Chapter 75: Chapter 74: Fear Can Also Breed Strength
As the people inside the fire truck braced themselves for the flames to engulf them, the driver suddenly caught sight of a figure hovering outside the window.
Like a divine being descending from the heavens, the figure obscured their view with its commanding presence.
The Martian Manhunter, cloaked and imposing, descended gently to the ground, speaking to the terrified occupants of the truck:
"Don't worry, you're going to be alright."
The stunned passengers exchanged uneasy glances.
Having never seen the Martian Manhunter before, they held their breath in nervous silence.
"I'm not here to harm you, so there's no need to be afraid. Hold on tight—I'll get you out of here."
Sensing their apprehension, the Martian Manhunter gestured for them to stay seated, then bent down, gripping the front of the fire truck with both hands.
Effortlessly, he lifted the vehicle and carried it out of the inferno's grasp.
"Thud!"
The fire truck landed safely in a cleared area.
Without pausing to greet the shaken passengers, the Martian Manhunter soared back into the sky, scanning for others trapped in the blaze.
Minutes later, he spotted a group of firefighters struggling beside another fire truck, valiantly spraying water against the encroaching flames.
But instead of receding, the fire advanced even faster, surging toward the firefighters.
The Martian Manhunter quickly descended, calling out:
"Hey, folks, you need to get out of here!"
Startled by his sudden appearance, the firefighters froze for a moment.
"No! We can't leave! We're the firefighters of Smallville—our homes are right behind us!"
A burly firefighter, his face smeared with ash and his voice hoarse, shouted back,
"We have to contain the fire!"
As the firefighters continued to battle the blaze, embers flew through the air. The Martian Manhunter, shielding himself with his arm, was about to respond when a sudden gust of wind fanned the flames directly toward him.
The fire engulfed him instantly.
"No!"
The Martian Manhunter's agonized scream pierced the air as he collapsed to his knees.
The searing pain and psychological trauma overwhelmed him, his cries of torment sending shockwaves through the firefighters.
Instinctively, they rushed to help, but the intense heat forced them back, leaving them helpless as the Martian Manhunter writhed in agony.
Just as his screams began to weaken, a sharp "whoosh!" echoed through the inferno.
Peter arrived like a bolt of lightning, cutting through the flames and standing protectively beside the fallen Martian Manhunter.
Disguised with black-framed glasses and subtle alterations to his appearance, Peter surveyed the situation with a sharp intake of breath. He then exhaled powerfully.
While his superhuman physique didn't grant him Clark's frost breath, his gale-force exhale was strong enough to extinguish the flames consuming the Martian Manhunter.
Looking down at the unconscious, smoke-covered figure, Peter shook his head and quipped:
"A Martian Manhunter nearly burned to death? You were this close to becoming a legend."
Peter understood the Martian Manhunter's deep-seated fear of fire, rooted in the trauma of witnessing his race perish in an inferno.
Despite his earlier warnings, the stubborn green-skinned hero had ventured into the blaze to save lives—nearly at the cost of his own.
Crouching, Peter picked up the unconscious Martian Manhunter and used his breath to clear a path through the flames.
Creating a safe zone, he turned to the wide-eyed firefighters and urged them to leave immediately.
Peter had no intention of fighting the wildfire himself.
Though his breath could douse small areas, the scale of the inferno was beyond even his superhuman abilities—it would take more than lung power to combat such destruction.
Back at the Metropolis Hotel.
Peter returned with the Martian Manhunter, now back in his human guise, and placed him on the bed.
Standing nearby, Azu, Clark, and Bruce watched the unconscious hero with concern.
For the moment, Azu and Bruce had called a truce.
Azu asked Peter, "Dad, what happened to Mr. Jones?"
"He's injured," Peter replied, glancing at the Martian Manhunter. "It's a mental wound."
Clark frowned. "Shouldn't we take him to a hospital?"
"No. This kind of trauma isn't something doctors can heal. He has to recover on his own. Right now, he's likely battling his fears in his dreams."
Bruce froze at Peter's words about confronting fear.
Azu, confused, asked, "Dad, someone as strong as Mr. Jones has fears too?"
"Mr. Jones isn't a god," Peter said. "Of course, he has fears. Don't forget, even the tiniest grain of dust carries fear within it."
Peter continued, addressing them all:
"Anyone can destroy what's in their heart—love, hate, faith, even doubt. But as long as they're alive, they can never destroy fear."
Turning to Bruce, Peter asked, "Isn't that right, Bruce?"
Snapping out of his thoughts, Bruce stammered, "Y-yes, sir."
He hesitated, then asked, "Sir, does Mr. Jones have wounds and fears that can't be healed?"
"He does. He's witnessed some horrifying events."
Peter walked over and ruffled Bruce's hair. "But remember, Bruce, fear isn't always a bad memory—it can also breed strength."
Meanwhile.
On the outskirts of Smallville, heavily armed soldiers had surrounded a blazing forest.
General Sam Lane stood at the front, sweating from the intense heat as he surveyed the scene.
The soldiers were attempting to subdue a fiery humanoid figure in the distance.
Sam, who had been on vacation with his daughter before receiving this urgent assignment, was stunned by the situation.
"Is that thing bulletproof?"
The lieutenant in charge of the operation barked orders to keep firing: "Keep shooting!"
Bang! Bang! Bang!
A hail of bullets rained toward the fire creature, but to no effect.
"We can't hit him, sir! The bullets are melting before they even reach him!"
Shields up against the oppressive heat, the soldiers retreated in disarray.
Seeing their efforts fail, Sam grabbed a military radio and called for air support.
He couldn't let this fiery menace escape—not when it had the power to engulf half of Kansas in flames.
From the northwest came the unmistakable roar of a fighter jet tearing through the sky.
...
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