Multiverse: Deathstroke

Chapter 360: Ch.359 Collecting Clues

The Godslayer brought the hat in front of Su Ming. He raised the weapon with one hand and pulled out a lighter with the other.

The magic hadn't altered the hat; it was still the simple, ordinary stage prop made of regular fabric.

Maybe it was made from fine silk imported from Asia, but it was still flammable.

The tentacles kept flailing around, trying to grab Su Ming. After he lit the hat, he pushed it far away with his weapon.

Now it looked like he was roasting an octopus.

The hat burned, releasing bright, glittering sparks that looked like small fireworks, while the tentacles ignited, burning like firewood.

Diana and Zatanna stepped up beside him, quietly watching the flames. Both of them seemed lost in thought.

"The fire stolen by Prometheus, was that real?"

While holding the Godslayer BBQ, Su Ming turned to ask Diana. The firelight made his armor look even more menacing.

"This has nothing to do with the gods. Humans learned to use fire entirely because of nature's gifts—forest fires, volcanic eruptions, lightning striking the ground, and so on. These all have scientific explanations."

Diana crossed her arms, surveying the theater. Many people had lost their shoes during the escape. And for some reason, there was a pair of pants draped over the back of a chair in the distance.

Su Ming sighed, watching the hat and monster completely turn to ash and fall from his weapon. "I can't believe I just heard a scientific explanation from the Amazon Queen. What about you, Zatanna? Do you have a more magical explanation?"

"Magicians believe that fire originally symbolized witchcraft. It was brought from hell or from gods by shamans or wizards among primitive humans."

The sorceress provided a professional explanation, but she seemed somewhat dazed, as if still processing the details of the magic failure. She responded instinctively, her mind clearly elsewhere.

"Zatanna, why haven't you been talking to me much since I got back from Krypton?" Diana put away her sword and shield, taking Zatanna's hand.

"No, it's just... my manager said I had too many presold tickets piling up and needed to arrange shows quickly." Zatanna snapped out of her daze, but her eyes were filled with unease. She wasn't telling the truth.

Su Ming removed his helmet, using the embers on the floor to light a cigarette. He quietly watched the two women converse. He wasn't close to Zatanna, so he had no reason to intervene.

But he could tell she was lying.

Perhaps Diana lacked Su Ming's keen, analytical mind, but her warrior instincts were just as sharp. She sensed that the sorceress was hiding something.

"We co-founded the Justice League Dark to handle the mystical threats of this world. If you've discovered something, you should gather everyone to discuss it."

Diana spoke with patience, trying to persuade her.

Zatanna shook her head. "No, nothing like that. I've just had trouble focusing lately. Alright, I need to go change now. Please, don't follow me."

With that, she quickly walked away.

Diana frowned, letting out a sigh.

"Seems like there's some trouble within your League," Su Ming said, exhaling smoke.

"Yeah... I used to think the problem would come from Constantine, or Swamp Thing, or even Man-Bat. I never thought it would be Zatanna."

Diana felt helpless. Zatanna clearly didn't want to say much. Although Diana was part of the Justice League Dark, she wasn't a spellcaster—just a demigod and a warrior.

"What do you want to do next?" Su Ming glanced around the theater. It looked like it would need a complete renovation. "Follow her secretly, use the Lasso of Truth to make her confess, or try asking other mages?"

"Go find other wizards. There are a few I know here in L.A.'s magic community."

Diana thought for a moment, deciding not to push her friend. It would be better to understand the situation in the magical community first.

The Justice League had too many matters on its plate lately—one thing after another. She had almost forgotten that monitoring the magical community was one of her responsibilities.

"Alright, I'll go with you." Su Ming stubbed out his cigarette and put his helmet back on. Magic and divine power failing—it seemed like some form of interference.

Diana pulled her hood up, putting her weapons away. "Fine. We only got to see the start of the magic show. Now, let's go see some real magic."

"Well, it's not a wasted trip. At least I get to add a new type of monster to my kill list." He followed Diana's lead as they made their way outside the theater.

"If it's really a list, we don't even know its name." Diana laughed, a trait she had picked up from Barry. She couldn't help but smile herself. "Thanks for earlier. You saved this theater."

Su Ming shook his head. That level of an enemy was nothing, hardly worse than the tigers and lions in a zoo.

"No need to thank me. Thank the person who invented lighters."

In reality, everything that had just happened made Zatanna decide to teleport to Georgetown, Maryland. There stood an old manor called the Winters Estate.

Its owner was Baron Winters, a powerful sorcerer, strong enough to act self-righteously, taking on the responsibility of maintaining balance in the world.

He wasn't concerned with good or evil but with balance and order. He was one of the traditional types of mages—someone who believed that problems in the magical community should be solved within that community.

The issues of mortals didn't concern him.

The disturbance in magic had been sensed by the wizards, and they had planned a meeting tonight at Winters Manor to discuss how to solve it.

Not only were magic-using heroes attending, but even villainous organizations like the Cold Flame Coven were showing up.

Zatanna hadn't intended to go. Just seeing the Cold Flame Coven made her feel disgusted—until her own problems grew worse and Diana noticed them.

This was an issue for the magical community, and Zatanna preferred to handle it with magic. Though she was close to Diana, the Amazon was not a spellcaster.

Neither Su Ming nor Diana knew about the meeting, as it was a piece of news circulating solely among the magical community—passed through magical pets or spells between sorcerers.

Now, the two warriors could only go and visit people Diana knew one by one—like goblins or insect-like spellcasters.

Unfortunately, they ran into trouble right from the first visit.

Knock, knock, knock.

They stood at the door of a house on the outskirts. It was a cabin that looked like it belonged to a lumberjack or hunter—a very simple structure covered in spider webs and dust.

The surrounding forest trees grew in bizarre shapes, appearing ghostly in the night. In the shadows of the woods, green eyes occasionally peeked out, adding to the eerie atmosphere.

Su Ming sighed. "Why don't we just break down the door? I've seen cabin-in-the-woods stories way too many times."

"Um, what?" Diana removed her hood, looking puzzled at Su Ming. "We're paying a visit. I think we should be polite. It's a mage's home—there are always traps."

Su Ming shook his magic cloak. It floated gently, brushing against Su Ming's mask, signaling that any magical traps would be nothing more than a tickle for it.

"First of all, it's 10 p.m., and there's only a bat-shaped moon above us. This cabin has no lights on inside. Second, there are footprints leading up to the door, but none coming out. Lastly, I'm smelling something unsettling. The analysis from my visor tells me it's ammonia produced by protein decomposition. Are you sure you don't want me to break down the door and take a look?"

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