The current Clark was a selfish man who had lost his moral restraint.
Although he was reckless, he wasn't completely insane.
After a brutal and exhausting battle that shattered his confidence, Clark's mindset began to shift.
Indeed, as Adrian had said, he felt fear.
Extreme arrogance had given way to a creeping terror—the fear of losing everything.
Faced with Adrian's cold, unyielding presence, the personality twisted by red kryptonite wanted only one thing: to escape.
And the only way out was to take off that cursed ruby ring.
Clark gritted his teeth, straining to pull the ring from his finger. At the same time, Adrian's eyes glowed with lethal light—his Heat Vision charged, ready to strike.
"Ah!"
Clark groaned in pain, his will warring against the red glow in his mind. With one last desperate effort, he ripped the ring from his finger and hurled it across the room.
A searing beam of energy flashed toward him. Adrian's Heat Vision was only a heartbeat away from hitting Clark's eyes—until, at the last moment, Adrian hesitated.
Instead of burning through his brother, the beam veered off course, scorching the wall behind him.
Sizzle!
The heat passed so close that it grazed Clark's ear, leaving it red and singed. He stumbled forward and collapsed, unconscious.
Adrian lowered his gaze, retracting the red light from his eyes. He looked down at his "brother," lying motionless on the cracked floor.
After confirming Clark wasn't in immediate danger, Adrian walked over to where the ruby ring had landed. He bent down, picked it up, and studied it in silence—the faint red glow reflecting in his calm, unshaken eyes.
When Jonathan and Lana finally reached the abandoned factory, they were greeted by devastation.
The building looked like it had been hit by a missile. The floor was cracked and sunken; metal beams bent and twisted like melted wires.
A massive hole gaped in the ceiling, and smoke still hung in the air.
Even at a glance, they could tell—what had happened here was nothing short of a war.
Chloe's voice broke the silence. "So… it's over? The battle between two superhuman?"
No one answered. Lana and Pete stared, speechless.
Jonathan, however, rushed to Clark's side and checked his pulse. Then, turning to Adrian, he called out quietly, "Adrian."
After helping Clark to his feet and handing him over to Chloe, Jonathan walked toward his younger son.
He placed a trembling hand on his shoulder. "Adrian, are you alright?"
"I'm fine, Dad," Adrian replied, glancing at the torn sleeve of his shirt. "Just a few scratches."
As he spoke, the ruby ring in his hand caught everyone's attention.
Jonathan's heart froze.
The ring—the red kryptonite ring—was in Adrian's possession.
If Clark had been corrupted by its influence, that was one thing. But if Adrian fell under its control… no one on Earth could stop him.
A chill spread through Jonathan's chest. Lana's eyes widened too, realizing what this meant.
But to their shock, Adrian simply extended his hand and offered the ring to his father.
Jonathan stared at him, momentarily speechless. "Adrian… you weren't affected?"
He knew that both Clark and Adrian had come to Earth under extraordinary circumstances.
If Clark could be changed by the red meteor, Adrian shouldn't have been immune.
Adrian's expression remained calm. "If I wore it, I might've ended up like Clark. But just touching it—I can hold it back. I can suppress the change."
He said it smoothly, his tone steady.
Of course, that was a lie meant to reassure his father.
But Jonathan believed him.
Lana did too—her eyes filled with quiet awe.
He could resist what Clark could not.
His willpower must be stronger than anyone's.
---
The Next Day — Kent Farm
Clark stood outside the farmhouse, hesitating.
Then, with a deep breath, he pushed the door open.
Inside, Jonathan and Martha were setting the table for dinner.
Adrian stood by the window, reading the Daily Planet, his expression unreadable.
Jonathan's back was bandaged from the injury Clark had caused.
None of them looked up when he entered.
"I went to Jessica's house," Clark began quietly. "She and her family have already moved away."
Martha, breaking the tense silence, replied softly, "Maybe they're just trying to stay safe. Maybe they went to the authorities."
"I hope she's okay," Clark murmured, guilt thick in his voice.
The red kryptonite was gone, but the shame it left behind remained.
The memory of everything he'd said and done clawed at him.
He looked at his father, who still refused to meet his eyes.
"I'm sorry, Dad. I didn't mean what I said—or did. It wasn't me."
Jonathan shook his head slowly, setting down a plate.
"Maybe the red meteor affected your mind, Clark, but deep down, those thoughts came from somewhere real. I see now how much resentment you've been holding inside."
Clark nodded.
"Maybe. But I also know no matter how far I fall, you'll still be there to pull me back. That's worth more than all the money in the world."
Jonathan paused, then sighed.
"You'll learn from this, Clark. I just hope you remember what really matters next time."
"I know," Clark said quietly, then looked toward Adrian. "Thank you, Adrian. You stopped me."
Adrian met his gaze briefly.
"You stopped yourself, Clark. I just gave you the chance."
_____
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