The streets of Earth had descended into madness.
With Warworld looming in the sky, fear spread like wildfire.
Laws? Order? Morality?
All thrown aside.
If the world was ending, many decided to embrace the anarchy, reveling in their final moments.
And the heroes… They were overwhelmed.
Even with all their power, they couldn't be everywhere at once.
Lives were being lost.
Buildings were crumbling.
It was inevitable.
But just as hope seemed to falter—
A voice spoke. A spell was cast.
Zatanna's words rang out, her magic weaving through the air like a melody.
And in an instant—
The world fell silent.
Millions of people, as if lulled by an unseen force, collapsed into peaceful slumber.
With Earth now in a forced calm, Zatanna let out a breath.
But she had no time to rest.
She turned her gaze back toward the battle above.
Zatanna gritted her teeth as she blocked yet another devastating strike.
The Warworld's defenses were relentless, and her magic was barely scratching it.
A single misstep—
And everything would crumble.
"Careful."
A voice.
His voice.
She turned, seeing Naruto standing behind her, poised in a combat stance.
Her eyes narrowed.
"What are you doing here?" she asked, her breath heavy.
Naruto chuckled.
"I've been with you since we last met. I guess even someone as powerful as you has weaknesses."
Zatanna let out a dry laugh.
"Heh. Are you dissing me?"
"Of course not," Naruto replied, his sharp gaze scanning the battlefield.
"But you really need to be careful. We have an invisible enemy."
Her eyes widened slightly.
Invisible?
That explained a lot.
"Can you handle it, or do you need help?" she asked.
Naruto exhaled.
"I don't know… but this thing is really strong. I hit it with a surprise attack, and it didn't even flinch."
His danger sense flared—
Naruto moved on instinct.
A chakra hand shot out, intercepting a sonic cannon blast before it could hit him.
At the same moment, his other hand lashed out, catching something—
A leg.
A solid, armored leg.
A second later, the invisible enemy was revealed—
Black Beetle.
The alien warrior's red eyes glowed menacingly, but he had made a mistake—
He had let himself be caught.
Naruto didn't hesitate.
With a mighty heave, he slammed Black Beetle into the ground.
The earth trembled from the impact.
BOOM!
But Naruto wasn't done.
A massive Rasenshuriken formed in his hand.
He hurled it downward—
A direct hit.
Explosion. Devastation.
Yet—
It wasn't enough.
Before Naruto could react, Black Beetle flew through the attack unscathed—
And slammed into him like a meteor.
The impact sent Naruto skidding across the city, carving a deep trench in the ground.
He barely had time to recover before—
A laser beam engulfed him.
Zatanna's eyes widened in horror.
"Naruto!"
A beat.
A flicker of movement.
And then—
He stood beside her, unharmed.
A clone had taken his place at the last moment.
"I think this guy's too much for me," Naruto admitted, watching Black Beetle hover above them.
Zatanna frowned.
"What's the plan?"
Naruto cracked his neck, eyes focused.
"This guy is like Blue Beetle, but way worse. He's countering my energy-based attacks."
"Then?"
"I'll focus on defense."
Zatanna nodded.
She had one minute—
One minute to bring this enemy down.
Because once Naruto's clones were gone—
She'd have no backup.
With a deep breath, she prepared herself.
'Never thought I'd have to call on his help so soon.'
Zatanna's eyes darted across the battlefield, tracking the invisible menace that lurked in the shadows.
This wasn't a normal fight.
This enemy was a predator—one that moved with precision and certainty.
A single mistake…
And she would die.
She smirked.
That wasn't going to happen.
"Come here, you wretch," she muttered, hands weaving complex sigils in the air.
A magic diagram spread outward, illuminating the battlefield.
And for a brief moment—
She saw him.
Black Beetle.
Locked in place. Exposed.
But—
The diagram shattered.
Zatanna's smirk faded.
'He can affect magic too?!'
The realization sent a chill down her spine.
This wasn't just some brute force opponent.
If she didn't end this fast, he'd kill her.
No hesitation. No second chances.
Zatanna avoided a laser blast, her body shifting intangible as the energy passed harmlessly through her.
Then she chanted—
A spell to erase his existence.
A shockwave of pure annihilation erupted outward.
Black Beetle's system screamed warnings—
He reacted instantly, shifting his defenses.
But that was exactly what she wanted.
With a twist of her fingers, she cast her second spell—
And space itself imploded around Black Beetle.
The force of the collapse sent shockwaves through the battlefield.
And when the dust cleared—
He was gone.
Zatanna exhaled.
'He won't be messing with anyone anytime soon.'
Across the battlefield, Naruto finished his fight, cutting down the last of the incoming missiles.
Just as she estimated—
Black Beetle had been warped back to base, his suit forced into emergency shutdown due to massive damage.
The immediate threat was over.
But there was a new problem.
The world had seen him.
Naruto's actions were broadcasted across the globe—
Every government, intelligence agency, and organization was now analyzing him.
He was no longer just a mystery hero.
He was a known force.
And the world…
Was watching.
As the shockwave settled, Naruto hovered in the air, golden chakra flickering around him like a living flame. His instincts screamed at him—something powerful had just happened.
He turned his gaze toward Zatanna.
And what he saw…
Damn.
For a moment, he almost forgot to breathe.
She stood there, her presence undeniable, the lingering glow of pure, destructive magic still crackling in the air.
That wasn't some simple spell.
That was high-tier, reality-breaking magic.
And she had pulled it off like it was just another Tuesday.
Naruto whistled, a slow grin forming on his lips.
"Okay, that was kinda awesome."
Zatanna turned to him, tossing her hair over her shoulder with a smirk.
"Only kinda?"
Naruto chuckled. "I mean, I've seen some crazy stuff before, but you just folded that guy like a cheap deck of cards. If I wasn't already a fan, I'd be asking for your autograph right now."
Zatanna laughed lightly, though there was still a sharp focus in her eyes.
"Magic is all about preparation and execution," she said. "If I had messed up even slightly, that spell wouldn't have worked."
Naruto nodded, still grinning.
"But you didn't mess up," he pointed out. "You crushed it."
He glanced toward the spot where Black Beetle had been warped away, broken and beaten.
"Remind me not to piss you off," he joked. "I like existing."
Zatanna gave him a sly smile. "Oh? And here I thought you liked taking risks."
Naruto chuckled. "Yeah, but there's a difference between risk-taking and suicidal stupidity. And fighting you? Yeah, that's definitely the second one."
For the first time since the battle started, Zatanna allowed herself to relax.
Naruto wasn't just impressed—he respected her strength.
Inside Warworld, every second was a test of survival. The team moved with precision, but the fortress's brutal security forced them to separate.
Donna Troy and Flash sprinted toward the control room, aiming for Mongul himself.
Nightwing and his team maneuvered toward the power core, working to disable the monstrous warship.
With every step forward, traps activated—automated turrets, energy barriers, and bladed drones lunged at them.
Donna thrived in the chaos. Adrenaline surged through her veins, her Amazonian instincts sharpening with every threat. This was war, and war was where she belonged.
Bursting into the control room, Donna and Flash weren't alone.
Superboy and Miss Martian arrived at the same time, their eyes locking on the looming figure of Mongul.
The warlord stood with his arms crossed, his massive, armor-plated frame exuding nothing but sheer dominance. His golden skin gleamed under the dim, artificial lighting.
His gaze settled on them—not with fear, but with disdain.
"The Earth under the Reach's thumb is too dangerous for my long-term plans. It must be destroyed." Mongul's voice was deep and eerily calm, like a immortal addressing mortals.
"And frankly, if you understood what you were in for with the Reach, you'd thank me for putting you out of your collective misery."
Donna tightened her grip on her sword, eyes blazing. "That's for us to decide."
Flash blurred into motion, striking Mongul with hundreds of rapid blows in mere seconds—only to realize something terrifying.
Mongul didn't even flinch.
He barely acknowledged the speedster's assault before shaking his head in boredom.
"Is that all you've got?"
Without warning, Mongul released a concussive energy wave, the sheer force sending all four heroes reeling backward.
Donna dug her heels in, raising her shield just in time to withstand the blast, holding firm as the others staggered.
Superboy recovered first, eyes glowing as he blasted Mongul with concentrated heat vision.
Mongul barely reacted.
Instead, he reached out with one hand, catching Superboy by the skull.
He squeezed.
Superboy gritted his teeth, agony shooting through him as his skull creaked under the pressure.
Mongul's smirk widened.
"Little Kryptonian. So proud of your powers. Did you truly believe yours was the only race to come from a world with a red sun?"
Superboy struggled, fists pounding against Mongul's arm to no effect.
Miss Martian's eyes flashed with fury, her psychic energy surging.
"LET HIM GO!"
She sent a mental shockwave, trying to break Mongul's mind—but nothing happened.
Mongul turned his gaze toward her.
And then, before she could react—
CRACK!
With a single backhanded slap, Mongul sent Miss Martian flying.
Her body crashed into the far wall, a horrible crunching sound echoing through the chamber.
Her arm and ribs shattered instantly.
The moment Mongul struck Miss Martian, Donna closed the distance.
Her blade flashed.
She slashed into Mongul's side, the enchanted steel cutting through even his dense skin.
Mongul snarled, his grip loosening.
Superboy fell, collapsing to the ground as fractures lined his skull, pain roaring in his mind.
But he ignored it.
He forced himself to crawl toward Miss Martian, brushing his fingers against her cheek.
"Are you okay?"
She coughed, forcing a weak smile. "I should be asking you that."
"I can still fight." Superboy's jaw clenched. "We all came here knowing death was a possibility."
Miss Martian's voice wavered. "But I don't want you to die."
Superboy gave a lopsided grin despite the pain. "Neither do I. So let's fight 'til the end."
With a roar, Superboy slammed his fists into the ground, sending a shockwave rippling through the control room.
Mongul staggered, balance momentarily broken.
Donna took the opening.
She lunged, her Amazonian strength surging as she locked blades with Mongul.
Their battle was fierce and brutal.
Donna dodged, countered, and struck with precision, her speed and training allowing her to match Mongul's sheer force.
Flash kept up the pressure, distracting the warlord with blurred strikes from every angle.
Mongul swiped at him but kept missing, growing frustrated.
And then—
Superboy's attack finally created an opening.
Donna saw it.
Her blade flashed again—
And this time, she took Mongul's ear.
The galactic tyrant bellowed in fury, clutching the bloody wound as golden ichor splattered onto the floor.
Donna narrowed her eyes, breathing heavily but steady.
This fight was far from over.
But they were not losing.
Mongul's scowl darkened, his patience gone.
"The novelty of this encounter has officially worn off. It is time you all died."
The wound Donna had inflicted sealed shut before their eyes, but the fact that she had wounded him at all enraged him.
His golden aura flared, and before they could react, a concentrated shockwave of pure energy erupted from his body.
The blast sent all four heroes flying.
Donna barely had time to adjust her stance, her boots scraping against the floor—
And then—
A massive hand clamped down on her head.
Mongul's fingers dug into her skull, his grip ironclad.
Before she could react, he slammed her into the floor.
CRASH!
Donna's spine arched from the impact, her vision momentarily flickering.
But Mongul didn't stop.
Again.
And again.
The floor cracked beneath each devastating blow as Mongul pounded her into the metal, the force sending shockwaves through the control room.
Donna gritted her teeth, refusing to scream, her entire body crying out in pain.
But then—
A blur of red lightning zipped through Mongul's arm.
Flash had phased straight through it.
Mongul's forearm exploded, tendrils of muscle and metal shredding apart as an inhuman roar ripped from his throat.
"You will pay for this greatly."
Mongul's fury distorted the air around him, his golden eyes now blazing with murderous rage.
And then—
The room darkened.
A thick, black mist spread from Mongul's body, coating the air with an eerie glow.
The scent of something sweet yet wrong filled Donna's nostrils.
"This is Black Mercy. You will find it most... comforting."
A paralyzing fog of spores wrapped around the team.
One by one—
Superboy.
Flash.
Miss Martian.
They collapsed.
Their bodies hit the floor, their minds already sinking into the illusory paradise created by the Black Mercy.
Donna staggered, her breath coming in short gasps as the fog clung to her.
Her head felt heavy.
Her vision blurred.
A voice whispered at the back of her mind—offering a perfect world, a life without war, without struggle.
But Donna shook her head violently.
No.
No peace until he is stopped.
A warrior's death is one thing… but failing? That's unforgivable.
She gritted her teeth and charged.
Her sword clashed against Mongul's armored gauntlets, each strike echoing through the room.
Her muscles screamed.
Her bones ached.
Every hit Mongul landed sent pain jolting through her nerves.
Still, she fought.
Still, she endured.
But even an Amazon has limits.
Donna fell to her knees, gasping for air, her grip trembling around her sword.
Mongul loomed over her, smirking.
"Even the mighty Amazon knows when she's beaten."
His fist clenched—ready to deliver the final blow.
And then—
A whisper.
'Now.'
Miss Martian's voice, distant but clear.
Mongul staggered.
A single second.
That was all Donna needed.
Her hand shot forward.
Her blade sank deep into Mongul's chest.
Golden blood splattered onto her face.
Mongul's eyes widened in shock.
And at that moment—
Warworld shook.
The alarms blared, the entire station rumbling violently.
Donna's breath hitched.
What's happening outside?