Lex Luthor stood atop his throne of technology, his creation humming with unnatural energy. He had waited for this moment—prepared for this moment. Five years of meticulous planning, of shaping the ultimate countermeasure against Superman.
And now, Superman stood before him.
Hovering just above the LexCorp Tower, Superman was calm, his arms folded as if this were nothing more than a conversation. His golden aura flickered softly, the sheer power radiating from him causing the very air around him to distort.
Luthor smirked. "So, the god returns."
Superman's expression didn't change. "And the mortal still believes himself a god."
Luthor pressed a button on his wrist device. Instantly, the chamber around him came to life—massive turrets armed with weapons beyond human comprehension locked onto Superman. The very fabric of reality twisted as energy fields, designed specifically to counter Kryptonian physiology, activated around him.
Superman simply floated there, watching.
Luthor raised his arms as if welcoming an audience. "Five years, Superman. Five years of perfection. While you basked in the sun, I evolved."
Superman tilted his head. "Evolved?"
Luthor's smirk widened. "I've transcended limitations. No more playing by your rules."
He activated his final weapon.
The red gem—the ancient artifact Luthor had discovered—shattered, unleashing a pulse of energy so strong it warped space itself. The sky turned crimson, and for the first time, Luthor saw something he had never seen before.
Superman took a step back.
Luthor grinned. "What's the matter? Feeling something?"
Superman's face remained unreadable. "Yes."
Luthor's confidence soared. "That's right. You feel it, don't you? The weight of my power. The balance has shifted."
Superman exhaled, a faint sigh. "No, Lex."
Then, for the first time, he smiled.
"I feel nothing."
Luthor's smirk faltered.
Superman raised his hand, and suddenly, every screen across the world flickered to life. Holograms, news channels, even private networks—every single device was now streaming something.
Lex Luthor's voice. His plans. His manipulations. His lies.
Videos of his secret meetings, of his ruthless experiments, of the atrocities he committed in the name of power.
A live feed of him standing there, his expression shifting from triumph to realization.
"You…" Luthor's voice was barely a whisper.
Superman's eyes glowed faintly. "Did you really think I'd waste time fighting you?"
Luthor staggered back. "No—this isn't—"
Superman took a step forward. "I let you believe you were winning. I let you expose yourself." He gestured to the screens. "And now, the world knows the truth."
Luthor's hands clenched into fists. "It doesn't matter." His voice shook with rage. "I still have my power. I still have—"
BOOM.
In a blur, Superman moved.
For a moment, time seemed to stop.
Luthor couldn't even blink before the first punch landed.
Then the second.
Then the thousandth.
Each strike was so fast, so precise, that the very air around them cracked under the force. Luthor's body bent and twisted under the relentless onslaught, his armored suit shattering piece by piece, his mind barely able to comprehend what was happening.
To the outside world, it seemed as though Superman hadn't even moved.
But in reality, within a fraction of a second, Luthor had been hit over a thousand times.
And Superman was still holding back.
Luthor's body finally crumpled, flung across the chamber like a broken puppet. Blood dripped from his mouth, his vision blurred.
Superman landed gently, walking toward him. "You wanted to see the power difference, Lex." He crouched beside him, voice low. "Now you understand."
Luthor coughed, gasping for breath. His hands clawed at the floor, his once-unbreakable confidence shattered.
Superman stood tall. The world had watched. The battle was already over.
Luthor had lost.
Again.