Batman and Mike collided, grappling tightly like two snakes on the ground. They twisted together, using joint locks, grappling moves, and ground combat techniques. As they rolled, they attacked continuously, each trying to overpower the other. Dry soil flew in all directions as they fought.
The struggle continued in constant motion.
In the next instant, their heads collided violently, blood splattering out.
Within seconds, the outcome was decided.
Batman's hand hit the dry earth heavily. His body went limp, no longer making a sound. Mike, who had been entangled with him, also fell to the side. His face was twisted, his eyes shut tight, his expression filled with pain.
"Damn it! Bruce!!"
Hal clenched his teeth, eyes filled with anguish. The radiant light grenade gripped tightly in his hand was drenched in sweat. The moment he saw Bruce's lifeless body, a feeling of suffocation gripped him, making his body weak.
Even though Bruce had warned him this day might come, seeing it with his own eyes was still too much. He felt like he couldn't breathe.
Bruce's body lay motionless in front of him.
Damn it! At least retrieve the body.
Hal ran toward Bruce's corpse, his eyes red.
His exoskeleton-enhanced boots stepped into the dry mud, splashing dirt.
Suddenly, four beams of intense heat vision slashed toward him from above and below.
Hal abruptly crouched, leaned back in a bridge posture, then rolled across the ground. The exoskeleton device, linked directly to his nervous system, granted him reflexes far beyond normal human capability.
The heat vision chased after Hal's rolling figure, burning the ground into four intersecting scorch marks. The air filled with the acrid smell of scorched earth.
Hal threw the radiant light grenade into the air. It exploded above like a miniature sun, bursting into dazzling red and green light.
This was a hybrid bomb, simulating both green kryptonite radiation and red sun spectrum effects.
The two Kryptonian genetic warriors attacking Hal immediately dropped to their knees under the influence of the green kryptonite radiation and the weakening light of the red sun, breathing heavily.
At the same time, several Kryptonian warriors fighting Ocean Master Orm were caught off guard and lost their combat ability. Orm turned and launched multiple high-pressure water jets, blasting them into the air.
Hal wasn't running toward Bruce's body. He turned back with a heavy heart, dropped a smoke bomb, and retreated from the battlefield.
Two non-Kryptonian warriors gave chase. Hal had no choice but to flee at full speed, abandoning Bruce's corpse.
His heart was filled with anger and helplessness.
Damn it! That dead bat really didn't even want his body recovered.
"Damn!!"
Hal gritted his teeth and roared, dodging two attacks by rolling, then sprinted away without looking back.
...
Remember!
A memory before departure.
In the dimly lit basement, the flickering light cast shadows on half of Hal and Bruce's faces.
Bruce looked calm and said in a low voice, "Hal, I've already told Barry to distract Barmulodi. If Barry succeeds, the world will return to normal."
"What if he fails?" Hal leaned against the wall. The light above shone on his face, casting a heavy shadow. He asked again, "It's too dangerous. You'll die."
"Listen, Hal. We don't know anything about Barmulodi. I need to understand him, his power setup, and all distribution. You just need to act—be angry, grieve, cry."
"The Kryptonian consciousness transfer device allows me to invade and suppress any brain consciousness, taking over a body. With coordinated efforts inside and out, we'll wipe out Barmulodi's faction in one strike."
"You'll recover your Green Lantern abilities and unite with the Green Lantern Corps."
"I've also arranged contact with Aquaman and Wonder Woman. Follow the plan. We'll get help from the Amazons and Atlantis to take down Barmulodi together."
"Even if Barmulodi has been on Earth for ten years, he can't withstand a three-pronged assault from within and without."
Hal stared at Bruce. "It's too dangerous. You'll die. The Green Lantern Corps, Atlantis, the Amazons of Themyscira—they're enough to destroy Barmulodi directly. You don't need to go deep undercover."
"It's not enough. We have to be prepared in case something goes wrong. I've got an experimental base in Nevada. I used my own cells to cultivate a backup body. I can recover at any time."
Hal froze for a moment. "We've been hunted like dogs for years, and you still managed to build a Batcave?"
Bruce gave Hal a serious look. "Alfred maintained it for me."
"Then I guess I'll just be the one collecting your corpse."
Hal joked.
"No. With your IQ and emotions, you'd only get yourself killed. If you see me dead—just run."
Bruce said seriously.
Hal's face twitched.
"Bruce, just based on what you said, if I see you die, I'll run faster than a rabbit."
….
Suddenly.
The painful expression on Mike's face faded. His eyes snapped open. His pupils contracted, and the contact lens in his right eye began projecting chaotic streams of data. But within moments, he had already adapted to the flow of information.
So this... was the configuration of Barmulodi's core personnel.
Mike's gaze swept across the battlefield.
Hal had truly run faster than a rabbit, distancing himself from the battlefield while two warriors chased him from behind.
"Stop. Come back."
Mike ordered the two pursuing warriors to halt and return, letting Hal escape.
"Don't focus on irrelevant people. Handle Orm."
On the other side, nearly ten individuals—two special squads—were surrounding Ocean Master Orm.
The battle had been going well. Ocean Master Orm was close to defeat. But because of Hal's sudden use of a radiation bomb, the four Kryptonian genetic warriors had been weakened. Their ice breath could no longer suppress the outer perimeter. Orm took advantage of the moment, turned over, and unleashed water-based magic to blast his attackers away.
In an instant, Orm summoned a wave over ten meters high and charged forward, shattering the formation. His magical attack heavily injured several Kryptonian genetic warriors.
Ocean Master Orm's expression was vicious. He raised his magical trident high, standing atop a turbulent wave condensed by magic.
(To be continued.)
***
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