When the war began, it was like two massive tides crashing against each other, sweeping away everything. No one could stand aside, and no one could stop it.
But when Superman and the rest of the Justice League appeared at the center of the battlefield, amidst the lingering smoke and gunfire, forcefully halting the fighting, the war stopped.
Looking at the red and blue figure in the sky, along with the other heroes who had come to save the world, the soldiers, whether gripping their rifles or inside their tanks, could no longer muster the courage to continue killing.
"Simpler than I imagined."
Hal Jordan said this, but glancing at the battlefield strewn with the mangled remains of bodies from the shelling, his usual flippant attitude vanished, his face grim, his lips pressed together.
After the UN medal ceremony, the Secretary-General had, as expected, asked the Justice League to help restore the tense international situation in the Middle East and to stop the war between Khandaq and its neighboring countries.
Saving lives was like fighting a fire; delaying even a second could mean countless deaths. They quickly summoned their members.
"War only brings pain and separation. We will communicate with your leaders and have them stop the war."
Clark said with a frown on the tragic battlefield.
Stopping the current act of war was not the end. Whether to start a war, and when to start it, was never a decision for the soldiers who personally held guns and risked their lives in battle.
"Go talk to Black Adam. He ordered his soldiers to attack and dragged us into this war."
A non-commissioned officer from the neighboring country of Sikoli angrily snatched off his hat and threw it on the ground, his eyes red. His brothers, trained together, had died in this war. His words ignited the grief and anger in the hearts of the soldiers on the front lines.
"Calm down!"
Inside the Fenrir Armor, Batman raised his arms, pointing them at both sides, and warned coldly, stopping them from making any rash moves.
War was like a wild horse that had broken its reins. To quell it quickly, only greater force could restrain it – a regrettable necessity.
"Without Ares, humans would still fight amongst themselves."
Diana, carrying her sword and shield with imposing heroism, sighed and shook her head.
"Let's go ask that Black Adam why he started this war."
Flash clenched his fist in anger.
Everyone looked towards the direction of the Khandaq royal palace.
...
Black Adam sat on the cold throne, his thoughts drifting back a thousand years. He had been a slave then, oppressed by the Pharaohs. His wife and son had died at the hands of the Pharaoh's soldiers. After receiving the power of the Six Egyptian Gods, his rage caused his power to go out of control, destroying the royal palace and the capital, causing a catastrophe with countless casualties. He was imprisoned by the Eternal Council, who had granted him his power. And just like that, a thousand years had passed.
Over the millennium, his homeland, Khandaq, had its land continuously encroached upon by neighboring countries, its territory shrinking again and again. The once glorious Khandaq no longer existed. Now, it had become a haven for mercenaries, with warlords of all kinds taking turns in power, tormenting the people. He had returned to the present world when mercenaries, funded by digging up ancient tombs, accidentally broke his seal.
"I owe this country so much."
In the open-air royal palace, Black Adam looked out and saw the massive statue his countrymen had erected for him. He had become a hero representing resistance and justice. He intended to do what a hero should do: liberate his countrymen from chaos and poverty, and restore Khandaq's former glory after centuries of bullying.
"Dictator, if you don't stop this war, you will die on your ridiculous throne!"
Suddenly, an enraged voice interrupted his reverie. A giant hand formed of green energy tore open the palace dome like a can opener! Several figures appeared in the sky.
"Green Lantern!"
Batman exclaimed, thinking the Green Lantern's actions and words were a bit excessive. Their original intention was to negotiate peacefully first, and then consider other options if negotiations failed.
"Compared to his madness of declaring war on several countries, am I being excessive?"
Hal Jordan retorted, having held his frustration in all the way. Millions of people were living under the shadow of war because of this dictator.
"The world isn't that simple. To gain people's trust, we need to act within the rules; we can't just do whatever we want."
Clark frowned. Although he had no good feelings towards this warlord rumored to possess immense superpowers, he understood Batman's reasoning. They had just gained some international trust, especially since this was their first joint effort to maintain world peace. Acting recklessly without restraint would cause other countries to worry and become tense. The Justice League was meant to protect the world, not to place themselves above it.
Hal Jordan fell silent, his chest tight with frustration, leaving the initiative for dialogue to Batman and Superman.
Just as Batman was about to say something, before he could speak, Black Adam, his face as cold and carved as marble, vanished from the throne. With a flash of lightning, he appeared before the Fenrir Mech and threw a punch. The powerful force exploded the air, sending the mech flying into the sky. The strong gust of wind churned the palace into chaos.
Diana, standing on a palace pillar, grabbed onto a cloud with the Lasso of Truth. Her pupils constricted, and she raised her hand to block the approaching blast wave, locking onto the lightning figure within the dust cloud.
"Did you see his speed?"
"I did, but he was a step faster. I didn't react in time."
Clark's heart leaped, and he clenched his fist.
"He's in the sky, he can fly too."
Flash exclaimed, having run up the palace wall to the edge of the dome.
He had clearly seen Black Adam's speed, but he couldn't fly.
"Be careful, he also possesses powerful lightning abilities."
After being punched hundreds of meters into the air, Batman stabilized his mech. He scanned the data displayed on the holographic projection with a grim expression and warned everyone.
"The lightning energy alone from that punch could power a city for decades."
Black Adam hovered in the air, lightning crackling across his imposing black armor. He looked down at them with disdain.
"Who gave you the audacity to trespass in my palace and discuss whether to be friendly with me right in front of me, as if I don't exist?"
"Black Adam, we didn't come for war."
As the most powerful person present, Clark flew up, clenched his fist, and blocked Black Adam's path. He met Black Adam head-on, suppressing the urge to fight.
"You're escalating global tensions, you ordered your soldiers to invade multiple countries. You're mistaken if you think you can do whatever you want just because you're strong!"
Conquering one country in three days and then declaring war on several neighboring nations in the name of Khandaq's ruler, the world had witnessed the power and madness of a metahuman.
But the international community didn't realize that judging by the brief display of power and speed from Black Adam just now, he was even more formidable than they had imagined.
This was likely a metahuman whose threat level was no less than that of the extraterrestrial enemies they had faced before.
Chii!
Ignoring Clark's warning, Black Adam launched a sudden attack. A punch accompanied by intense lightning slammed into Clark, who threw up a fist to counter.
In a flash, they exchanged several blows. Clark felt that the opponent's punches not only carried more power than his but also that the lightning attached to them was incredibly potent, causing his body to tingle and ache, slowing his movements by a beat.
Bang!
Black Adam's fist landed squarely on Clark's jaw. A miniature shockwave erupted, accompanied by dazzling lightning that shot towards the sky. The wind howled past Clark's ears as he was sent flying into the clouds, his face contorted in pain.
"Superman!"
Flash and Green Lantern's expressions changed. They attacked from left and right respectively. One, a blur of lightning, leaped forward to strike at Black Adam's head, while the other encased himself in energy shaped like a missile and charged at him.
Black Adam precisely caught the leaping Flash. The punch, fueled by his incredible speed, only caused Black Adam's head to tilt slightly, as if struck by a woman's gentle fist. He looked on with disdain.
With his other strong hand, Black Adam crushed Green Lantern's constructed energy and grabbed him by the neck, cutting off his breath.
As if grabbing two little chicks, he ascended into the sky and tossed the disheveled duo carelessly into the distance.
Clark flew back at extreme speed and caught Flash, glaring with fury.
"Black Adam, are you saying you have no intention of stopping the war?"
"Superman, I've heard of your names since I broke free of my seal. The Justice League? You've certainly come in full force today. But where is that Transcendent?" Black Adam scanned the entire area with a disdainful cold laugh.
"This is my country. It's not your place to point fingers and interfere!"
"Don't you forget, just half a month ago, not a single person here knew who you were!"
Arthur, usually quiet but with a rather short temper, couldn't stand his arrogant demeanor. He roared and leaped forward, trident in hand, thrusting it through the air. The sharp weapon pierced the air, only to be firmly grasped by Black Adam. He unleashed lightning, but it was met by a surge of energy resistance.
Arthur's trident, though appearing ancient, was actually a high-tech weapon from the Atlantean tribe, capable of firing energy attacks.
Black Adam's expression remained unchanged. He increased his lightning output, overpowering the energy. Arthur's body emitted black smoke, and he fell, writhing in pain from the shock. Cyborg ascended and caught Arthur, his palm transforming into a sonic cannon that bombarded Black Adam.
The energy exploded on his chest. Black Adam swayed as if pushed, but otherwise showed no reaction.
He raised his hand and unleashed an attack. The lightning, like divine retribution, struck Cyborg down from the sky as well.
Bang!
Cyborg stood up, his display flickering with disordered data. His body swayed unsteadily.
"Damn it, the strong electrical interference is causing some issues with my system."
"Enough!"
With most of the League members practically defeated, Diana leaped forward, sword in hand, and slashed.
After a brief appraisal of the woman in ancient attire, Black Adam, who had initially disdained to dodge, suddenly detected something unusual from the near-silent slicing of the sharp Sword of Vulcan through the air. He hurriedly dodged, and the two figures passed each other. However, a bloody gash appeared on his face.
"You managed to wound me."
Black Adam touched the blood on his face. Ever since he was chosen by the wizard, his body had been akin to a god's, and he had never been injured. He looked at Diana with a dark expression.
"I sense a divine aura from you. You remind me very much of my Lasso of Truth and the Sword of Vulcan."
Still managing to evade her slash at such close range, Diana retrieved the Shield of divine power from behind her back. Holding her sword in one hand, she adopted a defensive stance, ready for a beastly pounce, as if facing a formidable foe!
"Who are you?"
If Ares hadn't been killed by David, and if this man, who was so eager for war, didn't exert even more pressure on her than Ares did, she would have suspected him of being another of Ares's creations.
"I was chosen to protect this world.
But because of certain things I did, I was betrayed and sealed away for a thousand years before returning to the mortal realm."
Black Adam said, spreading his hands imposingly.
"The moment I returned, I swore to restore this nation's glory!"
"Your so-called restoration of glory involves plunging it into a quagmire of war?" Clark couldn't stand the shameless rhetoric any longer. He threw a punch, launching an attack along with Batman, Diana, and the others.
Cyborg and Arthur also regrouped and joined the assault.
The entire League ganged up on Black Adam, energy and lightning flying everywhere.
But Black Adam possessed the power of the Six Egyptian Gods: Shu's endurance, Horus's speed, Amon's strength, Atum, or rather Ra's divine power, and Mehen's courage. He integrated the greatest advantages of the Six Egyptian Gods into one, making him invulnerable from all angles!
The Green Lantern, Cyborg, and Arthur, who were at the lower end of the League's power scale, couldn't contend with Black Adam in any aspect. They were quickly defeated and sent flying by his rapid appearances, losing their ability to fight.
The Flash constantly attacked Black Adam with astonishing speed, circling the battlefield. His speed was indeed a notch above Black Adam's, making him as elusive as light and shadow, but when Black Adam waved his hand and unleashed a torrent of lightning that filled the entire palace.
Crackle!
As the lightning spread, there were fewer places to dodge. He had nowhere to escape and was hit by the electrical current. If not for the Speed Force protecting him for an instant, he would have been reduced to dust, but even so, he was electrocuted as if by high voltage, his body scorched, smoking, and stiffening as he fell.
Soon, only three combatants remained on the field.
Batman's Fenrir Mech could absorb energy and had a high resistance to Black Adam's lightning, but its speed was too slow, making it practically a sitting duck. It was constantly being blasted away, then flying back only to be blasted away again.
The Fenrir Armor was not yet the fully developed version. He had not yet developed the auxiliary calculation system capable of tracking the Flash's speed, leaving him helpless against Black Adam.
Bang!
"Useless except for defense, you annoying fly!"
Realizing the Fenrir's formidable defense, and not wanting to waste any more effort, Black Adam threw a heavy punch, blasting the massive mech into the sky. He then dodged Diana's Sword of Vulcan and, without using lightning again, punched her away as well.
"Your weapon gives even me trouble, and your strength isn't much inferior to mine. It's a shame your speed is too slow."
Diana had previously absorbed the lightning with the Silver Bracelets of Submission and counter-attacked him, almost causing him trouble. The sharp Sword of Vulcan was a weapon he had never seen before that could cut through his divine body!
Waaagh!
Leaning on her sword, Diana spat out a mouthful of blood. She glared at him with furious defiance, but severely wounded, she had temporarily lost her ability to fight.
"Black Adam!"
An enraged Clark's fists rained down like meteors.
"Superman, you are indeed as powerful as the rumors say, and you seem even younger."
The force of their physical collision created shockwaves, and the surrounding palace, built like pieces of wood, was knocked down. Black Adam was sent flying dozens of meters. He stabilized himself and shot two beams of lightning from his eyes, hitting Clark in the face and whipping his head back.
"But I've found that divine power seems to be your weakness.
While it took full strength to injure your body before, with lightning, it only takes thirty percent, or even twenty percent!"
"Aaaargh!..."
Cornered and relentlessly pursued by Black Adam's imposing aura, he was struck in the chest by lightning. The dazzling lightning, like a waterfall, engulfed him, and Clark cried out in pain.
He didn't understand why Black Adam's lightning could injure him so easily, as he had never felt this way when struck by natural lightning before.
Bang bang bang!
Seizing the moment Clark's body stiffened from the electricity, Black Adam slammed him to the ground. Spiderweb-like cracks appeared on the palace floor. His immensely heavy fists, moving faster than the wind, rained down on Clark's head like a meteor shower, smashing him into the earth like a crude pile driver.
Bang bang bang!
In just a few seconds, Clark had taken countless blows, his head bleeding, his consciousness blurred.
Batman, flying back at extreme speed from the sky, was swatted away by Black Adam. He crashed into a cluster of stone pillars. His armor, forged from the expensive and top-secret Prometheus Metal, was also damaged, its surface pitted and dented, emitting smoke from within, its parts broken.
"Justice League?"
Disregarding the palace, which was almost leveled after the fierce battle, Black Adam's burly figure soared into the air. He disdainfully glanced at the blood of the Kryptonian son on his fist, looking down at the defeated group. His voice was as cold as a condescending deity revealing a hint of killing intent, carrying a warning.
"I don't care how you act as vigilantes flying around elsewhere, but remember that Khandaq is now a forbidden zone for the Justice League!
This is the only time I will show mercy!"
"A forbidden zone for the Justice League?
Even if I'm not a regular member of the League, does that include me?"
Just then, accompanied by rumbling thunder, a voice suddenly came from the horizon.
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