บท 204: Clark, Zod

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A spaceship descended gracefully, its arrival devoid of hostility. Three individuals emerged from its opened warehouse door. A burly man with a trimmed beard led them—the unmistakable seated general. His beautiful adjutant, Faora, followed behind, and another towering figure over 2.5 meters tall was a formidable presence.

Ignoring Nick Fury, General Zod fixed his gaze on Clark and approached.

"Kal-El, I've finally located you. Join me now, and together, we can reshape this world. You'll ascend as its ruler, its sovereign across the cosmos!" The iron-willed general spoke with directness, wasting no time on pleasantries.

Clark, taken aback, took a moment to respond. "Well, while I'm well aware of the allure of this world's many temptations, you're certainly putting a tall order on my shoulders, casting me as the universe's monarch. Do you truly expect me to accept this blindly?"

Clark's words changed General Zod's expression, his eyes flashing with intensity. "Why resist? Our home, Krypton, lies in ruins. We are its last hope, tasked with restoring its former glory. As a descendant of Krypton, it's only fitting for you to lend your strength."

"Please, reconsider. How can the few of us restore Krypton's splendor? Besides, you and I remain at odds due to my father's conflict. Why should I align with you? Krypton may perish, but I've found solace on Earth. I intend to remain."

General Zod's fury surged, his voice sharp. "Damn it! To utter such words... Your father and I may have had differing visions, but we shared a deep love for our planet. In pursuing Krypton's restoration, all else must be set aside. You've forsaken our Kryptonian heritage, damn it!"

Clark shrugged. "I can't shoulder all the blame. Earth has been my home for years. Its culture and education have shaped me. I've embraced Earth's ways and pledged to protect it."

"What about your allegiance to your ancestral home? Is it inferior to Earth's primitive allure?" Zod, failing to grasp Clark's attachment to Earth, questioned.

"I've grown accustomed to Earth's ways over the years. While Kryptonians may surpass Earthlings in strength and technology, Earth's assimilative prowess far exceeds ours. I've been ingrained with Earth's values, betraying my mother planet to safeguard Earth's future," Clark explained.

General Zod's fury surged within him, his voice piercing. "Damn it! Do you dare utter such words? To rebuild Krypton's glory, all else must be forsaken. You've abandoned the pride of being a Kryptonian, damn it."

Clark shrugged. "You can't fault me for that. I've spent my formative years on Earth, receiving its education and culture. I've become assimilated and can't simply turn my back on it. I'm sorry."

"What do you mean? Is your loyalty to your ancestral home not as strong as your attachment to backward Earth? You would forsake your homeland for such a primitive world?" Zod, unable to comprehend Clark's allegiance to Earth, questioned.

Upon hearing Clark's words, Nick Fury and the others observing felt relief and shame. Should Earthlings take pride in assimilating others' cultures and beliefs?

Amidst the group, Nick Fury stood out not just because his years as a secret agent had made him as thick-skinned as a city wall but also because his dark complexion made it impossible to detect any blush, even if he were embarrassed.

General Zod seethed angrily, yearning to rush forward and teach Clark a lesson. Yet, he understood that the priority was finding the Kryptonian gene pool. Only with clues on Clark's body could they cooperate effectively.

"Alright, if that's your decision, I won't force you. But you must provide your Kryptonian gene collection. With those genes, we can fully resurrect our people. Since you've turned your back on your mother planet, you no longer deserve to hold onto it," Zod declared firmly.

Clark's expression turned crestfallen as he responded, "I'm sorry, but I can't comply. The gene pool is gone, and Krypton's last hope was extinguished long ago."

"Impossible!" General Zod exclaimed incredulously, his gaze piercing Clark's.

"I know your father, Jor-El when Krypton faced destruction by our enemies, we pursued different methods to save our planet. Knowing Krypton's crisis, your father would have surely found a way to ensure our survival. He stole the gene bank storing all Kryptonian DNA, and you were sent away that day along with it."

"Hold on, you mentioned that enemies destroyed Krypton. I thought it was due to excessive resource exploitation?" Clark interjected, stunned by Zod's revelation. A vague suspicion began to form in his mind.

"Krypton had already reached the interstellar era, capable of interplanetary migration. Even if our home planet was destroyed, it's inconceivable that only a handful of survivors would remain. General Zod, can you tell me who exactly was responsible?"

General Zod's expression shifted, and he realized he had let something slip. He clenched his teeth, deciding not to delve further into the matter, and instead pressed on, "You don't need to worry about that. Just tell me where the gene bank is."

Seeing General Zod's determination, Clark understood that he wouldn't divulge any more information, so he didn't press the issue further.

"You're correct. My father did indeed steal the gene bank and implanted Kryptonian genes into each of my cells. He hoped that one day when I had enough strength, I could extract these genes and resurrect all the Kryptonians. Unfortunately, there was an incident along the way."

"What kind of incident?" General Zod inquired eagerly.

"Patience, let me explain," Clark said, pausing briefly. He glanced at Nick Fury and the others, listening intently, before continuing, "General Zod, as a former supreme military commander of Krypton, you must be aware of certain ancient secrets. You likely know that the immense individual strength of our Kryptonians stems from a powerful ancient entity."

General Zod nodded, acknowledging, "Indeed. Although common Kryptonians may not be privy to such knowledge, I have access to these secrets as a military leader. It's said that our ancestors gained their strength by inadvertently merging with the essence of an ancient deity. This deity was said to be born from a star, and our forebears harnessed its energy to become immensely powerful. They even developed methods of genetic enhancement. Legend has it that our ancestors could easily destroy entire planets. However, no one of that caliber has appeared for eons, though your father was said to be researching methods to awaken the power of this ancient deity."

"Yes, my father was indeed pursuing this line of research. Unfortunately, he faced repeated failures. No matter his genetic adjustments, the Kryptonians he created couldn't awaken the deity's power. Nevertheless, he persisted. Eventually, he considered a different approach—birthing life naturally. And that's how I came into existence."

General Zod's eyes widened as a realization dawned on him. Excited, he pointed at Clark, "You mean your father succeeded?"

Clark nodded with a wry smile, "The circumstances surrounding my birth remain unknown, but it's true that as a naturally born Kryptonian, I'm different from those created through genetic manipulation. My father's research could be considered successful despite the unexpected consequences. And he never knew of his success because he sent me away on that fateful day."

"I know this. I was there at the time. If he knew about it, he would be proud."

"Yeah, that's the day you killed my father." Clark rolled his eyes at General Zod.

"To ensure the inheritance of Kryptonians, my father stored the gene bank of Kryptonians in my body and then sent them to Earth. Of course, he also had his selfish motives. Kryptonians' technology level and physical quality are thousands of times better than Earth's. If he were to return, he could rely on these advantages. Once I fully mature, I could become the ruler of Earth. Moreover, Earth's environment is very similar to that of Krypton. With some modifications, it could become a new Krypton."

General Zod nodded, "Indeed, Jor-El was worthy of being the chief scientist of Krypton. He had a unique vision. Since he discovered Earth in advance, he left a way back for Krypton. It's a pity he's no longer alive."

At this point, the expressions of Nick Fury and the others listening in changed dramatically. Initially, they had a favorable impression of Clark, thinking he genuinely cared for Earth. But now they realized Clark was an intruder, having arrived decades ago. Had he used the gene pool to create a legion of Kryptonian warriors during this time? Was he preparing for war, plotting Earth's destruction? If so, the odds of Earth's survival were slim, regardless of what Clark said next.

"My father's plan was flawless, but unfortunately, he overlooked something, leading to a catastrophic accident that thwarted his plan and extinguished Krypton's last hope."

"What oversight?" General Zod demanded.

"He overlooked the fact that Earth is a profoundly mystical planet. Many inexplicable phenomena occur here, defying logic. While other planets faced judgment and underwent destruction, Earth persevered and endured all the cosmic trials. Because of Earth's mysticism, a finely balanced ecosystem has been developed, allowing for the practice of diverse disciplines such as magic, martial arts, and more. Earth's mysticism enables humans to harness various energies, giving rise to mutants and attracting extraterrestrial beings. I, too, am a beneficiary of Earth's mystic energies, which allowed me to awaken the power of the ancient gods within."

"That sounds advantageous. But why do you seem troubled?" General Zod inquired.

"It's advantageous for me but catastrophic for you and all Kryptonians. The awakening of the ancient god's power within me destroyed all the Kryptonian genes stored in my body."