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[Superman] Chapter 173: You’re Not Qualified to Negotiate with Me
🕑 Added 2024-07-22 15:54:54 +0000 UTC“Damn it, how did he get here so fast?”
Batman looked at the familiar figure in front of him. Once an ally, now the most powerful weapon in the hands of the one invading Earth.
“Bruce, what do we do now?”
Cyborg tore off the tattered cloth covering his body, revealing his mechanical form shimmering with silver metallic light. His hands quickly morphed into glowing energy cannons aimed at the figure before them.
The others also readied themselves for battle instantly.
The now somewhat aged Flash, clad in an apocalyptic punk-style metal armor, had silvery white Speed Force lightning constantly leaping across his body.
“Hmph, I’m tired of hiding. Let’s settle this once and for all with this bastard!”
Mera gripped a silver trident, her eyes cold as she stared intently at the figure.
“No, don’t forget, our goal is not to fight him but to complete our plan!”
Batman’s face was serious. He knew that even with all of them together, defeating the figure before them would be incredibly difficult.
“But…”
Mera seemed unwilling. The moment she saw the newcomer, her mind was already consumed by intense hatred.
“Barry, we’ll distract him. You take the chance to leave here quickly…”
“If we don’t make it… you must complete the plan we made!”
Batman spoke solemnly.
“Bruce…”
Before Flash could respond, Superman, wearing a red cape and a cold expression, was already walking toward them.
“None of you… will escape!”
His scarlet eyes locked onto them, his imposing presence drawing closer step by step.
“Ah!”
With a shout, Mera unhesitatingly threw her trident at Superman’s heart. This action seemed to signal the start of the battle.
Almost simultaneously, Cyborg activated his energy cannons.
Boom, boom, boom!
Bursts of energy cannon fire shot toward Superman’s body.
Nearby, a white-haired man dressed like a mercenary also raised his gun without hesitation, aiming at Superman’s head and pulling the trigger.
Rat-a-tat-tat!
In an instant, the intense sound of weapons fire shattered the silence of the apocalypse.
Boom, boom, boom!
Energy blasts erupted around Superman, creating a cloud of smoke and dust that obscured everyone’s vision.
Swoosh!
Suddenly, a fierce cold wind blew through, quickly dispersing the smoke with visible blue breath.
A pair of scarlet eyes emerged first from the dispersing dust.
Next, Superman walked forward, holding the trident in his hand.
With a slight effort, he bent the specially made trident into a U-shape and tossed it back at them.
At this moment, Superman’s terrifying power was fully displayed.
Their attacks seemed to be no more than a tickle to him.
“Ha… hahaha…”
The Joker’s laughter rang out suddenly, mocking their futile efforts.
“Shut up!”
Batman knew they couldn’t continue like this. He charged toward the imposing figure, seemingly ready to confront a god with his mortal body.
Seeing Batman’s move, the others also rushed at Superman simultaneously.
In this moment, for the sake of the fallen, they were fearless!
“Bruce…”
Flash looked at his companions charging at Superman, a trace of sadness in his eyes. He knew they were buying him time.
“I will complete our plan!”
Flash made up his mind, and the Speed Force within him exploded with incredible speed.
He sprinted away from the battlefield at lightning speed.
“Hmph! You won’t escape!”
Superman’s expression remained unchanged as he faced the charging group, but his attention was on Flash and his actions.
Almost at the same time Flash started running, Superman’s scarlet eyes shot out beams of heat vision aimed at the fleeing speedster.
“Your opponent is us now!”
Suddenly, Batman intercepted the heat vision, raising an arm equipped with a special device that absorbed the energy of Superman’s heat vision.
However, the immense power of the heat vision quickly turned the device red-hot.
At that moment, Cyborg flew in from above, landing a punch squarely on Superman’s face.
Clang!
The metallic collision sound was deafening, diverting Superman’s vision slightly.
The heat vision swept across the wreckage of cars on the broken bridge, causing a series of explosions.
…
“Damn rodents!”
Although Cyborg’s attack barely harmed Superman, it completely enraged him. Superman’s eyes turned scarlet again, and an even more powerful blast of heat vision energy shot toward the nearest target: Cyborg.
Sizzle!
Cyborg reacted swiftly, transforming his metallic arm into a silver shield to block the heat vision.
However, Superman’s fury lent immense power and force to his heat vision.
Cyborg was hurled backward by the impact.
“Barry, it’s all up to you now!”
Meanwhile, Batman noticed that Barry had already become a streak of silver lightning, sprinting rapidly in one direction. In just a few seconds, he had covered several kilometers.
A hint of relief crossed Batman’s face. They had finally bought Barry the chance to escape.
But in the next moment, Batman’s expression changed drastically.
“No!”
He saw a figure streak across the sky at incredible speed, seemingly tearing through the fabric of space.
Boom!
The figure landed instantly in front of the Flash, blocking Barry’s path.
This sight filled Batman with a crushing sense of dread.
With one Superman, they might have had a chance to let Barry escape.
But against two super-powered beings… they might have no choice but to surrender!
...
"Another Superman? What's going on here?"
Batman stared in disbelief at the figure not far away, his eyes filled with shock.
Even the Joker, who always faced death with a smile, saw his grin gradually fade at this moment.
Surprisingly, even Superman's cold expression revealed a hint of astonishment as his crimson gaze locked onto the figure that had suddenly appeared in the distance.
In the next instant, Superman abandoned Batman and the others, launching himself like a missile towards the new figure.
"Who... who are you?"
Of all of them, the Flash felt the most intense shock.
Confronted by the figure that had suddenly appeared and blocked his path, he was filled with astonishment.
At that moment, the Flash sensed an even stronger oppressive force emanating from this figure than from Superman.
Especially striking was the golden glowing armor on the figure, which, backlit by the dim sunlight, made him appear almost divine and overwhelmingly imposing.
"Hello, Mr. Barry Allen. I need to borrow something from you..."
The figure smiled at the stunned Barry and spoke slowly.
"Borrow something... what?"
Barry was perplexed and instantly on guard. Was this second Superman-like figure here to take his life?
"Hmm?"
Suddenly, Peter's expression turned cold as he looked towards the rapidly approaching figure in the distance.
In almost no time, the figure reached the skies above them, his fist aimed straight at Peter.
Without hesitation, Peter vanished from his spot, reappearing to intercept the incoming figure.
He clenched his fist and fearlessly met the attack head-on.
Boom!
When their fists collided, it was as if a thunderclap exploded across the world.
The terrifying force unleashed a massive shockwave.
Visible to the naked eye, the impact rippled outwards for tens of kilometers.
The violent clash generated an explosion of hurricane-like energy, devastating everything within nearly a kilometer.
The ground was left with an irregularly shaped crater stretching nearly a thousand meters.
From its shape, it was clear that all the force had been directed in one direction.
"Damn it, find cover!"
Even Batman and the others, located more than ten kilometers away, realized the danger at once upon witnessing the terrifying energy blast. They hurriedly scrambled under the broken bridge for shelter.
Whoosh!
The powerful energy shockwave, like a category 18 hurricane, swept away the wreckage of countless cars on the bridge above.
As Batman and the others watched, they saw a familiar figure being thrown along with the shockwave.
"That's... Superman? How is this possible?"
They couldn't believe their eyes as they saw the figure that had recently overwhelmed them being hurled tens of kilometers away, becoming a tiny black dot in the distance.
At the same time, not far from the Flash.
Peter, who had just sent Superman flying, slowly turned around. Looking down at the Flash, who seemed unaffected, a slight smile appeared on his face.
"Now, shall we talk properly?"
The enormous crater behind him seemed to say it all.
...
"Who... exactly are you?"
Even the Flash, who had experienced the true apocalypse, couldn't help but swallow nervously.
"What do you need to borrow?"
His entire demeanor exuded caution and tension. He couldn't understand why such a powerful being would need to borrow something from him.
"Heh, don't be nervous. What I need can only be provided by you. And it's not something difficult for you."
Peter floated down, his golden cape billowing in the wind, landing gently in front of the Flash.
"Only I have... could it be?"
As Peter spoke, the Flash quickly deduced what he needed and couldn't help but feel astonished.
"You're right. It's something only you possess in this universe... the Speed Force!"
Peter smiled as he revealed his purpose.
"Of course!"
The Flash had an expression of realization. He knew that aside from the Speed Force, there was likely nothing else he possessed that such a powerful figure would need.
"Sir, I'm sorry, but the Speed Force within me is crucial."
"We need it to save this world from its apocalyptic fate!"
The Flash hesitated briefly before shaking his head in refusal. Although he didn't want to provoke this mysterious figure who was even stronger than Superman, the Speed Force was essential to saving their world.
Without sufficient Speed Force, their world might fall completely into ruin.
"No, Barry, I think we should consider this gentleman's request..."
Suddenly, a voice came from behind Peter.
In the next moment, a mechanical figure swiftly flew by, landing with a single knee on the ground. The face of Batman, masked and serious, was revealed.
"Bruce, you're alive! That's great! But you..."
The Flash rushed towards Batman, both surprised and puzzled by his words.
"Barry..."
Bruce nodded to Barry, signaling him to stay calm. Then, he looked past Barry towards the mysterious figure, his eyes filled with curiosity.
Minutes later, Cyborg had transported the others over.
Everyone looked at Peter with surprise and confusion, wondering why he had appeared out of nowhere and managed to punch Superman, the former god among men, into the distance.
"Who are you, sir?"
With the Joker being the last to arrive, Cyborg couldn't contain his curiosity any longer and asked Peter directly.
"You don't need to know who I am. You just need to agree to my terms..."
Peter's expression turned serious as he spoke.
"But..."
The others wanted to ask more, but Batman stepped forward to face Peter directly.
"Sir, the Speed Force you need is extremely important to us!"
"It's the key to our plan to save this world, and we can't afford to lose it!"
"But we are willing to agree to your request, provided you accept one condition..."
Batman spoke solemnly, proposing that they would meet Peter's demand, but with a condition of their own.
"I know. Your condition is for me to help you defeat Superman and the one behind him trying to conquer Earth..."
Peter understood Batman's intentions.
"But don't think that just because I oppose Superman, it means I'm your friend."
In the next moment, Peter's calm demeanor turned icy cold.
"You’re Not Qualified to Negotiate with Me!"
...
(End of Chapter)
