Hawkgirl Shayera sobered up considerably in an instant. She stood up abruptly, her Nth Metal hammer silently sliding into her hand as she warily eyed Batman, the uninvited guest.
Galatea, at the stern, tensed up as well. Despite the weakness caused by the Kryptonite, her years of combat instincts put her on high alert immediately.
Only Thor didn't even turn his head.
He chuckled softly, flicked his wrist, and slowly lifted the fishing line from the water.
Bruce Wayne.
Thor finally turned around, took off his sunglasses, and revealed a pair of eyes that seemed to see through everything.
He glanced at Batman's iconic black suit and that perpetually taut chin hidden in the shadows.
"I thought the Justice League was omnipotent," he said slowly, a hint of sarcasm in his voice. "What, you can't handle those old guys?"
Batman did not respond.
He stood there quietly, like a silent statue, his presence so heavy that the surrounding air seemed to freeze.
Those eyes, hidden beneath the mask, were fixed intently on Thor, devoid of any emotion, yet exerting an invisible pressure.
This is Batman's passive ability – Negotiation.
A psychological tactic that relies purely on willpower and presence to force the opponent to speak first and make concessions.
Thor remained completely unmoved; he even felt a slight urge to laugh.
Playing psychological warfare with someone who has lived for countless years and still retains the memories of a modern person?
This Batman is still too young.
He deliberately avoided looking at Batman, instead focusing his attention back on his fishing rod as if that were the most important thing in the world.
"You need to know one thing, Bruce," Thor's voice was languid, as if sharing some life philosophy, "Life always finds a way. So I believe you can too."
The implication is clear: go play by yourselves and don't bother me.
Shayera listened with trepidation.
Although she didn't fully understand the situation on Earth, she knew that the Justice League was facing an unprecedented crisis.
And this man in front of me actually treated Batman's plea for help with this kind of attitude?
Batman remained silent.
He was like a most persistent hunter; he would never let up until his prey was completely subdued.
In the eerie silence, Thor's fishing rod suddenly bent downwards!
"Oh ho, they've taken the bait!"
With a flick of his wrist, a lively fish was flung out of the water, tracing a beautiful arc in the air before landing precisely on the deck.
This is a small Oriental starling.
Thor didn't even glance at Batman, picked up the fish, and waved it at the silent Dark Knight.
"How is it? Freshly made. Want to stay and have some sashimi?"
This question completely shattered the oppressive atmosphere Batman had created.
He finally spoke, his hoarse voice revealing no emotion. "What do you need me to do?"
They compromised.
Thor understood.
When Batman asks this question, it means he has abandoned all empty moral blackmail and meaningless probing, and entered into the purest exchange of interests.
That's more like it.
"Hmm... let me think." Thor pretended to be deep in thought, tapping his chin lightly with his fingers.
Several options flashed through his mind.
Directly request the Anti-Life Equation?
No, that thing is Darkseid's target now, which would be tantamount to putting himself in the spotlight. He doesn't have the strength to touch Darkseid's true form right now.
Demanding technology or resources from the Justice League? That's even less meaningful, since he already has Valeria.
So, it can only be... a twisted sense of humor.
"Let Diana come and beg me."
A playful smile appeared on Thor's face.
"Don't think I don't know. Besides dealing with the mess the Titans made, her main purpose in returning to Themyscira this time was to try and get information out of her old women and the Old Gods about how to deal with me."
He said clearly, word by word, "If she doesn't come, there's no point in talking."
Upon hearing this, Shayera, who was standing next to him, was stunned. She never expected Thor to make such a... almost humiliating request.
That's Wonder Woman, the princess of Amazons, and one of the leaders of the Justice League.
Batman stood there for a good ten seconds.
His mask, shrouded in shadow, obscured any change in his expression.
He was analyzing, judging, and weighing the options.
In the end, he confirmed the seriousness in Thor's eyes and the unwavering persistence there.
Not a single word wasted.
A flash of white light, Batman, using the Justice League's teleportation technology, vanished from the ship as if he had never been there.
The sea breeze blew by, leaving only Thor, Shayera, and Galatea, who seemed like an outsider from beginning to end.
"You..." Shayera was about to say something when she saw Thor casually condense a sharp knife with the power of law, skillfully gutting the Eastern Star Spot, scraping off its scales and bones.
"Come and eat," Thor called out without looking up.
He sliced off a piece of the translucent fish and handed it to Shayera.
His gaze swept over the lone figure sitting at the stern of the ship, but he said nothing.
Given the physical constitution of Kryptonian, they won't starve to death even if they miss a meal.
Moreover, this woman is now his captive, not a guest.
Watchtower, command center.
A flash of white light, Batman reappeared.
Diana immediately went to meet her, and Wally nervously moved closer beside her.
"So, Bruce? Did he agree?"
Batman did not answer immediately, but walked up to Diana and repeated Thor's request in his characteristic, emotionless tone.
He wants you to beg him.
The command center fell into dead silence.
Wally West's jaw nearly dropped to the floor. "He... he wants Diana to... beg him?! What kind of ridiculous request is that?!"
Diana's body stiffened.
An indescribable anger and humiliation welled up inside him.
That bastard!
She increasingly felt that Thor's tastes were extremely perverse, and his pettiness was outrageous!
Isn't the goal simply to find a way to counter him? Isn't this just normal tactical preparation?
He actually made such an outrageous demand at a time when the world's survival is at stake!
"I'll go kill him!" Diana gritted her teeth, the Sword of Hephaestus in her hand humming.
" Diana," Batman's voice wasn't loud, but it carried an undeniable calmness, "We don't have time."
He pointed to the monitor screen.
In the scene, Themyscira has been reduced to scorched earth. Darkseid, fighting against three Old Gods — Cronus, Hades, and Ares— is actually managing to subtly suppress their combined attack.
Each burst of Omega Beams left one of the gods in a sorry state.
On the ground, the Parademons army had completely overwhelmed the defenses of the Titans and Amazons.
Failure was only a matter of time.
As Diana watched the Hell scene on the screen, the anger in her heart was gradually extinguished, replaced by a deep sense of powerlessness.
What do her pride and dignity mean in the face of the safety of millions of lives?
She closed her eyes, took a deep breath, and when she opened them again, her expression was resolute.
"Okay, I'll go."
She spoke resolutely to Bruce, and to herself.
Maldives.
Thor and Shayera were enjoying a feast of the freshest seafood, the sun shining brightly and a gentle sea breeze blowing.
Suddenly, a white light burst forth on the ship.
Diana's figure appeared out of nowhere.
She changed out of her battle-damaged armor and into a relatively simple set of casual clothes, but her powerful aura as a demigod and warrior remained undiminished.
Her appearance caused Shayera to immediately put down the fish she was holding and stand up warily.
Thor merely raised his eyelids slightly, slowly putting a slice of sashimi into his mouth and savoring it.
Diana ignored everyone else, her gaze fixed on Thor, her blue eyes filled with suppressed, complex emotions.
She took a step forward and spoke clearly in an almost solemn tone, as if making an oath.
" Thor, we need your help."
She paused for a moment, as if using all her strength, before uttering the last sentence.
"Please... lend a hand."