DC: A Cop in Gotham

Chapter 37: Chapter 37: Every story needs a Dragon at the end



Chapter 37: Every story needs a Dragon at the end

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Batman followed closely, stepping into the explosion channel. The moment he entered, a surge of steam erupted as the scorching magma met the seawater, causing his cape to billow violently behind him.

His sharp eyes scanned the area immediately.

Where is Dean?

The battlefield stretched before him, but there was no sign of Dean anywhere in his field of vision. Batman and Dean had been only a foot apart before stepping through the channel—logically speaking, even if Dean had moved, he couldn't have vanished so quickly. He wasn't the Flash.

A grim expression settled on Batman's face. He tapped his communicator.

"Cyborg, Dean is missing. Have you detected any abnormalities?"

On the Watchtower, Cyborg's cybernetic left eye flickered as he initiated a scan. Data streamed across his internal interface before he responded.

"Batman, bad news. The spatial values in the explosion channel just now were off. There was a rare spatial coordinate error—a one-in-a-hundred-thousand occurrence. I'm sorry."

Batman's frown deepened. The entire Justice League was aware that teleportation errors were a possibility within the explosion channel, but the probability was infinitesimal. Their current technology couldn't entirely eliminate such risks.

Yet, Batman was Batman. He never trusted coincidences.

"Cyborg, pinpoint Dean's location and run a full diagnostic on your system."

There was a pause as Cyborg recalibrated his scanners. Then, he spoke again.

"I've found the deviation. The error wasn't significant—Dean's current position is three kilometers west of your location, near the coastline."

Batman quickly checked the data against the tracker he had discreetly placed on Dean. The readings matched Cyborg's findings.

At that moment, two figures approached—Superman and Wonder Woman. Batman glanced at them before speaking into his comms again.

"Cyborg, double-check your system for anomalies."

He then turned to his teammates.

"Where are Arthur and Barry?"

Wonder Woman, her golden lasso once again secured at her hip, answered.

"Arthur has reclaimed his title as Aquaman. The conflict between Atlantis and the surface is over. As for Barry… he vanished after being struck by magical lightning. But knowing the Flash and his history with speedster-related phenomena, I doubt we need to be too concerned."

The war had ended without civilian casualties, thanks to the Justice League's intervention and the successful evacuation efforts. However, the Atlantis forces had suffered numerous injuries. Orm, having admitted his mistakes and surrendered power back to Arthur, was not being pursued—at least for now. The League had agreed to let things settle before making any further judgments.

Superman exhaled sharply, glancing toward the shoreline where the battle had unfolded. Then, with a hint of exasperation, he looked back at Batman.

"So, Batman, when are you going to take back your magical dinosaur?"

His gaze drifted toward the colossal figure of Groudon, still locked in combat with the remnants of the Atlantean forces. His tone was laced with dry amusement.

"I mean, I know you have a robotic T-Rex in the Batcave for security measures, but you never mentioned owning a magical one."

Had Hal Jordan been present, he would've undoubtedly seized the opportunity to nickname Batman "Dinosaur Man."

Batman, however, remained as impassive as ever.

"I can't."

Superman blinked, clearly caught off guard.

"What?" He tilted his head, as if he hadn't heard correctly. "Isn't this part of your plan?"

Batman's response was smooth and immediate.

"My strategy was to pit two powerful forces against each other—drive the tiger to swallow the wolf. The flaw in this plan is that, in the end, we must deal with the tiger ourselves."

Superman's relaxed posture vanished instantly, his expression shifting to one of concern.

"So what you're saying is… if that giant lava dinosaur reaches the city, Gotham might as well merge with Metropolis?"

Batman's eyes darkened, his focus sharpening. Without hesitation, he activated his comms once more.

"I won't let that happen. Lucius, prepare one ton of liquid nitrogen. Dispatch it via aircraft immediately."

On the other end, Lucius Fox sighed, already anticipating a logistical nightmare.

"Bruce, I just finished recovering the Batwing. It looks like someone used it to film an episode of *The Wall Falls*—it's a wreck right now."

Batman's expression remained unreadable, but a vein in his temple twitched slightly as he recalled Damian's reckless flying earlier.

"Then use a helicopter. Deliver the cargo to Port Adams."

Lucius nodded, resigned to the ever-growing list of absurd requests that came with working for Batman.

"Understood."

While Batman was working on countermeasures against Groudon's unique properties, Superman and Wonder Woman took a more direct approach.

The air was thick with heat, the very atmosphere around Groudon rippling from the intense energy radiating from its magma-infused body. Even though they had both fought powerful foes before, facing a creature of this magnitude was something else entirely.

Superman's red cape billowed as he ascended above Groudon's head, the bright sunlight gleaming against the emblem on his chest. He stretched his arms outward, turning his gaze toward the sky as if contemplating something. Then, with a slightly amused tone, he spoke.

"Is it just me, or is the sun extra bright today? Feels like the perfect weather to loosen up a little."

Lowering his gaze, he focused on the massive creature below. A smirk played on his lips as he called out.

"Hey, big dinosaur!"

The sound of his voice caught Groudon's attention. The ancient Pokémon lifted its head, its molten eyes locking onto the Kryptonian hovering above. There was a flicker of confusion in Groudon's gaze—why was this human floating in the sky?

Superman crossed his arms over his chest, tilting his head slightly as he continued.

"Come on, you're bigger than most of us here. It's not exactly fair to go around picking fights with people who can't match your size."

He gestured toward himself.

"How about you try someone your own weight class?"

His smirk widened.

"Like me."

Without waiting for a response, he inhaled deeply. The air around him grew unnaturally cold as he released a controlled, forceful exhale—a blast of freezing breath. The icy air rushed toward Groudon, rapidly cooling the lava coating its body. The searing magma hardened into jagged rock, encasing the creature in a layer of natural armor.

For a brief moment, it seemed to work.

The magma solidified across Groudon's massive frame, dulling its fiery glow. Cracks formed along its limbs where the heat had been most intense, making it look as though it had been frozen in time.

However, the effect was temporary.

The hardened lava quickly began to liquefy once more, the intense heat from within Groudon's core melting through the rocky casing as if it were nothing more than brittle ice. The creature let out a deep, rumbling growl, a clear indication that it now recognized Superman as a true opponent.

Drawing energy from the ever-present sunlight, Groudon opened its maw. In an instant, a concentrated golden beam of raw solar energy shot forth, streaking through the sky like a spear of light.

Superman, whose dodging skills were nowhere near Batman's, took the hit directly. The beam slammed into him, sending him hurtling backward. The sheer intensity of the attack scorched the ground beneath him, leaving a smoldering trench of scorched earth in its wake.

From below, Wonder Woman's sharp eyes tracked the Kryptonian's trajectory. She raised her arms, crossing her silver bracelets over her wrists. With a determined expression, she struck them together.

A burst of divine energy exploded outward.

The force of her attack crashed into Groudon, staggering the beast as divine power radiated across its massive form. Yet, despite the sheer impact, Groudon barely flinched. The attack had landed, but the damage was minimal—at best, it had managed to disrupt its stance for a moment.

Wonder Woman's brow furrowed. She had expected a greater effect.

"Superman, are you alright?" she called out, her voice steady despite the concern laced beneath it.

From above, Superman reappeared, floating back into position with surprising ease. A grin spread across his face, and there was an unmistakable glint of excitement in his eyes.

"Alright? No—I'm feeling great!"

He cracked his knuckles, his enthusiasm growing.

"Actually, let me rephrase that—I feel amazing!"

A realization had just hit him.

The energy Groudon had unleashed—the powerful golden beam that had struck him directly—was solar energy.

Every fiber of Superman's being was rejuvenated.

Every cell in his Kryptonian body absorbed it.

This wasn't just any attack. It was pure sunlight—and Superman thrived in sunlight.

His grin widened.

"So that was a Solar Beam, huh? Well then…" He stretched his arms out, looking down at Groudon with undisguised excitement. "Come on, big guy—hit me with another one! Let's see what you've got!"

Groudon's expression was difficult to read, but if it could show emotions, it would have been pure disbelief.

It had just unleashed a direct Solar Beam—one of its most devastating attacks—and this strange flying human was not only completely unscathed… but actually asking for more?

This wasn't how battles were supposed to go.

It wasn't like Groudon had never fought formidable enemies before. It had clashed with Kyogre countless times, battled Rayquaza, and withstood ancient forces beyond human comprehension.

But never had it encountered a being that simply absorbed its strongest attack and asked for another.

This human was unnatural.

Even Groudon, as powerful as it was, recognized that.

Superman, on the other hand, looked positively thrilled.

"C'mon, don't keep me waiting! I can take a few more of those!"

But Groudon was no fool. It wasn't about to waste another Solar Beam on someone who clearly benefited from it.

Without hesitation, Groudon shifted its strategy. Instead of launching another energy beam, it turned its massive body and unleashed an explosive burst of fire—a devastating attack meant to obliterate everything in its path.

Superman, recognizing the shift, narrowed his eyes.

"Oh, switching it up, huh? Alright then, my turn."

With a powerful surge of speed, he zipped toward Groudon, dodging the fire blast by mere inches. Before the creature could react, Superman launched an uppercut straight into its armored body.

The sheer force of the impact sent a shockwave rippling outward.

For a brief moment, Groudon was lifted off the ground.

A creature that massive, that heavy—knocked airborne by the sheer strength of Superman's punch.

The moment didn't last long. Groudon crashed back down, its claws gripping the ground instinctively. But now, it was on high alert.

This fight was far from over.

Recognizing the Kryptonian's overwhelming physical strength, Groudon immediately activated Hardening. Its muscles bulged, its body hardened, and its power spiked.

This wasn't just a battle anymore—this was war.

Now, Groudon was truly fighting seriously.

It wasn't just reacting—it was adapting.

Superman's relentless attacks, combined with his unbelievable resilience, had forced the ancient titan to recognize this battle as one of the greatest challenges it had faced in centuries.

Groudon had fought legendary foes before. It had clashed with Kyogre for millennia, battled against the forces of Rayquaza, and survived countless battles that shaped the world itself.

But Superman was different.

Superman didn't just withstand its strongest attacks—he absorbed them. He didn't just match its strength—he exceeded it.

And worst of all?

He was enjoying it.

The Kryptonian's raw power and unshakable endurance frustrated Groudon to no end. And what was worse—he was flying.

That alone brought back ancient memories.

Superman circling him mid-air, dodging his blows, mocking his power… it reminded Groudon too much of Kyogre.

For centuries, Kyogre had used its ability to soar through the ocean's depths, always keeping just out of reach, overwhelming Groudon with relentless floods and devastating waves.

Groudon hated being unable to fly.

It hated being at a disadvantage.

And right now, Superman was doing the exact same thing Kyogre used to do— zipping around him, dodging his strikes, treating him like a joke.

That infuriated him.

Enough was enough.

Groudon roared.

The entire battlefield shook as its clawed foot slammed into the earth, triggering an instant reaction.

A deep, glowing fissure tore through the ground beneath them.

Superman barely had time to register it before a jagged pillar of stone erupted upward, colliding into him with explosive force.

Cliff Sword.

The attack wasn't just powerful—it was calculated. Groudon had timed it perfectly, hitting Superman in the instant he slowed down.

Superman was sent reeling backward, momentarily caught off-guard. But before he could recover, Groudon lunged. For a creature of its size, it moved alarmingly fast.

Its massive claws shot forward, catching Superman mid-air in an iron grip.

Superman's arms were pinned against his sides, his chest pressed against Groudon's molten scales. The heat was intense—almost unbearable, even for him.

And then, Groudon did something unexpected.

With Superman firmly in its grasp, the beast opened its mouth.

A deep, glowing light began to swell within its throat, growing brighter and brighter.

Superman's eyes widened.

Oh, that's big.

A massive wave of fire erupted point-blank.

Superman was engulfed.

The heat was unlike anything he had ever experienced.

A storm of searing flames poured over him, hotter than a thousand furnaces, hotter than the lava lakes beneath the earth.

This wasn't a simple fire blast.

This was a superheated inferno, a cataclysmic burst of primal destruction, concentrated into a single point.

For the first time in the fight, Superman genuinely wondered if this might actually hurt.

"Welp. This is gonna suck."

He braced himself for impact.

And then—

Something fell from the sky.

A metal container, the size of a small car, plummeted down like a meteor—and struck Groudon directly on the head.

The impact was immediate.

The metal cracked open, releasing a flood of liquid nitrogen.

A full ton of it.

The reaction was instant.

The firestorm in Groudon's mouth flickered—and then died.

Superheated magma froze mid-flow, turning into jagged, brittle stone. The once-molten armor across its back hardened, locking its movements in place.

Its claws tensed, then weakened. For the second time in the battle, Groudon had been sealed.

"Well done, Batman!"

Superman grinned as he pried himself free, shaking off the remaining embers clinging to his suit.

He had been completely fine.

If Batman had expected him to be burned, he'd be disappointed. Superman stretched his shoulders and turned to his allies.

"Alright, so we stopping here, or am I allowed to keep going?"

Wonder Woman answered him by tossing the Lasso of Truth straight at him. The golden rope flashed in the sunlight, the magical energy within it pulsing faintly.

Superman caught it instantly.

And with a sharp grin, he knew exactly what to do.

"I'm going clockwise!"

Together, he and Wonder Woman moved in perfect sync. They circled Groudon, weaving the Lasso of Truth around him, binding the beast tightly.

The golden rope wrapped around its arms, its legs, its entire body. Even its mouth was sealed shut. Superman landed with a firm thud, clapping his hands together in satisfaction.

"There. That should hold him."

The battlefield fell into silence. All that remained was the massive, legendary beast— bound, restrained, and immobilized.

Superman tilted his head, surveying their work. He glanced back at Wonder Woman. Then, with an amused smirk, he looked back at Groudon and spoke one last time.

"You can't breathe fire this time, dragon."

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