534. Choices.
Outside the city, Alex stood on the barren expanse of the desert, his gaze fixed on the direction of the city.
The battle there had reached a fever pitch. Intergang, which already wielded Kryptonian technology, had now unearthed Eternium in Kahndaq after extensive excavation, significantly escalating their threat level.
Although the war waged by Intergang here wasn't as large-scale as the one in New York three years ago, their weaponry had beco far more advanced.
Watching the intermittent explosions and thick smoke rising from the city, Alex narrowed his eyes slightly.
Eternium, a magic tal unique to the DC universe, could be even more valuable than Nth tal when used correctly. For magic-wielders, in particular, it was an incredibly precious resource.
Eternium's properties resembled those of the Rock of Eternity, the foundation connecting Shazam, the Wizard's Council, and other dinsional worlds.
If Alex could retrieve so Eternium from here, he might be able to help Billy rebuild the Rock of Eternity in the wasteland.
Once Agatha completed the construction of Kamar-Taj, the wasteland Earth would have Kamar-Taj, the three Sanctums, and the Rock of Eternity. At that point, Alex wouldn't need to worry about invasions from other dinsional lords.
The end of the Age of Magic in the wasteland had always been a thorn in Alex's side. Years ago, the Red Skull and other supervillains had exiled all magical dinsions, leaving Earth devoid of extraordinary energy.
Now, having taken control of the wasteland universe, Alex himself was cut off from magic energy as well. The wasteland lacked magic, and the ruins of the purely materialistic universe he had dealt with earlier offered no reprieve. Alex's only available resource was stellar energy.
To prepare for the dangers he might face in the future, Alex wanted to restore the lost dinsions and bring magic energy back to the wasteland universe through the Rock of Eternity.
To achieve that, Eternium was an indispensable component.
It seed that this trip had been worthwhile. Not only could Alex resolve the resource crisis in the wasteland with old Bruce Wayne's help, but he could also find this rare and valuable Eternium here.
As Alex pondered, his eyes flickered suddenly, sensing sothing.
He turned slightly, and a gust of wind surged toward him, sweeping through everything around him. It sent his coat billowing loudly in the air.
Shielding himself from the whirlwind and sand with a raised hand, Alex peered through his fingers to see a man in red armor standing before him.
"Long ti no see. Your speed's improved," Alex said with a faint smile, lowering his hand.
No matter the circumstances, seeing an old friend was always a source of joy.
The man in red wasn't a stranger; it was none other than Barry Allen, the Flash, who had rushed from Central City to Kahndaq as soon as he got Alex's call.
"Fast? I thought I was late! I had to get permission from the captain first. By the way, do you know how much has happened recently? I've already graduated! And guess what? You'll never believe it—I'm a forensic scientist at the precinct now! Well, still an intern, but—oh, hey, it's really good to see you, Alex!"
Barry Allen's excitent was palpable. The mont he saw Alex, he instinctively moved in for a hug but hesitated midway, suddenly unsure of himself.
Noticing Barry's awkwardness, Alex took the initiative to step forward and give him a light hug.
Barry's suit had undergone significant changes since the last ti Alex had seen him. He was no longer the rookie wearing a modified version of Batman's suit. After the Kryptonian War, old Bruce Wayne had spent a fortune crafting a new suit for him.
Unlike the skintight red bodysuit worn by the elder Flash, Bruce had opted for an armored design, reminiscent of the Justice League version Alex rembered.
Seeing Alex again in person, Barry Allen couldn't contain his excitent. The brief hug brought him an overwhelming sense of security, a feeling he hadn't experienced in a long ti.
Standing beside Alex, Barry felt that no problem was insurmountable.
But his attention quickly shifted to the raging fires in the distance.
Taking a few steps forward, Barry stared at the seemingly fallen city of Kahndaq, his face darkening.
"Oh my God. I read the Justice Society's mission file, but I didn't realize things were this bad here. It's a good thing you called ."
Turning his head back toward Alex, Barry asked, "Alex, who are we up against?"
"It's probably one of your old foes. Kahndaq is just a small country, but after your operations in New York concluded, Intergang took control here. You could even call this their headquarters now," Alex explained.
"Intergang, huh? That's a real headache," Barry Allen muttered, rolling his shoulders in frustration. It was clear he didn't have any fondness for them.
Placing a firm hand on Barry's shoulder, Alex spoke seriously.
"Listen, Barry. I need you to evacuate everyone from Kahndaq. Everyone in the city, whether they're in the combat zones or not, must be taken to the outskirts. Can you handle that?"
"I an, I can, but if it's just Intergang, isn't this a bit excessive? Don't we have Hawkman and Doctor Fate here?" Barry asked, puzzled. He had assud Alex had called him for backup against Hawkman and Doctor Fate's enemies, but Intergang didn't seem like a threat warranting such extre asures.
Alex didn't elaborate further. Intergang itself might not be the reason for such caution, but the demon that would soon be unleashed was another story altogether.
"Just trust , Barry. We don't have much ti." He patted Barry on the shoulder and spoke in a low, steady voice.
Barry looked at Alex's stern face and knew this wasn't the ti for questions or idle chatter. Nodding firmly, he assud a starting stance.
Seeing this, Alex took a few steps back. In the next mont, Barry surged forward like a bullet, racing toward the city.
Watching the Flash disappear into the distance, Alex's thoughts began to drift.
"If even this doesn't get you the crown, I'll be very disappointed."
-----------------------------------
In the heart of the battlefield, Ishmael was laughing arrogantly as he mocked Black Adam and Hawkman.
Using a Kryptonian energy shield powered by Eternium's nearly limitless energy, Ishmael had managed to stymie even Black Adam and Hawkman.
Hawkman, wielding Nth tal, found himself at a stalemate since its properties were too similar to those of Eternium. The two tals effectively canceled each other out, leaving him unable to break through the energy shield.
As for Black Adam, his situation was worse. Eternium's properties countered his powers. While it didn't completely nullify his abilities, the shield rendered all his attacks ineffective.
"You can't hide in this shell forever," Black Adam growled, his voice brimming with killing intent as he glared at Ishmael.
"Trust , when you co out, I'll make you wish you were dead!"
Watching Intergang wreak havoc across Kahndaq was crossing a line Black Adam could not tolerate. The sight filled him with rage.
"Haha, true, I can't stay here forever," Ishmael retorted with a cold smile, his tone full of confidence. "But guess how many people will die with before I'm done?"
The city center beneath their feet had already been reduced to scorched earth. Ishmael's voice bood, amplified by a loudspeaker, echoing throughout the entire city.
"You think this battlefield is the only one? Intergang has taken over all of Kahndaq. If you don't hand over the crown soon, I'll make sure the entire nation falls!"
Hawkman glanced at Black Adam, his heart sinking. He had thought his mission was simply to stop an ancient destroyer from Kahndaq's past. He hadn't expected to be up against Intergang, nor for them to use the people of Kahndaq as bargaining chips.
Kahndaq was a small country, but it still had a population in the millions. If Intergang decided to go down in flas, there was no way they could save everyone.
-----------------------------------
Adrianna, hiding behind Alex's magical barrier, was equally conflicted.
Clutching the crown tightly in her hands, her body trembled with emotion. She didn't know what to do.
Everything stemd from the crown in her hands. Intergang, Ishmael, this entire disaster—they were all because of this cursed artifact.
Hearing Ishmael's voice still echoing overhead, Adrianna gritted her teeth, leapt to her feet, and prepared to walk outside.
"Where are you going?" Karim, her brother, noticed her actions and quickly asked.
Adrianna paused. "I can't just stand by and watch my country fall, or my people die at Intergang's hands."
Karim stood up and argued, "So you're just going to hand it over? Didn't you hear what those two wizards said earlier? This crown contains demonic power. Have you thought about the possibility that handing it over could lead to even greater loss of life?"
"There's no ti to think about that now. I need to buy more ti for our people to evacuate," Adrianna said firmly before turning to look at her brother.
"The more people who escape, the more lives are saved. Intergang's chaos here will definitely draw the attention of the UN. They won't stay unchecked for long. Are you going to stop ?"
Karim fell silent, shaking his head slightly before finally speaking. "I'll go with you. It's too dangerous out there."
"No. It's precisely because it's dangerous that you need to stay here and protect Amon. Even with the magical barrier, I'm not entirely confident it's safe," Adrianna said, refusing Karim's offer to accompany her.
Without waiting for her brother or son to react, Adrianna quickly ran out.
.....
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