Diana stood up from the rubble, her eyes blazing with determination as she glared at Eris. Without hesitation, she charged at the goddess again. Su Sheng shrugged, a look of innocence on his face. Though Diana would one day become one of the Justice League's top powerhouses, a warrior comparable to Superman, and the new God of War after defeating Ares, right now, she was nothing more than a weakling!
Eris, the Goddess of Strife, might not have been one of the most powerful gods, but she was still far beyond what Diana could handle at this point. As he watched Diana's relentless but futile attempts to attack Eris, Su Sheng casually turned to Artemis, who had already helped the Amazons shake off Eris's influence.
"How bad are the losses?" Su Sheng asked.
Artemis's expression was complex as she spoke in a low voice. "One-third of your slaves have been lost, Master. These slaves belong to you now, but…"
"You want me to step in?" Su Sheng asked with a chuckle.
"Yes!" Artemis replied solemnly, dropping to one knee. "Diana is no match for Eris. I beg you to avenge the dead slaves."
The nearby Amazons, Antiope and Menalippe, exchanged complicated looks. Hippolyta glanced between Artemis and Su Sheng, then at Diana, who was clearly outmatched. Taking a deep breath, she, too, knelt on one knee, just like Artemis.
She didn't say a word, but her intent was clear.
Though both Su Sheng and Eris were intruders who had killed many Amazons, Su Sheng's actions were a result of direct conflict. In contrast, Eris had used deceit to make the Amazons turn on each other, leading to far greater losses. The Amazons could accept being killed in battle, but being manipulated into killing each other was far more horrifying. Hippolyta, knowing what she did of Su Sheng from Artemis—that he had twice tried to gain Diana's forgiveness and that he had no interest in permanently ruling Paradise Island—recognized that Su Sheng was the lesser of two evils. Eris was a different story; no one knew what her true intentions were.
As the Queen of the Amazons, Hippolyta couldn't afford to see the world in black and white like Diana did. She wasn't afraid of death or battle, but she had to consider the well-being of her people.
Her kneeling was her way of accepting Su Sheng's domination and rule.
With the queen kneeling, the other Amazons followed suit, bowing their heads.
Boom!
Diana was slammed to the ground again as Eris's body grew in size. The goddess raised a massive foot, ready to crush Diana.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
Diana refused to surrender, retreat, or show fear, but she was outmatched.
"Master!" Artemis shouted desperately.
"Cough, cough," Su Sheng pretended to cough and called out to Diana, "Need some help?"
Boom!
Eris's foot came down again, but this time Diana gritted her teeth, catching it with both hands and suddenly unleashing a powerful surge of divine energy.
Boom!
The surge of power made Eris wobble slightly, and Diana took the opportunity to roll to her feet and charge at Eris, delivering a powerful kick to her other leg. Eris's massive body crashed to the ground, kicking up a cloud of dust.
Su Sheng waved the dust away and turned to Artemis. "I just asked if she needed my help, and she suddenly powers up? If it were that easy, everyone would be doing it."
Diana's unexpected burst of strength caught everyone off guard. With Eris down, she unleashed all her pent-up anger, her attacks raining down like a furious storm.
"Do you regret it?" Su Sheng asked Hippolyta with a smirk.
Hippolyta shook her head, knowing that Diana's outburst might not have happened without their submission.
"Enough!" Eris suddenly roared, grabbing Diana and hurling her away. Diana managed to stabilize herself with the Lasso of Truth, but Eris vanished into thin air.
The next moment, Eris reappeared behind Diana, delivering a powerful punch.
Boom!
Diana fell from the sky, crashing to the ground.
Eris stomped on Diana's back, grabbed the Lasso of Truth, and wrapped it around Diana's neck, pulling her up. Diana's face twisted in pain as she was lifted off the ground.
"Ares cares about you, but it seems… you're not all that impressive," Eris sneered as she tightened the noose.
Diana's breath became labored.
"You're messing with my property," Su Sheng said calmly. "Give it back, or… I'll kill you."
Eris glanced at Diana, then smiled at Su Sheng. "It's just an Amazon. There are plenty more here. Killing one won't matter."
"There's only one Diana," Su Sheng shook his head.
Diana looked at Su Sheng with a mix of emotions. So, he…
"Want it? Come and get it," Eris taunted.
"Okay!" Su Sheng grinned as golden divine power surged around him, intertwined with azure blue lightning.
Infinite Stacking, twenty times.
Boom!
The light surrounding him intensified, shooting into the sky like a beam of raw energy. Eris looked on in shock as Su Sheng's power, several times stronger than her own, surged forth. The goddess unconsciously loosened her grip on the Lasso of Truth.
"How can you have such immense power…?"
"Go ask the gods," Su Sheng said coldly as he suddenly appeared in front of Eris, throwing a punch.
The immense thunderous force exploded upon impact. In the next instant, it was as if the sound barrier shattered. Eris's chest was pierced as if struck by a cannonball, and she looked down in disbelief before hearing a deafening bang.
The wind howled, and the ground shook.
Eris's body exploded into countless fragments, scattering in all directions. Su Sheng caught the Lasso of Truth and said nonchalantly, "I said there's only one. I don't want it getting dirty."
Dead?
The goddess of strife, who had just moments ago overpowered even Diana's outburst, was defeated in an instant? Blown to pieces?
Everyone stared in stunned silence.
"What's that?" Artemis suddenly pointed at the golden specks of light appearing in the air, shouting in surprise.
The golden lights floated like fireflies in the darkness, exuding a unique, indescribable aura.
"This is… the Source?" Hippolyta whispered to herself in awe.
...