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[Superman] Chapter 241: A New Darkness Emerges
🕑 Added 2024-10-05 05:09:14 +0000 UTC“I understand!”
Barry knew exactly how critical their situation was at that moment. He nodded solemnly to everyone. In this pivotal moment, he needed to stay completely focused.
At the same time, while they were all fully concentrated, waiting for the anti-matter energy to engulf the device they had set up in the other universe, Ultraman continued watching the massive wave of anti-matter energy in the still-unconsumed universe.
He witnessed the sacrifices of his teammates, though, being a supervillain, he didn’t feel sadness for their loss. Instead, he was astonished by the overwhelming power of the anti-matter energy wall, which even his teammates couldn’t resist.
However, despite his amazement, Ultraman did not back down out of fear. As countless realities were consumed by the anti-matter energy, his gaze grew cold.
“I’ve spent my whole life fighting until the very last moment,” Ultraman said in a low voice.
Without hesitation, he clenched his fists and charged toward the immense anti-matter energy wall. Yet, even someone as strong as him posed no threat to the anti-matter energy. His figure slowly vanished into the energy.
With his disappearance, the entire universe was thrown into a massive crisis. From this moment on, the universe had lost all hope. Despair spread through everyone’s hearts. People, gripped by fear, fled in panic—but no one could escape the inevitable destruction.
The infinite anti-matter energy swept through the universe, tearing apart everything on Earth. Both the planet and the entire universe disappeared under the expanding anti-matter energy wall. In a matter of moments, everything returned to silence.
However, before this universe completely vanished, some information was transmitted…
---
As the vast anti-matter energy swept through the universe's reality, in another universe, the Justice League stood ready, waiting for the crucial moment.
Finally, after the anti-matter energy engulfed countless realities in the other universe, it reached the place where they had left their device.
The specially-designed tuning fork was immediately swallowed by the anti-matter energy and disappeared in an instant.
But before it vanished, it served its purpose. The moment it made contact with the anti-matter energy, it detected large amounts of information about it and transmitted the data through a prepared device to the awaiting team in another universe.
In the instant that the data was sent, everything was consumed. Yet, the special devices they had built had completed their mission just before being destroyed.
“Great! We successfully received the information!” Cyborg exclaimed. His eyes never left the monitor, and every tiny fluctuation in data was under his control.
When the massive wave of data came through, Cyborg had already grasped the full picture. However, there was no time for excitement.
“Barry, get ready to close the portal!” he shouted urgently to the Flash, who had been on standby.
Cyborg focused on receiving the overwhelming data stream from the other universe. Luckily, although it was enormous, the data transfer was brief. In just a few moments, everything was transmitted.
“Now, Barry!” Cyborg yelled again after the data transfer was completed, urging Barry to shut down the portal connecting to the other universe.
Without hesitation, Barry entered his high-speed state, and in an instant, everything seemed to freeze. Time itself appeared to stop, as if it had ceased to flow entirely.
Through the spatial gate, Barry could see the massive anti-matter energy rapidly approaching like a colossal tsunami, rushing toward them and seemingly about to pour into their universe. Everything in its path was being consumed.
When the anti-matter energy was just a few meters away from the portal, as though it would cross into their universe in the blink of an eye, Barry finally severed the connection between the two universes at the critical moment.
The spatial gate vanished instantly, and the energy link between the two universes was cut by the power of space itself.
But none of that mattered anymore. At the very last second, their mission had been accomplished.
“Did we… succeed?” As time returned to normal, the group looked at the now-gone spatial portal, with a hint of hope on their faces.
“I guess… we won the gamble,” someone responded.
…
At the same time, as the massive wall of anti-matter energy completely consumed the reality of an entire universe, the Anti-Monitor, situated within the Anti-Matter Universe, felt a surge of excitement.
His anti-matter domain was expanding continuously, and his own power was growing stronger by the moment.
“Hahaha! This is the feeling! The power I lost is slowly returning to my body!”
The Anti-Monitor had long endured the pain of feeling his strength being drained as the Positive Matter Universe suppressed the Anti-Matter Universe. But now, the power he had lost was flowing back into him.
More importantly, this anti-matter wave he had unleashed wasn’t merely to consume one universe. Its true purpose was to swallow countless realities, bolstering his strength until he could destroy all of creation.
“Heh, now that your primary goal is achieved, don’t forget our agreement,” said Zombie Superman, cloaked in darkness, standing beside the elated Anti-Monitor.
“Of course. As long as you help me destroy the infinite realities of the multiverse, I won’t forget the terms we agreed upon,” the Anti-Monitor replied, restraining his joy and turning to face Zombie Superman.
He seemed committed to their deal, though his true thoughts were likely known only to himself.
“Well then, I won’t hold back!”
Zombie Superman’s face, twisted and ravaged, made his expression hard to read. But from his tone, there was an undeniable confidence.
Before the Anti-Monitor could respond, Zombie Superman extended his skeletal, fleshless right hand toward the rapidly expanding region of the Anti-Matter Universe, which was growing alongside the wave of anti-matter energy.
Buzz!
In an instant, a dark energy even blacker than the anti-matter flowed from Zombie Superman’s almost bare arm. The endless dark energy spread like ink dropped into clear water, slowly seeping outward.
However, it didn’t spread chaotically like an uncontrolled inkblot. Instead, it moved with precision, guided by an unseen force, slowly coalescing before the two figures.
“What is this?”
Though the Anti-Monitor’s face remained calm, he was inwardly shocked. Even he couldn’t fully comprehend how Zombie Superman was accomplishing this.
As he marveled at Zombie Superman’s abilities, the scene before them began to change once more. The mass of dark energy, like a thick black fog, gradually formed into a vaguely humanoid figure.
The black figure appeared indistinct at first, its face completely unrecognizable, but its outline grew sharper as the surrounding darkness solidified. Eventually, a fully formed figure stood before them, its features now clear.
This figure’s attire bore a resemblance to Zombie Superman’s, but with one key difference. While Zombie Superman had a black and gold "S" symbol on his chest, the newly formed black figure had a "U"-shaped symbol in its place.
If any survivor from the universe recently consumed by the anti-matter energy were present, they would have instantly recognized this figure as none other than Ultraman, the leader of the Crime Syndicate.
However, this version of Ultraman was not the same as the one who existed before. The most striking difference was the color of his body, which had now become entirely pitch black, as if he had emerged from a pool of ink. His body was a deep, oppressive black, exuding a dark and foreboding aura.
In fact, the Ultraman who had just been destroyed and reborn had fully descended into darkness…
"Who is this guy?"
Although shocked that Zombie Superman could wield such a unique power in the Anti-Matter Universe, which he controlled completely, the Anti-Monitor did not voice his surprise.
Instead, he carefully examined the figure that had just been formed from the darkness, then turned to Zombie Superman with apparent curiosity.
"Him? He's nothing more than a dead lifeform from the universe you just devoured," Zombie Superman calmly replied, revealing that Ultraman was one of the countless beings annihilated by the anti-matter wave.
"So, the condition you mentioned was simply to resurrect some insignificant person from the universe I just consumed?"
Upon hearing Zombie Superman’s answer, the Anti-Monitor felt a sense of relief. He had absorbed an entire universe with his massive anti-matter wave, consuming all life and reality within it, adding to his own power.
He had been somewhat concerned about the condition Zombie Superman might have imposed, but to his surprise, it was merely the resurrection of one "insignificant" individual from the destroyed universe.
This eased his worries significantly. After all, nothing in that entire universe had been able to withstand the anti-matter wave. Reviving a single individual from it posed no threat to him.
The person Zombie Superman chose to revive seemed inconsequential to the Anti-Monitor. The revived being hadn't lasted any longer than an ordinary person against the anti-matter wave, and in the eyes of the Anti-Monitor—who had destroyed an entire universe—this individual was just one among countless insignificant beings.
It was like the wealthiest man in a village being unable to comprehend the vast fortune of the world's richest person.
Still, what deeply shocked the Anti-Monitor, and what he knew he had to be wary of, was the fact that Zombie Superman possessed the power to revive a dead individual within the Anti-Matter Universe, which was entirely under his control.
Typically, anything consumed by anti-matter would be erased from existence, not even leaving behind a soul, making resurrection seemingly impossible.
"But no matter what unbelievable powers he may possess, once I finish devouring the multiverse and gaining ultimate strength, he will pose no threat at all!"
The Anti-Monitor, despite recognizing that Zombie Superman wielded power beyond his expectations, remained confident.
As long as his anti-matter wave continued to expand across the infinite universes, he was certain that one day, he would become the supreme ruler of all existence.
The Positive Matter Universe would be annihilated and absorbed, leaving the Anti-Matter Universe and its energy as the dominant force in the infinite multiverse.
"Exactly, just an insignificant person," Zombie Superman replied, seemingly unaware of the Anti-Monitor’s internal calculations. His gaze remained fixed on the figure he had just resurrected, full of anticipation.
"Ultraman... a nice name," Zombie Superman mused. "But from now on, I think the name 'Dark Superman' suits you better."
In that brief moment, Zombie Superman had already decided on a new name for Ultraman. He studied the revived Ultraman carefully, as though he were admiring a work of art. After a few moments, he nodded in satisfaction, clearly pleased with his creation.
As if responding to Zombie Superman’s will, the previously soulless figure before him suddenly came to life. A spark of human-like awareness appeared in its eyes, and in an instant, the dark figure moved, transforming into a shadowy silhouette that swiftly positioned itself behind Zombie Superman—like a cold, expressionless bodyguard or a loyal subordinate.
Dark power was beginning to grow.
The universe might be facing a new threat!
…
(End of Chapter)
