"Capture takes priority over the last Kryptonian?
Interesting, what's so special about him?
Could it be that he has the most perfectly sculpted and strongest muscles in the entire universe?"
As he spoke, Rob, like a rockstar, narcissistically flexed his thick biceps.
"Rob, you've completed so many impossible missions, people call you the greatest cosmic mercenary, but this time is different. You need to take it a bit more seriously. Even if there's no danger to your life, failing this mission might affect the quotes from other clients who want to hire you."
Harilia smiled as she navigated the screen on her wrist, sending the mission details to the communicator on Rob's waist, adding a pointed reminder.
"Also, the client specifically requested the target alive – not two corpses with shattered heads."
"Damn it, my nightmare has come true!"
After finally getting a challenging mission, he was forbidden from killing. Wolf scratched his ear.
"I take back what I said earlier. Sometimes reality is just as annoying as dreams."
He downed a large mug of beer, casually tossing the empty glass behind him. Like a mad cowboy heading to the Western wilderness for a bounty, he put two fingers in his mouth and let out a loud whistle, calling for his mount.
"My little baby, it's time to go."
Bang!
Vroom!
With the heavy roar of an engine, a heavy motorcycle, embodying mechanical beauty and violent aesthetics, smashed through the bar door. With a stylish drift, it stopped in front of Wolf.
Amidst the panicked gazes of the chaos-stricken crowd, Wolf, clad in a black studded jacket, swung himself onto the super-speed motorcycle he called his Space Boar. He twisted the throttle to the maximum and charged out like a streak of light, soaring towards the starry sky for a space jump.
"Let's go! I hope this mission is a bit more fun!"
…
"This mission is our first. We absolutely cannot fail."
Inside a skull-shaped spaceship, the woman stood nearly two meters tall, her grayish-white skin appearing as if coated in ash. Her long hair was as if dyed in blood, and her nose was short and broad like a lion's. Her black pupils seemed devoid of any softness or pity, and her entire being exuded a suffocating ferocity.
Her voice was deep as she slowly polished a broadsword the size of a door panel, reminding her teammates.
"The Master released us from our long slumber in the laboratory and bestowed upon us new life. We must not disappoint him, even unto death."
"Combat, slaughter, conquest – these have flowed through our veins since birth. We possess god-like power. The Kryptonians created us for the sole purpose of accomplishing what even they could not."
A creature with a towering physique identical to hers, it had the head of a panther and the body of a human. Its mouth was filled with fangs like a saber-toothed tiger, and its claws extended from its hands. A cold ferocity flashed in its eyes.
"Ryan, you really shouldn't worry about this. My claws can easily tear through a Kryptonian's skin. Even Kryptonians bathed in the yellow sun will be as powerless as sheep facing a tiger or leopard before me."
"World Destroyer, that's what they call us. They pieced us together using the genes of powerful cosmic beings they captured. But they feared our power, creating us yet not daring to awaken us."
The last of the four World Destroyers on the ship, this being had a slender, elongated body, its gender indistinguishable. It floated in the air, a pair of terrifying energy wings extending from its back, its skin a ghostly white, like the genderless angels described in the Bible.
Its ambiguous voice spoke concisely, agreeing with the other two.
"The Master has already set the plan. We just need to execute it. The genetically modified Transcendent, the Kryptonian orphan, and Wolf Rob – these three are the biological materials the Master needs to capture on his path to perfection."
After being polished, the broadsword gleamed with a chilling light that made one's hair stand on end. Ryan's cold laugh echoed within the spaceship.
"Let them weaken each other. It will make the mission outcome more secure."
…
"How is it? Are you getting used to living here?"
The three of them were taking a walk in the woods next to the small town. David asked Kara, who had been staying on the farm for a few days. As far as he knew, Kara was of noble birth on Krypton.
"It's very good. Although the sun here and the scenery are different from Krypton."
The grassy hills were vibrant and full of life, and the woods echoed with clear and pleasant insect chirps and bird calls. Wearing simple jeans and a red plaid shirt, Kara, perfectly blending into the countryside, looked at the distant yellow sun, took a deep breath of the fresh air in the woods, and smiled.
"Krypton was a civilization with extremely advanced technology. A red sun hung in its sky, but compared to the harsh, dazzling red sun, yellow sunlight seemed to feel warmer."
Moreover, the Kandor City where she lived was a veritable concrete jungle, with skyscrapers soaring into the clouds everywhere. Coupled with Krypton's rigid and inflexible class system, it was cold and devoid of human warmth, making it suffocating.
Compared to the small towns on Earth, Kara felt unprecedented freedom and ease.
"It's just..."
Kara lowered her head, a hint of sadness flashing in her eyes.
If only her parents and relatives could be with her on this beautiful planet, but she knew that was impossible now.
Clark, standing beside her, hesitated to speak. He suddenly wanted to tell Kara that her father, Zod-El, was still alive, but it didn't feel like the right time. His father had been transformed into a mechanical being, and he didn't know if Kara could accept it.
What's more, the most crucial thing was that Zod-El no longer recognized anyone, nor could he communicate. Kara would only be more heartbroken if she saw him.
"If only there was a way to turn Uncle Zod-El back to his original self."
He sighed inwardly.
David knew what Clark was thinking as he remained silent. During this time, he, Clark, and Jor-El had also discussed how to return Zod-El to normal.
The only way might be to dismantle his mechanical body and allow his remaining flesh to recover completely, thereby restoring his hippocampus where memories were stored.
However, Kryptonians did not have super-healing abilities. Without the life-sustaining mechanical system, Zod-El would likely die immediately.
"The Dionysus Factor can grant people immortality and regeneration, but I'm afraid it might not work on Zod-El."
A Kryptonian's body and an ordinary person's body were like steel and cotton; the energy required to repair it was extraordinary, and the Dionysus Factor might not be sufficient.
Ding ding!
A Lantern Ring notification alerted David and Clark simultaneously with a message from the League.
However, this time it was just a light chime, not a distress call.
"Disasters are occurring simultaneously around the world at times, and the members are insufficient.
The League plans to recruit new members, and many superheroes have submitted applications to the League..."
David read the message. It was an invitation from Batman for him and Clark to go and offer some opinions as some of the League's initial members, to review and discuss who to admit into the League, expand manpower, and increase strength.
"The League is expanding?
This way, there will be fewer instances of people getting hurt due to delayed rescue during disasters."
Clark felt both joy and surprise.
Although his speed was lightning-fast, he couldn't always be present for every disaster and case that occurred on Earth.
"However, the League hasn't been established for very long, to be honest, and many of the response and management mechanisms are not particularly perfect. Are they starting to recruit so quickly?"
Since David and the Justice League had saved the world many times and gained the trust and admiration of many citizens, a large number of superheroes had emerged on Earth. They no longer hid themselves, appearing in public more and more frequently, openly fighting crime and saving others.
"Insufficient manpower... it might not be that simple."
David narrowed his eyes.
Clark and Kara looked at him in confusion.
"Recently, the White House has been very active, manipulating the media to extensively report on a group of unfamiliar superheroes, seemingly intending to form their own 'Justice League'."
He felt that Batman's actions at this time were not solely due to a lack of manpower.
"Serving the country is a reason many people find hard to refuse.
Batman likely wants to recruit heroes with good character and potential into the League first."
"I don't think this action is necessary."
Clark looked confused and scratched his head.
The Justice League and official superhero teams were not necessarily mutually exclusive.
However, after multiple interactions with Batman, he also knew that the latter always liked to prepare for the worst, and sometimes his cautious actions were incomprehensible.
"Often, some things can be foreseen.
Superheroes have always operated outside the law, and for official organizations, they are generally an intolerable group.
If they cannot be replaced and regulated..."
Seeing Clark's expression, David looked into the distance and said.
"Once there are people and conditions to replace and regulate them, a conflict between the two will inevitably arise sooner or later."
I need to take a day off due to some matters at home. The overdue updates will be made up gradually later.
-----------
Machine Translation by: https:// randomtranslator.com/
Read 777+ original & fanfic translations in English, Español, Português, Deutsch, Français, or Русский at: https:// randomtranslator.com/
Join our Discord: https:// discord.gg/NSWvfN7vua
-----------