Chapter 178: Let’s Defend Earth Together

 The immense impact easily knocked **Doomsday** back. 

 In reality, it wasn’t that Atreus’s strength was outrageously high, but rather that the kryptonite had instantly weakened **Doomsday**, sapping its power. 

 Losing its balance, the massive creature collapsed, much like Kratos pinning it down with a spear. 

 **Doomsday** let out a howl, full of rage and pain. Red electricity surged through its body, glowing so brightly that it seemed no longer made of flesh and blood, but rather a giant stone figure filled with molten lava. 

 It was clear to anyone that **Doomsday's** body was starting to break down.

 Still, this monster—one of the greatest bosses in DC’s history—didn’t die immediately, even after such a severe injury. Instead, it became more enraged, retaliating with a bone spike emerging from its palm, sharp enough to cut through steel, thrusting straight at Atreus.

 The speed of the attack was so fast it easily broke the sound barrier. 

 Only when facing the attack head-on could Atreus truly understand how terrifying it was—the same blow that had once killed Superman.

 Honestly, if Atreus had to take the hit himself, he might not have survived. 

 Fortunately, he had an incredible ally.

 “I’m here too!” Diana, her hair flying wildly, leaped in like a lioness on the hunt, quickly positioning herself between the bone spike and Atreus.

 “*Duang!*” Wonder Woman absorbed the full force of the blow.

 Even with the power of her shield, she couldn’t entirely dissipate the impact. It looked as though she had been thrown like a baseball into a monster's home run swing. She was sent flying even faster than she had come, crashing into the ruins of a building in the distance.

 About a second later, a massive depression covered several floors of that building.

 At that moment...

 The towering **Doomsday** suddenly sensed movement beneath it. Lightning and fire swirled at its feet. Before it could react, a massive green beam shot skyward with a deafening roar.

 The force tore through **Doomsday**, sending its heavy body flying. It was as though a green spear of light had erupted from the earth, impaling **Doomsday**.

 A second kryptonite spear!?

 When had Kratos gotten his hands on it?

 Only the sharpest observers would have noticed—Wonder Woman, in the instant she was struck, had secretly tossed the spear to Kratos.

Kratos seized the opportunity, delivering a second devastating blow to **Doomsday**.

Yet even after this, the monster didn’t die! It roared, firing laser beams from its eyes in all directions. One of those beams hit Iron Man, knocking him out of the sky.

Seeing Tony about to crash, Hawkeye’s Quinjet swooped in.

“Tony, I’ve got you!” Captain America’s shield flew in a graceful arc, allowing Tony to grab hold just in time and pull himself into the Quinjet's cargo hold.

 Meanwhile, **Doomsday’s** rampage didn’t last much longer.

 A third kryptonite spear had arrived.

 This one had the distinct feel of an ancient Greek chariot charge. After circling briefly, **The Tragedy of Troy** turned back and launched a direct assault, the spear piercing **Doomsday’s** oversized head.

 This strike finally brought its movements to a halt.

 “Die!” Atreus roared, grabbing the handles of the two spears already embedded in **Doomsday’s** body and pulling them apart with all his strength.

 For a brief moment, time seemed to stop.

 Amidst the swirling red clouds and electricity, there was a faint sigh.

 Far away, Faora stood frozen, watching everything. Instinctively, she felt it was the soul of her beloved General Zod, sighing.

 In less than two breaths, the terrifying energy within **Doomsday**—enough to destroy Gotham City and the entire East Coast of the United States—was released in the form of countless red lightning serpents. They ripped its massive body apart, turning it into a red dust storm that gradually dissipated.

 Only then did everyone see, standing amidst the red mist, a half-naked, bald man, holding two green spears that had saved Gotham, and indeed the whole world.

 That man was the great hero—Kratos!

 At NORAD, the White House, S.H.I.E.L.D., and every other place that had optical footage of the battle, people burst into endless cheers.

 Then, a news helicopter, braving the now-quiet battlefield, got close enough to zoom in on Kratos standing tall, sending the entire world into a frenzy.

 “Hahaha! The monster is dead!”

 “Long live Kratos!”

 “Long live Earth!”

 Billions of people’s cheers echoed across the globe.

 And then, in a slightly dramatic moment, a blue and red figure came hurtling from the sky at supersonic speed, hovering in midair.

 Superman had returned! 

He gazed at the now-quiet battlefield, feeling the energy lingering in the air. With his sharp vision, it didn’t take long for him to realize **Doomsday’s** fate.

 Seeing the three green spears, he paused for a moment. Smart as he was, he knew exactly what they were for.

 But he didn’t mind.

 To protect Earth, he had been ready to grab a kryptonite spear himself and launch a death charge at the creature.

 It seemed, though, that Kratos had taken care of everything. 

Superman smiled wryly. “Did I miss something?” 

“Nope. Thanks for helping us figure out its weakness,” Atreus replied casually.

 Then Superman did something that caught Atreus by surprise. He rushed over and gave Atreus a big bear hug.

“Hey! I’m still holding kryptonite spears here.” Despite his words, Atreus quickly tossed the spears aside, like they were hot potatoes, just before Superman grabbed him. 

Superman didn’t respond directly but instead said, “I don’t have many friends. But from now on, you’re one of them.”

 That... was quite the compliment.

 Superman, with his kind and gentle heart, didn’t have many close friends due to his immense power and the secret of his true identity. Lois Lane had once been one of those few, but now she was his girlfriend.

 Atreus was now among the rare few Superman considered a friend.

 “No problem. From now on, let’s defend Earth together.”

 “Yeah.”

 The other superheroes watching the scene couldn’t help but feel a sense of unity.

 The storm had passed, and this event had come to an end.

(End of Chapter)