HISD Chapter 71: The Ancient Doomsday on Earth
The Kryptonian exploration ship's virtual intelligence—Jor-El—was a fragment of himself, programmed with his own thoughts and reasoning. It was designed to activate when someone reawakened and entered the Kryptonian ship.
This was one of Jor-El's backup plans.
According to the original design, if he managed to send his son, Kal-El, to Earth before Krypton's destruction, then only Kal-El, as the last Kryptonian survivor, would be able to reactivate the ship upon reaching adulthood.
Thus, the moment the Kryptonian ship came to life, Jor-El's virtual intelligence was also reactivated within the cockpit's databanks.
Even if his true self had long perished along with Krypton, this fragment of Jor-El's mind could at least see his son again—the grown version of the boy he had sent away. His son, he imagined, would be tall and strong, a reflection of himself.
Holding back his excitement, the virtual Jor-El began speaking words of encouragement and hope, his voice resonating warmly as heavy footsteps echoed through the ship's corridors. Slowly, he turned his holographic figure.
"Prepare yourself, my son, to inherit the will of our family, the will of hope…"
But then he froze.
The smile on his holographic face stiffened and collapsed into shock. His eyes widened in disbelief as he looked at the figure that stepped into the cockpit—three meters tall, covered in jagged bone spikes, eyes burning with destructive crimson fire.
Where was his son, Kal?
Why was Doomsday here?
And not just any Doomsday—the Ancient Doomsday, the abomination Krypton had imprisoned for thousands of years!
Even as a mere program, Jor-El's mind stalled. Terror gripped him. He had once believed that Krypton's ultimate nightmare had perished along with their civilization, lost to the void of space.
Yet here it was—on Earth.
How could Earth hold any hope now?
Jor-El, who had once built his entire life around the creed of hope, felt it shatter in an instant. Even if he believed in his son's potential, he knew Kal-El could never hope to overcome this ancient monster.
He knew the truth.
As one of Krypton's leading scientists and warriors, Jor-El was well aware of the terrible ability that made Doomsday unbeatable. That power was the very reason Krypton had only been able to imprison the creature, never destroy it.
And if Doomsday broke free here, on Earth…
Jor-El made his decision instantly.
This being must never remain on Earth. If it did, Earth would face the same fate as Krypton.
Fortunately, Doomsday seemed mindless for now, and had not destroyed the Kryptonian ship.
"I must activate the ship and launch it away from Earth. If I can guide it into a black hole with this monster aboard…" Jor-El's virtual mind raced, linking silently to the ship's systems.
This creature should not exist in this world. It should have perished with Krypton.
"Kal, this is the last thing your father can do for you."
Virtual tears glimmered in Jor-El's holographic eyes. Just as he was about to ignite the engines for escape, the massive spiked figure stepped forward.
The towering monster approached the control platform. With a massive, bone-plated hand, he pressed down upon the interface.
"What is he doing? Is he going to destroy the ship?"
Before Jor-El could react, his link to the ship's systems was severed. The engines fell silent once more.
"What… is happening?"
Jor-El's holographic form flickered, his program destabilized. He was locked out of the ship's systems, quarantined like a virus. His projection warped and fizzled, his final expression one of pure disbelief.
"This is… impossible…"
Then the hologram vanished.
The cockpit fell silent, save for the glowing control platform.
"This ship now belongs to me."
A human-like smirk touched the pale, bone-lined face. A trace of golden psychic static flowed from the controls back into his mind.
The fragment of the Mind Stone within Yi Meng's consciousness had not only suppressed Doomsday's destructive urges, but also granted him a measure of artificial intelligence far beyond what he had in the real world. It wasn't enough to create a true AI, but it was more than sufficient to override Krypton's simple emergency programs.
Yi Meng, in his Doomsday form, now held control of the Kryptonian ship.
He turned and left the cockpit.
As he passed through the corridors, his gaze fell upon the open closet of Kryptonian suits. One, in particular, caught his attention—a black skin-tight suit, bearing the iconic S crest of the House of El. He paused for a long moment.
Ten seconds later…
The ship roared to life.
Its engines erupted with power, shattering the ice that had bound it for decades. The massive vessel blasted through the Antarctic night sky, leaving the collapsing mountain in ruins.
The ice was gone. The ship was free.
…
Deep within the Hollow Sea, Atlanna sat on the sandy shore of the hidden island, still holding the Kryptonian infant. The Trident of Poseidon lay discarded nearby, as did a small Atlantean vessel.
She could not understand why the bone-spiked monster had brought her here. Was it imprisonment? Was he fattening them up for later?
Suddenly, the ocean vortex roared again. A massive black ship burst into the Hollow Sea, shaking the waters with its arrival.
"Rescue?!" Atlanna's heart leapt with joy. Holding the child close, she stood quickly.
The alien ship descended upon the island's shore. Its engines died down, the ramp lowering.
A towering figure emerged.
Atlanna's eyes widened in disbelief.
It was him—the same bone-armored monster that had defeated Poseidon himself.
But now he was changed.
He wore the black Kryptonian suit, its metallic texture molding perfectly to his massive body, highlighting every line of his terrifyingly powerful frame. Across his chest shone the symbol of hope—the S.
A black cape hung from his shoulders, concealing much of his jagged spikes.
Only his pale, monstrous face remained unchanged—cold, alien, terrifying. His eyes still burned with the crimson flames of destruction.
But there was something new.
Less madness. More majesty.
Atlanna's jaw fell open. For the first time, she realized—this creature had always been intelligent.
And intelligence made him far more dangerous. A monster could be fought. But a god with wisdom… could rule the world.
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