The war for Earth raged on in the void of space.
Heroes and villains alike had joined forces, setting aside their rivalries to repel the incoming threat.
Blasts of energy lit up the battlefield, green and red streaks cutting through the darkness as Lanterns and metahumans fought against Warworld's relentless assault.
And then—
He appeared.
A figure shot out from Warworld, his form eerily familiar—like Superman, but wrong.
He hovered above the battle, his body covered in cybernetic plating, eyes glowing with yellow energy.
A golden light flared from his chest, and before anyone could react, the Green Lantern closest to him suddenly seized up, screaming in agony.
The replacement Lantern, a young hero who had taken up the mantle, was helpless as his ring flickered and failed, his power draining under the intense yellow energy.
The Lanterns **realized too late.
Yellow.
Their greatest weakness.
With a blur of motion, the mechanical Superman tore through the battlefield.
Every hero he touched was sent flying, every energy blast he took barely scratched his armored body.
This was no ordinary machine.
This was Cyborg Superman.
High above, Kara Zor-El saw what was happening.
Her blood boiled at the sight of this mockery of a Kryptonian.
"Cyborg Superman!" she called out, her voice laced with disdain. "I hope you can stop before we throw you into the scrap yard."
The void of space trembled under the sheer force of their battle.
Kara rocketed forward, her fist colliding with Cyborg Superman's chest with an impact that sent shockwaves rippling across the battlefield.
A massive explosion of energy erupted from the collision, scattering asteroids and debris in all directions.
Cyborg Superman, unfazed, barely flinched.
His cybernetic body absorbed the force, his glowing yellow eyes locking onto Kara's with calculating coldness.
"Supergirl. You are strong."
"Yeah, I get that a lot." Kara smirked, feinting to the left before spinning into a devastating backhand.
Her blow connected, sending her opponent hurtling backward, crashing through a shattered asteroid.
Cyborg Superman emerged from the wreckage, his synthetic skin peeling away to reveal the cold metal underneath.
"Your power is impressive, but you are naive."
With inhuman speed, he surged forward, his metallic fist slamming into Kara's gut, sending her spiraling through the void.
The force of the blow made her gasp, pain flaring through her body.
She barely had time to recover before he was on her again, raining down a flurry of precise, merciless strikes.
Kara gritted her teeth, blocking as best as she could, but Cyborg Superman's cybernetic enhancements made him stronger and more efficient than any Kryptonian she had ever fought.
She retaliated with a blazing burst of heat vision, the fiery red beams slamming into his face—
Only for his own yellow ocular beams to counteract hers, colliding in a fiery explosion of raw energy.
For a moment, they were locked in a contest of strength, their beams pushing against each other, neither willing to back down.
But Kara wasn't fighting alone.
Behind her, the sun burned like a brilliant beacon, and its golden rays empowered her far beyond her normal limits.
Her heat vision pushed forward, overwhelming his.
"Enough games."
Cyborg Superman sidestepped, evading the full force of her attack as he vanished from view—only to reappear behind her.
"This battle is unnecessary, Kara. I do not wish to harm you."
He reached out as if to grab her shoulder, but Kara whipped around, her fist slamming into his jaw, sending sparks flying.
"You could've fooled me!"
She lunged again, only for his massive hand to catch her wrist mid-strike.
His grip tightened, the metal plates in his arm shifting, crushing.
"Listen to me, child."
"You are Kryptonian, like me. You should not be fighting to protect these… humans."
Kara struggled against his hold, but his strength was immense, his grip unbreakable.
Her heartbeat pounded in her ears.
And then, he spoke the words that made her entire body freeze.
"I am your father."
Kara's eyes widened in shock.
For the first time in the battle, her body went completely still.
"Lies," she whispered, shaking her head. "My father is dead."
"No, Kara." Cyborg Superman's tone was eerily calm, almost… gentle. "I survived."
She could feel his grip loosening, his tone almost pleading.
"I was saved by Brainiac. Rebuilt into this form. My mind was shackled for years, forced to obey his commands."
His glowing yellow eyes flickered, as if lost in memory.
"I was a prisoner in my own body, unable to resist his will. But I broke free. And now, I will bring our people back."
Kara stared at him, a storm of emotions raging inside her.
"If you are truly my father…" she began, her voice tight with emotion, "…then why would you do this? Why would you take innocent lives?"
Cyborg Superman's expression darkened.
"To restore Krypton."
"Earth is merely… a means to an end. A necessary sacrifice."
"Once the process is complete, the Kryptonian race will live again, stronger than before."
Kara's hands trembled, her chest tightening with a mix of anger and grief.
"You're insane."
Cyborg Superman's voice hardened.
"I am being pragmatic. Humanity is weak, fragile. They cannot compare to our people. Earth is nothing but wasted potential."
He reached out, his voice almost fatherly.
"Join me, Kara."
"Help me build the future our people deserve."
Kara's breath hitched.
For a brief, painful moment, she imagined it.
A world where her people still lived. Where Krypton had never fallen.
But then—
She thought of her life on Earth.
The people she had protected.
The family she had found.
"…My father isn't a monster."
Her voice was firm.
Her gaze hardened.
"He would never sacrifice innocent lives just to bring back what was lost."
Her hands clenched into fists.
"You might have my father's face. But you are NOT him."
Cyborg Superman's eyes narrowed.
"…So be it."
Supergirl's Wrath
Before he could react—
Kara unleashed her full power.
Her fist collided with his chest, sending him crashing into an asteroid, the force cracking its surface.
Before he could recover, she grabbed him and shot toward the sun.
The closer they got, the more her strength multiplied.
Cyborg Superman struggled, thrashing against her grip, but the solar energy only made her stronger—while the heat began to sear his cybernetic body.
"You wanted Krypton to rise again?" she growled.
"Then let's see how you handle the sun."
She plunged him into the blazing inferno.
The searing heat melted his cybernetics, his screams lost in the flames.
He fought to resist, his strength waning as the solar fire burned away his enhancements.
"Kara—"
His voice was distorted, his body disintegrating.
Kara's eyes burned with unshed tears.
"Goodbye."
Kara, bathed in solar fire, held him down until nothing remained.
Her fists clenched.
Her breathing ragged.
It was over.
The void of space stretched endlessly around her, cold and silent, a stark contrast to the raging inferno behind her.
Kara hovered, her body trembling, her fists still clenched tightly.
She could still hear his voice.
"I am your father."
Even as she watched the sun burn, as if trying to erase all traces of the battle, the words lingered in her mind.
Had it been true?
Had that… thing really been her father?
Her heart pounded, her mind spinning with doubt and a creeping sense of loss.
No.
She shook her head violently, banishing the thought.
My father died on Krypton. I know that.
He would never—
Her throat tightened.
He had looked like him. Had spoken with his voice. Had known things only her father would know.
But no matter how much she tried to deny it, something in her chest ached.
What if there was even a part of him left?
What if—?
Kara gritted her teeth, a wave of anger and sorrow crashing over her.
No. That wasn't him. My father would never kill innocent people. He wouldn't destroy an entire planet just to rebuild our own.
She wanted to believe that.
She needed to believe that.
But even as she tried to steel herself, she couldn't stop the way her hands shook.
She felt sick, as if the battle had drained something more than just her energy.
As if it had taken something from her soul.
She stared at the sun, her blue eyes reflecting the golden light.
She had won.
She had saved Earth.
But for the first time in a long time, victory didn't feel like victory.
It felt like she had lost something too.
Did I just kill my father?
No.
It was a lie.
A trick.
It had to be.
But even as she whispered those words to herself, they felt hollow.
Her fingers curled into fists, her nails digging into her palms as she fought back the sudden, overwhelming urge to cry.
There was no time for grief.
Earth was still in danger.
Mongul was still out there.
And Kara Zor-El—Supergirl—still had a job to do.
Taking a deep, shuddering breath, she wiped her eyes with the back of her glove and turned away from the sun.
She wouldn't think about this now.
She couldn't.
Because if she did—if she let herself break now—
She wasn't sure if she'd be able to put herself back together again.
Naruto and Raven stood at the edge of a massive city, its skyline a patchwork of neon lights and towering structures, a clear contrast to the filth and corruption that lurked beneath.
This was Rimbor, a planet known for its lawless nature, where the strong dictated justice and the weak were forgotten.
Naruto took a deep breath, feeling the chaotic energy of the place. "Man, this place is a dump."
Raven stood beside him, her arms crossed, her cloak billowing slightly in the artificial wind. "We should hurry. The Justice League has been imprisoned here for too long."
Naruto nodded, but he wasn't about to rush in blindly. Information was key, and so far, the intel from his clones had come too late because of the distance.
Still, now that they were here, they could act.
Rather than brute force their way in, Naruto took a different approach.
He and Raven followed the judges of Rimbor, observing their habits, desires, and weaknesses.
It became clear that these weren't honorable people—they were corrupt, greedy, and easily swayed by wealth and status.
With that knowledge, Naruto devised a plan.
He transformed his clones into weapons, rare artifacts, and priceless paintings, turning them into objects that would be irresistible to the judges.
"If they love bribes, let's give them some bribes," Naruto had said with a grin.
Raven raised an eyebrow. "You're suggesting we buy their freedom?"
Naruto shrugged. "I'm suggesting we make them an offer they can't refuse."
Despite the absurdity of the plan, Raven reluctantly agreed. The two of them prepared to meet the judges in private sessions, using Naruto's natural charisma and persuasion to work their way into the corrupt officials' good graces.
While their mission was primarily about freeing the Justice League, it turned into something much more unpredictable—and awkward.
The judges of Rimbor were paranoid, and sneaking into their personal quarters wasn't easy. They had to be stealthy, which led to a series of uncomfortable situations for both Naruto and Raven.
The Bed Incident
At one point, as they infiltrated a judge's mansion, they were nearly caught by patrolling guards. With no other choice, they dived under a massive bed, pressed uncomfortably close together.
Naruto could feel Raven's steady breathing, her face just inches from his.
"This is… awkward," he muttered.
Raven's face remained blank, but Naruto swore he saw the faintest tint of red on her cheeks.
"Just don't move," she whispered.
The two lay there in tense silence, listening to the guards walk by.
It felt like an eternity before the footsteps finally faded, and Raven used her powers to teleport them out of the room before they could be discovered.
The Painting Mishap
Another time, Naruto transformed into a large, extravagant painting, while Raven had to merge with the shadows, blending into the room.
Unfortunately, the judge had decided to inspect the painting up close.
"This artwork is truly… lifelike," the alien muttered.
Naruto, struggling to keep still, internally screamed as the judge's hand grazed his cheek, mistaking it for brush strokes.
From the darkness, Raven whispered telepathically, "If you laugh, I will banish you to another dimension."
Naruto barely contained his chuckle as the judge finally moved away, allowing Raven to pull them both out of sight.
Then, of course, there was the air duct incident.
Squeezing through a narrow ventilation shaft, Naruto and Raven crawled carefully towards their target. The problem?
The space was too tight.
At one point, Naruto accidentally bumped into Raven, causing her to lose her balance.
"Move forward, Naruto," she said, her voice dangerously calm.
"I can't! You're in the way!"
"Then stop breathing down my neck."
Naruto sighed. "This would be a lot easier if you weren't wearing that huge cloak."
Raven turned slightly, her glowing eyes piercing through the darkness.
"Say one more word about my cloak, and I will throw you into another dimension."
Naruto wisely shut up.
Despite the awkward encounters, their plan worked.
Naruto's persuasive skills, combined with the bribes, convinced the judges to release the Justice League members.
With smooth-talking and empty promises of better gifts in the future, the deal was sealed.
The League was free.
But Naruto wasn't done yet.
Using his clones, he staged a follow-up attack, transforming them into Vandal Savage and Black Manta.
In the dead of night, the fake Savage and Manta attacked the judges, warning them about betraying them.
This way the judges started to have grudge with Vandal and his crew.
It was an unexpected but undeniably effective way to handle things.
Just as Naruto was about to enjoy the victory and maybe tease Raven about their "adventures," he received an urgent message from his clones.
His expression darkened.
Beast Boy had been trying to contact them, but they had left their communicators behind in case of tracking.
Something had gone wrong.
Turning to Raven, he asked, "Do you have a way to stop it?"
Raven hesitated for a moment before responding, "I have a spell… but it would require time. And we might not have enough of it."
Naruto exhaled sharply.
One problem solved. Another one just started.