Chapter 398
"Let's call it..." Hode looked up at the sky, where several colorful clouds were drifting, along with seven-colored Thunder.
"Tacky." Zatanna Zatara's voice came from the magic circle, but Hode could hear the agreement in her laughter.
Bruce walked over, wearing that chipped Batman War Armor, holding the seven-petaled rose in his arms: "You're late."
"I know." Hode said, his fingertips brushing over the bullet hole on Bruce's War Armor—the one he had accidentally burned through with Supernova Energy during their first date—"But this time, I brought the whole band."
Suddenly, the alarm sounded again. Hode felt the rose tattoo under his skin start to tremble, not with pain, but with some kind of anticipation. He looked into the distance, where a new energy was condensing—intertwined with purple and gold, carrying the aura of destruction and creation.
...
"It seems..." Hode said, his voice spreading across the entire battlefield, "the game... has only just begun."
In the distance, members of the Avengers and the Justice League were assembling. Steve's shield traced a silver arc in the night sky, Tony's War Armor emitted a blinding blue light, Billy's Thunder exploded in the clouds, fragments of Diana's Energy Shield shimmered in the ruins, Carol's Supernova Energy light cocoon hovered overhead, and Zatanna Zatara's rose spell transformed into countless golden threads, entangling every corner of the battlefield.
And Hode stood in the center, the seven-petaled rose pattern on his palm glowing faintly. He felt the seven powers within him awakening—the heat of the Supernova Energy, the resilience of the Energy Shield, the agility of the Data Stream, the fury of the Thunder, the mystery of the magic spell, the wildness of the Hulk, and the...
"Creation" of the anti-life equation.
The neon lights of New York suddenly all lit up, but this time, they didn't reflect seven-colored light, but a more ancient, more mysterious halo. Hode stood in the center of the light, the rose pattern on his palm disintegrating into countless tiny specks of light, flying to every corner of the battlefield.
And in the deepest part, where no one could see, a new phantom was condensing. It had Carol's Supernova Energylight wings, Diana's Lasso of Truth, Natasha's Data Streamspiderweb, Billy's Thunder blue dragon, Zatanna Zatara's rose spell, Hulk's purple muscles, and Bruce's chipped Batman War Armor—but this time, its core was Hode's own face, bearing seven different expressions, yet equally determined.
"Come on." Hode said softly, his voice spreading throughout the Universe, "Let me see what new surprises you can bring."
The horn of battle sounded again, but this time, Hode was no longer fighting alone. He felt the power of his six lovers surging within him, while the seventh power—that existence which had never existed, yet was everywhere—was smiling deep within his soul.
"The game, has only just begun."
Chapter 673: We don't have time to prepare slowly
Hode felt the seven powers surging within him undergoing subtle changes, as if some ancient seal had been quietly undone. He looked down at his palm; the original seven-petaled rose tattoo had disappeared, replaced by a flowing galaxy, with six bright stars twinkling in the Milky Way, each reflecting the face of a different lover.
"This... is this evolution?" Hode muttered to himself, his voice filled with irrepressible excitement. He tried to mobilize the power of one of the stars, and Carol's face suddenly magnified in the galaxy, Supernova Energy light wings instantly spreading from his back, instantly vaporizing the surrounding ruins.
"Hode!" Diana's voice came from below, with a divine warning, "Your energy reading is breaking through the atmosphere!"
Hode realized he had lost control and hurriedly reined in his power, but the Supernova Energy light wings had already triggered a chain reaction. A huge crack suddenly opened in the sky, and countless purple energy tentacles stretched out from the crack, each tentacle engraved with the symbol of the anti-life equation.
"You again." Hode sneered at the sky, his voice mixed with seven different tones, "I was fooled badly by you last time, this time..."
His words were interrupted by a sudden explosion. A golden energy beam shot from the side, hitting the energy tentacle closest to him. The tentacle exploded instantly, turning into countless black fragments, but soon condensed again.
"Looks like someone couldn't wait to try out the new power." Natasha's voice came from the ruins of the War Armor, carrying the electrical noise characteristic of the Data Stream. She hovered in mid-air, the golden patterns of the rose spell flowing on the surface of her War Armor, her right hand holding a long whip made of the Data Stream.
Hode turned to look at her, a flash of surprise in his eyes: "Nat, you..."
"Don't get the wrong idea." Natasha interrupted him, her voice carrying a hint of teasing, "Just testing the compatibility of the new equipment." As she spoke, she swung the long whip, the tip of the whip drawing a graceful arc, hitting an energy tentacle again.
Billy's voice came from the clouds, with the roar of Thunder: "Hode! Need help?"
"Of course!" Hode shouted, his voice carrying the heat of the Supernova Energy, "But this time, we're going to change how we play."
He opened his arms, and the galaxy tattoo suddenly erupted, with all six stars lighting up at the same time. Carol's light wings, Diana's Lasso of Truth, Natasha's Data Stream spiderweb, Billy's Thunder blue dragon, Zatanna Zatara's rose spell, and Hulk's purple muscles—six powers surged from his body simultaneously, condensing into six huge pillars of light in the air.
"Combine!" Hode shouted, his voice mixed with seven different tones but unusually harmonious.
The six pillars of light suddenly twisted and deformed, turning into the phantoms of his six lovers. Carol's phantom spread her light wings, Diana's phantom swung her Lasso of Truth, Natasha's phantom swung her spiderweb, Billy's phantom rode the blue dragon, Zatanna Zatara's phantom chanted spells, and Hulk's phantom beat his chest. The six phantoms rushed towards the crack in the sky simultaneously, merging into a seven-colored rainbow bridge the moment they touched the crack.
"Now it's my turn." Hode said softly, his voice spreading across the entire battlefield. He stepped onto the rainbow bridge, and with every step he took, the bridge lit up with a different color. By the time he reached the crack, the rainbow bridge had become a complete seven-color spectrum.
The existence in the crack seemed to sense danger, and countless energy tentacles stretched out simultaneously, trying to destroy the rainbow bridge. But the moment each tentacle touched the rainbow bridge, it was decomposed into the most basic particles, becoming part of the rainbow.
"Impossible!" That voice rang in Hode's mind, this time with obvious fear, "How could you..."
"Because of love." Hode said, his voice so soft as if afraid of breaking something, "Because I am no longer fighting alone."
He reached out to touch the crack, and the galaxy tattoo suddenly extended from his palm, turning into a dazzling Milky Way, rushing directly into the depths of the crack. A deafening roar came from the crack, and countless phantoms of the anti-life equation exploded in the Milky Way, but each explosion only made the Milky Way brighter.
"No..." The voice began to tremble, "You can't... You shouldn't..."
"I should." Hode said, his voice filled with unprecedented determination. He closed his eyes, feeling the perfect balance of the seven powers within him, and then...
He smiled.
It was Hode's own smile, pure and warm, with a sincerity without any impurities. This smile seemed to be some kind of signal, and the Milky Way suddenly erupted, swallowing the entire crack. When the light dissipated, the sky had returned to calm, and only a few colorful clouds proved that everything just now was not an illusion.
"Did it..." Hode said softly, his body suddenly softening, almost falling off the rainbow bridge.
A hand suddenly grabbed his arm—it was Diana. She was wearing that iconic combat suit, but it was covered in the traces of battle, and the Lasso of Truth swayed gently at her waist.
"Careful." She said, her voice carrying a divine gentleness, "You've exhausted too much."
Hode looked at her, a flash of gratitude in his eyes: "Thank you, Diana."
"Don't thank me." Diana shook her head, looking into the distance, "If you want to thank someone, thank yourself."
Hode followed her gaze and found that the members of the Avengers and the Justice League were assembling. Steve's shield shimmered in the sunlight, Tony's War Armor emitted a low hum, Billy's Thunder was looming in the clouds, Natasha's Data Stream spiderweb was entangled in the ruins, Carol's Supernova Energy light wings hovered overhead, and Zatanna Zatara's rose spell turned into countless golden threads, entangled on everyone's weapons.
And Bruce... Hode's gaze finally landed on the figure wearing the chipped Batman War Armor. Bruce was standing next to an overturned police car, holding a portable analyzer, seemingly studying something. When he felt Hode's gaze, he looked up, and then...
He smiled.
It was a Bruce Wayne-style smile, with three parts mockery and seven parts tenderness, completely unlike the Dark Knight flying in the night sky of Gotham. Hode felt his heart skip a beat, realizing he might have... fallen in love with someone again.
"It seems..." Hode said softly, his voice carrying a hint of helplessness, "my ability is about to evolve again."
Diana followed his gaze, and when she saw Bruce, her eyes became complicated: "Bruce... he is a special person."
"I know." Hode said, unable to take his eyes off Bruce, "He is always like this, clearly living in darkness, yet always thinking about illuminating others."
Diana didn't speak, just gently squeezed Hode's hand. This action made Hode come back to his senses. He turned to look at Diana and found that her eyes held a hint of emotion he couldn't understand...
"Diana..." Hode just started to speak when he was interrupted by the sudden alarm.
The two turned to look at the source of the sound, finding Tony's War Armor emitting a blinding red light. The mask of the War Armor opened, revealing Tony's slightly tired but still confident face.
"Everyone." Tony's voice spread across the entire battlefield through the War Armor's speaker, "We have a small problem."
"Small problem?" Steve walked over from the side, shield on his shoulder, "Tony, at a time like this, a small problem usually means..."
"Means we have to save the World again." Bruce's voice came from behind. He didn't know when he had put down the analyzer, holding that iconic Batarang, "The target this time is..."
His words were interrupted by a sudden explosion. Everyone turned at the same time, finding a huge mushroom cloud rising on the other side of the city, purple energy fluctuations spreading from the center of the explosion, and wherever they passed, buildings collapsed one after another.
"What is that?" Carol's voice came from overhead, her Supernova Energy light wings shimmering in the sun, "Doesn't look like a normal explosion."
"Worse than that." Natasha's Data Stream spiderweb suddenly tightened, her voice carrying the electrical noise, "According to the analysis, that is..."
"A variant of the anti-life equation."
Zatanna Zatara's voice came from the magic circle; the rose spells transformed into countless golden threads, forming a complex symbol in the air.
"Someone has combined it with some kind of reality warper."
Hode felt the galaxy tattoo inside his body suddenly tremble, and six stars lit up simultaneously.
He looked toward the direction of the explosion, a flash of determination in his eyes: "It seems…"
"The game has begun again."
Bruce's voice came from behind him, carrying the coolness unique to Batman.
"This time, we don't have time to prepare slowly."
Hode turned his head to look at him and found that Brucehad already put on his Batman cowl, revealing only a pair of sharp eyes.
But Hode knew that beneath that mask, Bruce was smiling at him.
"Then… let's begin."
Hode said, his voice a harmonious blend of seven different tones.
He spread his arms, and the galaxy tattoo suddenly erupted; the six stars transformed into six pillars of light, shooting toward the sky.
And in the deepest depths, in a place unseen by anyone, the seventh star was quietly taking shape.
It emitted a soft purple light, with complex runes flowing across its surface; at its core was reflected Hode's own face—wearing seven different expressions, yet equally firm.
The neon lights of New York lit up once again, but this time, they didn't reflect colorful rays, but rather a more ancient, more mysterious halo.
Hode stood in the center of the light, the galaxy patterns on his palms glowing faintly.
He felt the seven powers within him awakening—the heat of the Supernova, the resilience of S.H.I.E.L.D., the agility of the Data Stream, the fury of Thunder, the mystery of the spells, the wildness of the Hulk, and the… of the anti-life equation.
"Creation."
And further away, at the edge of the Universe, a pair of eyes was quietly watching it all.
Those eyes flickered with purple light, with anti-life equation symbols flowing across their surface, but at the core lay a hint of an emotion he had never possessed before—it was… anticipation.
"The game…" the owner of those eyes said softly, the voice echoing across the entire Universe, "…has only just begun."
Chapter 674: Endless Possibilities and Opportunities
Hode stood atop the ruins of New York, the galaxy tattoo swirling on his palms, the silhouette of the seventh star becoming increasingly clear.
He could feel the power of creation hidden within the anti-life equation, resonating and intertwining with the other six powers within him, as if whispering some ancient prophecy.
"Hode!" Diana's voice came from behind him, carrying a hint of urgency.
"Tony detected some kind of Energy Shield at the center of the explosion; our conventional weapons can't penetrate it."
Hode turned around and saw Diana's Lasso of Truthswaying gently in the night wind, its golden light forming a stark contrast to the bloodstains on her armor.
He reached out to gently stroke her cheek, and as his fingertips touched her warm skin, the power of resilience belonging to her suddenly surged within him.
"Let me try."
Hode said softly, a flash in his eyes: the blazing white of Carol's light wings, the deep blue of Natasha's Data Stream, the electric arcs of Billy's Thunder, the golden glow of Zatanna Zatara's spells, the purple hue of the Hulk's muscles, and the gilded gold of Diana's S.H.I.E.L.D.—six colors swirled and merged in his pupils, finally transforming into a rainbow ray.
He raised his hand toward the direction of the explosion, and the rainbow light shot out like a laser.
The moment it touched the Energy Shield, the entire space seemed to have been pressed on pause; ripples appeared on the surface of the purple barrier, and countless anti-life equation symbols emerged and dissipated.
"It's effective!"
Tony's voice came from the War Armor.
"But the barrier is absorbing energy. Suggestion—"
Tony's words were interrupted by a sudden tremor.
The ground began to crack, and countless purple tentacles erupted from the fissures, each tentacle engraved with different mathematical symbols—this was a more complex variant equation than before.
"Split up!"
Steve's shield smashed into the nearest tentacle, the sparks of metal collision illuminating his determined profile.
"Hode, can you shut down that barrier?"
Hode nodded, just about to answer, when he felt his galaxy tattoo suddenly burn with pain.
The seventh star beat violently in his palm, reflecting an image of Bruce standing in the Batcave—he was debugging a new type of weapon, and the holographic projection in front of him displayed the molecular structure of the anti-life equation.
"Bruce…" Hode muttered to himself.
This image reminded him of a rainy night in Gotham last week.
At that time, they had just finished resolving a gang firefight; Bruce stood on the edge of a rooftop, his cape flapping in the wind.
When Hode approached, he suddenly turned around, his eyes beneath the mask flashing in the lightning: "Do you know? Sometimes I feel like I'm the one who needs to be saved."
The memory was interrupted by Natasha's shout: "Hode! What are you spacing out for?"
Hode snapped back to reality, realizing that three tentacles had already wrapped around Diana's ankles.
She was using the Lasso of Truth to strangle another tentacle, but more were surging from all directions.
"Sorry!"
Hode shouted, and the power of the Hulk suddenly erupted within him.
His muscles expanded, purple lines appeared on his skin, and he smashed a fist into the nearest tentacle.
The tentacle snapped upon impact, but instead of blood, it sprayed out countless purple grains of sand.
These grains condensed into small anti-life equationsymbols in the air, attacking everyone.
"Watch out!"
Zatanna Zatara's voice came from the magic circle.
She formed seals with both hands, and the rose spells transformed into a golden barrier to protect everyone.
But the moment the anti-life equation symbols touched the barrier, they actually began to corrode the golden light.
"It's no good, my magic can't hold for much longer!"
Zatanna Zatara shouted, beads of sweat seeping from her forehead.
Hode felt the six powers within him clashing crazily, as if fighting for control.
He fell to his knees in pain, the galaxy tattoo emitting a blinding light.
Just then, the seventh star suddenly detached from his palm, floating in front of him, emitting a soft purple light.
"Creation…" Hode muttered to himself, the image of Brucedebugging the weapon flashing in his mind.
He suddenly understood that this seventh power was not destruction, but reconstruction—rearranging the chaotic anti-life equation to create a new order.
"Diana!"
Hode shouted.
"Use your lasso to bind that main tentacle!"
Diana understood, and the Lasso of Truth shot out like lightning, precisely binding the thickest tentacle.
Hode seized the opportunity to reach out and touch the seventh star, and all the power within him instantly surged into it.
The purple star began to spin, complex geometric patterns appearing on its surface.
Hode felt his consciousness pulled into a pure white space, with countless anti-life equation symbols flying around him.
He saw Bruce's face flickering between the symbols, hearing the words he said last week: "Sometimes I feel like I'm the one who needs to be saved."
"No," Hode said softly, "we save each other."
He reached out to grab an anti-life equation symbol, merging it with the golden light of Diana's lasso.
The symbol began to deform, finally transforming into a golden key.
Hode gripped the key tightly, his consciousness returning to the real World.
"Now!"
He shouted, inserting the key into the void.
The entire space suddenly went still, and all the purple tentacles froze in mid-air.
Countless keyholes appeared on the surface of the barrier, and Hode opened them one by one with the golden key.
When the last keyhole was unlocked, the barrier shattered with a boom, revealing the core behind it—a purple sphere composed of the anti-life equation.
"Carol!"
Hode shouted.
"Wrap it with your light wings!"
Supernova light wings descended from the sky, completely enveloping the purple sphere.
Hode felt Carol's power boiling within him; he closed his eyes, guiding this power to merge with the power of creation.
"Reconstruct!"
He shouted.
The purple sphere suddenly erupted with blinding light, forcing everyone to raise their hands to shield their eyes.
When the light dissipated, the original core of destruction had turned into a huge purple rose, with golden runes flowing on its petals.
"Did it work?"
Natasha's voice carried uncertainty.
Just as Hode was about to answer, he suddenly felt the galaxy tattoo burn with pain again.
He looked down and found that the tattoo was disappearing, replaced by tiny cracks, from which seven-colored light shone through.
"No…"
Hode stepped back in terror.
"This is impossible…"
"Hode?"
Diana stepped forward to support him.
"What's wrong with you?"
Hode shook his head, unable to explain the drastic change happening within him.
He saw Bruce running from afar, a look of worry visible beneath his Batman cowl.
But just as Bruce was about to touch him, the ground suddenly shook violently.
"Look!"
Billy pointed at the sky and shouted.
Everyone looked up and found that the purple rose was decomposing, countless petals turning into anti-life equation symbols and rising high into the sky.
The symbols reorganized in the air, forming a huge purple gate.
On the surface of the gate flowed faces familiar to Hode—Diana, Carol, Natasha, Zatanna Zatara, and… Bruce.
"Welcome…"
A strange voice came from behind the gate.
"…to the real game."
The gate slowly opened, revealing the twisted starry sky behind it.
Hode felt the power within him being crazily drained; he saw his body gradually becoming transparent, with seven-colored light overflowing from the cracks.
"No…"
Hode struggled to say.
"…not now…"
But it was too late.
His body completely transformed into seven-colored light, sucked into the purple gate.
Before he disappeared completely, the last thing he saw was Bruce's outstretched hand, and those eyes full of fear beneath his mask.
"Hode!"
Bruce shouted, but his voice was swallowed by the gate.
The moment the gate closed, New York returned to calm.
The members of the Avengers and the Justice Leaguestood in the ruins, looking at each other.
"He…"
Steve gripped his shield.
"…will he come back?"
No one answered.
In some corner of the Universe, Hode found himself standing in a pure white space.
Seven rays of light swirled around him, gradually condensing into seven figures—Diana, Carol, Natasha, Zatanna Zatara, and three female superheroes he didn't recognize.
"Welcome," said Diana at the front, but her voice was different from usual, carrying a certain mechanical quality, "to the ultimate challenge."
Hode took a step back and found an endless abyss beneath his feet.
He turned to look at the other figures and found their eyes empty and vacant, as if controlled by some power.
"This… what is going on?"
Hode asked, his voice echoing in the space.
"The game has leveled up."
Carol's voice rang out, but her lips didn't move.
"Now, you have to save all of us at the same time."
The seven figures suddenly attacked simultaneously, and seven different energy beams shot toward Hode.
He instinctively wanted to dodge, only to find that his body couldn't move.
Chapter 399
"No..." Hode closed his eyes in terror.
Just as the energy beam was about to hit him, a familiar voice suddenly rang out: "Hode!"
Hode opened his eyes abruptly and saw Bruce standing at the edge of the space, holding that Batarang. But unlike usual, this Batarang was engraved with symbols of the anti-life equation.
"Catch this!" Bruce shouted, throwing the Batarang toward Hode.
Hode caught it subconsciously. The moment his fingertips touched the Batarang, an unprecedented power suddenly erupted within him. This power fused the abilities of all his previous lovers and carried Bruce's characteristic calmness and wisdom.
"Reconstruct!" Hode shouted, stabbing the Batarang into the ground.
The entire space began to shake, and seven figures froze simultaneously. Hode felt his consciousness splitting, entering the minds of seven women at the same time. He saw Diana praying in the temple, Carol cruising in space, Natasha hacking passwords at the hacker Base, Zatanna Zatara studying ancient books in the magic tower, and three strange scenes—one in the Atlantis seabed, one in the interstellar warship command room, and the last one at... the top of the clock tower in Gotham.
"I understand now..." Hode whispered. "This is not a rescue, it is a choice."
He concentrated his spirit and chose to enter the scene of the Gotham clock tower. Instantly, he stood on that familiar roof, seeing Bruce standing at the edge, his cape fluttering in the wind. But unlike usual, Bruce's body was becoming transparent, with countless equation symbols overflowing from within him.
"Bruce!" Hode shouted, running toward the figure about to disappear.
Bruce turned around, his eyes beneath the mask flashing with purple light: "You finally came... Hode."
"What is going on?" Hode grabbed Bruce's hand, discovering his skin was as cold as iron.
"The anti-life equation..." Bruce's voice grew weaker. "It chose me as its host... but I can resist..."
"No!" Hode shouted. "I won't let you disappear!"
He concentrated his spirit and mobilized all the power within him. The galaxy tattoo suddenly appeared on his palm, but this time it was the complete seven-color spectrum. He pressed his palm against Bruce's chest, and the light instantly enveloped both of them.
"In the name of love..." Hode whispered, "I choose you."
Bruce's body suddenly trembled violently, and the equation symbols began to detach from his body. Hode felt his power fading rapidly, but he did not stop. When the last symbol left Bruce's body, Hode collapsed to the ground.
"Why..." Bruce took off his mask, revealing that face familiar yet strange to Hode. "Why save me?"
Hode smiled weakly: "Because... I love you."
Bruce's eyes suddenly became complex. He reached out, wanting to touch Hode's face, but just as his fingertips were about to make contact, the entire space suddenly collapsed.
"No!" Hode shouted, reaching out to grab Bruce.
But he only grabbed a piece of the bat cape. Bruce's body had already turned into countless equation symbols, dissipating into the void.
"Bruce!" Hode fell to his knees, tears streaming down his face.
Just as he was in despair, a familiar voice sounded in his ear: "The game... is not over yet..."
Hode looked up abruptly and found the purple door appearing in front of him again. Bruce's face appeared on the door, but this time his eyes were clear blue, carrying a hint of the tenderness he was familiar with.
"Come on..." Bruce said. "The real challenge has just begun."
Hode stood up and wiped away his tears. He glanced at his palm and found that the galaxy tattoo had recovered, but a small bat symbol had appeared at the position of the seventh star.
"Okay." He whispered, walking toward the purple door. "I am ready."
The moment the door opened, seven-colored light swallowed Hode's figure. On the other side of the door, Bruce stood under the starry sky, holding that Batarangengraved with the equation. He looked up toward the direction of the door, his mouth slightly curled upward.
"This time..." he whispered, "I won't let you face it alone again."
The door closed completely, and the starry sky returned to calm. But in this seemingly tranquil Universe, an unprecedented adventure had just begun...
Chapter 675 Now, I'm going home
The moment Hode stepped into the door, his body was pulled by an invisible force, as if traveling through countless dimensions. He could feel his consciousness splitting and being forcibly aggregated by some power. When his vision cleared, he found himself standing in a huge crystal palace. The walls of the palace were made of flowing starlight, and every ray of light contained unknown energy.
"Welcome, Hode." A familiar yet strange voice came from all directions. He turned to look around and found seven crystal statues floating in the center of the palace, representing Diana, Carol, Natasha, Zatanna Zatara, and three female heroes he had yet to meet—a silver-haired, blue-eyed Queen of Atlantis wearing deep-sea War Armor; a black-haired, purple-eyed Cosmic Warriorsurrounded by interstellar dust; and a red-haired, golden-eyed mysterious mage from Gotham holding a magicwand.
"Where is this?" Hode asked in a low voice, his voice echoing in the palace.
"This is the Corridor of the Heart," the voice sounded again, this time with a hint of mechanical coldness. "An awareness space created by the distortion of the anti-life equation. Here, your emotions will become weapons, and your bonds will be the keys."
Hode frowned, the galaxy tattoo on his palm suddenly burning, and the bat symbol of the seventh star flickering with a faint light. "Bruce... are you here?" He called out softly, but only silence responded.
"The rules of the game are simple," the voice continued. "You must establish emotional connections with seven lovers simultaneously. Each time you unlock a relationship, you can gain the power to resist the anti-life equation. But remember—" the voice suddenly became mocking, "the emotions here are real, and so is the pain. If you fail at any stage, not only will you be trapped here forever, but your body in reality will also be completely devoured by the equation."
Hode clenched his fists, his knuckles turning white. "Then let's begin." He said in a low voice, his eyes fixed firmly on the first statue—Diana.
The crystal statue suddenly came to life, and Diana's figure walked out of the light. Her eyes were hollow, and her movements were stiff, as if she were a puppet being controlled. "Hode..." she called out softly, but her voice sounded as if it were separated by a curtain of water. "Do you... love me?"
Hode's heart tightened. He remembered every moment fighting side by side with Diana: her heroic posture when wielding the Lasso of Truth, her firmness when using the Energy Shield to block attacks, and that time in the rain when she gently held his hand and said they were not fighting alone.
"I love you," Hode whispered, his voice gentle and firm. "Not because you are a goddess, but because you are Diana—the Diana who sheds tears for strangers, takes risks for friends, and risks her life for justice."
Diana's eyes suddenly gained focus, and her body trembled slightly, as if breaking free from some restraint. "Hode..." she whispered. The Lasso of Truth suddenly slipped from her waist, turning into a golden light that wrapped around their wrists. "I love you too... From the first time I saw you, I knew you were the one who could walk side by side with me."
The crystal palace suddenly shook, and a golden light shot out from Diana's statue, merging into Hode's galaxy tattoo. He felt a warm and powerful force pouring into his body—that was Diana's divine power, carrying the light of love and hope.
"First level passed." The mechanical voice sounded with a hint of reluctance. "But don't be happy too soon; the next challenges will only be more brutal."
The second statue lit up, and Carol's figure emerged. Her light wings spread out, but they flickered with unstable electric arcs, as if they would go out at any time. "Hode..." she frowned, her voice filled with pain. "Why... save me? I was clearly so weak."
Hode's heart ached. He remembered the scene of Carolfighting the Kree in space: she fell toward Earth after being hit, her vital signs almost disappearing; and that time she closed herself off due to her powers going out of control, sitting alone in the wreckage of the spaceship, her eyes empty and desperate.
"You are not weak at all," Hode stepped forward, gently touching her light wings. "You are a supernova, the hope of the Universe. You are in pain because you care too much about this World, and too much about those you love."
Carol's body trembled slightly, and the electric arcs of her light wings gradually stabilized. "Hode..." she whispered, tears welling up in her eyes. "I... I have always been afraid, afraid that my power would hurt others... especially you."
"You won't," Hode smiled, pressing her hand against his chest. "Because your power stems from love, from protection. And I will always stand by your side; no matter how high you fly, I will catch you."
Carol's eyes suddenly became bright, and her light wings erupted with dazzling light, turning into a beam of incandescent energy that merged into Hode's tattoo. He felt a violent and pure force pouring into his body—that was Carol's supernova power, carrying the dual attributes of destruction and rebirth.
"Second level passed." The mechanical voice sounded, this time with obvious anger. "But don't think you can be this lucky forever!"
The third statue lit up, and Natasha's figure emerged. Her battle suit was stained with blood, and her eyes were cold and vigilant. "Hode..." she sneered, her fingers gently brushing over the hacker device on her wrist. "What is your purpose in approaching me?"
Hode's heart sank. He remembered his first meeting with Natasha: she was sneaking in the dark, like an elegant leopard; and that time she lured the enemy away alone to protect her teammates, continuing to fight despite being shot multiple times.
"I have no purpose," Hode whispered, his voice tinged with helplessness. "If I must say one, it is... I want to understand you. To understand the Natasha who fights alone in the dark but still chooses to believe in the light."
Natasha's body froze slightly, and the vigilance in her eyes gradually dissipated. "Hode..." she whispered, her fingers unconsciously rubbing the hacker device. "I... I am afraid. Afraid of being used, afraid of being betrayed, afraid of... losing everything again."
"You won't lose me," Hode stepped forward, gently holding her hand. "Because I will be your anchor, your safe haven. No matter where you go, no matter what you become, I will find you and bring you home."
Natasha's eyes suddenly softened, and her hacker device emitted a deep blue light, turning into a Data Stream that merged into Hode's tattoo. He felt a calm and precise force pouring into his body—that was Natasha's tactical thinking and hacking skills, carrying the wisdom of analysis and cracking.
"Third level passed." The mechanical voice sounded, this time with a hint of panic. "But the game isn't over yet! What comes next is the real test!"
The fourth statue lit up, and Zatanna Zatara's figure emerged. Her magic wand waved gently, and the incantations drew golden trajectories in the air, but they suddenly dissipated. "Hode..." she frowned, her voice filled with confusion. "Why... has my magic failed?"
Hode's heart tightened. He remembered his first cooperation with Zatanna Zatara: she chanted incantations in the magic circle, golden light enveloping the battlefield; and that time she overspent her magic power to save her teammates, almost falling into an eternal sleep.
"Your magic hasn't failed," Hode stepped forward, gently holding her hand. "It just... needs a little guidance."
Zatanna Zatara's body trembled slightly, and her magicwand suddenly emitted a dazzling golden glow. "Hode..." she whispered, tears welling up in her eyes. "I... I have always been afraid, afraid that my magic would hurt others... especially you."
"You won't," Hode smiled, pressing her hand against his chest. "Because your magic stems from love, from protection. And I will be your incantation, your barrier. No matter what you face, I will fight side by side with you."
Zatanna Zatara's eyes suddenly became bright, and her magic wand erupted with brilliant light, turning into a golden incantation that merged into Hode's tattoo. He felt a mysterious and powerful force pouring into his body—that was Zatanna Zatara's magic power, carrying the dual attributes of creation and destruction.
"Fourth level passed." The mechanical voice sounded, this time with obvious despair. "But don't think you can win! The last three are the real nightmares!"
AI Model: gemini-3.5-flash
The crystal palace suddenly shook violently, and the remaining three statues lit up simultaneously. The figures of the Queen of Atlantis, the Cosmic Warrior, and the mysterious Gotham mage emerged, their eyes hollow and cold, surrounded by unknown energy.
"Hode..." A mechanical voice sounded, carrying a hint of madness. "Now, you must face three of your strongest opponents at the same time. If you fail, not only will you be trapped here forever, but your physical body in reality will also be completely devoured by the equation!"
Hode took a deep breath, the galaxy tattoo on his palm flashing with seven-colored light. He looked at his three opponents, with no fear in his heart, only determination.
"Come on," he whispered, his voice echoing in the palace. "No matter how many challenges there are, I will not back down. Because I am not fighting alone—I have Diana's divine power, Carol's supernova power, Natasha's wisdom, Zatanna Zatara's magic... and Bruce..."
He looked down at the bat symbol on his palm, the corners of his mouth curving up slightly.
"And you, Bruce," he said softly. "No matter where you are, I will find you and bring you home."
The crystal palace suddenly erupted with a blinding light. The three opponents attacked simultaneously, and seven different energy beams from the "705u.com-53 Reading Club" shot toward Hode. He closed his eyes, feeling the power surging within his body, and then—
"Reconstruct!" he shouted, his voice carrying an unprecedented determination.
Seven-colored light erupted from his body, turning into a massive Energy Shield that blocked all the attacks. The palace began to collapse, the starlight turning into a Data Stream, and equation symbols danced in the air.
"This is impossible..." The mechanical voice sounded, carrying a hint of breakdown. "How could you possibly master seven powers at the same time..."
Hode did not answer. He opened his eyes and looked deep into the collapsing palace, where a doorway was slowly opening, revealing a familiar starlight behind it—the light of the real World.
"The game is over," he said softly, his voice carrying a trace of fatigue, but even more determination. "Now, I'm going home."
He stepped toward the doorway, leaving behind the collapsing crystal palace and the fading mechanical voice. The moment he stepped through the doorway, the seven-colored light swallowed his figure.
On the other side of the doorway, Bruce stood under the starry sky, holding the Batarang covered in equations. He looked up toward the doorway, the corners of his mouth curving up slightly.
"This time..." he said softly, "I won't let you face it alone again."
The doorway closed completely, and the starry sky returned to tranquility. But in this seemingly peaceful Universe, an unprecedented adventure had only just begun...
Chapter 676: The Moment He Opened the Door
The moment Hode stepped out of the portal, the gravity of the real World rushed over him like a tide. He stumbled to his knees, the galaxy tattoo on his palm burning with pain—the seven stars were dimming at a visible rate, with only the bat symbol glowing with an eerie blue light.
"You're three minutes late." Bruce's voice came from above, carrying the metallic vibration characteristic of Batman. Hode looked up and saw him standing at the top of a ten-meter-high ruin, his black cape billowing in the night wind like raven feathers. His left hand held the Batarangengraved with the anti-life equation, while his right hand hung unusually at his side, with fresh abrasions on his knuckles.
Hode pushed himself up, the sharp pain from his knees hitting the concrete fragments snapping him awake. "You're hurt?" he asked with a frown, while also noticing the collapsing Gotham skyline behind Bruce—the area that should have been the financial district was now being torn apart by countless purple energy rifts, like wounds gnawed by a giant beast.
Bruce leaped down from the ruins, landing with a dull thud. "The Joker and Lex Luthor have joined forces," he said briefly, tossing the Batarang to Hode. "They used the anti-life equation to rewrite Gotham's underlying code. Now the entire city is a living weapon."
The moment Hode caught the Batarang, his tattoo suddenly erupted with a blinding white light. He saw countless images flashing before his eyes: Diana kneeling before the Amazon altar, Carol roaring in a supernova explosion, Natasha coughing in the gas chamber of the Red Room, Zatanna Zatara's incantations burning in a reverse flow... and three heroes who had not yet been unlocked—the Queen of Atlantis's deep-sea War Armorwas melting, the Cosmic Warrior's cosmic dust was forming a black hole, and the tip of the Gotham Mage's wand was dripping with blood.
"They captured the three new heroes," Bruce's voice pulled Hode back from the illusion, "to use them as equation hosts."
Hode gripped the Batarang tightly, his knuckles turning white. He felt four forces conflicting inside his body: Diana's divine power wanted to break free and fight, Carol's Supernova 983 power was burning his blood vessels, Natasha's tactical mind was frantically calculating the win rate, and Zatanna Zatara's magic was trying to rewrite the rules of reality. "Take me to the battlefield," he said, his voice so low it was almost inaudible.
Bruce turned into the shadows, his cape drawing a dangerous arc behind him. "Keep up."
Gotham's lower district had turned into a massive maze. Purple energy rifts drifted between buildings, melting concrete like candle wax wherever they passed. Hodefollowed Bruce through the alleyways, each step landing on the boundary between reality and illusion—one second it was a familiar fire escape, the next it could turn into the Joker's smiling balloon.
"Watch out!" Bruce suddenly barked, tackling Hode to the ground. A purple laser beam grazed their scalps, blasting a three-meter-wide hole in the wall behind them. Hodesmelled burning and looked up to see a deep score mark on Bruce's armor.
"That's..." Hode squinted, seeing that the source of the laser was five Gotham police officers who had been modified into cyborgs. Their eyes were flickering purple flames, and their mouths constantly spat out symbols of the anti-life equation.
"Cyborgs," Bruce said, already drawing a Batarang, but Hode pressed down on his wrist.
"Let me try," he said, the galaxy tattoo on his palm starting to spin. Diana's divine power surged into his limbs, making him feel like he could tear a tank apart with his bare hands; Carol's supernova power rushed through his veins as if it could explode at any second; Natasha's tactical mind constructed a three-dimensional combat map in his brain; Zatanna Zatara's magic... Zatanna Zatara's magic was warning him that this was dangerous.
"Let's go together," Hode said, activating all four powers simultaneously. He saw a flash of surprise in Bruce's eyes—Batman rarely showed such an expression—but the other man quickly nodded and pulled a freeze grenadefrom his belt.
"Three, two, one!"
Hode shot forward like an arrow from a bow. Diana's divine power allowed him to easily leap across the "705u.com-53 Reading Club" ten-meter distance, slamming his fist into the chest of the middle cyborg. The supernova power erupted from his knuckles, roasting the robot into charcoal from the inside out. At the same time, Bruce's freeze grenade exploded on the left, instantly freezing three cyborgs. As the remaining two on the right were about to counterattack, Hode had already completed his tactical assessment—grabbing one cyborg's arm, he used Natasha's shoulder throw technique to fling it into the other, while Zatanna Zatara's magic incantation burst from his mouth:
"Ankh-es-en-amen!"
The struck cyborg suddenly began to decompose in reverse, changing from mechanical limbs back into human flesh and blood, finally turning into a pool of purple liquid. Hode stood up, panting heavily, and saw Bruce examining the last survivor—the officer's throat let out an inhuman roar, and something was writhing beneath his skin.
"The equation is devouring them," Bruce said, a rare exhaustion in his voice. "Every time a host is killed, the equation becomes stronger."
Hode clenched his fists as a sudden sharp pain came from his tattoo. He saw the three new heroes in the illusion suffering torment: the Queen of Atlantis was trapped in a shrinking water prison, the Cosmic Warrior's cosmic dust was forming a miniature black hole, and the Gotham Mage's wand was held backward, her fingers dripping with blood from over-casting.
"We have to hurry," he said, turning to run toward the direction of the strongest energy fluctuations. "They won't last much longer."
When they arrived at the Gotham University Observatory, the sight before them made Hode freeze in his tracks. The entire building was wrapped in a purple Energy Cocoon, with countless tentacle-like rifts dancing in the air. The Joker stood at the top of the Energy Cocoon, toying with Lex Luthor's bald head—the latter was strapped to some device that was a mix of technology and magic, letting out a silent scream.
"Oh, Hode!" The Joker saw them and waved his arms dramatically. "You're just in time! Look at our little experiment—" He suddenly shoved Luthor's bald head against the Energy Cocoon, causing the latter to instantly let out a hair-raising shriek. "We turned all of Gotham into a breeding ground for the anti-life equation! Isn't it fun?"
Bruce's breathing grew heavy. Hode could feel the killing intent radiating from him—Batman rarely wanted to kill, but right now, he was definitely considering it.
"Let them out." Hode took a step forward, his tattoo beginning to burn. He saw three blurry figures struggling inside the Energy Cocoon, precisely the captured three heroes. "Otherwise, I'll let you taste what it's like when seven super powers erupt at the same time."
The Joker suddenly burst into laughter, laughing so hard that tears came out. "Seven? Oh, dear Hode, don't you understand yet?" He wiped away his tears, revealing that hair-raisingly sincere smile. "The equation has rewritten the rules. Now, every time a host is killed..." He pointed to the Energy Cocoon, "...you will be randomly stripped of one ability."
Hode felt his heart skip a beat. He looked down at his palm; the galaxy tattoo was indeed much dimmer than before—the seventh star, the bat symbol, was flickering unsteadily.
"No..." he whispered, suddenly understanding why Brucewas injured and why the fight was so difficult. The equation was systematically weakening them.
"The rules of the game have changed, Hode." The Joker's voice suddenly turned low, filled with a morbid excitement. "Now, you have to choose between saving the World and saving your loved ones. Just like Batman always has to do..." He suddenly threw Luthor's bald head toward the Energy Cocoon, which exploded into purple smoke the moment it touched. "Choose!"
The Energy Cocoon suddenly became transparent, revealing the three heroes inside. The Queen of Atlantis's water prison had shrunk to the point where it could only fit her body, her gills heaving violently; the Cosmic Warrior's cosmic dust was forming a miniature black hole, devouring her own War Armor; the Gotham Mage's wand had broken, and her right hand was being corroded by equation symbols.
"Hode..." Bruce's voice sounded in his ear. "We can't save everyone at the same time."
Hode closed his eyes. He felt Diana's divine power urging him to fight, Carol's supernova power burning his sanity, Natasha's tactical mind frantically calculating the win rate, and Zatanna Zatara's magic warning him that this might be a trap. But the strongest of all was a call from the depths of his heart—the voices of the three new heroes, faint but firm.
"No." He opened his eyes, and the galaxy tattoo suddenly erupted with an unprecedented light. "We can."
The Joker's laughter came to an abrupt halt. He saw Hodeactivate four powers simultaneously: Diana's divine power formed a golden shield, Carol's supernova power formed energy armor around his body, Natasha's tactical mind allowed him to instantly map out three rescue routes, and Zatanna Zatara's magic began to rewrite the rules of reality—not against the equation, but against the Energy Cocoon itself.
"You..." The Joker's purple lips trembled. "You can't use so many powers at the same time—"
"Watch me," Hode said, his voice carrying a determination like never before. He saw the Queen of Atlantis's water prison begin to expand, the Cosmic Warrior's black hole begin to reverse, and the Gotham Mage's corrosion stop. He saw Bruce already rushing toward the support points of the Energy Cocoon, the Batarang drawing a perfect arc in the air.
"Now!" Hode shouted, pushing all four powers to their limits at the same time.
Chapter 400
The energy cocoon suddenly exploded, and purple light illuminated the entire night sky. Hode felt himself being torn apart by countless forces, but he gritted his teeth and held on—until he saw three figures fly out from the explosion: the Queen of Atlantis riding a dolphin-shaped magical creature, the Cosmic Warrior with stardust shimmering on her War Armor, and the Gotham mage's wand reigniting with green Fire.
"Well done." Bruce's voice came from behind him. Hodeturned around and saw Batman, who had already dealt with all the cyborgs, standing on the ruins looking at him. His armor had many cracks, but his eyes were still as sharp as knives.
Joker and Lex Luthor were gone. But Hode knew this was far from over. He looked down at his palm; the galaxy tattoo had faded to the point of being almost invisible—only the bat symbol was still faintly flickering.
"We have to..." He had just started to speak when he suddenly felt the World spinning. He saw Bruce reaching out to him, saw the three new heroes running toward him, saw the night sky of Gotham starting to distort...
Then, darkness fell.
When Hode regained consciousness, he found himself lying in an unfamiliar laboratory. Medical equipment emitted rhythmic ticking sounds, and the air was filled with the smell of disinfectant. He tried to sit up, but intense pain surged through his entire body—as if every bone had been crushed and reassembled.
"Don't move." A familiar voice rang out. Hode turned his head and saw Diana sitting by the bed, her Lasso of Truthresting on her lap, her eyes full of worry. "You were severely injured."
"What happened?" Hode asked hoarsely. He saw his left hand wrapped in bandages, and the galaxy tattoo on his palm had completely disappeared.
Diana gently took his right hand. "You defeated the anti-life equation carrier," she said, "but the price was... you lost all your abilities."
Hode felt as if his heart had been struck hard. He remembered the Queen of Atlantis's deep-sea War Armor, the Cosmic Warrior's interstellar dust, the Gotham mage's wand... and Bruce.
"Where is Bruce?" he suddenly asked. "Where is he?"
Diana's expression became complex. "He is outside," she said, "with... some new friends."
Hode struggled to sit up and, ignoring Diana's dissuasion, walked toward the door. The moment he pulled the door open, he saw...
Chapter 677: Revealing Joker's twisted smile
Hode stumbled and grabbed the doorframe; the smell of disinfectant was replaced by a charred scent drifting from the hallway. He saw Bruce standing with his back to him in front of the floor-to-ceiling window at the end, the black cape still bearing traces of purple energy burns. But what truly made Hode's pupils constrict was the familiar red figure beside Bruce—Carol Danvers's War Armor was automatically repairing itself, the star-shaped emblem on her chest flickering with a faint blue light.
"You're awake." Bruce didn't turn back, his voice hoarser than usual. "Zatanna Zatara said your body is experiencing adaptive shock after the ability stripping."
Zatanna Zatara's voice came from the left. She was leaning against the wall, the blood droplets dripping from the tip of her wand had turned emerald green, "but the more troublesome thing is..."
Hode suddenly felt a spasm in his stomach. He saw three figures walk out from the corridor corner: Diana's Lasso of Truth was wrapped around the Queen of Atlantis's waist, the cracks in the latter's deep-sea War Armor were healing at a speed visible to the naked eye; the Cosmic Warrior's interstellar dust formed a miniature Nebula above the Gotham mage's head, and crystalline new bones had already grown where the mage's fingers had been severed.
"They implanted fragments of the anti-life equation into your body." Carol suddenly appeared in front of Hode, her fingers lightly brushing over his bandaged left hand. "Every time you establish an emotional connection with a superhero, the anti-life equation will..."
"...take away one of their abilities." Hode recoiled violently, his back hitting the medical equipment with a loud crash. He remembered the Joker's cruel grin before the energy cocoon exploded, remembered the corroded bodies of the three new heroes, and remembered the scrapes on Bruce's knuckles—that wasn't a scrape at all, it was the anti-life equation devouring his tactical thinking!
Diana's Lasso of Truth suddenly went taut, and the Queen of Atlantis's War Armor emitted a shrill hum. "Calm down, Hode." Diana's voice carried the unique authority of an Amazon warrior. "The anti-life equation is exploiting your guilt..."
"Just like it's exploiting Batman's fear?" Hode suddenly laughed, his laughter on the edge of madness. "Let me guess—now Bruce has to spend an extra three minutes every time he makes a plan because the anti-life equationstole his real-time tactical anticipation? Carol can't fly high anymore because the Supernova Energy is locked inside your body?"
Bruce's cape suddenly fluttered violently. When he turned around, Hode saw a familiar flash of anger in those grey-blue eyes. But Batman just clenched his fists, his knuckles popping like beans. "Lex Luthor's laboratory is on the third underground level," he said. "Joker's cyborgs are turning Gotham citizens into..."
"...into living anti-life equation carriers." Zatanna Zataracontinued, her wand tracing complex runes in the air. "But this time, we don't need you to charge into battle."
Hode felt his heart being gripped by an invisible hand. He looked at the unrepaired cracks on Carol's War Armor and remembered the scene in his vision where she was consumed by a Supernova Energy explosion. "So I am now..."
"You are the key." The Queen of Atlantis suddenly spoke, her voice carrying the resonant frequency unique to deep-sea creatures. "The anti-life equation requires seven extreme emotions to be fully activated, and you..." Her deep-sea War Armor's visor suddenly rose, revealing a face that looked 70% similar to Natasha's. "You love seven people at the same time."
The corridor suddenly shook violently, and medical equipment fell one after another. Hode saw the Gothamskyline outside the window distorting; buildings in the financial district tilted like melting candles, and symbols of the anti-life equation appeared on the surface of every building.
"They are coming." The Gotham mage's wand suddenly burst into strong light, forming a protective shield above her head. "Joker is bringing Lex Luthor's anti-life equationtransmitter and is..."
"...turning the entire city into an emotion collector." Brucehad already put on his bat cape, the Batarang at his waist glowing with an eerie purple light. "Zatanna Zatara, can you locate the transmitter?"
The mage's green eyes suddenly turned pure white, and the wand in her hand began to rotate in reverse. "In the Gotham University underground laboratory..." She suddenly coughed, emerald blood spilling from the corner of her mouth, "but the anti-life equation has set up an emotional interference field, my magic..."
Carol suddenly grabbed Hode's shoulders; her body temperature was terrifyingly high. "Listen," she said, her War Armor's faceplate sliding open to reveal skin covered in cracks beneath, "we don't have time to slowly cultivate feelings." She suddenly kissed Hode's lips, and Hode felt a scorching power surge in from the tip of her tongue, instantly dissipating the chill in his body.
"Supernova Energy..." Hode looked at his palms in surprise, golden light flowing beneath his skin, "but why..."
"Because the anti-life equation cannot steal power that is being transferred." Carol took two steps back, the cracks on her War Armor healing at a speed visible to the naked eye. "Every time you kiss a hero, you can temporarily gain the ability that was stripped from them. But..." She suddenly showed a pained expression and knelt on one knee, "but every use will accelerate the devouring of the anti-life equation."
Diana's Lasso of Truth suddenly wrapped around Hode's waist and pulled him behind her. "Let me try first." The Amazon warrior's shield appeared in her left hand, and the divine sword in her right hand ignited with blue Fire. "If the anti-life equation needs extreme emotions..." She suddenly turned and kissed Hode, and time seemed to freeze at this moment.
Hode felt as if ten million streams were flowing into the sea, Diana's divine power surging within him. He saw the scene of kneeling before the Amazon altar no longer blurry, but terrifyingly clear—the divine blood on the altar was boiling, and there was a fresh wound on Diana's back.
"Divine power will let you hold on longer." Diana let him go, spiderweb-like cracks already appearing on her shield, but... She suddenly looked toward the end of the corridor, her eyes becoming sharp. "They are coming."
Five biochemical cyborgs walked out from the shadows; their eyes were flickering purple Fire, and they continuously spat out symbols of the anti-life equation. But the most terrifying thing was the weapons in their hands—a Gothampolice officer's baton had turned into Zatanna Zatara's wand, the fire axe was engraved with Diana's divine script, and one cyborg was even holding half a Batarang.
"Careful!" Bruce suddenly threw a Batarang, hitting the middle cyborg's knee. But the opponent only stumbled once, and purple crystals quickly regenerated on the hit area. "The anti-life equation has enhanced their self-healing ability."
Zatanna Zatara's wand suddenly burst into strong light, and she traced complex runes in the air: "Ankh-es-en-amen!" But the cyborgs only collectively took a step back, and the runes turned into green smoke upon hitting the purple shield.
"It's useless." The Gotham mage suddenly spoke, her broken wand oozing black liquid. "The anti-life equation is rewriting the rules of magic..."
Hode felt the divine power within him boiling. He saw Diana's shield about to shatter, saw Carol's War Armorstarting to show cracks again, and saw Zatanna Zatara's wand about to completely rot. Suddenly, he remembered the sound of Natasha's coughing in the gas chamber from his vision, remembered Zatanna Zatara's magic warning, and remembered...
"Close your eyes!" Hode suddenly shouted, grabbing Diana's and Zatanna Zatara's hands at the same time. He felt the divine power and magic colliding within him, producing an entirely new energy—not addition, but multiplication.
When the cyborgs' lasers shot toward them, Hode opened his eyes. His pupils had turned golden, and a mixture of divine script and magic runes flowed beneath his skin. He gently raised his hand, and the laser suddenly rotated in reverse three centimeters from his palm, finally dissipating into a wisp of purple smoke.
"This is impossible..." Zatanna Zatara's wand suddenly returned to its original state, and the emerald blood flowed back into her wounds. "You fused divine power and magic?"
"No." Hode looked at his palms, where Diana's divine script and Zatanna Zatara's runes appeared. "I created a third path." He suddenly rushed toward the cyborgs, a shield formed of divine power wrapping around his entire body, and magic runes forming an acceleration array beneath his feet.
The first cyborg's baton turned into powder the moment it touched the shield, and the second one's fire axe shattered its own arm when it struck the array. When Hode rushed in front of the third cyborg, he activated both powers simultaneously—divine power forming golden claws, and magic transforming into a reverse-rotating vortex.
"Goodbye." Hode said softly. As the claws pierced into the cyborg's chest, the vortex extracted the anti-life equationsymbol from its body. The cyborg suddenly let out an inhuman scream, its body twisting like a wrung-out towel, and finally turned into a pool of purple liquid.
Bruce's Batarang suddenly struck the last cyborg's knee, and this time there was no regeneration—the anti-life equation symbol had been thoroughly stripped away by Hode. "Well done." There was rare appreciation in Batman's voice, but...
Alarm sounds suddenly echoed throughout the corridor. Hode saw a purple pillar of light rising from the direction of Gotham University outside the window, and Joker's twisted smiling face appeared within the pillar of light.
"The game has only just begun~" Joker's voice echoed in everyone's mind. "Now, Hode, you have to make a choice between saving the World and..." His laughter suddenly became sharp, "...saving your girlfriends!"
The pillar of light suddenly split into seven, pointing toward different directions of the city. Hode saw Diana's Lasso of Truth starting to burn, cracks spreading on Carol's War Armor, and Zatanna Zatara's wand emitting a dying hum...
"No..." Hode felt as if his throat was blocked by something. He looked at Bruce and saw blood seeping from under Batman's armor; he looked at the Queen of Atlantis and saw her deep-sea War Armor melting; he looked at the Cosmic Warrior and saw her interstellar dust beginning to form a black hole...
"Where are they?" Hode's voice trembled. Zatanna Zatara's wand suddenly pointed outside the window, and green Fire formed seven points of light in the air. "The anti-life equation has..." She suddenly coughed, her blood turning black, "...scattered them at seven emotional core points..."
Hode felt the power within him boiling. He saw Diana's divine script and Zatanna Zatara's runes merging, forming a brand-new, unknown energy. "Take me to the nearest core point." He said to Bruce, grabbing Diana's and Zatanna Zatara's hands at the same time. "Now."
Batman's cape traced a dangerous arc behind him, and his footsteps as he turned to run toward the emergency exit suddenly halted. "Wait." He said, his voice carrying a certain determination. "If the anti-life equation needs extreme emotions..." He suddenly tore open his cape, revealing the bat symbol on his chest. Hode saw a fresh wound below the symbol, with symbols of the anti-life equation appearing around the wound. 0 --- Seeking flowers ---
"It stole my fear." Bruce said, a crazy light flickering in his grey-blue eyes. "But now, I'm going to make it give it back."
The alarm sound suddenly became shrill, and the lights in the corridor began to flicker. Hode saw seven points of light rapidly approaching outside the window, each point of light wrapping around a familiar figure—Diana was entwined by divine Fire, Carol was surrounded by a supernova, and Zatanna Zatara was shrouded in reverse magic...
"Hold onto me!" Hode shouted, simultaneously activating all the power within him. Divine power formed golden wings, magic transformed into a propulsion array, and he felt his body about to be torn apart by these two forces—but the screams from afar made him grit his teeth.
The moment they broke through the window, Hode saw a scene he would never forget for the rest of his life. Seven huge emotional cores were suspended above Gotham, each connected by countless purple energy threads. In the center of the cores, the seven women he loved were suffering torture: Diana was being scorched by divine Fire on her skin but could not make a sound—because the anti-life equation had stolen her courage; Carol's supernova was running wild inside her body but could not be released—because the anti-life equation had stolen her control; Zatanna Zatara's magic was backflowing inside her body but could not be stopped—because the anti-life equationhad stolen her sanity...
"No..." Hode felt his vision go black. He saw Bruce already rushing toward the nearest emotional core, Batarangs tracing perfect arcs in the air; he saw the Queen of Atlantisriding a dolphin-shaped creature rushing toward another core, her deep-sea War Armor emitting a mournful cry; he saw the Cosmic Warrior's War Armor beginning to disintegrate, interstellar dust forming a black hole devouring the surrounding anti-life equation symbols... "Hode!" Diana's voice suddenly rang in his mind. "Use our love..."
Hode suddenly understood. He let go of the hands of Diana and Zatanna Zatara, letting divine power and magiccollide within him. He saw his skin starting to crack, golden blood seeping out from the fissures—but the energy threads of the emotional cores in the distance suddenly began to tremble. "Come on!" Hode shouted, his voice filled with a determination he had never felt before. He activated all his powers simultaneously: divine power formed a golden torrent, magic transformed into a reverse vortex, Supernova Energy formed an energy armor outside his body, and tactical thinking allowed him to instantly plan an attack route...
The seven emotion cores exploded simultaneously, and a purple light illuminated the entire night sky. Hode felt himself being torn by countless forces, but he gritted his teeth and held on—until he saw seven figures fly out from the explosion: Diana's divine fire turned blue, Carol's Supernova Energy stabilized, and Zatanna Zatara's magicbegan to flow positively...
"Well done." Bruce's voice came from behind. Hode turned around and saw that Batman's War Armor was completely shattered, but his eyes remained sharp as a knife. In his hand, he held half a Batarang, engraved with the symbol of the anti-life equation—but the symbol was slowly fading.
The Joker's laughter suddenly echoed in the sky. "Game over~" he said, his voice filled with morbid excitement, "but don't think..." His voice suddenly came to an abrupt halt.
Hode looked up and saw seven points of light appear where the seven emotion cores had exploded. The points of light quickly approached and finally converged in front of him into a massive purple door. The door was engraved with the anti-life equation, and in the center was a bat-shaped groove.
"This is..." Zatanna Zatara's wand suddenly emitted a strong light, forming a protective shield above her head, "the Ultimate Emotion Core..."
The door suddenly opened, revealing the endless void behind it. Countless purple crystals floated in the void, each sealing a superhero—from the Justice League, the Avengers, and even...
Hode felt his heart skip a beat. He saw Natasha trapped in the central crystal; her red hair had turned white, and her eyes were closed, but her eyelashes were trembling. Beside her was Bruce's father, Thomas Wayne; Diana's mother, Hippolyta; and...
"Welcome to the Ultimate Game of the equation." The Joker's voice came from all directions, "Now, Hode, you have to make a choice between saving everyone and..." His laughter suddenly turned sharp, "watching them all die!"
The door suddenly began to close, and the crystals in the void began to rotate faster. Hode saw cracks appear on Natasha's crystal, saw Thomas Wayne's fingers moving, and saw Hippolyta's crown beginning to melt...
"No!" Hode shouted, rushing towards the door. He felt the power within him rapidly fading, but the screams from afar made him speed up. The moment he reached the door, he saw...
At the last moment before the door closed completely, Hode saw his reflection appear on a purple crystal—but it wasn't his face; it was Batman's mask. Through the cracks in the mask, a twisted smile of the Joker was revealed.
Chapter 678 The Rules of the Game Are Simple
Hode's pupils contracted sharply, his fingertips almost piercing his palms. The roar of the closing door exploded in his ears, but it could not drown out the boiling blood within him—that familiar sense of quantum entanglement that surged when he danced with Natasha was tearing at his nerves like crazy.
"The remnants of the emotion core..." Zatanna Zatara's wand suddenly burst into silver-blue sparks, sketching complex runes in the air, "Hode, there is still core energy remaining in your blood!"
Diana's Shield of Truth appeared automatically in front of Hode, the shield's surface reflecting his currently twisted face. The goddess's hand pressed against his violently heaving chest, her Amazon boots cracking the ground into a spiderweb pattern: "Steady your breathing; your heart rate is affecting spatial stability."
Hode suddenly grabbed Diana's wrist, pulling her close until their breaths could be heard. The Amazon princess's ear tips turned red instantly, but in the next second, Hode's bitten fingertip pressed against her brow—golden blood flowed along her divine markings, refracting rainbow-like halos under the moonlight.
"Sorry, but there's no time to explain." Hode's voice carried a dual resonance, sounding like himself mixed with Bruce's rasp, "Diana, your courage; Zatanna "705u.com-53 Reading Club" Zatara, your rationality; Carol..." He suddenly turned to look at Captain Marvel, who was reassembling her War Armor in mid-air, "your control!"
Three beams of energy of different colors shot into Hodesimultaneously. Diana's divine fire burned his left eye blue, Zatanna Zatara's magic incantations appeared on his right arm, and Carol's Supernova Energy set his cape ablaze with purple flames. Hode felt his brain about to be torn apart—the memory fragments of the seven emotion cores and the power characteristics of the three women were rampaging through his neural synapses.
"Batman mind mode, initiate." Hode suddenly tapped his temples in Bruce's manner, his pupils shrinking to pinpricks, "Zatanna Zatara, use the reverse positioning spell to lock onto Natasha's quantum signature; Diana, use the Shield of Truth to open a temporary spatial channel; Carol..." He suddenly tore open his shirt, revealing the flickering Arc Reactor mark on his chest, "charge me up!"
Captain Marvel froze for two seconds, then suddenly flashed a mischievous smile: "This is what you asked for." She pressed her hands against Hode's back, and Supernova Energy poured in like a bursting flood. Hode's bones groaned under the unbearable pressure, but the scene he had seen before the door closed made him grit his teeth—the cracks in Natasha's crystal were spreading, and Thomas Wayne's fingers had already touched the edge of the crystal.
"Spacetime coordinates locked." The tip of Zatanna Zatara's wand suddenly sprayed blood; she stumbled as she finished the spell with her last bit of strength, "but the channel can only be maintained for 11 seconds!"
Diana's Lasso of Truth turned into a whip of light and wrapped around Hode's waist, her Amazon war cry causing the surrounding seawater to churn: "In the name of Hercules, I grant you my blessing!" The moment her divine power was injected, Hode felt his left eye suddenly able to see through the dimensional barriers—deep in the void, countless purple crystals were forming a black hole vortex centered on Natasha.
"Charge in!" The moment Hode dragged Diana and Zatanna Zatara into the spatial channel, Carol's Supernova Energy formed a protective shield at the exit. But the expected impact did not come—they appeared directly in the void, surrounded by floating crystals sealing superheroes from various Universes.
"Welcome to my collection room." The Joker's voice came from all directions, and his twisted smiling face appeared on the surface of every crystal, "Look what I've found? Hode Wayne, or should I call you... the son of Batman?"
Hode felt a spasm in his stomach. He saw Thomas Wayne's crystal just three meters away; the old man was using his finger to carve a distress signal on the crystal's surface. And the cracks on Natasha's crystal had spread to her neck; her pale lips seemed to be saying something silently.
"The energy of the emotion core is bidirectional." Hodesuddenly let go of the two women's hands, letting the divine power and magic dissipate into the void, "The stronger you are, the more the equation can use you to locate me." He turned to face the purple Joker who was solidifying, "but conversely—"
Diana's Shield of Truth suddenly flew out of her hand and expanded into a hexagonal light screen behind Hode. Zatanna Zatara's wand automatically wrote reverse incantations in the air, and Carol's Supernova Energyactually burned upwards from the soles of Hode's feet—not to destroy, but to refine.
"You stole courage?" Blue light surged in Hode's left eye, and Diana's divine fire condensed into the shape of a Batarang in his palm, "Then I'll return it to you!" The group of purple crystals suddenly vibrated violently, and Thomas Wayne's crystal shattered first. As the old man stumbled towards Hode, Hode whispered in his ear: "Dad, it's time to wake up."
The second to shatter was Natasha's crystal. The red-haired Agent flipped in the air and landed, pulling out two electromagnetic pulse grenades from her wrist: "You're three minutes late, rookie." The moment she threw the grenades, Hode saw the same quantum entanglement patterns appear behind her ears as his own.
"Watch out behind you!" Carol's warning and energy impact arrived simultaneously. Hode did not dodge, letting the purple Joker's materialized fist pass through his chest—but it only passed through an afterimage. The real attack came from Zatanna Zatara's reverse incantation; the Joker's laughter suddenly turned into wailing, and his body twisted like a crumpled ball of paper.
"Not enough." Hode wiped the golden blood from the corner of his mouth, and the magic runes on his right arm suddenly ignited, "Diana, lend me your Lasso!" The moment the Lasso of Truth wrapped around the Joker's neck, Hode stabbed Zatanna Zatara's wand into his own heart—not to commit suicide, but to fuse the three women's powers with the remnants of the emotion core into a new energy source.
The void began to collapse, and the purple crystal clusters exploded one after another like dominoes. Hode saw Thomas Wayne helping up the injured Hippolyta, saw heroes from various Universes standing up from the ruins, and saw Natasha using Black Widow's special wires to repair the spatial cracks.
"The game has only just begun." The Joker's voice suddenly came from all directions; his physical form had dissipated, but his laughter was branded into the mind of every superhero. Hode felt a chill on the back of his neck and looked down to see tiny equation patterns emerging under his skin—just like the symbols fading on Bruce's War Armor.
Natasha suddenly grabbed Hode's wrist, and her quantum patterns resonated with Hode's: "You have the anti-life equation in your body..." Her words were interrupted by a suddenly appearing spatial crack, and from the other side of the crack came Captain Marvel's shout: "Hode! The explosion of the emotion cores has triggered dimensional overlap!"
Diana's Shield of Truth automatically expanded into a protective shield, shielding everyone inside... But Hode's gaze was drawn to a scene flashing through the crack—it was a rainy night in Gotham City, young Bruce Waynekneeling before his parents' corpses, while the Joker's smiling face was emerging from the rain.
"So, from the beginning..." Hode's voice suddenly got stuck in his throat; he felt the power within him spiraling out of control. The energy characteristics of the three women began to repel each other, and the equation patterns under his skin spread to his face. Natasha's electromagnetic pulse grenades failed against him, Diana's divine fire burned the back of his hand, and Zatanna Zatara's incantations twisted into the Joker's laughter as soon as they were uttered.
"Grab me!" Natasha wrapped her special wires around Hode's waist, but quantum entanglement brought not only power but also shared pain. Hode saw a flash of determination in her eyes and suddenly remembered what they had said at the quantum observatory during their first date: "Love is like quantum entanglement; even if separated by Universes, we can feel each other."
The spatial crack suddenly expanded, dragging everyone into a chaotic dimensional vortex. At the last moment, Hode pushed the Shield of Truth towards Diana, shoved the wand into Zatanna Zatara's hands, and the Supernova Energy automatically injected into Carol's War Armor. He felt himself decomposing into countless particles, but Natasha's voice echoed in his ears: "Survive, rookie."
When Hode regained consciousness, he was lying on the wet asphalt. Raindrops hit Batman's mask, and the Joker's smile was faintly visible through the cracks in the mask. In the distance, the neon lights of the Gotham Police Department twisted into equation symbols in the rain, and a familiar voice came from the alley: "Hey, little bat, want to play a game?"
Hode's hand slowly reached for his waist, but touched half a Batarang engraved with the anti-life equation—the very one Bruce had been holding earlier. Multiple figures were suddenly reflected in the rainwater: Diana's Shield of Truth was stuck in a wall fifty-seven meters away, Zatanna Zatara's wand was broken in two, and fragments of Carol's War Armor were burning in the rain.
"No..." Hode's voice was so hoarse it didn't sound like his own. He stumbled to his feet and found that the power in his body had disappeared—replaced by something even more terrifying. As the Joker's shadow emerged from the rain, Hode finally understood the true cost of the emotion core explosion: it wasn't the loss of power, but being assimilated by the equation.
"The rules of the game are simple." The Joker's umbrella suddenly shot out purple poison needles. Hodeinstinctively dodged to the side, but saw the trajectory of the needles in the rain forming Natasha's face, "You have to make a choice between becoming the new carrier of the equation and..." He suddenly threw open his raincoat, revealing his chest strapped with bombs, "watching them die again."
Hode's pupils shrank to pinpricks. In the rain, the figures of Diana, Zatanna Zatara, Carol, and Natasha were faintly visible, all bound by purple crystals at the intersection of different dimensions. And on the Joker's bomb timer, the numbers were jumping wildly—just like the equation patterns spreading within his body.
Chapter 679 "Fate." He said
Hode's fingertips dug deep into his palms, golden blood mixing with rainwater as it flowed over the patterns of the anti-life equation. He heard his temples throbbing, sounding exactly like the alarm Bruce had rung in the Gotham Clock Tower—a sound that had once been his deepest childhood fear, but now had become the rhythm of the equation resonating within him.
"Choose, little bat." The tip of the Joker's umbrella pressed against Hode's throat, the poison needles steaming with purple mist in the rain, "Let Diana's divine fire burn you to ashes, or watch Zatanna Zatara's incantations tear yourself to pieces?"
Hode's gaze pierced through the rain, jumping between the intersections of the four dimensions. Diana's Shield of Truth was stuck in the concrete ruins, its surface reflecting countless possible Worlds; the broken end of Zatanna Zatara's wand flickered with the light of reverse incantations, like stars about to extinguish; fragments of Carol's War Armor floated in mid-air, with Supernova Energy forming micro black holes on each piece of metal; and Natasha... she was wrapping the purple crystals with Black Widow's wires, quantum patterns spreading from behind her ears to her collarbone, resonating with the Arc Reactor on Hode's chest.
"You're wrong." Hode suddenly tore off the Batman mask, the rain washing over the hideous equation patterns on his face, "Love has never been a multiple-choice question." His left eye suddenly erupted with the blue light of Diana's divine fire, magic runes of Zatanna Zatara appeared on his right arm, and his cape behind him stirred without wind, igniting with Carol's purple Supernova flames.
The Joker's laughter came to an abrupt halt. He saw the golden blood dancing on Hode's fingertips suddenly split into four streams—the first turned into a Batarang and shot towards Diana's dimension, the body of the Batarangengraved with reversed Greek text for Truth; the second wrapped around Zatanna Zatara's broken wand, writing a positive positioning spell in the rain; the third injected into the fragments of Carol's War Armor, causing the Supernova Energy to form a chain reaction; and the last one... Hode pressed it against his own heart, and the equation patterns suddenly began to grow in reverse.
"Impossible!" The Joker's umbrella was ignited by the divine fire, and as he stumbled backward, he crushed the bomb remote control, the emotion core had already