Levi landed in front of the final World Engine.
This one was far larger than the previous. Its core was half-buried underground, yet the exposed portion alone stood as tall as a five-story building. Its surface was covered in Kryptonian script and glowing energy circuits, densely packed like veins.
Superman landed as well—but kept his distance.
"What are you going to do?"
Levi didn't answer. He stepped closer and placed a hand on it.
The metal was cold—but strange to the touch. Its density was incredibly high, its molecular structure arranged in perfect geometric patterns—unlike any alloy on Earth.
More importantly, he could feel the energy inside.
This one was different from before.
The previous engine had only generated a gravitational field. This one was far more complex—not just altering Earth's physical structure, but attempting to rewrite the fundamental rules of the region.
Levi closed his eyes. His consciousness sank inward.
At the core of the World Engine was a micro black hole, perfectly restrained by Kryptonian technology. Around it were twelve layers of energy shields and thirty-six gravity nodes. The entire system was precision incarnate, every component executing its program flawlessly.
But there was a flaw.
Between the seventh and eighth shield layers, a subtle fluctuation—an instability left behind when Zod forced an increase in output.
The crack was expanding.
Within half an hour, the system would collapse. At that point, the machine would become a bomb—enough to wipe out half of Metropolis.
Superman sensed the danger too. He stepped forward, preparing to destroy it by force.
"Don't move," Levi said, opening his eyes.
"It's going to explode," Superman replied. "I need to take it into space."
"You can't lift it," Levi said calmly. "Its core is linked to Earth's magnetic field. Unless you can lift the entire planet."
Superman froze.
"And even if you could, it exploding midair would be ten times worse."
Levi turned, meeting his eyes. "Listen to me. Stand back."
Superman hesitated, then stepped back—but didn't leave. His fists clenched, ready for anything.
Levi placed his hand on the machine again.
This time, he didn't use brute force.
He deployed his stabilized law-domain.
An invisible field spread from his palm, seeping silently into the World Engine. It carried no destructive intent—only observation, recording, understanding.
He was learning.
Kryptonian technology, energy flow pathways, black hole containment methods—every detail etched into his mind.
Then he acted.
His domain infiltrated the core system—not by force, but by following the energy circuits like a surgeon.
Using the Law of Time, he slowed spacetime around the black hole.
Using the Law of Space, he stabilized the expanding fracture.
Using the Law of Power, he rebalanced the energy across the twelve shield layers.
The World Engine emitted a low hum.
The violent blue beam began to contract, stabilizing.
Superman watched, conflicted.
This man was doing something even Krypton's greatest scientists might not achieve.
But he still didn't trust him.
"What do you want?" Superman asked.
Levi didn't respond.
His focus had gone deeper.
Within the black hole's depths, he discovered something far more valuable—
The core data of Kryptonian civilization.
Their understanding of the universe's fundamental rules.
They had categorized cosmic power into seven layers:
Physical → Energy → Law → Concept → Origin → Dimensional → Existential
The World Engine operated at the Law Layer, manipulating physical constants to reshape planets.
Levi's thoughts sharpened instantly.
He had believed his law-domain touched the essence of power.
But now he saw—
All six of his laws were still within the Law Layer.
Above it, three more levels remained.
Excitement flashed in his eyes.
He dug deeper, seeking knowledge of the higher layers.
Then—
The defense system activated.
A piercing alarm echoed in his mind.
The shields around the black hole contracted, attempting to crush his domain. The thirty-six gravity nodes activated, generating immense repulsive force.
Intrusion detected.
Elimination protocol initiated.
Superman sensed the shift. The engine dimmed—then surged with even more violent energy.
"Careful!"
He rushed forward, trying to pull Levi away.
But before he could touch him, he was blasted back by an invisible force.
Levi didn't move—just frowned slightly.
"Interesting."
He hadn't expected such strong defenses.
But they were designed for Kryptonians.
Levi wasn't one.
He activated his Law of Mind, rewriting his consciousness signature—from intruder to system maintainer.
To the World Engine, he was no longer a threat.
He was a technician.
The defense system shut down instantly.
Levi's consciousness plunged deeper.
This time, nothing resisted.
The entirety of Krypton's accumulated knowledge flooded into him.
Matter reconstruction. Interstellar navigation. Genetic coding.
And most importantly—
Their understanding of cosmic origin.
He filtered rapidly, discarding what he didn't need.
Then he found it.
A classified archive—records of seven Kryptonians who had reached the Concept Layer.
One line stopped him cold:
> "Power at the Law Layer is control over how the world operates.
Power at the Concept Layer is making the world operate according to your will.
The former alters. The latter defines."
Levi repeated it silently.
He could rewrite rules within his domain—but only within its limited range.
Beyond it, he still had to obey the universe.
Concept-level beings didn't.
They didn't change rules.
They created them.
Understanding dawned.
That was why he felt suppressed in the DC universe.
Its underlying structure was different from Marvel's.
His laws—products of Marvel's system—were out of place here.
But if he reached the Concept Layer—
None of that would matter.
He would define power itself.
Levi's gaze sharpened.
He continued reading.
Each breakthrough path was different—but all shared one trait:
They had found their core concept.
Immortality. Destruction. Creation.
Each concept was a pure will—and the foundation of power.
Levi fell into thought.
What was his?
Not immortality.
Not destruction.
Not creation.
He thought back—WWII, desperation, copying Wolverine just to survive… then growing stronger step by step.
There had only ever been one goal:
To become stronger.
Not for protection. Not for destruction.
Just power.
It was greed.
But pure.
Levi smiled.
He had found it.
Greed.
Not petty greed—but an endless hunger for power, knowledge, possibility.
It defined every choice he had made.
He engraved it into his consciousness.
Not yet time to break through—but now, he had direction.
He copied all valuable data into his mental space.
Then turned to the machine itself.
Now that he understood it—
This was easy.
He used Reality Manipulation to erase the unstable fracture.
Then, with the Law of Space, he extracted the micro black hole and sealed it inside a separate pocket dimension.
The World Engine, stripped of its core—
Died.
Its lights faded. Its symbols dimmed.
Levi withdrew his hand, satisfied.
He had gained Krypton's knowledge—and a black hole.
Not a bad haul.
Superman landed beside him, staring at the inert machine.
"What did you do to it?"
"Dismantled it," Levi replied. "Core's gone. The rest is scrap."
Silence.
Then—
"Who are you?"
Levi turned, looking at the battered but sincere Kryptonian.
"A traveler," he said. "Came to borrow something. Got it. I'll be leaving soon."
"Borrow?" Superman frowned. "You took something that can destroy a planet."
"I'm not interested in destroying planets," Levi shrugged. "Just the energy and data."
He paused.
"And without me—do you think you could've stopped both engines?"
Superman didn't answer.
He knew the truth.
"You're strong," Superman said seriously. "Stronger than anyone I've seen."
"You haven't seen much," Levi replied lightly. "There are plenty stronger than me. Darkseid. The Anti-Monitor. Even your so-called god of justice."
He said those names casually.
But Superman felt a chill.
To Levi, even gods were just… opponents.
"I'll remember you," Superman said.
Levi smiled faintly.
He looked up at the sky, feeling the black hole's energy and the knowledge within him.
This trip to the DC universe—
Had exceeded expectations.
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