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In the lavish and ancient hall, countless exquisite dishes were laid out on the tables. Young and beautiful maids, with their curvaceous figures, constantly moved around serving drinks, a captivating sight.
Though electric lights were installed, they weren't switched on. Only numerous candles were lit, their flames flickering with every occasional movement.
An ancient villa, ancient customs, and ancient people.
Arcee shifted into her Battle Form, closely following Tony as they entered this castle-like building. Tony was well aware of his objective; his goal was not to annihilate the Court of Owls, as that would bring him no benefit. He might kill everyone and still not get what he wanted.
Ultimately, he would have to resort to coercion and enticement.
If they cooperated, then everything was negotiable. Tony would turn and leave, not returning easily, and the trouble of the Court of Owls would be left for Batman to handle himself. If not, then he would kill them one by one. Whether by capturing the old geezers or propping up proxies, as long as his goal was achieved, Tony would not hesitate to see his dirty methods through to the end.
The Court of Owls was more like a syndicate, confined to their small patch of Gotham City. If they stirred up trouble, it was Batman’s problem, not Tony’s. Tony didn’t care how underhanded the means were; he only cared if he could get what he wanted.
Tony disregarded the ancient, traditional dining etiquette. He casually picked at a piece of bacon, then gently put it down. He opened a bottle of wine stored for many years, smelled it, and then set it down again.
His actions were quite rude, even provocative.
The maids on both sides maintained placid expressions, looking straight ahead, showing no inappropriate emotions due to Tony's rudeness. Everyone stood with their chests out, deliberately displaying their ample and upright figures, and a hint of… anticipation? seemed to flicker in their eyes.
This was a rule of the ancient Falcone Family; any maid who dared to act improperly would have long been thrown out to feed the dogs. Only the sharp and sensible ones remained.
"Not quite accustomed to these foods? Understandable, my tastes are a bit different from modern people." Luigi Falcone, the Uranos the Undying of the Falcone Family, spoke to Tony in a tone befitting an old friend.
"I'm not here to eat." Tony wiped his mouth with his scarf, even though he hadn't eaten anything. He was very cautious; he only needed to get what he wanted. Excessive actions were meaningless.
No one knew what trump cards these ancient families might still possess.
Arcee stood beside Tony, while Optimus Prime and Devastator guarded outside, serving as a deterrent.
"The Dionysus Factor manufacturing Technology, and the Resurrection Springwater. Give me these two things, and I'll leave," Tony stated, glancing at the exceptionally low-key young man standing by.
Thomas Wayne II, Batman's younger brother.
Having Thomas come out to greet him was a meaning worth examining.
Thomas was born prematurely and, when frail, was sent to a local orphanage. Shortly after, news of the infant's death spread, leaving the Wayne Family heartbroken. Bruce, then a toddler under three, was too young to understand and had no deep memory of the event.
But in reality, Thomas hadn't died; he had been rescued by the Court of Owls.
Ever since, Thomas had been adopted, trained, and groomed by the Court of Owls into a powerful Talon.
The Court of Owls had always planned to replace the Wayne Family. Tony knew this clearly. The best plan was to wait for the opportune moment, directly eliminate Bruce, the sole heir, and then introduce Thomas, a direct descendant. Whether through blood tests or other means, Thomas would legitimately inherit the Wayne Family, ultimately replacing Bruce.
To let the Owl replace the Bat.
Tony subtly observed the composed Thomas. He was a young man, with traces of Bruce's features on his face. Luigi openly introduced Thomas, sending Tony an extremely important signal.
An alliance to rule Gotham City.
"Do you know, Mr. Tony, a year ago, the king of Gotham City was a junior from our Falcone Family, but unfortunately, he mysteriously went insane," Luigi shrugged, nonchalantly popping a piece of succulent beef into his mouth, a look of enjoyment on his face.
"The Court of Owls is the true ruler of Gotham City. While I don't know how you know so much about us, that's not important. What's important is that we can form an alliance. First, let me introduce you to an outstanding junior—Thomas Wayne, he..."
"Falcone, I'm not here to listen to this. I only care about my objective." Tony unceremoniously interrupted Luigi Falcone, growing impatient.
Rule Gotham City? After achieving his goal, he would be very willing to accept an offer of cooperation and would unhesitatingly use the Court of Owls as his base in Gotham City. But to try to get something for nothing, to treat him like a fool and push him out as a shield—Tony wasn't that naive.
"Give me what I want, and everything can be discussed. If not, I'll kill you right now and find someone who will cooperate with me," Tony stated.
Luigi, with his gray hair, had met many people over hundreds of years. The most troublesome were people like Tony, who wouldn't commit without seeing results. In the end, Luigi chose to compromise. After gesturing to Tony, he turned a teacup on the dining table.
At the far end of the hall, a door slowly opened in the wall.
Luigi stood up, symbolically holding his cane, and walked slowly. Tony quickly followed, grabbed Luigi, and, under the watchful eyes of the Talons, who were almost in open revolt in the shadows, dragged the old patriarch inside.
Luigi gave a wry smile.
"I will give you a copy of the Dionysus Factor manufacturing Technology. Actually, the most important thing is below; the Resurrection Springwater is the key," Luigi explained as they walked. "Hundreds of years ago, we discovered this mysterious springwater and were overjoyed. After gaining longevity, we secretly sealed it away, periodically refining it to create Talons."
"The origin of this springwater remains a mystery; we haven't found any clues about its source to this day. We only know that it regenerates continuously, roughly on a century-long cycle."
The two reached the lowest level, where a deep, dark spring quietly flowed in a pool. The springwater seemed to possess some eerie Magic Power, drawing one's entire mind into it, making one long to completely immerse oneself. Around the spring, there was not a single weed or insect, and a dense aura of death permeated the air, making Tony's hair stand on end.
A bizarre springwater.
Tony frowned slightly. He was growing increasingly suspicious that this springwater might truly originate from the Hell Dimension.
The comics only offered a few vague descriptions of this Resurrection Springwater's origin. Tony vaguely remembered that it seemed to be connected to the most powerful Archdemon Trigon… If he were to target this springwater, would a formidable Archdemon immediately cross Dimensions to eliminate him? That hellish place didn't just contain Mephisto, who often played the fool; there were many others far more terrifying than him. The most powerful among them might even be beyond the Sorcerer Supreme's ability to defeat.
It was true that the Sorcerer Supreme constantly monitored Earth's Dimensional portals, but would she arrive in time to rescue him?
(end of chapter)
Though electric lights were installed, they weren't switched on. Only numerous candles were lit, their flames flickering with every occasional movement.
An ancient villa, ancient customs, and ancient people.
Arcee shifted into her Battle Form, closely following Tony as they entered this castle-like building. Tony was well aware of his objective; his goal was not to annihilate the Court of Owls, as that would bring him no benefit. He might kill everyone and still not get what he wanted.
Ultimately, he would have to resort to coercion and enticement.
If they cooperated, then everything was negotiable. Tony would turn and leave, not returning easily, and the trouble of the Court of Owls would be left for Batman to handle himself. If not, then he would kill them one by one. Whether by capturing the old geezers or propping up proxies, as long as his goal was achieved, Tony would not hesitate to see his dirty methods through to the end.
The Court of Owls was more like a syndicate, confined to their small patch of Gotham City. If they stirred up trouble, it was Batman’s problem, not Tony’s. Tony didn’t care how underhanded the means were; he only cared if he could get what he wanted.
Tony disregarded the ancient, traditional dining etiquette. He casually picked at a piece of bacon, then gently put it down. He opened a bottle of wine stored for many years, smelled it, and then set it down again.
His actions were quite rude, even provocative.
The maids on both sides maintained placid expressions, looking straight ahead, showing no inappropriate emotions due to Tony's rudeness. Everyone stood with their chests out, deliberately displaying their ample and upright figures, and a hint of… anticipation? seemed to flicker in their eyes.
This was a rule of the ancient Falcone Family; any maid who dared to act improperly would have long been thrown out to feed the dogs. Only the sharp and sensible ones remained.
"Not quite accustomed to these foods? Understandable, my tastes are a bit different from modern people." Luigi Falcone, the Uranos the Undying of the Falcone Family, spoke to Tony in a tone befitting an old friend.
"I'm not here to eat." Tony wiped his mouth with his scarf, even though he hadn't eaten anything. He was very cautious; he only needed to get what he wanted. Excessive actions were meaningless.
No one knew what trump cards these ancient families might still possess.
Arcee stood beside Tony, while Optimus Prime and Devastator guarded outside, serving as a deterrent.
"The Dionysus Factor manufacturing Technology, and the Resurrection Springwater. Give me these two things, and I'll leave," Tony stated, glancing at the exceptionally low-key young man standing by.
Thomas Wayne II, Batman's younger brother.
Having Thomas come out to greet him was a meaning worth examining.
Thomas was born prematurely and, when frail, was sent to a local orphanage. Shortly after, news of the infant's death spread, leaving the Wayne Family heartbroken. Bruce, then a toddler under three, was too young to understand and had no deep memory of the event.
But in reality, Thomas hadn't died; he had been rescued by the Court of Owls.
Ever since, Thomas had been adopted, trained, and groomed by the Court of Owls into a powerful Talon.
The Court of Owls had always planned to replace the Wayne Family. Tony knew this clearly. The best plan was to wait for the opportune moment, directly eliminate Bruce, the sole heir, and then introduce Thomas, a direct descendant. Whether through blood tests or other means, Thomas would legitimately inherit the Wayne Family, ultimately replacing Bruce.
To let the Owl replace the Bat.
Tony subtly observed the composed Thomas. He was a young man, with traces of Bruce's features on his face. Luigi openly introduced Thomas, sending Tony an extremely important signal.
An alliance to rule Gotham City.
"Do you know, Mr. Tony, a year ago, the king of Gotham City was a junior from our Falcone Family, but unfortunately, he mysteriously went insane," Luigi shrugged, nonchalantly popping a piece of succulent beef into his mouth, a look of enjoyment on his face.
"The Court of Owls is the true ruler of Gotham City. While I don't know how you know so much about us, that's not important. What's important is that we can form an alliance. First, let me introduce you to an outstanding junior—Thomas Wayne, he..."
"Falcone, I'm not here to listen to this. I only care about my objective." Tony unceremoniously interrupted Luigi Falcone, growing impatient.
Rule Gotham City? After achieving his goal, he would be very willing to accept an offer of cooperation and would unhesitatingly use the Court of Owls as his base in Gotham City. But to try to get something for nothing, to treat him like a fool and push him out as a shield—Tony wasn't that naive.
"Give me what I want, and everything can be discussed. If not, I'll kill you right now and find someone who will cooperate with me," Tony stated.
Luigi, with his gray hair, had met many people over hundreds of years. The most troublesome were people like Tony, who wouldn't commit without seeing results. In the end, Luigi chose to compromise. After gesturing to Tony, he turned a teacup on the dining table.
At the far end of the hall, a door slowly opened in the wall.
Luigi stood up, symbolically holding his cane, and walked slowly. Tony quickly followed, grabbed Luigi, and, under the watchful eyes of the Talons, who were almost in open revolt in the shadows, dragged the old patriarch inside.
Luigi gave a wry smile.
"I will give you a copy of the Dionysus Factor manufacturing Technology. Actually, the most important thing is below; the Resurrection Springwater is the key," Luigi explained as they walked. "Hundreds of years ago, we discovered this mysterious springwater and were overjoyed. After gaining longevity, we secretly sealed it away, periodically refining it to create Talons."
"The origin of this springwater remains a mystery; we haven't found any clues about its source to this day. We only know that it regenerates continuously, roughly on a century-long cycle."
The two reached the lowest level, where a deep, dark spring quietly flowed in a pool. The springwater seemed to possess some eerie Magic Power, drawing one's entire mind into it, making one long to completely immerse oneself. Around the spring, there was not a single weed or insect, and a dense aura of death permeated the air, making Tony's hair stand on end.
A bizarre springwater.
Tony frowned slightly. He was growing increasingly suspicious that this springwater might truly originate from the Hell Dimension.
The comics only offered a few vague descriptions of this Resurrection Springwater's origin. Tony vaguely remembered that it seemed to be connected to the most powerful Archdemon Trigon… If he were to target this springwater, would a formidable Archdemon immediately cross Dimensions to eliminate him? That hellish place didn't just contain Mephisto, who often played the fool; there were many others far more terrifying than him. The most powerful among them might even be beyond the Sorcerer Supreme's ability to defeat.
It was true that the Sorcerer Supreme constantly monitored Earth's Dimensional portals, but would she arrive in time to rescue him?
(end of chapter)
