Chapter 92: Dimensional Anomaly
The trip to Metropolis came to an end, and Orin Vale and Kara returned to the coffee shop.
They had left empty-handed but came back fully loaded. There was a pile of local specialties Kara had picked up in Metropolis, as well as a large bag of gifts their enthusiastic cousin had packed for them.
Carrying a frying pan, Kara bounced and skipped into the kitchen to find the Old Wizard.
"A gift for me?" The Old Wizard's eyes widened.
"Yep, because I know you really like pots and pans," Kara said with a grin. "It's from the LexCorp Group in Metropolis... although I hear their president is a jerk, their pots are still highly praised. So I immediately thought of getting one for you to try."
The Old Wizard was delighted. He couldn't put the new pot down and immediately went into the kitchen to test it out.
Kara then pattered down to the underground to see Astra.
For an anti-Kryptonian prisoner, Astra's life was actually quite comfortable. She didn't lack food or clothing, and there was even a projection TV hanging outside her cell to help pass the time.
If one had to point out the worst part, it would be that the Old Wizard always liked to use her to test his imaginative new recipes.
It couldn't be helped. Every time the Old Man whipped up some new, nonsensical dish that was instinctively repulsive at first glance, the two aliens in the shop—one big, one small—would either "remember" they forgot to bring in the laundry or "recall" they forgot to feed the cat, and with a whoosh, they'd both activate their super speed and vanish.
Thus, the Old Wizard naturally thought of the perfect candidate locked up in the underground.
What else could she do? She was a defeated general. She could only grit her teeth and silently endure this humiliation.
However, it was strange. At first, those bizarre and indescribable dark dishes were hard to swallow and made her feel physically nauseous. But after a while, she actually started to feel...
That they were actually a little delicious?
Sometimes, if the Old Man didn't come for two or three days in a row, she would even feel a little disappointed. Her stomach would feel empty, as if something were missing...
"Aunt, I'm back!" Kara ran down excitedly. "Look at the gift I brought you!"
It was a small, golden trophy. Aunt Astra squinted and saw a line of small words written on it.
"World's Best Grandma?"
"It's because it was the only one left in the shop, so just make do with it. Okay, I'm going to the kitchen to help the Old Wizard. I'll come see you again when I have time~"
With that, she flashed up the stairs and disappeared.
Under the light of the red sun, Astra watched Kara, who had run off in a hurry after being down here for less than a minute. She then looked at the "World's Best Grandma" trophy tossed to the side and couldn't help but let out a long, quiet sigh.
She suddenly felt a wave of nostalgia. Once upon a time, little Kara had been so close to her. Every time she came, Kara would cling to her, wanting to be held and listen to her stories.
Times had changed, and now she had become such a heartless little thing...
"That little magic princess is very good, very good indeed."
The Old Wizard stroked his great beard as he spoke to Orin Vale. The "little magic princess" he referred to was, of course, Raven. He was very pleased with this young daughter of Trigon.
During the days Orin Vale and the others were in Metropolis, Raven had still come to the shop on time every day to learn from the Old Wizard. She was born with shockingly immense magic power; she just needed an expert to teach her how to control it.
"Trigon might be a scoundrel, but his daughter is truly wonderful," the Old Wizard said, beaming whenever he mentioned the topic. "She's well-behaved, obedient, and sensible. She does whatever you ask her to, and she's a quick learner."
"Most importantly, she has a good heart. It's ironic, isn't it? The daughter of such a terrifying multiversal demon actually has a purer and kinder heart than over ninety percent of the humans in this world..."
"Sounds like someone is thinking about choosing a successor again?" Orin Vale said.
"Yes, of course, I am. What a pity," the Old Wizard sighed deeply. "I have spent countless ages searching for a suitable successor, but the few I've truly taken a liking to, the ones who really suit me, are either from another race or the daughter of a demon..."
"Be patient, give it some time," Orin Vale said with a smile, patting the Old Man's shoulder. "You'll find one."
"I hope so," the Old Man pouted.
After dinner, the Old Wizard waved his finger like a band conductor. The bowls and plates on the dining table all levitated and, following his direction, floated toward the kitchen.
The Old Wizard went inside to clean up, while an enchanted rag wiped the dining table by itself. Kara petted Stryker for five minutes, then obediently went to study with her textbooks. Orin Vale, on the other hand, returned to his laboratory, preparing to spend the evening there.
However, just ten minutes after he sat down, a "didi" alert sounded from the system beside him.
"A negative phase wave?" Orin Vale casually swiped open the map and glanced at it.
"No, sir, it's a reaction from the Hyperspace Bracelet," Pal replied. "Anomalous space fluctuation, and the reading is very unique."
After continuous charging, the bracelet's monitoring range had become wider and wider. At first, it only covered Gotham City, but now it could reach other cities in other states.
"This reading..."
Orin Vale swiped it open and was secretly shocked.
"A time-space fluctuation? Such strong spatial energy... is this a dimensional rupture?" Orin Vale was astonished.
The Land of Light had records of similar situations. The first thing that came to Orin Vale's mind was something akin to the dimensional shattering when the otherworldly being Yapool appeared, or the effect of the Dimensional Energy Cannon, D4, being fired after the Earth Defense Force stole Yapool's technology in Ultraman Z's TV series.
Orin Vale's mind raced.
An energy that can break through a dimension?
If it could be harnessed, could it become the key to breaking through the multiversal barrier and returning to his own universe?
"No related news reports have been found. But the Hyperspace Bracelet has marked the address. Do you need to go see for yourself?" Pal asked.
"Of course. Give me the coordinates."
Orin Vale zoomed in on the address to take a look.
The coordinates were located in "Central City."
Orin Vale fell into contemplation.
Central City, like Metropolis and Gotham, was one of the major fictional cities in the DC Universe. And just as Metropolis had Superman and Gotham had Batman, people always associated Central City with its signature hero, the scarlet speedster.
The Flash.
The fastest man alive—and that was meant in the most complimentary way. He could casually run at faster-than-light speed, was the Justice League's personal walking time machine, and the DC Comics writers' favorite sacrificial lamb for reboots during major events. In Western pop culture, the comic book character's very existence was almost synonymous with the definition of "fast."
Connecting this to the lore of the veteran Justice League member, the powerful time-space fluctuation easily sparked an association in Orin Vale's mind.
The source of The Flash's superpower, the thing that propelled the entire DC Multiverse forward, the supernatural law that was said to defy all laws of physics—the Speed Force.
This made Orin Vale feel even more expectant.
As everyone knew, the Speed Force was the number one tool for time travel in the DC Universe. Whether it was for jumping through timelines, traveling the multiverse, or creating new time-spaces, the Speed Force was an essential tool for any journey.
If he could conduct a scientific and systematic study of the Speed Force's operating methods and laws/principles, he might really be able to find his way home.
"Pal, formulate a flight plan to Central City," Orin Vale said, eager to get started. "Let's go take a look tonight."
(end of chapter)