"You..." General Zod was at a loss for words after hearing Jor-El. He had always believed that when Krypton was on the brink of destruction, even though Jor-El chose a different path, he still aimed to preserve Kryptonian civilization. Zod had never been certain which path was the correct one. But now, Jor-El told him that he hadn't thought about such grand things; he only wanted his child to survive, to avoid perishing along with Krypton, and to live a different life.
To Zod, Jor-El, whom he had always seen as embodying great national spirit, now seemed narrow-minded and selfish. This realization left Zod struggling to accept it. He couldn't understand Jor-El's mentality because he had never been a father and wasn't born through natural reproduction. Such emotional connections were foreign to him.
However, Zod remained silent instead of rebuking Jor-El. He could see the conviction in Jor-El's expression, as if ensuring his child's survival was more important than the continuation of Krypton. Zod couldn't understand it but found himself wanting to, even though he couldn't truly grasp the sentiment.
"Was Krypton's path really wrong?" After a long pause, Zod glanced enviously at Jor-El and Clark, muttering to himself.
"It was wrong. If it wasn't, how did Krypton end up like this?" Jor-El replied, shaking his head. "If, as living beings, we can't even experience basic emotions, how can we consider ourselves complete? Our lives were confined by genetic limitations, forcing us into predetermined roles from birth. Does that truly benefit the development of a civilization? If such rigid roles were necessary, we might as well have created perfect robots for each job instead."
"Of course, explaining this to you now won't help. I never got to live a truly free life either, one where I made my own choices. But my son did, which proves my choice wasn't wrong. As for you, it seems you never had that chance..."
"You're right. Even if you spared me, I wouldn't be able to adjust to these things you speak of. My genetic template has already determined everything about me," Zod replied with a bitter smile, reflecting on his fate. "Now I understand that without the constraints of my genetic template, I wouldn't care so much about restoring Krypton's glory. After all, if Kryptonian civilization can't be reborn, then my role as a general has no purpose..."
"It seems you've realized a few things. Kal, give him a quick death. The conflict back then was just a difference in ideology. I'm destined to die anyway; he only hastened it by a bit. You don't need to harbor too much hatred for him," Jor-El said, showing no ill will toward Zod for killing him. Jor-El's focus was solely on Clark, valuing him more than the entirety of Krypton combined. He wanted Clark to live a smooth life, free from the interference of evil forces.
"I understand." Clark nodded in response to Jor-El's words. He decided to follow Robert's earlier advice and finish off Zod, ensuring that his genetic material wouldn't be used to cause trouble later.
With a flash, Clark and Zod disappeared from the spaceship and reappeared high above the remote island.
"Old friend, I hope that in your next life, you can live the life you want," Jor-El's hologram appeared outside the spaceship, gazing at the sky and sighing softly.
"Earlier, you said you wanted to see just how powerful I am. I showed you part of it but kept some hidden," Clark said to Zod as they hovered in the sky. "Earth's space can handle my power, but the planet itself can't withstand my true strength. However, this subspace has been reinforced, so you can witness my full power now."
"Really?" Zod's eyes lit up at the prospect of seeing Clark's ultimate form. It seemed that even in his final moments, witnessing the full extent of a Kryptonian's power was a worthwhile experience.
With a hum, an immense power surged from the island below. Kong immediately raised his head but calmly looked away when he saw the sun-like figure in the sky. To Kong, this was a familiar sight.
Clark's ultimate form might have seemed unchanged from when he fought Zod earlier, resembling a sun. But Zod could feel a massive difference—whereas before, Clark was like a sun that other Kryptonians couldn't absorb, now he was a sun that was actively destroying all of Zod's power.
Zod felt himself growing weaker, first to the state he was in before he absorbed any solar energy, and then even weaker than his original self. As Zod's strength waned, his body became increasingly fragile. If a Kryptonian's steel-like body could still resist under Clark's previous assault, Zod had now become as vulnerable as an ordinary human, utterly defenseless against Clark's power.
In a burst of extreme light, Zod's body was completely vaporized, leaving no trace behind. This ensured that his genes wouldn't cause any issues on the remote island, which was why Clark agreed to bring Zod here. In this space, Clark could unleash his full power without worry and ensure that no part of Zod's genetic material could be exploited by others. Outside, any remnants could have caused trouble.
Even though they hadn't yet identified the mysterious figure who had struck twice from the shadows, the fact that this person might know Clark's weaknesses meant they were not to be underestimated. They would need to be cautious of this individual's technological capabilities.
After dealing with Zod, Clark returned to the island home where the Kent and Danvers families were staying. Lana Lang was also there, keeping the families company. Despite her abilities, Lana had little connection with the Avengers and preferred to stay by Clark's side, especially since Clark spent so much time saving people. If Lana also dedicated herself to rescuing others, they would have no time together, so she chose a more ordinary life, spending more time with Clark and his family.
Although the island was safe and Kong was a formidable protector, he wasn't human, and Lana had become a recognized member of the Kent family. With her there, Clark could rest easy, and the Kent family could feel secure.
"Clark, when can we go back?" Jonathan asked with concern after seeing Clark return. "Is Robert okay? And Kara?"
Although Jonathan knew his children were powerful, even among the superhuman community, parents always worry about their children. Especially since Clark and Robert were constantly dealing with extraordinary threats, the urgency of this evacuation had heightened the Kent family's anxieties.
"Robert and Kara are fine. The enemy wasn't particularly strong this time, just numerous, which caused significant disruptions," Clark reassured them with a shake of his head.
"There's not much we can do about that. People have gotten used to extraordinary events on Earth, but this time it was a massive alien invasion, impossible to cover up. It's bound to have a big impact!" Jonathan sighed.
"Plus, the alien technology and bodies left behind will inevitably be studied by those with ulterior motives. We're likely to see more people wielding alien tech causing chaos, so it's not entirely safe out there yet. You'll need to stay here a bit longer."
"We don't mind staying as long as necessary, as long as you all stay safe. But make sure Robert and Kara come back to visit us when they can," Martha said earnestly, holding Clark's hand.
"I will. I'll have them come see you. Don't worry; we're fine. A little challenge like this won't be the end of us," Clark assured her, patting Martha's hand before nodding to Lana and leaving the island.
"How did the world become like this? We lived most of our lives peacefully, and now suddenly, so many strange things are happening," Martha lamented as she watched Clark leave. "I wish they were all just ordinary people, and that the whole world was filled with ordinary people..."
"We didn't even have phones or computers in our time. Each generation has its way of life. Now our children have the ability to make a difference in these dangerous times, and we, as parents, can only support them from the sidelines without adding to their burden," Jonathan said softly, holding Martha close.
"That's true. We should believe in our children. One day, the world will return to peace..." Mr. Danvers nodded, then suddenly chuckled. "Who knows, maybe by then, Clark really will become the god of the new century!"
"Danvers! Don't joke about God!" Mrs. Danvers scolded, playfully smacking her husband's back.
"My bad, my bad! I apologize! May God forgive me! May Superman forgive me too..." Mr. Danvers laughed, lightly tapping his mouth in mock repentance.
In New York, just as Clark had said, after the Chitauri were defeated, the battlefield was littered with corpses and equipment, despite several clean sweeps by Robert's energy blasts. The remaining bodies and gear became a hot commodity. Both government agencies and private groups were eager to get their hands on this alien technology.
Even the international community wanted a piece of the action, fearing that if the USA monopolized all the alien tech, it would give them an overwhelming advantage once they deciphered it. Knowing America's track record, this was a concern for the rest of the world.
Though the USA's government tried to keep the Chitauri corpses and equipment under wraps, the battlefield was too vast. Many private organizations and individuals managed to get their hands on some of it. And with the rising prices, even some officials began secretly selling Chitauri bodies and equipment, prioritizing personal gain over institutional integrity. After all, in America, what isn't for sale?
As a result, the entire world entered a new technological race, vying to be the first to fully understand Chitauri technology
and advance it to the next level. Robert had anticipated this would happen, and so did the Avengers, but the aftermath of the battle was too large for them to control every detail.
What's more, the government's involvement meant it wasn't always possible to simply destroy the technology. Even if Robert had thoroughly obliterated the battlefield, it would have attracted negative attention from the government and alienated public opinion. So he chose not to, preferring to leave behind a good impression of the Avengers and trusting his friends to handle the aftermath. This decision was supported by the Martian Manhunter and the rest of the team.
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