Above the city, Superman's head snapped back, his eyes widening as he spotted David. He had been watching, even as he fought, keeping track of the desperate father who had sped through the streets straight toward the theater. Superman had tried to drive the fight away from David, but he wasn't the only one who noticed David. The armored warrior, equal in power and merciless in intent, also saw David. At which point, David became a weakness to exploit, another weapon to further press Superman into the corner.
"Run!" Superman shouted, his voice booming across the chaos. David and everyone inside the theater turned their eyes upward just in time to see Superman unleash a blazing stream of heat vision at the armored figure above. But to the shock of both Superman and the crowd below, the enemy answered in kind, releasing his own searing beam that clashed violently with Superman's.
Gritting his teeth, Superman tried to push forward, attempting to close the distance and use his own body to drive the man back. Yet it was as though every movement was anticipated. The armored figure shifted with uncanny precision, his heavy fist slamming into Superman's stomach with crushing force, knocking the air straight out of him.
The armored man spun Superman around before he sent Superman's body hurtling away at terrifying speed. He crashed through the theater, the impact tearing through concrete and steel, a shockwave erupting outward that sent civilians into a frantic panic. People screamed as debris fell, rushing desperately to escape.
Superman dragged himself back to his feet, forcing strength into his limbs. His voice cut through the fear as he yelled at everyone to run, his eyes scanning the wreckage. Then he saw them—David on the floor, cradling his daughter in his arms, shielding her with his own body despite the danger.
Determination flared inside Superman. He launched himself forward with renewed resolve, desperate to keep them safe. But again, it was as though the armored man already knew. Every attempt, every move Superman made was countered, as if his opponent could predict him before he even acted.
The movie theater was reduced to rubble as Superman's body was slammed straight through it, the impact collapsing walls and ceilings. Screams filled the air as dozens were crushed beneath the falling debris, lives snuffed out in an instant.
"Let's go!" David shouted, his voice raw with panic as he pulled his daughter close and dragged her toward the exit. They pushed through the chaos, but before they could reach safety, Sarah suddenly tore her hand free from his grip. The sudden motion stopped David cold, his heart seizing in shock.
He turned instantly, reaching out to grab her again—but what he saw froze him in place. Sarah was already leaping toward him, her eyes wide, her face etched with horror. In that instant, it felt as if time itself had slowed.
David's gaze locked on her expression, and then, from the corner of his eye, he caught sight of it—a massive chunk of wreckage, plummeting toward the very path he had just run into. He hadn't noticed it, blinded by desperation, but she had. Sarah had tried to yank him back, but her grip had slipped. And now, with no hesitation, she was throwing herself at him, determined to knock him clear.
David's life flashed before his eyes, his mind desperately scrambling for a way out, racing through everything he had ever experienced. Moments long buried from his childhood surfaced, both the good and the painful, fleeting images rushing past in a blur. Even memories from another life he had once lived surface—but none of them, not a single memory, could compare to the weight of the one truth that defined him: the moment he first held his baby girl in his arms.
He saw it all—the day she was born, the sound of her first words, the unsteady first steps that carried her. Those moments had come and gone so quickly, vanishing before he was ready, but they left imprints deeper than any scar. They outweighed every nightmare, even the day his wife abandoned them. What truly mattered were the years of watching Sarah grow—watching her pour herself into her studies, working hard so she could stand proud one day, the brightest student in her class. He remembered the nights he sat beside her, fumbling through YouTube tutorials just to learn enough to help with her homework, refusing to let her down.
She had been the center of his world. His little girl. His everything. And now, as the memories surged through him, one question tore at his heart—why was she so willing to throw her life away for someone like him, someone old and broken, when her future burned so brightly ahead of her?
She had a future ahead of her, a life waiting to be lived. She had so much still to see, so much still to do… so why? Why was she throwing all of that away for him? For someone who couldn't even imagine living without her? The thought tore through David's mind like fire. If not for her, what did he have left to live for?
Sarah's body collided with his, every ounce of her strength pouring into the shove that pushed him clear. David's arm shot back instantly, his hand clawing desperately for her—reaching for her fingers, her shirt, even a strand of hair. It didn't matter what he caught; he only knew he couldn't leave her behind.
But before his eyes, the nightmare unfolded. Something massive tore loose from the ceiling, crashing downward. In that frozen instant, Sarah's gaze locked with his. Her eyes told the story—shock, disbelief, fear, and a storm of emotions too tangled to name. Yet even then, she managed to smile. It was an instinctive act, no thought behind it, only love. She had chosen without hesitation.
The most important person in her life was safe. That was enough. So, with her final breath of defiance, she forced a smile, trying to look fearless even as the shadow swallowed her—before the weight came down and crushed her.
"No!" David roared, his voice breaking as he lunged toward the spot where his daughter had stood only seconds before. His body moved on instinct, desperate to reach her, to claw through the debris with his bare hands if he had to. But before he could take more than a step, the world blurred around him.
Superman had seized him, pulling him from the collapsing wreckage in a flash and hurling him toward safety. The Man of Steel dropped to his knees a heartbeat later, his chest heaving, body battered and bloodied from the brutal fight. His strength was failing, his injuries too severe, but even through the haze of pain, his eyes found David.
What he saw cut deeper than any wound. David staggered back to his feet, his movements lifeless, his body trembling as he tried to stumble toward the ruins that had swallowed his daughter. The sight was unbearable. It was enough to make Superman's throat tighten, enough to bring tears he couldn't stop.
But he had no time to grieve with him. Forcing the emotion down, Superman launched himself skyward once more. He turned his pain into resolve, diving back into the battle with the armored foe. Every second mattered now—saving whoever he could, holding out until backup arrived to rescue those still trapped in the shattered theater, he had only managed to save a few dozen people, a small number compared to those who were still trapped or dead.
***
David blinked, disoriented, his thoughts struggling to catch up with what his eyes were seeing. Somehow, without realizing how, he found himself standing over a casket. He couldn't remember arriving here—his body had been on autopilot for days, drifting from one moment to the next in a haze of grief. But now, faced with the polished wood before him, reality struck with brutal clarity. The casket was more than a box. It was a symbol. It was proof that his daughter was truly gone.
"No…" David whispered, his voice faint, trembling with disbelief. The word broke from him like a plea, weak and powerless against the truth standing before him. His knees buckled, and he collapsed to the ground, his hands clutching the earth as if it could anchor him. His chest heaved as he tried and failed to come to grips with the nightmare that had become his life.
How cruel it felt—that she had chosen to save him, only to leave him behind. She had been his everything, his reason for breathing, and now he was left with nothing but emptiness. Alone.
"…I'm sorry. I couldn't protect her."
The voice came softly from his side. David turned his head and saw Superman standing there, shoulders heavy, his face carrying the weight of failure. For a moment, fury surged through David, anger and hatred burning hotter than anything he had ever felt. His chest tightened, his fists clenched—every instinct told him to direct that rage at the man before him.
But slowly, the fire began to fade. How could anyone truly hate Superman? He had tried with everything he had, pouring himself into the fight, and still it hadn't been enough. The fault didn't lie in his will. The fault was with the one who had orchestrated all of this… Luthor.
As the name seared across his thoughts, David's jaw locked, his teeth grinding together. Hatred, unlike anything he had ever known, gathered in his chest, filling every corner of him, pulsing with violent intensity. It was no longer grief alone—it was a hunger for vengeance.
[Congratulations, you have met a requirement and have awakened your reincarnation gift packet. You have been rewarded with]
[Yujiro Hanma Template]
[Satoru Gojo Template]
[??? Template] (unawakened)
"Are you alright?" Superman cried out, his voice filled with shock and panic as he watched the transformation unfold. David's hair drained of color, turning stark white, while his eyes shifted into a pure, beautiful blue glow.
Instinctively, he reached out, his hand moving to steady David. But the moment his fingers drew near, they halted in midair, suspended as though pressed against an invisible wall. Confusion flashed across Superman's face as he tried again, pushing forward with more force, only for the same result. No matter how much strength he put behind it, his hand never made contact.
It was as if the very space around David rejected him, freezing every attempt before it could land, leaving Superman powerless to bridge the final inches that separated them.
"Yeah," David said softly as he rose to his feet, his movements steady despite the storm inside him. The glow faded, his hair and eyes returning to their normal state, as if nothing had changed—though everything had.
He closed his eyes, letting the flood of information rush through him. Every ability he had gained, every shift within his body and mind, unfolded in sharp clarity. It was overwhelming, but beneath it all was a single truth, the one that anchored him.
'You threw your life away for someone like me…' His thoughts carried both grief and resolve. 'I will do my best to make your sacrifice worth it. I promise. Watch me.'
He ignored the weight of Superman's hand resting on his shoulder, not out of disrespect, but because nothing could pull him from that silent vow. His focus was fixed on Sarah and the path her sacrifice had forced him onto.