Chapter 34: Shazam's Challenge
"First, his combat experience is extensive. Among us, perhaps only Hawkman can match it."
Batman knew that without explaining the reasons, it would be difficult to pacify the giant infant that was Shazam, especially since they still needed Shazam's help to enter the Olympian divine realm.
Hawkman waved his hand awkwardly.
"I haven't fully recovered the memories from my past lives. And in most of those reincarnations, I didn't fight much. Let alone battles against superhumans."
Shazam and Aquaman exchanged surprised glances. They hadn't realized Luka's background was so complex. The others, however, already had some understanding of him.
Even the usually reckless Green Lantern remained uncharacteristically silent.
By Oa, how many seconds had that kid held the Yellow Lantern ring? Without even wearing it, his physical abilities had skyrocketed so much. Facing this unprecedented nemesis of the Lantern Corps, Hal Jordan finally had a moment of self-awareness.
Luka, on the other hand, began to worry.
"I haven't fully mastered Ms. Prince's combat style. My fighting style doesn't include the concept of sparring at all. If I accidentally kill a few more Gods, I'm afraid I won't be able to handle Zeus's wrath."
Although Luka didn't fully understand the extent of Zeus's power in this universe, given his legendary status as the King of the Gods in his previous life, he knew Zeus was no ordinary powerhouse.
Even Superman admitted he might not be a match for Zeus, so Luka dared not be overly arrogant.
Lacking sufficient information, Luka drew comparisons from his past life's familiar Marvel universe. If Odin, the King of the Norse pantheon, served as a reference, Luka concluded that venturing alone into the God Realm would likely be a one-way trip.
But since Batman said so, he must have his considerations. After briefly voicing his concerns, Luka fell silent.
Batman nodded slightly, his deep, calm voice resonating once more.
"Secondly, Cyborg and I have analyzed the parchment's contents and the manner of Diana's disappearance. We've concluded with a high degree of certainty that Zeus isn't actually angry about the theft of the Golden Apple."
Shazam stared blankly, then refocused on the parchment displayed on the screen. After scrutinizing it for a long moment, he gradually began to grasp its meaning.
As one blessed with Zeus's divine power, Shazam could comprehend the parchment's divine script even without knowing the language. His divine power and Solomon's wisdom served as a bridge, allowing him to directly perceive the divine essence within the text.
Earlier, when viewing the parchment through the screen, Shazam hadn't paid much attention. But now, he was the first to respond to Batman's second point.
"If Zeus's wrath is only expressed through kidnapping and leaving threatening notes, that's rather petty. I suspect they want Luka to enter the God Realm alone to discuss something."
Hawkman, with his fragmented memories of ancient times, smirked disdainfully.
Though his lifetimes of memories didn't include direct contact with the gods themselves, he had encountered their priests more than once.
"Those lofty beings don't want to show a gentle attitude toward mortals, too obsessed with their so-called divine dignity. Even inviting someone is done with such awkwardness. But if you go alone, they certainly won't let you take Wonder Woman away easily."
Batman looked at Luka.
"Combat is almost inevitable once you enter. Zeus himself likely won't attack you directly, but we'll monitor your condition constantly using technological means. If things reach a critical point, the Justice League won't abandon you or Wonder Woman."
Shazam stood up, walked over, and clapped Luka on the shoulder.
"Hey, buddy, I don't know where you come from, but don't underestimate those gods, especially the God of War. The destructive power he can unleash in the mortal realm versus the God Realm is completely different."
Luka shrugged off Shazam's rough hand.
"You're just repeating what Superman said Ms. Prince told him, aren't you?"
"No."
Shazam's expression suddenly turned serious.
"I just reached out to the wisdom of Solomon. It gave me a glimpse of the God of War's true power. To be honest, I'm not even sure I could take him down alone in the God Realm."
Shazam extended a hand to Luka.
"So, kid, if your strength isn't even on par with mine, I strongly advise you to reconsider. Charging into the God Realm alone would be far too dangerous."
Luka was genuinely surprised. He hadn't expected Shazam to have such a responsible side.
After a moment's hesitation, Luka extended his arm, and the two hands, one large and one small, clasped together.
Both began to exert their full strength, a tremendous force converging in their palms.
This time, Luka wasn't holding back like he had during the previous tests.
Whether in training or actual combat, he always had to consider the potential for collateral damage. Unleashing his full power without restraint could easily devastate the surrounding environment.
Even if Batman's tech could withstand the force of a direct punch from Luka and Shazam, just the wind pressure from a high-speed punch condensed with such massive force could shred reinforced concrete structures like tofu.
Viltrum's training curriculum included such considerations. Their philosophy emphasized conquest, not the complete destruction of valuable planetary resources.
Just as it was unwise to sustain speeds exceeding Mach 5 in terrestrial environments to avoid catastrophic environmental damage, all indoor tests were designed to limit output to a controlled level. The focus was on mastering precise control, ensuring that no destructive excess force spilled over.
But now they were in outer space, surrounded by the Justice League's heavy hitters. Luka felt confident that unleashing his full power here wouldn't pose a significant risk.
Batman shot a glance at Superman, who understood immediately. Superman activated his bio-force field, channeling and dispersing the energy radiating from Luka and Shazam.
Cyborg's electronic eye flickered incessantly. Apart from Batman, he was the Justice League member with the deepest understanding of Luka's origins.
From the moment Luka first appeared on Earth, Cyborg's extended senses, every modern electronic device, had been monitoring him.
One second. Two seconds.
Cyborg's expression shifted from calm to shock.
His electronic eye flashed a blue light.
"They're currently outputting energy equivalent to 2.4 × 10^12 tons of TNT per second. Without Superman's redirection, the Watchtower would have already exploded."
Flash quickly calculated in his head for a tenth of a second.
"Whoa, you're saying they're releasing enough energy every second to wipe out Australia's entire ecosystem?"
Shazam's gaze gradually turned to awe.
"I still have energy left. What about you?"
"Me too," Luka replied with a smile.
"Then let's end it here. I'm confident you won't have any more problems."
With perfect synchronicity, they both released their power and let go of each other's hands.
Batman calmly tapped the table.
"Now, let me outline the plan for opening the entrance to the divine realm."