[MARVEL/DC] LANDFALL

Iterators.

Judging by the name alone, one could have probably guessed what they were made for pretty quickly.

An Iterator's main purpose was to... well, iterate.

Repeatedly doing the same exact task without fatigue or complaint, and improving by each iteration. In simpler terms, a Mastercomputer.

The entire 'Superstructure' I had entered was essentially just a huge computer. Each of the pillars that held it up weren't just for support, for inside were large cables that drew out electricity from the nearby power grids.

The 'vents' I had used to crawl my way in was a complicated network of cooling systems designed to managed and mitigate the internal heat produced in each cycle.

That's why there's pipes everywhere. Water was contained inside and habitually released to reduce the temprature every now and then.

However, an Iterator wasn't just a mindless computer. It could also be classified as a Super-Advanced AI, capable of making decisions based on prior knowledge without direct orders.

I knew for sure I couldn't break through that Hexlock. The Magic was just out of my reach... but I know who could.

The Iterator itself.

No—AI are incapable of Magic, but that wasn't what I was getting at.

The Hexlock was just a type of magical reinforcement, the actual mechanism that opens and closes the hatch is entirely operated by hydraulics. The Iterator does not need to deactivate the Hexlock, it can just open the hatch from inside to let me in.

That's why I broke the terminal, to set off the alarms and let that damn thing know that I was here.

"...Ah." I groaned from discomfort as I chastized myself. "Why'd I use this arm? Stupid..."

I had punched the terminal with the handless arm. I figured it wouldn't feel like much since all that's left of the hand is a bone, but that didn't seem to be the case.

My eyes narrowed as the alarms continued to blare loudly in the background. Yet as I waited through the seconds, the hatch remained unmoving...

...Shit, is it offline? The thought came to me once more. I had suspected this, but hoped that it wasn't the case.

Because if it was, then I had no reason for staying here anymore...

Still, I refused to accept that possibility. Simply put, the Iterator was in way too good of a condition, especially in contrast to the surrounding buildings. The only things that have been significantly damaged were the Viltrumite flags and banners.

Are they planning to take the Iterators for themselves? That does make sense... I muttered to myself. It would explain why the Superstructure remained relatively safe from harm.

My musings were quickly interrupted as the sound of footsteps and fluttering elytras rapidly approached. Tightening my jaw, I readied myself for combat as the first of the battlion made itself known.

It was identical to the Paradrones I saw outside. A jittering creature with a similiar bodyplan to that of a Viltrumite, but twisted to everything that we stood against.

Its exoskeleton was more like metal than mere tissue, blending together into the naked flesh like some biomechanical armour.

Extending far out from the back of that armour was a pair of insectoid elytra.

Its head was dome-shaped, like that of a soldier's helmet and adorned with two visor-like golden eyes. Drool dripped down from its open maws, razor-sharp teeth grinding hard against eachother. It had 4 upper limbs, the first having fingers and an opposable thumb to hold weapons, and the second adorned with an elongated claw, like that of a scythe or sickle.

In its grabby hands was an energy rifle, one aimed straight towards a wounded Viltrumite.

...Oh, wait. That's me.

—PEW~!

The energy beam shot through the air way faster than it had any right to be. The thrum of force booming straight to me in this enclosed hallway.

—BOOM~!

With a last second step to the side, I narrowly avoided the beam as it flew past my shoulder and struck the hatch behind me.

Immediately taking this window of opportunity, I used the momentum of my side step against the floor and hurled myself across the hallway.

"GRAA!" The Paradrone screeched as it frantically tried to shoot again, but the reload wasn't faster than me, it couldn't be.

—SPLAT~!

Like crushing an insect, I grapped the Paradrone's head with my remaining hand and smashed it against the wall. It splattered spectacularly as blood and brain bits dropped to the ground, with only mush remaining from the head.

But before I even had the chance to relish the kill, another beam shot from the dark and covered my line of sight.

I didn't dodge this time around. Instead, I made use of what was at hand and blocked it with the Paradrone's body, using it as a meatshield.

You would expect them to have at least some resistance towards their own weapons, but that wasn't the case as the beam dug straight into the Paradrone's flesh and instantly blew huge portions off.

Throwing what remained of the corpse into the shadows, it slammed against another Paradrone as my eyes scanned for how many there were.

Too many.

These goons utilized swarm tactics to stall for time until one of the big guys come to finish the job.

Fortunately for me, this narrow hallway gave quite an advantage. Only those in the front row could shoot safely, and if the ones in the back still want to have at it, then they'll just hit their own guys at the front.

A Paradrone charged at me with not a thought behind those golden eyes. Unlike its siblings, it chose to strike out with its claws instead of shooting.

I wonder why it would think that would be better.

I stayed put as it slashed down on me, my eyes focused on another Paradrone that pulled the triggle on its rifle.

Grabbing the claw of the melee Paradrone, I tackled this one to the side as we dodged the beam together, and then continuing the dance, I pushed it against the wall and stabbed my exposed bone through its skull.

Turning back, I was met with a rambunctious squad of Paradones as they swarmed around me like scavangers to a rotting corpse.

"...RAAGH!"

In response, I shouted with all my lungs as the overwhelming force pushed all of them back and even exploded some of their heads whilst stunning the majority.

Tearing out a new asshole for one, another leapt at me before I elbowed it against the wall. Multiple grouped up against me as a volley of energy beams shot through the air, disregarding the Paradrones in front of them.

I killed another, and then another, but they just kept coming and coming.

Blood and guts covered every crevice of the hallway as the bodies piled and piled. I quickly began to regret my earlier assessment as I realized that the advantage wasn't on my side.

I couldn't go all out even if I wanted to, the key to my escape was the Iterator—I would damage it too much if I wasn't careful.

At this rate... a big one's definitely going to come! I cursed inwardly as I gazed at the hatch with a heavy frown. "Open already, damn it!"

Yet nothing continued to happen.

I gritted my teeth in frustration as I held off the horde, slaughtering the small fry and continuing to waste my stamina.

Another claw swept down against me, but this was different. It was faster, and much, much sharper. The claw broke through the outer layer of my skin and bled me a new wound on the right pec.

"Shit!" I cursed, throwing a punch at this stronger foe. It took a mighty haymaker against the jaw, shattering the bone and knocking out teeth.

But it remained alive as it jumped back to recover from its broken jaw.

It stood out in contrast to the rest with its sheer size alone, standing a few heads taller than the tallest of Paradrones. A bulky figure rippled with biomechanical muscles, paired with an additional set of elytra and dagger-like claws.

Unlike its lesser counterparts and their golden eyes, the creature completely lacked eyes altogether. The upper part of its face entirely concealed by armored plating to prevent head injury and adorned with two horn-like sensors.

Veins of glowing energy flowed underneath its swamp green scales, connecting to the golden plating that served as its biomechanical armour. At the centre of its solar plexus, the Omega Symbol was glowing brightly in a scarlet light.

It snarled with its bestial jaws, a snout that was even more removed from any sign of intelligence, saliva pooling down from its tongue. Yet I knew for a fact that this thing was actually smarter than the Paradrones, much smarter.

Parademon.

The Parademon moved fast as I barely readjusted myself from the previous hit, striking me with another slash. This time, I managed to dodge it but not without cost as an energy beam from the back hit me straight in the abdomen.

It didn't do much damage, but successfully managed to distract me for a slight moment, a slight moment that the Parademon immediately clung to as it bit down hard with its jaws, fangs sinking deep into my shoulder and drawing blood.

The pain was immense, but I made no moan or groan of pain, I couldn't afford to as the adrenaline kicked in. Using the same limb that it had chomped on, I quickly reached up and grabbed the Parademon by its cheek.

"...Ragh!" I growled as I brought the beast's head straight into the floor with a powerful slam.

—CRACK~!

The plating on its head cracked and almost shattered as I rose up before giving it a kick to the face. Breaking the Parademon's skull even further.

I took a quick breather before punching a hole into the gut of an approaching Paradrone and flying back to make distance.

The way it moved... I noted with a grim realization as I glanced at the the Parademon on the floor. "...Huh?"

"You're still alive?"

The Parademon only gave an unsettling cackle at that statement. An eerie smile spreading forth from its jaws as it stumbled back up onto its feet.

Emerging from the edges of its exoskeleton were small utility swarms of organic nanites, the tiny nanoforms converging upon its shattered skull and replacing damaged tissue with perfectly healthy flesh and bone.

They have regeneration now...? I muttered inwardly as I considered the rammifications of this new ability. The Parademon roared out as it shouted an articulate war chant.

"...For Darkseid!"

It rushed towards me in a mad sprint. I readied myself to face it head on but stopped at the last moment as my eyes snapped back. Now? It's finally opening!?

To my surprise, the hatch began to slide open as I turned back and shot off from the floor. I didn't hesitate to fully engage my flying muscles as I accelerated into the Core.

The Parademon practically roared as it tried to do the same, following just a few meters behind me with its fluttering elytra as it zoomed through the hallway.

"CLOSE IT!" I shouted to the Iterator as it immediately acted upon the order and started sealing the hatch back in place, the hydraulics moving with rapid pace.

My life flashed before my eyes as the Parademon entered the Core at the last second. Luckily, only the upper portion of its body went through before the hatch sealed shut.

Against the Hexlock-reinforced steel of the hatch, the Parademon could only howl an agonizing scream before its abdomen was utterly crushed under the pressure and severed in one fell swoop, splitting the beast into two as its guts spilled into the Core's entrance.

Not taking any chances with its regeneration, I moved closer and stomped my foot against its head as hard as I could physically muster. This time, its head completely broke apart as the brain splattered across the floor.

With that, I breathed a sigh of relief.

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Author's Note

How's the chapter? If you notice any grammar issues, please comment.

I would really appreciate it if you Power Stone merchants can toss me a few, maybe even a Review or two?

Cheers.