Hearing the thunderous crash that shook the farm, Dio didn't dare to look back.
At last, he understood his father's courage.
It wasn't reckless charging—it was choosing, even knowing the danger, to stand in front of the people he loved.
Clenching his teeth, Dio hauled Clark's arm over his shoulder:
"Hang in there, you big oaf... Let's go!"
Clark gave a weak nod, letting this unknown presence drag him toward the tractor.
His fingertips had turned an unnatural shade of gray-blue, and every step seemed to drain what little strength remained in his body.
The metal monster seemed to sense their intentions. Suddenly it let out a piercing metallic shriek, the kryptonite in its chest flaring blindingly bright!
"Vrrrmmm—!"
A visible wave of green energy rippled outward. Clark groaned, his knees buckling—he almost collapsed completely.
"Clark!"
Dio cried out, and with The World's help, he yanked him forward, stumbling toward the tractor.
Through the downpour, the green light kept growing, casting the whole farm in a flickering glow.
"Vrrrmmm—!"
"Oraaaaa!!!"
The monster let out an almost tortured metallic screech, and in that brief opening Dio finally managed to heave Clark onto the tractor. His hands shook as he twisted the key—an old, coughing engine roared to life.
The tractor lurched forward, its rumbling engine drowning out the monster's roar.
Dio couldn't help but glance back.
Star Platinum had leapt high, its fist crashing down toward the monster's skull with unstoppable force.
Behind it, Locke's lips were bloodied—but he was still smiling.
That smile seemed to say: Don't worry, son.
Your dad will always be your dad.
"Hold on… hold on…" Watching Locke's solitary figure in the rain, Dio nearly crushed the steering wheel. "I'll be right back, Dad..." he roared into the rain as the tractor sped away.
He roared into the storm, and behind the tractor—
Behind them, the metal monster's shriek and Star Platinum's battle cry intertwined. Purple fists and green radiation collided in the dark of night.
"Yare yare…"
"You really are one stubborn bastard."
Locke's eyes narrowed as the monster halted, as though staring back at him. His lips curved into a grin:
"Star Platinum—The World!"
Time froze.
Raindrops hung in midair, lightning's flash frozen into a jagged scar of white across the sky.
In this still world, only Star Platinum moved—a violet afterimage streaking forward at impossible speed!
0.5 seconds!
Its purple fist carved a blazing arc through the storm, slamming straight into the kryptonite embedded in the monster's chest!
Locke wasn't stupid. If he had already stopped time, why hit anywhere else but the weak point?
"ORAAA!!!"
With the roar, time resumed.
Spiderweb cracks spread rapidly across the monster's body.
Metal fragments burst apart, cascading to the ground like rain, shrinking its massive frame from over three meters tall to barely two!
"Vrrrmmm—!"
The monster let out a tortured metallic scream, staggering back several steps before crashing into the barn's outer wall. The wooden structure instantly splintered apart, shards flying through the rain in pale arcs. A few scraped across Locke's cheek, leaving thin lines of blood.
But he didn't so much as flinch, his eyes locked firmly on the struggling, howling figure.
"ROAR!!!"
With a deafening bellow, WXR9's chest kryptonite flared with searing green light!
The scattered fragments of metal whirled together as though magnetized, forming dozens of razor-sharp tendrils that lashed out like venomous snakes, striking straight at Locke!
"Hmph!"
Locke let out a cold snort, a glint of disdain flashing in his eyes.
The same trick—trying it a second time?
"Star Platinum!"
In an instant, Star Platinum appeared, its fists becoming a blur of afterimages—
"ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA!!!"
"BOOM!"
"BOOM!"
"BOOM!"
Thunder rumbled overhead as a barrage of metallic explosions cracked through the storm!
Every tendril that lashed toward him shattered the moment it touched that purple flurry of fists. Shards of silver metal scattered through the downpour like fireworks bursting in the night sky!
But those broken fragments twitched and writhed on the ground like living things, struggling to reassemble themselves.
"Pointless."
Locke took a step forward, pointing ahead as Star Platinum slid into a combat stance.
"A month ago I blew you to bits…"
"And I can do it again right now!"
"Vmmm!"
But before the words had even finished leaving his mouth, the monster performed a chilling motion.
It slowly raised its "arm."
The scattered fragments swirled together in the air, reshaping into a massive, serrated scythe!
Rainwater ran down the blade's cruel edge.
Bathed in kryptonite's sickly green glow, the weapon radiated pure death.
Locke narrowed his eyes.
"Snap—!"
His wrist flicked, and he pulled a detonator from his belt.
The World!
Catching the detonator with perfect precision, Star Platinum hurled it forward with all its might.
The fuse hissed in the rain, spitting sparks!
"Swoosh!"
Cutting through frozen raindrops, the detonator shot straight at the kryptonite in the monster's chest!
Time flowed again.
WXR9 raised its scythe to block, but Star Platinum suddenly shifted—
"ORA!"
Its purple fist hammered the scythe's joint, smashing open a clear path for the charge!
"KABOOM—!"
Fire lit up the storm, fractures spiderwebbing across the kryptonite's surface!
The monster shrieked in metallic agony, staggering backward.
As for Locke—
He pulled out three more detonators, clamping them between his teeth. Their fuses sparked wildly in the rain.
"A farmer carrying a little demolition gear…"
"That's reasonable, right?"
Star Platinum's fists flew—
Its left fist smashed the writhing tendrils before they could reform!
Its right fist jammed a detonator into the seams of the monster's joints!
"This is art. And art is…"
Spitting out the final lit detonator, Locke's eyes flashed cold.
"Explosion!"
"BOOM—!"
White light engulfed the barn's ruins, turning night into day. A storm of molten metal rained down, shards hissing in the mud.
..
At some point, the rain had stopped.
Moonlight spilled through the parting clouds, laying a silver streak across the ground.
Locke lay on his back in the mud, brown curls matted with dirt and shards of steel, his chest heaving.
"…Ha."
Breath ragged, he turned his head.
A puddle of no more than thirty milliliters of silver fluid still writhed weakly, shrinking like some dying creature.
The kryptonite shards had gone dull, their sickly glow completely gone.
"All this fuss…" Locke rasped with a laugh. "And it turns out the whole thing was made from just that much."
"Really is…"
He lifted an arm to shield his eyes, a tired smile tugging at his lips. "…incredible."
He thought of the two boys—probably bawling and throwing tantrums right now—and of Jonathan and Martha, who no doubt had their hands full.
A chuckle escaped him despite himself. Still grinning at the thought of those who worried for him, he had Star Platinum haul him up.
But just as he got to his feet—
"Clack."
A droplet fell from the ruined barn roof, splashing into the mud at his feet.
Then came a second, a third…
But Locke knew at once—
Those weren't raindrops.
They were the sound of boots tapping against wood.
So… they've come knocking already?!
Every muscle went taut. Ignoring the pounding in his skull, Locke had Star Platinum snap back into a battle stance.
"Easy, kid. No need to get jumpy."
A hoarse voice drifted from above.
In the moonlight, a tall figure crouched on a shattered beam of the barn. The hem of his leather trench coat swayed gently in the night breeze.
"Not a bad tactic you've got there."
A cigarette glowed faintly between his lips, gray-white hair tied back in a short braid.
"Oh, and…"
He rose slowly to his full height, a dangerous aura leaking out around him.
"That force you used just now, to shove back the monster's scythe…"
"Was that telekinesis?"