Metropolis Lostbelt (Part 4) - The execution ground, well, it's all old stuff...

"—And so, we, as the advance team, returned from the scene!"

Back on the Chaldea main ship, Gordolf gulped down a mouthful of water. Little Da Vinci went back to the computer room first, and Merlin said he didn't want to stay where Fou was and had disappeared somewhere.

Kadoc and Mash returned to their seats, while Fujimaru Ritsuka was caught by Gilgamesh. The Wise King merely snorted coldly, saying nothing, staring at her as if he wanted her to speak first.

"Um, um, Your Majesty?" Ritsuka spoke up, but before she could say anything, she was silenced by a glare from the Wise King.

"Fool, look at your clueless and stupid expression. Are you waiting for me to give you a hint?"

So... what did she do wrong?! Fujimaru Ritsuka quickly scanned through everything that had happened that day, but still had no clue.

So, she had no choice but to resort to her trump card. She clasped her hands together, lowered her head, and spoke with a mixture of pitifulness and trepidation, "Your Majesty, please, in your great mercy, give this foolish person a hint?"

"Hahahaha—a mongrel is indeed a mongrel, but as king, I have a responsibility to instruct my subjects, so I will give you some pointers!"

Gilgamesh: "...Hmph, let me make this clear first, I'm not doing this because guarding this ship is too boring, nor because I'm looking for some excitement!"

"But why is it that you always seem to run into such exciting and bizarre things, Ritsuka! I really want to see it with my own eyes! Even though I'm as gentle as I am, I can't tolerate guarding the base alone again next time!"

So that's how it is. It was just boring in the end...!

Having understood the reason, Fujimaru Ritsuka coaxed him with all her might and promised to take him out next time, finally managing to persuade the king not to go on strike.

Meanwhile, Captain Nemo looked Goldrov up and down, who had just finished his third glass of water, and couldn't help but tease him, "Goldrov, did you drink seawater in Atlantis and get salty?"

"Oh, no way!" Goldruff plopped down in his chair, letting out a satisfied sigh. "I was busy doing all sorts of things over there!"

As the stronghold of the resistance, Atlantis has been partially modified so that, apart from the lack of the sun and sufficient living supplies, it is perfectly capable of sustaining Earthlings for several months.

Goldruff certainly couldn't have choked on seawater; he was just talking too much and was dying of thirst.

While Ritsuka and the others reminisced for a long time and conducted their research, he remarkably learned about the background information of this world.

By piecing together fragmented information revealed by the rebels resting in Atlantis, the astonishing events that have unfolded in this world over the past few years are revealed.

Despite having just talked a lot, Goldruff didn't rest for more than a few minutes. Like a high school student who had just received some great news, he couldn't wait to share it with his friends.

The United States in this world experienced a massive catastrophe, which caused Kal-El, the superhero known as Superman, to change his mind and choose to rule rather than help humanity.

This caused the once united Justice League, an organization that sheltered all kinds of extraordinary people and vowed to help humanity, to fall apart and split into two factions.

Fueled by years of civil war and various internal and external conflicts and disasters, this planet is heading down a predetermined path. Then, Karl El brings back a person and a seed from who-knows-where.

Everything changed. With that person's help, he swept across the world, and even the gods of Greek mythology nearly perished. Almost all the forces that resisted his rule were reduced to corpses.

"Wait a minute, Mr. Goldruff." Holmes gestured for a pause, utterly puzzled. "If that's the case, then why wasn't the Rebel base, Atlantis, breached?"

"Hmm... The management consultant asked a good question! Those people were so vague and confusing!" Goldruff said, stroking his chin indignantly.

“I might know something about that,” Little Da Vinci said, skating into the control room. “I just talked to Wonder Woman about Debit. The turning point came when he joined the Rebel Alliance.”

She blinked and joked, "Maybe it's the strange friendship within Group A?"

Ka Zeng, a member of Team A, looked over and asked expressionlessly, "...Really?"

"Oh dear, don't worry about unnecessary details. Anyway, it's related to Debit, and it's probably also connected to Wodim."

At this point, Fujimaru Ritsuka also joined the conversation, explaining the significance of the subsequent resistance fighters.

"So the other side's opinion is to go to Gotham first to rescue the two Batmen, and then have them bring back the Superman from the other world and the remaining Justice League members."

Sion pushed up his glasses, his tone inscrutable, "Now that Mr. Ritsuka knows, we can't just leave these two Batmen alone."

Everyone here is an expert at storming execution grounds.

"Then, together with them, we'll storm the 'palace' of the Lostbelt King named Karl El and cut down the Imaginary Tree." Holmes crossed his hands under his chin and raised an eyebrow.

It feels like this plan is just trying to fleece Chaldea.

"Faced with an unfamiliar enemy, replenishing combat strength is necessary, and I don't oppose this plan in principle." He changed the subject, "But everything should be based on Ritsuka's own safety, and the plan can be redesigned."

After exchanging opinions, most people believed that this plan would be less risky than Chaldea facing the Lostbelt King alone.

Fujimaru Ritsuka had no objection. Although she didn't know whether she should be proud, she was quite skilled at both prison breaks and escapes.

So the next day, Chaldea and part of the resistance split into two groups, with Chaldea's main ship carrying Wonder Woman to move the necessary machine to summon the Justice League from a parallel world.

Meanwhile, another team, led by Debit in the Shadow Border, took Ritsuka and her servants, along with Jason, a local guide who wasn't exactly a local, to Gotham's execution grounds.

On a late spring morning, before ten o'clock, the sunlight gently shone down. A black car, speeding far beyond its limits, sprang out from a nearly unknown side road, the flying dirt resembling a banner welcoming their arrival.

“Okay, let’s park here.” Debit skillfully reversed the car and hid it in the bushes near the highway outside Gotham City. “The conditions inside the city aren’t suitable for vehicles.”

He paused as he got out of the car, then turned to Jason. "You should still remember the rules, right?"

"Hmph, I don't need you to remind me." Jason skillfully took out colored contact lenses and a wig, fiddled with them on his face, and then put on his glasses.

A rebellious youth transforms a dull, academically gifted student.

Seeing Fujimaru Ritsuka's eyes light up even more, Jason coughed and explained, "I'm even less welcome here than I am in Gotham. Gotham now... well, you'll see when you get there."

Fujimaru Ritsuka: "...?"

Her formal attire automatically justified her appearance. She glanced back at the two men standing on either side of her like two guardian deities.

The wise king had already changed into casual clothes, and looked very relaxed and happy because he was about to find some fun.

Although Merlin had also changed into casual clothes, he still looked as flamboyant as ever. His purple eyes met Ritsuka's gaze, and he gave her an interested smile.

Never mind, let's leave it at that.

Debit raised an eyebrow, and without saying much, led the group into Gotham City. It wasn't until Fujimaru Ritsuka returned to Gotham that she truly felt she was in a parallel world.

Gotham is too silent.

Compared to the bustling yet abyss-like Gotham she had seen, this Gotham was like its complete opposite.

The streets were spotless, the houses were bright and clean, and the neatly dressed pedestrians walked with their eyes straight ahead, as if in a rehearsed drama.

Jason stroked the wall beside him in mid-air and whispered to Ritsuka, "This used to be Gotham's infamous slum."

Colorful tents, wandering drug addicts, the smell of decay, and graffiti and gunshot wounds on the walls—this is the original appearance of this place.

The only constant is the same numbness in the eyes of Gothamites, or rather, this unbearable numbness has spread throughout Gotham, and no one is struggling.

Let yourself drown in the utopia of past hopes.

Gotham seemed to be getting better, so how could this be...? Fujimaru Ritsuka's gaze lingered on a few pedestrians, regardless of whether they were dressed simply or elegantly, her eyes filled with a lifeless desolation.

"Wait here for a moment." Debit suddenly stopped, then turned around briskly and walked confidently into a store.

Fujimaru Ritsuka looked on with curiosity, only to see him point clearly to something in the cabinet. Jason seemed to know what it was, glancing at it before… Okay. This should be enough. Take it. He clicked his tongue softly, then looked away, clearing his mind.

“Although Gotham is a key city to observe, the wisdom of the people of Gotham has far exceeded some people’s expectations.” Debit quickly came out with bags of goods and said with satisfaction, “The products from this time-honored brand are as reliable as ever.”

“…Okay. These necessities should last a few days. Here you go.” He shoved the things into Fujimaru Ritsuka’s arms.

Ritsuka hurriedly caught the package, and although she had expected it, she was still so overwhelmed that she subconsciously leaned back slightly.

Suddenly, a hand supported her back. Turning around, she saw the wise king looking disgusted, but he still took the item and stuffed it into the royal treasury in the blind spot formed by several people.

"Where do we go next?" Fujimaru Ritsuka asked the experienced Debit.

“Find a place to stay. Oh right, you don’t have any money here, do you? The old US dollar has been abolished and replaced by a new global unified currency,” Debit replied.

"You're not talking about...those people running it, are you?" Jason frowned, reaching into his pockets. "I don't have that much..."

But before he could finish speaking, the wise king raised his hand and waved a handful of coins. "Perhaps this is what you're talking about?"

Jason: "...?"