### **Chapter 8: The Edge of Destruction**

The battle had raged for hours. The streets of Metropolis were a warzone, strewn with wreckage from fallen warships and smoldering remnants of Parademons. The air was thick with the acrid scent of burning rubble, and the earth beneath trembled from the force of constant explosions.

Gojo stood at the center of the battlefield, his energy flaring wildly as he faced down the massive creature that had just descended from the Apokolips warship. The stone and fire beast towered over him, its molten eyes glaring with ancient malice. It was a general, one of Darkseid's elite warriors, and it was clear that this would be no simple fight.

The creature roared, its voice a guttural rumble that shook the very ground beneath them. It raised one massive arm, swinging a jagged mace toward Gojo with terrifying speed.

Gojo didn't flinch. With a flick of his wrist, he opened a portal to the Infinite Void, creating an instant disruption in the creature's perception. The beast staggered, its movements slowed, but only for a fraction of a second. The attack was coming—too fast for even Gojo's Infinity to react in time.

"Damn it," Gojo muttered, his mind working quickly. He didn't have the luxury of relying on sheer power alone. If he didn't figure out what was draining him, this fight would be over before it even began.

With a grim determination, Gojo snapped his fingers, and *Red* surged from his hand, colliding with the creature's chest in a burst of energy that sent it careening backward. But the general was not defeated. The massive beast shook off the blast, its fiery mane flickering with renewed rage.

Gojo's eyes narrowed. He had to end this quickly.

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### **A Growing Threat**

As Gojo prepared for his next move, a ripple of dark energy pulsed through the air. He could feel it again—the same interference that had been weakening his cursed energy for the past few days. Something was pulling at him, slowly eroding his power, and with it, his confidence.

He ground his teeth, pushing the sensation to the back of his mind. He couldn't afford distractions. Not now.

The creature lunged at him once more, swinging its fiery mace. Gojo's Infinity flared to life, slowing the mace's descent just enough for him to move. In a blur, he reappeared behind the creature, his fingers already weaving the hand signs for *Hollow Purple*.

But before he could finish, the interference surged again, this time much stronger. The familiar sense of control slipped from his grasp. His cursed energy faltered. The *Hollow Purple* vanished into thin air.

"No…" Gojo's voice was tight, the frustration rising in his chest.

The general spun, its massive fist crashing into Gojo's side before he could react. The force of the blow sent him skidding across the ruined street, crashing through a building's wall before coming to a stop.

Gojo groaned, pushing himself up to his knees. His body ached, but it was more than physical pain. The interference was relentless, and with each passing moment, it was becoming harder to maintain his composure. 

The general lumbered forward, sensing weakness. It raised its mace, preparing to deliver the final blow.

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### **The League's Struggle**

Elsewhere, the Justice League was fighting a losing battle. The Parademons were relentless, swarming over them in waves, and despite their best efforts, they couldn't stop the invasion. Superman and Wonder Woman were engaged in aerial combat with the remaining warships, while Flash and Green Lantern were trying to prevent the spread of the invasion across the globe.

In the skies, Superman grappled with a massive warship that had landed in the middle of the city, its weapons raining fire down on the streets below. The Man of Steel was struggling. Each time he tried to disable the ship's engines, more Parademons seemed to emerge, preventing him from making any headway.

"This is getting out of hand," Superman muttered under his breath as he fought off another group of Parademons. He needed help—and fast.

At the same time, Wonder Woman found herself face-to-face with an even greater threat. One of Darkseid's lieutenants—an armored warrior wielding a sword of pure dark energy—dropped from the sky, aiming straight for her.

"I'm not impressed," Diana growled as she clashed swords with the warrior. She had faced worse opponents in her long life, but the power of this one was unlike anything she had encountered before.

Meanwhile, Batman worked tirelessly in the Batcave, monitoring the data streams and coordinating with the League's forces. He knew they couldn't hold out forever. Darkseid's forces were simply too vast, too powerful. But there was still hope.

"I need a breakthrough," Batman muttered, studying the massive amounts of data. "If I can find a way to disrupt Darkseid's command systems, we might stand a chance. But it's not going to be easy."

---

### **Gojo's Last Stand**

Back in Metropolis, Gojo was on his last legs. The interference had finally become too much. His cursed energy had all but faltered, leaving him vulnerable in a way he hadn't been since his early days in battle.

The massive general stood over him, mace raised high, ready to end it all.

Gojo's breath was shallow as he stood to his feet. His vision was blurry, his cursed energy flickering in and out. He had never felt this powerless before. This wasn't just a physical defeat—it was something deeper, something far more personal.

But even in the face of this, Gojo couldn't give up. He refused.

"Is this how it ends?" he whispered, his voice hoarse. "No… I won't let it."

With everything he had left, Gojo reached deep within himself. He tapped into his reserves, pulling at every last ounce of cursed energy he could muster. His Infinity flared back to life, though weakly, as he gathered his remaining power.

"*Hollow Purple.*" Gojo's voice was barely audible, but the energy behind it was undeniable.

The ground cracked beneath his feet as Gojo unleashed the technique, sending a massive burst of destructive force directly at the general. The beast was caught off guard, but the sheer magnitude of the attack forced it to stagger backward, the attack tearing through its stone armor.

The general roared in pain, but Gojo's attack wasn't enough. Not this time. His cursed energy was too weak to finish the job.

---

### **A Ray of Hope**

At the last moment, Gojo felt a surge of power from above. The ground shook as Wonder Woman descended from the sky, slamming into the general with her indestructible shield. With a powerful yell, she drove her sword through the creature's chest, finishing what Gojo had started.

The general let out a final, guttural scream before collapsing, lifeless.

Wonder Woman turned to Gojo, her expression grim. "We're not done yet. There's more coming."

Gojo staggered to his feet, his breathing ragged. He was exhausted, both physically and mentally, but he nodded. "I know. But we're not out of this yet."

As the League regrouped, the reality of the war set in. Darkseid's invasion had only just begun, and they were fighting an uphill battle. Every victory was hard-won, every moment of peace fleeting.

But Gojo had learned something vital that day: his vulnerabilities could be exploited. And if Darkseid's forces were already capable of this, the true fight was just beginning.

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### **Cliffhanger: The Enemy Within**

Elsewhere, in the shadows, Luthor watched from his private command center. He had seen enough.

"Gojo may have won this round," Luthor murmured, a cruel smile playing on his lips. "But the war is far from over. I've only just begun."

From the depths of his laboratory, Luthor activated the final phase of his plan—the true weapon that would tear the Justice League apart.

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