A deafening force erupted from Darkseid, obliterating everything within range.
The ground quaked, and debris rained down as buildings crumbled into dust.
The heroes froze, unable to comprehend the destruction.
As the smoke began to clear, a transparent barrier stood intact, shielding them from annihilation.
Darkseid's glowing red eyes narrowed with irritation.
He growled. A variable he did not foresee. "Which magic faction do you belong to, outsider?"
"Magic?" Batman echoed, his voice filled with skepticism.
"I should stop being surprised by all these over-the-top, super-earthly things," Green Lantern muttered.
Flash and superman were just as surprised.
Rimuru Tempest observed Darkseid calmly.
He wasn't entirely sure what was happening but trusted his instincts.
He mentally consulted the Akashic Records before, hoping for clarity.
Instead, he found himself improvising.
"Retract your forces and leave this planet," Rimuru declared, stepping forward. "You're the outsider here."
That voice... Flash could not believe it. He was a regular customer after all, so it was impossible to mistook this voice to someone else.
Darkseid smirked. "Outsider?" His tone dripped with disdain. "I am Darkseid. I conquer worlds. And I do not negotiate with children."
As if to emphasize his point, his Omega Beams shot forth—narrow, searing red lasers cutting through the air.
They sliced through military aircraft in the sky with terrifying precision, sending them spiraling to the ground.
"NO! STOP!" Flash screamed, the horror evident in his voice.
Superman prepared to act, but the barrier stopped him.
He turned toward Rimuru, anger flashing in his eyes. "What are you doing? Let me out!"
"Relax," Rimuru said evenly, raising a hand. As the wreckage fell, barriers appeared, catching the pilots midair and safely lowering them to the ground.
Rimuru glanced at Superman. "See? No casualties."
Batman observed quietly, processing everything, while Green Lantern bristled with impatience. "This guy's stalling. Let's take the fight to him!"
Before anyone could act, two figures emerged from a portal behind Darkseid.
A woman clad in armored robes wielded a staff, her piercing gaze locked on the battlefield.
Beside her stood a towering, robed demon with a twisted, grotesque face.
"All hail Darkseid," they proclaimed in unison, bowing before their master.
Rimuru's gaze lingered on the demon. Something about him felt unsettling—not just dangerous but unhinged, as if chaos followed in his wake.
Rimuru suppressed a shudder.
Lowering the barrier, Rimuru addressed the heroes. "Listen. Don't act recklessly. This isn't someone you can take on individually. I will handle it"
"And who decides that?" Superman demanded, stepping closer. "Who are you?"
"Call me Tempest," Rimuru replied.
"Magician, whoever you are," Wonder Woman said with a nod of respect, "we owe you our gratitude."
"Enough talk!" Green Lantern shouted, forming glowing constructs of cannons and missiles with his ring. "Let's see how the big guy handles this!"
A barrage of energy blasts rained down on Darkseid, who remained unfazed and treats the projectiles as nothing but nuissiance.
His Omega Beams activated again, tracing a deadly line toward Lantern. Before they could connect, Flash sped in, yanking Lantern to safety.
"Flash, redirect it to me!" Rimuru called out, raising another barrier.
Flash hesitated but trusted the newcomer.
He guided the beams toward Rimuru, who effortlessly absorbed them into his body with a wave of his hand.
Lantern scowled. "I didn't need help! I could've—"
"You couldn't," Rimuru interrupted flatly. "Don't make me babysit you."
The armored woman lunged forward, aiming her staff at Rimuru.
Superman intercepted her, landing a punch aimed at her torso. She dodged at the last second, retaliating with a blast of energy that sent him skidding across the battlefield.
"Amateur," she sneered, charging at Rimuru.
He's holding back.. Rimuru figured when the hero retracted his fist a bit to lessen the impact.
Before she could strike, Rimuru gestured. Her body froze mid-motion, a barrier forcing her to her knees.
She screamed in frustration, unable to break free.
Meanwhile, Wonder Woman and Aquaman attacked Darkseid directly.
Their weapons struck with precision, but Darkseid swatted them aside like flies.
Wonder Woman held her ground, but Aquaman crumpled, coughing up blood.
"Aquaman!" Batman shouted from a distance. "Fall back! We need a plan!"
Darkseid turned to Rimuru, his expression unreadable. "You're bold, outsider. But you underestimate me."
Rimuru raised an eyebrow, tightening the barrier around the woman. "Let's make a deal. Retreat, and I'll give her back. Refuse, and she disappears."
Darkseid's laughter echoed across the field. Without hesitation, he slammed his fists into the ground, causing a shockwave that cracked the earth and sent debris flying.
In the chaos, the armored woman created her own portal and escaped.
Rimuru blinked in surprise. "She escaped?" He muttered, frustration seeping into his voice. "I really need to get used to not having Ciel point out everything happening around me."
Darkseid's Omega Beams lashed out again, but Rimuru absorbed them effortlessly. "Enough," Rimuru said, moving into the offensive.
He grabbed Darkseid by the face and slammed him into the pavement, dragging him across the ground.
Darkseid retaliated with a punch that bypassed Rimuru's defenses, sending a jolt of pain through his very soul.
Clutching his chest, Rimuru realized his Pain Nullification had failed.
What was that? He said clutching onto his chest.
"Interesting," Darkseid said, his voice calm yet menacing. "You're no mere magician. What are you?"
Rimuru, wiping dust from his clothes. "You'll find out soon enough."
Darkseid surged forward, fists blazing with energy, but Rimuru was faster.
He dodged every attack, delivering a powerful kick that sent Darkseid crashing back toward the portal.
The battlefield fell silent.
The heroes watched in awe, their disbelief mirrored in their expressions. Even Batman, ever the skeptic, felt a twinge of respect and fear for this "Tempest."
He was seeing him both as a threat and a hero.
Darkseid rose, wiping blood from his lip.
Darkseid raised his arms, unleashing a shockwave that devastated the surrounding area.
At this point, Batman's crafted plan was in shambles.
He watched the ongoing fight intently, his mind racing to recalibrate.
Even Wonder Woman, ever composed, was transfixed by the sheer display of Rimuru's power.
Rimuru wasn't just fast or strong—he was better than them in almost every conceivable way.
Batman's wariness of this "Tempest" deepened.
Rimuru's abilities weren't just raw strength like Superman's, they were versatile and precise, which makes him a larger threat than superman.
"Oh yeah? I can do that too," Green Lantern blurted, his ego as inflated as ever.
He summoned glowing constructs of weapons, preparing to fire.
Before he could act, Wonder Woman's lasso of truth ensnared him, halting his attack. "Stop," she said firmly.
"Let GO OF ME!" Lantern roared, struggling against the lasso.
Batman puts the hero down unconscious, he might be powerful. But he's defenseless in any sense possible.
He glanced at the battlefield, noting the dwindling number of parademons. There were barely any left.
This wasn't just a fight anymore—it was an opportunity.
With Darkseid distracted, the heroes had a chance to rescue the abducted civilians.
"I'm going first," Flash announced, his voice brimming with urgency.
He sped off in a blur, running across the water toward the enemy's tower.
Superman nearby, still watching the fight. "I'm staying behind in case something happens," he said, his tone tinged with worry.
His eyes remained locked on Rimuru and Darkseid. "Better safe than sorry."
From a distance, Batman latched onto a retreating parademon, using it as an improvised flight method toward the tower.
Cyborg, meanwhile, stood frozen, his systems overwhelmed by the flood of incoming data.
Warnings and updates flashed across his internal HUD as he tried to process everything that had just unfolded.
While as wonder woman prepares for an attack.