Metropolis City Bank.
A man dressed in a cool, black and red trench coat leaned against the bank's waiting couch. A peculiar, ancient yellow mask covered his face, and his fingers tapped a leisurely rhythm. He looked less like a bank robber and more like someone waiting for a bus by the sea, enjoying a cool breeze.
He carried no weapons, yet he had successfully robbed a bank surrounded by armed security. Not a single shot had been fired in resistance during the entire ordeal.
The security guards, tellers, and customers cowered like quail on the other side, trembling. They stared at the man as if he were some kind of monster; fear had swept over their minds and bodies like a whirlwind, blowing away their courage to resist.
"Superman!"
Hearing the cheers from outside.
"You're finally here, Superman."
A smile crept across the man's lips. He tidied his attire, stood up with swagger, and his voice echoed out of the bank.
"I've been waiting for you for a long time."
"The people of Metropolis say not to commit blatant crimes. When you make people scream, Superman might descend the next second and throw you in jail. That saying is indeed true."
He clapped his hands, seemingly greatly impressed by Clark's actions.
"Who are you?"
Clark flew into the bank, first glancing at the hostages inside to confirm no one was injured. He then fixed his gaze on the man.
Creating chaos and committing a crime with the purpose of luring him out—this wasn't the first time.
The outcome of the previous encounter hadn't been very favorable.
Clark glanced at the Green Lantern Ring on his hand.
"After that incident, people have noticed my weakness. However, if it's something related to meteorites, I won't be as disheveled as I was last time."
"Allow me to introduce myself. You can call me Psionic Pirate."
The man said with a smile. Clark frowned and pondered for a moment, having no impression of this nickname. He waved his hand dismissively as if it didn't matter.
"It doesn't matter if you haven't heard of me.
I'm just an unknown nobody for now. Of course, I can't compare to you. You are the world-famous Superman."
"Speaking of which..."
The peculiar, ancient mask emanated a hazy, orange-yellow glow. He seemed to be looking at something as he touched his chin, gazing at Clark and teasing him.
"Forgive me, Clark Kent. That name doesn't sound super at all."
"I don't know what you're talking about."
Hearing his name from a stranger's mouth, Clark's expression drastically changed.
He clenched his fists, nervously scanning the people inside the bank.
He couldn't imagine the trouble this would cause if it got out. The US military and even the world had been trying to uncover his true identity.
Following the name Clark Kent, they might very well find his parents. His parents' peaceful lives would inevitably be disrupted. David would definitely kill him.
"Don't worry, they didn't hear."
Psionic Pirate pointed to his own head.
"I'm speaking to you with this."
"You actually grew up on a farm in a small country town?
That's even less super!"
He looked as if he had met a celebrity up close only to find them underwhelming, revealing a disappointed expression.
"A bookworm in school? Liked the pretty cheerleaders, how cliché."
As if watching a cliché TV drama unfold, Psionic Pirate shook his head, offering his opinions.
"It's my mind!"
Clark took a step back, realizing something. The other party was rummaging through the memories in his head. But damn it, he didn't know how to defend against such mental probing.
He could level mountains with his fists, withstand the vacuum of space and the harsh environment of the frigid Arctic, and cut through steel with his heat vision. But in his mind, he had no special abilities.
"Lantern Ring."
Remembering the Lantern Ring with its myriad abilities, Clark quickly activated it. A green suit enveloped his entire body, emitting a green glow that protected against all external forces. He leaped rapidly towards Psionic Pirate, reaching out to grab him, intending to subdue him immediately.
His weakness seemed to be the opponent's strength, and Clark felt a hint of unease.
But his grab passed through empty air as his steel body phased through Psionic Pirate's illusory form.
"Did this ring create a mental shield for you? Interesting."
"Could it be, like my Medusa mask, an ancient treasure?"
Psionic Pirate's form, whether real or not, reappeared. He examined Clark's Green Lantern Ring with great interest.
"Superman, you are powerful and mysterious. The world actually knows very little about you. You have many secrets, but to me, Psionic Pirate, your mind and spirit are harbors open for my invasion."
He was already one of the most powerful psychic abilities users in the world. After awakening his abilities, he became deeply fascinated and curious about mythical things. In a museum, he found the Medusa mask, which could amplify mental power and control others' emotions.
His psionic power had now reached an unprecedented level.
The psionic protection of the Lantern Ring was like a flimsy plastic film to him, easily torn apart. He continued to probe Clark's mind, delving into his life and secrets.
"Found it.
Weapons from an alien legion? Accidental selection?"
Surprise flickered across the Psionic Pirate's face.
"Your life experiences are truly legendary.
But what surprises me most is that the Transcendent is your brother? His name is David Kent?"
"Enough!"
Clark, his secrets that he had tried so hard to hide completely exposed by the person before him, angrily threw a punch. But suddenly, a giant, orange-yellow psionic energy python appeared in the void. With a mighty lash of its tail, he was sent flying as if hit by a large truck.
"Taste the power of the mind!"
The Psionic Pirate laughed heartily.
"Psionic power can do more than just read thoughts and probe memories."
Several fanged energy pythons emerged from the mask on his helmet, opening their gaping maws to bite.
Dodging the bites of a few, Clark reached out and grabbed two pythons lunging at his face. It felt like grabbing two colossal serpents of the earth; their writhing, explosive strength made him feel slightly strained. As they wrestled, the ground beneath his feet cracked.
"You're stronger than I imagined, Superman."
However, the Psionic Pirate was even more astonished. Veins bulged on his forehead, and his expression turned grim. Despite pushing his psionic power to its absolute limit, he still couldn't overpower Superman.
"When I found and put on this legendary mask, my power was amplified to an unbelievable degree, yet I still couldn't defeat you head-on."
"But it's alright, psionic power was never meant to be used so crudely."
"What exactly is your goal!"
A bad premonition suddenly struck him, and Clark shouted. His Heat Vision fiercely cut through the energy entity before him, the attack piercing not only the Psionic Pirate but also the wall behind him.
"You... you!"
The Psionic Pirate fell to the ground, clutching his chest where blood gushed out like a spring, his face filled with disbelief. He died without breathing. Clark stared with slight bewilderment. He had clearly tried to avoid vital spots, so why did his attack miss?
"Seeing isn't always believing."
Watching Clark's stunned expression, the Psionic Pirate reappeared in the air. He hovered in mid-air, the psionic pythons emerging from his orange-yellow mask flailing their fangs and claws, exceptionally terrifying. He seemed like an evil god from another dimension, enjoying toying with people's minds, and he mocked.
"Clark, it seems you haven't learned your lesson from earlier."
"Stop calling me that."
Hearing this wicked individual utter his little-known name with such familiarity, Clark became deeply enraged. He pushed his super-vision to its limit, able to see individual cells, nerves, brainwaves, and even the electromagnetic waves in the air.
He threw a punch, only to miss again. The gust of wind stirred by his fist swept through the entire bank lobby, causing the hostages to scream.
The hostages whose minds had been invaded by the Psionic Pirate had no thoughts of escaping at this point.
"Are you dumber than I thought, or has your rage clouded your judgment?"
The Psionic Pirate's reappearance made Clark feel a sense of powerlessness.
He clearly saw someone there, his heart beating, his neural signals transmitting between neurons, yet he was still deceived, toyed with once more.
"Oh right, where were we?
What is my purpose?"
The wind blew his trench coat upwards as the Psionic Pirate spread his hands in the air. Having just toyed with Superman in the palm of his hand, he displayed immense confidence, as if he had already grasped the entire situation, and began to discuss his plan with a smile.
"I have a grand plan.
To liberate everyone in this city, to free them from the mental cage that society has forced them to build since birth!"
As he spoke, Clark didn't just stand there foolishly; he continuously tried to attack the Psionic Pirate, but to no avail.
"They will act according to their whims, driven by pure emotion, unleashing their restrained minds!"
"You expect me to believe that!"
If all citizens acted on their emotions indiscriminately, it would undoubtedly bring chaos to the city. But Clark didn't believe the Psionic Pirate's goal was merely this. What benefit would he gain? He threw another punch, which missed.
Physically resembling a god among men, he felt impatient and helpless.
No matter how strong a person is, how can they fight something invisible and intangible?
"Such a magnificent plan will surely attract many saboteurs.
Before the plan is completed, I need bodyguards!"
The Psionic Pirate's plan extended further. After the frenzy of mental and spiritual indulgence would come weakness, and that would be the perfect time for him to imprint his mental seal on the city's inhabitants. They would all become his servants.
"That bodyguard is you.
Oh, and your brother, David Kent."
A pathological excitement appeared on his face, as if merely thinking about that scene sent shivers of exhilaration through him.
"The two most powerful superheroes on Earth protecting me, completing the city's baptism."
Then it's on to the next city, until the new world I envision arrives!"
"You lunatic!"
Clark gritted his teeth and roared, flying forward with a raised fist.
He couldn't read minds, but he could see the madness in the eyes of the person before him, an ambition to trample and ravage the entire world underfoot!
For this city, he couldn't hold back any longer.
"That's about enough.
I'm not in the mood to play with you anymore."
With his finger pressed to his temple, the Psionic Pirate decided he wouldn't continue. An evil smile crept onto his lips.
A powerful mental force, like a tidal wave, invaded.
In the blink of an eye, Clark found himself in a night sky, looking at his hands in confusion.
"Right, where is this?
What was I supposed to be doing?"
On the rooftop of a skyscraper in Metropolis, he stood in the wind, his thoughts somewhat scattered, as if he had just woken from a long dream.
"I remember now, I was just going to do nothing, just enjoy the night breeze here quietly."
As if recalling something, he closed his eyes, his expression serene, not thinking about anything else. The cool night breeze gently brushed against his skin, as if it could blow away all his troubles.
"Why did Superman stop moving?"
"What happened?"
In reality, through the bank's glass, Superman, who had appeared to be fighting an unseen enemy, suddenly froze with his eyes closed. The police officers exchanged bewildered glances, not knowing what was going on.
Suddenly, a powerful wave of mental energy surged outward, engulfing several blocks in an instant and continuing to spread.
"The first step towards the new world has begun!"
Inside the bank, the Psionic Pirate floated in mid-air, his trench coat billowing in the wind. The mask on his head emitted a strong, hazy orange glow, forming a halo behind him. He looked like a god who controlled minds.
Wherever his mental energy wave reached.
The long-suppressed emotions and minds of everyone were ignited and released, indulging in madness without restraint!
"You son of a bitch, Old Colin, I remember when I first joined the force, you used to send me to buy coffee for you. I'll make sure you only sit in a wheelchair from now on!"
Outside the bank, the nearest police officers had various expressions. One of them, with a ferocious look, drew his weapon and aimed it at his partner!
"No, I don't want to be a cop anymore. Being a cop is too dangerous, I want to leave."
"I'll kill you, Anderson, I should have been the captain!"
Chaos erupted as many officers drew their weapons and fired at each other. Under the high-risk, high-pressure life, the small dissatisfactions that had been buried in their hearts turned into overwhelming murderous intent that crushed their reason.
"I haven't experienced killing anyone yet!" "Karis, your legs are so long!"
Some officers, known for their gentlemanly demeanor among colleagues, were overcome with lust and lunged at their female colleagues.
Several blocks away, the civilians were also in chaos, fighting, smashing, looting, and burning. All of humanity's violent, vicious, and base emotions were unleashed.
"Jemory, you just wait!"
Someone, filled with rage, grabbed a shotgun and prepared to drive to their company to shoot their boss, who was exploiting them and withholding bonuses.
Some beat their husbands, wives, and even children. Others were smashing everything they saw with axes in the streets, wanting to take revenge on this cold and oppressive society!
Amidst the cries, screams, the sound of shattering glass, and gunshots... the flames of chaos and loss of control spread from several blocks to the entire city!
"Guys, Metropolis is under an unknown attack!"
In the Justice League hall, Cyborg, who had been monitoring online information, suddenly jumped up from his chair, projecting the chaotic scene of Metropolis looking like a living hell from the cameras. Millions of madmen were running rampant in the city, violently venting their emotions.
"What… what is happening?"
Looking at the bizarre and terrifying scene in the city, Flash also stood up abruptly, his eyes wide with disbelief.
"This has to be a joke, what's wrong with everyone?
If God is real, could it be… could it be that a demon has descended upon the world right now?!"
Batman's expression changed, and his eyes also showed a hint of disbelief.
Crack!
A piece of wood was split in half effortlessly.
Back in the small town, David had just finished chopping a pile of firewood for his family's farm. He straightened up, holding the axe, and looked towards the city.
Several thick plumes of black smoke billowed from the skyscrapers, steel melted into liquid iron and shot towards the sky. The flames illuminated half the sky, as if a war had broken out in the city.
"What is this…"
An abnormal and terrifying sight. His eyes narrowed. What had happened to Metropolis?
David quickly used his gravity sense to remotely check the situation.
"The people of Metropolis are killing each other like madmen, venting their violence?"
Not just Metropolis, but the surrounding towns as well. The entire town was in chaos.
Who's behind this?
His expression turned grim and uncertain.
Crash!
Suddenly, a crisp sound of breaking dishes echoed from inside the house. David's eyes widened, and his body turned into a blur as he rushed into the room in an instant.
Upon entering, he saw that his parents were thankfully unharmed.
Only his mother, Martha, was standing by the sink, seemingly startled by the sudden turn of events.
"Mom, what's wrong?"
David took a step forward, asking with concern.
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