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[Superman] Chapter 176: Superman Returns, Pushing Apokolips!
🕑 Added 2024-07-22 16:20:53 +0000 UTCOn Earth.
Those who had escaped the crushing rocks continued their relentless slaughter of the Parademon army. The aerial support from the Batwing also significantly eased their pressure.
However, this favorable situation didn't last long.
Soon, Apokolips' advanced aircraft locked onto the Batwing.
A terrifying burst of energy erupted, piercing through the void and directly hitting the Batwing as it patrolled high in the sky.
Boom!
Under the devastating energy attack, even the Batwing, equipped with the most advanced human technology, billowed black smoke, losing control and plummeting rapidly toward the ground.
But before the Batwing crashed, it streaked above the group.
A black figure detached from the burning aircraft, falling toward Batman's location.
Boom!
The Batwing finally crashed to the ground, exploding violently.
The falling black figure landed in front of Batman.
Upon closer inspection, it was a new pitch-black suit of armor.
"Everyone, cover me!"
Batman wasted no time. Under the cover of his companions, he quickly shed his battered metal suit and donned the new armor.
In less than ten seconds, the fully armed Batman reappeared before the group.
The black suit reflected a ghostly glow. The armor's material exuded a sense of advanced technology and immense security.
"I'm... back!"
At this moment, clad in his new armor, Batman seemed to transform once again into the Dark Knight who punished evil under the cover of night.
Quickly drawing a grappling gun from his belt, he aimed at a Parademon preparing to fire an energy cannon in the sky and pulled the trigger.
Whiz!
Roar!
The grappling hook shot out, instantly piercing the Parademon's body, eliciting a tragic howl.
Then the rope retracted rapidly, pulling the Parademon down from the sky.
Without hesitation, Batman stomped on the Parademon's chest.
The high-tech armor granted him strength far beyond an ordinary human, and he crushed the Parademon's body with one stomp.
Casually replacing the grappling gun on his belt, Batman quickly turned, throwing a black Batarang at a cluster of Parademons in the air.
Swish, swish, swish...
Accompanied by a series of sharp sounds, the black Batarang sliced through the void.
Boom!
As it neared the group of Parademons, it suddenly flashed red and exploded.
The powerful explosion was comparable to a high-explosive grenade, instantly obliterating several nearby Parademons.
Their grotesque, sticky blood splattered across the ground, a testament to the battlefield's brutality.
"Bruce, Clark..."
At this moment, with their leader, Superman, defeated by Peter and his body sent into space, his fate unknown, the entire Parademon army fell into chaos.
The Flash, looking at the void where Superman had vanished, showed a trace of reluctance in his eyes.
Even though Superman had done many things that hurt them and the entire Earth, he had once been their companion, defending this planet together.
Moreover, those actions were not truly Superman's intentions; the real villain was the bastard controlling him.
"Barry, things have spiraled beyond our control..."
Batman dispatched the increasingly chaotic Parademon soldiers nearby and tried to console the disheartened Flash.
"I know, but..."
"Why did our once beautiful and harmonious Earth turn into this..."
The Flash stopped running, opened his post-apocalyptic style suit's visor, and looked at the dark sky teeming with endless Parademons, a hint of sadness in his eyes.
At this moment, everyone couldn't help but pause, hearing the Flash's words. They gazed at the darkened sky and the swarms of Parademons, also feeling nostalgic for the once beautiful Earth.
"Barry, we have a chance to fix this if you follow my plan..."
"What the... what's that?"
Just as Batman was about to comfort the group, Deathstroke, while changing magazines, looked at the suddenly darkened sky and shouted in shock.
......
At this moment, the sky over almost the entire Earth was completely covered by a massive shadow. The already dim sky, obscured by swirling sand, darkened even further, plunging the world from daylight into night in an instant. The only light came from the flickering flames reflecting in their eyes.
Darkness was descending!
A colossal shadow of a planet slowly solidified in the sky above Earth. A small planet, its surface covered with flames and red magma, appeared above Earth in the shocked gazes of everyone. This suddenly appearing planet was hurtling toward Earth at an incredible speed.
Soon, it would collide with Earth, unleashing a cataclysmic energy capable of destroying the entire planet.
"Bruce, what do we do now?"
Faced with the flaming planet hurtling toward Earth, the Flash and the others felt a wave of helplessness. They could resist the fallen Earth with their unyielding will. They dared to take up arms against millions of Parademons to reclaim their planet.
But now, with a giant planet barreling toward Earth, they felt powerless, unable to do anything but run in futile escape and frustration.
"Barry, we don’t have time to prepare and perfect that plan now..."
Batman said gravely, watching the planet hurtling toward them.
"We might have to improvise..."
Suddenly, Batman turned fully, his eyes serious as he looked at the Flash.
"Bruce, are we really going to do this?"
"If we do, it could drastically alter our reality, maybe even erase our loved ones..."
The Flash understood what Bruce was suggesting but hesitated, knowing it could cause unknown changes to their universe.
"Barry, we have no other choice now!"
Bruce's face showed determination. Although he, too, disliked breaking the rules of the universe, they were at the final critical moment and had no other options.
"Barry, we believe in you!"
The others also understood what the Flash was about to do and accepted that they might disappear. But they were willing to give everything to save Earth, the world, and the innocent lives lost.
"Everyone, I promise I'll bring back all those who were lost!"
The Flash’s expression was filled with determination. At this moment, he had no other choice but to give it his all.
"RUN! Barry..."
Under the expectant gazes of everyone, the Flash transformed into a brilliant streak of lightning and began to run rapidly around them. The dazzling lightning formed a radiant circle, a special barrier created by the Speed Force.
The immense Speed Force radiated from the Flash, gradually converging in the space not far away.
……
Roar! Roar! Roar!
Unlike the few who were filled with helplessness, as Apokolips, engulfed in flames, suddenly descended, countless Parademons on Earth let out bone-chilling roars. It was as if they were celebrating or welcoming the arrival of their master.
"Welcome, the great Lord Darkseid!"
In the sky over the distant city, DeSaad looked excitedly at the descending Apokolips, greeting the great Darkseid's arrival on Earth.
The light of the Speed Force was shining. The flames covering Apokolips continued to burn, emitting a dark red glow. At this moment, the two planets met for the first time, but one was facing its last moments before destruction.
"Come on, Barry, faster..."
Watching Apokolips approach Earth, everyone was praying for the Flash, hoping his speed would increase.
However, the recent battle had drained the Flash's energy, and without sufficient preparation, no matter how fast he ran, he seemed unable to open the Speed Force channel and reverse time.
Feeling Apokolips getting closer to Earth's surface, with its scorching flames already bearing down, the Flash felt an overwhelming sense of urgency.
"Faster, faster! I must save everyone..."
The Flash kept encouraging himself, pushing his legs to run even faster. The surrounding scenes had already become incredibly slow. Yet, Apokolips, hurtling towards Earth, showed no signs of stopping.
"Damn, we're running out of time!"
Seeing that the Flash still hadn't opened the Speed Force channel and reversed time, everyone's faces were filled with anxiety. Apokolips was now less than a few hundred meters from Earth's surface. Some high-altitude mountain peaks were already colliding with Apokolips' surface.
Although Earth seemed several times larger than Apokolips, the latter was far harder. Mountains were being flattened, and the proximity of the two planets caused the oceans to surge, raising massive waves and even tsunamis. On the ground, countless stones were beginning to float due to gravitational pull.
At this moment, the entire landscape was filled with apocalyptic terror.
……
"Are we truly facing Earth's final apocalypse?"
Countless surviving humans on Earth emerged from their dark underground shelters. No longer fearing the pursuit of Parademons, they looked up at the nearly touching Apokolips in the sky, faces filled with a sense of helplessness against the approaching end.
The last remnants of human civilization on Earth were on the verge of disappearing completely. Countless people were in pain, filled with anger, yet powerless. Some faced the end with remarkable calm, embracing their loved ones, ready to face death together.
"Everyone, look! What is that?"
Suddenly, a figure almost grazing the fiery surface of Apokolips flew rapidly, positioning itself below the planet. With a seemingly insignificant body, it stood between Apokolips and Earth.
"Hmm? He's still alive?"
At this moment, on his throne on Apokolips, Darkseid, who was about to crush Earth, showed a hint of surprise on his face.
"It's Superman!"
"Sigh, we're doomed!"
At this moment, others finally saw the figure clearly, but upon recognizing it, their expressions turned to one of despair.
Although the figure standing before Earth was familiar, the god-like hero who had saved Earth numerous times, Superman, was no longer the same. The hero had long since ceased to exist; now he was merely a puppet of evil.
"Wait, something seems off?"
Initially thinking Superman had appeared to welcome the master of Apokolips, Batman and the others quickly noticed something was amiss. Superman slowly turned in the air, looking down at them with an apologetic gaze, devoid of the previous coldness and cruelty.
"Clark, you finally came back!"
Bruce's eyes met Clark's from a distance, instantly recognizing that the person before them was not a demon's servant but their former comrade and ally, the hero who protected Earth, the god among men—Superman! Superman's return brought a glimmer of hope to a darkened Earth.
Countless hearts were filled with hope.
"Sorry, my friends on Earth..."
Although he had broken free from Darkseid's control due to his death and resurrection, the memories of all the crimes he committed while controlled haunted Clark's mind. The anguished cries of humans dying before him and the monstrous transformations they underwent filled him with immense pain and guilt.
Clark vividly remembered his hands being stained with the blood of countless humans. At this moment, he found it almost impossible to forgive himself for the past. Suddenly, he took one last look at Earth, then turned and flew towards the near Apokolips.
Ignoring the blazing flames on Apokolips, he plunged his body into the scorching magma.
"No... Clark!"
Batman, who had remained calm, now showed a hint of sadness on his face as he watched Clark's actions. Suddenly, Apokolips, which had been moving closer and crushing Earth, started to slow down.
"Look, it's Superman! Our hero, Superman, has returned!"
At this moment, Superman was pushing the massive Apokolips away from Earth, with his hands thrust into the scorching magma, using all his strength.
"Ah!"
Superman seemed to be unleashing all his potential. His muscles bulged terrifyingly, almost as if they were about to explode. A faint glow surrounded his body, seemingly tinged with gold by the magma. Amidst the cheers of countless survivors, the enormous Apokolips slowly began to move away from Earth under his force.
"Hmph, daring to betray me! Now, I will ensure your true demise!"
Darkseid, sensing Superman's immense power pushing Apokolips back, let his eyes flare with intense red light.
……
(End of Chapter)
