In an underground bunker located in a remote area near the US-Canada border, Lex Luthor sat surrounded by a labyrinth of advanced technology. His brows furrowed deeply as he scrutinized the data flowing across the central control systems.
"Robert's reaction time is far too fast," he murmured, his sharp mind racing to recalibrate his calculations. "And his strength… could it be greater than I initially estimated? Or was there an error in my previous evaluations? Given his past performance, even with Earth's current durability, he shouldn't have been able to uproot that section of land so effortlessly. Even if I created another Doomsday, it would require prolonged destruction to achieve a similar level of devastation."
There was no denying it—Lex Luthor was a calculating and dangerous man. Ever since he had taken control of Martian Manhunter, he had not left this underground bunker. Instead, he had remained here, remotely manipulating events across the globe through J'onn J'onzz and other tools at his disposal.
For years, Lex Luthor had worked tirelessly to bring about the downfall of not just Robert and the Avengers but also the Seven and Vought International. Lex wasn't simply an enemy of aliens—he despised anyone with powers beyond those of ordinary humans.
A staunch advocate of human supremacy, Luthor's disdain for all things "superhuman" was absolute. He had the knowledge and resources to transform himself into a powerful metahuman, even one more perfect than any member of the Seven. But he refused. In his eyes, relying on anything beyond humanity's natural capabilities was a betrayal of his ideals.
"Maybe it's time to recall Martian Manhunter," Luthor muttered as he continued analyzing the situation. "And perhaps I could use this chaos to drag the Seven into the fray. If that doesn't work, I could always reveal the exact location of the Avengers' base. Even if the authorities can't harm them directly, a horde of enraged civilians might be enough to disrupt their operations..."
Lex's mind raced, devising contingency after contingency.
"I have to admit, Robert is far more troublesome than anticipated," Luthor said bitterly. "I spent years orchestrating a plan that nearly wiped out Clark and the Avengers. But Robert's unexpected interference ruined everything. Clark died, sure, but the Avengers didn't suffer a single casualty."
This time, too, Luthor had nearly succeeded. Through careful manipulation and alliances, he had turned public opinion against the Avengers, dragging their reputation into the dirt. The Avengers were now seen as villains by many across the world.
But just as he was poised to deliver the final blow, Robert once again exceeded expectations. His newfound strength was far beyond what Lex had accounted for.
"Even so," Luthor muttered, his tone tinged with frustration, "this doesn't change the fact that Robert is a wild card. He doesn't share the Avengers' lofty moral standards, and if he's regained the ability to destroy Earth... he's still a threat to humanity."
"Frankly, you're right to worry about me," a cold voice interrupted Luthor's thoughts.
The words sent chills down his spine. Before he could react, the figure of Robert appeared directly behind him.
"By human standards, you're one of the most formidable adversaries I've faced," Robert said casually, his tone almost admiring.
But Luthor barely had time to process the compliment before smack!—a single strike from Robert reduced his body to nothing but a splatter of blood and fragments.
Yet Luthor's soul remained intact. Hovering in the air, his spirit glared at Robert with disbelief and fury.
"You killed me?" Luthor asked, his voice hollow. Then, as if realizing something, he added, "No… I'm dead, but my soul remains. You've trapped me here?"
"Yes," Robert replied calmly. "You've caused too much damage for me to let you off with a quick death. That would be far too merciful."
As Robert spoke, he noticed something unusual about the bunker. Strange vibrations coursed through the facility, and before long, a massive explosion erupted.
The entire underground base was consumed in a fiery blast that dwarfed even the "ultimate weapon" from before. The explosion obliterated everything in its path, shaking the ground for miles around.
When the smoke and flames finally subsided, nothing remained of the bunker. The facility and all of its contents were utterly annihilated, as if Lex Luthor had never existed.
"I see," Robert mused, unaffected by the devastation. Even Luthor's disembodied soul floated unharmed in the aftermath.
"So, this base was rigged to self-destruct upon your death?" Robert asked, glancing at the floating spirit.
"That's correct," Luthor admitted bitterly. "I implanted a device in my heart. The moment I died, everything in this facility was programmed to be destroyed. But it seems even that wasn't enough to stop you."
Luthor's gaze darkened. "I underestimated your strength again. You're far more powerful than I anticipated—more powerful than anyone could have predicted. If only I'd been able to monitor you constantly, to track every aspect of your capabilities in real-time..."
He trailed off, his expression a mixture of frustration and reluctant admiration.
"Sir, the location of the Avengers' base has been leaked," Jarvis's voice suddenly interrupted Robert's thoughts.
Robert raised an eyebrow. "More of your contingencies, Luthor?" he asked, turning his gaze back to the disembodied soul. "I assume you've planned something beyond just leaking their location?"
Luthor smiled faintly. "Of course. The Avengers are far easier to target than you. Unlike you, they have many weaknesses. And while you're busy dealing with me, the rest of my plans are already in motion."
"Let me guess," Robert said, narrowing his eyes. "You've mobilized Doomsday clones and Kryptonian hybrids to attack the Avengers' base, haven't you?"
Luthor's ghostly form stiffened. Then, after a brief pause, he nodded. "You're as sharp as ever, Saiyan. That's exactly what I've done. Now tell me—will you rush back to save the Avengers, or will you stay here to continue tormenting me?"
Robert smirked. "You're underestimating them. Stark has been preparing for this exact scenario for years. Did you really think you were the only one capable of obtaining Kryptonite? Or that you were the only one who could anticipate the threat of Doomsday?"
Luthor's expression faltered as Robert continued.
"When you controlled Martian Manhunter, he couldn't provide you with the Avengers' full plans or capabilities. You couldn't risk sending him too close, afraid of detection. That means you never learned about Stark's countermeasures."
Robert took a step closer, his voice low and firm. "Tony knew the threat of Doomsday wasn't gone. He knew that even though Krypton was destroyed, stray Kryptonians could still appear. He made preparations for this exact scenario. The Avengers are far from unprepared."
Meanwhile, at the Avengers' base, alarms blared as nine Doomsday clones and dozens of Kryptonian hybrid soldiers began their assault. But the Avengers were ready.
Stark activated the base's defensive systems, which included strategically placed Kryptonite-based energy fields. These fields neutralized the strength of the invading Kryptonians, while specialized drones targeted the Doomsday clones with precision Kryptonite blasts.
Steve Rogers, wielding a vibranium shield enhanced with Kryptonite, led the charge alongside Thor, who unleashed lightning strikes powerful enough to stagger even the clones.
"Looks like Luthor's been busy," Stark muttered as he deployed his Hulkbuster armor, modified to counter Kryptonian physiology.
"Too bad for him," Natasha Romanoff said with a smirk. "We've had years to prepare for this."
Back at the ruined bunker, Luthor's soul twisted in anguish. He could sense that his carefully crafted plans were unraveling.
"You…" Luthor spat. "You think this is over?"
"Of course not," Robert replied. "I know you've left plenty of traps and contingencies. But it doesn't matter. Whatever plans you've laid, they'll fail. Just like you have."
With that, Robert began channeling his energy into Luthor's soul.
"Aaaaaaah!" Luthor's screams echoed in the void, his disembodied form writhing in agony.
"You wanted to destroy the Avengers, and you failed. You wanted to control me, and you failed. This is the price you pay for your hubris," Robert said coldly.
As Luthor's torment continued, Robert turned his gaze toward the horizon. His job wasn't done—not yet. But for now, Lex Luthor, the greatest thorn in humanity's side, had been silenced.
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