Multiverse: Deathstroke-Chapter 491: Divergent Calculations

Su Ming’s aura had shifted, radiating an intensity that overwhelmed Black Manta with dread, as if he faced Parallax itself. Fear crushed him completely.

His freshly hatched plan collapsed, and his grand ambitions turned to despair.

Crossing the Justice League was one thing, but betraying Luthor too? There was no safe corner left in the universe.

Seeing Black Manta crumple before him, Su Ming saw no need for further talk. Time to give Manta the third-tier treatment—"Dead as Doornails."

His oversized helmet could be a trophy for Arthur. The harpoon gun? A wall decoration for Bobo’s bar. The waterproof high-tech suit? Hand it to the League for study.

Manta’s two Tear of Extinction-coated daggers were what Su Ming wanted. He’d scrape off the liquid and apply it to his own weapons.

As a killer, it wasn’t that Su Ming shunned poison— he just hadn’t found the right one.

Plant-based toxins were weak in blood. Animal toxins faded in days, needing reapplication. Su Ming wanted a one-and-done, ultra-potent poison.

The Tear of Extinction, a conceptual toxin, was perfect. Not instant death, but it ensured no resurrection.

Before stepping forward, Su Ming had already mentally dissected Manta, like a butcher’s chart at a market, each part assigned a use and value.

Now, it was time to carve and divvy up the spoils.

As a fellow mercenary, Manta likely knew the risks. Dying on the battlefield wasn’t a bad end for a warrior.

His feud with Arthur? No clear right or wrong. Manta, as a merc, needed to eat. Now, it was Deathstroke’s turn to feast.

"Hm, neck slice to preserve the gear..." Su Ming took a breath, tightening his grip on the greatsword.

The bone collar? Irrelevant. The Kraken would be dealt with soon.

"Don’t kill him." Batman’s voice came from behind.

"Are you serious? Manta’s lost control of the Kraken, threatening all of Earth, and you want him alive?" Su Ming rested the greatsword on Manta’s neck, eyeing the battered Batman. "For your health’s sake, he’s better off dead."

Batman knew the logic, his body aching from head to toe.

Killing Manta seemed like a clean solution, but it would unite Luthor’s Doom Legion in fear of death.

If surrender meant death, the Legion would fight to the end.

Surrender, flee, or fight—three options for a defeated enemy.

Assuming equal probability without external factors, each had a 33% chance. Surrender and flee favored the League, totaling 66%.

Killing Manta would signal no surrender, leaving only flee or fight—50% each.

The League’s advantage would drop from 66% to 50%, losing 16% of their edge. Batman wouldn’t allow that.

Breaking enemies in the dark, isolating stragglers—that was the core of his tactics.

Handing the Anti-Monitor to Luthor was deliberate. He saw the Legion’s members scheming against each other.

Like Manta, tempted by massive gains, they’d betray Luthor. Villains had no loyalty.

Before the Anti-Monitor deal, the League faced the entire Legion.

Now, as Luthor neared victory, they only needed to deal with him.

Luthor wouldn’t share humanity’s salvation. The Legion was just his pawns, ready to turn on him at key moments.

Disbanding the Legion and preserving the Multiverse was the League’s mission.

That was Batman’s plan, but he wouldn’t explain—not now, possibly under Luthor’s surveillance.

"I’ll pay extra." Batman limped to Deathstroke’s side, staring down at the broken Manta. "The client’s updated the terms: keep enemies alive. As a mercenary, will you stick to your code?"

Arthur stood nearby, baffled. What were Batman and Deathstroke talking about? The Kraken was falling! Could they focus?

Whether they killed Manta or not, locking him up was the move, right?

Su Ming sighed.

He knew Batman’s stance—no killing, always a bigger plan. But shouldn’t Arthur decide? Manta targeted Atlantis and had a personal vendetta with him. Arthur’s family were the victims.

Yet Arthur’s indifferent look showed he’d deferred to Batman.

His inner monologue was probably: I want to kill Manta, but Batman says no. On second thought, I’m not that mad. Guess I’ll follow Batman.

Batman’s plan worked.

Whenever Diana or Arthur wanted to kill, Batman would step in, reason them down, douse their anger, and stop them from acting.

Heroes killed in the heat of the moment. As good people, once the impulse faded, executing a villain like a hangman felt impossible.

Even Captain America, the hero with the highest human kill count, spared disarmed foes.

But Batman seemed to be testing something. Su Ming narrowed his eyes, thinking briefly.

"Fine, we’ll settle the extra pay later. Manta’s yours, but I’m taking his gear." Su Ming’s greatsword slashed, destroying Manta’s teleport and comms devices, then kicked him to Batman’s feet.

Manta looked soulless, half-mad. If Batman wanted him alive, he could rot in the League’s prison.

Even if Batman offered Manta to Waller for the Suicide Squad, she’d probably pass.

Speaking of, the rest of the Squad hadn’t turned into fishmen. Waller, that crafty woman, had her tricks—where was she hiding?

Batman called the Titans to lock Manta up, strip his suit, and guard him closely, agreeing to Su Ming’s terms.

"I’m on it. I’m great at stripping bad guys!" Beast Boy volunteered, licking his lips and rubbing his hands.

He didn’t notice Raven and Starfire nearby, whispering about his back, their eyes screaming "pervert."

"You’ve got a plan for that." Batman, stone-faced, approached the railing, pointing at the mountain-like Kraken dominating everyone’s view.

He knew Deathstroke’s return meant a strategy.

"Lonely + alienated + fear + despair + self-worth ÷ mockery ÷ condemnation ÷ misunderstanding × guilt × shame × failure × judgment, n = y = hope = folly, love = lies, life = death, self = dark side."

Su Ming stood beside him, watching Diana and the others circle the Kraken, answering Batman in a flat tone.

Batman: "..."

"Sound familiar? Doesn’t that remind you of the Omega Beams tearing through the sky?" Su Ming calculated the Kraken’s descent. There was still time.

"You took Harley and Ivy, not to face Grail. The Anti-Life Equation’s useless here."

Grail, Darkseid’s daughter, reportedly held the Anti-Life Equation, planning to kill her father with it.

Harley and Ivy weren’t strong enough for her—they’d only get in the way.

Batman remained calm, unlike Arthur’s frantic scratching, robbing Su Ming of some fun.

"Just broadening your perspective. The Kraken’s core is annihilation, death, destruction. Naturally, there’s a conceptual opposite. The universe is that big—you should explore."

Beast Boy had stripped Manta to his underwear, as promised, lightning-fast.

Su Ming picked up Manta’s oversized helmet, handing it to Arthur as a keepsake, pocketing the daggers. The rest, he had his secretary, Grodd Jr., collect.

"You mean the Life Equation, but New Genesis’s gods proved it doesn’t exist." Batman shook his head, gazing forward.

Highfather, Darkseid’s brother and New Genesis’s ruler, sought the Life Equation to counter Darkseid.

He failed. After collecting the Lantern Rings, he got a staff that turned beings into savage beasts, causing chaos.

He declared the Life Equation nonexistent.

Su Ming casually removed his gauntlet, passing it to Grodd Jr. "Batman, we live in a world where seeing and hearing are deceptive. Unless you’ve tried it yourself, don’t trust Guardians or New Gods."

He leaned on the railing, his finger bearing only a glowing purple pattern—the Invisible Light Ring.

Like a tattoo, it was invisible unless activated.

"Invisible Light, like John’s old ring." Batman stood rigid, arms crossed, like a pharaoh’s sarcophagus, awaiting explanation.

"Heh, not observant enough for a detective. Eyes hurt from your last injury? Look again." Su Ming smirked, activating the Invisible Light.

All nine other rings emerged from phase, gleaming on his fingers.

The Invisible Light let the rings phase-shift, unseen and untouchable, appearing only when Su Ming commanded.

With so many rings, gripping a fist or weapon was tricky. He’d planned for the Invisible Light’s phasing to avoid looking like a gaudy tycoon and maintain combat prowess.

No more ten sector maps cluttering his vision or ten voices translating in his head.

Normally, he’d wear just the Invisible Light Ring, phasing it too if needed.