MTS: Marvel and Beyond

Chapter 111: Generals of Apokolips

Several days ago, on Apokolips.

This was a planet filled with violence and desire. The very air seemed to carry a faint scent of sulfur. It wasn't Hell, but something worse.

Countless Parademons with grotesque appearances flew through the skies, patrolling the planet. These creatures, born of Apokolips' most sinister technologies, were endless in number. Each one possessed strength equal to the warriors of Atlantis, and together, they formed one of the most feared armies in the universe.

Behind this endless swarm of Parademons lay the bones of countless beings from various worlds. Each Parademon required a life to be created.

In the dark corners beneath the towering, futuristic buildings of the planet's surface, countless slaves from different worlds toiled away endlessly. These slaves had no rights, and even their thoughts had been erased, leaving them as tools solely dedicated to serving Darkseid. Even if someone came to rescue them, they would betray their savior without hesitation, continuing to work for Darkseid.

Though they were alive, in essence, they were already dead.

At the very center of Apokolips stood a colossal structure that rivaled mountains in size. At its summit, Darkseid surveyed his planet and his dominion.

He relished this. The sight of it all always reminded him of his past conquests, and to him, the memories of screams and bloodshed were the finest nourishment for his soul.

Three figures knelt before Darkseid, trembling in fear. They had been kneeling for a long time, but they didn't dare move. Their respect and fear of their leader—the strongest New God, the God of Evil, and ruler of Apokolips—were deeply ingrained.

After what seemed like an eternity, Darkseid finally turned to them, his gaze cold and commanding. These three were his most trusted generals.

The first, clad in heavy armor covered in spikes, was Steppenwolf, one of Darkseid's most loyal subordinates.

The second had a mane of wild hair, resembling a lion. He was Darkseid's eldest son, Kalibak.

The third, wearing green battle armor, was Mantis, Darkseid's most formidable warrior.

These three were immensely powerful. Steppenwolf alone could crush the Justice League without Superman. Kalibak, even stronger, was a warrior capable of matching Superman. But the strongest of the three was Mantis, who could nullify all physical attacks, making even Superman powerless against him.

After another moment of silence, Darkseid spoke in his deep, menacing voice:

"I can sense it. The three Mother Boxes have gathered in one place. I need you to go to Earth, find them, and bring them back."

As soon as Darkseid finished speaking, the three generals answered in unison, "Yes, Lord Darkseid!"

Darkseid's voice grew even darker and more ruthless as he continued:

"We have discovered a being on Earth who calls himself Batman, claiming to be from a parallel universe. He possesses multiple abilities and is stronger than Superman. I have given you an Omega Beam to find him, kill him, and retrieve the Mother Boxes."

"Yes, for Darkseid!"

As the three generals departed, Darkseid watched them with a sinister smile. While the so-called Traveler Batman was indeed powerful, Darkseid's Omega Beam could erase anything from existence. Aside from Superman, who was protected by the Source Wall, even a multiversal entity could be harmed by the Omega Beam.

Darkseid didn't believe the Traveler Batman was on par with a multiversal being, which meant his death was inevitable. And even if Batman was stronger than the generals, the Omega Beam was a failsafe.

The Mother Boxes, in the end, would belong to Darkseid.

Several hours later, the endless army of Parademons and the three generals made their way to Earth through Boom Tubes.

The invasion had begun!

When the attack came without warning, Batman was quick to react. He summoned all of Earth's superheroes.

Batman, Superman, Cyborg, Flash, Aquaman, Green Lantern, and many others gathered to face the invasion from Apokolips.

But this invasion was different from the one in the movies. This time, in addition to the overwhelming Parademon army and Steppenwolf, two other terrifyingly strong warriors had come.

In the battles that followed, Mantis, with his immunity to physical attacks, fought Superman. With most of his attacks nullified, Superman was at a disadvantage. If not for his superior speed, he might have been killed early in the battle.

Meanwhile, Batman fought Kalibak. With the enhancements Alex had given him, Batman was far stronger than in the movies, but even then, he could only manage a stalemate with Kalibak.

As for Steppenwolf, he was easily overpowering the other superheroes. Without Wonder Woman, they were no match for him.

With the battle taking a desperate turn, Batman finally managed to break away from Kalibak and, heavily wounded, made his way to find Alex for help.

...

Returning to the present, fires of war raged outside Themyscira, and cities across the world were falling under the assault of Parademons. Countless lives had been lost, and millions of people were being turned into new Parademons by the invaders.

Earth was now facing its greatest crisis.

News stations were continuously broadcasting reports of the war. Lois Lane, a reporter from The Daily Planet, stood on the frontlines, delivering her report:

"Earth is now in grave danger. The endless army of Parademons from Apokolips is wreaking havoc across the globe. Despite the efforts of many superheroes and government forces, the situation remains dire.

"Government forces are barely holding on against the Parademons, and heroes like Aquaman and Cyborg are struggling against the supervillains from Apokolips. The one named Steppenwolf, in particular, has single-handedly overwhelmed most of the superheroes.

"Superman and Batman are currently locked in intense battles with two other powerful foes. Though they are fighting valiantly, they are clearly losing ground. However, there is a glimmer of hope. Batman has gone to seek help from the Traveler Batman, who is said to be stronger than both Superman and Batman. With his help, we might still win this war!"

Despite her hopeful tone, the online community was far less optimistic. Many people posted negative comments, predicting Earth's doom.

"We're all going to die. Apokolips is just too strong. What we're facing now is just the vanguard. When the full force arrives, how can we possibly win?"

"Even if Traveler Batman joins the fight, what difference does it make? He might be stronger than Batman and Superman, but against that Mantis? He's got no chance."

"Don't forget, Traveler Batman is from a parallel universe. He has no reason to risk everything to protect ours. He's probably already fled. Why else hasn't he appeared yet?"

"I don't want to die..."

High above, Superman was locked in battle with Kalibak and Mantis. After being knocked into space earlier, Superman had absorbed more solar radiation, temporarily increasing his power. But this burst of strength wouldn't last. Once it faded, he would be weaker than normal, leaving him vulnerable to his enemies.

Superman's opponents were unlike any he had faced before. Kalibak, with strength to rival his own, could match him blow for blow. But Mantis was even worse—his ability to nullify all physical attacks rendered most of Superman's strength useless. Even Superman's heat vision was absorbed by Mantis, leaving him with no effective way to fight back.

The situation seemed hopeless. Superman couldn't help but wonder: what kind of power would it take to defeat Mantis?

As he dodged another attack from Kalibak and was struck by Mantis, Superman's body was covered in wounds. Even the sunlight couldn't heal him fast enough. He was nearing his limit.

Mantis's last strike had pushed him over the edge. Exhaustion overwhelmed him, and he could no longer defend himself. With a final blow, he was knocked from the sky, crashing to the ground like a falling meteor.

Mantis landed next to Superman, placing his foot on the Man of Steel's chest and sneering down at him.

"Superman... you're nothing. I don't know why Lord Darkseid values you so much, but it doesn't matter now. Your life is mine."

All the remaining superheroes, still able to move, watched in horror. Cameras broadcasted the scene to the entire world, showing everyone the dire situation.

The world fell into silence. Everyone understood that if Superman died, it would mean Earth's total defeat. If even one of the gods of men could fall, what hope did ordinary people have?

Mantis's face twisted in a cruel grin as he raised his clawed hand, preparing to drive it through Superman's chest and crush his heart.

But just as his claws were about to pierce Superman's chest, Mantis was suddenly sent flying at supersonic speed, crashing through the ground and creating a deep, seemingly endless trench.

Kalibak, sensing something, turned sharply to see a portal opening next to Superman. A single finger emerged from the portal.

It seemed as if that finger alone had been enough to send Mantis flying.

How could that be possible?

A mere finger had knocked Mantis away? Not even his father, Darkseid, could do something like that!

Then, a figure stepped through the portal—a man standing six feet tall, wearing the same Bat-suit as Batman. But the feeling he gave Kalibak was entirely different, something far more dangerous. It was a primal, instinctive fear born from countless battles, a fear even stronger than what he felt when facing his father.

Impossible!

Kalibak couldn't believe it—how could this Batman be stronger than Darkseid?

The appearance of Traveler Batman shattered Kalibak's worldview. Everyone else, too, stared in disbelief as Traveler Batman emerged from the portal, casually having just sent Mantis, who had been dominating Superman, flying with a single finger.

What was going on? Could this truly be Traveler Batman's real strength?

Behind Alex, Batman, Catwoman, Wonder Woman, and Mera stepped out of the portal, one by one.

At this moment, both Batman and Catwoman had been strengthened again by Alex, granting them power rivaling that of Superman. Meanwhile, Wonder Woman's divine power had fully awakened under Alex's research, unlocking the different abilities gifted to her by the Olympian gods. Combined with her numerous artifacts and the symbiote Alex had given her, she had grown even stronger than a regular Superman.

Mera, too, had been gifted a symbiote and energy enhancements by Alex, allowing her to exhibit immense strength in battle.

As soon as they appeared, they rushed toward the Parademon army. In the movies, these Parademons had given Batman a hard time, but now they were being slaughtered effortlessly by these enhanced superheroes.

Batman, on his own, sought out Steppenwolf. With a single punch, he sent Steppenwolf flying, mocking him as he said, "Weak."

While the others were occupied with wiping out the Parademons, Alex slowly approached Kalibak.

Kalibak, watching warily, could only prepare for the worst. Suddenly, space twisted, and Alex vanished, reappearing directly in front of Kalibak.

Alex didn't use his usual attack, Cursed Technique Reversal: Red, this time. Instead, he relied on his Vector Manipulation.

As soon as Alex appeared in front of Kalibak, Kalibak threw a punch with incredible speed, breaking the sound barrier in an instant. But before it could land, Alex lightly flicked his finger, activating Vector Manipulation.

The direction of the vector was reversed, sending the force of Kalibak's punch back toward him. Alex then amplified the force several times over, turning it into an unstoppable tsunami of kinetic energy directed straight at Kalibak.

With his body's density reduced by Alex, Kalibak's once near-invincible body was torn apart by the amplified kinetic energy. His skin, muscles, and bones were shredded in the onslaught. Only his immense regenerative abilities kept him from instant death.

The sheer force of the attack sent Kalibak flying, his body crumbling and regenerating as he tumbled across the battlefield. By the time he finally came to a halt, his consciousness had been shattered, unable to comprehend what had just happened.

Even as his body healed, his mind was lost. He couldn't believe what had just occurred. Could this truly be real? Was he in some sort of illusion, created by a powerful psychic?

Before Kalibak could recover, Mantis charged in, enraged at the humiliation of being knocked away earlier. But as he rushed toward Alex, he noticed something—a shadow approaching at lightning speed. That shadow was Kalibak's broken body, being hurled toward him.

Kalibak, who had previously prided himself on his strength, had now been utterly defeated.

Mantis caught Kalibak, but before he could react, a shadow loomed over him. Alex had appeared behind him without warning, looking at him with empty eyes.

Mantis swung his fist toward Alex with all his might, but despite his power, his punch felt useless against Alex. With a single finger, Alex blocked the strike, then flicked it again.

With Vector Manipulation and the alteration of physical laws, a simple flick from Alex unleashed a massive shockwave of kinetic energy. Despite Mantis's ability to nullify physical attacks, this force was too much. His immunity had limits.

The flick destroyed half of Mantis's body, leaving him gravely wounded.

Kalibak, unable to dodge the attack in time, was disintegrated completely. His once invulnerable body was reduced to nothing but dust, his molecules torn apart by the sheer power of Alex's attack.

Mantis, though still alive, could do nothing but tremble in fear. Alex was far stronger than he could have ever imagined. Even Darkseid's Omega Beam couldn't compare to the kind of power Alex wielded.

Knowing he was no match for Alex, Mantis tried to reason with him. "Spare me, and I will declare that Apokolips will never attack Earth again. But if you kill me, Lord Darkseid will come to destroy this planet in full force. No matter how strong you are, Darkseid has control control of a part of Anti-Life Equation. Once it reaches you, even you will fall under his control."

Mantis's voice was filled with fear, his body shaking uncontrollably. He had witnessed Alex manipulate the very laws of physics, a power that rivaled Darkseid's Omega Beams.

But Alex merely laughed in response. He knew that the Anti-Life Equation had no effect on him. His mental defenses were impenetrable, making him immune to any form of mind control, including the Anti-Life Equation.

As Mantis desperately tried to plead for his life, Alex reached out, placing a finger on Mantis's forehead. "You don't need to worry about Apokolips invading Earth. They won't get the chance."

With that, Alex reversed the molecular structure of Mantis's body. Within moments, Mantis disintegrated into dust, just like Kalibak before him.

Leaving nothing behind.

With Mantis and Kalibak both defeated, Alex returned to the battlefield, where his allies were still fighting. No matter how many Parademons they killed, their numbers continued to grow, feeding off the endless supply of human souls.

Batman approached Alex, concern in his voice. "Traveler Batman, do you have a way to stop the Parademons from multiplying? If this keeps up, even if we defeat Steppenwolf and the others, Earth's population will be wiped out."

Hearing this, Steppenwolf, who had been lying on the ground after being defeated, began to laugh maniacally. Though his body was broken, missing limbs, and scorched by Superman's heat vision, he still took delight in their supposed hopelessness.

"You fools," Steppenwolf taunted. "The Parademons' numbers have reached a critical mass. They will continue to multiply endlessly until every last life on Earth is consumed. Even if you kill me, you've already lost this war."

Turning his gaze to Alex, Steppenwolf added, "So what if you're stronger than me? You can't stop Earth's destruction. Even if you kill us all, our victory is assured."

Alex didn't flinch. Instead, he smiled at Steppenwolf's taunts, a cold, confident smile.

Steppenwolf's glee vanished, replaced with a growing sense of dread.

Alex raised his hands, intertwining his middle and index fingers in a familiar gesture, as he calmly explained, "My ability allows me to manipulate energy on a precise level, creating a domain where everything is pulled into an infinite loop of 'sensation' and 'transmission,' overloading the mind with information until it shuts down completely."

As Alex's energy surged, golden wings unfurled behind him, and a radiant halo appeared above his head. Empowered by the Unknown Wings: Platinum, his power surged even higher.

With a smile, Alex uttered the words that sent a chill through Steppenwolf's soul.

"Domain Expansion: Unlimited Void."

°°°

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