Well, that confirms it. Infinity Stones are completely useless in DC.
Mario tossed the collection of cosmic artifacts to Thanos like they were worthless poker chips. The Mad Titan caught them with a bemused expression.
Figures the Mother Box probably won't work in Marvel either. In the end, you've got to rely on your own strength. External power sources are just tools.
He turned to face the massive figure standing beside him. Thanos towered over three meters tall, his presence dominating the abandoned Gotham warehouse they'd commandeered as a staging area.
Is it just me, or does he look more friendly lately? he thought. All that farming must be mellowing him out.
"Thanos, I'm leaving these Kryptonians to you when they arrive. But I want them alive. Most of them, anyway."
A flash of cruelty crossed Thanos' face, quickly replaced by his usual stoic expression. "When will they arrive?"
"Not sure exactly. But they won't attack immediately when they get here. You'll have time to portal in once things kick off."
Thanos rubbed his head, and Mario watched the transformation happen in real-time. The calm farmer's smile remained, but the aura around him shifted dramatically.
There's the Mad Titan I know.
"I will be ready," Thanos said simply, then turned and walked through the waystone Mario had set up. The purple energy swirled and he vanished, returning to his peaceful garden in the Marvel universe.
General Zod would arrive soon, and when he did, Thanos would get his workout.
---
Two weeks passed in what felt like a blink.
Mario sat in an abandoned building on Gotham's outskirts, feet propped up on a table constructed from cobblestone blocks. Through the windows, he could see the city skyline, but his attention was focused on the holographic display Bruce had set up.
"They're here."
Bruce stood at the main console. On the screen, a massive Kryptonian warship had taken up position in Earth's orbit.
"Clark, get ready. It's showtime."
Clark stood near the window. His expression was conflicted as he stared at the ship.
"Ivan, go tell Thanos we've got work."
Ivan had been studying the ship's design with Bruce. When Mario spoke, he immediately nodded. He headed for the waystone they'd set up in the corner.
Mario caught the look on Clark's face and stood up, walking over to put a hand on the Kryptonian's shoulder. "Don't worry about it. All you need to do is take them down. I'll find them a suitable planet afterward. Nobody has to die here."
"Thank you." Clark's relief was visible. "I appreciate that."
Taking blood samples is way better than funeral arrangements, Mario thought. Plus, I'm not letting the last Kryptonians in this universe go extinct. That's just bad resource management.
Before anyone could say more, every screen in the room flickered. Static washed across displays, followed by a text:
YOU ARE NOT ALONE...
YOU... ARE... NOT... ALONE...
The message cycled through every language on Earth, repeating over and over. Then the static cleared, and a man's face appeared on every screen.
"I am General Zod."
The Kryptonian's voice was cold. Mario leaned forward, studying the man's features. Strong jaw, hard eyes, the bearing of someone who'd commanded armies.
"I come from a world far from yours. I have traveled across the stars to reach you. You are harboring one of my people."
Everyone in the room focused on Zod's image, except Bruce, who noticed Mario's expression darkening with each word.
"For reasons unknown to me, this individual has chosen to hide among you. He has attempted to blend in with your society. He looks like you. But he is not one of you. Kal-El, listen carefully. You have twenty-four hours to surrender yourself. If you do not comply, Earth will suffer the consequences. And that blood will be on your hands."
The transmission cut out. Normal broadcasts resumed across the planet. Bruce turned to speak, but stopped when he saw Mario's face.
"Clark," Mario said quietly. "I'm changing the plan."
"What do you mean?"
"I can find habitable planets for the other Kryptonians. They can rebuild their civilization, have families, live normal lives." Mario's eyes never left the now-blank screen. "But General Zod dies."
Clark looked confused, this was the first time he'd seen Mario express such direct hostility toward someone he'd never met.
"Mario, I need to know why. What did he say that—"
"His words reminded me of some very unpleasant memories." Mario's tone made it clear the subject wasn't up for discussion. "That's all you need to know."
Footsteps echoed from the stairwell. Ivan returned, followed by not one but two versions of Thanos, each accompanied by their respective Black Order. The cosmic warlords had geared up for war.
"Everyone's here. Good. Time to meet General Zod and show him what happens when you threaten Earth."
---
Despite Mario's initial suggestion that Clark should leave with him after dealing with Zod, Bruce had vetoed the idea hard. After lengthy discussion, they'd agreed that Clark stepping forward publicly was the best way for humanity to accept Superman's existence.
The next morning, as Zod's ultimatum reached its deadline, Clark stood alone in an empty field outside a military base. Behind him, the U.S. Army had assembled dozens of tanks, armored vehicles, and heavily armed soldiers.
The scene would've looked impressive to civilians. To Mario, watching through Bruce's surveillance feeds, it looked like children with toys trying to stop a hurricane.
A sleek black Kryptonian scout ship descended from the sky. The craft touched down about thirty meters from Clark, and a ramp extended from its belly. A woman emerged, clad in Kryptonian armor with a transparent face shield protecting her from Earth's atmosphere.
"Kal-El. I am Commander Faora-Ul."
Her voice was pleasant enough, but the superiority in her tone was impossible to miss. She walked past Clark without waiting for a response, approaching the soldiers behind him.
"You are the commanding officer here?"
A gruff-looking colonel stepped forward. "I am."
"General Zod requests..." Faora pointed at Lois, who stood among the military personnel as a representative of the press. "...that this woman accompany us."
The colonel's aide immediately moved to block Lois. "Your message said you only wanted the alien. Nothing about taking our people."
"Do I need to report to General Zod that you're refusing to cooperate?"
"You don't need to report anything to anyone," the colonel shot back, his hand moving toward his sidearm.
The tension ratcheted up instantly. Fingers tightened on triggers. Faora's stance shifted subtly into a combat-ready position.
Then Lois stepped forward. "I'll go with you."
Faora's smile widened slightly. Without acknowledging anyone else, she turned back toward the ship, gesturing for both Lois and Clark to follow.
That's when a young soldier pointed skyward and shouted, "Sir! Look at the sky!"
Every head tilted upward. A massive shape had appeared in Earth's orbit, so enormous it was clearly visible even from the surface. Thanos' mothership had arrived, and it made Zod's warship look like a rowboat next to an aircraft carrier.
A voice boomed from the Kryptonian communications system:
"My people have gone missing inside your vessel. Kryptonians, stand down and allow my forces to search your ship. Or we will take action."
"Three."
"Two."
"One."
---
Aboard Zod's command ship, the general stared at the mothership-class vessel dominating his viewscreen. His fists clenched so hard the metal railing bent under his grip.
"How is this possible? Earth doesn't have this level of technology!"
At the height of Kryptonian civilization, he wouldn't have cared about a mothership that was already outdated by their standards. But he wasn't commanding a warship, this was an exploration vessel, designed for surveying uninhabited worlds, not military engagements.
Against a ship like that, armed with what appeared to be hundreds of weapon ports, his scout ship was little more than a toy.
"General, multiple small craft launching from the mothership. Should we engage?"
Zod raised his fist and smashed it down on the console. His decision time had been measured in seconds, whoever commanded that mothership had deliberately given him the same twenty-four-hour ultimatum he'd given Earth.
"Open fire. Destroy any approaching ships. Set course for Earth immediately. In space, we have no chance of victory."
As a general who'd commanded armies across multiple star systems, Zod understood when to fight and when to retreat. His ship's weapons fired, energy beams lancing out toward the approaching craft. The beams struck blue energy shields and dissipated harmlessly. The enemy ships didn't even slow down.
On the mothership's bridge, Mario watched Zod's vessel begin its descent toward Earth. "Bring it down. They fired first, that's all the justification we need."
The mothership's primary weapons cycled online. A full volley lit up the void of space. Zod's energy shields flickered, strained, and nearly collapsed.
Using the momentum from the impacts, the Kryptonian ship tore through Earth's atmosphere at emergency speed. Its destination was obvious, the military base where Clark waited.
Zod's plan was simple. Grab Kal-El and run like hell.
---
On the ground, the soldiers watched the sky battle.
The colonel's aide stammered, "Sir... is this... are we watching two groups of aliens fight each other?"
The colonel rolled his eyes. "What do you think we should do, soldier?"
"Uh... sir?"
"Stand there and watch. We fire on either of those ships, and we'll be dead before we pull the trigger twice."
The light show continued overhead.
Zod's ship screamed toward Faora's position, its hull glowing from atmospheric friction.
"Faora!" Zod's voice crackled through her comm system. "Grab Kal-El now! We're leaving immediately!"
"Yes, General."
Faora reached for Clark's shoulder. Lois was forgotten, in this crisis, an Earth woman had zero value. But when she grabbed Clark, he didn't budge. Clark stood there like he was rooted to the ground.
Her eyes narrowed. "Kal-El, we need to leave. Now. That fleet is extremely dangerous."
"Faora-Ul, I have a better option for you. Surrender. You can't win this fight."
"You know who they are? How is that possible?"
It defied belief. Kal-El had been raised on Earth, a planet that barely had satellites, let alone interstellar travel capability. How could he possibly know a force powerful enough to field mothership-class vessels?
"Faora-Ul, this is your last chance. I will find a suitable planet for all of you."
Faora stared at him like he'd grown a second head. "You're betraying your own species."
Technically, she was right. What Clark proposed was the textbook definition of racial betrayal. But he'd grown up human, thought like a human, loved humans. Someone couldn't just show up and demand he help destroy his adopted home. Besides, he'd learned something crucial: the Codex had been integrated into his body. His rapid power growth came from that fusion. Removing it would leave him ninety percent weaker, if it didn't kill him outright.
"If you won't come willingly, I'll take you by force."
Faora threw a punch at his face. Clark dodged it easily.
CRACK.
His counter-punch caught her in the helmet, denting the metal and shattering her face shield. Without protection, Earth's atmosphere hit her system. She dropped to her knees, gasping, unable to stand.
Clark looked at Lois and smiled. "You should get clear. This is about to get dangerous."
Aboard his ship, Zod watched Faora collapse and his face went purple with rage. He wanted to order Kal-El killed, but the Codex's location was still unknown. Without it, even escape was meaningless.
"Open the hatch. I'm going down there myself."
"General, the enemy ships—"
"THAT'S AN ORDER! OPEN THE HATCH!"
The Kryptonian chain of command was absolute. From before birth, every Kryptonian's life was predetermined, all assigned by genetic coding. Zod's word was law.
He activated his helmet's atmospheric filters and launched himself from the ship, flying directly toward Kal-El.
Clark met the charge head-on, roaring as he flew forward. The gladiator pits had taught him to love this.
"Zod! I found a better future for our people! All you have to do is surrender!"
---
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