579. The Dark Knight Returns!!

"They're here."

Old Bruce Wayne muttered to himself.

From the current situation, his plan had worked—just like always.

But he also understood that this was only the beginning.

It was Red Robin, Tim, who had staked his life to secure the last remaining Mother Box. Without this Mother Box, they wouldn't have had the slightest chance of taking the initiative away from Steppenwolf.

At the same time, whether it was The Flash, Black Adam, Shazam, or Doctor Fate, only they had the power to make this plan work. And only they could stand in Steppenwolf's way.

Old Bruce Wayne knew exactly what he needed to do.

Even though this era was no longer suited for him, even though, in the presence of one extraordinary being after another, he—a mere human—was struggling to keep up, he still knew where he belonged.

Back in the day, the biggest headache for him and Alfred was dealing with lunatics lurking in the shadows.

But ever since General Zod's fleet entered Earth's atmosphere, everything had changed. Changed so much that even Old Bruce Wayne felt like a stranger in this world.

Despite his efforts to keep up with the times, despite his unwavering commitment to justice, he had to admit—he was getting old.

They say old soldiers never die; they simply fade away. And against an enemy that transcends human limitations, what could a mere man really do?

But Old Bruce Wayne refused to accept that.

Tearing his gaze away from the relics of old comrades, Batman locked his eyes on the white glaciers slowly emerging over the distant horizon.

"Let these relics give you all a lesson to remember."

-----------------------------------

Amid the snow-covered glaciers, the world was swallowed in an endless expanse of white.

The Fortress of Solitude lay hidden among the snowy peaks, its thick ice and snow concealing the Kryptonian derelict beneath—a secret stronghold known only to a few.

Steppenwolf's corruption, powered by Apokoliptian technology, had severely damaged the surrounding glaciers. Half of the Kryptonian ship now jutted out from the icy mountains, its surface covered in dark parasitic growths.

At the surrounding high points, countless Parademons were digging trenches.

Under Steppenwolf's command, while some Parademons had joined him in attacking the Batcave to seize the Mother Box, the rest were stationed here, defending the stronghold.

Their orders were clear: first, to guard the two remaining Mother Boxes, and second, to oversee the gradual resurrection of Doomsday.

During his previous raids, Steppenwolf had exploited the isolation of Themyscira and Atlantis, using teleportation sneak attacks to snatch two of the Mother Boxes with ease. Strike fast, then retreat—that was his strategy.

But this time was different. Humanity had clearly learned about the power of the Mother Boxes. And after the last failure, Steppenwolf was now completely exposed in the eyes of the entire world.

This time, the battle for the Mother Box would see humanity uniting every possible force against him. It would be a brutal fight—even Steppenwolf knew that.

That's why he hadn't chosen a reckless head-on assault.

The Doomsday incubating inside the Kryptonian ship was his ultimate trump card. A fusion of Kryptonian and New God combat prowess, this Doomsday was an extinction-level weapon.

Steppenwolf never believed that he could single-handedly seize the Mother Box from so many enemies. If he could take it, great. If not, then Doomsday was his backup plan.

He didn't need to achieve total victory—just hold onto the Mother Box for two hours. That was all. Long enough to prevent that Speedster from building up the momentum he needed to interfere.

Once Doomsday was reborn, the Parademons stationed at the Fortress of Solitude would open a Boom Tube, instantly transporting Doomsday straight into the battlefield.

-----------------------------------

Around the Fortress of Solitude, dozens of Parademons patrolled the air, clutching laser weapons as they scouted for any threats.

Their orders were absolute: defend the stronghold—let not even a single bird enter their airspace.

As they carried out their mechanical patrol, a sudden sonic boom shattered the eerie stillness of the Fortress of Solitude.

High above, a Batwing suddenly decloaked, its black silhouette streaking through the sky like a bolt of lightning, roaring past the Parademons below.

"Otz! Otz! Otz…!!"

The Parademons immediately flew into a frenzy, like ants on a hot pan, alarmed by the unexpected intruder.

In their perception of energy, they detected nothing powerful enough to pose a threat. Yet, this aircraft had undoubtedly triggered their restless nerves.

Without needing any orders, these bio-weapons, created solely for war, sprang into action. They swiftly split into two groups—one remained on the ground, while the other took to the air, chasing after the Batwing.

At the same time, the Parademons stationed at the high points, manning laser cannons, also reacted. They adjusted their massive weapons, locking onto the speeding Batwing as their primary target.

All eyes were fixated on the aircraft. Not a single Parademon noticed the dark shadow rapidly moving beneath the icy waters, silently closing in on their position.

Although one group had already taken off in pursuit of the Batwing, those on the ground remained on high alert. Clutching their weapons tightly, they scanned their surroundings, wary of any potential ambush.

The Batwing was merely bait—proof that an unknown force was preparing to attack them. The Parademons growled in hushed tones, releasing sharp, high-frequency screeches.

Bang!

In the midst of this tense atmosphere, an unfamiliar sound echoed from a distance.

The sudden noise immediately drew the Parademons' attention. Along with the sound, a beam of light shot straight into the sky.

They tilted their heads upward, watching as the beam pierced through the thick, heavy clouds, barely forming a strange emblem against the darkened sky.

One Parademon hesitated, stepping forward cautiously, trying to get a clearer look. But with their limited intelligence, they couldn't comprehend what that symbol meant.

At that very moment, the ice beneath the Parademon suddenly shattered. A steel-clad hand shot up, seizing its ankle in an iron grip.

The next second—BOOM!

A violent explosion erupted, startling the surrounding Parademons.

Their eyes snapped toward the attack site, but the ambushed Parademon was already gone, leaving only a massive crater in its place.

The remaining Parademons quickly surrounded the pit, gripping their weapons tightly, aiming their barrels into the hole.

As they moved closer, they realized that the thick ice—several meters deep—had been forcefully broken open, leaving a gaping chasm. At the bottom, seawater churned and bubbled, evidence that the missing Parademon had likely been dragged into the depths below.

Before the Parademons could even process what was happening, a sudden whipping sound sliced through the air.

In the next instant, a black whip coiled tightly around one of the Parademon's necks.

A tremendous force yanked it off its feet—it was violently flung through the air, crashing onto the ice with a sickening impact, never to rise again.

At the same time, a massive black shadow loomed over the Parademons. Before they could react, the dark figure pounced, crushing another Parademon beneath its weight—the sheer force warped the creature's body on impact.

Only then did the remaining Parademons get a good look at their attacker.

The intruder had never remained in the pit. Instead, he had used the explosion as cover, concealing his movement as he swiftly ascended into the air.

The Parademons, having instinctively ignored the skies and focused solely on the ground, had given him another perfect opening.

A towering man clad in heavy steel armor stood before them. His metallic bat-shaped mask glowed faintly around the eyes, and the jet-black cape draped behind him added an eerie presence.

"Bio-weapons that feed on fear, huh?"

Batman's cold gaze locked onto the seven remaining Parademons.

Just as they raised their weapons to take aim—

He snapped up his right arm.

In the blink of an eye, a high-caliber armor-piercing round, engraved with the word "DEATH", tore through a Parademon's skull.

The bullet didn't stop there—ricocheting off bone, it curved mid-flight, drilling into another Parademon's forehead.

Two down.

Batman rolled sideways, narrowly avoiding a laser blast, and in the same motion, hurled a scythe.

The razor-sharp blade embedded itself deep into a Parademon's eye socket.

His jet boosters ignited in a burst of flame—within seconds, Batman rocketed forward, closing the distance between him and his enemies.

With a swift motion, he unsheathed a katana from his back and, in one fluid strike, decapitated the nearest Parademon.

Lifting his gaze, he saw the remaining Parademons training their weapons on him. Without hesitation, he seized the headless corpse, using it as a shield.

A barrage of laser fire reduced the lifeless body to shredded flesh and bone—but before the Parademons could adjust their aim, a stream of acid erupted from Batman's gauntlet.

The closest Parademon screamed as the corrosive liquid melted its face, black smoke rising from its sizzling flesh.

Wasting no time, Batman lunged at the last two Parademons.

His first thrust missed, as one Parademon nimbly dodged his blade.

The second seized the opportunity, rushing in from behind, locking Batman's arms in a tight grip.

A brutal punch landed against his torso—but Batman slammed his arms outward, breaking free.

In one swift motion, he kicked the attacking Parademon square in the chest, sending it hurtling backward. Then, with a powerful elbow strike, he crushed the face of the one still gripping him.

The first Parademon, though knocked away, quickly scrambled to its feet and lunged at him again—

But it never reached him.

After taking only two steps, the rope around its ankle suddenly snapped tight.

Confused, the Parademon glanced downward—following the nearly invisible cable stretching up into the sky.

High above, hidden in the thick clouds, a kite-like figure disappeared into the mist.

Before the Parademon could react, a violent force yanked it skyward at an unstoppable speed, disappearing into the heavens.

At that moment, Batman delivered a devastating series of punches, leaving the final Parademon dazed and reeling.

With a swift slash, he severed its head—not hesitating for even a second. And just like that—he vanished once again into the snowy expanse.

.....

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