Godfather Owl: Guardian of Batman [174]

Kathoom and Ares weren’t exactly close; they’d only crossed paths a few times.

Those encounters had taken place in the Prime Universe.

Old gods had the means to perceive versions of themselves in other universes, but it was far-fetched to think the DCEU’s Ares would go out of his way to reconnect with Kathoom for nostalgia’s sake.

Ares clearly had other motives.

Diana, meanwhile, was in a fragile state. Bruce, seeing her so shaken, gently guided her to a seat.

“This isn’t my fault,” Ares said with a casual shrug. “She attacked first. I only acted in self-defense.”

“That excuse works for your own conscience, not for me,” Bruce snapped, his wariness unshaken by Ares’ current amiable demeanor.

Bruce held Diana’s hand firmly, ready to activate the Speed Force and flee at the slightest sign of danger.

“Why are you really here, Ares?” Bruce demanded.

“Is it so strange for a brother to visit his sister?” Ares asked. “Surely you’re aware that Diana and I share the same father—Zeus?”

“What?”

The exclamation didn’t come from Bruce but from Diana, snapping out of her daze.

“Ah, it seems your mother told you nothing,” Ares said with a sigh. He spoke softly, almost gently. “You are the child of Zeus and the Amazon queen. Zeus left you among humans to be a weapon against me.”

He gestured toward the remnants of the Godkiller sword—just ashes and a broken hilt.

“That sword was never a god-slaying weapon. It’s a worthless counterfeit made by the Amazons.”

“The truth, Diana, is that only a god can kill another god. And you… you are the real Godkiller.”

His words hit Diana like a tidal wave, leaving her momentarily paralyzed. The sudden revelation of her divine lineage plunged her into an identity crisis.

Even Kathoom felt the weight of the moment.

“Bruce, you’ve truly lost this round,” Kathoom commented. “You thought Diana was like you, but she has both parents alive and well. You’re the eternal orphan.”

“Shut up, Kathoom,” Bruce growled through gritted teeth.

He had no time for Kathoom’s taunts. Leaning close to Diana, he spoke in a low voice, trying to steady her spiraling thoughts.

“We can deal with your parentage later,” Bruce urged. “This trip wasn’t about finding out who your parents are, remember?”

It was about Ares.

Don’t let some revelation about Zeus distract you from your mission.

“Ares… yes, Ares!”

Light returned to Diana’s eyes as she recalled her purpose.

Meanwhile, Ares nonchalantly rubbed his ear, as if bored by their whispered strategy session on how to kill him.

“Ares!”

Diana fixed her gaze on him, her voice resolute as she delivered her declaration of intent. “You’ve corrupted humanity and incited wars—”

“I didn’t incite war,” Ares interrupted calmly. “Humans brought that upon themselves. That’s why I’m here.”

His tone was measured, deliberate, as if explaining something to a naive sibling.

“I am not your enemy, Diana. I’m the only one who truly understands you—and humanity.”

“Like you, I once had faith in humans, those fragile creatures my father created.”

“But they disappointed me. Weak, cruel, selfish—they commit atrocities far beyond anything I could imagine.”

“At first, I did encourage their self-destruction, subtly pushing them toward chaos.”

“But recently, I gained a fragment of a human’s memory. Through it, I saw something fascinating: humans don’t need me to destroy themselves.”

Ares ran his hand across the bar counter, which rippled like water, transforming into an image of the sea.

Two fleets faced off across the waves, their tension palpable even as miniature models.

“A great war. Another. The Cold War…” Ares murmured. “Recognize this, Bruce?”

Bruce studied the flags and ships and realized what Ares was showing him.

“The Cuban Missile Crisis,” he said.

“Precisely. The closest humanity has ever come to annihilation,” Ares replied with a satisfied smile, dispelling the scene with a wave of his hand.

“That particular crisis ended with mutual retreat, but what about the next time? Or the time after that?”

“I don’t need to do anything anymore. Humanity will destroy itself.”

Through Lupin’s memories, Ares had glimpsed humanity’s trajectory, and he was convinced it only confirmed his beliefs.

War was his domain, but truth was his crown.

“So, I’ve halted my plans. I’ve decided to watch quietly as society spirals into the abyss.”

“But you two—you’re determined to kill me. That, I must admit, is rather inconvenient.”

Ares sighed dramatically.

“Diana is my sister, and you…” He eyed Bruce. “I suspect wiping you out entirely would be more trouble than it’s worth.”

Ares had a hunch: unless he destroyed Bruce and Kathoom in an instant, they would become an unending source of irritation.

“Why invite unnecessary trouble?”

“That’s why I’ve come to offer a truce.”

With a gesture, Ares conjured a bronze helmet in the style of ancient Greece.

“Bruce, I know why you’re here. The fragment of my memory you possess must have birthed a monster you can’t defeat.”

“You need the power to kill gods.”

“No problem—I’ll give it to you.”

Ares’ tone was earnest, his expression sincere.

“This helmet will grant you ten times the strength of a war god. It’s more than enough to defeat that monster.”

Bruce stared at the helmet, silent.

“Don’t take it, Bruce!” Diana whispered urgently. “It’s a trick! Ares has always tempted humanity into ruin—this is no different!”

Bruce didn’t need convincing. He had no intention of accepting the helmet.

He placed a calming hand on Diana’s shoulder. “Don’t worry. With you by my side, I’ll never wear it.”

The statement was unequivocal.

Ares sighed.

“Diana, even after everything I’ve said, you still believe humanity is fundamentally good?”

“They are good!” Diana declared without hesitation. “Yes, there are ambitious individuals among them, but most people simply want peaceful, happy lives.”

“It’s my mission to help them achieve that!”

Ares finally abandoned any hope of reasoning with her.

“Stubborn as ever.”

He opened his hand, and a yellow crystal appeared in his palm.

“That’s—”

Kathoom recognized it instantly.

It was the mystical artifact from Wonder Woman 1984: the Dreamstone, capable of granting any wish.

Where did Ares even find it?

“Diana,” Ares said smoothly, “don’t say your brother never gave you a chance.”

Clenching his fist, he shattered the crystal into glittering shards that dispersed into the air.

A strange energy rippled through the room, converging on Diana. In mere moments, it was done.

“Congratulations, Diana. You’re now a true goddess,” Ares said. “You can grant humanity’s every wish, becoming the most beautiful symbol of hope in existence.”

“Now, experience firsthand just how ‘good’ humanity truly is.”

“Oh, and one last thing—I’ll make sure everyone knows about your gift. A goddess like you is worth starting a world war for.”

With a final laugh, Ares vanished, leaving only his mocking voice echoing in the empty tavern.

His “gifts” remained: the helmet of tenfold strength for Bruce and the ability to fulfill wishes for Diana.

“Is Ares insane?” Kathoom blurted. “Is he gambling on humanity’s darkness, thinking he’ll win?”

“Shut it!” Bruce hissed. His attention was on Diana, who was trembling violently, clutching her head in distress.

“What’s wrong, Diana?” Bruce knelt by her side, alarmed.

“The voices… I hear voices!” she whispered. “So many voices, praying, wishing…”

She could hear countless people, their pleas and desires flooding her mind like an unrelenting tide.

“Diana, focus on me!” Bruce grabbed her arms, trying to ground her.

The effort seemed futile; Diana’s strength sent him staggering backward.

“Listen to my voice!” Bruce shouted, louder than the cacophony in her mind.

His voice finally broke through.

Tears welled in Diana’s eyes as she looked at him.

“There are too many people,” she sobbed. “The world is too big.”

“Then make it smaller,” Bruce urged. “Focus on my voice. Picture it as an island. Can you see it in the sea?”

Diana closed her eyes, forcing herself to envision the island Bruce described.

Bit by bit, she swam toward it in her mind, leaving the overwhelming chaos behind.

“I see it…”

“Swim to it,” Bruce encouraged.

Gradually, the storm in her mind began to quiet.

Her breathing steadied, and she finally opened her eyes.

“I’m better now,” Diana said, her voice steadier. “The voices are quieter.”

“Good,” Bruce said, relieved.

Still, his mind raced. What had Ares done to her?

“Most likely, Ares transferred the Dreamstone’s power to her,” Kathoom explained. “The stone grants wishes but always exacts a terrible price.”

“It’s like the cursed monkey’s paw—it fulfills wishes in ways you can’t accept.”

Kathoom continued, “And now, Diana has that power. On top of that, Ares amplified her hearing. She can hear everyone’s prayers and wishes.”

Diana stood, her gladiator armor exposed as she ripped away her sweat-soaked outer clothing.

“My head still hurts,” she said, massaging her temples. “The voices are quieter, but they’re still overwhelming.”

“Rest for now,” Bruce insisted.

He guided her back to her room, promising to stay just outside the door.

As he stepped into the hallway, Kathoom scowled.

“You’re insane, Bruce. Why’d you kick the helmet after smashing it? Now we have to fetch it later!”

“It was just for show,” Bruce sighed. “Diana’s condition is serious. Ares didn’t just leave us a gift—he left us a ticking time bomb.”

Kathoom nodded grimly. “In a world on the brink of war, Diana’s power could tip the scales. Whoever controls her wins the war.”

And Ares had promised to spread the word about her abilities.

“During the Trojan War, they fought over Helen. Diana is worth infinitely more,” Kathoom murmured.

Bruce clenched his fists.

“Whatever happens, we’ll figure it out,” he said firmly. “Ares has crossed the line, and he won’t get away with it.”

—

T/N: war- war never changes

This is a fan translation of 蝙蝠侠的猫头鹰教父 by 巴巴罗萨光年. All rights to the original work belong to the creator. Please support them by exploring their original work or sharing it with others if you can. Thank you for reading and supporting my efforts to bring this story to a wider audience!