The dust cloud hung heavy over the desert like a thick blanket, blocking out the harsh sun and casting long shadows across the cracked earth. Down in the massive crater, Superman lay still for a moment, his chest heaving as he gasped for air. His blue suit was ripped in places, showing bruises and cuts that would have killed a normal man ten times over. Blood dripped from his mouth, and his eyes burned with a mix of anger and pain. He had fought gods, aliens, and monsters before, but this Goku guy was something else. It felt like punching a wall that punched back harder every time.
Goku floating above the crater, his arms crossed over his chest. His orange gi was barely scratched, and his wild hair stood up like always. The golden aura around him flickered like fire, but he wasn't even breathing hard. "Come on, Superman," he called down with a grin. "Is that all? I thought you were the strongest guy on this planet. Get up and show me more!"
Superman pushed himself up on one elbow, spitting out a mouthful of sand and blood. His mind raced. *How is he so fast? So strong? It's like he's not even trying.* He clenched his fists, feeling the sun's rays start to peek through the dust and heal his wounds a little. Superman's powers came from the yellow sun, and out here in the open desert, he could feel his strength coming back slowly. But it wasn't enough. Not yet.
With a roar that echoed across the miles, Superman launched himself out of the crater like a rocket. He flew straight at Goku, fists ready to strike. "I'm not done yet!" he shouted.
Goku's eyes lit up with excitement. "That's the spirit!" He dodged the punch easily, twisting in the air like it was a game. Then he countered with a quick kick to Superman's side. The blow sent Superman spinning through the sky, crashing into another rocky hill. Stones flew everywhere, and the ground shook again.
Up in the Watchtower, the space station orbiting Earth, Wonder Woman gripped her sword tighter. Her long black hair fell over her shoulders, and her armor shone under the bright lights. She stared at the big screen showing the fight below. "We can't just watch this," she said, her voice strong but worried. "Superman needs us."
Green Lantern, with his glowing green ring on his finger, shook his head. His mask covered his eyes, but you could see the fear in his face. "Diana, listen to Constantine. That guy's power level is off the charts. My ring scanned him—it's like he's got unlimited energy."
John Constantine leaned against the wall, his trench coat dirty and his tie loose. He lit a cigarette, even though smoking wasn't allowed up here. "Yeah, love. Goku's not from around here. He's from another universe or something. Magic's buzzing like crazy around him. But like I said, help's coming."
"Who?" Wonder Woman asked, turning to him fast. "Who could possibly help against that?"
Constantine smiled, blowing out smoke. "Old friends. The kind with capes and attitude."
I'm going to help Superman and our friends who are still on their way here to help, all of a sudden, a strange figure that looked like an alien appeared right in the middle of the room. On his chest, there was a big sign that looked like the letter X.
"Martian Manhunter, you're finally back," said Constantine. "Unfortunately, you can't help out in this battle at all." Constantine started walking slowly towards Martian Manhunter, his face looking serious under the lights of the room.
"Why do you say that, Constantine?" Martian Manhunter asked. His green skin glowed a little in the shadows, and his red eyes looked confused.
"Seriously, Constantine, do you really care at all about what is happening right now?" Green Lantern jumped in, his voice full of anger. He was floating a bit off the ground, his green ring shining bright on his finger. "I know if I go back down there, I'm dead meat. But Martian Manhunter here is stronger than I am, and he's trying to help. Why not let him?" Green Lantern crossed his arms, staring hard at Constantine, waiting for an answer.
"Really?" Wonder Woman said, turning her head to look at Green Lantern. She had her arms crossed too.
"If you join the battle, Martian Manhunter, you'll only be a hindrance to Superman," Constantine warned, "Your weakness is fire. Any powerful explosion like what they are doing now can affect you badly. And you, Diana—except against the weakest enemies—you will be broken beyond repair."
"I'm going, Constantine," Martian Manhunter said firmly. He didn't wait for more talk. He stepped right into the glowing teleportation circle on the floor. The circle hummed with energy, blue lights swirling around his feet.
"Wait for me too!" Wonder Woman yelled out. She ran fast towards the circle, her boots clacking on the hard floor. Her hair flew behind her like a flag in the wind.
"Aren't you coming, Lantern?" Martian Manhunter asked, looking back at Green Lantern with a calm face.
"Hmmmm," Green Lantern sighed heavily. He crossed both arms tighter across his chest, thinking hard. He looked at the floor, then at the ceiling, his mind racing with thoughts of danger and friendship.
"If you prove yourself worthy, then I will consider that date, Lantern," Diana said with a smile. She winked at him, her blue eyes sparkling. It was a little joke to make him feel better, but it also showed she believed in him.
"Well, now I can't become a coward when my friends are in trouble, can I?" Green Lantern said. He uncrossed his arms and floated over to join them in the circle. His green suit glowed brighter, like he was powering up for what was coming.
"Vuuuu, boom." The teleportation happened in a flash. A big whoosh of air, a loud boom like thunder, and they were gone from the room.
Idiot's they never listen, Constantine turned to the screen.
The Sahara Desert Earlier...
"What a waste of time," Goku whispered to himself. He was standing there, his orange gi clothes flapping in the hot wind. "Seems I have gotten a lot stronger than I imagined." Goku flexed his muscles a little, feeling the power inside him growing bigger and bigger.
"Yes, you have," Zeno replied. "But we need to find out just how much stronger you've gotten."
"I agree," Goku said. "I'm going wild, Zeno." A big smirk spread across Goku's face, showing his sharp teeth.
"Do whatever you wish," Zeno said simply. "Just gather up more energy for me, and that is all." Zeno crossed his little arms, waiting to see what would happen next.
Your mine now, Superman's eyes opened wide, full of determination. He launched a powerful right-hand punch at Goku. The punch was so strong that the air itself exploded with a loud crack, like a whip snapping through the sky.
"Bam!" Goku caught the punch like it was nothing. His hand wrapped around Superman's fist, stopping it dead. The ground below them felt the pressure right away. Cracks spread out like spider webs in the sand, and dust flew up into the air, making a big cloud around them.
"Impossible!" Superman muttered to himself. His blue eyes widened in shock. He couldn't believe how easy Goku stopped him. Superman was used to being the strongest, but now he felt a twinge of fear.
"That was good," Goku said with a smile. But his eyes showed he wasn't impressed. "But still far from hurting me." Goku's hand moved fast, grabbing Superman's neck tight.
"Ah, ah....." Superman struggled, his hands pulling at Goku's fingers, trying to break free. But Goku's grip only got stronger, like iron clamps closing tighter.
"Now let me show you what it truly means to be powerful," Goku said. He pointed one finger right at Superman's face. Yellow energy started forming around his hand—small at first, but pulsing with huge power. It glowed bright, lighting up the desert sand around them.
"Don't die, okay?" Goku said, smirking. Then he unleashed the blast right at Superman's face. The energy shot out like a laser, bright and deadly.
But then, time seemed to pause for a second. Flash jumped towards them at super speed. His red suit blurred as he vibrated Superman right out of Goku's hand. Flash was trying to save his friend, grabbing Superman to run away fast.
Before Flash could get far, Goku kicked both of them away with one swift move. They crashed into the ground hard.
"Boom." The impact made a big crater in the sand, dust exploding everywhere like a bomb had gone off.
"You're fast, slim guy," Goku said, looking at Flash. "But not fast enough." Goku raised his hand and shot a huge blast at them. It was yellow, pulsing with white energy, and it moved at an incredible speed, tearing through the air towards Flash and Superman.
"Superman, move!" Flash shouted out, his voice full of panic. He tried to stand up, but his legs felt heavy from the crash.
"I'm trying!" Superman planted his leg on the ground, pushing hard to get up. But he slipped and fell back down to the sand, pain shooting through his body.
"Run away, Barry," Superman pleaded. He looked at Flash with worried eyes. "I'm certain I will not die."
"It's too late," Flash said, his voice low and weak. He stared at the coming blast, feeling helpless.
"Not really!" Suddenly, a swoosh sound filled the air. Hundreds of huge green walls appeared out of nowhere, like giant shields made of light. They blocked the huge energy blast just in time. The walls glowed green, strong and unbreakable, stopping the yellow energy from hitting them.
"Don't give up yet, Clark," Wonder Woman said. She picked Superman up by the shoulder, helping him stand. Her voice was strong and full of hope.
"Diana," Superman whispered, looking at her with relief. He leaned on her a bit, catching his breath.
Guy's "fu...ck... i can't hold on much longer, Lantern yelled out."
"We can do this," Martian Manhunter said. He punched the ground hard with his fist. From the sand, multiple huge trees burst out, growing fast and tall. Their branches reached out like arms, adding more protection.
The energy blast hit the green walls and the trees, and it exploded with a massive boom. Everywhere went white for a moment, like a flash of lightning that blinded everyone. The ground they stood on cracked open wide, sand falling into deep fissures. The whole desert shook, as if the earth itself was angry. Dust clouds rose high into the sky, blocking the sun and turning the day into a hazy twilight. The heroes stood waiting for the next attack.