Chapter 177: Departure, Mage Timeline!
"Wow… so yellow!"
On the streets of Seattle, Allen sat in the front passenger seat, face pressed against the windshield, admiring the passing scenery.
"Wow… so white!"
As soon as spring arrived in the city, women of all shades flocked to the streets, lingering near the flow of traffic in search of their fated Prince Charming. Even if the tender warmth only lasted thirty minutes, they still threw themselves headlong into the hundred-dollar romance.
"Wow… so black!"
Green Arrow wasn't just responsible for his hometown Star City—he also helped manage Seattle's public safety. After all, with so many cities out there, there were times when heroes were in short supply. Most drifters in the hero community weren't keen on staying put in just one city.
"Stop the car, I want to grab some local specialties."
At that moment, Edward hastily called out to Oliver, who was driving.
With a stomp of the brakes, Edward eagerly opened the car door, and Cobblepot followed right behind him.
Watching their backs, Allen commented with a knowing look, "Didn't expect that to be their thing."
Just a minute ago, they'd passed a street corner where a rather provocatively dressed Black woman stood, clearly hoping for a shot at happiness. No doubt a passionate whirlwind romance was about to unfold.
"You sure the Dark Knight is in Seattle?" Oliver asked, skeptical.
"Not sure at all," Allen answered bluntly. "I just wanted to check out the Seattle street scene."
"…"
Oliver drove them straight back to the hotel.
Allen's incorrigible behavior was as baffling as ever.
Just yesterday at the Hall of Justice, he'd toyed with the entire Justice League, nearly provoking a group beatdown.
If not for his role in defeating the Dark Knights and driving off Barbatos, he'd likely be laid up in a hospital bed by now.
That said, one thing he'd mentioned wasn't wrong—there was still a Dark Knight in hiding.
He was a backup piece planted by the Batman Who Laughs, someone who hadn't acted alongside the rest of the Dark Knights.
So the whole League had to stay sharp to root him out—or risk catastrophe.
Back at the hotel, Allen took a shower and changed into a comfortable hospital gown.
On the bed lay two trophies:
The Dawnbreaker Lantern ring and the Helmet of Ares.
Since Allen had defeated the enemy, taking their weapons was entirely fair.
That said, while Allen found the lantern ring somewhat useful, he looked at the helmet with open disdain.
Even though the thing had been scrubbed inside and out with detergent and now gave off a lemony scent, he still rejected it on principle.
"If I wear a ring on my ring finger, how am I supposed to pick up girls?"
Allen held up the Lantern ring and glanced down at his lower body.
When he looked up again, he saw Oliver and Arthur staring at him in shock.
"Idiots! That's not how the ring's supposed to be worn!"
"Judging from your faces, I can already tell you're totally misunderstanding me."
Allen insisted, "Tch. My size is too big—I can't even get the ring on."
Yeah, right.
Believe it or not, we're not buying it.
"Nanaue, I now bestow upon you the power of the God of War."
Allen approached Nanaue, holding the helmet.
Nanaue, who was lying on the bed reading a marine life encyclopedia, immediately sat up in excitement. "Yay! Nanaue is going to become the Shark God of War!"
Pop!
Allen placed the Helmet of Ares on Nanaue's head.
And immediately ran into a serious issue.
The helmet was way too small. Nanaue's head was way too big. There was no way to actually wear it—it just sat on top of his head like a tiny crown.
Eyes locked awkwardly. The air grew thick with tension.
"Don't panic. I'll think of something," Allen said as he fiddled with the helmet, trying to match its shape to Nanaue's skull like a craftsman at work.
"Maybe try it on someone else?" Oliver suggested.
Anyone could see the helmet was made for a full-grown adult. Nanaue clearly wasn't the right fit.
"Give it to Joker Robin?" Allen said casually.
"Uh…"
Oliver glanced over at Arthur, who was putting on lipstick, and realized… maybe letting Nanaue wear it as a crown wasn't such a bad idea.
The Helmet of Ares amplified the darkness in its wearer. If Joker Robin put it on, he might just nuke Metropolis and kick off the Injustice storyline.
"I've got it!"
Pop!
Allen suddenly had a brainwave and stuck the helmet onto Nanaue's protruding snout.
"Ta-da! War God Face Mask!"
Nanaue's entire mouth area was now encased in the helmet. His eyes looked totally lost.
Meanwhile, everyone kept a close eye on him, watching for any signs of personality corruption.
Not long after, Nanaue's eyes widened in visible panic.
"Nanaue is falling… The Merciless Iron Shark is coming!"
Allen, thrilled, slipped on the Lantern ring and instantly manifested a new battle suit.
Pop!
Panicking, Nanaue ripped off the helmet and gasped for air. "Saved! Nanaue almost suffocated!"
Turns out the whole transformation was just a choking hazard.
In the end, Allen yanked out a phone cord and used it to fasten the helmet onto Nanaue's head like a crown.
By nightfall…
Allen was fast asleep, curled up on Nanaue's belly.
Nanaue, meanwhile, continued flipping through pictures of dolphins, examining each one carefully and delicately so as not to wake Allen.
[Spatiotemporal anchor locked. Host may now initiate traversal.]
[Available classes: Mage, Shaman, Druid.]
[Note: The fourth class requires 50% more EXP to level up.]
[Selection timeout. Random assignment in progress…]
[Congratulations! Mage class selected.]
...
Allen, deep in sleep, was once again silently swept away by the system into another forced dimension jump.
But at this point, he was used to it.
Even if he were wide awake, he wouldn't have made a choice anyway.
Where's the fun in that?
...
[Available timelines to choose from:]
[Justice faction: Kamar-Taj, Council of Fate, Council of Elements.]
[Evil faction: Temple of Chthon, Dark Dimension, Triumvirate Cult.]
[Selection timeout. Random assignment in progress…]
[Congratulations! Timeline selected: Kamar-Taj.]
...
The spring rain had stopped.
A muddy country road stretched ahead.
A slender figure leaned on a walking stick, eyes full of resolve as she trudged along.
Her straw sandals were soaked with mud, but she couldn't worry about that—she needed to find shelter before nightfall.
Once darkness fell, the mountain forest would be no place to travel.
After wandering for over an hour, she finally came across a dilapidated temple.
"No need to sleep outside tonight," she said with a smile of relief.
Spending the night outdoors in spring often meant waking up covered in leeches—not a pleasant thought.
Creak…
She pushed open the temple door.
A wave of rotting wood smell hit her in the face.
"A fated one—I've been waiting a long time for you."
A strange voice echoed in her ears. The girl looked up to see a young man in bizarre clothing sitting cross-legged on the shrine.
She raised her walking stick and shouted, "Are you human or ghost?!"
"Holy crab, Gabriel! Why aren't you staying in the West? What are you doing causing trouble in the East?!"
The young man, of course, was Allen.
One second ago, he was solemnly playing the part of a shrine deity to scam some food.
The next, when he saw the girl's face, the act fell apart completely.