580. The Forbidden Zone of Life and Death!!

"Why do some people kill?"

"Murder is a taboo that humans are inherently unable to touch."

"Give any normal person a small knife and ask them to slit their companion's throat for no reason—they absolutely won't do it. They won't be able to."

Inside the Kryptonian derelict ship, shrill alarms echoed through the corridors as wave after wave of Parademons emerged from the shadows, screeching sharply while searching for the intruder.

As bio-engineered weapons, they had no emotions—no fear, no hesitation. Their only directive was embedded in their minds: eliminate any unauthorized lifeform that set foot in this place.

"This is one of the most fundamental parts of human nature, the biggest difference between people and beasts. It's something that runs through our veins from the moment we are born."

"This is what defines us as human beings. It is one of the key elements that make us who we are."

The metallic clang of footsteps against the ship's floor, the flapping of Parademon wings, and the blaring of alarms all blended together into a grand symphony of chaos.

Tightly gripping their laser weapons, the Parademons swarmed toward the squad's last known location, moving at incredible speed.

"These aliens understand this very well."

The Parademons bared their bloodthirsty, humanoid-like mouths, emitting a low-frequency screech filled with rage.

They gathered in vast numbers, resembling a swarm of headless flies, attempting to sense the fear of their enemies—yet they found none.

"They modified these poor creatures using all sorts of methods, breaking their minds and replacing their nature with the will of a higher collective."

"They turned them into something neither human nor beast—a monster."

Perched on the ceiling of the Kryptonian derelict ship, Batman's jet-black suit blended seamlessly into the shadows.

Or rather, Batman had incorporated the material of an "old friend's" cloaking device into his cape.

His cold gaze followed the Parademons rushing beneath him, growing even more frigid.

"These creatures have lost their humanity. They were born to kill, even if it wasn't their own choice."

"But I know some people who kill just for fun."

In the slightly noisy hall of the Kryptonian derelict ship, a strange sound suddenly broke through the tension.

It was a laugh—mocking, insane, oozing with malice. It was as if the voice had crawled out from the depths of hell itself, ridiculing everything around it, like someone had just heard the funniest joke in the world.

A few Parademons standing guard near the ship's control room flinched at the eerie laughter, their bodies tensing as they snapped their heads around.

They didn't understand fear, so they immediately moved toward the source of the sound, their grotesque faces twisting into expressions of rage.

"What did those people go through? What pushed them beyond the limits of human nature, turning them into murderers?"

The Parademons followed the sound to a small room adjacent to the control center. The laughter was coming from inside.

Instead of entering directly, they aimed their weapons at the door and fired relentlessly. Red laser beams tore through the room, blasting holes into the walls.

Yet the laughter did not stop.

On the contrary, it grew louder, more maniacal—almost as if mocking the Parademons' futility. Finally, one of them charged inside, scanning the wreckage for the source of the sound.

Its gaze quickly locked onto a small purple bag lying among the debris.

Curious, the Parademon picked up the bag and peered inside—only to find a mechanical clown doll inside, its face painted in a grotesque smile, laughing uncontrollably.

The next second—before the creature could react—vines exploded from the bag.

Like Jack's beanstalk from the old fable, the vines grew at an alarming rate, wrapping around the Parademon and digging deep into its flesh.

At the same time, the tendrils lashed outward, extending toward the other Parademons in the corridor, writhing wildly in pursuit of more prey.

Seeing this, the Parademons instinctively raised their weapons and opened fire on the rapidly growing plant.

It was at that moment that Batman dropped from the ceiling.

Using the chaos as cover, he swiftly closed in on the disoriented Parademons.

"What allows them to kill with such ease?"

With a swift thrust, a golden question-mark-shaped staff pierced through one Parademon's chest. With a flick of his wrist, another fell the same way.

"Not just once, not even twice—but again and again, a countless number of times."

Before Batman could catch his breath, more Parademons flooded in from the far end of the corridor. Their sheer numbers were staggering.

The once-spacious hallway now felt cramped as they charged at him, screeching, their only intent to tear him apart.

"I've spent most of my life…"

Batman rose to his full height, pulling out two strange firearms from his belt, aiming them directly at the oncoming horde.

"…searching for the answer to that question."

In the next second, two blasts of energy erupted from Batman's guns, each radiating a terrifying power of its own.

One was an icy storm, freezing and merciless, like the arrival of a harsh winter. The other was a raging inferno, surging forward like a wildfire consuming everything in its path.

Ice and fire burst from the weapons, forging a deadly symphony inside the Kryptonian derelict ship—an unrelenting clash of elements.

As for the incoming Parademons, they had already been reduced to frozen ash and charred remains. Their grotesque expressions were preserved in death, but they would never move again.

With that, Batman turned and sprinted toward the control room without hesitation.

[Welcome, friend of Krypton... zzzt... Batman.]

The Kryptonian AI greeted him as he rushed inside, but Batman had no time to respond.

He lunged toward the control panel, his eyes narrowing beneath his mask as he saw the bio-pod had already begun its activation sequence.

Having studied Kryptonian biotechnology, Batman knew exactly what kind of monsters this technology could create—and this was precisely why he could never allow it to fall into the hands of Congress or the military.

He had sealed this place, believing its secrets would remain buried among the stars forever.

But he had underestimated Steppenwolf.

His fingers danced across the console, attempting to abort the bio-pod's incubation process. Yet the ship, corrupted by Apokolips' influence, had already lost all autonomy.

Kryptonian science had spiraled out of control, and now—a soulless monster was slowly clawing its way back from death.

Staring at the malfunctioning screen, Batman's brows knitted together. Without hesitation, he turned and sprinted toward the bio-pod.

"Madness cannot withstand the scrutiny of logic."

Old Bruce Wayne moved swiftly through the corridors, flipping a two-headed coin with a flick of his wrist.

The coin flew through the air and struck a switch on the far wall, triggering a steel door that slammed shut, sealing several Parademons behind it before they could attack him.

"And so, violence is the only way to control madness."

Without a moment's hesitation, Batman sprinted toward the bio-pod, where an ominous presence was taking shape.

In the dim, shadowed chamber, a massive, grotesque cocoon twitched at the center of the pool. Beneath its fleshy exterior, an enormous and terrifying creature was stirring, as if on the verge of awakening.

Staring up at the monstrous form, several times larger than himself, Batman clenched his fists. His gaze hardened with determination.

"When I was a child, my parents were murdered by a madman."

"That day, I swore to dedicate my life to curing this insane world and the deranged city trapped within it."

"To make sure such tragedies never happen again!"

Whoosh—

A black Batarang whistled through the air, piercing deep into the cocoon.

[Warning. Incubation process... zzzt... interrupted. Cease all attacks.]

Unmoved by the AI's plea, Batman hurled more Batarangs from different angles. Each embedded itself into the cocoon, their surfaces blinking with an ominous red glow.

With a press of the remote in his hand, the Batarangs instantly responded to the signal—triggering a series of powerful explosions.

A wave of destruction swept through the chamber, tearing apart everything in its wake. The massive cocoon was blown apart, its remains scattered in the smoke-filled air.

Amidst the thick black fog, a towering figure slowly rose from the wreckage.

A monstrous shadow loomed over Batman, its sheer presence suffocating.

"A police commissioner once told me this would be an impossible task."

"But for me..."

Batman stood his ground, his piercing gaze locked onto the abomination that had been awakened prematurely. His stance was unwavering, filled with an unyielding fighting spirit.

"This is just another patient to treat."

BOOM!!!

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

Wasteland Universe, Magical Dimension—Outer Edge.

The realm of Odin had been split in two by a colossal rift. What was once barely recognizable as Asgard had now been reduced to utter ruins—nothing remained but its shattered foundations.

"This is the second time, Alex. Ever since I met you, you always come running to me for help."

BOOM—

Another deafening explosion rocked the battlefield.

Shazam struggled to his feet, turning toward Alex with an exasperated roar.

"We're about to be in an unbelievably dangerous situation!!"

"Yeah, yeah, but in my heart, you're still the greatest superhero." Alex flashed a slight smile.

"...Really!?"

Shazam's frustration instantly melted into excitement.

If anyone else had said that, he wouldn't have cared much. But hearing it from Alex? It felt like pure honey to his ears.

Before he could say anything more, an energy beam the size of a truck came crashing down, obliterating the icy cliff they had been using as cover.

"Oh, come on—"

Shazam barely managed to roll away in time, narrowly escaping the explosion's deadly blast radius.

As he turned his gaze toward the towering, monstrous infant and the three Mothers standing at its feet—who, despite their massive size, barely reached its knees—Shazam whipped his head back toward Alex and shouted: "Come on, Alex!

What are you waiting for!? Turn back into that terrifying demon already!"

.....

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