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Chapter 395: Cremate on the Spot
Wesley Dodds of Earth-2, codename Sandman. Although he shared a name with a member of The Endless, this wasn't a god, but a superhero with the same codename. His primary ability was teleportation.
In the main world, a total of four generations of superheroes had used the codename "Sandman," with Wesley Dodds being the first. On Earth-2, Wesley was a metahuman affiliated with the World Army.
"That was a close call." Wesley looked at Batman. "You're a real madman, Batman. I mean, even crazier than the last one."
"Thanks," Thomas said, unbothered. "And pass my thanks to your Commander Kahn."
"No need. Commander Kahn said this is as much as we can help. Parademons are breaking out all over the world, and the World Army needs to organize a counterattack," Wesley said. "You're on your own for what comes next."
"It's fine. This is more than enough."
Batman looked into the distance. Although the explosion had cleared out a large swathe of the Parademon army, even more were flying over the smoking crater, rushing toward their position in swarms.
Wesley glanced at Thomas. "The previous Batman was a tactical master, but I'm sure we didn't cooperate much. If you have a plan, I think now would be the time to use it."
Batman remained silent, turning to look at the sea behind Gotham Harbor.
"It's already done."
In an instant, the ocean seemed to boil. The deep blue seawater erupted, the calm surface began to churn, and the waves turned violent, like wild beasts. The water surged, forming a massive wall that charged madly toward the shore, as if it carried a mighty army...
No, not "as if."
It *did* bring a mighty army!
At the forefront of the tsunami, a woman's figure came running across the water, as if riding the wind and waves. Her magnificent, pearl-woven skirt fluttered in the spray. She was clad in golden armor, wielding the trident that commanded the Seven Seas.
It was none other than the ocean empress rescued by Batman earlier, Aquawoman.
And following behind her were the thousands of soldiers of Atlantis!
"Atlantis," Aquawoman brandished her trident and roared, "Charge!"
The entire army responded as one. Tons of seawater instantly poured into Gotham's massive pit. The skies swarming with Parademons were engulfed by the torrential waters, sending them plunging into the flood. Valiant Atlantean soldiers and a host of deep-sea creatures surged forward, clashing with the army of Apokolips.
Aquawoman fought her way through, temporarily leaving the battlefield and landing beside Batman on a cresting wave.
"This is for this planet, and to repay my debt to you." She paused, glancing at Sandman beside her. "But it has nothing to do with the World Army."
Wesley didn't seem to mind, smiling. "Of course, Your Majesty. But even so, the World Army will remember this favor."
Batman looked at Helena. "That friend you mentioned, now is a good time to call her. We could really use a Kryptonian's help right now."
"I tried. No response."
Helena said helplessly, turning her head to the sky and muttering to herself.
"Karen, where on Earth are you..."
Kent Farm.
"Mom, is dinner ready?"
The Black Superman sidled up behind his adoptive mother, Martha, a smile on his face that nonetheless radiated a sinister aura.
"Mhm," Martha mumbled in acknowledgment.
"I'll set the table then."
A black blur flashed by the dining table, and the knives, forks, and plates were quickly and neatly arranged.
"Smells delicious... Where's Dad?"
Martha didn't say a word, just slowly placed the freshly roasted suckling pig on the table.
But Black Superman didn't care, only glancing around before saying, "Oh, I see him. In the garage."
The next moment, he had already flashed into the garage. His father, Jonathan, was bent over the Kent farm's truck, busy with a wrench.
"Dad, dinner's ready."
"I know, I'm a little busy..." Jonathan didn't turn around.
Black Superman narrowed his eyes. "It's not good to let dinner get cold. Mom prepared it for us."
Jonathan's movements paused. He put down the wrench and sighed heavily. "Please, I don't want to sit there as if nothing's wrong, pretending you're still..."
But he stopped short the next moment.
Black Superman's eyes were crimson, a magma-like light spilling from their corners. "Pretending I'm still what?"
Jonathan met his gaze but didn't speak.
The red glow subsided. Black Superman turned away, saying flatly, "You and Mom are too old. You're useless to Darkseid. Enjoy your final moments."
They sat at the dining table, eating in sullen silence. Karen occasionally stole a glance at this strange cousin of hers, then at the Kents beside her, hesitating several times but ultimately unable to speak.
In the end, it was Black Superman who spoke first. "Come on, doesn't anyone want to say something? Eating in silence like this feels so weird."
"No," Jonathan said coldly.
Black Superman frowned. "What, is there a problem?"
"Of course there's a damn problem," Jonathan suddenly slammed down his knife and fork.
"Jonathan!" Martha hurriedly grabbed his arm.
But this time, Jonathan shook off her hand and said stubbornly, "I've had enough of living in constant fear, pretending the world is still normal! I can't just sit here and pretend I don't see my own son has become a lunatic murderer!"
Black Superman's face grew cold. "I now represent the invincible Darkseid. Watch your words."
Jonathan roared, "To hell with Darkseid!"
Black Superman instantly shot to his feet, slamming his palm on the table and shattering it into pieces. His eyes blazed with a red heat, and just as the terrifying red glow locked onto Jonathan, ready to be unleashed...
But Karen had already sensed the tense atmosphere. Her figure exploded from the side, a timely punch landing squarely on his right cheek. Black Superman's head snapped to the side, and his body shot through the dining room wall, crashing through wall after wall as he flew out of the house and far beyond the Kent farm.
The Kents were stunned, seemingly not having expected that the son who had always been so gentle and obedient would actually try to kill them. Karen rose into the air and turned back to them. "Wait here."
With that, she shot off, following the black trajectory.
She knew it was pointless to tell them to run; they couldn't get far in this amount of time. No matter where they went, it would be impossible to escape Kal's super-vision.
She was their only hope.
Caught off guard by her punch, Black Superman flipped backward a few times to dissipate the force before coming to a stop. Karen flew up to face him.
"So you're going to defy me too, Kara?" he said coldly.
"You can't be Kal!" Karen said, her voice freezing. "No matter what happened, Kal would never lay a hand on his father."
"He offended the great Darkseid, so he deserves to die." Dark energy seeped from the corners of Black Superman's eyes again. "If you persist, then I'll start by eliminating you."
"Fine. It looks like you're too far gone to reason with." Karen took a deep breath. "Good thing I listened to Helena. I knew this was a possibility."
"So you came here to stop me?"
Black Superman crossed his arms, letting out a contemptuous snort.
"You're stronger than me. I know I might not be able to do it," Karen said calmly. "But the moment I sat down at the table, I sent a distress signal... because I know *he* can."
Black Superman: "?"
With a speed he couldn't even react to, a fist that seemed to burn with brilliance descended from the sky. A silver punch, larger than his entire body, came down from the heavens with an earth-shattering boom, slamming Superman violently into the fields below.
Boundless light exploded like a wave, and the shockwave spread across the fields in ripples, as if it would extend to the horizon.
After the punch landed, the red and silver giant's body shrank within the light, returning to the same human-like size as Karen.
"Talks broke down?" Orin Vale glanced at Karen.
"They broke down," Karen said glumly.
"Alright." Orin Vale nodded and took a step forward. "Then we'll cremate on the spot."
(end of chapter)
Wesley Dodds of Earth-2, codename Sandman. Although he shared a name with a member of The Endless, this wasn't a god, but a superhero with the same codename. His primary ability was teleportation.
In the main world, a total of four generations of superheroes had used the codename "Sandman," with Wesley Dodds being the first. On Earth-2, Wesley was a metahuman affiliated with the World Army.
"That was a close call." Wesley looked at Batman. "You're a real madman, Batman. I mean, even crazier than the last one."
"Thanks," Thomas said, unbothered. "And pass my thanks to your Commander Kahn."
"No need. Commander Kahn said this is as much as we can help. Parademons are breaking out all over the world, and the World Army needs to organize a counterattack," Wesley said. "You're on your own for what comes next."
"It's fine. This is more than enough."
Batman looked into the distance. Although the explosion had cleared out a large swathe of the Parademon army, even more were flying over the smoking crater, rushing toward their position in swarms.
Wesley glanced at Thomas. "The previous Batman was a tactical master, but I'm sure we didn't cooperate much. If you have a plan, I think now would be the time to use it."
Batman remained silent, turning to look at the sea behind Gotham Harbor.
"It's already done."
In an instant, the ocean seemed to boil. The deep blue seawater erupted, the calm surface began to churn, and the waves turned violent, like wild beasts. The water surged, forming a massive wall that charged madly toward the shore, as if it carried a mighty army...
No, not "as if."
It *did* bring a mighty army!
At the forefront of the tsunami, a woman's figure came running across the water, as if riding the wind and waves. Her magnificent, pearl-woven skirt fluttered in the spray. She was clad in golden armor, wielding the trident that commanded the Seven Seas.
It was none other than the ocean empress rescued by Batman earlier, Aquawoman.
And following behind her were the thousands of soldiers of Atlantis!
"Atlantis," Aquawoman brandished her trident and roared, "Charge!"
The entire army responded as one. Tons of seawater instantly poured into Gotham's massive pit. The skies swarming with Parademons were engulfed by the torrential waters, sending them plunging into the flood. Valiant Atlantean soldiers and a host of deep-sea creatures surged forward, clashing with the army of Apokolips.
Aquawoman fought her way through, temporarily leaving the battlefield and landing beside Batman on a cresting wave.
"This is for this planet, and to repay my debt to you." She paused, glancing at Sandman beside her. "But it has nothing to do with the World Army."
Wesley didn't seem to mind, smiling. "Of course, Your Majesty. But even so, the World Army will remember this favor."
Batman looked at Helena. "That friend you mentioned, now is a good time to call her. We could really use a Kryptonian's help right now."
"I tried. No response."
Helena said helplessly, turning her head to the sky and muttering to herself.
"Karen, where on Earth are you..."
Kent Farm.
"Mom, is dinner ready?"
The Black Superman sidled up behind his adoptive mother, Martha, a smile on his face that nonetheless radiated a sinister aura.
"Mhm," Martha mumbled in acknowledgment.
"I'll set the table then."
A black blur flashed by the dining table, and the knives, forks, and plates were quickly and neatly arranged.
"Smells delicious... Where's Dad?"
Martha didn't say a word, just slowly placed the freshly roasted suckling pig on the table.
But Black Superman didn't care, only glancing around before saying, "Oh, I see him. In the garage."
The next moment, he had already flashed into the garage. His father, Jonathan, was bent over the Kent farm's truck, busy with a wrench.
"Dad, dinner's ready."
"I know, I'm a little busy..." Jonathan didn't turn around.
Black Superman narrowed his eyes. "It's not good to let dinner get cold. Mom prepared it for us."
Jonathan's movements paused. He put down the wrench and sighed heavily. "Please, I don't want to sit there as if nothing's wrong, pretending you're still..."
But he stopped short the next moment.
Black Superman's eyes were crimson, a magma-like light spilling from their corners. "Pretending I'm still what?"
Jonathan met his gaze but didn't speak.
The red glow subsided. Black Superman turned away, saying flatly, "You and Mom are too old. You're useless to Darkseid. Enjoy your final moments."
They sat at the dining table, eating in sullen silence. Karen occasionally stole a glance at this strange cousin of hers, then at the Kents beside her, hesitating several times but ultimately unable to speak.
In the end, it was Black Superman who spoke first. "Come on, doesn't anyone want to say something? Eating in silence like this feels so weird."
"No," Jonathan said coldly.
Black Superman frowned. "What, is there a problem?"
"Of course there's a damn problem," Jonathan suddenly slammed down his knife and fork.
"Jonathan!" Martha hurriedly grabbed his arm.
But this time, Jonathan shook off her hand and said stubbornly, "I've had enough of living in constant fear, pretending the world is still normal! I can't just sit here and pretend I don't see my own son has become a lunatic murderer!"
Black Superman's face grew cold. "I now represent the invincible Darkseid. Watch your words."
Jonathan roared, "To hell with Darkseid!"
Black Superman instantly shot to his feet, slamming his palm on the table and shattering it into pieces. His eyes blazed with a red heat, and just as the terrifying red glow locked onto Jonathan, ready to be unleashed...
But Karen had already sensed the tense atmosphere. Her figure exploded from the side, a timely punch landing squarely on his right cheek. Black Superman's head snapped to the side, and his body shot through the dining room wall, crashing through wall after wall as he flew out of the house and far beyond the Kent farm.
The Kents were stunned, seemingly not having expected that the son who had always been so gentle and obedient would actually try to kill them. Karen rose into the air and turned back to them. "Wait here."
With that, she shot off, following the black trajectory.
She knew it was pointless to tell them to run; they couldn't get far in this amount of time. No matter where they went, it would be impossible to escape Kal's super-vision.
She was their only hope.
Caught off guard by her punch, Black Superman flipped backward a few times to dissipate the force before coming to a stop. Karen flew up to face him.
"So you're going to defy me too, Kara?" he said coldly.
"You can't be Kal!" Karen said, her voice freezing. "No matter what happened, Kal would never lay a hand on his father."
"He offended the great Darkseid, so he deserves to die." Dark energy seeped from the corners of Black Superman's eyes again. "If you persist, then I'll start by eliminating you."
"Fine. It looks like you're too far gone to reason with." Karen took a deep breath. "Good thing I listened to Helena. I knew this was a possibility."
"So you came here to stop me?"
Black Superman crossed his arms, letting out a contemptuous snort.
"You're stronger than me. I know I might not be able to do it," Karen said calmly. "But the moment I sat down at the table, I sent a distress signal... because I know *he* can."
Black Superman: "?"
With a speed he couldn't even react to, a fist that seemed to burn with brilliance descended from the sky. A silver punch, larger than his entire body, came down from the heavens with an earth-shattering boom, slamming Superman violently into the fields below.
Boundless light exploded like a wave, and the shockwave spread across the fields in ripples, as if it would extend to the horizon.
After the punch landed, the red and silver giant's body shrank within the light, returning to the same human-like size as Karen.
"Talks broke down?" Orin Vale glanced at Karen.
"They broke down," Karen said glumly.
"Alright." Orin Vale nodded and took a step forward. "Then we'll cremate on the spot."
(end of chapter)
