Chapter 7: Lightning Strikes

The sun had barely risen over Jump City when alarms blared throughout Titans Tower. Raiden jolted awake, heart pounding as the red lights illuminated his room. It was rare for the Titans to face a morning assault, but the tension in the air felt different today—heavier, more dangerous. He quickly threw on his armor and dashed toward the command center.

As Raiden entered, the rest of the Titans—Nightwing, Starfire, Kid Flash, Beast Boy, Red Hood, and Raven—were already gathered. The holographic display showed a group of unknown forces moving toward the city, their intent clear.

"Deathstroke," Nightwing said grimly, his voice laced with worry. "He's making his move. He's not alone, though. He's got an army of combat droids with him."

Red Hood smirked under his helmet. "Good. I've been itching for a fight."

Raiden narrowed his eyes. He had heard of Deathstroke's reputation—an assassin, mercenary, and master tactician who had taken down some of the best heroes in the world. His presence meant this wouldn't be a simple skirmish. Raiden clenched his fists, feeling the familiar surge of lightning flicker through his veins. Today, he would need every bit of his power.

"We need to split up," Nightwing instructed. "Raiden, you take Starfire and Kid Flash and intercept the droids. Red Hood, Beast Boy, and I will focus on getting to Deathstroke himself. Raven will stay back to provide support from the Tower."

The team nodded, moving with practiced efficiency. Raiden caught Red Hood's eye as they prepared to leave. There was a flicker of mutual respect there—an unspoken understanding that the fight ahead would test them all.

As the Titans leapt into action, Raiden, Starfire, and Kid Flash were the first to meet the advancing droids. These weren't ordinary machines; they were highly advanced, each programmed with precision and armed to the teeth. The streets of Jump City were soon filled with the clash of metal and energy.

Raiden unleashed a torrent of lightning at the first wave of droids, his power arcing between them like a storm, frying their circuits and sending them crumpling to the ground. Starfire flew above, raining down bolts of fiery energy, while Kid Flash darted through the chaos, taking out droids before they even had time to register his presence.

But the sheer number of enemies was overwhelming. For every droid they destroyed, more seemed to appear. Raiden gritted his teeth, pushing his powers further than he ever had before. He channeled the storm within him, summoning massive bolts of lightning that tore through the droids like paper.

It was in that moment, as his power reached its peak, that something shifted. His control over the lightning deepened, becoming more focused, more precise. Without even realizing it, Raiden began to shape the lightning into weapons—a sword crackling with electric energy in his right hand, a shield of pure electricity in his left.

He moved through the battlefield with renewed purpose, his lightning sword slicing through the droids with ease. The crackling energy danced around him, forming weapons and creatures—an eagle of lightning swooped down, tearing through a group of droids, while a wolf made of pure electricity ripped another apart.

"Whoa!" Kid Flash skidded to a stop beside him, eyes wide with amazement. "Did you just make... lightning animals?"

Raiden barely had time to register the awe in his teammate's voice. His focus was solely on the fight, the raw energy coursing through him. "I guess so," he muttered, throwing a bolt of lightning at another group of droids. "We can talk about it later."

Starfire soared down beside them, her eyes glowing with power. "The droids are nearly defeated, but we must hurry! Deathstroke is still out there."

Raiden nodded. "Let's finish this."

With a final surge of power, Raiden unleashed a massive wave of lightning that swept through the battlefield, reducing the remaining droids to smoking heaps of metal. The streets were now littered with their remains, but Raiden's gaze was fixed on the horizon—on Deathstroke.

---

Meanwhile, Nightwing, Red Hood, and Beast Boy had made their way to the heart of the battle, where Deathstroke awaited them. The master assassin stood atop a destroyed building, his black and orange armor gleaming in the sunlight. His one good eye watched their approach with cold calculation.

"You're persistent, I'll give you that," Deathstroke said, his voice calm and menacing. "But you've just made this easier for me."

Without warning, he activated a control device on his wrist, and several more combat droids emerged from the rubble, surrounding the Titans. Beast Boy transformed into a massive rhino, charging at the droids with a roar, while Nightwing leapt into action, his escrima sticks crackling with electricity.

Red Hood, always eager for a fight, went straight for Deathstroke. The two clashed in a blur of fists and gunfire, each strike precise and deadly. But even with all of Red Hood's skill, Deathstroke was a step ahead, his years of experience giving him an edge in their battle.

"Is that all you've got?" Deathstroke taunted, blocking Red Hood's attacks with ease. "I expected more from someone who claims to be the best."

Red Hood growled, swinging a fist at Deathstroke's face, but the mercenary sidestepped the blow and delivered a brutal counterpunch that sent him staggering back.

---

Raiden and the others arrived just in time to see Deathstroke standing over Red Hood, ready to deliver the finishing blow. Without hesitation, Raiden hurled a bolt of lightning at Deathstroke, forcing him to leap back.

The assassin turned his attention to Raiden, a smirk playing on his lips. "Ah, the lightning god," he said mockingly. "I've been waiting for you."

Raiden's eyes narrowed. "You won't get what you want, Deathstroke. The Titans won't fall to you."

Deathstroke chuckled darkly. "Oh, I don't need all of them to fall. Just you."

With that, he launched himself at Raiden, his movements a blur of lethal precision. Raiden met him head-on, his lightning sword clashing against Deathstroke's staff. The force of their collision sent shockwaves through the air, but Raiden didn't back down.

The two engaged in a fierce battle, Deathstroke's skill and strategy pitted against Raiden's raw power and agility. Despite his speed and strength, Raiden found himself struggling to keep up with Deathstroke's relentless assault.

"You've got power, kid," Deathstroke taunted, his staff striking with deadly accuracy. "But power without control is useless."

Raiden gritted his teeth, focusing his energy. His lightning surged, forming into a spear in his hand, and he hurled it at Deathstroke with all his might. The spear struck true, but Deathstroke dodged at the last second, the crackling energy barely missing him.

Frustrated, Raiden pushed harder, summoning more lightning animals to attack, but Deathstroke was always one step ahead, countering each move with ease.

"You're predictable," Deathstroke sneered, his voice dripping with disdain. "All power, no strategy."

In a blur of motion, Deathstroke disarmed Raiden, sending his lightning sword flying. He then pressed a button on his wrist device, disabling Raiden's powers. The sudden loss of his lightning left Raiden disoriented, and before he could react, Deathstroke was in his face, delivering a punishing blow to his stomach.

Raiden doubled over, gasping for air, but Deathstroke wasn't finished. "You want to prove you're a man?" he mocked, standing over Raiden. "Then fight me without your powers. Let's see if you're worth anything without your lightning tricks."

Raiden, still catching his breath, stood tall and wiped the blood from his lip. "Fine," he spat. "Hand-to-hand. Let's finish this."

The two squared off, fists raised, and the fight began anew. Without his powers, Raiden relied solely on his Amazonian training and Shazam's raw strength. It was a brutal, evenly matched fight, each punch landing with the force of a sledgehammer.

Deathstroke was faster, more experienced, but Raiden had something Deathstroke didn't—determination. With each strike, Raiden fought harder, his body aching but his spirit unbroken. He could feel the bond he had formed with the Titans pushing him forward, giving him the strength to keep fighting.

In a final surge of adrenaline, Raiden delivered a crushing uppercut to Deathstroke's jaw, sending the assassin staggering back. Before Deathstroke could recover, Raiden followed up with a powerful roundhouse kick, knocking him to the ground.

Breathing heavily, Raiden stood over the defeated mercenary, his fists still clenched. "I guess I'm a better man than you," he said coldly.

---

After the battle, the Titans regrouped, taking in the aftermath of the fight. Red Hood, who had been watching Raiden's hand-to-hand combat with Deathstroke, approached him with a nod of approval.

"Not bad, lightning boy," Red Hood said, his tone less mocking than usual. "You've got some serious skills. We should spar more often."

Raiden, still catching his breath, managed a tired smile. "I'd like that."

As the Titans made their way back to the Tower, Raiden couldn't help but feel a deeper bond forming with his new team, especially with Red Hood. The battle had pushed him

to his limits, but it had also shown him something valuable: he wasn't alone in this fight. He had a team, a family, that stood by him, even in the toughest battles. As the adrenaline from the fight slowly faded, Raiden began to understand what it meant to truly belong.

---

Back at Titans Tower, the mood was a mix of exhaustion and relief. Nightwing and Starfire were busy coordinating cleanup efforts with the city, while Kid Flash was already back to his usual banter, zipping around the room.

"That was insane!" Kid Flash exclaimed, giving Raiden a playful shove. "Dude, you went full-on lightning beast mode! Those lightning animals were something else!"

Raiden chuckled, still processing everything that had happened. "Yeah, I didn't know I could do that either. It just… kind of happened."

Beast Boy, who had been lounging on the couch, perked up. "You gotta name that move, man. How about 'Lightning Zoo'? Or 'Thunder Pack'? Ooh, or 'Electric Army'!"

Raiden shook his head with a smile. "I'm not sure naming my powers is the priority right now."

"You totally should," Kid Flash added, before shooting a glance at Red Hood. "But hey, speaking of naming things, Red Hood had a pretty good point in the fight."

Red Hood, who had been polishing his helmet, looked up. "Oh, here we go."

Kid Flash grinned. "It's just… this isn't anime, man. You can't just shout out special moves and expect them to land."

Raiden glanced over at Red Hood and smiled. Despite his rough exterior, Raiden could feel the respect growing between them. Red Hood had been impressed with Raiden's skills, and Raiden, in turn, admired Red Hood's determination and leadership in battle. There was a bond forming between them—one built not on words, but on action and mutual understanding. The team began to settle down. The exhaustion from the day's events began to catch up with everyone, and one by one, the Titans drifted off to their rooms to rest.

As Raiden stood to leave, Red Hood stopped him. "You did good today," he said, his voice softer than usual. "Deathstroke's no joke, and you held your own."

Raiden nodded, appreciating the compliment. "Thanks. You weren't so bad yourself."

There was a pause, and then Red Hood spoke again, his tone more serious. "You're fitting in with the team. I know you've got a lot to figure out, but just so you know—you've got us. We've got your back."

Raiden smiled, feeling the weight of Red Hood's words. "I appreciate that, really. I'll keep training, and hopefully, we can spar more. Maybe I'll even teach you some lightning tricks."

Red Hood smirked beneath his helmet. "We'll see about that."

With that, the two parted ways, each heading to their respective rooms. As Raiden walked down the quiet halls of Titans Tower, he couldn't help but reflect on how much had changed in such a short time. He had gone from being a creation of Lex Luthor—a weapon designed to destroy the Justice League—to becoming a part of something bigger. A team. A family.

The battle with Deathstroke had been a turning point, not just in terms of power, but in terms of trust. He had earned the respect of his teammates, and more importantly, he had begun to trust them as well. The bond he was forming with the Titans, particularly with Red Hood, was becoming stronger with each fight, each shared victory.

Raiden knew that there would be more challenges ahead, more battles that would push him to his limits. But for the first time, he felt like he was ready to face them—not alone, but with the Titans by his side.

As he reached his room and lay down on his bed, Raiden closed his eyes, allowing the hum of the Tower and the distant sounds of the city to lull him into a peaceful sleep. He wasn't just Raiden, the lightning god. He was Raiden, a Titan.

And for now, that was all he needed to be.

--- 

**End of Chapter 7**