The nation teetered on the precipice of uncertainty, as the invincible Superman found himself locked in a brutal battle against an adversary most had underestimated.

Lois, her heart in her throat, could scarcely contain her shock as she witnessed the toll this clash had taken on her beloved. From the vantage of a helicopter, her lips quivered, her gaze unwavering, as she watched blow after savage blow rain down upon her partner. Desperately, she struggled to suppress the tears welling in her eyes, but the futility of her efforts was apparent to all.

Viewers in the safety of their homes sat in stunned disbelief, their eyes glued to the live news feed that showed the Man of Steel bearing the scars of this unexpected confrontation. Ace had succeeded in doing the unthinkable—making Superman bleed. Yet deep within Lois, there lingered a fragile hope that this clash might finally cleanse Superman's tortured soul of the shadows that had haunted him in recent weeks.

…

"He's proven even more formidable than my initial assessment," Batman noted, his eyes fixed on footage of Superman ascending into the boundless sky.

"I'll need to update my intel on Ace; It was clear he is quite strong and he had the power to take down Sinestro, but overpowering Superman is an unexpected turn of event," he continued, glancing at the vast screen before him, Alfred standing by with a steaming cup of tea.

"Shouldn't the heroes intervene to aid Superman?" Alfred inquired, handing the cup to Bruce, who accepted it with a nod.

"Without a doubt, Alfred. However, given his allegiance to Lex now, we're powerless until we find a way to break whatever hold Lex has over him," Bruce replied. "Furthermore, we heroes are currently branded as enemies of the state. If we step in, the military might divert their efforts from Ace and focus on capturing us."

"At this rate, Ace might succeed in defeating Superman," Alfred expressed his concern, while Bruce maintained his stoic demeanor.

"Judging by his previous modus operandi, he doesn't typically kill heroes. He might severely rough them up, but stopping short of taking a life," Bruce mused.

RING RING

Bruce pressed a button on his keyboard to answer the incoming call. "Go ahead," he said.

"Have you seen the news?" Barbara's voice crackled over the line. She was on her nightly patrol in Gotham when she stumbled upon a TV store displaying footage of the Ace-Superman showdown.

"Yes, I'm watching it. I think it's time you called it a night and returned to base," Bruce advised.

"He's thoroughly trouncing Superman," Dick chimed in as he strolled into the Batcave.

"No need to state the obvious," Bruce retorted, fixing his gaze on the screen.

"Master Richard, care for some tea?" Alfred offered to Dick, a.k.a Bruce's first son.

"Yes, it would pair nicely with this epic battle. Finally, we get to see what this guy is truly capable of," Dick said as Alfred poured him a cup of tea.

"Indeed, now we'll get to glimpse the trump cards up his sleeve," Bruce added as they continued to witness the unfolding battle between two superhumans.

Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.

…

Rachel's thoughts raced as she marveled at Tom's astonishing strength, finally piecing together how he had infiltrated that heavily fortified military base to rescue her.

"What are you doing, Tom? You shouldn't be pushing this fight to such extremes," she whispered, her eyes glued to the screen. Her heart raced, torn between yearning for Tom's safety and the fervent hope that no one would lose their life in this relentless battle.

A peculiar sensation gnawed at her. "What is this feeling?" she wondered aloud. "Why does it feel so unfamiliar?" Placing her hand on her chest, she realized her heart was racing far beyond its usual rhythm.

Her emotions for Tom had cast aside the facade of her tough, brooding exterior. She couldn't deny her genuine feelings for him, and her deepest wish was for his well-being. "Falling for a bad boy, I guess it was to be expected from me anyway." She muttered to herself as a smile slowly appeared on her lips.

If he somehow ends up killing Superman, his normal bounty would skyrocket off the charts, he'd be pursued relentlessly by the full might of the state's military, the Justice League, and Young Justice. They wouldn't relent until he was completely neutralized.

On the other hand if Superman wins the fight, Tom would be locked up for life in the deepest levels and without ever seeing the light of day. It would affect their little love affair they had going on.

Rachel could only pray that this tumultuous clash would conclude in a way that spared them both.

…

[Tom Hendricks POV]

I observed as he descended from the heavens like a vengeful deity, determined to deliver his judgment upon the mortals below. He streaked through the sky, charged by the relentless energy of the sun, hurtling towards the earth until it seemed he might crash into the ground. At the last moment, he veered, harnessing that momentum to rocket towards me.

Superman closed the gap at a velocity faster than sound, but my superbrain reacted swiftly, reinforcing my defenses. His fist, a missile of pure power, aimed to shatter my protective barrier. Yet, he was sorely mistaken. I extended the range of my deflective field, creating a barrier with an outer layer designed to absorb the force.

The instant he made contact, a massive wave erupted, resembling a sonic boom. The impact sent shockwaves rippling through our surroundings, causing helicopters to veer wildly in the air as they struggled for control. Nearby soldiers were flung through the air, and trucks were tossed by the immense force.

Superman withdrew, attempting to seize me by the neck, but my protective field held strong, rendering his attempts futile. In frustration, he unleashed a barrage of punches, as if I were encased in an invisible sphere.

I couldn't help but notice that his injuries had miraculously healed, and his strength had surged since our initial confrontation—a seemingly unfair advantage.

He unleashed his heat vision, but to his surprise, it was reflected back upon him, sending him soaring into the sky. Undeterred, he promptly resumed his assault. Superman drove his fists into the ground, lifting me atop the ground I stood upon. It felt like something plucked from the pages of a comic book.

With a mighty heave, he hurled me into the air and began a relentless cycle of punches, each strike propelling me further. It was as though he believed he were the protagonist in this narrative, while the rest of us merely played the role of NPCs.

I couldn't abide by this god-like arrogance any longer, especially when he thrust me into the side of a mountain, persistently punching me until we found ourselves in the midst of an active volcano, plunging into molten magma.

The experience was initially terrifying, but it soon became oddly refreshing, reminiscent of a soak in a hot spring. I couldn't tolerate his godlike attitude any further. I retaliated by sending him hurtling out of the volcano, causing molten rock to erupt from the crater we'd created.

The molten lava flowed with unnatural speed toward a small town in the countryside—Smallville. "Gwen, provide me with an estimate of potential casualties if I allow the lava to flow downstream," I murmured to my AI.

"As you're aware, it's headed for Smallville. Typically, it's a two-hour journey from Metropolis, but this volcano is dangerously close to the town, and it will engulf it in flames in under half an hour if left unchecked," Gwen replied, offering a comprehensive assessment of the situation.

More military choppers joined the News helicopter, capturing not only the battle between Superman and me but also the erupting volcano, undoubtedly a breaking news event for Smallville's residents.

Blinded by his rage, Superman blindsided me with a surprise attack from behind, launching me into the erupting volcano. "That's playing dirty," I remarked, pondering how he had managed to dislodge me. It seemed that the solar energy he'd absorbed was akin to a supercharged performance-enhancing drug for Kryptonians.

He followed my descent, diving into the volcano at superhuman speed, relentless in his assault. He hammered me deeper into the molten core, unknowingly unleashing molten magma stones into the air, akin to a meteor shower over Smallville—an ironic twist.

"Hey!!!" I shouted as I caught his fist, locking eyes with his ominously glowing crimson orbs before delivering a resounding headbutt. Superman was sent flying over the lava, poised for another attack.

I slowly approached, hoping my headbutt had knocked some sense into him. "You might not have noticed, but Smallville is on the brink of destruction. You have two options: continue fighting me and let the people of Smallville suffer, or save them from the impending disaster and reduce casualties. The choice is yours," I declared.

He glared at me, still seething, but then turned his gaze to the threatened town. With a solemn nod, he soared down to use his freeze breath on the volcano.

"The weak, those who cannot protect themselves, will remain weak as long as someone is there to save them. It's time they learned to fight for their survival rather than waiting for heroes to rescue them," he declared.

"Lex has truly messed with your mind," I retorted. My words seemed to enrage him, prompting another charge. We burst through the frozen layer of the lava, intensifying the eruption.

It was clear that I had to quell the volcanic upheaval and put the Man of Steel to rest for the night. Unnecessary work, indeed.