Chapter 167: This Brother Has a Really Bad Temper
"Strange, this space seems to be affecting my body in some way."
Superman looked at his hands, feeling the searing heat that surged endlessly from within, as if the sun itself was burning inside him.
Solar Flare, a new ability unlocked by Superman in the New 52 era. It instantly releases all the solar energy in his body to create a massive area-of-effect attack like a supernova—an ultimate-level ability.
However, this version of Superman hadn't actually unlocked this skill yet. At this stage, he wasn't particularly skilled in using his abilities or controlling his energy. Apollo's solar impact had passively triggered a supernova-like explosion, but Superman still hadn't realized what had happened.
Superman has super-senses, but as everyone knows, he usually keeps them turned off. Otherwise, he wouldn't always be the first one to get beaten up whenever someone starts a fight with the Justice League.
But when he turned his head, he saw that his new friend had been blown far away by this burst of energy.
Startled, Superman shot forward with a supersonic burst, appearing before Apollo in a flash.
"Sorry, I didn't mean to… I don't know what happened. Maybe this space is affecting my body somehow. This doesn't usually happen. Are you okay?"
Apollo grunted and waved his hand magnanimously. "It's fine."
"But your face… it's all blackened."
"This is my natural skin tone," Apollo said with a dark expression, snorting haughtily. "I am the God of the Sun. Wouldn't it be a joke if I could be harmed by an eruption of the sun's light?"
Hearing that he hadn't accidentally hurt his teammate, Superman finally relaxed.
"Let's go, time is wasting," Apollo said dryly. "We still have something to find, don't we?"
Superman nodded and turned to fly off again.
But a second after he turned and took to the air, Apollo's mouth suddenly opened, and he uncontrollably vomited a mouthful of blood.
He wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth, frowning at the figure in mid-air.
*Damn it, what kind of monster is he?*
It was true he was the God of the Sun, but everything has an upper limit. The energy that Red Cape Outsider just unleashed was more than ten times stronger than the solar ray he had fired. If he hadn't been the God of the Sun, but some other Olympian God, he probably would have been sent back to the Olympus Spring right then and there.
*Are you the freaking God of the Sun, or am I?*
This scene couldn't help but make Apollo think of that other strange being next to Wonder Woman on Mount Etna, the one who could also absorb his solar energy.
*Do all these creatures from the stars treat solar energy like food?*
*I, the great God of the Sun, am not your power bank!*
Extending this line of thought, Apollo soon began to suspect: *Are all those allied with that Amazon this type of creature?*
*Could it be… she's secretly plotting against me?*
*How insidious!*
At the thought of being ganged up on by these monsters, Apollo couldn't help but tremble all over, his hands and feet turning ice-cold despite the heat.
His gaze toward Superman grew increasingly cold and sinister.
*Since you've had the misfortune of running into me, Apollo, today, do you really think you can leave alive?*
Under Apollo's intentional guidance, it wasn't long before another giant beast blocked their path. Its massive body had strange patterns on its muscular texture, and its deep gray-black form emanated an eerie luster, as if covered in a layer of cold armor.
Superman, as before, charged forward without a word, taking the lead. Apollo held his position, letting out a cold laugh from behind.
He flipped his hand, and flames erupted from his body. The fire receded, leaving a longbow in his hand.
The Bow of Artemis, the weapon of his twin sister, Artemis, the Goddess of the Hunt.
Apollo drew the bow and nocked an arrow. He poured magic power into it, and the entire arrow ignited with a blazing flame, burning as it locked onto Superman's position.
*Now!*
The arrow shot out, trailing a path of fire as it struck Superman's body.
Empowered by the Goddess of the Hunt and infused with all his power, this arrow should be able to pierce through anything!
But what Apollo never expected was that when the fatal arrow hit, the supposedly indestructible divine arrow actually snapped with a crack upon striking his body of steel. The fiery energy clinging to the arrow lost its vessel and spiraled into Superman's body.
Apollo's jaw dropped, an expression of utter disbelief on his face.
*No way… How is this possible?*
That arrow was no mortal construct. While it might not be a top-tier divine weapon, it was still forged by the God of Fire.
*It actually broke?*
*Just how tough is this person?*
What's more, that wasn't the end of it.
The arrow snapped, the flame was absorbed, and then the red glow covering Superman's body intensified.
An overwhelming energy, shaped like an arrow, shot back out from the point of impact!
And then Apollo took an arrow to the knee.
This was the first time the rookie Superman had experienced an energy overflow state since his debut, causing his power and durability to increase explosively. He clearly hadn't adapted to this temporary change, so much so that Apollo's sneak attack felt like a mosquito bite on his back—he kind of felt it, but also kind of didn't.
After instantly killing the giant beast in front of him, he turned his head and immediately saw Apollo on the ground, kneeling and clutching his knee.
"What are you doing?" Superman quickly sidestepped, looking at him strangely.
*Why is the God of the Sun performing such a grand bow?*
Apollo forced a smile through the pain. "I'm just a little tired. Stopping for a short rest."
Noticing Superman's suspicious gaze, he explained, "Oh, this is a custom on Olympus. Sometimes when we're tired, we like to rest by kneeling. It might be a little different from you mortals."
Superman blinked. That really was quite strange.
"Alright." Superman extended his hand. "Then I can carry you on my back…"
"Don't you come near me!"
Seeing him try to approach, Apollo instinctively shouted, shrinking back.
Startled, Superman also withdrew his hand, not understanding what was going on.
Realizing his loss of composure, Apollo coughed and said, "Oh, I mean… you go on ahead. I suddenly feel like staying here. I won't hold you up."
He had just been thinking, and suddenly felt that he had no grudge or feud with this Big Blue, so it really wasn't worth it to risk his life here.
*Forget it. Today's target is the Eye of Argo. I'll let him off the hook for now.*
Any thoughts like "he absolutely must not be left alive" had completely vanished. Now, Apollo's mind was filled with only one thought: *This guy is terrifyingly powerful. I need to get as far the f*ck away from him as possible…*
"I can't just leave you here," Superman said sincerely.
"So you're not leaving, is that it?"
Apollo snorted heavily, stood up, stamped his foot, and flicked his sleeve.
"Fine, then I'll leave."
With that, he eagerly shot into the sky with a boom, leaving behind a burning tail flame as he disappeared into the void.
Superman watched his departing figure, a little bewildered.
"Diana's brother is so hot-tempered… Did I do something to offend him?"
*Slowing down to two chapters today. I'll continue with bonus chapters tomorrow.*
(end of chapter)