Chapter 628: Journey to the Underworld (1)
Soul Extraction and Departure
Green flame leaked from Luke's palm. With a strong pull, Teth-Adam screamed in agony. His soul, wrapped in the green flame, was being pulled little by little from his body.
"Stop! Stop it right now!"
"You'll kill me!"
"Aaaaaahhhhh!!!"
The soul-deep pain drove him mad. The Power of the Six Gods inside him automatically activated, desperately struggling against the green flame.
"Don't struggle. It's useless."
The flame condensed, turning into beams of lightning. The beams pierced his body and infiltrated his soul, nailing him down like spikes.
"Come out!"
Luke suddenly exerted force, forcibly yanking the soul out of the body. With his left hand, he quickly formed a spell, using techniques from the Heavenly Master's Strategy to set layer upon layer of seals on the soul, cutting off its perception of the outside world.
Luke let out a soft breath and turned around.
"The rest is up to you. Watch mine and Teth-Adam's bodies. Also, be careful of Sivana. That guy is dangerous."
Linda hesitated. "Are you really going in?"
"Don't worry. I'll be back soon."
With that, he silently recited the ancient Egyptian incantation Teth-Adam had taught him. Black mist surged from the ground, forming a vortex. Looking through the vortex, they could vaguely see a desolate, dark world.
Luke grabbed Teth-Adam's soul and flashed into the vortex.
The Call to the Justice League
After the two left, the atmosphere became heavy.
The Underworld!
The mythical realm of the dead. It was said to be inhabited by all kinds of terrifying monsters and bizarre, indescribable entities. It was a paradise for the dead, with no soil for the living to survive.
Linda and Barry were naturally worried. Only two of the six superheroes were left. If the others couldn't get out...
Billy glanced at the two and couldn't help but ask,
"Um, is there anything I can do to help?"
"Find the entrance to the Underworld. Can you do that?"
The boy thought for a moment, then awkwardly shook his head. "The memories Mr. Wizard gave me include descriptions of the Underworld, but he only said the entrance is outside the Rock of Eternity, not the specific method."
"Then find Shazam," Linda said in a deep voice. "You and Shazam are both inheritors of the Power of the Six Gods. Maybe you can sense his location. If you find him, you can open the Underworld entrance and help them get out."
"Little guy, didn't you always want to join us?"
"Now's your chance. If you can do this, I'll officially recognize you as part of the Justice League."
"The Justice League?" Billy's eyes lit up. "The organization you founded!"
"That's right. The Justice League only has six members right now. The seventh spot has been open."
"C-can I really do it?"
"Only if you save them first."
Barry: "..."
This kid is only thirteen, and she's letting him join the Justice League?
But thinking of their current predicament, he could only agree.
"Go for it, little guy. I have faith in you."
"Awesome! Yoo-hoo!"
Billy jumped up in excitement. "I'll go sense Mr. Wizard's location right now! I'll find him and open the Underworld entrance!"
Into the Realm of the Dead
The Underworld! The realm of the dead!
There were no green hills, no clear water, no flowers, and no trees. As far as the eye could see, the pitch-black sky was filled with vengeful souls and fierce ghosts. Below was dry, dark earth, with monsters composed of rotting flesh and bones entrenched everywhere.
These creatures were bizarrely shaped—seven legs, three hands, a lion's head, a human body, a horse's leg, and a leopard's tail—they looked like carelessly stitched-together chimera.
Just one look was enough to make Luke lose his appetite. He concentrated his mind, carefully sensing the auras of Diana, Clark, and J'onn.
After determining the direction, he rushed forward. After flying about ten kilometers, the sound of earth-shattering battle reached him.
On the boundless plain, a black tide of stitched-together monsters formed a mound. The creatures behind them were climbing over the bodies of those in front, attempting to attack the enemies suspended in the air. Since they couldn't fly, this was their method.
Above the plain was a thick, dark-red blood cloud. Countless vengeful souls and fierce ghosts circled around, forming a ring that tightly trapped the three heroes.
The trio was in a dire situation. Diana was faring better; she carried the blood of Zeus and had nothing to fear from the ghosts. Clark and J'onn were not so lucky. Every time a vengeful spirit struck them, their faces paled further, and cold sweat beaded on their foreheads.
The three fought and retreated, trying to break out of the encirclement and assess the state of the Underworld portal, but the enemies around them were simply too numerous, packed so tightly there was no room to dodge.
"Forget the portal!"
"Pick a direction, fly at full speed, and let's get out of here first!"
The three exchanged glances. Although reluctant, they knew they had no choice. Just as they were about to execute their plan, a green light appeared in the distance.
The light sped through the air. Before it even got close, their souls became agitated. The surrounding ghosts cried out in terror, running away frantically. The stitched-up monsters on the ground also sensed something, stopping their movements and looking up at the sky.
The green light streaked across the air and plunged into the blood-red cloud. The green hue spread outward, turning the cloud layer into a bizarre, eerie jade-green.
Crack!
Electric light appeared, moving through the cloud layer, weaving into a dense, crackling web.
"It's Luke! He's here!"
Diana was both surprised and delighted. Seeing the lightning intensify, she quickly pulled Clark and J'onn away from the area.
No sooner had the three left than thunder roared in the air.
Lightning bolts fell from the clouds, one after another, seemingly endless. Vengeful souls were shredded by the electricity, and the stitched-up monsters were blasted into fragments. The aura of destruction descended from the sky, covering an area of over ten kilometers.
The monsters lingering here had no time to escape, vanishing in swathes within the sea of thunderclouds. The screams of the dead echoed through the heavens, chilling them to the bone.
After completing his attack, Luke appeared before Diana.
"Follow me."
He flew off in the opposite direction. The three followed close behind, leaving the plains and only stopping once they reached a mountainous area with fewer monsters.
Diana couldn't help but ask, "How did you get in?"
Luke set up a defensive barrier around them and said with a hint of self-reproach,
"I owe you all an apology. I was careless. I never expected the Rock of Eternity to hide so many secrets."
J'onn shook his head. "It's not your fault. The decision was a mutual one. We all thought the Rock of Eternity was a suitable secret base."
"Stop talking about that. What do we do now? How do we get out?"
"We can't stay in the Underworld forever."
Luke pulled out Teth-Adam's soul and let it float in mid-air. The Underworld was different from Earth; it was a perfect environment for soul bodies.
Diana asked curiously, "Who is that?"
"The one who trapped you."
"Teth-Adam! You caught him?"
Luke sighed softly. "Unfortunately, it was too late. If I had made my move earlier, we wouldn't have this trouble."
"There is a passage between the Underworld and the mortal realm. Going through it will lead back to Earth. He told me this, and since I couldn't verify it, I brought him in too."
"If it's true, it's our only chance."
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