With a loud boom, the Kryptonian monster was flipped into the air by Diana's attack, leaving it momentarily suspended. Seizing the opportunity, Clark appeared beneath the monster and delivered a powerful kick, sending the beast hurtling towards the sky.
"Roar!" The monster let out a terrifying scream as it struggled, clearly uncomfortable being off the ground. Its massive body writhed in midair, desperately trying to return to solid ground.
Ordinarily, without external interference, the Kryptonian monster would eventually fall back to Earth. No matter how high it was flung, its strength ensured it wouldn't die from the fall.
However, Clark and Kara weren't about to let such a golden opportunity slip by.
Just as the force from Clark's kick was about to dissipate, Kara appeared underneath the monster, delivering another powerful kick that launched it higher into the sky.
For any other enemy, facing the combined attacks of Clark and Kara in a continuous relay would have sent them hurtling into space by now. However, the sheer size and durability of the Kryptonian monster limited the distance it was sent flying with each blow, greatly prolonging its ascent into the upper atmosphere.
"Quick! While the monster is being pushed into space, fire the highest-yield nuclear warheads at it! Launch the new energy weapon we've been developing as well!" barked the commander in the USA's military command center.
"The energy weapon we've developed using Chitauri and vibranium technology is still unstable. Are you sure about this? If there's an energy leak, it could have catastrophic effects on Earth!" one of the officers hesitated, voicing his concerns.
"You think I don't know that? The data is already clear. Earth has somehow become more resilient, but the destruction caused by this monster and Superman is far greater than the Saiyan and the other mysterious beings who nearly destroyed the planet before. If we don't take action, I can't guarantee that Earth will hold up!" the commander growled, glaring at the hesitant officer.
"But can our weapons even hurt it? That monster is something even Superman couldn't defeat, and our ultimate weapons didn't work on Superman last time..." another general sighed.
"How will we know if we don't try? What do you suggest we do, sit here and watch? Whether it's Superman or the monster threatening Earth, we can't just do nothing!" the commander insisted, his determination unwavering.
"Let's put it to a vote. You get two votes," said one of the senior officers, glancing at his colleagues. They shared the commander's concerns but wanted him to bear the responsibility for the decision.
The vote passed with 75% approval, and the military began preparing the launch sequence for their weapons. The recently elected president was entirely sidelined by the high-ranking military officials, who chose to act on their own.
However, one lieutenant general discreetly activated a communication device hidden in his pocket, quietly relaying the information to Lex Luthor, who immediately paused his own plans.
"An ultimate nuclear strike and interstellar weaponry? Excellent. This will save me from using my trump card. What they don't realize is that their despair is only just beginning," Lex Luthor muttered to himself, a crazed glint in his eyes.
Meanwhile, near the battlefield, Tony Stark was searching for Batman when he spotted a sleek, black Batplane soaring into the sky.
"Bruce? What's he planning?" Tony Stark paused, his suspicions rising.
Although Clark hadn't told Tony much about his past encounters with Batman, Tony could easily guess there had been conflicts between them, especially since Batman possessed Kryptonite. Stark, knowing Batman's nature, had even considered the possibility that Batman could have been behind the Capitol bombing incident.
Seeing Batman's Batplane taking flight, Tony wasted no time, flying up to intercept it.
"Tony Stark?" Batman's low voice came through the cockpit. "Why are you stopping me?"
"You have Kryptonite, don't you?" Tony frowned. "If Kryptonite can weaken Superman, can it work on that monster?"
"So he even told you about the Kryptonite? He must really trust you," Batman replied, his voice carrying an unidentifiable tone. "Based on my calculations, Kryptonite should be effective, so I'm planning to use it to destroy the monster outside of Earth."
"And are you only planning to destroy the monster, or are you planning to take out Superman and the others as well?" Tony asked, picking up on the subtle implications in Batman's words.
"Despite our many differences, I've always thought we shared one trait: our caution and our contingency plans for dangerous individuals," Batman began, his tone serious. "Superman—an alien with power and status far above any human—is his presence really a good thing? I can't believe that when Superman first appeared, you didn't develop any strategies to deal with him. It's just that your plans failed."
"I admit, I had initial plans in place, but over time, as I got to know them, I realized they aren't the threat we thought. They've never tried to rule over humanity. If they wanted to, the world wouldn't be what it is now," Tony responded firmly.
"Maybe they don't want to now, but who can guarantee they won't lose control? What if their family is threatened, their loved ones killed, their limits pushed? Who's to say they won't snap?" Batman's voice was full of doubt, reflecting his own deep mistrust of humanity. He knew that even someone as mentally strong as himself could lose control, so how could he trust anyone else?
"You might not know this, but Superman's family was kidnapped during the fight with the monster. Martian Manhunter even sacrificed himself trying to save them," Tony said, sighing. "But despite all of that, Superman hasn't lost control. He didn't even go off to save his family; he's still fighting the monster on the front lines."
"Martha was kidnapped?" Batman froze. Immersed too deeply in his role as Batman, he instinctively thought of his own mother, Martha, and felt a surge of anger. However, he quickly calmed himself.
If this were the real Batman, he might have gained a newfound respect for Clark after hearing this. But this Batman wasn't exactly the same…
"You really know their identities. You didn't… have anything to do with their kidnapping, did you? Or the bombing?" Tony's eyes narrowed as he stared at Batman, his tone turning accusatory.
"None of that was my doing. I've known about Superman and the Saiyan for a long time, but I've never shared that information with anyone. Even though I'm wary of them, I still have my limits," Batman replied calmly.
"Maybe you trust Superman, but I don't. Trusting Earth's safety to their morality and self-restraint is too dangerous. Humanity needs a countermeasure, something to ensure we can stop them if they ever lose control."
"But they haven't lost control yet. If you strike now and kill them, aren't you the one who's lost control?" Tony's palm repulsor hummed to life, his voice filled with warning. "You're prepared to cross the line and kill not just Superman but even innocent Supergirl. I have to ask, who's left that you won't kill? Who gave you the right to judge and execute them?"
"Bruce Wayne, you're standing on the edge of losing control. Hand over the Kryptonite weapon and abandon your plan, or I will declare war on you."
"..."
Batman fell silent, realizing Tony's threat wasn't just about Iron Man or the Avengers fighting him—it was about a full-scale war between the Avengers and Gotham. Only the real Batman would have truly cared about Gotham's fate, but he still had to act as Batman, meaning he couldn't afford to ignore this.
Suddenly, a bright yellow energy beam shot across the sky, heading into space.
Years ago, a similar beam had been aimed at Robert but intercepted by Clark. This time, it was a ground-based counterattack weapon, similar to the planet-killing cannon of an interstellar warship, though not quite as powerful.
And that yellow energy beam was just the beginning. One after another, nuclear warheads carrying the most advanced destructive power Earth's technology could muster were launched, in a relentless nuclear barrage.
"What the—?" Tony and Batman both paused mid-conversation. Tony's fury surged as he realized what was happening. "Those bastards! How could they?! Superman and Supergirl are still fighting that thing, and they're launching nukes?!"
Tony's anger was understandable. He had been prepared to go to war with Batman to stop him from attacking Clark, only for the military to unleash Earth's deadliest weapons without a second thought. The technology was so advanced, thanks to extraterrestrial enhancements, that even Tony was worried about Clark and Kara's safety.
In space, Clark had just sent the Kryptonian monster flying out of Earth's orbit when he noticed the terrifying yellow beam heading toward them, followed by a series of nuclear warheads.
"Kara! Use your freeze breath! We need to immobilize it and get out of here!" Clark's superbrain worked rapidly, coming up with a plan in an instant. He quickly relayed the message to Kara and unleashed his freezing breath on the monster.
Crack! Crack!
Now that it was free of Earth's gravity, the Kryptonian monster could no longer move as easily in the weightless environment of space. Unable to dodge in time, the monster's body was quickly encased in a layer of ice.
Kara responded just as fast, adding her own freezing breath to reinforce the ice encasing the beast.
"Kara! Get out of here!" Clark called out as the yellow energy beam drew closer.
Clark was confident the blasts wouldn't kill him, but there was no reason for both him and the
monster to be hit by the explosions. Injuries were inevitable, and this was their best chance to weaken the creature without taking damage themselves.
Both Clark and Kara vanished in a flash, leaving the frozen monster behind. The beast struggled to break free, but before it could, the yellow energy beam struck its body, followed by a continuous barrage of nuclear warheads.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
Though no sound carried in the vacuum of space, the Kryptonian monster was bombarded mercilessly. Its body was ravaged by the blasts, its head reduced to a pulp, not much better off than the innocent victims whose skulls it had shattered with its sonic roar.
"What a dazzling sight… even brighter than the sun," Kara observed the beautiful yet deadly explosions, her voice filled with awe.
"If we hadn't reacted quickly, we would've been caught in that," Clark muttered, shaking his head. His expression darkened as he looked toward Earth, realizing what had just happened.
Who knows how much time passed before the nuclear bombardment finally ended. The brilliant explosions in space faded, and as the clouds of debris cleared, the severely damaged body of the Kryptonian monster floated lifelessly in the void, as if it were truly dead...
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