A little more left to reach the weekly goal, but I figured, meh, might as well post early.

Honestly, I was in a bad mood after reading shitty translated work everyone said good in reviews. For some reason, I didn't stop early.

Now I wanna hang my self and shoot a nuke at me to put me out of my misery.

The chinese! It Burns!

I curse your 18 generations damn author! 😑😑😑

This garbage is top 5 somehow. I fear for you all.

*****

After entering the Multiverse again, Edward noticed the subtle change when they arrived on Earh-1.

Death also felt it. She whispered softly, " So, this earth is no longer able to remain as the prime earth?"

Edward was curious immediately. " How can you tell. I only felt the life force has diminished a little here, and some sort of barrier which I guess is related to the source wall, got a little thinner I guess."

Death sighed. " When a world is designated as the Prime universe, it's not just a title. That prime Earth influences the entire multiverse and timelines, as every thing is based off that particular world.

And Earth is basically the core of each universe. If the core is destroyed, the universe lacks stability and it just collapes. So when a prime universe is severly damaged, the whole multiverse is at risk. So, in such cases, the title is switched to the universe with the most stable environment and timeline."

Edward nodded with interest. " So because The Anti Monitor and Darkseid showed up here in this universe, that destabilized it? I kinda share the blame though in that case." He sighed.

Death held his hand warmly. " No honey, you came to stop the crisis. Anti-Monitor had already set his sights on it.

If you didn't show up, they would all be dead. Maybe the multiverse too, and I'll be busy running around reaping lives for next century or so. Losing some protection is basically a cheap price to pay compared to that."

Edward smiled. " Aww, is my adorable wife trying to cheer me up? You can wear that Sexy Santa costume then. That does put a smile on my face.

Let's go to the Ritz in Paris. I wanna see if I can show my ownership card and prank them."

Death shook her head but had a smile on her face. " You are so childish when you are relaxed. Almost feels like you become someone else when you are fighting."

Edward shrugged. " Well, I kinda do. Anyway, let's go. We can go back after we have some quality time and fun. I also want to know what timeline is this."

Death chuckled and followed him as they flew towards Earth-1 Paris."

***

Edward walked through the portal with a pep in his step, followed by a blushing Death whose pale cheeks had gained a rosy hue.

She smiled lovingly as they walked out holding hands, emerging onto the ruined landscape of Earth-3 where the Justice League was waiting nervously.

The moment they appeared, Diana's head snapped around. Her eyes widened with relief and she immediately rushed forward, tackling Edward with a hug that would have broken a normal person's ribs. "Father! You're back! What happened out there!"

Edward stumbled back a step from the impact, laughing as he wrapped his arms around his daughter.

Before he could answer, Diana's instincts kicked in. Her eyes landed on Death standing beside him, and her expression shifted to pleasant surprise.

"Hello Auntie Telute. When did you show up?"

Death smiled warmly and pulled Diana into a hug, her earlier fury completely replaced by maternal affection. "Mhmm, you have grown a lot, child." She stepped back, looking Diana over with genuine pride before her expression shifted to exasperation.

She gave Edward a pointed glare. "I had to go help your idiot father as he was being reckless, and almost ended up handicapped."

Edward gasped theatrically, pressing a hand to his chest in mock offense. "It wasn't that bad! I was winning!"

Death scoffed, crossing her arms. The gesture would have looked petulant on anyone else, but on her it somehow maintained an air of cosmic authority.

"I found you bleeding and nearly... well, not dead. But you were seriously injured! I almost got a heart attack when I saw you like that!"

Diana's face went pale. Her hands immediately moved to Edward's arms, searching for injuries with the careful precision of someone trained in battlefield medicine.

Her eyes scanned every visible inch of him, looking for wounds, burns, anything. "What happened? Are you alright? Does it still hurt?"

Edward laughed, the sound genuine and warm. He patted her head affectionately, the gesture so familiar that Diana's worry eased slightly. "I'm fine, sweetie. My wonderful wife was gracious enough to give me a thorough 'checkup.'"

He winked at Death, his grin taking on a mischievous edge.

Death's pale cheeks flushed crimson. She smacked him on the back, hard enough that the sound echoed across the ruined landscape. "Don't you dare."

Edward raised his arms in surrender, still grinning like a fool. "Okay, okay! I yield!"

The rest of the Justice League had been hanging back, giving the family their moment, but now they gathered around.

Bruce approached with measured steps, his cowl pulled back to reveal his analytical gaze. He looked Edward over carefully, noting the lack of injuries, the relaxed posture, the genuine smile.

Finally, he nodded. "I'm glad you're safe."

The simple statement carried weight. Coming from Batman, it was practically a declaration of deep concern.

Arthur jumped forward eagerly, his eyes bright with excitement. "So tell me what happened, Master! Did you beat up some strong guys again?"

Clark raised an eyebrow, his expression curious. "Again?"

Arthur nodded enthusiastically. "Yeah! Master always told me stories of how he beat up bad guys all over the world.

Like the time he fought that god in Norway, or when he punched out that demon in Europe, or—"

Barry stepped forward, a knowing smile on his face. "Figures. Edward is the guy who freed humanity from the Age of Gods after all. Fighting cosmic-level threats is probably just another Tuesday for him."

Hal also leaned in, his characteristic cockiness tempered by genuine curiosity. "Yeah, big man, tell us! What kind of heavyweight bout are we talking about here?"

Hank stepped closer as well, though his posture was more reserved. "I am curious as well. The energy readings we detected were... unprecedented."

Edward smirked and gestured at Hank with a teasing expression. "Why? So you can steer clear of the fight again next time?"

Hank's face flushed red with embarrassment. "Please don't make fun of me, Sir Edward. I simply acknowledge when I'm outclassed."

Faora, standing beside her husband, chuckled. Her Kryptonian features carried amusement rather than judgment. "He's not wrong, Hank. Though in this case, we all would have been outclassed."

Edward's expression grew more serious, though his smile remained. He glanced around at the assembled heroes, at their expectant faces, and decided they deserved at least some of the truth.

"Alright children, gather round. It's story time."

The Justice League formed a loose circle around him. Even the Earth-3 heroes who'd been helping with recovery efforts drifted closer, curious about what had happened beyond their reality.

Edward began explaining, his tone shifting between casual and grave as the situation demanded. "So first, I tracked down the mastermind behind this whole mess. Turns out it was something called the Anti-Monitor—a cosmic entity whose entire purpose is consuming universes. He literally eats realities."

Clark's expression darkened. "That's... what caused all this? The thing that nearly destroyed everything?"

"Yep," Edward confirmed. "Big gray bastard with enough power to unmake existence itself. And he was working for something even worse—his creator, trying to reshape the entire multiverse according to her twisted visionor rnd it and build a new one."

Bruce's eyes narrowed behind his cowl. "And you fought him?"

"Fought him, beat him, carved him up pretty good," Edward said matter-of-factly. "Our battle was..." he paused, searching for the right word. "Legendary!"

Barry chuckled at the reference. Everyone stared at him and he looked confused. " None of you got the reference?"

Edward waved casually. " They lack pop culture knowledge. Anyways, We're talking reality-breaking levels of power being thrown around. I hit him with everything I had—weapons that could kill gods, attacks that could erase concepts from existence. Nearly finished him off too."

Diana's grip on his arm tightened. "Father..."

Edward patted her hand reassuringly before continuing. "I had him on the ropes. One more good hit and he would have been done for. But then..." His expression soured. "Another Big one showed up. You guys met him before. Darkseid."

The name hung in the air like a curse. Earth-X Justice League had faced his avatar before, but for Earth-3, they never had the misfortune. So Edward explained in more detail for them.

"Darkseid is a New God from a place called Apokolips," Edward continued. "Lord of tyranny, wielder of something called the Omega Effect—these red beams that can erase you from existence. Not kill you, erase you. Like you never existed at all."

Earth-3 Luthor was intrigued. " And your world fought him off before?"

Hal nodded. " Yeah, but he has countless avatars. We only fought one of his weakest avatar."

Edward shook his head. " this wasn't some projection or avatar. This was him in full, his true form from beyond the multiverse itself. You guys won't be able to beat him with your current strength."

Barry whistled low. "That sounds bad."

"It was," Edward admitted. "Guy was there looking for the Anti-Life Equation—basically a mathematical proof that free will doesn't exist. With it, he could enslave every thinking being across all realities."

Arthur's eyes widened. "That's horrible!"

"Yeah, not great," Edward agreed dryly. "So I fought him one-on-one in this void beyond the multiverse—a place where reality doesn't really exist the way we understand it.

Actually held my own too, landed some serious hits. For a while there, I thought I might actually win two fights back to back ."

Shazam had stars in his eyes. " Man you are badass!"

Edward grinned, genuine pride in his voice. "Guy even acknowledged me as an equal. Apparently I'm the first mortal he's ever said that about.

He even offered to make me his second-in-command if I joined him. Pretty decent considering his ego is bigger than galaxy."

Arthur beamed. "Master, that's amazing! You're so cool!"

"It was pretty cool," Edward admitted. "Right up until the Anti-Monitor came back, rebuilt himself, and offered Darkseid an alliance."

Bruce's jaw tightened. "They teamed up against you?"

"Yep. Not a threesome I wanted to be a part of, but got it either way." Edward's tone was almost cheerful despite the gravity of what he was describing.

"Two cosmic-level entities working in perfect coordination. Every time I focused on one, the other attacked.

They cut off every escape route, predicted every movement. Darkseid with his Omega Beams that tracked me across dimensions, the Anti-Monitor with antimatter that erased whatever it touched."

He paused, and for the first time, genuine weight entered his voice. "It was the first time in a very long time that I was truly overwhelmed.

They tore through my defenses, kept me from using my full strength. Even my regeneration couldn't keep up with the damage fast enough."

Death's hand found his, squeezing gently. Her eyes held understanding and residual worry.

"I was in a tight spot," Edward said simply. "So I made a decision. I was going to use one of my techniques—something that requires a massive sacrifice but can erase even beings like them from existence completely."

Diana's breath caught. She knew what that meant. She'd heard enough of her father's stories to understand what "massive sacrifice" implied.

"But before I could unleash it," Edward's expression shifted to something between relief and amusement, "the void started shaking. Like all of existence was being grabbed and rattled by something impossibly vast."

He glanced at Death, who blushed slightly at the attention.

"Then my wonderful wife tore through reality itself, stepped into a place beyond the multiverse that she technically shouldn't be able to reach, and absolutely terrified two of the most powerful beings in creation. They ran away like high school kids being chased by bullies"

Diana leaned forward eagerly. "What did you do auntie?"

Death cleared her throat, looking slightly embarrassed. "I may have... lost my temper. Seeing him broken and bleeding like that, I..." She trailed off, her cheeks reddening further.

Edward grinned widely. "She threatened to erase them from the fabric of reality. Not kill them—erase the concept of their existence."

"And they ran," he continued, his grin becoming smug.

"Darkseid, Lord of Apokolips in his true form. The Anti-Monitor, destroyer of universes. They heard her promise to rip them apart molecule by molecule, and fled like scolded children. Didn't even try to fight."

Arthur burst out laughing. "That's amazing master! Even your wife is so cool!"

Hal shook his head in disbelief. "Your wife chased off two cosmic gods even you had trouble fighting.?"

"My wife," Edward said with obvious pride, pulling Death closer despite her half-hearted protest, "is very strong. She can kick cosmic beings and still look breathtaking while doing it."

He looked at her fondly. "So yeah, she's kind of a badass."

Death elbowed him gently, though she was smiling. "Stop bragging about me. You were holding back."

"Still, you saved the day honey," Edward replied cheerfully.

Diana muttered under her breath. " Yeah, because she is literally Death! No wonder those guys ran away."

She suddenly had a thought. 'If she is so strong, how strong is Father at his full strength?'

Bruce processed all this information with his usual analytical precision. "So the immediate threat is neutralized. But these entities—Darkseid and the Anti-Monitor—are still out there."

"They are," Edward acknowledged, his expression growing serious again. "And they'll be back eventually. Darkseid is still looking for that Anti-Life Equation, and the Anti-Monitor is still working for his creator.

But for now, they're licking their wounds and rethinking their strategies. We've bought ourselves time. I have also decided to speed up my plans."

He looked around at Earth-3's devastated landscape, at the heroes who'd fought so hard to protect what remained. "Speaking of which, I should talk to Lex alone before we leave."

Alexander Luthor of Earth-3 stared at the ruins of what had once been his laboratory, his battle suit somehow still immaculate despite the chaos around him.

When Edward approached, he straightened, his expression carefully neutral.

"Welcome back," he greeted. "I heard you were successful."

"The threat's neutralized," Edward confirmed. "For now, at least. Your world is safe."

Luthor's eyes swept across the devastation visible in every direction. Buildings reduced to rubble, the sky still bearing scars from the antimatter wave, the ground cracked and broken.

"Safe is relative. Earth-3 has been devastated. Millions dead, infrastructure destroyed, our society fractured. Still, I'm grateful."

"Then rebuild it," Edward said simply. "But build it better this time."

Luthor raised an eyebrow. "Better?"

"You're the smartest man on your world, Lex. You've always known your society was twisted, that the systems in place were fundamentally broken."

Edward's gaze was direct, piercing. "This is your chance. The old world is gone. Build something new. Something worth protecting."

Luthor was silent for a long moment, his analytical mind working through the implications.

Finally, he nodded slowly. "A world where heroes are actually heroes. Where the strong protect the weak instead of exploiting them."

He met Edward's eyes. "It won't be easy. There will be resistance, chaos, setbacks."

"Nothing worth doing ever is," Edward replied. He extended his hand. "But I have faith in you. Just... try not to be evil like my world's Luthor, yeah?"

Luthor actually smiled, a genuine expression rather than his usual calculating smirk. He shook Edward's hand firmly. "I'll do my best, Sir Edward."

His expression grew more serious, something like genuine gratitude entering his voice. "Thank you, For everything. Without your intervention, without you and your League's help, Earth-3 wouldn't exist anymore. My world, my people—we owe you a debt that can never be repaid."

"Thank the Justice League ," Edward said, gesturing to where the heroes were helping with recovery efforts. "They're the ones who stood against impossible odds to buy me time. They held the line when everything was falling apart."

Luthor nodded, his gaze moving to the assembled heroes with something approaching respect. "I will. They showed us what real heroes look like." He paused, then added quietly, "Perhaps there's hope for us yet. For all of us."

Edward clapped him on the shoulder. "There's always hope, Lex. Just have to be willing to reach for it."

***

After bidding farewell to Earth-3 and its heroes, the Justice League returned through the portal to their own Earth. The transition was jarring—from Earth-3's devastation to their own world's relative peace and ongoing recovery.

Almost a week had passed on Earth-X during the crisis. Time had flowed differently across the dimensional barriers, and the world had been working to rebuild in their absence.

The portal opened in the middle of the rebuilt Metropolis, and the Justice League emerged to find their world transformed.

News broadcasts played on the main screens, showing recovery efforts across the globe, memorial services for those lost in the initial antimatter wave, celebrations of survival and unity.

Humanity had banded together in the face of near-annihilation, and the results were visible everywhere—nations cooperating, barriers breaking down, people helping people regardless of borders or differences.

The UN had promised to work together and restore their planet. Edward's casual mention of him popping up to have a chat with them did the job.

Edward gathered the Justice League together one final time before he left. His expression was serious despite his casual posture, and the heroes instinctively formed a loose circle around him, sensing the importance of what he was about to say.

"Listen up, everyone," he began, his voice carrying the weight of experience and certainty.

"What we just faced—the Anti-Monitor, Darkseid —that wasn't an anomaly. That's the new reality you need to prepare for. Things will only get crazier from now on."

The heroes looked at him with varying expressions—Bruce's calculating analysis, Clark's steadfast determination, Diana's warrior's resolve, Barry's nervous energy, Hal's focused attention, Arthur's loyal intensity, Hank's curiosity, Faora's protective awareness.

"There are countless threats out there," Edward continued, his gaze moving from face to face. "Cosmic entities, interdimensional invaders, gods and demons and things that defy easy classification.

I've dealt with enough of them over the centuries to know—Earth is special. It's a nexus point, a place of power and significance in ways most people don't understand. That makes it valuable. That makes it a target."

He let that sink in for a moment before continuing. "You can't rely on me to save the day every time something like this happens. I won't always be available or even aware of the threat until it's too late. I have my own responsibilities, my own family to protect, my own battles to fight.

So you need to grow stronger. All of you. Not just individually, but together."

He pointed at Clark. "You've barely scratched the surface of what you can do. Your Kryptonian heritage has depths you haven't even begun to explore. Push past your limits. Find out what you're truly capable of."

He looked at Bruce. "You need to prepare for every scenario you can imagine and then prepare for the ones you can't. Build contingencies. Create countermeasures. Be ready for threats that make the Anti-Monitor look like a warmup."

He patted Diana's head despite her protest. "You're a natural warrior, trained by me and your mother. But you're also divine, holding power of Zeus. You need to fully embrace both sides of your nature. Learn what it truly means to be an Amazon and a goddess."

He looked at Barry. "You're connected to the Speed Force—a cosmic power source that you've barely begun to understand. Master it. Learn its secrets, its possibilities. Speed is more than just running fast. It can change everything m"

He spoke to Hal next. "Your will is already strong, strong enough to be chosen by one of the universe's greatest force. But it can be even stronger. The Green Lantern Corps chose you for a reason. Live up to that potential. "

He added with a smirk. "Atleast you have improved from what Carol told me about you. Seriously, crushing on lady Santa of all people? Her husband could fold you.

Do you know how strong Santa is ? He just casually breaks into Apocalypse every Christmas to give Darkseid a coal. Even Darkseid can't do anything to him."

Justice League members were both baffled and chuckling at the words.

Hal was shocked. " Wait what? And how do you know her!"

Edward shrugged. " I founded the Blue Lantern corps to maintain peace. Of course I know all the members. We even have annual brunches. Diana tagged along as a kid."

Diana nodded. " Mrs. Santa bakes somes excellent cookies."

Hal just shook his head. " I need therapy."

Edward then turned to Arthur. "The oceans cover most of this planet, and they hold secrets older than humanity itself.

Ancient powers, forgotten magics, creatures that predate civilization. Learn to command them. Atlantis is more than just a kingdom—it's a legacy.

You were always too reckless, but I'm glad you grew up well. Keep the Trident. It belonged to Poseidon. Although his domain was gifted by me to Hera after I killed him."

Arthur bowed respectfully. " I will, Master. Thank you."

He smirked at Hank. " As for you, I know you are one of the last few of martians, but maybe participate a little more ? Having broken powers is no use if you never use them. Perhaps I can take you to hell for fireproof training?"

Hank smiled wryly. " I will try . But I'll have to pass up on the trip to hell."

Edward chuckled. "That's not fun."

He then nodded at Faora. "You were a soldier, trained to follow orders and conquer. But you're more than that now. You're a protector, a guardian. Embrace that role fully. Find what you're protecting and why it matters."

His expression grew more intense, more serious. "But more important than any individual strength—work together.

Learn from each other's strengths and help shore up each other's weaknesses.

Because the next crisis might not give us time to assemble from across the globe. It might not allow for second chances or clever plans. You need to be able to trust each other implicitly, to fight as a unit without hesitation."

He paused, his voice softening slightly but losing none of its certainty. "You've already proven you can stand against impossible odds. I watched you hold the line time and time again.

You didn't run. You didn't surrender. You fought with everything you had to protect your world . That takes courage, dedication, and strength that most people will never understand."

Bruce stepped forward, his expression serious but carrying the faintest hint of what might have been pride. He extended his hand. "We won't let you down. We'll be ready."

Edward shook it firmly, meeting his eyes. "I know you won't. I have faith in all of you."

One by one, the other heroes clasped his hand, each making their own silent promise.

As Edward prepared to leave, Diana hugged him one more time, holding on perhaps a moment longer than necessary.

When she pulled back, her eyes held both affection and concern. "Be safe, Father. And try not to pick fights with cosmic entities for at least a little while."

Edward laughed, the sound genuine and warm. He ruffled her hair affectionately, a gesture so familiar it made her smile despite everything.

"No promises, sweetie. Trouble seems to find me even when I'm not looking for it. But I'll try to be more careful. And be on time for your party. your siblings are quite eager to see you."

He turned to Death, who had been watching the exchange with fond amusement, her earlier fury completely replaced by gentle warmth. She'd been content to let him have his moment with his students and daughter, but now she stepped forward and took his hand.

"Ready to go home?" Edward asked, squeezing her hand gently.

"More than ready," she replied, her voice carrying layers of meaning. "But where's Cassie? Aren't you going to check up on her?"

"Nah, it's fine. Let her have some fun. As long as she doesn't break anything it's fine."

Death shook her head. "You two are more alike than you think. Now let's go. We have a birthday party to plan, remember? Diana's celebration is in just a couple of days."

"Right!" Edward's expression brightened. "Can't miss that. Though after this whole crisis thing, maybe we should make it extra special. Something to remind everyone that life goes on, that there's still joy worth celebrating."

Death smiled at him, warm and loving. "That sounds perfect."

Together, they stepped through a portal of their own making, one that shimmered with the strange colors of the space between spaces.

Edward paused just before passing through, looking back at the assembled heroes one final time.

"Take care of each other," he said simply. "And take care of Earth. It's more precious than you know."

Then he and Death were gone, the portal closing behind them with a soft sound like a sigh.

The Justice League stood in silence for a long moment, processing everything they'd learned, everything they'd experienced, everything they'd been charged with.

Finally, Bruce spoke, his voice carrying quiet authority. "He's right. We need to be stronger. All of us. Starting now."

Clark nodded, his expression thoughtful. "Agreed. Whatever's coming next, we need to be ready."

Diana smiled, fierce and determined. "Then let's get to work."

The crisis was over. The world was safe. For now.

But the Justice League knew, that this was just the beginning. That greater threats lurked beyond the stars, beyond dimensions, beyond understanding.

And they would be ready.

Unknown to them, a lone spaceship was heading towards earth being chased by a giant mothership, bringing both chaos and salvation for Earth.

Only time would tell which forces prevail.