"Can I leave now?" After seeing Robert's reaction, the Dimensional Debt Collector cautiously looked at Robert and asked. Gone was the indifferent demeanor he had upon his entrance, nor could anyone discern his identity as a debt collector from his current state.
With a "buzz," Robert waved his hand, not wanting to waste any more time with the Dimensional Debt Collector. His soul returned directly to his body, and the power that had been locking onto Robert also disappeared.
However, Robert could still sense a faint power maintaining a connection with him, which reminded him of when Constantine used tracking magic on him previously.
Initially, Robert hadn't been aware of Constantine and the tracking magic, but as Constantine drew nearer, Robert's sharp senses eventually detected the tracking magic.
Now, having come into contact with the power behind the tracking magic, Robert was still unfamiliar with the properties and principles of tracking magic. Although imitating it was out of the question, he could now detect this vague power.
With a "swoosh," thinking this over, Robert opened his eyes after his soul returned to his body, and was met with Kara's worried gaze.
This wasn't the first time Kara had seen Robert's soul leave his body. He had done so previously while dealing with demons, but this time Kara sensed a certain crisis looming.
Initially, Kara's perception of these mystical and extraordinary powers was not strong, but as Robert taught her mind-reading, she gradually began to apply her mental power.
Although she still couldn't detect the location of the Dimensional Debt Collector, she could faintly sense where the danger was coming from, which indeed enhanced her ability to handle threats.
"Don't worry, I'm fine!" Robert reassured her, patting Kara's hair. As they became closer after overcoming past obstacles, their physical expressions of affection became more frequent. Robert was now accustomed to their relationship.
"How bad is the cost of that magic?" Kara asked with furrowed brows, her concern evident.
"Honestly, it's quite substantial for ordinary people!" Robert thought for a moment before sharing his recent experience.
"That's just wrong! That Constantine is really no good! He shifted the cost of the magic onto you. Next time I see him, I'll teach him a lesson!" Kara clenched her fists angrily upon hearing Robert's story.
Her fists might be small, but with the enhancement of her body of steel, if Constantine was caught off guard, she might very well crush him on the spot!
"And that Dimension! Isn't it just ridiculous? You hadn't even successfully used tracking magic to locate your target, yet they still charge you? Doesn't anyone regulate their actions? That's outright coercion!" Kara continued indignantly.
"It's not exactly coercion, since technically, they wouldn't be able to contact me if I hadn't learned and used tracking magic..." Robert shrugged, chuckling as he lightly teased Kara by flicking her nose.
"Still, I've come to see the true nature of these dimensions. It's not outright coercion, but might makes right. They lend out their power and then harshly reclaim their dues. As for how much they reclaim, it's entirely up to their mood and greed..."
"Fortunately, for now, my strength is a bit greater than theirs. We'll just have to wait for that guy's superior to come looking for me! Though it seems, the dues collected by the tracking magic dimension are relatively minimal..."
"What if you can't beat them?" Kara's worry was still apparent as she hesitated, "Should we call our cheap cousin to help?"
"Don't worry, it won't come to that!" Robert smiled and shook his head, his voice low, "After dealing with enemies from various other dimensions, I've learned a few things..."
"Powerful beings from other dimensions have a hard time manifesting on Earth. Demons from Hell snuck in, and you've seen how effective they are..."
"The Devil's power is great, but he relied on his minions to use unknown methods to create a so-called 'Devil's human form' for the Devil to manifest on Earth..."
"As for angels, they used their last resort to allow Rachel to appear on Earth in her prime. All these actions come at a cost, just like most magic requires..."
"Even though the magic dimension follows some inherent rules to find me, I owe them little, so they can't send someone too powerful. Otherwise, they could just exploit a loophole!"
"You mean, if they really could send powerful beings, they could create debts and use that as a pretext to deploy more formidable beings on Earth to stay here under the guise of collecting debts?" Kara grasped Robert's explanation, her eyes lighting up.
"My smart Kara!" Robert praised as he embraced her.
"Smart Kara, huh? Humph... Wait! I've always been smarter! You've just grown up to be bad!" Kara, feeling the warmth from Robert's embrace, was momentarily indulgent but quickly snapped back, her eyes narrowing as if she were about to punch him.
"And who taught me to be bad?" Robert looked down at Kara in his arms and smiled.
"How would I know? Stop that, I'm a bit tired... I was just forcing myself to stay alert just now..." Kara averted Robert's gaze, her cheeks flushing, her voice a mix of resistance and anticipation.
"Alright, understood!" Robert chuckled and, without further ado, engaged his Gigantic Ape Strength 路 Fury transformation. He hadn't had a chance to use this transformation against the Dimensional Debt Collector, so he figured it would be better to test it out in a sparring session with Kara.
"Enough, enough..." After an indeterminate amount of time, a breathless Kara called out, exhausted, "You win, I can't fight you anymore, you're too strong. We've been out here too long, Martha might get suspicious..."
Robert: Wasn't it you who pulled me out here in public? What's there to be suspicious about?
Of course, these were just his thoughts, which Robert kept to himself, not ceasing their mock battle. He had already proven Kara's body of steel was no match, but he was determined to utterly defeat it, to show her the might of flesh and bone!
As for dealing with Diana, Robert wasn't in a rush, feeling that if he didn't settle things with Kara first, it wouldn't be right to go to Diana. He decided to wait until Kara was thoroughly convinced...
Time passed, and eventually, Robert, holding a completely exhausted Kara who now bore no resemblance to her usual steel-bodied persona, pretended to sigh, "You really need to train harder, get some sun to boost yourself. This isn't working..."
"Don't be so smug, why don't you cancel the transformation and then talk..." Kara's voice was weak, but she still seemed defiant.
"Continue?" Robert canceled the Gigantic Ape Strength 路 Fury transformation, his strength unimpaired, and challenged Kara again.
"No, no, no! I give up..." The once defiant Supergirl finally conceded. The continuous prowess of the Gigantic Ape Strength 路 Fury was too much for her, even if Robert reverted to his normal state and his power diminished, it wouldn't affect him much, while Kara had accumulated several layers of weakness and could no longer stand against Robert.
Seeing Kara concede, Robert didn't insist on continuing the fight. After resting for a while with Kara, who now
聽had flushed cheeks, he took her home.
"Cough, you're back?" Trying to act serious, Martha still couldn't help but smile as she greeted Robert and Kara.
If Kara had returned victorious, she wouldn't have been embarrassed, but as a loser, she hung her head, her voice barely audible, "Mmm..."
"Looking at you two, your species must be fine, but still, be careful. Kara still needs to go to college, and with her grades, it'd be a shame to waste that!" Martha noted Kara's rare bashfulness and shook her head. It seemed the two were living a happy new life, but she soon became serious again, especially when she looked at Robert.
As for Robert going to college, Martha had given up hope. She could tell he wasn't cut out for it. Maybe after he graduated, she'd buy him a farm nearby. With his quick work, the family now had money and didn't need to worry about living expenses. Plus, owning a farm would give Robert time for his pursuits.
But Kara was different. Her academic performance was excellent, and it would be a waste for her not to pursue higher education. As for the issue of distance between Robert and Kara, Martha wasn't concerned at all. With their speed, meeting up was just a matter of minutes.
"I will be careful," Robert responded, understanding Martha's concerns. He nodded, indicating that he would control his energy release during battles, as Kara's combat prowess had already proven insufficient to deplete him.
"Are you back?" Clark and Lana came out, eager to know how Robert planned to deal with Diana, but considering what they knew and that Martha was unaware of Diana's existence, Clark hesitated to ask directly.
However, Clark was now pondering a crucial issue. Even if Robert succeeded, it seemed there was no way to bring Diana back, especially with the Danvers close by. Clark wondered if Robert dared...
Clark hesitated, looking at Robert, who was now eye-level with him, and suddenly felt maybe he shouldn't have helped his foolish brother.
"Yeah, I'm back, and I actually have something to discuss..." Robert nodded at Clark, patted Kara's back as she walked toward Lana with a tired expression, and the two went off to whisper.
"About magic, do you remember how I used it to track Valentine?" Robert led Clark outside as they talked about the day's events.
"Magic is that dangerous? What about your qi magic?" Clark frowned, his concern apparent as he listened to Robert.
"Don't worry, qi magic draws from my own energy, from the qi within me. It's just an extension of my use of qi..." Robert reassured him, shaking his head.
"That's good. So, how do you plan to handle the cost? Are you going to continue fishing? Are you sure it won't backfire? Do you need my help setting a trap?"
"Wait till you can make your soul leave your body, then we'll talk. Those Dimensional Debt Collectors clearly target soul power, and you wouldn't be able to help even if you wanted to!" Robert laughed as he looked at Clark. He acknowledged that Clark's physical body was indeed very strong, but the issue was that Clark didn't have the ability to let his soul leave his body.
Even if Clark's soul might also be powerful, a soul that can't leave its body is essentially powerless.
"Or should we try it? Can't you make someone's soul leave their body?" Clark, undeterred by Robert's words, wasn't upset but instead frowned and earnestly spoke.
Clark had taken Robert's descriptions of the dimensions more seriously after hearing them, and his lack of this particular ability had always troubled him. Being mentally robust allowed him to resist some powers, but the soul is a more mysterious entity than the mind, related yet distinct, and Clark didn't want to remain vulnerable in this area.
Unaware that his body fears kryptonite, Clark wanted to overcome this rare weakness.
With a "snap," as soon as Clark finished speaking, Robert struck him with the speed of lightning. Clark felt his consciousness waver, then surged with mental energy and came to his senses, staring blankly at Robert.
"..." Seeing Clark's reaction, Robert was momentarily speechless, watching as Clark fell into silence. After a while, he said irritably, "Stop resisting! How can I get your soul out if you're resisting?"
Now, Robert thought, Clark, this Kryptonian, must have some kind of cheat. Unlike with Kara, he didn't need to use such tactics to make her feel her soul leaving her body...
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