Listening to Lex and noticing Bruce's subtle wariness, Clark felt his heart tighten. He looked at Jor-El and asked as steadily as he could,
"Is that true?"
Jor-El remained silent for a long moment before answering in a quiet voice.
"Before Krypton was destroyed, I made more than a dozen contingency plans for Kal's future.
I chose Earth because humans are genetically the closest species to Kryptonians.
To be more precise, there is no reproductive barrier between our two races.
As a father, I wanted my son to grow up safely on this world, build a family, find someone he loves, and have the chance to raise children of his own."
He paused briefly before continuing.
"I admit that many of my decisions were driven by selfish desires. But those desires belonged to a father thinking about his son, not the head of a noble house trying to preserve his bloodline.
As for the idea that I intended to conquer Earth...
This Kryptonian scout ship arrived here eighteen thousand years ago, long before humanity became the dominant species on this planet.
From that perspective, Kryptonians are not simply visitors to Earth.
If you still choose to believe everything was part of some grand ambition, then there is nothing I can say to change your mind.
I have been dead for twenty-three years. What stands before you is only an artificial intelligence built from my memories.
I do not care what becomes of this ship or this program.
I only ask that you continue taking care of my son."
When he finished speaking, Jor-El bowed respectfully to everyone.
His gaze settled on Axel.
He could easily tell who held the group's trust. Even Clark looked to Axel more than anyone else.
There was sincerity in Jor-El's eyes, along with the quiet hope of a father.
Lex and Bruce exchanged a glance before turning toward Axel.
"What do you think we should do, Axel?" Lex asked.
Axel shrugged.
"We stick to the plan. Whatever the old man's intentions were thousands of years ago, they're irrelevant now. He isn't controlling anything.
We'll treat him like an archived AI, take the ship, study Kryptonian technology, and help Clark work through all of this."
He grinned.
"Simple enough."
Lex and Bruce visibly relaxed.
If Axel wasn't concerned, the situation probably wasn't spiraling out of control.
Even so, they still had questions.
Lex looked back at Jor-El.
"Mr. Jor-El, I'm Lex Luthor, one of Clark's friends.
I'd like to know what happened to Krypton, and roughly how many Kryptonians might still be alive."
"I understand your concern," Jor-El replied, "but the answer may not be what you expect."
He looked apologetically at Clark before raising one hand.
Nanoscopic construction drones emerged from the floor of the bridge, assembling a massive holographic display.
Everyone watched as Krypton appeared before them.
The enormous planet, surrounded by its majestic ring system, suddenly collapsed before exploding in a catastrophic chain reaction.
Jor-El narrated quietly.
"Earth has never experienced the destruction of an entire world.
Krypton did not slowly decay into an uninhabitable wasteland.
Its destruction was sudden.
It was absolute.
Very few, if any, escaped.
I cannot even promise that more than a handful of Kryptonians remain alive across the universe.
I understand why you worry.
But Krypton no longer exists.
My son is alone.
He may possess abilities beyond those of ordinary humans, yet his home is gone.
Today, he belongs to Earth.
I will grant you access to every piece of knowledge stored aboard this vessel.
In return, I ask only that you continue accepting Kal-El as you always have."
Jor-El bowed deeply.
Clark lowered his head.
Although he had prepared himself for this possibility countless times, hearing it confirmed still left an emptiness he couldn't put into words.
Bruce quietly rested a hand on Clark's shoulder.
Lex nodded respectfully toward Jor-El.
Axel simply lit a cigarette.
Smoke drifted into the Arctic air as he took a slow drag.
"Don't worry, old Jor.
You definitely tried to use me, and I'll remember that.
But that's separate from this.
We'll take good care of Clark."
"Hey!"
Clark finally managed a weak smile before raising his middle finger.
"I'm not a kid."
Axel laughed.
"Close enough.
Anyway, we're friends.
I'm leaving the technology to you guys.
If you need me, I'll be fishing by the glacier."
He looked around.
"Anyone coming?"
Nobody seemed interested.
Lex immediately focused on the Kryptonian database.
Bruce wanted to examine the technology as well.
Clark still had countless questions for his father about Krypton's history, the House of El, and everything that had led to his arrival on Earth.
Five minutes later, Axel sat quietly near an icy cliff overlooking the Arctic Ocean, holding a makeshift fishing rod and smoking.
Bruce eventually joined him.
Although Bruce had wanted to continue studying the ship, he realized Lex could handle the initial investigation. The information could always be shared later.
Taking the bait Axel handed him, Bruce cast his line into the freezing water.
After several minutes of silence, he sighed.
"In a way, Clark's past is even heavier than mine.
I lost my family.
He lost an entire world.
Unless something unexpected happens, I think this will stay with him for a while."
Axel chuckled.
"Not for long.
You know Clark.
He's a lot more optimistic than an old schemer like you."
As he spoke, Axel drove an elbow squarely into Bruce's ribs.
"Seriously?"
Bruce winced.
Even through his armor, the impact hurt.
Axel ignored the complaint.
"You came prepared, didn't you?"
Bruce rolled his eyes.
"Being prepared is called planning.
That doesn't make me the manipulative mastermind you keep accusing me of being."
Axel only laughed before returning his attention to the water.
Nearby, several polar bears watched them curiously.
As Axel tossed fish into a freshly carved ice pit, a few playful seals climbed onto the ice, wriggling toward the catch.
Whenever one got too close, Axel casually pushed it back.
Soon afterward, a family of polar bears cautiously approached.
While the adult bears remained alert, a curious cub broke away and charged straight toward the seals.
One seal slapped the cub over with its tail before flopping onto its back as though mocking the youngster.
Only after the father bear lumbered closer with an intimidating growl did the seals dive back into the ocean.
The adult bears then turned their attention to Axel and Bruce.
The mother bear cautiously sniffed Axel before licking his leg.
Axel laughed.
"Nice try."
He gently pushed her head aside by the scruff before using his telekinesis to lift a fish from the ice and drop it in front of her.
The bear stared blankly for a second before happily devouring the meal.
Watching the scene, Bruce smiled.
"They seem to trust you."
He frowned thoughtfully.
"They don't react to me that way.
Why?"
Axel smirked.
"It's not because I'm friendlier.
It's because you look like someone carrying the weight of the world.
Even the bears think you're too gloomy, old schemer."
Just then, two figures burst from the tunnel leading to the Kryptonian ship.
Lex and Clark landed beside them.
The sudden arrival startled the bear family.
The adults immediately tried to flee, but Axel casually held them in place with his telekinesis while scooping up the cub.
He scratched the little bear behind its ears.
"Finished already?"
Lex's expression was unusually serious.
"We have a problem."
Bruce immediately stood.
"What kind of problem?"
Lex exhaled.
"Clark's father explained a great deal.
Krypton was far more advanced than we imagined.
Over one hundred thousand years ago, Kryptonians began exploring and expanding across the galaxy.
Their expansion wasn't peaceful.
It was built through conquest.
That era lasted nearly one hundred thousand years before Kryptonian civilization reached its peak and eventually declined.
This ship is one of countless colony vessels from that age.
It arrived on Earth eighteen thousand years ago, and isotope analysis confirms that timeline."
Bruce frowned.
"Get to the point."
Lex nodded.
"The problem is that there are thousands of ships like this scattered across the galaxy.
Long before Krypton's destruction, its people anticipated the possibility that their world might not survive.
Every one of these vessels was built as a survival ark.
This ship doesn't just preserve Kryptonian history and technology.
It also contains a Genesis Chamber."
Bruce's expression hardened.
"A Genesis Chamber?"
"A facility capable of growing Kryptonian children from Kryptonian genetic material.
Jor-El emphasized the importance of the Codex, but after examining the systems, I believe the Genesis Chamber can still produce Kryptonians even without it.
It would actually be easier than cloning a human."
Lex took another slow breath.
"So although Krypton is gone, Clark alone could theoretically rebuild the Kryptonian population on Earth within a couple of decades."
Silence fell.
Lex continued.
"That also means Clark is almost certainly not the last Kryptonian.
As long as even a few survivors escaped before Krypton's destruction, the species can recover.
More importantly...
Every surviving colony ship maintains records and communication links with the others.
The moment we activated this vessel, Earth's location was effectively added back into the Kryptonian network."
Bruce immediately understood.
"If another Kryptonian ship receives that signal..."
Lex nodded grimly.
"...then one day a Kryptonian fleet could arrive in our solar system and decide Earth belongs to them.
Given Krypton's history, I wouldn't dismiss that possibility."
Bruce slowly turned toward Clark.
"Is that... good news?"
Clark shook his head without hesitation.
"Not even close.
I thought my people were explorers.
Instead, they were conquerors.
They didn't settle worlds peacefully.
They took them by force.
If other Kryptonians find Earth, that doesn't mean I've found my people.
It means war might be coming."