The battlefield on the moon was like boiling water, constantly bubbling with bursts of chaos.
Standing near it, one could almost feel the heat of war rushing toward their face.
The soldiers of the Thanos Legion collided violently with Earth's desperate defenders.
In a very short time, heavy casualties occurred on both sides.
Fortunately, the humans were not the ones to suffer.
The number of casualties on the Earth side was pitifully small compared to the enemy.
This was largely due to the leadership of the superheroes.
Under their command, the one hundred thousand desperate soldiers completely suppressed the Thanos forces.
Although many of the elite soldiers in the Thanos Legion were of extraordinary ranks, they were nothing in front of Spider-Man, Captain Marvel, Wonder Woman, Cyborg, and the others.
It's worth mentioning that not long after the battle started, Asgard received intelligence from Heimdall, who was watching everything unfold.
He quickly reported to Thor, now the King of Asgard.
Thor immediately led a group of elite Asgardian warriors to the battlefield.
Their arrival was another reason the Thanos Army struggled to resist Earth's forces.
Under Earth's overwhelming and unstoppable assault,
the once-confident Thanos Legion, which hadn't even taken Earth seriously, was smashed into disarray—
almost instantly collapsing under the weight of Earth's counterattack.
At the same time, the eyes of countless cosmic civilizations were locked on the duel between Thanos and Superman.
Everyone knew:
no matter how powerful an army was, in battles like this, the real key to victory often lay with the champions—
with the outcome of the generals' personal fight.
Thus, the battle between Superman and Thanos became the true center of attention, more so even than the larger war raging around them.
But what they witnessed next shocked them all.
Thanos, the feared cosmic warlord,
was utterly overwhelmed in Superman's hands.
He couldn't even fight back.
Many cosmic civilizations wore expressions of disbelief, wondering if they were truly witnessing the real Thanos.
Had he been swapped out?
Was it an impostor?
It seemed almost impossible for the real Thanos to be so utterly defeated.
Even the most loyal of Thanos' subordinates, Ebony Maw,
showed signs of disbelief.
If anyone understood Thanos' true strength, it was Ebony Maw—
and even he looked shaken.
Meanwhile, the cosmic observers turned their attention to Ebony Maw himself.
Perhaps he could turn the tide?
No—
Ebony Maw was in the exact same predicament.
In his battle against Shazam,
he was struggling just as badly.
At one moment, distracted by the miserable state of his master,
Ebony Maw's mind wandered for a split second—
and he paid dearly for it.
Boom!
A bolt of lightning split the sky, and in a flash of blinding light, Shazam's attack slammed Ebony Maw deep into the surface of the moon.
A massive crater spread out from the impact site, sending dust and shockwaves flying in all directions.
Even the structures inside the moon base shook from the force of the attack.
Shazam didn't show mercy.
At this moment, Ebony Maw lay paralyzed in the crater,
warm blood dripping from a wound on his forehead.
His once-proud robe had been shredded into strips hanging limply from his battered body.
But Ebony Maw barely noticed his injuries.
The shock in his heart drowned out everything else.
Because even in his miserable state—
Thanos was faring worse.
In his hand-to-hand battle against Superman, Thanos was being pushed back relentlessly,
his face bruised and swollen, his body torn open by Superman's strikes, wounds deep enough to expose bone.
And yet, Thanos refused to surrender.
Gritting his teeth, he kept swinging his fists at Superman.
Superman remained still— and after trading two more punches, he suddenly spoke.
"This is the overlord of the universe?"
Superman grinned and said,
"You disappoint me very much."
As soon as the words fell, he threw another punch at Thanos.
Boom!
Thanos was sent flying once again.
The surrounding desperate soldiers saw this, and their morale surged—
they could finally see the dawn of victory.
As the vanguard against Thanos' forces,
these soldiers had a fairly deep understanding of the Thanos Army.
The lunar base had never restricted their access to information about the enemy.
Thus, most of the desperate soldiers had entered this battle with the determination to die.
They believed that even if Earth could somehow win,
they themselves would not survive.
After all, their enemy was the tyrant who had dominated the universe for thousands of years,
invading countless life-bearing planets along the way.
Against such a foe, the sacrifices of Earth seemed inevitable.
But obviously—
although these soldiers had a grasp of Thanos' strength,
they underestimated the power Earth now possessed.
No matter how much Batman or others had tried to encourage them back at the base,
it's one thing to hear words, and another thing entirely to see the truth with your own eyes.
And when the war truly broke out,
they realized something incredible:
the enemy wasn't nearly as terrifying as they had believed.
Superman was literally dragging Thanos—their so-called invincible enemy—through the dirt.
Was this really the monster they had prepared to die against?
At that moment, the mental shackles that had bound their hearts shattered.
Their fighting spirit erupted even more fiercely.
The tide of battle turned.
The desperate soldiers grew more and more excited,
while Thanos' army fell into bitter, grueling combat.
"Kryptonians..."
Thanos was knocked flying once again by Superman's fist.
His body carved a deep trench across the ground, not stopping until he slid a hundred meters away.
But even while flying backward, Thanos quickly stabilized himself, and the moment he stopped, he stared at Superman with an increasingly ugly expression.
The dignity in his eyes almost seemed to take form.
How could this be?
Thanos began to doubt himself.
How had he encountered such a powerful being—
on a remote, insignificant planet like Earth?
Thanos, who had deep knowledge of the universe, knew very well:
opponents of Superman's caliber could be counted on one hand across the stars.
"Who are you?"
Thanos growled through gritted teeth.
In truth, from the moment Superman appeared,
Thanos had ordered his men to investigate his origins.
Earth's information had labeled Superman as a "Kryptonian"— a survivor of a destroyed alien civilization.
But despite extensive searches,
Thanos had found no trace of Krypton.
No ruins.
No debris.
Nothing.
It wasn't surprising, of course—
in a universe so vast, the remnants of a destroyed planet could easily vanish.
Still, if Krypton had truly produced someone like Superman,
surely it had created others too...
The problem was—
this raised serious concerns.
Now, faced with the reality before him, Thanos finally realized he had made a grave, arrogant mistake.
He had underestimated Earth.
Even though he believed he had come prepared, he had still failed to grasp the full extent of Earth's hidden strength.
But even now, Thanos sought to comfort himself:
it wasn't Earth alone that had pushed him this far.
It was Superman.
Superman's power—
was simply beyond anything Thanos had ever conceived.
In Thanos' understanding, beings of this caliber should either be in hibernation,
or pretending to be dead, hidden away from the affairs of the universe.
Yet somehow,
this Superman had emerged from nowhere—
like a god bursting from the cracks of reality.
"I'm Superman. Clark Kent. The one who's going to kill you."
Superman said calmly, answering Thanos' final question.
Out of sheer humanitarian spirit, Superman gave the dying tyrant that much courtesy.
He looked at the bruised and battered Thanos—
the one who, in the original timeline, had brought so much despair to Earth and the Avengers.
Now, that same tyrant was caught in a death spiral from which he would not escape.
Of course, this outcome was inevitable.
The appearance of Anton had already brought countless surprises—
countless variables—to this world.
At the very least,
Thanos was no longer Earth's greatest threat.
He wasn't even among the greatest anymore.
The appearance of Thanos today, in essence, is no different from that of the alien Lange,
the Decepticons from Transformers, or even the Chitauri who had previously invaded Earth.
He is destined to become just another speck of dust swept away by Earth's rising strength.
"I overestimated you..."
Superman said as he slowly stepped forward, approaching Thanos,
whose expression was growing increasingly grim.
"I thought you would be at a level higher than this..."
"However, I still have to thank you."
"It was your arrival that transformed Earth from a stagnant pool into the boiling force it is today.
Humanity has rekindled its fighting spirit.
This will be our first step in declaring to the entire universe that mankind is coming..."
"And it will be your death that marks that beginning."
Superman's calm words completely enraged Thanos,
who had maintained his composure up to this point.
He had never imagined he would be so thoroughly looked down upon.
From the start, had Earth merely seen him as a stepping stone?
Was his invasion nothing more than a part of their plan, or at least a scenario they had long anticipated?
When had this all begun?
After the Chitauri invasion?
Had they already prepared for him even then?
Thoughts flashed rapidly through Thanos' mind.
But as Superman continued his steady approach,
Thanos made a decision without hesitation.
He gritted his teeth, drew his enormous broadsword—
nearly four meters long, double-edged, and gleaming with a deadly cold light.
In the original timeline, this very sword had been the weapon that shattered Captain America's shield, forcing Steve Rogers to take up Thor's hammer to continue the fight.
Now, facing a reversed situation,
Thanos gripped his weapon tightly as he prepared to unleash it against the Superman who was pressing him down with overwhelming pressure.
Boom!
Thanos launched himself into the air with a heavy stomp,
raising the great sword high overhead.
His body arched back slightly—
and then he slashed downward with full force, aiming straight for Superman's forehead.
Clang!
Superman did not dodge.
He stood his ground, facing the strike head-on with a calm, unwavering expression.
Too arrogant!
Across the observing civilizations, everyone's attention locked onto this moment.
Thanos' furious attack was no joke—
this was still a terrifying overlord of the universe, and no one had ever dared to underestimate such a figure.
Even among the Autobots of Cybertron, who harbored deep affection for Earth,
there was a tense silence.
They too thought Superman was being reckless.
This was Thanos, after all.
However, they also understood something important—
if Superman could take this full-force blow from Thanos and emerge unscathed...
Well...
They dared not even imagine the full implications.
Holding their breath, they waited for the result.
At that moment—
the entire battlefield fell into absolute stillness.
Countless eyes turned to the center of the battlefield,
where Superman and Thanos clashed.
Thanos' broadsword had struck Superman's forehead.
Countless gazes locked onto that single point.
Time seemed to freeze.
Superman stared back at Thanos, his eyes calm and steady.
Suddenly, a surge of strength rippled through his arms—
and then, slowly, a bright, confident smile spread across his face.
"Thank you.
It's over."
As his voice fell—
Crack, crack, crack!
Fine cracks began to spread across the broadsword in Thanos' hands.
Then—
Bang!
The blade shattered completely under the gaze of countless stunned onlookers.
The most unbelievable ending had occurred.
Thanos' full-strength attack had no effect on Superman whatsoever.
Superman stood there, completely unscathed.
It was as if his body was the hardest material in the universe,
untouched and undefeated.
As the broken fragments of the broadsword scattered to the ground,
Superman moved.
His hand shot out like lightning,
grabbing Thanos by the throat.
Effortlessly, he lifted the tyrant into the air,
rising slowly until the two of them hovered at the center of the battlefield,
visible to all.
Thanos struggled desperately under Superman's grip.
He grasped Superman's wrist tightly with both hands, trying to pry the hand from his throat.
But it was useless.
The activity in Thanos' cells was rapidly declining.
His purple face was now tinged with blood red, and he could no longer breathe.
The control over his own body was plummeting toward complete paralysis.
"This..."
Countless cosmic civilizations watching realized the truth:
this battle was over.
From the moment Thanos unleashed his blade but failed to even scratch Superman,
the outcome was sealed.
The war had ended in a way no one could have imagined.
A miracle had been born.
Earth had won.
Even the Autobots from the Cybertron civilization, who had some faith in humanity,
found it hard to believe that victory had come so easily.
It was truly a one-sided domination.
It wasn't just the defeat of Thanos—
it was the rise of mankind.
The battle against the Thanos Army hadn't even truly forced humanity to unleash its full potential.
"He... He... He..."
Thanos stared at Superman with bloodshot eyes,
as if trying to etch his face permanently into his memory.
At that moment, Superman spoke sincerely:
"Actually, I should thank you."
"Your death has brought us a new future."
"And not just for Earth..."
"For the entire universe..."
"A new story..."
"Begins now."
The death of Thanos dealt a devastating blow to the Thanos Army.
Following Thanos' fall, Ebony Maw was also killed by Shazam.
Leaderless and broken, the Thanos Army disintegrated—
soldiers fled or surrendered en masse.
The humans did not pursue them.
Instead, they stood at the base, looking up at the stars,
feeling a renewed sense of pride and purpose.
Even the representatives and heads of the World Security Council back on Earth
felt it deep in their hearts:
A new era had arrived.
The era of humanity's rise.
And this victory was thanks to the Justice League, to Superman,
to Batman,
to Anton...
and to all the fighters, engineers, scientists, and unsung heroes who had given their all for this battle.
Yet no one knew the ultimate truth:
From beginning to end, whether it was Anton, Batman, Superman, Wonder Woman, or Cyborg...
they were all the same person.
The Justice League, the Dark Justice League—
they were roles played by one man.
After the war, all the details were made public.
Nothing was hidden.
The world was shocked.
Ordinary people, who had no idea how close humanity had come to annihilation,
erupted in celebration.
For an entire month, the Earth remained in a state of awe and jubilation.
The Justice League became the supreme symbol of hope in the hearts of the people.
Superman had truly become a god in human eyes.
Six months later,
under the initiative of the nations of the world, the World Security Council was reformed into the Earth Alliance for Humanity.
Nearly 200 sovereign nations became members,
and Anton was unanimously elected as the first chairman.
It's worth noting that after Thanos' defeat,
Earth's prestige skyrocketed across the universe.
Although located in a remote corner of the cosmos,
Earth now showed signs of becoming a new center of galactic civilization.
Alien immigration increased steadily following the war.
Humanity had officially entered the interstellar age.
Technology advanced at a breathtaking pace, and the Fourth Technological Revolution unfolded like a wildfire.
The Extremis Virus was introduced, becoming humanity's strongest tool for evolution.
With science and technology pushing forward, mankind began a new phase of transformation.
Transcendence was no longer a distant dream.
Three years later.
Manhattan, New York.
The home of the Justice League,
now also the headquarters of the Earth Alliance for Humanity, stood proudly in the heart of the city.
The area bustled with life.
Humans mingled with aliens of every shape, color, and form.
In just a few short years,
humanity had grown used to the presence of extraterrestrial beings.
Earth had established formal relations with dozens of alien civilizations,
beginning new diplomatic, scientific, and cultural exchanges.
Of all these civilizations,
none were closer to Earth than Asgard.
A tourist route had even been established between Asgard and Earth.
Although the cost for a single ticket was astronomical—running into the millions of dollars—
the number of bookings on the registration website was staggering.
In just a few days, registrations had exceeded 100,000.
At this pace, tours were already scheduled out for the next seven or eight years.
"I'm such an idiot..."
"Why did I ever think leading the formation of the Earth Alliance was a good idea?"
"If God gave me a second chance, I'd go back and slap myself senseless..."
Anton stood at the highest point of the Alliance Headquarters,
looking out over the bustling city below.
There was no joy on his face—only exhaustion and regret.
Behind him, Betty stood expressionlessly and said,
"Anton, there are several documents waiting for your signature."
She continued, her voice as calm as ever:
"In addition to signing, you have a meeting in two hours, and a dinner tonight.
President Rodriguez is preparing for re-election.
Although it looks like a sure win, he gets anxious if he doesn't see you in person..."
"Damn it!"
Anton turned around, gritting his teeth in frustration.
"I've been busier these past three years than in the rest of my entire life combined...
Can't you give me even a little personal time?"
"You have ten minutes,"
Betty replied, nodded crisply, and walked away, her hips swaying slightly.
Anton finally let out a long sigh of relief.
Drawing out six Infinity Stones from within himself, his expression turned complicated.
After killing Thanos three years ago, Anton had discovered a Soul Stone hidden on Thanos' body.
With that, he now possessed five Infinity Stones.
Later, after the war was won, the Ancient One passed the title of Sorcerer Supreme to Shazam,
placing the Time Stone in his hands.
Thus, all six Infinity Stones were finally gathered.
The system had rewarded Anton with 20 million Justice Points after defeating Thanos and his army.
His Justice Point balance had finally broken the 100 million mark.
Both conditions were met.
Anton had been ready to redeem the Ultimate Batman Armor—
a set of armor even more powerful than Superman himself.
However, even three years later, despite having redeemed the armor,
the story continued to unfold.
Now, after all this time, Anton had finally discovered something truly interesting in this new chapter of his life.
With a simple thought, his appearance changed—
a red suit covered his body, and a lightning bolt emblem gleamed on his chest.
Not Shazam.
In addition to Shazam, another DC hero wore the lightning bolt:
The Flash.
Of course, Anton's goal in transforming into the Flash wasn't to escape from his duties at the Alliance Headquarters.
It was to travel to a new universe—to see new horizons.
Through experimental curiosity, Anton had discovered something special about the Flash's powers.
As everyone knew, the Flash could travel through time and space—
a power somewhat similar to the Time Stone Anton also possessed.
However, Anton realized through trial and error that while the Time Stone could manipulate time briefly,
it wasn't particularly effective for long-term travel through chaotic timelines.
The Flash's power, on the other hand, truly allowed for real travel across space and time.
Boom!
After transforming into the Flash, Anton sprang into action.
Whoosh!
A golden streak of lightning shot across the streets of Manhattan,
moving faster than the eye could follow.
Even though Manhattan was now filled with superhumans and cutting-edge surveillance technology,
the Flash's speed was so overwhelming—beyond even the speed of light—
that no one could detect him.
Boom!
Anton reached the coastline in an instant.
At the moment he touched the sea's surface, a shimmering space portal opened.
Anton was sucked into the vortex—
leaving behind a New York City that remained as lively and unaware as ever.
Their Alliance Chairman had quietly vanished from their world.
Nightfall.
The starry sky spread like a curtain overhead, with the moon hanging high.
Anton—still in his Flash form—stood atop the tallest building of a new city,
his eyes drawn to the Bat-Signal shining brightly against the clouds.
A long-lost smile spread across his face.
With another thought, his form shifted again—
the red suit was replaced by the black armor of Batman.
Anton had not worn this suit in a long time.
"Gotham..."
He gazed at the sprawling city before him and laughed heartily:
"It's our first meeting... Let's have some real fun next time!"
The words faded into the night.
With that, he leaped from the skyscraper, disappearing into the darkness below.
The Dark Knight had returned.
…
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