In Darkseid's astonished gaze, Robert's figure vanished from his sight and perception, leaving Darkseid even more on edge.
Robert had already demonstrated this mysterious movement technique many times before. Despite having fought Robert for so long, Darkseid still hadn't found any weaknesses in it.
Therefore, when Robert disappeared, Darkseid became highly alert, searching for Robert's whereabouts, fearing that Robert might suddenly reappear and catch him off guard.
But after waiting for a moment, Darkseid was surprised to find that Robert showed no signs of reappearing. It seemed as if Robert had truly vanished—or left the area entirely!
"How is this possible?" Even with Darkseid's composure, he felt a sense of bewilderment. He couldn't accept what was happening, especially since Robert's intense fighting spirit earlier didn't seem like someone who would retreat casually.
Moreover, Darkseid had to admit that Robert had been the one dominating the battle, not him. Logically, only Darkseid should have had a reason to leave, not Robert!
After some thought, Darkseid couldn't find an answer, but his mind quickly became active again.
After all, even if he didn't know why Robert had disappeared, wasn't this exactly what Darkseid wanted? He now had the opportunity to go to Earth, seize the Anti-Life Equation while the planet was poorly defended, and then return to take revenge on Robert!
Yes, even without the memories of Steppenwolf's mission on Earth, and even without knowing the current situation on Earth, Darkseid was certain that Earth's defenses were weak.
Darkseid didn't believe that Earth had developed better than Apokolips over the past few millennia. It was impossible for Earth to dominate the battlefield while still having enough forces to defend the planet itself.
"Hmm? Wait, since he's gone, maybe I should check on the battlefield. After all, if all my subordinates die, rebuilding will be difficult. I hope Desaad isn't dead yet…" However, just as Darkseid was about to open a portal to Earth, he hesitated. The spatial energy he controlled shifted, and instead, he opened a portal to the cosmic battlefield.
But the moment the portal opened, Darkseid's pupils contracted. The instant he saw Robert on the battlefield, he immediately closed the portal and swiftly opened another one, this time leading to Earth.
If this had happened earlier, Darkseid would have charged into the battlefield without hesitation, even if Robert was there. Fighting Robert on the battlefield would at least allow him to kill the Avengers alongside Robert.
But now, Darkseid's mindset had changed. He no longer just wanted to kill the Avengers—he wanted to kill Robert! He was desperate to obtain the more powerful Anti-Life Equation!
As for the Avengers, they could be dealt with after Robert was dead. The only downside was that rebuilding his lost forces would take some time and effort.
Of course, this was also related to Darkseid sensing that Desaad was dead, along with most of his direct subordinates.
With the situation so dire and most of his forces wiped out, leaving only the Parademons struggling, there was no need to save the remaining forces. After obtaining the Anti-Life Equation and killing Robert, Darkseid could even turn the Avengers into his new subordinates.
Thus, Darkseid left without hesitation, instantly traveling through the new portal to Earth.
Meanwhile, on the other side, when Robert sensed Harry Osborn's condition deteriorating, he instantly teleported to Harry's side. The healing energy of his technique immediately enveloped Harry, just as Peter Parker rushed over in a panic.
"Robert! You're here! Thank goodness!" Peter was frantic. He hadn't expected the enemy he'd left for Harry to practice on to unleash such a bizarre ability, nearly killing Harry before anyone could react.
"Don't be so reckless next time," Robert said, turning to Peter. "If those gases hadn't already been absorbed into Harry's body, you would've been affected too…"
"Even if your strength is decent and that power wouldn't have harmed you, can you guarantee you won't be affected by other powers in the future?"
"I'm sorry, I was too hasty. Is Harry okay?" Peter quickly apologized, his concern evident as he looked at the still-unconscious Harry.
"He's fine. He'll wake up soon," Robert replied calmly. Harry had been struck by two different forces—one that put him to sleep and another that would have killed him.
The death-inducing force was perfectly countered by Robert's healing technique, which not only provided a surge of life force but also contained various complex energies capable of reviving someone as long as they weren't truly dead.
However, the sleep-inducing force wasn't something the healing technique could remove. Fortunately, once the death force was neutralized, Harry's own powers kicked in, and the divine protection granted by Shazam quickly helped him recover from the negative effects.
"Alright, I'll leave this to you. I'm heading back," Robert said, nodding to the Avengers who had rushed over. He exchanged a glance with Ancient One, who instantly opened a fiery portal. The two disappeared from the battlefield, and the surrounding space returned to normal.
Even though space had stabilized, Darkseid's forces stood no chance. Their strongest fighters had been slaughtered, and the Parademon army had been reduced to a fraction of its original size.
Only Mantis and Kalibak were left struggling, but they were no match for the combined might of the Avengers. With the others dead, powerful Avengers like the Hulk joined the fray, sealing the fate of Darkseid's remaining forces.
Meanwhile, on Earth, Darkseid appeared and immediately sensed the planet's lack of strong defenders. It seemed Earth was completely unprepared for his arrival, which eased some of Darkseid's initial caution.
"The Anti-Life Equation," Darkseid murmured, his eyes blazing with desire as he gazed at the ground beneath him. It was as if he could see something profound hidden within the Earth.
The Anti-Life Equation wasn't a natural or technological artifact like the Infinity Stones or Mother Boxes. It was a form of knowledge—a mathematical model or rune that interpreted the laws of the universe. It was composed of the negative emotions of life, ultimately leading to a pessimistic conclusion about life, love, and hope.
This final composition and conclusion of the Anti-Life Equation were etched into Earth itself, and Darkseid's goal was to extract it.
"Whoosh!" In the next moment, an immense surge of power and aura erupted from Darkseid's body. Even with Earth's increased durability, the entire planet trembled uncontrollably.
In an instant, a series of global disasters struck—earthquakes, tsunamis, volcanic eruptions—plunging the planet into what seemed like an apocalypse. The people of Earth, who had just survived a supernatural crisis, panicked, wondering if the planet was no longer habitable.
"Whoosh!" Fortunately, just as Earth began to shake, another force emerged from the planet itself—a force that seemed omnipresent yet deeply rooted in Earth.
With this force's appearance, the seas calmed, the ground stopped trembling, and even the volcanoes ceased erupting. Magma began to flow backward, leaving everyone who witnessed it in awe, as if they were witnessing a divine miracle.
"What is this?" Darkseid was momentarily stunned, his eyes filled with confusion. "The planet's own power? Does this planet have a Celestial seed? No, Celestials give birth to other Celestials, not planets…"
Darkseid's mind was filled with questions, but he quickly pushed them aside. Now wasn't the time for contemplation. The most important thing was to find and understand the Anti-Life Equation.
After all, Darkseid didn't know when Robert would return to Earth. With Robert's strength, stopping Darkseid from obtaining and deciphering the Equation wouldn't be difficult.
Therefore, Darkseid had no time to waste. He began to gather his power once more. Even though Earth no longer trembled under his might, the energy he was amassing was enough to destroy the entire planet!
Just as Robert had destroyed Apokolips, which was fortified with Darkseid's advanced technology, destruction was always easier than defense. No matter how durable Earth had become, it couldn't withstand Darkseid's power.
"Still not going to act?" Outside Earth, Ancient One and Robert watched the scene through magic. Ancient One couldn't help but ask, "Even if Earth's dimensional consciousness intervenes, it won't be able to withstand Darkseid's destruction of its core, right?"
"Earth's dimensional consciousness has already acted. It won't just give up, as that would be no different from death… Huh?!" Robert was calmly explaining when he suddenly sensed something. His expression lit up with excitement as he looked toward the sun.
"Clark's awake?!"
Yes, Robert sensed that Clark had awakened within the sun. A tremendous surge of power erupted from the sun before quickly calming down. But Robert could clearly feel that Clark wasn't just awake—he was in the best condition he'd ever been in, with a significant boost in strength!
"Clark's awake?" Ancient One also looked toward the sun in surprise, a hint of joy in her voice.
At the same time, Darkseid, who had been about to unleash his power on Earth, paused. This wasn't because he sensed Clark's presence but because a voice echoed in his mind: "If you stop now, I can help you obtain and master the Anti-Life Equation. But if you continue to destroy Earth, I will obliterate everything on it, leaving nothing behind!"
"Whoosh!" Almost simultaneously, as Darkseid hesitated, intricate and mysterious patterns emerged from the ground, appearing in Darkseid's vision and filling him with excitement.
"It really is the Anti-Life Equation!" Darkseid's spirits soared. He didn't care who the voice belonged to anymore. He began to immerse himself in the negative emotions embedded within the Equation, deciphering its deep structure.
If there was anyone in the universe most suited to mastering the Anti-Life Equation, it was Darkseid, who had conquered countless planets and civilizations, witnessing the pain, fear, and despair of innumerable lives.
Over the millennia, Darkseid had seen too many civilizations fall, filled with condemnation, misunderstanding, guilt, shame, failure, judgment, individual struggles, and the collective struggles of entire civilizations. These were all part of the Anti-Life Equation.
As for the Celestials and Galactus, while they had destroyed many civilizations, they didn't focus on the lives born on those planets. Nor had they transformed those lives into emotionless Parademons, like Darkseid had, turning them into mindless killing machines.
In a way, the state of the Parademons was similar to the power of the Anti-Life Equation—both stripped life of its free will…
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