บท 228: Chapter 228: The Next Target
Decades ago, when Superman was first born on Krypton, the planet met its tragic end. As Krypton was destroyed, most of its people perished with it in the vastness of space. Only a few, like Clark and Kara, managed to escape the doomed planet in spacecraft, eventually finding refuge on the distant Earth.
Of course, there was also General Zod, another Kryptonian survivor, who later sought to rebuild Krypton by destroying Earth. His clash with Clark, stemming from their conflicting ideals, forced Clark to make the painful decision to kill one of the last remaining members of his own race.
This act haunted Clark deeply. It wasn't until he met his cousin Kara, who had also arrived on Earth in a spaceship, that he realized he wasn't the sole survivor of Krypton.
So, when Peter revealed that he too possessed Kryptonian blood, both Clark and Kara were shocked beyond words.
"I see now. No wonder you have powers as strong as mine…" Kara said. The caution she had felt towards Peter seemed to dissolve, replaced by a newfound sense of kinship.
"However, your name and appearance are nothing like Clark's…" Kara had initially doubted Peter's identity, wondering if he was indeed a Kryptonian like herself. But Peter's unfamiliar face and name made her skeptical. She couldn't sense the usual Kryptonian aura from him, just as Clark hadn't been able to detect Peter's presence earlier.
This was because Peter had surpassed the limitations of his dimension. Even within the universe, he could make himself undetectable to others.
"That's not surprising. In the infinite multiverse, there are countless possibilities. Not every universe has the same versions of you, or even any version of you at all…" Barry, who could travel between parallel universes, had a unique perspective on the matter. He had seen universes where humanity thrived, and others where humans no longer existed, leaving only desolation.
In fact, the universe he came from was one where no Kryptonians existed at all.
"So, that's how it is…" Kara said, her voice tinged with excitement. "Does this mean Peter is a long-lost Kryptonian sibling we never knew?"
At that moment, Kara and Clark fully accepted Peter, despite his mysterious origins.
"It's a pleasure to meet you, fellow Kryptonian!" Clark, now more at ease, offered his hand to Peter, signaling friendship.
"I'm glad to meet you both and to fight alongside you!" Peter responded without hesitation, gripping Clark's hand firmly. The handshake between the two powerful figures symbolized their newfound bond.
"Now, we should discuss why you've come here!" Clark said, his tone turning serious once again. As they shook hands, Clark felt the immense power within Peter, a force equal to or even greater than his own, confirming Peter's words.
Clark knew that Barry and Peter wouldn't have entered their universe, and sought him out alongside Kara, without a significant reason. There had to be a special purpose behind their arrival.
...
"Let Barry explain this," Peter said, not wanting to steal the spotlight. He turned to Barry, signaling him to explain the reason they had come here.
Clark and Kara, now fully attentive and intrigued, looked at Barry with curiosity, waiting for his explanation.
"Alright, I won't keep it hidden any longer. The reason we suddenly appeared in this universe is because we received some alarming news…" Barry began, his expression growing serious. Even before he spoke, Clark and Kara could sense the gravity of the situation.
"What did you say? All universes are facing destruction?" Clark asked in shock. Even he, who usually remained calm under any circumstances, couldn't hide his surprise at Barry's words.
Kara, who had already learned that her universe was in danger, was stunned to find out that the crisis threatened not just her universe, but all of them.
"What exactly is going on?" The two could no longer stay calm. The impending destruction of all universes was a crisis too severe to ignore, and they hadn't received any warning.
"Here's what happened…" Barry didn't hesitate. He quickly recounted everything that had happened to him, detailing his experiences.
A few minutes later, as Barry finished his story, Kara and Clark's expressions turned grim. They furrowed their brows, deep in thought, trying to grasp the reality of the situation.
"Barry, it's not that I doubt you, but are you sure these aren't just hallucinations or the result of some mental or magical influence?" Kara asked. She had encountered many beings with special abilities on Earth, some of whom could manipulate her mind, trapping her in illusions and causing her to act against her nature. She couldn't help but wonder if Barry had fallen victim to a similar power.
"In fact, I did consider that possibility at first and hesitated about seeking your help…" Barry admitted. "But when I met Peter and witnessed a universe that once existed but had now vanished without a trace, I realized it might all be true."
Recalling the silent disappearance of that universe, Barry's face grew somber. An entire universe had vanished without him having any clue how it happened.
"What? A universe has already disappeared?" Kara and Clark finally grasped the severity of the situation after hearing Barry's account. They realized that they couldn't ignore the threat to the safety of the universe.
"So, did that strange being known as the Watcher tell you how we can stop this crisis?" Clark asked, his voice heavy with the seriousness of the situation. Barry could feel the intense pressure from Clark, who was now fully committed to addressing this threat.
"He did tell me how to stop the crisis, and that's why I've come to find you," Barry replied. "The Watcher instructed me to gather powerful beings from various universes to fight the impending crisis. You two are among those he named."
"And once we've assembled our allies, the Watcher will appear and send us to the battlefield where we can prevent the crisis from unfolding."
However, Barry didn't reveal everything the Watcher had told him. The Watcher had also mentioned that to truly save the universe, one of them would have to sacrifice themselves. Barry chose to keep this information to himself, intending to be the one to make that sacrifice when the time came. To him, trading his life to save countless others across the multiverse was a worthy cause.
"I see… traveling to different universes, gathering allies, and defending the universe together…" Clark's expression slowly became resolute.
"If that's the case, I'm in!"
"I'm in too!" Kara added.
Clark and Kara's responses were almost simultaneous.
...
Time passed slowly. With Clark and Kara choosing to join the team to protect the universe, the group prepared to set off once again, traveling to other universes to gather more allies for their cause.
However, due to Barry's previous injuries, they were unable to open the Speed Force portal immediately and travel to other universes. They had to take a break in this universe for a while, allowing Barry's body to fully recover.
Not long after, Mrs. Kent, who had gone out to buy groceries, returned safely and prepared a delicious dinner for everyone, who would soon be leaving to save the universe.
To expedite Barry's recovery, Clark took him to his Fortress of Solitude, using Kryptonian technology to heal Barry's injuries.
As time passed, the sun set, and darkness gradually enveloped the land. The quiet night sky was filled with twinkling stars, each seemingly representing a life in the vast universe.
In this small town, far from the bustling city, there were no bright neon lights. The beautiful, vibrant night sky was clearly visible, full of mystery and serenity.
At this moment, two figures stood on the farm's grass, gazing at the magnificent night sky. They didn't speak, enveloped in a silent atmosphere.
"If our Krypton still existed, it would be in that direction," Kara said, pointing to the beautiful night sky, where a few faint stars were twinkling.
Even though Krypton had been destroyed, in theory, its image could still be seen from Earth. However, trying to see Krypton from such a vast distance with the naked eye was nearly impossible.
"Maybe… I don't have many memories of Krypton," Peter responded somewhat vaguely. While he did indeed possess Kryptonian blood, he wasn't truly born on Krypton and had no memories of the planet.
"That's true. Krypton is gone. Even if we could see images of it before its destruction, what good would it do?" Kara sighed, still unable to fully accept the destruction of her home. On Earth, she had no one to confide in about her inner thoughts.
Peter remained silent, and the surrounding area fell quiet once more.
Suddenly, a figure streaked across the distant sky.
Boom!
The next moment, Clark descended from the sky, landing on the farm.
Soon after, a flash of red and yellow lightning sped across the ground—it was Barry.
"Everyone, time is of the essence. We need to get on with our mission!" Barry's arrival broke the silence around them. It was clear that he had recovered from his injuries and could once again use the Speed Force to open portals to other universes.
"That's right, we need to move quickly. After all, we have no idea when the crisis that threatens the destruction of the universe will fully erupt."
The universe that had silently disappeared was a warning bell, reminding them that while their universe might seem unaffected at the moment, they couldn't be sure if other universes hadn't already suffered, annihilated by the overwhelming power of anti-matter.
"Barry, we're counting on you!"
Without hesitation, Barry nodded at them and transformed into a streak of lightning, racing around the farm.
Buzz!
Barry's speed increased rapidly. As his speed reached its peak, the immense energy of the Speed Force began to gather before them, gradually forming a massive Speed Force portal.
Less than a minute later, the portal was fully formed.
"Everyone, now!"
Without stopping his run, Barry shouted to the group. The others, all possessing the superhuman reflexes of Kryptonians, reacted instantly, dashing into the Speed Force portal the moment Barry's voice rang out.
In the next instant, as the portal began to disappear, Barry, still running at full speed, vanished into the portal along with it.
With their departure, silence once again fell over the farm.
Soon after, the door to the distant house slowly opened, and Mrs. Kent's kind face appeared in the doorway. As Superman's adoptive mother, she knew well the dangers they were about to face. But for the sake of everyone in the universe, she could only watch as they headed straight into the heart of danger.
"Clark, please be careful!" she whispered, clasping her hands in prayer.
The view slowly pulled away, leaving this universe and entering a special dimension filled with lightning and thunder.
"So, what's our next destination?" Kara asked, curiosity in her voice as she looked around. This was her first time traveling through a Speed Force portal that could cross between different universes.
Clark, however, remained calm, unaffected by the continuous lightning around them. He turned to Barry and asked, "According to that guy, who's our next target?"
Barry, his face serious, slowly revealed their next mission. "According to him, the next ally we need to find is, like you, another Superman from his universe."
…
(End of Chapter)
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