Despite the dual blades in his hands dancing to create an impenetrable defense, Su Ming's eyes reflected only caution and calculation. Though it seemed Merciless Iron Fists was entirely caught in his plan, victory was still uncertain until the end.
Parrying, dodging, blocking—Merciless Iron Fists' defense was flawless, even with just an ordinary Divine Artifact Hammer.
Seizing the moment, Su Ming's gaze sharpened as he saw the scene behind Merciless Iron Fists. Now was the time!
The Godslayer instantly transformed into a Sword and Shield. Su Ming charged with the shield at Merciless Iron Fists, the sword in his other hand aiming for the gap beneath the helmet.
However, Merciless Iron Fists released the hammer, grabbing Su Ming's wrist. In an instant, Su Ming felt his right hand explode with pain, as if the Arm Armor was being crushed and deformed.
"Got you," Merciless Iron Fists said, eyes glowing red and tone indifferent, like capturing a small insect.
Su Ming let out a strange laugh, "No, I've got you."
"I am War God!" Merciless Iron Fists exerted more force with his massive hand.
A resounding crack came from Su Ming's bones; his right arm likely fractured. Yet he seemed unaffected by the pain, calmly saying, "If you're the War God, I am the Spartan Ghost. You're done."
In an instant, the Godslayer became a pair of massive handcuffs, binding their hands together. Before Merciless Iron Fists could react, Barry pulled out a Lasso of Truth, firmly tying them up.
Although Merciless Iron Fists might have predicted the Godslayer's transformation, he couldn't have foreseen Su Ming bringing back another Lasso of Truth from Earth -11.
Like being pinned to a cross, their arms and bodies pressed tightly together face-to-face. Su Ming immediately headbutted him.
These tactics would only trap Merciless Iron Fists for one or two seconds, yet for a warrior, that was enough.
The next moment, a pitch-black Giant Sword pierced through Merciless Iron Fists' heart and one of Su Ming's lungs.
Both spat blood simultaneously.
"Diana..."
Merciless Iron Fists turned his head, looking at Diana standing behind him, gripping the Nightfall Greatsword with both hands. He managed to utter a few words before his legs buckled, and both he and Su Ming fell sideways to the ground.
The Godslayer instantly reverted to its curved blade form as Diana withdrew the Great Sword and Lasso, finally separating Su Ming and Merciless Iron Fists.
"Slade, how is it?"
Barry lifted him, inspecting the Promethium Armor pierced on his chest. The Fire God's weapon truly lived up to its name; reinforced with the Power of the Fire God, the armor was now hardly sturdier than ordinary clothing.
Blood and bone fragments flowed from the wound, Su Ming's consciousness fading as madness threatened to take over.
Though the Great Sword was intentionally tossed to Barry, and using himself as bait was all part of the plan.
Still, that sword strike really hurt…
"Give me the Great Sword, you two leave quickly."
He extended his hand to Diana.
Diana glanced at Barry, who nodded without hesitation. After handing the Giant Sword to Su Ming, he and Diana vanished instantly.
He knew Deathstroke's bloodthirsty desire was now uncontainable. With the healing factor activated, he would be beyond reasoning. To avoid a life-or-death struggle, it was better to retreat and return later.
Su Ming took the Giant Sword, emitting a strange growl. With a swift stroke, he severed Merciless Iron Fists' head, holding the helmet-clad head aloft, looking into the eyes now devoid of red light, laughing maniacally.
"Hahaha!!!"
He raised the head high, letting blood flow from the severed neck onto his mask, through every gap in his armor.
Warm blood, death, slaughter.
He removed his helmet and drank deeply.
............
Regaining his senses, he found himself on Paradise Island.
At the moment, he lay on a simple stone bed, not even a mattress, just the fur of some unknown beast.
As for how he knew it was Paradise Island, it was clear from the guards standing outside.
The guards were all women, their armor bearing the emblem of a Flying Eagle, commemorating a pilot who sacrificed her life fighting War God Ares on behalf of Paradise Island.
Not the pilot Steve from the movies who crashed on Paradise Island, but his mother, Diana Lockwell Trevor of the United States Air Force.
She too fell on Paradise Island due to a weather accident. Being unable to leave because she was a woman, she joined the Amazons. With a warm heart and kindness, she used external scientific knowledge to improve everyone's lives, ensuring abundant food and clothing. Everyone considered her a true Amazon.
After her sacrifice, to commemorate her, they adopted an emblem from her crashed plane as their totem, the United States Air Force's Flying Eagle symbol, representing heroism and motherhood. Queen Hippolyte even named her daughter Diana in her memory.
Twenty years later, by some twist of fate, Steve's plane also crashed on Paradise Island, and it was then that the Queen likely recognized him as her old friend's son. Otherwise, he would have been fed to the fish long ago.
Amazons even send their own sons to forge weapons for the Fire God. If it were not for such a connection, could a man really stay on the island without reason?
"Seems I even frightened Diana after going berserk, sending so many to guard an unconscious man like me."
Su Ming slowly sat up, removing his damaged Holy Statue Armor, which lay beside a basin filled with blood-red water.
The wound on his chest was bandaged and smeared with some pungent herbs. He touched it, still faintly feeling the break in the bone, a burning sensation in his right lung with each breath.
The external injury was healing, but the internal organs remained in poor condition.
The bloodthirsty desire was faint, but the self-healing cells were still at work. After venting his emotions, he felt refreshed, yet the injury was still severe. Judging by the healing speed, about an hour had passed.
Clutching his wound, he rose and donned his armor anew. The Amazon Warriors merely eyed him, whispering among themselves, not moving to stop him.
The Holy Statue Armor needed replacing, but the Godslayer and Nightfall Greatsword stood intact at the door. His stash of arms, including the Divine Gold AK, had also been retrieved.
Fully dressed again, he grabbed a ceramic jar by the bed, drank some water, and headed outside.
"Where is your queen?"
"At the palace. She's summoned the Amazon Council, seems she's announcing something."
Replied a fair-skinned, red-haired female warrior with a smile, carrying a long spear and wearing leopard skin as well as armor.
Su Ming looked up. The so-called palace was on a nearby hill, hidden by dense woods. "Alright, I'll find her."
"Hey, wait." Another warrior approached, younger, curiosity gleaming in her eyes, "They all say you defeated the War God, is it true?"
"Thanks for reminding me; just woke up a bit groggy. I'll add slaying the god to the Justice League's tab."
In good spirits, Su Ming said this to the young girl offhandedly, then turned and left.
The Amazonian gatekeepers broke into a cold sweat, realizing mercenaries cared not for honor, but for money instead.
Besides, they felt guilty; if word reached the Queen that they had added more to the bill with idle chatter, they'd surely face her wrath in training.