DC: I'm The Ultimate Lifeform

Chapter 35: Chapter 35

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It was war. An army of Green Lanterns, their emerald light blazing like a storm of vengeance, launched an all-out assault on Earth. Standing against them was Superman, flanked by the fractured remnants of the Justice League, heroes once unbreakable, now battered and splintered.

They weren't alone. Among their ranks stood former villains, unlikely allies forged in the fires of desperation. Sinestro, once a sworn enemy, now fought beside them, his cunning and strength a crucial asset in the face of overwhelming odds.

But this wasn't the Superman the world knew. This wasn't the righteous symbol of hope, the man beloved and revered by all.

This Superman was different, darker, colder, and more terrifying than ever. The light in his eyes was no longer inspired; it burned with something unrecognizable.

Lying on the ground, a kryptonite bullet lodged in his chest, Superman stared up at Black Canary. Her hands trembled as she held the smoking gun, her expression a mix of sorrow and resolve. They had once been allies, and partners in the fight for justice. But that felt like a lifetime ago.

Everything had changed the day the Joker tricked him. Believing he was battling Doomsday, Superman had unknowingly attacked the one person he loved most, Lois, who had been carrying their unborn child. By the time the truth came to light, it was too late. The Joker had robbed him of everything, and Superman's grief turned to rage.

At first, his new path seemed controlled, and calculated. He killed sparingly, justifying each act as necessary for a better world. But as the years passed, the line blurred. The symbol of hope became a figure of fear, and Superman began to transform into something unrecognizable, a tyrant.

Superman had crossed every line. Those who dared to oppose him within the Justice League, those who questioned his authority, paid the ultimate price. Friends turned foes, and Superman struck them down without hesitation. His actions left Batman and a handful of others scrambling to resist, their rebellion barely holding together under the weight of his tyranny.

Now, the Green Lantern Corps had stepped in, launching an all-out war against the Man of Steel. For them, this was more than a battle, it was a last, desperate hope to bring an end to his reign. They believed that with Superman out of the picture, the shattered pieces of Earth's heroes could finally begin to rebuild.

Victory meant more than just defeating Superman. It meant reclaiming a world that had been living in fear, and perhaps, restoring a sense of normalcy. But as the Green Lanterns descended on Earth, the question lingered: would their intervention be enough, or was Superman's grip on the planet too strong to break?

Black Canary turned her back to Superman, her breath heavy as she steadied herself. The kryptonite bullet had done its job, and the Man of Steel lay motionless on the ground. She activated her communicator, her voice sharp but tinged with relief. "Batman, it's done. Superman is down."

It was a foolish act, one she would regret.

From above, a streak of yellow light pierced the darkened sky, glowing with an ominous intensity. The air seemed to hum with power as the source of the light descended, a yellow ring. Before anyone could react, the ring slipped itself onto Superman's finger, binding him to its energy.

A deep, commanding voice echoed through the air, chilling those who heard it.

"Kal-El of Krypton. You have the ability to instill great fear."

Superman, still weak from the kryptonite bullet lodged in his chest, felt a sudden surge of strength coursing through him. His blurred vision sharpened as he stared at the source of this newfound power, a Yellow Lantern Ring, glowing ominously on his finger.

For a brief moment, he was stunned. Of all the things he could have imagined, this was beyond even his wildest expectations. But there was no time to dwell on it. Instinct took over as the ring's energy began to envelop him, its golden light pulsating with raw power.

Focusing on his will, Superman directed the ring's energy toward his chest. The kryptonite bullet, once an anchor of pain and weakness, was enveloped in the yellow light and dissolved. As the shards of kryptonite faded away, Superman inhaled deeply, the crippling agony replaced by a dark, burning vitality.

He stood upright, his piercing gaze scanning the battlefield. The yellow aura surrounding him radiated menace, a chilling contrast to the symbol of hope he once represented.

Black Canary turned, an uneasy feeling gnawing at her. Something wasn't right. Her instincts screamed at her, but before she could react, a searing beam of heat vision shot forward, slicing through the air with deadly precision.

The impact struck her stomach, the heat and force driving her back as her body stiffened in shock. Her eyes widened, her hands instinctively clutching the wound, her stomach, where her unborn child rested.

She collapsed to the ground, her breath shallow and ragged as she pressed her hands tighter against the burning hole. The pain was excruciating, but it was nothing compared to the overwhelming disbelief and heartbreak that gripped her. Tears welled in her eyes, spilling down her cheeks as reality sank in.

Her vision blurred, but she forced herself to focus on the figure looming above her. Superman, his expression cold, his glowing yellow aura casting an eerie light over her crumpled form.

With her strength fading, she opened her mouth, struggling to form the words she so desperately wanted to say.

"...You... the world saw it," Black Canary managed to whisper, her voice weak but steady. Her trembling hand moved slightly as she fought to keep her composure. "I was wearing contact lenses... they broadcasted everything I saw. The world knows, Superman. They saw."

Her words hit like a thunderclap, and Superman froze for a fraction of a second. But that momentary pause was replaced by a wave of unbridled rage. His jaw tightened, his eyes glowing with a furious, fiery red as her revelation sank in. The thought of his actions, his choices, laid bare for the entire world to witness, it ignited a fury unlike anything he'd ever felt.

Fueled by his unending rage, Superman erupted into the sky, leaving a shockwave in his wake. The Yellow Lantern Ring on his finger burned brighter, amplifying his already overwhelming Kryptonian strength. The ring fed on his emotions, on the fear he now inspired across the cosmos, transforming him into an unstoppable force.

The Green Lanterns who had come to stop him were no match. They fought valiantly, their green light clashing with his yellow energy in bursts of brilliance. But it was futile. Superman tore through them like a storm, his heat vision slicing through defenses, his fists crushing constructs, and his power obliterating all who stood in his way.

Fear radiated from him like an aura, infecting those around him, their resolve faltering as they realized the truth: Superman, armed with both the might of Krypton and the power of fear itself, was unstoppable.

"This also doesn't seem to be my Earth," Suddenly something or someone appeared in Superman's path, his voice calm but tinged with mild curiosity as his piercing eyes scanned the unfamiliar universe.