Chapter 615: A Morbid Crisis (Part 1) (Patreon)

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No matter how you look at it, after suffering two major setbacks, the Court of Owls and the Dark Owls Cult were both completely wiped out. If we had to pinpoint their downfall, it could only be attributed to their own greed and arrogance.

Originally, they could have sealed off the Owl's storage of energy in Gotham, preventing the energy from responding to the Nursery Rhyme's summons and completely abolishing the method they had been using to influence children with Nursery Rhymes.

However, perhaps they had a "since we've come this far, might as well" mindset. After putting in so much effort and creating so many rules, they decided to leave it there when they moved, just in case they could capitalize on any opportunities to continue exerting influence on Gotham. If it didn't work out, they wouldn't lose much.

The Dark Owls Cult never expected that people in Gotham would join forces to steal their energy, and these individuals came prepared with plans, science and technology, magic, and force. In just over a month, they managed to steal all the energy that had been accumulated over decades.

Metropolis suffered the same fate. Upon discovering that Gotham's energy was gone, they panicked, considering Gotham's energy their lifeline and the only asset they had. They were disoriented and confused.

Without a decisive mindset, they would be tossed back and forth like fish, Schiller used this characteristic to his advantage. If the energy was in Gotham while they were in Metropolis, they would steal Gotham's energy and then move the people to Gotham to disrupt their base in Metropolis. The reverse situation worked similarly.

This ensured that they would always be in a state of shock and confusion when they landed, making it difficult for them to organize a counterattack.

Ironically, it was easier to bully these magic users than to deal with the Court of Owls because they were always arrogant, treating magic as an unbreakable tool. They believed that putting something inside a magic shield made it 100% safe.

It could be said that if devils in hell had this mindset, Constantine would wake up from his dreams laughing.

Regardless, this group of Owls and monsters were completely finished.

Schiller initially wanted to keep them captive, allowing them to continue begging Babatos for energy, but Constantine informed him that the incoming energy could not be used directly. It had to be purified using human bodies or souls, and there were no substitutes yet. The efficiency would likely be very low. The energy Schiller had stolen was the result of decades of accumulation.

Knowing this truth, Schiller realized that keeping them captive wouldn't yield enough energy to cover the cost of keeping them, so he abandoned the plan and had Constantine use his magic staff to finish them off.

After dealing with this situation, the group returned to Gotham, and among them was Lex, whose three-month sick leave was not even halfway over. He had been healed by Hal's magic and went to Gotham University's laboratory with Bruce to research the dark energy.

Lex had considered staying in Metropolis for research, but Clark vehemently opposed it, believing that such dangerous energy should be kept as far away from ordinary people as possible. He even suggested sending the massive Dark Owls statue into the sun for destruction. If Schiller could use an umbrella to knock him in real life, he probably would.

The two Dark Owls statues, devoid of energy, were placed in a newly constructed research building at Gotham University. Currently, only the exterior of the building was completed, but it was sufficient for their needs. Bruce and Lex were inside, studying the energy and the statues.

However, with two such brilliant minds together, conflicts were inevitable. Bruce and Lex's approaches to the experiments were not at all similar; they were often in stark disagreement. Even in areas where they agreed, they still had to compete to prove who was better.

When the young Batman and the young Luthor met, it was always bad news for Superman. If Superman wasn't present, they couldn't persuade each other with reason, so they resorted to physical persuasion—geniuses using their hands instead of their words.

Meanwhile, Schiller was finally attending to something he had been putting off for a long time but was very important—taking a vacation.

Last time he had tried to take a vacation, Green Lantern Hal had landed on the lamppost at the center of the Gotham Roundabout, causing a massive traffic accident that resulted in his classic car being totaled.

He had to buy a new car, which took some time to arrange. Now, with his new car ready and his luggage packed, the day after returning to Gotham, he set off for Brooklyn.

This was his first extended vacation since arriving in this world, and Brooklyn was a picturesque place, much warmer than Gotham. It was a perfect destination for relaxation and tourism.

Driving his brand-new Ford car, Schiller sped along the highway leading out of Gotham. The endless plains stretched before him, and the twilight's light danced in the wind. The air rippled like waves in the sea, and the car navigated through the road lined with tall trees, resembling a fish swimming through seaweed.

The radio in the car played jazz-infused music, creating a pleasant atmosphere. Schiller had one hand on the steering wheel and the other resting on the car window, feeling the East Coast breeze tousling his hair. As he sped down the open road, he envisioned the leisurely days ahead of him.

Suddenly, a sharp ringtone broke the tranquility. Schiller, driving with one hand, glanced at the device on the passenger seat.

In his bag, he had a communication device given to him by Batman, resembling a cross between a walkie-talkie and a mobile phone, though it lacked many of the latter's functions. Right now, it was emitting a ringing sound, much like a telephone.

Schiller shifted one hand from the steering wheel and reached for the communication device. To his surprise, it wasn't Bruce's voice that greeted him but Victor's. After picking up the phone, Schiller asked:

"Hello?... Yes, I've left Gotham. What's going on? Oh, really? And what does that have to do with me?" Schiller's tone was icy as he continued, "Lex and Bruce got into a big fight at the laboratory, and both of them ended up in the hospital... Wait, why is Bruce in the hospital? Did Lex beat him up?"

"What? Clark is there too? Did Lex call him? Did he follow Bat Cat here? And then they stumbled upon the fight, and Hal, what's he doing?" Schiller inquired.

Victor sighed and explained, "Bruce and Lex had a disagreement over the direction of their experiment. Lex struck first, and when Bruce retaliated, he accidentally injured Lex."

"Bat Cat wanted to meet Bruce in Gotham to discuss something, and Clark was responsible for bringing him. When they arrived, they walked right into the fight. Clark thought Bruce was bullying Lex, so he intervened. However, he accidentally bumped into a lab table, injuring Bruce in the process."

"Hal also wanted to see Bruce, but he ran into Clark, who was trying to take Bruce to the hospital. He thought Clark was bullying Bruce. Now, they've ended up on one of Jupiter's moons, fighting it out..."

Schiller pursed his lips and asked, "Are you sure no one set this up?"

"I don't know for sure, but when I arrived at the scene, the laboratory was empty except for Pikachu."

"In that case, you should know who set this up," Schiller said coldly. He then heard Victor say, "Indeed, I know who set it up, which is why I called their owner. Otherwise, once they all recover, your pet might..."

"Tell Bruce to choose a better saucepan; skip the broccoli," Schiller quipped before hanging up the phone. He had no interest in dealing with the petty disputes among Gotham's residents.

After all his efforts, the issues that could trouble him in this chaotic city had gone from grandiose to trivial. Especially since Lex arrived, the daily drama revolved mainly around Lex, Copperpot, and Bruce. Two of them fighting, one stumbling upon them, and all three ending up in the hospital except for Bruce.

Schiller had no desire to mediate between these students' brawls. Even though the three of them together couldn't match one set of parents, he'd rather deal with Court of Owls' shenanigans.

During the call, Schiller's car had traveled a considerable distance from Gotham. The surroundings had become more barren, and the wind had picked up. The sun had dipped below the horizon, and night had fallen.

Schiller reached out to adjust the car's radio volume, drowning out the howling wind with some music. However, amid the music, he keenly detected an unusual sound—like the friction of metal and a bird's call.

"Squeak!" The screeching sound of the brakes on the tires against the road surface pierced the air. By the time the sharp blade pierced the driver's seat, Schiller had vanished.

Schiller's silhouette reappeared on the right rear side of the car. He unfurled an umbrella with intricate patterns, momentarily startling the assailant. In the moment when Schiller closed his umbrella, he caught a glimpse of the attacker who had shattered his car window.

This assassin was clad in a tight-fitting black suit, with the only splash of color being two yellow feathers above their eyes. Schiller was quite familiar with this attire; he had seen such assassins during the Battle of Living Hell. These killers worked for the Court of Owls and were known as "Talons."

The glint of a cold blade struck once more as Talon lunged with a short knife in hand. Simultaneously, the short dagger strapped to his chest was hurled towards Schiller, blocking his escape route. Schiller's silhouette blinked once again, appearing at the front of the car.

Upon closer observation, Schiller noticed that this particular Talon was different from the one he had seen before. This one was better equipped, more robust in build, and had a colder gaze. It was evident that they were working under different orders, possibly the mysterious Owls lurking behind the Dark Owls Cult who had set their sights on Schiller.

This assassin was much more professional than the previous Talon. Schiller found himself in an area with no escape routes, surrounded by desolate land—a perfect spot for a deadly showdown.

Thinking quickly, Schiller blinked behind Talon, his umbrella blade extended. The blade flashed, but Talon rolled away just in time, avoiding the strike.

Blinking again, Schiller reappeared behind Talon. This time, as Talon turned, he used his short knife to block Schiller's umbrella blade, then retreated a couple of steps. He threw several more daggers at Schiller, but Schiller took cover behind the car and evaded them all.

Finally, Talon realized that it was impractical to kill an opponent who could blink at will when surrounded by obstacles. So, when he threw his daggers again, his target wasn't Schiller but the car's gas tank.

The sound of sparking followed, and Schiller swiftly retreated. With a loud "bang," the car exploded into flames.

After the debris settled, the fire slowly extinguished, leaving behind only the charred remains of Schiller's belongings and the brand-new car he had purchased just days ago, barely driven.

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Next Chapter >>Chapter 616: Pathological Crisis (Part Two)