Darkseid sat on the throne. Although he was already much taller than the three before him, this physical height indeed granted him more confidence.
Of course, Darkseid was not someone lacking in self-confidence; the problem was he genuinely didn't understand the plans of the Justice League now. What exactly were these three here for?
Persuasion to surrender was out of the question. Otherwise, given their nature, they would have shouted from outside the shield long ago. It was also impossible that they disguised friendliness to assassinate him—the entire cosmos knew he was invincible on Apocalypse Star, not even the Little Blue People could think of such a foolish plan, much less Batman.
Having ruled out all impossible answers, what remains must be the truth. But this truth had circled around Darkseid's mind dozens of times, never landing within the realm he could trust, instead spreading its wings towards absurd conclusions.
"We are here to discuss cooperation with you." Primary Universe Batman spoke, nearly frightening Desaad next to him into stumbling.
Fortunately, Desaad's speed of falling down the steps was quick enough to cover up Darkseid's momentary shock, preventing him from disgracing himself in front of the Justice League. Darkseid steadied his mind and said, "Cooperate with me? Batman, isn't this another one of your conspiracies…"
"Battleworld." Primary Universe Batman coldly spat out a single word. Darkseid's hand on the armrest clenched instantly.
"I know you've always been spying on Battleworld but couldn't find a way. I can tell you, that place cannot be accessed by any conventional means. Without an invitation, even if you dominated the cosmos, it would be futile."
Primary Universe Batman spoke in a rather mocking tone: "But coincidentally, all three of us can get in, my adoptive son can get in, and even the Commissioner of the Gotham Police Department can get in."
As Batman made the comparison, Darkseid's expression grew darker. Finally unable to endure, he stood and roared in a deep voice, "Batman!"
"Don't rush." Primary Universe Batman continued, "Just because you can't enter, doesn't mean you can't contact it. To be precise, you have other methods to contact the multiverse."
"What methods?"
"Through me." Primary Universe Batman fearlessly met Darkseid's gaze and said, "Previously, over the Anti-Life Equation, we exchanged a few moves, fortunately with no casualties. Neither of us managed to take anything useful from the other. I'd say this round was barely a draw, you'd agree, right?"
Darkseid's face remained stern, but he wasn't without poise. From his perspective, admitting to a draw with a mere human was indeed embarrassing, but the fact that Batman could stand confidently before him proved this guy wasn't an ordinary human. If Earth counted as a domain, then he'd be the King of Earth.
"A hero doesn't dwell on past glories." Primary Universe Batman continued, "I also acknowledge you as a worthy opponent, not only matched with me in knowledge and strategy but also possessing divine power and the domain of Apocalypse. Otherwise, I would not be negotiating in this manner."
Darkseid reminded himself that this was merely the cunning Batman's verbal trap, yet a slight pride undeniably rose within him. Despite the thousands of Great Generals on Apocalypse Star fawning over him, none could match the satisfaction brought by Batman's words.
Because he had clashed with Batman before, Darkseid understood that Batman was an extremely efficient individual. Anyone he could manipulate, he would directly choose to control rather than engage in reasoning, very proficient at leaving others no choice.
But today he still came, and he brought along two of his companions. Though they seemed like bodyguards, they actually resembled more of an act of goodwill.
Darkseid also knew that the companions of the Justice League were his assets, as well as his vulnerabilities. Batman didn't need the Justice League as much; he could accomplish 100% of things in this world alone, even 120% in most cases. The Justice League provided him more mental solace than physical help. Batman would never let his friends come to harm.
But today he brought two individuals at once, and this was not merely a sign of respect for Darkseid's strength but even a praise of his character—similar to "I know you, a rightful monarch, would not harm my friends, so I bring them."
Even Desaad never used the term "upright and straightforward" when flattering Darkseid. But Batman demonstrated with his actions: I acknowledge you as an upright and straightforward monarch.
Darkseid reminded himself ad infinitum that this was moral coercion, yet his mouth seemed to have its own thoughts.
"I am indeed surprised you brought friends." He stood behind the throne with hands behind his back and said, "But I am even more surprised by your understanding of me. To me, this war is nothing; I just want to show all who dare challenge me that they will never get what they want. But at the same time, I am also able to assure those who believe in me that cooperating with the right person yields a hundredfold, a thousandfold return. So, tell me what you intend, Batman."
"I want to eliminate the Guardians of the Universe." Primary Universe Batman's voice echoed within the expansive palace, cold enough to make even Darkseid shudder.
"Do you know what you're talking about?" Desaad was the first to speak, "The Guardians of the Universe are at least a hundred million times more advanced than the Earth you inhabit. They are an ancient race from the dawn of the cosmos, having discovered the Emotional Spectrum early on and established the Lantern Corps. To this day, they remain one of the most powerful races in the universe."
"If they weren't, why would I want to destroy them?"
At that moment, Darkseid heard his heartbeat echoing like drumbeats within his chest. He licked his slightly dry lips and said, "Yeah, if they weren't so strong, why would I bother fighting them?"
For a moment, Desaad couldn't quite grasp what his boss meant, but being very smart, he chose a perspective that wouldn't be wrong, "No matter what your ambition, the Justice League can't do it. I know you want to mention the Apocalypse Army, but fighting the Lantern Corps doesn't mean we're going against the Guardians. After all, the Emotional Spectrum is the origin power of the cosmos, and those Lantern heroes are merely vessels; no matter how many of them die, they won't care. We are not enemies, so it's best not to think about using Your Majesty."
"Cooperation is mutual exploitation." Primary Universe Batman instantly overturned Desaad's previous statement, "Trust me, the benefits I gain from using you won't exceed those you gain from using me. I'm just a street-level hero from Earth; I'm not the one who's looking to conquer the universe."
Darkseid's fingers moved again. He certainly understood what Batman was saying. Batman is a guardian-type hero; as long as you don't do anything too outrageous, he won't actively oppose you.
Even when Darkseid wanted to take the Anti-Life Equation from him, he only mounted very limited counterattacks. Whether you say he's conserving strength or just reacting to stimuli, ultimately, Batman never intended to rule the universe. The ambition to govern the universe always belonged to Darkseid.
The greater the ambition, the more power is needed to support it. That's why Darkseid has been waging war across the universe, destroying civilizations, and finding every means to increase his strength. Therefore, by eliminating such a powerful civilization as the Guardians of the Universe, Darkseid would undoubtedly gain more benefits than Batman.
So only one question remains. Darkseid opened his mouth to ask, "Do you have a way?"
He didn't even bother to ask why Batman would want to do this or how they would split the spoils afterward because both of them knew that in such questions, whatever is said now doesn't count — only when the meat is bitten down and fought over does each show their skill.
"Yes," Primary Universe Batman said confidently, "I can make the Lantern Corps turn against themselves."
Even Darkseid couldn't help but gasp. He carefully observed Batman's expression, yet beneath the mask, as usual, there was only darkness, but the tone was far from joking.
Darkseid, too, is very astute; he immediately thought of Green Lantern Hal Jordan. His fingers fumbled on his ring for a moment, then said, "Through that little Green Lantern? I must say, he does have some skill, capable of holding his own against Kindly Granny's army. But he alone is not enough."
"Not through him, but through the foolishness of the Guardians of the Universe." Primary Universe Batman said, "Let's put it this way; even if we do nothing now and maintain the status quo for a while, the Lantern Corps under the Guardians of the Universe will tear itself apart. If you put a little pressure on them in the middle of the battle, you'll see fireworks in no time."
Darkseid squinted his eyes. He didn't know if he should trust Batman's judgment. In fact, as both a king and a strategist, he sometimes didn't quite understand the operations of the Lantern Corps — they don't leave when they should, stay when they shouldn't, and so many sacrifices are wasted.
But Darkseid himself is a tyrant, and he doesn't have any real subjects, only generals and Type Demons. Those generals born in the Apocalypse Domain are inherently loyal to him, and whether the Type Demons are loyal or not doesn't matter. So he's really not good at grasping the complex thoughts of emotionally rich intelligent life, and he lacks understanding of the unrest brewing within the Lantern Corps.
"Are you saying the Lantern Corps is somewhat dissatisfied with the Guardians of the Universe?"
"'Somewhat' is probably not accurate." Primary Universe Batman shook his head, "They're already very dissatisfied now. If we both make a move, it's enough to ignite the flames of rebellion."
Darkseid had to admit he was tempted. On the road to universal domination, time is of the essence—stagnation itself is akin to regression, and a year's stalemate has been long enough.
This is a one-way road; no matter how many obstacles lie ahead, they must be addressed one by one. The Guardians of the Universe are inevitable adversaries to be dealt with sooner or later. If he misses this chance when Batman is willing to assist, who knows how much effort it would take on this issue afterward?
The Guardians of the Universe are not easy to deal with; even for Darkseid, there's no guaranteed victory. Whether adding Batman raises the odds slightly or more significantly, it's an excellent opportunity — miss this village, there's no inn.
"To be precise, this isn't really cooperation; it's me asking for your help." Primary Universe Batman said, "If you are willing to help me, I can offer further compensation. Although it may not be effective in the short term, you will not regret your choice."
Darkseid indeed piqued some interest. He asked, "What compensation?"
"Do you remember the Battleworld I mentioned earlier? I can tell you that things aren't peaceful within the Multiverse either. Without a ticket to engage in Multiverse matters, you can only go through me. And I can lead our universe to a higher position."