Multiverse: Deathstroke-Chapter 494: Joker’s Betrayal

"I can help you, Luthor. The Justice League is my enemy too."

In the darkness, a single beam illuminated the Laughing Bat, deepening his black suit and brightening the bloodstains.

His raspy voice confided in Luthor, not rushing to reveal his plan but subtly steering Luthor’s thoughts.

Like placing a sugar cube under a lamp at night.

What would it attract? Moths? Ants?

After losing to Deathstroke, the Laughing Bat realized the unknown was the most fun.

With the fourth wall empty and the world a runaway stallion, everything differed from what he’d foreseen.

No matter. He was still a Batman, the Multiverse’s greatest detective. The laughter echoing in his mind didn’t hinder his thinking.

Luthor was intrigued. The enemy of my enemy is my friend—a timeless human wisdom.

He asked the Laughing Bat’s terms. This was a deal.

The Laughing Bat’s condition was trivial.

"Free me. Let me help you and act independently with my own plans."

"Why should I trust you?" 𝓯𝓻𝒆𝙚𝒘𝓮𝙗𝓷𝒐𝓿𝙚𝒍.𝙘𝓸𝙢

The Laughing Bat cackled as if Luthor told a joke. "Oh, Lex, you don’t need to trust me. Trust is foolish. Trust yourself, your gut, your inevitable victory."

"...Deal. Tell me what you know."

Luthor and the Laughing Bat struck an agreement. Smart men closed deals quickly.

Surprisingly, the Laughing Bat kept his word. Freed, he didn’t flee but shared intel on the Anti-Monitor.

He claimed the Source Wall was a prison for the Anti-Monitor.

The Anti-Monitor was a dark force of creation, a higher-dimensional concept, an infinite energy source, a supercharged reactor.

"Oh, and she has a name—Perpetua. Pretty, huh? Hehe."

Whether he’d said all he knew or held back, the Laughing Bat shared only this, then waved and vanished into the dark.

Back to the present, Luthor studied the Anti-Monitor in his lab.

Using every tech and magical means, he couldn’t breach its polyhedral barrier, which blocked all probing.

"Can you hear me, Perpetua? Can you guide me?"

The Anti-Monitor didn’t respond, emitting a faint blue glow, resting on the lab table.

Suddenly, Luthor glimpsed a green-haired figure at the door, but turning, he saw nothing.

A hallucination?

The corridor held only darkness, filled with the sterile scent of artificial oxygen.

Grodd’s voice echoed in his mind, reporting the others’ arrival.

Luthor didn’t need them. He had all the power required, but Grodd insisted on recruiting more villains for the Doom Legion.

Manta’s loss weakened them, and Grodd hated feeling inferior.

He needed to prove to the Justice League they hadn’t lost.

With Earth’s crisis turning many into fishmen, even villains, their options were limited.

Most recruits were Arkham escapees: Mr. Freeze, Scarecrow, Ventriloquist—top-tier for Arkham.

Stronger ones included the League’s old foe, the immortal Solomon Grundy, and the seductive Queen Bee, who controlled minds with pollen and honey.

Blindfolded, they were brought to Luthor’s secret base.

"I need you and the Joker here fast to maintain our rule," Grodd said from the wall, flanked by Sinestro and Cheetah.

Sinestro’s Invisible Light suit flickered unstably, as did his ring, for reasons he couldn’t pinpoint.

Hearing Grodd’s telepathic message, Cheetah eyed the new villains. "How primitive—’maintain our rule’? As if we haven’t done enough."

Luthor sighed, removing his lab gear. "I still say this expansion’s unnecessary. We have everyone we need. These clowns in costumes won’t help us claim the last two hidden divine powers."

"People like us form alliances to instill fear in the Justice League," Grodd bared his teeth. "We lost Manta. We’ll replace him with someone similar, showing the League their enemies are endless."

"Who brought Riddler? He’s a laughingstock." Luthor spotted him on the monitors.

What was he here for? To joke the League to death?

"Hm? I didn’t invite him. You?" Grodd glanced at his companions.

Cheetah shrugged. She’d been healing, no time to recruit.

Sinestro, preoccupied with his ring’s issue, shook his head. Something was off with the Invisible Light.

Riddler wasn’t invited by any of them.

But uninvited or not, more bodies strengthened the Legion.

"Hiss, this smell." Riddler’s forced smile was obvious, masking inner scars. "I’ve got a riddle: where are we?"

Metal corridors, no windows, no markers—like being trapped under a bowl.

"Hm? Gifts." As they approached the round table awaiting Luthor, Queen Bee noticed small gift boxes on each chair.

Green wrapping, purple ribbons—Luthor’s style.

"The Legion doesn’t give welcome gifts," Grodd said, baffled. Things were getting weirder.

Cheetah was equally confused. "Don’t look at me."

But Riddler, quick-handed, tore open a box. "Let’s see the riddle’s answer!"

As the ribbon ripped, green gas sprayed, triggering a chain reaction. Every box released green vapor, flooding the meeting room.

"Luthor..."

"I’m here, you black-furred ape. Have some patience."

Grodd’s telepathic nagging broke Luthor’s focus. He adjusted his suit and tie, preparing to meet the rabble.

"Luthor... heh... we’ve got... ha... a problem... hahahahaha!" Grodd’s voice warped, straining to resist before erupting into uncontrollable laughter.

Luthor’s eyes widened. Something was wrong.

The base’s intercom crackled, filled with hysterical laughter—so unrestrained it sounded like the source might collapse, echoing through the empty base, chilling Luthor’s spine.

"I wish I could stop laughing, but this is different, special." In the control room, the Joker clutched his hair, eyes bulging, tongue lolling as he cackled. "The way it echoes in your mind..."

"Joker..."

"Tsk, check the central hall. I doubt the newbies will unite. Look, they’re tearing into each other." The Joker slumped in his chair, clutching his stomach from laughing, barely staying upright. "You had high hopes for that ape, but I gave everyone my special laughing gas. These days, that talking monkey’s been getting Uncle Joker’s ’special care,’ hehe." He leaned into the mic, whispering to Luthor. "Even the newbies—my gift boxes’ love and warmth will make them repeat customers, haha, if they survive."

Luthor rushed back to the lab, locking the door, preparing to deal with the Joker.

"You did something stupid, Joker. Far below your villain standard."

"You broke our deal first, Lex." The Joker’s voice, though comical, dripped with venom.

They had an agreement about the LaughQuintessentially American

Laughing Bat.

Luthor bought his head from the Joker, promising to keep the mad Batman locked away for intel.

But Luthor freed him for help.

The world should have one Batman—the Batman, the Joker’s Batman. The Laughing Bat was nothing.

He’d warned Luthor: the Legion could have the Joker or the Laughing Bat, not both.

Luthor chose to free the Laughing Bat, thinking he’d found a loophole. The Laughing Bat didn’t join the Legion.

The Joker said nothing then, but recent events—especially the Laughing Bat’s release—infuriated him.

Only he should play with Batman.

For days, the Joker schemed a massive trap for Luthor.

No one broke his deals and lived.

A hell of laughter and grinning maws awaited Luthor, more spectacular than any cosmic circus.