"Father, how much farther do we have to go?"
In the depths of a cave, two figures were making their way forward.
It was none other than Deathstroke and his daughter Rose, or rather, she should be called the Ravager now.
The current Ravager looked like a female version of Deathstroke. She wore orange and black armor similar in style to her father's but somewhat lighter. Her helmet covered only the upper half of her face, leaving her lips and chin exposed.
Their weapons were different too. Deathstroke carried a brand new katana, while the Ravager had a straight blade hanging from her waist.
These two weapons weren't their original ones. A few hours ago, just after landing in Phoenix City, Slade had taken his daughter to one of his safe houses to acquire these new weapons.
As a mercenary who frequently traveled around the world, Slade owned safe houses in various parts of the world. Some of the more famous cities had more than one safe house.
If all these safe houses were legitimate properties, Deathstroke could probably accumulate significant wealth just from the rental income alone. With his intellect, crossing social classes would be a walk in the park...
The person who had just spoken was the Ravager. She and Slade had been in this cave for nearly an hour, and they hadn't reached the Blood Cult's headquarters yet.
"To become a skilled hunter, patience is the most crucial trait, Rose... I mean, Ravager. Our prey is unaware of our presence, which is our greatest advantage," Slade said in a deep voice. "From the memories I obtained from your brother, this path is the most secretive and secure. Even within the Blood Cult, very few know of this route. In another ten minutes, we'll be deep within the enemy's headquarters."
Ravager nodded thoughtfully. "Father, Jericho possesses some kind of sinister power. What if the other enemies also have such power? I'm not doubting our capabilities; I'm just..."
"...worried that barging into the enemy's stronghold like this might not be the wisest move," Deathstroke finished her sentence.
"That's why I brought you back to the safe house to change weapons," Slade's gaze remained fixed ahead, and he didn't turn his head. "You know very little about the secrets of this world, but I will teach you gradually, starting with the blade in your hands."
"Magicians are the most troublesome group in this world. They can proficiently wield various types of energy, making it challenging to counter them. But there is a type of metal that is a natural nemesis to all forms of exotic energy - Nth-Metal."
Doomsayer drew his katana from his back. "This blade was crafted with some Nth-Metal infused into it, making it capable of nullifying all known forms of exotic energy. Your blade at your waist is the same."
"Of course, besides its anti-magic properties, it's also incredibly sharp, capable of cutting through matter at the atomic level."
The condition is that you have to be able to see the atoms. Deathstroke only had one eye, but when he concentrated, he could even accurately detect Atom in his shrunken form. Ravager was currently far from matching his level.
Boom!
At that moment, a tremendous roar echoed, and the entire cave began to shake violently.
"What's happening? Is it an earthquake? Or have we been discovered?" Ravager drew her blade, her eyes filled with determination as she scanned her surroundings.
"Don't get agitated. It seems we have some other guests here besides us," Slade squinted his eyes, his tone carrying a hint of meaning.
Several dozen meters away from them, within a cavern, Superboy had crashed through countless layers of rocky walls while carrying Blood Brother, ultimately landing here.
Blood Brother felt a searing pain in his back, accompanied by the continuous torment of the inner turmoil caused by Ghostfreak.
Since the day of his creation, Blood Brother had never suffered such a setback. It drove his bloodlust to its peak.
Suppressing the spasms from deep within his soul, Blood Brother's face contorted into a vicious snarl. Seizing the opportunity while Superboy still had a grip on his waist, he tried to sink his teeth into Superboy's head.
"You lowly puppet! Offer your power to me!"
"You're acting as if I don't exist at all?"
However, just as Blood Brother opened his mouth, Ghostfreak's voice echoed within him. Yuri pushed the Ectonurite's power to its maximum, forcibly seizing momentary control over Blood Brother's body, causing him to freeze in place.
Blood Brother's mouth hung open, and though he remained conscious, he found himself unable to bite down.
Bang!
In the next instant, Superboy's fist suddenly appeared and struck Blood Brother's face. Since Blood Brother's jaw was still hanging open, it was dislocated by the blow.
Superboy's face contorted with anger, and he roared, "I'm not a puppet! Yes, I was born in a laboratory, but I have my own soul! You're the puppets brainwashed by Trigon!"
"Eugh! Aaaargh!"
Blood Brother's anger surged within him. He wanted to rebuke the clone before him, whom he deeply despised, and the restless soul within him trying to seize his body. However, all that came out of his mouth were unintelligible roars.
"Tell me, how many bases has the Blood Church hidden worldwide? How many people have fallen victim to your hands!" Superboy shouted angrily, relentlessly throwing punches at Blood Brother, who was completely defenseless.
The effects of the Bloodsucking Magic were not permanent; the energy stored in his blood would eventually deplete.
In order to ensure Blood Brother's survival after the series of blows he had received, he is clearly feeling the gradual loss of power within him. The strength he had taken from Superboy was now almost gone.
He attempted to use magic to push Superboy away, allowing himself a moment to breathe, but Yuri wasn't about to let that happen.
Every time Blood Brother attempted to use magic, Ghostfreak would disrupt his concentration.
Blood Brother had to admit that he had underestimated this group of enemies. If things continued like this, he feared he might meet his end here.
This realization was deeply humiliating for Blood Brother. Whether it was Superboy or Ghostfreak, he was confident he could overpower them in a one-on-one fight. However, facing both of them together left him powerless.
"Hey, Father, take a look at what we found!" Suddenly, a clear, feminine voice rang out.
Ravager's figure emerged from the opening created by Blood Brother's crash, beckoning behind her as she did.
Instantly, Blood Brother's survival instinct ignited. His soul forcefully suppressed Ghostfreak and allowed him to release a torrent of magical energy.
Superboy was struck by this torrent and was sent flying dozens of meters away, crashing into the rocky wall.
Immediately afterward, Blood Brother headed towards Ravager.
Although this woman was just a mortal, draining her blood would still enhance Blood Brother's strength.
In his desperate bid for survival, Blood Brother failed to notice that the blade in Ravager's hand was gleaming with a chilling light...