Chapter 181: A New Superman?
Not long ago, a tremendously powerful monster suddenly appeared in the city. It seemed capable of withstanding all human weaponry without dying. Moreover, it could evolve and grow stronger after enduring various attacks.
To eliminate this creature, humanity resorted to using a nuclear bomb for the first time since the last century. Unfortunately, even though Superman heroically restrained the monster, ensuring it took the full impact of the nuclear blast, the creature was not destroyed. Instead, it evolved further due to the bomb's attack, becoming even more terrifying.
As the monster threatened to become the executioner of human cities, Superman, disregarding his own safety, used a Kryptonite spear to personally kill the beast. However, in the process, Superman himself was fatally wounded by a blade on the monster's arm, which pierced his heart. He sacrificed himself, dying alongside the monster, to save the world.
The god-like figure worshiped by all of humanity, Superman, had fallen in the battle against the monster. This loss left countless citizens in deep sorrow, leading them to gather today to bid farewell to Superman.
The streets of the city were packed with people wearing black, holding white chrysanthemums, as they paid their respects. In this solemn atmosphere, Superman's body was laid to rest in the Superman Memorial Hall.
As the funeral reached its conclusion and the body was buried, a strange figure suddenly appeared on the crowded street. It was the Flash from the future, who had traveled through a time portal.
"Damn, I ended up at this point in time!" The Flash, exhausted from his journey, couldn't accurately control his time travel and unexpectedly arrived on the day of Superman's funeral. Seeing the mourning crowd, staring at his unusual outfit with puzzled expressions, he transformed into a streak of lightning and vanished.
"Did someone just appear and disappear out of nowhere? Or did I just imagine it?"
Those who witnessed the Flash's sudden appearance and disappearance looked bewildered, thinking they had imagined it.
"No, I saw it too. What was that? Could it have been... a ghost?"
Seeing others share their experience, some felt a growing fear.
"How could there be a ghost in broad daylight…"
People whispered about the bizarre occurrence, while the Flash, now invisible among the crowd, ran up the wall of a tall building. He stood atop the roof, silently watching the Superman Memorial Hall. From this vantage point, he saw many familiar faces, including Bruce Wayne in a black suit and Diana, the Amazon warrior known as Wonder Woman. They were comrades who had fought alongside Superman against the monstrous threat.
However, they might not yet realize that Superman's death, while bringing temporary peace to Earth, had awakened the Apokolips Mother Boxes hidden on the planet, heralding a greater threat.
"I can't let history repeat itself. I must warn them and prepare for the impending crisis!"
With a determined gaze, the Flash watched everything unfold. As the funeral ended, he vanished from the rooftop.
...
At this moment, Peter was also in the same city, watching the funeral from a distant void. By all accounts, Peter had already completed his main mission in this universe. He had collected enough Speed Force, which would not only help him open portals to more DC universes but also leave some behind for the Council of Reeds to study. This would enable them to generate more Speed Force in the future.
Thus, Peter had no real need to remain in this universe and could have returned to his own universe via the Speed Force tunnel to prepare for his next plans. However, the timing of his arrival made him choose not to leave immediately. Instead, he silently observed Superman's funeral and contemplated his next move.
As the funeral concluded, Flash went to find Batman and Wonder Woman to warn them about the impending world-ending crisis. At that moment, Peter also disappeared.
Shortly after, Bruce Wayne, who had just returned from Superman's funeral, parked his sports car and walked tiredly into his luxurious mansion. As he opened the door, his eyes narrowed, and he glanced toward the living room sofa, where a figure seemed to have been waiting for some time.
Bruce showed no sign of panic. He calmly entered the mansion, took off his suit, and hung it on the coat rack by the door. After tidying up, he finally looked at the figure on the sofa, clad in a special suit of armor, and spoke slowly.
"If you're here for money, perhaps you should try a bank…" Bruce said as he unhurriedly opened the liquor cabinet and poured himself a glass of red wine. "Leave my manor, take a right, and after about five kilometers, you'll find a bank in the heart of a busy street…"
"Oh, I almost forgot, that bank happens to be mine as well!" Bruce continued. "So, maybe having you escorted to the police station across the street from the bank wouldn't be a bad idea either!"
Clearly, Bruce had mistaken the intruder for a thief seeking money. However, as Batman, he naturally wouldn't be intimidated by such a petty criminal.
"Apologies for the intrusion; it's rude to enter your home uninvited, but I have something very important to discuss with you," the figure said. "Mr. Bruce Wayne, or should I say… the renowned Dark Knight—Batman..."
...
Undoubtedly, the intruder in Bruce's home was none other than the Flash from the future. He was preparing to inform Bruce of the imminent threat in his own way, urging him to quickly assemble the members of the Justice League.
"Who... exactly are you?" Bruce, who had been somewhat casual at first, immediately became serious upon hearing the stranger mention his identity as Batman. He subtly placed his right hand on his waist, slowly drawing out a small batarang.
"Don't be alarmed; I mean no harm," the Flash assured. "The reason I came here abruptly is to warn you that we have a big problem!"
"A big problem? What do you mean?" Bruce remained cautious, staring intently at the strange figure before him.
"It's a threat capable of destroying our entire planet... and it will happen in the near future!" Even after traveling back in time, the Flash couldn't forget the apocalyptic future filled with slaughter and fear. Thankfully, he now had the chance to change everything.
"Destroy the entire planet?" Bruce's expression became pensive.
"So, what do you need me to do?" Bruce wasn't sure whether to trust this strange visitor, but he wanted to learn more.
"Mr. Wayne, I need you to expedite your long-anticipated plan to form an alliance to resist the impending crisis!" The Flash knew that, with Superman's death, Bruce had already conceived the idea of forming the Justice League.
"How do you know all this?" At that moment, Bruce's gaze turned fully wary. He had indeed thought about creating a special league to defend against unknown threats, but he hadn't shared this with anyone, not even his trusted butler, Alfred.
As the tension between them escalated, a sudden alarm went off, catching both their attention.
"Master Wayne, there's an emergency situation occurring right now. I've sent you the live footage. Please respond as soon as possible..."
Bruce quickly retrieved his specialized communication device and, without hesitation, activated the video Alfred had sent. The device projected a realistic holographic image into the air. As the footage played, both men looked on in disbelief.
"Is this the big problem you're talking about? Someone with Superman's powers?" Bruce asked the stranger, staring at the scene depicted in the video.
To his surprise, the Flash seemed just as shocked. "Impossible... How did he also come to this world..." he muttered, staring in disbelief at the figure in the video, who floated in the air like a new Superman.
...
As the video played, the perspective shifted to a secret military base. Just a few minutes earlier, a highly suspicious figure had brazenly appeared above the base.
This imposing figure wore a suit even more impressive than the one Superman had worn while alive. A glowing gem on his chest rotated slowly, shining like a small sun, emitting brilliant light. A golden cape fluttered behind him as he floated above the ground, ignoring gravity and looking down at the special secret lab below.
"Damn it, where did this guy come from? Is he a Kryptonian hiding on Earth? How come we never received any information about him?" Everyone in the base saw the figure's blatant, undisguised appearance and was instantly shocked.
Just an hour ago, they had buried the deceased Superman. Now, a figure resembling a new Superman had appeared over their base.
"General, could he be here for that monster?" Someone nervously speculated, breaking the stunned silence.
The commander's expression darkened upon hearing this. The military base wasn't just any secret facility. After Superman's death, his body was swapped by Wayne Enterprises to prevent anyone from using it for malicious purposes.
The military was aware of this and had a more important asset: Doomsday, the monstrous being responsible for the recent crisis and known as the Doomsday—an unstoppable force that represented the end of worlds and a killer of Kryptonians.
No one could resist the temptation of Superman's immense power, nor the allure of an almost immortal body capable of continuous evolution. The military secretly transported Doomsday's body here after its fatal battle with Superman, intending to study it. They respected Superman's remains but considered Doomsday's body fair game for research.
Today, before they could begin their study, an intruder resembling Superman had arrived, likely targeting Doomsday's corpse.
"Damn it, if he's really here for Doomsday, what should we do?" Silence followed the question, as everyone felt the weight of their duty. They were soldiers bound to follow orders, but now they faced a being potentially as powerful as a god.
"Is there a chance he's like the previous Superman, who never harbored ill will toward humanity and wouldn't retaliate even when faced with hostility?" someone asked amidst the oppressive silence.
Before anyone could respond, the answer became apparent. The figure in the sky, seemingly confirming something, suddenly had his eyes flash with bright golden light. Golden beams shot down from the sky, piercing the steel cover of the military base and creating a large opening.
Boom!
Heavy metal fell, revealing an entrance into the base's interior. Peter flew in without hesitation, seemingly unconcerned with any defensive measures the base might deploy against him.
"General, should we stop him?" The pressing question hung in the air, presenting a difficult decision for the military personnel present.
...
(End of Chapter)
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