Beyond the Limit (DC)

Chapter 262: 262

| Muscat - December 20

//Recent intel from Green Lantern communications indicates that the Reach have unleashed a being capable of fighting multiple Gordanites at once and using guerrilla tactics in the Vega system. Details remain unclear, as the Green Lantern Corps has yet to enter Vega,// Nova informed him.

"Thanks, Nova," Joseph replied mentally.

Joseph knew he would never be able to quell every conflict in the universe on his own.

There would always be something. So he focused on his own planet and his own people first.

Inside a grand hall in Oman, Joseph stood in a tailored suit, attending the opening ceremony of a Middle East peace summit.

The past month had been relatively calm.

The Bana-Mighdall had successfully relocated to Themyscira. BellCoin, along with his social media apps and games, continued to surge in popularity. Tens of thousands of LuthorDroids were now operational, supporting nations heavily impacted by the loss of workers after the Hour of Chaos claimed millions of adult lives.

Such a catastrophic global event had created the perfect conditions for metahumans to awaken—and for those who had lost everything to turn to crime. As a result, there had been a global surge in criminal activity.

Thankfully, thousands of LuthorBots had been deployed and were now active in most countries willing to accept them. China, Russia, and several Middle Eastern nations, however, had refused assistance from an American company.

Still, with the Network led by the Blacksmith, and the Court of Owls having dismantled or absorbed most of Earth's secret societies—with help from Deathstroke and Bloodsport—Joseph could shut down any attempt to form new meta-criminal organizations without his approval.

At his side stood Killer Croc, acting as his bodyguard, while a security detail of thirteen Kamen Riders observed from the periphery to maintain appearances.

Delegates and representatives from across the globe filled the summit.

Among them were world leaders, including Rumaan Harjavti, president of Qurac, and Black Adam—the democratically elected ruler of the newly renamed Greater Kahndaq.

Now going by his birth name, Teth-Adam, he hadn't bothered with formal attire, instead wearing his usual black-and-gold suit with a cape.

His presence was imposing. Many shrank under his gaze, avoiding him entirely. Understandable—few were comfortable being scrutinized by a man with godlike power.

That stern expression softened when he spotted Joseph.

They clasped hands in a firm handshake as Joseph discreetly cast a spell.

Adam felt the ripple of magic and raised an eyebrow.

"People will hear a different conversation," Joseph explained. "Even our lip movements will appear altered. Some people are always watching me."

Batman hadn't confronted him again, but Joseph knew he was being monitored—waiting to see if he would cross a line that required intervention.

It was irritating being on the receiving end. But Joseph understood the necessity of oversight—even if Batman was only seeing a fraction of what he was doing behind the scenes.

Teth-Adam gave Croc a brief nod before switching to ancient Egyptian, clearly eager to use his long-dead language.

"I would like to thank you for your help in reclaiming Kahndaq," Adam said.

"No problem," Joseph replied.

Many had pushed for foreign intervention, uneasy with a "benevolent dictator" like Black Adam. The idea of a superpowered individual ruling a nation unsettled them.

The loudest critics were warhawks like General Wade Eiling and various Israeli-backed politicians. But after Joseph had the Network remove key figures in Israel—and applied a mix of LuthorCorp influence and subtle mind control—the United States, Europe, and much of the Middle East had decided not to provoke the "sleeping bear" that was Greater Kahndaq under Black Adam.

What those critics failed to understand was simple: regions like Bialya and Kahndaq needed a strong ruler. Without one, they would quickly descend back into chaos after years of Queen Bee's tyranny and terrorist control.

"Any difficulties so far?" Joseph asked.

"Aside from the media outrage, the people have been instrumental in rebuilding the nation," Adam replied.

Not everyone had accepted his rule. Northern tribes had formed a resistance, even attacking a desalination plant in the Ahk-Ton Desert. Adam had crushed the rebellion with overwhelming force—but spared their lives, sparking widespread media attention.

Predictably, some idiotic activists in the West had begun supporting the rebels—protesting safely from abroad, calling for the overthrow of what they labeled an "evil dictator" while siding with terrorists that would rather destroy the country than help rebuild it.

Joseph nodded, then noticed a woman approaching—unlike the others, she walked toward Black Adam without hesitation.

"Who's that?" Joseph asked.

Adam turned, and Joseph caught the subtle shift in his expression.

"Adrianna Tomaz," Adam said. "An Egyptian refugee I freed from slavery. She is unafraid—and outspoken. She believes I can change Kahndaq for the better. She's the one who convinced me not to kill the rebels."

"I see," Joseph said with a smirk. "Don't forget to invite me to the wedding."

"Wedding?" Adam sputtered, clearly caught off guard—as if the concept itself was foreign after millennia of solitude.

Joseph laughed, clapping him on the back.

"You didn't mention you knew Mr. Luthor," Adrianna said as she approached, noting Adam's reaction.

She was a striking Egyptian woman in her thirties, with long dark hair and dressed in a fitted gray suit.

"He's a—" Adam began.

"Friend," Joseph finished smoothly. "We both want a peaceful Middle East. That's why I'm here, Miss Tomaz."

He extended his hand.

Adrianna shook it. "I don't believe I introduced myself."

"Teth-Adam already told me about you—only good things, I promise. Soft power matters just as much as military strength. He's fortunate to have you advising him."

"Thank you, Mr. Luthor," Adrianna said with a polite smile. "I'm flattered."

Then Adrianna turned to Waylon and offered him a handshake as well, surprising the big man. Like Adam, most people were content to stay out of the path of the infamous Killer Croc.

That was exactly why Joseph kept him around. It let him avoid a lot of pointless small talk with leeches and self-important idiots.

It seemed Adam hadn't been exaggerating about her fearlessness.

The lights in the room dimmed, and people began heading toward their seats.

Joseph's entourage followed.

**

Joseph wasn't planning to attend the entire peace summit. Events like this tended to drag on—full of photo ops, posturing, and drawn-out negotiations.

He was only here because he'd been invited to the plenary session, much like his father months earlier during the peace talks between North and South Rhelasia.

All delegations gathered in the grand hall for the opening statements. Numerous speeches were delivered—formal, carefully crafted for public consumption, emphasizing peace while subtly outlining each side's position.

The president of Qurac spoke. Then Black Adam followed, both stressing cooperation and improved international relations.

Finally, it was Joseph's turn.

After a stretch of polished rhetoric—pleasant but ultimately empty words meant to flatter the room—he arrived at the point that mattered.

"LuthorCorp will be investing seventy-five billion dollars into any countries that agree to join whatever peace framework emerges from this summit. We will fund the rebuilding of power grids, communication networks, transportation infrastructure, and more."

Murmurs rippled through the hall as cameras flashed.

Joseph knew why.

The report on the Light—authored by Lois Lane and the Justice League—had exposed LexCorp's prior involvement in global manipulation, including plans to unify Rhelasia under its control.

Rhelasia remained stable, but the world hadn't forgotten.

"We at LuthorCorp understand the need for atonement," Joseph continued. "We have already halted the production of weapons that were secretly distributed across the Middle East, and we've directed our philanthropic efforts toward those affected by those conflicts."

He paused briefly.

"Moving forward, we intend to operate with full transparency, in accordance with each nation's laws and expectations. A peaceful Middle East is far more profitable than a war-torn one."

For a moment, the room was silent.

Then Adrianna began to clap.

Teth-Adam followed.

Soon, the entire hall joined in.

Joseph allowed himself a small smile.

He'd convinced most of them—and the rest would fall in line eventually. One way or another.

He was already the richest man alive. Soon, his influence would stretch far beyond LuthorCorp.

In many ways, Earth was already under his control. Most world leaders were influenced by him in some capacity, and he now had the means to enact global change on an unprecedented scale.

In less than a year, he'd reshaped the world more than most ever could.

The only human who rivaled that level of influence was Vandal Savage—and that was only because of his millennia of life before Joseph killed him and took his place.

Still, his changes had come too quickly.

Maybe it was time to slow down. Let the world breathe. Let it adjust before introducing anything new.

Maybe it was also time to step away from the Nova persona.

He'd already drawn international criticism for protecting the Bana-Mighdall—people even terrorists despised.

And the world didn't lack heroes.

The Justice League. Justice League Dark. The Teen Titans. His Luthorbots.

He didn't need to carry everything alone.

They needed room to grow.

The Team had even gained new members—Rocket, Icon's protégé, and Garfield Logan, now calling himself Beast Boy.

Garfield had grown up in Qurac, raised on an animal sanctuary by his mother, Marie Logan. After being injured in an explosion, he'd received a blood transfusion from Miss Martian—granting him green skin and the ability to shapeshift.

It had only been a month since Joseph upgraded his Nova suit.

Shame.

Still, as the applause washed over him, he couldn't suppress the smirk tugging at his lips.

'Oh yeah. It's all coming together.'

**

| Gorilla City - December 21

Zoom frowned as he watched the news on a small, boxy television inside the Brain's former headquarters in Bwunda.

Every channel—positive or negative—was talking about Joseph Luthor.

His influence was spreading across the world. Rapidly.

Change was coming.

And to Zoom's irritation, most of it was… good.

Zoom had lived through fractured timelines and explored countless alternate realities.

Never—not once—had he encountered someone like Lex Luthor's son.

This universe was… off.

People's ages were different. Zatanna was younger. Origins had shifted. Some heroes and villains were still ordinary civilians.

Superman was dead.

Those anomalies weren't new. He'd seen them before—usually in worlds that spiraled into catastrophe.

But Nova?

That was new.

Lex Luthor had never had a son like him.

Superboy and Bizarro, yes.

But not this.

LexBots existed in other timelines—but never as instruments of heroism.

And because of that, Wally West wasn't suffering the way he was supposed to.

His growth was being stunted.

And Zoom hated that.

Still… it wasn't a total loss.

Wally had found happiness with Artemis Crock—another anomaly. In most timelines, Wally ended up with Linda Park, or occasionally Magenta who was part of the Network.

But Zoom knew how these stories went.

In worlds like this, peace never lasted.

Eventually, something would break.

And when it did…

That pain would forge Wally into something greater.

So Zoom would keep applying pressure.

Heat Wave. Gorilla Grodd. Trickster.

Carefully chosen threats. Controlled chaos.

Enough to push Wally forward.

And if Nova interfered again…

Zoom's eyes narrowed.

He would escalate.

Pandora's Box remained an option.

This universe was weak.

Introduce beings capable of shattering continents—of cracking planets—and even Nova would fall.

For now, though…

Zoom leaned back, watching the screen.

He would observe.

And wait.