Malrick waved his hand dismissively. "What could possibly be wrong? It was only some minor injuries from an energy surge."
So what if he'd died once? He'd come back to life with energy. Big deal.
Tony wasn't convinced, still shaken. "But I couldn't even see you just now!"
"I slipped into the Sun's rays to heal. I recovered too fast for you to notice," Malrick offered offhandedly.
He downplayed the fatal damage as though it were nothing worth dwelling on.
"Slip into the Sun?" Clark asked, surprised. "You can heal from sunlight? Are you really Kryptonian?"
"To be precise, I'm human, but I acquired a Kryptonian bloodline by accident," Malrick corrected gently.
"So you're like Jordan!" Clark's face brightened as if he'd discovered a kindred spirit.
That comparison to Clark's son, Jordan, caught Malrick off guard, leaving him slightly speechless.
"There are still differences…" Malrick muttered.
"Whether you're Kryptonian or not isn't the point, Clark. What matters is your world's crisis hasn't been solved yet." Malrick's tone sharpened as he focused.
Clark's warmth and sincerity reminded Malrick of sunlight itself: even when everything threatened to collapse, Clark could still smile, still ease tension—and yet now was not the time to relax.
Malrick pointed toward two slowly drifting cosmic bubbles. "I can help halt the collision of these universes. If they move just a few hundred more times, we can stop their motion. But there's a catch, Clark. The two Earths—yours from each universe—have already started merging. Even if we stop the universes from overlapping further, those Earths won't separate."
He explained carefully: the merge between the universes had stalled, stuck in place, but the two Earths inside were halfway intertwined. If this wasn't reversed, it would still mean the end.
Clark's face hardened with concern. He had believed Malrick's arrival meant salvation, even had plans tonight to unwind with Sherry and the two new arrivals. But now the threat loomed larger.
"Is there a way to fix it?" Clark asked, voice tight.
Malrick shook his head. "Not from here. The merging involves deep space-time mechanics. In my universe I might attempt something, but here I can at most distort space or slow time — I can't tear universes apart or create cosmic black holes on a whim."
Clark's heart sank. Even this great savior standing before him had limits.
Clark turned to Tony, desperation in his voice. "Tony, you're Iron Man. Can't you do something?"
Tony's mind churned, connecting theories and knowledge. But no clear answer emerged. Even if he tried to build a machine to channel the fusion energy of both worlds, time was too short.
Clark gripped Tony's arm, forcing him to stay grounded. It was Superman himself asking, after all. Tony couldn't hesitate now.
"Let me think…" Tony murmured as he rubbed a hand over his visor.
But the seconds slipped away. Without some sudden inspiration—what Malrick called a "subjective burst"—there was no viable path.
Suddenly Tony looked up. "Clark, do you have something you haven't tried?"
Clark looked uncertain, wracked by doubts.
Tony clasped Clark's shoulders, urgency in his tone. "You might be the hope this world needs, Clark. Think of your family. Think of the people who believe in you."
Clark's face twisted with regret. "But I've lost my strength now. I can't even stay upright. I've only ever been able to stand because of my abilities."
"Unless…" Clark's gaze drifted to the cosmic bubble enveloping their world. His eyes seemed to pierce through it, searching for the far-off Sun.
Tony, understanding dawning, murmured, "You want to go into the Sun—to absorb radiation directly?"
Malrick's voice cut in, measured. "You're weaker than before now. Entering the Sun might incinerate you instantly. Yet… there is a slim chance it could restore your power. Are you willing to risk it?"
Clark's gaze flickered. His resolve wavered for a moment, torn between fear and purpose. Then his expression stiffened, determination rising. He placed everything on the line.
"Send me into the Sun. I'll take that chance."
Malrick laid his hand gently on Clark's shoulder. "You might die. Are you sure?"
Clark nodded firmly. "Is there any other way? Earth needs me."
Malrick studied him — the simplicity, the purity of Clark's purpose, his burning will in the face of annihilation. Through his armor, Malrick could sense that flame of conviction.
"Alright. Brace yourself. I move fast. You'll be at the Sun in a moment," Malrick announced.
Clark nodded faintly. "Do it."
Tony's voice cracked, disbelief and fear rising. "You just decided that? You're really going to send Superman into the Sun like this?"
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