"I want to apologize for my inappropriate words earlier, Eric."
Clark, who had escaped from the ruins of the mansion, brushed off the dust from his tattered clothes, took a deep breath, and said to Eric with a guilty look on his face:
"That wasn't my intention. I was in a strange emotional state at the time. I don't even know what I said. If you were hurt by my words, I am very sorry."
Facing his brother, Clark felt a deep sense of guilt and unease.
Eric, whose gaze was fixed on the fleeing Talon from the Court of Owls, responded with an unchanged expression:
"No need to apologize, Clark. You weren't wrong, and I believe you think so too. Besides, I'm not the kind of person who gets hurt by a few words."
Clark felt a bit dejected by Eric's cold response.
He suddenly recalled a saying: Apologizing doesn't always mean you are wrong. It just means you value the relationship more than your ego.
He felt this saying hit home perfectly.
After letting his mind wander for a while, Clark forced himself to focus on the task at hand.
"Eric, do you know who these people are?"
Glancing at the "Owl Man" lying on the ground, Clark asked Eric with a puzzled look.
"Perhaps you should ask Lex Luthor what kind of entities he has provoked."
Eric walked over to one of the Talons, bent down, and removed the mask.
Examining the intricate and elegant patterns on it, he said nonchalantly:
"You might also want to ask Lex Luthor's mercenaries why they didn't wait for you to leave the hall before launching the rocket attack. And why he's collecting so many meteorites. Clark, you always thought you understood Lex Luthor, but it seems you don't."
"But that's normal, isn't it? You hide your identity from Lex, and Lex hides his actions from you. You both think you understand each other, but in reality, you are both wary and distant. If trust is ever broken, this fragile friendship could turn into a terrible relationship."
Reflecting on the future where Lex Luthor becomes Superman's arch-enemy, and thinking about their current relationship, Eric felt a strange sensation.
Is this the typical case of "love turning into hate"?!
Clark listened to Eric's criticism of his relationship with Lex, his expression becoming increasingly serious.
"Just now... those explosions were caused by Lex's people?"
He hesitated and asked Eric again.
He still found it hard to believe that Lex would do such a thing.
"You can ask him yourself."
After giving his "dear brother" a reply, Eric turned and left.
The fleeing Talon from the Court of Owls was getting further away, and despite having super vision, it was best not to let the enemy get too far out of sight.
The Court of Owls, a high-profile secret council.
The seats were filled with men and women wearing owl masks, exuding a noble air.
The entire council had listened to the report from the returning Talon.
The leader had a solemn expression, and the members in the arranged seats were stunned by the news.
"How is this possible? Eyes that can shoot lasers, strength that even our Talons can't match—how can such a person exist?"
"Even if the Talons gather together, they can't defeat this 'Homelander'?"
"I think we need to revise our strategy. For our safety, we might even need to reduce our meetings. If he discovers our location, it would be a disaster."
The members of the Court of Owls started discussing fervently.
"Silence!"
The leader knocked on the table. "Even if he invades the Court of Owls' stronghold, all that awaits him is defeat. The endless labyrinth is the first obstacle, and our 'Mr. Paradox' is the second. Even if our initial plan to retake the city fails, it is only the darkest hour before dawn."
As he mentioned "Mr. Paradox," the leader's gaze shifted to a middle-aged man standing in the shadows, cloaked in a black coat.
"Isn't that right, Mr. Paradox, our magician?"
"In fact."
The middle-aged man stepped out of the shadows, his expression serious. "I'm not a magician; I'm an illusionist. I barely passed the beginner's stage of card tricks and am now stepping into the realm of an illusionist with considerable experience."
"Magic? I believe it is entirely different from magic."
The leader said to Mr. Paradox, "I've heard that magic exists in the air, surrounding us at all times. For those with extraordinary talents, it is said that one can reach out and grab it. Explaining such a phenomenon with the term 'illusion' seems far-fetched, Mr. Paradox."
"Of course, you're right. Some people can indeed easily extract pure magic from the air and rewrite the laws of nature. But that kind of power must come from somewhere, and it will eventually return somewhere. I both fear and dread this kind of magic."
Mr. Paradox took two steps forward, staring into the masked leader's eyes.
"Magic has a price. The stronger it is, the more dangerous it becomes, often accompanied by a heavy cost. My magic is a little trick; it plays a game and hides from those dangerous entities, so I prefer to call it an illusion."
The leader was not interested in Mr. Paradox's theory of magic. All he wanted to know now was whether the man could deal with Homelander.
"Sounds interesting, Mr. Paradox, but our deal does not include a lecture on the origins and development of the magical world."
The leader paused and said, "The blasphemer—this 'Homelander'—is now openly defying the Court of Owls. Mr. Paradox, we expect you to prove your worth."
"Of course, I will fulfill my duties, and you need to give me that book."
Mr. Paradox's eyes suddenly turned sharp.
"Otherwise... our relationship might not remain so amicable."
The middle-aged man clearly did not have a friendly relationship with the members of the Court of Owls. He casually pointed at an owl mask hanging on the wall and said, "Moth to flame, the mask transforms (in reverse)!"
After reciting the incantation, the owl mask on the wall suddenly disappeared, replaced by several yellow fireflies that appeared out of thin air.
The fireflies flew around, lighting up the slightly dim council chamber.
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