The energy within Adrian's body surged even faster than the raging nuclear flames.
A torrent of power erupted from deep within him, carrying astonishing regenerative properties. It clashed directly against the unimaginable heat of the explosion, repairing his body as quickly as it was being destroyed.
Every cell in his body seemed to awaken under the extreme temperature. Powerful bioelectromagnetic fields formed around them, shielding them from complete annihilation while endless reserves of energy flooded through his flesh.
Burned muscles regenerated instantly.
Destroyed tissue reformed.
Charred skin continuously peeled away and was replaced by new layers.
Cellular structures divided endlessly, reconnecting and rebuilding themselves at a speed that defied reason.
Starting from his chest, fresh skin spread outward across his body. Fair, flawless flesh emerged from beneath the devastation, revealing a physique even stronger than before.
In the end, the nuclear detonation, with a yield exceeding twenty million tons, failed to destroy Adrian.
His body simply healed too quickly.
Guy Gardner, however, was not nearly as fortunate.
After wrapping his arms around Adrian and charging directly toward the nuclear blast, Guy had received a protective shield from the Guardians at the very last moment.
It was nowhere near enough.
The hastily created green barrier shattered instantly beneath the force of the explosion.
The faint emerald aura surrounding his body was erased in less than a heartbeat.
Guy lost consciousness immediately.
His grip loosened, and the shockwave hurled him away like a rag doll.
His armor exploded into fragments.
Muscles tore apart.
Bones shattered.
His entire body suffered catastrophic damage in a single instant.
Both Sinestro and the Guardians watched in stunned silence.
Neither side had anticipated events escalating this far.
Everything had happened too quickly.
Even Sinestro had been unable to react in time.
Although Ganthet had acted immediately and managed to place a protective shield around Guy, the effort came too late.
Guy's charge had been fueled by absolute determination and tremendous speed, leaving Ganthet with no opportunity to intervene sooner.
Sinestro remained silent for several moments.
His gaze shifted from Adrian's steadily recovering body to the city below.
Coast City.
The city beneath the nuclear blast.
A grim expression crossed his face.
"What a bitter irony."
Sinestro turned toward Ganthet.
"You claimed you wanted to protect Earth. Is this your idea of protection?"
His voice was sharp and unforgiving.
"You only make this world worse. Your actions bring greater death and suffering."
"Admit it, Ganthet. You're nothing more than a stubborn, heartless exile. A relic abandoned by time itself."
Ganthet offered no response.
Instead, his eyes drifted toward Hal Jordan on Earth.
Sinestro noticed something important.
For the first time, Ganthet's conviction seemed shaken.
The certainty that had always filled the Guardian's eyes was no longer there.
Far below, on the streets of Earth, people witnessed an impossible sight.
A blazing sun appeared in the night sky.
Its brilliant light pierced the darkness overhead.
The vast green glow that had dominated the heavens was swallowed by a far more terrifying crimson radiance.
People near Coast City felt subtle tremors beneath their feet.
Panic spread quickly through the streets.
"What is that?!"
A man stared upward with wide eyes.
At such a tremendous distance, and after passing through Earth's atmosphere, the nuclear explosion appeared like a second sun hanging above the planet.
Especially for those in Coast City, the spectacle was impossible to ignore.
A fiery sphere rose into the night sky.
Its light was terrifying.
"What is that mushroom cloud?"
"It looks like a sun."
"No!"
"That's an explosion!"
"A nuclear explosion!"
"Something exploded outside Earth?"
"Wasn't President Adrian fighting the Green Lantern Corps? Why would there be a nuclear explosion?"
"Did something go wrong?"
"This is insane!"
Citizens filled the streets, staring upward in fear and disbelief.
Many raised cameras.
Others called friends and family, urging them to witness the spectacle.
Yet the event was far from over.
After the first nuclear detonation, additional missiles carrying nuclear warheads plunged directly into the massive burning fireball.
More explosions followed.
The inferno expanded rapidly.
Flames rolled and churned inside the enormous sphere like a wounded beast roaring in agony.
Wave after wave of destruction erupted outward.
The growing fireball consumed the sky.
The green illumination of the night vanished completely beneath a sea of crimson.
Supported by multiple detonations, the expanding mass became unimaginably large.
It seemed as though the heavens themselves were descending upon Earth.
The shockwaves illuminated the world like daylight.
People on the ground watched nervously, feeling phantom heat against their faces.
Many feared the inferno would fall from the sky.
Others feared the shockwave would reach them next.
Eventually, after every nuclear warhead had detonated, the enormous cloud of destruction began to fade.
Dark scars spread through the atmosphere.
Even distant cities witnessed the strange phenomenon.
At Ferris Aircraft in Coast City, Hal Jordan saw everything.
The enormous mushroom cloud dominated the horizon.
The air felt hot.
The ground trembled beneath his feet.
Hal stood frozen.
"No... no... no..."
His body trembled.
He looked toward Carol Ferris.
"Carol, tell me this isn't real."
Carol covered her mouth.
Tears streamed uncontrollably down her face.
The devastation before them was undeniable.
"John!"
Hal shouted toward the sky.
Far above, John Stewart was still battling members of the Green Lantern Corps.
The explosion's shockwave had hurled him hundreds of meters away.
After stabilizing himself, he heard Hal's desperate cry.
Without hesitation, Stewart accelerated toward Earth.
"Hal?"
"Take me to Coast City. Right now."
The Green Lantern Ring had become unreliable once again.
Hal could no longer travel there himself.
Rage burned behind his eyes.
He looked like a cornered predator.
Stewart already suspected what had happened.
Without a word, he nodded.
Moments later, they raced toward Coast City.
Several minutes later, they arrived.
What greeted them was devastation.
Hal stood at the edge of a massive crater.
Steam rose from the enormous pit.
Its diameter stretched more than twenty miles.
Broken fragments of buildings littered the crater floor.
Hot air collided with cold winds, producing a constant mournful rustling among the debris.
The crater was vast.
Yet it felt less empty than Hal's heart.
This area represented only part of the city's destruction.
The high-altitude detonations had unleashed devastating shockwaves that reduced entire districts to ruins.
His family had lived on the opposite side of the city and had avoided the direct impact.
Even so, the pain inside him was overwhelming.
"Hal."
John Stewart's voice carried quiet sorrow.
"There are things beyond our control. This wasn't your choice."
"Maybe."
Hal's expression remained grim.
His eyes settled on the ring on his finger.
"A long time ago, a man fell from the stars."
"He was dying."
Hal slowly clenched his fist.
"The final thing he did was pass a magical ring to Hal Jordan."
His gaze seemed capable of piercing through the Green Lantern Ring itself.
"This ring has very few weaknesses."
He looked toward the ruins surrounding them.
Broken buildings.
Silent streets.
A city wounded by disaster.
"The only true limitation is the willpower of its bearer."
His voice grew steady.
"With enough will, this ring can do almost anything."
Hal knelt.
He raised his right hand toward the sky.
The ring pointed upward.
Then something happened that left John Stewart speechless.
The ring glowed.
A bright green light emerged from its surface.
The Green Lantern Ring had reactivated.
Stewart stared in disbelief.
The Guardians had stripped Hal of his authority multiple times.
Yet somehow, Hal continued to access its power.
Was Hal truly that extraordinary?
Or were the Guardians' restrictions less absolute than they claimed?
The questions flashed through Stewart's mind.
The glow intensified.
Brighter.
Brighter still.
Then a beam of emerald light erupted skyward.
It pierced the clouds and vanished into the heavens.
"As long as your desire is strong enough," Hal said quietly.
Stewart listened.
"You can see what you truly wish to see."
The world around them changed.
The crater vanished.
In its place stood a multi-story family home.
White-painted walls gleamed beneath the sunlight.
A well-kept garden rested in front of the house.
A lawnmower sat beside neatly trimmed grass.
Inside, the sounds of a young boy running through the halls echoed faintly.
A mother's voice followed, scolding him affectionately.
The entire scene radiated warmth and peace.
Stewart immediately understood.
Hal was reconstructing the past through the power of the ring.
He was restoring what had existed before the disaster.
A heavy sadness settled over Stewart.
He wanted to comfort his friend.
He simply didn't know how.
Hal quietly observed the scene.
Then his eyes widened.
Shock spread across his face.
Someone had appeared within the reconstruction.
Someone he never expected to see.
"Dad?!"
Hal's voice trembled with disbelief.
===
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