DC: Rise of the Kryptonian Tyrant

The massive Monitor battleship fled in desperation. The colossal hand covering the sky, with exposed white bones and a bone-chilling aura, descended with unparalleled might. Like plucking up an ant nest, it reached toward the Monitor battleship, closing in quickly.

This scene shocked many gods.

The Monitor battleship was the size of a universe. With the supreme technology of the Monitor race, even an ordinary Unique God would struggle to match its capabilities. There were even cases of temporary control over Unique Gods using this high-tech power.

Monitor technology was regarded as the pinnacle of technological prowess in the Realm of Gods.

Sun Wukong's heart tightened. His fiery eyes locked onto the oncoming battleship and the sky-darkening hand. With a thought, the Ruyi Jingu Bang grew with the wind, transforming into a giant pillar as it smashed head-on toward the Monitor battleship.

Boom...

The void shook violently. Shockwaves rippled out like waves, stirring storms across hundreds of galaxies. In the span of billions of light-years, the collision flared with blinding light in the void.

The surface of the Monitor battleship took a heavy blow. Its smooth front was dented. After a brief pause, the enormous impact force rebounded, slamming Sun Wukong away.

The overwhelming force shook his Vajra body. Blood sprayed from his mouth, his body trembled, and blood seeped from his wounds, dripping into the dark void. The Ruyi Jingu Bang tore open his palms, and his entire body shook violently, like a mortal struck by a speeding truck.

Sun Wukong, his indestructible body battered, was sent flying through the void. He became a golden speck in the distance, blood trailing behind him as he vanished across countless light-years. The gods could only watch his distant figure turn into a dot and disappear into the darkness.

At the same time, just a moment behind Sun Wukong, Thor of Asgard and Athena of Olympus also took action. Their eyes flashed, and they charged forward with weapons in hand to block the battleship.

As gods, none of them were fools.

Almost instantly, they were certain that the giant hand chasing the battleship belonged to the newly ascended One God, Barmulodi.

Though they didn't know why he was pursuing the Monitor battleship, it didn't stop them from taking the opportunity to show goodwill to the new One God by stepping in to buy time and delay the ship.

In that instant, Thor and Athena were also struck by the Monitor battleship. Blood splattered in the dark void as they were flung away and disappeared into the darkness.

The remaining gods were already filled with regret. They had seen through the intentions of Sun Wukong, Thor, and Athena and were remorseful for not stepping forward in time to earn a favor.

But now, it was too late.

In that brief moment blocked by the three gods, the Monitor battleship was caught by Bardi's massive hand.

That savage, sharp hand with white bones protruding, like a deep-sea octopus stretching out its tentacles, coiled tightly around its prey. With a flex of its fingers, the mighty hand, infused with the power of the cosmos, firmly grasped the Monitor battleship.

No matter how much destructive energy the ship released, even if it could obliterate a universe, it couldn't escape Bardi's grip.

A desperate, anguished cry echoed from within the Monitor battleship.

"I don't accept this!"

"This isn't fair!"

"I only wanted to exchange Superboy-Prime with you. I didn't hurt your wife!"

"I saved your wife!!"

Inside the Monitor battleship, Mandrakk let out a deep wail filled with pain and despair.

This universe had always been under his calculations.

All he wanted were a few corpses of Superboy-Prime. He had gone to great lengths to ensure the safety of Bardi's wife, Raven. He never harmed her.

He had rescued Raven, only to trade her for a worthless Superboy-Prime. Why...?

Mandrakk's cry was filled with grief and desperation.

In the path from which the Monitor battleship had fled, a massive, terrifying face emerged from the darkness.

Within the vortex tunnel created by the Monitor's propulsion, a gigantic face appeared—hideous, majestic, and fearsome. Its dark gaze pierced through the void and struck fear into the hearts of the gods. Many gods trembled, their expressions stiff.

Bardi's enormous face loomed in the abyss like a demonic visage. His cold, dark eyes locked onto the gods and Steppenwolf.

Through the void, his gaze followed Sun Wukong, Thor, and Athena. As he watched their figures flying away, a slight smile formed on his enormous, icy face.

"Good. You can be my friends."

Simply because they had stood up to block the Monitor battleship, they qualified to be his friends.

The three of them had helped stop Mandrakk's escape and allowed Bardi to retrieve his wife one second earlier. That alone earned his friendship. This was also Bardi's first time entering the Realm of Gods, and he needed familiar gods to understand its workings.

Hearing that Bardi had made friends with Sun Wukong, Thor, and Athena, the other gods regretted it so deeply they could feel it in their guts. If only they had acted a moment earlier... If only they had stepped up a second sooner.

Bardi's dark eyes swept coldly across the gods, intimidating a few who tried to suck up and approach. His gaze returned to the Monitor battleship in his grasp.

The massive Monitor battleship groaned as Bardi's sharp fingers pierced through it. His claws extended inside, stopping right before the despairing Mandrakk. The god of despair, filled with unwillingness, let out one final cry.

Bardi ignored Mandrakk's final pleas. This being had used Raven as a bargaining chip, treating her like a mere item in an exchange. That alone drove Bardi beyond rage.

Bardi had entrusted Mandrakk with the Anti-Life Equation and asked him to bring Raven back.

Yet he dared use Raven as a trade token?

Death was too kind.

Bardi's heart was cold with fury. His expression remained unmoved, his eyes dark as the abyss. His monstrous hand clenched the battleship like a soft bun. With a flick, his sharp fingers pierced straight into Mandrakk's chest, ending him on the spot.

After killing Mandrakk, Bardi's vision penetrated the Monitor battleship. In the corner of the main control room, he spotted Raven sealed in crystal. With a flick of his finger, he summoned the blood-red crystal out of the ship.

Bardi's cold eyes locked onto the crimson, frozen crystal. Inside, Raven's mature and voluptuous demonic body was curled up, hugging her knees like a sleeping child.

His expression softened slightly. The tight tension in his chest finally relaxed.

He had destroyed countless universes.

And at last, he had rescued Raven.

(To be continued.)