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*****
"Of course. Trust me, you have immense potential."
George floated toward Hal, reaching out with a furry paw to pat him on the shoulder. "In fact, based on my years of experience traversing the universe, your potential is far greater than that of many other Green Lanterns. It just hasn't been fully tapped yet. That is one of the reasons the ring chose you in the first place. So, don't doubt yourself. As long as you remain firm in your conviction, there is nothing you cannot achieve."
"Alright, I'm in!"
Bolstered by George's encouragement, Hal felt a sudden surge of confidence. While he still harbored doubts about being as "powerful" as George claimed, he figured that even if he wasn't ready to safeguard the entire universe, protecting Earth should at least be within his reach.
Besides, he wouldn't be alone. There was Superman, Super Cat, Batman, and Wonder Woman, with the possibility of even more powerful figures joining later. Perhaps he really could make this work. If it truly didn't pan out, it wouldn't be too late to walk away then.
"Excellent. Then I'll take you to meet the others."
With a flick of his tail, George teleported Hal directly into the Batcave in Gotham City.
Inside the cave, Batman had already successfully convinced the Flash to join the cause. Meanwhile, Superman and Wonder Woman had returned empty-handed.
"Aquaman wasn't willing," Superman spoke first, his voice calm. "He doesn't want to give up the peaceful life he has now." He wasn't the type to force others into service; once he was certain of Arthur's resolve, he didn't press the matter further.
"Cyborg refused as well," Wonder Woman added. "However, I believe he will eventually join us. He just needs some time." She had recognized the psychological scars Cyborg was grappling with and felt confident she could help him work through them, having dealt with her own internal struggles in the past.
Batman gestured toward the young man standing beside him. "Go ahead, introduce yourself."
"I'm Barry Allen, from Central City. My power is..."
With a heart racing and hands trembling with excitement, the Flash began to chatter away, introducing himself at high speed. He held these superheroes in high esteem and felt incredibly honored to be part of the Justice League.
"The Speed Force... one of the seven primordial energies of the universe," George thought to himself. Watching the Flash, a slight smile tugged at the corner of his mouth. He knew he was one step closer to deciphering the fundamental laws of this reality.
The group welcomed the Flash warmly. Once he finished his introduction, everyone turned their attention toward George and the newcomer standing beside him.
The others had been searching for specific targets based on Lex Luthor's stolen files, whereas George had been searching at random, like looking for a needle in a haystack. No one expected him to produce results so quickly.
"Hi, everyone. I'm Hal. You can call me Green Lantern."
Hal raised a hand in greeting, his voice tinged with excitement. However, having already seen his fair share of wonders on Oa, he quickly composed himself and began explaining his situation.
"The Green Lantern Corps? Intergalactic peacekeepers? That is so cool!"
As Hal spoke, Barry's eyes lit up. He was the classic "fanboy" type, and the scale of Hal's story fascinated him. While Superman's existence had already proven that Earth wasn't alone, the description of an organized cosmic police force was still a shock to the system.
In truth, aside from George, the rest of the team knew very little about deep space. Superman was Kryptonian, yes, but he had been raised on Earth and had never actually left the planet. His knowledge of Krypton was limited to the data and holograms left behind by his father in the scout ship.
Batman and the Flash were ordinary humans through and through; before Superman's arrival, they hadn't even known alien civilizations existed. Only Wonder Woman, the daughter of Zeus and the Amazon Queen, seemed to have an inkling of the Corps' existence.
"The Green Lantern Corps... I believe I learned of them in my history lessons," Diana mused. She recalled her teachers on Themyscira mentioning a great war thirty thousand years ago. In that ancient conflict, the Green Lantern Corps had sent a representative to Earth to assist in the fight.
"It seems the world beyond our atmosphere is even more dangerous than we imagined." Batman's brow furrowed deeply. The existence of the Corps was proof that the threats lurking in the cosmos were far more numerous and powerful than he had anticipated.
"I'll give it another try with Aquaman," Batman declared, his mind already working on a new strategy. "Diana, try to bring Cyborg around as soon as possible. George, Clark—continue your search for any other potential members."
He wasn't ready to give up on the King of Atlantis. Every ounce of strength added to the Justice League was another layer of security for Earth's future. As for how to persuade Aquaman, he figured he might try using his own specific "superpower"—his wealth.
For reasons he couldn't quite name, a sense of unease had been gnawing at him lately. It felt as though something monumental was about to happen.
"Understood," the group replied in unison.
In terms of raw combat power, Batman was objectively the weakest among them. However, when it came to strategy and intellect, he was unrivaled. Since the Justice League was his brainchild and he was personally funding the entire operation, the others were happy to follow his lead, provided it didn't clash with their personal morals.
George, for his part, didn't mind the direction. He was mostly biding his time anyway, using the connection to these superheroes to accelerate his analysis of the world's laws.
After the meeting adjourned, the members lingered for a while, chatting and getting to know one another. When they eventually dispersed, George teleported Hal back to his home in Coast City. He handed Hal a specialized communicator designed by Batman.
"We'll use this to contact you if anything comes up. Likewise, if you run into trouble you can't handle, use it to call us."
If George remembered correctly, Hal was going to have a significant problem on his hands very soon. But for George, that was actually a positive development.
"No problem," Hal said, giving an 'OK' gesture. Then, with a somewhat mischievous grin, he leaned in. "By the way, George... that Diana lady? Does she have a boyfriend?"
It was clear the resident playboy had been struck by Wonder Woman's beauty and was harboring a few ideas.
George's expression turned somewhat peculiar. "As far as I know, she doesn't. But I should warn you, Hal—Diana is old enough to be your great-great-grandmother."
While Wonder Woman looked to be in her late twenties or early thirties, she was actually well over a century old. As an Amazon and a demi-god, she possessed an essentially infinite lifespan; barring a death in battle, she could live forever.
"What?!"
Hal's eyes widened in shock. He suddenly remembered his attempts to flirt with her during the small talk earlier and the strange, knowing look she had given him. He felt his face heat up with immediate embarrassment.
George shook his head at the sight, then vanished into thin air. He intended to keep wandering through various cities to scout for more heroes. However, as he traveled, his mind drifted back to the history Diana had mentioned.
Themyscira was a creation of Zeus, and because of the Amazons' longevity, they kept meticulous records of the ancient world. Combining those records with the knowledge he possessed from his previous life, George began to piece together a clearer picture of the coming storm.
(End of Chapter)