Allen had been rammed by Superman, and now both were spinning around the Earth's orbit at great speed.
'That was unexpected,' Allen thought before closing his eyes for a moment.
– "The technique we use is not just a proof that we are gods of destruction; it is a means to maintain the balance of the world," –
A significant change occurred within Allen's body. He had acquired the power of a god of destruction and almost died because of it. However, the system had summoned Beerus from the Dragon Ball world to show Allen how to use that power. Of course, in the end, it was Beerus's decision whether to help Allen or not.
– "We are agents who maintain balance, chosen by the previous god of destruction as suitable for this position. But you are not like that; you acquired a power that should not have been yours... I should destroy you!" –
The gods of destruction in the world of Dragon Ball are different from other gods; they are not born as gods but chosen from the most powerful, trained by the previous god and the angel in charge of that universe.
– "Human, prove that you are worthy of that power! If you don't... no matter what I have to do, I will search for your world and destroy you..." –
Allen opened his eyes, which were now violet. His aura changed as he felt the ki coursing through his body.
Allen was still spinning in the planet's orbit, pushed by Superman.
"I'm sorry..." said Allen with a gaze devoid of hatred.
"What?!" Superman's eyes widened as he felt a chilling sensation.
"Hakai."
A small purple sphere with two rings appeared in Allen's hand. Superman tried to get away, but Allen grabbed his arm. Clark hit Allen's arm with all his strength to try to free himself, Allen felt his arm break, but he didn't care.
"I won't let you go. Using this without the core is very tiring, and I don't think I can do it twice," said Allen with a pale face but maintaining a fearless smile.
Just like with Gojo's and Sukuna's abilities, Allen was able to use the power of a god of destruction without the power or ability active. However, this required a lot of effort and sometimes a cost. Allen was unable to activate another technique while using "Hakai," which is the distinctive technique of a god of destruction; its effect is simple: it destroys absolutely everything! Of course, that is relative.
The small sphere hit Superman and expanded, enveloping him.
Superman screamed as he felt terrible pain and how his energy-charged cells were completely destroyed. However, Clark wouldn't stay like that; he burned all his energy and immediately flew to the sun at a speed faster than light.
Allen didn't follow him; he knew that Clark would survive Hakai. After all, Superman is one of the few capable of surviving Darkseid's Omega Beams, which have a similar disintegration effect to Hakai, although in most universes, they are weaker.
...
Clark entered the core of the sun while his skin was already worn out, and his body was thin as if he had starved for many years.
"I've struggled so much to get a universe where I can be the hero I always dreamed of. I won't die because of this... I won't die!!!" Superman shouted as every cell in his body reacted.
Something incredible happened as if called, the sun's energy began to flow toward Clark, and he began to absorb it to then use it to defend himself from Hakai.
"AHHHH!!"
The son of Krypton began to recover as Hakai became weaker; this was to be expected, Allen could only use a weaker version of Hakai without the ki of a god of destruction and only using normal ki.
With a little more time, Clark managed to get rid of Hakai and emerged from the sun, recovered, and then returned to Earth.
...
Allen was standing in the outer atmosphere waiting for him. "Ohh... heh" Allen observed Clark's figure looked fine, but his suit was torn and worn in several parts.
"I don't understand," said Allen with an inquisitive tone as he crossed his arms. "If you had stayed longer in the sun, you would have powered up, and maybe they would have defeated me without a problem..."
Superman was fine, but his power only increased slightly.
"It's already hard enough to live in a world without breaking something... I don't need more power."
"Heh, that's something Superman would say," Allen mocked. "That way of thinking will get you killed someday."
There is a very absurd situation that occurs with all Supermen, and that is despite knowing that their powers come from the sun and that if they go there, they can become more powerful, They never do... but that's Superman's nature.
Many Supermen die in different stories, having been able to flee to the sun and then return to defeat any villain. But that wouldn't be something the beacon of hope would do, right?
Superman is strong, certainly, he is, and almost no one can face him. That's why Clark Kent doesn't seek more power, and that sometimes makes him defeated or even killed.
"You're weak and cowardly," said Allen, looking at Superman. Clark's eyes widened in shock.
"..."
No one who knows Superman would say that, no one who had seen him would think it, not even his parents. Clark is a strong man both physically and mentally; he is willing to fight against unimaginable monsters and terrifying creatures; he would die for the world.
"Perhaps..."
It was Clark's response as a smile appeared on his face. It was true; Clark wouldn't fear monsters or gods, but there was one thing he feared: himself... Clark fears Superman.
This Clark fears that one day his power will destroy everything he loves and fears that at some point he will turn evil or be controlled, and corrupted, so he avoids getting stronger.
"I still can't understand you..." said Clark, unsure of how to fit in with Allen's words.
Allen shrugged, not caring about that. "It's not necessary; I'm a villain. Just come and defeat me, hero, or die by my hands!"
Superman disappeared and punched Allen, but his fist was caught. Allen threw him towards the earth this time. Then, using his speed, he kicked Clark in the stomach, but Superman grabbed Allen's foot.
"Is that your justice? Simply seeking out heroes and defeating them?" Superman asked as he was still falling from the sky.
"No, it's not that I actively seek heroes, they just get in my way, and I defeat them, that's all!" Allen used his other foot and kicked Clark's face, making him let go.
"That's what happens when you break the law!" Clark used his heat vision to temporarily power up by being in the sun's core.
Allen activated the infinity and received the attack as if it were nothing. "It's true, I'm not very fond of laws..." said Allen in a calm tone.
Clark frowned and punched Allen, but he dodged the attack, and both looked at each other. "You seem to maintain the limit and not kill. Why?" asked Clark.
"That's a misconception, I'm not a monster. I don't enjoy or will enjoy killing people; I just don't like the law."
"Then are you simply antagonizing justice?!" Clark shouted. He then grabbed Allen and slammed him to the ground, destroying much of the valley where they fell.
Allen didn't leave, he disappeared and appeared next to Clark, he grabbed Clark's head and hit it against his knee. "Justice and law are different," Allen replied, still holding Clark's head. "Justice is subjective and depends on the point of view. Law is cold and is more designed to keep society standing than to impart justice."
"Law is necessary!" Superman replied, hitting Allen in the stomach and then in the face, finally throwing him into the forest, Allen destroyed everything in its path Clark propelled himself and chased after Allen; when Superman's fist was about to hit Allen, he smiled and stopped it.
"I don't deny it, without rules, we would be mere beasts..." Allen said with a confident smile.
"What?!" Clark asked, furrowing his brow.
"Tell me, Clark, with your speed and hearing, you can hear everything that happens on Earth," Allen paused. "Tell me, why do you only take care of Metropolis?"
"..." Clark stopped his movements and stopped attacking.
Allen wouldn't let this opportunity pass; he kicked Clark massively in the stomach.
"Ugh!"
"That's right! You and Flash can eliminate all the criminals in the world, but you just limit yourselves to one city most of the time!" Allen shouted as he gave Clark an uppercut. "Don't more cities, more countries exist?!"
"That's not it, hypocrite!!" Allen clenched his fist and punched Clark, who was sent flying, then he gathered a ki sphere and shot it at Superman.
Superman recovered in the air after the blows and diverted Allen's ki sphere into the sky with his hand. "YOU DON'T KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT ME!"
An enormous explosion caught everyone's attention for miles around.
Allen remained calm as he looked at the conflicted and pressured Superman.
"You're afraid of yourself, yeah, you fear the consequences of doing something like that, should humanity be left without criminals? Will they worship me like a god? You fear what the world would become dependent on you, and what you would become if you did something like that. In the end, the law is your shield, a brake that prevents you from acting like that."
...
Allen's phone rang, and when he answered, he heard Batman's voice. "It almost seems like you can do better than us..."
"Mr. Batman, I would appreciate it if you didn't hack my phone..." Allen said with a hint of annoyance.
"It's something you stole..." Batman replied matter-of-factly.
"But I stole it from a criminal," Allen retorted, indignant at the lack of respect.
"That doesn't make it right!" Batman replied as he flew in his Batwing.
"Bah, just say what you want, Batman!"
"I heard everything you said, I partly agree with both of you..." Batman paused momentarily in his words. "I have a rule I can't break, and it's not to kill because if Batman kills, he will become too dangerous... but that's why I have to live with the weight of knowing that there are monsters with makeup killing innocents because I'm not capable of pulling the trigger..."
"What's your point?"
Allen couldn't discern where this conversation was going.
"Show your point, Walker!" Batman shouted with a deep voice. "Show that your way of doing things is better, that they're not just words."
In the end, Allen felt interested in hearing Batman's proposal. "Hahaha, Why?"
"That's because..." Batman narrowed his eyes.
...
...
A building stands imposingly on the outskirts of Gotham City, a colossal structure of dark stone and labyrinthine corridors that stretch like tentacles across the surrounding land.
This is Arkham Asylum!
From its gothic towers to its shadowy wings, the psychiatric prison exudes a sense of desperation and hopelessness. Once a bastion of hope to attempt redemption or treatment, the asylum has now sunk into decay and corruption. Inside, hundreds of criminals from various categories wander among its walls, each one a piece in the chessboard of madness.
Security is lax, as criminals have escaped time and time again, the facilities are lacking, and corruption has taken root like a poisonous weed in the darkest corners.
The previous director, although beloved by many, was abruptly removed amid rumors and speculation about his inadequate management and the growing threat of riots and disturbances.
...
In the largest office in the main building was an elderly man with white hair and green eyes gathering his things to leave Arkham.
"The director can't leave, it doesn't make sense for him to be fired!" said a young blonde psychiatrist with blue eyes. She wore discreet glasses and had recently changed her hairstyle to two ponytails.
She is Dr. Harleen Quinzel, a young psychiatrist whose brilliant mind had not yet been corrupted by the shadows of madness lurking around every corner of Arkham.
The old man turned as he packed up his last things in his office.
"Dr. Quinzel, I know your passion for your work is incredible, but you should stop visiting the Joker; I've noticed lately you've been a bit distracted..." The man knew how dangerous intelligent criminals were; more than once, his guards and staff had been fooled by those bastards.
"That's not true!" Harleen shouted anxiously, revealing her current state. She seemed to be sleeping little lately, which was easily visible from the dark circles under her eyes.
Lately, she had been more dedicated to her work, but she only focused on one patient, the Joker. These changes were subtle to most, but the director had been the backbone of this asylum for ten years and knew when something wasn't right.
"I..." Harleen touched her head, feeling very confused. Lately, she felt that something was wrong with her.
"Dr. Quinzel, stop seeing the Joker," said the director as a last show of goodwill toward the young psychiatrist.
"Maybe I'm just thinking strange things," Harleen muttered with frustration, and the director simply sighed and left the office. Harleen followed him, but the whispers of the Joker's demon had already begun to take root in her.
The outgoing director slowly retires, uncertainty and fear spreading among the guards, fearful of what the future may hold.
"The old man's leaving!"
"Damn it, I'll advance my escape for tonight!!"
"Damn it, I swear I'll look for your wife..."
"You won't escape; I'm going to eat your flesh!!"
The taunts of the inmates were fueled by the news of the director's departure.
...
In a confinement cell in one of the safest buildings of Arkham was a green-haired man sitting.
"Jujuju HAHAHAHAHA!!"
The maniac's eyes reflected the ecstasy of seeing the chaos that was about to arise.
However, at the same time, another figure arrived.
A new director emerges, opening the main doors, his entrance as unexpected as it is impactful.
*Step*
The man took his first step in Arkham, and inexplicably, it was heard throughout the prison, that even the most demented and mentally ill were silenced by such an unusual phenomenon.
Even the Joker stopped laughing.
With each firm step, he infused an invisible pressure among the inmates and the staff, silencing the chaos and sowing the seed of intrigue and uncertainty in the very heart of Arkham Asylum.
No one said anything...
The figure walked through the halls without anyone bothering him; some guards, upon seeing the appearance of the new director, felt confused.
However, there were a couple who immediately recognized the young director and turned pale.
...
Dr. Quinzel, who had been following the director out of nowhere, stopped as she felt someone putting their hands on her shoulders from behind.
"Good morning," said the man behind Harleen with a smile.
"Good morn...ing" She didn't know who he was, but she didn't dare to be rude, so she just stood there and she responded with kindness and confusion.
"You!" The outgoing director looked at the young director in shock.
"Don't move!"
"Let the girl go!"
The guards became defensive and pulled out their weapons; it wouldn't be the first time a criminal broke in to forcibly remove someone from Arkham.
In response, Allen just smiled and walked toward the end of the hallway; the guards tried to shoot, but they realized they no longer had their weapons.
This hallway, which was closer to the entrance of Arkham, led to Block A of cells, where the least dangerous criminals were housed.
The alarms of Arkham sounded, and the doors closed; in front of Allen, an extremely thick metal door fell.
The inmates thought it was an escape attempt and began to cheer. However, a deafening pounding sound silenced everyone.
The reinforced door sealing Block A began to deform, and the criminals began to feel scared; in this block, there were no criminals with severe mental instability, so they were perfectly capable of feeling fear.
...
With each blow, the criminals became nervous; in the end, the door broke and fell several meters away, and footsteps were heard again as Allen entered.
"What's with those long faces, hahaha," Allen laughed at the criminals who a moment ago were shouting atrocities, now silent.
"Unfortunately for you and to my delight, your asses belong to me!!" Allen paused. "I'm going to turn you into model citizens, even if I have to destroy your bodies and souls piece by piece!."A terrifying shadow appeared momentarily at Allen's feet. "Heh Arkham is my playground and you are my toys you pieces of shit!"
===
A/N: Today I learned of the passing of Akira Toriyama is a loss for all of us who grew up with him.
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