Chapter 7: Power House

"Why aren't their numbers dropping?!" Flash exclaimed, dashing through a horde of parademons and slamming into a wall.

"They're increasing," Green Lantern muttered, his ring glowing brighter as he formed a massive spiked barrier to keep a wave at bay.

Batman, high above the battlefield, was leaping from one parademon to another like stepping stones.

Each grapple swing ended with a brutal strike as he plunged gadgets into their spines, using their bodies as footholds.

His movements were calculated and relentless, a dark blur in the chaos.

He finally landed on the ground, a smoldering parademon at his feet. "The swarm's thinning down here," he said, turning to the others.

Before anyone could respond, the entire battlefield fell silent.

The parademons suddenly broke away from their attacks, forming up and flying toward a single direction.

"What's going on?" Flash asked, skidding to a halt next to Batman.

"They're assembling," Batman said grimly, watching the sky.

The ocean erupted in a massive spray of water as a strange alien device was flung into the air.

It was a massive construct, smoking and cracked, as though something had destroyed it from within.

At the same time, a towering structure rose on the horizon, taller than anything in the vicinity.

From the ocean, a figure emerged.

He carried a trident, his golden armor gleaming even amidst the chaos.

"Who's in charge here?" the newcomer demanded, his deep voice carrying over the sound of battle. "I vote me"

"And who exactly are you supposed to be?" Superman asks.

Batman interjected, his voice cool. "They call him aquaman"

Green Lantern stared, his jaw dropping. "Wait, wait. First, Batman's real, and now this guy? What's next? Bigfoot? I thought this guy is just a sketch on conan o'brien"

"Be polite," Flash said, elbowing him lightly.

Aquaman ignored the banter and walked forward, his eyes scanning the battlefield. "These creatures-whatever they are-aren't just on land. They're in the water, too."

"Then they're not just attacking us," Wonder Woman said, stepping forward "greetings aquaman, what a day for a fight"

Aquaman nodded at her, but his sharp eyes locked on Green Lantern. "We need bait. Something to draw them out of their nests."

Green Lantern crossed his arms, his aura flaring slightly. "And I suppose you're volunteering me?"

Aquaman smirked. "It's a thought." Said jokingly

"Try it, Fish Boy," Lantern snapped.

"Calm down," Flash interjected, stepping between them. "Now's not the time for egos. Let's focus on the bad guys first, yeah?"

"Agreed," Wonder Woman said firmly, her voice cutting through the tension.

Before any further arguments could erupt, a new wave of parademons emerged from the towering structure, diving toward the heroes with renewed and stronger ferocity.

Aquaman grinned, raising his trident. "Let me show you how we handle pests in the ocean."

With a sharp gesture, he commanded the waters.

Sharks, massive and relentless, leapt from the nearby sea, crashing into the swarm of parademons with terrifying force.

Their powerful jaws ripped into the invaders, dragging them under the waves.

"That's... effective," Flash said, watching in awe.

"You're welcome," Aquaman said smugly, turning back to the group.

"We need a plan. That tower is where they're taking the civilians, and it's where we need to go." Batman said.

Superman nodded. "We split up. Some of us hold the line here while the rest infiltrate the tower."

"And who made you the leader?" Aquaman asked, raising an eyebrow.

Superman stared at him, unflinching. "Do you have a better idea?"

Green Lantern rolled his eyes.

"Put your differences aside," Batman said, stepping forward. "This is for the planet's survival"

Unfortunateky for them, they cannot enact the plan they had currently, leave the city for a minute and the enture country will fall.

"Give me a break?!" Flash yelled, zipping between parademons to knock them back.

Despite his speed, the overwhelming numbers kept pressing the heroes down.

Green Lantern made a massive hammer that slammed into the swarming creatures.

"Stay on the ground!" Batman barked as he landed a precise explosive batarang into a cluster of enemies, blasting them back. "They're too many. Leave the skies, and the city is finished."

Superman's heat vision tearing through parademons, but even his efforts seemed to barely make a dent.

The group continued to battle, but for every parademon they killed, two more seemed to take its place.

Their efforts, while heroic, couldn't keep the horde from pushing forward toward the heart of the city.

Suddenly, the battlefield was bathed in an eerie glow.

A boom tube roared open in the middle of the chaos, its swirling energy casting long shadows across the crumbling streets.

"Now what?!" Flash exclaimed, skidding to a halt and staring at the glowing portal.

From the tube emerged a figure, his metallic body sparking with energy.

He stumbled forward, collapsing to one knee.

Green Lantern reacted instinctively, creating a massive green hand and grabbing the figure tightly. "Gotcha! Another one of these freaks?" he snarled, ready to crush it.

"Wait!" Wonder Woman shouted, stepping forward. "It's not one of them!"

Lantern hesitated, glancing at the figure more closely.

It was a man-or at least part of one.

His body was fused with machine, his face twisted in pain.

The metallic figure groaned. "He's... coming..."

Rimuru moved with lightning speed, clearing a large part of the city before heading straight toward the chaos where the heroes were fighting.

"Who's coming?!" Superman ask the downed cyborg.

Crack.

Rimuru stepped into the fray, his presence instantly sending a wave of suspicion through the group.

Everyone tensed, their guard up.

"Name yourself" Wonder Woman Demanded.

Rimuru raised a hand, black lightning crackling from his fingers, and in a single strike, thousands of parademons were reduced to charred remains.

"Magic?" She muttered.

Rimuru's action did washed a wave of relief.

"Phew, I'm glad," Flash muttered, wiping a bead of sweat from his forehead. "I thought it was another enemy."

He eyed the new figure closely, his gaze lingering on the blue hair that swayed in the wind. "They look familiar..." he murmured, but couldn't place it.

He fell silent, his curiosity piqued.

Batman, observing muttered under his breath, "So that's why no monsters were coming from that part of the city."

Suddenly, another boom tube crackled open. From the swirling portal, a towering figure emerged a new threat.

Big physique, stone like skin and adorned in armor, it's eyes glowing read.

"Im guessing thats the bad guy" Green Lantern Said