"Boom!"
Dark red magma exploded without warning, sending up scorching waves of fire tens of meters high.
Two figures cleaved through the viscous lava and shot straight up to the dome.
Thor squinted and raised his hand to shield himself from the scorching air rushing towards him.
Clark and Bruce in mid-air were completely different.
The previous appearance of a emaciated, seemingly dying corpse was completely gone.
Clark's bulging muscles strained against his tattered red and blue suit, his skin glowing with a healthy red hue.
Bruce has regained his fit physique, and even the stubble on his chin looks vibrant.
What's most striking is the layer of clothing they're wearing.
A layer of silver fluid, with golden edges, moved and adhered to the surface of the suit like a living thing, eventually solidifying into a layer of metallic armor as thin as a cicada's wing yet with a highly textured feel.
A stream of data, invisible to the average person, flashed across Thor's eyes.
The Law of Analysis, Law of Creation, and Law of Reality operate in alternating cycles.
This is the Tenth Metal, Element X.
He stared at the still-wriggling clump of silver fluid on Bruce's shoulder and stroked his chin.
The gaze penetrates the surface of the metal, reaching its microscopic structure.
Essentially, this thing isn't a dead metal object in the traditional sense; it's more like a lump of slime with a certain degree of self-awareness.
It has no fixed atomic arrangement, and survives entirely by absorbing and releasing the rules of this space, materializing Void hope into physical energy.
This is great stuff!
Thor rubbed his fingers together.
He had just tried to extract some of the Tenth Metal directly from the World Forge using Law of Analysis, but it was like trying to pry open a steel plate with a toothpick—a lot of effort for little reward.
The rules of this godforsaken place lock up the Element X so tightly that without an extremely pure emotional resonance, it's impossible to pry it open.
Things are different now.
Bruce and Clark, these two "sources," were pulled out.
These two guys' minds are now deeply bound to the Element X.
With these two seeds in place, mobilizing the free-floating X-Metal throughout the multiverse is easier than eating or drinking!
We need to find a way to get our hands on this thing.
Thor's mind raced with calculations.
After defeating Barbatos, find any excuse, like "I need to borrow you for two days to study how to prevent future crises."
Bruce, with his suspicious nature, would most likely refuse.
But if he disagrees, I'll just take it anyway, what can he do about it?
Anyway, I'm wearing his father's face now.
It's perfectly natural for a father to take his son's things.
Having made up his mind, Thor put aside his thoughts.
Now is not the time to divide the spoils; that big bat outside is waiting to be beaten up.
The two steadied themselves in mid-air and landed on the black rocks at the edge of the furnace.
The heavy combat boots crushed the charred stones on the ground with a crisp cracking sound.
The first thing Clark did after landing was to turn and look at Thor.
His face was etched with obvious remorse, and his tall frame was even slightly hunched, like a high school student who had done something wrong.
He looked down at his hands, which had regained their strength.
That surge of hope throughout his body completely lifted him from his previous weakness.
He turned to make sure Bruce was also unharmed, and his anxiety finally subsided.
" Thomas..." Clark opened his mouth, his voice filled with frustration.
Thor crossed his arms, chin raised, and spoke first, "Now you know why I kicked you down, right?"
Clark scratched his dark hair and rubbed his hands awkwardly. "I'm sorry, Thomas, I... I was just anxious, afraid you'd do something bad to Bruce. In that situation, I couldn't think too much."
"Idiot." Thor rolled his eyes without any politeness, pointing his finger at Clark's nose and cursing, "Is your brain filled with Kryptonite? Even if I'm against you, I would never be against Bruce."
Clark was speechless, only able to chuckle awkwardly, standing there helplessly.
He was gentle by nature, and faced with this kind of elder-style reprimand, he couldn't even muster the thought of arguing back.
Moreover, the opponent used the most extreme method to give them the trump card to turn the tide.
Bruce stood silently beside him.
The eyes hidden behind the bat mask stared at Thor, their gaze sweeping over Thor twice as if it were tangible.
"What are you looking at, Bruce?" Thor asked, looking at his eldest son.
Bruce remained silent, his mind racing. What exactly was the purpose of this man, who, for the time being, was like his father?
What is he plotting now?
Bruce lowered his eyes, his gaze sweeping over the silver metallic sheen shimmering on his body.
Is this it?
He set his sights on Element X.
Bruce raised his right hand, which was covered in silver and gold armor, clenched his fist, and then released it.
The Element X flows according to his will.
He could sense that this power was enough to tear apart the barriers of the Dark Multiverse, and could even pose a deadly threat to Barbatos.
He needed this power, and he also needed the man in front of him who called himself his father as a fighting force.
As for what the other side's intentions are, we'll settle the score after the fight.
It's better to keep this old guy in sight than to let him cause trouble in the shadows.
Once we return to the Prime Universe, we must immediately activate Plan B: create a file on this old guy's personality and abilities, just in case.
Bruce had a sudden thought.
The fluid metal that had been attached to him and Clark split into two thin streams, skimming the ground and rushing to Thor's feet.
Thor lowered his head.
The two streams of fluid climbed directly up his leather boots, instantly enveloping him completely.
"What's going on?" Thor smirked.
The silvery-white fluid quickly hardened, conforming to the contours of his muscles, transforming into an extremely stylish full-body suit of heavy armor.
A golden bat logo even appeared on his chest in a wicked way.
It's too bright.
Thor curled his lip in disgust.
This thing is practically a high-powered human light bulb; if you wore it out, it would definitely blind those villains.
He has always liked a dark and wild style, and this sparkly outfit made him feel like he was performing in a stage play.
"Uniform attire," Bruce finally spoke, his voice still hoarse and rough, "To help distinguish friend from foe."
"Nonsense, "Thor thought with a cold laugh.
This kid clearly wants to use Element X to monitor my movements and, incidentally, test whether I'm compatible with this metal.
However, this suits me perfectly.
Thor did not resist the armor; instead, he proactively released a bit of the Law of Analysis, which quietly seeped into the Element X attached to his body.
Data streams were flooding his mind, and he began to peel back the layers of its underlying code bit by bit.
Once he wears this metal layer, he can slowly assimilate it. At that point, it's hard to say who this thing will listen to.
The sound of hurried footsteps came from not far away.
Carter helped Kendra walk over.
Kendra's broken wing had fully healed, and the new feathers gleamed with a metallic sheen.
She was pale, but her spirits were much better than before.
The two stopped a few steps away, looking at the three people in front of them who were glowing.
Carter stared at Thor's silver armor, his Adam's apple bobbing involuntarily.
He had just witnessed this man kick Superman and Batman into the furnace, and now not only were they not dead, they had gained unimaginable power.
The man named Thomas, just by standing there, exuded a sense of oppression that made it hard for him to breathe.
What kind of monster is this?
Carter's worldview completely collapsed at that moment.
He had originally thought that Barbatos of the Dark Multiverse was an invincible nightmare, but now it seemed that the man before him might be even more terrifying than Barbatos.
Choosing sides.
Carter's mind was filled with only those two words.
Whether it's justice or evil, following this man means at least survival.
"Mr. Thomas," Carter greeted him with a forced smile, his tone filled with utmost respect, even bowing slightly.
Kendra also kept his head down, not daring to even breathe loudly.
Thor didn't even spare them a glance, simply toying with the silver battle axe he had just conjured using Element X, its blade crackling with destructive lightning.
Bruce turned to look at the dome.
There, the connection point between the Dark Multiverse and the Light Prime Universe is violently distorted, with faint starlight from the Prime Universe visible through it.
Barbatos's army has surely already wreaked havoc in the Prime Universe.
"Let's go." Bruce ripped off his tattered black cloak and let it fall into the lava below.
The Element X quickly coalesced into a pair of large, silver bat wings behind him.
"It's time to end all of this."
Clark nodded, his feet leaving the ground, and a blinding sonic boom erupted around him.
Thor hoisted his battle axe, and lightning crackled beneath his feet.
Three dazzling streaks of light rose from the ground, leaving long silver-gold trails, heading straight for the portal at the very top.
Carter and Kendra exchanged a glance, spread their wings, and followed closely behind.
The gale tore at the void turbulence at the edge of the portal, and five beams of light plunged into the twisted vortex.