Chapter 188: The New King of Apokolips

Apokolips—a hellish planet engulfed in endless flames, where no ordinary life forms remain. The only inhabitants are the tyrant Darkseid, his loyal followers, and his vast army of Parademons.

At this moment, this desolate world was about to receive a new, uninvited guest.

"Great Lord Darkseid, what is it?"

Desaad, Darkseid's most loyal servant, who resembled a demonic sorcerer, cautiously inquired as he noticed his master's sudden reaction.

"It's Steppenwolf… but the presence of the one accompanying him is unfamiliar," Darkseid replied, a hint of confusion crossing his imposing features.

The two presences that had suddenly appeared on Apokolips—one was all too familiar. It was Steppenwolf, whom Darkseid himself had previously banished from Apokolips. What surprised him was the identity of the person who had arrived with Steppenwolf.

"That traitor Steppenwolf dares return to Apokolips without your permission, my lord. I shall go and apprehend him immediately," Desaad promptly requested permission to capture Steppenwolf and bring him before Darkseid.

He was baffled—how could Steppenwolf, that wretched creature, forget the terror of Darkseid's wrath? Worse still, he had the audacity to bring a stranger to Apokolips, which was nothing short of betrayal.

"Wait…," Darkseid commanded after a moment's thought, stopping Desaad. "Make sure to bring the one who came with Steppenwolf as well."

"Yes, great Lord Darkseid!" Desaad responded hurriedly, then turned to lead the endless Parademon army to capture Steppenwolf and his companion.

However, before Desaad could leave the throne room to summon the Parademons, a thunderous sound echoed through the void.

Boom!

"Hmm?" Darkseid's stern expression faltered as he immediately rose from his throne, his eyes fixed on the void.

"No need, I've already delivered him!" A mocking voice suddenly rang out from the void.

Whizz!

In the next instant, a sharp whistling sound filled the air as a figure smashed through the top of the palace, leaving a large hole.

The figure plummeted toward Darkseid's position, blazing with flames like a meteor falling from the heavens.

"Damn it! Protect Lord Darkseid!" The few Parademons present in the throne room immediately took flight, positioning themselves between Darkseid and the incoming threat.

"Get out of my way!" Darkseid, with the pride of a god, had no need for the Parademons' protection. He grabbed two of them and flung them aside, his gaze locked onto the void as he tried to discern who dared to challenge him so boldly.

"Ah!"

The fiery "meteor" obliterated the Parademon barrier, engulfing several of them in its flames. In mere moments, their bodies were consumed by the intense heat, reduced to molten ash.

The burning "meteor" continued its descent toward Darkseid.

Buzz!

Just as the fiery object was about to strike, Darkseid calmly extended his left hand. A surge of invisible energy spread out before him, halting the "meteor" in midair.

At that moment, everyone finally saw clearly—it wasn't a meteor falling from space, but Steppenwolf, engulfed in flames and writhing in agony.

"Dark…seid…" Steppenwolf's voice came out in broken gasps as he struggled to speak, overwhelmed by the sight of Darkseid.

However, his reunion with Darkseid was met with two crimson beams of light.

"No!"

Zzzz!

"Those who dare betray me shall be erased by my own hand!" Darkseid's Omega Beams twisted through the air, piercing through Steppenwolf's body from behind. The blazing flames consumed him, and he was completely obliterated in the void.

With Steppenwolf destroyed, Darkseid's cold, crimson gaze finally turned upward, locking onto the unfamiliar figure in the void above, the one who had dared to confront him.

...

"Hi, we meet again!"

Though Peter had heard that Darkseid was the tyrant of the civilized universe, witnessing him erase his own subordinate so mercilessly still struck him as brutal.

"Who exactly are you? I've fought and erased countless enemies across the universe, yet I don't recall ever meeting you!" Darkseid, sensing that Peter wasn't here with good intentions, didn't immediately attack. Instead, he curiously inquired about Peter's identity.

"Heh, of course we've met before, but..." Peter's face showed a slight smile, as if he were greeting an old friend, but his words suddenly trailed off.

"There's no need for the dying to know such things!"

In the next moment, Peter's smile vanished, replaced by an icy coldness.

"Hmph! Then I'll tear your skull open myself, feed your brain to my minions, and uncover your true identity!" Darkseid, proud as ever, was not about to let Peter's provocation go unanswered.

Once again, the crimson Omega Beams shot from Darkseid's eyes, zigzagging unpredictably through the void as they streaked toward Peter.

However, before the Omega Beams could even close half the distance, Peter's figure had already disappeared from the void where he had been standing.

Crack!

The space where he had been shattered like a mirror, as if struck by an overwhelming force. Endless void and chaotic spatial currents gushed from the broken space into reality.

"This... how... is this possible...?"

Darkseid's Omega Beams, which had been tearing through the void, suddenly halted and then slowly dissipated into nothingness.

At the same time, Peter, who had just vanished, reappeared directly in front of Darkseid, delivering a seemingly simple punch to Darkseid's chest.

The red glow in Darkseid's eyes faded, leaving only shock and bewilderment.

Crack!

The armor on his body shattered, and the fiery Omega symbol on his chest dimmed to nothing.

Cracks began to spread across Darkseid's body, starting from his chest and quickly spidering outwards.

Boom!

Like a porcelain statue shattering into countless pieces, Darkseid's massive body broke apart all at once.

"Lord... Darkseid!"

The terrifying scene had unfolded in an instant. Darkseid's two most loyal followers were left utterly stunned, unable to react as they watched their master crumble before their eyes.

At that moment, they looked at Peter with a mix of burning anger and an uncontrollable sense of fear.

....

It was as if the world had become incredibly silent at that moment.

"For the great Darkseid!"

A furious roar echoed through the vast palace, breaking the silence.

Looking at the deceased, kindly grandmotherly figure of Darkseid with disbelief and anger, the one holding the large club erupted with powerful energy.

Sizzle!

But before she could make any more moves, a crimson beam suddenly pierced through her body.

"Ah!"

Accompanied by a painful scream, her body, as if burned by the fires of hell, vanished in an instant.

"No!"

Desaad, shocked, watched as his fellow servant of Darkseid, who had been about to fight back, was instantly killed. The fear in his eyes was now impossible to hide.

"What's wrong? Do you want to end up like him?"

A sudden voice made the terrified Desaad shudder.

Turning stiffly, he saw the unfamiliar figure now seated on Darkseid's former throne.

"Master, the humble servant swears eternal loyalty to you!"

Stricken with inspiration and fear, Desaad instantly knelt on one knee, pledging his allegiance to the new ruler.

Even though he had once served Darkseid, seeing Peter effortlessly defeat Darkseid and then swiftly kill the kindly grandmother figure made him abandon any thoughts of following Darkseid into death.

After all, no one wants to die, especially not to be burned by hellfire with no chance of resurrection.

Moreover, though Desaad had once been loyal to Darkseid, it was not absolute.

With Desaad's pledge, the remaining demons in the hall also turned to look at each other with fear in their eyes. They followed Desaad's lead and knelt on the ground, showing their allegiance.

"Very well..."

Peter watched the scene with a calm expression as the coldness in his eyes slowly faded.

"Unfortunately, this throne is a bit unsuitable for me..."

Peter then lightly brushed his hand over the throne he was sitting on, speaking with a hint of regret.

Of course, this throne was designed for the massive Darkseid, and it was naturally not very suitable for Peter.

However, Peter's words instilled immense fear in Desaad and the many demons kneeling below.

"Master, I will personally craft a new throne for you!"

Without hesitation, Desaad immediately offered to create a new throne after pledging his allegiance.

"No need. I'll handle it myself!"

Peter shook his head slowly and paid no mind to Desaad's fearful reaction.

He then rose from the throne.

Whoosh!

The next moment, the throne, made from some special material of Apokolips, suddenly ignited in fierce flames.

Under the relentless burning, the entire throne quickly melted away.

Yet, instead of collapsing into a puddle of molten metal, the melted throne retained its original shape.

The surrounding space seemed to warp under some invisible force.

Tremendous pressure gathered on the already molten throne.

Wzzz...

A harsh sound filled the air as the throne was squeezed by immense power, beginning to twist and reshape.

In a short time, the flames that had enveloped it gradually extinguished.

A new throne, vastly different from before, slowly emerged.

Its golden exterior seemed to be forged from pure gold.

Red patterns swirled around the golden surface, resembling fiery streaks woven into the gold, giving off a strange and commanding aura.

It was nearly half the size of the previous throne but was more fitting for Peter now.

"Mm, not bad."

After reshaping the throne, Peter sat back down without hesitation.

His gaze then fell on the slightly uneasy Desaad below as he spoke slowly.

"If I remember correctly, many of the technologies on Apokolips were created by you, correct?"

....

This time, Peter was engaged in battle with Darkseid for the second time.

So, he wasn't inclined to waste much time on him.

Instantly unleashing terrifying power capable of crushing stars, Peter swiftly eliminated Darkseid, who didn't even have time to resist.

As for why Peter chose to leave Desaad behind alone, it wasn't because Peter had any particular fondness for Desaad.

Rather, it was because Desaad seemed to be in charge of all the technology on Apokolips.

Even the renowned demons were created by him.

Originally intended to torment captured enemies with cruel methods, Desaad had unexpectedly created these special biological weapons.

As a scientist on Apokolips, Desaad had a relatively useful role for Peter.

Peter had originally come to Apokolips for the advanced technologies far beyond Earth's civilization.

Not to mention the Mother Box, which could decompose and reshape all matter with its supreme technology.

Even other technologies had immense significance for Earth in the Marvel Universe.

Although he might not need the countless demons,

there was one special technology that Peter was eagerly anticipating.

"Yes, Master, most of the advanced technologies on Apokolips were created by me!"

Upon hearing Peter's inquiry, Desaad seemed to finally realize his true value to Peter and answered with a respectful and proud expression.

"Very well… Your task is to organize all the technological data on Apokolips and then hand it over to me. Is there a problem?"

Peter nodded slowly, then spoke to Desaad again, though his tone was questioning, it left no room for doubt.

"No… no problem, Master!"

"Just… just organizing the existing technological data?"

Desaad accepted Peter's first task without hesitation.

However, he seemed somewhat reluctant, as merely organizing data didn't showcase his true significance.

"Hmm… Actually, there is one more thing I need you to do…"

Peter, aware of Desaad's thoughts and not hiding anything, revealed his most important plan.

"Have you heard of the Doomsday created by the Kryptonians?"

"What would happen if it were combined with your demon technology?"

...

(End of Chapter)

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