Mandrakk's tone turned grim and forceful. Inside his sleek blue-and-white armor, the two red electronic eyes on his helmet flickered uncertainly.
"It's just sacrificing a few superheroes. Since they're heroes, they should already be prepared for sacrifice."
"For the peace of the entire multiverse, shouldn't that be acceptable?"
The Phantom Stranger, the Spectre, and Golden Superman wore grim expressions, each casting an unkind glance at Mandrakk.
They were stunned by Mandrakk's suggestion.
From within the shadow of his dark green cloak and hood, the Spectre spoke in a low, firm voice: "So many superheroes have already died. And at the center of the universe—Earth—so many innocent people have been lost. We are all guilty."
"This sin is enough for the multiverse to turn against us," the Phantom Stranger added coldly, eyeing Mandrakk.
"Mandrakk, put away your selfish ambitions. We're collaborators now. Don't try to manipulate us just so you can seal Barmulodi's consciousness, take his body, and study the secrets of the One God."
Golden Superman's face was cold.
Mandrakk's ambitions were no secret.
To be fair, the Monitor race's technological capabilities were indeed at the top among the divine realms. Few other races could rival them. That's why the Spectre was willing to cooperate with Mandrakk—to bring down Barmulodi.
The Spectre needed to judge Barmulodi.
Mandrakk needed Barmulodi's divine body for research. He wanted to become a One God himself.
The Phantom Stranger served the multiverse and acted on behalf of cosmic order. Some of Barmulodi's actions had already been foreseen by him as threats that needed to be stopped.
Golden Superman had come to help for the sake of justice, peace, and the preservation of his original universe.
Though each had their own reasons, Mandrakk's motives were starkly different. His evil heart and overwhelming desire were why the others held him at arm's length.
"If we can't locate the consciousness Barmulodi has possessed, everything we do will be useless," Mandrakk said coldly. His red electronic eyes stared at them with chilling calculation.
"This is already the best opportunity we'll get. Are you truly so unwilling to make a small sacrifice now, even if it might prevent a greater catastrophe in the future?"
His mechanical voice carried a biting tone, showing no sympathy for their reluctance.
But despite Mandrakk's warnings of severe consequences, he couldn't sway the three. They were resolute in rejecting the idea of sacrificing a multitude of superheroes just to seal Barmulodi's consciousness.
Such an act would be catastrophic. The death of those heroes—each integral to the functioning of their universes—would be like breaking the gears of a cosmic machine. It would shrink, destabilize, or even destroy entire universes.
"Then I look forward to Barmulodi becoming the next Yuga Khan... and forging a new Apokolips," Mandrakk said coldly.
At the mention of Yuga Khan, the Spectre visibly trembled. Within his hood, misty gray light flared with fear, and his expression turned grim.
Yuga Khan, whose true name was Zonos, was the previous God of Apokolips—the father of Darkseid.
He was among the strongest of the true One Gods, existing on a level far above most others. Even the other One Gods feared his name. Yuga Khan possessed power over the Source itself, though his current body remained trapped within the Wall of the Source.
His terrifying ascent led to the creation of Apokolips in the divine realm.
Once, he appeared in the multiverse, destroyed countless universes, and baked them into his will. Through sheer might, he transformed them into extensions of Apokolips, giving that planet a divine presence that dominated cosmic space.
Yuga Khan's rise had made Apokolips a world of terror, forcing other One Gods to band together and create New Genesis to counter its tyranny and restore balance.
Of course, that was in a past age—how long ago, no one could say. The current Apokolips was ruled by Darkseid, Yuga Khan's son.
Even now, though Darkseid was Apokolips's sovereign, he could not face his father directly. Darkseid feared him. Yuga Khan was the true ultimate tyrant of the DC Universe, the one being even Darkseid would flee from.
When the possibility of Barmulodi becoming another Yuga Khan was raised, the Spectre had to pause and reconsider.
Perhaps sacrificing a few superheroes now to prevent the rise of a future cosmic tyrant was the right thing to do.
Golden Superman and the Phantom Stranger didn't fully understand the gravity of Yuga Khan's name. But when they saw the Spectre's expression change, their own resolve began to waver. They exchanged looks, uncertain.
But the Phantom Stranger quickly reaffirmed his stance. "Spectre, no matter what happens, I will never allow anyone to sacrifice innocent superheroes."
"I agree," Golden Superman declared firmly. "No one has the right to sacrifice a superhero's life."
After their declarations, both turned their eyes toward the Spectre, waiting for his decision.
The Spectre stayed silent for a moment before answering.
"I won't allow it either." In the end, he wasn't aligned with Mandrakk. His words made the Phantom Stranger and Golden Superman breathe a little easier.
Mandrakk's blue-and-white armor remained still. The red mechanical glow in his eyes grew colder and more intense.
"Our top priority is to identify the will Barmulodi has possessed, draw him here, and trap him. Then we can seal him completely."
"As for the sealing," the Spectre continued, casting a warning glance at Mandrakk, "I will possess his body and bring him to the Wall of the Source, where his existence will be completely sealed."
Mandrakk's mechanical eyes grew colder at the implication, but he remained silent.
Golden Superman ignored his brewing hostility. He raised one glowing yellow hand, and three research files appeared on the table.
"These are proposals compiled by a certain Batman, based on comprehensive data analysis. Perhaps one of them can help us locate Barmulodi and implement the next stage of our sealing plan."
The Spectre and Phantom Stranger picked up the files to examine them.
Mandrakk's cold mechanical voice broke in. "Batman is just a human ant. What use could his plan possibly have?"
Golden Superman glanced at him calmly.
"The Batman in question has a quantum body. You may call him Quantum Batman. In his universe, not even you could match his intelligence and capability."
"He possesses cosmic-level computational power and is a master tactician. He can help us identify Barmulodi's will."
Mandrakk stared at Golden Superman, his electronic eyes glowing with bitter, reluctant fury.