Chương 205: Truth

Authors Note-

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Present Status - Battle of New York

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"Impossible!" General Zod roared, shaking his head in denial.

"Awakening the power of the ancient god was supposed to strengthen you and the Kryptonian genes within you. How could you have destroyed them? You must be lying!"

"Why would I resort to such a flimsy trick?" Clark countered.

"The Earth's magic stimulated my dormant god-like abilities, strengthening my body. However, I couldn't fully inherit that power. Instead, my body instinctively merged with the Kryptonian genetic material stored within me. Billions of genes are combined, optimized, and recombined, selecting the best ones to integrate and discard the unnecessary. It filled the gaps in my genetic makeup, consuming all the Kryptonian genes."

"No! It can't be true!" General Zod bellowed, his voice thick with despair.

"You're lying to me!"

The love was real. He'd give everything, even his life, to revive Krypton. But now, their only hope was dashed. Even the iron-willed General Zod couldn't hold back tears.

While Zod mourned, Nick Fury and the others breathed a sigh of relief. If Clark was telling the truth, they were in the clear. The crucial gene pool for Kryptonian revival was gone. No matter how advanced their technology, they couldn't create people out of thin air. Without the numbers, Earth could easily overwhelm them.

Seeing Zod's misery, Clark offered some solace. "I know it's harsh, but it's the truth. We have to accept it. However, there might still be hope. Perhaps there are other Kryptonians out there wandering the universe. You could find them, gather them, and locate a suitable planet. It might take millennia, but you could rebuild Krypton's glory."

General Zod, the former Kryptonian military leader, only shook his head with a bitter smile. "It's pointless. Whoever destroyed Krypton is still hunting down survivors. There's no escape."

"General Zod," Clark pressed, "who is this enemy? Why did they destroy Krypton? What are you hiding? Why the secrecy?"

Clark and even the beautiful adjutant behind him and the other tall warrior were consumed by curiosity. General Zod remained tight-lipped.

"Now that you know," General Zod said, his voice tense, "I can explain why I haven't spoken his name before. It's Darkseid, the ruler of Apokolips. The moment I uttered his name, he will sense it and travel across space to annihilate us all." He scanned his surroundings, his paranoia evident, but there was no sign of the cosmic overlord.

"Darkseid!" Nick Fury wondered.

"He's a formidable force in the universe. Not only is he mighty, but he can also control life across the multiverse. And his Omega Beams are particularly devastating. They can erase an enemy from existence. Utterly. No trace, no memory, as if they never even lived."

"Wait a minute," Nick Fury interjected.

"You said his name? And why didn't he appear? I just said his name. As the leader of the remaining Kryptonians, wouldn't his sensing my words make it easier for him to find us? Did he spare us?"

"Ah, that's what you're concerned about," Clark chuckled. "No matter how much you rant about Darkseid here on Earth, remember what I said? Earth is magical. If you spoke his name elsewhere, he would feel it. But Earth is shielded. A powerful sorcerer has placed a magical barrier around the planet, cloaking it from outside detection. Locating Earth, let alone traveling here, is no easy feat."

General Zod's initial surprise gave way to sadness. "So that's how it is," he muttered.

"If only Krypton had such magical defenses, perhaps it wouldn't have been destroyed."

"But why target Kryptonians in the first place?" Clark pressed. "Did we do something to anger him?"

"Legend has it that Darkseid possesses the power of prophecy," General Zod explained. "He foresaw his defeat at the hands of a Kryptonian and sought to eradicate our entire race to prevent that prophecy from coming true. Wait a minute! Maybe there's truth to it! With your newfound god-like abilities, perhaps you can be the one to defeat him. The perfect vessel for Krypton's vengeance! Avenge the millions lost by slaying Darkseid!"

"Ugh," Clark chuckled awkwardly. "The weight of millions of Kryptonian lives… that's a burden I can't carry. Let's say I'm content being human. It's simpler anless stressful. I enjoy the love of my Earth parents and the normalcy of life here."

General Zod's chest rose and fell rapidly with suppressed rage. He lunged forward as if to attack but then stopped himself.

"As a descendant of Krypton, how can you utter such words?" he roared. "You have no memory of your homeworld? Hu, but Kryptonian blood flows through your veins! Don't you feel any responsibility?"

"What responsibility?" Clark countered. "I have no memories of Krypton. I was a baby when I arrived on Earth. My heart belongs here. I'm an Earthling now."

General Zod glared at him, his anger barely contained. "Fine. If you refuse to avenge Krypton, then share your newfound power! We Kryptonians can strengthen ourselves through genetic manipulation. I need your god-like abilities to enhance my genes."

"I wouldn't be stingy if it worked," Clark replied. "But it wouldn't. The power I've awakened is beyond imagination. Even your Kryptonian body couldn't handle it. Another the Kryptonian gene pool within me. It constantly optimized itself, selecting the perfect genes to compensate for my weaknesses. That process wouldn't be possible without it. You lack another gene bank. Forcing my power into you would overload your genetic structure, causing an explosion. The chance of success is minuscule."

"Impossible!" General Zod boomed.

"I am Zod, the strongest Kryptonian warrior! How can our ancestors' legacy overpower me? You lie!"

Not only Zod but his beautiful adjutant and the tall warrior beside him shared his disbelief. They glared at Clark, accusing him of selfishness and fabricating excuses.

"Words won't convince you," Clark sighed. He opened his eyes, their black irises glowing gold, and a wave of heat radiated from him.

In that instant, General Zod felt an overwhelming presence, like an emperor radiating immense power. He instinctively wanted to bow, but a flicker of defiance held him back.

The adjutant and the warrior weren't so resistant. They dropped to their knees with a thud, the impact creating a crater in the ground. Inside the Kryptonian ship, researchers fared even worse. They crumpled to the floor, overwhelmed by an invisible force demanding their submission.

Though feeling the heat and a sense of danger, Nick Fury and his team remained upright. Their lack of Kryptonian blood shielded them from bloodline-based coercion. They watched the scene unfold with a mixture of curiosity and apprehension.

Clark saw the desperate strain on General Zod's face as he fought the urge to kneel. Varicose veins snaked across Clark's body, a testament to the exertion of holding back his power. He couldn't keep this up for long.

"This power is incredibly volatile," Clark explained. "I haven't fully mastered control. I only released a hint of bloodline coercion to protect civilians. If the full force erupted, it could turn an entire city to ash in seconds. It's a power I've never dared to use."

General Zod responded with a booming laugh. He straightened up, his eyes gleaming with excitement. Zod now fully believed the prophecy of a Kryptonian vanquishing Darkseid. He, who had just experienced that unimaginable pressure firsthand, understood the terrifying potential within Clark. If Clark could fully unlock it, defeating Darkseid was a certainty.

"Kal-El," Zod began, addressing Clark by his Kryptonian birth name, "Al and Faora," he gestured to his adjutant and warrior, "we are willing to acknowledge you as our leader. While our numbers are depleted, we are a formidable force. Combine that with our advanced technology, and we can rule Earth together! We can terraform it, slowly reshape it, and one day, Krypton's glory can rise again! We can reclaim the throne of—"

Nick Fury and his team tensed, their hands tightening around their weapons. Things were moving too fast. A potential alliance had emerged. If Clark succumbed to Zod's proposition, how would they stop them?

"Enough!" Clark roared, cutting Zod off.

"General Zod, I've said it before: Earth is my home. I won't let anyone, not even you, threaten it. As fellow Kryptonians, the last survivors of our race, I won't kill you. But Earth is off-limits. Leave now and never come back. Otherwise, you'll face the consequences."

"Why?" Zod bellowed. "You are Kryptonian! Kryptonian blood runs through your veins! Why this coldness towards Earth, this indifference towards your birthworld? We are Krypton's last hope, and I won't give up, not even after trying in vain to awaken you to your true potential!"

General Zod and his two companions circled Clark, forming a tense situation. Clark sighed, his hope for a peaceful resolution fading. It seemed a fight was inevitable.