While in Star City, Alex's attention was once again drawn to a piece of news playing on a massive street-side screen.
Almost instantly, he sensed that something was wrong.
This shouldn't be happening.
A major accident, multiple deaths—right in Superman's territory—and yet Superman hadn't shown up?
That was practically unthinkable.
"Did something happen to Clark?"
Alex immediately caught the scent of something unusual.
Whoosh!
Realizing this, Alex once again expanded his super-senses, focusing on Metropolis and the people connected to it.
"Not just Metropolis—cities surrounding Metropolis, and in fact cities all across the United States. Whenever major incidents occur, Superman has stopped appearing."
"If Superman hasn't suddenly decided to abandon humanity, then the only explanation is that something has happened to him."
"Where did Superman go? Superman has disappeared! Superman has abandoned us!"
"Minister, this is footage from the battle between that 'machine man' and Superman. Perhaps this video can explain something."
"They flew out of Earth… and never came back?"
Flew out of Earth and never returned?
Alex frowned slightly.
So something did go wrong during the battle between Superman and Cyborg Superman?
He clearly remembered that Cyborg Superman was no match for Superman.
It seemed that during that fight, something else must have happened—something Alex hadn't witnessed.
And Alex's guess was correct.
Cyborg Superman truly wasn't Superman's equal.
However, once Superman recognized Cyborg Superman's true identity, overwhelming guilt and self-blame caused him to hesitate—allowing Cyborg Superman to seize the opportunity and turn the tables in one decisive move.
"Let's go see what's going on."
After a brief moment of thought, Alex made his decision.
Whoosh!
His body blurred, feet landing on his invisible surfboard as he shot straight into the sky, vanishing from sight.
Boom!
The next instant, Alex appeared in Metropolis like a ghost.
He began investigating Superman's disappearance.
Gone.
Superman was really gone.
This result genuinely surprised Alex—it was completely beyond his expectations.
Both Superman and Cyborg Superman were no longer on Earth. Whether they were alive or dead was entirely unknown.
Of course—
Superman was practically DC's chosen one. Alex didn't believe for a second that Superman would truly be in danger.
Even if he did die, chances were high he'd just come back to life anyway.
So Alex didn't dwell on it too much.
He merely felt some amazement—being able to make even Superman disappear, that half-man, half-machine really did have some tricks up his sleeve.
---
Themyscira.
The Hidden Stronghold.
Hummm—hummm—hummm!
The Mother Box atop the central platform began vibrating violently, as though some immense power was about to burst forth.
The Amazon warriors gathered around it were instantly on edge.
Every single one of them entered a state of high alert, gripping their weapons tightly, eyes locked on the Mother Box.
Gulp.
A Black Amazon warrior swallowed hard and carefully stepped forward until she stood before the Mother Box.
Taking a deep breath, she cautiously reached out and touched it.
Flash!
A blinding light instantly erupted from the Mother Box!
"Oh no!"
"The Mother Box has activated!"
The Amazons' expressions changed drastically.
After all these years, the Mother Box had awakened again?!
That's right.
The Mother Box had indeed activated on its own.
After no longer sensing Superman's presence, it had already sent a signal to Steppenwolf.
"Quick—alert the Queen!"
The Black Amazon immediately turned and shouted orders, her face tense with urgency.
"What?! The Mother Box has activated?!"
Queen Hippolyta was shaken when she heard the news. She wasted no time, immediately leading her people to the stronghold.
Sure enough, she saw the Mother Box flashing with light.
"Other than the light, are there any other abnormalities?"
Queen Hippolyta asked in a low voice.
"No, Your Majesty!"
A nearby warrior answered at once.
"The Mother Box has awakened… but hasn't done anything else?"
General Antiope frowned slightly. She felt things wouldn't be that simple.
And she was right.
When the Mother Box's glow reached its peak—
BOOM!
A colossal pillar of light slammed down from the sky, instantly piercing Themyscira's protective barrier—and then blasting straight through the stronghold itself.
The Amazons inside were thrown aside like leaves caught in a hurricane, overwhelmed by the massive surge of energy.
Flap! Flap! Flap!
One Parademon after another flew out from within the beam of light.
And then—
A towering figure clad in silver armor, horned helm atop his head, a massive axe in hand.
…
There was no doubt about it.
The Amazons' Mother Box had been forcibly seized by Steppenwolf.
Queen Hippolyta led the Amazons in fierce battle against him, but it changed nothing.
All she could do was send a warning to Diana in the outside world.
As for Steppenwolf?
He didn't slow down in the slightest.
He unleashed his Parademons across Earth, abducting many people and killing many others.
Eventually, he seized the Atlantean Mother Box as well.
At this point, Steppenwolf had obtained two of Earth's three Mother Boxes.
Only the last one—kept by humanity—remained unfound.
Because that Mother Box—
Was in the hands of the Justice League.
That's right.
Even though Superman hadn't died, the Justice League had still formed.
Because even without Superman's death, Batman had experienced the terror of Doomsday firsthand.
The Flash had still returned from the future to warn him: "Find them."
And Batman continued to have those strange, prophetic dreams.
As a result, Batman spent this time traveling from hero to hero, attempting to assemble a team capable of protecting Earth.
Some were willing. Some were reluctant.
But in the end—especially under the pressure of the Mother Boxes being stolen—they came together.
Clang!
Inside the Justice League's secret base, Cyborg Victor Stone placed a black box down on the table.
It was none other than the final Mother Box.
Batman, The Flash, Wonder Woman, Aquaman, and Cyborg stood around it, all of them wearing grim expressions.
"There's a black spot in my data stream. I can sense the other two Mother Boxes."
Cyborg spoke first, breaking the silence.
"I know they've already awakened."
The expressions of the Justice League members immediately grew even heavier.
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