With that thought, Heisenberg picked up the Mother Box and casually tossed it over his shoulder.
Particles swirled around the box, carrying it straight into his bedroom.
"I'll keep the Mother Box in my bedroom for now. I doubt there's a safer place on Earth.
Once our base is finished, we can move it to the secure vault there.
Sound good to you?"
"Fine by me. I trust you."
Bruce nodded indifferently and stabbed a forkful of salad.
Heisenberg kept drinking and chatting idly. Before long, everyone had polished off everything on the table.
Heisenberg glanced at the time. Around ten in the morning—not bad.
So he stood up, grabbed a six-pack, and grinned at Wonder Woman.
"Food and drink's done, and we're all here. How about a trip to Themyscira?
Your people won't mind a bunch of drunks like us dropping in, right?"
"Ha, are you kidding? You lot don't drink nearly as much as we do!"
Diana hoisted a six-pack of her own, popped a bottle open, and clinked it against Heisenberg's.
After a sip, she furrowed her brow slightly and said softly,
"But I haven't told my mother we're coming today, so there won't be a welcome ceremony, and no noon feast either.
At the earliest, by evening you'll get to experience the bonfire revelry unique to Paradise Island. Trust me, you'll be amazed."
"Sounds perfect!"
Heisenberg nodded excitedly, then waved at the others behind him.
"Everyone, nothing else to prep, right?"
"Nope!"
"Ha, I can't wait!"
"Heisenberg, this is serious business. No need to be so jolly.
Anyone would think we're a tour group on a field trip!"
Bruce reminded them with a dark expression, which made Arthur glance at him in confusion.
A moment later, Arthur wiped beer from his beard and asked,
"What? It's not a field trip? Then what is it?!!"
Arthur cracked open another bottle, then casually slung an arm around Barry.
"I don't know about you guys, but I'm here for those legendary gorgeous Amazon warriors.
I've never been in a relationship. If you dragged me here to fight, and I die without ever having a girlfriend, that'd be way too lame.
Amazons!
Paradise Island!
A world of women!!!
This glorious mythical realm, hahaha—Arthur's coming for you!!!"
"You stepped on my Lasso of Truth, you idiot…"
Watching Arthur lose all inhibition, Diana smiled wryly and casually retrieved the lasso she'd tossed at his feet.
The moment the lasso left Arthur's sole, his entire face went dark.
He slapped a hand over it in sheer mortification.
"Fuck, what the hell was that just now? Some kind of mind control made me say all those things?!!!"
"Ahem!"
Victor coughed and teased him.
"Buddy, Diana said that's the Lasso of Truth. So its function is probably…"
"...making him tell the truth, haha!
But relax, nobody cares if you're a virgin, you seemingly-old-but-young dude!"
Heisenberg laughed loudly and clapped the utterly humiliated Arthur on the shoulder.
As Arthur wilted further, Heisenberg reached out and took hold of Diana's slender wrist.
"Feel for the place you want to go. I'll take us there."
Diana blinked.
Haven't you already seen the location of Themyscira? Why hold my hand?
She glanced at Heisenberg's half-smiling face and felt her own cheeks warm just a little.
So she turned away, only her chin facing him—who knows what exactly was going through her mind.
A moment later, the light of the Bifrost flashed and vanished.
...
On Themyscira, Hippolyta stared in shock at the rainbow light once again illuminating the sky above the temple!
Damnation, that rainbow that silently whisked Diana away had come back again!
She shot up from her throne, right hand gripping the hilt of her sword, and strode toward where the light was landing, brow furrowed.
As she walked, she recalled the records she'd been preparing for Diana over the past two days.
In the ancient war, those New Gods of Apokolips used cylindrical Boom Tubes for teleportation all the time!
Could this be a Boom Tube?!!
Thankfully, a moment later, Hippolyta saw her daughter emerge from the rainbow radiance—and her daughter's hand was held by a man clad in black armor!
Heisenberg's divine power was unmistakably vivid and bold. The magma flowing within the plates of his armor—anyone could see it was a scorching, fiery style!
"That's the Sun God?!!"
The style of that armor genuinely surprised Hippolyta. Judging by appearances alone, if someone said Heisenberg was Hades, she wouldn't find it strange at all.
This Sun God's aesthetic was far too gothic, too dark, too unconventional!
And looking past him at the others beside Diana—one made of metal, one red and green, one shirtless, a black cape and a red cape…
Seeing this, Hippolyta's expression softened. This group's style truly resembled the heroes of that ancient war.
All gaudy and colorful, flamboyant and carefree…
...
Meanwhile, Heisenberg quietly released Diana's hand and moved over to the railing of the Amazon Zenith Mountain Arena, gazing out from the peak over the entire island and the sea beyond.
Diana followed with a smile and murmured beside him.
"I was picturing our main hall, not here…"
"Ahem, teleportation deviation. You know how it is!"
Heisenberg chuckled, then spread his arms and let the warm sea breeze slip through his fingers.
Not far away, Mera frowned, then walked over to Heisenberg's left side and asked Diana softly,
"Your people are right near my home?
This is astonishing—you hid yourselves so well we never discovered you!"
"That's because Themyscira bears the blessings of the Olympian gods. It's a kingdom concealed by divinity and spells of truth."
"How enviable. Atlantis has no such blessings."
"That's because Atlantean arrogance and pride sank an entire continent. The gods were merciful enough not to inflict punishment."
"Fine, I apologize for my ancestors' actions. They were indeed reckless when they destroyed the continent."
Mera nodded helplessly. There was no refuting what Atlantis's forebears had done.
Nearby, Clark held Lois's hand and asked Diana quietly,
"So we're here?
Can we take a look around?"
"Of course!"
Diana confirmed, and Clark's face lit up with delight.
"Wonderful! Lois was just saying she wanted to find a place with sun and sand for a vacation.
The beaches here are absolutely gorgeous!!!"
"Hold on, Clark. We're here to research information, not on a field trip!!!"
"Bruce, you're all the research we need. I believe in you!!!"
Clark replied with a grin, then scooped Lois up and shot into the sky, heading straight for the distant beach on the island.
At this, a string of crows seemed to fly across Bruce's forehead, circling endlessly as they echoed Clark's words.
I believe in you, believe in you, believe in you!!!
Before the crows could even disperse, Bruce saw Arthur walk over and clap him on the shoulder too.
"I don't really get what's going on, but...
If I have to say I believe in you before I can go have fun, then I believe in you. I totally believe in you, pal!!!"
With that, Arthur abandoned Bruce and charged toward the distant arena. He absolutely loved the sight of those strapping warrior women sparring!
Seeing Arthur's figure, Diana smiled. With a flick of her wrist, her bracers clashed together with a sharp, clear ring.
"People of Themyscira, do not be alarmed. Those who have come to our island are my friends, the heroes of today's human world.
They are champions who rival the demigods of old, legends on par with Theseus, Heracles, and Prometheus!
It is fitting that Themyscira shows them the warmth of the Amazons!!!"
"Whoooo!!!"
Countless Amazons dropped their guard at once, curiosity about the island's newcomers now piqued.
Especially Arthur, charging toward the arena—his muscles were exactly the kind Amazon women absolutely adored!!!
Seeing Arthur immediately wrestling with the Amazons, Bruce felt as though a giant spinning wild boar had joined the crows above his head. All of this made him desperately want to recall the Justice League and rebuild them from scratch!
Why were all these incredibly capable people a pack of weirdos?
Superman took his girlfriend sunbathing on the beach. Aquaman stripped to the waist and wrestled Amazon women.
The Sun God had wandered off with the League's only two women—a deplorable act that was enviabl... ahem, despicable!
Utterly despicable!
And Cyborg was faithfully trailing after the Sun God. Are you seriously bringing a cameraman along on your double date?!!
Looking left and right, at least one person was still standing calmly in place.
Barry's quietness made Bruce feel extraordinarily comfortable!
So Bruce walked over to Barry and nodded at him approvingly.
"You're all right."
"Whoa, I just got praised by Batman!!!"
The instant he heard Bruce's words, Barry jolted out of his silence as if brought back to life.
Being surrounded by such a density of scantily-clad women made the entire world feel malicious to Barry!
He needed a man—a man who could give him some sense of presence and the courage to lift his head!
So he grinned and scooted up beside Batman, whispering rapidly...
"These last few days have been absolutely insane. Invited by a god, walking with a god, joining a Justice League full of powerhouses.
And now being teleported to an island packed with women.
Sunshine and the sea—even more exciting than what I saw in Hawaii the other day!
Don't ask how I got to Hawaii; I ran there. Couldn't afford a plane ticket.
Oh yeah, Bruce, I noticed everyone's got their own abilities.
Clark's Superman, Mera can control water, Arthur's got crazy strength and I think he controls water too.
Victor's obviously not ordinary, Diana's a demigod warrior.
But you're the only one I can't figure out at all!"
He circled Bruce twice with keen interest and asked softly,
"I've heard about you for a long time. Batman of Gotham—practically America's very first superhero.
Won't you satisfy the curiosity of poor little me? What's your superpower?"
"I…"
In just a few seconds, Barry had fired off over two hundred words at Bruce!
The rapid-fire barrage instantly made Bruce see the true nature of a certain chatterbox!
His face dark, Bruce shot Barry a deep, meaningful look and answered with grim seriousness:
"I'm super quiet."
"Ummm…"
Barry got it instantly. He dropped his head, sinking back into gloom.
Man, he really, really wanted to find someone who'd actually chat with him!!!
Super quiet—what the hell kind of answer was that? So sarcastic!!!
/-\
Enjoying the story? Want to read ahead?
Support the novel and unlock early access to unreleased chapters!
~ +20 Advanced Chapters Available on Patreon! (+1 Chapter daily)
https://p-atreon.com/Its_Zack
(Just remove the hyphen (-) to access Patreon normally)