Before anyone could fully process what Nina had just said, Green Lantern spoke.
"What guarantee do you have that he'll single you out instead of overwhelming us with the Paradooms like you said?"
"He'll have to… after what I'm about to do," Nina replied before turning to Cyborg. "Cyborg, I need you to divert as many boom tubes as he tries to open to Nevada. Can you do that?"
"Sure, I can do it,but it'll be tough. Some of them will slip through and open in other parts of the world," he said. "But I've already alerted them to hold out as long as they can until Darkseid-"
"Good," Nina cut in.
She then gestured toward the crates behind her.
"Before you move out,take as many kryptonite weapons as you need. You're going to need them."
For a brief moment, no one moved.
Then,the room came alive.
The Amazons were the first to step forward. Without hesitation, they opened the crates and began arming themselves,kryptonite swords,spears, and arrows.
Hippolyta herself picked up a spear, weighing it in her hand before giving a firm nod.
The League followed more cautiously.
Robin stepped forward, eyes lighting up slightly as he picked up a kryptonite sword, giving it a few test swings.
"This will do" he muttured.
"Try not to lose a limb," Batman said flatly as he walked past him.
Some, however, hesitated.
Flash glanced at the weapons, then raised his hands. "Yeah… I'll stick to running."
Green Lantern shook his head. "I've got constructs for that."
Shazam scratched the back of his head. "Uh… lightning kinda does the job for me."
Cyborg simply flexed his arm cannon. "I think I'm good."
Constantine picked one up, inspected it, then casually tucked a smaller blade into his coat anyway. "Never hurts to be prepared."
Zatanna gave him a look. "Of course you would."
Within moments, the crates were half-empty.
Nina nodded slightly then formed a single hand seal.
"Release."
The seals containing the chakra from the Gedo Statue activated,and an incredible pressure erupted from her.
It nearly overwhelmed Thena's senses,the only one in the room who could truly feel it.
Nina's hair turned from black to snow white. Her skin grew pale as three pitch-black orbs emerged from her back, orbiting her once before hovering behind her.
Gasps filled the room.
Especially from Cyborg, Flash, Green Lantern, Shazam, Wonder Woman, Superman, and Batman,who had seen Max undergo a similar transformation years ago when he fought Darkseid and nearly killed him single-handedly.
Now, seeing Nina with a similar transformation …their confidence in her rose slightly.
"I'll cut down their numbers a little. The rest will be up to you,take," Nina said.
She turned to Cyborg, who nodded.
"Opening a large boom tube."
A vast desert stretched endlessly on the other side.
Batman gave Nina a brief nod,good luck,before stepping through, followed by the rest of the heroes.
Thena, Terra, and Wonder Woman remained behind, approaching Nina, who waited for them.
"Is there really no other way? Where is Dad?" Thena asked.
"I'm afraid there isn't. The Paradooms already outnumber us ten to one, and with Darkseid added to the equation, fighting in one place wouldn't be good. Max is on his way,I just have to hold Darkseid back until then," Nina said.
"Be careful," Terra said.
"Don't worry. I have a few surprises in store for Darkseid that he won't see coming," Nina replied.
She then turned to Wonder Woman.
"I know you have a lot of questions that I can't answer right now. But I promise I'll explain everything after this is over,and for that to happen, I have to be alive. So have a little faith in me… okay?"
Wonder Woman studied her for a moment, then nodded.
"Alright then."
Nina slowly levitated off the ground then blasted upward, bursting through the roof at high speed. Her body ignited like a comet from the friction as she shot into the sky.
Moments later, she arrived in deep space.
The flames around her body extinguished in the vacuum as she slowed to a stop.
Before her loomed Apokolips which was still phased out… but visible.
And Nina hovered there, waiting for Darkseid's response to her presence.
Deep in Apokolips, Darkseid stood with his hands clasped behind his back, watching a projection of a lone figure hovering before the planet. The figure looked eerily similar to the man he had fought years ago,he even possessed the same orbs that could erase anything with a single touch. It was those very orbs that had cost Darkseid his arm.
Since that day, he had never forgotten the humiliation of being left on death's door. Had that man not run out of time in that transformation, Darkseid knew he would have perished.
Now, seeing someone who resembled him stirred a deep, burning anger within his core.
But this time would be different.
He was no longer impressed by such power. The only individual on Earth who could truly threaten him was him,and he was the one Darkseid was conserving his strength for.
Darkseid pressed a button on his throne.
"Desaad, deal with this," he commanded.
Not even a second later, a massive Boom Tube tore open before Nina. From it poured thousands of Paradooms, flooding the vacuum of space as they surged toward her in an overwhelming swarm.
Nina, however, wasn't the least bit surprised,or intimidated.
Calmly, she extended her hand forward. Two Truth-Seeking Orbs drifted toward her open palm and fused into one. The energy warped and condensed as she shaped it into a massive Truth-Seeking Orb Rasenshuriken.
Without hesitation, she hurled it forward.
The explosion was catastrophic.
A glowing white sphere expanded from the center, erasing everything in its path,engulfing Nina, the Paradooms, and even nearby satellites. From below, on Earth, the others could only watch as the sky lit up in a blinding flash. The clouds vanished in an instant, swept away by the blast, followed by a powerful shockwave of wind that rippled across the atmosphere.
And then… silence.
When it was over, only a pitch-black cocoon remained, floating in the void. Not a single Paradoom was left in sight.
Slowly, the cocoon unfurled, peeling back into fragments that reformed into a smooth, spherical shape. Nina stood at its center, unharmed, as the Truth-Seeking Orb returned to hover behind her once more.
On Apokolips, Darkseid narrowed his eyes.
It seemed he had greatly underestimated her. Sending more Paradooms would be inefficient. And the heroes, it seemed, weren't foolish enough to attempt an invasion of Apokolips,something he had been waiting for.
Which meant there was no longer any reason to wait.
Darkseid rose from his throne.
"Desaad, commence the invasion of Earth. I'll handle this."
A Boom Tube opened before him. Darkseid levitated, his expression cold and resolute, before passing through it.
End of Chapter
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