Judgment of the Endless (MarvelxDC)

Darius, sensing that the playful mood had gone on long enough, suddenly shifted his entire demeanor. With a flick of his wrist, his casual clothing was replaced by a drill sergeant's uniform, complete with a whistle hanging around his neck. His hair, previously free-flowing, was now tied back, and his entire stance exuded authority.

"Alright, playtime's over!" he barked, his voice commanding the room. The lighthearted atmosphere immediately evaporated as the heroes straightened up, understanding that the real work was about to begin.

Verity blinked up at him, wide-eyed, as she clutched onto Zuri. "Papa?"

Darius gave her a small wink, but his serious expression remained. "Papa's got work to do now, Verity."

He stepped forward, turning to the assembled group of heroes. "You all are here to become stronger, to train, and to prove yourselves. And guess what? Today's your lucky day. We're starting with something simple: 30 laps around this room."

The heroes exchanged glances. Natasha, always quick to question, raised a brow. "Thirty laps? In here?"

"Oh, did I mention," Darius added with a dangerous smile, "the room is 500 meters across? And no powers. I've turned off all your fancy tricks."

Clark, always the good-natured one, looked around. "I suppose that makes it a bit more fair," he said, though even he looked slightly concerned.

"Start running!" Darius barked, blowing the whistle around his neck. The sound echoed through the cavernous training room, and the heroes instantly broke into a sprint.

With the heroes now running, Darius turned his attention to the ISIS team, who had been watching everything unfold with varying degrees of interest and concern. Lana crossed her arms, rolling her eyes. "Oh great, what kind of torture do you have planned for us?"

"Oh, you're going to love this," Darius said with a grin that promised anything but. He gestured toward the far side of the room, where an elaborate obstacle course materialized, complete with mud pits, climbing walls, and swinging logs. "This one's just for you."

Cyril groaned loudly. "Are you serious? I'm not in shape for this!"

Pam slapped him on the back. "Speak for yourself! This looks like fun!"

Archer, as always, was completely unimpressed. "Oh please, I could do that with my eyes closed."

"Well then, you'll have no problem going first," Darius said, his voice dripping with amusement. "Since you're so confident."

Archer opened his mouth to protest but found himself dragged to the starting line by Darius. With another sharp blow of the whistle, Archer was off, scrambling through the first part of the course with far less grace than he liked to believe he had.

The rest of the ISIS team followed, each of them attacking the course with varying degrees of success—or, in Cyril's case, failure. Darius, meanwhile, watched over both groups like a hawk, pacing up and down the room with a critical eye.

"Pick up the pace, Bruce!" Darius shouted across the room. "You're Batman, aren't you? Let's see if you can keep up with the rest of them without your gadgets!"

Bruce's face was set in determination as he pushed himself harder, clearly not one to back down from a challenge, even without his tech. Steve Rogers wasn't far behind, his natural endurance and military training giving him an edge. Diana, despite her lack of powers, kept a steady pace, her warrior spirit refusing to be outdone by anyone.

Natasha ran smoothly, though she grumbled under her breath. "This is ridiculous."

"No complaints, Romanoff!" Darius yelled. "You can thank me later when you're stronger."

On the ISIS side, things were... less organized. Lana was powering through with raw determination, while Pam charged through obstacles with her usual reckless abandon, not bothering to avoid the mud or the swinging logs. Cyril, meanwhile, was tripping over himself, barely able to keep up.

"Cyril, you're a disgrace!" Archer yelled, somehow still managing to show off even as he tackled the climbing wall with minimal effort.

"Oh shut up, Archer!" Cyril snapped, pulling himself up from the mud.

The entire room was filled with the sounds of exertion, groans, and shouts as both groups worked through their respective courses. Darius kept a close eye on everyone, barking orders and occasionally using his powers to correct their form or push them harder.

As the laps and the obstacle course dragged on, even the most physically fit began to show signs of exhaustion. Clark's normally calm demeanor had given way to labored breathing, and Bruce's normally cool expression was strained. Natasha, ever the spy, had a fierce determination in her eyes as she powered through, while Diana maintained her warrior's grace despite the obvious fatigue.

On the other side, the ISIS team was a mess. Pam was covered in mud but laughing her head off, while Lana was muttering curses under her breath as she struggled through a particularly difficult section of the course. Cyril had given up all pretense of keeping clean and was just trying to survive. Archer, meanwhile, was still trying to pretend he wasn't tired, though the sweat on his brow betrayed him.

"Keep it up! You're not done yet!" Darius shouted. His voice was relentless, driving them forward even as they neared their limits.

Verity, sitting on the sidelines with Whimsy and Zuri, watched with wide eyes. "Papa's being mean!" she whispered to Whimsy, who gave a wide grin in response.

"He's just toughening them up, little one," Whimsy purred. "Besides, look at how much fun they're having."

Verity tilted her head, not quite convinced as she watched Bruce stagger slightly. "It doesn't look like fun…"

After what felt like hours, the whistle finally blew again, and Darius called for everyone to stop. The heroes, drenched in sweat, collapsed to the ground, breathing heavily. Even Clark, who normally didn't break a sweat, looked utterly spent.

"Good work," Darius said, his tone softening just a little. "You all did better than I expected. Now hit the showers."

The heroes groaned in response but began dragging themselves toward the exit, clearly eager to get cleaned up and recover from the brutal training session.

On the other side, the ISIS team was still struggling through the last of the obstacle course. Pam, covered head to toe in mud, gave a victorious shout as she crossed the finish line, while Cyril fell flat on his face in exhaustion.

Darius smirked. "Well, that was... something. Good effort, team."

Archer, who had managed to finish relatively unscathed, dusted himself off with a smug expression. "Told you I could handle it."

Lana rolled her eyes. "You barely survived."

Darius, still in full drill sergeant mode, crossed his arms. "Alright, ISIS team, you're dismissed for the day. I expect you all to be back here bright and early tomorrow for more training."

"More?" Cyril whimpered, his face still buried in the dirt.

"Yes, more," Darius said, a sadistic grin forming on his face. "We've only just begun."

==

=

In the men's bath area, the warm steam curled around the heroes like a comforting blanket.

The Japanese-style onsen, with its smooth stone walls and large, heated pools, was a welcome relief after the grueling workout they had just endured.

The room exuded tranquility, with a large window offering a serene view of a meticulously maintained zen garden outside.

Clark Kent, Steve Rogers, Bruce Wayne, and the members of the ISIS team—Archer, Cyril, and Krieger—had finally settled into the hot water. They were tired but relaxed, enjoying the soothing warmth that worked its way into their muscles.

Clark, leaning against the side of the pool with a contented sigh, stretched out his legs. "This is exactly what I needed. Feels like the stress of the day is just melting away."

Steve, next to him, nodded in agreement. "A good soak always helps after a workout like that. Even with all the super-serum and enhancements, I felt every single lap."

Bruce, who had kept to his usual quiet demeanor, allowed himself a rare moment of relaxation. He let the steam envelop him, his eyes half-closed as he leaned back.

"There's something satisfying about pushing oneself to the limit. Even if it means waking up sore tomorrow."

Archer, Cyril, and Krieger, who had been unusually quiet until now, finally broke their silence. Archer, sprawled out with his arms resting on the edge of the pool, grinned.

"So, this is what you call a workout, huh? I gotta say, I'm impressed. Haven't had this kind of muscle ache since... well, let's not get into that."

Krieger, who had recently rejoined the group, let out a gruff chuckle. "Yeah, nothing like a good old-fashioned run to remind you that you're still human, no matter how many gadgets you've got."

Cyril, always the more reflective of the group, leaned against the side of the pool with a thoughtful expression. "I suppose it's a reminder that even with all our skills and tools, we're not invincible. It's good to feel that."

The conversation flowed easily among the men, their voices mingling with the gentle sounds of water. They talked about their experiences, the challenges they faced, and the occasional humorous anecdote from their missions.

Just as the conversation was settling into a comfortable rhythm, a strange ripple disturbed the water. With a sudden *pop*, a figure materialized by the edge of the pool—Whimsy, the Cheshire-like cat from Delirium's domain.

His arrival was accompanied by a whimsical, chaotic energy that immediately disrupted the calm atmosphere.

"Hello, gentlemen!" Whimsy's voice rang out, his grin wide and mischievous. He lounged casually on one of the large stones beside the pool, his eyes glowing with an eerie light. "What a splendid evening for a bit of fun!"

The heroes exchanged glances, their expressions a mix of surprise and irritation. Bruce was the first to react, his brow furrowing in annoyance. "Whimsy. What are you doing here?"

"Oh, just thought I'd drop in and liven things up a bit!" Whimsy purred, his tail flicking in the water, causing ripples to spread out across the pool. "It's not every day I get to see such a serious bunch in a setting like this."

Clark sighed, already feeling the impending chaos. "We were just starting to relax."

Whimsy's eyes gleamed with mischief as he snapped his paw. Instantly, the water in the pool began to bubble and churn, small geysers erupting here and there.

The once peaceful onsen turned into a chaotic whirlpool, with water splashing everywhere.

"Hey! Watch it!" Steve exclaimed, trying to shield himself from the unexpected splashes. "What's the deal with this?"

Archer, never one to miss an opportunity for fun, laughed heartily. "Well, this is a new kind of workout. Not quite what we had in mind, but I'll take it."

Krieger grumbled, struggling to keep his footing as the water swirled around him. "This better not turn into a full-blown mess."

Cyril, trying to maintain some semblance of composure, looked at Whimsy with a mix of exasperation and curiosity. "Is this really necessary?"

Whimsy floated above the water with a playful grin, his body partially disappearing into thin air and then reappearing elsewhere. "Oh, absolutely! It's all about breaking the routine, don't you think?"

As the water continued to froth and bubble, the heroes tried to regain their footing and calm down, though the mood was decidedly more lively now. Whimsy's antics seemed to be working, if that was the intended effect.

Despite the initial annoyance, it was hard not to be amused by the cat's boundless energy and irrepressible spirit.

Clark, finally finding his footing, turned to Whimsy with a resigned smile. "Alright, you've had your fun. What do you want?"

Whimsy's grin widened. "Oh, just enjoying the show and maybe making a few new friends. Besides, I heard there was a bit of a training session, and I thought I'd add a little excitement."

Steve, though still a bit damp from the splashing, shook his head with a smile. "Well, you certainly succeeded in that."

As Whimsy settled down, the water's chaos slowly began to subside. The heroes, though slightly disheveled, couldn't help but laugh at the absurdity of the situation.

The onsen, despite the brief interruption, had served its purpose—relaxation, albeit with a touch of unexpected chaos.

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Announcement!!!

New book incoming!!!

You dear author was hit by another wave of inspiration! Its big, its new and its worth it. You probably never read anything close to this.

I call it My Legacy, My Decree, My Will. 

Already have 20 chaps in the bag, been typing non stop for the last few days and I can safely say it has bee worth it. I'm supposed to release it on Sunday but if you persuade me enough I might release early.