"Don't worry, I've come here to protect you! I promise I won't let Swan harm you!"
Shiller quietly listened to what Barry had to say, nodding his head before speaking: "I understand everything you're saying. Now, Mr. Barry, would you please step aside?"
"Uh, why?"
"Because I intend to hurt him."
No sooner had Shiller stopped speaking, that a dark shadow materialized behind Barry.
The glint of red in his eyes flared up, and before the wicked grin of Professor Zoom could fully form, a colossal tower so immense that its full form couldn't be examined appeared in front of everyone.
"Capture him."
As Shiller's cold voice rang out, countless shadows leapt out from the tower, enveloping both Swan and Barry in an instant.
Swan's smile froze on his face. He glances left and right at the countless Shillers staring back at him, all nearly identical in appearance, indecision spreading across his face.
But very quickly, Professor Zoom made up his mind. His decision was clear: discretion is the better part of valor. Outnumbered, his best option was escape. He transformed into a bolt of black lightning, gathering himself to leap into the distance.
The next moment, he smashed into an unidentified black object. Dazed from the impact, Swan couldn't understand how his use of Negative Divine Speed could be obstructed by an object?
Perhaps those familiar with The Flash know that his "speed" isn't from running fast, but mastering a unique power: the Divine Speed.
This power ignores physical rules while in use. Besides being speedy, it generally can't be obstructed by anything, almost as if racing in an alternate world. The Negative Divine Speed used by Professor Zoom has the same property.
Slowly recovering from his daze, Swan lifts his head to see what blocked him. Before him was a flat black frying pan.
The creature gripping the handle of the pan was not a human hand, but ... a blue cat's paw?
Swan turned his head and found a blue cat. The cat gripped the frying pan in both its paws and swung at him.
With a "BANG!" Swan was thrown back. Yes, he, in his form of black lightning imbued with Divine Speed, sketched a wonderful arc in the sky, much to the shock of Barry and Little Kryptonite whose mouths and eyes were wide open.
After Swan hit the ground, he looked up to see Shiller's smiling face above him. With a touch of mockery in his voice, the professor said, "Enjoying the dream? There's more fun to come."
Shiller snapped his fingers. In response, Tom Cat Shiller conjured a mallet and a saw in mid-air. Suddenly, at the top of the tower, the sound of clanging, and the kind of smoke that often appears in animated cartoons appeared.
Not long after, an enormous hamster wheel appeared at the top of tower. Shiller grabbed Swan by the collar and dragged him into the tower. They took the elevator to the top floor, then Shiller threw Swan into the run wheel.
Standing at the tower entrance, Barry and Little Kryptonite looked upward, watching as because of the spinning hamster wheel, Swan had no choice but to run.
Seeing Shiller walk back, Barry swallowed. He then flashed a somewhat stiff smile and took a step back, "Haha, it seems that I have been presumptuous. You clearly do not need my protection. If that's the case, I will be off now..."
"Don't leave just yet."
At the sound of Shiller's voice, Barry paused in the middle of his ready-to-run pose. Looking at Tom Cat Shiller, who was studying his own paws, Barry sighed, dropped his deflated arms and looked at Shiller, "Alright, Professor Shiller, The Flash is at your service."
After speaking, Barry consciously raised his eyelids and looked at Shiller with his blue eyes. He swallowed yet again and muttered under his breath, "My God, he looks like...like one of those villains Batman usually deals with. This can't be good..."
Shiller revealed a smile, "Don't worry, I know you're a good kid. Right now, there's another good kid who's vexed over his experiment, and I think it's necessary to lend him a hand. What do you think?"
Barry's eyes widened.
About half an hour later, a bolt of golden lightning streaked across the sky above Gotham University.
Inside the Experiment Building of Gotham University, Lex Luther pointed at a hamster wheel in the room and told Barry, "Go on, as long as you run fast enough and gather enough energy, you'll definitely be able to dissipate the clouds."
Barry stared at Lex in disbelief, "Your chosen project is to disperse the clouds over Gotham??? Do you have something against yourself???"
"Wait a minute..." Barry extended a hand and put it to his forehead, feeling a bit of confusion, then in an even more incredulous tone, he asked, "Luther?!! How come you're in Gotham? Is Batman in this world dead?"
"Wait, no....." Barry grabbed the hamster wheel, "What's the deal with this wheel? It seems like you've already completed it long back. Who did you originally want to run in it?"
"No way, I can't run in it!" Barry shook off Lex's guiding hand and said, "This is Gotham, it's Batman's turf. He won't tolerate anyone messing around here, he doesn't even allow me to run in this city!"
Lex looked at Barry disdainfully, like he was looking at a child making a fuss about nothing. After a long pause, he reluctantly picked up a phone, dialled a number and said on the line,
"Hello? Bruce, do you recall the Ark Reactor's external energy gear we built together? Yes, the running wheel that Professor Shearer said 'someone would eventually find a use for'."
"Exactly. That person who can use it has arrived now, but he is refusing to step in...what? Shoot him?"
Lex gripped the phone, his expression turning dangerous. Barry quickly extended his hand, "Hey! Hey! Don't do that!"
He snatched the phone and said into it, "Listen, Batman, you can't treat me like this. Aren't we good pals? Have you forgotten our friendship?"
"What? Who am I? You actually answered the phone without checking who was in the room first???"
"What? Stop disturbing your sleep? You really are... hello? Hello???!!"
"Hold on! Don't come any closer! Superman!! Help me!!!"
In a decrepit post station in Mexico, Clark, who had just laid down, stirred. He said in bewilderment, "Why do I feel like someone is calling me?"
One Hand placed a hand on his shoulder and gently pushed him back down. Clark lay back down as Bruce withdrew his hand saying,
"You're hearing things. Go back to sleep.'