"No, no!"
H'el trembled violently, his body swaying precariously in the air. The intense radiation had left him extremely weak and powerless.
He tried to teleport away from the area but found he couldn't.
He was too weak; abilities that even ordinary Kryptonians possessed were now beyond his reach.
"Your powers are failing, aren't they?"
David noticed and chuckled.
"A hundred Kryptonians would be dead by now in this situation. At least you can still fly."
"I must save Krypton! I cannot fall here!"
H'el couldn't accept it. Like a cornered beast, his eyes turned red, and he charged at David with reckless abandon.
David was one step ahead. He flashed in front of H'el. H'el's eyes widened, trying to attack, but his speed, in David's eyes, was like that of an eighty-year-old man. David easily dodged and grabbed H'el by the neck.
"Do you still think we came here willingly?"
"Kal, Krypton is your home too. Think of your deceased birth parents."
Gripped by hands like iron clamps, David's icy gaze seemed to freeze H'el's soul. H'el looked at Clark in terror.
"You haven't even met your mother, Lara, have you? Don't you want to grow up in her warm embrace, listening to her gentle lullabies?"
He wanted to persuade Clark to help him.
David exuded an unshakeable coldness, but Clark was different.
"Mother..."
Hearing this, Clark's eyes trembled.
His mother, whom he had never met, whose voice he had never even heard.
"No need."
Seeing the change in Clark's expression, H'el thought there was hope, but in the next second, Clark shook his head.
"Although I have no memories of my mother, in my life, a loving and gentle mother has already filled that role, giving me everything I need.
What you intend to do is kill her." His gaze turned sharp, just like David's.
"No, you traitor to Krypton!"
Seeing no hope, H'el yelled fiercely, raising his fist to resist.
A fist like a hydraulic press smashed into his abdomen. H'el spat blood, his face contorted like a demon as he glared at David.
"If... if it weren't for you, I could have saved Krypton! It's all you!"
"Is that 'saving' you speak of killing billions of lives to create a Krypton in another timeline?"
David twisted forcefully, snapping H'el's neck.
The look of hatred and unwillingness froze on his face. The body dropped, hitting the ground and kicking up a cloud of dust.
H'el not only possessed an indestructible body but also powerful telepathic abilities. No prison could hold him, so David had to kill him.
David's eyes lit up, and he incinerated the body with cosmic energy rays of terrifying heat.
Due to the Kryptonians' unique traits, he couldn't just throw H'el into the sun, which had served as a crematorium for him multiple times. He had to use his heat vision to evaporate his body.
Weakened by the river-like Kryptonite solution, H'el's body couldn't resist and was quickly burned away into a pool of lava.
Seeing H'el dead, Clark shook his head. He didn't know what to say about this student of his father, whom he had never met before.
He believed that when H'el was learning from his father, he wasn't like this. It must have been the near-death experiences and drifting through the universe that changed him.
"Transcendent, Superman!"
Before the energy shield, the panting Flash turned and called out.
He had lost count of how many tens of thousands of punches he had thrown at the shield. The others and he had been attacking it non-stop, but it showed no effect.
Crack!
Having dealt with H'el, David turned, his body turning into lightning as he smashed the shield that had resisted everyone for so long with a single punch.
Clark destroyed the device with his heat vision.
The light bridge connecting Mercury and the Sun was finally severed.
"It's finally over."
Arthur and the others collapsed on the ground, exhausted.
"The sun... the sun is safe. Although we didn't help much in the process."
The near-dead Flash and Green Lantern exchanged bitter smiles of relief.
Just then, Batman arrived at high speed piloting the Fenrir Mech. Inside the cockpit, several cans of Kryptonite solution glowed green next to his seat.
"When did Batman start being as late as Gotham's police?"
Hal Jordan sat on the ground, hands braced behind him, teasing the late-arriving Batman.
Batman surveyed the situation around him, his expression freezing for a moment before he spoke in a hushed tone.
"I came as fast as I could, but I didn't expect it to end so quickly."
He looked towards David.
Judging by the surroundings and everyone's condition, it was no surprise that David had once again resolved the crisis and saved the Earth.
...
David first fought H'el at the North Pole, and then on the desolate Mercury. This battle was unknown to anyone.
However, the mysterious beam connecting Mercury and the Sun in the solar system plunged the entire Earth into panic. It wasn't until Cyborg, representing the Justice League, made a statement online explaining the whole story.
The people of Earth were shocked to learn that the sun had almost been drained dry without their knowledge, and the Earth had narrowly escaped destruction. Fortunately, the Transcendent led the Justice League in saving the Earth once again.
"Thank you, Transcendent! I can see the sun again when I open my curtains tomorrow morning!"
"I can't even imagine what the world would be like without the sun."
"If the sun were to disappear, Earth would likely return to an ice age. Earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, and tsunamis would occur frequently. We would die in despair, and it would be better to have the world destroyed outright. Thank you to the superheroes led by the Transcendent!"
Major headlines reported the crisis of the sun's near disappearance and the contributions of the Transcendent and the Justice League, sparking a series of discussions online.
Upon learning that they and their families had nearly died, the enraged populace began questioning their respective governments and the United Nations. While they were grateful to the Transcendent and the Justice League, a wave of dissatisfaction also formed against Earth's political systems.
At this time, the White House spokesperson announced to the media that next week they would formally introduce the United States government's own superhero team at the White House. Each member possessed the ability to handle challenges independently, and they would absolutely protect the safety of America and the world in a better, safer, and more legitimate way.
"More legitimate?"
Two days later, at the Justice League's base, Batman stared at the news website, his sharp gaze locking onto those specific words. Frowning, he looked out at the sea, feeling as though a long-brewing wave was about to crash down.
It was morning in Metropolis.
Bright sunlight streamed into the house. At the dining table, David, while eating, glanced at his phone and saw the news. However, he paid it no mind, casually skimming over it after a brief look.
He had also discerned some of the underlying currents of the event. He didn't even care much about his own superhero identity; this matter wasn't worth bothering him.
He looked towards the empty chair on the other side of the dining table.
"Where did Clark go so early this morning?"
Jonathan, still a bit groggy, scratched his head as he came downstairs after washing up and sat in his usual seat. He had spent the previous day fixing the cow shed on the farm.
His mother, Martha, wearing an apron, brought a freshly baked raspberry pie to the table. She glanced outside and, not seeing her son, her brow furrowed slightly, but she said nothing and sat down.
The clinking of cutlery was the only sound as the family ate in silence.
David knew what his mother was worried about.
"Unlike me, Clark spends too much time playing Superman and fighting crime, almost leaving no life for himself."
As a mother, she couldn't bear to see her son like this. She believed he should have a normal life, rushing out every morning before he could even eat breakfast, not letting Superman encroach on the life that rightfully belonged to Clark Kent.
...
Metropolis City Center Museum.
"Good morning, gentlemen."
"Oh, Superman, we love you!"
His super-vision having detected the incident, the red and blue figure arrived rapidly from the sky. He greeted the police officers on the scene and, amidst the cheers of the crowd, Clark flew into the museum with a slightly serious expression.
On his way there, he had already learned the situation from the communication between the police officers at the scene.
A strangely dressed individual had entered the crowded museum on a Sunday, looking at three shattered rubies in his hand like a compass, muttering to himself and doing something unknown.
Because he had bumped into someone nearby, a person became dissatisfied and got into a conflict with him.
"He pointed his finger, and the next second, that six-foot-tall, over two-hundred-pound Mexican strongman turned into a withered mummy."
"Is it a superpower, or magic?"
Clark felt he needed to be cautious; he had a bit of a headache.
Speaking of which, he had originally planned to go home for breakfast after resolving the kidnapping case on Porroson Avenue. He was definitely going to be late now.
The tourists immediately fled in terror after the death, and the museum was now empty. In the ancient Greek artifacts exhibition area.
"Found it!"
A middle-aged man, dressed in a blue robe and wearing a hat, with a sinister expression, looked like the wicked sorcerer from a fairy tale, hiding in a gloomy cave and brewing strange potions.
Guided by the brightest shard of the three gems in his hand, he stopped in front of a rough-patterned clay pot in the center of the exhibition area.
Faust's expression grew excited. He waved his hand and cast a levitation spell, and the ancient clay pot flew into his hand.
His palm's edge shimmered with a strange light, and he raised his hand, about to smash the clay pot.
"Excuse me, Mr. Wizard, I checked the description on the display. This pot, though not particularly exquisite, is nearly three thousand years old."
A voice suddenly came from behind him. Clark floated in the air with his arms crossed, his red cape billowing behind him.
"Can we make a deal? You put it back, and you surrender, and I can still get home in time for breakfast."
"Superman?"
Faust turned around, a cold smile devoid of panic on his face.
The next second, he smashed the pottery jar, revealing an ancient component resembling a stone pestle.
Then, clutching the stone component, he didn't look at Superman. Instead, he vigilantly scanned his surroundings, as if something bad was bound to happen.
"Sir, what are you looking at?"
Just as Clark finished asking.
An incredible sight unfolded. Beside the central exhibition hall, an ancient warrior stone statue, also on display, suddenly moved. It was clad in ancient Roman warrior armor, a sword at its waist, and stood about six to seven meters tall.
Its movements produced creaking sounds, drawing the attention of both men.
"That's more like it."
Faust smiled as he gazed at the towering stone warrior resurrected by magic.
"This one's for you. You've arrived just in time, Superman. I have other matters to attend to, so I'm leaving now."
He quietly recited an incantation, and a cloud of smoke enveloped him. When the smoke dissipated, he was gone.
Clark reached out his palm, grasping at empty air, then looked up to see a shadow descending.
"I'd like to say you must have seen, the item wasn't taken by me."
Looking at the warrior statue looming over him, he tried his best to show an innocent smile.
Whoosh!
The next second.
The massive stone sword, imbued with terrifying power, struck him.
Clark was sent flying backward like a cannonball, smashing through the museum's glass and out into the street, dozens of meters away, before he could stabilize himself.
Amidst a shower of glass shards, the crowd gasped as they saw Superman being sent flying.
"Alright, you're being unreasonable first."
Clark, looking slightly disheveled, blew a strand of hair from his forehead, then immediately charged back into the museum.
This statue didn't seem to possess high intelligence, he couldn't just leave it be.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
Several deafening sounds, accompanied by the noise of shattering stone.
Before long, the head of the giant stone warrior statue was sent flying out of the museum, nearly hitting a row of police cars. Clark flew out, scratching his head sheepishly at the commotion he had caused. He offered a few explanations to the stunned police officers and then flew up into the sky.
"Today's been really unlucky. I missed breakfast and got blamed for something a wicked wizard did."
Clark grumbled inwardly, simultaneously scanning the city with his gaze, trying to find the man's whereabouts.
He felt a vague sense of unease.
The wizard, who had casually killed someone like crushing an insect, was ecstatic upon obtaining the stone component, making him suspect he had some evil intentions.
...
Faust teleported back to his residence.
He rubbed the stone component in his hands and drew a circle in the air with his finger.
As the fiery circle formed, flames with a strong sulfuric odor emerged from the other end, faintly accompanied by the miserable cries of the dead, as if it connected to a terrifying hell.
"Master, I have found one piece of the key."
Faust took a step back and reported his progress to the master who bestowed upon him great power.
"Very good, Faust. Then what are you still standing here for? Hurry and find me the second piece!"
From another patch of hellfire, no person was visible, only a majestic voice could be heard. It sounded like a capricious monarch, imprisoned for a long time, who offered a brief commendation before erupting into a furious reprimand.
"Master, those keys are protected by powerful magic, I..."
The hellfire, along with the scolding, surged towards his face, causing Faust to quickly retreat two steps, his expression troubled.
"Faust."
The voice from the other side turned cold. Vaguely, one could imagine a monarch seated on a frigid throne, tapping his fingers on the armrest, looking down with cold eyes at a restless jester trying to play little tricks, his words carrying an implicit warning.
"With your original magic, plus the power I bestowed upon you, even in Mount Olympus, ruled by my hypocritical and despicable brother, there are few who are your match. What else do you want!"
Called by his name, Faust trembled, as if addressed by the god of death himself, and quickly lowered his head.
"I understand, Master. I will retrieve the remaining two key pieces as soon as possible, and then head to the underground of Themyscira to release you!"
"Hurry, I can't wait to return to the world and rule it!" The voice was laced with impatience and suppressed rage.
"Yes, Sovereign of the Underworld, great Lord Hades." Faust respectfully lowered his head even further.
-----------
Machine Translation by: https:// randomtranslator.com/
Read 777+ original & fanfic translations in English, Español, Português, Deutsch, Français, or Русский at: https:// randomtranslator.com/
Join our Discord: https:// discord.gg/NSWvfN7vua
-----------