With a fierce grunt, Goku launched himself forward, his leg whipping around in a powerful back kick. The impact connected with Darkseid's armored chest like a meteor striking a planet, the force reverberating through the New God's massive frame. Darkseid, his gray skin etched with ancient runes of power and his eyes glowing with malevolent red energy, staggered backward. He tumbled across the cracked pavement, rolling end over end, carving deep furrows into the earth as buildings groaned and collapsed in his wake. Dust and debris filled the air, obscuring the sun and casting the city in an eerie twilight.
Darkseid rose slowly, his massive form uncoiling like a predator ready to strike. Blood trickled from a split lip, a rare sight for the invincible ruler, but it only fueled his rage. Goku didn't give him a moment to recover. Closing the distance in a blur of motion, the Saiyan drove his knee upward with explosive force, smashing it into Darkseid's face. A sickening crunch echoed through the streets as Darkseid's nose shattered, crimson blood spraying across the ground. The New God roared in fury, the sound shaking the foundations of nearby skyscrapers, causing windows to shatter and shards of glass to rain down like deadly confetti.
Seizing the momentum, Goku cocked his fist back for another devastating punch. His muscles tensed, ki energy crackling around his hand like lightning. But Darkseid was no novice to combat; his hand shot out, massive fingers clamping around Goku's head like a vice. With a guttural snarl, he lifted the Saiyan off the ground effortlessly and slammed him downward with earth-shattering might. The impact created a crater in the street, spiderweb cracks spreading outward in all directions, fracturing the asphalt and buckling the sidewalks. The ground quaked as if the planet itself were protesting the violence.
Darkseid didn't relent. Straddling the dazed Goku, he rained down blow after blow, his fists pounding into the Saiyan's face with the force of falling asteroids. Each punch widened the cracks in the ground, the fissures growing longer and deeper, snaking toward the Potomac River and threatening to swallow entire blocks. Goku's cheeks bruised and swelled, his vision blurring from the relentless assault. Finally, after what felt like an eternity of punishment, a thin stream of blood escaped from Goku's nostril, trickling down his chin. The pain ignited something primal within him.
Goku screamed, his voice a thunderous bellow that echoed throughout the entire city, rattling the few remaining intact structures and sending birds fleeing into the sky. His aura flared to life, golden energy surging through his veins like a wildfire. The power exploded outward, enveloping half of Washington DC in a massive dome of radiant ki. The air hummed with raw force, pushing back against Darkseid, who raised his arms to shield himself from the blinding light. The dome expanded rapidly, cracking the earth further and toppling lampposts and vehicles. With a final, cataclysmic burst, the energy wave hurled Darkseid backward, sending him crashing through a series of derelict buildings. Concrete and steel twisted and screamed as he plowed through them, emerging in a cloud of dust on the other side.
Goku wasted no time. He rocketed after his foe, his body a streak of orange and gold against the chaotic skyline. As he closed in, he gathered pure white energy in his right palm, the orb pulsing with intense heat. With a battle cry, he unleashed a barrage of energy blasts, countless spheres hurtling toward Darkseid like a meteor shower. The New God countered swiftly, his eyes igniting with crimson fury as he fired his infamous Omega Beams. The beams zigzagged through the air, homing in on their target with unerring precision, clashing against Goku's assault in a symphony of explosions.
The detonations lit up the city like a dozen suns setting at once, the brilliant flashes casting long shadows and igniting fires in the rubble. Shockwaves rippled outward, shattering more glass and uprooting trees from the National Mall. Undeterred, the two warriors charged at each other, exchanging blows and kicks in a whirlwind of combat. Fists met flesh, knees collided with armor, and the ground beneath them crumbled further. Their fight ascended from the streets to the skies, piercing the atmosphere as they traded strikes at supersonic speeds.
The destruction spread like a plague. They appeared in Texas first, their clash leveling oil rigs and sending shockwaves through the vast plains, dust storms rising in their wake. From there, they blurred into Mexico, where ancient ruins trembled and modern cities buckled under the pressure of their auras. Paris was next, the Eiffel Tower swaying dangerously as energy blasts scarred the Seine and toppled bridges. South Africa felt their wrath, mountains cracking and wildlife scattering in terror. Greenland's icy expanses fractured, massive glaciers calving into the sea with thunderous roars. Finally, they plunged into the Pacific Ocean, the water boiling around them from the heat of their battle.
Goku cupped his hands at his side, channeling his signature technique. "Ka... me... ha... me... HA!" he shouted, unleashing a powerful barrage of Kamehameha waves, blue energy beams lancing through the air. Darkseid responded in kind, his super Omega Beams erupting from his eyes in a torrent of destructive red light. The two forces collided mid-air, pushing against each other in a stalemate of raw power. The beams wavered forward and backward, their energies merging into a volatile black vortex. The clash built to a crescendo, exploding in a massive circular dome that vaporized the surrounding ocean water, creating a temporary void in the sea. Both fighters were hurled backward, crashing into the depths with plumes of steam and foam.
Darkseid recovered first, diving deeper into the abyss. The ocean's pressure meant nothing to him; he was a god among mortals. Spotting Goku's descending form, he ambushed the Saiyan with another blast of super Omega Beams. The impact struck true, shattering the seafloor and sending seismic waves through the water. Massive chunks of rock and coral were pulverized, and the disturbance propagated upward, birthing a colossal tsunami over 800 feet high. The wave surged toward coastal cities, swallowing ships whole and crashing against shorelines with apocalyptic force, flooding streets and erasing neighborhoods in its path.
Meanwhile, back in the battered remnants of Washington DC, a trio of unlikely allies rushed into action. Batman, his cape billowing like a shadow in the wind, coordinated with Martian Manhunter, whose green form shimmered with telepathic energy, and John Constantine, the trench-coated occultist puffing on a cigarette amid the chaos. Working in unison, they channeled their skills—Batman's gadgets, Manhunter's phasing abilities, and Constantine's arcane spells—to teleport their fallen comrades back to the Justice League Watchtower. Superman, his red cape tattered, ;Green Lantern's ring flickered weakly; Kratos, the Ghost of Sparta, clutched his broken blades with grim resolve with a hole in his stomach; Shazam sparked with residual lightning; and Cyborg's mechanical parts whirred back to life. Aquaman and the dead heroes secured with unbreakable magical bindings.
Darkseid surfaced from the ocean, hovering above the turbulent waves. He scanned the roiling surface, his Omega Effect senses probing for any sign of life. "This being cannot be dead," he muttered to himself, his voice a gravelly rumble that echoed over the water. The destruction he had wrought pleased him—the ocean rocked with aftershocks, cities drowned in the distance—but victory felt incomplete without confirming his foe's demise.
Deep below, Goku sank further into the cold embrace of the sea, his body battered but his spirit unbroken. Inside his mind, a childlike voice chimed in, belonging to Zeno, the Omni-King from his own multiverse, who had somehow merged with him. "Goku, I've gathered enough energy! We can go to another multiverse now," Zeno said, his tone bubbly and excited, as if this were all a grand game.
Goku's thoughts raced as he fought against the currents. "Will this energy be strong enough against Kuma? Can we defeat him?" he questioned, his voice echoing in the shared mental space.
Zeno giggled. "It's not enough yet, but this can get us into the next multiverse. There, we can continue to gather more energy for me, and you can get stronger too!"
"I'm finishing this battle first, Zeno," Goku replied firmly, his resolve hardening. "Once I'm done, we can leave this planet behind—with that woman I asked you to imprison."
"Okay, Goku," Zeno answered cheerfully. "But what is her purpose?"
A sly grin formed on Goku's face, even as he plummeted deeper. "I'm going to have a little fun with her," he said. Zeno smiled in response, his innocent demeanor masking the implications.
Above, Darkseid grew impatient. The ocean waves rumbled violently, but still no trace of the Saiyan. He turned to leave, his massive form cutting through the air like a harbinger of doom. But then, the sea began to tremble more fiercely, bubbles rising in furious columns. A golden light pierced the depths, shooting upward from the ocean into the atmosphere like a beacon. The waters parted dramatically, allowing Goku to erupt forth with incredible speed, his aura blazing brighter than ever.
Darkseid halted, a wicked smile curling his lips. He clenched his fists, the sound of cracking knuckles like thunder. Behind him, the fabric of reality tore open, a dark portal swirling with infernal energy. From it stepped Trigon, the demonic entity from another realm, his towering red form exuding overwhelming darkness. Four eyes glowed with hellfire, and storm clouds gathered overhead, lightning crackling in response to his presence.
"It's now two against one," Goku declared, his blood pumping with excitement. "This is getting me fired up!" He raised his energy to unprecedented levels, the air around him igniting with golden flames. Everything in the vicinity turned blindingly bright, forcing Trigon and Darkseid to shield their eyes slightly. Goku's voice boomed like thunder, his muscles expanding, veins bulging across his arms and torso. His hair sharpened and spiked even more dramatically, his ki radiating heat and destruction that warped the very atmosphere.
"Now the real fight begins," Trigon intoned, his voice a deep, echoing growl. Extra arms sprouted from his sides, each ending in razor-sharp claws, ready to tear into the fray. The stage was set for an epic confrontation, the fate of worlds hanging in the balance as the three powerhouses prepared to collide.