He thought back on the templates he had received so far. None of them had been outright bad—except for that one-time transformation ability. Still, even that had served its purpose, even if it hadn't let him finish the job. Looking back, maybe it was for the best. Some events weren't meant to be altered.
Darkseid was one of them. A fixed point in time. Killing him too soon would only make the timeline unpredictable, trigger disasters he wasn't ready to face.
Hell, if he had gone through with killing Darkseid, it could've done more than just warp history. It could've shattered the timeline completely, birthing the Multiverse of Infinite Earths. That was something Max absolutely could not allow. if there was one thing he had to prevent at all costs, it was that.
With that thought, Max exhaled slowly and jumped down from the Gedo Statue's shoulder, landing lightly on the desert sand. He brought his hands together, forming the Ram seal. A sharp puff of smoke burst outward, dissipating into the dry air. When it cleared, Max blinked in mild disbelief.
The statue was still there.
"…Well, this presents a problem," he muttered, scratching the back of his head.
In Naruto, when Madara had pulled the thing down from the moon, it hadn't disappeared either—it had stayed rooted to Earth. Maybe that was the same deal here. Which meant Max had to figure out what the hell to do with a colossal death statue standing in the middle of nowhere. He couldn't exactly haul it around, and leaving it out here in plain sight was asking for trouble.
His train of thought was abruptly cut short when the air behind him shook with a thunderous explosion. Max winced as a flood of painful memories slammed into his head—his shadow clones' final moments, obliterated when a Rasenshuriken detonated prematurely. He sighed, rubbing at his temple.
"Figures."
Forming another seal, he exhaled as ten fresh clones popped into existence with a series of sharp puffs. Without needing instructions, they dashed off in the direction of the training site to pick up where the others had left off.
Max planted his hands on his hips and turned back toward the towering Gedo Mazo. He tapped his foot against the sand, brow furrowed in thought. What the hell was he supposed to do with this thing? He couldn't leave it unguarded, couldn't carry it with him, and didn't have a base to stash it in. For the moment, the desert was his only option.
After a few moments of deliberation, he crouched and pressed his palms to the ground, weaving through a rapid sequence of hand seals.
"Wood Style: Wood Dome Jutsu."
The desert trembled violently as if something ancient stirred beneath it. Sand erupted skyward in a storm as titanic vines burst forth, twisting and spiraling around each other. They rose higher and higher, weaving into an enormous dome that enclosed the Gedo Statue.
Max didn't stick around to admire it. He stepped back quickly, retreating before the dome completely sealed shut. Against the endless tan horizon of the desert, the massive green structure stood out like a beacon. It was far from subtle.
Still, it was temporary—and effective for the time being. Anyone nosy enough to come poking around wouldn't have an easy time. The dome would heal itself from damage, reweaving its vines if torn apart. Worse, it wasn't just a wall. Anything living that touched it—chakra or no chakra—would feel its strength sucked away as the dome fed on life force itself.
Max crossed his arms, narrowing his eyes at the completed dome. "Good enough for now."
Max knew one thing now —he needed a base. Somewhere secure to store the Gedo Statue, a place to train without being watched, and somewhere he could experiment with his cells. Creating White Zetsu clones or other minions would be useful—spies, soldiers, observers. Information was power, and having eyes and hands in the right places could make a difference.
The heroes knowing his identity was another complication. Any questionable action would draw attention, and inquiries would follow. To avoid that, he considered the plan he had been developing since gaining the Rinnegan and pushing Madara's template further: the Six Paths of Pain. With a few corpses, he could create extensions of himself like how Nagato had done with the six paths of pain to handle things without his direct involvement. They could enforce his will, handle threats, or allow him to operate outside usual restrictions.
For now, though, that could wait. The desert sun was harsh. The heat pressed down on him relentlessly.
"Goddamn, it's hot here," Max muttered, almost as an afterthought.
With a simple gesture, Perfect Susanoo unfolded around him. He launched into the sky, leaving the desert behind.
Meanwhile, in Belle Reve…
Amanda Waller sat in front of her laptop, watching the footage of Max. Clones training, the Gedo Statue rising, and the Susanoo soaring overhead. She had reported her assessment to the leadership, suggesting ways to manage him, though she had left out her attempt to order him with the President's name. The instructions from above were clear "do not confront him".
Others might fear him, but she did not. Waller's eyes narrowed as she watched the screen, considering her options. Max had made a stand, and for now, the best course was observation. But one day, she thought, she would either bring him under control—or make sure he could not interfere with her plans.
She closed the laptop, already thinking ahead to her next move.
Batcave
Batman's eyes narrowed at the satellite feed flickering across the Batcomputer's screens. Tobi's massive form moved with purpose, training in the middle of the desert.
"Training," Batman muttered. "For someone already this strong, that's… unusual."
From behind him, Dick leaned back in a chair, boots up on the console, idly spinning a batarang between his fingers.
"You really are obsessed with this guy," Dick said with a smirk. "I mean, he hasn't done anything—at least nothing you can pin on him. Or do you just suspect he's planning something?"
Batman didn't look away from the screen. "His choice of words when he was here were… concerning."
"You mean the part where he said he wanted to kill Darkseid?" Dick asked, sharp as ever. "And you're thinking that makes him a killer?"
"Not thinking," Batman replied flatly. "Knowing. Most of his abilities are lethal by design. Even the techniques he's working on now look like killing blows."
Dick shrugged, letting the batarang roll across his knuckles. "Maybe. But I don't blame him for wanting Darkseid dead. You saw what Darkseid was doing. Putting him down looked like the only real option."
Batman finally turned, his gaze cutting into Dick.
"What?" Dick raised an eyebrow. "You know as well as I do— that Darkseid only retreated because you and the others almost killed him after Tobi had weakened him."
"Yes, Darkseid was a different case," Batman said firmly, "but we weren't trying to kill him—we were trying to contain him and figure out a way to send him back."
Dick leaned back, tossing the batarang up and catching it lazily. "Contain him? The guy wanted to enslave us, Bruce. Wanted to turn people into mindless soldiers. Killing him wouldn't have been so bad."
Batman's gaze hardened, his tone like stone. "It's never that simple. Killing should never be the first option, Dick."
Dick frowned. "Even with someone like Darkseid?"
"Especially with someone like Darkseid." Batman took a step closer, his cape brushing the floor. "Make no mistake—I acknowledge the threat he poses. If he ever comes back, and if there's no other way, then yes… we may be forced to end him. But you need to understand—" his voice grew quieter, heavier, "crossing that line changes you. Once you kill, you can't go back. It doesn't end with one life. Killing attracts more killing. It pulls people into a cycle they don't escape from."
Dick stayed quiet, the batarang stilled in his hand.
"I've seen what it does,What it makes people become. I don't want that for you. Not ever."
End of chapter
What's up, everyone!
I know some of you have suggested that I focus on just one fanfic so I don't burn out — and I get where you're coming from. But honestly, working on multiple fanfics actually helps me. It gives me options and lets me take a break to think about something else whenever I hit a wall with one story.
So, if the fanfic you like hasn't been updated in a while, it just means I'm still figuring out how to move the story forward. But one thing I can promise is this: I won't be giving up on any of my fanfics.
Till next time!