Marvel and DC

The Boom Tube malfunctioned, depositing the Justice League in a grittier Manhattan. Superman floated on, frowning at the Daily Bugle headlines that branded a local hero a "menace. "

"Something's wrong," Batman murmured, peering into the shadows. "The air smells of despair."

A roar echoed as they stumbled into a skirmish. The Avengers were fighting a squad of HYDRA zealots. The League watched, expecting the usual dance of surgical containment. Instead, they saw Captain America's shield fracture a sternum with a purposeful blow to the bone, and Wolverine... well, Logan wasn't using the blunt edge of his claws.

"Stop!" Wonder Woman ordered, landing between the factions. "There's no need for such carnage."

Iron Man landed, his visor sliding upward. "Who are you? A circus? These guys have a nuclear bomb. We don't have time for an ethics lesson."

"They have taken lives," Superman said, his voice a low thunder.

"We saved millions," Stark replied.

The League understood then: here, the heroes weren't gods on pedestals. They were soldiers in an endless war where the line between "hero" and "survivor" was drawn in blood. Here, the No Killing rule was a luxury they simply couldn't afford.