Little octopuses of every color hatched from the splattered liquid and launched indiscriminate attacks on every living thing around them like Facehuggers. Steppenwolf, at the center of the liquid, received special attention.
The octopuses' bodies were covered in slick mucus, reducing friction while making them exceptionally tough. The teeth covering their undersides were especially vicious; once they bloomed open like chrysanthemums, they tore heavily into Steppenwolf's armor. Some of the little octopuses latched onto his skin with their suckers at close range, relentlessly probing their tentacles toward Steppenwolf's eyes, mouth, and oral cavity.
Creak, creak.
Steppenwolf's armor was bitten full of marks by the octopuses' teeth. Its smooth, even surface was now pitted all over, some spots corroded by the liquid, others gouged out by teeth. Even the metal Apokolips used to forge Divine Artifacts and equipment could not completely withstand the octopuses' bites.
Feeling the scorching pain on his skin, Steppenwolf grabbed an octopus clinging to his left cheek. Its tentacles were working together to pry open his eyelid before shoving themselves into his eye socket. Two other tentacles were struggling against his clenched teeth.
An octopus flew from Steppenwolf's face amid spraying blood. A piece of flesh was still stuck to the suckers on its tentacles. Steppenwolf's wound seemed to have stimulated the octopuses even further. Previously, they had wriggled across the ground toward the nearest living creature. Now, they hopped and sprang at Steppenwolf as if blinking through space.
Steppenwolf's arms whipped around him, forming an impenetrable wall. Octopuses that lunged at him were constantly knocked flying, yet more still surged forward one after another. A whale would burst into bloody pulp if struck by Steppenwolf's fist, but the little octopuses seemed completely unharmed. They bounced a few times on the ground, shook their heads, and charged