CHAPTER 128

"Hand over the kryptonite to you, and you'll spare Earth?" Kaius asked, standing firmly in front of the large screen displaying the Data Demon. His gaze was steady, unflinching. "I've heard Brainiac has a habit of collecting worlds teeming with life. Why should I believe you'd let Earth off so easily?"

The image on the screen twisted into a mocking grin as the Data Demon replied, "Why waste your time with these primitives? Surrender the kryptonite and Earth, and I will grant you the honor of joining us. You'll achieve glorious evolution."

In Brainiac's worldview, mechanical life represented the pinnacle of existence. To him, mechanical beings, capable of constant evolution and effectively immortal as long as their consciousness survived, were superior to organic life in every way.

However, immortality was of no interest to Kaius. He had achieved something far greater—a divine, eternal body. The Data Demon's proposition didn't tempt her in the slightest.

"Don't listen to him, Kaius!" Barry Allen interjected, pacing the room with frustration. "You can't trust anything he says!"

Barry clenched his fists, tempted to smash the television displaying the Data Demon's face. But he knew it would accomplish nothing. The entity wasn't confined to a single screen. It was in every device connected to the network—computers, phones, everything.

Kaius smiled faintly at Barry's frustration, then turned his attention back to the screen. "Sorry," he said, his voice tinged with sarcasm, "but I'm not interested in being someone else's lackey. However, if you surrender, I could use a database technician. Think about it."

The Data Demon's grin faded, replaced by an icy stare. "You're more foolish than I anticipated. No matter what you do, you cannot alter this planet's fate."

With that, the screen went dark, leaving behind Brainiac's ominous symbol—a V-shaped pattern of three interlinked purple circles.

Kaius crossed his arms, deep in thought. Memories of his previous life flashed through his mind—stories of Brainiac and his countless replicas. Each Brainiac across the multiverse was, in essence, a fragment of the original, a being that transcended time and space, almost like a god.

He pinched his chin thoughtfully. "From Kara's account of the Data Demon," he murmured to himself, "she mentioned entering the Phantom Zone with him. She escaped somehow, but... maybe it wasn't Kara who broke out of the Phantom Zone. What if the Data Demon used her ship to leave? If that's the case, then... Rhodesburg."

Rhodesburg. In every version of Supergirl's origin, Rhodesburg was the site where her spaceship crash-landed on Earth. It was also where the Phantom Zone projector had been located, holding some of the galaxy's most dangerous criminals. In some versions of the story, even General Zod had been imprisoned there.

Kaius recalled that in this universe, Zod's exile to the Phantom Zone had been interrupted by the Krypton's explosion, allowing him to escape. If the Data Demon had spent half a month dormant on Earth, it was unlikely he had done so idly.

As a hyper-intelligent AI, for him to make a statement like "You cannot alter this planet's fate" meant he was at least 80% certain of his ability to conquer Earth.

Barry's voice broke his train of thought. "Kaius, what do we do now?"

For the first time, Barry was facing an opponent not bound by physical form. This wasn't like the metahumans he typically fought—foes with super strength, speed, or some other power he could counter. The Data Demon was something entirely different, a threat invisible and omnipresent.

Kaius's eyes narrowed as he formulated a plan. "If human technology has fallen," he said with resolve, "then we'll fight alien tech with alien tech."

Barry blinked, unsure of her meaning. "Alien tech? What alien tech?"

Kaius turned to him, determination in his gaze. "Brainiac's not the only one who knows how to use advanced technology. There are tools—maybe even weapons—on this planet that were never meant for human hands. It's time we use them."

A few months ago, Kaius had assisted Batman in upgrading the Batcave with alien technology from the Krypton system. All the equipment had been replaced with advanced alien tech, and ten intelligent machines were now responsible for operating and maintaining the Batcave's systems. It was a fortress of cutting-edge engineering, far beyond anything on Earth.

"Alien technology? Are you talking about Krypton tech? Kaius, you have to let me see it!" Cisco Ramon said excitedly. A tech enthusiast and genius in his own right, Cisco viewed alien technology as the ultimate treasure trove of inspiration.

But Kaius shook his head, rejecting his request without hesitation. "Not this time, Cisco. The situation is critical. Only Barry will come with me."

Cisco pouted but relented, understanding the urgency of the situation. Meanwhile, Barry voiced a concern that had been nagging at him. "Kaius, if the Data Demon hacks into S.T.A.R. Labs' systems, what about the prison holding the superpowered criminals? Could he release them?"

Kaius offered a reassuring smile. "Don't worry, Barry. I've judged your superpowered criminals personally. Even if they try to escape, they won't get far."

Barry frowned, confused. "Judged them?"

Kaius explained further. "When I sentence someone, they're bound by divine power. If they try to escape, invisible shackles will force them back into their cells. Think of it as divine oversight."

His power wasn't yet strong enough to affect entities like Brainiac, but she was confident that one day, her divine influence would grow. When that day came, her judgments could be absolute—even imposing the death penalty if necessary.

Barry and Cisco exchanged skeptical glances, unsure if they entirely understood. To them, it sounded like Kaius had simply intimidated the criminals into submission, but they trusted his judgment nonetheless.

"Fine," Barry said, turning to Cisco. "Keep an eye on Iris for me while I'm gone."

With that, Barry and Kaius left S.T.A.R. Labs and sped toward their next destination.

Meanwhile, in Gotham, Alfred Pennyworth watched silently as several of the Batcave's intelligent machines worked diligently in front of the newly upgraded computer system. After Kaius's overhaul, the Batcave had become a technological marvel. The once "state-of-the-art" computer systems had been replaced with a network of twelve 55-inch crystalline displays, forming a high-tech command center.

Each display was linked to a Krypton host, and the twelve processors were interconnected, creating a computer array rivaling the control systems of an alien spacecraft. The system could analyze, predict, and defend against any cyber threat Earth might face.

"The invaders have been successfully repelled," one of the intelligent machines, Kellex, reported in its calm, electronic voice. "Regaining satellite control… Satellite control has been restored."

Kellex was one of the advanced AI systems originally from Krypton, repaired and repurposed by Supergirl, Kara Zor-El. It had become an invaluable assistant to Batman's operations.

Alfred, always the dutiful guardian, asked anxiously, "Where is Master Wayne? Is he safe?"

Kellex extended its mechanical tentacles, tapping rapidly on a virtual keyboard displayed on a light screen. "Searching for Bruce Wayne… Successful search. Bruce Wayne, alias Batman, is currently engaged in combat alongside Superman, Wonder Woman, and others against mechanical zombies."

Alfred's eyes widened. "Mechanical zombies?"

Kellex elaborated. "These entities resemble Parademons from Apokolips, though they lack wings and appear to be reanimated from scrapped machinery and technology. Their presence has been detected in Metropolis, Gotham City, Star City, and beyond. They are attacking pedestrians and destroying infrastructure indiscriminately."

Across multiple cities, these mechanical zombies were wreaking havoc. Unlike organic zombies, they were fused with discarded technology, giving them enhanced strength and durability. They moved with the same relentless aggression as Apokolips' forces but seemed to operate under the influence of Brainiac's technological network.

Alfred's expression hardened. The chaos wasn't just confined to Gotham—it was spreading rapidly, and Earth's greatest heroes were already engaged in battle. Still, he had faith in Bruce and the Justice League. Whatever the threat, they would face it head-on.