Chapter 71: Unlucky Steppenwolf
Pulling back his X-ray vision, Kal spoke slowly.
"The Mother Box has appeared at an abandoned nuclear power plant on the Russian border."
"And the other one?"
"It's with me!"
An unfamiliar voice suddenly came from outside the door.
Turning to look, the group saw a Black man covered in cybernetic implants walk in, carrying a parcel.
"Dammit. I spent millions of dollars on a security system, and someone breaks in this easily."
Bruce felt a bit helpless, feeling that the expensive, advanced security system was useless.
"Victor Stone!"
Diana and the others were surprised, while Barry and Bruce were seeing Cyborg in person for the first time.
Kal wasn't surprised; he had already seen Cyborg flying over earlier.
"Nothing connected to the network holds any secrets from me, and your security system is actually pretty good!"
Victor said calmly.
"You're the teammate I've never met before?"
The The Flash, Barry Allen, stepped forward excitedly.
Victor glanced at Barry Allen.
"I don't know if I'll be your teammate, but we certainly haven't met. Also, you act like we're old friends!"
"Oh, alright."
Victor nodded to the group and casually placed the Mother Box in his hand onto the table.
He looked at the Parademons in the projection.
"These things showed up near my home. They were looking for the Mother Box, but I caught them in time."
"I'm probably exposed now, considering my current appearance was caused by this thing."
Kal smiled.
"Then you don't need to worry, because we're going to find them right now and take the Mother Box back."
Ding-dong!
The doorbell rang outside the entrance, and a burly, heavily tattooed man appeared on a nearby screen.
"Is this Aquaman? He looks like a mob boss!"
The The Flash was still poking fun at his teammate's look.
Bruce pressed a button and opened the main door.
Aquaman Arthur walked in, holding a trident in his hand.
"Count me in!"
He walked straight up to everyone and glanced at Bruce, who looked a bit surprised.
"They broke into the ocean depths and stole the Mother Box."
"Honestly, I don't know how useful the Mother Box is, but they hurt Mera, so I think I ought to do something."
"Bring back the Mother Box and avenge Mera."
He said all this in one breath and waited for their reaction.
"Alright, I admit I shouldn't have turned down your invitation back then, but now I need your help to reclaim the Mother Box guarded by Atlantis."
Seeing everyone staring straight at him, he suddenly felt a bit embarrassed.
"If you miss your thirty thousand dollars, I can give it back to you."
"Haha..."
Everyone laughed in unison.
"Alright, no need for that. Thirty thousand dollars takes me less than a second to make."
"It looks like our Justice League is finally all here now."
"Get ready for a big fight!"
"I'll make that two-horned monster taste my trident."
Aquaman Arthur bounced his trident in his hand.
"Is your spear really that powerful?"
Arthur looked at the The Flash expressionlessly.
"This is a trident, my mother's weapon, forged from a tough Atlantean metal. It's not a spear."
"Oh, alright, my slip of the tongue."
Barry quickly apologized; Aquaman's glare was terrifying.
Meanwhile, at the abandoned nuclear power plant on the Russian border.
The area was covered in a barrier, with countless winged Parademons flying around in the sky.
Inside a vast hall, Steppenwolf respectfully knelt on one knee.
A projection of Darkseid stood before him.
"Master, your servant Steppenwolf is prepared to welcome your arrival on Earth."
Darkseid stared at Steppenwolf.
"What have you discovered on Earth?"
"Master, Earth has two Kryptonians. They gathered some superpowered beings to form the Justice League."
He paused.
"There are also some ordinary superpowered humans. They are all obstacles to our conquest of Earth."
Darkseid was not intimidated by this.
In his eyes, those ordinary superpowered beings could not affect the outcome of the war at all; the final victory or defeat would still be determined between him and the Kryptonians.
"Have you found the Mother Box?"
Steppenwolf raised his head to look at Darkseid, his eyes clear.
"Master, I snatched a Mother Box in Atlantis. As for the Amazon Mother Box, a Kryptonian is guarding it."
"The other one is in the human world. To avoid exposure, I didn't search thoroughly there."
"However, I found out that the Mother Box is related to the humans' S.T.A.R. Labs."
"Very good!"
Darkseid nodded.
Steppenwolf felt a sense of urgency at this moment; the Kryptonians were likely close to finding this place.
He had to have his master arrive as soon as possible.
"Master, your subordinate has discovered the Anti-Life Equation carved into the surface of Earth."
"Hm? The Anti-Life Equation is on Earth?"
Darkseid suddenly turned his head.
"Yes, my master. Through the power of the Mother Box, I discovered that the Anti-Life Equation is carved into the surface of Earth."
"Very good. I will lead the forces of Apokolips to descend upon Earth as soon as possible."
"Your mission is complete. I permit you to temporarily retreat and prepare to receive the forces of Apokolips."
The news of finding the Anti-Life Equation drove Darkseidinto total excitement.
Now he cared about nothing else. As long as he obtained the Anti-Life Equation, he could easily destroy and control any living organism.
Even the Kryptonians might not be beyond his control.
The Mother Box was an artifact of Apokolips and was very important to him.
But the Anti-Life Equation was something he had been desperately searching for even more.
With it in his possession, his conquest of the universe would accelerate tremendously, free of any remaining obstacles.
This time, he was determined to thoroughly conquer Earth and acquire the Anti-Life Equation.
Steppenwolf could hardly wait now as well.
He could finally retreat from Earth. Without Darkseidpresent, he had been forced to tread cautiously on this planet inhabited by two Kryptonians.
Now, he could finally avoid the Kryptonians.
Darkseid's projection vanished, and Steppenwolfimmediately activated a Boom Tube holding the Mother Box.
Looking at the pillar of light shooting straight into the sky before him, Steppenwolf slowly stepped forward.
Bang!
With a loud boom, the dome-shaped barrier shattered instantly.
Instinctively looking up, Steppenwolf saw a black figure arrive like lightning.
Bang!
Having no time to dodge at all, a fist slammed into the armor on his chest in an instant.
Pain surged through him as his body flew backward uncontrollably, bent completely out of shape.
Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang!
His body smashed through every obstacle at a terrifying speed, plowing right through the middle of the nuclear power plant irresistibly.
Countless steel installations snapped, and sturdy structures shattered one after another under the impact of his body.
The entire nuclear power plant was split in two by his body.
Bang!
Boom!
With a final loud crash, another explosion erupted inside the nuclear power plant.
Kal stood silently high in the sky, his cape fluttering in the wind.
Staring at the earth plowed open by Steppenwolf's body and the destruction inflicted on the nuclear power plant, the The Flash's eyes widened inside the batwing.
Aquaman and Cyborg were also shocked and shaken.
This destructive power was far too insane!
Could they withstand even a single punch?
They'd probably die, wouldn't they?
Chapter 72: Overwhelming Might
With Kal-El's strike, the Mother Box flew out of Steppenwolf's hand and was tossed high into the air.
Bang!
Clark dropped from the sky, crashing heavily onto the ground.
The batwing also began to land, and Diana jumped down from it.
Bruce, Barry, Victor, and Arthur emerged one after another.
The surrounding Parademons noticed the arrival of Kal-El and the others, immediately swarming toward them in overwhelming numbers.
Countless Parademons spread their wings, blotting out the sky like a living dark cloud.
The sky grew dark.
"My god, how long is it going to take to kill them all?"
Aquaman felt immense pressure as he looked at the Parademons swarming from the sky.
"It's nothing."
Kal-El spoke calmly, and two golden beams suddenly shot from his eyes.
Omega Beams!
Bang! Bang! Bang—!
The beams ripped through the Parademons at extreme speed, and any Parademon they touched instantly popped like bubbles.
Bang! Bang! Bang—!
The beams continuously changed direction, forming a square barrier of countless lines around Kal-El and the others.
All the swarming Parademons were instantly disintegrated, as if they had suddenly vanished into thin air.
Bang! Bang! Bang—!
The Parademons knew no fear, throwing themselves forward wave after wave, only to be instantly disintegrated into molecules, completely powerless to resist.
In an instant, the surrounding area cleared, and sunlight beamed through once again.
The army of Parademons that had blotted out the sky was completely gone.
"What is that?"
Bruce and the others were completely dumbfounded, and Clark also frowned slightly.
'We are both Kryptonians, so why are you so much stronger than me?'
Kal-El smiled slightly.
"The Omega Beams can disintegrate all matter, rearranging its molecular structure and reducing everything to a molecular state."
Aquaman looked at Kal-El, gripping the trident in his hand tightly.
"I thought we were going to have a big fight, but I didn't expect it to end just like that. I have to admit, you really are a bit stronger than me."
Kal-El didn't mind Aquaman's stubbornness, instead turning his gaze toward the distant ruins.
Boom! Boom!
Amidst the ruins of the nuclear power plant, a tall figure slowly emerged.
Steppenwolf stumbled out.
By now, his bright silver armor was battered and broken, and his body was covered in blood.
"Kryptonian!"
He was filled with rage.
He was only one step away from using the Boom Tube to hide for a while, but he hadn't expected to be stopped by a Kryptonian.
He shouldn't have been so focused on atonement, going to Atlantis to seize the Mother Box.
Now it had led to premature exposure.
Looking at Kal-El in his black suit not far away, and Clark in his red and blue suit beside him, Steppenwolf suddenly felt at a loss.
The group slowly stepped forward, completely surrounding Steppenwolf.
Steppenwolf didn't care much about the others, but the arrival of two Kryptonians was thinking highly of him indeed.
"You shouldn't have come to Earth."
Kal-El stepped forward slowly, a fierce aura erupting from him.
Steppenwolf retreated slowly, looking at Kal-El and Clark, unsure of what to do.
"The army of Apokolips will eventually descend. Darkseidwill arrive very soon."
Steppenwolf was unwilling, but there was nothing he could do.
He forced himself to pull out his battle axe.
"Steppenwolf will never yield!"
He suddenly raised his battle axe, stomped hard on the ground, and leapt into the high sky.
Leaping high into the air, he used all his strength to swing his battle axe down at Kal-El.
Clang!
Kal-El tilted his head, looking at the battle axe struck against his shoulder.
"Too weak!"
Kal-El suddenly clapped his hands hard against the battle axe.
Bang!
The seemingly indestructible battle axe instantly shattered into pieces and scattered on the ground.
Steppenwolf still wanted to resist, but a fist grew larger and larger in his vision.
A heavy punch struck his chest!
Bang!
"Ah!"
Steppenwolf's body instantly flew backward, traveling through the air at a terrifying speed.
In a The Flash, Clark appeared behind Steppenwolf.
Looking at the oncoming Steppenwolf, he immediately hovered in the air.
"Just in time."
Facing Steppenwolf's body, he suddenly delivered a front kick directly to Steppenwolf's back.
Bang!
With another loud bang, Steppenwolf's body flew off at a terrifying speed once more.
Diana drew her sacred sword and suddenly leapt up from the ground.
"Ya!"
The moment Steppenwolf's body flew past, she swung her hands down, and her sacred sword successfully sliced through Steppenwolf's neck.
Slash!
"Ugh..."
As the sacred sword swept past, Steppenwolf's eyes instantly widened.
"Heh... heh..."
His head suddenly separated from his body and flew far away.
By the time Aquaman reacted, the trident in his hand had already heavily impaled Steppenwolf's corpse.
Splat!
Looking at the headless corpse before him, Aquaman looked at Diana in surprise and shook his head.
"I didn't even get to do anything!"
Diana smiled.
For some reason, she felt like Steppenwolf's head was particularly easy to chop off.
So satisfying!
"You really are a fierce warrior!"
Aquaman didn't know what else to say, so he just offered a casual compliment.
The The Flash, Cyborg, and the others also nodded in agreement.
Who would have thought that such a beautiful and sexy female warrior would fight in such a simple and brutal way.
Chopping off Steppenwolf's head with a single strike of her sword.
Whoosh!
The The Flash suddenly vanished, reappearing in the blink of an eye.
Holding a Mother Box in his hands.
"Who should we give this to?"
Bruce looked at Kal-El.
"Why don't we leave it with the Justice League for now? I don't think anyone can take a Mother Box away from the Justice League."
"That's a good suggestion."
Steppenwolf had been dealt with, but everyone still didn't let their guard down.
Because Steppenwolf had revealed an important piece of information before his death.
Darkseid would descend upon Earth in person, along with an endless army of Parademons.
This matter weighed heavily on Bruce's mind, preventing him from relaxing even for a moment.
But regardless, the storm caused by Steppenwolf had finally died down for the time being.
Manhattan, El Manor, Gravity Training Room.
Kal-El, wearing a Kryptonite Limiter and Gravity Rings, was sweating profusely under a hundred times normal gravity.
Bang!
Kal-El threw a heavy punch, and an invisible shockwave instantly slammed into the alloy wall in front of him.
Bang!
With a violent boom, the alloy wall dented instantly, leaving a clear fistprint on it.
Kal-El withdrew his fist, calmed his breathing, and walked along the corridor toward the low-gravity zone.
Leaving the training area, Diana, who had already finished her training, was waiting there.
She stepped forward and handed him a bottle of water.
"Bruce just sent word. There's something unusual he wants to discuss with us."
Kal-El took a sip of water.
"He sure is proactive!"
Diana smiled.
"He is the busiest one in our Justice League, always keeping an eye out for potential threats."
"While you are busy training, and the rest of us have our own things to do."
"Bruce feels that since he has no superpowers and his combat strength won't improve significantly, he should take charge of the Justice League's miscellaneous affairs."
Kal-El smiled.
"Bruce is always like that, always wanting to do more."
After showering and changing into casual clothes, Kal-El and Diana immediately drove to the League's base.
Around the round table, everyone took their seats, and Aquaman kept pouring alcohol into his mouth.
Bruce stepped forward and turned on the projector, and a set of images immediately appeared on the screen.
The images showed a vast ocean, with mountains of garbage piled up along the coastlines.
Bruce looked at the group.
"This situation has occurred in basically every country with a coastline."
"So much garbage. This is highly unusual."
"Arthur, you might know something about this."
Chapter 73: The Problem with Philadelphia's Good-for-Nothing
Arthur took another swig of his drink.
"My brother Orm did this. He wants to lead the Ocean Kingdom to declare war on humanity, and this is just the first step."
The The Flash quickly swallowed the snack in his mouth.
"Wait, he wants to declare war on humanity? Has he considered us, the Justice League?"
"Even if he ignores us, has he considered the Justice Society, or the various human metahumans?"
Aquaman quietly looked at Barry Allen without answering.
Barry spoke again.
"What about humanity's nuclear weapons, nuclear submarines, and missiles? Has he considered those?"
Arthur shrugged.
"Probably not. My brain-dead brother never considers the consequences."
Clark handed another bottle of beer to Aquaman.
"Thanks!"
He popped the cap off and gulped it down!
"So, can you handle it?"
"Don't worry, I'll stop him!"
Arthur flashed an OK sign.
Kael slowly shook his head, looking at Arthur with doubt.
"But I heard you've been hunted by a pirate lately."
Diana couldn't help laughing out loud. She looked at Arthur seriously.
"If you need help, just say so. We'd be happy to lend a hand."
"Cough, cough!"
Arthur spat out his beer.
"That wasn't a pirate! They were more like mercenaries!"
The The Flash quietly leaned over to Cyborg.
"Doesn't seem like much of a difference?"
Cyborg gently rested his hand on his chin, masking the twitch at the corner of his mouth.
"So you were beaten black and blue by a pirate with no chance to fight back?"
Kael shook his head exaggeratedly.
"This will make people think our Justice League is a bunch of folks who can't even handle pirates."
Bruce mused for a moment, then walked over to Arthur as well.
He reached out and patted Arthur's shoulder.
"We're a team. Asking teammates for help is normal and not embarrassing. No one is laughing at you."
Arthur immediately turned his head to look at Kael.
Kael merely chuckled.
"I didn't mean to laugh at you. I genuinely want to be of help."
"But you were clearly mocking me just now."
"Actually, I wanted to ask if you know Blue Silver Entanglement? If you knew Blue Silver Entanglement, your combat ability wouldn't be so weak."
"Blue Silver Entanglement? What the hell is that?"
"A powerful skill. Looks like you don't know it!"
"That sounds childish, like wrapping someone up with rope. So stupid!"
Arthur shook his head; it sounded silly to him.
"Although humans keep dumping garbage into the ocean, your brother could have established an equal dialogue with humanity. His methods are too radical."
Bruce looked seriously at Arthur.
"If you can't prevent war between the Ocean Kingdom and humanity, the Justice League won't sit idly by."
Arthur promised earnestly.
"Leave it to me. I'll teach him a lesson and show him that his big brother is not to be messed with."
"That's for the best!"
...
In Philadelphia, a massive dome suddenly covered the sky above the city.
The Justice League gathered once again.
"What happened in Philadelphia? The whole city has fallen into chaos."
"This must be trouble caused by Billy Batson!"
"Billy Batson?"
"That's Shazam!"
The few of them immediately understood.
"Ah, that funny kid!"
"Should we go check it out? I really doubt that kid can solve this."
Bruce was as doubtful of Billy's abilities as ever.
"I believe he can handle it, but the city might need us to help guard it."
The The Flash looked toward an empty seat nearby.
"So... don't we need to notify Aquaman?"
Clark smiled.
"He's busy dealing with pirates and matching wits with his brother lately. He has no time for this!"
Taking the batwing, the team immediately headed for Philadelphia.
Barry looked at the massive dome-shaped barrier below in amazement.
"This must be magic. It doesn't look like a physical barrier."
"It is magic, but it can also be broken with brute force."
Kael looked at Clark.
Clark nodded, suddenly clenching his fist and slamming it against the barrier.
Bang—!
With a loud explosion, dense cracks appeared where Clark's fist struck.
Bang! Bang! Bang—!
The cracks continued to spread outward.
Crack!
With a crisp snap, the barrier—capable of withstanding a dragon's breath—suddenly shattered outward from Clark's fist.
The group looked down at the city, where dense branches covered the entire area, even climbing up skyscrapers.
Countless terrifying-looking fruits had appeared beside the branches.
Squelch! Squelch!
One fruit after another burst open, and hideous monsters crawled out from within.
Roar! Roar! Roar—!
The monsters roared into the sky and excitedly pounced on the nearest crowds.
"Aren't we going down to help?"
"Of course, that's what we're here for!"
Vroom—!
With a roar, Bruce charged out from the aircraft in the batmobile, the roof-mounted machine guns firing continuously.
Rat-tat-tat! Rat-tat-tat—!
A continuous hail of bullets swept relentlessly toward the monsters.
Roar! Roar! Roar—!
The monsters roared and charged forward, blood spraying from their chests in bursts.
Their bodies were easily blasted away by the metal storm of bullets.
Bang!
With a loud explosion and intense pain, a Minotaurinstantly exploded into a mist of green blood.
"That's a pretty disgusting way to die."
The The Flash couldn't help but comment upon seeing this.
He didn't attack the monsters, choosing instead to streak through the city using the Speed Force.
Swoosh!
A Harpy grabbed a child and suddenly opened its wide maw, sharp fangs glinting with a terrifying cold light.
Nom!
Crack!
It bit down hard, but intense pain shot through its teeth as cracks rapidly spiderwebbed across them.
Clack!
It moved its mouth, and shattered teeth crumbled inside.
It stared blankly at its hands—the food had vanished!
Slash!
A The Flash of sword light gleamed, and its head slid off its shoulders, the clean cut releasing not a single drop of blood.
Diana didn't pause, her figure darting and weaving, turning into an uninterrupted blur of motion.
She continuously charged forward.
In a single step, she covered tens of meters and appeared directly before the monsters.
Bang!
Bang!
Bang!
Every move she made was imbued with immense divine power, tearing countless roaring monsters to shreds.
Clark hovered in midair, constantly flying and patrolling across the city.
Heat Vision shot from his eyes in rapid, laser-like bursts.
Roar!
Bang! Bang! Bang!
Every attack hit its mark with dead accuracy; the moment the monsters were struck by the Heat Vision, they blew apart helplessly.
Not even a speck of blood was left behind!
Cyborg used the energy cannon on his arm to blast the monsters repeatedly, high-energy blasts constantly exploding among the horde.
"Look! It's the Justice League!"
Darla stopped in her tracks, standing in a corner with her siblings to watch the heroes battle the monsters.
Roar, roar, roar!
The monsters fell into disarray and began scrambling to flee backward.
Bang!
Bang! Bang!
Kael threw punches from a distance, his immense power compressing air into shockwaves that bombarded the monsters relentlessly.
Chapter 74: Aquaman Wants to Be King?
The Bio-electric Field condensed the surrounding air onto his fist.
He threw a punch.
Powerful airwaves continually shot outward in all directions with him as the center.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
Thump!
Thump!
The surrounding monsters collapsed one after another, yet not a single scar was visible on their bodies.
Great, this move will be called the Air Shockwave Punch!
But the surrounding monsters were still continuously spawning from the World Tree.
High in the air, Billy was locked in a struggle with the goddess of vengeance, Calypso.
Bruce suddenly stopped beside Karo.
"Karo, we need to destroy the World Tree, otherwise these monsters will keep coming endlessly."
Karo nodded.
"Leave it to me."
With a casual punch knocking down a pouncing Harpy, Karo immediately flew toward the city center.
Bang!
Karo's figure suddenly accelerated and vanished in an instant.
Bang!
Arriving at the massive stadium, Karo abruptly came to a stop, and the wild wind instantly blew away the monsters that had just spawned around him.
Standing beneath the World Tree, he grabbed the thick trunk with both hands.
The Bio-electric Field spread continuously along the roots of the World Tree.
Karo exerted force suddenly, gripping the World Tree's trunk tightly and pulling upward with immense power.
Rumble!
Boom!
The ground quaked continuously, as if an earthquake had struck all of Philadelphia.
The roots of the World Tree ran deep underground and had spread across the entirety of Philadelphia.
Yet before Karo's power, they were completely defenseless.
The trunk of the World Tree was pulled higher and higher.
Bang!
With one final blast, the roots of the World Tree were completely uprooted from the stadium by Karo.
Karo grabbed the World Tree and rose high into the sky as its extensive root system spread across the city snapped continuously.
Karo only stopped flying upward once the massive World Tree was completely severed from the ground.
The World Tree's roots hung limply, and the monsters scurrying throughout the city turned into sawdust upon the tree's death.
In the deserted suburbs, Karo dropped the World Tree in his hand. Just as he was about to turn and leave, he suddenly thought of something.
Omega Beams, disintegrate!
Boom!
Two golden beams shot out abruptly, striking the main trunk of the World Tree directly.
Boom!
The main trunk exploded, and the massive World Tree instantly dissolved into tiny specks of light until it vanished completely.
The city quieted down, but Billy was still locked in battle with the goddess of vengeance, Calypso, in the city.
His combat strength had improved, but the Wizard's Staffin Calypso's hand severely countered him.
Sure enough, although his combat power had risen, his wisdom was still holding him back.
Swoosh!
He suddenly flew past right in front of them.
"Superman, Batman, help me quick!"
Bruce looked at Karo beside him and shook his head.
"He really isn't suited to be a superhero. He should go catch thieves instead."
Helpless, Karo suddenly clenched his fist, and the air in his palm instantly distorted.
Air Shockwave Punch!
Bang!
An invisible airwave shot out instantly, blasting toward the charging Calypso.
Bang!
Calypso was pursuing Billy Batson in midair when she was suddenly struck by an invisible force.
"Ah!"
Her body fell from the giant dragon, hurtling rapidly toward the ground.
Bang!
She crashed heavily onto the ground, a trace of blood suddenly oozing from the corner of her mouth.
"Ladon!"
The giant dragon suddenly flapped its huge wings and swooped down toward Karo.
Its massive body was full of imposing pressure.
Karo floated up and suddenly grabbed the open maw of the giant dragon.
Applying a bit of force, he turned and executed a shoulder throw!
The giant dragon's massive body was forcefully flipped over by Karo in an instant, crashing toward the ground below.
Bang!
The dragon slammed into the ground, sending wood dust flying as cracks appeared across its body.
Roar!
It scrambled up again, and Calypso quickly climbed back onto the dragon's back.
"Only magic can defeat magic!"
She suddenly waved the staff in her hand, firing a lightning-like beam of light straight toward Karo.
Magical flames gathered in the dragon's mouth as well, engulfing Karo all the same.
"Is that so? But your magic is far too weak!"
Karo floated in midair, expanding his Bio-electric Field in front of him.
Boom!
The ferocious magic fire and lightning seemed to hit an invisible wall, coming to an abrupt halt in front of Karo.
Karo shot across the sky, suddenly accelerating toward the dragon.
Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang!
In just a fraction of a second, Karo's body passed through the dragon's body countless times, puncturing it like countless sharp swords!
Karo came to a stop; the giant dragon's body was now riddled with holes.
Roar!
The dragon let out one final roar.
Bang!
Its heavy body fell to the ground, disintegrating into sawdust filling the sky.
Bang!
Calypso fell from midair, unable to believe that the giant dragon Ladon was defeated just like that.
She waved the staff again, but Karo gave her no further chance.
Flashing before her in an instant, he hurled a punch.
Bang!
This strike sent Calypso flying heavily backward, and the staff was knocked out of her hand.
A streak of lightning flashed as Karo darted forward to catch the staff and casually tossed it toward Billy Batsonnearby.
"Superman, I freakin' love you!"
Billy was thrilled to regain the Wizard's Staff.
Karo didn't waste words with Billy.
"Strip Calypso of her divine power."
"Huh? Oh, right!"
Billy froze for a moment, then suddenly waved the Wizard's Staff in his hand.
Bang!
A lightning beam shot instantly toward Calypso, successfully hitting her body.
Calypso froze instinctively.
"My divine power, my divine power!"
She babbled frantically before her eyes suddenly rolled back, and her body collapsed limply.
Karo and the others lingered no longer, turning to board the batwing.
"Hey, shouldn't I treat you to a meal? I really appreciate you coming to clean up my mess!" Billy shouted, waving from below.
Karo looked at Billy.
"Do you have money?"
Billy suddenly realized.
"Oh, right. Well then, have a safe trip!"
Bruce walked to the hatch and suddenly saw Billy using the Wizard's Staff to restore divine powers to his companions.
He grit his teeth.
"This wizard named Shazam must be a fool. The successor he chose is truly something else."
Clark and The Flash exchanged a glance, instantly understanding Bruce's thoughts.
Clark stepped forward and gently patted Bruce's shoulder in comfort.
The Flash walked over as well.
"Actually, you're pretty awesome even without superpowers."
Bruce paused, turning to look at Karo and the others.
"What are you talking about? I'm not envious."
Diana pursed her lips.
"Of course, we know."
The others nodded, and Bruce walked helplessly toward the cockpit.
"I'll just pretend you believe me!"
...
A week later, Aquaman Arthur finally rejoined the team.
At the Justice League base, Arthur was continually pouring alcohol down his throat.
He seemed to be in a good mood.
Karo and the others walked into the hall.
"I won't tell you that I'm about to become the new king of Atlantis!"
Diana shook her head with a smile.
"We don't seem to have asked you!"
Arthur showed no signs of embarrassment.
"I know you guys must be curious."
"Actually, I don't think you're suitable to be king, because you..."
Karo gestured for everyone to look at Arthur's well-developed muscles.
"What? I'm this strong, I can't be king?" Arthur asked curiously.
"Hmph hmph!"
The corners of Diana's mouth curled up as if she understood.
Bruce and the others all burst out laughing.
"What are you laughing at?"
Clark spoke with a light chuckle.
"Karo probably means you look all brawn and no brains, not a suitable candidate for king."
Arthur immediately glared at them.
Karo didn't deny it either.
"You're more like a powerful warrior!"
Stopping the banter, Karo looked at Arthur.
"How did you handle that pirate?"
Chapter 75: Aquaman's Special Training
Arthur was a bit surprised.
"Why do you ask? He was just an ordinary human; I didn't care about him at all."
Clap! Clap! Clap!
Kal clapped his hands.
"He almost killed you, yet you're even more kind-hearted than Bruce."
Bruce: Am I that kind-hearted?
"Even if you don't care about his revenge against you, him being a pirate and killing military personnel on duty is a serious crime."
"He belongs in prison, yet you don't care about him at all."
Kal leaned forward suddenly, staring directly into Arthur's eyes.
"Believe me, his father died right in front of him.
If you don't keep him in check, he will harbor that hatred and seek revenge against you at all costs."
The entire hall fell silent; no one made a sound.
"How do you know all this?"
Aquaman Arthur was somewhat puzzled; Kal seemed to know Black Manta's situation very well.
Kal leaned back against the sofa chair.
"The Daily Planet belongs to me. My reporters are all over the United States."
Arthur frowned and set down the bottle in his hand.
"Is it really that serious?"
Kal chuckled softly.
"He's no good guy. Expecting him to let go of his hatred—not even a god could manage that."
Diana nodded and glanced at Kal with a smile.
"Indeed, even I couldn't do that."
"Don't forget, you have a family, and your father is just an ordinary human."
Aquaman realized the gravity of the situation at this moment.
Although that guy was just an ordinary human, wearing the Black Manta suit made his combat strength something not to be underestimated.
If that guy really hid in the shadows waiting for a chance at revenge, Arthur might not necessarily be able to protect against it.
If he targeted his family, his father would be in danger too.
Arthur rubbed his face hard.
"Alright, I admit I didn't think this through."
Bruce clasped his hands together and placed them on the round table in front of him.
"I think we can hand this over to Amanda Waller and have her deploy Task Force X to bring David Hyde to justice."
Kal nodded.
"That's a good idea. Sending ordinary people to catch him would just be sending them to their deaths."
Aquaman Arthur felt a bit embarrassed.
"Sorry, I didn't think this would cause trouble."
Diana shook her head.
"Don't say that. We're a team, everyone cares about you, and Kal is thinking of your best interest too."
Diana's gentle voice resounded, instantly suppressing the negative emotions in Aquaman's heart.
Aquaman's mood suddenly relaxed, and he looked at Kal with a smile.
"Diana is so gentle, beautiful, and valiant."
"I wonder how you managed to win her over?"
"If I were five thousand years younger..."
Before he could finish his sentence, two suffocating surges of killing intent suddenly closed in.
Aquaman suddenly snapped out of it.
How to offend two people with a single sentence—he had just achieved it.
Diana's brilliant smile from moments ago had vanished, replaced by a calm, steady glare directed at Arthur.
Bruce and the others shot him a sympathetic look.
Kal stared at Arthur with a light chuckle.
"Arthur, your combat power is so weak. In order not to drag down the Justice League, I've decided to give you a special training session."
Arthur instinctively waved his hand in refusal.
"Thanks for your kind intention, but my combat strength is sufficient for now."
Kal rose from the sofa and walked up to Arthur.
He grabbed Arthur by the shoulder.
"Come on, I won't hit too hard."
"Brother, I admit I misspoke just now, but..."
Arthur turned his head and looked around, but not a single person spoke up to help him out.
Diana also watched quietly, completely unmoved.
Clark shrugged.
"Good luck, buddy!"
"Wait, don't—"
Bang!
Grabbed by Kal, Arthur was blasted out of the hall in an instant, the powerful gust flipping the conference table in front of them right over.
Bang!
With a loud crash, the conference table spun several times in the air before smashing heavily onto the floor, leaving the hall in instant disarray.
Bruce closed his eyes.
My custom conference table worth millions of dollars!
The Flash suddenly spoke up cautiously.
"Um, should we go take a look? Just to keep things from getting out of hand, we can't let Superman beat him to death."
The group exchanged glances, then all turned to look at Diana.
"Kal knows his limits, but we can go check on them anyway."
When they arrived at the training ground, they saw Aquaman Arthur constantly flying back and forth in midair.
Kal's figure flickered repeatedly, appearing behind Arthuras if teleporting with every flicker.
Punches! Kicks! Knees! Elbows!
Every part of his body turned into a powerful weapon, slamming heavily into Aquaman's body.
"Ah! Ah! Ahhh—!"
Aquaman screamed repeatedly, completely helpless in midair.
He was entirely like a human punching bag, tossed and battered around by Kal however he pleased!
"Uh, is he really going to be okay like this?"
The Flash asked tentatively.
Diana merely smiled faintly.
"Although Arthur looks terrible, Kal hasn't used any real strength. Even when facing Sabbac and Steppenwolf, he didn't go all out."
"Uh, alright then!"
The group stood quietly outside the training ground, watching.
By now, Kal had turned entirely into an afterimage, unleashing thousands of attacks per second on Aquaman Arthur.
His afterimages enveloped the entire training ground, striking at Aquaman from every direction.
"Ugh!"
Aquaman flew backward again, and Kal's figure suddenly appeared behind him.
Found you.
Struggling to control his body,
he spun and threw an elbow strike!
"Wrong, I'm over here!"
Kal's voice suddenly came from directly in front.
Oh no!
His pupils dilated violently, but he was completely unable to react in time.
A heavy punch had already slammed into his chest.
Bang!
Before the sound even reached Bruce and the others, Arthur was knocked flying back again, his body bent like a cooked shrimp.
Kal instantly pursued him.
"This time it must be the real one!"
Watching Kal chase after him, Arthur readied himself to fight back.
Even though he was getting beaten senseless, he had to land at least one hit back.
At least that way it would qualify as a real spar instead of a one-sided beatdown.
Clenching his fist, he swung hard at Kal's face the moment Kal rushed up to him.
"Wrong again!"
Kal's voice came from behind him.
When did he—
So fast!
Bang!
A massive surge of force struck his back, and he was kicked down from midair in an instant by Kal.
Bang!
His body slammed down hard, cratering deep into the sand.
Sand and dust blew into the air, painting his surroundings a yellowish brown.
Boom!
With a familiar sonic boom, Kal appeared right in front of Diana, smiling faintly.
"A-Are you the real one?"
Bruce and the others looked at the afterimages still in the training ground, then at Kal in front of them.
Kal spread his hands.
"100% real!"
The afterimages gradually faded, and the dust finally settled.
"Cough, cough, cough!"
A hand reached out from the crater as Aquaman Arthurslowly crawled out.
He coughed a few times and looked at Kal and the others.
"I was mainly training my ability to take hits. Turns out my defense is pretty good."
"Haha..."
The Flash burst out laughing instinctively, and Aquaman shot him a sharp glare instantly.
"Uh..."
Barry covered his mouth; he didn't want to mess with this big muscular guy.
Kal looked a bit puzzled.
"The training ground is pretty clean. Did someone sweep today?"
Bruce looked at Kal in confusion, not understanding why Kal said that.
"No. Why do you ask?"
"Because someone just swept the floor with their face!"
Aquaman Arthur:...
Cyborg and Clark raised their hands slightly to cover their mouths, while Diana's lips curved upward.
Bruce looked at the dust that had just settled, making the ground look as if it had been overturned and swept clean.
"Indeed."
Chapter 76: Capturing Black Manta
Crack!
Something shattered all over the floor, making the freshly swept ground look as if it were sprinkled with tiny red fragments.
That was Aquaman Arthur's self-esteem!
Bruce's follow-up strike was like a critical hit, instantly piercing Aquaman's already battered heart.
...
Louisiana, Belle Reve Penitentiary.
Task Force X assembled once again.
"Hello everyone, do we get to have some fun again this time?"
Harley Quinn greeted everyone enthusiastically.
Captain Boomerang put away the boomerang in his hand.
"You really are crazy. Our missions are always full of danger. Amanda Waller isn't kind enough to take us out on a tour."
"Of course, that woman has always been like that. She doesn't care about our lives."
Javelin was loosening up his wrists off to the side.
Robert walked over at this moment as well.
"Friends, long time no see!"
Polka-Dot Man was a bit surprised.
"You're still not out of prison?"
"Of course. Although my sentence was reduced, it's not over yet. Amanda Waller won't easily let go of a strong worker like me."
He was in a good mood. Ever since the last mission in South America, his daughter had come to see him as a hero and no longer rejected him.
King Shark Nanaue looked around, searching for a familiar figure.
"Stop looking, Cleo's out of prison!"
Robert shouted to Nanaue.
Nanaue felt a bit down and looked at Harley Quinn beside him.
Gulp!
He couldn't help but wipe away his drool.
"Shark freak, you don't want to eat me, do you?!"
Harley Quinn quickly backed away, looking at Nanauewarily.
"Nanaue no eat friends!"
Harley Quinn:...
So if it's not a friend, you eat them?
Now that everyone was present, they followed Rick Flaginto the briefing room.
Clack! Clack! Clack!
"Those familiar footsteps—you can tell it's that annoying woman just by listening!"
Captain Boomerang turned and whispered a complaint into Harley Quinn's ear.
A few of them laughed, but Rick Flag maintained a serious expression, pretending not to hear.
"What are you talking about?"
Amanda Waller walked into the room and turned on the projector.
"Uh, we were talking about this mission."
Ignoring them, Amanda Waller pressed the remote control in her hand.
A photo of a Black man immediately appeared on the projection in front of them.
Amanda Waller turned around to look at the group.
"David Hyde, a pirate."
"Wait, wait!"
Harley Quinn suddenly raised her hand, interrupting Amanda Waller.
"He's just a pirate. Does it really take all of us? I think I can handle him by myself."
Amanda Waller looked at Harley Quinn with a touch of helplessness.
"Harley Quinn, let me finish. Interrupting others is very rude."
"Oh, fine, go ahead!"
Harley Quinn shut her mouth.
"He's a pirate who has repeatedly hijacked military submarines on active missions."
"Whoa, a real tough guy!"
Captain Boomerang suddenly exclaimed.
"The government deployed police and agents to capture him, but he's cunning and always manages to escape ahead of time to a submarine in the ocean."
"He now commands a pirate crew—well-equipped, highly dangerous, and operating across various waters worldwide."
"Your mission this time is to successfully capture David Hyde and bring him back to prison."
Pausing briefly, she added:
"However, he is extremely dangerous. If capture is impossible, lethal force is authorized."
"Extremely dangerous?"
Captain Boomerang started playing devil's advocate again.
"He looks totally ordinary. Any one of us could chop him into pieces."
Rick Flag and the others nodded in agreement.
Amanda Waller pressed the remote again.
Another image appeared on the projection screen.
It was a bizarrely designed suit of battle armor—or should it be called armor?—with two large red eyes.
"What is this?"
"Black Manta. That is the name of this battlesuit, and we generally refer to David Hyde as Black Manta as well."
"This battlesuit was modified by David Hyde using Atlantean technology, giving it immense power."
The image on the projection screen shifted, showing a blurry video clip.
Two red plasma beams shot out from Black Manta's large eyes, blasting toward a distant hilltop.
Boom!
With a deafening explosion, the hilltop was completely obliterated, leaving only a bare slope in its place.
"My god, I admit I underestimated this guy."
Amanda continued, "He once wore this battlesuit to hunt down Aquaman, and nearly killed him."
The group's reaction was rather muted.
"If putting it that way doesn't give you a clear sense of his danger, let me rephrase it."
"Black Manta once relied on this single suit of armor to hunt down Aquaman of the Justice League."
"The Justice League with Superman in it?"
Harley Quinn seemed a bit disappointed.
"If he could hunt down Superman, I'd be much more impressed."
However, with Amanda putting it like that, the group no longer dared to underestimate Black Manta.
Since even a member of the Justice League was nearly killed by Black Manta, ordinary people like them had to be doubly careful.
"Currently, he has appeared in a coastal town in central California. I will have a transport plane drop you off there."
Amanda turned her head to look at them.
"Any more questions?"
Harley Quinn immediately raised her hand.
"I want to know if his battlesuit is invulnerable?"
Amanda Waller thought for a moment.
"His battlesuit offers strong defense, but it isn't completely impenetrable. Aquaman once managed to damage it and escape."
Harley Quinn looked at Rick Flag.
"Suddenly, I don't hold much hope for this operation."
"Polka-Dot Man, can your polka dots damage his suit?"
Polka-Dot Man looked closely at Black Manta in the footage.
"They should be able to."
"Alright then, I have no more questions."
Captain Boomerang raised his hand.
"His heat beams can blow us to smithereens. How are we supposed to fight that?"
Amanda Waller looked at King Shark.
"Looks like we can only provide cover from behind and let Nanaue charge in front to block the beams."
King Shark immediately opened his mouth at Captain Boomerang, revealing his sharp teeth.
"Nanaue fears pain too!"
"Remember, the Justice League is also keeping an eye on this operation, so perform well."
"Earning their favor might even get you released early."
Harley Quinn slapped her head.
"Damn it, with Superman around, I can kiss early release goodbye."
"Wonder Woman has been keeping an eye on your performance. She admires you."
Amanda was also somewhat surprised by Harley Quinn's luck.
With Wonder Woman paying attention, Harley Quinnwould definitely be released early.
Even though her sentence was extremely long.
"Oh, that's awesome!"
Harley Quinn grew excited. She had to put on a great show this time.
And strive to get out of prison as soon as possible to go rob Manhattan.
"Rick Flag will lead this mission, with Robert as deputy team leader."
"Any other questions?"
Seeing no one else raise a hand, Amanda Waller nodded.
"That's it then!"
After selecting their weapons and making full preparations, Task Force X boarded the transport plane provided by Amanda Waller.
With the roar of its engines, the transport plane slowly rose into the sky.
...
In a coastal town in central California, a messy room was filled with blueprints and maintenance tools.
David Hyde put down the helmet of his Black Manta suit and turned to look at the smiling Aquaman Arthur on the news.
"Aquaman!"
Chapter 77 She Is Different to Me
Central California military base, a transport plane slowly landed.
Harley Quinn jumped down from the cabin door.
"Are we here yet?"
"No, in order not to alert Black Manta, we need to take a car to the coastal town."
"Oh, that's very thoughtful."
In the coastal town, Black Manta carried his battle suit and prepared to return to the pirate base.
The surrounding environment gradually quieted down.
Realizing something was wrong, he slowly stopped the car and opened the box containing his battle suit.
"Damn cops, I'll let you know the consequences of messing with me."
Without any hesitation, he directly put on his battle suit.
Whoosh!
A Javelin suddenly cut through the air and shot over.
Bang!
With a loud bang, the vehicle was instantly pierced, and a Javelin pressed against Black Manta's battle suit.
Bang!
He suddenly pushed hard against the car door, and the entire door was instantly ripped off.
He got out of the car wearing the battle suit and looked around.
A shark monster suddenly roared and rushed over.
Although he didn't understand what this thing was, Black Manta didn't show mercy either.
Two large red eyes quickly lit up.
Bang!
With a violent roar, two red plasma rays instantly shot out.
Nanaue opened his big mouth and pounced on Black Manta, but the two rays crashed heavily into his body.
Bang!
With an explosion, Nanaue's heavy body instantly flew backward.
Bang!
His body slammed heavily onto the ground, and the skin hit by the rays had become completely charred.
"Nanaue!"
Harley Quinn immediately took out her bazooka and aimed slightly.
Whoosh!
The rocket instantly rushed towards Black Manta in the distance.
Boom!
Two red rays arrived first and suddenly hit the rocket flying in mid-air.
A violent explosion went off in mid-air.
Whoosh whoosh!
Two boomerangs traced strange arcs and brushed past Black Manta's neck, but only made two crisp sounds.
Two sparks bloomed, and Black Manta didn't react at all.
"Well, it seems I can do nothing against him."
Captain Boomerang completely gave up attacking and directly took a rifle handed over by Rick Flag.
Dadada! Dadada!
Dense bullets shot towards Black Manta.
Robert also used his precise marksmanship to continuously shoot at Black Manta's helmet.
David shook his head, the loud noise almost deafening him.
He suddenly raised his arm to block the bullets shot at his helmet.
Task Force X's offensive was continuous, and overwhelming bullets shot out.
Javelins also cut through the air and pierced over with huge power.
Clang! Clang!
Black Manta angrily pushed aside the Javelin. His two big eyes lit up again.
"Get out of the way!"
Rick Flag shouted and suddenly leaped to the side.
Bang——!
The rays swept across the members of Task Force X, the powerful energy blowing up the surrounding ground and cutting a long trench into the ground.
Harley Quinn got up disheveled and shouted at Polka-Dot Man.
"Polka-Dot Man, why haven't you made a move yet."
"I discharged a bit too much on the road just now, you guys wait for me to brew for a moment."
Bang!
With another explosion, Harley Quinn was blown away by the impact force.
Her body fell to the ground, and bright red blood flowed from her arms and knees.
"You get ready, remember to collect our corpses for us."
"Nanaue!"
King Shark arrived behind Black Manta at some unknown time.
Stalking with his two big paws, he rushed fiercely toward Black Manta.
Bang!
A weight of hundreds of kilograms and a powerful impact instantly slammed into Black Manta's body.
"Ugh ah!"
Black Manta let out a cry of pain, and his body was thrown high into the air.
His body landed heavily on the ground, smashing a pit into the ground beneath him.
"Nanaue, well done."
Harley Quinn gave King Shark a thumbs-up, took out her alloy baseball bat, and swung it over.
Clang! Clang!
Just as Black Manta climbed to his feet, two heavy blows came to his helmet.
"Ugh ah!"
Black Manta suddenly felt dizzy, seeing stars from these two blows.
He suddenly stretched out a hand and blocked the baseball bat swinging down again.
Harley Quinn's eyes widened, and she pulled hard on her baseball bat.
The bat didn't move at all, and she seemed to feel Black Manta's murderous gaze.
"Sorry sir, I didn't mean it just now."
She suddenly let go of the baseball bat and showed a smile.
"If you want it, I'll just give it to you!"
Bang!
With a wave of Black Manta's arm, Harley Quinn was instantly knocked flying.
The members of Task Force X hurried forward to surround Black Manta.
Robert clenched his fists and quickly rushed towards Black Manta.
Bang!
Black Manta threw a punch, the immense power making it completely impossible for Robert to resist, and his whole body flew backward.
His body rolled on the ground for several turns.
Puff!
Blood sprayed out, and severe pain came from his chest.
"I really don't know how that guy Aquaman survived from his hands."
Just as he raised his head, he found that Rick Flag and Captain Boomerang were grabbed by the neck and lifted up by Black Manta.
Red light began to light up in the big eyes of the battle suit.
"Nanaue, stop him!"
Roar!
King Shark let out a roar and suddenly pounced on Black Manta.
The huge weight instantly interrupted Black Manta's attack, pinning Black Manta beneath him.
"Oh my god, Nanaue you should lose weight."
Captain Boomerang's voice suddenly came from the side.
King Shark instinctively glared angrily at Captain Boomerang.
Suddenly, he found that his field of vision was getting higher.
"Huh?"
Rick Flag looked under Nanaue, and Black Manta had lifted Nanaue up entirely.
"Nanaue, careful."
As soon as the words fell, Nanaue was thrown out entirely by Black Manta.
Bang!
The distant wall suddenly burst, and Nanaue smashed a large hole in the wall.
Rick Flag and Captain Boomerang quickly retreated, and Black Manta's battle suit suddenly fired two high-explosive bombs.
Whoosh!
The bombs roared towards the two of them.
Suddenly, colorful polka dots flew past, detonating the bombs the moment they made contact.
Bang! Bang!
The massive explosion blew Rick Flag and Captain Boomerang away.
Polka-Dot Man didn't stop, pointing his arm at Black Manta.
Polka dots filling the sky enveloped Black Manta.
Black Manta was just about to dodge, but found that he was completely enveloped by the polka dots, which were permeating almost everywhere nearby.
Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang——!
Dense polka dots completely enveloped his battle suit, constantly making popping sounds on his body.
He raised his arm and was surprised to find that the battle suit had already suffered damage.
"Ah——!"
He roared and jumped hard to the side.
Thud!
Black Manta fell heavily to the ground, and Polka-Dot Man's polka dots were also exhausted.
Black Manta stood up angrily.
"I'm going to kill you all!"
His eyes lit up as he looked at Harley Quinn chasing after him with a baseball bat.
"You have become my trophy!"
Harley Quinn showed a big smile.
"How is that possible?"
The red light at Black Manta's eyes kept flickering, but the plasma rays could never be fired.
Only then did he notice that his battle suit was heavily damaged, and its combat functions could no longer be used.
He suddenly looked at Harley Quinn, and the baseball bat whistled towards his face.
Bang!
Black Manta suddenly felt dizzy and fell limply.
Captain Boomerang lay on the ground and gave Harley Quinn a thumbs-up.
Harley Quinn saw Captain Boomerang's affirmation and gave him a bright smile.
Captain Boomerang was suddenly in a daze.
This woman is very charming.
He patted Rick Flag, who was lying beside him.
"You say, how about I go after Harley Quinn?"
Rick Flag was stunned for a moment.
"Man, she smiles like that to everyone, don't flatter yourself."
Captain Boomerang looked at Rick Flag and shook his head seriously.
"She is different to me."
Chapter 78: Apokolips Descends
Rick Flag stared blankly at Captain Boomerang.
"Are you serious?"
"Of course, out of everyone in Task Force X, the two of us have the best chemistry. She loves chatting with me and really loves smiling at me."
"She does that to everyone, she's Harley Quinn!"
"I'll prove you're wrong."
Captain Boomerang stood up full of confidence.
"I already have a plan for our future."
"Task Force X missions together, getting out of prison together, robbing banks together, and going back to prison together.
I think this is the most exciting life. Harley Quinn likes excitement, doesn't she?"
Rick Flag was utterly shocked.
"Man, I think when we get back, I should apply to Amanda Waller to transfer you to Arkham Asylum. They really know what they're doing when it comes to treating mental illness."
Captain Boomerang agreed.
"That's a good idea, Harley Quinn used to be a psychiatrist there."
Rick Flag:...
At this moment, Harley Quinn also dragged one of Black Manta's legs over as she walked up.
Captain Boomerang leaned forward.
"Got any plans after the mission?"
Harley Quinn was a bit puzzled.
"Aren't we going back to prison?"
"If possible, I'd like to invite you on a date with me."
Harley Quinn laughed, placing her hands on her chin.
"You, and me?"
"Of course!"
Harley Quinn looked at Captain Boomerang, who had just climbed up from the ground looking disheveled.
"I'd love to say you're a good guy, but you're in prison, so you're obviously not a good guy."
Captain Boomerang nodded.
"I know you prefer bad guys, and your ex was very bad!"
Harley Quinn shook her head.
"Fine, I'll admit that. If you can help me beat Superman to a pulp, I'll consider you!"
Captain Boomerang froze, staring intently at Harley Quinn.
"Then never mind!"
"Hahaha..."
King Shark Nanaue on the side slapped his belly and laughed heartily, and the others couldn't help holding back their smiles either.
"Hey, what are you guys laughing at?"
Harley Quinn hoisted her baseball bat onto her shoulder.
"I thought there would only be one clown in this world!"
Robert stripped off Black Manta's combat suit and turned to look at Harley Quinn.
"What about now?"
"Now I have another clown friend."
"Ahaha!"
Nanaue completely ignored Captain Boomerang, slapping his belly and laughing heartily.
Captain Boomerang: "..."
"Nanaue, shut up already."
"I won't, it's so funny!"
Task Force X completed their mission. When everyone on Task Force X boarded the helicopter to return to Belle Reve Penitentiary, Amanda Waller was already waiting outside the main gates to welcome them.
"Welcome back, everyone, on a successful mission completion."
"It doesn't seem like we need to make such a big fuss just to return to prison."
"Of course, we aren't that happy."
"Seeing her just put me in an even worse mood."
Amanda Waller: "..."
"Like me or not, I have to tell you all that you might have a new mission..."
She led everyone toward the conference room and turned on the familiar projector.
The few of them sat down respectively.
"Darkseid and the Apokolips army, who invaded Earth in ancient times, are about to return to Earth. You may be needed to fight alongside others."
"What? Did I hear that right? You want us to fight aliens? Are there still aliens on Earth?"
Captain Boomerang raised his routine doubt.
Amanda expressionlessly looked at Captain Boomerang as if looking at an idiot.
"Superman and Blue Superman both are."
"Fine! I shouldn't have interrupted you!"
"The Parademons that appeared on Earth a while ago are soldiers of Apokolips."
She pressed the remote, and a set of images of Parademons appeared on the screen.
"They kind of look like Batman."
"Even though they look a bit like him, it's not him!"
"Are these aliens strong?"
Robert raised his hand to ask.
"Very strong. These Parademons are the most ordinary soldiers of Apokolips."
"According to the Justice League's research data, they have already achieved preliminary invulnerability to blades and bullets. Ordinary weapons cannot harm them; high-powered weapons must be used."
"How large of an army like this will they bring?"
"Maybe hundreds of thousands, maybe even millions!"
Amanda wasn't sure either.
"If they really come, nations will send armies to deal with them."
"If I kill the alien leader with a boomerang, will this war end immediately?"
"Yes, but you can't do it. Your boomerangs can't even handle those ordinary Parademons..."
Amanda looked at the crowd.
"This mission is currently pending because we can't be sure if they will come.
But once they descend, the new mission takes effect immediately.
This mission is even more dangerous, but as long as you survive the crisis, you won't have to return to prison, and the US government will pay you a generous reward."
"As long as you don't commit crimes anymore, you are free men."
Nanaue raised his hand.
"Can I eat people after getting out of prison?"
"I don't care what you eat, but you cannot eat people, otherwise you'll end up back in prison, or taken out as a monster by the Justice League."
...
Metropolis, Justice League base.
Aquaman Arthur finally breathed a sigh of relief.
Black Manta was arrested and imprisoned, and wouldn't be released again; he had one less major threat.
"Any movement from Darkseid and Apokolips?"
Bruce immediately connected to satellite imagery at the computer.
Outer space outside Earth remained completely calm.
"I'd say are we worrying needlessly? Darkseid's Apokolipsis countless light-years away from us, how could it be so easy to come to Earth?"
"Furthermore, at such a great distance, it's not impossible for them to get lost in the universe."
Aquaman Arthur said casually.
"No, he will definitely come!"
Aquaman raised an eyebrow, somewhat surprised.
"You're so sure?"
"Because Earth has the thing he wants most."
"Mother Box?"
"No, the Anti-Life Equation."
"What is that?"
"The Anti-Life Equation is an existence opposed to the life force and free will; whoever uses it can manipulate or destroy any living organism."
"This is the most attractive thing for Darkseid, who conquers the universe."
Bruce and the others all frowned.
Sometimes it really feels like Earth is simply plagued by disasters, and something that shouldn't even exist is actually on Earth.
It sounds like this Anti-Life Equation is even stronger than the Mother Box, which can decompose matter and instantly destroy Earth, completely exceeding common sense.
Not to mention Diana's godkiller sword.
"Where is the Anti-Life Equation, can it be destroyed?"
Bruce instantly felt the threat.
Having such a thing in anyone's hands is an uncontrollable factor.
He thought of that dream of his again.
The world in the dream had completely collapsed, and countless alien armies were wreaking havoc on Earth.
And the kind and righteous Blue Superman Clark also stood on the opposite side of humanity, raising the butcher's knife against humans.
This sudden reversal of personality had always been the biggest doubt weighing on his mind.
Now he seemed to have found the reason.
Darkseid must have used the Anti-Life Equation to control Clark.
If Kal-El was controlled again, he couldn't even imagine Earth's future fate.
Therefore, for the sake of humanity, the Anti-Life Equationmust be destroyed.
"The Anti-Life Equation is carved right on the Earth's surface, similar to a mathematical model, and cannot be destroyed!"
...
A few days later, Kal-El, who was basking in the sun on the Earth's surface, suddenly turned his head to look deep into the universe.
Darkseid has finally arrived!