"Well, would ya look at that!" Harley exclaimed, her eyes wide with a mix of excitement and fear. "It's a freakin' snake on steroids!"
"HISSSSS!!!" The creature let out a deafening hiss, its body coiling as it prepared to strike. It was easily the size of a small building, its muscles rippling beneath its scales as it moved with frightening speed and agility for something so large.
However, the threat lasted less than a second as Kara rushed in and punched it hard. The giant snake exploded into a cloud of blood and guts that rained down in the jungle.
Harley's jaw dropped as she stared at Kara, who stood amidst the carnage with a bored expression on her face. "That was... Wow!" She breathed, her eyes sparkling with admiration. "You're amazing!"
"Thanks!" Kara shrugged nonchalantly before picking up a scale and studying it closely. "Interesting... Take a look." She threw it toward Bruce.
Bruce caught it easily and examined the scale closely. It was unlike anything he'd ever seen before. The scale was tough and upon closer scanning the blood on it, he noticed traces of Lazarus water. That snake must have stumbled upon the pit on the verge of death and evolved from there. Or, someone forcefully evolved it and kept it there to guard the entrance. But to control such a massive snake, there must be someone really powerful behind it.
"Hmm... This is interesting." Bruce hummed. "Well, let's get going." He threw the scale on the ground as the team began to go further deep into the mountains. They decided to take the path through the cave.
"Ya know," Harley began thoughtfully as they entered the dark tunnel. "I kinda wish Ivy was here. She'd probably love this place." She glanced around at the lush greenery surrounding them. "There's so much plant life everywhere!"
"She's working on those aquatic plants from Atlantis, so, no, she won't be joining us anytime soon," Selina said with a small smile.
"Awww... Bummer." Harley sighed sadly. "Well, maybe next time then!"
"Maybe next time," Selina agreed.
As the team ventured deeper into the cave, the atmosphere around them grew increasingly oppressive. The once-lush jungle quickly gave way to a harsh, volcanic landscape. The temperature rose noticeably, and the air became thick with the acrid scent of sulfur and molten rock. Toxic fumes wafted through the cavern, but their advanced suits filtered out the harmful gases, ensuring they remained unaffected.
"Ugh, this place smells like rotten eggs!" Harley wrinkled her nose in disgust as she tried to, waving a hand in front of her face as if trying to ward off the stench. "Are we sure we're going the right way?" Selina noticed that Harley was fiddling with her suit's controls. So, she slightly punched her arm and gave her a death glare. Harley quickly stopped playing with the smell controller, which allowed her to smell various things according to the settings. "Tehehehe! Sorry! It was funny. But nasty!"
"According to the signal, we are," Bruce replied, his voice calm and focused as he led the way. His HUD displayed the cave's layout, mapping out their route as they progressed. "Stay alert. Whoever set up this place didn't make it easy for anyone to reach."
"Yeah, no kidding," Harley muttered, carefully stepping over a jagged rock that jutted out of the ground. "It's like someone wanted to keep visitors out or something."
As they continued, the cave's narrow passageways began to widen, revealing a massive underground chamber. The walls were lined with glowing crystals that emitted an eerie green light, casting long shadows that danced across the rocky surfaces. In the center of the chamber was a large pool of bubbling, molten lava, radiating intense heat.
Harley being Harley, ran straight to the edge of the lava pit and peered into its depths. "Whoa! Check it out! This stuff is super hot!" She exclaimed excitedly. She picked up a rock and tossed it into the lava. The rock immediately melted upon contact. "Look at that! It melts rocks! Awesome!"
"Harley," Selina called her with a sigh.
"What? It's hot! You think I can take some of it home?" Harley asked curiously.
"That's freaking lava," Kara reminded Harley.
"Oh... Right! Haha, silly me!" Harley laughed nervously as she scratched the back of her neck. "So, uh, I can't take some? I mean, I saw some really cool experiments on TV where people cooled lava down with liquid nitrogen, and it turned into a rock. Can we try that?"
"Haaa... Keep moving unless you want to melt like that rock," Selina moved passed her.
"Aww, geez! Ya all ain't fun at all!" Harley pouted, reluctantly following behind Selina.
Bruce made a little container with the nanites and took a sample of that molten lava, then threw it at Harley, "Here you go!"
Harley squealed with delight as she caught the lava in her hands. "Thankies, Brucey! You da best!" She beamed at him.
Kara shook her head with a wry smile.
"You keep spoiling her like that, and she'll never learn," Selina chided Bruce gently as they continued onward.
Bruce shrugged. "At least she's happy."
"Yeah, Kitty, I'm happy!" Harley grinned at Selina. "And besides, it's not like it's dangerous or anything, right? I mean, c'mon, it's just a little bit of lava! What could go wrong?"
The group moved cautiously around the lava pool, the heat growing more intense with each step. The tunnel ahead seemed to be carved out of solid rock, leading them upward and out of the volcanic chamber. As they ascended, the air grew cooler, and the scent of sulfur began to fade, replaced by the fresher, crisper scent of mountain air.
After what felt like hours of navigating through the labyrinthine tunnels, they finally emerged into the open air. The sight that greeted them was breathtaking—a vast, barren plateau stretching out before them, surrounded by towering mountain peaks. The sky overhead was a stormy gray color, clouds swirling ominously above them.
But what caught their attention wasn't the landscape—it was the army of assassins waiting for them.
At least a thousand armed figures stood in formation, their dark, hooded robes blending into the rocky surroundings. Each assassin held a weapon, ranging from traditional swords and daggers to more advanced, high-tech firearms. They were disciplined and silent, their eyes fixed on the group that had just emerged from the cave.
At the forefront of the army stood a lone figure, her presence commanding and intimidating. Lady Shiva, the world's deadliest martial artist, watched them with a calm, calculating gaze. Her red and black outfit was simple yet elegant, and her every movement exuded lethal grace. In her hand, she held a long, curved blade that glinted menacingly under the gloomy sunlight.
"Well, this doesn't look good," Harley quipped, her eyes darting around the sea of assassins. Despite her words, there was a gleam of excitement in her eyes. "Think they're here for a party?"
"They're here to make sure we don't get any further," Bruce said with a smirk as he retracted the nanites from his face.
"Just how the heck are there over a thousand people here?" Selina questioned, her eyes narrowing as she assessed the situation. "This is ridiculous! And my sensor is telling me that they ain't your regular human. Their muscle density is way above average humans... It's like they have natural armor on their skin and those weapons... The metal used to make them isn't registered into the system."
Kara stepped forward, her eyes locked onto Lady Shiva. "I can take out most of them before they even have a chance to blink," she said confidently, her fists clenched at her sides.
Bruce stepped forward.
"Now what? Fight and die or maybe we could talk like civilized people," He said, looking at Lady Shiva.
"How was Ra's last moments?" Lady Shiva asked with a smile, ignoring Bruce's question.
"Weak, manipulated by an outsider, drunk in fake power and he pointed me toward you before I killed him," Bruce said coldly.
"I see..." Lady Shiva's expression darkened for a moment before returning to her usual stoic demeanor. "You know, he was my prey, but he was too strong for me to handle. So, in a way, I guess I should thank you for killing him. It saves me the trouble."
Bruce smirked. "Glad I could help."
"However, you took over the League of Assassins which was supposed to be mine. But I heard that you made some changes to it... Some good ones at that. For that, I'll give you a painless death," Lady Shiva said with a cold smile.
"You are gonna kill me?" Bruce said with an arrogant smirk as he looked around. The only thing he saw was a thousand ants swarming around him. "You and what army?"
Lady Shiva let out a short laugh as she suddenly took out a gun and pointed it at Bruce, "A shot from this gun is enough to put you out of your misery, painlessly. But, where's the fun in that, right? Let's fight, one on one, without any weapons or gadgets... Only with Martial Arts. If you win, I will bow to you and follow your command. But if I win, you die a painful death along with your companions. Or maybe, if you can entertain me enough, I'll keep you as my slave."