Chapter 267: How About a Cup of Coffee
Darkseid was dead.
The moment the god fell, a terrifying energy was released, sweeping through the empty galaxy like a red-hot flame. Orin Vale personally watched an entire asteroid belt get incinerated into dust by the hellfire-like impact. Even reality itself seemed to have taken a heavy blow from an immense force.
But thankfully, Orin Vale's calculations were correct. The death of this clone was not enough to release the power to tear reality apart. Although the energy burst was spectacular and immense, reality withstood it. They had won.
At least, they won this time.
Orin Vale once again observed the death of a New God up close. But unlike before, the one who died this time was a top-tier clone of Darkseid, one of the New Gods. What was released was not only the fluctuation of The Source but also the residual Omega Effect. Both were top-level energy systems in the Multiverse, holding great research value for him.
At the same time, he also predicted that after this battle, both he and Earth were bound to become famous throughout interstellar space.
A civilization resisting an Apokolips invasion and defeating Darkseid was already big news worthy of interstellar headlines. If this happened to a third-level civilization, it would be an even more sensational event.
Not to mention the final parade segment.
More than one civilization saw the scene of the Giant of Light dragging Darkseid on a tour across the galaxy. That fleeting image would leave an indelible mark in the minds of countless people.
Light and Darkness have been opposed since ancient times. As the incarnation of the universe's ultimate darkness, defeating this universe's Darkseid was a tremendous source of experience for Orin Vale, both personally and from the macro perspective of the cosmic struggle between Light and Darkness.
And after such a display, the name "Ultraman" would undoubtedly spread from the mouths of the civilizations that witnessed that scene, becoming known among more and more civilizations as a Legendary Figure.
This would also be of great benefit to him.
But it was also accompanied by challenges.
Darkseid said he would remember them, and Orin Vale wasn't optimistic enough to think it was merely an empty threat. He would be back, and Apokolips would be back. Orin Vale was certain of this. One day, he might even have to face the true form of the God of Apokolips.
He had to be prepared.
After another series of interstellar flashes, a golden trajectory, trailing a long stream of electric arcs, returned to Earth's atmosphere.
This battle could be called a complete victory. All of Dehryan's Apokolips weapons were scrapped, the Boom Tower was destroyed, and the Parademons factory and Anti-Life Parademons were all annihilated. Of the invading New Gods, none survived except for Kalibak, who was suspected to have fled. Even Darkseid, who had descended personally, was thoroughly trounced and sent packing.
On their side, the most heavily injured was Hal, who had taken a few slaps from Darkseid. But it was just a broken bone and spitting up some blood. For a Green Lantern, it was a mere trifle.
Oh, right, if one had to mention it, A.R.G.U.S.'s losses were a bit heavy.
This bunch had been suppressed by the enemy's firepower ever since the battle started. Even with a group of Big Shots carrying them, while the Big Shots were rampaging at the front, they were still getting beaten in the back. One could only say that the equipment level gap between the two armies was a chasm, to the point where they were still feeding kills even in a winning fight.
Everyone and their ghost was putting on a show; only A.R.G.U.S. was taking a beating.
But it couldn't be helped. So many Big Shots couldn't carry them even with cheats on. It seemed their fate was just to get hit; they were beyond saving.
As a result, after tallying the battle results, A.R.G.U.S.'s MVP for the entire battle was surprisingly Agent Mike Williams. Although he didn't follow the command from the Command Center, all the team members he led excitedly reported on the astonishing command of their captain, a true Legendary Figure. Under their captain's leadership, they went deep behind enemy lines and destroyed the main production line on the enemy's frontline battlefield: the Parademon factory.
Literally, one team dealt more damage output than all other A.R.G.U.S. units combined.
Agent Williams was credited with a great merit, adding another chapter to his story as a Legendary Figure.
But that was all a matter for after they returned.
Flying back to Earth, Orin Vale canceled his transformation and flew back into the mobile armor that was already waiting on site. He and Superman then separated from it, emerging on either side. They both landed, descending before the group.
"Darkseid?" Hal asked.
"Dealt with, for now," Orin Vale said.
Superman put his hands on his hips and said with a laugh, "You guys should have been there to see it. His performance was incredible. A total godlike performance."
"'We'," Orin Vale corrected again with a smile.
"Oh right, I almost forgot again. It was us."
Superman smiled, then turned to Batman.
"Ha, I was so busy just now I didn't have time... I'm really glad to see you're okay."
He blurred into an afterimage and appeared beside Batman, saying happily.
"To be honest, I was really starting to worry about you for a moment there. Oh, of course, I'm not doubting your ability, it's just that kind of worry between friends. Normal friends are like that, you know... Uh, you do know what friends are supposed to be like, right?"
Clark blinked.
Asking a normal person this question would seem strange, but Batman really didn't seem like a social person.
Sure enough, Batman looked at him with a cold face. "We are not friends."
Superman seemed long accustomed to this and didn't mind, just leaning on his shoulder with a smile. "Alright, alright, I get it. If you say we're not, we're not. But you can't deny we have a lot in common."
Batman was expressionless. "We don't."
"I wouldn't be so sure," Orin Vale also joked. "You both happen to be cape enthusiasts, and you both happen to have a mom named Martha."
Superman raised an eyebrow and looked at Batman. "Really? Wow, you never told me that."
The expression under Batman's mask seemed to change instantly as he glared at Orin Vale.
For some reason, the words "Why did you say that name?" in a certain deep voice unconsciously surfaced in Orin Vale's mind, and for a moment, he actually felt like laughing...
"Whoa, for real? Big Blue and the guy in black have moms with the same name?" Hal leaned on Barry's shoulder, enjoying the show.
"Uh, I'm pretty sure there are thousands of moms named Martha in the world," Barry tilted his head. "It's just a coincidence. Is this something worth paying attention to?"
"That's what you don't understand."
Orin Vale smiled.
"That changes everything."
"Yeah, yeah," Superman looked at Batman. "I told you, I've long felt a connection between us. See? This just proves I was right!"
Batman ignored him but looked coldly at Orin Vale.
"I know about you, too," he said faintly. "Who would have thought, one of the most powerful beings in the universe, running an unremarkable Cafe on a street corner in Gotham."
Orin Vale knew he was indicating that he also knew who Ultraman was. This wasn't surprising. Batman was the world's greatest detective, and he had investigated the identities of everyone in The League long before the Justice League even assembled. And Orin Vale had long since stopped caring much about the disguise of his fake identity "Orin Vale"; it wasn't strange for him to be discovered.
"I know who you are," Batman said coolly.
Intelligence had always been one of the weapons he relied on as a detective. Just as in the original work when Superman used his X-ray vision to see through Batman's identity, he had retorted by mockingly calling Superman a little reporter.
But just then, Barry interjected, "I know who he is, too."
"Honestly, I know too," Superman smiled.
"Me too, me too!" Kara, not to be outdone, puffed out her chest proudly. "And I knew before all of you!"
"Buddy, don't tell me you're the last one to find out?" Hal also crossed his arms and chuckled.
Batman: "..."
"Alright, enough of that," Superman stepped forward to interrupt. "It wasn't easy for all of us to gather here today. And we won this battle together. This is a victory for all of us. Maybe we should celebrate? I don't know, find a place to eat or something? Or go for a cup of coffee?"
At this, he looked at Orin Vale with a smile.
"I know a great place."
"I agree!" Kara was the first to raise her hand.
"Sounds like a good idea," Hal also nodded.
Barry started rubbing his hands together. "We could have a race. Last one there pays."
Batman remained silent, turned expressionlessly, and with a flick of his cape, prepared to walk away.
But Superman flickered and blocked his path.
"Come on, it's rare for everyone to be together."
"Move," Batman said coolly. "I'm not going."
A few minutes later.
Batman sat motionlessly in the HISHE Coffee Shop, a cold expression on his face. Beside him, the titans of the Justice League drank coffee and chatted, bursting into laughter from time to time. Only he remained expressionless.
As if to say, "The joys and sorrows of people are not interconnected. I only find them noisy..."
(end of chapter)