The surface of Apokolips seethed with molten rivers of magma, glowing like veins of fire across the dark world.
Darkseid rose slowly from the flames, his crimson eyes locked on his enemy. "Do you plan to stay behind and cover their retreat," he asked coldly, "or are you here to beg me to spare Earth?"
"Neither," Malrick replied calmly. His mind was quiet, his heartbeat steady.
He stared at the being before him—a titan whose body looked as if it had been sculpted from charred ash and brimstone. Malrick's right fist tightened, and his power surged through him like a living storm.
The amplification field ignited, enhancing his strength to incredible levels. His body had evolved far beyond its former limits. When he had once fought Dormammu, he'd been weaker—barely at the level of a fledgling cosmic warrior. But now, his physical power was several thousand times greater.
If Dormammu were to face him again now, Malrick's punch alone would be enough to make the god bow his head and retreat in defeat.
Darkseid's voice thundered through the burning wasteland. "Neither? Then you've chosen death!"
Twin beams of Omega energy erupted from his eyes, cutting across space with apocalyptic force. As he spread his arms wide, the ground beneath them split apart.
The Apokolips armory activated.
Hundreds of Hell Spores locked onto Malrick's position, their countdowns ticking in unison. Darkseid intended to make Apokolips itself Malrick's grave.
But instead of fear, Malrick laughed.
He disappeared in a blur of motion and reappeared behind Darkseid. "You remind me of Dormammu," he said evenly. "Both of you are absurdly durable. I'd fight you again if I could—but you're too dangerous to be left alive."
His fist struck forward. The punch was slow and deliberate, almost gentle. But the instant it landed, reality itself seemed to fade.
For Darkseid, the world went silent. Sound vanished. Color drained from his sight. His Omega Beams flickered and died. He tried to turn his head, but his mind was slipping away into nothingness.
Then came the sound.
A thunderous explosion shook the entire planet. A blinding shockwave erupted from Darkseid's body, sweeping across the horizon. Everything it touched disintegrated into dust.
Apokolips began to crumble, breaking apart from a single point at its core. The crust split, the magma bled into the void, and the planet imploded. Within moments, the entire world turned to ash, scattered across the universe.
In the final instant before oblivion, Darkseid's vision caught one last image—the endless dark of space, and a lone figure standing before it. A black battle suit, a dark cape fluttering in the cosmic wind.
"Goodbye, Darkseid," Malrick said quietly. "Maybe someday, I'll meet your true form."
Darkseid's consciousness vanished completely. His body followed, erased from existence.
Malrick opened a portal and stepped through, returning to Earth.
---
"So, Darkseid is really gone?"
"Dead," Malrick replied. "Turned to ash—the same color as his skin."
"That's… a perfect ending!"
"Honestly," one of the heroes said, laughing through tears, "if Earth weren't so empty right now, I'd say this is the happiest moment of my life!"
"Malrick, thank you," another said.
"You did it, New Superman! I don't even know how to repay you. If I'd met you before Arthur, I might've fallen for you!"
"Oh please," another joked. "Big guy, I think I like you more than Batman now."
The Batman squad surrounded Malrick, cheering, crying, and laughing all at once. Even Joker joined in, though instead of laughing hysterically, he sat quietly on a rock, gazing up at the pale moon.
"So," Atom said, breaking the silence, "is Lil' Krypto going to time-travel now?"
Cyborg, lying on the sand and grinning weakly, suddenly sat up. "Right. And we need to make sure every bit of data we send to the past is accurate. No mistakes this time."
Deathstroke removed his helmet, while Doctor Fate straightened his collar, both turning serious.
"I believe there are two priorities," Doctor Fate said solemnly. "First, to ensure Lois's safety. Second, to prevent Lex Luthor's plan before it begins."
Deathstroke nodded. "I was part of Luthor's alliance once. I can provide the details. He recruited a group of villains to destroy the Justice League. My target was Batman—but he was the hardest to kill. Even after Luthor died and Darkseid ruled the planet, Batman survived. Eventually, I joined his squad instead."
Atom shook his head. "No. When Krypto travels back, we need to focus on what's most crucial. Luthor's plan can be handled by the rebooted Batman."
Everyone paused, thinking about what information should be sent.
Then Batman himself spoke up. "You're all wrong."
He raised his right hand, holding a small data disc between his fingers. "This future doesn't deserve to exist. We're better off resetting everything."
"Instead of sending messages, we'll send all our data."
Cyborg frowned. "If that disc travels to the past, won't its contents be erased? It didn't exist back then."
"Don't worry," Batman replied. "This one won't be affected—it came from another world." He pointed toward Tony, who nodded in confirmation.
Realization dawned on everyone. One by one, they uploaded their information to the disc—every memory, every crucial moment they wanted preserved. When they were done, Batman handed the disc to Lil' Krypto.
"Take this to the past. Give it to Barry, and tell him to keep it safe within the Speed Force."
Krypto nodded, determination glowing in his eyes.
Malrick had already brought Tony and Diana back into his inner world. The rest of the squad stood ready, prepared for what would come next.
"Are you sure you don't want to hide from the reboot with me?" Malrick asked.
Batman shook his head. "No. Our fight is over. The rebooted versions of us will take it from here."
Malrick sighed. "Understood. But I still have one last thing to do."
"I only have part of the Anti-Life Equation," he explained.
"Then do what you must," Batman said firmly. "If the universe is going to restart, the fate of this world doesn't matter anymore."
Malrick nodded. "Goodbye, everyone."
"See you in the next world," Batman said with a faint smile.
Malrick and his black-clad clone rose from Earth, soaring into the sky. Together, they drained the planet's core and disassembled its fractured crust. Strange patterns appeared across its surface—the incomplete Anti-Life Equation, carved into stone and flame.
Malrick gathered the remaining fragments and absorbed them into his inner world.
The clone paused, glancing back at the Batman squad waiting on the dying planet.
Old Wizard Shazam remained behind, watching. He had seen Malrick destroy Darkseid and even crush Black Adam on Apokolips. That was enough for him. He was satisfied—more than satisfied—with his chosen successor.
"Run, Krypto! Run!" the wizard shouted as the others joined in.
The clone smiled faintly, then stepped into the Speed Force, sprinting upstream through time.
_______
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