Justinian leisurely continued his feast of White Martian Flesh which was as bland and tasteless as ruber. However, it was not for the taste he was eating, but for the nutrients. His advanced Digestive System drew out all the nutrients from each piece of flesh in mere moments.
Once he ate all the flesh off an arm skewer, he stabbed the organs through it and roasted those. While those began to roast, he moved on to the leg meat which was tough, sinewy, and like eating well-done steak.
For the next hour, he continued to feast on the first Martian. With how advanced his digestive system was, the flesh dissolved the moment it touched the acid. It's nutrients was then absorbed in moments.
---
While he enjoyed his feast, a Space Vessel of the Justice League left the Watch Tower with an extra passenger. Batman had tagged along which meant that now Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, and Martian Manhunter were all traveling to Mar.
As the Ship made its trip, Batman began to use the many Wayne Satellites Stationed over Mars to pinpoint where Justinian was. While he worked, John tried to calm his nerves. He had left his planet as one of the last members of his race if not the last.
The White Martians had taken Mars for themselves and they only stayed because of the Justice League. They had invaded Earth a year ago and they had been repelled, but the scars were still fresh.
"Batman, have you found him?"
Bruce paused when his satellites brought up a video feed of the Martian surface. It was a recent video of when he had landed on Mars on Olympus Mons.
"No, but I found where he landed."
"Let me see."
Diana looked over his shoulder to get a good look at Justinian. When she did so, she looked him up and down. His armor was a shade of purple so dark it was almost black. It was tech from the far future.
"Incredible craftsmanship."
Bruce sped the video forward and ended up seeing when he started his training. This got the attention of everyone as his strength kept rising when he Boosted. By the time he reached the apex of his power, he was moving so fast that Bruce's Satellites couldn't see him.
Superman, Wonder Woman, and Martian Manhunter did and even they had to say his martial prowess was borderline godlike. This was just Justinian after a few hours, which showed the skill of the older Custodes.
They even Captured when he launched the Titanic Dragon Shot into the void of space. Bruce being himself squinted his eyes.
"He is dangerous. An attack of that level could cause absolute devastation if launched at Earth."
Superman had a counter.
"It could, but I am no diffrent. If I do not limit my power on Earth, I could destroy the planet. I could see how he purposely fired into the void of space and not at the planet. Remember, we are not here to capture him but to talk."
Bruce relented as they kept watching the Satalite recoding. They saw after his training he laid down, but then they saw the White Martian attack. Diana's eyes were locked on Justinian as he began to battle the White Martians.
They were deadly foes, but seeing the way he battled them made it seem that he had faced worse.
"Incredible spear technique. He moves like the wind and with the force of the mountain."
Bruce frowned at the sight of the carnage. Before he could say a thing, Martian Manhunter himself smiled.
"Anyone who can fight the White Martians is an ally. Those monsters who only desire war met their end as warriors. They found glory in their deaths. Glorry they did not deserve."
This was going to be an argument so they sped up the ship. In the meantime, Bruce finally tracked down Justinian's location so they set a course. Justinian by then had consumed the entirety of the first Martian with only bones, skin, and entrails remaining.
He moved on to the next one as he could keep eating without stopping. As long as he stocked up on nutrients he would not need to eat for up to 100 years. When he finished he laid down on the Martian ground and closed his eyes.
Custodes did not need sleep so he just enjoyed the feeling of resting after a meal. He didn't move for hours but at the 12-hour mark, his 6th sense began to warn him of of something. After Boosting several times it had been forced to grow so he was alarmed.
He opened his golden eyes and rose off the ground. He stood over his burning fire and summoned his Guardian Spear. He stabbed it into the ground in front of him and he looked into the sky at the descending ship.
Even without his helmet, he could see the Justice League insignia.
'Who did they send?'
He waited patiently with both his hands placed on the butt of his spear. When the Ship landed in front of him he saw the back doors open into a ramp. When it opened he saw who had come and he was honestly not surprised.
'Superman, Wonder Woman, Batman, and Martian Manhunter. Isn't this a party?'
When the JLA members got a look at him they saw that he was even bigger in person than Barry described. He made all of them look like children. Diana was the first to come out of the ship while wearing a breathing mask.
She was durable enough to only need that while Superman also had the same breathing mask. Batman's suit was made to be able to operate in a vacuum while Martian Manhunter was a Martian.
Diana walked forward until she was 6 feet away from him. Neither spoke as the two Warrior Demigods starred the other down. He gripped the spear tighter while she tensed her body for a fight.
This stand-off was respected by her fellow Justice League members because of her Amazon heritage. The stand-off was stopped when Justinian grinned.
"I see the Ancient myths were not exaggerated about you Wonder Woman. No, Diana."
She relaxed at that but did not approach. She first looked at the flame burning on the ground which should not be possible. The pile of bones next to Justinian which coincided with White Martian explained why he had a fire.
"Welcome Custodes to the 21st Century, that is what you are yes?"
"Correct. I am Justinian Arcadius Valoris Valdor of the 10,000 Legio Custodes of Holy Terra. Since you are not attacking me, may I assume your mission is peaceful?"
Superman said as such.
"It is. When Barry spoke of you and said you flew off to Mars we were worried you would end up dead to the Martians."
Justinian pulled his Guardian Spear out of the ground and looked at his camp fire. He kneeled and placed his hand in the fire.
{Divide}
Albion did not say that out loud as that was just for him to know. He drew out the energy of the flames and extinguished them. When he stood up he placed his spear on his shoulder.
"I am fine Kal-El. White Martians are Xenos that we of Legio Custodes exterminate where they rise up."
That didn't sound right to Batman.
"Genocide?"
"Only those that endanger Mankind, Bruce Wayne. I know plenty of you in particular. The failed Hero."
Bruce clenched his fist.
"Failed?"
"Joker as you know him would have been exterminated on sight. Why you keep him alive is beyond us so we see you as a failure. A man just as insane as Joker."
Superman raised his hands to placate things.
"Now hold on, things are different in this time and killing someone-"
Justinian interrupted.
"Joker is not a person Kryptonian, he is an animal that should be taken behind a Court and shot. Burned and forgotten. If there is nothing else I shall take my leave."
He turned around and started to walk away, but Diana called him back.
"I agree with you Custodes. Joker is a madman and should be put down by the blade. I told you the same Bruce."
This was why Batman and Diana never got along. She was too quick to want to apply the death penalty.
"Diana, this is not Themyscira or the 41st Millenium, murder-"
She raised a hand to him not wanting to listen more.
"Save it. Justinian, while you are here, would you do me the honor of sparring with me?"
She drew her sword and grabbed her shield from her back. Hearing that, he grinned as he placed his helmet back on his head. He spun his Guardian Spear and silently started to power up.
'Ready guys?'
[Let's go.]
{I am ready.}
[Boost, Boost, Boost, Boost, Boost, Boost, Boost, Boost, Boost.]
As he started to double his power, Diana began to feel her instincts roar awake. His aura as a fighter doubled against itself 9 times and now she felt like she was staring at a Titan. As for Justinian, he was becoming used to the sea of power the Boosted Gear granted him.
Already a massive purple aura roared off his body pushing Batman back. Superman and Martian Manhunter both now felt that if all Custodes were like this, they were no doubt Demigods all.
They were a legion made up of Heroes. As for Justinian, he was grinning behind his helmet as this amount of power was not stressing him out. His body had adapted to the stress of the Boosted Gear incredibly easily.
'One more.'
[Boost.]
When Diana felt his power double again her eyes felt like they were going to pop from her skull. He went from feeling like a powerful warrior to an eye of a singularity as the strength surging from him was off the charts.
Just being around it made Bruce grit his teeth from the sheer force. Diana though smirked herself as both of them moved. The Martian Soil burst as the two Demigods charged at each other. Both of them began a rapid exchange of blows.
They did not stay in the same spot because he was so much bigger than she was. His spear was almost as tall as he was and ungodly heavy. Despite her weapons being forged by Hephestus, the Auramite was holding its own.
Since it was bound to his Soul, any damage it may receive healed itself, and if he Boosted his strength, even the amount of Soul Energy flowing through his gear increased. Justinian with both hands began to swing, slice, stab, and smash his Spear against her Sword and Shield.
Each swing caused the ground to figure, but she parried his spear with her shield. Rathe then wasted time to bring back his spear he threw out a kick at her. She bent backwards to avoid and in that same move, he smashed down with his elbow.
Diana raised her sword arm and blocked with her Bracelet. Despite the amount of strength in that blow, she endured the elbow strike. She was thrown to the ground through, and he used that to lunge down and grab her leg.
{Divide.}
Suddenly, she felt her strength be Halfed which was odd. He lifted her up and he tossed her like a rag. Since her strength was given to her by the Greek gods, he had just taken a small amount of it.
It could recover on its own, but Diana didn't like the feeling of it.
"You can Double your strength and Divide your foes? Can all Custodes do this?"
"No, I am unique. I am the warden and guardian of the souls of two Dragons. I am the Pretorian of Terra. I hope you do not consider this unfair?"
Diana shook her head.
"No, I do not."
[Boost.]
He Boosted again causing his strength to now be 2084 times its base state. The Purple aura surged like a pillar off of him. He charged at Diana and swung his Guardian spear down at her.
She caught his swing with her shield and she felt all that overwhelming power smash against her. She grit her teeth as her strength has been halved. Her blessing Demeter, made her as strong as the Earth, but when she wasn't on Earth it was weaker.
Even worse he had halved her power so she was weaker than before. This resulted in her being unharmed by the blow, but she got launched backward like a weightless doll.
Justinian watched as she flew through the air before she forced herself to stop by throwing her sword into the ground and grabbing on with her Lasso of truth. Justinian exhaled as he vented his power through the Divine Dividing.
He placed his spear on his shoulder before turning to Superman.
"She is strong."
"That she is, though your power to Double your strength and Divide your foes is terrifying. Does it have a limit?"
"As much as my body can endure."
Batman took that information, but the more he used the Boosted Gear the limit was rising more and more. After that, Diana ran back with a seemingly happy expression.
"That was amazing, you are a mighty warrior."
"As are you Diana, if you were male, you would have been inducted into the Custodes."
That made her less happy.
"So a woman can't join?"
"No. The Biomancy and Genetic Engineering are only compatible with the male Chromosome. Women in the 41st Millenium, serve in the Imperial Guard, Sisters of Battle. They can receive genetic engineering, but not those of Legio Custodes."
"Sisters of Battle, I would like to hear more of these women."
He nodded.
"A story for another time Diana. I enjoyed our spar very much."
He gave a warrior's salute and he walked off into the Red Sands. As he was moving, Superman called out to him.
"Justinian, will you join the Justice League?"
"I shall refrain, but this does not mean we cannot work together. Keep in touch, I won't leave Mara for a few months."
That was all he said as he took off into the sky with the Divine Dividing. As he flew off Diana was stuck staring at his quickly shrinking silhouette. Superman smirked as it seemed that she was enthralled.
"He catches your eye?"
She turned to him as if he asked a stupid question.
"A warrior of such skill, prowess, and will? Yes, he did. Though, I do wonder if he can bear offspring."
That was the question because even Justinian did not know if he was still infertile like the Emperor designed. Though, since they discovered that he could more than handle himself the JLA members returned to their ship to report their findings.
Not knowing it, Justinian had quickly won the interest of Wonder Woman. Would he act on it if he knew? Could he? Who knows?