As soon as the words were spoken, the massive, mountain-like body of the Devastator moved.
"Roar--"
A roar unlike any human's exploded from that Doomsday- like maw, the sound waves carrying debris and forming a visible shockwave.
The asphalt beneath his feet cracked inch by inch, and his massive body, like a cannonball fired from a gun, charged straight at Diana with an aura of destruction.
Diana's eyes narrowed, her legs parted slightly, and she exerted force from her waist and abdomen. The divine shield in front of her instantly expanded, its golden divine light shining as bright as day.
"Clang--!!!"
The deafening clang of metal shattered the deathly silence of the ruins.
The Devastator's heavy fist slammed solidly into the center of the shield.
Diana felt an overwhelming force surge from her arms through her entire body. Two deep furrows, half a meter deep, were plowed into the ground beneath her feet. She slid backward uncontrollably for more than ten meters before she managed to steady herself by inserting the tip of her sword into the ground.
In that split second, a golden bolt of lightning bypassed the destructive storm on the front lines of the battlefield.
Barry Allen flashed past the Devastator, reached out and snatched the blood-stained Helmet of Fate into his arms.
He retreated to the center of the group, looking at the dull golden helmet, his voice strained. "Alright, what do we do now? Who's going to be the next Doctor Fate?"
No one answered him.
"I've seen through your tricks, you imposter!" Hal Jordan's voice was filled with barely suppressed anger and confidence.
He stared directly at the Dawnbreaker, which was enveloped in an ominous, dark green energy; the light from the Green Lantern Ring was more intense than ever before.
Fear is your source of strength, but courage is mine!
Hal raised his hand, Green Lantern Ring instantly erupted with a blinding light comparable to a stellar explosion.
The Dawnbreaker instinctively raised his hand to shield his eyes, and his distorted green energy emitted a hissing sound like melting snow under the pure light of will.
"Light is your nemesis!"
Hal roared, and a fist as huge as a truck cab, constructed from pure Green Lantern energy, appeared out of thin air. With the force of a thunderbolt, it blasted the Dawnbreaker, which had not yet recovered from the bright light, away.
The latter crashed into an abandoned building in the distance like a meteorite, kicking up clouds of dust.
"Leave Bruce to me!" Hal shouted in Diana's direction, a flash of green light beneath his feet, and he transformed into a green shooting star, chasing after the direction in which the Dawnbreaker had disappeared.
Just as Diana was preparing to confront the Devastator alone once again, a red and blue figure descended from the sky and landed heavily beside her.
The scorching air currents ruffled Diana's long black hair.
"I'm here to help you, Diana!" Kara Zo-El, the Supergirl, had a burning rage in her blue eyes.
Before Diana could respond, Kara had already transformed into a blur as she charged toward the Devastator, her sheer physical force causing the ground to cave in.
At the same time, two other figures also shot into the sky from the ruins.
One of them was Guardian James clad in black and blue metallic armor and wielding a massive shield; the other was Lucy Lane, dressed in a red and white suit similar to Kara's, who charged straight at the half-human, half-machine the Murder Machine.
The battle was instantly divided into three parts.
Only Mera, Arthur, Barry, Grail, Speedy Mia Dearden with her compound bow, Red Arrow Emiko, and Arsenal Roy of two submachine guns remained.
Behind them stood Thaddeus Ross Wilson, Deathstroke's daughter, her face pale as she clutched her abdominal wound.
All eyes were focused on the nightmare with its spiked eye patch and grinning expression.
Barry glanced at the Helmet of Fate in his hand, then at the Batman Who Laughs and the four drooling Robin Hounds at his feet, and couldn't help but mutter, "Looks like this disgusting guy is ours now. By the way, doesn't anyone think his laugh looks a bit like Xenomorph?"
"I completely agree," Roy Harper said, raising his submachine gun and pulling the trigger without hesitation.
"Da da da da da--!"
Flames spewed forth, and a dense hail of bullets rained down on the Batman Who Laughs.
The Batman Who Laughs's figure merely twisted eerily before sliding into the shadows as if it had no bones, and all the bullets missed their mark.
The four Robin Hounds he left behind did not flinch or dodge, letting the bullets tear through their pale flesh.
Instead of falling, they opened their mouths, which were torn to the roots of their ears, and let out giggles, rushing towards the crowd like madmen.
"Whoosh!" "Whoosh!"
Two sharp arrows shot through the air, accurately piercing the foreheads of the two foremost Robin Hounds, the immense force blowing their heads off.
Mia and Emiko simultaneously drew their bows, their movements swift and decisive.
The remaining two were also shredded to pieces by Arthur's trident and Roy's gunfire.
Barry did not pursue the Batman Who Laughs had hidden himself.
The fear of being dominated by the Red Death flashed through his mind.
He knows better than anyone how terrifying an evil Batman can be.
If I rashly chase after them now, who knows what traps I might fall into.
When dealing with these cunning bat spirits, you'd better be prepared to be a thousand times more cautious, or you won't even know how you died.
"Shouldn't we go up and help?" Mia asked anxiously, watching the fierce battle between Diana and Kara against the Devastator in the distance.
"Not for now," Barry shook his head, his gaze sweeping quickly across the battlefield. "Besides, we can't be of any help."
His gaze swept over Grail, who stood at the very back, holding baby Darkseid like an outsider.
Barry didn't intend to ask her for a favor.
This woman is a complete villain; she only cooperates with them because they share a common enemy.
She would never act unless someone threatened the ugly baby in her arms.
As for luring the enemy to her?
Barry didn't want to be cleaved in two by that giant scythe.
There was another reason why he chose to stay.
Mia, Emiko, Roy, Thaddeus Ross —aside from Arthur and Grail —are essentially ordinary people.
Against an opponent of the Batman Who Laughs ' caliber, it's no different than offering yourself up as food.
With me here, at least their safety can be guaranteed, and I can provide support to any battlefield at any time.
However, in the instant that thought flashed through his mind, the situation took a sharp turn for the worse!
The Devastator suddenly opened its massive mouth and spewed out a deadly, grayish-green breath filled with countless tiny spores.
Kara was caught off guard and inhaled some of it. Her strength seemed to be drained instantly, her movements faltered, and she fell helplessly from mid-air.
At that very moment, the Batman Who Laughs emerged from the shadows behind the Devastator like a ghost!
He suddenly held a longsword that shimmered with an eerie green light, its tip pointed directly at Kara's falling heart!
"No!"
Barry's pupils contracted, and his Speed Force exploded to its maximum in an instant.
Time seemed to slow down.
He kicked the Batman Who Laughs in the side, the force sending the latter flying. The Kryptonite longsword slipped from his hand, but Barry caught it securely.
He supported the weakened Kara, and was about to take her away from the battlefield.
"Giggle giggle giggle..."
A sickening laugh came from not far away. The Batman Who Laughs got up from the ground, tilted its head, and on its pale face, the corners of its mouth were stretched into an exaggerated grin.
His voice was filled with twisted pleasure, " Barry, you still love taking other people's things. This gift isn't for you—it's for her!"
The words had barely left his mouth.
The Kryptonite longsword in Barry's hand suddenly exploded!
"Boom--!"
The violent explosion sent Barry flying, and countless tiny fragments of Kryptonite, like a rain of needles, pierced into the body of Kara, who was completely unprepared in his arms!
"Ah--!"
Kara let out a piercing scream of pain. On her fair skin, tiny specks of eerie green light began to glow, like maggots clinging to her bones, frantically eroding her life force.
Roy and Mia's expressions changed drastically, and they rushed over to support the swaying Kara.
Barry rolled over and got up from the ground, golden lightning crackling wildly around him.
He rushed back to Kara's side, and seeing her in pain, his voice was full of regret and self-blame.
"I'm sorry, Kara... it's my fault, I let him get his way."
Kara trembled with pain, gritting her teeth and forcing a smile that looked more like a grimace. Her blue eyes were filled with agony. "Could you... help me pull these fragments out? I... I think I need... some Sun."