Capítulo 37: Chapter 37: Despicable Earthlings

Honestly, the inspiration for this move originally came from Batman.

This is one of the hundred strategies Batman developed to counter Kryptonians. It's well-known that every Kryptonian goes through a harrowing experience when their super senses first awaken. Since they can't effectively control their limitless sensory perception, their nerves are easily overwhelmed.

That's why Batman came up with this technique. He specifically researched a particular frequency of sound waves that would have an amplified effect on Kryptonians, delivering a massive mental blow through their hypersensitive hearing.

For seasoned Kryptonians like later-stage Superman, who have trained to control their super hearing at will, it only causes some discomfort, like a headache. But for newly arrived Kryptonians, who haven't yet mastered their hearing, it can short-circuit their brains and even knock them out.

It's not that Shen You deliberately wanted to steal Batman's idea, but he found the technique genuinely effective. And when it comes to countermeasures against Kryptonians, if Batman claims the second spot, only a certain bald businessman from Metropolis would dare claim the first.

Knowing this theory isn't enough, though, since the original work doesn't explain scientifically how to create such a sonic weapon.

Fortunately, Shen You had a living, growing Kryptonian right at home to help him out. Kara had just awakened her super hearing in the past couple of days and could only barely hear sounds from about a block away. Nowhere near the terrifying global hearing she would have once fully developed. Thus, the ultrasonic waves didn't affect her much, at worst making her feel it was just noisy.

But with her patient help, Shen You successfully identified the corresponding frequency. This was his first chance to test it in combat.

It seems to be working well.

Watox, a low-tier Superman variant, also possesses similar super hearing. Caught off guard, the ultrasonic waves struck him like a critical hit.

To the bystanders who had no idea what was going on, it might have seemed like the two were on the same side. And that Shen You might have some sort of higher authority—why else would someone with super speed rush up to kneel in admiration?

Watox's head felt like it was splitting open, his entire body nearly breaking apart.

Wait, are all the people on this planet this despicable? Do they all resort to such dirty tricks right from the start?

The next moment, Shen You's fist landed squarely on his face.

With superhuman strength enhanced by mech power, Shen You unleashed a classic combo of hooks and uppercuts, each powerful enough to punch through heavy armor, smashing into the giant's head.

Watox staggered, taking a few steps back. Just as he was about to steady himself, a blinding light filled his vision. Shen You had spread his fingers wide, palm facing Watox's face. An energy blast exploded directly in his face.

The energy cannon struck Watox's face, sending him flying horizontally as a cloud of dust erupted around him.

But just seconds later, his battle axe spun out from the dust, slicing towards Shen You. Shen You quickly sidestepped, but the axe still grazed his armor, sparking and leaving a gash before it boomeranged back to Watox's hand.

The giant roared in fury and charged out of the smoke with his axe in hand.

The energy blast had done some damage, but it wasn't enough to seriously injure him. And to have enough strength to charge forward even under ultrasonic attack—this guy's base stats were seriously off the charts.

It could be that Watox's mastery of his super senses was already as refined as Superman's. But Shen You leaned toward a different explanation.

That Watox, as a lower-tier Superman variant, had much weaker senses than a true Kryptonian, which slightly dampened the ultrasonic effect.

Since the sound isn't working well...

Shen You raised his palm cannon again, aiming in the direction of Watox's charge.

Seeing this, Watox sneered internally.

He had already taken one hit from that weapon, so he knew its power. The exoskeleton's energy impact was far stronger than other human firearms, causing him pain but still bearable.

So as long as he could tank one more shot and close in, he could rip this cursed mech apart and grind the person inside to dust to vent his fury.

What the FxCK!

The next moment, Watox was cursing inwardly.

Completely beyond his expectations.

This time, what came from the mech's palm wasn't an energy blast, but light.

Pure, blinding light, like that of the sun, searing the retina with a 24K titanium alloy flash.

A flashbang!

Of course, if Batman developed a weapon to attack hearing, he'd also have one for vision.

This was actually much harder to create. Kryptonian eyes are seriously OP—not only can they see miles away, but they also have built-in x-ray vision and can switch freely across almost the entire known light spectrum. A regular flashbang would be useless against them.

But Batman, with all his tech and research on a certain underwear-on-the-outside boy scout Kryptonian, actually developed a Kryptonian-specific version. It also had an amplified effect on Kryptonians who hadn't fully mastered their super vision.

Recreating this tech was much more challenging than the sonic weapon—pure black-box technology.

But after spending 5,000 years in the Land of Light, Shen You was confident in his optical knowledge. And with a young Kryptonian in the family willing to be his test subject, he successfully recreated the super-vision-specific flashbang.

Just like now.

When Watox was hit by the flash, his vision went dark instantly. His balance faltered, his charging form wavered, and he dropped to his knees. Momentum dragged him along the ground.

Once again, he skid-kneeled, bowing low before coming to a stop at Shen You's feet.

A perfect encore.

Watox's vision was blinded, his ears were filled with a deafening roar as if a thousand jackhammers were at work, and his head felt like it was on the verge of exploding.

His mental state wasn't much better, like a powder keg about to blow.

What kind of nightmare weapon was this?

What the hell—do all you Earthlings fight like this? Where did you even get this messed-up tech to torment me with?

How about fighting fair for once?

Shen You's boosters activated, lifting him into the air as he spun around, delivering a powerful kick to Watox's jaw. The mech-powered kick sent Watox flying again.

Shen You landed from his flip as a mini-launcher popped up from his shoulder, a missile primed and ready.

Specium warhead, fire!

The small warhead shot out with a piercing whistle, trailing thick smoke as it soared into the sky, detonating in a brilliant explosion that lit up the entire battlefield.