American Comics: Multiverse of Madness

Alex's gaze lingered on Kara and Jason for a moment, and he understood what they were planning to do next. Kara and Clark surely had a lot to talk about. After all, the slap had been delivered, and what needed to be said was said. From here, it was a personal matter between the two of them.

A sister who was deeply protective of her brother, and a lonely middle-aged man in desperate need of familial comfort. Though they weren't truly siblings from the same universe, they were exactly what each other needed at this moment.

As for Jason Todd and Damian, judging from Jason's clenched fists, it was obvious that he intended to spar with Damian. With that, Alex withdrew his gaze, a smirk tugging at the corners of his mouth as he handed Constantine a cigarette.

"So, how about we have a chat too?"

Constantine didn't hesitate. He took the cigarette, lighting it with his lighter and then lit one for Alex as well.

"...Sure."

The two walked out of the courtyard, one after the other, following a rocky path along the outer wall until they reached the edge of a cliff.

The League of Assassins' fortress was halfway up the mountain, surrounded by natural barriers, rugged with jagged rocks. Walking through it gave one a slight chill that crept into the heart.

"I've heard about you. Lois told Clark about you all—wizards from another universe. Honestly, if I hadn't seen you myself, I would've thought you were just some demon out for fun." Constantine said casually.

Picking up on what Constantine was implying, Alex knew he was referring to the demonic energy lingering around him.

Indeed, since he had started absorbing other magical creatures, it seemed like he hadn't come across any particularly "good" targets. Whether it was monstrous beasts or the Kraken, all of these powers leaned toward the darker and more sinister side, easily giving others the wrong impression.

But there wasn't much he could do about it. If Alex had chosen to target more "light" creatures, it would have meant going after beings of good nature.

To this, Alex could only respond: "I'm doing my best."

Raising an eyebrow, Constantine exhaled a puff of smoke and continued, "You know, don't you? This world is beyond saving. Even those birdmen have abandoned it. What's the point of saving this planet?"

"I'm actually curious. What kind of impact do Heaven and Hell have on the real world? Why, despite everything that's happening, have those so-called supreme beings not stepped in to stop it?" Alex asked, his face expressionless, looking at Constantine.

"You've already answered your own question," Constantine replied with a mocking smile, continuing, "It's because they're 'supreme beings.' To them, the multiverse is just a garden, and they're the gardeners. For the plants to flourish, some dead branches need to be pruned."

"You mean…" Alex began to understand. Perhaps the influence of these "gods" across the multiverse was far greater than he had originally imagined. "...This universe is doomed, and no one is going to save it."

"Gardeners don't care about fallen leaves. They just sweep them into the soil, letting them decompose into nutrients to nourish other branches," Constantine said, sighing in despair.

"I just never thought the world would end up like this."

Yeah.

Who could have foreseen it?

Everyone harbors some hope. Everyone believes they're different from others. Everyone hopes to be the most special one. Constantine was no exception.

He knew the laws of the multiverse, which meant he at least had the strength and perspective to access it. But precisely because of this, Constantine made the same mistake many others made—he assumed his universe would be one of the new, thriving branches.

After all, no one willingly believes that the universe they live in is destined for destruction. It's the place they survive, the place they fight for. But now, disaster had struck so quickly that Constantine had no time to react.

"…I don't know if you're familiar with the battle of Apokolips years ago, but I was there," Constantine said, bringing up the past.

"I once unintentionally entered Billy's dreams. I saw everything there," Alex replied, his voice low.

Hearing this, Constantine silently nodded, then spoke in a low, solemn voice. "Then you must've seen me there. I… I ran. I abandoned everyone. I became a deserter of the Justice League and left them all behind."

Alex's eyes flickered, but he said nothing.

Constantine's retreat couldn't really be blamed on him. It was actually Batman's contingency plan.

When Batman learned of Clark's plan to attack Apokolips, he had prepared a backup plan in advance. If the Justice League's assault failed, Zatanna was to use mind magic to make Constantine escape, preserving him as a potential hope for their comeback.

"I don't know… I don't know why. Damn it! I shouldn't have run. I couldn't possibly leave my lover behind!" Constantine shouted in anguish, clutching his head.

"Have you… heard of Flashpoint?"

Suddenly, Alex spoke up.

He calmly patted Constantine on the shoulder. Hearing Alex's words, Constantine's body stiffened, and in that instant, a bad feeling arose in his mind.

"Flashpoint…"

Alex ignored him and continued.

"I've been through something similar once. It was when Barry Allen, the Flash, traveled back in time to save his mother, rewriting the old timeline and creating a new future."

Both of them were smart, and from their initial probing of each other during their first meeting, it was clear. The mutual understanding between intelligent people allowed for smoother communication. Sometimes, just a subtle hint was enough for the other to grasp the meaning.

At this moment, Constantine was no exception. He remained silent for a while, seemingly pondering something. Then, his expression suddenly darkened, and his entire demeanor became more oppressive.

"You mean…"

Constantine's voice turned hoarse and extreme, his face blackened.

"…All of this is Barry Allen's fault?!"

The Justice League Dark: Apokolips War

 was originally meant to conclude with the creation of a new universe out of the Flashpoint Paradox. So in that sense, Alex wasn't lying. Strictly speaking, all of this did indeed stem from the actions of Barry Allen, the Flash.

"Is it possible that in the normal universe…"

Alex said calmly.

"…You were actually the victors."

In that instant, Alex's words hit Constantine like a hammer to the head.

He jerked his head up and, in a raspy voice, shouted, "Bollocks! Fuck, %#&! No wonder something always felt off! No wonder those higher beings turned a blind eye to everything happening here… So that's why."

Though Alex's hint was subtle, Constantine clearly understood the entire sequence of events. In a normal situation, the gods wouldn't have so easily stood by and done nothing.

But what if all of this was man-made?

Man-made disasters could be avoided, but those who caused them would not escape punishment.

By deliberately altering the natural timeline, the Flash had created an artificial multiverse branch. It was a miracle the higher beings weren't laughing at it. Expecting them to help? Impossible.

After venting for a while, Constantine gradually calmed down.

He slumped dejectedly onto the ground, taking another drag of his cigarette. Constantine understood why Alex had told him this—he was reminding him that while this universe was likely beyond saving, it wasn't completely hopeless yet.

At least from Alex's calm demeanor, it was clear he already had a plan in mind.

Taking a deep breath, Constantine turned his head to look at Alex. As their eyes met, they both understood each other's thoughts.

"I underestimated you earlier. You really are a devil in human skin, aren't you? So…"

Constantine exhaled a cloud of smoke.

"What's your plan?"

Hearing this, Alex smiled slightly and replied.

"First, help me find the Seven Deadly Sins."

.....

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291. The Rock of Eternity.
292. "Accept Our Power"
293. Becoming a Demon!
294. The Fading Star.
295. Soul Corruption.