Steppenwolf watched as Justinian executed Kalibak by stabbing his Lightning Claws through his chest in horror. Just the feeling of Justinian's spear brought him apprehension, and watching as Kalibak got eviscerated by that spear was terrifying.
To finish Kalibak Justinian stabbed him with the Boosted Gear which contained the soul of Ddraig, a Dragon God with a lethal Concept. Justinian ripped his Lighting Claws out of Kalibak's chest which caused blood and other body parts to flow out of his body.
The eviscerated body began to drift, but Justinian reached out and tossed his corpse and the blood into his personal Pocket Dimension where he kept treasure. With that, he had killed his first New God easily, but while Kalibak was powerful, it wasn't like he was anywhere near as strong as his Father.
Justinian held his hand out and pulled his Guardian Spear into his hand. He looked around at the battle and saw a huge swarm of Parademons released from the surviving vessels.
There were also a few Star Fighters that survived, but they were currently being slaughtered by Lauralina's Inquisitors or Justinian's Honor Guard. This attack was fully doomed as Justinian could see his Burning Martians had become blurs of fire.
It looked like a sea of purple and blue fire as Burning Martians were menaces of fire. Ddraig and Albion spun through the void cutting or smashing ships with their wings, or obliterating swarms of Star Fighters with blasts of Divine Aura.
They were not alone as flying through the void were several thousand Space Marines. With their sets of Power Armor and their natural resilience taking the fight to space wasn't a problem.
He watched as several Terminators flew through the air slashing Parademons apart, or tearing them apart through concentrated firepower.
"FOR THE EMPEROR!"
He smiled as he heard his Astartes call out the famous motto of the Space Marines. As for Ddraig and Albion, they were using this 'battle' as a teaching moment for the Predakons. While Justinina's pets had a lot of raw power, they lacked technique. They wanted them to develop techniques like the Boost, Pierce, Reflector, or Divide.
To make a matter simple, it was a complete one-sided massacre. Steppenwolf gripped his Axe tighter as Justinian began walking toward him.
"You know Steppenwolf, I always wondered something about you New Gods. Darkseid is a god I will give him that. But what about Kalibak or Orion? Since Darkseid is a New God, they are New Gods as well in a sense. However, I would call them Demigods since at best they have a fraction of his strength.
How about you? Steppenwolf, you who have been beaten by Superman countless times. Superman uses no weapons, you do. He beats you to a bloody pulp and when you run away, Darkseid punishes you for a while before sending you back out.
Possibly to be beaten by the League, or someone else. In the end, I say this. You, do not deserve the title of New God. Apokaliptian yes, but it is embarrassing to call you a god."
Steppenwolf snarled as he glared at the taller Justinian slowly walking toward him. Justinian shook his head as from his body an astronomical amount of Psychic and Divine Conceptual Energy began to surge.
It brightened the void of space with a golden and purple glow. Even worse was the feeling of suppression Steppenwolf began to feel. It reminded him of what he felt in front of Darkseid.
The sign of a god, which started to make the older New God, shake in pure loathing. Justinian compressed his aura inward before he lowered his stance he tore open the void with his speed reaching Steppenwolf instantly.
Steppenwolf lowered his stance and raised his Vibro Axe once more, but this time Justinian with extreme skill swung his Guardian Spear and stabbed him in his main shoulder. Steppenwolf roared in agony as he felt the area he got stabbed with burn like acid.
On top of the god-slaying effect it carried, it brought with it Albion's potent toxins. Justinian tore his spear out before and he stabbed out at each of his joints. He tore them open leaving Steppenwolf limp in the void of space with Divine Draconic toxins flooding his body.
New Gods rarely had to worry about poisons other than Radion, but this was something more sinister. As Steppenwolf drifted and his consciousness began to fade, Justinian grabbed him by the neck before he sent him off.
"You're disappointing."
He placed pressure on his neck and snapped it ending his life just like he ended Kalibak. With Steppenwolf dead, Justinian grabbed his Mother Box that was starting to beep with the death of its owner.
Through the link he shared with his own Mother Box, it told him to let it eat this one. That way, it would be able to access more of the Source since each Mother Box drew power from the source.
"Seems like a good idea."
He brought the Box down to his waist where his Mother Box extended a bunch of cables that pierced into Steppenwolf's. He watched the process as it turned the other to liquid metal as it was absorbed.
He channeled some of his own Divine Conceptual Energy and Psychic Energy to the mix allowing for his Mother Box to mutate and evolve. When he was done, the formerly silver box took a dark purple shade matching his Shadow Stalker Armor.
He smiled as he looked out into the void as the remaining Apokoliptan vessels were neutralized and dragged off for reverse engineering. Even the ones that were destroyed were collected while the dead Parademons were gathered together for genetic testing.
All in all, this was a definite victory for Justinian, but it seemed he drew attention during that scuffle. Much like when he did his work on Mars, Superman as one of the few who could fly through the void began to slowly make his way to the battleground.
This time, Justinian didn't gather his guards as he did not need them. He began to fly toward Superman until they were a few feet from each other. Justinian waved his hand and collected a breathable aura for them to speak.
"It appears Darkseid took offense to my actions."
Superman looked into the distance as Apokoliptan ships, Parademons, and even the dead crews were ripped out of the ships by giant Insectoids. These Insectoids had gone through extreme Genetic and Psymagical engineering making them appear more like Tyranids.
They were led by a large Swarm Lord as they attached giant chains from Justinian's fleet to drag them down to Mars. Superman looked at the two giant moons, one covered in a vast array of defensive weapons, and the other that seemed to be a ship deck.
Even Mars itself which was covered in weapons and fortifications which tore apart Kalibak's and Steppenwolf's fleet.
"What happened?"
"Darkseid sent his son and uncle to take me out. He failed and he just fed me with technology."
Superman turned to Justinian as he had a question.
"I am glad you managed to defeat him, it took the entire League to defeat the last Apokoliptan Invasion on Earth."
"Unlike Terra, and humans my Martians are not weak or defenseless. They have their strength, they have me, and we have tech that matches Apokoliptan Tech. Regardless, I do have to say send Diana my condolences for her losses.
It is just like Darkseid to target her family."
Superman glanced over at the two large dragons flying through the void. Ddraig was bright crimson with golden scales sparely around his head, while Albion was angelic white with similar golden feathers around his crest.
Diana described the two dragons that attacked her Island as a two-headed black and purple dragon, and a sickly green poison dragon. One called himself Bayle The Dread while the other never gave his name.
Superman had his doubts so he decided to test it.
"You put on a good show."
Justinian turned his head to look at Superman.
"What show?"
Superman crossed his arms as he looked at the towering Justinian.
"You were behind the attack on the Amazons, weren't you?"
Justinian scowled behind his helmet as he leaned closer.
"I do not like being accused of what I didn't do. I had no goal or reason to attack her home. I consider her a friend, why would I do something like that."
"You had something to gain. Like the Mother Box on your waist."
"I looted it from Kalibak and Steppenwolf. I didn't even know the Amazons had a Mother Box. Are you merely trying to end my friendship with Diana by feeding lies to her? Because you are afraid that she will side with me. Or do you have feelings for her?"
Justinian leaned in with a mocking tone.
Superman scowled.
"I am happily married, and like you say Diana is a friend."
Justinian nodded as he spun around Superman.
"A human yes? You must know it already, but beings like us don't count our life spans in the decades. We count them in centuries, millennia, and more. You will outlive every living being on your planet including your wife.
I would say a part of you is holding out the hope that when Lois Lane withers and dies, Diana will be there to keep you together."
Superman clenched his fist.
"Now you are accusing."
Justinian began to chuckle, but just as he was mid-laugh he saw a Boom Tube open above Mars. Justinian scowled as he walked toward it as if he didn't expect another attack. Though it appeared he was wrong as from the large Tube, Darkseid himself stepped out.
He was alone with his arms crossed behind his back. He glanced around looking at the destroyed fleet that remained. By this point, most of it was dragged off, but he didn't say anything.
Superman got into a fighting stance the moment he saw his lifelong foe.
"DARKSEID!"
When Darkseid turned his head to see Superman he smiled.
"Kryptonian, was it you that offered aid to your old foes? I must say, that the weak do always gather together to face the strong."
Justinian scoffed as he stepped up to Darkseid face to face. They were mere inches apart with Justinian looking down at Darkseid who was 9 feet compared to his 12.
"I must say, the stories I had heard were true about you. You do look like rock."
Darkseid glanced up into Justinian's dark helmet without an ounce of interest..
"It was you that killed Kalibak and Steppenwolf?"
"Yes. All on my own. I must say, you need stronger commanders, from one conqueror god to another."
Darkseid smirked before with his arms still behind his back he raised his knee to strike Justinian in the chest.
"Fool."
Only for Justinian to block with his knee causing a titanic shock wave that blasted through the void.
"Darkseid, I know this is just an Avatar, a fraction of your true power, but you know what that means?"
"What, insolent fool?"
"It means if I kill this Avatar, I kill a tiny part of you."
This time Darkseid pulled his arms behind him and he palmed Justinian in the chest. Very few materials could take a blow from him and not shatter, but Justinian's Auramite Armor that had been evolving with him could.
Justinian was tossed back a few yards, but he stopped himself. He patted his chest plate a bit as if cleaning it.
"I felt that how about you put your back into it, False God."
Darkseid eyes began to glow a deep crimson as he began to charge up his Omega Beams.
"Pesky Insect."
When Darkseid blasted his Omega Beams at Justinian, Justinian returned the attack by releasing his own. Two beams of golden-purple Plasma fueled by Psychic and Divine Conceptual Energy clashed against the Omega Beams.
The two Conqueror gods began to spin around as they continued an increasing clash of eye beams. Superman glanced at Justinian who was holding his own at the moment. What would happen when Darkseid 'put his back into it' as Justinian dared?
"JUSTINIAN! I WILL HELP!"
Justinian and Darkseid ignored him as the Omega Beams and Justinian's Lazers were starting to become unstable. They ended their beam clash, but now Darkseid fully removed his arms from behind his back.
He stuck his arm into what appeared to be a tear in space before he pulled out a large dark spear.
"From one Conqueror to another, I tell you this cur. There can only be one."
Justinian spread his arms wide as he lowered his stance with his own Guardian Spear held in both. Of course, the large talons on the Boosted Gear shrunk to not get in the way.
"Only one can live and rule, the other will kneel and die and as you said, there can only be one. And it will not be me who dies."
Justinian and Darkseid blasted toward each other as for the first time, Justinian would face a foe who would push him and he was ready for it.
(P-atreon.com/A_Real_Werewolf234)