of desire."
Carol's Supernova Energy suddenly erupted in the rain, not as an attack, but forming a brilliant energy cocoon, wrapping Hode within it. He heard her shouting in the energy storm: "You are not fighting alone!" War Armorfragments turned into meteors, tracing burning trajectories around him.
Natasha's golden blood suddenly splashed up from the ground, forming a complex quantum equation in the air. Hode felt his brain being invaded by something cold, and countless memory fragments flooded in—Natasha flipping through his files in the S.H.I.E.L.D. archives, correcting his fighting stance in the training grounds, handing him a hot coffee on the rooftop on a rainy night.
"Rookie..." Her voice suddenly rang in his ears, clearer than ever. "You are stronger than you think."
Joker's laughter was torn apart by the energy storm, but his bomb timer was still ticking frantically: 30... 29
Hode gripped the five Batarangs, feeling each mark resonating with its corresponding weapon.
The hexagon of the Shield of Truth flickered at the tip of the Batarang, the star radiance of the magic wand flowed along the blade, the triangle of the War Armor gathered energy at the tail, the spider pattern of the Black Widowspread across the handle, and that bat-shaped symbol...
"Bruce..." Hode murmured to himself, suddenly realizing what that never-before-seen symbol represented—not the missing anti-life equation, but the will of Batman, the courage of all superheroes to choose to fight even in desperate situations.
When the bomb timer hit 15, Hode moved.
He threw the first Batarang; the mark of the Shield of Truth turned it into a silver lightning bolt, instantly cutting through the spell binding Zatanna Zatara.
The moment the Witch was in freefall, Hode had already appeared beneath her, catching her with his body, while simultaneously throwing the second Batarang—the star radiance of the magic wand caused it to split into countless points of light in the air, each point becoming a counter-spell that forced the poison needles from Diana's neck.
"Thank you." Diana's voice carried a smile. The Shield of Truth flew back into her hand automatically, its surface reflecting Hode's expression at that moment—determined, focused, and with a hint of tenderness she had never seen before.
When the bomb timer hit 7, Carol's energy cocoon suddenly exploded, not destructively, but to propel Hodeinto the air.
He threw the third Batarang in mid-air; the triangle of the War Armor turned it into a massive energy shield, blocking all the purple poison needles fired by the Joker.
"Nice!" Carol's voice came from below, Supernova Energycondensing into a miniature Sun in her hand, "But don't forget about me!"
When the bomb timer hit 3, Natasha's quantum equation was suddenly completed. Hode felt his body become light, as if he could penetrate dimensions.
He threw the fourth Batarang; the spider pattern of the Black Widow turned it into a quantum net, trapping the Joker firmly.
"You..." A look of genuine surprise appeared on the Joker's face for the first time, "Impossible..."
The instant the bomb timer hit 0, Hode threw the final Batarang. The bat-shaped symbol bloomed in the air, not as an attack, but as a summons—Diana's Shield of Truth, Zatanna Zatara's magic wand, Carol's War Armor, Natasha's quantum blood, and Bruce's Batarang, all powers converging at this moment into a rainbow-like beam of light that shot straight into the sky.
The Joker's laughter came to an abrupt halt. His body began to quantize, every particle bearing the symbol of the anti-life equation, but the moment it touched the beam of light, it dissipated into stardust.
The rain stopped.
Hode landed on the ground. The five marks had disappeared, but he could feel them deeply branded into the depths of his soul.
Diana, Zatanna Zatara, Carol, and Natasha surrounded him, each with a different look in their eyes—Diana's was appreciation, Zatanna Zatara's was curiosity, Carol's was excitement, and Natasha's... was a kind of tenderness he had never seen before.
"You did it," Natasha said softly. The quantum patterns had completely vanished, but her eyes were still gleaming with a golden light.
Hode opened his mouth, but before he could speak, he suddenly felt the ground shaking. In the distance, among the ruins of the Gotham City police station, a massive purple vortex was forming, with the symbol of the anti-life equation spinning within it, more powerful than any time before.
"It seems..." Zatanna Zatara's magic wand flew into her hand automatically, beginning to flicker with unstable light, "the game isn't over yet."
Carol's War Armor automatically reassembled, and Supernova Energy formed a vortex around her: "This time, we're going to end it once and for all."
Diana's Shield of Truth hummed, its surface reflecting countless possible futures—in every one of them, Hodestood on the front lines.
Natasha suddenly grabbed Hode's hand; her palm was warm and dry: "Remember, rookie, true power isn't the marks, but..."
Her words were interrupted by a sudden alarm. Hodeturned his head and saw countless familiar figures emerging from the purple vortex—the superheroes controlled by the anti-life equation, their eyes all glowing with a purple light.
"It seems..." Hode slowly drew the Batarang from his waist, the afterimages of the five marks flickering at his fingertips, "it's our turn to strike back."
Diana's battle cry, Zatanna Zatara's spells, the roar of Carol's energy, the quantum fluctuations of Natasha, and Hode... He gripped the Batarang, feeling a more powerful force awakening within him.
The purple vortex suddenly exploded, and countless controlled heroes rushed out.
The battle had begun.
Chapter 681: Then, Everything Exploded
Hode's pupils contracted as he looked at the controlled heroes—Superman's eyes were flashing with an eerie purple light, Iron Man's arc reactor was covered in purple veins, Black Widow's tactical gloves were dripping with purple slime, and even Flash's speed force field was twisted into the shape of the anti-life equation.
"Watch out!" Diana's Shield of Truth suddenly blocked Hode's front, stopping the Heat Vision attacking from behind by Superman. The shield reflected the Amazonprincess's tense profile, "They've been enhanced."
Zatanna Zatara's spell wove into a net in the air: "Ecirpydobehtmorfytilibats (Detach control from the body)!" But the purple veins writhed like living things, tearing the spell to shreds. The Witch stumbled back, sparks bursting from the tip of her wand.
"Let me handle this!" Carol's War Armor suddenly disassembled and reassembled, forming a full-body purple energy restraint suit. She charged toward the controlled Iron Man; Supernova Energy collided with the purple light of the arc reactor, creating a blinding white light, "Tony, wake up!"
Natasha's quantum patterns appeared again, but this time they were blood-red. She formed seals with her hands, the ground suddenly cracked open, and countless quantum chains entangled the controlled Black Widow: "Rookie, their weakness is in..." Her voice suddenly choked, "in the heart."
Hode felt his heart being gripped tight. He saw the controlled Bruce—Batman's armor had cracked, revealing the skin on his chest covered in purple veins. That man who was always calm and composed was now laughing frantically, with a dozen counting-down Batarangs hanging from his waist.
"Bruce..." Hode's voice trembled. He remembered the conversation in the Batcave last night—Bruce, while adjusting new equipment, said nonchalantly: "Love is a weakness, Hode. But if you must choose, at least choose one who can help you fight."
How did Hode answer at the time? Oh, he said: "Then I'll choose five."
Bruce suddenly stopped laughing. His head twisted at an eerie angle, his purple eyes staring straight at Hode: "Five? How greedy." His fingers suddenly flicked, and three purple Batarangs shot toward Diana's back.
"Shield, come!" Hode shouted. The mark of the Shield of Truth burned on his chest, and the shield flew automatically toward Diana, but was frozen in mid-air by Superman's freezing breath. The Amazon princess turned to melt the ice with divine fire, only to see the second wave of attacks already arriving—the controlled Wonder Woman wielding a whip of purple flames.
"Damn it!" Zatanna Zatara's spell suddenly wrapped around Hode's waist, throwing him into the air, "Ecalptif (Flip the battlefield)!"
Hode felt the World spinning. When he steadied himself, he found he was standing outside the battle circle of Caroland Iron Man. The controlled Tony was cutting through space with purple lasers, and Carol's Supernova Energyformed a protective shield, but cracks had already appeared on it.
"Hode!" Carol shouted, "Use your energy mark!"
Hode looked down and saw the triangle mark of the War Armor glowing. He remembered the night training with Carol on the space station—she taught him how to control Supernova Energy, her fingers lightly tracing his chest: "Feel the energy flowing between your cells, just like..." She suddenly blushed, "just like a heartbeat."
Now, Hode felt his cells truly beating. He gripped the Batarang, and the War Armor mark suddenly erupted, dyeing Carol's protective shield gold. The controlled Iron Man let out an inhuman scream, and the purple lasers were reflected back, hitting his own arc reactor.
"Nice!" Carol shouted in his ear, her hot breath spraying on his neck, "But don't think that's all..." She suddenly froze, looking down to see her War Armor being eroded by purple veins.
"Carol!" Hode grabbed her hand, the Black Widow's spider mark burning in his palm. Quantum chains rose from the ground, entangling the controlled Iron Man, "Run!"
When they landed, they almost collided with Natasha, who was fighting the Flash. The controlled God of Speed was weaving a net with purple lightning, trapping the red-haired Agent in the middle. Natasha's quantum blood formed equations in the air, but each time they were completed, they were shattered by the lightning.
"Hode!" she shouted, "Use my—"
Before she could finish, the controlled Bruce suddenly appeared behind Hode. A purple Batarang pierced his shoulder, and the intense pain made Hode collapse to his knees. He saw the corner of Bruce's mouth pull into a familiar sneer—exactly the same as the one when he taught him fighting at Wayne Manor.
"You're always so..." Bruce's voice twisted into the Joker's tone, "meddlesome."
Hode felt his consciousness beginning to blur. He saw Diana being suppressed by the combined forces of Superman and Wonder Woman, her Shield of Truth flying out of her hand; Zatanna Zatara's magic wand being corroded by purple energy, the spells turning into black smoke; Carol kneeling on the ground, pieces of her War Armor constantly falling off; Natasha's quantum equation finally completed, but torn apart by the Flash a step ahead.
"No..." Hode murmured to himself, his fingers digging deep into the ground. He felt the five marks inside him reorganizing—not separating, but merging into a massive, scorching energy core.
The controlled Bruce suddenly froze. He looked down to see Hode's blood dripping onto his armor, making a sizzling sound. The purple veins began to recede, revealing Bruce's pale skin underneath.
"You..." Bruce's voice suddenly returned to normal, but his eyes were still purple, "Run..."
His words were interrupted by Superman's Heat Vision. The controlled Kryptonian punched Diana away, and the Shield of Truth spun in the air toward Hode. The shield reflected Hode from all parallel Worlds—some kissing Diana, some listening to Zatanna Zatara recite spells, some sharing Supernova Energy with Carol, and some stroking Natasha's quantum patterns.
"Choose..." Hode suddenly realized, it wasn't one of the five...
He stood up, the blood from his wound forming golden runes. The Shield of Truth flew back into his hand automatically, its surface reflecting the faces of all the female superheroes—Diana's determination, Zatanna Zatara's cunning, Carol's passion, Natasha's tenderness, and... the bat symbol on Bruce's armor that was fading away.
"It's all of them," Hode said softly.
The five marks suddenly erupted from within him, forming five beams of light that shot straight into the sky. Diana's divine fire, Zatanna Zatara's spells, Carol's energy, Natasha's quantum, Bruce's will—all powers fused perfectly at this moment.
The controlled heroes screamed in unison. The purple veins peeled off their bodies, converging into a massive anti-life equation symbol that hung above the ruins of the Gotham City police station.
"Game over," Hode said, his voice carrying a divine echo.
He swung the Shield of Truth, and the surface shot out a rainbow-like beam of light. The moment the beam touched the anti-life equation, the entire World suddenly froze—raindrops hung in the air, lightning froze into purple lines, and everyone's expressions solidified at the last moment.
Except for Hode.
He saw Diana's lips moving, heard Zatanna Zatara's spells echoing in his ears, felt Carol's energy flowing in his palm, smelled the scent of gunpowder in Natasha's hair, and also... the bat symbol on Bruce's armor was winking at him.
Then, everything exploded.
Chapter 682: The Amazon Princess Looked Up
Hode felt he was standing in the center of an Energy Vortex, with five beams of light weaving into a brilliant star map within him. Diana's divine fire surged in his veins, Zatanna Zatara's spells chanted in his bone marrow, Carol's Supernova Energy leaped between his cells, Natasha's quantum patterns flickered under his skin, and Bruce's will... like an iceberg, weighed heavily deep in his heart.
"This is impossible..." The voice of the anti-life equationtrembled in the void, and the purple symbol it had condensed began to crack, "You actually... merged five completely different powers."
Hode opened his eyes. The surface of the Shield of Truth reflected the twisted sky of Gotham City. Raindrops hovered at the tip of his nose, and lightning was embedded in the clouds like purple crystals. He could feel the presence of all the female superheroes—Diana was using divine fire to melt the remaining veins on the controlled heroes, Zatanna Zatara's spells were weaving into a net of purification in the air, Carol's Supernova Energy formed a protective shield covering the city, and Natasha's quantum equations were reorganizing the destroyed building structures.
And Bruce... Hode turned his head to see Batman standing at the highest point of the ruins, the bat symbol on his armor restored to its original state. His eyes were no longer purple, but the faint smile at the corner of his mouth reminded Hode of last night in the Batcave, when Bruce, while adjusting new equipment, said: "Love is a weakness? No, Hode. Love is the courage to still choose to entrust your back to her when you discover she has fatal flaws."
Chapter 402
"Hode!" Diana's voice came from below. The Amazonprincess looked up, the Lasso of Truth flashing with golden light in her hand. "Watch your back!"
Hode didn't need to look back. He could feel the anti-life equation gathering its final strike—not purple energy, but the despair drawn from all parallel Worlds. The pain, anger, and fear of the heroes it had controlled now turned into black spikes, stabbing toward his heart from all directions.
"Hold on tight." Carol's voice suddenly rang in his ear. Hode felt a tightening around his waist, already wrapped in a band of light formed by Supernova Energy. Carol carried him soaring into the sky, the sound of her War Armorfriction against the air sounding exactly like the sweet whispers she had said in his ear last night: "You know what? When my energy synchronizes with yours, even the Universe seems too small."
"Ecalptekram!" Zatanna's incantation came from below. Hode saw silver beams shoot from the Witch's wand tip, freezing the black spikes in mid-air. But those spikes suddenly split, turning into countless tiny emotional particles that penetrated the barrier formed by the incantation.
"Quantum entanglement!" Natasha's voice came from the ground. The red-haired Agent formed hand seals, and the buildings penetrated by the black particles suddenly emitted a blue light. Like being drawn by a magnet, those particles attached themselves to the quantum chains one after another, forming black tear stains.
"Now!" Bruce's voice came from the communicator. Batman's armor suddenly deployed, revealing the hidden antimatter cannon underneath. "Hode, use your energy core!"
Hode looked down at the triangular mark on his chest. It was no longer a simple gold, but fused with Diana's divine fire red, Zatanna's incantation silver, Carol's supernova blue, Natasha's quantum black, and... Bruce's bat gray. The five colors flowed beneath his skin, looking exactly like that rainy night when five women gathered around his hospital bed, taking turns to heal him in their own ways.
"Come on," Hode said softly. He raised the Shield of Truth, and the runes of the five energies automatically surfaced on its face. Diana's divine fire responded first, forming a flame vortex; Zatanna's incantation turned into silver chains, wrapping around the outer edge of the flame; Carol's Supernova Energy formed a blue sphere of light, hovering in the center of the shield; Natasha's quantum patterns slithered like living things, connecting all the energies into a web; and Bruce's will... turned into an invisible shield, protecting Hode's heart within.
The anti-life equation let out a final shriek. The black Sun it had condensed into suddenly exploded—not with light and heat, but with pure despair. Hode felt his soul being torn apart. He saw Diana struggling in the flames, Zatanna's incantation being corroded, Carol's Energy Shield cracking, Natasha's quantum equation collapsing, and even Bruce's antimatter cannon suddenly misfiring.
"No..." Hode muttered to himself. He remembered his first kiss with Diana on Paradise Island, Zatanna teaching him incantations backstage on Broadway, Carol taking him to watch a supernova explosion in space, Natasha tying his tie before his first mission, and Bruce... that man who always had a straight face but secretly put chocolate in his medical pod when he was injured.
"I..." Hode's voice suddenly became ethereal. He felt the energy core inside him begin to rotate in reverse—not absorbing, but releasing. The five energies erupted from his body, not to attack, but to... embrace.
Diana's divine fire enveloped the black emotions, burning them into pure starlight; Zatanna's incantation turned into silver raindrops, purifying every trace of lingering despair; Carol's Supernova Energy formed a warm cradle, allowing those painful emotions to rest in peace; Natasha's quantum patterns wove into a lullaby, guiding all negative emotions back to their source; and Bruce's will... turned into a steadfast barrier, ensuring not a single shred of emotion could escape.
The symbol of the anti-life equation suddenly burst apart. Not in destruction, but in bloom. Countless points of light gushed out from the center of the explosion like a purple meteor shower, sprinkling down onto every corner of Gotham City. Hode saw Diana reach out to catch a point of light, which turned into a golden rose in her palm; Zatanna's incantation snared a few points of light, turning them into singing crystals; Carol used her Energy Shield to collect a large cluster, forming a dazzling gemstone; Natasha's quantum patterns guided the points of light to merge into the buildings, giving the ruined city a new lease on life; and Bruce... silently pocketed a point of light, placing it in his breast pocket.
0---Requesting Flowers---
"This..." Hode looked down at his own palms. The Shield of Truth had disappeared, but the imprints of the five energies still flickered beneath his skin. He felt a power unlike anything he had felt before surging within him—not the power of combat, but... the power of love.
"Hode." Diana's voice came from below. The Amazonprincess looked up, a gentle smile on her face. "You did it."
Just as Hode was about to answer, he suddenly felt his heart tighten. He saw the bat symbol on Bruce's armor flashing red, and an urgent alarm rang from the communicator: "Parallel World energy fluctuations detected... Fragments of the anti-life equation... are reassembling..."
...
"What?" Carol's voice came from nearby. The Supernova War Armor had been reassembled, but the energy indicator lights were flashing frantically. "Wasn't it..."
"Look!" Natasha's voice suddenly turned sharp. The red-haired Agent pointed at the sky, where... the purple meteor shower that should have dissipated was now flowing backward, gathering into a massive vortex. In the center of the vortex, a familiar symbol was emerging—not the anti-life equation, but...
Hode felt his soul freeze. He saw that the symbol was composed of countless swords, each engraved with runes from different sects; purple lightning swirled around the symbol, with the Flash's Speed Force faintly visible within the lightning; below the symbol was the pattern of Iron Man's Arc Reactor, but it was currently being overrun by purple veins; above the symbol, Black Widow's tactical gloves dripped with purple slime; and in the center of the symbol... was a pair of eyes flashing with an eerie purple light.
"No..." Hode muttered to himself. He remembered last night in the Batcave, as Bruce was adjusting his new equipment, he said, "Some battles will never have a true victory. Because just when you think you've won, a new enemy will appear—and they're always stronger."
"Hode!" Diana's voice suddenly grew urgent. "Watch out!"
Hode turned around to see Superman standing behind him. But this time, the Kryptonian's eyes weren't purple, but... completely blank. There was no S-shield on his chest, but rather... a spinning black Sun.
"The game... has only just begun..." Superman's voice distorted into a mechanical tone. He raised his hand, and a beam of black energy shot from his palm.
Chapter 683: The Rain in Gotham City Suddenly Stopped
Hode's pupils shrank. An afterimage of the Shield of Truthflashed through his consciousness, but his body reacted faster than his mind—he rolled to the side, and the black energy beam grazed past his shoulder, blasting a charred pit ten meters in diameter in the ruins behind him. Superman's neck made a clicking sound as it operated mechanically, his mouth stretching into an angle that defied physiological structure, a smile that reminded Hodeof the heroes controlled by the anti-life equation.
"Clark?" Diana's Lasso of Truth whipped out a golden arc, wrapping around Superman's ankle. But the lasso, which could normally bind gods, actually made a sizzling sound now, with purple veins crawling up the rope. This wasn't right.
Hode felt the hairs on the back of his neck stand up as Carol's energy warning exploded in his mind. He lunged to the right, three black Energy Swords grazing over the top of "705u.com-53 Reading Club," scratching his cheek with flying gravel as they impaled the ground. Natasha's quantum goggles lit up with a red light: "Not a single target! Attack trajectories detected at twelve, three, and nine o'clock!"
"Zatanna!" Hode roared and threw out a fragment of the Shield of Truth, silver runes automatically surfacing on its face in mid-flight. A rainbow beam burst from the Witch's wand tip, exploding into ripples of space-time distortion the moment it collided with the shield fragment—the frozen black Energy Swords materialized within the ripples, their hilts shockingly wrapped in the metal tail fins of Batarangs.
Bruce's voice came through the comms with static noise: "Watch out for mental interference, my tactical analysis system has been hacked..." Before his words could fade, Hode saw Diana suddenly freeze in place, the golden light of the Lasso of Truth starting to flicker. The Amazonprincess's pupils flashed with purple light, and her hand holding the lasso slowly turned toward her own throat.
"No!" Hode felt his heart squeeze as the five energy marks surged frantically beneath his skin. Carol's Supernova Energy suddenly spiraled out of control, a blue sphere of light expanding in his palm, turning the surrounding ten-meter radius into a sea of fire. Natasha's quantum patterns automatically surfaced, forming a protective layer on his skin, but her voice still trembled: "Energy overload! Hode, you can't hold on!"
Superman's mechanical laughter echoed across the battlefield, black energy beams shooting from his fingertips as naturally as breathing. Hode rolled into the shadow of the ruins, the Shield of Truth fragments reassembling in his hand—this time, Diana's divine fire rune surfaced. He remembered three days ago on Paradise Island, the curve of the princess's hair falling as she taught him to draw runes: "Divine fire is not a weapon, Hode. It is hope, a candle that never goes out in the dark."
"Hope..." Hode muttered to himself, and the shield's face suddenly burst with a blinding golden light. The controlled heroes shrieked simultaneously. The purple light in Diana's eyes was the first to fade. She whipped the Lasso of Truthback into the air, the golden rope wrapping around Superman's mechanical arm like a living thing: "In the name of Hera, wake up!"
Zatanna's incantations surged from all directions, silver beams weaving into a net: "Ekalbehtnokcab!" The black Sun on Superman's chest suddenly exploded, revealing the Arc Reactor wrapped in purple slime underneath. Hodefelt the energy core inside him begin to resonate, and Natasha's quantum patterns automatically extended, stripping the slime from the reactor's surface into purple mist.
"Bruce!" Carol's Energy Shield suddenly contracted, protecting Hode in the center. The indicator lights on the Supernova War Armor shifted from frantic flashing to a stable blue light. "I've detected a backup power source for the antimatter cannon..."
Hode turned his head to see Batman standing beside the antimatter cannon, the bat symbol on his armor corroded with scorch marks from the purple slime. Yet, the man's gaze remained calm. He ripped open his breastplate, revealing a pacemaker wrapped in quantum chainsunderneath: "Hode, do you remember when you said that love is the courage to trust someone with your back?"
"Bruce!" Natasha's quantum equation suddenly went wild, and the building debris began to squirm like living things. "He's using his own body as an energy conductor!"
Superman's mechanical laughter suddenly grew sharp, black energy beams erupting from every pore of his body. Hode felt the five energies inside him begin to clash—Diana's divine fire was scorching Carol's blue light, and Zatanna's incantation was tangled in a dead knot with Natasha's quantum patterns... Only Bruce's will sank like an iceberg in the center of the energy storm, but that gray was slowly being eroded by purple.
"Hold on to me!" Diana's Lasso of Truth whipped out a golden arc, wrapping around Hode's waist. The Amazonprincess's muscles tensed as she swung him toward the antimatter cannon. "Use your energy core!"
Hode flipped in mid-air, the Shield of Truth fragments automatically reassembling into a complete shield. A rune never seen before surfaced on the shield's face—not five, but six. The sixth rune was transparent, like morning mist and moonlight. The moment he raised the shield, a Flash of clarity crossed the eyes of all the controlled heroes simultaneously.
"Is this..." Zatanna's incantation suddenly cut off as she stared at the transparent rune on Hode's shield. "The shape of love itself?"
Superman's mechanical body suddenly froze, the black energy beams crystallizing in mid-air into purple crystal. Hode felt like his heart was about to burst as the sixth energy began to seep from his pores—it was the taste of the chocolate Bruce had secretly placed in his medical pod last night, the touch of Diana's hair brushing against the back of his hand as she bandaged his wounds, the warmth of their fingertips touching when Zatanna taught him incantations, the curve of Carol's windblown hair when she took him to see the supernova in space, the 0.3 seconds her fingertips lingered when Natasha tied his tie...
"No..." Hode's voice suddenly became ethereal. He saw his own hands turning transparent. "This isn't energy... it's..."
Superman's mechanical laughter stopped abruptly as the black Sun symbol suddenly exploded into countless purple butterflies. Familiar smiling faces appeared on the butterflies' wings—Diana's gentleness, Zatanna's playfulness, Carol's passion, Natasha's calmness, and Bruce's... that faint, barely-there smile at the corner of Bruce's mouth.
"The game has indeed only just begun..." The mechanical voice echoed from all directions, but this time with a playful, teasing tone. Hode felt his body dissipating, and the last thing he saw was Diana reaching out to grab him, only to grasp a handful of golden starlight.
The rain in Gotham City suddenly stopped.
Chapter 684: Diana! Don't Go!
Hode felt his consciousness drifting in the void, as if being pulled by countless threads, yet unable to find a home. After the rain in Gotham City stopped, the air was filled with the scent of damp soil, but he couldn't smell it—because he no longer had a physical body.
"What on earth is going on..." Hode muttered to himself, his voice echoing in the void without receiving any response. He tried to recall what had happened before—the antimatter cannon, the controlled heroes, and that sixth rune that had suddenly appeared...
AI Model: gemini-3.1-闪电侠-lite
"The sixth rune... the shape of love itself..." Hode froze, Zatanna Zatara's words flashing through his mind. Could it be that this sixth rune appeared because of the deep emotional bonds between himself and Bruce and the others? But why was he dissipating?
Just as he was utterly bewildered, a soft light suddenly shone before his eyes. Within the light, a blurry figure gradually emerged—it was Wonder Woman Diana.
"Hode..." Wonder Woman Diana's voice was soft and warm, like a spring breeze brushing against his ears. "Don't be afraid, this is only temporary."
"Wonder Woman Diana? What is going on? Why have I become like this?" Hode asked urgently, feeling that he had too many questions he wanted answered.
Wonder Woman Diana smiled slightly, a smile like sunlight piercing through clouds. "The energy within you is too immense, especially the power of love contained in that sixth rune. It clashed with the energy of the anti-matter cannon, causing your body to be unable to withstand it. However, this is also an opportunity."
"An opportunity? What kind of opportunity?" Hodefrowned, truly not understanding what Wonder Woman Diana meant.
"The emotional bonds you share with us have already granted you power that transcends ordinary people. But now, you need to learn how to Master this power, rather than being consumed by it." Wonder Woman Diana's eyes revealed determination and trust. "We will help you find a way, but before that, you must first learn to steady yourself in this void."
Hode wanted to say more, but Wonder Woman Diana's figure gradually blurred. "Wonder Woman Diana! Don't go!" He shouted, but could only watch helplessly as she disappeared into the light.
Meanwhile, in the real World, the members of the Avengers and the Justice League were sitting around the anti-matter cannon, the atmosphere heavy.
"Is Hode... really okay?" There was a hint of worry in Black Widow Natasha's voice, her quantum patterns still faintly flickering, as if responding to something.
Bruce remained silent for a moment, then slowly spoke: "According to my analysis, although Hode's body has dissipated, his consciousness should still be somewhere. We must find a way to restore him as soon as possible."
"But we don't even know where he actually is..." Carolfrowned, Supernova Energy surging within her, yet unable to dispel the anxiety in her heart.
Zatanna Zatara waved her wand, silver light weaving into complex patterns in the air. "I will use spells to track him, but it will take some time."
Just then, Wonder Woman Diana suddenly stood up, a look of determination flashing in her eyes. "I'm going to Amazon Island; perhaps I can find some clues there." After speaking, she turned into a golden light and vanished into the horizon.
In the void, Hode began to try and calm his heart. He recalled the days training with Wonder Woman Diana, the time spent discussing spells with Zatanna Zatara, the moments soaring through space with Carol, and every scene of fighting side-by-side with Black Widow Natasha...
Suddenly, rays of light emanated from within him—this was the power formed by the emotional bonds between him and the various female superheroes. The lights intertwined, forming a massive Energy Vortex.
"What... what is going on?" Hode looked at everything before him in surprise, feeling his consciousness being pulled by this power.
Just then, a mechanical voice suddenly rang out in the void: "The game isn't over yet..."
Hode froze, and before he could react, a black beam of energy suddenly shot out from the Energy Vortex, heading straight for him...
Chapter 685: Don't Worry, We'll Think of a Way Together
Hode instinctively wanted to dodge, but in this void, his movements seemed to be bound by some invisible force; he could only watch helplessly as the black energy beam drew closer.
"No!" Hode roared in his heart. A strong desire to survive caused the intertwined emotional power within him to surge once more. The light flared brilliantly, and at the critical moment, it formed a colorful Energy Shield that blocked the black energy beam.
"Hmph, you have some skill." The mechanical voice carried a hint of mockery. "However, this is far from enough."
As the words fell, countless black Energy Swords shot in from all directions, as dense as a rainstorm. Hode focused his mind, striving to control the emotional power within him, attempting to make the shield more solid. However, these black Energy Swords seemed to possess some special corrosive quality, and cracks began to appear on the shield.
"This won't do..." Hode gritted his teeth, his mind racing for a countermeasure. Suddenly, he remembered Carol's scorching Supernova Energy when he was with her. A bold idea emerged in his heart.
"Carol, lend me your power!" Hode silently chanted in his heart, while simultaneously trying his best to mobilize the emotional bond with Carol. In an instant, a scorching power erupted from within him; the cracks on the shield were rapidly repaired and became even more dazzling.
"Oh? Interesting." The mechanical voice seemed somewhat surprised by Hode's counterattack. "Then let's see how long you can hold out."
The attacks from the black Energy Swords became increasingly fierce, but Hode relied on the emotional power with Carol to withstand the attacks time and time again. However, he could also feel his power constantly depleting; at this rate, he would eventually be unable to hold on.
"I must find this guy's weakness!" Hode thought to himself. He closed his eyes, trying to let his consciousness spread out, attempting to find the source of that mechanical voice in this void.
Just then, he felt a familiar power flickering in the distance—it was the spell power of Zatanna Zatara!
"Zatanna Zatara, is that you?" Hode shouted, although he didn't know if Zatanna Zatara could hear him, he still held onto a last glimmer of hope.
Seemingly in response to his shout, that spell power suddenly became brighter and moved rapidly toward his direction. Soon, the figure of Zatanna Zatara appeared in Hode's line of sight.
"Hode, I'm here to help you!" Zatanna Zatara waved her wand, and silver light shot toward those black Energy Swords like meteors, shattering them one by one.
"Zatanna Zatara, you're finally here!" Hode was overjoyed. "Do you know where this guy is?"
Zatanna Zatara shook her head. "I can't find his exact location for the moment, but I can feel that the source of his power is nearby."
"Then what do we do?" Hode looked at the black energy constantly surging in from all around, his heart filled with anxiety.
"Don't worry, we'll think of a way together." As Zatanna Zatara spoke, she began to chant, and mysterious runes appeared around her. "I will use spells to temporarily seal these black energies; you take the opportunity to find his weakness."
"Okay!" Hode nodded and focused his mind to sense everything around him. Under the effect of Zatanna Zatara's spells, the attacks of the black energy temporarily stopped, but Hode could feel that the owner of that mechanical voice was gathering strength in the dark.
Suddenly, Hode noticed a faint bright spot flickering in the center of the Energy Vortex. The bright spot seemed to be wrapped in a layer of black mist, but it still emitted a hint of eerie light.
"Could that be his weakness?" Hode felt a stir in his heart; he decided to take a risk and try.
"Zatanna Zatara, cover me!" Hode shouted, then rushed toward the bright spot. Seeing this, Zatanna Zataraimmediately strengthened her spell attacks, carving out a path for Hode.
Just as Hode was about to approach the bright spot, the mechanical voice suddenly became sharp: "How dare you!"
Countless black tentacles stretched out from all directions, attempting to grab Hode. Hode tried his best, mobilizing all the emotional power within him to form a powerful energy Impact, shattering those black tentacles one after another.
Finally, Hode reached the bright spot. He reached out his hand, preparing to destroy it. However, the moment his hand touched the bright spot, the entire void space suddenly trembled violently...
Chapter 686: Forcibly Carving Out a Bloody Path
The instant Hode's hand touched the bright spot, the void space trembled violently, as if a sleeping giant beast had been awakened. The bright spot erupted with blinding light, and a suction force, powerful beyond description, suddenly pulled him in.
"Hode!" Zatanna Zatara screamed in terror, waving her wand, silver light shooting wildly toward the intense light swallowing Hode, but it was like a stone sinking into the sea, having no effect.
Hode only felt the World spinning, everything around him becoming blurry and distorted. When he regained consciousness, he found himself in a strange space, surrounded by energy pipes flickering with eerie light, like huge pulsating blood vessels.
"Welcome to my domain, kid." The mechanical voice echoed in the space, carrying a sense of condescending mockery.
Hode looked around vigilantly and shouted: "Who exactly are you? Why are you attacking us?"
"Who I am is not important. What's important is that you so-called superheroes are nothing but ants in the Universe, attempting to block my plan." The mechanical voice sneered.
Hode's heart burned with anger, but he knew he had to stay calm at this moment. He closed his eyes, trying to sense his connection to the outside World, especially the emotional bonds with those female superheroes. Suddenly, he felt a familiar and warm power surging from the bottom of his heart—it was Wonder Woman Diana!
In the days spent with Wonder Woman Diana, they had fought side-by-side, experienced countless life-and-death trials together, and their mutual feelings had long since become incredibly deep. And this emotion granted Hodepowerful strength. At this moment, he felt Wonder Woman Diana's forward-moving courage and indomitable will, as if she were whispering encouragement in his ear.
"I will not be intimidated by you." Hode opened his eyes, his gaze firm, the power granted to him by Wonder Woman boiling within him. He clenched his fists, and golden light radiated from his body, as if a god of war had descended.
"Oh? A bit of guts." The mechanical voice remained mocking. "Then let me see how much skill you have."
As soon as the words fell, countless mechanical monsters suddenly surged out of the space. They were huge in stature, hideous in appearance, and brandished sharp claws as they pounced toward Hode.
Hode was fearless. He flashed, charging into the group of monsters like a golden bolt of lightning. His fists carried the power of Wonder Woman, and every strike could shatter a mechanical monster. However, these monsters seemed endless, continuously emerging from all around.
"This is not a solution." Hode thought to himself. While fighting, he tried hard to think of a countermeasure. Suddenly, he remembered Black Widow Natasha, her calm mind and outstanding tactical thinking.
"Black Widow Natasha, if only you were here." Hodechanted silently in his heart. Just then, he seemed to hear Black Widow Natasha's calm and firm voice ringing in his ear: "Hode, analyze calmly and find their weakness."
Hode was invigorated. He began to carefully observe the movement patterns of these mechanical monsters. Soon, he discovered that although these monsters were numerous, their actions seemed to be controlled by a certain core.
"That's it!" Hode locked his gaze on an energy coreflickering with eerie light deep in the space. He no longer entangled with the surrounding monsters, but charged toward the energy core with all his might.
The mechanical monsters seemed to sense Hode's intention, letting out sharp screeches and pouncing toward him even more crazily. Hode gritted his teeth and, relying on the power granted by Wonder Woman, forcibly carved out a bloody path.
Finally, he arrived before the energy core. At this moment, the mechanical voice became sharp and angry: "How dare you!"
Countless black energy beams shot from all directions, attempting to stop Hode. But Hode did not retreat in the slightest. He focused his mind, mobilized all the emotional power within him from the female superheroes, and formed a colorful Energy Shield, blocking the black energy beams.
"For everyone's sake, I must destroy it!" Hode roared, gathering powerful energy in his hands and striking fiercely toward the energy core.
Just as his fist was about to touch the energy core, the entire space suddenly twisted violently, and a huge crack appeared before Hode, from which a powerful and evil aura emanated...
Chapter 687: Carol, Your Power Is With Me
Hode gazed at the evil aura surging within the huge crack, his heart pounding uncontrollably, but his eyes were full of determination. He knew deeply that if he retreated now, everything would be lost, and the Universe would fall into an irredeemable abyss.
"Come on, no matter what you are!" Hode shouted loudly, the emotional power within him from the female superheroes surging crazily, the Five-colored Lightbecoming increasingly dazzling, setting him off like a god.
From within the crack, a huge claw covered in black scales slowly reached out, and everywhere it passed, space was torn into hideous wounds. Along with the appearance of the claw, a suffocating sense of oppression rushed toward him, as if it wanted to crush Hode's soul.