Exercise

Markus knew the profit of being hardworking. He woke up early in the morning and headed to the gym. He got into his metallic form and started with light exercises like stretches. Stretching was the best way to nimber up and mostly prevent muscles from aching or even receiving an injury. Even if his metallic muscles didn't need it, he did it anyway.

From there, he did not start pumping iron immediately but started with doing press ups. When he did not feel the burn, he added four five hundred tonnes plates on his back. Even with his power, a few hundred tonnes worth of weight was enough to make him feel results in his exercise, let alone lifting two thousands worth of tonnes.

From oressuos, he went to pull up, tying a five thousand tonnes worth of plates on his waist. The pullups were even harder but he wasn't strong for nothing. Because this was exercising, his adrenaline did not pump out to make him do heaven defying things like have him the strength to fight Hulk or something. He was here to have that kind of strength naturally.

His metallic muscles coupled with the healing factor was actually a huge boon for him for he could feel himself getting stronger and fast. It might be because of the Admantium that had become a bio-metal now, but he could actually feel it was getting stronger, tougher! This motivated even more to get stronger, but this did not stop him from looking at the long term vision.

His strength was great and sure, he would have a tanky fight style. But, his speed was important too. Speed was a deciding factor in most fight, unless you're like Juggernaut and then strength was mostly what you needed. He had heard that DC had a larger power scale than Marvel and as a Marvel fan, that made him livid then. But, if it was true, then he really needed his speed to keep up.

There was a treadmill in the gym that could go to speeds of mach 21 which made him feel a little pressured. If there was a speedster in this universe that can go to this speeds then he truly was fucked. But, Rome was not built in one day and he couldn't grow stronger by imagining it so he hoped onto the treadmill and set the machine to keep up with his speed.

He saw the machine's speedometer rise slowly till it reach Mach one. From there, it would slowly rise as silvery wisps of smoke appeared around him. He could feel something was obstructing him from going faster but he was a stubborn Russian, it would not stop him. Once again, he had identified himself as a Russian without realizing and probably would not for a long time.

The treadmill shown he ran past Mach 2 and barely stopped at Mach 3. He continued running in this speed for two more hours, trying to see if he would break past this barrier but it seems he was doomed to fail. But, that did not stop him, in fact it motivated. It was now daytime so he walked out of the gym in his metallic form and headed to the kitchen. He saw the Superboy kid eating some cereals looking grumpy as ever.

"You look grumpy, did someone steal your teddy bear?" he teased him because he was told Superboy was barely one years old! Superboy just glared at him before continuing to eat his cereal in silence. "They say frowning brings wrinkles. I have metallic skin, frowning is not threat. But you will develop wrinkles before you become two." He was making a smoothie for breakfast and found it easy to tease this one year old teenager!

"Where were you?" Superboy growled back. Ever since this Russian heard he was a one year old, he had picking on him and he was getting irritated yet he could not beat him up because apparently he was a Justice League associate.

"I pump iron in gym," Markus answered before looking at him. "You are Kryptonian, no? Do you become strong from exercise?"

"I become strong by absorbing solar radiation," Superboy answered dismissively.

"So Kryptonian muscles made of radiation. You are paper tiger," Markus said walking next to the youngest teenager in the world. (A/N: I just realized that M'gann might be the oldest teenager on Earth! I mean, why didn't the spell that separated grown ups from non grown ups not transport her to the grown up world? Shit, sorry for the rant.) "Make your foundation strong and your building will become stronger. Now, your foundation is shit and your powers are shit!" Superboy got up angrily, glaring at him.

"Why don't you and I spar then, see if I am a paper tiger, comrade," Superboy growled.

"First, that is hurtful stereotype. Second, I will not bully toddler," Markus said, grinning in the inside. He was having fun teasing this boy. Apparently Superboy thought otherwise for he swung a fist at his face only for him to miss as Markus dodged it easily. He broke the kitchen table though and this alerted everyone in the base.

"Your anger is raging inferno, maybe some vodka will help," Markus said before feigning a look of remembering. "Right, you are one year old."

"I'm gonna kill you!" Superboy roared, tackling him and tried to push him only to fail spectacularly.

"You are still paper tiger," Markus said before getting hold of his arms and wrenching them from his waist. "When you feel like becoming real tiger, find me in gym " Markus let go of him and poured himself the smoothie that had just gone finished then walked back to the gym.

In there, he found he could forget himself for hours on end, thus was the thirst to grow stronger. He didn't want to compare his strength yet, he would rather be like Saitama than be like Superboy. He lifted the weights for hours, practiced boxing for his mobility before exercising how to fight with his claws. He found the later easier, might be the inherent feel to them. Any way, he did not stop till mid night and he was still not feeling all that tired. His stamina was just monstrous!

As he walked out of the gym, he saw the team addressing Batman, each of them in a sorry state. Batman was berating them about something about a recon mission gone awry. He didn't bother with it because he was not part of this group so he was going to walk into the kitchen when Batman called out for him. With a frown, he walked towards them.

"Piotr Rasputin here will demonstrate just how much all of you lack in teamwork. I am giving you a chance to fight him. If he wins then all of you need better training and a break from missions. If you win then I will reconsider my earlier words," Batman said. In truth, he didn't have much hope in them. He had seen Piotr train in the gym and he could see the discipline he had. Superboy could not help the grin that appeared on his face and neither could he help himself from pouncing at Markus, punch ready.

What none of them realized was that they barely knew Markus at all, let alone his powers. Markus had appeared behind Superboy, got hold of his ankle and threw him to the mountain. Superboy broke through the rocks and flew out in amidst rocks and dust. Markus did not give them enough time to react for he was already upon them. His speed was enough to catch Kid Flash off guard, getting hold of the boy by his throat and maintaining a vice grip. That was a speedster captured and not getting out soon.

Robin threw three batarangs at his body and Markus thought he was kidding. However, the batarangs exploded when they hit him, making him take a step back in surprise. He never would have thoughts things so small would have enough power to rival a grenade, not in a hundred years. But, you learn from mistakes and the explosions barely even phased him.

Miss Martian tried to get into his head but she found it impenetrable like his body. Aqualad rushed in with two maces made of water, going in for the melee while Robin maintained distance for support. M'gann was at loss at what to do seeing her telepathy was not working. Markus' right hand balled into a fist and from his knuckles gree three blades. He slashed at Aqualad's oncoming maces and the Atlantean felt like his entire body had been rocked. Be went down on one knee while he blocked the blades, Markus' strength greater than his by a larger margin.

"Aqualad!" M'gann screamt before she started using her telekinesis. Markus was a little surprised feeling an invisible force wrapping around him and trying to lift him. He could feel the force prying his fingers from Kid Flash's throat. He could grip harder but that would kill the boy so he let it happen. Alleviated from the weight, Aqualad sprung into action, hitting Markus on his chest with all his strength only for his constructs to break in stead. Markus did not pay attention to him but to Miss Martian who was concentrating her best at the task at hand, immobilizing him.

"You know what, Martian, I think angry boy likes you," he told her. Miss Martian's mind faltered when she heard this and he telekinesis failed, dropping Markus to the ground.

"H..H...He does?" Miss Martian stammered but Markus was not listening to her. Instead, he got hold of Aqualad and threw him to her, making her break out of her musing and attempt to catch him. She did, but she felt the momentum act on her, throwing them backwards and crashing to the side of the mountain. Markus was going to attack the two remaining when Batman called it.

"That is enough, Markus," Batman said just as a fist the size of Kid Flash's head was about to impact on Kid Flash's chest. Markus chuckled a little, scratching his neck.

"Sorry, seems I lost my mind," he apologized. In fact, he felt a little disgruntled at stopping the fight at this. Kid Flash's face was irresistibly punchable. He figured his wolverine side was acting up and thus, another thing to train.

"That wasn't fair, he is four times any of our size!" Kid Flash yelled at Batman who scowled at his direction.

"An Killer Croc is ten times stronger than me yet you do not hear me complaining. I do not know what you thought being a hero meant but it seems you need some rude awakening. Starting tomorrow, all of you will attend Black Canary's training, compulsorily," Batman said sternly before turning to Markus. "Thank you for holding back."

"Well, you could thank me well by adding weights in gym and maybe another refrigerator in kitchen, fully stocked?" Markus shot his shot. Batman just grunted and walked away.