C514 Spider-Man (Patreon)
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The whole battlefield was a chaotic storm of clashes and powers, heroes and villains locked in a fierce struggle. At the epicenter of it all, two titans faced off, each with their own convictions and strengths pushing them towards conflict.
Superman, his eyes burning with a mix of betrayal and annoyance, floated a few feet above the ground, cape billowing behind him. His chiseled muscles were barely contained by his iconic blue and red suit, a symbol of hope that had inspired many. Yet, in this moment, hope seemed to be in short supply.
Opposite him, Batman, encased in a formidable mechanical suit, gazed at Superman with steely resolve. The suit's metallic surface gleamed in the flickering light of the ongoing battle, alongside the faint green glow of Kryptonite.
Superman broke the silence, his voice laced with disappointment. "Bruce, I never thought you'd stoop this low to use Kryptonite against me..."
Batman's response was curt, "You left me no choice, Clark."
With a burst of inhuman speed, Batman lunged forward, closing the gap between them in the blink of an eye. The first punch was a blur, the mechanical suit amplifying Batman's strength, and it collided with Superman's jaw, sending him staggering backward.
Superman shook off the impact and retaliated with a powerful heat vision beam. The searing energy scorched the ground as Batman deftly dodged, jets on his suit roaring to life. He maneuvered through the sky, firing a volley of missiles that exploded around Superman, momentarily blinding him.
As the smoke cleared, Superman charged forward, fists clenched. His punches landed with earth-shattering force, creating shockwaves that rattled the battlefield. Batman's suit absorbed much of the damage, but he felt the impact in his bones.
"Is this the only way, Bruce?" Superman asked, his superhuman speed allowing him to land blows faster than the eye could follow. "To fight your friends and comrades to prove your point?"
Batman parried a strike and countered with a precision blow to Superman's midsection, his fist pulsing in a green light. Superman gasped, a searing pain ripping through him. “Ugh!” The weakened Kryptonian spit out a mouthful of blood as his ribs cracked, buckling under Batman’s assault.
"I'll do what I must to protect the world, even from you," Batman growled, his voice distorted by the metallic helmet of his suit.
Superman's frustration was evident as he unleashed a devastating heat vision blast, forcing Batman to activate an energy shield that shimmered to life in front of him. The intense heat caused the shield to crack and sizzle, but it held.
Their battle continued, each move a calculated dance of power and strategy. Batman's suit enhanced his physical abilities, giving him the strength to hold his own against the Kryptonian powerhouse. Meanwhile, the Kryptonite in his suit served as a constant reminder to Superman of his vulnerability.
"Is this what it's come to, Clark?" Batman asked, grunting as he landed a punishing blow to Superman's face, splitting his lip. "Your godlike powers brought you adoration, but they also brought fear. Fear that one day, you'd turn against us all, which is why I created this suit… Though I hoped I’d never need to actually use it..."
Superman retaliated with a super-speed flurry of punches, his frustration mounting. "You think I'm the enemy? You, the man who came here in a suit made specifically to kill me? You, who allowed the Joker to slaughter so many people, over and over again?" He said accusingly. “Why can’t you just see that you’re wrong?”
Blood trickled from Batman's mouth as he ducked and weaved to avoid the blows. "Sometimes, Clark, even heroes have to make the hard choices. Do you think I didn’t want to kill the Joker? I would have loved to snap his neck and watch the life leave his eyes, just like you did, but life is precious, no matter who it belongs to."
Their battle raged on, the whole a league, including its leaders, waging war on one another. Batman's suit was battered, and Superman's invulnerability was useless thanks to the presence of Kryptonite. Blood, cuts, and bruises adorned their bodies, evidence of the brutal confrontation.
Superman's frustration grew with every punch he threw, his godlike powers momentarily usurped by the brilliant strategy of a mortal in a suit of armor. Batman's combat skills and unwavering resolve allowed him to hold his ground.
As their brutal contest carried on, they closed the distance one another, and in a final, desperate lunge, Batman delivered a crushing blow to Superman's chest with the Kryptonite-infused gauntlet. The Kryptonian gasped as the painful energy surged through him, sapping his strength.
A guttural cry escaped Superman's lips, and he stumbled backward, his hands clutching his chest where the green glow of Kryptonite persisted. The strength slowly drained from his body, and he fell to one knee, weakened and vulnerable.
It was a moment of triumph for Batman, who stood over his fallen friend, the Kryptonite gauntlet still radiating with its ominous glow. He was unyielding in his determination, undeterred by the betrayed look Superman was giving him, awaiting his death. “Don’t worry, I’m not like you. You’ll have you’re day in court just like everybody else. I’m not a murderer.”
Superman looked into his eyes and scoffed. “And I’m not a criminal. At least by my standards…”
“Your standards don’t matter.” Just as Batman prepared to deliver the final blow, a voice rang out from above.
"Yo!" Peter appeared overhead, his presence completely unexpected. He executed a swift kick, knocking Batman off balance and sending him crashing into the closest building, which exploded upon impact, sending debris flying everywhere.
Superman, weakened from the Kryptonite exposure, which has seeped into his many injuries, slowly pulled himself up into a seated position. His eyes met Peter's, and there was a sense of gratitude in his gaze. "Thank you."
Crouching down beside the fallen hero, Peter asked with genuine concern, "Are you okay?" He asked, noticing the precious blood that dripped from Superman’s wounds. ‘Don’t mind if I do…’
Superman nodded, his voice strained. "I'll be fine."
In that moment, as Peter bent down to check over the battered Kryptonian, he discreetly collected a few drops of Superman's blood and stashed them in a hidden compartment in his suit. No one saw him, and the exchange looked completely normal.
Peter smirked, ‘With Sinestro’s ring as well as Reverse Flash and Superman’s blood, I would say this accidental trip was definitely worth my time…’
Although Peter wasn’t sure whether the Speed Force could be transferred through blood, he was 100% sure that Superman’s many powers would be. After all, every Kryptonian has the potential to be like Superman. All they need is the right sun to make it happen.
As for the Speed Force, Peter was hopeful, but he wasn’t confident. From what he knows, the Speed Force is a cosmic energy field and force based around velocity and movement, and one of the Seven Forces of the Universe. It is the representation of reality in motion, being the very cosmic force that pushes space and time forward.
It grants all speedsters their power, which means he may not be able to take the ability without consent. ‘Not to mention the fact that I don’t even know if the Speed Force exists outside of the DC multiverse…’
Though technically, Wanda’s brother, Pietro, could count as a speedster, so there is a possibility. ‘Maybe I can use some of Pietro’s blood if it doesn’t work?’
Either way, Peter was more excited about getting Superman’s powers than anything else. Especially due to the fact that Kryptonite doesn’t exist in his universe. ‘A Superman with no weaknesses is a scary thing to imagine…’ He thought, the smirk never leaving his face. ‘It’s going to be so awesome!’
As the dust from his impact settled, a disheveled figure emerged from the rubble of the headquarters building. Batman, battered and bruised, struggled to his feet, his mechanical suit showing signs of extensive damage. He glared at the interruption that had halted their confrontation.
"Peter," he growled, his voice laced with irritation. "This was between Clark and me. You had no right to interfere."
Peter, standing confidently, raised an eyebrow and smirked. "No right? Bruce, you brought Kryptonite to a fistfight with Superman. You're lucky I stepped in before things got even messier."
Batman's frustration boiled over as he lunged at Peter, his movements fueled by anger and desperation. His gauntlet, charged with Kryptonite, was ready to strike. But sadly for him, Kryptonite has zero effect on him. After all, Peter wasn’t a Kryptonian.
At least not yet.
With ease, Peter leaned away from Batman's attack, a taunting chuckle escaping his lips. "You really think that's going to work, Bruce? You're out of your league here."
Before Batman could react, Peter backhanded him across the face, sending him tumbling through the air. The Dark Knight crashed into the ground with a resounding thud, his suit's systems flickering as it struggled to maintain functionality.
Superman, still recovering from his battle and the effects of the Kryptonite, watched the whole battlefield with a mixture of sadness and resolve. He knew he had done what was necessary to eliminate dangerous threats, but seeing his former allies fight like mortal enemies weighed heavily on his conscience.
The League's battles continued around him, heroes clashing and powers colliding. It was a stark reminder of how much had changed, how alliances had shifted, and how trust had eroded.
With a sense of resolution, Peter declared, "I think this has gone on long enough."
Superman, surprised by Peter's words, watched as the agile hero disappeared in a blur of speed.
A/N: 1619 words :) Early Chapter!