Chapter 170: Godfather Owl: Guardian of Batman [170] [40 PS]
This bonus chapter is a small gift—may it bring you a touch of tranquility.
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Kathoom hopped toward Diana, his movements a mix of confidence and eagerness.
"Pleasure to meet you, Miss Diana," the owl said with an air of practiced formality.
"Allow me to introduce myself—I am Kathoom, owl of Minerva, symbol of wisdom and fortune."
Minerva, the Roman goddess of wisdom, corresponded to Athena in Greek mythology.
By framing himself as Minerva's emissary, Kathoom immediately earned Diana's favor.
"You're Athena's messenger?" Diana exclaimed, clenching her fists in determination.
"Then you must be here to aid us in defeating Ares!"
"Exactly!"
Kathoom beamed as he fluttered onto Diana's shoulder. "And it seems you, too, are resolved to bring an end to Ares?"
Diana nodded firmly.
She would vanquish the god of war and usher in an era of peace and love.
"How admirable," Kathoom said warmly. "Your compassion and courage are worthy of Athena's blessing!"
With just a few choice words, the owl had Diana grinning from ear to ear.
Meanwhile, Bruce remained submerged in the spring, his embarrassment growing.
After all, he wasn't wearing a single thing.
"Miss Diana," Bruce ventured awkwardly, "could you, uh, step out for a moment? I need to change."
"You outsiders are so peculiar," Diana said, shaking her head in mild disdain.
"What's there to be shy about? We Amazons bathe together all the time."
It wasn't as though Diana was entirely clueless about men.
What nonsense. She'd read Cleio's Treatise on Physical Pleasure—all twelve volumes!
She understood everything.
"This is different!" Bruce protested. "My bath is over; I just need to get dressed."
"Fine," Diana relented, turning to leave. "I'll grab a few things while you sort yourself out."
She walked off, with Kathoom still perched on her shoulder.
"Traitor," Bruce muttered under his breath as he finally stood up in the water.
But a sudden realization made him freeze. He quickly sat back down.
Just in time.
The door burst open, and Diana stepped back inside.
"Oh, one more thing," she said, as if it were an afterthought.
"What weapon do you prefer?"
Bruce sighed inwardly.
"Anything works," he replied casually, keeping his composure.
From her perch, Kathoom looked visibly disappointed, clearly having tipped Diana off to return.
You won't catch me that easily, Bruce thought, smirking inwardly.
"Stay sharp then," Kathoom muttered in frustration.
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Once Diana had truly left, Bruce got dressed. The injuries Kathoom had inflicted on him had nearly healed, and his swollen face had finally returned to normal.
When Diana returned, she was fully equipped with all the iconic tools of Wonder Woman: the Godkiller sword, the Lasso of Truth, her indestructible bracelets, and her shield.
"How's that for preparation?"
Standing tall, Diana planted the Godkiller into the ground before her.
"We're ready to leave—"
She stopped mid-sentence, her eyes narrowing as she stared at Bruce's now unrecognizable face.
"Wait. Who are you?" she demanded, gripping the hilt of her sword.
"How did you get onto this island?"
"Hold on, wait!"
Bruce raised his hands, trying to prevent an unnecessary fight.
"It's me, Bruce! Don't you recognize me now that I'm dressed?"
"Bruce?"
Diana hesitated, her grip loosening slightly.
"But… weren't you all puffy-faced before?"
"That's because I was injured!" Bruce exclaimed, puffing his cheeks out. "See? Doesn't this look familiar?"
It did, indeed.
Diana studied him closely, her expression a mix of confusion and wonder.
"Is this what all men look like?" she asked, almost to herself.
"They're not so bad…"
Bruce wondered briefly what kind of impression he'd made before. He wisely kept the thought to himself.
"Probably not all men," he said diplomatically. "I'm… somewhat unique."
"Hmm." Diana didn't argue but quickly returned to the matter at hand.
"Anyway, we're ready to leave!" she declared.
"I have the Godkiller." She raised her sword proudly.
"I'll accompany you to the mortal world, find Ares, and destroy him!"
Her tone was filled with conviction, her vision clear.
To Diana, the world's corruption must have a root cause—a singular villain. Defeating him would restore balance and harmony.
Bruce didn't respond immediately.
Are we truly ready to leave so soon? he asked Kathoom in his mind.
Having barely spent any time on Themyscira, it felt premature to move on.
"Of course," Kathoom assured him.
"The real Godkiller is Diana herself. Our goal is straightforward: accompany her on her journey and support her."
Bruce understood.
If bringing Diana to the Harry Potter world was impossible, then earning her trust was the next best thing. By forging a bond, he could empower his Patronus with her image, creating a manifestation of Wonder Woman.
"Feels a bit like manipulating her," Bruce muttered.
"She's five thousand years old," Kathoom shot back.
"Do you think she wouldn't have left Themyscira without us?"
Without Bruce, Diana would've likely met Steve Trevor in a few years and left the island anyway.
"We're not exploiting anyone," Kathoom added.
"We're building a connection to save another world. And Bruce, if it comes down to it, I'm prepared to sacrifice your body."
"Excuse me?" Bruce recoiled.
"Not like that!" Kathoom clarified hastily. "I meant, you know… metaphorically."
Bruce sighed. So what's the goal?
"Win Diana over!" Kathoom said with an exaggerated grin.
"But not necessarily romantically. As long as she willingly chooses to guard you, it'll work."
Bruce nodded. This required sincerity. Diana's power could only be earned through genuine trust.
"Then let's go," he said, turning to Diana.
"You must have a solid plan for leaving the island, right?"
Diana grinned, her eyes lighting up with excitement.
"I do!" she declared triumphantly.
"We'll sneak into the docks… and steal a boat!"
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T/N: brilliant plan!!!! bravo bravo!
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— Ei