novelnext Chapter 131 Stay
Chapter 131 Stay
Chapter 131 Stay
Beneath the waterfall, "Samurai Sword" and her husband are embracing in the pool below.
"Were you surprised to see your dead husband, Da Toro?"
"Wu Tu Dao's" husband, Yafu, said to her, who was at a loss.
"Even a wandering ghost needs a place to rest, so from time to time, I recuperate in this place, the place your friend calls 'Heaven's Basement'."
"When I saw you in the crowd, I risked following you all, knowing that our love could create a paradise that belongs only to you and me."
"Now my dream has come true."
As Yafu spoke to "Wu Tu Dao" Da Toro, he placed his hand on her face and gradually explored downwards.
"How long can this place last?" the samurai asked.
"Time is meaningless here," Yaf said. "Let go of everything, my love—and then return to heaven."
In the middle of the waterfall, the Phantom Stranger, holding a scarecrow, hesitated as he looked at the two figures merged into one in the pool:
"Are you sure that woman's sword is a samurai sword?"
"Resurrect, my—" Connors, who was enjoying the action in the pool, said upon hearing this, "Yes, if you don't stop her, she will be lost in paradise."
Connors did not manifest a physical form, but instead remained in the straw form of "Kusama-jin" to prevent "Kusama-jin" from becoming useless straw after overuse.
The "Martial Earth Blade" wasn't of much use to Connors. Connors had hardly ever dealt with her and wasn't planning to get involved at this time, instead leaving it to the Phantom Stranger to handle.
The phantom stranger stood in the middle of the waterfall, hesitated for only a second, and then rushed out:
"Hanging, ghostly!"
The "Samurai Sword" and her husband, who were in the process of merging, were both startled.
"Return to your Netherworld!"
The Phantom Stranger roared and stretched out a hand, instantly turning the pool beneath the waterfall into a whirlpool that swallowed Yafu whole.
The "Samurai Sword" crossed his arms over his chest, hiding most of his body in the pool of water.
After "Yafu" completely disappeared, her appearance quickly transformed into that of someone wearing armor, a mask, and wielding a samurai sword:
"What did you do to my husband?!"
"How can you be so sure that's your husband?"
After witnessing "Yafu" sinking into the water, the Phantom Stranger realized that he was just a fake "projection" and questioned the way of the samurai sword.
"I know him better than I know myself." Wu Tu Dao charged towards the Phantom Stranger.
"Perhaps you are right, but he is merely a projection of your own desires—or worse, a wandering ghost that has taken control of you, seeking only to drain your life and emotions."
"In either case, he will only bring our current task to a standstill."
The Phantom Stranger stood still and spoke, while the Martial Earth Blade opposite him swung his blade and severed his head:
"You have no right to take him away from me, you have no such right!"
The head of the Phantom Stranger flew into the sky.
After doing all this, Wu Tu Dao finally realized what he had done; the surrounding waterfall and pool had vanished.
She collapsed to her knees in despair.
"Please forgive me—"
"That woman is terrifying. I'm so glad I never got involved with her," Connors said thankfully.
"Kusama Man" was still in the hands of the headless Phantom Stranger. Not a drop of blood flowed from the neck of this man whose head had been severed; instead, his head hovered in the air and then returned to his neck.
"I am the one who needs to be forgiven. I should have expected these things to happen."
The katana carefully poked the Phantom Stranger with its hilt, and after confirming that the guy wasn't dead, asked:
Where are the others?
She realized she had just been hallucinating, but apart from the Phantom Stranger, she didn't see anyone else in front of her.
It's conceivable that the dead, Catwoman, and Batman might also have fallen into their own private paradises, just like her.
"Dead people won't be a problem. We need to go find Catwoman," said the Phantom Stranger.
"Where is that catwoman?" Wu Tudao asked.
The "Kusama Man" held by the Phantom Stranger spoke:
"In the orphanage."
In the orphanage, Selena, the "Catwoman" in her childhood, has her friends, a warm bed, and a kitten doll given by a kind person.
Why did this experience become her paradise?
Outside the orphanage, the Phantom Stranger looked at the dilapidated orphanage, its courtyard covered with fallen leaves, and asked in confusion, "Catwoman" Selena. She held a dirty doll in her hand, her clothes were even more tattered than the doll's, and she looked thin and frail.
"Her mother loved cats more than her, and this estrangement even led Catwoman to attempt suicide."
"Her father hated Catwoman's suicide and was extremely cold to her. After losing her family, she was forced to live on the streets."
"She later witnessed how cruel the world was in the juvenile detention center, where the administrators embezzled funds and tried to drown her. Therefore, the orphanage where she could eat mediocre food, had toys, and no one bullied her became her paradise."
Connors’s voice came from the scarecrow in the Phantom Stranger’s hand.
The katana already knew of Connors's existence on her way here, and she couldn't help but say:
Even so, Catwoman ultimately chose to join the Justice League of America and become a hero?
"Yes," Connors said.
The Phantom Stranger pushed open the orphanage gate and came to the side of the little girl "Catwoman":
"Catwoman, wake up, you shouldn't be wallowing in this."
The outsider's interference caused Catwoman's gaze to shift from confusion to wariness; she quickly realized her predicament.
She quickly reverted to the "Catwoman" image known to the world.
"Oh dear, this paradise is far too rudimentary. The paradise I imagine should be a city full of millionaires; that's what thieves dream of."
Catwoman smiled nonchalantly, noticing the scarecrow in the Phantom Stranger's hand and instinctively trying to snatch it back:
"Give it back to me; it was given to me by Connors."
"I'll send you another one after this is over. We need to go find Batman now," Connors said.
"He's at Wayne Manor, right?" The Phantom Stranger had learned to answer first this time.
Samurai Sword, Catwoman, Connors, and Phantom Stranger walked silently toward Wayne Manor. As they approached, Phantom Stranger said:
"Batman has always been synonymous with ruthlessness and fear, but behind the mask lies the humanity he desperately tries to hide."
"Pity from the depths of my heart"
"And a deeper fear."
Wayne Manor seemed to be celebrating Christmas. In front of the warm fireplace, a young couple was telling a story to a little boy nestled in his mother's arms.
The story is based on "A Christmas Carol," and tells of a wealthy man who is so busy making money that he ignores his nephew's invitation to a Christmas dinner.
And the story of being visited by a ghost at midnight.
A burning fireplace, a Christmas tree adorned with colorful lights, a soft sofa, a father telling a story, and a mother embracing warmly.
"This is more like 'paradise' than our paradise," Wu Tudao said.
"But this is a place that doesn't exist, a Christmas that has never existed."
The Phantom Stranger and the others stood in the shadows and said:
"This little boy spent that night alone in deep sorrow, but here he can rewrite history, here Christmas can be eternal."
"Bruce, it's time for bed," urged the young mother, who was holding her little boy on the sofa.
"But this is only the beginning—even though it's the second time, please, Mom—?" the little boy pleaded.
"Okay, five more minutes," the young mother conceded.
In the shadows, the samurai sword stared blankly at the little boy on the sofa:
"Could that kid on the sofa be Batman?"
The Phantom Stranger nodded:
"Isn't it surprising? A ruthless man who becomes a knight of the night, walking in darkness day after day, his sanctuary, his paradise, is actually in a little boy's lost dream?"
Connors remained silent, fulfilling his role as an "eye" in the room, quietly taking up residence in this paradise.
As the Phantom Stranger spoke, a dark figure appeared from behind him:
"Not surprising at all. Maybe one day, when I have some free time—I'll come back here."
The speaker was Batman; he had not succumbed to this paradise.
"Batman? Then what about that little boy?" Wu Tudao asked, puzzled.
"He is a part of me—they are all a part of me, an inseparable part. Even if only for a moment."
The four of them walked out of the manor. Before leaving, Batman turned and glanced at Thomas Wayne, who was telling a story to a little boy:
But it's all in the past now.