Staring at the Harun El rock in my hand, I realized I had no friends in this universe.

Nobody I could trust to have my back, and gift them amazing superpowers. I had employees, work colleagues at the Justice League, some side-girls and my wives.

And the only one I might call a friend was Peach, someone I built for myself, partly as a means to have a family in this place, and partly to use her hybrid powers for my own motives.

Diana was close enough to be a friend too, but not really. Same as Fortuna, but from the other angle.

And although I loved Supergirl a lot, and she was now set at 100/100 Affection, I knew she would find a way to screw me over, once our methods clashed. Kara had the same ideals I had, but his was not Naruto. You couldn't create world peace by punching people.

As for the next contender, it was either J'onn or Hal Jordan. Sadly, I also knew that Hal will break once his Coast_City gets wiped. A good opportunity to save the universe and gain myself a bunch of Oa rings, but not much else.

As for J'onn...maybe I should give him a chance. He was the Paragon of Honor after all. It didn't see him betray me just for fun.

I brought Deimos down and had him loot or otherwise destroy anything of value from the Fortress of Sanctuary, including priceless Kryptonian tech and databases, their culture and technology and even bits of their genetic codes and upgrades. When we were done, I had the Earth's Hope fire from orbit and evaporate the site, leaving a kilometer deep crater in the desert, much like the numerous atomic tests have done before.

"Are you testing your ship's firepower in the desert, Wizard?" J'onn asked me a few seconds later as the Watchtower detected our attack.

"Be right there." I answered and teleported to the Watchtower.

"Grey Wizard, recognized." the VI said in the same monotonous tone.

"Next time I visit, say: Rejoice, for the Grey Wizard has arrived!" I instructed the VI in a fake whisper.

"Do you see anyone here rejoicing, Grey Wizard?" the Green Martian asked a bit rhetorical. The cheers were silent, but I knew they were all very cheerful inside.

"You mean the cruiser firing? Such a valiant story, saving the world yet again, from alien invaders from outer space. They even sent a Worldkiller called Reign. Their purpose is quite shocking. They kill worlds..." I answered in a decreasing voice, almost whispering at the end.

"Really, you killed Reign?" J'onn asked a bit amazed. He was there when we failed to kill two other Worldkillers, even with an archangel's help. And likely also during the Sundown Protocol when the DEO attacked Reign and got their legs broken for the effort.

"Only the Kryptonian shadow of Yuda Kal. The human girl is fine." I said with a helpful nod.

"That's excellent news! So the threat is over, right?" J'onn asked a bit ecstatic, then faltered as I just shrugged.

I waved at the intimidated heroes, and Batman just glared at me for no reason. Green Lantern waved back, and Superman rubbed his fist of steel. I didn't expect more punching from the big guy. My lesson was painful, but truly illuminating.

"Superman, Green Lantern, please join us in the conference room!" I demanded in a polite voice, and dragged J'onn with me, while hugging his neck like we were best friends.

"They don't like you. I mean it!" J'onn said in a whisper as we entered to room.

"It doesn't matter." I said in a level voice, and filled the table with my usual menu of booze, ice and glasses.

After a minute, Green Lantern coerced Superman to join somehow and they closed the sound-proof door behind them.

"Tell them, Green Lantern of Sector 2814." I demanded while pouring drinks for every adult around. Not that Earth's laws applied in outer space, but the Justice League had a thing for justice and laws.

"Right. So, not long ago, Grey Wizard claimed that Alura Zor El, the mother of Supergirl was alive, and lived somewhere under a dome. Unlikely as that claim was, it was true." Green Lantern spoke with a shy voice.

"It was? Are there more?" Superman asked with too much hope. His parents were quite dead by now. Maybe. Death was kinda weird in this universe. I even had a counter for extra lives.

"Indeed. A small town filled with Kryptonians. It's called Argo City." Green Lantern disclosed gruffly, and sipped some whiskey to water his mouth.

"And, this Argo City is also the origin of these Worldkillers, I suspect." the Martian Hunter deduced from experience.

You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story.

"Alura is my aunt! She would never tolerate such a criminal act." Superman argued in outrage.

I just shrugged. "One person is not a city. It's like saying you know one good person in Metropolis, thus nobody there can be a criminal." I countered in a casual voice.

Superman clenched his fists, as it wasn't long since General Zod and his merry band of criminals tried to exterminate everyone on Earth.

"What's your plan, Grey Wizard?" J'onn asked more logically.

"We take a few ships and go there. Investigate, break some heads, come home." I proposed in a callous voice.

"You mean your United Earth Force. Daxam ships painted with the American flag." Superman said with disgust.

"I'll have you know, that we already have 5 ships fully crewed now, with elite human soldiers from Earth, and a few aliens as mascots. Even 200 people from Madagascar." I argued in a dignified voice.

Sure, the new recruits were not SEAL material, but then a ship didn't need only space marines. Engineers and maintenance could be had from anywhere. Plus, I owned Madagascar now.

J'onn frowned as I named the country, as did Jordan. "Wasn't that the island where the dropship crashed?" J'onn asked to make sure.

"Exactly. The Madagascar ruling council saw the need to protect themselves from further alien invasions, and sent me their best technicians they had. And if they learn some alien tech during their tour, and go home to build up their island, it's only a coincidence, for sure." I allowed with a shrug.

"They did almost get a world engine crashing over them. Might have sunk the island at that speed." Green Lantern mused to himself.

"Make sure you give Bob enough milk before we leave." I remembered with my eidetic memory.

"It was you! And why do you know my cat's name?" Jordan yelled accusingly at me.

"Oh? Does your cat wear a mask? Should I protect its civilian identity?" I quipped and elbowed J'onn into the joke.

"Enough, Grey Wizard. What else do you know about the Worldkillers and their makers?" J'onn muttered while rubbing his ribs. Maybe I was a bit rough with my new friend.

I threw a Heal spell at him, then took out the Harun El rock. "Yuda Kal is a Kryptonian deity of darkness and teeth. The opposite of Rao, god of light and hope. And it's not just myths, just like our angels and demons."

Superman stared at my Black Kryptonite, almost wanting to touch it.

"This is how they make Worldkillers, dark magic and divine empowerment. On humans, the Harun El acts as an unstable enhancer. Flight, durability, heat vision and such. But then the users go bad and die in agonizing pain. On Kryptonians, it splits them into a good and bad side. Most often, they split into a human body and a Kryptonian spirit of evil. Or in the case of Pestilence, both sides are evil and transform into the Blight. Nasty stuff, killed many planets, just for fun." I spoke in warning.

Superman drew his hand back, suddenly more cautious around the dangerous rock.

"And you already used it on yourself, Grey Wizard! Why do I even bother to ask?" J'onn exclaimed in a despondent voice.

"Of course I did. It wouldn't kill me, but instead grant me enough power to kill their Worldkillers. Three more still remain, but two Worldkillers are dormant after we defeated them once. I will try to split this rock in two and make two more Miracles from it. Much safer to use than the first variant I tried on myself." I explained patiently and stored the rock again.

"It is Black Kryptonite, that glowing black rock. They have a giant boulder of it, in Argo City." Green Lantern spoke with alien knowledge from his ring.

"Yeah. Not all Kryptonians are good, I knew that. And if they have a large boulder of this kind of rock, and a supply of Kryptonians in the city, they can keep making Worldkillers. We have to stop the attacks from the source." Superman said in a sad voice.

"I'll bring a pair of telepath girls with us, to make investigating easier. And can bring your cat too." I spoke towards Jordan with a smirk.

"When do we leave?" J'onn asked with a grin.

"I have to build a Miracle for you, J'onn. So maybe tomorrow. Miracles are quite hard to create." I answered with a wry voice, and poured more whiskey.

J'onn gulped his own drink with a sour face. "It's going to hurt a lot, isn't it?"

"Stop being a pussy, ugly Martian. Pain is only weakness leaving your body. I think I'll cry, when my pain finally ends. That means I won't be able to grow stronger anymore." I complained in my glass, while the three superheroes blinked at me in confusion. Or perhaps wonder.