Chương 128: Cruel Destiny
Under the assault of those devices, Soren was gravely injured.
His strength was nearly depleted, and he could no longer maintain his Angemon form.
With his last bit of energy, he materialized the Excalibur in his right hand and opened the door to the warehouse.
He never expected to find Clark there…
He never expected to see that kind of Clark.
Clark's expression was one of disgust and hatred.
His thick eyebrows furrowed, and in his Kryptonian blue eyes, there was no trace of the deep affection or longing that once resided there.
In those once-enchanting blue irises, there was only the reflection of his own panicked face.
Clark stared at him and began walking toward him.
For a moment, he almost instinctively stepped back in fear.
At that very moment, the Excalibur in his hand dimmed and lost its edge.
He held the Excalibur.
…And Clark had figured out his true identity.
In just a few seconds, countless thoughts raced through his mind.
Clark must have realized by now that he was the Angemon.
It was obvious from the sword in his hand, the weapon known to the world.
Would Clark think he had been lying to him all along?
Would Clark believe that all his closeness, everything between them, was built on concealed secrets?
Soren retreated in despair, but Clark charged at him without hesitation.
The murderous intent of the god of Earth was so overwhelming, it felt as if it would crush Soren's heart.
He looked sorrowfully at Clark's face—the face he loved, once as radiant and beautiful as the sun god Apollo, but now, there wasn't a trace of the love that had he had once pledged.
Soren's gaze shifted to Luis Lane who is standing behind Clark.
Did Clark think he had kidnapped Luis Lane?
But he truly, never… never intended to take anything from Clark…
He wanted, desperately, to explain to Clark right away, to clear up that he never meant to deceive him.
But Clark had already shoved him through the atmosphere.
Clark's hand tightened around his throat.
Choking, Soren struggled with all his might to reach out, to touch Clark's face.
But he no longer had the strength…
His heart trembled with pain.
His heart wept in sorrow.
He couldn't stop himself from wanting to cry.
Tears fell onto Clark's hand.
Straining for breath in Clark's grip, Soren rasped out, "Are you going to kill me, Clark?"
Clark didn't answer.
Soren finally plunged into despair.
If this was what Clark wanted...
If this was Clark's revenge for all the lies…
He thought.
…He wouldn't fight back against Clark.
In his final moments, Soren's expression was almost tender, like that of Saint Bartholomew making his last prayer before sacrificing himself for the Holy Son.
He gazed at Clark's blue eyes, now devoid of recognition for him.
His body turned to a skeleton in the burning atmosphere.
His soul departed…
Someone caught his soul as it fell into the endless night.
Once again, he traversed the universe.
He reached the edge of the cosmos.
In his deep sleep, he dreamed a beautiful dream.
In that dream, he saw Clark as an adult for the first time.
He happily opened his collection of DVDs, pulling out one disc after another, enthusiastically telling Clark about the stories that had fascinated him.
Soren grew tired of talking and turned his head to ask Clark if he had any favorite films.
When he looked over, he saw…
Clark smiled and patiently listening to his ramblings.
That autumn afternoon's sunlight was warm and radiant, the golden rays streaming through the white curtains and falling on Clark, making him glow as if he were bathed in the light of the sun itself.
…He looked like a sun god basking in sunlight.
Like the Superman he had first fallen in love with, the one who lifted a little girl into his arms at sunset.
He had smiled so foolishly then… his words tumbling out in a continuous stream, one after another, as if to hide the words he truly wanted to say.
What made him happiest wasn't that someone was there to listen to him ramble… but that he had finally come to be by Clark's side.
The person he had admired and loved from childhood into adulthood.
His blue eyes were the most beautiful color he had ever seen in his life.
…Clark would never know that Soren had spent his entire life loving him.
…
He awoke at the edge of the universe.
Suddenly, memories from past and present lives came crashing down into his heart.
…He was still dressed in the white military uniform from the New Earth Army front lines, his blond hair falling down to cover his eyes.
Dr. Manhattan stood before him.
With clenched fists and tearful eyes, he looked up at him.
"Why?"
He questioned the most powerful god in the universe.
"You've been watching me all along... You've always been by my side!" He clenched his fists tighter, accusing the god, "You could have stopped me... You could have stopped him!"
Because of his obsessive nature, he walked into the trap laid out for him without hesitation.
Because of his obsession, he didn't resist Clark's killing blow...
...But how much pain must Clark have felt, killing him with his own hands?
He couldn't imagine Clark's agony.
His heart shattered at the thought of the pain Clark might have endured.
If only he had been fully conscious...
if only his mind had been clear...
Then, no matter what, he would never have let Clark kill him.
He would never have let Clark suffer even the slightest injury.
How could he bear to let Clark suffer any pain because of him?
Dr. Manhattan's pure white eyes were like countless indifferent formulas in the universe—equal, uniform, casting only a fleeting glance his way by chance.
The god calmly said, "For a being like me, every choice I make splits the universe into countless new realities, and without exception, every world born from those choices faces inevitable destruction."
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