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Once again, Roger found himself introducing himself to Batman and his companions. At this point, he was seriously considering carrying around a recording device dedicated to his introduction. That way, whenever soone asked who he was, he could just play the recording.
Not only would it save him the trouble of repeating himself, but it would also spare socially anxious individuals from the nerve-wracking ordeal of introducing themselves repeatedly.
Although, truth be told, Roger was no longer socially anxious.
“Parallel worlds…?”
Batman eyed Roger skeptically.
The concept of parallel worlds was still far ahead of their ti. More importantly, they had never encountered anyone from a parallel world before. Suddenly eting soone claiming to be from such a place naturally made them doubt his story.
If this were the DC universe from comics or television, this skepticism might not exist.
In those universes, parallel worlds were almost commonplace, with heroes frequently crossing over to create chaos or save the day.
But in the movie universe? The concept of parallel worlds hadn’t been introduced yet.
“Well, whether you believe or not, that’s the truth. Now, back to the point…”
Roger steered the conversation back on track, looking at the group and asking, “Why are you headed to Gotham?”
Gotham City, like other cities, had been buried under layers of desolate sand and wasteland.
Other than Batman’s Batcave and Wayne family assets, Gotham didn’t seem to have anything worth holding onto. Roger was curious why they were heading there.
Hearing his question, the group exchanged glances, seemingly debating whether to tell him.
Finally, Cyborg spoke up:
“The Anti-Life Equation. It’s in Gotham.”
“What... Wait a second, are you sure?”
Roger was stunned.
Although he hadn’t watched the Justice League movie many tis, he vaguely rembered the Anti-Life Equation being discovered in a barren wilderness... Had he rembered wrong?
Batman interjected, “We’re sure. It’s also Darkseid’s base of operations now. But that’s not our only reason for going there.”
“What else?”
Roger had barely asked before Cyborg turned his gaze to Flash.
“We need Barry to go back in ti and warn the past Bruce to protect Lois. To ensure Barry can locate Bruce accurately, we need to return to the Batcave.”
“Going back in ti to change the present.”
Roger understood their plan: send Flash back to warn Bruce, altering history to prevent Superman from falling under the control of the Anti-Life Equation.
If successful, Superman could join their side, preventing the deaths of Wonder Woman and Aquaman. This would allow the humans, Amazons, and Atlanteans to unite and form a resistance strong enough to defeat Darkseid.
While Roger understood the plan, he saw a potential problem.
“You ntioned the Anti-Life Equation is in Gotham. Does that an… Darkseid is there too?”
“And Superman,” Oliver added.
Batman confird, “Yes, it’s Darkseid’s base.”
“Then wouldn’t going there be walking straight into a trap?”
Roger frowned.
Cyborg chid in, “That’s why we need kryptonite. At least with kryptonite, Superman’s threat level will drop significantly.”
Finding kryptonite was one of the reasons Batman and the others were risking returning to the surface.
Unfortunately, most of the kryptonite had been turned into bait by Superman himself. Under the influence of the Anti-Life Equation, Superman had lost the inner purity that once defined him.
Without that purity, Superman beca an even more dangerous and formidable opponent.
Now, nothing on Earth could stop Superman except kryptonite.
Even with kryptonite, if Superman attacked from a distance using heat vision or freezing breath, the remaining mbers of the Justice League would struggle to survive.
“But kryptonite on the surface must be nearly impossible to find now, right?” Oliver asked.
If all the kryptonite had been turned into traps, finding it on the surface would be like chasing a pipe dream. Superman wouldn’t allow his one weakness to be left exposed.
Roger thought for a mont and suggested, “If it’s not on the surface, what about underwater?”
He turned to ra as he spoke. “If it’s underwater, there might still be so kryptonite Darkseid hasn’t found.”
“It’s no use,” ra replied. “The oceans are now ruled by the Trench Kingdom’s sea beasts. They’re also under Darkseid’s control. The ocean has beco a forbidden zone for us. Even if there’s kryptonite, we wouldn’t be able to retrieve it.”
The Anti-Life Equation in the DC universe was akin to the Infinity Stones in the Marvel universe—an unstoppable force capable of bending all living beings’ minds to Darkseid’s will.
The Trench Kingdom and so Atlanteans had already fallen under Darkseid’s control. That was why ra had joined Batman and the others in wandering the wastelands.
“What if I go with you?”
Roger asked again.
“You?”
ra seed to understand his implication. “You want to dive underwater with to search for kryptonite?”
“It’s the only way to deal with Superman.”
Roger replied seriously.
Given Superman’s grudge against him from their earlier confrontation, Roger knew Superman would target him aggressively in a fight.
If it ca to that, Roger wasn’t certain he could defeat Superman. This was the DC universe, Superman’s ho turf. In terms of strength and speed, Superman slightly edged out Roger.
Even if Roger managed to hold his own against Superman, it wouldn’t matter if Batman and the others couldn’t hold their ground.
Therefore, retrieving kryptonite was critical. With kryptonite in hand, Roger—free from its effects—could easily overpower a weakened Superman.
Roger’s proposal intrigued the group.
Batman thought for a mont before asking, “How long can you survive underwater?”
“If we’re not fighting, I can last quite a while. My cardiovascular capacity is excellent.”
Roger’s biofield could withstand the ocean’s pressure, and his invincible body was unaffected by water’s depths.
The real limitation was his need to breathe.
Underwater, Roger couldn’t breathe and had to rely on internal oxygen circulation. Even so, he could last far longer than an average person—several hours, at least.
“Exactly how long?” Batman pressed.
Roger estimated, “Six… no, five hours, considering potential combat.”
If combat broke out, Roger would expend more energy and oxygen, so he gave a conservative estimate to avoid unforeseen complications.
This wasn’t the ti to play hero—caution was key.
Hearing this, Batman turned to ra.
ra understood his unspoken question and replied, “Five hours is enough.”
The kryptonite’s locations were limited, and with their speed, ra and Roger wouldn’t need more than five hours to search. Even if they encountered enemies, it would be manageable.
Satisfied, Batman quickly decided, “Good. ra, you and Roger will search underwater for kryptonite. The rest of us will continue toward Gotham.”
“You’re not waiting for us to return with the kryptonite before heading to Gotham?” Roger asked.
“There’s no ti to waste. We’ll split into two groups to complete our tasks and regroup outside Gotham.”
“What if we don’t find kryptonite?”
“It doesn’t matter. The plan proceeds regardless. Kryptonite is important but not essential.”
Batman’s calm response suggested he had multiple contingency plans. For once, Roger felt reassured.
Setting aside Batman’s habit of keeping files on every hero, his endless stream of plans made him a dependable ally.
“Alright,” Roger conceded. “I still think splitting up isn’t the best idea, but… if you say so, we’ll do it.”
Roger’s comnt earned him a glance from Batman. “You seem to trust a lot.”
“Well, if this were a Justice League civil war, I wouldn’t trust you. But since this is an external threat, there’s probably no one on Earth more trustworthy than you… assuming you’re not plotting against .”
“Seems you know well. Don’t worry—I don’t stab allies in the back.”
Batman’s calm tone sohow made Roger feel even less reassured. He could already imagine Batman adding a “Roger File” to his database.
Shaking off the thought, Roger focused on the task at hand. With roles assigned, he and ra headed through the sewers toward the ocean.
Darkseid’s invasion had left the Earth desolate, reducing much of the ocean to barren sand.
Although so areas still connected to the sea, Roger and ra had to traverse a stretch of exposed land to reach the water.
This open ground made them easy targets for Parademons, so they moved cautiously.
Especially since they couldn’t afford to be spotted by Superman.
“How do we get across?”
At the sewer’s exit, ra looked out over the barren expanse and turned to Roger.
Roger held out a hand. “We fly—fast enough to avoid detection by the Parademons.”
Scooping up ra, Roger flew low and fast toward the ocean.
His flight kicked up a trail of dust and sand, leaving a straight line leading to the water. Though this trail might eventually be spotted by Superman, by then, Roger and ra would already be searching underwater.
Once subrged, even Superman, with all his powers, would struggle to find them amidst the ocean’s interference.
Especially since the ocean was ra’s domain. With her by his side, even Superman might hesitate to follow them into the depths.
Diving into the water, the bright daylight ant the Trench Kingdom’s sea beasts, which only appeared at night, wouldn’t be a threat in shallow areas.
But as they ventured deeper, the thousands of sea beasts lurking in the depths beca an imminent danger.
“Where exactly is the kryptonite?” Roger asked ra.
“Follow .”
Holding the trident left behind by Aquaman, ra took the lead.
Rather than describe the location, it was easier for her to guide Roger directly.
Seeing her trident, Roger couldn’t help but ask, “Quick question—can’t the trident control all sea creatures? Why not just control the Trench Kingdom’s beasts…”
“It doesn’t work. At least, not on beasts controlled by the Anti-Life Equation,” ra quickly explained. Her gaze fell on the trident as she continued, “Besides, this trident isn’t truly mine. I can’t unlock all of its powers.”
In certain cultures, it’s believed that artifacts possess a spirit. While the trident lacked consciousness, only a select few could wield its full potential.
Moreover, the ability to communicate with marine life was unique to Aquaman. ra didn’t possess that talent.
If the trident rely amplified existing abilities rather than bestowing new ones, it made sense that ra couldn’t control the sea beasts.
“Got it. No more questions.”
With his curiosity satisfied, Roger swam alongside ra toward their destination.
The deeper they went, the darker the waters beca.
Once, the depths were illuminated by Atlantean pathways lined with glowing marine organisms.
But now, like the surface, the ocean was desolate. Apart from water, there were few plants or creatures left.
Except for the sea beasts, whose unchecked reproduction had allowed them to dominate the seas.
As they entered the deep, the first thing they saw was a swarm of Trench Kingdom sea beasts surging toward them.
Seeing this, ra imdiately went on high alert, calling out to Roger, “Prepare for battle! We’ll have to fight through them to reach our destination!”
“Understood.”
Roger didn’t need further instructions.
With his focus sharp, he and ra charged headlong into the horde of sea beasts, ready for the fight ahead.
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