Bab 78: Chapter 75: Just in Time II
The chaos that had engulfed Earth was being broadcast live on every major news network, capturing the horrors of the invasion. From Beijing, China, to Lagos, Nigeria, Johannesburg, South Africa, and even London, England, reporters stood in front of crumbling cities, each one describing the nightmare unfolding across the globe. The invading Parademons had struck without mercy, and for the first time in modern history, humanity was united in a shared struggle against an otherworldly foe.
In Beijing, a reporter stood with a shaky microphone in hand, the skyline of the city behind her darkened by thick smoke. "The streets are flooded with people, families desperately trying to flee. The army is doing everything it can, but—" An explosion echoed in the distance, and the camera jerked toward a crumbling building collapsing onto itself. "—but these demonic entities are overwhelming them!"
The broadcast cut to Johannesburg, South Africa. A reporter there stood among rubble, charred cars overturned in the streets. Fires raged unchecked, and civilians could be seen scrambling for cover as the military fired at the demons from every direction. "The South African Defense Force is pushing back, but the enemy keeps coming. People are panicking, trying to escape, but the demons won't stop. And now… there are *others* fighting them. Who are they? What do they want?"
The camera zoomed in to show strange figures—Toneri's puppets—chasing Parademons through the sky, firing beams of light that incinerated the monsters. The sight was unsettling, as even amidst the relief of seeing the invaders fall, a new mystery loomed.
In Washington, D.C., a group of government officials huddled in a dimly lit war room, watching the feeds from all over the world. General Ryan leaned over the map of global activity. "What do we know about these other forces? They're helping, but for how long? Are they really our allies?"
A security advisor chimed in, her voice heavy with uncertainty. "They're fighting the alien entities, but we have no idea where they came from. We need to prepare for anything."
Ryan sighed. "All right, let's activate contingency protocols. Get the Superman fallback plans ready."
Another officer stood, excusing himself from the room, stepping outside for a private call. His expression hardened as he dialed a secure number. The voice that answered was unmistakably Lex Luthor's—cold, confident.
"So, those trigger-happy idiots are considering the nuclear option?" Luthor asked, his tone dry, as though discussing a minor inconvenience. "What do they have on the portals themselves?"
"Not much, sir," the soldier admitted, "we haven't been able to get close enough to study them."
Luthor let out a low hum of thought. "Pity," he said, before the line went dead.
The soldier returned to the war room where government officials and military generals continued to argue about the next course of action. The uncertainty in the room grew as the world teetered on the edge of disaster.
---
In New York, Times Square's iconic electronic billboards flashed warnings and live feeds of the global invasion. The usual vibrant crowd had turned into a flood of people running for their lives, dodging falling debris and parademons swooping down to wreak havoc. A young brunette sprinted across a side street, weaving between cars as the chaos unfolded, and despite the madness, she stood out for one peculiar reason: three floating green orbs of energy hovered around her, rotating like small planets in orbit.
Soldiers called out to her, urging her to take cover, but she ignored them, her eyes locking on a child trapped under a large piece of rubble. Without hesitation, she sprinted toward the girl, who was crying in fear.
"Hey, hey, calm down. I'll get you out of here," she said softly, kneeling beside her. "What's your name?"
The girl wiped her tears and whimpered, "Jeanna."
The lady smiled warmly, "Okay, Jeanna, I'm Elizabeth. Don't worry, I'll get you out." She glanced around, searching for something to help her lift the debris. Her eyes landed on the floating orbs beside her. "What else can these things do?" she muttered.
Suddenly, several Parademons landed nearby, their mouths glowing with fiery intensity. They unleashed a torrent of flames toward Elizabeth and Jeanna, engulfing them in fire. For a few agonizing seconds, it seemed like nothing could survive the heat. But then, from the smoke, a green orb shot out, piercing through the chest of one of the Parademons and continuing through three more in rapid succession, killing them instantly.
As the smoke cleared, an emerald shield was seen enveloping Elizabeth and Jeanna, protecting them from harm. The green orb that had fired out returned to its orbit around Elizabeth, while the shield shrank and became another floating orb once again.
Elizabeth exhaled, a slight smile of relief forming on her lips. "Okay, then. That's handy."
One of the orbs moved on its own, expanding and morphing into a more human-like form. Slowly, it developed arms, legs, and a head. The figure that emerged looked much like one of Toneri's puppets, though more human in appearance. Half of its face was covered, but there was an unmistakable sign of intelligence in its eyes as it silently lifted the debris, allowing Elizabeth to pull Jeanna free.
"Thank you," Elizabeth said, awestruck by the puppet's strength. "What… what are you? Who are you?"
The puppet paused for a moment before replying, "I am a sentry, assigned to you by my lord."
"Your lord… it's Toneri, isn't it?" Elizabeth asked, and the puppet nodded.
"Yes. I was created by Lord Toneri to protect you should you ever encounter any harm."
Before Elizabeth could respond, another orb shifted into the shape of a bird. The puppet motioned for Elizabeth and Jeanna to climb on its back, and as they did, the last orb zipped out, acting as a projectile to eliminate any Parademons that dared approach them.
---
Back in Sydney, Australia, the battle had reached a fever pitch. The streets of the city were ablaze, with soldiers and tanks trying desperately to hold back the invaders. Families huddled in underground shelters, listening to the distant sounds of explosions and gunfire. The local military fired everything they had—rockets, grenades, and bullets—but it was like trying to hold back a tidal wave with a sandbag.
High above the city, in a news chopper hovering over the coastline, a reporter spoke with tension in his voice. "It's absolute chaos down there. The Australian military is doing what they can, but there's no end in sight to the Parademons. And now… wait, are you seeing this?" The camera zoomed in over the horizon, where thousands more Parademons could be seen flying toward the city, a black cloud moving with terrifying speed.
The reporter's voice wavered. "There's tens of thousands of them! They're heading straight for Sydney—there's no way the military can hold them off!" Panic filled the cabin as the crew realized the scale of the incoming threat. But before they could even brace for impact, a deafening boom echoed through the sky.
The chopper shook violently as a figure materialized in the air, floating high above the ocean. The night sky suddenly became as bright as day, as though someone had flipped a cosmic switch. The camera zoomed in on the figure—a pale man with flowing robes and green pigmentation under his eyes.
Suddenly, the entire scene erupted into chaos as thousands of flaming fireballs appeared behind the figure, shooting out toward the Parademons in a massive wave of destruction. The ocean below began to churn violently, the surface boiling under the sheer heat. Steam erupted from the water, rising high into the air and rolling toward the city like a dense fog. The beach itself was transformed, the sand fusing into shimmering glass under the intense heat.
"Oh my God," the reporter muttered, his voice barely audible. "What… what are we witnessing?"
Just as the reporter was about to speak again, the pale figure—Toneri Ōtsutsuki—descended toward the water. His landing caused a massive TOOM! shaking the air and sea alike.
"What's he doing now?" one of the camera operators asked, their voice trembling with both awe and fear.
The steam cleared, revealing more Parademons flying across the water, undeterred by the fireballs that had just rained down. Toneri's calm, calculating eyes watched as more of the creatures surged toward the city. He sighed softly.
'Hmmm... Two minutes,' he thought, gauging the time it would take for his puppets to arrive. But for now, he would act alone. His gaze fell on the churning water below.
'Perfect,' he mused with a faint smile.
Toneri's feet barely touched the water's surface as he landed. The waves rippled beneath him, but he remained motionless, his chakra flaring as he prepared for the next attack.
"Senpou Suiton: Suidanha!"(Sage Art: Water Style, Severing Wave).
In an instant, ultra-thin jets of water shot out from the ocean around him, cutting through the air with such precision that they could slice through diamond. The Parademons in their path didn't stand a chance. As the water jets carved through their bodies, they fell from the sky in pieces, reduced to nothing but a pile of limbs falling to the ocean.
But Toneri wasn't done. With a subtle movement, he raised his hand again.
"Senpou Suiton: Suiryūdan (Sage Art: Water Style, Water Dragon).
The ocean roared to life as hundreds of water dragons surged from the depths, their massive forms coiling around Toneri Ōtsutsuki. Each dragon had glowing yellow eyes, their serpentine bodies shifting with incredible speed and grace as they acknowledged their creator with a thunderous roar. The water dragons moved in unison, trailing behind the severing waves, ready to intercept the next wave of Parademons.
The dragons, each over a hundred meters long, charged through the air with terrifying force. Parademons that had managed to dodge the water jets found themselves torn apart by the water dragons that pursued them relentlessly, their massive jaws snapping and coiling through the skies. The few remaining creatures that tried to escape were crushed by the overwhelming power of Toneri's onslaught.
Below, the waters continued to churn as the battlefield became a storm of liquid destruction. The severing waves cut through the Parademons like blades, and the dragons followed close behind, tearing apart any that dared to survive the first assault.
The entire scene was a breathtaking display of power, the ocean itself becoming Toneri's weapon as he obliterated his enemies with devastating strikes. As the last of the Parademons were torn from the sky, Toneri stood amidst the carnage, his eyes cold and unyielding.
"That should buy some time," he thought, his expression calm as he surveyed the battlefield standing on the water surface.
The water dragons coiled back into the sea, their task completed. The battle was over, for now at least. His puppets were still en route.
Status Power Mingguan
-- Peringkat
Power 
-- Power
stone