But this isn't something that couldn't be explained. After all, Gotham is a sprawling metropolis with millions of inhabitants, and it's only normal for a few mages to hail from there. With the favorable conditions that Gotham offers, any magician who comes from Gotham would bemoan their affiliation, feeling it is an overly extreme alignment comparing it to working with a dark wizard.
The genius talent for the darkest magic, who was born out of the universes' purest darkness and transgression, holds a position in the magic realm paralleled only by Batman in superhero circles. The so-called fate of being mired in the muck is predestined the moment those angels and demons are summoned to Gotham.
"Since Gotham allows you to evade those debtors, why wouldn't you always… Oh dear, what nonsense am I talking about?" Jason slapped his forehead and said, "Your universe's Batman's affliction is so severe, it would surely be better to face those debtors."
Upon hearing this, Constantine sighed sorrowfully and said, "Although that is one reason, the key is, if angels and demons don't come here, then where am I to get my powers? Wouldn't I be incapable of using magic then?"
"Wait, you mentioned angels and demons don't come here. Then why do you establish a magical array for summoning angels?"
"There are always a few foolish angels." Constantine said as he modified the magical array, "It's like fishing. Some fish are rather tough to catch, because they might have been hooked by the fishermen multiple times and then released back into the ocean. Even though fish aren't particularly smart, they can still learn from their experiences."
"However, the fishes that haven't been caught by people are especially easy to hook, even if the destination of the hook is a pile of dung, they might also bite out of curiosity. This is the primary reason I can continuously borrow power – there aren't always foolish angels and demons, but there are always newly born angels and demons who are committing foolish acts."
Jason and Tim nodded in understanding. Constantine got up, clapped his hands, and said "Alright, I've adjusted these runes and symbols to guide the force. Now, let's see if any foolish fish bites."
After Constantine finished speaking, he stepped back. Jason and Tim also retreated to the wall. Suddenly, the triangular-shaped magic array radiated a dense white light, and the runes began to operate.
Seeing that a previously dim corner was now illuminated, Constantine wore a smug look. However, soon after, one of the bright corners flickered out, and the entire magic array blinked a few times before completely disappearing.
"Tsk…"
Constantine sucked in a breath out of anger. He quickly stepped up to the array, hands on his hips, surveyed the situation left and right, then muttered, "This shouldn't be the case, even if the method for using the sacred runes has changed, I've already adjusted the magic array's operation method according to the latest version of power flow. There shouldn't be a dialing failure…"
"Let me take a look... My god, how's the definition of this rune changed again? How many more updates does Heaven have before it's fully updated? Can't they let me work at all?!"
Constantine's complaint was heard not only in the basement but down half the block. But no matter, Heaven wouldn't hear him at all.
Bruce was standing in a room full of luminous disks, fluttering his wings. He pulled over one of the disks and started continuously compiling the rune content on it.
An angel with peacock-style emerald wings was peeping through the doorway. Bruce looked up at this angel and asked, "Raphael, what are you doing here?"
Raphael revealed a smile. He casually raised a hand, showing a big fish hooked to his fishing line.
Bruce instantly raised an eyebrow in surprise and said, "You went fishing in Eden again? And caught such a big one."
"Yesterday, Remiel asked me to go fishing and I didn't. He badgered me all night. I accompanied him today. I caught a fish, but he didn't. He was seething with anger. It seems he will not be in a good mood tonight, so I came here to avoid the storm. You are researching those runes again."
Bruce nodded, looked down at the rune plate, and said, "These items are a bit too old. Many of the runes recorded on them are no longer used even by angels. I am getting rid of those that are overly complicated and trying to write a base program for them."
"You're really working hard." Raphael entered the room, glanced at the thousands of dizzying rune plates, and said, "Some things should really be changed... My god! That symbol isn't the one Lucifer used in his childhood, is it? What era's artifact is it?!"
"You're right. It's indeed a pattern that Lucifer casually drew in the mud when he was a child. God included it in the runes, meaning 'morning star' and 'first light' in rune language. Similar runes number up to around 18,000. They were all creative masterpieces of Lucifer's childhood."
Bruce helplessly pulled another rune plate over and showed it to Raphael. Raphael only saw two lines on it resembling earthworms. Bruce explained, "For instance, this rune representing the sea and the tide was actually a picture that Lucifer casually drew on the beach with a twig."
"In order for other beings to utilize this rune, they first need to use a complete summoning array to connect to Eden's ocean. Then, using an extraction array, they extract seawater from Eden. Afterward, they contact the angels for a twig from a specific tree in Eden. Then they place the sea water and sand into the particular array to recreate the scene as it was. Finally, using the twig, they trace out a pattern exactly the same as this one, even getting the arc and the thickness at the end correct. Only then, the rune would come into effect."
"You should abolish it right away!" Raphael held his forehead and said, "I am dizzy just listening about it. Considering human capacity, efficiency, and lifespan, they would probably die before completing the initial preparations for the ritual."
"That's true, according to the information displayed here, this rune has never been used by any being other than the angels. However, the segments representing the sea and the tide are completely severed. In other words, if the believers need these two elements to complete their magic array, they can only opt for this."
Raphael looked up at the countless disks like a dizzying starry sky ceiling in the room, shook his head, and said, "Thank god you're here. If Lucifer really organized us to make alterations to these things, I would definitely go crazy."
"I'm afraid Lucifer wouldn't have you touch these things. Although there are many beautiful memories of him and God here, most of them are…"
Bruce's voice trailed off, making a vague gesture with his hand as if trying to articulate something tricky. After a long pause, he said, "An overly doting father reminiscing about his foolishly childish, long-lost son, and an intense zeal to spread these 'genius' creations of his child for the whole world to admire."
Sparkling, Raphael looked at these discs with renewed interest and chuckled, "Are you saying there are some dark histories of Lucifer here?"
"I didn't say that. Our glorious and great Archangel Lucifer would never have a childish past where he paraded chickens and dogs around Eden, striving to be a bully in Heaven, right?"