Who is Ares?
In terms of strength, maybe he's not too bad.
But don't forget, he's the jerk god who wears the "Bored! I want to see rivers of blood!" expression all day.
According to the history of the DC universe, Ares was the mastermind behind World War I.
Not only did he cause chaos, but he's never been known to have any followers. A god who trusts no one but himself and is incredibly stingy—Atreus would have to be blind to trust him at all.
There's no way Atreus would count on Ares.
Besides, even if Wonder Woman seemed weak, she could still wipe out everyone here.
And, more importantly, Wonder Woman is known for her impeccable character!
Atreus responded immediately: "Of course I'm willing to help you."
"Oh?" Wonder Woman squinted, her crescent-shaped eyes enchanting. "You trust me that easily?"
Atreus was firm: "I believe this is destiny's guidance!"
When in doubt, throw in some "destiny"—it's bound to sound grand and important.
Diana was momentarily stunned, lowering her eyelids. Then, her gaze sharpened slightly. She looked out through the floor-to-ceiling window of the hospital room at the magnificent estate outside, at the well-manicured gardens, the artistic street lamps, and the intricate corridor carvings.
"Mr. Atreus, I don't understand how someone like you, who clearly has some status and wealth, could suddenly choose to trust a strange woman in peculiar armor and risk opposing a god."
Realizing he couldn't bluff his way through this, Atreus sighed, lifted his head, and locked eyes with Diana:
"You're right! I may seem successful, but I don't even know where my wealth and status come from. My life feels like a castle built on quicksand, ready to collapse at any moment. Ruthless villains can take everything from me, even my life."
She nodded slightly, listening quietly.
"This is Gotham City, a place where the end of the world could begin at any moment. I've never been a champion of justice, but I despise the lunatics and madmen who rule Gotham and treat human lives like ants. Believe me, when you leave this estate and go to Gotham across the bay, you'll truly understand what a city of sin is. And, from what I know, the threats this world will face are far worse than Ares alone. I need enough power to protect myself."
At this, even Diana showed a trace of respect:
"Alright! I believe you. In this unfamiliar world, I do need an ally. Even if your strength is too weak to help me defeat Ares."
"No problem. I can learn. I believe I'll get stronger. I'll also help you find stronger allies," Atreus said with absolute certainty.
Diana hesitated for a moment but then nodded:
"Alright, I can form a temporary contract with you. You'll gain a portion of my power. I hope you prove yourself quickly with it."
With that, she gently took Atreus's left hand, pulled out a dagger-like claw, and carved a bloody rune into the back of his hand.
It didn't hurt much—just a minor scrape, really.
Compared to the power he was gaining, this was nothing.
In fact, the system had already notified him the moment Wonder Woman agreed:
**"Congratulations, Host, for joining the Wonder Woman faction…"**
Once she etched the rune, the next message came through:
**"Receiving power transfer from Wonder Woman. System has officially evolved into [Godslayer System]!"**
**"[Godslayer System]: The host can gain power and skills from hunting, defeating, or signing contracts with beings possessing divine traits. The host can simultaneously wield the power of up to six entities, but all entities must belong to the same pantheon. Templates available include: 1. Wonder Woman Godkiller Template. 2. Kratos, the God of War Template (requires main god-level blood). 3. Gorr, the God Butcher Template (requires high-purity Shadow Realm bloodline). 4. Create your own template after destroying a full pantheon."**
**"Current contract status: 1/6. Contract Holder – Wonder Woman Diana Prince (Temporary Contract)!"**
**"Host must gain Diana Prince's approval within one week, or she may abandon the host."**
**"Approval method – Kill at least one evil leader. Note: Miss Diana, who is part of the Justice faction, has a strict moral compass. If the host kills innocents, your morality score will decrease. If your morality score falls below zero, she will immediately retract all borrowed power."**
**"Congratulations, Host, for acquiring a unique skill [Slayer's Plunder]: The host can absorb superior attributes from strong enemies personally slain and randomly gain one or more skills that match the host's traits."**
**"Congratulations, Host, for temporarily gaining the following attribute boosts: Constitution +4, Agility +12, Strength +7, Intelligence +1, Perception +5, Willpower +9!"**
**"Congratulations, Host, for temporarily gaining the following skill upgrades: Basic Combat Lv8, Basic Archery Lv5, Triple Shot Lv3, Eagle Eye Lv1, Mental Resistance Lv7, Magic Resistance Lv3."**
Along with Diana's power came a series of combat memories based on her own experiences.
When to make a move, how to be efficient, how to flow smoothly, and how to catch the enemy off guard...
All of this left Atreus stunned.
These weren't just memory fragments; they came with muscle memory too.
If it weren't for the difference in physique between him and Diana, he would have thought he'd undergone the same training.
This wasn't just an Amazonian ability.
Atreus stared in awe at the claw-like weapon in Diana's hand, which seemed to be a fragment of some powerful artifact. Unfortunately, the system only displayed question marks for it.
Even so, Atreus couldn't hide his amazement.
If Gotham City's average 18-year-old male had stats of 10 across the board, then after the boost, Atreus's personal stats now looked like this:
**"Constitution 12, Agility 22, Strength 16, Intelligence 13, Perception 16, Willpower 18."**
Without a doubt, he had stepped into the realm of the extraordinary, like a Captain America-level enhanced human. Not to mention his new [Plunder] skill, which was the real game-changer.
Wonder Woman's backing? Definitely the right choice!
Diana gracefully put away her claw weapon and smiled:
"Alright, Atreus. I've lent you my power."
"I'll prove myself," Atreus said, his voice deep.
"Hmm, I don't know much about this world. If you could…"
"I'll arrange a teacher for you right away, someone who can teach you all the basics about this world. If you go to Gotham, it's best to take along an escort for the first three days."
"So, I'm free now?" Diana asked, her tone meaningful.
"Miss Diana, you've always been free. You can leave right now if you wish," Atreus replied seriously.
She seemed pleased:
"To avoid unnecessary trouble, I'll start by learning about this world."
"Then I'll take my leave. I need to fully master the power I've just gained."
Atreus's estate was never short of maids, and with a single call, one came to help Diana with her makeover and teach her various basics.
After sorting everything out, Atreus walked out of the room, feeling the changes in his muscles and sensory systems. He took a deep breath into the night sky.
He wasn't sure if the original male lead, Steve, would still have a place in this timeline. He didn't envy that guy; in Wonder Woman's presence, Steve was little more than a sidekick in battle.
As a transmigrant, however, with the help of the system, Atreus had the potential to acquire power beyond the mortal realm.
After being double-crossed by Black Mask and hunted by the Joker's gang, Atreus had spent days in fear. Now that he had gained all this power, it still felt unreal.
Suddenly, a thought crossed his mind—why had Wonder Woman trusted him so easily?
Curious, he headed to the surveillance room to check the footage and immediately burst out laughing.
During his answer, Wonder Woman's other hand had stealthily tied a glowing golden lasso around his ankle. The motion was so gentle that he hadn't even noticed.
"Pfft! It's the Lasso of Truth!"
This legendary artifact was one of Wonder Woman's most famous treasures, and anyone ensnared by it had no choice but to speak the truth.
Since everything he'd said was true, what did Diana have to worry about?
Most of the time, she gave off the impression of a naïve sweetheart.
But as sweet as she may be, she clearly had a brilliant mind!
(End of Chapter)