The fortress-city of New Krypton, once the shining capital of Earth's utopian transformation, now stood as the seat of Superman's rule. Towering spires of Kryptonian crystal reached into the heavens, pulsating with energy harvested from alien technology. The world beneath its shadow flourished—disease eradicated, crime non-existent, hunger a memory.
And yet, rebellion festered.
Superman stood atop his balcony, watching the Earth below. His cape fluttered as the wind carried the scent of rain from the Pacific.
A flicker of red light on his gauntlet caught his attention. An alert.
Metropolis.
The Hall of Justice.
Superman's eyes narrowed.
The rebellion had finally shown its hand.
The War Council
Within seconds, Superman was inside his war room, deep within New Krypton's central tower. The holographic display flickered to life, showing the battlefield in real-time.
He saw Captain Atom engaging the rebels, Batman leading the charge, Cyborg hacking into his security grid. He spotted Oliver Queen, Dinah Lance, Barry Allen… all of them.
A slow exhale left his lips. They never learned.
Behind him, his inner circle assembled.
Diana, his wife and queen, arms crossed, expression unreadable. Zod, the commander of his Kryptonian forces, battle-ready. Brainiac, his advisor, analyzing probabilities. John Stewart, the Green Lantern, overseeing the cosmos.
Zod's fists clenched. "Shall I mobilize the Elite Guard?"
Brainiac's cold, artificial voice interjected. "The probability of a direct strike succeeding is 97%. However, eliminating Batman now may destabilize global resistance prematurely. The rebels will only become more desperate."
John Stewart folded his arms. "They're not terrorists, Clark. They're trying to stop what they see as tyranny."
Superman's eyes burned with restrained anger. "I gave them everything." His voice was quiet, yet it echoed through the chamber. "A world free of war, of suffering. And still, they fight me."
Diana placed a hand on his shoulder. "Not all of them."
Superman turned back to the battlefield hologram. The Hall of Justice burned. His symbol—the House of El's crest—was being torn down by rebels.
He had seen enough.
"I'll handle this myself."
The Arrival of a God
The battle raged on. Captain Atom was locked in a brutal clash with Cyborg and Flash, his quantum energy wreaking havoc across the battlefield. The stolen Kryptonian warship hovered, its cannons priming for another attack.
Then, the sky turned black.
A deafening BOOM echoed across the city.
A shockwave rippled through reality itself.
And then, in a single thunderous moment, Superman appeared.
His descent was like an avalanche of raw power. The warship above barely had time to react before his heat vision carved through its core, sending it crashing into the streets below.
The battlefield froze.
The rebels stared.
Superman floated above them, his eyes glowing like twin stars, his expression one of absolute judgment.
"Enough."
The word alone carried weight, shaking the very air around them.
Batman's fists tightened. They weren't ready for this.
Superman's gaze swept across the battlefield. His vision locked onto Bruce.
"You're finished."
To Be Continued...