250. Defeating the Super-Skrull!
Alarm bells rang in Batman's mind. He felt as if he were being hunted, like prey under the sharp gaze of a predator.
"Give me a hand, Cyborg!" Batman called into his earpiece as he twisted his body mid-air, opening his cape to shield Jason.
In the next moment, Nova Corps' cosmic energy struck Batman's cape, which absorbed some of the blow but exploded with such force that Jason was thrown into the air.
"Hold on!" Cyborg reacted quickly. He rocketed through the sky with blue jets of energy, catching Jason Todd before the force could fling him further.
Meanwhile, Batman was suffering from the direct impact of the cosmic energy. Despite his specially designed cape, capable of deflecting powerful attacks, this was his first encounter with Nova Corps' unique energy from another universe.
The battlefield shifted rapidly. The Justice League members, having just breathed a sigh of relief at Batman's rescue of Jason, once again felt the gravity of the situation. Rescuing Jason was only the first step—now, they had to figure out how to escape with him.
"I've got you, Batman!" Green Lantern raised his ring high, summoning a speeding train that appeared in the sky. The train smashed through Sandman, scattering him into pieces. Seizing the opportunity while Sandman reformed, Green Lantern flew toward Batman's descent.
"You're not getting away! We're not done yet," Sandman growled, abandoning his form and transforming into a massive sandstorm that unleashed an indiscriminate attack.
The Hydra elites, who had been preparing to aid Sandman against Aquaman, were swept up by the terrifying storm. Realizing Red Skull was playing for keeps, Sandman unleashed his full strength, creating a whirlwind of chaos.
Amid the storm of yellow sand, Green Lantern's vision was completely obscured. He raised his ring, forming two protective shields to block the swirling sand for both himself and Aquaman.
"Damn it… Barry!" Green Lantern shouted.
In the next second, a streak of red lightning flashed through the storm below.
As longtime comrades, Green Lantern and the Flash didn't need words to communicate. A glance was enough to know each other's thoughts.
Tearing through the sandstorm, Flash raced toward the falling Batman, catching him just before he hit the ground. The momentum pulled them several meters, leaving a long trail in the dirt.
"You alright, Batman?" Flash asked, his eyes full of concern as he glanced at Batman's torn cape.
"I'm fine. This was all within expectations," Batman calmly removed his tattered cape, as if he hadn't just been blasted by energy. "Flash, get Jason out of here. He's in no condition to fight."
"Leave it to me." Flash smiled and vanished into thin air, a gust of wind sweeping Batman's discarded cape into the air.
Turning back, Batman's gaze locked onto Red Skull, who floated in the air like a god. "Superman, we need you now."
"Hang on…" Superman's voice crackled through the earpiece, accompanied by the sound of heavy impacts and rocks shattering.
"I'm a little busy here…"
Blocking another punch from Super-Skrull's rock-like fist, Superman struck back with all his might, landing a punch on Super-Skrull's chest. But what would be a killing blow to most felt like hitting rubber. Mister Fantastic's ability to stretch his body neutralized much of Superman's power.
Adjusting his stance, Superman's eyes glowed red, gathering destructive energy that threatened to tear through Super-Skrull at any moment. But just as his heat vision was about to fire, another energy field hit him, causing a mental distortion that made Superman clutch his head in pain. The heat vision faded as quickly as it had gathered.
"You're not going anywhere," Super-Skrull growled, seeing Superman falter. He raised his massive rocky fist and smashed it into Superman's face, sending him flying hundreds of meters before crashing into the ground.
Meanwhile, back on the battlefield, Batman sprinted across the chaos, firing his grappling hook at a nearby helicopter. In an instant, Batman was pulled into the air by the force of the hook.
At that very moment, an energy blast hit the ground where Batman had stood, leaving a smoldering crater.
"Look at you, Batman! What's wrong, little bat? Without wings, have you become a rat? Running and hiding, incapable of fighting back?" Red Skull cackled, reveling in the energy coursing through his veins. This was the power he had always longed for—the force he had spent years trying to master.
Many had thought he'd lost his mind, especially after donning Captain America's uniform. They believed he had fallen into madness. But Red Skull had always known what he wanted. He aimed to control the power of his old enemy, to harness the strength of his trophies, and to become the supreme being of this world.
In no time, Batman successfully hijacked the helicopter, but he merely frowned at Red Skull's taunts.
"You've got nothing to be proud of, Skull. I've dealt with my share of madmen. I think I'll save a spot for you in Arkham."
"You have no idea what you're facing, little mouse. My power is limitless. Since the dawn of civilization, Hydra has been everywhere—in history, politics, science, magic, and faith. We've infiltrated every domain."
Raising his hand, Red Skull summoned gray magical energy intertwined with cosmic forces. It was unimaginable how he managed to wield both energies without them clashing.
"Do you see this power, former superhero? The unparalleled strength of my old enemies now serves me, making me the most powerful being in this world."
With that, Red Skull lifted his hand, and the gray magical energy formed a massive floating blade in the sky.
"Cut off one head, two more shall take its place. Hail Hydra!"
As his words echoed, the giant blade came crashing down toward Batman's position.
Already prepared, Batman jerked the helicopter's controls, tilting it sharply upward to narrowly dodge the terrifying strike. He opened fire, bullets spraying toward Red Skull, but they bounced harmlessly off his magical shield.
With the unwieldy helicopter barely serving his needs, Batman couldn't help but miss his Batplane.
Unfortunately, he didn't have many tools at his disposal. For now, improvisation was his only option against Red Skull.
"Superman, are you done yet?!"
Batman's unmistakable voice came through Superman's earpiece, though Superman could have heard it even without the comms.
"Almost there… hold on…"
Superman, still recovering from being smashed into the ground, felt dizzy. He had planned to deal with Super-Skrull in one decisive blow after adjusting to the Skrull's bizarre mental attacks. But it seemed Batman didn't have much time left.
Just then, an arrow zipped through the air, crossing the battlefield and heading straight for Super-Skrull's head.
The arrowhead gleamed with a sharp glow, visible even through the storm of yellow sand. Super-Skrull quickly turned, his eyes glowing blue. With a mere thought, the arrow stopped dead in the air, unable to advance further.
"Foolish archer. If you're blind, you should have stayed at home," Super-Skrull sneered, his gaze filled with disdain for Barton.
"Even blind, I can still blow your head off, you green f*ck!" Old Barton chuckled coldly, pressing a button on his bow's handle. The arrow suspended in front of Super-Skrull instantly reacted.
Sensing the danger, Super-Skrull amplified his psychic field, freezing the explosive arrow in place before it could detonate.
But Clark quickly realized the arrow's secret. His X-ray vision detected the liquid nitrogen inside the arrowhead, ready to freeze everything around it upon detonation.
Seeing Super-Skrull's rubber-like body, Superman immediately understood Barton's plan.
Seizing the moment while Super-Skrull was distracted, Superman unleashed his ice breath, covering Super-Skrull's fiery body with freezing temperatures and immobilizing him.
"That archer is tougher than you think."
Super-Skrull's now frozen rubber form was brittle and vulnerable, shattering under the force of Superman's punch. The alien's body exploded into shards of flesh, scattering across the battlefield.
"Is it done?"
Barton took two steps forward, calling out toward another direction. Clark looked back at Barton, nodding seriously.
"It's done. Thanks, Oliver."
With that, Superman turned into a blur of light, speeding toward Batman's location. He knew he had wasted too much time already—Batman needed his help.
Due to the destructive nature of Superman's fight with Super-Skrull, no Hydra soldiers dared approach. Now, the battlefield was quiet, with only Barton and Mockingbird standing in the aftermath.
"Oliver?" Barton scratched his head, turning to Songbird.
"Who's that?"
.....
📢30 advanced chapters on p@treaon📢
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251. Switching to the Main Account.
252. Still Six More.
253. Magic from Another World!
254. An Unfair Chess Game!
255. Who Wants to Be Next?